#marketing 2022

[saintgoddess]

unfinished mike from last year 💰

[reasonsforhope]

SYSTEM 002 IN 2022

“We captured our first plastic from the [Great Pacific Garbage Patch] in 2019 with [our ship] System 001/B, and since then we’ve been refining our steering strategy and deepening our understanding of plastic behavior in the oceans.

In 2021 we introduced System 002, and having now demonstrated that our system can consistently harvest significant amounts of plastic, we’re currently in transition to System 03 – our largest and most efficient cleanup system so far.

After demonstrating Proof of Technology the previous year, 2022 was all about cleaning. It was a successful year for The Ocean Cleanup in the GPGP:

System 002: 2022 in numbers

8 trips into the GPGP on cleaning operations

Over 150 days at sea (including transit)

153,000 kg of plastic removed from the GPGP in 2022

4 consecutive trips with catch totals over 25,000 kg

99.9% of catch comprising only plastic

The continuity of cleaning operations during this transition was essential in demonstrating that we are moving towards our efficiency targets and progressing our plan for scale-up. Significant milestones such as the extraction that brought us over the 100,000 kg barrier in the GPGP are documented and shared with our growing community of supporters worldwide, aiding the visibility of our mission and highlighting the urgency of the plastic pollution problem...

PRIORITIZING THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT

We are committed to maximizing our net positive impact on the marine environment. In that light, we place particular importance on one particular figure from our 2022 data: 99.9%. This is the amount of our total catch that consists of plastic, leaving a level of bycatch of 0.1%.

While this is not perfect and we are working hard to reduce it further, we believe this data shows that our mitigation measures and animal protection procedures are working effectively so far. We have also seen a reduction in bycatch rates during the year (see our January 2022 mid-term evaluation) as we implement new learnings and modifications.

Our environmental performance is a result of the measures we have taken since we began our ocean operations. Our systems move very slowly, meaning fish and marine animals can easily swim away, and our crew always has the option of triggering the emergency release to free any animal which has become trapped in the Retention Zone; although this results in the loss of any plastic which has been captured, we keep this option available for any serious encounters.

Upgrades to be implemented during the transition to System 03 include more underwater cameras to allow us to more closely monitor encounters with marine life, and increasing the number of openings throughout the system to allow animals to swim out. We will also be trialing various new deterrent and mitigation measures during 2023, working with our in-house and third-party marine biologists to ensure that we continue to reduce any type of bycatch to the minimal level possible.”

-via The Ocean Cleanup, 12/15/22

[remembertheplunge]

Street mural on 16th Street near Market street today 5/11/2024. San Fransisco, California

I thought it was an interesting juxtaposition of the painting of the AIDS victim in bed and the homeless man lying on the sidewalk beneath. Intertwined tragedies.

[coochiequeens]

Even advocates of surrogacy should agree that regulations are needed

BY Samuel Burke August 16, 2024

In Europe, commercial surrogacy is largely banned and seen as a form of body commodification, similar to organ trafficking. Only a few countries permit highly regulated altruistic surrogacy, which limits reimbursement to just expenses and no additional compensation—resulting in limited participation. Demand for surrogacy, however, is soaring due to delayed childbearing, increasing medical challenges, and the growth of LGBTQ+ family-building. The surrogacy market, valued at $14 billion in 2022, is projected to skyrocket to $129 billion by 2032, according to Global Market Insights.

Currently, only a few European countries, such as Ukraine and Greece, permit commercial surrogacy. These nations operate in a legal gray area with minimal oversight, leading to a largely unregulated industry fraught with issues like trafficking women, falsified documents and sham embryo transfers.

Before the 2022 invasion, Ukraine was a global surrogacy hub estimated to have 2,000-2,500 surrogacy contracts annually. Despite the ongoing conflict, the industry continues, with some women still carrying pregnancies in war-torn Ukraine. Controversially, Ukrainian surrogates now leave their families behind and travel to places like Greece and Northern Cyprus (recognized only by Turkey) to complete pregnancies. The women often live with multiple surrogates in the same dwellings while they wait to give birth.

Advocates for reform argue that current practices neglect the welfare of surrogates. Wes Johnson-Ellis, co-founder of the U.K. non-profit My Surrogacy Journey (MSJ), asserts that surrogates should not have to leave their families to move to another country for the pregnancy to help others build theirs.

Pregnancy and birth are vulnerable times for surrogates. They need their support network and family close by to ensure they are fully supported,” Johnson-Ellis says.

