#Hazardous pesticides

[worldfisheriesday]

FAO and UNEP are working together to reduce plastic pollution, promote sustainable uses of Oceans resources and combat the uses of hardly hazardous pesticides.

WORKING FOR #ZEROHUNGER.

[girderednerve]

i have once more Read a Book !

the book was jim morris' cancer factory: industrial chemicals, corporate deception, & the hidden deaths of american workers. this book! is very good! it is primarily about the bladder cancer outbreak associated with the goodyear plant in niagara falls, new york, & which was caused by a chemical called orthotoluedine. goodyear itself is shielded by new york's workers' comp law from any real liability for these exposures & occupational illnesses; instead, a lot of the information that morris relies on comes from suits against dupont, which manufactured the orthotoluedine that goodyear used, & despite clear internal awareness of its carcinogenicity, did not inform its clients, who then failed to protect their workers. fuck dupont! morris also points out that goodyear manufactured polyvinyl chloride (PVC) at that plant, and, along with other PVC manufacturers, colluded to hide the cancer-causing effects of vinyl chloride, a primary ingredient in PVC & the chemical spilled in east palestine, ohio in 2023. the book also discusses other chemical threats to american workers, including, and this was exciting for me personally, silica; it mentions the hawks nest tunnel disaster (widely forgotten now despite being influential in the 30s, and, by some measures, the deadliest industrial disaster in US history) & spends some time on the outbreak of severe silicosis among southern california countertop fabricators, associated with high-silica 'engineered stone' or 'quartz' countertops. i shrieked about that, the coverage is really good although the treatment of hawks nest was very brief & neglected the racial dynamic at play (the workers exposed to silica at hawks nest were primarily migrant black workers from the deep south).

cancer factory spends a lot of time on the regulatory apparatus in place to respond to chemical threats in the workplace, & thoroughly lays out how inadequate they are. OSHA is responsible for setting exposure standards for workplace chemicals, but they have standards for only a tiny fraction—less than one percent!—of chemicals used in american industry, and issue standards extremely slowly. the two major issues it faces, outside of its pathetically tiny budget, are 1) the standard for demonstrating harm for workers is higher than it is for the general public, a problem substantially worsened during the reagan administration but not created by it, and 2) OSHA is obliged to regulate each individual chemical separately, rather than by functional groups, which, if you know anything at all about organic chemistry, is nonsensical on its face. morris spends a good amount of time on the tenure of eula bingham as the head of OSHA during the carter administration; she was the first woman to head the organization & made a lot of reasonable reforms (a cotton dust standard for textile workers!), but could not get a general chemical standard, allowing OSHA to regulate chemicals in blocks instead of individually, through, & then of course much of her good work was undone by reagan appointees.

the part of the book that made me most uncomfortable was morris' attempt to include birth defects in his analysis. i don't especially love the term 'birth defect'—it feels cruel & seems to me to openly devalue disabled people's lives, no?—but i did appreciate attention to women's experiences in the workplace, and i think workplace chemical exposure is an underdiscussed part of reproductive justice. cancer factory mentions women lead workers who were forced to undergo tubal ligations to retain their employment, supposedly because lead is a teratogen. morris points at workers in silicon valley's electronics industry; workers, most of them women, who made those early transistors were exposed to horrifying amounts of lead, benzene, and dangerous solvents, often with disabling effects for their children.

morris points out again & again that we only know that there was an outbreak of bladder cancer & that it should be associated with o-toluedine because the goodyear plant workers were organized with the oil, chemical, & atomic workers (OCAW; now part of united steelworkers), and the union pursued NIOSH investigation and advocated for improved safety and monitoring for employees, present & former. even so, 78 workers got bladder cancer, 3 died of angiosarcoma, and goodyear workers' families experienced bladder cancer and miscarriage as a result of secondary exposure. i kept thinking about unorganized workers in the deep south, cancer alley in louisiana, miners & refinery workers; we don't have meaningful safety enforcement or monitoring for many of these workers. we simply do not know how many of them have been sickened & killed by their employers. there is no political will among people with power to count & prevent these deaths. labor protections for workers are better under the biden administration than the trump administration, but biden's last proposed budget leaves OSHA with a functional budget cut after inflation, and there is no federal heat safety standard for indoor workers. the best we get is marginal improvement, & workers die. i know you know! but it's too big to hold all the same.

