#economy after corona

[lotus-tower]

COVID-19's long-term effects on the body: an incomplete list

COVID’s effect on the immune system, specifically on lymphocytes:

NYT article from 2020 (Studies cited: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.18.101717v1, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.20.106401v1, https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32405080/Decreased_T_cell_populations_contribute_to_the_increased_severity_of_COVID_19_, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.08.20125112v1)

 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.10.475725v1

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abc8511 (Published in Science)

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9057012/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2022/04/14/sars-cov-2-actively-infects-and-kills-lymphoid-cells/

https://www.cleveland.com/news/2022/10/in-cleveland-and-beyond-researchers-begin-to-unravel-the-mystery-of-long-covid-19.html

SARS-CoV-2 infection weakens immune-cell response to vaccination: NIH-funded study suggests need to boost CD8+ T cell response after infection

https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology-and-oncology/leukopenias/lymphocytopenia

https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2022/11/07/COVID-Reinfections-And-Immunity/

Dendritic cell deficiencies persist seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.1034159/full

https://www.n-tv.de/politik/Lauterbach-warnt-vor-unheilbarer-Immunschwaeche-durch-Corona-article23860527.html (German Minister of Health)

Anecdotal evidence of COVID’s effects on white blood cells:

 https://twitter.com/DrJohnHhess/status/1661837956875956224

 https://x.com/TristanVeness/status/1661565201345564673

https://twitter.com/TristanVeness/status/1689996298408312832

Much more if you speak to Long Covid patients directly!

Related information of interest:

China approves Genuine Biotech's HIV drug for COVID patients

COVID as a “mass disabling event” and impact on the economy:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/report-says-long-covid-could-impact-economy-and-be-mass-disabling-event-in-canada-1.6306608

https://x.com/inkblue01/status/1742183209809453456?s=20

COVID’s impact on the heart:

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-news/deadly-virus-could-lead-heart-31751263 (Research from: Japan's Riken research institute)

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/unlike-flu-covid-19-attacks-dna-in-the-heart-new-research-20220929-p5bm10.html

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/1/186

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-04-mild-covid-effects-cardiovascular-health.html

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/covid-and-the-heart-it-spares-no-one

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/news/coronavirus-and-your-health/is-coronavirus-a-disease-of-the-blood-vessels (British Heart Foundation)

COVID’s effect on the brain and cognitive function:

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/article/brain-infection-by-sars-cov-2-lifelong-consequences/171391/

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/study-shows-covid-leaves-brain-injury-markers-blood

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/08/warning-of-serious-brain-disorders-in-people-with-mild-covid-symptoms

Cognitive post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) can occur after mild COVID-19 

Neurologic Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Transmitted among Dogs

https://journals.lww.com/nsan/fulltext/2022/39030/neurological_manifestations_and_mortality_in.4.aspx

https://www.salon.com/2023/06/17/new-evidence-suggests-alters-the-brain--but-the-extent-of-changes-is-unclear/

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/covid-virus-may-tunnel-through-nanotubes-from-nose-to-brain/

https://neurosciencenews.com/post-covid-brain-21904/

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(22)00260-7/fulltext

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-08-covid-infection-crucial-brain-regions.html

https://news.ecu.edu/2022/08/04/covid-parkinsons-link/

Covid as a vascular/blood vessel disease:

https://www.salon.com/2020/06/01/coronavirus-is-a-blood-vessel-disease-study-says-and-its-mysteries-finally-make-sense/

https://www.salon.com/2023/12/27/brain-damage-caused-by-19-may-not-show-up-on-routine-tests-study-finds/

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/sars-cov-2-infects-coronary-arteries-increases-plaque-inflammation

https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/6/2123

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211004104134.htm (microclots)

Long Covid:

Post-COVID-19 Condition in Canada: What we know, what we don’t know, and a framework for action

 https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/more-than-two-years-of-long-covid-research-hasn-t-yielded-many-answers-scientific-review-1.6235227

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/cause-of-long-covid-symptoms-revealed-by-lung-imaging-research-at-western-university-1.6504318

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/long-covid-study-montreal-1.6521131

https://news.yale.edu/2023/12/19/study-helps-explain-post-covid-exercise-intolerance

Other:

- Viruses and mutation: https://typingmonkeys.substack.com/p/monkeys-on-typewriters

Measures taken by the rich and world leaders

Heightened risk of diabetes

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2805461

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00912-y

Liver damage:

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/46-of-covid-patients-have-liver-damage-study/articleshow/97809200.cms?from=mdr

tl;dr: covid is a vascular disease, not a respiratory illness. it can affect your blood and every organ in your body. every time you're reinfected, your chances of getting long covid increase.

avoid being infected. reduce the amount of viral load you're exposed to.

the gap between what the scientific community knows and ordinary people know is massive. collective action is needed.

[harrowharks-iliac-crest]

Ianthe, Coronabeth and the Blood of Eden

Characters

<< Previous: Harrow | Masterpost

-

I gotta be perfectly honest here, I'm not overly fond of Ianthe. I can see why people love her. I appreciate her as a character construct. I don't like her though. Her attachment to Coronabeth is her one (1) redeeming quality, in my eyes.

And Coronabeth is now with the Blood of Eden.

Again I find myself really wanting to be a fly on the wall in that crucial little time at Canaan House between Cytherea's death, Blood of Eden arriving and taking all survivors sans Lyctors, and the Emperor arriving to collect Ianthe and Harrow.

Ianthe and Coronabeth have been plotting with each other their whole damn lives. There's no way they didn't have some kind of agreement with each other before splitting up. Something perhaps communicated in code, so neither Harrow nor BoE would have known what they were talking about. Perhaps they both decided then and there to join Blood of Eden, and that Ianthe would be a spy for Corona. Perhaps they've both been with them, or at least sympathetic, since before Canaan House. No idea if/how they would have kept up communication while Ianthe was at the Mithraeum, but maybe she was meeting Corona in secret while out killing planets? We know that after a while the old Lyctors didn't supervise their charges all the time when out killing planets, and there were lots of planets to kill.

Alternatively, could Ianthe have somehow managed to form some kind of BrainRiver Necromantic connection? That would be deep spirit magic almost akin to Lyctorhood - perhaps she did take a tiny bit of Corona without killing her, and then took Naberius instead - maybe she wanted to take Corona, but realised this would have killed her beloved sister, and killed Naberius instead? Maybe she figured out the secret to perfect Lyctorhood, and it is only taking a minuscule amount of your Cav - letting her take a minuscule amount of you - and as such, you can communicate with each other even when apart?

Would be a banger if so. Mad props to Ianthe if this is true. Might even be her 2nd redeeming feature.

Actually, no, it's still just the love for Coronabeth. If Ianthe had cared about Corona a little bit less, she could have taken and killed her. But she wouldn't.

So anyway I'm deeply sure that Corona and Ianthe are either already communicating, or both working very hard to get back together again.

Are they with the Blood of Eden, though?

Coronabeth, at this point, seems to have been taken in by them, according to Judith's journal; she could be a double agent type, or just doing whatever will keep her alive with the best chances of seeing Ianthe again. She also gets to keep Judith and Camilla alive. Coronabeth actually cares about people other than Ianthe, or at least it seems that way.

The epilogue suggests that either the three of them escaped from BoE alongside this random girl, or found her after escaping. Either that - or they're in BoE's network and maybe even under their protection while the three of them are off on a little side quest involving this girl. Either way, they're a united front of sorts, working towards the same goal (looking after this random kid, and finding out what her significane is, probably).

