#Global Anti-aging Products

[aimarketresearch]

Anti-Ageing Products Market Size, Share, Trends, Global Demand, Growth and Opportunity Analysis

Anti-Ageing Products Market report is an important manuscript for every market enthusiast, policymaker, investor, and market player. The market research and analysis conducted in this report assists clients in forecasting the investment in an emerging market, growth of market share or success of a new product. In addition, this business report endows with a delegate overview of the market where it identifies industry trends, determines brand awareness, potency and insights and provides competitive intelligence. Report contains strong and weak points of the competitors and analysis of their strategies with respect to product and  industry. Anti-Ageing Products Market is the most established tool and hence used widely to generate market research report.

With the complete understanding of business environment that is best suitable for the requirements of the client, Anti-Ageing Products Market business report has been generated. Businesses can also achieve insights into profit growth and sustainability programs with this market report. Market drivers and market restraints explained in this report gives idea about the rise or fall in the consumer demand for the particular product depending on several factors. This market document contains all the company profiles of the major players and brands. Each of the topics is properly elaborated with the in-depth research and analysis for generating an absolute Anti-Ageing Products Market survey report.

The global anti-ageing products market was valued at USD 42.88 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 67.83 billion by 2029, registering a CAGR of 5.90% during the forecast period of 2022-2029. In addition to the market insights such as market value, growth rate, market segments, geographical coverage, market players, and market scenario, the market report curated by the Data Bridge Market Research team includes in-depth expert analysis, import/export analysis, pricing analysis, production consumption analysis, and consumer behavior.

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Anti-Ageing Products Key Benefits over Global Competitors:

The report provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Anti-Ageing Products Market trends, forecasts, and market size to determine new opportunities.

Porter’s Five Forces analysis highlights the potency of buyers and suppliers to enable stakeholders to make strategic business decisions and determine the level of competition in the industry.

Top impacting factors & major investment pockets are highlighted in the research.

The major countries in each region are analyzed and their revenue contribution is mentioned.

The market player positioning segment provides an understanding of the current position of the market players active in the Personal Care Ingredients

Table of Contents: Anti-Ageing Products Market

1 Introduction

2 Global Anti-Ageing Products Market Segmentation

3 Executive Summary

4 Premium Insight

5 Market Overview

6 Anti-Ageing Products Market, by Product Type

7 Anti-Ageing Products Market, by Modality

8 Anti-Ageing Products Market, by Type

9 Anti-Ageing Products Market, by Mode

10 Anti-Ageing Products Market, by End User

12 Anti-Ageing Products Market, by Geography

12 Anti-Ageing Products Market, Company Landscape

13 Swot Analysis

14 Company Profiles

Critical Insights Related to the Anti-Ageing Products Included in the Report:

Exclusive graphics and Illustrative Porter’s Five Forces analysis of some of the leading companies in this market

Value chain analysis of prominent players in the market

Current trends influencing the dynamics of this market across various geographies

Recent mergers, acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships

Revenue growth of this industry over the forecast period

Marketing strategy study and growth trends

Growth-driven factor analysis

Emerging recess segments and region-wise market

An empirical evaluation of the curve of this market

Ancient, Present, and Probable scope of the market from both prospect value and volume

Some of the major players operating in the anti-ageing products market are

Shiseido Company (Japan)

Johnson & Johnson Private Limited (India

Unilever (U.K.)

Amway (U.S.)

Procter & Gamble (U.S.)

L’Oréal S.A. (France)

Revlon Group (U.S.)

Beiersdorf AG (Germany)

Natura & CO (South America)

Conair Corporation (U.S.)

Yves Rocher (France)

Kao Corporation (Japan)

Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (U.S)

AVON PRODUCTS (U.K.)

OLAPLEX (U.S.)

NEOSTRATA COMPANY, INC. (U.S.)

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[thoughtlessarse]

Nestlé, the world’s largest consumer goods company, adds sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries, contrary to international guidelines aimed at preventing obesity and chronic diseases, a report has found. Campaigners from Public Eye, a Swiss investigative organisation, sent samples of the Swiss multinational’s baby-food products sold in Asia, Africa and Latin America to a Belgian laboratory for testing. The results, and examination of product packaging, revealed added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in samples of Nido, a follow-up milk formula brand intended for use for infants aged one and above, and Cerelac, a cereal aimed at children aged between six months and two years. In Nestlé’s main European markets, including the UK, there is no added sugar in formulas for young children. While some cereals aimed at older toddlers contain added sugar, there is none in products targeted at babies between six months and one year. Laurent Gaberell, Public Eye’s agriculture and nutrition expert, said: “Nestlé must put an end to these dangerous double standards and stop adding sugar in all products for children under three years old, in every part of the world.” Obesity is increasingly a problem in low- and middle-income countries. In Africa, the number of overweight children under five has increased by nearly 23% since 2000, according to the World Health Organization. Globally, more than 1 billion people are living with obesity.

continue reading

[astrstqr]

☆˙˖ DESIRED REALITY !

things i script for my modern dr. lmk if you want more

⬭ racism, homophobia, ableism, transphobia, islamophobia, anti semitism, misogyny, global warming, climate change, overconsumption, overpopulation, deforestation, habitat destruction etc., used to exist, however they currently do not and will never suffer from them again.

⬭ everyone is treated equal

⬭ no “pro-life”

⬭ people are allowed to have abortions no matter what age they are

⬭ women products are free such as pads/tampons and birth control

⬭ everyone is educated on problems happening around the world

⬭ health care is free

⬭ natives are seen as the founders of America

⬭ south, west, southeast, & central Asians are seen too + people know Asia is not just the east

⬭ having guns are illegal unless your job requires you to have one and there is no other way to get a gun

⬭ periods last a day and are very light

⬭ covid-19 doesn’t exist

⬭ plastic surgery is normalized , isnt look down on but people rarely gets it unless necessary

⬭ children of any age are not sexualized in any form or shape

⬭ in public bathrooms the toilet is always clean, people don't knock on the stall you are in, there is always toilet paper, always soap and a hand dryer

⬭ the Chinese government isn't so harsh & gives the citizens freedom

⬭ people of color’s cultures are RESPECTED, & not appropriated

⬭ foster care takes treats kids nicely

⬭ nobody harms animals and kill shelters are not a thing

⬭ all country leaders are good and honest people

⬭ human trafficking does not exist

⬭ the government never watches you through your phone

⬭ trump never ran for president

⬭ no world hungers

⬭ no one is homeless, and everyone has a home

⬭ world peace

⬭ women and men are equal

⬭ it’s easy for people to make money

⬭ all sickness has a cure

⬭ bullying does not exist

⬭ black history and pride month still exist

⬭ the government isn't greedy and take care of their people

⬭ every country has money, food, isnt poor, etc. etc.

⬭ no toxic parenting

⬭ the Sewol ferry never had an accident

⬭ school shooting doesn’t exist

⬭ minimum wage is $15-$20 an hour

⬭ crimes are punished with justice in mind

⬭ history is recorded correctly

⬭ people can start driving at 15

⬭ Korea is not conservative

⬭ Korea doesn’t have an unrealistic beauty standard

⬭ Korea never divided, it is united and free. But south of korea is like the city part and the north is like rural part

⬭ pollution does not exist

⬭ earth air is clean and easy to breathe no matter where you are

⬭ no acid rain, urban sprawl, ozone layer depletion

⬭ allergies do not exist

⬭ the world is more colorful and not dull looking

⬭ coral reef still has it color

⬭ no water in unwanted places

⬭ grass is always green

⬭ if the population increases the planet gets bigger to produce resources to accommodate the growing population. it doesnt effect the mass of the earth or the gravitational pull

⬭ global warming doesn't exist

⬭ humidity doesn't ruin hair

⬭ the library of alexandria was never destroyed

⬭ apple pencils work on iPhone

⬭ everything is wireless, and nothing needs a cord

⬭ line is always short in stores and restaurants

⬭ buildings and renovating don’t take longer than a wee

⬭ you can book a hotel with being 18 or older

⬭ traffic is always fine

⬭ netflix have more of a large selection of things and dont remove shows/add shows no one wants

⬭ spotify is free

⬭ the switch have a web browser

⬭ tv companies still make tv shows similar to the 2000s and early 2010s , just updated to keep up with the times

⬭ the sims franchise lore is linear throughout the series

the open world features from sims 3 is still present in sims 4

sims 4 is like an updated and better version of sims 3 keeping all the features from the sims 3 (still including everything that is already in sims 4)

non of the games have bugs

every expansion pack etc is just added to the game as an update and no one has to pay for it

⬭ cheap jewelry doesnt tarnish

⬭ washer/dryer cycles are 15 mins

⬭ in the show dancing dolls everyone was treated equally and was never fake to each other.

