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aplaceinthedark · 4 months

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LOOKING for the MEANING

chapter one: Old Friends, Same Disease

Summary: The Appalachian Mountains hide numerous monsters, and it's up to Taylor and the Bad Omens to prevent them from causing any harm.

Word Count: 2777

CW: supernatural themes, attempted B&E, mentions of dead bodies, body horror

This is RPF, and thus will contain real people, but names and events will be changed. If this bothers you too much, then please leave this temple without causing harm.

Featured Creatures:

@ladyveronikawrites @lilhobgobbler @deathblacksmoke @cookiesupplier @thatchickwiththecamera

@rottingfern @roley-poley-foley

I learned pretty quickly that Shenandoah Spring never wanted to come when it was told.

I’d heard about “Fake Spring” once or twice from a distant cousin that lived on the other side of the Blue Ridges. The First Day of Spring had come and gone, yet I was certain that some mornings it was still the middle of winter. Mornings like those, I was glad I had a space heater in my bed.

The space heater being my partner, Nicholas Ruffilo.

How most nights he was able to sleep wearing only a shirt and shorts was beyond me. No matter how many blankets I would pile on, or how far I snuggled under his body, I could never get warm. Not that we would complain about the closeness, since some nights felt like they were colder and darker than others.

Tonight was one of those nights - but unfortunately, I was alone.

Night terrors weren’t new to me. Before I left Newport News, I had been warned of the many side effects of PTSD and Survivor’s Guilt. I had been plagued with them constantly until I moved to New Hope, and then they had all but vanished when Nick and I started sleeping together.

Tonight, it was just me and the cats, as Nick had gone to Richmond for the weekend to see his mom. I had stayed behind this time, saying that I was never really alone with our friends in the woods. But now, I was starting to regret my decision.

Usually my night terrors involved the Accident that had happened almost two years ago, but tonight had been different. Instead of Michael’s body, lying lifeless in front of me, it was Nick’s, almost exactly how it had looked last summer. It was an image I hadn’t wanted to ever revisit, but it seemed like tonight my subconscious wanted me to rehash it.

And that’s why I was currently standing on my front porch, alone in the dark.

I took a drag from the joint we had stashed away in our “Medical Emergencies Only: KEEP OUT FOLIO” stash, AKA when we needed to calm down. Despite it being three in the morning, the woods surrounding my house was lively, defying the chill that seemed to permeate everything. I glanced over at the trees, taking in how the moon made them cast long shadows that seemed to claw their way across my lawn.

I no longer feared what those shadows hid.

Which reminded me… I peered behind me, casting my eyes down at the offering plate. It no longer sat down on the porch next to the door, like it was a water bowl for an outside dog. I had put it up on its own little table so as to keep it from getting buried underneath the snow. It held some cookies right now, wrapped in tinfoil to keep the raccoons from getting to them. The fact that they were still there meant Noah or the other two haints hadn’t stopped by to take the offering.

I no longer woke up when one of them would stop by, though a couple of times I would when I felt Nick leave the bed, but I would just quickly fall back asleep after. Some mornings I would wake up to see that Folio had dumped himself either on the living room couch or the bed in the spare bedroom, snoring away.

As I scrolled away on my phone, I felt the air around me go still. It made the hair on the back of my neck prickle. It was a common sign that one of the boys was near, so I looked up to greet whomever it was.

Indeed, there was something in the woods, lurking just at the edge of my property line, where the grass turned into the Weeds. I couldn’t exactly see it, just a faint outline, like those games Nicholas likes to play, when the screen says to turn the brightness down until you can't see the image. The presence lingered there for a long time.

I rolled my eyes. “Hello, Noah,” I called out, putting out the joint in the porch ashtray.

There was only silence in return, and the patch of darkness didn't move. I narrowed my eyes. “Whatever you're doing, Noah, you can do it either on my lawn or fuck off. I'm not in the mood for this tonight,” I snapped.

Nothing.

Unease curled in me. "Jolly? Nick?” I said, using Joakim’s nickname and Folio’s first name, respectively. I tried to keep the fear slowly creeping into me out of my voice, but I don’t think I did a very good job of it.

When I still didn't receive a response, I called out to the shadow with that weird mental connection Noah had with everyone. Noah?

WHAT?

The annoyance in his voice at my intrusion was not helping my panic. Are you anywhere near the house right now?

There was a small pause before he replied,

NO, I'M UP IN THE MOUNTAINS. FOLIO’S ON HIS WAY. WHY?

The second he said the word, No, I was immediately running back into the house. It didn't matter that Noah was still in my head, demanding that I tell him what was going on. I startled the small calico cat awake with the sound of the door slamming shut, causing her to angrily meow at me.

“Shh!” I quietly told Lydia, reaching over to pull the curtains shut. I had barely drawn one set when I heard the front steps outside creak as something put its weight down on them. I immediately dropped down into a crouching position, my back pressed against the door. Lydia was smarter, trodding off back to my bedroom.

Staying as still and quiet as possible, I could just barely hear what was going on on the other side of the door. It sounded like wet rasping, intermixed with some clicking noise. If that was the sound of nails hitting wood, there was no way that was Folio in his Grim form.

The sound continued for several more minutes, pacing back and forth slowly. The sound would fade off, and I would think it was safe to get up until it paced the other way. I was getting lightheaded from holding my breath for long periods of time.

That’s when I heard a new sound: metal being disturbed. Was… whatever it is... stealing the offering plate?

I was so focused on listening for the sound again that the knock on my door nearly had me falling over. I couldn't help the yelp that slipped out. I froze, scared that it would alert the monster outside, but then a familiar voice piped up. “Taylor, it's me. Open the door,” Noah said.

I slowly stood up, heading towards the peep hole to check, when I heard the same voice say inside my head,

DO NOT OPEN THAT DOOR! THAT'S NOT ME!

The doorknob rattled vigorously, as if the thing heard Noah. I felt a small surge of pride at having the wherewithal to deadbolt the door when I ran in, but it quickly evaporated when the door violently shook in its frame. I backed away from it until there was a loud bang, as if it threw its body against it, and an unearthly shriek pierced my eardrums. I bolted for the bathroom.

FOLIO'S ALMOST THERE.

I shut and locked the door, and then clambered into the tub before drawing the shower curtain. I then curled up into a ball to wait it out.

The minutes stretched into what felt like hours until I heard the sound of heavy paws beating against the forest floor, like someone was beating out a fast tempo on a kickdrum. Then, sounds of snarling and shrieking filled the air, causing a small sob of what was almost relief to escape me. Then, quiet.

“Taylor?”

I froze at what sounded like Nick Folio’s voice, calling out loud enough that I could hear him. "It's safe now. I'm coming in, alright?"

I climbed out of the bathtub and made my way out into the hall. It just so happened that at the same time, Folio was closing the front door behind him. Dark blood dropped from his lips onto the eagle tattooed on his chest, but I knew that he was the real Folio. Only occupants could come into my house.

I nearly tripped over my shaking legs, but I ran over to him and threw my arms around him. He answered in kind, holding me in comfort.

“I got it, don’t worry. It won't hurt you,” he said, smoothing my rumpled hair as if trying to soothe a wild animal. His nose then pressed to the shaved skin above my ear and I heard him sniffing.

"I was smoking before this happened," I admitted sheepishly.

“Obviously,” he said. He sounded a little disappointed.

That's when I heard the sound of trees being disturbed. “Go clean up,” I said, unwinding myself from Folio.

“Can do.” He patted my backside as he passed me to walk to the bathroom.

