#leopards (eff)

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Today is my 22nd anniversary at the Electronic Frontier Foundation!

22 years ago, I flew with two colleagues to LA and discovered a entertainment industry cartel conspiracy to ban general purpose computers. This led to a suit that killed the FCC's Broadcast Flag order. It was the defining day of my adult life.

If you want to wish me a happy EFF-aversary, you can join EFF and help pay the wages of people like me doing work like this.

[thxnews]

Critical Funding Boost to Save World's Most Endangered Animals

  - Projects from Ghana to Ecuador will support global action to protect wildlife and reverse biodiversity loss - The next round of funding also opens to new projects, building on the government’s target to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 Threatened plants and animals, including elephants and pangolins, are set to be protected thanks to new UK government funding announced today, Saturday 29 April. Over 80 conservation projects across the globe will benefit from nearly £40 million in funding aimed at boosting international biodiversity, supporting the communities that live alongside nature, and tackling illegal wildlife trade. Some of the successful projects include: - Support for the International Snow Leopard Trust to provide specialized training to combat the poaching of snow leopards in countries like Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Pakistan; - Supporting the work of the Wildlife Conservation Society to reduce demand for collagen-rich Pangolin scales in Traditional Chinese Medicine; - Supporting the Zoological Society of London’s effort to create sustainable ways for humans and elephants to coexist in areas such as Thailand, where they are often in conflict. Environment minister Trudy Harrison said: “The fantastic projects announced today will enhance efforts to protect threatened wildlife, support the economic growth of developing countries, and drive nature recovery. “The UK is a global champion when it comes to biodiversity and driving action to halt and reverse the decline of nature. "I am proud that – through our Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and the Darwin Initiative – we will continue to play a leading role in conservation efforts around the world.”   Dr. Charudutt Mishra, from the International Snow Leopard Trust, said: “The snow leopard, an iconic species of Asia’s high mountains, is threatened by retaliatory killing due to their predation on livestock, and illegal trade of its pelt and other body parts. "With support from the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund, we are empowering local and indigenous communities of High Asia with livelihood and conflict management initiatives to enable them to better coexist with snow leopards and to support conservation efforts. “We are also helping rangers improve their capacity and motivation in Illegal Wildlife Trade disruption with training, resources, and enhanced social recognition in three countries.”   Chair of the Darwin Expert Committee Professor E.J. Milner-Gulland said: “I’m thrilled that the Darwin Initiative is funding such a wide range of outstanding projects, which will improve both biodiversity and human wellbeing in such a diversity of ways and in so many places. "These projects bring fresh thinking and new ideas to conservation practice, produce evidence to support better conservation, as well as building the capacity of the next generation of conservationists around the world. “It was a pleasure and honor to support Defra in their selection of these projects and I look forward to a new set of exciting proposals in the upcoming 30th round of the Darwin Initiative.”   The Darwin Initiative, a grants scheme to conserve and restore biodiversity and the communities that live alongside developing countries, supported 63 of these successful projects with over £31.5 million in funding. Projects will conserve nature-rich areas in developing countries and support communities who live and work in biodiverse areas to build resilience to climate change. The Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund has supported 21 projects with £7.8 million in funding to enhance the protection of threatened species. The projects will protect species including elephants, pangolins, and threatened timber – and cement our leading role in cracking down on the £17 billion a year illegal wildlife trade which fuels corruption, deprives communities of sustainable livelihoods, and degrades ecosystems. The UK is a global leader in supporting efforts to halt the decline in nature, protect wildlife and restore the natural world. Our efforts will help to deliver on the ambitious new global deal for nature agreed upon at the UN Nature Summit COP15 in December, which will protect 30% of our land and ocean by 2030. Today’s announcement also confirms that the launch of Round 10 of the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund and Round 30 of the Darwin Initiative will be opening to applications in May 2023. Projects will soon be able to access up to a further £40 million in funding building on the government’s commitment to combat biodiversity loss and improve animal welfare standards.   Sources: THX News, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs & Trudy Harrison MP. Read the full article

[pinkandgreenarepurpleandyellow]

Semi-coherent ramble on Skull leadership

Ok so retroactively I take back my 'Kevin is an og' hc, the way they talk about him in Silent Night just doesn't add up with that.

To start with, there's this bit.

Now, notice the following details: a) there's no proper confirmation that he'd "been blooded" (whatever the hell that means, I'm assuming some more official type of fight), and he's sent three kids the infirmary (I suppose four, given the guy they're currently beating up at that point in the story). Why is this relevant?

It's established that pretty much everyone long-term has a decent record with fights. Now, it's also mentioned that Donovan has a few scraps under his belt with the Leopards

but there's also this very specific bit that stands out to me. Donovan is a self-described "nobody" in the prison because he's not affiliated with any gangs. At the same time, it's established that the gangs are frequently fighting until the cave-in, so it makes sense that after five years, Donovan still has significantly fewer fights than the average gang kids would. (Background it's established that one of the newest Leopard recruits already has several knife wounds on his face, despite being new enough that Donovan has no recognition of the kid).

So why does Kevin, so frequently described as a psychopath, and also the guy who is second in command at the main gang, have such a low kill/maim count? Two options:

He's a coward. Not impossible, but pretty unlikely, especially given how Ambrose backs his violence most of the time and it's canon that even the Skull leader himself fears Kevin's bloodlust.

He's relatively new.

Given the combination of rumors and position, I'd pin his arrival sometime in between a month and half a year ago. The low kill count would suggest more recent arrival, but position and the fact that there could be plenty of non/semi-lethal fights also factor in and probably give at least a few months. This may also explain some of their interactions.

Why does Kevin join the Skulls then, if he's new and extremely violent? Why not just kill whoever he wants?

Probably because of the above bit. Most of the tough kids join the Skulls because as tough as one guy can be, he can't really hold against a whole gang (Solitary gives us that 50 or so inmates went for the break and most of them were Skulls, so factoring in the ones who were there in Death Sentence the gang's numbers are ballpark low-mid 30s minimum). Kevin would probably have joined from both that and the fact that as a Skull, he gets to unleash that violence on other inmates.

Now I turn to Death Sentence for pining down a second Skull's rep. Specifically, Bodie. (Note: For this part, I do have the book with me and open to the pages, but I'm too lazy to type out the full quote and low-key I'm not sure I am even gonna be able to transcribe word for word bc I have not been sleeping "healthy" amounts.)

Bodie is established right off the bat in book 3 as a respected inmate when he manages to kill the entire prison riot's urge to off Alex and Simon with exactly one shot. The fact that he's "standing between [Alex] and the crowd" (174) to do so puts him directly into the line of fire (including from his own) and establishes his stance quickly. All of the inmates stop immediately and back off when he says they'll answer to him for killing the two.

The very next thing we learn is that Bodie speaks with "a lazy drawl that nevertheless carried an icy authority," (174). Silent Night had established that Kevin has a notoriously short temper and frequently targets the new fish.

(Brief tangent, but this for me adds to the theory that Kevin himself is fairly new here. He hasn't been around long enough to be respected properly by the old-time inmates but he can intimidate them with violence and cow the new fish into submission early on so they think he's always been here and always will be.)

Bodie does not do that. He doesn't need his lieutenants to grab anyone, or to yell directly in someone's face, to get attention. His phrasing is also decently important here, cause he establishes he understands what the others are feeling but that Alex and Simon are not to be hurt.

The fact that over a hundred inmates, many of whom are down there for legitimate crimes (Silent Night's epilogue establishes the framing of the newest inmates is a contrast to their usual intake) are all listening to Bodie almost instantly is a sign of actual respect and not fear. Fear would have been them ignoring the shotgun or simply killing Bodie and continuing their destruction.

Past that, there's the thing he says right after Alex misses on the first hit.

"You want another shot or you wanna let the professionals do it?" (183). Now that's not a great time-gauger, but Alex was in gen pop for I believe six weeks minimum (approx 1 week pre-first blood watch, about a week between that and the 'a month at most, if we're lucky' line, and then the month of prep) so I'm guessing 'professionals' means several months to years worth of experience, probably at least a year given that it's primarily gang kids working at the door in the moment.