⬭ people actually do the theme for the met gala and it’s always unique

୨୧⠀˙⠀⠀˖⠀ world aesthetic & vibe

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The unexpected upside of global monopoly capitalism

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TODAY (Apr 10) at UCLA, then Chicago (Apr 17), Torino (Apr 21) Marin County (Apr 27), Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

Here's a silver lining to global monopoly capitalism: it means we're all fighting the same enemy, who is using the same tactics everywhere. The same coordination tools that allow corporations to extend their tendrils to every corner of the Earth allows regulators and labor organizers to coordinate their resistance.

That's a lesson Mercedes is learning. In 2023, Germany's Supply Chain Act went into effect, which bans large corporations with a German presence from using child labor, violating health and safety standards, and (critically) interfering with union organizers:

https://www.bafa.de/EN/Supply_Chain_Act/Overview/overview_node.html

Across the ocean, in the USA, Mercedes has a preference for building its cars in the American South, the so-called "right to work" states where US labor law is routinely flouted and unions are thin on the ground. As The American Prospect's Harold Meyerson writes, the only non-union Mercedes factories in the world are in the US:

https://prospect.org/labor/2024-04-08-american-workers-german-law-uaw-unions/

But American workers – especially southern workers – are on an organizing tear, unionizing their workplaces at a rate not seen in generations. Their unprecedented success is down to their commitment, solidarity and shrewd tactics – all buoyed by a refreshingly pro-worker NLRB, who have workers' backs in ways also not seen since the Carter administration:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/14/prop-22-never-again/#norms-code-laws-markets

Workers at Mercedes' factory in Vance, Alabama are trying to join the UAW, and Mercedes is playing dirty, using the tried-and-true union-busting tactics that have held workplace democracy at bay for decades. The UAW has lodged a complaint with the NLRB, naturally:

https://www.commondreams.org/news/alabama-mercedes-benz

But the UAW has also filed a complaint with BAFA, the German regulator in charge of the Supply Chain Act, seeking penalties against Mercedes-Benz Group AG:

https://uaw.org/uaw-files-charges-in-germany-against-mercedes-benz-companys-anti-union-campaign-against-u-s-autoworkers-violates-new-german-law-on-global-supply-chain-practices/

That's a huge deal, because the German Supply Chain Act goes hard. If Mercedes is convicted of union-busting in Alabama, its German parent-company faces a fine of 2% of its global total revenue, and will no longer be eligible to sell products to the German government. Chomp.

Now, the German Supply Chain Act is new, and this is the first petition filed by a non-German union with BAFA, so it's not a slam dunk. But supermajorities of Mercedes workers at the Alabama factory have signed UAW cards, and the election is going to happen in May or June. And the UAW – under new leadership, thanks to a revolution that overthrew the corrupt old guard – has its sights set on all the auto-makers in the American south.

As Meyerson writes, the south is America's onshore offshore, a regulatory haven where corporations pay minimal or no tax and are free to abuse their workers, pollute, and corrupt local governments with a free hand (no wonder American industry is flocking to these states). Meyerson: "The economic impact of unionizing the South, in other words, could almost be placed in the same category as reshoring work that had gone to China."

The German Supply Chain Act was passed with the help of Germany's powerful labor unions, in an act of solidarity with workers employed by German companies all over the world. This is that unexpected benefit to globalism: the fact that Mercedes has extrusions into both the American and German political spheres means that both American and German workers can collaborate to bring it to heel.

The same is true for antitrust regulators. The multinational corporations that are in regulators' crosshairs in the US, the EU, the UK, Australia, Japan, South Korea and beyond use the same playbook in every country. That's doubly true of Big Tech companies, who literally run the same code – embodying the same illegal practices – on servers in every country.

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has led the pack on convening summits where antitrust enforcers from all over the world gather to compare notes and collaborate on enforcement strategies:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cma-data-technology-and-analytics-conference-2022-registration-308678625077

And the CMA's Digital Markets Unit – which boasts the the largest tech staff of any competition regulator in the world – produces detailed market studies that turn out to be roadmaps for other territories' enforces to follow – like this mobile market study:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/63f61bc0d3bf7f62e8c34a02/Mobile_Ecosystems_Final_Report_amended_2.pdf

Which was extensively referenced in the EU during the planning of the Digital Markets Act, and in the US Congress for similar legislation:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2710

It also helped enforcers in Japan:

https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Japan-to-crack-down-on-Apple-and-Google-app-store-monopolies

And South Korea:

https://www.reuters.com/technology/skorea-considers-505-mln-fine-against-google-apple-over-app-market-practices-2023-10-06/

Just as Mercedes workers in Germany and the USA share a common enemy, allowing for coordinated action that takes advantage of vulnerable flanks wherever they are found, anti-monopoly enforcers are sharing notes, evidence, and tactics to strike at multinationals that are bigger than most countries – but not when those countries combine.

This is an unexpected upside to global monopolies: when we all share a common enemy, we've got endless opportunities for coordinated offenses and devastating pincer maneuvers.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/10/an-injury-to-one/#is-an-injury-to-all

[intuitive-revelations]

The near future in the Doctor Who universe sure gets dire doesn't it? Especially if Mad Jack / Roger ap Gwilliam is still part of history.

I thought I'd have a bit of fun listing things out, combining as many sources as possible. Turns out he fits in shockingly well with what we know. There's a lot missing here or cut out, and for obvious reasons it's very UK / Europe focused, but nonetheless:

[ID: Scene from The Christmas Invasion showing Harriet Jones on BBC News. The news ticker reads "PM HEALTH SCARE", "Unfit for duty?", and references a "SECRET GOVERNMENT MOLE" and a quote: "BLOOD ON [HER HANDS]".]

2006-2021 (obviously the past now, but still noting for the resulting temporal and political butterfly effect) - In the original timeline, Harriet Jones remains Prime Minister for 3 consecutive terms, presumably 15 years assuming no snap election was called, referred to as a 'golden age' [World War Three]. The Tenth Doctor deliberately changes history to cause her deposal [The Christmas Invasion], leading to numerous disastrous terms in the meantime, including those of Harold Saxon [The Sound of Drums et al.], Brian Green (who tried to appease the 456) [Children of Earth], Boris Johnson (an auton host of the Nestene Consciousness) [Rose (novelisation)], and Jo Patterson (responsible for deploying cloned Dalek defence drones in the UK's streets) [Revolution of the Daleks].

[ID: Scene from Revolution of the Daleks. A 'defence drone' Dalek is used to support anti-riot police in a test, dispersing protestors with mock tear gas.]

2010s-2030s - The European Union gradually integrates further, eventually becoming the European Zone / Eurozone, a global superpower which competes with the USA through the 21st century. The UK eventually forms part of the bloc [Trading Futures].

