#(also provide pictures this is an important part of the process)

[eatsleepcrap]

In honour of my favourite xkcd comic, please reblog with the name of your pet and what you actually call them

[reasonsforhope]

"When Francois Beyers first pitched the concept of 3D ocean farming to the Welsh regulators, he had to sketch it on napkins. 

Today the seafood farm is much more than a drawing, but if you walked along the Welsh coastal path near St David’s, all you’d see is a line of buoys. As Beyers puts it: “It’s what’s below that’s important.”

Thick tussles of lustrous seaweed suspend from the buoys, mussels cling to its furry connective ropes and dangling Chinese lantern-esque nets are filled with oysters and scallops. 

“It’s like an underwater garden,” says Beyers, co-founder of the community-owned regenerative ocean farm, Câr-y-Môr. The 3-hectare site is part of a fledgling sector, one of 12 farms in the UK, which key players believe could boost ocean biodiversity, produce sustainable agricultural fertiliser and provide year-round employment in areas that have traditionally been dependent on tourism. 

Created in 2020 by Beyers and six family members, including his father-in-law – an ex-shellfish farmer – the motivation is apparent in the name, which is Welsh for “for the love of the sea”. ...

Pictured: Drone shot of Câr-y-Môr, which is on the site of abandoned mussel farms. Image: Scott Chalmers

Ocean farming comes from the technical term ‘integrated multi-trophic aquaculture’, which means a mixture of different seaweed and shellfish species growing together to mutually benefit each other. But it’s not just a way of growing food with little human input, it also creates ocean habitat. 

“You’re creating a breeding ground for marine animals,” explains Beyers who adds that the site has seen more gannets diving, porpoises and seals – to name a few – since before the farm was established.

Ocean farms like Câr-y-Môr, notes Ross Brown – environmental research fellow at the University of Exeter – have substantial conservation benefits.

“Setting up a seaweed farm creates an exclusion zone so fishermen can’t trawl it,” explains Brown, who has been conducting experiments on the impacts of seaweed and shellfish farms across the UK. 

Brown believes a thriving ocean farming industry could provide solutions to the UK’s fish stock, which is in “a deeply troubling state” according to a report that found half of the key populations to be overfished. “It would create stepping stones where we have safe havens for fish and other organisms,” he adds. 

But UK regulators have adopted a cautious approach, note Brown and Beyers, making it difficult for businesses like Câr-y-Môr to obtain licenses. “It’s been a tough old slog,” says Beyers, whose aim is to change the legislation to make it easier for others to start ocean farms. 

Despite navigating uncharted territories, the business now has 14 full-time employees, and 300 community members, of which nearly 100 have invested in the community-benefit society. For member and funding manager Tracey Gilbert-Falconer, the model brings expertise but most importantly, buy-in from the tight-knit local community. 

“You need to work with the community than forcing yourself in,” she observes. 

And Câr-y-Môr is poised to double its workforce in 2024 thanks to a Defra grant of £1.1 million to promote and develop the Welsh seafood industry as part of the UK Seafood Fund Infrastructure Scheme. This will go towards building a processing hub, set to be operational in April, to produce agricultural fertiliser from seaweed. 

Full of mineral nutrients and phosphorous from the ocean, seaweed use in farming is nothing new, as Gilbert-Falconer notes: “Farmers in Pembrokeshire talk about their grandad going down to the sea and throwing [seaweed] on their farms.” 

But as the war in Ukraine has caused the price of chemical fertiliser to soar, and the sector tries to reduce its environmental impact – of which synthetic fertiliser contributes 5% of total UK emissions – farmers and government are increasingly looking to seaweed. 

The new hub will have capacity to make 65,000 litres of sustainable fertiliser annually with the potential to cover 13,000 acres of farmland. 

But to feed the processing hub, generate profit and reduce their dependency on grants, the co-op needs to increase the ocean farm size from three to 13 hectares. If they obtain licences, Beyers says they should break even in 18 months. 

For now, Beyers reflects on a “humbling” three years but revels in the potential uses of seaweed, from construction material to clothing.  

“I haven’t seen the limit yet,” he smiles."

-via Positive.News, February 19, 2024

[ayeforscotland]

What is Dataflow? Part 3: Doing the Practical

Apologies for the delay in getting this next section up - past few weeks have been super busy and then, hilariously, I was ill last week.

Read Part 1 here.

Read Part 2 here.

In Part 2 I wrote about how important diagrams have been throughout history. Understanding the 'big picture' has been important for every triumph of engineering. From bridges to skyscrapers to oil rigs and wind turbines, all of these have had diagrams backed by international standards which enabled them to be built.

The digital world hasn't quite managed that yet. In the other posts I've tried to drill home the point that modern digital businesses are often extremely siloed, communication and documentation isn't there and there is a lack of a common language between 'Business' and 'IT'.

This lack of understanding means organisations do not understand how data flows through their business and their supply chain.

It's the understanding of dataflow that's important here because it enables organisations to focus on optimising, securing and maintaining flows across an organisation rather than siloed teams patching things up where they can and not understand the upstream and downstream impact on the business.

Method and Layers

Going to preface this by saying that this may come across as complete common sense, and to some extent you'll be completely correct!

This is an example of how to create a very basic dataflow. But I will first start with understanding all of the People, Processes and Technology that I use to post on Tumblr.

So I start with six layers:

Ownership

Business Process

Application

System

Hardware

Infrastructure

What is important to remember here is that you do not have to be a specialist in every single layer.

A Business Analyst will feel much more at home in the Business Process Layer, while an Infrastructure Manager will be much more knowledgeable about the Infrastructure layer.

The important thing is that this Business & IT Diagram allows them to communicate more efficiently.

Let's Build a Dataflow!

In this example - There's an 'AyeforScotland' Element (the rectangle!) at the top. I'm the owner of everything below that element. The black lines are 'connections' representing the connectivity between the different elements.

Following the example, I'm responsible for' managing my blog 'Blog Management' which breaks down into smaller processes: Draft posts, schedule posts, answer anon abuse, and reblog shitposts.

Coming down to the Application Layer (red) - You can see that I draft and schedule posts using Tumblr Desktop and I'm using Firefox Web Browser for that.

But for answering anon abuse and reblogging shitposts, I'm using the Tumblr App.

In the Systems layer you can see I'm using Windows 11 on my PC (Hardware) and I'm using iOS on my iPhone.

Both my PC and iPhone connect to my BT Router.

And that's it for this Business & IT Diagram. I've shown clearly how I'm responsible for the processes and how I use the technology to perform those processes. I don't necessarily need to show everything on a single diagram because it would lose clarity.

This next Business & IT Diagram is much smaller, and establishes the relationships and dependencies on Tumblr to provide the service. And that's because we're complying with the laws and rules of a methodology.

In this diagram (probably need to zoom in to see it) I'm at the top left as 'AyeforScotland' and my 'BT Router' is spatially below me. Following the rules and laws of the method, that maintains the relationship that I have with the BT Router, I own it.

But I don't own the small 'Internet' that's next to it horizontally. I've simplified the concept of the internet for this example.