One who looks after her, one who teaches her, one who goes to work for her.

Camilla is revealed as the one to look after her. Teacher must be Judith, and Coronabeth got herself some kind of job to sustain them. Is it enough? One income for four adults? What kinda economy is this please? I guess she's a princess so she's probably demanding damn good pay, but still.

(Wait, is there money? I don't remember ever seeing any references to it - which would have caught my attention...)

Just checked -

(The nice thing about having the pdfs is that I can ctrl+f this stuff)

"Pay" is only really used metaphorically,

"Money" is Gideon hoping to be given some, Harrow imagining some in the Cohort being paid for someone's rank, and the idiom "[giving x] a run for its money" a couple times. No direct references to money as far as I can tell - there doesn't seem to be any needed in the Ninth, Canaan House, or the Mithraeum. The concept of money seems to be around. Maybe it's something only non-necromancers have to worry about?

"Loan" is mentioned only once, as something Harrow could have gotten to keep her house alive, so money in some form is around, or debt at least, but there's very little idea of what form it takes.

Sorry, let's get back on track. We were talking about the Tridentarii and Blood of Eden. And actually, I think I've said about what I can on them. I wanna move on!

>> Next: Camilla and Palamedes

[pansy-picnics]

in one of ur order posts you mentioned cass and lance understanding each other and I am VERY interested to hear ur thoughts. I always thought those 2 would have a fun dynamic...

AUGHHHHH YES THANK YOU I THINK SO TOO….!!!!!! Idk it’s kind of a mess when i try to put it into words but it’s like…something about them both being in the “shadow” of rapunzel and eugene respectively. they just both handle it very differently…bc lance i feel is always looking out for others and it leads him to neglect himself a lot, but when he really looks into it and he sees eugene’s growth and how he’s come into his own…how he’s found his roots and even his father….as happy for him as he is lance can’t help but feel a bit bitter sometimes. it’s the secondary character syndrome yk!!!! lance just hasn’t really reached a “breaking point” like cass has because he’s trying to manage it in a healthier way…he’s trying to make a life for himself with what he has and he’s realizing he likes things a lot as they are. but that doesn’t make that grief of what he wish he could’ve had just go away….so when he does confide in someone abt those feelings nobody rlly gets it more than cass does. and more than anyone else LANCE is the one who truly understands why cass did what she did.

this little fic of them is very important to me... this one is also one i think about a lot. it’s hard to find lance fics in this economy. :( i like to think they bonded a little leading up to destinies collide, not enough for cass to change her mind about leaving but enough to give them both some food for thought you feel me…..they both just have this unspoken Understanding with each other, and they both admire each other a lot. the shenanigans cass lance and eugene would get into would also be SO silly so it’s a shame we never really saw them interact </3

cass seems to be inherently drawn to the golden retriever type anyways whether she likes it or not so i’m sure lance and rapunzel drag her out on day trips all the time. she and lance gossip together and stuff yk...i think post series she’ll often still go out of the kingdom for work trips (in my head after settling with rapunzel she works as an ambassador for corona, mostly just to be able to get out more while still helping raps), and sometimes in the middle of the night as shes on her way back she’ll stop at his place in old corona just to steal food from him. leaves him a horribly written note and a cool rock or something. like. “Took a piece of the pie in the oven. There were already slices taken out so I figured it’d be fine. Oh I’m back btw. Not dead yet”

they also play pranks on eugene together ALL the time and this is canon actually i made the show. lance can honestly get her to do anything if he can convince her it’ll annoy eugene somehow /hj

ALSO LANCE BEING A WINGMAN FOR CASSUNZEL IS SOMETHING I NEED SOOOOO BAD AND I CANT BELIEVE NOBODY’S THOUGHT OF IT BEFORE. Like honestly i think if she were to tell a single soul about her hopeless crush it would be lance. i think he’s the only one who would be normal about it and keep it a secret tbh. lance just keeps randomly trying to put them in Situations together and cass is getting really suspicious that he’s doing it on purpose but she doesn’t REALLY have any actual evidence so she can’t say anything and it’s driving her crazy. rapunzel is just like “Cassss don’t be silly ur overthinking it ^_^” (shes lying to herself)

IDK. I THINK THEY’D HAVE SILLY SHENANIGANS AND THEY MAKE ME EMO TBH. The secondary characters always cursed to live in someone else’s shadow…..finding solace and friendship in each other………..Though one is sidelined for a much more obvious reason than the other (cough cough RACISM) but its Fineeeee its fine i’m normal about it😁 /s

[missmyloko]

The Inoue School of Dance

On The Ninth Day Of Fun I present... a new feature! I’ll be looking at each of the dance schools in turn, so for now enjoy the first one! History The Inoue School, and thus the Inoue Style, began with Inoue Sato (井上サト), who lived from 1767 - 1854. She was entrusted to the care of the Konoe family in Kyoto from an early age as a lady-in-waiting, and showed great promise in the traditional arts. Since the Konoe were of the nobility, Sato had access to the same education as those of the aristocracy, so she was taught only the best. Eventually she went on to become the dance instructor for the Konoe children. When she left their care in 1797, the Konoe family bestowed upon her the name Yachiyo (八千代) and gave her use of the well frame (bishimon) kamon to start her own school of dance.  From there she gained her first students of the style and in her old age eventually named a successor, Inoue Aya (井上アヤ) (1770 - 1868), who was granted the title of Yachiyo Inoue II. Not too much is known about Aya, except that she was supposedly the niece of Sato and recognized the talent of a young girl named Katayama Haruko (片山春子) from a very young age and raised her up to be her successor, which would end up being pivotal in the Inoue school’s history. Haruko (1838 - 1938), who inherited the title of Yachiyo Inoue III, would be the one who would be called upon by the governor and mayor of Kyoto to choreograph a dance for the 1872 World Expo to showcase the talents of her students, who at this point happened to be the maiko and geiko of Gion. Her dances became the first Miyako Odori, whose success was so grand that she was granted any wish that the governor could provide. As we know by now, her wish was to unite eight of the finest neighborhoods in the Gion district into its own new kagai named Gion Kobu where only her style of dance would be taught and leave the rest to be called Gion Otsubu. Like Aya before her, Haruko also found a talented dancer from a very young age to eventually replace her, but this time, it was another special young girl: Aiko.  Inoue Aiko (井上愛子) (1905 - 2004) began dancing at the age of 3, when those who are of prominent artistic lines usually begin their training instead of age 6. Although not related by blood, she would marry Haruko’s grandson and be adopted into the family. While not a standout beauty, her dancing skills were peerless and it would be the young Aiko who would lead the school as Yachiyo Inoue IV beginning in 1947. It was during her tenure that the world saw much change, specifically, the hardships endured during and after World War II and the slow decline of the karyukai when the bubble economy burst in the 1990s. During her lifetime she was named a Living National Treasure and received various awards and honors from the government for her dance. Like Haruko, Aiko recognized the talent of her granddaughter, Michiko, and named her successor upon her retirement in 2000. Inoue Michiko (井上三千子) (1956 - present) is the currently the fifth holder of the title Yachiyo Inoue. Like her grandmother before her, she began dancing at the age of 3 and showed great promise. Also like her grandmother before her, Michiko has also been named as a Living National Treasure, one of the youngest ever to boot. Michiko’s leadership through the corona virus pandemic has been nothing short of the definition of strength and endurance and hopefully she can continue to pull through as Gion Kobu rebuilds.  Now, unlike previous generations, the next Yachiyo Inoue has already been chosen so quickly after the last head’s passing. Michiko’s daughter, Inoue Yasuko (井上安寿子) has already been chosen by committee to eventually replace her mother upon her death. Like the previous heads before her, Yasuko has been groomed since the age of 3 to be a dancer, and her skills are quite impressive. She’s been noted to be a dancing prodigy, hence why her selection has already been made.     Style The Inoue style of dance is derived from the Noh court dances, so its movements are usually slow and punctuated by quick, dramatic ones.    Natori Those who become natori in the Inoue style are given a special fan signed by the current Yachiyo Inoue and is decorated with a camellia flower, a symbol of the school. Each year they receive a new fan with a new design at Kotohajime. Unlike other dance schools, those who are natori in the Inoue school cannot teach dance unless they are an accredited teacher.       