It's likely that Harriet Jones's deposal led to this and related events being delayed or erased, with Brexit (driven by, among others, one of Jones's successors in the new timeline) reducing european unity. Most notably, Ramón Salamander's rise to power occurs now not in the 2010s [The Enemy of the World], but in the 2030s [Doctor Who and the Enemy of the World]. There are other events that are seemingly delayed by ~20 years by changes to the timeline, including future events like the dictatorship of Mariah Learman [The Time of the Daleks, Trading Futures], and yet also possibly past events like the death of Queen Elizabeth II [Battlefield, The Longest Night et al.], which may suggest something else (eg. the Time War) may be responsible.

~2030 - During a time of rising global tensions [73 Yards], Ramón Salamander convinces a group of scientists in an underground shelter endurance experiment that nuclear war has broken out on the surface. They are convinced to generate artificial "natural" disasters to fight back against the enemy. Between this and ongoing climate change, several global food sources collapse as a result, including Canada and Ukraine's corn and flour production [The Enemy of the World].

2031 - Tensions culminate in the "Great Russian War". Despite posturing, not a single nuclear weapon is fired, at least by NATO [73 Yards]. This may be later considered World War III [Trading Futures].

~2032-2035 - Following the war, tensions rise again, now between the Eurozone and the USA [Trading Futures], possibly in reaction to actions (or lack thereof?) taken by NATO during the war [73 Yards]. Both send separate peacekeeping forces to conflict in North Africa. Meanwhile, Italy is engaged in civil war [Trading Futures].

[ID: Scene from The Enemy of the World, showing Ramón Salamander.]

Over the decade, Ramón Salamander rises in power in the World Zone Authority, using his patented "Sun Store" satellite technology to aid the growth of crops by controlling sunlight over agricultural regions. In the background, he murders and blackmails officials to place loyalists into powerful positions, with the goal of ruling over the World Zone Authority as a dictator. Salamander's treachery is later discovered and he disappears [The Enemy of the World].

2037 - 2042 - Several militia declare wars of Independence from the USA. Notably, Phoenix, Arizona is destroyed in a terrorist attack. While the country largely persists after the conflicts, some territories seem to successfully secede - with, for example, a Montana Republic seemingly being in existence in 2054 [Alien Bodies].

2038 - The World Zones Accord is signed. This is later considered to have reduced the United Nations to a 'joke' compared with the World Zone Authority [Alien Bodies]. Given the extensive power it gives to the WZA, this was likely originally part of Salamander's plan, but due to his disappearance he is not around to reap the rewards [The Enemy of the World].

2039 - A group of Mexican astronauts studying minerals on the Moon go missing [Kill the Moon].

~2030s - 2040s - The Earth begins to experience major climate change effects, including "appalling storm conditions" which harm agriculture [The Waters of Mars]. The ice caps melt and flood much of the Earth [K9] with nations like the Netherlands ending up entirely flooded [St Anthony's Fire]. Some regions experience corrosive acid rain [Cat's Cradle: War Head, Strange Loops]. One summer sees Britain experience a 22 week drought. At this time, the Eurozone closes its borders to millions of North African and Baltic Sea refugees [Hothouse]. This time period may be known as the "Oil Apocalypse" [The Waters of Mars].

[ID: Scene from K9 Episode 13: Aeolian. Big Ben stands in the middle of a colossal storm of wind and rain.]

With Earth's ecosystems collapsing [Davros], humanity begin to realise it's facing extinction [The Waters of Mars]. An artificial cooling agent is spread in the atmosphere to semi-successfully combat the effects, but leads to dramatic side-effects, including freezing some areas of the globe. This is known as the "Great Cataclysm" [K9].

2041 - A three-human team, including Adelaide Brooke, lands on Mars for the first time [The Waters of Mars]. However, with this accomplishment, and increasing turbulence on Earth, Humanity gradually loses interest in space exploration [Kill the Moon].

Before 2045 - Around this time, the UK falls into a dictatorship ruled by the "Director", head of a military council that has allegedly (secretly?) controlled the government since 2028 [Britain Protests]. It is possible that this Director was previously the "Minister of War" for previous governments [Before the Flood].

2045 - The World Zones Authority evolves into a World Government, with Nikita Bandranaik being elected President. The UK is not part of the organisation [This is 2065].

2046-2050s - The Director is overthrown [Down with the Director] and the rest of the government "collapses in shame" [73 Yards]. Some of the revolutionaries celebrate now being "masters of [their] own country" [Down with the Director]. Despite the hopes of the World Government for international integration, this nationalistic streak continues.

[ID: Scene from 73 Yards. Roger ap Gwilliam, with an Albion Party ribbon on his chest declares victory on BBC News, live from Kennington High in London. Headline reads "LANDSLIDE VICTORY FOR ALBION PARTY: Majority of 92 predicted. Roger ap Gwilliam declared Prime Minister."]

Roger ap Gwilliam is elected Prime Minister, with the far-right nationalistic Albion Party gaining a majority of 92 MPs [73 Yards]. While his government does take the step to officially join the World Government senate [Down with the Director], he seeks greater independence from other nations. One of his first actions is to expand the UK's nuclear arsenal, purchasing missiles from Pakistan and withdrawing from NATO. In his term, the world is brought to the brink of nuclear war [73 Yards], likely in the pre-2050s "Euro Wars" [The Time of the Daleks].

In this time, the "Department", a (private?) multinational security organisation is born, based primarily in the UK. They gain broad powers, which they use to control populations with propaganda and use of "CCPC"s: robotic law enforcement notorious for their surveillance and brutality. Despite its recent revolution, the country is rendered practically a police state [K9].

[ID: Scene from K9 Episode 1: Regeneration. CCPCs, hulking police robots, march down a dark alley.]

2049 - The Moon starts to dramatically gain mass, causing massive tides on the Earth, flooding entire cities. In a last ditch at survival, humanity plans to try and destroy the Moon using an array of nuclear bombs. Despite the people of Earth being offered the vote on what to do by turning off their lights, it appears the decision is made on a national level, with lights going off grid-by-grid. Nonetheless, the Moon is allowed to hatch, leaving behind a new less massive egg "moon" with minimal further destruction [Kill the Moon].

[ID: Scene from Kill the Moon. The Moon hatches in the background, as the TARDIS stands by the sea.]

Humanity's interest in space exploration returns [Kill the Moon], starting a new space race. Among these projects, Australia begins constucting a space elevator, Spain a project called "SpaceLink", while Germany and Russia each begin a series of new Moon missions. The Philippines are rumoured to be planning their own landing on Mars [The Waters of Mars].

~2050 - The UK Government (ap Gwilliam's?) is couped once more, by General Mariah Learman. With the King's permission, elections are suspended for at least a couple years, with her ruling over a "benevolent dictatorship". She is later abducted and forcibly mutated by the Daleks [The Time of the Daleks]. Despite the previous description, her promotion of Shakespeare in schools is remembered as the only good thing about her rule [Trading Futures]. (Note: As mentioned prior, it's likely that Learman's rule may have been delayed as Salamander's was. This is suggested by the mention of her in Trading Futures, set seemingly ~2030s or earlier, despite The Time of the Daleks taking place around the 2050s.)

~2050s - The Gravitron is built on the new Moon. This is used to artificially control the tides and weather [The Moonbase]. It likely also is intended to study and monitor the new Moon for future changes [Kill the Moon].

[ID: Scene from The Moonbase, giving an external shot of the base.]

2058 - 2059 - Bowie Base One is established: humanity's first colony on another planet and an international collaboration between the UK, USA, Russia, Germany, Turkey, South Korea, Lithuania, Australia, and Pakistan. One year later, it is mysteriously destroyed in a deliberately triggered nuclear explosion. In the original timeline, there were no survivors. However, after the interference of the Time Lord Victorious, the true story is eventually told on Earth. Regardless "a veil of darkness" sweeps over the planet over the next few years. [The Waters of Mars], as international tensions heat up once more... [Total Eclipse of the Heart].