There's also two owners - 'Automattic' which owns and operates 'Tumblr' below it, with Tumblr being responsible for the 'Provision of Tumblr Services'.

Now naturally 'provision of Tumblr services' will break out into loads of sub-processes. Tumblr could map out their entire organisation (and if they need a hand, they can DM me!) But for this dataflow it's not really required.

Now both diagrams above are not dataflows. But close your eyes for a second and you can visualise what they are.

But because we've created our two diagrams, we understand the connectivity and using the software we can create the dataflow.

Now again, this is very basic. But when you put things into a dataflow context, you can put this down in front of a wide range of people from different business disciplines and they can start to optimise how the business works.

Here's a much larger Dataflow example, that you won't be able to read because it exceeds A0 printing size, but it should convey the scale.

If any of the connections or elements fail along this dataflow - The dataflow stops.

This costs organisations time and/or money.

So understanding dataflows allows IT people to articulate to business people "Hi boss, if this server goes down it will bring down this dataflow and cost the business $10,000 an hour" - Suddenly it's in a language they understand.

It helps with strategic decision-making, it helps with communication, it helps document how things *actually* work as opposed to how people think they work, and once you switch to thinking in terms of 'dataflow' it's hard to stop.

Conclusion

I can't wait to answer all the questions on the back of this.

Also one area I didn't go into is that each of the elements (rectangles) can also hold data (Financial data, Technical Specs, Risk & Cybersecurity metrics, Governance documentation etc).

It's also really easy to get started with it. You can start in any of the layers based on your area of work.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Existence Value: Why All of Nature is Important Whether We Can Use it or Not

I spend a lot of time around other nature nerds. We’re a bunch of people from varying backgrounds, places, and generations who all find a deep well of inspiration within the natural world. We’re the sort of people who will happily spend all day outside enjoying seeing wildlife and their habitats without any sort of secondary goal like fishing, foraging, etc. (though some of us engage in those activities, too.) We don’t just fall in love with the places we’ve been, either, but wild locales that we’ve only ever seen in pictures, or heard of from others. We are curators of existence value.

Existence value is exactly what it sounds like–something is considered important and worthwhile simply because it is. It’s at odds with how a lot of folks here in the United States view our “natural resources.” It’s also telling that that is the term most often used to refer collectively to anything that is not a human being, something we have created, or a species we have domesticated, and I have run into many people in my lifetime for whom the only value nature has is what money can be extracted from it. Timber, minerals, water, meat (wild and domestic), mushrooms, and more–for some, these are the sole reasons nature exists, especially if they can be sold for profit. When questioning how deeply imbalanced and harmful our extractive processes have become, I’ve often been told “Well, that’s just the way it is,” as if we shall be forever frozen in the mid-20th century with no opportunity to reimagine industry, technology, or uses thereof.

Moreover, we often assign positive or negative value to a being or place based on whether it directly benefits us or not. Look at how many people want to see deer and elk numbers skyrocket so that they have more to hunt, while advocating for going back to the days when people shot every gray wolf they came across. Barry Holstun Lopez’ classic Of Wolves and Men is just one of several in-depth looks at how deeply ingrained that hatred of the “big bad wolf” is in western mindsets, simply because wolves inconveniently prey on livestock and compete with us for dwindling areas of wild land and the wild game that sustained both species’ ancestors for many millennia. “Good” species are those that give us things; “bad” species are those that refuse to be so complacent.

Even the modern conservation movement often has to appeal to people’s selfishness in order to get us to care about nature. Look at how often we have to argue that a species of rare plant is worth saving because it might have a compound in it we could use for medicine. Think about how we’ve had to explain that we need biodiverse ecosystems, healthy soil, and clean water and air because of the ecosystem services they provide us. We measure the value of trees in dollars based on how they can mitigate air pollution and anthropogenic climate change. It’s frankly depressing how many people won’t understand a problem until we put things in terms of their own self-interest and make it personal. (I see that less as an individual failing, and more our society’s failure to teach empathy and emotional skills in general, but that’s a post for another time.)

Existence value flies in the face of all of those presumptions. It says that a wild animal, or a fungus, or a landscape, is worth preserving simply because it is there, and that is good enough. It argues that the white-tailed deer and the gray wolf are equally valuable regardless of what we think of them or get from them, in part because both are keystone species that have massive positive impacts on the ecosystems they are a part of, and their loss is ecologically devastating.

But even those species whose ecological impact isn’t quite so wide-ranging are still considered to have existence value. And we don’t have to have personally interacted with a place or its natural inhabitants in order to understand their existence value, either. I may never get to visit the Maasai Mara in Kenya, but I wish to see it as protected and cared for as places I visit regularly, like Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. And there are countless other places, whose names I may never know and which may be no larger than a fraction of an acre, that are important in their own right.

I would like more people (in western societies in particular) to be considering this concept of existence value. What happens when we detangle non-human nature from the automatic value judgements we place on it according to our own biases? When we question why we hold certain values, where those values came from, and the motivations of those who handed them to us in the first place, it makes it easier to see the complicated messes beneath the simple, shiny veneer of “Well, that’s just the way it is.”

And then we get to that most dangerous of realizations: it doesn’t have to be this way. It can be different, and better, taking the best of what we’ve accomplished over the years and creating better solutions for the worst of what we’ve done. In the words of Rebecca Buck–aka Tank Girl–“We can be wonderful. We can be magnificent. We can turn this shit around.”

Let’s be clear: rethinking is just the first step. We can’t just uproot ourselves from our current, deeply entrenched technological, social, and environmental situation and instantly create a new way of doing things. Societal change takes time; it takes generations. This is how we got into that situation, and it’s how we’re going to climb out of it and hopefully into something better. Sometimes the best we can do is celebrate small, incremental victories–but that’s better than nothing at all.

Nor can we just ignore the immensely disproportionate impact that has been made on indigenous and other disadvantaged communities by our society (even in some cases where we’ve actually been trying to fix the problems we’ve created.) It does no good to accept nature’s inherent value on its own terms if we do not also extend that acceptance throughout our own society, and to our entire species as a whole.

But I think ruminating on this concept of existence value is a good first step toward breaking ourselves out first and foremost. And then we go from there.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[rhymeswithfart]

Please look below for important info taken from this post

"Rania Youssef: Rania's father was the breadwinner of the family. He suffered from an untreated chronic illness that took his life during the acceleration of the genocide. She needs help taking care of her family while they grieve this immense loss."

This is a vetted campaign. Low on funds, €3,157/60,000. Please read and share their story, more under the cut.

El Shab Hussein has vouched for this fundraiser. More info on vetting here.