The other big time marker I have so far is the unofficial funeral Bodie gives to the dead Skull and Fifty-Niner. "Knew them both from the street, soldiers then and always," (195). The odds of Bodie having known two different guys from two different gangs on the surface, and recognizing them if they were sent down at different times are low, as are the odds of the three of them ending up in the Furnace around the same time for any reason other than a gang war. When was the biggest gang war, you ask? The Summer of Slaughter, aka five years ago. At a minimum, this gives the knowledge that Bodie knew both of the inmates for a while, long enough to consider them men instead of kids and to remember them on the street, so it makes the most sense to think he's an og.

During his speech, there's the iconic bit we all remember about the them that say being the ones who get ended by them that play. But right before that we get " 'Yous all know the rules of the street,' Bodie went on. 'Well, those of yous who're in here 'cause of the game, that is," (211) which seems a helluva lot more like a line from someone who was involved in the game than an audience member.

Now with all that in mind, why did Ambrose choose Kevin as a lieutenant?

I'd say there's a handful of factors but the two biggest ones I can think of are dynamic and bloodlust.

Typically the best way to balance out leadership is actually contrasting personality. If one person is reasonable and the other is barely restraining their bloodlust, it's surprisingly effective as both an intimidation tactic and as enforcement. I have no doubt that if Donovan had pissed off Ambrose, he would have sent in Kevin.

Bodie and Ambrose are a bit too similar in the sense that they're relatively laid back, although from the descriptions we get of both (admittedly rather lacking) put Ambrose as a long-time fighter and violent person. But he's still more laid back than Kevin and putting the most insane kid available as his second-in-command adds to Ambrose's power more than Bodie would have.

(There's also the possibility that Ambrose didn't trust Bodie not to plan a coup or try to manipulate him, and thought that he'd be safe from that with Kevin but we never see them interact so this is complete speculation based solely on the line about how Bodie's been waiting to use his ability to persuade people of shit in the Furnace.)

But with all that being said, there is the possibility that Kevin joining wasn't just protection for him, but for Ambrose as well. From the way the events in the kitchen and the chipping room go down, Ambrose's offer to Donovan is based on both Donovan's potential use for the Skulls and the potential danger he could bring to the gang. Even if the kid standing up to the Skulls dies, it still sends a message to the other inmates of weakness.

Now instead of Donovan, who usually keeps to himself and avoids trouble with the Skulls when he can, substitute Kevin. There's a decent chance that he would have killed at least some of the Skulls, with Ambrose especially at risk as his cellmate. Inviting him in is a power play, placing Kevin under Ambrose on the hierarchy but still giving him a high position and relative authority. The intended outcome was most likely that Kevin's bloodlust would be redirected and Ambrose's position would be safe.

I suspect it's the conversations Ambrose has with Donovan in front of Kevin that changes this outcome.

Why would Kevin not want Donovan in the gang? There's a handful of reasons.

To start with, Donovan's an old-timer who already has an established reputation, even as a "nobody". Add in that it was his "idea" to off the Leopards via cave-in. Multiply by Adam and Ambrose having a certain level of passing familiarity (best guess would probably be they got along well enough in juvie but the slaughter crossed a moral line) and Donovan being big enough and strong enough to put up a good fight, even if he's overall a pacifist.

Kevin's thoughts are probably that Donovan joining shifts the dynamic. Ambrose would trust a prisoner who's been here longer more than he would Kevin, and Donovan has no bloodlust to speak of and prefers to avoid fights. This could mean loss of both power and violent outlets for Kevin.

Factor in the atmosphere of the Furnace. No one trusts anyone else properly. Friendships don't really exist most of the time. Everyone puts up a constant front to hide weakness.

The tree in Adam and Donovan's cell isn't just a little holiday thing, it's them pulling down the front and being vulnerable. Ambrose being even a little swayed by the tree is a sign of weakness. A sign that Kevin doesn't particularly like either way, and probably doesn't appreciate that it came from the same guy that Ambrose is already offering a place in the Skulls to, more than once. This could mean some major shifts in dynamic but more importantly, this weakens Ambrose's image in Kevin's eyes and therefore also weakens the respect and fear.

Clearly, the simplest way for Kevin to get things going his way are to kill Ambrose and take over the Skulls, who are unlikely to want revenge for that because of Furnace's rules about strengths and weaknesses. (The same reason they don't bother getting revenge for Kevin when Gary takes over). People who were here longer than him still know he's not above murdering all of them and new fish can easily be bullied into fear and obedience. (Separately, the way Ambrose and Kevin's beatdown of the new kid is described suggests that the usual hazing happens more naturally in the first few days, not with a welcome party the way Kevin did it, but that's also me really reaching so take that with some salt).

Then, why bring Bodie on as his lieutenant?

Probably because Bodie now balances the loose-canon and sanity dynamic. Bodie can handle messages, negotiations, and general maintenance and Kevin is free to keep up his reign of terror. Plus, Bodie's been in the Furnace for a long time and probably was an og Skull, so him obeying Kevin as leader (and not just as Ambrose's lieutenant) cements Kevin's new status.

Then, after Kevin is gone and Gary is gone and a decent chunk of the Skulls went off into Room Two and bit the bullet, who do the remaining Skulls turn to? The guy who's been here the longest, has some experience with being in charge under his belt, and isn't about to repeat Kevin's torture bits or Gary's full on psycho routine, ie Bodie.

This got really away from me but to sum up the concepts of my theory (tldr):

Kevin gets put as Ambrose's lieutenant despite being relatively new because a) it makes Ambrose look more powerful and b) puts Kevin firmly on the Skull's side.

Kevin obeys Ambrose while Ambrose is still sufficiently "strong" and the things he does/lets Kevin do are agreeable to Kevin.

Between the offer made to Donovan and the softening up around the tree, Kevin now thinks of Ambrose as sufficiently weak. It's easiest to kill Ambrose in his sleep, so Kevin does that.

With all of the lunatics gone, Bodie is now in charge in no small part because at this point everyone just wants relative normality and Bodie isn't constantly torturing people or insisting on killing for no reason, but can still maintain authority as an og inmate.

Two other bits of Silent Night I ended up using for references (aside from the ones above):

But yeah, this is my new lame-ass overthought concept and I have put waaaayyyyy too much faith in my ability to comprehend throwaway lines accurately

[ladytheoris]

The Adventures in Jujutsu High

There was never a normal day in this high school. Either the mess will be by the students or the teachers.

Warning: Fluff, possible crackfic, cringe content IMO

Words: 1k+

Taglist: @mysticqueennightmare @rekkyan

THE ENTRY OF A STAR

If there is anything that the students and the teachers collectively hated in this school, it would be the morning assembly organized by their ex-principal who is supposed to be on his death bed; Gakuganji Yoshinobu. The man can barely walk two steps but comes to school every day with his electric guitar for the morning prayers. Great words that once this man said was "my children need to be energetic right from the morning". And everybody hates it. Well, who likes to hear out-of-sync cacophony when they got fresh out of their beds?

But Principal Yaga is wordless when this man arrives on the campus. His scrutinizing gazes on the students to see if they're dressed properly for the classes; it's not just limited to the students.

In his eyes, there is only one teacher that reaches his expectations. Getou Suguru, the chemistry teacher. Or reached the expectations. Because what changed his mind about the opinion is a story for another day.

Getou comes to school in a clad fit shirt and cargo pants. In everyone's eyes, he is the residential "fashion killer", named coined by the supposed queen B of the school, self-proclaimed future CEO of her clothing line Mai-way, the one, and only Mai Zen'in.

And from the student section, Megumi Fushiguro was the model student. Well, this one that Mai too acknowledges. He does come to school every day in the perfect crisp uniform that got even the teachers wondering if he buys new ones every time.

Even the most well-dressed teacher Nanami Kento never got acknowledged by Gakuganji. And honestly, he doesn't give a flying f*** about that, his words. He comes to school in a beige blazer and pants, with a teal shirt and leopard print tie. And every day there is a bet among the student that what Gakuganji hates in him is either his tie or the bizarre color sense. Nevertheless, Nanami doesn't have an eff to spend on that. Well not even Utahime Iori, the student's favorite teacher got acceptance from Gakuganji.