I pulled open the door and stepped onto the porch. Only the signs of the struggle were apparent. Nothing was broken, and the only things left behind were nail marks and small tufts of silvery-white fur, which I knew had belonged to Folio. He hadn’t looked raked, so it must not have caught his skin. Whatever the thing had been, there was no sign of it.

In the periphery of my vision, a tall shadow emerged from deep within the woods. As it got closer, it shrunk down to a somewhat normal size of a human. The branch-like antlers seemed to emerge from the treeline before his tattooed body did. It almost seemed like his arrival was accompanied by the sound of a cold wind skittering dead leaves across the ground.

“Jesus Christ,” Noah Sebastian, the Watcher of the Woods, swore. “What the hell did you go and do now?”

NOAH

It was something Noah hadn't seen in a long time.

Folio didn't leave it in one piece, but Noah could tell what it was just by looking at some of the bits. Almost white, hairless, a dried up husk. Its eyes were missing, but Noah knew it had already been like that. These things never had eyes, even back when he was under the old Watcher's control.

That was what worried him: the fact that this thing was here in the first place. He was wracking his brain over when he could have possibly left a corpse rot in the woods when he heard the front door of the house open. He dropped the pale thing to the ground and shifted into his more human form. Years later and he still felt the pain of his “bones snapping to fit inside a body half his actual size.

Taylor looked dead on their feet, and when he stepped onto the porch, they nearly collapsed against him. He steered them back in the house, forcing them to sit on the couch. He waited until they caught their breath to start interrogating.

“Tell me what happened,” he demanded. He knew a little bit from the panic that made Taylor practically throw the situation through the mental pipeline he had with everyone, but he couldn't actually see what happened through their eyes.

As they told him what happened, Noah listened intently. Normally, they had a relationship that bordered on squabbling siblings, but when it came to the safety of the woods and those he considered his “inner circle”, he was as serious as a heart attack.

As he began to ask a question, he heard the shower water turn off. “Do you still have that camera hooked up outside?”

“Yeah. I don't have the motion sensor notify me everytime, since you guys would wake me up at three in the morning,” Taylor said. They pulled out their phone.

“Sorry to interrupt your beauty sleep,” Noah said. He saw their eyes roll.

Folio then came out of the bathroom, wearing sweats. He shook his head vigorously, sending water droplets flying. “Did you see what it was?” he asked.

“Yeah, what little you left.”

“Hey! I didn't eat the whole thing! That shit was nasty!” Folio protested.

Folio sometimes thought with his stomach rather than his head. It didn't help that Noah let him eat whatever he found sometimes, but that had to stop after he nearly ate Taylor the first time they went into the woods and got lost. It didn't prevent him from starving, though. Between some of the wild animals he'd catch, or whatever leftovers Nicholas would leave for him, he was eating pretty good. He was, after all, a twenty-five year- old stuck in a seventeen year-old body.

“There's still cookies on the offering plate,” Taylor mumbled as they scrolled through camera footage.

“Ooh, sweet!”

“Save some for Jolly!” Noah called over his shoulder as Folio bound for the front door.

Taylor's shoulders slumped a little bit. “Come here,” he sighed, wrapping a long arm around them and pulling them into his wide torso. He was catching onto their moods quicker. He noticed that they liked stability and normality after stuff like this happened.

And to think, he nearly killed them last year, too.

“Do you want one of us to stay with you until Nick gets home?” Noah asked. He felt them nod against his chest, leaving something wet behind. He sighed again, and kissed the top of their head.

“I'll stay,” Folio said, mouth full.

“The fuck did I just say?”

“I SAVED YOU AND JOLLY SOME!”

Noah heard a semi-hysterical giggle escape from Taylor. “Did you manage to find where the attack began?” he asked them.

Taylor held up their phone, and Noah pressed play. He watched as Taylor ran into the house, and a few moments later the thing slowly crawled onto the porch. He moved the phone, but Taylor grabbed his wrist and held him fast. They wanted to see the monster too.

From the angle the camera was at, it looked like a hairless dog with too long hind legs. It loped around on all fours, back and forth on the porch several times. After a few minutes, Folio in his Grim form popped into frame, causing Taylor to jump, and he clamped his jaws onto the creature.

“What is it?” Taylor asked.

“I called them Pale Things. They're what happens to people who die in the woods,” Noah said. “I haven't seen them since the old Watcher would leave bodies left and right.”

“D-Do you know how tall they are when they stand up?” Taylor asked.

Noah frowned at the odd question. “Why?” he asked.

“Because something was standing at the edge of the woods, and this… Pale Thing seems too small to be that.”

Noah recalled when they had woken him. “Are you anywhere near the house?” They had mistaken this thing for him? That seemed impossible.

So there might be something else out there.

“Call Nick. I'm gonna get Jolly and we'll look around for anything,” Noah said. He then took the tin foil packets from Folio. “If anything that's not us or Nick comes within a hundred-foot radius of this property, fuck it up.”

Folio grinned, making his sharp teeth more pronounced. “Abso-fuckin-lutely.”

Noah stood up, patting Taylor on the head in a way that he knew would annoy them. “Go back to sleep, Lil’ Rabbit. I'll be back with the sunrise.” He then walked out of the house that had once been his.

With every step he took towards the woods, he transformed into a more comfortable form. His body stretched and grew as vines and branches broke through his skin, wrapping around his arms and legs. Bark and moss formed over that as if mocking clothes, but would break at his joints with a loud cracking sound. As he disappeared past the treeline, melting in with the other trees, his skull broke free and melded together so he no longer move his jaw. But the antlers remained; in fact, they grew to impressive lengths.

To some, he was monstrous.

To him, he was The Watcher of the Woods.

tysm for reading! If you enjoyed this, please reblog to share the word of the Revered Father. Next chapter coming soon.

#bad omens fanfiction #bad omens rpf #bad omens au #bad omens fic #bad omens fanfic #noah sebastian fanfiction #nick folio fanfiction #paranormal au #series: lost in the labyrinth #fic: looking for the meaning

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rjzimmerman · 17 days

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Excerpt from this National Geographic story:

A 14-year-old boy who went swimming in a pond in India’s sweltering heat. A 13-year-old girl who bathed in a pool during a school excursion, and a five-year-old girl who took a dip in a river near her home. The three children lived in different parts of the southern Indian state of Kerala. Yet they have something in common ⸺all of them succumbed to a brain infection, Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), caused by a tiny organism found in warm freshwaters and poorly maintained swimming pools. About a dozen others have been undergoing treatment in India, one of whom, a 27-year-old man, has also succumbed.

Although rare, PAM is a deadly infection with a worldwide occurrence. It is caused by Naegleria fowleri, also known as the "brain-eating amoeba”, as it infects the brain and destroys brain tissue. At least 39 countries have reported such infections so far, and the rate of infections is increasing by 4.5 percent every year. In Pakistan alone, 20 deaths are reported every year due to the disease, and in 2024, infections have been reported in India, Pakistan, and Israel. N. fowleri was also detected at a popular freshwater swimming spot in Western Australia and hot springs in the U.S’s Grand Teton National Park.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the majority of global case exposures⸺85 percent⸺have been reported during warm, hot, or summer seasons. Several studies have also observed that changes in temperature and climate may further drive a global increase in PAM incidence. A study published in May last year found that PAM infections are on the rise in the northern U.S. "N. fowleri is expanding northward due to climate change, posing a greater threat to human health in new regions where PAM has not yet been documented," the study noted.