The natori graduation fan. The background is actually pink, but the gold flakes make it appear orange. 

[talesfromasnarkylisa]

Stranded In Arendelle: Chapter 11

July 28th, 1843

After a long week of worsening snowy misery, Arendelle’s blizzard finally let up.

“Thank God,” grinned Nuru.

The airship to take Rapunzel and Eugene back home successfully managed to arrive thanks to the improved weather. Eugene would much rather have returned by ship, but there was a funeral to attend since the king died. Rapunzel also had a kingdom to rule. 

“Goodbye, Eugene,” Tony bid Eugene farewell.

“Goodbye,” said Eugene. 

Eugene held Rapunzel’s hand.

“You know how you couldn’t afford university even though you really wanted to, Tony?”

“Yeah?” he wondered.

“Guess what,” Eugene stated. “I’m not going to get Rapunzel to use Coronans’ taxpayer money to get you in. But I do know of a good scholarship.”

“Tell me,” Tony lit up.

Eugene explained to Tony the requirements of the scholarship.

“Well,” Tony smiled, “I think I fit the requirements.”

“You’ll just have to wait and see,” Nuru chimed in.

“Good luck,” Rapunzel watched the ship dock. “And Nuru?”

“Yes?” Nuru turned around.

“Thanks for everything,” Rapunzel pulled Nuru into a hug.

“You’re welcome,” Nuru stated. “And thank you, Rapunzel.”

The Coronan royals boarded the ship.

One Year Later

Officially pardoned in August of 1843, Tony had finished his first year in the prestigious Oxten University. He occasionally mailed Eugene, who would mail him back.

The kingdom of Corona prospered under Rapunzel’s rule. She reformed the justice system to avoid execution except for when serial murder or sexual assault was involved. Coronan citizens were happy, and a preliminary system of democracy allowing them to vote for or against whichever rules Rapunzel made started to get put in place. Its economy and infrastructure were doing great - in no small part thanks to Varian and his new partner working on the electricity system. Foreign relations with Arendelle were also much better with Queen Elsa as its leader.

While not as glamorous as Corona, the kingdom of Hawada was finally improving. Thanks to both Nuru’s and Varian’s efforts, there was now better infrastructure to deal with the meteorite attacks which plagued it. A truce for the war had been agreed to, and Hawada was left alone. 

Kirsti’s mother was released from prison around Christmas time. Now reunited, Kirsti would telegraph her frequently.

Of course, there were still issues to be resolved. The kingdoms were far from true equality, this being the 19th century. Rapunzel still had to deal with conflicts in the palace from time to time.

But compared to just a few years ago, life was much better.

THE END

…

If you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading! I’d appreciate a vote (if on Wattpad) or like (if on Tumblr) if you enjoyed reading the fanfic. Comments are also welcome.

This was initially going to be 15 chapters, but I couldn’t find a way to prolong the narrative without it feeling repetitive, personally. 

Regardless, I’m going to be moving on to something new soon. It’ll be an original fic inspired by some pop music I’ve heard. Should that interest you…see you then!

(Wattpad version: https://www.wattpad.com/1475200729-stranded-in-arendelle-chapter-11)

[stephenjaymorrisblog]

Neo-Burlesque Era of the 2020’s

Stephen Jay Morris

6/29/2020

©Scientific Morality

            So, here we are in the year of our Lord, 2024, via the Twenty-First Century. This is very similar to the era known as “The Roaring Twenties”—the only difference being is the economy. During the 1920’s, the economy was in prosperity mode. It was party time, with nonstop divine decadence, bathtub gin, and screwing a “Flapper” in a Model T.  All was centered around sex, jazz, and booze. In response, the fundamentalists and evangelical Christians wanted to halt all sin and implement “God’s laws” across the nation. To them, it was viewed as the “End Times” because “young America was reviving Sodom and Gomorrah.” The White racists were worried that America’s borders were being invaded by illegal aliens who were mostly comprised of Anarchists and Communist spies. Is this sounding familiar?

Well, the Christians succeeded in outlawing alcohol by government-implemented “Prohibition.” However, that only served to ensure that organized crime became powerful and filthy rich. The 1920’s didn’t end well. The U.S. economy crashed in 1929 which ushered in The Great Depression. The rich got richer, and the common people got fucked. They were dirt poor.

So, how will the 2020’s decade end? Here is my educated guess.

            The American people suffered from a global pandemic between 2020 and 2022, known as Corona Virus, or COVID 19. Conservative and Christian coalitions expressed their state paranoia by claiming the federal government was forcing citizens to wear masks, quarantine themselves, and take emergency vaccines. The political right was feeding fear to the masses with one alarming exaggeration after another.

            Donald Trump, then President of the United States (until January 2021), was a B.T. Barnum type who cared only about himself; specifically, his money and popularity. Somehow, he paid off churches to promote him as the second coming of Christ. It worked. His base was comprised of right-wing fanatics who believed in conspiracy theories. To date, 30% of the America population are Trump cultists. At the time of his election (2016), he had zero government experience. He was a real estate tycoon whose six businesses had failed. He was the worst businessman in history. Despite all this, he got the stamp of approval from Christian churches across the country, which designated him a decent guy. The most popular thing for which he was known was a TV reality show called, “The Apprentice,” which aired from 2004 to 2017. At the time, the Millennial generation’s mentality was based on computer technology and the Internet. They had been weaned on cell phones and computers. A TV reality show host was not impressive to them. Many were a-political and anti-religion. However, many other generational types, like Gen X and Baby Boomer conservatives, were bound to Trump. President Trump knew how to manipulate Americans, particularly working-class, white people. He came out of the entertainment industry. Americans are entertainment addicts and hedonists.

            Today, the work ethic in America is dead. Over the decades, Americans have wondered why they should work hard at all. Hundreds of businesses go bankrupt every month. The truth is, you only work hard for your boss so he can get rich. The plan is that you, the worker, are so occupied with working hard that you haven’t time to rebel against the capitalist system. After their long, 8-hour day, Americans want to have fun. We live in an entertainment society. It’s all silliness and sick jokes. A burlesque society predates a fascist society. Consider the 1972 American movie, “Cabaret,” a fictional movie depicting Germany’s era during 1920’s decadence: sex, cross dressing, and drunkenness. The Nazis promised German Christians they would put an end to it, and they did.

In America, people want to escape economic hardships by having fun. But the Evangelicals want to control all primal urges and create a clean-cut society. They loath sex unless it's purpose is to make more white babies. They hate sex, but they love violence against “evil people;” that is, whomever they perceive as evil.

At this moment in time, it’s all about fun and recreation. It’s not about wholesome entertainment. It’s about action movies and energy drinks. Video games about war and violence are still a hot item for the younger set. So, I declare this time in American history, “The Age of Neo-Burlesque.” That is my label for the decade.