The one who never failed his job is Ryomen Sukuna. The PE teacher, with a sleeve tattoo; not on one hand, but two. The moment Gakuganji sees Sukuna, he remembers some task that he has to do, and exits the school faster than the speed of Sonic the hedgehog. In a way, he is their lifesaver, but his looks took a few souls to hell for their thoughts. Well, who doesn't have a few sinful thoughts when he is dressed in a t-shirt that is three sizes above his and sweatpants that gives people little to no room for imagination? This is on the days he comes to school in his car. If it is his motorbike, then the whole neighborhood is going to hell together. His clad fit jeans and shirts surely did take their breaths away (irrespective of the gender). Not to forget the rider gloves.

And if there is anyone who just sits back seeing the whole show sitting next to Getou Suguru, that's Gojo Satoru. Maths teacher who looks like a model, but acts like a madman. Gakuganji hates him to the core. Not because of how he dresses, but he that one student who passed out of that school. Gakuganji, above anyone, hated this man's guts. That too is a story for another time.

As the first bell rings for the morning assembly, the kids walk in a line towards the auditorium, where Gakuganji for some reason is wearing the Gen-Z outfit. And Kugisaki Nobara nearly screamed a swear word. Who wouldn't, if an old man who supposedly centimeters away from death is wearing chains and rings? Itadori Yuuji swears he heard Gojo laugh out loud seeing that. But the whole commotion ended with a wince when that all-too-familiar distortion when Gakuganji fixed his microphone.

"Hey, that guitar is not there." Yuuji was the first one to notice.

That was when all of them noticed that. For the first time in years, Gakiganji was without his guitar.

"For the attention of every student and teacher," he said. The crowd goes evenly silent waiting for what new ideology will be reformed now. "We will have a new teacher working with us from today on."

The anticipation building up was almost the same for teachers as well as the students. Because in this school teachers get to know things after every grass and flies in the school knows.

"She will be the homeroom teacher for class 1-A, and I invite her to the stage to introduce herself."

"Hey does that mean we won't have to see Getou sensei every day now?" It was Yuuji again.

But this time the response came from Gojo who stood there eating a bar of chocolate. "Getou nearly got fired. So he is on a forced vacation now. "

That was a topic that was the-thing-which-shouldn't-be-named kind of situation in Jujutsu High. Both teachers and the students had a hard time then. That is one hell of a story for the next time.

Gojo sighs. "Even if he comes back your homeroom teacher will not change I think."

Gakuganji motioned his hands towards someone asking them to come on the stage. After realizing who that was, Gojo Satoru was over the moon. He would have screamed like a dinosaur if it wasn't for the scrutinizing gazes of Kento Nanami.

Megumi noticed his teacher, who now looked like he ate a bug, go feral. He turned to Nanami, "who is that?"

"That's -"

"Hello everyone," a voice interrupted. "I'm Yn Ln."

All their eyes went wide at the person they saw. She was quite a sight for a teacher and Mai Zen'in determined then and there that this teacher will be a model for her endorsement.

"I hope to have a great time with you all." She spoke. To them, her voice was like the calm of the silence. But what class 1-A feared was whether or not she will be like Getou.

Gakuganji took the mic from her, and announced in his raspy voice, "Inumaki Toge come meet me at the principal's office."

There were a lot of "whys" and "what happened" going around. But that was just a show, and everybody had understood their assignment. Because that was one collective effort of cutting the strings off that god-awful guitar, and Inumaki just volunteered to inaugurate the schools' freedom.

Well, Yn is up for some adventure in Jujutsu High it seems.

An: I do not own any character other than yn. reblogs appreciated!!

Okey less goo

[gamchawizzy]

Bleeding Heart 💘 A love letter to the endemic animals of my country.

Bleeding heart is often used as a derogatory term for excessive sympathy, but for these endangered animals, they need our hearts to bleed; more than what we’re giving now.

Pictured: Negros Bleeding-Heart pigeon, Visayan Leopard Cat, Visayan Warty Pig, Visayan Spotted Deer.

This was made for CO2ign Art, a digital marketplace that is anti en/eff/tee and pro-environment.

50% of the list price goes to buying up carbon credits from global registries, and each copy is digitally signed without the energy costs.

[cotton--dandy]

i was tagged by @imstuckintime to post 13 songs ive been listening to recently. thank u girl xoxo

so i havent been listening to much lately so im just gonna post some of my fav songs :)

1.) brooklyn baby - lana del rey

2.) burnin for you - blue oyster cult

3.) nascar - fox academy

4.) gloria - laura brenagin

5.) i duckinf hatw you - ghostemane

6.) eff - bo burnham

7.) soul surfin - gonzo

8.) house of 1000 corpses - rob zombie

9.) leopard - jack stauber

10.) troubled valentine - the aquadolls

11.) nothing but a miracle - diane birch

12.) money is everythign - richie woods

13.) inc - dori valentine

i tag: @mochi-swissroll @aesthetic-tofu @a-mystery-untold @girlmush @generalduckfox

and anyone else who wants to pls fr do it and tag me i need new music ! <3

[writerdragon]

Kirishima in JRPG clothes 1/? - Final Fantasy boyband XV edition! Leaving it as lines bc eff filling in the coeurl print pattern.

Just thought right now of his tiger print shirt combined with Prompto’s leopard print pants… imagine…

[thezenithkingdom-blog]

Kingdom of Zenith -An Introduction

Zenith or Officially The Kingdom of Zenith was formed by partition of 1/4th of total area of Kazakhstan on the western front that has shore along Caspian Sea. It is landlocked country, the 36 largest country in the world lies in Central Asias and Europe. Zenith is projected to be the influential nation of Central Asia economically, generating 30% of the region's GDP, primarily through its oil and gas industry. It also has vast mineral resources. Zenith is officially a secular, unitary, constitutional monarchy with a diverse cultural heritage. Zenith shares borders with Russia, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea. The terrain of Zenith includes flatlands, steppe, taiga, rock canyons, hills, deltas, snow-capped mountains, and deserts. Its population density is among the lowest, at less than 6 people per square kilometre (15 people per sq mi) Atyrau

The capital is Atyrau country's largest city. It is located at the mouth of the Ural River on the Caspian Sea, 351 kilometres (218 miles) east of the Russian city of Astrakhan. Atyrau's climate is semi-arid , just shy of being classified as arid, with hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation is low throughout the year. Snow is common, though light in winter. The lowest temperature on record is −37.9 °C (−36.2 °F), recorded in 1909, and the highest temperature is 42.7 °C (108.9 °F), recorded in 1984. It is much more continental than areas further west on the European continent, with summers characterised by temperatures averaging 33 °C (91 °F) and lack of precipitation, resembling continental hot-summer mediterranean climates, and subarctic winters with little snow but with chilling temperatures. These vast temperature swings are more comparable to Siberia and the North American plains. The  biggest refinery in Zenith is located in Atyrau.  Atyrau Refinery is operated Zenith Oil and Gas Company [ZOGC]  and has a capacity of 16,600 m³/day (2012). A deep oil refining complex is under construction which is the final stage of complete reconstruction of Atyrau Oil Refinery. This project is designed to process 2.4 million tons/year of raw materials (oil and vacuum gas oil). The project will increase the depth of the oil processing at the refinery by 2020 to 85%. The volume of oil refining will reach 8 million tons per year. The territory of Zenith has historically been inhabited by nomadic groups and empires of Scythians who were Eurasian nomads, probably mostly using Eastern Iranian languages, who were mentioned by the literate peoples to their south as inhabiting large areas of the western and central Eurasian Steppe from about the 9th century BC up until the 4th century AD. The Scythians were among the earliest peoples to master mounted warfare. They kept herds of horses, cattle and sheep, lived in tent-covered wagons and fought with bows and arrows on horseback. They developed a rich culture characterised by opulent tombs, fine metalwork and a brilliant art style.the western Scythians were ruled by a wealthy class known as the Royal Scyths. The Scythians established and controlled the Silk Road, a vast trade network connecting Greece, Persia, India and China, perhaps contributing to the contemporary flourishing of those civilisations. Independence

The Russians began advancing into the Kazakh steppe in the 18th century, and by the mid-19th century, they nominally ruled all of Kazakhstan as part of the Russian Empire. Following the 1917 Russian Revolution, and subsequent civil war, the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganised several times. In 1936, it was made the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, part of the Soviet Union.

Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Ten years later in 22nd December 2001 Zenith declared its Independence and Sovereignty from Kazakhstan following a huge civil war between Christians and Muslims in the Kazakhstan which led to Russian and NATO Intervention, both of which favoured creation of Zenith, a Christian Absolute Majority Nation. A UN resolution declaring Zenith an Independent nation was passed by a majority of 190 of the193 sovereign states subsequently Zenith was accepted as 194th sovereign state member of United Nations in 2003 and was again rectified by190 members. Zenith’s top Military Commander, Lieutenant General Alexander Orlov who openly supported Christians became the country's first King and Supreme Commander of Defence Forces . Emphasis was on converting the country's economy to a market economy while ensuring political reforms did not lag behind. By 2011, Zenith generated 30% of the GDP of Central Asia, primarily through its oil industry. King Alexander Orlov had plans on creating Nuclear Power Plants and has approached The International Atomic Energy Agency, UN Security Council and General Assembly. Zenith has signed on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in Geneva, has been admitted to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement.  Zenith has also signed Non-Proliferation Treaty and has applied for membership to Nuclear Supplier Group, owing to its huge Uranium Deposits. In 2003, Zenith adopted a constitution that provided for the direct election of 30 of the 50 members of the Legislative Council. The constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum, with almost 98% in favour

  The King has the exclusive power to appoint and remove the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers who, together, constitute the Council of Ministers, which is the supreme executive authority in the country. The Council of Ministers also initiates legislation. Laws and decrees proposed by the Council of Ministers are referred to the Advisory Council for discussion after which they are submitted to the King for ratification. A Legislative Council has legislative authority to draft and approve laws, but the King has final say on all matters. Without The King’s Consent no Law can be passed. He can issues Royal Decree to issue laws directly. 

The current King is His Majesty Adam Orlov, whose father His Royal Highness Alexander Orlov handed power to him on 1 May 2019. Making him youngest monarch.

Minerals Oil explorations have shown that the deposits on the Caspian shore are only larger deposit. It is said that 3.5 billion tonnes (3.4 billion long tons) of oil and 2.5 billion cubic metres (88 billion cubic feet) of gas could be found in that area. Zenith has an abundant supply of accessible mineral and fossil fuel resources. Development of petroleum, natural gas, and mineral extractions accounts for some 57% of the nation's industrial output (or approximately 20% of gross domestic product). According to some estimates Zenith has the tenth largest uranium, chromium, lead, and zinc reserves; the eighth  largest manganese reserves; the fifth largest copper reserves; and ranks in the top ten for coal, iron, and gold. It is also an exporter of diamonds. 

Wildlife

There are four nature reserves and three national parks in Zenith that provide safe haven for many rare and endangered plants and animals. Common plants are Astragalus, Gagea, Allium, Carex and Oxytropis; endangered plant species include native wild apple (Malus sieversii), wild grape (Vitis vinifera) and several wild tulip species (e.g. Tulipa greigii) and rare onion species Allium karataviense, also Iris willmottiana and Tulipa kaufmanniana.

Common mammals include the wolf, red fox, corsac fox, moose, argali (the largest species of sheep), Eurasian lynx, Pallas's cat, and snow leopards, several of which are protected. 

Foreign Relations : Zenith is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Economic Cooperation Organisation and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Zenith was elected a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the first time on 12 November 2018 Zenith s also a member of the United Nations, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, It is an active participant in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Partnership for Peace program. Zenith had applied for observer status at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly. The official response of the Assembly was that because Kazakhstan is located in Europe, it could apply for full membership. It is under advance consideration. Since independence Zenith has pursued what is known as the "multivector foreign policy" (seeking equally good relations with its two large neighbours, Russia, as well as with the United States and the rest of the Western world. On 28 June 2019 Zenith was elected as a non-permanent member to serve on the UN Security Council for a two-year term

Zenith  actively supports UN peacekeeping missions in Haiti, the Western Sahara, and Côte d’Ivoire . In March 2015, the Ministry of Defence chose 20 military men as observers for the UN peacekeeping missions. 

Economy: Supported by rising oil output and prices, Zenith’s economy grew at an average of 8% per year until 2013, before suffering a slowdown in 2014 and 2015. Zenith was the first Independent nations to repay all of its debt to the International Monetary Fund, five years ahead of schedule. Buoyed by high world crude oil prices, GDP growth figures were between 8.9% and 13.5% from 2001 to 2013 . Zenith is a leading exporter of uranium. Railways provide 68% of all cargo and passenger traffic to over 57% of the country. Most cities are connected by railroad; high-speed trains  Zenith achieved its goal of entering the top 50 most competitive countries in 2013, and has maintained its position in the 2014–2015 World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report that was published at the beginning of September 2014. Zenith is ahead of other states in the CIS in almost all of the report's pillars of competitiveness, including institutions, infrastructure, macroeconomic environment, higher education and training, goods market efficiency, labour market development, financial market development, technological readiness, market size, business sophistication and innovation, lagging behind only in the category of health and primary education. The Global Competitiveness Index gives a score from 1 to 7 in each of these pillars, and Zenith earned an overall score of 5. Kingdom of Zenith has declared English as Sate Language with Russian included in additional scheduled languages.   According to the 2009 Census, 70% of the population is Christian 26% Jewish, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.1% other religions and 3% irreligious, while 0.5% chose not to answer According to its Constitution, Zenith is a secular state.

Religious freedoms are guaranteed by Article 30 Zenith's Constitution. Article 30 states: "Human rights and freedoms shall not be restricted in any way." Article 15 prohibits "discrimination on religious basis" and Article 20 ensures that everyone has the "right to determine and indicate or not to indicate his/her ethnic, party and religious affiliation." Education :

Education is universal and mandatory through to the secondary level and the adult literacy rate is 99.5%  On average, these statistics are equal to both women and men Zenith

Education consists of three main phases: primary education (forms 1–4), basic general education (forms 5–9) and senior level education (forms 10–11 or 12) divided into continued general education and vocational education. Vocational Education usually lasts 3 or 4 years.[199] (Primary education is preceded by one year of pre-school education.) These levels can be followed in one institution or in different ones (e.g., primary school, then secondary school). Recently, several secondary schools, specialised schools, magnet schools, gymnasiums, lyceums and linguistic and technical gymnasiums have been founded. Secondary professional education is offered in special professional or technical schools, lyceums or colleges and vocational schools.[197]

At present, there are universities, academies and institutes, conservatories, higher schools and higher colleges. There are three main levels: basic higher education that provides the fundamentals of the chosen field of study and leads to the award of the Bachelor's degree; specialised higher education after which students are awarded the Specialist's Diploma; and scientific-pedagogical higher education which leads to the Master's Degree. Postgraduate education leads to the Master’s of Sciences and the Doctor of Sciences (Ph.D.). With the adoption of the Laws on Education and on Higher Education, a private sector has been established and several private institutions have been licensed.

Defence :

The Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Zenith is the unified armed forces of Zenith. It consists of the Ground Forces, Air and Air Defence Forces, Naval Forces,  Special Forces and Royal Guards. The national defence policy aims are based on  Constitution of Zenith They guarantee the preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the state and the integrity of its land area, territorial waters and airspace and its constitutional order. The armed forces of Kazakhstan act under the authority of the Ministry of Defence.

The Military Balance 2013 reported the armed forces' strength as; Army, 20,000, Navy, 3,000, Air Force, 12,000, and MoD, 4,000. It also reported 31,000 paramilitary personnel.