[ID: Scene from The Waters of Mars, showing an internet news website. Various articles appear focused on the Bowie Base One incident, including "SURVIVORS STORY - BROOKE SAVED EARTH", "THE MYTHICAL DOCTOR", "BROOKE'S HEROIC ACTIONS SAVE EARTH", and "HOW THE COUPLE ESCAPED MARS". The feature image shows the two survivors: Yuri Kerenski and Mia Bennett.]

2060s - The "Great War" breaks out on Earth, involving every country on Earth. This is likely World War IV. Details are vague, but it ultimately ends in a ceasefire, when it's realised the conflict is risking Earth's habitability [Total Eclipse of the Heart].

[covid-safer-hotties]

Reference saved in our archive

An interesting preprint showing that even if we are somehow wrong about masking against covid, protecting ourselves from pollutants and smoke improves our general immune health. Mask up. Stay safe out there.

Abstract Background: Wildfires are increasingly common with wildfire smoke affecting millions globally, yet its impact on immune responses is poorly understood. Natural Killer (NK) cells play a role in mediating air pollutant effects and regulating vaccine immunity. Objective: This real-world study, conducted on participants in the Pfizer BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine trial, studied the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on long-term vaccine effects. Methods: We collected blood samples from 52 healthy, non-smoking participants (ages 26-83) before and 1 month after placebo or vaccine injections during heavy wildfire smoke events in Sacramento. The study included 28 vaccinated (Group 1) and 24 placebo-injected (Group 2) individuals, the latter vaccinated several months later, outside wildfire season. Blood samples from both Group 1 and 2 were also investigated 6 months after the second dose of vaccine. We analyzed intracellular cytokines, B and NK cell markers by flow cytometry, and serum immunoglobulin levels against common coronaviruses using multiplex assays. Results: A robust S-RBD-specific IgG response observed 1 month post booster, declined variably 6 months later. Wildfire smoke acutely increased IL-13 expression by CD56bright NK cells. IL-13+CD56bright NK cells at the time of vaccination negatively correlated with anti-S-RBD IgG (r=-0.41, p<0.05) one month later. Total IgG levels on the other hand, positively correlated with the air quality index (AQI) measured during vaccination (r=0.96, p<0.01). Similarly to age (but not sex, BMI or race/ethnicity), the two-week AQI averages during vaccination showed a significant negative correlation with anti-S-RBD IgG levels 6 months later (r=-0.41, p<0.05). Conclusion: Wildfire smoke may lead to inappropriate immunoglobulin production and diminished vaccine immunity. Our novel findings highlight a previously unrecognized pathway involving NK-cell derived IL-13 and non-specific B-cell activation and underscore the significance of environmental exposures in shaping immunity.

[straynoahide]

the zenith of antisemitism: the Samson Option conspiracy and western foreign policy

as much as antisemitism is based in old tropes that took off with the diaspora in europe, esp during the middle ages, it is important to keep up with the new iterations of old conspiracies. not every piece of antisemitism is as consequential in scale - some things are local, others are regional; others are unprecedented and global.

lately and since oct 7th, antizionism is becoming the main productive engine of antisemitism because through western disinformation and propaganda, islamic-country apologists of terror and jihad can use the western progressive movements to dress up antisemitism in the rhetoric of anticolonialism, anti-liberalism, anti-imperialism.

then, these movements do the exact opposite of the values they purport, promoting islamofascism, arab imperialism and theocracy - economically and through international institutions (like UNRWA and the ICC) - these groups seek first and foremost to hurt israelis. as a side-effect, it also makes western jews and israelis more reactionary, from xenophobic trauma reactions and personal/demographic isolation. even the internet is becoming a place of 'online ghettos'.

the jewish democracy is held to a double standard that dehumanizes jews among any other group of people. every human group can have a national existence, but jews. every human group can have a religion or patriotism while being loyal to a republic, but jews. when it is the most vulnerable, the antisemites attacks grow more vicious. when jews and israelis are stronger, they play dumb and harmless.

antisemitism surges when jewish populations are in peril or literally hostage to a sworn enemy. when "ceasefire" becomes, 'keep the hostages', full-out war becomes the only existential choice, but at the same time war is demonized as aggression.

an old enemy rises too. in america, the country with the largest christian population, the christian right with white nationalist and christofascist groups (both protestant and catholic) are more than willing to take advantage of this moment of confusion and plausible deniability, with the left having normalized 'anti-zionist' slurs.

they are now doing so by accusing israel of plotting to nuke not iran or palestine, but the west, in line with canards of jewish power in government and 'double loyalties'. phrases like "israel first" are used to describe the establishment by right-wing groups that are no longer that fringe.

The Sampson Option refers to a strategy attributed to Israel, where, in the event of an existential threat or imminent destruction, Israel would retaliate with its nuclear arsenal, causing catastrophic damage not only to its enemies but potentially risking global repercussions. The term is derived from the biblical story of Samson, who, in his final act, brought down the pillars of a Philistine temple, killing himself and his enemies.

why? why does anyone say an enemy is going to destroy them first?

well, to justify obliteration. not of israel but of "zionists", of course. obviously so that (left-leaning) western governments can become persuaded to cripple israel first, and to cripple it hard (economically, militarily, technologically), and to tolerate first deplatforming 'zionist support' and ultimately, down the line, marginalizing the jewish identity in politics.

i.e. it is not the world/"us" (americans, westerners, the international institutions) that conspire against jews - it is jews that conspire against the entire world - this is the ultimate form of the antisemitic canard in the nuclear era, before the shadow of wwiii

genocide of jews becomes "self-defense". this is the zenith of antisemitism in human history. something that has no precedent, the ultimate form of holocaust reversal conspiracy aimed to have the international community not just exclude but fight israel and, ultimately, neutralize jewish agency altogether.

[iamthekaijuking]

Gigabash character overview: Gigaman

You probably saw this one coming since I’ve repeatedly emphasized the importance of Ultraman for inspiration when Passion Republic Games was making Gigabash, it only made sense they’d make their own Ultraman! With all the fun cheesiness that comes with it.

Gigaman is the combo heavy speedster of the roster, with quick flurries of punches and great combo potential. He also has a few aerial moves as well, making his anti-air game really good. Gigaman also has a block breaking punch that can stun opponents as well. His single ranged attack can bounce off of buildings, and ricochet several times. It helps that he deals reduced damage to buildings as well (destruction of public property isn’t a good image for a hero after all), meaning those buildings stay around longer, so use them while they’re still around!.

Something fun about his ultimate is that if you don’t hit any buildings when you use it you can hear a crowd of people cheering you on, so don’t hit public property if you want to keep your fans happy!

Design

In some ways there isn’t much to talk about. I mean Gigaman is an Ultraman expy. He does have a few specific references though.

One of his skins is named Multi-Type, a reference to Ultraman Tiga, and another skin is yet another reference to Ultraman Belial.

Gigaman also has a dad bod, and this is because he actually was retired for 8 years but suddenly came back in modern day, so he’s let himself go a bit and age is catching up to him. But I think he’s still got it. One of his skins depicts him in his prime.

Here’s some concept art. I think my favorite is the shirtless one with G plastered on his face, it’s so stupid looking.

Lore

Gigaman is very secretive over who he is so let’s cover what we do know before getting to the implied stuff.

Around the 80’s a teenage Gigaman would make his first appearance in the San'ya district of Tokyo to defend it from a kaiju. And for around 30 years, up until 2012, he would defend Japan against monsters. This also meant that Japan didn’t need to rely on the Global Titan Defense Initiative.

Gigaman made sure that people were safe… and that he entertained them while he was at it. Every single time he appeared he brought something new to the table; a new technique, catchphrase, or move. Every time he showed up it was exciting. While he definitely liked the attention, he primarily did it all to spread hope to people. Showing that underneath all his showmanship, Gigaman is truly a humble dude.

Of course, when the person defending your country from monsters is a 132 foot superhero who likes posing for the camera, it’s understandable that there might be fanaticism. Indeed, there was a time when Japan was overflowing with “Gigamania” and a movie called “Rise of Gigaman” was even in production during this period.