anyway it's a good book, it's wide-ranging & interested in a lot of experiences of work in america, & morris presents an intimate (sometimes painfully so!) portrait of workers who were harmed by goodyear & dupont. would recommend

[elektroskopik]

Heaps of pharmaceuticals, toxic chemicals found in recycled plastics

The largest class of chemicals found were pesticides, with 162 chemical compounds coming from this category. Second in the list were 89 different pharmaceuticals. Third place went to 65 different industrial chemicals. These were followed by other classes of chemicals including surfactants, stimulants, fragrances, dyes, repellents, corrosion inhibitors, and more. In all, the researchers say that "491 organic compounds were detected and quantified, with an additional 170 compounds tentatively annotated."

Some of these chemicals come from the manufacturing of plastics themselves, while others are introduced during the recycling stage, and still others find their ways into the plastics through the process of adsorption, a process in which atoms of certain substances form a film that adheres to various surfaces. Because of the range of compounds found, the researchers say that they believe recycled plastics are unfit for most uses (...).

Published in Science

[suicidepreventionday]

Preventing suicide by phasing out highly hazardous pesticides.

Self-poisoning with pesticides is among the most common means of suicide worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) are readily available. Multi-sectoral action is needed to phase out the use of HHPs to prevent suicide and other related issues of public health and environmental concern. This brochure aims to provide a brief overview of the issue of HHPs and approaches to phasing out HHPs to save lives, particularly suicides. It has been designed for a broad audience, including policy-makers (e.g. health, agriculture, and environment), pesticide regulators, local health and agricultural services, civil society organizations, academics, as well as the general public. It draws on the 2023 WHO/FAO Guidance on use of pesticide regulation to prevent suicide and the 2019 WHO/FAO publication. Preventing suicide: a resource for pesticide registrars and regulators

[elscottie]

Do people know organic means no pesticides. Do they know there’s a chance of live bugs in their food. (They don’t!)

[safeday]

Ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate.

Workers are currently facing serious health impacts from climate change-related hazards.

A staggering number of workers are already being exposed to climate changerelated hazards in the workplace, and these figures are only likely to get worse. Many of these workers lose their life following such exposures, succumbing to fatal diseases, such as cancers and cardiovascular diseases, or develop debilitating chronic conditions and disabilities. Some worker populations may be especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change and therefore may need extra protective measures, for example, agricultural workers and other outdoor workers carrying out heavy labour in hot climates.

Current OSH policies may need to be adapted and new climate change-specific policies created: As climate change hazards evolve and intensify, it may be necessary to reevaluate existing legislation or create new regulations and guidance, to ensure that workers are properly protected. OSH considerations should be mainstreamed into climate-related policies, and climate concerns should be integrated into OSH practice. Any new legislation or policies should leverage synergies with existing legislation, such as global normative instruments.

Enhanced research and a stronger evidence base are needed to guide response. At present, the scientific evidence base is extremely limited in many critical areas and what does exist is frequently focused on public health, rather than occupational health. Comprehensive, high-quality research is needed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of preventive OSH measures in different countries and sectors.

Social dialogue is the foundation for effective OSH responses in a changing world of work. OSH policies and programmes should be coordinated among government departments, including ministries of labour and ministries of health, to ensure policy coherence. Social dialogue between governments and social partners is also needed for the development of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies, as workers and employers are best placed to take appropriate action in the workplace.