Yun Shen, an assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering at the University of California, Riverside, says that she considers PAM as “a potential emerging medical threat worldwide”. She explains that while warmer temperatures are likely to facilitate the survival and growth of N. fowleri, the risk of exposure may also increase as people indulge in more water-based recreational activities in hotter weather.

N. fowleri is found in warm, untreated freshwater, soil, and dust, says Karen Towne, a clinical associate professor of nursing at the University of Mount Union in Ohio, who co-authored a 2023 study on how the amoeba poses “a new concern for northern climates”. She adds that so far, PAM infections have typically occurred in cases involving swimming, splashing, and submerging one’s head in freshwater lakes, ponds, hot springs, and reservoirs. Meanwhile, less common routes of transmission have included warm hose water, a lawn water slide, splash pad use, and exposure of the nasal membrane to tap water from private well systems.

“Epidemiologically, most cases have occurred in healthy children and young adults⸺more males than females⸺who have had recent contact with untreated fresh water,” Towne told National Geographic in an email interview.

According to Barbara Polivka, an associate dean of research at the University of Kansas School of Nursing, who co-authored the study with Towne, N. fowleri enters the nose via contaminated water, crosses the nasal membrane, and follows the olfactory nerve into the brain, where it incubates for an average of five days. “PAM begins with rapid onset of severe frontal headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, which worsen into stiff neck, altered mental status, hallucinations, coma, and death,” says Polivka.

#Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis #PAM #brain-eating amoeba #climate change

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elipheleh · 1 year

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David Wojnarowicz - Photo

Continuing my series of learning about things referenced in the book, I'm looking at things Alex references when he talks about engaging with queer history. These are all tagged #a series of learning about things that are referenced in the book, if you want to block the tag.

This post will cover the AIDS pandemic, which means there will be discussion of an incredibly large number of deaths, as well as government neglect of AIDS patients due to homophobia. There will be talk of the grief from the queer community & the ways it was weaponised to protest in an attempt for fundamental change. This is not a light topic, please take appropriate care when reading. As this post is going to have a few different topics in, so I decided to actually start with a read more, rather than arbitrarily place it partway down, I'd do a list of what is covered in this post & then have it all behind the cut.

So, in order, this post covers: David Wojnarowicz; AIDS; ACT-UP. In the additional reading section is a section subtitled "NAMES AIDS Memorial Quilt". This is worth looking into if you aren't already aware.

David Wojnarowicz is the man in the photo shown above, and referenced by Alex in the book. He was an AIDS activist, artist, writer, and filmmaker - among other things. He drew on his personal experiences with AIDS for his art & his political activism. In 1988, Wojnarowicz wore the leather jacket pictured above, with a pink triangle underneath text reading "if i die of aids - forget burial - just drop my body on the steps of the f.d.a." This jacket, and his similar sentiment from his book Close to the Knives, inspired David Robinson who - in 1991 - dumped the ashes of his deceased partner on the grounds of the White House in protest. These protests came to be known as "Ashes Action". Wojnarowicz died in his Manhattan home on July 22, 1992, aged 37, from what his boyfriend, Tom Rauffenbart, confirmed was AIDS. His ashes were scattered on the White House lawn in 1996.

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The AIDS epidemic in the US dates back to around 1970, but it wasn't until 1981 that cases started to come to light. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) published a report about 5 gay men becoming infected with a type of pneumonia only seen in people with compromised immune systems. As these men were healthy, this was unexpected. A year after, the New York Times published an article about a new immune system disorder, affecting over 300 people and killing over 100. Officials coined it GRID, gay-related immune deficiency, as it appeared to only be affecting gay men. It became officially known as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) by August 1982, but was referred to as "gay plague" and many other derogatory terms for many years. Ninety-five and a half per cent of those diagnosed with AIDS between 1981 and 1987 died.

At the time, Ronald Reagan was president. He has been widely criticised for his reaction to the epidemic, for good reason. He didn't mention the word "AIDS" in public until 1985, by which time there had been 5636 deaths due to AIDS in the US. His first speech about the disease was delivered to the College of Physicians in Philadelphia in 1987, by which point there were more than 36,000 Americans living with AIDS & more than 20,000 had died. In the documentary When AIDS Was Funny (linked at the bottom), audios from press conferences in the early 1980s show how little the Reagan administration cared. Not only do they refer to AIDS as "gay plague", but joke around about it. It shows just how much the epidemic was derided - the people in charge of the country were so flippant about something so devastating, reflecting the general opinion of AIDS. Reagan's public support came overwhelmingly from the 'religious right', with Rev. Jerry Falwell using his political action group (the Moral Majority) to encourage homophobia aimed at gay men, especially those diagnosed with AIDS. Pat Buchanan, the White House Communications Director from 1985 to 1987, described the crisis as nature “exacting an awful retribution against gay men” in 1983.

Larry Kramer, when recalling the attempts to get help from public officials said:

You learn very fast that you’re a faggot, and it doesn’t make any difference that you went to Yale and were assistant to presidents of a couple of film companies, and that you had money. [source]

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On the 13th August, 1998, the Bay Area Reporter paper published a headline "No obits". For the first time in 17 years, there was finally a week without any deaths due to AIDS in the area covered by the paper - they are clear that there were deaths elsewhere, and they may have belated obituaries the following week, but for now this was a positive change. They had previously had up to 30 obituaries at points. Derek Gordon was quoted in the article as saying:

"I remember my grandfather said he knew he was getting near death because he used to scan the obits," he told the B.A.R. "I used to think how tragic because I was doing the same thing at 30."

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Wojnarowicz's jacket features a pink triangle on it. This was being used as a signal, as the pink triangle had been reclaimed by gay activists - originally in early 1970s Germany - to be used as a memorial to past victims & to protest continuing discrimination following its use by the Nazi Party to identify queer men in concentration camps. ACT-UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power) adopted this icon, and turned it the other way up (so the point was at the top) and continue to use it to this day.

ACT-UP was formed in 1987, in New York City, and is now an international political group. It is working to end the AIDS pandemic using direct action, medical research & treatment, and trying to influence legislation. They debuted in October 1987, at the second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, not only by participating in the march but also with civil disobedience the day after. In the following October, ACT-UP shut down the F.D.A. (Food & Drug Administration) for a day in a demonstration against their drug approval process. The image of Wojnarowicz was taken that day, by William Dobbs. Activists shut down the F.D.A. by blocking the doors & walkways that would allow staff to get into the building. Some lay on the floor with faux-headstones, reading “DEAD FROM LACK OF DRUGS” and “VICTIM OF F.D.A. RED TAPE”. They attached a banner to the front of the building with ACT-UP's slogan - SILENCE = DEATH, bracketed by two pink triangles.

ACT-UP utilised different tactics from other groups - not only did they carry out (entirely non-violent) civil disobedience actions, but they also had the knowledge to be able to argue their demands successfully. The demonstration at the F.D.A. and their precise demands led to the F.D.A. listening to them and including them in decision making - and a year later their demands had started to come to fruition, with easier access to experimental drugs for those living with AIDS.