            Now, what will happen in the 2030’s? I predict that the pendulum will swing to the left. The moderate left will have to compete with the ultra-left. They will have to offer rational programs to help struggling Americans. The ultra-left will need to reorganize and try again. The political right will be despised by working class Americans and become a pariah to them.

At last, a Hollywood ending!

[eastcoastboyos]

Awestruck

Assembing in the kitchen of our airBnB, the boyos scarfed down leftovers and cereal. Blake tackled last night's taco meat like a champ despite waking up with the snifffles. The disease has spread.

Zipping over to Kennedy Space Center, the boys hustled to the bus tour line having learned the night before that it is a must do according to Reddt. The tour takes you around the massive shuttle assembly building via roads lined with canals (where I saw my first gator!) and deposits you at the Saturn V rocket building.

Not really knowing what the Saturn V was, the boys and I went through an introductionary video and mock control room, which simulated the first launch of USA into space. Absolutely incredible. The windows chattering with the rocket launch, the lights flickering on the actual control panels as operator voices echoed simultaneously, you really did feel like you were there in the launch room on such of a historic moment.

Exiting this room with a horde of blind folk, the boys were gob smacked, rounding a corner and coming right up to the massive rear engine boosters of an actual Saturn V rocket above our heads. Jaws dropped as we marveled at the scale and complexity of the machine.

Exploring the area, we encountered another phenomenal theater simulating the moon landing and marveled at the moon rocks, space suits, and lunar buggys around us. Blake and I joked about the Apollo 11 error code 1202 with our own error codes: 8008 for boob and 9009 for making a poop.

Finishing our exploration of Saturn V, the boys bussed back to the main compound and headed into the Atlantis Space Shuttle Building. Representing the next phase of NASA spacecraft, we were treated to another informative video on the origin of the vessel and an appreciation for the decade of engineering to design the shuttle. To our awe once again, after the imerisve shuttle launch video finished, the video screens rolled up to reveal the actual Atlantis space shuttle behind. 🤯

If our brain chunks weren't already sxattered enough, beside the large space shuttle Atlantis was a small glass box containing the actual wood and paper concept model for the shuttle built ten years prior of the first shuttle launch. Having this massive machine and simple model side by side was such an incredible symbol of engineering design to creation. We all agreed how inspirational everything was.

Goofing around, the boys played with space toilets, I reviewed some employment contract details, and we discussed favourite roller coasters while in line for the cockpit launch simulator, another winner. Some somber moments were had looking at the Challenger and Discovery debris and Joel remarked how KSC had you like "Shittttttt" and then the next moment, a quiet and reflective "shit....".

Taking a quiet snooze in the car, some of the boys recuperated as we made the final stretch to Miami Beach: 2200km in total. Discussing the long term debt cycle, toll road uncertainty, the abundance palm trees and canals, and the worst traffic and drivers we've seen thus far, the boys made it to Miami as the sun was setting. Dylan remarked at the endless lawyer billbords such as "I heart my attorney, 300k" and noted: " Half this country's entire economy is lawyers sueing everone".

Our airBnB is in a cool Latin area, and after obtaining some missing sheets, the boys downed some Corona's, slapped each of with tortillas, placed Georgie on the mantel, and head out on the town. Miami Beach is saturated with art Deco and our heads swiveled as we looked at them lit up in the night with color. Miami Beach is bumping.

Sports cars, fancy outfits, mango strip clubs, gangs on ATVs and motor bikes, the place's energy seem to match New York. Things seem full circle. After resting on the grass for a moment to process everything, (#fiveIntroverts) the boys grabbed margaritas and nachos at Oh Mexico. Letting the night fall late to the sound sof Latin musc, we savored reminiscing about the trip while periodically singing Happy birthday in Spanish.

We miss you Ben.

Derek

[bee-snail]

ALRIGHT I have PROGRESS. Follow up to this post, behold: the (updated) Moonrise Map of the 7 Kingdoms + Equis + The Dark Kingdom

I bring both a colored and uncolored version. Whichever is easier to read <:]

Yes it looks like I did just crop a part of a continent to show you. Big chances I'm still gonna edit this but I AM MUCH HAPPIER. KRESTEN LOCH EXISTS GUYS !!!

A few things have been done to make everything make sense:

- In "Not in the Mood", the representative of Pittsford leaves in a little boat, which means my original design where Pittsford is landlocked is debunked.

- In "Pascal's Dragon", we get shipment from Neserdnia, implying it too has sea access. In "Day of the Animals", our team is on a feeble little cart ride on their way to Neserdnia. I have no idea how they thought they could go that far without a carriage at least, but assuming they're already on Neserdnian territory just on their way to where they actually want to go... Well. Canon is weird.

- The green, unnamed spots are unclaimed or unexplored areas.

- Kingdoms closer to Corona are warmer, whereas those closest to the Dark Kingdom are colder. Rakesh is the only area in the entirety of the cold-side that has farmlands thanks to Saporia's magic combined with the naturally fertile land of a volcanic area.

- The food that once was acquired only through Ingvarr (who got said food by using greenhouses designed to keep their crops alive despite the natural cold) could now be mass produced in the Dark Kingdom, feeding all of its population and having enough to sell off to neighboring kingdoms even cheaper than Ingvarr.

As Rakesh's farmlands grew, Ingvarr's economy crashed when their crops were no longer being sold in favor of Rakesh's cheaper ones. It led to many conflicts between the Dark Kingdom and Ingvarr, pushing the Dark Kingdom's people to continue training warriors to defend against Ingvarr's occasional attacks—which only stopped after the Exile during King Edmund's reign.

Ingvarr is now the main provider of food to Galcrest and the few Rakeshian villages that refused to leave the kingdom.

- The Great Tree and Demanitus' Maze became part of the Dark Kingdom territory about 1.5k years after the Great Saporia-Corona War.

- Demanitus' Tomb is technically located within Old Saporian territory; in modern days, it's considered within Coronan territory.

- The Spire, as well as Kresten Loch, are Galcrestian territory.

[moonwarriorautumn]

The Worlds of Psychiatric Counterstrike and Unusual Beauty

Keep in mind, the worlds of these two series are very similar, they are two completely different worlds. Psychiatric Counterstrike has psychological beasts and people fighting them, and Unusual Beauty doesn't.

There are other races in these worlds, besides the human race. There are elves, fairies, dwarves, centaurs, trolls, and more. At first there were only humans, but after the Tower of Babel fell, and the human races separated into groups, to different parts of the world, some of the groups adapted to their new environments, which is how there came to be other races.

Biology is a bit different in theses worlds. For one there is no bowel movements, just urination. Most of what people and animals eat gets turned into energy, and what's left over is liquidated and urinated out. No gas either. There's no acne. No body hair (except in the case of certain races, like for example, werewolves or satyrs.) Sweat doesn't stink unless the person has some kind of sickness (they should still shower, though.) People and most animals can regrown each of their teeth up to five times per tooth, in the event that one or more are lost (this doesn't mean they don't have to take care of their current teeth.) (I've eliminated alot of gross stuff from my worlds because I'm squeamish.)

Magical creatures exist in these worlds, and most of them are docile and intelligent, especially dragons. There are very few magical creatures that are dangerous, like cockatrices and bugbears. There are also magical beings known as nympths. They are born from trees and flower bushes that have long life expectancy, lakes, rivers, and the ocean, and clean skies. They don't have reproductive systems and are all aroace, but they do have gender indentities, most of them are female. There is less crime in these worlds, thanks to nymphs, keeping watch over other living things. They will intervene when innocents are in danger. Cities and towns also have security cameras throughout the streets.

