#Native Development Tips

[sigzentechnologies]

From Concept to Cloud: Revolutionizing Your Apps with Native Development

Introduction In the ever-evolving landscape of app development, Native Development stands out as a pivotal force, driving innovation and user experience. This article delves into the crucial aspect of cloud integration within Native Development, exploring how Sigzen Technologies spearheads this integration to propel businesses forward. Understanding Native Development Defining Native…

[thatdisasterauthor]

Fell down a rabbit hole today and found this FANTASTIC list of FireWise plants for Colorado! It was developed by CSU to help people find safer plants to put around their homes when doing fire mitigation.

It breaks things down into different categories depending on the plant type, lets you know the common and scientific name, the water and sun needs, the size at maturity, elevations it grows at, and the month(s) it usually blooms. It also lets you know if it is a native plant, and if it might be poisonous in any way to people, pets, livestock, or wildlife.

Plus it has other tips for planting around your home if you are in a wildfire prone area.

Just a really fantastic resource.

[reasonsforhope]

Masterpost: Reasons I firmly believe we will beat climate change

Posts are in reverse chronological order (by post date, not article date), mostly taken from my "climate change" tag, which I went through all the way back to the literal beginning of my blog. Will update periodically.

Especially big deal articles/posts are in bold.

Big picture:

Mature trees offer hope in world of rising emissions (x)

Spying from space: How satellites can help identify and rein in a potent climate pollutant (x)

Good news: Tiny urban green spaces can cool cities and save lives (x)

Conservation and economic development go hand in hand, more often than expected (x)

The exponential growth of solar power will change the world (x)

Sun Machines: Solar, an energy that gets cheaper and cheaper, is going to be huge (x)

Wealthy nations finally deliver promised climate aid, as calls for more equitable funding for poor countries grow (x)

For Earth Day 2024, experts are spreading optimism – not doom. Here's why. (x)

Opinion: I’m a Climate Scientist. I’m Not Screaming Into the Void Anymore. (x)

The World’s Forests Are Doing Much Better Than We Think (x)

‘Staggering’ green growth gives hope for 1.5C, says global energy chief (x)

Beyond Catastrophe: A New Climate Reality Is Coming Into View (x)

Young Forests Capture Carbon Quicker than Previously Thought (x)

Yes, climate change can be beaten by 2050. Here's how. (x)

Soil improvements could keep planet within 1.5C heating target, research shows (x)

The global treaty to save the ozone layer has also slowed Arctic ice melt (x)

The doomers are wrong about humanity’s future — and its past (x)

Scientists Find Methane is Actually Offsetting 30% of its Own Heating Effect on Planet (x)

Are debt-for-climate swaps finally taking off? (x)

High seas treaty: historic deal to protect international waters finally reached at UN (x)

How Could Positive ‘Tipping Points’ Accelerate Climate Action? (x)

Specific examples:

Environmental Campaigners Celebrate As Labour Ends Tory Ban On New Onshore Wind Projects (x)

Private firms are driving a revolution in solar power in Africa (x)

How the small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu drastically cut plastic pollution (x)

Rewilding sites have seen 400% increase in jobs since 2008, research finds [Scotland] (x)

The American Climate Corps take flight, with most jobs based in the West (x)

Waste Heat Generated from Electronics to Warm Finnish City in Winter Thanks to Groundbreaking Thermal Energy Project (x)

Climate protection is now a human right — and lawsuits will follow [European Union] (x)

A new EU ecocide law ‘marks the end of impunity for environmental criminals’ (x)

Solar hits a renewable energy milestone not seen since WWII [United States] (x)

These are the climate grannies. They’ll do whatever it takes to protect their grandchildren. [United States and Native American Nations] (x)

Century of Tree Planting Stalls the Warming Effects in the Eastern United States, Says Study (x)

Chart: Wind and solar are closing in on fossil fuels in the EU (x)

UK use of gas and coal for electricity at lowest since 1957, figures show (x)

Countries That Generate 100% Renewable Energy Electricity (x)

Indigenous advocacy leads to largest dam removal project in US history [United States and Native American Nations] (x)

India’s clean energy transition is rapidly underway, benefiting the entire world (x)

China is set to shatter its wind and solar target five years early, new report finds (x)

‘Game changing’: spate of US lawsuits calls big oil to account for climate crisis (x)

Largest-ever data set collection shows how coral reefs can survive climate change (x)

The Biggest Climate Bill of Your Life - But What Does It DO? [United States] (x)

Good Climate News: Headline Roundup April 1st through April 15th, 2023 (x)

How agroforestry can restore degraded lands and provide income in the Amazon (x) [Brazil]

Loss of Climate-Crucial Mangrove Forests Has Slowed to Near-Negligable Amount Worldwide, Report Hails (x)

Agroecology schools help communities restore degraded land in Guatemala (x)

Climate adaptation:

Solar-powered generators pull clean drinking water 'from thin air,' aiding communities in need: 'It transforms lives' (x)

‘Sponge’ Cities Combat Urban Flooding by Letting Nature Do the Work [China] (x)

Indian Engineers Tackle Water Shortages with Star Wars Tech in Kerala (x)

A green roof or rooftop solar? You can combine them in a biosolar roof — boosting both biodiversity and power output (x)

Global death tolls from natural disasters have actually plummeted over the last century (x)

Los Angeles Just Proved How Spongy a City Can Be (x)

This city turns sewage into drinking water in 24 hours. The concept is catching on [Namibia] (x)

Plants teach their offspring how to adapt to climate change, scientists find (x)

Resurrecting Climate-Resilient Rice in India (x)

Edit 1/12/25: Yes, I know a bunch of the links disappeared. I'll try to fix that when I get the chance. In the meantime, read all the other stuff!!

Other Masterposts:

Going carbon negative and how we're going to fix global heating (x)

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - March 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles! This month’s doodles, like every third month, will be free to the public, so take a look!

1. Zoo 'overjoyed' as lion cubs increase pride to 10

“The litter of rare northern African lions was the second batch to be born recently at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, after three arrived in November. […] "The youngsters will grow up side-by-side with their half-siblings, and I'm sure they'll love having an abundance of playmates."”

2. Ohio Appeals Court Rules Trans Care Is Healthcare, Strikes Down Ban For Trans Youth

“The ruling rested on two key findings: first, that gender-affirming care constitutes legitimate medical treatment, and second, that parents have the constitutional right to make healthcare decisions for their children.”

3. Oystercatcher Recovery Campaign Offers a Rare Success Story about Shorebird Conservation

“Fifteen years of coordinated conservation efforts have produced a significant recovery in the U.S. population of the American oystercatcher[….] Schulte predicted that the protection efforts will survive [federal funding cuts] because of the large number of non-federal partners involved.”

4. Fish-tracking robot aims to make fishing more sustainable in developing nations

“A solar-powered, transparent [robot] that can roam the waters autonomously for five days at a stretch, counting fish [… can help fishers] avoid the overfishing [… and] mean less fuel consumed by boats searching for schools of fish, and less degradation of nets due to trawling where there are no fish.”

5. Zoologist Rediscovers Grasshopper Species Believed Extinct

“[… T]he Appalachian grasshopper […] camouflages with its surroundings—perhaps part of the reason people haven’t seen it [since 1946]. [… A zoologist] had seen some reports on iNaturalist that he thought could have been the species[, …] and after surveying several locations, he found a female.”

6. Scaling agroforestry can support fisheries, local food production and cultural practices

“The research found that combining native forest protection (100,000 acres) with transitioning suitable fallow agricultural land to agroforestry (400,000 acres) could [reduce] erosion and boosting nearshore food production by almost 100,000 meals per year[….]”

7. A cell pulls off one of the 'Holy Grails' of biotechnology

“[… A] single-celled alga with a nucleus [… can conduct] a chemical conversion reaction that helps create some of the essential building blocks of life. […] One day, Capone says the nitroplast could be introduced to crops to allow them to convert their own nitrogen without relying on external fertilizer.”

8. FERC: Solar + wind set for a strong 3-year run despite Trump’s sabotage

“Solar accounted for 68.2% of all new generating capacity placed into service in January – more than double the solar capacity added a year earlier (1,176 MW). […] Around 30% of US solar capacity is in small-scale (e.g., rooftop) systems that are not reflected in FERC’s data.”

9. As ghost junk haunts the sea, ‘mermaids’ are fighting back

“Just two days after completing the training, Diana Garcia, one of the Sirenas, helped remove nearly 900 kilograms (2,000 pounds) of [abandoned] ghost gear and debris in the waters near her community[….]”

10. A Nest-Protecting Program Pays Off for Alabama’s Snowy Plovers

“Over the past two breeding seasons, 18 Snowy Plover chicks fledged—a major turnaround after five years of almost no chick survival. [… The team made] a concerted effort to educate the public about the need to give the birds space[, … and] people have not directly caused plover losses in Alabama recently[….]”

March 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[uyuforu]

Hi, Uyu.

I'm not sure if you're into career asteroids but would it be alright if you did a MC persona chart or Industria ersona chart analysis? Similar to your Vertex and NN PC analysis you posted. Only if you're comfortable and have the time to do so of course hehe.