One 'Action' ACT-UP coordinated, was coined 'Ashes Action', as mentioned above. In 1992, ACT-UP marched to the White House fence to scatter the ashes of loved ones who had died due to AIDS onto the lawn of the White House. Inspired by Wojnarowicz's memoir, ashes were poured over the fence, demonstrating to the government explicitly the physical result of the AIDS policies. 'They had drums play a funeral cadence. They chanted—Bringing our dead to your door / We won't take it anymore and Out of the quilt and into the streets / Join us, join us. Unlike other protests, the Ashes Actions were not only meant to shock an uninterested public into empathy—they were meant as releases of grief for the activists themselves. "There was lots of room to scream and yell," Butler said, "but it wasn't always conducive to the work of mourning. I knew none of the people whose ashes we were carrying, but I remember when the ashes went over the fence of the White House. I just don't remember convulsive grief like the grief I felt in that moment."' [source]

sixteen, ashes of your forerunners rest on the lawn of the White House because SIXTEEN, THEY HAVE ALWAYS WATCHED US DIE. -SpondeeSoliloquy - Seventeen things (alternate link)

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I had to cut down a lot of the information here, so I would really appreciate it if you took the time to have a look through the additional reading below, there was a lot of things I would have added if I had the space.

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Sources: Wikipedia - David Wojnarowicz Guardian - David Wojnarowicz: still fighting prejudice 24 years after his death NY Times AIDS Timeline 1980-1987 History.com - History of AIDS Wikipedia - History of HIV/AIDS vox.com - The Reagan administration's unbelievable response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic US Studies Online The AIDS Crisis and the US Presidency SFGate - Reagan's AIDS Legacy / Silence equals death Washington Post - Pat Buchanan's Greatest Hits Wikipedia - Moral Majority Bay Area Reporter - No Obits Wikipedia - Pink Triangle Wikipedia - ACT UP New Yorker - How ACT UP Changed America Vice - Why the Ashes of People With AIDS on the White House Lawn Matter Pioneer Works - The Jacket

Additional Reading: When AIDS Was Funny - Documentary Film (cw for images of very unwell aids patients) LA Times - Police Arrest AIDS Protesters Blocking Access to FDA Offices Youtube - ACT UP Ashes Action 1992 Washington Post - AIDS ACTIVISTS THROW ASHES AT WHITE HOUSE Wikipedia - How to Survive a Plague Wikipedia - The Normal Heart (originally a play), 2014 film BBC - The drama that raged against Reagan’s America Wikipedia - Silence=Death Project Brooklyn Museum - Silence = Death Wikipedia - And The Band Played On - Randy Shilts NPR - How To Demand A Medical Breakthrough: Lessons From The AIDS Fight ACT-UP oral histories ClassicFM - Sobering black-and-white image of a gay men’s choir reminds of loss of life during AIDS epidemic Snopes - Does a Poignant Photo of Gay Men's Choir Show Devastating Impact of HIV/AIDS? Why We Fight - Vito Russo NAMES AIDS Memorial Quilt Wikipedia - NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt national aids memorial - quilt history Cleve Jones interview (specifically: How he came up with the idea for the AIDS Quilt) View the NAMES AIDS memorial quilt online

#rwrb #rwrb movie #red white and royal blue #a series of learning about things that are referenced in the book #long post #alt text added #elio's #elio's meta #meta

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learnwithmearticles · 3 months

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Technology's Use of Water

While water is renewable, it is finite. Its renewability depends on us using and managing our water resources responsibly.

Previous articles on this page have discussed hydropower and how it produces less waste and costs less than other resources. We have also briefly discussed how other energy sources consume water as a coolant or receptacle for waste. Entire university courses are dedicated to human uses of water.

Water Scarcity

Only 3% of water on Earth is freshwater. Of course, we need this to drink, but we need it for many more services beyond that.

Many plumbing fixtures are made of copper, which saltwater severely corrodes, same as lead and, over a longer time, PVC. Toilets on average use 1-5 gallons of water per flush. If we want to preserve freshwater by switching to saltwater plumbing, we would have to rethink and re-pipe entire plumbing systems.

We lose safe water in rain, as well. Supported by a study in Environmental Science and Technology, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2022 stated that rainwater is not safe to drink. Chemicals known as per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances break down extremely slowly, and have leached from many products like cleaners, fabrics, and shampoo into the water cycle. Removing PFAS from water requires filters of activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes, which also require frequent maintenance.

A lot of water is also not available to us because it is in ice caps and glaciers, which are estimated to be about 68% of Earth’s freshwater. This water is also being lost, because as glaciers melt at increasing rates, that freshwater becomes saltwater in the ocean.

These limitations mean that water is not necessarily renewable yet, especially because treating water produces its own waste and pollution. We have to be responsible with the small percentage of water we have access to.

Irresponsible Use

There are a ridiculous amount of ways in which we waste water. Leaks, watering lawns, and leaving taps running are some of the big household wastes of water. While individual accountability and changes can still make a big difference, I want to focus on bigger impacts.

One example is in nuclear power production. Nuclear power plants use water to cool down used fuel when it is done being used in the reactor. This results in radioactive and thermal water pollution.

Agriculture is another common cause of water pollution. Excess water from rain or artificial watering runs off of agricultural fields and flows towards streams and bodies of water. This runoff often includes amounts of fertilizers and pesticides ranging from minimal to extremely harmful. This leads to improper levels of oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen within the water. Like water contaminated by pharmaceuticals, this is not safe to drink, and something not safe for skin contact.

Technology is also a major factor of water demands. Artificial Intelligence and cryptocurrency are heavy water consumers.

AI is beneficial within waste management, as it is able to quickly analyze information and identify issues, potential problems, and potential areas of improvement. Unfortunately, AI training requires a large amount of water. One study states that training GPT-3 alone can evaporate 700,000 liters of freshwater. In 2027, AI is predicted to consume 4.2 to 6.6 billion cubic meters of water. In comparison, Denmark nationally consumes around one billion cubic meters in a year.

Cryptocurrency is even worse. It goes through a process called mining in which transactions are verified and new ‘coins’ are generated into the system. This process is extremely water-demanding. For example, in 2021, mining of Bitcoin consumed more than 1,600 gigaliters of global water. On average, each cryptocurrency transaction consumes 16,000 liters of water in cooling down the computer equipment and the power plants that provide the electricity.

Saltwater as an alternative in these situations does exist; however, this process has the disadvantages of one-time use, large water intake, sewage discharge, and ocean pollution. Technology has begun to improve on this method with seawater circulation cooling technology, which reduces sewage discharge and water intake, but remains an imperfect solution.

Technology has the potential to drastically improve environmental management and restoration, but still has a long way to go before we offset the huge impacts we have made. Freshwater is taken for granted by many people, and the systems that disproportionately consume the most of it are not held accountable. This cycle must stop if we want to make water a truly renewable resource.

Additional Resources

1. Water Renewability

2. Corrosion on Plumbing

3. Treating PFAS

4. Household Water Waste

5. Nuclear Water Waste

6. AI Helping Water Management

7. AI Water Consumption

8. Crypto Mining Water Consumption

9. Seawater cooling technology

#renewable power #renewable energy #water #water pollution #technology #artificial intelligence #ai training #cryptocurrency #digital currency #bitcoin #article #research #resources #environment #climate change #science

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vermin-fangs · 3 months

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Gardening tips:

1: find a plant that likes your garbage soil.

2: if your plant dies, replace it with a different species until you land on one that thrives with your climate and soil.

3: if that one stops thriving for any reason or other like climate or pests localizing in your yard, repeat.

4: profit.

If you find a plant that likes the default conditions of your yard you will never have to put effort into anything ever again. No need for harmful pesticides or fungicides for most occasions. Maybe sometimes you can throw some neem oil on there in a worst case scenario. If that's not enough, hit da bricks and switch to a plant that will actually give an output.