Rania's story in her words:

"Hello, peace be upon you, free world. I want to introduce myself and my story. My name is Rania, from Gaza, specifically from the north. I am 25 years old. I am a graduate of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I am also talented in drawing. Let's go to the basis of my launching this campaign. I created this campaign in light of the circumstances we live in in Gaza and the destruction of my future. Therefore, I am trying to collect donations in order to rebuild my future that was destroyed and save my family from destruction due to the war and starvation in northern Gaza. This requires a lot of money, and we are a family of all women (4), including my child who is not married at the age of 13, and I have a brother who is not married at the age of 18. (The money I collect will go to) 1/ To complete my studies and achieve my dreams and live like every girl as it should be. 2/ Some of the money will go to provide food and drink for my family in northern Gaza, which is very expensive due to the famine we are suffering from. 3/ And part of it will go to the evacuation process from Gaza To Egypt for me and my family to be safe

Let's complete my story and the meaning I lived in northern Gaza

/In the first days of the war, we received a threat due to the seriousness of the situation to leave the house. I left my house with my family to my relatives' house. We stayed there for 5 days, then the bombing intensified and we were forced to flee to Al-Shifa Hospital. Here, my meaning began. We lived in very frightening conditions. After several days, Al-Shifa Hospital was besieged and my family and I were stuck there. The reason for the siege was that I lost my father, who suffered from chronic diseases due to lack of treatment. My father was 51 years old. My father was the breadwinner for my family. After his departure, we had no breadwinner except my younger brother. After several days of the siege, we left the hospital to my aunt's house, who lives in Sheikh Radwan, an area called Abu Iskandar. After that, we were besieged again, and until now we are displaced from one place to another, with famine and violent bombing

Therefore, I ask every free person to help me until I reach the goal that I will It makes me and my family live safely

Note the picture above is from the balcony of my demolished house Thank you all."

[hugejk]

2 years.

due to high demand part 2 !!!! feedback is also very much appreciated <3

cw: addiction mentioned, rehab

||_________________||

After getting settled into your temporary home, you fell asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow. Being woken up to the bright orange sun. You get up. You still didn’t know what to do with yourself. I guess the comments were right. You really do need some professional help.

you just didn’t know where to start, rehab? therapy? checking yourself into a psych ward? You sit at the small work desk at the hotel, clicking the pen and scooting the small writing pad they provided. You assume the best place to start was the addiction problems. You go on your phone and look for places. You find the highest rated one, and call it.

“hi.uhm. i was just uhm… wondering if i can check in? like check myself into rehab.”

the man on the other line told you the process of checking yourself in. You had to go in person and stay there until they think you were better than you had started. This process might take a while. But you’re willing to do it.

You gather your things, planning what you were going to tell the lady downstairs,

“my flight got rescheduled for today.”

“my friend is back at their house i don’t need the room anymore.”

“my parents have a room for me at their place.”

heading out the room and towards the elevator. Spamming the down button to hurry and get to the place. You didn’t care to wear the disguise you had packed. Nobody would see you for a couple more months anyways. At least that’s what you thought.

as the doors opened up, you look up from your shoes and see two young men. One of them wearing a dark beard and the other…well he looks like a kid. Clean shaven face, big brown eyes, short brunette hair.

“that’s exactly what i- wait aren’t you y/n?”

the one with the dark beard said as he pointed at you.

fuck.

“…do you want a picture?…”

you couldn’t even deny it, people recognized you so much now that you can’t say no to pictures, or else people would think your a rude arrogant celeb. And them boom there goes the grammy nomination, the awards, the money. everything you had worked so hard for.

you were so stuck in your head that you didn’t realize he was as talking to the younger one.

“this is the singer i was telling you about just the other day! you know…the one you said was-“

he was cut off by the brunette slapping his arm, giving him the “don’t you dare” look.

“look, i don’t have the time for this, do you want something? i have to be somewhere.”

you didn’t mean to be rude, but you just wanted to be fixed already. You didn’t have time to stop and talk with these guys. You notice the small badge on their nike sweaters.

“oh sorry——you know our football club is sponsored by spotify? you could totally be this years sponsor.”

the beard said to you, side eyeing the brunette and wiggling his eyebrows. Something was up. You just didn’t care enough to ask.

“uhm.yeah. sure whatever.”

you weren’t even planning on making new music anytime soon. you brush it off and push the down button for the other elevator. You didn’t want to be anywhere near a person right now.

now that you were alone in the elevator, you started to wonder and replay how the beard and the brunette were acting. As you got downstairs to the lobby, your worst fear. A packed lobby with screaming people and more guys all wearing the same nike hoodie, that logo.

you make a pit stop at the bathrooms to put on your glasses and mask, there was no way you couldn’t get away from this one. You blend back into the crowd, asking the nearest person,

“what’s this all about?”

“do you live under a rock? this is the best football club of all time right in front of us! FC barcelona!”

that’s when it finally hit you, the logo seemed so familiar. You remember watching a few el classicos with your dad when you were little. How could you forget?

But you had more important things to do that day. You thanked the person who reminded you of the club and went on with your day. Walking with your head down and airpods in, you arrived to your new home for a few months.

you open the door and walk up to the front desk,

“uhm..hi. id like to check myself in..”

you say with your head down, feeing ashamed that you were asking for help. You could’ve done this on your own but here you are.

“okay! before we check you in we’re gonna have to have you fill these papers out, and i hope you know what your doing right now is brave and your in good hands.”

crazy. It’s like the lady behind the desk could read your unsure mind. Her words repeat and bounce around in your head. Taking the papers and taking a seat in the lobby. It was small, and empty.

You have no idea what’s to come but surely it’ll be the best for you.

||_____________________||

tags: @pabl0andm3 @spidybaby @htpssgavi @alexis1taylorr

[agapi-kalyptei]

crowdstrike: hot take 1

It's too early in the news cycle to say anything truly smart, but to sum things up, what I know so far:

there was no "hack" or cyberattack or data breach*

a private IT security company called CrowdStrike released a faulty update which practically disabled all its desktop (?) Windows workstations (laptops too, but maybe not servers? not sure)

the cause has been found and a fix is on the way

as it stands now, the fix will have to be manually applied (in person) to each affected workstation (this could mean in practice maybe 5, maybe 30 minutes of work for each affected computer - the number is also unknown, but it very well could be tens (or hundreds) of thousands of computers across thousands of large, multinational enterprises.

(The fix can be applied manually if you have a-bit-more-than-basic knowledge of computers)

Things that are currently safe to assume:

this wasn't a fault of any single individual, but of a process (workflow on the side of CrowdStrike) that didn't detect the fault ahead of time

[most likely] it's not that someone was incompetent or stupid - but we don't have the root cause analysis available yet

deploying bugfixes on Fridays is a bad idea

*The obligatory warning part:

Just because this wasn't a cyberattack, doesn't mean there won't be related security breaches of all kinds in all industries. The chaos, panic, uncertainty, and very soon also exhaustion of people dealing with the fallout of the issue will create a perfect storm for actually malicious actors that will try to exploit any possible vulnerability in companies' vulnerable state.

The analysis / speculation part:

globalization bad lol

OK, more seriously: I have not even heard about CrowdStrike until today, and I'm not a security engineer. I'm a developer with mild to moderate (outsider) understanding of vulnerabilities.