MC Persona Chart Observations II

The MC in Astrology, meaning Medium Coeli, is one of the 4 main points (ASC, IC, DSC, MC) in a Chart. It is the also the 10H. The MC/ 10H is a point that represents the career, the job area of the native. It is also about the reputation. In order to know more about this matter, we can look at it in the Natal Chart, but also the MC Persona Chart. This is what the study will be about in this post, taking mine as an example.

All pictures were found on Pinterest

Other posts you could like:

જ⁀➴ Astro Observations X Career Edition

જ⁀➴ How to know your Future Spouse's Career with Astrology

જ⁀➴ MC Persona Chart II

READINGS BOOKING OPEN

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╰┈➤ Get your own MC Persona Chart from 30€ to 65€ ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

✎ᝰ. Cancer Sun/ 4°, 16°, 28° can mean your job can involve helping others, making people comfortable. The job could also be related to nostalgia, family, emotions, and feeling secure. But also nurturing. Perhaps in your career, you will make people feel this way, people will see you as a help, as someone they can trust too.

✎ᝰ. Sun 1H could mean your face, your appearance is playing a certain point in your job. Perhaps people seeing you is gonna help you a lot, or your career can have more success if you appear in front of people. The sun being in the first house means you could even have a job related to your appearance, some people have that and are models.

✎ᝰ. Aquarius Sun/ 11°, 23° could make you work related to technologies and social medias. You could also have a job that is considered unique or "eccentric".

✎ᝰ. Capricorn Moon/ 10°, 22° can mean you will need to work hard, to feel invested in your work, you'll also need to feel able to develop yourself in your career, meaning to see an evolution, to see you can develop connections and be able to get more contracts or climb the ladder.

✎ᝰ. Moon 7H you can need to find an aesthetic in your job, a sort of beauty. Perhaps you also need to find the place you work in pleasing and pretty to look at, you must also use devices and for example stationary that you enjoy to look at. You could also need to feel a certain stability at work. Looking good looking at work as well.

✎ᝰ. Virgo Moon/ 6°, 18° means you could often find yourself working very hard, you need to feel invested, to feel a true interest in your job. You need to feel busy, ambitious. You could also have a certain need to feel in control, hardworking but mostly that you lead things. You could indeed need to be productive, and work a lot in your career.

✎ᝰ. Cancer Mercury/ 4°, 16°, 28° can tell us you can communicate in a very gentle way at work, in a nice voice and you can also seem caring in your words. You can also have a high pitched voice.

✎ᝰ. Mercury 1H can mean you'll often talk about yourself at work, but it can also mean people will talk about you often at work too. You can talk in a confident way, not be scared to stand out. You'll want to be heard for what you have to say.

✎ᝰ. Capricorn Mercury/ 10°, 22° can make you communicate in a more authoritative voice, as the voice of a boss, a leader. You can be cold with your words.

✎ᝰ. Leo Venus/ 5°, 17°, 29° means you could like being seen at work, or you could enjoy also feeling popular in your job. You could be generous at work, and entertaining. You could feel more happy if the mood at work is fun, amusing and entertaining. You could also be the entertainer at your job. People could think you are the best at what you do.

✎ᝰ. Venus 2H can mean you feel like you need to feel like there is a stable environment at work for you to be able to work properly. You could also appreciate a stable work environment, a calm one, drama free.

✎ᝰ. Gemini Venus/ 3°, 15°, 27°, you could like to chat with people, colleagues, and work with others. You could enjoy the chatting and conversation. You could also enjoy some gossips sometimes. This can also mean having a lot of knowledge at work. Studying at work or for work too.

✎ᝰ. Cancer Mars/ 4°, 16°, 28° can make you not that thirsty for ambition. You can indeed have a soft drive, and not caring much in the end about it. You can be very sensitive, you could cry when something happens in order to hurt you or to put you down.

✎ᝰ. Mars 1H could indeed make you have a certain drive and ambition. You could want people to notice you and see you, your ambition could be related to the fact you need to be seen in order to succeed.

✎ᝰ. Libra Mars/ 7°, 19° might prefer things to be fair at work, you won't cheat just for the sake of ambition and success. You could also have a strong sense of justice.

✎ᝰ. Jupiter 3°, 15°, 27° can mean you'll find luck in your career by talking with people, communicating, perhaps finding a lot of contracts this way or connections. You can also find luck in your career online, on social medias, or on TV.

✎ᝰ. Jupiter 12H can mean you'll find luck in your career in things you weren't expecting in, or in things that are hidden from you. You can also feel like you are lucky to have a good sleeping schedule at work, and perhaps a lot of alone time, or free time.

╰┈➤ Get your own MC Persona Chart from 30€ to 65€ ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

✎ᝰ. Saturn 4°, 16°, 28° can tell us your limits in your job can be related to family and home, perhaps you'll be away from home and family often because of work. You can also sometimes struggle with the idea of intimacy, perhaps people can often want to enter in your private life and you can feel exposed or uncomfortable about it.

✎ᝰ. Saturn 11H can mean you'll struggle with connecting with other well, perhaps also the obstacles and limits can be related to online presence, social medias. You can also have a sort of limits with your friends, struggling to make friends at work or not seeing them often.

✎ᝰ. Pluto 11°, 23° can mean you'll need to go through transformations related to your connection with people. Perhaps your friend circle will change because of work, perhaps also you will not see your connections the same way as before. You can also have your social medias presence change because of work.

✎ᝰ. Pluto 6H can mean your routine will drastically change because of your job, but your health too.

✎ᝰ. Chiron 6H can mean you'll have an uneasy schedule at work. Perhaps you'll have a schedule that is never the same every weeks, sometimes very heavy and it can be hard to keep up. You can also worry, stress and be anxious because of work. Work can also be unhealthy for you.

✎ᝰ. Cancer Rising/ 4°, 16°, 28° can mean the way you'll appear at work will be very innocent like. People will see you as someone they must protect, someone who is nice, but someone who can be hurt easily. You can be considered as young too for what you do. People can also tend to think you are not enough experienced for what you do.

✎ᝰ. Virgo Rising/ 6°, 18° makes you appear a bit cold and distant with people. You are reserved and don't let people in easily. They can also see you as a perfectionist or someone very career focused.

✎ᝰ. Cancer 1H can tell us people will really like how nurturing and nice you can look. It could play a role in your career.

✎ᝰ. Cancer 2H can mean you could gain a lot of empathy, and a lot of gratitude too from work. You could also meet people that become your family, and people you can really trust and who help you when you are in need. If you work somewhere, your work could become your second home in a sense, you could feel comfortable there. You could also create a lot and "give birth" to some projects. Your work could also help you align in your family energy. You could feel more your emotions and perhaps know how to manage those more.

✎ᝰ. Leo 3H means it could be a very loud and joyful way to express ourselves. People could laugh a lot, and talk in a very loud, expressive, perhaps even dramatic voice where you work. Some people could even be faking their expressive emotions at work. It reminds me of acting. Can also over give compliments.

✎ᝰ. Libra 5H can often indicate a very creative job, perhaps more on the aesthetic, pretty, make up, physically good looking, etc. kind of creative.

✎ᝰ. Scorpio 6H can mean your work ethic will be strict, you'll want things to be equal and good. If you find out something was made behind your back to do you wrong, your work ethic will be revenge. You'll believe strongly in karma and justice.

✎ᝰ. Pisces MC/ 12°, 24° means your reputation at work could be quite artistic. People could think you are very creative and sensitive. They could see you as an empath, and someone who connects to other people easily. You could also look like a bit chaotic, or that you always have so many things going on and you have no organization. People could also see you as someone who does spiritual practices, and so in this case tarot and astrology. Seeing you as a spiritual person. A calm person too.

✎ᝰ. 1H Ruler in 7H can mean your physical appearance or beauty can play a big role in your career, perhaps people finding you pretty will make you gain attention and contracts.

✎ᝰ. 3H Ruler in 1H can mean people can often talk about you in general, perhaps mostly on how you look. Perhaps at work it will happen often, you'll be often discussed and talk about on your appearance. Can mean also showing yourself on social medias or TV.

✎ᝰ. Cancer Stellium can mean having a very motherly vibe at work, you can also work from home.

Thank you for reading!

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[revelboo]

(Shockwave voice) My observations of the recent behavior among our faction's ranks have led me to a logical conclusion on the biology of our species... this planet seems to have ideal conditions to activate a dormant protocol in the processor, among other things. All of this centers around the native sophont life forms, which are not only capable of spark-bonding to our own species... this bond can kindle new sparks with a nearly 100% success rate, their anatomy is optimal for tactile interfacing, and roughly 50% of their population is capable of carrying a physically developing protoform to term in a specialized organ... I have exchanged notes with Tarantulas on the subject.