MSJ frequently assists families who’ve faced trying circumstances with other agencies. One couple pursuing surrogacy in Cyprus believed their surrogate was Cypriot. However, she was actually from Eastern Europe and returned to her native country, where she gave birth prematurely according to Johnson-Ellis. Tragically, the baby did not survive.

“They are still fighting to have the baby’s body exhumed and sent back to their home country for a proper burial,” says Johnson-Ellis.

Last August, Greek authorities raided the Mediterranean Fertility Institute in Crete and arrested staff amid allegations of trafficking nearly 100 women from Eastern Europe to act as surrogates. Officials also accused the company of falsifying adoption papers for clients from countries where surrogacy is illegal. The institute is now closed and has not responded to inquiries about these allegations. Advocates for affected families, many from Australia, claim they paid for a surrogacy program that was never fulfilled.

The Republic of Georgia had also emerged as a popular surrogacy destination in Europe, but last year, the Georgian prime minister announced that commercial surrogacy would be restricted to Georgian citizens only. This has left the legality of programs in Georgia in limbo, affecting intended parents from around the world who had turned to the country for surrogacy.

Scandals and swiftly shifting surrogacy laws have sent intended parents in Europe scrambling to relocate their embryos to countries with more stable or established surrogacy frameworks, primarily in the Americas. 

The United States is the top destination for commercial surrogacy due to its well-established legal framework and advanced medical care. However, it is also the most expensive, with total costs for IVF and surrogacy—including medical, legal, and agency fees—averaging $190,000 to $230,000.

Those high costs have traditionally made Canada a more affordable surrogacy option, with costs for IVF and surrogacy averaging $60,000 to $100,000. Although commercial surrogacy is banned, Canadian law permits altruistic surrogacy, similar to the U.K., Denmark, and the Netherlands. This lower cost has dramatically increased demand, leading to average wait times of 10 to 18 months and driving hopeful parents to seek commercial surrogates in Latin America.

Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico are attracting intended parents as alternatives to Europe, with costs typically under $80,000. Mexico City, in particular, has become a popular choice due to its low costs and progressive surrogacy laws.

“Confidence in Mexico is shifting,” says Johnson-Ellis of My Surrogacy Journey, which has launched a service guiding families there. “Mexico actually has more guardrails and regulations in place than the U.S. and has even had the support of the Mexican Supreme Court since 2021.” He points to Mexico City’s practice of issuing pre-birth orders that recognize the intended parents as the legal parents and even list the surrogate as the gestational carrier, not the biological mother when she’s used donor eggs. 

The surrogacy boom in the Americas is coming at Europe’s expense. Advocates argue that Europe’s ban on commercial surrogacy limits access to services and, ironically, increases the exploitation and coercion of women.

“With a commercial model, everyone knows where they stand,” Johnson-Ellis says. “There’s no gray. It’s very black and white. And I think with surrogacy, you need black and white.”

[kivovis]

Ohmy god

[acorviart]

wahoo shop’s back up

get ya goodies

[capnseriouslycanadian]

JONNY WITH A PUPPY AFTER PRACTICE 🥹🥹

[turtlycute]

My Top 10 Anime Watched in 2022:

Kotaro Lives Alone (2022) episodes: 10 started: 5-2-22 finished: 5-5-22 rating: 9.5/10

Moriarty the Patriot (2020) episodes: 24 started: 8-8-22 finished 8-11-22 rating: 9.5/10

Tokyo Revengers (2021) episodes: 24 started: 9-1-22 finished: 9-3-22 rating: 9.5/10

Chihayafuru 3 (2019) episodes: 24 started: 1-19-22 finished: 1-20-22 rating: 9.5/10

Sasaki and Miyano (2022) episodes: 12 started: 6-1-22 finished: 6-2-22 rating: 9.5/10

Blue Period (2021) episodes: 12 started: 10-15-21 finished: 1-25-22 rating: 9/10

Spy x Family (2022) episodes: 12 started: 8-1-22 finished: 8-3-22 rating: 9/10

Romantic Killer (2022) episodes: 12 started: 11-1-22 finished 11-2-22 rating: 9/10

Run with the Wind (2018) episodes: 23 started: 4-19-22 finished: 4-21-22 rating: 9/10

Ya Boy Kongming! (2022) episodes: 12 started: 12-1-22 finished: 12-2-22 rating: 9/10

Honorable Mentions:

Life Lessons With Uramichi-Oniisan (2021) episodes: 13 started: 1-4-22 finished: 1-6-22 rating: 9/10

Fruits Basket: Prelude (2022) film watched 12-28-22 rating: 9.5/10

Given Movie (2020) and Given: Uragawa no Sonzai n films watch: 6-6-22 rating: 9/10