OK some background / basics first

It's very common for companies of any size to have more to protect their digital assets than just an antivirus and a firewall. Large companies (Delta Airlines) can afford to pay other large companies to provide security solutions for them (CrowdStrike). These days, to avoid bad software of any kind - malware - you need a complex suite of software that protects you from all sides:

desktop/laptop: antivirus, firewall, secure DNS, avoiding insecure WiFi, browser exploits, system patches, email scanner, phishing on web, phishing via email, physical access, USB thumb drive, motherboard/BIOS/UEFI vulnerabilities or built-in exploits made by the manufacturers of the Chinese government,

person/phone: phishing via SMS, phishing via calls, iOS/Android OS vulnerabilities, mobile app vulnerabilities, mobile apps that masquerade as useful while harvesting your data, vulnerabilities in things like WhatsApp where a glitched JPG pictures sent to you can expose your data, ...

servers: mostly same as above except they servers have to often deal with millions of requests per day, most of them valid, and at least some of the servers need to be connected to the internet 24/7

CDN and cloud services: fundamentally, an average big company today relies on dozens or hundreds of other big internet companies (AWS / Azure / GCP / Apple / Google) which in turn rely on hundreds of other companies to outsource a lot of tasks (like harvesting your data and sending you marketing emails)

infrastructure - routers... modems... your Alexa is spying on you... i'm tired... etc.

Anyway if you drifted to sleep in the previous paragraph I don't blame you. I'm genuinely just scratching the surface. Cybersecurity is insanely important today, and it's insanely complex too.

The reason why the incident blue-screened the machines is that to avoid malware, a lot of the anti-malware has to run in a more "privileged" mode, meaning they exist very close to the "heart" of Windows (or any other OS - the heart is called kernel). However, on this level, a bug can crash the system a lot more easily. And it did.

OK OK the actual hot lukewarm take finally

I didn't expect to get hit by y2k bug in the middle of 2024, but here we are.

As bad as it was, this only affected a small portion of all computers - in the ballpark of ~0.001% or even 0.0001% - but already caused disruptions to flights and hospitals in a big chunk of the world.

maybe-FAQ:

"Oh but this would be avoided if they weren't using the Crowdwhatever software" - true. However, this kind of mistake is not exclusive to them.

"Haha windows sucks, Linux 4eva" - I mean. Yeah? But no. Conceptually there is nothing that would prevent this from happening on Linux, if only there was anyone actually using it (on desktop).

"But really, Windows should have a better protection" - yes? no? This is a very difficult, technical question, because for kernel drivers the whole point is that 1. you trust them, and 2. they need the super-powerful-unrestrained access to work as intended, and 3. you _need_ them to be blazing fast, so babysitting them from the Windows perspective is counterproductive. It's a technical issue with no easy answers on this level.

"But there was some issue with Microsoft stuff too." - yes, but it's unknown if they are related, and at this point I have not seen any solid info about it.

The point is, in a deeply interconnected world, it's sort of a miracle that this isn't happening more often, and on a wider scale. Both bugfixes and new bugs are deployed every minute to some software somewhere in the world, because we're all in a rush to make money and pay rent and meet deadlines.

Increased monoculture in IT is bad for everyone. Whichever OS, whichever brand, whichever security solution provider - the more popular they are, the better visible their mistakes will be.

As much as it would be fun to make jokes like "CrowdStroke", I'm not even particularly mad at the company (at this point - that might change when I hear about their QA process). And no, I'm not even mad at Windows, as explained in the pseudo-FAQ.

The ultimate hot take? If at all possible, don't rely on anything related to computers. Technical problems are caused by technical solutions.

[thegreenthepeacetheorange]

Everlark (Catching Fire, Ch. 11)

probably one of my fave everlark-heavy chapters and one i believe is so important and so huge for their relationship development. it's long but please bear with me because it's such a great chapter and there's so much to say and it'll be worth it!!! this is my best one

i love how haymitch and peeta have just become a part of katniss's family. like they don't seem out of place just sitting playing chess in her house.

peeta instantly picking up on her being hurt when she makes that noise and holding her steadily once he does

peeta carrying katniss up the stairs and tucking her into bed

katniss catching and holding his hand to keep him there and trying to fight off her lowered inhibitions due to the sleep syrup. that whole 'drunk words are sober thoughts' thing. she's fighting hard to 'control her tongue' but man, i wish she would've let go. there she goes keeping secrets from us again as the unreliable narrator

her holding his hand against her face, him warming her hand in his own. ugh. HANDS.

"stay with me" - the fact that she doesn't tell us what peeta says here but we know from mockingjay that he says 'always.' more evidence that peeta was endgame, carefully constructed by suzanne collins herself, from chapter one of book one

peeta being a husband and making sure katniss gets her daily cheese buns. for so much of the trilogy so far, we have seen gale be synonymous with providing for katniss and her family through hunting but peeta was that figure when he gave her the burnt bread and he's also that figure now, constantly providing her family with bread, keeping them fed and warm.

it is so IMPORTANT that katniss includes peeta in her family plant book project. it is her family book, passed on through generations. her mother and father worked on it together. it is so deeply hers and she lets him in. she lets him become a part of her family book by asking him to draw the pictures and including him in the process. i actually can't overstate the importance of this. this is something they do together that also later, after the war, becomes a crucial part of their healing process (and haymitch also ends up contributing - family!). at this point in the trilogy, he is her family.

i'm just going to include most of this passage and do a full on analysis of it because it is IMPORTANT:

I like to watch his hands as he works, making a blank page bloom with strokes of ink, adding touches of colour to our previously black and yellowish book. His face takes on a special look when he concentrates. His usual easy expression is replaced by something more intense and removed that suggests an entire world locked away inside him. I've seen flashes of this before: in the arena, or when he speaks to a crowd, or that time he shoved the Peacekeepers' guns away from me in District 11. I don't know quite what to make of it. I also become a little fixated on his eyelashes, which ordinarily you don't notice much because they're so blond. But up close, in the sunlight slanting in from the window, they're a light golden colour and so long I don't see how they keep from getting all tangled up when he blinks. One afternoon, Peeta stops shading a blossom and looks up so suddenly that I start, as though I were caught spying on him, which in a strange way maybe I was. But he only says, "You know, I think this is the first time we've ever done anything normal together." "Yeah," I agree. Our whole relationship has been tainted by the Games. Normal was never a part of it. "Nice for a change."

her fully checking him out as he works, his hands, his eyelashes. katniss describes him so poetically, like the sunshine slanting in from the window. what a romantic setting. she is constantly talking about him in sunlight (this is just one example) and it's like, in her eyes, there's always this glow around him, this light radiating from him. and then she gets caught checking him out.

peeta can make a blank page bloom with colour. and there we go with the language of growth again. this boy who radiates hope, possibility for katniss. this boy that she associates with life and with the growth of dandelions. he breathes life into things - in this case, her family book.