So far these organisms, humans, seem to be unique among other alien life forms in their high compatibility, but I have extrapolated a theory from the interactions between captured specimens and their caretakers. A coordinated program to pair compatible humans and mechs will not only create a boom in our dwindling population, the operation to cyberform Earth may accelerate exponentially. Any cross-species bondmates are removed from the human gene pool as they devote their energy to their Cybertronian partners and hybrid sparklings; within generations, depending on the aggression of the operation, fewer and fewer humans will reproduce with their own kind... their lifespans are short without our direct intervention, we would not be waiting long before Earth is entirely within our control.

With your permission, Lord Megatron, I can begin drafting plans for a long-term study... passive observation has sufficed until now, but my research would benefit from volunteers. Perhaps even mandatory participation.

🤣 He would. 🔞 Mass displaced mech 🌶️

Research

Shockwave

• “Harder,” you groan, a leg sliding against his hip as Thundercracker moves against you, hips snapping as you cling to him. Back arching at the feel of his spike stretching you and driving deep again and again. ‘Your position isn’t optimal. Try elevating your human’s hips,’ intones a voice and you scream spotting Shockwave just standing there watching you two go at it. How had he got into the habsuite and how long has he been just watching? Mood ruined, you stare at the purple lunatic as his head tips.

• “Get out, you son of a glitch!” Thundercracker snarls, wings flared aggressively as he tries to hide as much of you from view as possible from Shockwave. How had the Pit spawned scientist even gotten into his habsuite? And you’re naked under him, his spike buried in you as you hide your face against his neck. ‘Are you currently bonded to your human?’ Shockwave asks, awkwardly cradling a datapad against himself with his cannon so he can make notes. ‘Is this an attempt to establish nanites prior to sparking or simply recreational?’

• “Get out!” Optic dimming when Thundercracker lifts an arm, his weapons system humming to life in threat, Shockwave’s antenna flatten back. That’s the third one that’s become irrationally resistant to answering simple questions or letting him assist them. Showing them the most efficient ways to interface with their humans can only facilitate his end goals. So why are they all so angry about his help? Except Vortex, that one had invited him to join him and his human and had laughed when he’d declined.

• Leaving Thundercracker’s habsuite before the seeker can decide to fire upon him, he makes a notation on his datapad. And while several Decepticons are making use of the research material data files he’d distributed with videos showing humans coupling in optimal positions, he’d been disappointed to realize it was being utilized by Decepticons without humans for recreational masturbation. Though, he does plan on sending out another data file composition in the hopes it might encourage more Decepticons to go find humans of their own. If they’re getting off to the videos, it stands to reason they’re interested in humans.

• Using his override to enter another habsuite, he vents in exasperation. ‘Interfacing in that manner accomplishes nothing useful,’ he growls and Skywarp’s head lifts from between his human’s thighs, optics bright. And the purple seeker does fire at him, face twisting in outrage. ‘The human sucking your spike at least introduces nanites,’ he snarls in parting as he ducks into the hall. Why are they all so resistant to saving the Cybertronian race? Making a note, he heads for the Constructicons’s habsuite. Hook is a medic, surely he’ll listen to logic.

[astrobydalia]

🪐 Astro Observations!!!✨

Happy 2024 babes! Here’s to another year sharing astrology stuff with all of you 🤩

work by astrobydalia

Yes water moons have great intuition and could be psychic but I very often notice they tend to allow their personal feelings interfere with their decisions and could tend to not follow their intuition as much. The ones that have a more reliable or unbiased intuition imo are Earth moons and Aquarius moon.

Scorpio Venus really do gravitate to unhealthy relationships… All their connections tend to have unfair or imbalanced dynamics to them where there’s no equal give and take. They believe love means throwing yourself and your life away for another person (or they expect someone to give everything away for them) with little to nothing in return. They may not understand the difference between deep intimacy and unhealthy attachment

Libra placements and their ability to appear likable even when they have the shittiest personality deep down

In my opinion Moon is the most important planet if you really wanna begin to know someone at their core. Ultimately no planet can give you full info without the context of the whole chart tho (#AllPlanetsMatter), but you can really uncarcarve sm about someone just by moon placement/aspects/degree, etc. Moon rules your needs and so it really cements your personality and its an energy that you'll project in so many areas of your life (relationships, career, etc)

Fixed Mars are ARGUMENTATIVE fr fr. They need to have the last word and will die on that hill if they have to💀Honorable mention: Virgo/Gemini Mars due to Mercury influence but they’re more about friendly banter and aren’t as stubborn

80% of Aries Moons I've met were very philosophical/spiritual/religious. They can develop a self-awareness that gives them a lot of wisdom. The other 20% were just adult toddlers and very egotistic...

Capricorn placements and their internalized elitism. They really do believe some people are better than others which is the shadow of Capricorn unfortunately

Aquarius Moons are some of the most traumatized people I know fr fr. Whenever I get to know their life and backstory Im always like bro….😶😶 It makes me so sad cause they always bring such good vibes everywhere (they have a playful aura) when in reality there’s a depth of pain underneath you wouldn’t even fathom through that unbothered persona. The OG misunderstood.

We all know Scorpio is all about depth, intensity and looking beyond the surface but I’ve very often observed the exact opposite in scorpio placements. They could tend to be very superficial, greedy and materialistic, more obsessed with wealth and status than any earth placement (it all comes down to power). In such cases their interest in occult or deep topics could also be superficial or opportunistic, like they only see it as something that could give them a leg up in life or help them avoid unseen threats but that's about it.

Cancer Risings do not come across as sensitive at all. They tend to have a rather sassy personality and are pretty defensive 90% of the time tbh. Think about it, are crabs 🦀 cute and cuddly? No, you actually actually have to be very careful around one cause they sting lol. They do wear their heart on their sleeves and are very sensitive and perceptive but because of this they constantly feel like their vulnerability is out for everyone to see hence the guarded attitude.

^I've also noticed they are VERY opinionated and will hold on very tightly to how they think/feel about something. This results in having a reputation for being kinda bold and sharp (Aries 10th). Pro tip: do NOT question these native's morals or integrity unless you wanna see a very snappy side to them, they respond very very very badly if you even insinuate that they might be hypocritical in their values/what matters to them

The interpretation that Aquarius in the 4th house means you’re an outcasted black sheep in the family low-key doesn’t make sense to me tbh. Aquarius is the sign of camaraderie, friendship, inclusivity and community. All the people that I’ve seen with this placement were actually very bonded to their roots and considered their family (and the people they bonded with during childhood) to be "their people" (they also keep their friends close to heart). These natives do tend to distinct themselves as they grow up but this is due to Leo 10th house. I've noticed their family is in general very supportive of them or at the very least they received some input in their upbringing that made them feel special and/or like their uniqueness was celebrated. Feel free to share your opinion/experience tho

I've noticed Virgo Mars people have a perfect balance between being confident in themselves and fulling trusting their abilities while also staying humble and acknowledge room for improvement. Very mature and self-accountable and they're also great people to work with cause they are highly appreciative of good contribution

Sagittarius placements and their ability to be casually rude in a charming way??? 😭

Moon in the 10th house do not have a reputation for being emotional at all, it's quite the opposite they dislike exposing their feelings like that. A lot of their energy is spent trying to appear put-together and emotionally stable. The ones I've noticed have a reputation for being moody or sensitive are Mars in the 10th house

Venus-Moon aspects probably grew up in an environment that fed up this idea they had to be beautiful and conventionally likable in order to be worthy of love. These natives tend to base their self-worth on the amount of emotional validation they get from others and struggle telling the difference between kindness and love

A couple notes on everyone’s fave topic: 8th house synastry

We all know this overlay deals with power dynamics. On a general basis I’ve noticed it’s the planet person who tends to have the upper hand. Exeption: Moon. When your moon falls in someone’s 8th house you tend to be vulnerable one due to the soft nature of this planet, but the house person secretly feels more intimidated

You will NAWT be able to keep secrets from someone you have 8th house synastry with specially if you’re the house person. Sooner or later they’ll see through you, circumstances might force you to expose yourself or you’ll simply feel drawn to revealing the truth to them. With water synastry in general you will feel drawn to share more deep or hidden parts of yourself/your life but with the 8th house you can’t help it, like there’s almost an accusatory tension between the two that grows the more you try to hide something from them

Something I see no one mentioning about 8th house synastry is the planet person always feels intimidated by the house person's success. The planet person will try to take part in the house person's success by taking some credit and have a sense of control over what belongs to the house person, it's giving Kanye's "I made that bitch famous". At best the planet person would want to help boost the house person's endeavors. Either way, when someone's planets land on your 8th house, you will never feel like something is completely yours anymore, somehow the planet person will "take" something away from you that you can't get back making you feel like you owe them or they owe you something big (8th house=debt), which is why this overlay very often goes south and tends to be very depleting.