Eventually though Gigaman would retire in 2012. He was getting around middle age at that point, and he couldn’t keep fighting kaiju forever. But this didn’t last long, and in 2021 he would come out of retirement to help the world deal with the new rise in kaiju activity.

Few other things to note are that Gigaman’s power is tied to the Giga Core and he personally knows Dr. Otama Kazuo, and even knows the inner workings of Thundatross, meaning he was present for its development.

So… is Gigaman a human who can transform into a kaiju, or a humanoid kaiju who can speak and understand technology and culture? There is some implication that it might be the former. His lore files follow a reporter trying to uncover his identity and his findings led him to the San'ya district and eventually Kamikuzu Orphanage, which was packed with orphans at the start of the first kaiju crisis in the 70’s. Sadly only a few were ever actually selected to receive formal education. There was one kid named “Sho” though, who was a big Gigaman fan and skipped class whenever he appeared. It’s possible that Gigaman is this “Sho” but there’s no confirmation. Sho would probably be in his 50s by now, and presumably so is Gigaman. Also I’m wondering, did Dr. Otama grow up in the same orphanage?

Sadly there wasn’t much to talk about this time, but I think we can all appreciate Japan’s masked hero. He’s certainly the first to come to my mind when people say “Ultraman expy”!

[dhaaruni]

Progressives’ appointment success took on particular importance because Biden took a hands-off approach to economic policy. It was “very, very rare,” a former administration official told me, for a decision memo outlining different courses of action supported by different economic aides to be sent to the president. Biden would offer his feedback on policy plans during briefings; but staff would typically send “joint recommendation memos” that he’d then sign. In practice, that gave staff great freedom to shape policy, so long as they could agree with each other. [...] Yet in the public mind, the new economic agenda was largely overshadowed by a problem the reformers had not anticipated: the highest inflation in four decades. It was the neoliberals who had warned about this, while the progressives were caught flat-footed, as was the Biden administration. “People don’t like inflation and we got a lot of it,” economist Adam Ozimek told me. This was a global phenomenon and not primarily caused by Biden’s policies, but the administration was slow to adjust and made it somewhat worse. “The stimulus was way too large, it came out all at once, and they proceeded to follow it with a variety of spending packages,” Ozimek said. He added that the economy is now in a good place after hefty interest rate hikes, but that we took a “chaotic path” getting there. In the end, Biden’s economic policy ended up historically unpopular. That’s left a chasm between progressives who tout Biden’s presidency as one of the most productive and consequential in recent history, and a public deeply unsatisfied with his record. Perhaps the anti-Biden sentiment was more about his age, foreign crises, and inflation that mostly wasn’t his fault — but it’s hard to blame it on neoliberalism.

[solarpunkbusiness]

Kaffe Bueno and the Upcycled Beauty Company are at the forefront of a growing movement that promises to beautify personal care with circular business models committed to utilizing raw materials to their highest potential.

Denmark-based Kaffe Bueno is focused on turning waste from one particular commodity into high-quality beauty materials: Coffee.

In 2019, Kaffe Bueno launched KAFFOIL — the world’s first upcycled, coffee-based ingredient for the personal-care market — which some in the industry have dubbed “the new argan oil.” Since then, the company has attracted major capital infusions from the Danish Innovation Fund, Paulig Group and global biorefinery leader Borregaard to scale operations.

The brand’s two primary ingredients, KAFFOIL and KAFFIBRE — a natural exfoliant developed to replace plastic microbeads — can now be found in the products of over 20 brands worldwide. KAFFOIL alone was used in Nivea’s Naturally Good face cream; in Sinatur Hotels’ RENLI, an in-house toiletry and skincare label made from the hotel’s spent coffee grounds; and Givaudan’s anti-aging oil, Koffee'Up.

[coffee-kitchen]

Is Coffee Healthy? Discover the Science-Backed Health Benefits of Coffee:

Coffee is a beloved beverage for millions around the world, but beyond its rich flavor and energizing effects, you might wonder: Is coffee actually healthy? The answer is a resounding yes. Numerous scientific studies have revealed that coffee offers a wide range of health benefits, making it more than just a tasty morning ritual. Let’s dive into the science-backed health benefits of coffee and discover why this popular drink is good for you.

Rich Source of Antioxidants Fighting Free Radicals: Coffee is packed with antioxidants, which play a crucial role in protecting your body from oxidative stress and free radical damage. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful molecules that can contribute to chronic diseases and aging. In fact, for many people, coffee is the largest source of antioxidants in their diet, surpassing even fruits and vegetables.

Enhances Brain Function Mental Sharpness: Caffeine, the primary active ingredient in coffee, is a well-known stimulant that can improve various aspects of brain function. It works by blocking adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness. As a result, caffeine enhances cognitive functions such as memory, mood, vigilance, and reaction times, helping you stay sharp and focused.

Boosts Physical Performance Exercise Efficiency: Coffee is often consumed by athletes and fitness enthusiasts before workouts, and for good reason. Caffeine increases adrenaline levels in the bloodstream, preparing your body for physical exertion. It also mobilizes fatty acids from fat tissues, making them available for energy. This leads to improved physical performance, endurance, and strength, making coffee an effective pre-workout drink.

Supports Heart Health Cardiovascular Protection: Moderate coffee consumption has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. The antioxidants in coffee help reduce inflammation and protect the cardiovascular system. Additionally, regular coffee drinkers have been found to have a reduced risk of heart failure and other heart-related conditions, making coffee a heart-healthy choice when consumed in moderation.

Reduces the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Blood Sugar Control: Type 2 diabetes is a major health concern globally, but coffee may help reduce the risk. Research indicates that coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, thanks to the bioactive compounds in coffee that improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. This protective effect is observed with both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.

Protects Against Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Health Preservation: Coffee consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The caffeine and antioxidants in coffee help protect brain cells from damage and support the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine, which are crucial for maintaining brain health. Regular coffee consumption may lower the risk of developing these conditions by up to 65%.

Lowers the Risk of Certain Cancers Cancer Prevention: Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of several types of cancer, including liver and colorectal cancer. The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties of coffee help protect cells from DNA damage, which can lead to cancer. Studies suggest that regular coffee drinkers may reduce their risk of liver cancer by up to 40% and colorectal cancer by 15%, highlighting coffee’s role in cancer prevention.

Promotes Longevity Living Longer: Given coffee’s protective effects against various chronic diseases, it’s no surprise that it’s also associated with increased longevity. Several studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death from all causes, particularly from heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. By incorporating coffee into your daily routine, you may be supporting a longer, healthier life.

Improves Mental Health Mood Booster: Coffee isn’t just good for your body; it’s also beneficial for your mind. Regular coffee consumption has been linked to a lower risk of depression and may even reduce the risk of suicide. The caffeine in coffee can boost the production of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, helping to improve your mood and overall mental well-being.

Aids in Weight Management Metabolic Boost: Coffee can help with weight management by boosting your metabolism and increasing fat burning. Caffeine stimulates thermogenesis, the process by which your body generates heat and burns calories. This effect, combined with coffee’s ability to suppress appetite, makes it a useful tool for those looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy body weight. Conclusion So, is coffee healthy? The answer, supported by a wealth of scientific research, is a definite yes. Coffee offers a wide range of health benefits, from protecting your heart and brain to boosting your physical performance and mental well-being. While it’s important to consume coffee in moderation to avoid potential side effects like jitteriness or sleep disturbances, incorporating a daily cup or two into your routine can be a simple and enjoyable way to enhance your overall health.

[lakinza07]

Lakinza: Your Guide to an Effective Korean Skincare Routine

In the realm of skincare, the Korean Skincare Routine has garnered global acclaim for its effectiveness and thorough approach. Lakinza, a leading name in skincare, offers a comprehensive guide to mastering the Korean Skincare Routine, ensuring you achieve flawless, radiant skin. Whether you’re new to this routine or looking to refine your existing regimen, Lakinza provides the tools and knowledge needed for an optimal skincare experience.