katniss is so intrigued by and deeply, carnally into his intensity. like she is down bad for him here. all her examples are examples of him protecting her: in the arena, in interviews, from the peacekeepers. she is so into this charming, dominant, protective, passionate side of him that i don't know how people can say she isn't romantically/sexually into him. like the proof is there. she doesn't know what to make of it because this side of him scratches an itch that she hasn't allowed herself to confront until now (and not even now, because she's unsure here but it's there. and we know she'll confront it after the war when she mentally can)

so far, katniss has been thinking that her relationship with peeta is the capitol's design. it is overwhelmed the the games, by the capitol, by snow, by the cameras, the flashing lights, the crowds, the having to 'act up' element of it, that katniss is constantly trying to tell herself that her connection to peeta is inauthentic in so many ways. but here, we see them in a 'normal' moment. a quiet intimate moment. a moment just for them. and it seems like bliss. removed from all the other capitol-forced elements, they choose to sit together and work on her family book and it is such a truly lovely moment for them. and it's not singular. while katniss is injured, they do it for a lengthy time. and i think that this particular chapter, this particular era of their relationship, post-victory tour and pre-quarter quell announcement, is when their relationship really develops to the point of katniss fully being in love with him. i think she was falling for him long before, and the victory tour also solidified them more but here, removed from the games and the capitol, given a sense of normalcy, i think katniss really got a taste of what life with peeta would be like, in all his shades. his kindness, his goodness, his intensity. she was thinking about all of it. him carrying her up and down stairs, bringing her bread, showing his passion/artistic talents, him just being there for her and her family, him looking after and protecting her despite her 'choosing' gale, how he looks, how he works, how he smiles and laughs, how he touches her. because of these days, she gets to the point where she's willing to die and leave prim and her mother behind to ensure peeta lives.

[allaboutthemoonlight]

How to Develop the Habits You Want and Stick to Them ✨

I recently listened to a podcast discussing developing the habits you want and ensure they stick. As someone who’s been recently struggling with consistent habit adherence, I wanted to share some of the insights I gathered and talk about what’s been helping me lately.

The Importance of a Goal vs a System:

In a world where goals are often the big picture, it's crucial to recognize the transformative potential of systems. Scott Adams once said, "If you do something every day, it’s a system. If you're waiting to achieve it someday in the future, it's a goal."

Goals are outcomes, systems are the daily habits that lead to that.

Systems enable longevity and continuity, while goals are only momentary. Changing your behavior and integrating systems into your leds to continual progress and applicable results.

When you have a goal or habit in mind, develop a system around it so you can continuously work towards it.

For example, if your goal was to lose 20 pounds in 3 months, the system would be implementing a daily exercise routine and adopting healthier eating habits.

The system, unlike the goal, can be maintained and adjusted over time, leading to long-term progress and success.

Constantly Ask Yourself These Questions:

What kind of days do I want to live?

This prompts you to reflect on your ideal lifestyle and the type of experiences you want to have on a daily basis. It helps you set intentions for how you want to spend your time and what activities or pursuits bring you fulfillment.

2. How do I want to show up in the world?

This encourages self-awareness and introspection about your values, character, and the impression you want to leave on others. It allows you to consider how you want to behave, interact with others, and contribute to the world around you.

3. Am I living by my values and beliefs?

This gives you the opportunity to evaluate whether your actions align with your core values and beliefs. If they don’t, something needs to change. Really take the time to think about the choices you make and whether they are in accordance with what truly matters to you.

I like to do a weekly review every Sunday where I look back on my week and see what I’ve accomplished, where I could improve, celebrate my wins, etc. Every quarter or so, I’ll ask myself these three questions and reflect on my life.

Mirror Your Environment To Enable The Habits You Want To Develop

Your environment aids in the habits that you currently have or want to acquire. You need to change your environment to either break a bad habit or acquire a n

Make the habits you want to stick obvious enough so that there’s no friction in the transition process.

For example, if you want to start reading more books, you would start by placing a bookshelf in a prominent area of your home or room. This makes the habit of reading more obvious since the books are easily accessible, allowing you to pick one up whenever you have free time.

Surround Yourself With People That Also Take Part In The Habits You Desire

Being around like-minded individuals provides a support system and accountability network.

When you see others consistently practicing the habits you want to have, it can inspire and motivate you to stay committed.

Being part of a community that values the same habits creates an encouraging environment and helps you to solidify these aspiring habits as integral parts of your routine.

——————————————————————————————————

Developing the habits you desire is not just about setting goals but also about creating systems, aligning with your values, and leveraging your environment and social circle. Continue to focus on the systems in your life over goals, asking reflective questions, and surrounding yourself with supportive individuals.

—Luna <3

——————————————————————————————————

[schizoidvision]

Depression vs Schizoid: Spotting the Key Differences

Understanding the nuanced differences between depression and schizoid personality disorder sheds light on the complex nature of mental health disorders. Both conditions affect individuals' emotional experiences, relationships, and self-perception, yet they originate from and impact lives in distinct ways. This exploration delves into their origins, emotional experiences, self-esteem issues, and relationship with anhedonia, providing a clearer picture of their unique characteristics.

1. Difference in Origin:

- Depression is often tied to losses, whether real, imagined, or symbolic, leading to an intense mourning process and sometimes pathological mourning.

- Schizoid personality disorder stems from early childhood attachment difficulties, resulting in protective defenses aiming to preemptively defend against loss through deeper withdrawal from relationships.

2. Self-Other Perception:

- Depressed individuals may desire intimacy but are blocked by negative self-views and emotional turmoil, often yearning for connections they feel are unattainable.

- Schizoids may lack a conscious desire for intimacy, with defenses leading them to withdraw to maintain autonomy and avoid emotional engulfment, often substituting real connections with fantasy.

3. Difference in Emotional Experience:

- Depression involves deep emotional suffering, inward aggression, and unresolved negative feelings towards others, contributing to self-punishment, guilt, and existential despair.

- Schizoid individuals exhibit a limited range of emotions, preferring solitude and defending against existential pain through intellectualization or fantasy, avoiding the deep-seated guilt and anger typical of depression.

4. Low Self-Esteem and Worthlessness:

- Depression leads to internalizing feelings of worthlessness, becoming a core part of self-identity, often managed through self-criticism.

- Schizoids protect their self-esteem by disconnecting from the need for external validation, maintaining self-sufficiency and avoiding situations that might challenge their self-worth.

5. Relationship with Anhedonia:

- Depressive anhedonia is linked to feelings of worthlessness and loss, making desired life aspects and joy seem unattainable.

- Schizoid anhedonia stems from a protective withdrawal and a devaluation of the physical world, contributing to apathy and a decreased motivation for engagement in pleasurable activities.

Summary:

Depression and schizoid personality disorder, while sharing some superficial similarities, diverge significantly in their origins, emotional experiences, and approaches to self-esteem and anhedonia. Depression's roots in loss and mourning contrast with schizoid's early emotional detachment, shaping distinct pathways in their emotional worlds, perceptions of self and others, and engagement with life's pleasures. Understanding these differences is crucial for appropriate recognition and treatment, highlighting the importance of tailored therapeutic approaches to meet the unique needs of individuals with these conditions. It is also possible for a person to experience both of these conditions which can add complexity when making a diagnosis.

Video From My YouTube Channel: Depression vs Schizoid: Spotting the Differences

[hotdaemondtargaryen]

PHIA SABAN INTERVIEWED FOR CONTENTMODE MAGAZINE.