People are able to understand and communicate with animals that they love. They're still speaking their native tongue, they just can understand each other. Most animals and magical creatures feel safe around people who can communicate with them. But not all animals and magical creatures will cooperate. Some creatures are just beyond reason and are sociopathic and/or psychotic.

These worlds are alot less populated than our real life world, there is far less pollution, and there's hardly any need to worry about global warming. People and magical creatures are taking good care of the Earth.

The USA is a much better place, including California and the southern states. People can't be politicians if they're older than sixty. The economy is much better, there's no inflation, and workers are paid well. There are hardly any people who are homeless. There is also free healthcare (including dental and medicine) for people, animals, and magical creatures. School hours are shorter, starting at 12pm and ending at 3pm, and there's only a small amount of homework for students. (Kids need plenty of sleep hours, time to wake up so they can listen better at school, and need time to relax and do other things after school!)

Because of the existence of magical creatures and plants, medicine is more advance. There are permanent cures for alot of auto immune disorders and the first three stages of cancer, as well as the common cold, flu, canker sores, and all STD's. There was never a Corona pandemic, not only because of it was prevented from getting out, but because vaccines were made and given out in 2016. Sex change surgery is also even better. They still can't reproduce like cis-gender people, but they can experience intimacy the same way.

The LGBTQIA+ community (the A stands for asexual!) and many different races are more widely accepted by the world, but there are still a few of those who are prejudice and hateful towards them.

Keep in mind, that while these worlds are better than our real life world, they are not perfect. There are still problems. There is still crime, hatred, and corruption. It's just not as bad as what goes on in our world.

[bopinion]

2023 / 20

Aperçu of the Week:

"Music is a language in which you can't lie."

(Hubert von Goisern, Austrian singer-songwriter and founder of alpine rock)

Bad News of the Week:

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is upon us again. This weather phenomenon of the equatorial Pacific happens at irregular intervals of two to eight years and refers to the occurrence of unusual, non-cyclical, altered ocean currents in the oceanographic-meteorological system. Without going into detail about Walker cells, trade winds and surface waters, let's just say that the weather between South America and Southeast Asia is tipping. With worldwide effects.

Plankton dies en masse and leads to the collapse of entire food chains, e.g. there are no more fish off Peru, seabirds die in the entire Pacific. Unnaturally heavy rainfall on the western side of the Andes causes landslides and flooding. In Southeast Asia and Australia, the lack of rain causes huge bush and forest fires, and the Amazon region and southern Africa dry out. Huge hurricanes develop in Mexico, the monsoon intensifies in India, and coral bleaching increases significantly worldwide. Everywhere it becomes noticeably warmer.

El Niño has already been documented by the pre-Columbian Incas and is even believed to have led to the extinction of the Moche civilization. It is therefore a natural phenomenon for which, for once, humans are not to blame. However, since man-made climate disasters such as floods, hurricanes and forest fires have increased dramatically in recent years, more than a few experts expect a reciprocal amplification that could be devastating due to its cascading effect. In the best case, humanity gets a temporary taste of circumstances to come, hopefully leading to more immediate action to mitigate climate change impacts. At worst, this heated combination pushes climatic tipping points past their very tipping point. Which, as we know, is irreversible.

Good News of the Week:

The annual G7 summit is over. This time under Japanese leadership in Hiroshima. This cooperation format of the seven economically strongest Western nations (Japan, USA, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy and Germany) with the participation of the European Union originally saw itself as a forum for discussing issues of the global economy. And in recent years, it has evolved into a hub that also has security and sociopolitical relevance. Therefore, an unsurprising item on the program this year was the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenski to promote fighter jets.

Just as predictable as the condemnation of Russia's war of aggression was the theme of economic cooperation with China while distancing oneself from its geopolitical and human rights positions. The same applies to concerns about climate change, declining biodiversity and the too-slow expansion of renewable energies - albeit without any significant breakthroughs. Also, security of supply in globalized trade and cooperation with emerging economic powers. So no surprises at all?

Yes, in my opinion there are. After the delivery chain issues at the time of the Corona pandemic, the grain exports from Ukraine and fertilizers from Russia, which have been stopped in the meantime, have thrown another spotlight on the global food situation. Which is shitty to say the least. Among other things, because it is precisely the poorest countries that are most affected by the effects of climate change that are already being felt today.

Last year, under German auspices, the G7 and the World Bank founded the Global Alliance for Food Security (GAFS). According to its statutes, the alliance is committed to an agile, targeted and rapid response to food crises, which at the same time takes the right path toward sustainable agricultural systems. And pools the corresponding resources of its members: Germany, for example, has already been giving 2 billion euros annually for years to fight hunger in needy countries.

Now, according to a communiqué, the G7 have decided to provide a further 21 billion U.S. dollars in emergency aid. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze, initiator of the GAFS, commented: "The fact that the G7 are now united in their commitment to a further and holistic commitment one year later is a strong sign of solidarity with the Global South."

Of course, this is not enough. Oxfam, for example, points out that the UN has put the financial requirement in this regard at 55 billion. The G7 would have therefore failed in terms of development policy. But if you take a look at the bare figures, you will see that the G7 are contributing their fair share according to their economic performance. I am not aware of any corresponding initiative by China, India, Russia, Brazil or the Arab world. So we are on track so far. At least we are. And at least on a topic that too rarely makes it into the headlines.

Personal happy moment of the week:

My two children are getting older - and on their own feet. First, my daughter, who just turned 20, was in Budapest with the political science department of her university. Although only in her first year of study already as a group leader. And then my son, who just turned 15, was at the partner school in Paris. As the only one from the 8th grade and the youngest participant of the student exchange. Both not only completed their trip with aplomb, but also took the opportunity to present themselves as cosmopolitan, curious, self-confident young people. And made their dad proud.

I couldn't care less...

...about the voting behavior of Turks in Germany. Because they are allowed to vote in their home country, even if they are resident abroad. And they do. In large numbers. Unfortunately, two-thirds for Recep Erdogan. That was the case in the regular presidential election a week ago and that will be the case in the runoff election a week from now. I do not understand that. People who live in a well developed prosperous democracy should actually appreciate its canon of values - and not keep an autocrat in power.

As I write this...

...I am sitting on the train to Cologne. As I or my employer had booked it. Which is no longer a matter of course in view of the frequent strikes lately. The next round of negotiations between the union and Deutsche Bahn is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, so my return trip should also work out that day. On schedule. Which is tantamount to being late. Right now, we've been theoretically on the move for 12 minutes - but we're still standing on the platform in Munich. So everything is completely normal.

Post Scriptum

The Arab League has welcomed Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad back into its midst - with a brotherly kiss. Those who were still waiting for proof that human rights do not always feel at home in the Arab cultural area (to put it mildly) now have it. The greeting "Salam alaikum" means "(May) peace be upon you". Yeah - but some terms and conditions apply.