The Fundamentals of the Korean Skincare Routine

The Korean Skincare Routine is celebrated for its multi-step approach, which prioritizes hydration, protection, and targeted treatment. Lakinza’s guide to the Korean Skincare Routine emphasizes the importance of each step in achieving and maintaining healthy skin. This routine involves a series of steps designed to cleanse, exfoliate, tone, and nourish, ensuring that your skin remains balanced and glowing.

Step-by-Step Process of the Lakinza Korean Skincare Routine

Lakinza’s Korean Skincare Routine involves several crucial steps:

Double Cleansing: Begin with Lakinza’s oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and impurities, followed by a water-based cleanser to thoroughly cleanse your skin. This step is essential in the Korean Skincare Routine to ensure that your skin is completely clean and prepped for further treatment.

Exfoliation: Exfoliation is a key component of the Korean Skincare Routine, and Lakinza provides gentle exfoliators that help to slough off dead skin cells. This step enhances the effectiveness of subsequent products and promotes a smoother, more radiant complexion.

Toning: Lakinza’s hydrating toners are formulated to balance your skin’s pH and provide an additional layer of hydration. Toning is a vital part of the Korean Skincare Routine, as it prepares your skin to better absorb the products that follow.

Essences and Serums: In the Korean Skincare Routine, essences and serums are used to deliver concentrated active ingredients directly to your skin. Lakinza offers a range of essences and serums designed to address specific concerns, such as brightening, anti-aging, and deep hydration.

Moisturizing: To lock in moisture and keep your skin hydrated throughout the day, Lakinza’s moisturizers are an integral part of the Korean Skincare Routine. Proper moisturizing helps maintain skin elasticity and radiance.

Sun Protection: The final step in the Korean Skincare Routine is sun protection. Lakinza’s sunscreens provide essential protection from harmful UV rays, safeguarding your skin from premature aging and sun damage.

Why Choose Lakinza’s Korean Skincare Routine?

Lakinza’s Korean Skincare Routine stands out due to its commitment to quality and innovation. Each product is meticulously formulated to deliver maximum benefits, ensuring that your skincare routine is both effective and enjoyable. By following Lakinza’s guide, you can achieve a radiant complexion and maintain long-term skin health.

Conclusion

Embrace the transformative power of the Korean Skincare Routine with Lakinza as your guide. By incorporating Lakinza’s expertly crafted products into your daily regimen, you can elevate your skincare routine to new heights, achieving the glowing, healthy skin you’ve always desired. Discover the perfect Korean Skincare Routine with Lakinza and enjoy the benefits of radiant, well-nourished skin.

[solarpunkpresentspodcast]

Links Roundup

The interwebs had so many interesting things to read this week! Here’s a links roundup of a few. 

Hurricanes Becoming So Strong That New Category Needed, Study Says

Where else would we start but at The Guardian, with an article about how much bigger and more intense the biggest, most intense hurricanes (and other cyclones) are becoming. You might call it doom and gloom, but the climate–adjacent scientist in me finds some weird satisfaction in seeing that, yes, retaining extra energy within the climate system because we’ve overinsulated it by adding extra greenhouse gas to the atmosphere is having spectacular effects. Honestly, we need to get our act together about reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to net zero ASAP (40 years ago would have been better). 

Should More British Homes Be Built Using Straw?

The BBC website had an interesting article about adding straw–packed panels to the exteriors of buildings (generally as they’re being newly constructed, given the size constraints) to improve their insulation. The straw is packed so tight that it’s fire resistant but not so tight that it doesn’t trap air inside the stuffing, thus serving effectively as insulation, vastly reducing how much you need to heat or cool a building. At the moment, here in Germany, they use thick slabs of Styrofoam, which release horrendously toxic fumes if the building catches on fire. Straw sounds like an interesting, non–toxic, sustainable alternative, especially if you consider how much waste straw is generated every time crops like wheat, rye, and even oilseed rape (Canola) are harvested. The main catch is that production of the panels would need to be scaled up quickly enough to matter in our fight against further climate change by reducing the amount of energy needed to keep buildings at a comfortable temperature. 

A US Engineer Had a Shocking Plan to Improve the Climate – Burn All Coal on Earth

This article, also on the BBC website, is about the opposite of trying to save energy, and it’s a quick history of our attitude toward anthropogenic global warming. Turns out, the sort of people who don’t want to admit it’s real today were the sort of people who used to think it would be great to burn all the fossil fuels to take the edge of the chillier aspects of climate. Bonkers. These were probably also the people who liked to think that adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere would totally boost plant growth, and therefore crop yields, on a major scale. Also bonkers. 

Can Slowing Down Save the Planet?

The New Yorker published an interesting review of the book Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto, in which the Marxist philosopher Kohei Saito lays out the case for “degrowth communism”. He argues that green capitalism won’t be enough to save the planet—and us. It just looks good from a certain vantage point right now because it pushes the environmental and social costs of resource extraction and good production into the Global South. This allows consumers in the Global North to remain blissfully ignorant of the damage they’re (we’re) doing with their (our) unsustainable lifestyles and obsession with continuous economic growth. 

How Craftivism Is Powering 'Gentle Protest' for Climate

Back to the BBC for a fun article about “craftivism”. I’d never thought about this before, but it’s actually a thing that has touched almost all of our lives, even if we’re all thumbs with a terrible sense of aesthetics. Who hasn’t walked past a street pole or statue encased in guerilla knitwear? Even I knitted a pussyhat to wear to an anti–Trump demo on inauguration day (although I didn’t knit a pink one because I would rather die than wear pink, except utterly ironically). And—although perhaps I’m revealing my age here—who hasn’t seen at least a few squares of an AIDS quilt? On the whole, I think it’s good that people put their crafting skills to good political use. Otherwise—and this may be an unpopular opinion—our need to continually craft is just an extension of our unsustainable overproduction and overconsumption of goods. Everyone I know who knits (including myself) has already made more sweaters, hats, scarves, socks, and baby blankets than they can wear out in a lifetime and yet we keep on knitting. 

A Big Idea for Small Farms: How to Link Agriculture, Nutrition and Public Health

NPR had a great article that fits with our current podcast episode on regenerative farming with Solarpunk Farms. A literally existential crisis that we’re currently failing to tackle is that of how we grow food. The whole agricultural system is messed up from top to bottom. Food’s too cheap (and many people aren’t paid enough to be able to pay the real price of food, which is a whole other enormous issue). Because of this, farmers are pissed off and dependent upon subsidies from the governments they’d increasingly like to overthrow. Meanwhile, they’re frantically farming so intensively to try to bring in enough income that they’re destroying what’s left of our natural world. Their farming practices are degrading soils and polluting our air and waterways with fertilizers and petrochemical pesticides, destroying adjacent ecosystems and driving numerous species of plants and animals (including insects and other key invertebrates) to extinction. Related to this, we’re eating too much of the wrong stuff (meat, highly processed foods) and not enough of the rights stuff (fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables). Enter the solution: nutrition incentive programs that make it possible for people with lower incomes to obtain fruits and vegetables from smaller, regenerative farms. It’s a win for public health, a win for fruit and vegetable farming, which isn’t subsidized the way corn, soy, and wheat farming is, and it’s a win for the small percentage of food producers fighting not to be swallowed up by the Big Food companies who’ve all but monopolized the production of the food we eat. 

Tractor Chaos, Neo-Nazis and a Flatlining Economy: Why Has Germany Lost the Plot?  