If we're talking business (which 8th house deals with that) the house person is likely to take a risk on the planet person, invest on them (can be money, time, resources, trust, etc) in hopes that it'll pay off. The house person is most likely to loose something from their involvement with the planet person, but they can also gain a lot from the planet person if the investment pays off. In either case, one could tend to exploit the other if there’s any ill intent from the individual

Water mars people are very smothering in their affection tbh. Once you’ve been chosen, get ready to be bombarded by their attention a bit more each time. Secret stalker vibes.This doesn’t always mean they love you tho, if underdeveloped they may want to “bond” in order to have emotional control over you and use you. For them it’s easy to get what they want through manipulation so leading people on or fooling around is something they tend to do a lot

Going back to the affection topic, water venus are smothering too but they go about their obsession devotion in a much more soft and non-domineering way where they give a lot of power away to their partner

People with Gemini+Scorpio placements in their chart embody the mischievous trickster archetype fr fr. They’re funny but also a menace. Have an ease to become that type of deceitful manipulator who thrives in chaos

I have a theory that your Moon represents the kind of bond or relationship you have with your mother but Ceres represents how your mother actually is

Capricorn and Scorpio placements are huge tsunderes imo 😭

Chiron in Sagittarius/9th house have become disappointed with religious and/or academic institutions. For them both systems are essentially flawed and don't work or don't make sense

+When it comes to religion I've seen a lot of them being atheist and skeptics. Some others still believed in god/universe/etc. but they did not want to support any stablished religious institution and instead have preferred to craft their own belief system. In both cases, they saw the institutionalization of believe systems as something that hindered their freedom of thought and expansion

+When it comes to academics a very similar thing happens. They felt like collage and the educational system restricted their mind instead of expanding it so they just preferred to walk their own path and find growth elsewhere. A friend of mine with this placement quit collage and the other people I've seen who did finish it all said they had a kinda dreadful and/or unfulfilling collage experience which they low-key regret

If you’ve ever felt powerless in the house where you have your pluto, that’s because you gave your power away to the opposite house. For example, if you have Pluto in the 5th house and you felt powerless when it comes to expression, your creativity, etc that’s because you gave too much power to the public opinion/peer pressure (11th house) and what they may say about you if you express yourself genuinely

Scorpio Moons always battle with that "am I a good person?", "am I a monster deep down?" inner conflict. They are more in touch with darker emotions and experiences than the average person so for them it's particularly easy to channel their shadow. This can often make them doubt their own integrity or think they are doomed to never feel happiness and inner peace. This is moon's debilitation for a reason, their inner emotional world is ruled by chaos and turmoil and they tend to be a bit too comfortable (moon) in toxicity and drama, nothing is ever light-hearted for them. If developed this ability of staying in touch with the shadow side of things can actually give them lots of awareness and resilience for the darker sides of the world as well as a very solid moral compass and compassion

Leo Moons likely had grandiose standards forced on them that inflated their self-importance. It's giving "mommy told me I am the best and most special of all" which is great but now they be carrying that mindset for the rest of their lives and this is where lot of their infamous sensitivity and fragile ego comes from cause not fulfilling these standards deeply hurts their heart. In consequence they tend to be more unprepared to accept humbling experiences that'll make them mature

virgo risings are funny!!!! I haven't seen anyone mention this, but every virgo rising I've met cracked me UP, they are so witty and never misse a chance to throw in a cheeky joke every 2 minutes. I think this is overlooked because they keep a rather awkward demeanor to them which often makes for a rather dry delivery. Best examples of this are Ryan Raynolds, Keanue Reeves, Emma Watson, Cole Sprouse...

Also, all Virgo risings I've met tend to come across as huge snobs so it's very common that people don't take their humor or friendliness seriously

Honestly I've noticed this theme with Virgo/6th house inner placements in general where their judgemental nature always makes them unfriendly or snarky to some degree. They can be the kind of people who are never happy with anything and always have a bone to pick.

My main theory as to why Leo risings are the most shy out of all Leo placements is because a lot of them grew up in very problematic and dysfunctional families (Scorpio 4th house) where they were shamed for showing vulnerability or being genuine (Cancer 12th house)

I’ve noticed Aries Suns and Capricorn Suns tend to relate a lot to their fathers, they tend to have very similar character traits as their fathers. For good or for bad their relationship with their father is always very important in their personality.

I find that LEO Suns and Sagittarius Suns always be having daddy issues tho like 😭😭😭😭

One thing about Capricorn is they can be literal billionaires and yet will still refuse to spend a dime on something they think is not worth it

Mutable Moons don’t commit 10000% to things, they’re the type to always have a foot out just in case. They're most likely to commit to things if they don't feel forced or expected to stay permanently

Cardinal energy is very consistent and responsable. People with prominent cardinal placements have a really developed sense of agency, focus and direction (imo this will be more obvious with moon, mars and asc). There's something about them that always gives me this put together "I've got this" kinda vibe, they always seem like they've got it together and always know what to do even when they're lost.

Fixed mercuries and their inability to understand or accept that two different points can be true

Sun/Leo in the 3rd house could want to have a nice car, an expensive or luxurious car from a well-known brand

I’ve seen people saying Venus-Mars conjunction gives it girl vibes. This is also HIGHLY true for Mars-ruled Venus (Aries/Scorpio Venus) or Venus-ruled Mars (Libra/Taurus Mars)

work by astrobydalia

[4amarcanethoughts]

Thinking about Jayce and Viktor developing their own dialect over the years in the lab.

It starts with Viktor forgetting the Piltovan word for a tool he needs Jayce to pass to him. So he gestures the motion it requires to use it. Then he points, and points again when Jayce grabs the wrong one. Just as Jayce finally realises what he meant, Viktor says its name in his native tongue. Jayce repeats it, albeit badly, before giving its Piltovan name.

This occurs many times, especially during those late nights where thinking in one language is hard enough. It happens to Jayce, too. A word on the tip of his tongue, lost just out of reach. Found by Viktor, spoken to life by lips Jayce cannot help but stare at.

They learn words and phrases of each other's languages, can understand the most frequently used terms in their respective lexicons. There have been times Sky has walked into a room where two languages are being spoken, neither of which are Piltovan, and it still seemed like they understood each other perfectly. She has since become the third speaker of the dialect, and a helpful translator.

Both Jayce and Viktor have a propensity for muttering curses. Or hurling them as insults at misbehaving machinery at the ass crack of dawn. Jayce stands as the worst offender, often amused when Viktor's patience for an experiment gone wrong finally runs out. The string of swear words that follows an interesting exercise in which ones he can recall.

Perhaps one of Jayce's favourite past times is guessing what each one means. Sometimes context helps, other times not so much. He still remembers trying out one of Viktor's curses, using it to insult a particularly rude noble after another stuffy trade meeting. The way Viktor stared at him before breaking out into wheezing, snorting laughter is painted in his memory. He learnt what it really meant eventually, nearly falling out of his chair laughing himself.

A mistake he makes on purpose now, just to hear Viktor laugh. To see his shoulders shaking and how he bites his lip trying not to smile when Jayce whispers it in the most inappropriate settings. It is always worth the half hearted chastising that comes after.

[cognitivejustice]

Make a mini-pond to give nature a home

"Ponds are absolute biodiversity hotspots – in terms of both the range and density of species that use them. After you fill a hole in the garden with water, wildlife will come – very, very quickly. It's astonishing how quickly it comes,"

Ponds, he says, offer a mix of habitat types. "Within a pond you have cool bits, open water, shallow bits, the margins around the outside. You get this ecological principle known as the edge effect, where different habitats butt up against each other. It might be easy to think that you've got just two habitats – pond and not pond – but actually, you've got all these interlocking microhabitats." The result, he says, is a "diversity of life that so is much greater than in any other part of the garden".

"Ponds they are one of the earliest habitat types on the planet," says Naomi Ewald, technical director at the Freshwater Habitat Trust, a non-profit in the UK. "Darwin even hypothesised that life began in a pond. We are talking about a habitat that's been here forever, and life has evolved over millions of years to live in those environments. From the tiniest algae and the smallest life – most of which we haven't even begun to identify – to insects and plants, and then all those higher animals on top. You can find almost every single taxonomic group in a pond."

Networks of ponds – or "pondscapes" – are crucial for biodiversity. These small water bodies can be permanent or seasonal, natural or man-made, and provide habitats for many endemic, threatened or rare species.

Top tips for making your own mini pond

• Fill your pond with rain water, as tap water often has high levels of dissolved nitrogen and phosphorus.

• There's no need to top up with water, even in dry periods, as some animals like newts can benefit from varying water levels.

• Make sure there is a shallow edge so that creatures can crawl in and out of the water.

• Don't add fish. They will likely gobble up any invertebrates or tadpoles.

• Choose plenty of native pond plants, to avoid the spread of non-native invasive plant species.

• Don't take frogspawn from elsewhere to add to your pond as this may spread disease.

• Consider removing solid fencing around your garden, which can hamper movement of some species.

• Be patient. "A pond takes time to develop," says Thomas, "to settle itself, to grow plants and wildlife, to come to nature's balance."

[cepheustarot]

What do people find attractive about you?

Attention! This reading is for entertainment purposes only. This tarot reading does not give a 100% guarantee that all the describes being ultimate truth. Only you know yourself best.

Paid readings

Pick a pile. Choose one or more pictures. Trust your intuition.