[lesbolieeh]

UPDATE!💁‍♀️✨

So… I haven’t posted in a while…

If u wanna skip my life update and just see the blog update go to under the red line haha

And I can explain myself! This was my last year in school so I had to focus on exams. In early June I graduated finally! And ever since then I’ve been travelling because school has burnt me out and I need to regain a part of myself again (also fuck my homophobic parents haha) and meet new people and do shit I never would’ve done before. Also I live in a country that’s way too close to Ukraine for my comfort and there’s been a heat wave in Europe so it’s nice to not be there! (Btw I am not rich I’m just a regular Swedish citizen who has saved money for a long time and is now travelling very cheap)

I spent two months in Korea and had such a fun time and made many new friends! I’m currently in Thailand and have been here for almost two months! This time I didn’t make as many friends since it’s hard to befriend locals as they mostly want to talk to you so you can support their businesses — which I can’t blame them for (Thailand’s economy was hurt by corona as it prevented all tourism)! I’ve made some foreign friends but everyone is leaving each city/island after a few days so it’s hard to keep contact unfortunately — also everyone is much older😬

HOWEVER! I did match with a girl on tinder on my last week in Korea and she was also going to Thailand and so we decided to meet in Bangkok and now we’re travel buddies :D so at least I made one good and close friend! She’s my age (thankfully) and from Germany. It’s so interesting to se how different our cultures are although we’re from close countries haha. Also we’re both communicating with English which is the third language for both of us! And I speak a bit of German, and Swedish (my first language) is similar to German so whenever we don’t know a word in English we just say it in Swedish/German and usually the other person understands that crazy enough!!

Next week I’m going to Vietnam and I’m honestly so excited to see the nature, eat tasty food and hopefully learn some Vietnamese!

—————————

If u read all of the above: thank u😘😘😘 ur so sweet wtf

I have decided I’ve been chilling enough and should go back to writing as my English skills have been hurting! (If you don’t actively practice writing your third language you will get worse at it sadly enough)

I have a lot of requests already… which I have to write and I will!

But in the meantime, should I rewrite fics from my boy group blog into girl group version so you have something to read while I write fics? (If u think it’s a good idea pls comment an emoji or private text me so Ik what y’all would like💕)

Also idk if this is too much to ask for, but if u feel comfortable could u tell me if u prefer for me to post group reactions/scenarios or idol fics? (Again comment or private text me💕)

To be clear! As I am travelling I will not make this my priority and will post on my own pace! Hope you understand♥️ anyway have an awesome day!

[dailylifeblogs]

Life lessons that corona virus taught us.

Its been not more than 2 years since the time when world seemed to doom. An unprecedented catastrophe struck the world. Corona Virus, that started as any other virus that people thought would make its way out after slight cough and cold reactions. But what it brought with it was a nightmare for most people. The virus whose first case started to appear in India around march 2020, gradually settled for a little over two years. Millions of deaths, suferings, crashing economies, failed health systems, contries locked down, and what not. In a way the world stopped fnctioning.

All this time , people introspected their lives. The world slowed to think what corona virus taught us.

Life is greater than what we think. We never got time to think beyond the daily mundane life unless it made us to do so. There is something higher than humans.

Nature finds its way to teach . We took world for granted, our greed exploited earth of its treasures for their own greed. We considered nothing above us.

Always be prepared. Corona showed us the reality of our not so efficient systems. Healthcare failed with people yearning for a bed in hospitals, oxygen cylinders,..etc. Taking a lesson the governments are now better prepared for any future calamities

You are alone in the world. Some herat wrenching realities struck us down during covid. With People abandoning their own family members to ward themselves, loved ones separted from each other for months, kids who didnt see their parents face for months, lost family members, all this made us realise that we are transient in this world.

Love Hope and Prayers is what we come to. Entire world was praying for that phase to end, for helping people who are suffereing, for giving strenth to those greiving. Love and hope binds us all. Its bigger than anything else.

The world is not same after covid. We are better human beings now with evolved sensibility, humility and belief.

[earaercircular]

A tour de force from the Caribbean

Barbados builds new disaster preparedness hub

Remember the name Mia Mottley, writes Ine Renson. Her proposal to reform the global financial system is the game changer in the climate debate.

When Mia Mottley took the stage in Sharm el-Sheikh on November 7, she had no intention to sweet talk. The Prime Minister of Barbados launched a blistering attack on the industrialized nations. “We are stuck in the imperialist era,” she fulminated. Poor countries depend for their survival on the mercy of the rich, whose power is enshrined in institutions of a bygone era. The human genius has spawned pyramids, put a man on the moon and developed a corona vaccine in less than two years. But the will to save the lives and future of billions of people is not forthcoming. “What will you do? What will you choose to save?”

Despite the punches she threw, the Caribbean is a rising star in the climate debate. Since she attracted attention in Glasgow last year with an equally inspiring speech, she has received invitations from the UN and the World Trade Organization (WTO), she has been asked to give prestigious lectures and she is allowed to have coffee with government leaders. As prime minister of an island state with barely 290,000 inhabitants[1], she punches above her weight. She owes this to her ability to explain complex issues simply. She peppers her argument with references to the Caribbean legends Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. She speaks with the urgency of a leader whose country is drowning in failed climate promises. But it is mainly with her revolutionary ideas that she smashes open doors that would otherwise remain closed.

Barbados prime minister Mia Mottley's defence of Small Island Developing States at COP26 makes her a regional rock star

Mia Mottley came up with a plan this year to radically rewrite the rules of the international financial system. That system is broken, she says. She targets the IMF and the World Bank, that were established after World War II to rebuild devastated countries and stabilise the global economy. Gradually, the focus shifted to emerging economies. That has worked pretty well for decades. But the classic recipes are not strong enough against the cascade of hurricanes, floods and droughts that vulnerable countries are currently experiencing. The rigid rules only push them deeper into the swamp of poverty.

Tighten the belt of austerity

If Pakistan and Mozambique are hit by a climate catastrophe, they will have to look for billions to repair the damage. While rich countries borrow on the capital markets at 1 to 4 percent, interest rates for the South are around 14 percent. They can also turn to the World Bank or the IMF in exchange for strict austerity policies. That forces them to tighten their belts so hard that there is no room left to protect themselves against the next disaster, let alone invest in solar panels, schools or hospitals.

This is how emerging countries become entangled in a spiral of disasters and debt. A hurricane can wipe out 200 percent of the income of a country like Barbados in a matter of hours. Mottley delicately points out that those debts serve to combat climate catastrophes caused by creditors building their wealth on fossil fuels. But she does not get stuck in moral reflections. The reality is simple, she says: no country from the South can survive the climate crisis by sinking even deeper. There is no other way out than to climate-proof the financial system itself.

Mottley puts three interventions on the table for this. The IMF and the World Bank must allocate much more money for adaptation. The money with which countries can make their infrastructure resilient is available: the IMF can release USD 1,000 billion in reserves that it can lend to its members on favourable terms. Debt securities must also contain a clause that allows repayment to be suspended for two years if a climate disaster occurs. This frees up budgets that governments can spend on reconstruction. And to accelerate the transition, she advocates a fund that serves as leverage to tap into private capital. That fund, guaranteed by the IMF, could raise up to $5 trillion a year – a stream of money that could be invested in new technologies or energy infrastructure.

Brilliant proposal

That plan goes well beyond the existing $100 billion climate fund, as well as the climate damage reparations that were won as a trophy in Sharm el-Sheikh. The latter remain transfers from rich to poor countries that will never generate the thousands of billions that are needed every year. Mottley's proposal is more ingenius. It works within the capitalist system, not against it. It uses the IMF and the World Bank as leverage to channel risk-averse capital to poor countries. She links climate policy to development. It looks like she's found the holy grail.

The mastermind behind those ideas is Avinash Persaud[2], a fellow countryman and old college friend. They met at the London School of Economics. While he was making his way to the top of the financial world, she was pursuing her political career in Barbados. When she was economy minister in 2007, she brought Persaud to Bridgetown as a financial adviser. With the approval of the IMF, he negotiated a debt restructuring with the largest creditors in 2018. Barbados became the first country to issue debt with a disaster clause[3].