CONGRATULATIONS ON HOUSE OF THE DRAGON! HOW HAS THE PROCESS BEEN SO FAR?

"Thank you! It’s a cool thing."

"When we’re working on it we’re in our own little microcosm with each other and those characters, and now it’s coming out and we’re seeing it all link up and become something else."

"It’s very new to me."

"Acting on screen still feels very new to me."

"I am so lucky to get to work with this group of people, they are so clever and loving."

"Recently we’ve been promoting the show and have been asked for opinions and explanations about our characters and the story."

"I’ve found it a new and funny facet of the job, to be asked sometimes to represent myself and speak from the character and for the bigger picture."

"It can feel different from acting, where you engage with the contradictions and spend more time with the mystery and the magic than the answers."

"I guess I’m saying that I’ve found this process contains multitudes."

"And watching the show is surreal — there are all my pals in wigs!"

MANY DIE-HARD GAME OF THRONES FANS HAVE READ THE BOOK SERIES AND ANTICIPATE PLOT POINTS IN THE TELEVISION SERIES. HOW DO YOU PROVIDE A FRESH TAKE ON FAMILIAR MATERIAL?

"It’s major to be part of something that people already feel passionate about, but it’s also exciting to have the chance to subvert expectations."

"It’s fun to make up little secrets that only you know about."

"As a viewer, I always like to be surprised anyway."

"I think it’s important (and fun) to have some irreverence for the genre so that you’re not patronizing your audience."

"The hope is to be part of something that challenges people!"

YOU'VE FOUND SUCCESS IN THE FANTASY AND DRAMATIC GENRES. ARE THERE ANY OTHER GENRES YOU'D LIKE TO EXPLORE?

"Yes! I miss being in plays so much."

"I cannot wait to be in the theater again."

"I’ve never been in a film, I’d love to make an independent one."

"Oh! To be in something people call a ‘picture’!"

"Recently I’ve been fantasizing about learning motion-capture and playing some sort of animal or creature."

"I’d love to be part of a suburban coming-of-age film, like the ones I obsessed over growing up."

"I’d like to do a great limited series, an intense crime one."

"And I could narrowly avoid being eaten by a shark, or an alien."

"I have dreams of doing a time-spanning project."

"I’d like to be the voice of an animation!"

"I‘d love to have a go at the present day."

"And maybe a dystopian future."

"And a Western?"

"I always want to do something funny."

"And strange."

"There are so many TA and filmmakers I admire (I won’t list them but they’re always being lovingly scribbled in my notebook.)"

"I’ll learn Norwegian and French for them!"

"I’m excited to keep finding new people too."

"More than all these, there are so many more things I hope to do, if I’m lucky."

"Not that I give it much thought or anything…"

HAS YOUR REAL LIFE INSPIRED YOUR APPROACH TO YOUR CHARACTER IN ANY WAY?

"Sometimes a character can be an expansion pack for your real life, like a new way to see things."

"So maybe it’s more that the fantasy inspires your real life!"

"It’s been really fun to explore Helaena’s interests."

"I’ve thought quite a lot about bugs."

"I get a huge kick out of investigating how her mind works and finding all the ways her’s overlaps with mine."

"I do lots of people-watching, which is great because now when I’m staring at people on the bus I can tell myself that I’m ‘working’."

WHILE FANTASY CAN SEEMS UNTETHERED FROM REALITY, DO YOU THINK IT CAN REFLECT THE REAL WORLD?

"Haha I hope so, otherwise that would be boring!"

"I suppose these stories are full of archetypes, which should mirror universal truths."

"But maybe that’s just good TV?"

WHAT TYPES OF NARRATIVED DO YOU FIND YOURSELF DRAWN TOWARDS WHEN READING SCRIPTS AND CHOOSING ROLES?

"Something surprising and honest that doesn’t tell me what to think!"

"And I love it when a script lets sad things be funny."

WHAT INSPIRES YOU AS AN ACTOR?

"Other actors, a lot."

"On a good day, almost everything can…"

"That might be one of the best things about being an actor."

[truedexxxy]

Things to Keep in Mind During Uncertain Times

Staying strong and resilient is powerful, and while protesting, vocalizing, and contributing politically are essential actions, we also need to plan for our immediate safety. Words of affirmation and support are comforting, and seeking support is important, but moments of crisis also call for action and strategy.

If you’re in a red state, you can start by making a detailed spreadsheet to organize your current expenses. Understand where your money is going, find opportunities to save or increase income, and get a clear picture of where you stand financially. Moving can be expensive, but with careful planning, there are ways to make it feasible. Once you know your current situation, begin modifying the spreadsheet to plan future steps—whether that’s relocating, securing new housing, or adjusting your employment. Planning each piece, even gradually, can give you a sense of control and direction toward a better future. Even if you’re in a blue state but still facing challenges, these steps can provide a foundation for progress.

For some, leaving the country might be necessary. Moving to Canada or another safe region is a valid choice, especially as policies shift. Investigate options for international visas, employment, or family sponsorship. Having these resources ready can make a significant difference if you ever need to act quickly.

If you’re on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or plan to start, now is the time to integrate this into your planning. If you’re already on HRT, consider asking your provider for an extended supply to ensure continued access. If starting HRT isn’t feasible now, add it to your plan for the future, especially if a move is part of your transition goals. Accounting for these needs can ease some of the uncertainty during this time.

If you’re considering changing your legal name and gender marker and can start the process now, take action where possible. Know that this can be challenging in some states. If it’s not realistic right now, add it to your plan for the future, aiming to address it if you move to another state.

Consider seeking mental health support, like therapy, if you haven’t already. This can be a valuable anchor, especially during uncertain times, and there are many resources available, including online therapy options. Support networks are essential, both for mental well-being and for navigating the challenges of relocation.

If you need to defend yourself in a serious situation, make a plan now for how you will protect yourself. This could mean identifying safe locations, learning self-defense, or keeping certain tools accessible. Your safety is paramount, so ensure you feel prepared and confident about your options if you ever face a threatening situation.

This list of considerations is not exhaustive, as everyone’s priorities and needs will differ. These suggestions are here as guidance for those who might need them, so use what applies to your situation.

This message isn’t only for the queer community; it’s also for the rights of women and all marginalized groups who will feel the effects of increased conservatism profoundly. As a neurodivergent trans woman and therian who has lived in two red states, eventually moving to a blue state—and now considers leaving the country—I know firsthand how crucial it is to prepare. A conservative government aligned with figures like Trump will have serious repercussions for marginalized communities, affecting healthcare access, gender-affirming care, basic rights, and protections against discrimination.

If you ever feel overwhelmed or experience feelings of self-harm, remember there are people who care deeply about you and want to help. Reach out to support networks, hotlines, or loved ones. You are not alone, and support is always within reach.

We’re all capable of making these changes, even if the path feels blocked right now. Although there may be many factors preventing a move, there’s still a way forward. It may be hard to see, but getting informed, staying prepared, and finding support can make a world of difference.