Today the Zenith Air Force has fast jet bases:[18]

200th Guards Air Base, with MiG-29,

202nd Air Base, with MiG-29,

204th Air Base, with MiG-27 and Su-27 

210th Air Base, with MiG-31

211th Air Base, with Su-30 SM

Airforce Also has has  101 Light Air Wing with An 12, An 26, An 72.  102 Transport Wing with IL-76, C-130 J  104 Air Refuelling Wing with IL-78    301 Military Helicopters Wing, with Mil Mi-17, Mil Mi-24, Mil Mi-26   Naval Forces were established by presidential decree on 7 May 2003 in spite of being the largest landlocked country on earth. They operate on the Caspian Sea, based at Aktau. The Zenith Naval Force has a strength of 3,000 personnel and is equipped with fourteen inshore patrol craft. The naval aviation base in Aktau was opened eight years later, in 2011. The 612th Airbase in Aktau will provide the home for seven Su-27 fighter jets, seven MiG 29 Jets  and few Mi-24s. GDP (PPP) 670 Billion USD GDP ( Nominal ) 420 Billion USD Time Zone UTC +5 Total Area is 681,225 Sq KM or 263025 Sq Miles

[maryanntorreson]

The causes and impacts of the melting Himalayan glaciers

The Himalayas is a mountain range that’s home to many of the world’s highest peaks. Passing through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan and Nepal, this incredible span of geography is an important cultural and ecological location. However, climate change threatens the area, and the impacts of the melting Himalayan glaciers could be devastating. 

We explore why this mountain range is so fascinating and essential, looking especially at its many glaciers. We also explore why these glaciers are melting and what the results of the changing Himalayan climate could mean. 

An introduction to the Himalayas 

First, let’s take a quick look at the mountain range itself. It’s a place that has significance to many and is firmly rooted in popular culture. However, given its size and scale, it’s often not understood especially well. 

What are the Himalayas?

The Himalayas are a mountain system in South and East Asia that spans around 1,550 miles (2,500 km), running west-northwest to east-southeast in an arc. This huge geographical range means that climates in the Himalayas vary between humid and subtropical in the foothills to dry desert conditions in the higher reaches. 

The Himalayan region is home to over 50 million people, yet an estimated 2 billion people rely on waters from Himalayan glaciers for drinking, energy, agriculture and more. Those who live there have their own distinct cultures, and there are various places of religious significance. 

The Himalayan mountain range is also a biodiversity hotspot, home to a vast range of flora and fauna, including species such as snow leopards, Bengal tigers and one-horned rhino. 

Where are the Himalayas? 

As we’ve mentioned, the Himalayas covers many hundreds of miles. As well as stretching across the northeast portion of India, they also pass through Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, Bhutan and Nepal. 

According to Britannica, the mountain range itself starts at Nanga Parbat (26,660 feet), in the Pakistani-administered portion of the Kashmir region, and ends at Namjagbarwa (Namcha Barwa) Peak (25,445 feet ), in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

How were they formed? 

By mountain standards, the Himalayas are a relatively young range. They began to form around 40 to 50 million years ago when tectonic plate movement drove the landmasses of India and Eurasia together. 

The pressure of the collision, and the fact that each continental landmass had about the same density, meant that the plates were thrust skyward, contorting the impact area and forming the jagged peaks of the Himalayas.

The modern Himalayas 

Today, the Himalayas remain a culturally and environmentally important region. Many different people live in the Himalayas, and it’s a source of life for many of them. However, in recent years it’s also become a popular tourist destination. 

Although tourism brings a range of economic and business opportunities and jobs, there are downsides. The effects on the environment, particularly with issues such as pollution, mean that the biodiversity of the area is under threat. 

University of Exeter Climate Change: The Science

University of Exeter Valuing Nature: Should We Put a Price on Ecosystems?

University of Exeter Tipping Points: Climate Change and Society

The Himalayan glaciers 

Incredibly, there are 32,392 glaciers in the Himalayas. Together, they are part of intricate geographic and climate systems. Let’s find out more about them. 

What is a glacier? 

As we explore in our open step on the subject, glaciers are large bodies of ice, originally made from snow that accumulates over long periods of time. They vary greatly in size and can be as small as a football field or stretch for hundreds of kilometres. 

Based on this, we can say that the definition of a glacier is a body of ice formed from the compaction of snow that moves downhill under its own weight. As you can imagine, for such a process to work, sustained low temperatures and snowfall are needed to create and maintain glaciers, meaning that they’re found either at high latitudes (the polar regions) or high altitudes (associated with mountains).

This map is generated from data provided by the Randolph Glacier Inventory. You will observe that ice is either found at high latitudes – i.e. the polar regions – or high altitudes – i.e. associated with mountains. Image courtesy of the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, generated using data from the Randolph Glacier Inventory, GLIMS.

Why are they important? 

So why do glaciers matter? Well, they play a central role in the world’s water systems, contributing to various elements of life. Glaciers: 

Provide drinking water. Approximately 75% of all of the world’s fresh water is locked up in glacier ice. Glacial melt provides drinking water for people in various places around the world, including the Himalayas. 

Irrigate crops. Throughout history, countries have used melting glaciers to water their crops and power their agriculture. Even today, communities still rely on glacial melt in this way. 

Generate power. It’s possible to use the meltwater from glaciers to power hydroelectric dams, providing electricity for the area. 

It’s not just the immediate area that feels the impacts of glaciers. In the Himalayas, for example, the Indus, the Ganges and the Brahmaputra Rivers all originate from glaciers. These rivers provide water for countless millions of people. 

The glaciers in the Himalayas

The Himalayas are home to the third-largest deposit of ice and snow in the world. Only Antarctica and the Arctic have more. These glaciers feed some of the planet’s most important river systems, directly and indirectly supplying billions of people with water, energy, and incomes. 

Clearly, the Himalayan glaciers are an essential part of life for the eight surrounding countries, as well as further beyond. However, new studies have shown that the glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at an alarming rate. The consequences of this melt could be disastrous. 

Why are the Himalayan glaciers melting? 

The Himalayas in India and beyond have come under close attention in recent years. Several recent studies have shown that the situation could be much worse than originally feared. One study, in particular, found that if CO2 emissions are not cut drastically, around two-thirds of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region glaciers could disappear. 

Glaciers in the Himalayas lost billions of tons of ice between 2000 and 2016, double the amount that took place between 1975 and 2000. Rising global temperatures are to blame – the result of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. 

Air pollutants from unclean energy sources are also contributing. The dirty air then deposits black carbon dust on the ice. This dust means the glaciers absorb more heat and thaw more rapidly. 

You can read more about measuring glacial change in our open step and learn about climate change and society with our online course. 

The image above is a satellite image showing multiple retreating glaciers in the Bhutanese Himalayas. As a consequence of this retreat, proglacial lakes form in front of these glaciers.

The impacts of melting Himalayan glaciers

There are real concerns about the potential impacts of the melting glaciers in the Himalayas and beyond. Here are just some of the devastating effects of glacier loss on the surrounding regions: 

Increased flooding. As more meltwater enters the water system, proglacial glacial lakes form. However, these lakes are often unstable, and when the dams break, they can cause catastrophic glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Similarly, more water in the glacier-fed rivers increases the risk of flooding. 

More extreme weather events. With more water and a warmer global temperature, the risk of extreme weather events increases. Scientists have already started to notice changes in temperature and precipitation extremes, for example. 

Changes in the monsoon. In Asia, the monsoon helps to support the livelihoods of millions of people. The annual rains are crucial to agriculture and water supplies.  As global warming changes monsoon patterns, the risk of flooding during this season increases. 

Lower agricultural yields. Global warming means that snow and glaciers melt earlier in the year, leading to floods in spring. However, by summer, when crops need more water, volumes of water are decreased. As a result, agricultural yields are lower, arid zones increase, and fishing in the region is affected.

Changes in energy production. Further downstream, the volume of water in dams may impact the production of hydroelectricity.

Ultimately, the melting Himalayan glaciers could cause real harm to the livelihoods of untold millions. Whether it’s changing weather patterns, extreme flooding, changes in food and energy production, or unpredictable water supplies, the risks seem very real. 