Persaud taught Mottley to think big. Begging is pointless, he says. Use the laws of the regular system. And speak for a group the world cannot ignore. Just about all the countries between the two tropics – roughly 3.3 billion people – are in the same boat. Mottley does not speak for Barbados, but for 40 percent of the world's population.

It works. The plan, known as the Bridgetown Initiative[4], is gaining traction. IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, World Bank president David Malpass, French President Emmanuel Macron[5], German Development Minister Svenja Schulze, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen: they all stumble over each other to stress that the “current model no longer works” ' and that “private money must be tapped”. The Bridgetown proposals will be worked out by the meeting of the IMF and World Bank next spring.

That is a monumental achievement. Mottley puts on the table for the first time a realistic plan with which the world can finance itself from the climate crisis. It shatters a dysfunctional system that cannot cope with climate change, that is unfair and founded on centuries of exploitation. That a politician from a small island state manages to do this is significant. It leaves the mighty of the earth with their back against the wall.

Source

Ine Renson: Een krachttoer uit de Caraïben, in: De Standaard, 23-12-2022, https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20221222_98072569

[1] Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of 432 km2 and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). Its capital and largest city is Bridgetown.

[2] Avinash Persaud,Breaking the Deadlock on Climate: The Bridgetown Initiative, in: Green 3, issue 3

[3] Fitch Rates Its First Natural Disaster Clause Sovereign Bond, in: FitchRatings, 24-10-2022, https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/fitch-rates-its-first-natural-disaster-clause-sovereign-bond-24-10-2022

[4] https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/download/the-2022-barbados-agenda/

[5] Macron backs climate cash trillions. French president calls for a ‘huge shock’ of climate finance.in: Politico, 23-12-2022, https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-backs-climate-cash-trillions-cop27/

[newstfionline]

Monday, April 8, 2024

Gazing Skyward, and Awaiting a Moment of Awe (NYT) On Monday, millions of people are hoping for a sun-powered experience of awe. A total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, from Mazatlán up through Indiana to Newfoundland. More than 30 million people live in the path of totality, where for a few brief minutes the moon will entirely block out the sun, and darkness will swallow the light of day. A halo will glow white behind the moon, the sun’s corona. The eclipse evokes for many a sort of mystical moment and childlike wonder, as awareness of the celestial encompasses the earth. It is a present reminder to everyone, on the same day, that life can be magical.

Travel Will Add a Record $11.1 Trillion to the Global Economy in 2024 (Bloomberg) The travel industry’s global economic impact continues to gain ground. This year, it’s expected to reach a record-breaking $11.1 trillion, surpassing its prior high of $10 trillion in 2019. In another decade, tourism is forecast to become a $16 trillion industry, at which point it would make up 11.4% of the global gross domestic product. Today, 1 in 10 people are employed in jobs that relate to tourism; by 2034, that will climb, with an estimated 12.2% of global jobs contributing to the sector. All this is part of the 2024 global Economic Impact Research released on Thursday by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power (Washington Post) Vast swaths of the United States are at risk of running short of power as electricity-hungry data centers and clean-technology factories proliferate around the country, leaving utilities and regulators grasping for credible plans to expand the nation’s creaking power grid. In Georgia, demand for industrial power is surging to record highs, with the projection of new electricity use for the next decade now 17 times what it was only recently. Arizona Public Service, the largest utility in that state, is also struggling to keep up, projecting it will be out of transmission capacity before the end of the decade absent major upgrades. Northern Virginia needs the equivalent of several large nuclear power plants to serve all the new data centers planned and under construction. Texas, where electricity shortages are already routine on hot summer days, faces the same dilemma.

Mexico severs diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police storm its embassy to arrest politician (AP) Mexico’s government severed diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police broke into the Mexican Embassy to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president, an extraordinary use of force that shocked and mystified regional leaders and diplomats. Ecuadorian police late Friday broke through the external doors of the embassy in the capital, Quito, to arrest Jorge Glas, who had been residing there since December. Glas sought political asylum at the embassy after being indicted on corruption charges. The raid prompted Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to announce the breaking off of diplomatic relations with Ecuador on Friday evening. Glas’ attorney, Sonia Vera, told The Associated Press that officers broke into his room and he resisted when they attempted to put his hands behind his back. She said the officers then “knocked him to the floor, kicked him in the head, in the spine, in the legs, the hands,” and when he “couldn’t walk, they dragged him out.”

UK lawmaker admits passing colleagues’ numbers to stranger met on dating app (Reuters) A senior member of Britain’s governing Conservative Party has admitted supplying the personal details of fellow lawmakers to someone he met online, saying he had felt compromised after he sent them intimate photos of himself. William Wragg told the Times newspaper he had handed over the phone numbers of colleagues to a man he met on a dating app, part of what is reported to be a wider operation targeting people working in the British parliament. The Times said those colleagues were then sent unsolicited flirtatious messages and two lawmakers had responded by sending explicit photographs of themselves. News outlet Politico said 12 men including a serving government minister were known to have been targeted in the suspected operation, receiving flirtatious messages and pictures from people who called themselves Abi or Charlie.

Christiania, Copenhagen’s hippie oasis, wants to rebuild without its illegal hashish market (AP) The now-aging hippies who took over a derelict naval base in Copenhagen more than 50 years ago and turned it into a freewheeling community known as Christiania want to boot out criminals who control the community’s lucrative market for hashish by ripping up the cobblestoned street where it openly changes hands. Over the years, there have been many attempts to halt the illegal hashish sales which have often ended in violent clashes between criminal gangs and police, with trading then quickly resuming. On Saturday, residents started digging up Pusher Street, after which they can receive government money earmarked for the area’s renovation. The plan is to create “a new Christiania without the criminal hashish market,” said Mette Prag, coordinator of a new public housing project in the enclave. Prag, who has lived in Christiania for 37 years, likened it to “a village.” “We don’t want the gangsters anymore,” said Hulda Mader, who has lived in Christiania for 40 years.

Farmers in India are hit hard by extreme weather. Some say expanding natural farming is the answer (AP) There’s a pungent odor on Ratna Raju’s farm that he says is protecting his crops from the unpredictable and extreme weather that’s become more frequent with human-caused climate change. The smell comes from a concoction of cow urine, an unrefined sugar known as jaggery, and other organic materials that act as fertilizers, pesticides and bad weather barriers for his corn, rice, leafy greens and other vegetables on his farm in Guntur in India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state. The region is frequently hit by cyclones and extreme heat, and farmers say that so-called natural farming protects their crops because the soil can hold more water, and their more robust roots help the plants withstand strong winds. Experts say these methods should be expanded across India’s vast agricultural lands as climate change and decreasing profits have led to multiple farmers’ protests this year. But fledgling government support across the country for these methods means most farmers still use chemical pesticides and fertilizers, making them more vulnerable when extreme weather hits.

New Zealand tightens visa rules amid near record migration (Reuters) New Zealand said on Sunday that it was making immediate changes to its employment visa program after a near record migration last year which it said was “unsustainable”. The changes include measures such as introducing English language requirement for low skilled jobs and setting a minimum skills and work experience threshold for most employer work visas. The maximum continuous stay for most low skilled roles will also be reduced to three years from five years. New Zealand, which has a population of about 5.1 million, has seen a rapid growth in its migrant numbers since the end of the pandemic, raising concerns last year that it was fanning inflation. Neighbouring Australia, which has also seen a big jump in migrants, has said it would halve its migrant intake over the next two years.