The road ahead is long, but resilience and preparation will guide us through. Use every resource, reach out to your community, and envision a future where you can live fully and authentically. Keep planning, keep dreaming, and know that you’re not alone in this. We all support you.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

How does a Gallifreyan or a Time Lord experience humans? (or: how would you describe humanity from a Gallifreyan or Time Lord perspective while accounting for their fundamentally different sensory experiences?)

How do Time Lords see humans?

Gallifreyans/Time Lords have a wealth of senses they can use in their first impressions when meeting a human.

🌟 Immediate Sensory Impressions

👁️Visual: Time Lords naturally see more enhanced colours and details than humans can, so they can notice incredibly subtle details about a particular human. With a look, they can also read cues about a human’s health and emotional state - this might include seeing the flush of blood under the skin, the subtle muscle tension, and micro-expressions that might reveal a person's true feelings or intentions.

🦨 Scent: Humans stink. Time Lords can detect pheromonal changes that indicate stress, fear, or deceit if they concentrate. They can also detect the unique personal scent that every human carries. This can extend to a deeper picture of where the human has been recently and their lifestyle choices, like diet and hygiene.

🎧 Auditory: Time Lords can hear not just words but also the underlying frequencies of a human’s voice that could indicate mood and sincerity - if they try hard enough, they can hear the heartbeat, a quick inhalation of surprise or shock, or a sigh of relief.

🖐️ Touch: Even through a handshake, Time Lords feel the texture and temperature of human skin, the strength of a grip, and the pulse rate, all of which offer clues about a person's current physical and emotional state.

👄 Taste (if applicable): If you're hitting first base, Time Lords can discern a lot from this sense. Their enhanced taste buds can detect residual chemicals and substances on a person’s skin or breath, providing insights into the person's recent activities, health status, and even emotional state (as certain emotions can alter the body's chemistry).

🕰️ Chrono: Time Lords are 'time sensitive', meaning they can perceive time as a dimension - as easily as humans can see how much wine is left in the glass (not enough). This means when they meet someone, they sense not just who that person is now but the "echoes" of their past and potential futures. They might get a sense of important past events that have shaped the person, or their potential future significance. This probably doesn’t manifest as clear visions but more as a nuanced understanding of the person’s temporal significance. This could result in a particular 'draw' or 'revulsion' to them.

🔮 Psionic: Most Time Lords can't read minds medially or distally (i.e., most can't read minds without touching a person), but they can get a sense of mood or subtle emotional undercurrents from a distance. They pick up on psychic residues that humans unconsciously emit, which reflect their current emotional state and deeper, often unacknowledged, feelings.

🤔 Practical Interaction

In practical terms, when a Time Lord first encounters a human, they process all these details and form a complex, layered first impression. Time Lords tailor their social response based on this comprehensive sensory and temporal analysis, often leading to interactions that seem incredibly perceptive or mysteriously prescient to humans.

Of course, some Time Lords prefer to shut down or ignore many of these extras to be on a more human level for their own reasons.

Related:

Factoid: Can Gallifreyans taste memories?

What does time feel like to a Time Lord?: Theoretical ideas on how Time Lords perceive actual time through their senses.

Factoid: Do Gallifreyans have a super sense of smell?

Hope that helped! 😃

More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →😆Jokes |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[barelytolerabled]

The Secret Admirer

Part 02

Spencer Reid x fem!Reader

Summary: You and Spencer begin investigating potential suspects and clues

Warnings: death threats…

previous | next

As the investigation into your secret admirer continued, you and Spencer worked with the team to gather more information about potential suspects and clues. You interviewed people who had been acting suspiciously or had access to your personal information.

The team gathered in a small conference room, each member taking a seat around a large table. On the table sat a notepad and pen for taking notes, as well as a stack of files containing information on the individuals they would be interviewing.

The team had identified several individuals who had been acting suspiciously or had access to personal information that could have been used in a malicious manner. Each team member had reviewed the files and prepared a list of questions to ask during the interviews.

The first suspect arrived, escorted by a security officer. The team leader introduced themselves and explained the purpose of the interview. They asked the suspect to provide their name, occupation, and any relevant background information.

The team then delved into more specific questions, asking about the suspect's recent activities and interactions with others. They asked about any knowledge the suspect may have had regarding the personal information in question.

The team took detailed notes throughout the interview, recording any discrepancies or suspicious behavior. They thanked the suspect for their time and dismissed them, escorting them out of the building.

The process repeated itself with each suspect. The team asked similar questions, noting any inconsistencies or unusual behavior. As they conducted each interview, they began to piece together a picture of what may have happened and who may have been responsible.

Once all interviews were completed, the team reviewed their notes and discussed their findings. They identified a few suspects who seemed particularly suspicious and decided to investigate further.

Overall, the team handled the interviews professionally and efficiently, gathering important information that would help them solve the case.

The investigation revealed new information about the secret admirer and their motives, heightening the suspense.

The team began to uncover new pieces of information that shed light on the motives of the admirer. They discovered that the admirer had been closely monitoring your every move and had developed an unhealthy obsession with you.

Spencer uncovered evidence of a diary kept by the admirer, in which they had recorded intimate details about the your life, including your daily routines, hobbies, and personal relationships. The diary entries were disturbingly detailed and suggested that the admirer had been stalking you for some time.

The team also uncovered evidence of online activity that pointed to the admirer's true identity. They traced a series of emails and social media messages that the admirer had sent to you, and were able to identify the IP address from which they had been sent. Further investigation led them to a suspect who had been acting suspiciously in the days leading up to the crime.

The BAU team listened carefully as you described your experience with the anonymous love letters and gifts. Reid asked specific questions about the wording of the letters and the types of gifts you had received. You told them that the letters always referred to you as "my love" or "my darling" and spoke about how you were meant to be together forever. The team analyzed the letters and gifts for any clues that could help identify the perpetrator.

One day, as you and Spencer were reviewing the latest findings, you noticed something in one of the letters that caught your eye. There was a subtle change in the handwriting in the middle of the letter, as if someone else had taken over writing it. You pointed it out to Spencer, and he immediately took the letter to analyze it more closely.

After comparing the handwriting to other samples, Spencer was able to identify two different people who had written the letters. One was a man who had been stalking you for weeks, and the other was a woman who had been helping him by writing some of the letters.

The team gathered together to update you on their findings about the mysterious letters. Spencer, the handwriting analysis expert, presented his analysis to the team. He explained that after comparing the handwriting to other samples, he was able to identify two different people who had written the letters.

"The handwriting on the first few letters matches the handwriting of a man who has been stalking you for weeks," Spencer explained. "But on some of the other letters, the handwriting is slightly different. After some analysis, I can say with certainty that it was a woman who wrote those letters."

The team exchanged a look of surprise and confusion. "So, there were two people involved in this?" you asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Yes," Spencer confirmed. "It appears that the man was the one who started the whole thing, but he convinced the woman to help him by writing some of the letters. We believe that they were working together to create the illusion of a secret admirer."

The team began to discuss possible theories about why the man and woman had gone to such lengths to stalk and harass you. They hypothesized that the man may have been seeking revenge or trying to gain some sort of control over you, while the woman may have been coerced into helping him.