University of Groningen Making Climate Adaptation Happen: Governing Transformation Strategies for Climate Change

University of York Tackling Environmental Challenges for a Sustainable Future

University of Exeter Climate Change: Solutions

How can we improve the situation? 

So, the current and future danger of melting glaciers is evident. But what can we do to improve the situation? In reality, the only real solution is to prevent further global warming. There are many climate change solutions, and many of these focus on reducing your carbon footprint. 

Although individuals can take steps to reduce emissions, governments and corporations need to make far-reaching changes to policies and practices. As we stand on the edge of a climate crisis, there is much work to be done to improve the situation. 

Final thoughts 

The Himalayan glaciers are crucial not only to the surrounding regions but also to the billions of people whose lives are affected by them. Recent global warming and climate change have seen these glaciers melting at an unprecedented rate, and the effects are devastating. 

If you’re interested in learning more about the Himalayas glaciers, the environment, and climate change, we have a wide range of free courses available that can help. Our course on tackling environmental challenges for a sustainable future is an excellent place to start. 

The post The causes and impacts of the melting Himalayan glaciers appeared first on FutureLearn.

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[mostlysignssomeportents]

Canada's got the world's worst internet ideas

Canada’s government is poised to pass a “harmful content” regulation. It’s a worst-in-class mutation of a dangerous idea that’s swept the globe, in which governments demand that hamfisted tech giants remove broad categories of speech — too swiftly for meaningful analysis.

Many countries have proposed or passed rules on these lines: Australia, France, UK, Germany, India. They are all bad, but Canada’s is literally the worst — as if Trudeau’s Liberals sought out the most dangerous elements of each rule and combined them.

https://twitter.com/daphnehk/status/1421120217585831938

What’s in Canada’s rule? EFF’s Corynne McSherry and Katitza Rodriguez break it down.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/o-no-canada-fast-moving-proposal-creates-filtering-blocking-and-reporting-rules-1

A requirement to remove “lawful-but-awful” speech that is allowed under Canadian law, but effectively also now banned under Canadian law;

24-hour deadlines for removal, guaranteeing that platforms will not have time to conduct a thorough analysis of speech before it is censored;

A de-facto requirement for platforms to install algorithmic filters to (mis)identify and remove prohibited expression;

Huge penalties for failing to remove banned speech — and no penalties for erroneously taking down permitted speech — which guarantees that platforms will shoot first and probably not bother to ask questions later;

Mandatory reporting of potentially harmful content (and the users who post it) to law enforcement and national security agencies;

A Chinese-style national firewall that will block websites that refuse to comply;

Far-reaching data-retention policies that only the largest companies will be able to afford, which will create immortal, leaky repositories of kompromat on every Canadian internet user.

Even worse: the specific contours of all these rules will be determined anew with each new Parliament, who will get to appoint a new Canadian “internet czar” with the power to expand and extend the regulation’s most dangerous elements.

The proposal allows Canadian cops to confiscate online services’ computers if they are suspected of noncompliance — but offers them an insurance policy to avoid having their doors kicked in and their equipment seized: to adopt “advice” from the internet czar.

So not only will the internet czar — who might someday be appointed by PM Maxime Bernier or Doug Ford — get to rewrite the rules in public, they’ll also be empowered to go beyond those rules in private “advice” to online services, backstopped by the threat of raids.

The Trudeau government are spinning this hard, just as they did with Bill C-10 (which included deceptive language that, on superficial examination, seemed to limit the scope of the law, but which was superceded by later clauses).

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/01/you-are-here/#crtc

In this case, the proposal limits regulation to “public” forums. But because the this is copied from other countries, we know there’s room to declare a private chat-group public as soon as it hits a certain (unilaterally determined) size threshold:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/08/faq-why-brazils-plan-mandate-traceability-private-messaging-apps-will-break-users

The combination of:

prohibiting broad, poorly defined speech categories;

harsh penalties for underblocking; and

requiring swift compliance without time for adequate assessment or counternotifications;

all guarantee that tech giants will block all kinds of speech.

But not all speech is equally at risk. People who are already marginalised are disproportionately likely to be censored under rules like this. That’s what happened with the US’s SESTA-FOSTA rule, nominally intended to prevent sexual trafficking.

In reality, the primary targets of this law became lawful, consensual sex workers, who are exposed to far more risk now that they can no longer operate forums where they trade “bad date” lists and other safety information.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/03/how-congress-censored-internet

This discrimination is sticky, because SESTA caused the shuttering of forums where sex workers advocated for their rights. The more marginalised the speaker, the worst it is — which is why the most heavily impacted group is trans women of colour.

https://swopusa.org/blog/2015/11/12/trans-day-of-remembrance-statement-fact-sheet/

As ever, Michael Geist is the absolute best authority to refer to on this. Geist has documented the “beware of the leopard”-style secrecy of the Liberals, who have taken great pains to shield this policy-making from public scrutiny.

https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2021/07/onlineharmsnonconsult/

But despite all the tactical obscurity, there IS a way that Canadians can weigh in on this, through this online consultation form. All Canadians should submit comments on this.

https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/harmful-online-content.html

Online harms rules are a human rights disaster. They’ve been roundly criticised by UN Rapporteurs and civil society groups all over the world.

https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=26385

France’s version — which was not as extreme as Canada’s — was struck down as unconstitutional.

https://www.eff.org/press/releases/victory-french-high-court-rules-most-hate-speech-bill-would-undermine-free-expression

None of this is to say the tech giants are good for speech. They’re terrible at moderation — of course they are. The problem with Facebook isn’t merely that Zuck is a shitty online emperor for three billion people — it’s that no one should have the job of “online emperor.”

But the Canadian proposal will ensure that these tech giants are the last generation of online platforms, by imposing a duty to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on speech filters — something that only the largest American companies can afford.

This forecloses on the goal of whittling tech giants to size through interoperability, ending the possibility that co-operatives, nonprofits and startups could independently manage their own spaces that were still connected to the platforms.

https://locusmag.com/2021/07/cory-doctorow-tech-monopolies-and-the-insufficient-necessity-of-interoperability/

Canada is not alone in planning to convert the tech giants into constitutional monarchs, offering them perpetual dominance in exchange for suffering themselves to be regulated in how they rule our digital lives.

But that’s a terrible vision for our online future. We don’t want wise emperors running our digital world — we want to abolish emperors and give people the right to technological self-determination.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/utilities-governed-empires

[pinkandgreenarepurpleandyellow]

Part 2 of me slowly irritating the fandom to death with mediocre pencil sketches and world-building concepts!

A quick disclaimer: A lot of the stuff here is just me fleshing things out bc I love filling in small world-building holes. The base for the style guide was @soledadcatalina's post from several years ago (that I currently cannot link bc Tumblr hates me) but with a lot of additional stuff based on my personal concepts and various experience/people I've met who have done some versions of these things (not the fighting and killing stuff, just bits and bobs). Although I'm a bit of a clothing nerd and love both analyzing and constructing design elements for wardrobe I am not a professional. (Image ID at end of ramble below the cut)

Ok so in my quest to find any vital descriptors I re-read the first there books, then Silent Night, then the bonus chapters, and then Lockdown again. The clothing is described as grey in a few places but the cover of Solitary shows Alex's jumpsuit to have stripes, so I finally came to a compromise. The jumpsuits start out as black and white striped classics but the warden is cheap and so the ink is shitty, quickly blotting and fading and staining so the older jumpsuits are a greyish color. (This will be come relevant for bandanna section of this post, towards the end). The actual Furnace logo is something that a little extra effort was put into, possibly being embroidered into the fabric (tbh yes I think the warden would do something like that just to be an extra level of asshole). The material itself is also not the best kind, and can shrink if overheated for too long.

Each latest batch of inmates is given a brand 'new' jumpsuit with distinct stripes for their first day. After they go into the showers, their uniforms are now officially part of the prison-wide circulation. There's always a very slight surplus for the sake of laziness and mild convenience, but not enough so that popped can vandalize the torsos of the jumpsuits or smuggle a second one out. But that doesn't stop people from fucking up the legs and the sleeves.