Having started at The Guardian, we’ll bring things full circle and end there with a look at the situation here in Germany. Lots of us are increasingly concerned about the rise of the far right and... perhaps still flying under a lot of people’s radar... that angry farmers are going to end up ushering in the Fourth Reich. The op–ed says it all, while trying to maintain a sense of humor about it. As with so much else in the news these days, it makes you want to scream that we have more important things to be doing right now—that matter for the survival of billions of people—than withdraw into the hermit crab shell of authoritarianism. Their easy answers and general denial of the problems that need solving will only make life even more miserable for most people and allow all our existential problems, like widening wealth inequality, environmental devastation, and increasingly catastrophic climate change, to escalate even further before we begin dealing with them. 

Sci_Burst

To end on a happier note, here’s a shout out about Sci_Burst, a fun podcast from Australia about “science, popular culture, and entertainment”. They even have an episode on solarpunk. If you’re all caught up with us (including with all the extras on our YouTube channel), our feelings won’t be hurt if you give them a listen. 😊

[risnabeaute]

༘˚⋆𐙚｡⋆𖦹.✧˚"Beauty Product Manufacturers and Eco-Friendly Cosmetics”༘˚⋆𐙚｡⋆𖦹.✧˚

Hi beautes! 👋🏻 🎀. I want to share one of my opinions and research from what I found that Beauty Product Manufacturers and Eco-Friendly Cosmetics” are really important. Skin irritation and allergic responses are less common with natural and oleochemical substances. Sustainable products are made from naturally occurring substances that humans have been utilizing for centuries: plants and animals. These ingredients have therapeutic qualities and are free of synthetic, poisonous chemicals and artificial colors. Take glycerine, an organic byproduct of palm oil. Cosmetics, medications, and soaps all employ the clear, non-toxic liquid. Glycerine retains moisture well since it is a humectant, which makes it a great moisturizer. By enhancing the body's hygroscopic properties, glycerine helps the skin to absorb and retain water. It can be put anywhere on the body because it doesn't cause irritation. It works well as an anti-aging component.

Because The average Asian or American is thought to use 100 kilos of plastic every year, with over half of the plastic generated going toward single-use disposable products. Typical suppliers of environmentally friendly cosmetics include: Natural oils, including avocado, coconut, and olive oils. Plants used in agriculture, such soybeans and corn. Environmentally friendly formulas are the foundation of eco-friendly cosmetics, which are then produced and packaged using eco-friendly procedures. Ingredients that are made from natural substances are used in the creation of these "green," sustainable cosmetics. Eco-friendly beauty products can be an excellent choice for people with sensitive skin since, in addition to being good for the environment, they are typically made of natural and organic ingredients.

Additionally, harsh chemicals are likely to be absent from eco-friendly cosmetics, which lowers your chance of skin damage and flare-ups. Harsh chemicals are also probably not included in eco-friendly cosmetics, which lowers our chance of skin damage and flare-ups. Consumers nowadays are more concerned with social and environmental responsibilities and have a developing global consciousness. The softer environmental impact of sustainable products is one of their key advantages. There are new reports every week about massive garbage floating in the water or risky carbon outputs. Conventional cosmetics include several dangerous substances called petrochemicals that harm both our bodies and the environment. Customers seek organic, low-polluting items as we grow more conscious of the environment. How are we gonna make the world change? so here’s the tip that you should know:

1. Recognizing Ecological Natural beauty

The following are a few of the most well-known, eco-friendly, sustainable cosmetic brands and their offerings: Native:

-Native uses natural, organic components to make its deodorants. Native's brand is based on "easy-to-understand, nontoxic ingredients." Herbs like castor bean oil, coconut oil, and shea butter are generated from oleochemicals.

-Burt's Bees: From modest beeswax candles to a massive empire of lip products, Burt's Bees has emerged as a global pioneer in sustainability. The company uses natural and organic components in its cosmetics and personal care products, and it follows a "no-waste" manufacturing philosophy. They use beeswax, herbs, and botanical oils to create their well-known goods.

- Blissoma: Specializing in skincare, Blissoma provides a vast selection of green skincare products divided by skin type and need. Their preservative-free cosmetics use natural components such as fruit enzymes, Vitamin C, organic herbs, and cereals.

The job Manufacturers of cosmetics have a rare chance to emphasize corporate responsibility by focusing on green cosmetics. Going above and beyond with sustainable sourcing or packaging can have a big influence, in addition to the good effects green marketing can have on a company's image. A business assumes responsibility for its effects on economies and world health when it ramps up its sustainability initiatives. A company can earn authority and respect from suppliers, customers, and other distribution chain participants by assuming corporate responsibility for its manufacturing.

2. The Effect of Modern Beauty Products on the Environment

The Intensity of Resources and Waste Production: - Sourcing of Ingredients: Resource-intensive procedures are a major part of the manufacturing of traditional cosmetics. One such component that contributes to habitat loss and deforestation is palm oil, which is widely used in cosmetics.Packaging Waste: Take into consideration the chic plastic cases that hold your go-to lipstick or moisturizer. A major contributing factor to the worldwide plastic pollution problem is that these containers frequently wind up in landfills or the ocean.

Toxic ingredients included in many traditional cosmetic products, including parabens, phthalates, and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, contribute to chemical pollution and water contamination. In addition to endangering human health, these pollutants contaminate rivers. Ecosystems that are aquatic are impacted by the chemicals we rinse out of our hair or wash off our makeup, which ends up in rivers and oceans. - Tiny plastics: Small plastic particles called microplastics are present in toothpaste, exfoliating scrubs, and some shampoos. These particles are non-biodegradable. Microplastics can harm marine life and possibly make their way into our food chain when they amass in water bodies. Part 3: Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change - Distribution and Transportation: Cosmetics are produced all over the world and distributed extensively. Storage of some goods (such serums) in a refrigerator also adds to the energy usage.

For example: Parabens. - Toxic Substance: Preservatives including methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben are frequently found in skincare and makeup products. On the other hand, they may increase the risk of breast cancer and cause hormone imbalance. - Alternative: Look for natural preservatives like vitamin E, rosemary oil, or grapefruit seed extract, or choose items that are labeled "paraben-free".

3. Producing Your Own Eco-Friendly Items

Do-it-yourself Beauty Recipes: - For a calming and purifying effect, mix oatmeal, honey, and chamomile tea to make a mild face cleanser. For a luscious and nourishing treat, combine shea and cocoa butter with your preferred essential oils to create a moisturizing body butter. Shake some lemon or orange peels into some apple cider vinegar to create a revitalizing and pleasant citrus hair rinse. Sustainable Packaging Options: To cut down on plastic waste, put your homemade beauty products in reusable glass jars or metal tins. Take into consideration giving empty containers from completed commercial cosmetic items a new lease on life.

Be healthy always, love 🎀🪞🩰🦢🕯️

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Eliza Mondegreen

Published: Mar 7, 2024

How does a professional organisation respond when a scandal breaks? Some issue smooth denials, leaving not so much as a seam for critics to pick at. Some finger bad apples. Others dare to admit faults and strive for transparency. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) took a rather different tack, issuing a bizarre statement this week in response to the publication of files exposing malpractice at the organisation.

WPATH President Dr Marci Bowers begins by marking the territory (“We are the professionals who best know…”) and appealing to authority (“widely endorsed by major medical organizations around the world”), before moving on to distort the conflict (the WPATH files are not, in fact, a bid to “de-legitimize” anyone’s identity). The stray comment about the shape of the world attempts to paint critics as anti-science, the equivalent of flat-earthers.

Bowers then asserts that “gender, like genitalia, is represented by diversity”, which sounds like the sort of meaningless twaddle Google Gemini cooks up. Bowers wraps up by twisting the stakes (patients “deserv[e] healthcare”) and minimising the scope of the organisation’s work (“small percentage of the population… [that] will never be a threat to the global gender binary”), a plea in effect: leave us alone!

The statement is nonsensical because the brief was impossible. WPATH needed to speak simultaneously to two entirely different audiences — the world outside and the organisation’s own membership — who needed to hear entirely different things.