As they discussed the various possibilities, the suspense grew even higher. The team vowed to continue investigating and to get to the bottom of this strange and unsettling situation.

[eretzyisrael]

By Prof. Gerald M. Steinberg

Throughout the 17 years since the Hamas takeover, numerous reports have been published and videos posted detailing the growth of the terrorist capabilities inside Gaza. The frequent clashes with the IDF exposed additional information on the terror network and command centers located under and inside civilian locations, such as hospitals, mosques, schools and residential buildings. In the course of the operation that began following the October 7 attack, the IDF and journalists have added to this information, posting numerous pictures and videos showing the links between the aid operations and Hamas installations.

UNRWA is the largest aid framework operating in Gaza. It employs 30,000 staffers, mainly Palestinians, as well as about 200 international staff members, many based in Gaza or periodic visitors. It strains credulity to claim that the heads of the organization were unaware of the Hamas activities under and in the immediate proximity of their facilities and residences. In fact, evidence indicates that UNRWA international officials maintained a code of silence and cooperation with Hamas and associated terror groups, including promoting their propaganda and incitement and training of children for terror. Many UNRWA teachers have participated in antisemitic social media platforms, as documented repeatedly by UN Watch and other watchdogs. (On UNRWA corruption, see “UN Aid Chief Quits Amid Probe Into Palestinian Refugee Program.”) In May 2021, following the 11-day conflict, the top UNRWA international staffer in Gaza was forced to resign after acknowledging that the IDF counterterror strikes had been “precise” and “sophisticated.” The logical assumption, to be examined in this documentation process and evaluation, is that other UNRWA officials would have had similar information.

In addition to UNRWA, at least 12 other UN agencies are active in Gaza, including UN-OCHA (the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization. A preliminary review of the history indicates that the officials and employees of these organizations also followed a policy of silence, and in some cases, directly cooperated with Hamas.

Similarly, UNICEF maintained direct and open cooperation with terror-linked NGOs, such as Defense for Children in Palestine (DCIP). UNICEF also provided medical services during the Hamas-organized violent confrontations along the border with Israel under the facade of the “Great March of Return” (2018-2019), which served as rehearsals for the October 7 massacre. In addition, UNICEF’s disregard for Israeli children targeted in missile attacks from Gaza, including those who were murdered, is another important part of the record.

The same questions and issues apply to documenting the terror-enabling activities of diplomats and officials from government aid organizations. The EU is the largest single financial supporter and aid donor to the Palestinians, and therefore likely to have been a major source of materials diverted to terror. In this context, it should be noted that the European Union’s Head of Delegation (ambassador) to the West Bank and Gaza, Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff (2019-2023), met with officials of NGOs linked to terror organizations (see below), and in February 2022, participated in an EU-funded workshop “focused on the strategies and mechanisms needed to combat counter-terrorism policies, regulations, and policies (sic).” In July 2023, von Burgsdorff smuggled a paraglider into Gaza and demonstrated its use, declaring, “Once you have a free Palestine, a free Gaza, you can do exactly the same thing.” Three months later, the Hamas attack involved terrorists using paragliders.

The third category concerns leaders and employees of NGOs that operated in Gaza. NGO Monitor has compiled a list, based on UN financial information, of 70 NGOs that were active in recent years, and the total is likely to be higher. The largest, as measured by budgets and extent of involvement, include the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), CARE International, Catholic Relief Services, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), and Islamic Relief. Many major donor countries, including the US, maintain a list of “trusted partners” whose activities and personnel are exempt from detailed oversight and review.

[granulesofsand]

Introduction

🗝️🏷️ mentions of programming and child maltreatment

The important bits are in orange for brevity.

Hello! We are a plural system. Together, we go by Dune. You can use this name to address us as a group, or for any one of us.

Unless otherwise indicated, refer to us with they/it (or other neutral pronouns). We are also comfortable with mirror pronouns; whatever you prefer for yourself, use also for us.

The symbols 🗝️🏷️ serve as a content warning to announce less avoidable triggers, pictured as a key and label emoji set.

We use ‘others’ and ‘alters’ to describe members of our system. Please do not use ‘parts’ for us uninitiated, though we will reflect the language you provide to refer to you.

Treat each alter as their own person. If there is no sign-off, address the whole system as Dune. We use we/us for the system and I/me for the alter.

Some identities are held by our body rather than an alter or group. We are culturally Deaf (hard of hearing), queer (gender and sexuality), and disabled (physically and otherwise). While we generally ID our body as white, we have other roots as well. We frequently refer to our subcultures of origin, which were largely unhealthy.

We are an EC-DID system, for us meaning we were created and controlled by abusers for their benefit. Our complexity, elaboration, amnesia, and so on are influenced by this. We are working to dismantle and restructure our system according to what benefits us, and it is a process. What was done can be healed, but not undone. This too is part of our story.

By experience and reading, we are informed on the topics of programming and CDDs; we share these subjects both for ourselves and any who ask.

Sources are generally only provided in more formal writing or by request, but we keep them only for our convenience. If you have want for a list of subtopic resources, we will return to you links or means of locating the media. We analyze all that we recommend unless you specify your consent to access it regardless.

Posts will be primarily in English, as most of our frequent fronters are fluent in it. Many of us speak ASL and understand glossed notation. Different alters have varying degrees of proficiency in other languages, and you are encouraged to use whichever language you prefer; we will translate with our combined knowledge and external resources.

We answer asks publicly unless you specify otherwise. We might make exceptions for unmarked descriptions of trauma, identifying information (not account names, though you are free to use the anonymous toggle), or topics we are unsure of privacy associations (sex and sexuality, emotional disclosures, impulsive behavior with account name attached).

Genuine questions we do not answer publicly can be answered in DMs by toggling anon to off, or will be answered in an unattached post tagged ‘asks answered separately’.

We rarely respond publicly to conversational asks. You can note that you’d like us to, but we make the final decision. If you want a response, we converse through DMs primarily.

You can vent in our DMs if you need a witness. We always read direct messages. If you need evidence we’ve seen you, throw a question in the mix. It can be as simple as ‘are you there?’, and you can expect a reply within four days. We can’t report you irl unless you give us your name and address (so don’t). You can be angry or triggering, even at us, with the condition you warn us what to expect. We won’t report an account unless you’re causing harm of your own accord.

Our otherworld is vast and vivid. There are planets, continents, and countries. We have language, race, species, and other cultural identifiers that are typically not based in external reality.

We have a variety of opinions and defenses, but we often welcome conversation for the sake of understanding. Tone varies by member and topic — we do argue to an extent. We block easily, but we will speak to any who seek commutuality.

We are not here to make moral judgments or cause harm — we implore you to write if you have comments, questions, demands (though we may not heed them), anything you wish to make known.

We are not your authority; take from us what you find useful, leave what you do not. Some learning is better done in time or by encounter, or simply not at all. Your experience is your own, and we will not intrude upon it unless invited or endangered.

(Forgive me if my words lack flow, English is not my first language.)

Let’s get along!