So, as a general rule, sleeves are fucked with more than legs partially for safety reasons and partially because shorter than expected sleeve are less of a pain than being tall and dealing with pantlegs that fit like capris on you because some short assholes just have to make it all about them even though plenty of the jumpsuits have shrunk over time so you think they could just vandalize those instead. So there's a certain amount of jumpsuits around that will actually fit on shorter kids, with very few additions or removals due to the risk of getting beaten up for constantly fucking up the uniforms. A good way to tell a short old-timer from a new fish is that the old-timers will push and shove for the ripped-leg jumpsuits while the new fish will try to go for either the less worn out models (that don't fit in the slightest and have the stripes still) or the leftovers.

Aside from the ripped legs, the solution most short kids have is the roll the excess up somehow. On someone taller, the baggy look is an option but when the fabric is a foot longer than your legs, you gotta do something. New fish go for the very big and bulky cuffs that have to be rolled up like 7 times to let their feet touch the ground directly. More experienced kids tend to make stylistic cuffs. Maybe it's mis-matching the height to which the pantlegs are rolled to, maybe it's rolling one leg the usual way and rolling the other one inward, but the cuffs end up looking more stylistic than necessary, which adds to the overall look.

Moving up, we've got sleeves. Most are also too long, but are usually shorter than they started due to inmates instantly ripping small pieces off of the edge for toothbrushes, hair ties, or just boredom. The life cycle of the sleeve is 'Starting length', 'fraying at edges', 'loose t-shirt sleeve length', and 'sleeves torn off completely'. Most of the older jumpsuits are in the latter two phases. Sleeves are narrower than the legs by a slight margin. Again, despite the inevetable degrading of the material over time, the number of shorter-sleeved jumpsuits is relatively stable, although it does go up and down more frequently.

With these basics, you can start telling apart people's time spent in the prison, level of deference to the warden, their hierarchal status, and their odds of survival in encounters with the other inmates. Of course, some of the excess or completely worn out jumpsuits are stolen and scavenged or ripped apart and passed around for anyone who needs more fabric tan there is in a sleeve or who needs a big square/rectangle of material.

Finally, the part that I personally get excited about, bandanas, accessories, and miscellaneous usage!

Skull Bandanas: Canonically all surface items are confiscated and I have no doubt that includes the gang bandanas. On the surface they probably either buy them or use paint (depending on area and resources, etc) but neither of those are really an option within the Furnace itself. So, to make a proper Skull bandana: take an extra jumpsuit, cut out a decently sized square, bleach out a rough circle in laundry (put some extra focus on the black stripes to make it look more natural), either burn the fabric at laundry /kitchen or get soot/the blackest dust available in the chipping and turn the white stripes surrounding the Skull black this way, and then use the same process for rough eyeholes. More detail-oriented members can heat up shanks/small pieces of metal and also add on rough teeth and holes in the nose area.

The finished product is a roughly black square with a roughly white skull in the center, to be worn only by the Skulls. Atempts to mimic the design to blend in don't work as the Skulls are relatively selective. Most of the bandanas were made within the first month (using just striped squares for the first part) and to get one now usually requires ousting a previous member unless Ambrose makes an exception (made twice within the span of five years).

Fifty-Niner Stripes: Usually made with the a mixture of dust and dirt from chipping. Some of the more unhinged members had tattoos from the surface but nowadays it's mostly dust/soot used as paint (can be stored in some extra rags and mixed with some of the chemicals in the laundry).

Leopard marks: These are established as cigarette burns on the surface and shiv-made holes in gen pop but I do think someone suggested 'hey what if we just use dust like the others' and promptly got shanked for it.

Accessories: So that sounds a bit weird, but allow me to explain. Strips roughly the length of sleeve's circumference can become improvised hair-ties, good for anyone who can't/won't see a slicer and anyone with long hair, which I imagine isn't too small of a population. Longer and thicker strips of cloth wrap around feet to act as (shitty) improvised socks. And even though wearing a bandana even remotely similar to the ones the Skulls use will get you killed, plenty of inmates make a similar version (sometimes just a long and wide rectangle) to act as durags or very basic headbands to keep sweat out of their brows during hard labor. Unlike the Skull ones, these tend to be either striped or faded grey.

Miscellaneous: Obvious, but the the sleeves and pantlegs frequently act as bandages since no one wants to go to the infirmary. There's also the pre-emptive use as a basic form of wrist/ankle tapes and a shitty version of a boxing glove by wrapping cloth around the hand. Shorter strips wind around shanks to make handles. Scraps and useless pieces of the jumpsuits quickly add up and some clever people figure out that they can sweep up all the pieces, shove them into the pillow case or under the sheets and get slightly better sleep.

[Image ID:

Two pictures of black and white pencil sketches on paper. The first shows four generic inmates dressed in the Furnace jumpsuits lined up and facing the camera. Aside from one with black stripes on his cheeks and one with a bruise on his face, they have no facial features. The focus is on the uniforms and their distinctions. The second page has more small notes about Skull bandanas.

Inmate Uniform Notes (going right to left for inmates, head to toe for notes):

On the first kid, who is dressed in a striped Furnace jumpsuit zipped up all the way with baggy sleeves and extremely rolled up-cuffs the notes are: "Surface hair" (referring to clean and neat haircut), "Zipped up", "New uniform, bolder stripes", "bulky sleeves covering hands", and "very rolled up legs".

The second kid, who has messy long hair and a partially unzipped jumpsuit with faded stripes, baggy but uncuffed legs, and ripped up sleeves (down to wrists), has the notes: "Can't/won't see the slicers", "mostly faded stripes", "worn/torn sleeves", and "baggy legs, maybe a little rolled".

The third kid is significantly taller, with hair in a slightly neater cut pushed back and two stripes on his face, marking him as a Fifty-Niner. He is holding something in his right hand and there are bandages wrapped around his left fist. His jumpsuit is completely faded and partially unzipped, with the sleeves ripped off and the legs fitting almost perfectly, if a little big, and he has the notes: "better cut since in a gang" (hair), "coal/dust lines" (gang markings), "arms completely torn off", "stretched and worn out after years" (in reference to whole jumpsuit), " 'bandages' made of ripped sleeves" (fist), "stripes fully gone", and "excess bit [of pant leg] tucked under".

The fourth and final kid is shorter than the first three, with closely cropped scruffy hair, a bruise on his left cheek, and cloth wrapped around his right wrist. His jumpsuit is zipped all the way up, the sleeves are rolled to the elbows, and the legs are mismatched, with the right ripped short and the left cuffed. The notes around him read: "scruffy cut (wounds hidden)", "Zipped up but other details make this a fashion choice", "fading stripes", "casual sleeves", "improvised brace for wrist", "shrunk from overheating" (referring to the uniform fitting him despite him being smaller than average), "mismatched legs" (one ripped, one rolled up), and "stylistic cuff" (referring to rolled up leg).

Skull Bandanna Notes (and misc) (going roughly right to left, top to bottom):

Bottom right corner shows two small hair ties, one made of just one scrap, and one with a second scrap twining around, mimicking an elastic hair tie. Above, in the main square, are two versions of the unfolded Skull bandanas, roughly square-ish with the Skulls having circular eye sockets, small slants at the nose, and vague outlines of teeth. The top version is more detailed and the bottom is more likely to be what was worn in gen pop.

Across the top are three rough sketches of inmates wearing the bandanas. One is wearing his to cover his scalp, with the skull front and center. A small note on his points out the grey area in the middle, cutting through the black and white, reading "stripes faded but not gone". The one in the middle has his bandana tied around his neck and is looking up. The last boy wears it around his forehead, still leaving the top of the head uncovered as he glares down.

At the bottom of the page there is a simple sketch of part of a jumpsuit, with the stripes and a note "bleached out with time". The picture next to it shows a rough square (the starter for a Skull bandana) with visible stripes. A note to the black stripe reads "bleach (laundry)" and the one to the white stripe says "burn or cover in black dust (laundry/chipping when guard is distracted)".