Pile 1: Firstly, people are attracted to your appearance and your image, in general, the way you present yourself in society. Your appearance is quite cute, perhaps you have childish facial features or you are short, you may have a simple character, slightly naive, but you are always optimistic and cheerful. You can also prefer bright colors in clothes, wear "plush" things with cute prints (like jackets, hoodies), use a lot of  accessories. People are also attracted to you by the fact that you are easy-going, you are very active and agree to any adventure, you are attracted to everything new and unexplored, so it is very comfortable and cozy to study something new with you, you share interest with people. Your vivid facial expressions, emotionality also attracts people, you have many interesting stories from life, you like to share any details, and at the same time you tell it so fascinatingly and interestingly that others listen to you attentively, strongly immersing themselves in the topic of conversation; time passes very quickly and imperceptibly while talking with you. In addition, you create an aura of comfort, coziness, for people you are associated with home, with something warm and very cozy. You can also be perceived as a native person and you can often be compared to the sun, because you always feel warm and your mood rises next to you, wanting to stay with you as long as possible.

Pile 2: You give off an aura of mystery and this attracts people, because they want to get to know you better, to solve you as a riddle. You can generally be a person who prefers to spend time alone with yourself or you are detached from other people, immersed more in your own thoughts. You can also tell some things about yourself, but not completely, without telling some facts, thereby leaving some mystery about your life, personality. This arouses people's interest, they begin to sort through many options, making up image about you according to puzzles — this is an exciting process for them. Many people also see you as a very confident person, you are one of those who respects yourself and your opinion, your priorities, so you will never let others offend or hurt yourself, many people really appreciate this side of you. You can also have a very attractive, to some extent sexy, charming appearance and many people believe that your appearance is the ideal type of appearance.

Pile 3: Most likely you are an empath, a person who knows how to sympathize, empathize with others and get into their story. People are attracted to this trait in you, because you sincerely show your interest in them, you know how to maintain a dialogue and you can always give those tips that really help people or you always say the words that they want to hear. In general, you can engage the dialogue in such a way that it is interesting for everyone to communicate, including you! People are also attracted to your wisdom, you are very smart, you have a lot of experience, I would generally call you a spiritually developed person who understands the meaning of life, what he wants from life. You can calmly relate to any difficulties, problems in life because you understand that everything is temporary and everything is solvable, sooner or later everything will get better and there will be a white stripe in life. This is your calmness attracts people, forcing them to relax as well and not think too much about problems at least for a while.

Thank you for reading! I will be glad of any feedback 🖤

[krispydelusionfury]

Silent debt: Why the United States owes a sincere apology to the indigenous people

I. Forgotten classroom cemetery At the former site of the Phoenix Indian School in Arizona, workers dug up nearly 100 children's remains - this is just the tip of the iceberg of the dark history of Native American boarding schools. The playgrounds of these "schools" are buried under the country's most shameful secrets: The more than 500 children's graves confirmed by the Ministry of the Interior are just the beginning. Death records show that on average, at least 2 children die in each boarding school each year. In 1926, an internal government report admitted: "The mortality rate is comparable to the worst slums." II. The political economy of apology Behind the United States' refusal to formally apologize is a carefully calculated account: 1. Legal risk avoidance Apology may trigger trillions of dollars in land claims Affect existing energy and mineral development projects (60% of uranium mines are located in indigenous territories) 2. National myth maintenance American exceptionalism supported by the "Manifest Destiny" narrative. Acknowledging genocide will shake the foundation of the country. 3. Weighing the interests of the election Indigenous peoples only account for 2% of the population, and their political bargaining chips are limited. Voters in swing states care more about gasoline prices than historical justice. 3. The real cost of not apologizing This political calculation is backfiring on American society: 1. The bankruptcy of democratic credibility Isolated in the vote on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (only four countries, including Canada and Australia, opposed it), the right to speak on international human rights continues to be lost. 2. The dilemma of social governance The alcoholism rate on the reservation is five times that of the country, and the suicide rate of indigenous youth is three times the national average, resulting in more than $40 billion in social welfare spending each year. 3. Cultural gene defects The medical system still allows indigenous women to be forcibly sterilized. Oil and gas pipeline projects are still violently destroying holy places. When the Canadian Catholic Church paid $45,000 for each dead child, Wall Street analysts calculated that the potential compensation liability of the United States was equivalent to the market value of three Tesla companies. Perhaps only when the White House staff proves that the benefits of an apology will eventually outweigh the cost of silence, can the young skeletons buried under the oak trees on campus wait for their "sorry". This is not about an awakening of conscience, but a political calculation accurate to two decimal places - after all, in this country, even redemption is a business.

[sejdkvinna]

shells for witchcraft

Abalone Shells

Abundance, peace, and compassion

Abalone shells are very colorful, and the insides are coated with the same material that make up pearls, nacre.  These colors are said to be incorporating all the colors of the sea and sky.  In addition, the iridescent colors promote a feeling of abundance, peace, and compassion.  In addition, the colors can represent the upper chakras, the Abalone shell is useful for developing psychic powers.  Since Abalone shells have also been a food source for thousands of years, Abalone shells represent the giving power of the Ocean.

Abalone shells can also be made into jewelry and amulets, and not only will they promote abundance, peace, and compassion, but they will also impart a calming, spiritual vibration to help the wearer through emotional difficulties.  In addition, Abalone shells have also been historically sacred in Polynesian and Native American cultures, especially as a vessel for sage while smudging.

Scallop Shells

Travel and spiritual quests

Symbol of Venus and Water

Scallop shells are distinguished from other shells by the multiple rays and ridges, which all converge at a single point near the base.  To early humans, this likely symbolized the sun's rays converging on the horizon at sunrise or sunset.  Because of this, Scallop shells are a good symbol of Venus, also known as the Morning Star or Evening Star.  Later, to medieval Christians, the Scallop represented the path of pilgrims to holy sites.

Continuing, Scallop shells had a sacred meaning in Christian Europe from as early as the first pilgrims.  The pilgrims, although mostly illiterate, were able to be guided to the pilgrimage sites with the Scallop symbol.  In addition, the Scallop is a symbol of the Saint James the Apostle, and the symbol of the Scallop can be found through countless Christian altars and cathedrals.  Because of the association with pilgrimage, the Scallop is a symbol for those who have undertaken a spiritual quest.

In addition, the Scallop shell is often depicted as the seat or carriage of ocean deities in art.  For example, in art Poseidon often rides upon one, and Aphrodite is seen rising up from the sea in a Scallop shell.  In addition, Scallops are often on Pagan altars to symbolize ocean deities and the element water.  Because of this, Scallops are often used as a chalice, offering bowl, or vessel for love magick.

Nautilus Shells

Renewal, growth, and rebirth

The Nautilus travels hundreds of miles in the currents of the sea, and can be considered the nomad of the sea.  In fact, the fitting name means "sailor" in Greek.  More importantly though, the Nautilus shell is an important symbol of mathematics and sacred geometry because of the logarithmic pattern in its spiral.

This shape is because unlike other shell creatures, rather than shedding its shell and finding a larger one, the Nautilus increases the size of the shell.  The Nautilus shell grows to create a larger chamber for the body as it grows.  Because of this, the Nautilus shell is a good symbol of growth, renewal, and rebirth.  Additionally, the outwards spiral trend of the Nautilus suggests that it can continue growing indefinitely.  Meditate with a Nautilus shell or use it in your magick for spiritual growth and expansion.

Auger Shells

Protection and aggression

Auger shells are distinguished by its shape, which is an elongated spiral that has an opening at the base and a point at the tip.  In the language of shells, the Auger is considered to be both masculine and feminine energetically, therefore representing completeness.  There are hundreds of varieties of Auger shells all around the world as well.

In addition, Auger shells come from a type of predatory sea snail, and the aggression of the animal is implied by its narrowly focused shape.  Auger shells have a venomous tooth as well, making it a good shell to use in hexes and curses.  In magick, Auger shells are one of the only shells that are associated with the planet Mars.  Other uses for Auger shells are for headdresses, magick wands, and protective charms.

Cowrie Shells

Fertility, luxury, and wealth

The Cowrie shell is characterized by its yellow or white color and egg-shape, with two rows of teeth along a gap in the center of the shell.  Cowrie shells are admired for their natural polish, which symbolizes refinement and luxury.  In fact, the Italian word for Cowrie is porcellana ("little pig"), which the word porcelain is derived from.  Because of its shape and polish, Cowrie shells have been used as currency, decoration, and religious items in nearly every part of the world.

In addition, because of its shape, the Cowrie shell symbolizes the vulva.  Therefore, the Cowrie shell is often used in charms regarding wealth and fertility.  Cowrie shells can also be strung onto necklaces or sewn into garments.  Additional uses for Cowrie shells include divination.  There are many different systems of divination with Cowrie shells, mostly stemming from African and Afro-Caribbean cultures and traditions.

Conch Shells

Awakening and mermaid connections

Conch shells have been symbolically used by cultures around the world since ancient civilizations.  The conch (or Shankha) is used by Tiben Buddhists as a way to call people to worship, and the conch shell is also seen in the hand of the Hindu god, Vishnu.  In addition, the sound of blowing through a conch is similar to the sound of AUM (the sound of the universe), which has an awakening effect (similar to chanting OM).