(Now, if you can't weed the garden for physical/disability reasons, then herbicides may be necessary for you. But there are also some other alternatives to prevent weed growth, you might notice from some of my garden pictures that I use lawn cuttings and occasionally cardboard as a 'mulch' to combat weeds. I have bad knees. I cant be on my knees weeding all the time. And honestly, by the end of the season when output starts to slow, I just let my garden become overrun. Plants are not your enemy. Roots help hold the soil together which helps prevent topsoil loss. So letting it become overrun is not necessarily a bad thing.)

Anyway, if you are trying to grow something that will not survive naturally, then that is likely not sustainable. If you have to use harmful chemicals, tcht, nope, that's killing your microbes and pollinators. That's only going to hurt you in the long run. Youre going to need to retreat the soil, and that's time and money extensive. (This problem can also be avoided, however, through either rotation or planter gardening.) If they won't survive because of droughts, it costs you more money on your water bill. Same with temperature regulation. Dividing up your crops in different sections with non transmittable species (species that common diseases can not transmit between) can also disrupt the spread of pests and disease, providing a buffer.

And here's a trick that will save you from buying potting soil. You can steam sterilize home made compost in your microwave with nothing but a bag and some water. Plant stems snapped by storms and other external factors can be coated with honey in an attempt to revive the plant. This has happened to one of my zucchinis in a storm before; I covered the 'wound' with honey, which is antifungal, antibacterial, and contains nutrients, and the wound healed over while the rest of the stem continued to grow around it.

Work smarter, not harder. This is my message. goodbye

#txt

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toolzee · 10 months

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Role of Right Gardening Tools in Garden! Important Information

Gardening, a timeless hobby that brings joy to many, is not just about planting seeds and watching them grow. It's an art that requires skill, dedication, and the right tools. The role of right gardening tools in garden cannot be overstated. These tools do more than just assist; they play a pivotal part in the creation and maintenance of a beautiful, thriving garden. In this article, we will explore the necessity of garden tool and how they contribute significantly to the art of gardening.

Enhancing Efficiency and Effectiveness

Time-Saving Tools: One of the primary roles of right gardening tools in garden is to enhance efficiency. Quality tools help complete tasks faster and more effectively. Imagine trying to dig a hole with your hands versus using a spade – the difference is night and day.

Precision in Gardening: Gardening tools also provide the precision required for delicate tasks. Precision tools allow for accurate planting, pruning, and weeding, which is essential for the health and aesthetics of the garden.

Reducing Physical Strain

Ergonomic Benefits: Gardening can be physically demanding, but the right tools can reduce this strain. Ergonomically designed tools are tailored to minimize the effort and reduce the risk of injury, making gardening more accessible and enjoyable.

Promoting Plant Health

Healthy Growth: The right tools contribute significantly to the health of your plants. For instance, using a sharp pair of pruning shears can prevent damage to plants, promoting healthier growth and reducing the risk of disease.

Improving Soil Health

Soil Maintenance: Tools like tillers and aerators play a crucial role in maintaining soil health. They help in aerating the soil, improving water and nutrient absorption, which is vital for plant growth.

Enhancing Garden Aesthetics

Aesthetic Maintenance: A well-maintained garden is a sight to behold, and the right tools are key to achieving this. Tools like lawn mowers and hedge trimmers help keep the garden neat and tidy, enhancing its overall aesthetics.

Ensuring Safety in Gardening

Safety First: Using the appropriate tools not only makes gardening tasks easier but also safer. The right tool for the right job reduces the chances of accidents and injuries.

The Necessity of Garden Tool

The necessity of garden tool extends beyond convenience. It's about creating an environment where plants can thrive and where gardening becomes a joy rather than a chore.

Adaptability: Different tools are designed for specific tasks, ensuring that every aspect of gardening is covered.

Durability: Quality tools are durable and reliable, making them a long-term investment for any gardener.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the role of right gardening tools in garden is integral to the success of any gardening endeavor. They are not just tools; they are essential partners in the journey of creating and maintaining a beautiful garden. The necessity of garden tool is evident in every well-kept garden, reflecting the care and attention given by the gardener.

For more insights into the importance of garden tools, visit "Why are garden tools important?" This comprehensive guide delves deeper into the necessity and impact of the right gardening tools, providing valuable information for both novice and experienced gardeners.

#Role of right gardening tools in garden #importance of garden tools #necessity of garden tools

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surrealisthells · 2 years

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"Good people live everywhere!" No. They do not. They do not live in Florida, which is a lawless swamp hell where people move and then stay specifically because they are assholes who want to surround themselves with other assholes forever to make each other miserable in their gator infested cognitively dissonant HOA-loving libertarian panopticon until they die of either old age or totally preventable diseases they could have avoided by wearing a fucking mask or simply not tongue fucking a rabid possum because a sign said "don't tongue fuck the rabid possums" and they felt their liberty was threatened by someone other than the all powerful neighborhood lawn police.

#i am about two seconds from posting exactly this on Nextdoor #i would consider it a great honor to be banned from Nextdoor

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leslie-allen-spillane · 1 year

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‘Reflections on a Radical Plot’, Charlotte Salter-Townshend in conversation with Clodagh Emoe

Imma magazine

Reflections on a Radical Plot offers insights into the journey and multifaceted engagements of Crocosmia × woven together with histories, folklore, and symbolism of Crocosmia and the various species of plants which have presented themselves in the plot on IMMA’s front lawn.

Clodagh Emoe creates works that explore how meaning is formed through our connection with each other and the natural world. Her collaborative project, The Plurality of Existence… (2015-2018) with individuals seeking asylum led organically to Crocosmia ×, a participatory project that was also developed and realised with individuals seeking asylum. Crocosmia × was commissioned by ‘…the lives we live” Grangegorman Public Art and supported by IMMA. The artwork Crocosmia × found a natural home in IMMA, as a plot of wildflowers on the lawn of this stately building.

Studies indicate the value of plants both wild and cultivated on human well-being. Increasingly, researchers acknowledge the importance of daily contact with nature. Even the ‘plucky plants’[i] that find their niche in urban environments have manifold positive effects. Growing on walls, in gutters, between cracks in the pavement, and along railway lines, these wild plants provide much needed refuge and food for animals including pollinators, but they also have a positive effect on human well-being.

Plants referenced in the collection of folklore are brought back to our attention in her organic, ghostlike prints of nettle, forget-me-not, primrose, herb Robert, ribwort plantain, nipplewort, prickly sow thistle, common thistle, opium poppy, wild violet, and western willow herb.

Nettles are nutritious and are an example of food as medicine: “Three doses of nettles in the month of April will prevent any disease for the rest of the year”.[9] Nettles are also vital for wildlife, the leaves providing food for the caterpillars of small tortoiseshell, comma, red admiral, and peacock butterfly. The stinging hairs protect the plant from grazers, allowing all sorts of insect life to thrive undisturbed. Nipplewort is a ‘weed’ of cereal crops. It has become less frequent with modern agricultural practices. The flower buds were thought to resemble nipples. Hence, it was believed to help heal sore nipples. This is an example of a theory known as the doctrine of signatures, popular in medieval times. Willowherb is also known as fireweed, because it grew where bombs had struck during the Blitz in London. It is a plant symbolic of upheaval and survival. Dandelions are considered the classic ‘weed’. Originating in Europe and Asia, it is estimated that dandelions have been in cultivation since the Roman times. They are used as remedies for illnesses including liver problems, gastrointestinal distress, fluid retention, and skin ailments. The plant is also a tasty and highly nutritious vegetable. During the seventeenth century, European colonists introduced dandelions to North America. Native American peoples also developed their own uses of the dandelion after it naturalised.