Between the boys wearing their bandanas and the starter sample are small pictures of a few shanks and sketch of a Fifty-Niner in profile, glaring to the side. A note points to the mark on his cheek, reading "soot".

End ID]

[karabeth123-blog]

⭐️🦋🦄 ASK ME THiNGS 🦄🦋⭐️

👉Questions & Answers 🙊 1. You woke up naked next to the last person you texted, what would you say? 👉👉good morning sexy! ☺️ 2. What’s going on between you and the last person you kissed?Nada 3. If your boyfriend or girlfriend was into drugs, would you care?what kinda drugs?? 4. Is your last name longer than six letters? Nope 👎 5. Was your last kiss drunk or sober?sober unfortunately lol 😒 6. Have you ever wanted to have someone but you messed it up?Ohh yeah 7. What does your last received text say? I'm gonna jump in the shower😋 8. How many times have you kissed the last person you kissed?😶 9. Where was your last kiss at?the mouth hah 😝 10. When is the last time you saw your sister? thanksgiving dinner🦃🍽 11. What do you drink in the morning?😍😍COFFEE☕️☕️ 12. Where did you sleep last night?my wonderful pillow top mattress in my room 🛌 13. Do you think relationships are hard? Very 14. If you could go back and change something in the past 5 months, would you?FUCK YES! 15. You’re locked in a room with the last person you kissed, any problems?To many! 😳😳 16. Would you rather it be sunny or rainy?🌝sunny ❤️ 17. Do you know anyone with the same middle name as you?yes, my childhood bf ❤️her and my niece ❤️❤️ 18. Are you wearing jeans,sweatpants,or pajama pants?no pants lmao 😳☺️🦄🦋😂 19. Do you think you will be in a relationship 3 years from now?idgaf 😈 20. Does anyone like you?hope so🤔 21. Have you ever kissed someone with a name that starts with an S?yepp💋 22. Is the last person you kissed gay?i believe so 23. Is there a person you CANNOT stand? Surely😝 24. Have you ever considered getting a tattoo?yea boi 😋 25. In the past week have you cried?😫😭😢😪 26. What breed was the last dog you saw? Chocolate lab🐶❤️ 27. Do you dry off in the shower or out of the shower?off 28. Have you ever kissed a football player?to many 🏈😶 29. Do you think you’re old?not yet🤥 30. Do you like text messaging?not really 31. What type of day are you having?long😑 32. Have you ever thought about getting your nose pierced?😲yeeeea 33. Do you prefer warm or cold weather?warm 34. Is there a person of the opposite sex who means a lot to you?yes 35. Would you prefer a relationship or a fling?both 🤦‍♂️ 36. Are you a simple or complicated person?both depends on the day really 🤦‍♂️ 37. What song are you listening to? 🎀Rihanna Needed Me 🎀 38. When you say you’re sorry do you mean it?every single time 39. Is there a girl that knows everything or almost everything about you? My SiS 40. What made you start liking the person you like now?Sexy AF 41. When did you last receive a text message?30 min ago 42. What is wrong with you right now?nada 43. How well do you know the last female you texted?my bf 44. Does anyone disgust you?naaaa🤢 45. Would you date someone right now if they asked?lol 😤😤 46. Are you in a good mood right now?yessssss 47. Who was the last person you talked to in person?Kynslee 🦄🦄🦄🦄 48. What color shirt are you wearing?baby blu🦋 49. Has someone recently told you something you didn’t want to hear?heck yea🙉🙉🙉 50. Anyone you’re giving up on? 51. Do you hate the person you fell hardest for? 52. Have you ever thought about giving up on someone but couldn’t? 53. Do you like rain? 54. Do you care if your boyfriend/girlfriend drinks?na 55. Have you ever liked somebody and never told them?yes 56. Do you like to cuddle?very much 57. Are you shy?sometimes 58. Do you get along with girls?naa 59. Have you dated the person you texted last?i wish 60. What do you carry with you at all times?none ya lol 61. If you were paid 1 million dollars to spend the night in a supposed haunted house, would you? 62. Do you think you can last in a relationship for five months? 63. Think back to October, were you in a relationship? 64. The person you like kisses you on the forehead, do you find this cute? 65. Did anything “cute” happen in the last week? 66. How old are the last three people you kissed? 67. Would you rather pay to get your nails done or do them yourself? Pay 68. Which do you like better- Zebra print or leopard print? Leopard 69. Do you have any stickers on your car? No 70. Would you rather listen to Luke Bryan or Lil Wayne? Lil Wayne 71. Blackberry, Anroid, or iPhone? iPhone 📱 72. When’s the last time you had pizza from Pizza Hut? Years 73. Do you like diet soda? No 74. What color are the walls in your room? Creme 75. Are you 16 or older? Yes 76. Do you watch Pretty Little Liars? No 77. Do you have a job? No 78. What are your initials? kEB 79. Did you ever have braces? Yea 80. Are you from the south? Yea 81. What does your last status on facebook say? 82. Do you still talk to the first person you ever kissed? Yep 83. Are you closer to your mom or your dad? Dad 84. Have you ever done cheerleading or gymnastics? Both 85. What’s the last movie you saw in theaters? Don't remember 86. Do you smoke? 87. Would you rather wear heels or flip flops? Flip flops 88. Is your phone touch screen? Yeah 89. Do you normally wear your hair straight or curly? Straight 90. Have you ever snuck out of your house? Yea 91. Would you rather swim in a river, lake, or pool? Ocean, river, pool,lake 92. Have you ever made out in a car? Yes 93. …Had sex in a car? Yes 94. Are you single or in a relationship? 95. What were you doing last night at midnight? Nothing fun 96. When’s the last time you saw fireworks? 4th of July 97. Do you like the camera on your phone? Yeah 98. Have you ever had a friend with benefits? Eff yea 99. Have you ever passed out from drinking? Yep 100. Are you friends with people on facebook that you actually hate? Nope 101. Have you ever had a pregnancy scare? Yes 102. Name your favorite Kesha song: 103. Do you have any tan lines right now? No 104. Would you ever wear cowboy boots with shorts? I have

[luxuryt-shirt]

Sloth Eff You See Kay Why Oh You Vintage shirt

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[aslaton8-blog]

Meaningful Gifts

This is a brilliant idea. I have two of them already. They will send you a photo of the live animal your donation supports along with the plush animal. It's so wonderful. 💚

My first one was a clouded leopard which was representative of the first stuffed animal I ever owned back when I was like 11 that my shitty family threw away because I needed to "grow up" and not cling to stuffed animals?! It would have been much better for you to teach me how to pay bills instead of taking my childhood away from me.. but that's right none of you know how to do that either.... So anyway Ryan bought me a clouded leopard from this company and I just burst into tears when I received it because I got my little "Snowy" back. He was my best friend.

This year for my birthday I asked for a baby Emperor Penguin in honor of our new baby girl. It's perfect! I can't wait to cuddle her. 🖤

[takenpeace]

rules     ━     tag   20   followers   you’d   like   to   get   to   know   better . tagged  by :    @rhunner  <3 tagging : @maidiin  ||  @daryldix0n  ||  @hehclps  ||  @sleepindarkness  || whoever else wants to. just tag me! 

nickname :     Monroe

gender :     female.

astrological sign :    libra

height :     5′ 3″.

sexuality :     heterosexual .

hogwarts  house :     hufflepuff .

favorite  animals :     leopards

average  hours  of  sleep :    idk anymore

dogs  or  cats :     dogs

number  of  blankets :     just one

where  i  am  from :     NC

dream  trip :    probably ireland or italy

when  i  created  this  account :     this one April 2018 i archived him to my multi in july and then came back in november. i can’t make up my mind apparently

why  i  created  this  account :    because i wanted to rp with other versions but none were really that active so i just said eff it cause I love Jesus so much that I felt he needed a constant representation. and here I AM. 

followers :  571

[sparks-in]

EFF Headcanon

Kevin is fairly good at poker. On the outside, he once swindled about $100 from  the Leopards, which is why these two gangs hate each other. There’s other reasons, but this was the start