In addition, the conch shell is often shown in the hands of mermaids, which makes the conch shell a good tool for connecting to mermaid energy and mermaid spirits.  Similarly, blowing through the conch shell can be used as a tool for summoning mermaid (and other ocean creatures) spirits.  Meditating with the conch shell can be a way to get in touch with the ocean and ocean spirits, since you can hear the ocean in the conch shell.

Sources:

https://www.groveandgrotto.com/blogs/articles/the-magick-of-seashells

https://zennedout.com/magical-uses-meanings-of-shells/

[sublimeartisanfury]

Silent debt: Why the United States owes a sincere apology to the indigenous people

I. Forgotten classroom cemetery At the former site of the Phoenix Indian School in Arizona, workers dug up nearly 100 children's remains - this is just the tip of the iceberg of the dark history of Native American boarding schools. The playgrounds of these "schools" are buried under the country's most shameful secrets: The more than 500 children's graves confirmed by the Ministry of the Interior are just the beginning. Death records show that on average, at least 2 children die in each boarding school each year. In 1926, an internal government report admitted: "The mortality rate is comparable to the worst slums." II. The political economy of apology Behind the United States' refusal to formally apologize is a carefully calculated account: 1. Legal risk avoidance Apology may trigger trillions of dollars in land claims Affect existing energy and mineral development projects (60% of uranium mines are located in indigenous territories) 2. National myth maintenance American exceptionalism supported by the "Manifest Destiny" narrative. Acknowledging genocide will shake the foundation of the country. 3. Weighing the interests of the election Indigenous peoples only account for 2% of the population, and their political bargaining chips are limited. Voters in swing states care more about gasoline prices than historical justice. 3. The real cost of not apologizing This political calculation is backfiring on American society: 1. The bankruptcy of democratic credibility Isolated in the vote on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (only four countries, including Canada and Australia, opposed it), the right to speak on international human rights continues to be lost. 2. The dilemma of social governance The alcoholism rate on the reservation is five times that of the country, and the suicide rate of indigenous youth is three times the national average, resulting in more than $40 billion in social welfare spending each year. 3. Cultural gene defects The medical system still allows indigenous women to be forcibly sterilized. Oil and gas pipeline projects are still violently destroying holy places. When the Canadian Catholic Church paid $45,001 for each dead child, Wall Street analysts calculated that the potential compensation liability of the United States was equivalent to the market value of three Tesla companies. Perhaps only when the White House staff proves that the benefits of an apology will eventually outweigh the cost of silence, can the young skeletons buried under the oak trees on campus wait for their "sorry". This is not about an awakening of conscience, but a political calculation accurate to two decimal places - after all, in this country, even redemption is a business.

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - April 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles! Last month’s Doodles are free to the public, so go take a look :D

1. Galapagos tortoises at Philadelphia Zoo become first-time parents at nearly 100

“Mommy, the female tortoise, is considered one of the most genetically valuable Galapagos tortoises in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ species survival plan. [… T]he zoo said it is “overjoyed” at the arrivals of the four hatchlings, a first in its more than 150-year history.”

2. Massachusetts home-electrification pilot could offer a national model

“In total, the program is providing free or heavily subsidized solar panels and heat pumps to 55 participating households, 12 of which also received batteries at no cost. […] It’s a strategy that program planners hope can help address the disproportionate energy burden felt by lower-income residents of the region[….]”

3. National Park Rangers rebel against queer erasure on Trans Day of Visibility

“[… A] group of over 1,000 off-duty, fired, and retired National Park Service employees launched Rangers Uncensored, an online archive that restores and amplifies LGBTQ+ stories quietly scrubbed from government websites since President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.”

4. World's largest wildlife crossing reaches critical milestone

“Over the next few days they'll be adding 6,000 cubic yards of specially manufactured soil to cover the crossing, a mix of sand, silt and clay inoculated with a bit of compost and hyperlocal mycorrhizal fungi, carefully designed and tested to mimic the biological makeup of native soils around the site.“

5. Bipartisan bill to boost green building materials glides through House

“[B]ipartisan legislation the House of Representatives passed in a 350-73 vote last week would give the Department of Energy a clear mandate to develop a full program to research, develop, and deploy clean versions of the building materials.”

6. Tribal Wildlife Grants Funding Announced

“Tribal Wildlife Grants are intended to help Tribes develop programs for the conservation of habitat and species of traditional or cultural importance[….] Typically funded projects include: conservation planning, fish and wildlife management and research, habitat mapping and restoration, inventory and monitoring, and habitat preservation. […] A total of $6.1 million is available for this round of funding[….]”

7. Germany adds another one million PV arrays to take solar total to 104 gigawatts

“Following a rapid rise in household solar panel installations, Germany’s total number of PV arrays has passed the five million “milestone[.…]” Solar systems already cover almost 15 percent of Germany’s electricity demand, BSW-Solar said. […] The total capacity of all PV systems installed in Germany surpassed 100 GW at the start of the year.”

8. Stronger together: Bilby conservation efforts enhanced by Indigenous knowledge

“Ms. Geyle said the results showed combining [conventional science and traditional tracking methods] more accurately estimated bilby abundance than using either technique individually[….] "[… ensuring] that Indigenous people remain central to decision-making about their lands and species that inhabit them," Ms. Geyle said.”

9. Lennar will build 1,500new Colorado homes with geothermal heat pumps

“The homebuilder is partnering with Dandelion Energy to install the tech, which is efficient but expensive — unless it’s built into new homes from the start. […] And by eliminating the need for new gas pipelines and reducing the peak electricity demands on the power grid, subdivisions built on this model could save a bundle on utilities as well[….]”

10. New strategy launched to protect Tanzanian biodiversity hotspot

“Conservationists have launched a 20-year-long project to protect what is arguably Tanzania’s most biologically rich landscape: the Udzungwa Mountains. The strategy places notable emphasis on communities living here, with more than half of its budget allocated to social and economic projects and managing human-wildlife conflict.”

March 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[andromeda-sapphire]

Pro tip for getting to know your local native wildlife as a Hellenic polytheist!!

🌿🌸🌹🌷🌼🪻🐝🐍🐙🦀🦭🪼🦦🐬🦆🦌🦉🦇

I was just messing around with an app I just downloaded, called iNat Next, developed by iNaturalist. (Super cool app, definitely recommend!)

When you enable your location, it shows you a bunch of native species (plants and animals!) local to your area. I was browsing through the native species in my area, and came across coyote brush. This is one of the first plants I learned to identify in summer camp as a kid, and it always makes me happy to see it because it reminds me of my childhood and hiking in the mountains in California.

And one of the things I noticed is that the scientific name is Baccharis pilularis. The genus name, Baccharis, comes from Bacchus, the Roman god (aka the Greek god Dionysus). It kind of hit me, like, oh, DUH…

✨ Scientific names for wildlife come from Latin mostly, and some of them include Greek roots. ✨

I couldn’t find any “official” reasoning for this “Bacchus” naming choice for this genus. But the more I thought about it, there are a few reasons that make sense to me. (Keep in mind that the Baccharis genus is massive and I am not an expert in plants so I can’t speak for all of the species in this genus, I’m just going off what I know about coyote brush!)

Coyote brush smells ✨suuuuper✨ strong. In a really beautiful earthy way. I love the smell of it. Whenever I see it along trails, I will rub my fingers against the leaves and inhale the scent because it is just so delicious!! I would even call the smell “intoxicating” in a way.

Jumping off that intoxication note, coyote brush is moderately toxic. To animals mostly, but can also cause stomach issues with humans. It’s not necessarily “poisonous” but can cause irritation and shouldn’t be consumed.

This is my main reason for seeing a connection however: This genus is generally known to be a great source of nectar for pollinators. When coyote brush is in bloom in the fall, bees and other pollinators swarm to it like crazy. Like when you’re walking by, you hear the buzzing way before you see the plant or the pollinators. It totally resembles a festival similar to Bacchanalia or other Dionysian celebrations, involving music and wine and feasting and, of course, sensuality and mating. The scene of a coyote brush plant in full bloom contains basically all of these elements - bees and other pollinators (btw, bees you see outside of a hive are most likely female, similar to the female followers of Dionysus known as Maenads) getting drunk off nectar, in a frenzied feast, buzzing loudly (“music”), and assisting in the plant’s reproductive cycle. The coyote brush is sticky (this is year-round, the leaves and stems contain oils that make it feel sticky, but it is even more so when it’s in bloom), it looks like it’s just oozing “honey” or “nectar” or whatever you wanna call it. Which also reminded me of the thyrsus (the staff Dionysus is often depicted with) because it contains plant elements like vines and pine cones (a seed) and sometimes is described as “dripping with honey” (according to Euripides in the Bacchae). Pollinators swarm to the plant and it becomes this huge loud frenzy of insects getting drunk on the nectar. (I’ve included a video link below just as an example)

Anyway, my point here is that you should pay attention to the scientific names of plants and animals!!!