For decades, the field of gender medicine has insulated itself from scrutiny and criticism. The public and policymakers were never supposed to get a glimpse into the inner workings of the field. They were supposed to defer to the “experts” and not look too closely at what they were being asked to support.

The WPATH files look much too closely, shining a spotlight on risks and uncertainties and harms so specific that they will be difficult to forget: patients with tumours, patients whose ages and developmental delays and serious psychiatric conditions mean they could never meaningfully consent to the interventions they underwent, patients who regret being sterilised because they now want children. These files provide fuel for policymakers seeking to regulate youth gender transition and patients trying to sue. The fallout is just beginning.

WPATH’s members, on the other hand, need to see this brutal exposé as a devious plot against a noble cause. WPATH has been preparing its membership for just such a faith challenge for years, instilling an embattled mentality. For years, the organisation’s conferences and events have promoted the narrative that gender clinicians are a misunderstood and persecuted vanguard within medicine who will be vindicated in the future but must suffer heinous accusations in the here and now.

Over the years I’ve spent researching gender medicine, I’ve come to see the field’s obvious harms as a product of enculturation. Becoming a good gender clinician means overcoming one’s reservations and doubts about the interventions provided in service of the cause.

Unlike medical practice in other areas — such as diabetes management or cancer treatment — the field of gender medicine has no objective markers of illness to go by, only the patient’s testimony that her body as it is is unbearable and must be changed. At WPATH’s 2022 conference in Montreal, I heard the same story over and over again: clinicians standing up and telling their fellow believers how they overcame their doubts. A plastic surgeon felt uncomfortable the first time a patient asked him to perform a “nullification” surgery, which removes all external genitalia. In a twisted recapitulation of the hero’s journey, the surgeon then worked through his reservations and now performs these extreme surgeries on a regular basis and encourages his fellow surgeons to follow his example.

The doubts gender clinicians recall are eminently reasonable: they wondered if pre-teens could really consent to sign away their future fertility. They worried about their patients’ troubled pasts and what role experiences of abuse and trauma played. They wondered if some of their patients would accept their bodies if given the time or change their minds months or years down the road. Then they “did the work” and came to see affirming a patient’s current gender identity as a moral imperative.

When I hear stories like these, I see clinicians who — at first contact with the field of gender medicine — knew better. Whether gender clinicians can return to the basics of their medical training and reconnect with their moral intuitions remains to be seen. But the damage they’ve done in the meantime is on full display.

[mariacallous]

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan—As the Taliban consolidate Afghanistan’s status as a nexus for much of what is bad in the world right now, from crimes against humanity to the wholesale export of drugs, guns, and terrorism, a bloodthirsty old warlord popped up at a recent meeting of the putative opposition to declare war as the only hope of getting their country back.

There are two paths to Afghanistan’s freedom, Ismail Khan, aged in his mid-70s, told the gathering in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan: jaw-jaw or war-war. Negotiating with the Taliban has never worked, he said. Which leaves war as the only option.

Dushanbe just hosted the second road edition of the Herat Security Dialogue, which until the fall of Afghanistan’s old government used to be held in its namesake city. The gathering was meant to be a chance, more than two years after the Taliban re-took control of Afghanistan, for various opposition groups to come up with a plan to fix the country’s troubling trajectory. 

Instead, it produced infighting, factionalism, and worrisome ideas for what might come next. It’s a sad indictment of the dearth of ideas among anti-Taliban opposition figures, who seem incapable of transcending personality cults and personal ambitions to put the future of their blighted country first. At regular meetings, often funded by think tanks and democracy organizations, they put their rivalries on display, while consistently failing to make room for generational change or take responsibility for their role in the collapse of the corrupt and inept republic. Rahmatullah Nabil, a former head of Afghanistan’s security services during the republic, bemoaned the “three lacks”—lack of clarity, vision, and consensus—among the opposition, and the world at large, that have allowed the Taliban to entrench their power.

Evidence of the Taliban’s brutality toward the Afghan population and their threat to global security has been piling up in these two years. Multiple U.N. agencies have reported on the Taliban’s persistent abuses of human rights, production and export of heroin and methamphetamine, and support for terror and jihad groups across the region and even as far afield as Europe; the Hungarian government says the Taliban are involved in people smuggling to raise money for terror. In a neighborhood bristling with nukes, Nabil suggested the Taliban could try to acquire their own, if not for use then for profit. 

The lack of international attention on Afghanistan’s renewed terror threat is laying the groundwork for what Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Berlin- and New York-based Counter Extremism Project, called a “back to the future” repeat of the atrocities committed by al Qaeda, with Taliban collusion, in the United States in September 2001.

Some of the countries that supported the Taliban’s return to deal a blow to the United States are learning that to their peril. Pakistan, which supported the Taliban to thwart India’s ambitions for regional leadership, has suffered from multiple terror attacks by Kabul’s affiliate, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, meant to wreck the Pakistani state. 

Tajikistan, always wary while pragmatic, also understands the Taliban threat, having thwarted several attacks just this year, seizing weapons, ammunition, religious material, and cash. The Taliban deploy suicide bombers and an affiliated anti-Tajikistan extremist group, Jamaat Ansarullah, to their shared border regions.

But with the Taliban entrenched, and international organizations hamstrung, what are the options? Speaking to Foreign Policy, Schindler said the United Nations faces a bind: On the one hand, it’s in “a virtual hostage situation,” depending on the Taliban for the security of its employees in Afghanistan, while facilitating the delivery of tens of millions of dollars in cash purportedly to alleviate the humanitarian crisis, “but for which it has real challenges to account for after the Taliban have taken possession.” A new U.N. “self-assessment” offers nothing fresh for a post-Taliban future.

Few answers were forthcoming in Dushanbe. Khan, wearing his trademark white salwar kameez and a black-and-white scarf on his head, basked in rock-star status and posed for selfies in the lobby of the five-star hotel hosting the conference. Khan was seized by the Taliban while leading a ragtag militia in Herat and now lives in Iran. Asked if Iran had allowed him to attend this year’s summit to signal to the Taliban a growing impatience with their intransigence, Khan demurred. 

Selfie-hunters aside, many at the conference were dismayed by Khan’s presence, seeing him as the embodiment of the failed old guard. 

“If he comes back, I see that as no different to the current situation,” said one delegate who wouldn’t allow his name to be used. “He killed a lot of people, then for 20 years he was watched closely. The Americans kept him under surveillance, with drones; they controlled his impulses. Without that, he will be the same as before. And that’s not good for Afghanistan.”

Khan was ostensibly representing the High Council of National Resistance, a coalition of warlords like Abdul Rashid Dostum; a former vice president, Atta Mohammed Noor; and other regional and ethnic figures who fled the Taliban’s blitzkrieg and who’d like nothing better than to reclaim their money, property, and prestige. 

But Khan’s presence ensured that Ahmad Massoud, the once-popular leader of the National Resistance Front (NRF), was a no-show, even though he lives in Dushanbe. His aides said he was busy; he granted audiences for a select few. Many young Afghans who had hopes in him as a future president now see little more than a cult of personality to mirror that of his father, the former Northern Alliance leader Ahmad Shah Massoud.

Following America’s lead, most Western governments will not support armed resistance against the Taliban. Reluctance to return to war in Afghanistan is understandable, Schindler said, but “you could reach out to opposition groups and make sure that when they convene everyone turns up who should be inside the tent to facilitate the emergence of an alternative vision for Afghanistan beyond the Taliban regime.” 

As it is, he said, “it’s always this faction, that faction. Some don’t turn up because their rivals do turn up. How is this of any use? We have seen this before, for more than 20 years. Now no one has any excuse.” 

Undaunted, the opposition talking shop is on the road again this week, for a third get-together in Vienna. NRF spokesperson Ali Maisam Nazary, fresh from Dushanbe, said they still plan to finalize there or elsewhere a strategy for a post-Taliban future.