Greening practices can also bring new OSH challenges. Enterprises are playing an important role in climate change mitigation strategies, by finding ways to reduce workplace emissions and implementing sustainable work practices. Green industries and technologies are also emerging to respond to this global emergency and could help in mitigation over the long term. However, green technologies may in some cases create or amplify OSH hazards and risks, especially if the appropriate infrastructure and OSH protections have not yet been developed.

The increased political profile of the climate-health nexus Nevertheless, positive steps are being taken in the right direction. As recognition of the climate-health nexus continues to grow globally, new OSH policies are being implemented to specifically address climate change hazards. Momentum from global initiatives such as COP 28 should be harnessed to continue to raise the political profile of human health, and in particular worker health, in order to negotiate for better protections for workers at the highest levels.

[immaculatasknight]

Europe's toxic neighbor

[topazadine]

Writing Research Notes: Horses

I have complained before about fantasy writers (and others) using horses without really knowing anything about them, so I'd like to share some basic Horse Facts. These aren't things about horse physiology, because you probably don't need that for your specific story, but things that you can add into your story for verisimilitude.

I'm not a horse trainer or Horse Expert, just someone who loves horses and rides on a regular basis. This is a casual guide to help give you some inspiration (and know what to look up for more information.)

So, what will we discuss in this embarrassingly long post? This.

General horse knowledge

Approaching and sanitizing Horse

Tack, the Horse Accessory Kit

Putting the tack on Horse

Getting on Horse (second best part!)

Riding Horse (best part!)

Being nice to Horse (most important!!)

General Horse Knowledge

Horses are generally classified as hotblood, warmblood or coldblood.

Of course, being mammals, they are all actually warm-blooded. This is more about temperament and size.

Hotblooded horses are lighter, bred for speed and maneuverability. Thoroughbreds and Arabian horses are hotbloods. They're known for being a bit more temperamental, but they are also very fast and responsive.

Coldblood horses are larger, stockier, and more even-tempered. This includes draft horses like Percherons, Gypsy Vanners, and Clydesdales.

Note that a big horse doesn't necessarily mean they're a good war horse, because war horses need to be fast and light. Draft horses are meant to pull, not carry. In a military series, you can use them as cannon horses or cart horses.

Warmblood are crossbreeds of hotblood and coldblood, giving them a good temperament but also relatively good speed. They're often used for hunting, dressage, and showjumping: disciplines that require both maneuverability and a strong working relationship between horse and rider. Quarter Horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, and Irish Sport Horses are warmbloods.

Horses are herd animals and need friends.

Having a singular horse all by themselves is going to cause them distress and lead to mental problems. This is why people who only own one horse often stable them so that they can get social stimulation and professional care.

Like humans, horses have buddies, acquaintances, and enemies.

There is often a pecking order in a herd, with a leader and followers. Horses may make friends, break up with them, reconcile, etc, just like people do.

And horses, of course, have people they like more than others. To get a horse to like you, be gentle and mindful of their boundaries, pay attention to their feelings, groom them, and speak in a soft friendly voice.

Horses aren't mindless animals: they think, feel, and strategize.

They're actually very sensitive and empathetic animals who can get jealous, have their feelings hurt, or need a little bit of TLC on a hard day. And yes, they can scheme.

Similar to dogs, horses are a bit like toddlers: they need firm but compassionate guidance.

This is why you need to think both for yourself and the horse when riding, keeping your mind clear and focused on your goals. Horses can notice when you're not paying attention and they will do their own thing.

Therapy horses are chosen for both their good nature and their sensitivity to human emotions. They will notice when the rider is getting upset or losing focus, and they will stop what they are doing until the rider is back in the right mindset.

They should get as much outside time as possible.

Horses will come to accept and even like their stalls because it's a safe, quiet space for them, but they should be allowed free time outside as much as possible.

It's important to make sure that their pasture is clean, free of dangerous plants or pesticides, and safe from tripping hazards (horse legs are very delicate).

Make sure they are not gorging themselves on grass, though, as this can cause colic. Horses cannot throw up: they've got a one-way digestive system. Intestinal blockages are a medical emergency.