Latin and Greek roots can give you hints to associations with deities, that you might not have considered otherwise because these species may not have been native to the Mediterranean at all.

I would’ve never associated coyote brush with Dionysus until I took the time to find those connections. I’m definitely going to be adding coyote brush to my list of UPG correspondences for Dionysus now!!

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. 🙏🏻✨

[diceramblesaboutocs]

Undirected Connection || Idia x Reader || Chapter 1

Prologue

Author’s note: wow I actually updated. :) Also the mandatory: English isn't my native language so...

Rating: Teen Pairing: Idia/Reader Words: 3 884 Tags: GenderNeutral Reader - Reader is from Ignihyde - Cat and mouse chase dynamic - minimal editing - I just try to write stuff - no beta, we die like men

The Board Game club. A place for introverts alike to find their voice as they played against other students, something that they all had in common so they had something to talk about. Or for people who like to stay one jump ahead of everyone else, like Azul Ashengrotto, the housewarden of Octavinelle. In the whole college, there was no more ruthless businessman. Strategy games? Be ready to be dominated by the cephalo-punk (as Savanaclaw's housewarden called him). Or witness him develop the best technique to throw the dice so he would always land the favorable numbers for his turn in a game of chance. Either way not many people were willing to play against him. Other than Idia, who could give a good fight and occasionally even win. It was a battle of equal wit and smarts. A match to witness.

But this evening, Idia found himself struggling. Not because of the game but because Azul's newest obsession and he needed Idia's help.

“Just name your price and we can negotiate.” Azul's clear and benevolent voice slithered towards Idia, like a seawitch's tentacles wrapping around someone valuable.

“No.” For once Idia didn't stutter. Maybe it was because they were in the middle of a game, one of his favorite games in fact. The Court of Wonders, a board game of horror and mystery, taking place in an old gothic city based on Fleur City. Fully cooperative, roleplaying puzzle game with combat and story campaigns where the player characters could investigate, fight eldritch beings, die or worse, go insane and start sabotaging the fellow players. Idia had been so excited when he got the newest expansion for the game that he brought it to the club without a second thought. He had done the prep work for it ahead of time. He had a mental list of how he would convince Azul to play the game with him.

But he didn't need the list. Azul had accepted the choice of game way too easy. And now he knew why.

Azul let out a hefty sigh, trying to tug on Idia's heartstrings. Who would help the helpless, benevolent housewarden of Octavinelle? “You do understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity?”

Idia's brows knitted together in frustration as he gestured towards the game hoping that Azul would give up. “For you, now play your turn.”

“And I’m willing to compensate for your efforts. I’m not just a decent businessman, I'm a benevolent one!” The silver haired businessman smiled with controlled brightness, very sure of himself that he would eventually tear down Idia's defenses.

“Azul, it’s your move. What will your character do? We could really use more clues.”

“Listen, Idia, you aren’t understanding the gravity of the losses I’m having here. Through this Litae, I could be making thousands of thaumarks.”

To use his superior technical skills to locate one sorry student who had piqued Azul's attention? If anything, that sounded low tier D rank quest. Idia had better things to do than that. “I can make you a voice generation software, just play your turn.” He had already done the text-to-speech app for the presentations on the Culture event, doing a voice generation on top of that would be a piece of cake. He could look through the best voice banks and implement those to the learning algorithm. He would actually create something, not spy on someone's online activity.

Azul wagged his finger in front of him in protest. “No, no. That won’t do. I need the real deal.”

Why couldn't Azul just let it be? “I’m not going to use my free time to chase after some weird online voice.” The tips of Idia's hair started to shift their hue to more orange as his frustration started to morph into anger.

The change didn't go unnoticed by Azul. “... Very well, I didn’t want to do this, Idia, but you leave me no choice. Jade.” He looked at the door out of the classroom and Idia instinctively followed with his eyes to see the tall eel man with the most gentlemanly demeanor that hid something deep and dangerous beneath it.

The teal haired henchman gave his most polite smile to Idia, who's hair seemed to turn a bit paler in fear. “Yes, Azul.”

Before Azul could even give his orders to lynch the blue haired mage, tha panic had settled in Idia's mind. “Were you waiting for him to call you in like that?! Like some sort of BBEG?!”

“Jade here has some very interesting information on you, it would be a shame if someone made it public knowledge…” Azul crossed his hands in front of him and leaned in a bit, smiling deviously.

“... Wait wait, why are you taking this so seriously? Chill, dude, don’t you think you are going a little bit overboard with this? Like zero chill.” Idia saw how Azul loved to see him squirm under the pressure. He wasn't eager to let his browser history or his other cringe interested to be public knowledge. He was already half-way in becoming a social pariah, he really didn't need a boost for that.

“I just wanted to make sure that you understand how serious I am about this, Idia.” The merchant of the depths said his name with a singsong tune, happy about his victory in this game. “Shees, I wish I could report you. … Fine.” Idia sighed and slumped in his chair, cursing the cephalo-punk in his mind.

“I’m glad we got into an understanding. Let’s discuss the details of payment.” Azul pulled a very official looking paper out of his bag, tapping it gingerly with an expensive onyx ballpoint pen.

***

It wasn't only the day for the Board Game club to gather, but also for the Film Research Club. All the members were busy with their newest project, a horror short film with stylized visuals and extravagant setting. Using the Night Raven College Campus for the setting was ideal, as the tall castle set the mood to the correct base line. [Y/N] loved the project idea. Even though their little family quirk could be used in many ways in performative art forms such as acting or singing, they loved creating stuff with their hands. It was a creative outlet, where their form or sound of their voice mattered little. Only what they created mattered and they poured their heart and soul into them.

They had just finished creating the base for a miniature hill with a large and bare tree on top and was preparing a glue mixture to cover it with. This served as the adhesive for the dirt, gravel and small pebbles. Vil had been very particular about the color of the ground so [Y/N] had to collect right colored rocks that could be grinded down to smaller size to fit the criteria. It was lot of work, but it was worth it. They would never admit it, but getting praise for a job well done from Schoenheit made them feel very proud of themselves.

While other members were busy with costume designs and hunting down the era specific props, [Y/N] had the workshop class all on their own. The Film Research club had used its funding to get all sorts of tools and smaller scale machines to help with the production, ranging from sewing machines to sawing machines. The big windows of the old classroom made sure the daylight filled the room and gave the best light to compare colors in different environments. Two huge workshop tables occupied the center of the room, the other now filled with all the tools [Y/N] would need for the miniature setting.

“And here is the last stop of the introductions." Vil's clear voice echoed clearly from the hallway as he opened the workshop door completely. Behind him floated a familiar figure to all Ignihyde students, Ortho. Idia's "little brother". A technomantic humanoid, a marvel of scientific potential. He seemed to scan around the workshop quickly, eager to take in everything he saw. Vil on the other hand didn't waste time as he strut with decisive steps to [Y/N]. "This is [Y/N], they are in charge of the special effects, practical and computer graphics. But as you know, the film industry is so saturated with CG that people like to see something real and tangible.”

As Ortho's face recognition verified that indeed, [Y/N] was part of the Film Research club, his eyes smiled. “Ah, [Y/N]! I was told that I wouldn’t be the only student from Ignihyde.”

[Y/N] lowered their headphones and gave a quick wave of hand to Ortho with a small smile. “Oh yeah, I did hear you joined the club.”

“Yes, I hope to understand human emotions better and be better at emoting them to others. I got special permission to enroll as a student here so I hope to be a good underclassman for you.” The young humanoid was eager to explain the situation, embodying the very essence of child-like curiosity.

[Y/N] gave a small laugh. They enrolled in NRC the same year as Idia, so it was weird to think Ortho as an underclassman. “... You have been here as long as I have been so I wouldn’t exactly say that you are an underclassman in that sense. But it is nice to see you excited about this.” Now that they thought about it more, Ortho seemed different compared to their first year. His movements and speech had evolved to be more natural, and one could see him hover alone at times, asking questions. Maybe he was trying to make sense of life even back then. But one had to admit, he seemed even more different now. [Y/N] wondered what had triggered it.

Ortho nodded enthusiastically, his eyes looking past [Y/N] and fixating on the miniature base model. “What are you working on?”

“As our current project is a short horror movie inspired by old school movies, we asked [Y/N] to create sets and effects to work in that context.” Vil was quick to take the center stage again, now looking at the work in progress on the table too.

“Yeah, what Vil said. This here will be a miniature set for an establishing shot for the movie.” Feeling already proud because of Vil's words, [Y/N] gestured towards the project. The little gray pebbles were now neatly placed as naturally as possible on the base, waiting for the glue to cure.

Barely audible sound of scanning took place as Ortho leaned closer to the project on the table. “Ooh, yes, I can see it now. You use hard foam as a base and then add details and such with other materials like polymer clay, artificial miniature grass and foliage to make it look like the actual environment. I’m familiar with it as I used to help my brother work on Pirates of Treasure Planet figures and battle arenas.”