For the purposes of scientific record, botanists and collectors press and preserve plants as herbarium specimens. Bridging across science and art, botanic artists paint plants with great accuracy and detail. Clodagh develops this further, using unique ecological printing process that captures an image of the subject using the very essence of the plants. What appears as a mirror image reveals the trace of natural dye from the front and back of the plant left on each page, a duality presenting the plants’ dimension and depth, like the poetry of the asylum seekers who collaborated in The Plurality of Existence… and Crocosmia ×. This ecological printing process captures the complexity of these plants, revealing that being is a process in constant flux and in dialogue with the environment. At times, plants are potential, lying dormant in the soil. Later, they decay and return to the earth, showing us that death is just a part of the life cycle. “Deep in their roots all flowers keep the light” – Theodore Roethke.[10]

#clodagh emoe #botany #print #plants #printmaking

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scentedchildnacho · 1 year

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They wanted me to try gateway church for housing or showers so I said I'm sorry but we are going to equitize women's rights you can't have anyone under this type of conflict touch you or your things it's like a nuclear bomb and your shampoo is yours and it has to be mailed to you without interference from anyone but the post office....and anti trust has to start for you live your historical convictions though...

That church gateway is the creepy klan neo Nazi place where they watch elderly people die....and fly in felons from all over for the nra....

Hospice is so you can live though you can live though still foster the people for me though live live....

I was explaining to David homelessness is a very cruel conscription some vets won't live and somebody has to care for their families and walled communities could hire people for full tactical gear and ranch communities for me to get this creepy nude clown riot away from my life....

Well who will give bama their secret needs to live with all these nasty cap religion prevention states around them

I've thought about my selfishness and who I actually am and I don't understand jobs say you have this medication that could help people not commit crime or you have this agricultural method that could help an impoverished issue not die of restraints can you really understand the personality that's like no you can't have it I need a daddy to pay my rent?

Say you could administer a morphine about a vet kids temper tantrums that could ruin its life or they would put it in a vaccine hell that would kill it of comatose hatred would you still illegalize opiates for cap prevention Jim crow don't touch my water fountain states...

Naps I love naps....

Cops love horses and mid level incomes....wealth or poverty doesn't bother them anymore

Walled community and sustainable living for poor populations that need development through armed services.....

I was having panic attacks and car light shooting aquired ms nystagmus before all this depressing emotional social conversation and I apologized for talking too much....

I cried to Andrea confessing I found the Walgreens lady that touched my 🆔 some scary pill vet wife that was just going to sign me up to die of queer shelters.....

I don't ever want people I don't know touching my information ever no gross mental

No one can go to shelter unless it's okay I've had cig queers explained to me I won't act or lash out

My uncle molested me and I now have an auto immune disease...I lack aquired immunity and images of strength and I don't want to wear a bathe ing suit and go to the pool....

Well uncle needs Canadian hunting vacation so I apparently can die of lack of economic development for Fred Hampton ...kill stuff for uncle

Well they were blonds everywhere together and they know better then to leave their dark partners and it looked like uncles creepy technocrat hells angels blond clown party so I felt like lashing out and some people need to connect to my feminine or they could feel like crotch itch from waitress or waitress gave us a wet pants rape

Rape oh God the butt love impaction expected by tooty fruity down town Las Cruces poop hole vomitorium

I guess I don't like rape ists....don't just don't rape God and stuff for all

I told them I am really ready to go to California and enjoy traveling again.....

Life was so much better when I finally ran away from rape ville Gainesville and Lakeland in Florida and could go search out better business....

This is all I have come to expect from mid population college towns is a condemned restrained a cruel poverty while youth whore does nothing for anybody or anyone then show it's body luxury privilege and then gets threatened with finally burn the witch

Vermin...their vermin and show it off

Love their heels and pesticide direct sacral chord pathway damage to the vermis

The seed of this had a white light that burned off all of it's sheath also....

The lawn....it was suppose to be my job David....so the creepy dark lord came around to attack people with slash and cut and dust storm people into being a hospie or a cop...I should to them have to get guns so the Africans dont have to buffalo soldier

They do have a creepy fixation with me if I don't run away in horror of their monstrosity they keep trying to kill stuff and hurt themselves with illegal blowers

All ladies are a bitch if you don't run away in horror of their monster they kill themselves publicly like idiots as grown men

Well it tried to attack the kids for lawn games....electric slashing and pesticides don't kill bugs it starves them into weirder and more disgusting fire bites

Ya know how bees show they enjoy their penetrative stinger on strange alien metal objects

It's already a native species and things don't grow above naturally and just go away because of not enough water but we all needed a rape to it

Do don't do....that judgement no I'm on miracles I'm okay don't care don't judge don't

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mortiz888-blog · 9 months

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Watch This For Fixing and Preventing Fungus on Your Lawn. #SexyLawns

We'll delve into the connection between compacted lawns and fungus, exploring effective solutions to fix existing issues and preventive measures to keep your lawn thriving.

Battling Lawn Fungus: A Guide to Fixing and Preventing Issues on Compacted Lawns Introduction: A lush, green lawn is the envy of every homeowner, but when fungal infections strike, it can turn your pride and joy into a patchy nightmare. One of the common culprits for lawn fungus is compacted soil, which creates an environment ripe for fungal growth. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the…

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lyuvengarden · 1 year

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Lyuven Garden & Maintenance: Unleashing the Full Potential of Your Garden with Expert Maintenance

A well-maintained garden is a testament to the care and attention it receives. Lyuven Garden & Maintenance, the leading provider of professional garden maintenance services, is dedicated to unlocking the full potential of your outdoor space. With their expertise and passion for creating vibrant and thriving gardens, Lyuven Garden & Maintenance offers tailored solutions that elevate your garden to new heights. In this article, we explore the essential aspects of their expert maintenance services, showcasing how they bring beauty and vitality to your outdoor oasis.

Customized Maintenance Plans for Your Unique Garden

At Lyuven Garden & Maintenance, they understand that each garden has its own personality and requirements. They create customized maintenance plans that address the specific needs of your garden. By conducting a detailed assessment of factors such as plant varieties, soil conditions, and microclimates, their team designs tailored solutions that ensure your garden flourishes year-round.

Pruning and Shaping: Sculpting Natural Beauty

The art of pruning and shaping plays a crucial role in enhancing the visual appeal and health of your garden. Lyuven Garden & Maintenance excels in this aspect, employing advanced techniques to create stunning lines and captivating forms. Their skilled team meticulously prunes hedges, shrubs, and trees, transforming them into works of art that add elegance and structure to your garden.

Effortless Lawn Care for a Lush Green Canvas

A lush green lawn forms the foundation of a beautiful garden. Lyuven Garden & Maintenance offers comprehensive lawn care services, including regular mowing, edging, fertilization, and weed control. Their team of experts applies industry-best practices and uses state-of-the-art equipment to ensure your lawn remains healthy, vibrant, and free from unsightly weeds.

Optimal Irrigation Systems for Sustainable Growth

Proper irrigation is essential for the sustained health and vitality of your garden. Lyuven Garden & Maintenance specializes in the installation and maintenance of efficient irrigation systems tailored to your garden's specific needs. By implementing smart watering technologies, such as drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting, they promote optimal plant growth while conserving water resources.

Pest and Disease Management: Safeguarding Your Garden's Health

Pests and diseases can threaten the well-being of your garden. Lyuven Garden & Maintenance employs proactive pest and disease management strategies to protect your plants. Their team utilizes environmentally friendly solutions and integrated pest management practices to prevent and control common garden pests, ensuring your garden remains vibrant and thriving.