After six months of war, Israel’s isolation grows with no end in sight (AP) When Israel declared war against Hamas last October, it stood unified at home and enjoyed broad backing from around the world following an unprecedented attack by the Islamic militant group. Six months later, Israel finds itself in a far different place: bogged down in Gaza, divided domestically, isolated internationally and increasingly at odds with its closest ally. The risk of a broader regional war remains real. Despite Israel’s fierce military onslaught, Hamas is still standing, if significantly weakened. The offensive has pushed Gaza into a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 80% of the population and leaving over 1 million people on the brink of starvation. Yet Israel hasn’t presented a postwar vision acceptable to its partners, and cease-fire talks remain at a standstill.

Rwanda’s Ruler Holds Tight Grip (NYT) Blood coursed through the streets of Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, in April 1994 as machete-wielding militiamen began a campaign of genocide that killed as many as 800,000 people, one of the great horrors of the late 20th century. Thirty years later, Kigali is the envy of Africa. Smooth streets curl past gleaming towers that hold banks, luxury hotels and tech startups. There is a Volkswagen car plant and an mRNA vaccine facility. A 10,000-seat arena hosts Africa’s biggest basketball league and concerts by stars like Kendrick Lamar, the American rapper, who performed there in December. Tourists fly in to visit Rwanda’s famed gorillas. Government officials from other African countries arrive for lessons in good governance. The electricity is reliable. Traffic cops do not solicit bribes. Violence is rare. The architect of this stunning transformation, President Paul Kagame, achieved it with harsh methods that would normally attract international condemnation. Rwanda’s tragic history makes it an “immensely special case,” Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, once said.

Zimbabwe introduces new currency as depreciation and rising inflation stoke economic turmoil (AP) Zimbabwe on Friday launched a new currency to replace its previous one that in recent months has been battered by depreciation, and in some instances rejection by the population. Authorities hope the new measure will halt a currency crisis underlining the country’s yearslong economic troubles. Since January, the Zimbabwe dollar lost over 70% of its value on the official market, and was plunging even further on the thriving but illegal black market. Inflation increased from 26.5% in December last year to 34.8% this January before spiking to 55.3% in March, according to official figures. Friday’s announcement is the latest of a cocktail of currency measures undertaken by the Zimbabwean government since the initial spectacular collapse of the Zimbabwe dollar in 2009. The period saw the country at one point issuing a 100 trillion Zimbabwe dollar banknote before the government was forced to temporarily scrap its currency and allow the U.S. dollar to be used as legal tender.

[branded-perceptions]

No matter where around the world you are or which "different" "culture" you are part of, likely

A) all "cultural" receipts & "traditional" dishes

B) most of the many "different" supermarket products you can "choose" from

contain the very same core incredients of

A) industrial sugar, HFCS or similar blood sugar spikes causing diabetis alzheimer mentally impairing drugs

B) a very few types of refined ungerminated grain flours full of antinutrients

C) low quality (seed)oils that cause inflammation in your body

all "profitably" driving cancer, chronic diseases, fatigue, brain fog, decreased IQ, depressions, anxiety and so on that thereby "grow" economy and investors portfolios

no matter in which cultural group-identity bubble you are:

No matter if you eat italian pizza or french croissant or American doughnut or fried food in Thailand or rice noodles in china it all tends to be made from quite similar core incredients with quite similar core issues

that now via AI-Tech and robotics allow quite similar solutions while still everyone can eat their same favourite traditional stuff or cultural receipt

which me, myself and I can enrich with for that during our "Corona nation" prepared for all the overlapping shared problems automatable production process solutions

plus new and to majority of people around the globe unknown substitutes of the worldwide core incredients

that do not bring so much health damaging side-effects while still tasting (sometimes even more!) delicious and being less addictive

(you will have less cravings ... after eating you just feel satisfied and due less blood sugar rush you are good after 2 pieces of cake and likely won't be addicted to eat the whole XXL package and feel psychologically more stable)

but the substitude oils are direct fuel for brain & the delicious sugar protects from caries!

This can causally enrich wellbeing of the families of all "diverse" fantasy cultures around the globe

while creating digital infrastructures that transcend our "diverse" group-identities towards on problem-solving of worldwide worst hardships focused shared causal care dialectics'

🎶Head🧠 of the Family - Rupert Gregson-Williams

[rosellenjane]

Honeymoon Day 1 - 3/01/2023

We woke up at 5 for our 6am taxi drive to Gatwick to travel to our honeymoon destination - MEXICO, we were admittedly a little weary eyed but we had some some good chat from the taxi driver.

When we got to Gatwick we checked in with BA and asked whether there were any upgrades available, we were already flying premium economy but as it was our Honeymoon we thought it was worth checking out. Lucky for us there were two seats in Business available at a fraction of the price they were when we had booked up so Stuart made the decision that we’d have them. Excitement levels rose even further as we made our way to the BA premium lounge for some free drinks and breakfast! We had an hour or so to kill so had our fill of food and booze and watched a few planes take off.

When it was time to board we made our way over to the gate and waited just a few minutes before we were directed LEFT instead of right on the plane to find our seats. What a treat. On our seats we found a comfort pack of a White Company pillow and blanket and wash bag with many luscious White Company goodies. We were then given a hot towel to freshen up with and a glass of champagne to sip on whilst everyone else boarded.

We had two meals on the flight all ordered from a proper menu and many drinks all served on china and in real glasses. We had our lunch and then settled down for a few hours kip, the electric chair folded down to a flat bed and met the footrest at the end and it was actually incredibly comfortable. We both kept just looking at eachother grinning and feeling so lucky that we could start off our honeymoon in this way, although I’ve warned Stuart that I will now expect this luxury every time we fly however unrealistic I know this is.

When we landed in Mexico it was about 5pm local time and we had to wait for what seemed an eternity for our luggage to arrive. I had bought Stuart some air tags for Christmas to put in our suitcases and when we checked their locations they said my suitcase was at Gatwick and Stuart’s was in the Gulf of Mexico, luckily they were just a shit present and did eventually arrive on the luggage belt. We made our way outside to find our transfer to the hotel. Rolando was our driver and he had a lovely icebox on board full of drinks, Stuart lapped up a corona and me being a basic dehydrated B had a bottle of water.

When we got to the hotel we were greeted with a hot towel and escorted to the ‘preferred’ check in which we knew from previous experiences was a members club of Hyatt so we exchanged a look of ‘wtf’. We had booked a standard room and it turned out somewhere down the line we had been upgraded to a ‘preferred’ member and our room had been upgraded to an ocean view suite with a bath on the balcony! We were not about to correct anyone as it meant we were now allowed access to a lot more amenities including a rooftop pool and bar with an amazing view of the coast. Our bellboy Sebastian escorted us to our room and ran through everything which was all control through a tablet, even 24hr room service which had its own hatch incase you didn’t want to make eye contact with your feast provider.

Once checked in we had half an hour turnaround before we attended our pre-booked teppanyaki experience in the Japanese restaurant Suki on site, we were supposed to book this on site but we panicked that we would miss out so made special arrangements the week before so that we guaranteed our spot here. This was included in our all inclusive package and what an experience it was, 6 courses of Japanese delights and an immersive experience of them being cooked before our eyes. We’re still adjusting to the fact that we don’t have a bill to settle at the end of this and keep looking at eachother saying ‘this is amazing, I can’t believe we’re here’. After our meal we explored the resort to see what we wanted to do the following day and made our way back to the room to unpack. What a surreal day but I’m counting my blessings I have married such a wonderful and generous boy who finds such excitement in making me happy and providing these amazing experiences for us to enjoy.