Tamako Market (2013) episodes: 12 started: 11-3-22 finished: 11-4-22 rating: 8.5/10

Vanitas no Karte (The Case Study of Vanitas)(2021) episodes: 24 started: 10-1-22 finished: 10-3-22 rating: 8.5/10

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Tank 300 Frontier Edition, 2022. A new special edition of the Chinese 4x4 that come with an E-bike. The Tank features lifted suspension,  a snorkel, a roof rack, off-road bumpers with integrated bullbar and winch, underbody protection, fender extensions, a set of beadlock-style 18-inch alloy wheels. The matching E-bike is a Buxus EVA modified to match the 4x4. Production will be limited to 3000 units

[eopederson]

Mercado Cubierto, Puerto Varas, Chile, 2022.

[night-market-if]

Zinnia I read TNM as you released it originally rough-cit but I am still absolutely avoiding finishing it now through Steam because.. I'm legitimately sad. Like, my heart is breaking like this is actually happening to me. Milo broke my heart 😭😭😭 I love it tytytytyty but I'm dying without the second book now ughhhh

Writing book 1 feels like such a fever dream at this point. LOL! I still don't understand how it is up on steam and making money. It feels weird to me.

I am very excited to get back to writing book 2. The first two chapters are public now and I am going to start writing chapter three after my brief little hiatus that I have been taking.

[toutplacid]

Le Pré-Saint-Gervais, rue André-Joineau, marché du samedi matin – mine de carbone, carnet n° 134, 31 mai 2022.

[elceeu2morrow]

lisa_wilko83:

[boschintegral-photo]

Christmas Market Duisburg, Germany

[anebarone]

First sketch + a first-meeting chapter

For organization purposes I'll tag this duo as Cara and Jacob.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2

Cara woke up to her alcove’s darkness, hearing bubbles and the seals outside. There was no land, no clouds, no sun — and much less the man she had seen on the shoreline.

Something in her spell backfired. The mermaid gave themselves days and miles of distance since they met, yet they were still bound.

When she slept, the shape of Jacob would press his throat against her and hum a sailor’s tune. Where merfolk notes were clear and loud, his’ you’d feel through skin, closed lips, and guttural sounds.

The elders gave an unexpected, hearty laugh as she conveyed the dream, “We’ll let you figure this one out, Cara.”

She didn't find the courage to describe the lullaby — A song about a good catch, fruits like gemstones, and flowers to garnish one’s hair.

"Here is a warning, though. A lead." Old Merv said, still playful, "You're sharing mind currents and the human knows. For once, you're on the receiving end. How does it feel?"

To that, the mermaid momentarily lost her voice.

She also kept the part where she’d curl up under the shade of the brow bone and lashes, lazily stroking the man's cheekbones until he’d doze off.

More days passed, and they could not slumber without hooking onto each other.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(as always, please nudge me if you find any glaring mistakes or misplaced words/idioms! I'm writing those as fast as I can, plus I'm doing some ambitious stuff like trying to use lots of maritime/fishing vocabulary... while trying not to sound too overdone, tiresome or corny.)

I'd also like to recommend @aaytaro-gt 's G/T Inktober! Today's theme is 'cuddle' ♥ Go check their post if you're curious, the prompts are lovely.

[oveliagirlhaditright]

This lack of new Kingdom Hearts content or talk (like showing trailers or what have you) is honestly a mistake on Square Enix's part, I think.

A friend of mine, who's a casual KH fan (probably even more than a casual. He's played most of the games and kind of stays up to date with it through me) told me the other day that he missed when KH was relevant: obviously meaning that he doesn't think it is anymore. And can anyone really argue with that?

I know a lot of the super fans, who would be a part of the fandom rain or shine--whether there was content or not--are the least into it right now than they ever have been before, since there's literally nothing to keep us going.

And I'm aware that the plan has been for Missing Link to come out, and to tide us over with that (but things, sadly, keep getting in the way of that), but I still think putting so much on the shoulders of one single mobile game is questionable at best.

I also feel like they're counting on the momentum of KHIII to carry them forward, since it sold so well. But that was partly because some people were like, "Oh my gosh! That game that's allegedly been in development for thirteen years finally exists?! I'm going to check it out! Especially since I may or may not have played I and II when I was a kid." They're not going to have that same reaction with IV. A lot of people also really didn't like III (and thus might not give IV a chance for that reason), for some reason. And some who were big fans decided to quit after III, as it was the end of the Dark Seekers Chronicles and thus a good stopping point.

I feel like decisions they're making now are going to come back and hurt KHIV. But we'll see, I guess.