In Conclusion, Lyuven Garden & Maintenance is your trusted partner in unleashing the full potential of your garden. With their customized maintenance plans, expertise in pruning and shaping, comprehensive lawn care, efficient irrigation systems, and meticulous pest and disease management, they bring beauty, vitality, and harmony to your outdoor space. Trust Lyuven Garden & Maintenance to transform your garden into a captivating oasis that reflects your vision and provides endless joy. Contact them today to experience the unrivaled dedication and expertise in garden maintenance that sets them apart.

#Garden Maintenance

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vishnuvardhankummetha · 1 year

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Expert Sprinkler Repair Services | S&L Sprinkler Repair

A lush, vibrant lawn is a captivating sight that can enhance the beauty of any home. Achieving and maintaining such a lawn requires the implementation of proper irrigation techniques and thoughtful landscaping. At Sands Sprinkler Repair, we understand the significance of a healthy lawn, and we are dedicated to providing exceptional sprinkler system services to help you achieve your dream yard. In this blog post, we will explore various aspects of lawn irrigation, the contribution of landscaping to a healthier lawn, the benefits of drip irrigation, and the importance of drainage systems. So, let's delve into the details!

Lawn Irrigation:

Lawn irrigation is a process that involves the controlled supply of water to your lawn to ensure it receives adequate moisture for healthy plant growth. An efficient and well-designed sprinkler system is crucial for the uniform distribution of water across your lawn, preventing issues such as overwatering or underwatering. Our team of experts at Sand Sprinkler Repair possesses the knowledge and experience to assess the specific needs of your lawn and install a customized sprinkler system that will keep your lawn well-hydrated and flourishing.

Landscaping and a Healthier Lawn:

Landscaping plays a vital role in nurturing a healthy lawn. Thoughtful landscaping practices contribute to enhanced drainage, weed control, and improved soil health. Proper grading of landscapes facilitates effective water drainage, preventing waterlogged soil and the potential for root rot. Strategic placement of plants, shrubs, and the application of mulch inhibit weed growth, reducing competition for essential nutrients and moisture. Landscaping practices such as aeration, soil amendments, and the use of organic mulch promote healthier soil conditions, supporting robust root development and optimal nutrient absorption.

Drip Irrigation and Its Benefits:

Drip irrigation is a highly efficient method of watering that delivers water directly to the roots of plants through a network of tubes and emitters. This irrigation technique offers numerous benefits, including water conservation, weed reduction, and improved plant health. By precisely delivering water to the areas where it is needed, drip irrigation minimizes water wastage through evaporation and runoff. Targeting water to the root zone of plants limits water exposure to weed seeds, effectively minimizing weed growth. Additionally, drip irrigation ensures a consistent and controlled water supply, preventing overwatering and reducing the risk of diseases caused by moisture-related issues.

The Importance of Drainage Systems:

Adequate drainage is essential for maintaining a healthy lawn. A well-designed drainage system prevents waterlogging, soil erosion, and minimizes the risks of diseases and pests. Excessive water accumulation can suffocate grass roots, leading to poor growth and yellowing. Proper drainage ensures efficient water drainage, preventing water logging issues. It also prevents soil erosion, which can result in the loss of topsoil and nutrient depletion, compromising the overall health of your lawn. Moreover, a robust drainage system eliminates stagnant water, reducing the risk of infestations and the spread of diseases.

Conclusion:

Investing in a high-quality sprinkler system and adopting proper irrigation techniques is a wise decision when it comes to nurturing a healthier and more vibrant lawn. At Sands Sprinkler Repair, we are committed to providing exceptional services and expertise to help you achieve the lawn you've always envisioned. With our customized sprinkler systems, landscaping knowledge, and understanding of the importance of drainage systems, we can assist you in transforming your lawn into a thriving oasis. Contact Sandal Sprinkler Repair today and witness the remarkable transformation.

#Sprinkler repair #Sprinkler system #Sprinkler maintenance #Irrigation repair #Lawn sprinkler repair #Sprinkler installation #Sprinkler troubleshooting #Sprinkler valve repair #Sprinkler head replacement #Water efficiency #Lawn care

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janicebaker727 · 1 year

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Fixing Landscape Issues With These 6 Lawn Care Suggestions

Every lawn is unique, and with so many various factors to take into account, it's simple to run into some typical lawn care issues. A lush, healthy grass greatly enhances the curb appeal of your house.

1. To restore bald areas in your lawn, reseed. It is advisable to rule out any potential pests or diseases before beginning any type of lawn treatment procedure. You can start resolving the problem once you ascertain what is causing the spots.

2. Whenever you come upon a dandelion, take the entire plant out. The brilliant yellow blossoms and general determination to stay on your lawn make these weeds stand out. Dandelions thrive in conditions that frequently cause the grass to wither, therefore it's crucial to recognize that an unhealthy lawn will only make the issue worse.

3. Create a walkway to avoid compacting your lawn. In places with a lot of foot traffic, the soil is frequently compacted. Setting up a pathway with cove smart can help keep people off your grass and perhaps improve the appeal of your house if you plan to sell it soon.

4. Pull up the crabgrass from your yard to get rid of it. Some house owners believe that the weed may be eliminated by simply mowing over it. The best method for permanently getting rid of crabgrass is to rip it out, roots and all. Herbicides may be your greatest option for maintaining your lawn if crabgrass starts to overrun it.

5. Resolve weed pesticide damage to the lawn. You must remove the injured grass and loosen the soil to a depth of around two inches if you want to restore your lawn following weed killer damage. Then, to let sunshine through and reduce the area surrounding the bald spot to less than 1 inch, mow it.

6. Remove trash from your grass to prevent the growth of mushrooms. Many people are unaware that mushrooms do not spontaneously appear. The appearance and allure of your landscaping might be ruined by mushrooms sprouting up on a lush lawn. A crucial lawn care tip is to avoid overwatering your lawn.

#lawncare #curb appeal #home improvement #home maintenance #landscape #homerenovation #home upgrades #homesecuritysystem #homesafetytips #securitysystem #pathway #flowers #diy #home & lifestyle #Homeowners

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newstfionline · 2 years

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Monday, November 21, 2022

Biden turns 80 as election talk swirls (The Hill) Questions about Joe Biden’s age have loomed over his presidency ever since he entered the White House. On Sunday, Biden will reach a major milestone when he is expected to spend his 80th birthday quietly with his family, many of whom will be at the White House to mark another occasion: His granddaughter Naomi’s wedding. His rivals want to cast the president as lacking the energy and mental acuity needed for the job. While Biden takes flack for his age from the GOP, former President Trump is only four years younger and has announced a bid for reelection. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is 89. Ronald Reagan, who was 69 years old when he was sworn into his first term, was also faced with questions about his age, but turned it to his advantage. During one of the presidential debates with Mondale, Reagan said “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

Western US cities to remove decorative grass amid drought (AP) A group of 30 agencies that supply water to homes and businesses throughout the western United States has pledged to rip up lots of decorative grass to help keep water in the over-tapped Colorado River. The agreement signed Tuesday by water agencies in Southern California, Phoenix and Salt Lake City and elsewhere illustrates an accelerating shift in the American West away from well-manicured grass that has long been a totem of suburban life, having taken root alongside streets, around fountains and between office park walkways. The grass-removal pledge targets turf that people don’t work on, like in front of strip malls, in street medians or at the entrance to neighborhoods. It doesn’t mean cities plan to rip up grass at golf courses, parks or in backyards, though some may pay homeowners to voluntarily replace their lawns with more drought-resistance landscaping.