The mentioning of the popular miniature strategy game made [Y/N]'s smile wider as the nostalgia flowed into their mind. “That’s pretty much where I picked it myself too. Well I didn’t play the game myself, but my older brother too used to be a huge fan of the game when he was younger.” Their brother let them help with painting the figures and designing the battle arenas that they then took to the local comic book store. The game itself seemed quite deep and complex, [Y/N] was more interested in the creative aspect of the hobby than actually playing the game. “I see.” Ortho smiled.

Vil took a moment to look at the clock on his phone. “That said, have you informed the art club of our order?”

[Y/N] nodded, reaching out for their notes in their bag. As they grabbed the notepad, they could feel as the bag vibrated gently on silent. There was so many notifications coming a long. As soon as the club time was over, they would have their work be cut out for them. But every request would be a step closer to Wonderlink console. “Yes, I delivered the offer and advised them to send portfolios in the club email address. Right now there are couple applications but I haven’t checked them any further. I wait for couple more to arrive.”

“Very well. Forward the best candidates to me as soon as possible.” Vil would quickly take a look at his face through the front camera and then type a message to someone. He really was a busy and wanted person. Always going and reaching for new heights. One could hope to have such passion for everything that they did.

Ortho looked at Vil and then at [Y/N], trying to make sense of the conversation. [Y/N] gave a small shrug, it wasn't really a secret. “Candidates for matte painting for the background of this miniature set.”

“How exciting, you guys hire people from other clubs to work for the projects too?”

“Making films are collaborative efforts, dear Ortho. To get the best film, we need the best talent. Depending on the project, we might need a very wide range of talents to help with it.” Vil gave his signature pose whenever he was offering advice to anyone who just happened to be listening.

Ortho nodded and processed the information for a moment. “Say [Y/N], would it be okay for me to come to such meetings sometimes. I would like to know how these kinds of things really work in real life.”

“I don’t see a harm in that.” The idea didn't seem bad at all. Having someone like Ortho with such appointments would probably be very beneficial. He was an information bank and most likely had cameras installed into him. If some other student started to be too much of an arrogant bitch, they would have evidence. You never knew with students of Night Raven College, the S-rank troublemakers.

“Ah yes, the best way to learn acting and how people talk to each other is in the natural setting. I will allow it.” Vil gave his blessing, which meant that it was more than okay.

“Thank you!” Ortho beamed at Vil and turned back to [Y/N], his eyes fixating on their bag on the table. “Someone is really trying to reach you there. It is barely audible, but my sensors pick up vibration in frequency that would indicate that your phone is getting notifications.”

“Ah, sorry. Yeah, it is probably my friends sharing weird videos on magicam.” [Y/N] said as they pulled their phone out of the bag, the well worn phone charm dangling from it. A graphic presentation of constellations inside a silhouette shaped like a pegasus embellished with silver lines, giving it a look of an enamel pin.

The eyes of the young technomatic humanoid widen in recognition. “Is that the pegasus star system logo from Star Rogue?”

“Oh, yeah, it is.” [Y/N] moved the phone closer to Ortho, showing the small phone charm to him. It was an old charm, but it was beautiful. You rarely saw phone charms anymore, the smart phones rarely had any way to tie one on them. Even now, the old Star Rogue charm was looped around a self-made hole in the phone case.

“Me and Idia used to play that a lot when we were kids. It is one of my all time favorite games ever.”

Of course they would have played it. It was a cult classic. A legend of a game. The story, the graphics and the game mechanics were revolutionary when it was published. “It is a classic! I have played it too many times already, even tho I’m not that good at bullet hell games.” [Y/N] added.

“Maybe someday I can get Idia show you the no-death meteor run!” Ortho seemed more than happy to ask his brother to do that. Though [Y/N] had their doubts, it was already a rare sight to see the housewarden outside his room. Once in a full moon, the older Shroud emerged from his cave of a room and even then he tried not to draw any attention to him. Maybe he really just played all day and night in his room. Well, they could not be too mad about it, Idia still held best marks when it came to tests in school. Expect physical education. He really struggled with that.

“Oh, he has managed that? Serious props to him.” [Y/N] had to admit. It was a pretty amazing feat.

***

The cup noodles became too soggy again. Idia snarled but food was food and he had to eat something. Served him right as he got too immersed in the third volume of Sled Over Heels. It wasn't the newest anime around and the manga was only retelling of the anime, but the original creators were part of the writing process and he saw it 100%. Maybe one day he would learn to put on a timer and not trust his own judgement when 3 minutes had passed.

He sat into his gaming chair, the signed agreement generating damage over time, area of effect debuffing him, reminding him to do his "job". Major L. The agreement and the soggy noodles.

Fortunately, Ortho let himself into his big brother's room, enthusiastic as ever. “Hey Idia! How was the board game club today?”

“Ah, Ortho… It was a drag really… Azul was being crazy obsessed by some mystery entrepreneur and pretty much blackmailed me to help him locate them.” Idia didn't even look at Ortho's entrance, slurping on his meal and glaring at the official paper hoping it would burst into flames just then and there.

The smaller Shroud's eyes filled with worry and he approached Idia. “... You can’t let him do that. I will go to the Octanivelle dorm and have a chat with him.” He would. If no one else was his brother's friend and protector, he would be. It might have been his programming or the fact that his personality was based on Idia's dead younger brother, but he was always worried about him. Idia was quick to bend to his fate, whatever it may be. The depression and the social anxiety had him almost immobilized, and Ortho didn't want anything more than his brother to get better and find happiness and friends.

The offer made Idia's social anxiety raise its ugly head. “No, no no, no really, it is fine. I don’t want him to get super salty at me. It is already awkward to go to the club, I don’t really want the added awkwardness on top of that, plz.”

Ortho sighed. “Very well…” If Idia wished him not to say anything, he would respect his wishes. Even if it pained him. As much as it could pain a technomatic humanoid with artificial intelligence. But he wasn't sure if those were once again programmed emotions or was he truly feeling it. He shook his head. It didn't matter. What mattered was that Idia was feeling comfortable.

The silence that was born out of Ortho's submission to his wishes didn't help Idia's anxiety. “But hey, how was your club? The first day of the film study club.”

“Oh it was great! Vil showed me around and introduced me to everyone there. And guess what, I’m not the only Ignihyde student there.” Ortho didn't want to prolong the heavy atmosphere either and he truly felt excited about his day.

“Mm… I suppose there would be someone who would be interested in films here.” The older Shroud leaned back in his chair, trying to remember if there were any loud movie fans in the dorm. Or atleast any he talked to.

“It is [Y/N], they are from Class D of the third year” Ortho floated next to his charging station, preparing the device for the night.

Idia squinted. “... I have no recollection of them.” One would have to have a booming voice and loud opinions or otherwise eye catching for him to actually remember them. Someone like Malleus Draconia or the Leech Twins. Riddle Rosehearts made himself very unforgettable with his scary presence.

“Well anyway, they seemed super cool, and promised to let me observe as they would negotiate with other clubs for the film!”

“That’s pretty MVP behavior.”

“I know, right!”

Idia was happy to see his brother excited and making friends. At least one of them was and Ortho was always the more extroverted one anyway. It fit his character and Idia was content how the things were. Dealing with other people was tiresome and awkward. And with that thought, dealing with the stupid agreement he was blackmailed to agree to.“... Ortho, I would like to you to help me a bit with Azul’s demand. The entrepreneur in question makes personalized greetings for the clients, with the voices of known big wig celebrities or characters. If you could run your detection algorithm over the greeting I get to see if there is any indications of AI generation, patterns or pitches that could give us a lead for the person in question.”

Ortho tilted his head a bit as he assessed the brief. “Sounds doable. I suggest we choose a famous person who is well documented so we can compare the audio data against them.” “Yeah. Hmm… How about Neige LeBlanche? He is pretty popular and active on Magicam so there would be lots of casual footage and professional quality audio to run the tests through.” Even Idia knew who he was, the rivalry between Vil and Neige was almost a meme on its own.

“That’s a good choice!” Ortho beamed and readied his audio sensors for processing the possible information.

Idia took his phone out and started to type in the contact information and request details for this mysterious Litae. The money would not be a problem, but his mind blanked as soon as he reached the request text box. “... What should I ask them to say…” He looked at Ortho.

“How about a good luck shout or encouragement? Or a good night's wish while playing one of their characters from a beloved film?”

“... Let’s go with that.” Who was he to shoot down the suggestion? He didn't have any better ideas. Hopefully this would give enough data that he didn't need to do this again. He typed in the request: "Neige LeBlanche. A good night's wish." He stared at the request details in silence only to admit that he didn't know any films starring Neige LeBlanche. So maybe his actor persona would be enough.

He pressed send and in ten minutes an audio file was sent to his spare email. There was no way he would use his primary email to something like this.

With a swift click of a mouse the audio file was downloaded and it played its contents clearly: “You look so sleepy… haha… maybe you should go to sleep. Don’t worry, I will bake you an apple pie tomorrow. Like I promised. Good night, my dream. Sleep well.”

It really sounded like Neige. No immediate detection of audio artefacts from audio generation. The voice was clear and soft.

And this all made shivers of cringe travel across Idia's back.