Gang Warfare Cripples Haiti’s Fight Against Cholera (NYT) To reach the hospital, the mothers traveled the front lines of a gang war, bringing sick babies during lulls in gun battles and passing corpses along the way. They had no choice: Cholera, resurgent in Haiti, had come for their children. Cholera is soaring across the globe, as a record number of outbreaks have strained already reeling health systems in regions including Africa and South Asia. But cholera’s resurgence is a particularly cruel turn of fate in Haiti, which in February declared victory in eliminating the disease after battling it for more than a decade. Now, that triumph has been snatched away by the same forces plunging the nation into extraordinary depths of chaos and despair: armed groups that have turned vast swaths of the capital into lawless hellscapes of violence—and a government unable to take control. Now the health authorities cannot deliver the most basic care in poor neighborhoods where gangs have choked off access to the outside world, preventing doctors from entering and leaving the sick to die at home.

As Climate Protests Get Bolder, British Police Strike Back With New Powers (NYT) When environmental protesters recently stopped traffic on the M25 freeway that circles London, one journalist, Charlotte Lynch, was standing on a bridge above reporting on the latest of the group’s disruptive demonstrations for her radio station, LBC. But not for long. Ms. Lynch was swiftly handcuffed, searched and arrested after being questioned by two police officers about how she knew that the demonstration was taking place. Ms. Lynch said that she had shown a press card carried by journalists in Britain to identify themselves to the police, and explained that she had learned about where the protest would be held from social media. Nonetheless, she was held for five hours at a police station, where her DNA was collected and fingerprints were taken. As environmentalists and climate change activists ratchet up their protests in Britain, the authorities are responding in kind with robust actions that have raised concerns that long-enshrined freedoms are being eroded. Determined to crack down on the demonstrators, the government is giving the police new powers to tackle groups that have brought busy highways to a standstill, delayed infrastructure projects by tunneling beneath them, thrown soup at artwork and deflated the tires of SUVs. “What I’m seeing now is, I think, a sort of spiral—I’d almost say a radicalization,” said Adam Wagner, a civil liberties lawyer and author. “I think there’s a hardening on both sides—the police and the protesters—both of the actions and the reactions. I can see that dynamic and I’m pretty worried about it.”

As the War Rages, Ukraine Wages a Daunting Battle to Rebuild (NYT) Ukrainian efforts to stabilize some of the country’s battered electricity supply and make a dent in the seemingly endless task of demining swaths of the country offered a glimpse into the Herculean task that lies ahead off the battlefield. For the first time since Moscow this past week carried out its largest assault on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the national energy utility said on Saturday that it was again able to use planned, coordinated blackouts to keep the national grid stabilized rather than resorting to emergency power shutdowns. The first traces of power were also restored to the recently reclaimed southern city of Kherson, which was left without heat, running water and electricity by Russian troops, as they blew up and tore down critical infrastructure before retreating to territory east of the Dnipro River. Across fields strewn with mines and at power plants under the threat of Russian missiles, workers with the Ukrainian utility company, Ukrenergo, have raced to fix damage caused by attacks intended to heap suffering on the Ukrainian people. But repairs made this week can be destroyed by a new Russian assault the next. Ukraine’s government says that nearly half of Ukraine’s energy grid has been knocked out by recent Russian missile strikes. Kyiv also estimates that nearly 61,000 square miles of the country could be littered with land mines and other explosives. Some cities and towns lie in ruins.

Kyiv’s mayor: Extraordinary, in extraordinarily tough times (AP) The body armor propped against a radiator, ready for use, the spent shell casing adding to clutter on his desk, the boxing memorabilia and the sign asking visitors to leave firearms at his door: All shout that this is the office of an extraordinary mayor, in extraordinarily difficult times. And then there’s the plastic toy figure of a muscular boxer, with clenched fist raised—a reminder of how physically imposing, fearsome even, Vitali Klitschko was in his world title-winning, opponent-pummeling heavyweight boxing prime. As was also the case during his years as a professional prizefighter, the fight for survival he’s engaged in now is primal. But it’s more essential, too: To prevent power from going out entirely in his city of 3 million people, to ensure that families don’t freeze in the cold that winter’s onset is bringing, and to keep Ukraine’s hyper-digital capital hooked up to the outside world. In blacked-out Kyiv restaurants, diners feel their way through meals in near-darkness, served by waiters carrying candles. Residents wake in the dead of night—if that’s when it’s their turn to get a few hours of power again—to shower and do laundry. “Huge challenge,” Klitschko said.

Malaysia faces new crisis as poll delivers hung Parliament (AP) Malaysia tumbled into fresh political turmoil Sunday after a tightly contested general election delivered a hung Parliament with no clear winner and a surprising surge of support for an Islamist party. Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim��s reformist alliance secured the biggest gain with 82 out of 220 Parliamentary seats, but fell far short of a majority. Trailing close behind was former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin’s Malay-based Perikatan Nasional, or National Alliance with 73 seats. Among other key election losers was two-time former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who at 97 is leading a separate Malay movement. The outcome will now see horse-trading as both Muhyiddin and Anwar scramble to form the government.

For rivals Japan and China, the new space race is about removing junk (Washington Post) When China successfully towed a dead satellite into a “graveyard orbit” this year, it alarmed experts in Japan who have been trying to put their country at the forefront of the world’s expanding market in space-junk removal. Some interpreted the Chinese feat as a demonstration of an orbit-offensive capability—the ability to make unwelcome, close approaches to other satellites. The technology involved is a precursor to what Japan is racing to build. With commercial space activities taking off, the amount of junk orbiting the planet poses an increasing threat of collisions. Companies around the globe are working to develop the means to send this junk tumbling toward Earth so it will burn up in the extreme temperatures of reentry. No rules govern who is responsible for cleanup—or space-debris mitigation, as it is called—but Japan intends to play a key role in their development. The nation has stepped up cooperation with the United States in response to China’s growing space capabilities. Low Earth orbit is full of litter. Decades of exploration have left thousands of pieces of now-useless equipment and satellites that circle the planet at 17,500 miles an hour. Some are the size of a marble, others as big as a school bus.

Qatar to open Mideast’s first World Cup before leaders, fans (AP) Qatar prepared Sunday to open the Middle East’s first FIFA World Cup before global leaders and soccer fans now pouring into this energy-rich nation after being battered by a regional boycott and international criticism. Regardless of the outcome of Qatar versus Ecuador on the pitch, Doha already has drawn Saudi Arabia’s powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the opening ceremony and inaugural match of the tournament. That Prince Mohammed, whose nation had closed Qatar’s only land border to the world through the kingdom over a yearslong political dispute, will attend shows how far the rapprochement between the two nations has gone. Qatar’s state-run news agency announced Prince Mohammed’s presence in the country, as well as other world leaders. It said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Senegalese President Macky Sall and Rwandan President Paul Kagame had arrived in Doha.

World’s longest-standing president seeks to extend 43-year rule (Reuters) Equatorial Guinea votes on Sunday in a general election in which President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the world’s longest-standing president, is expected to extend his 43-year rule at the helm of the tiny oil-producing West African nation. Over 400,000 people registered to vote in the country of around 1.5 million. Voters will also cast ballots to elect 100 members of parliament for the lower house, 55 of the country’s 70 senators, and local mayors. Observers expect no surprises. The 80-year-old Obiang has always been elected with over 90% of votes in polls whose fairness international observers have questioned given longstanding complaints by rights groups over a lack of political freedom. Equatorial Guinea has had only two presidents since independence from Spain in 1968. Obiang ousted his uncle Francisco Macias Nguema in a coup in 1979.

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