Horses do like working with nice humans.

This isn't cope, I promise. Just like dogs, they have been bred over thousands of years to look to humans for guidance and to see us as caretakers.

Horses who are treated well like having a job, just like dogs who are treated well will like training sessions. Jobs offer them mental stimulation, offer them praise and rewards, and keep them busy so they're not bored.

You can see this in happy horses. The therapy horse I use, Truly, used to be a jumper and hunter before she came to the therapeutic stable, and she gets really excited if she sees vaults because she loves doing that! She gears up for the trot; you can feel it in her stride. She's ready and wants to go.

But, this implies that you're treating your horses well, praising them regularly, and bonding with them outside of sessions.

Horses that are being mistreated will balk at work because they associate it with pain and fear. Horses that are treated well will happily come out of their stall, ears forward and eyes bright, because they associate work with fun and stimulation.

Approaching and Sanitizing Horse

Horses have a blind spot in front of them and directly behind them.

Unlike humans, their eyes are on the sides of their head because they are prey animals. This means approaching a horse directly from the front or directly behind them may make them spook - and, if you are by their butt, kick you.

Generally, younger riders are taught never to pass behind a horse for safety reasons, so you go around them in a wide circle or duck under their neck. You can also walk behind them if you are out of kicking distance (about 3-4 feet) or right up against them so they can't get their leg up to kick you.

When tacking up or grooming, you should keep a hand on the horse as you move.

This lets the horse know where you are if you are in their blind spot and is especially important if you are around their butt so they don't spook and wonder where you went.

With grooming, you go with the curry comb and hold the bristle brush where you intend to go next so they know what to expect.

Grooming improves circulation and is a good bonding activity.

You use a curry comb, which is a rubber comb with little nubs, and then a brush. The curry comb is moved around in a circular motion to lift dirt and shedding hair, then the brush is angled with the grain of the hair to sweep it away.

Don't use a curry comb on a horse's face, legs, or stomach, which are sensitive areas. If you do want to use a curry comb in these areas because they are super dirty, be VERY gentle and light.

Horses generally like to be groomed because they do this to each other in the wild. It's a good way to make a horse like you.

Picking a horse's hooves, and having regular farrier checks, are crucial for their health.

Like human fingernails, horse hooves grow continuously; they're made from the same material as our hair and nails, keratin. They have a V-shaped "frog" in the middle of the underside of their hoof that is sensitive, but the rest of it isn't very sensitive unless you, like, stab it.

Farriers will file down a horse's feet so they are even, and they will also apply horseshoes if necessary (not all horses wear shoes). You can't just put any old horseshoe on a horse: it has to be fitted to their particular foot. This is a specialized job that not everyone can do, so if your character is not a farrier, they're not going to apply horseshoes themselves.

Cleaning a horse's hoof involves a hoof pick.

When picking a horse's hooves, you take an angled piece of metal called a hoof pick and dig out any dirt or manure or whatever has gotten stuck around the frog, then brush it out with a small brush. If they wear horseshoes, you also need to make sure you get the crevices underneath the shoe.

Generally, we pick feet both before and after riding.

Horses need to be trained to give you their leg. This usually means leaning your body weight into their shoulder, sliding your hand down their leg, and squeezing at the soft indent right above the hoof. You might also need to say "pick it up" or whatever command they've been taught to use.

It's a little scary for a horse to be off-balance like that; how would you feel if someone made you stand on one leg while they clipped your toenails? Be mindful that they may get nervous or put their foot down before you're ready. If this happens, just try again until their feet are clean.

Keep your feet and hands out of the way of the horse's hoof!

Pay attention to where your feet are in conjunction with the horse's hoof so they don't slam their hoof down on your toes. Horses may not even realize they stepped on you because they don't have a lot of sensitivity down there.

Never curl your fingers around the horse's hoof; that's a surefire way to break your hand. Hold it like you're cradling a baby's head.

Do not wear steel-toed shoes in a stable.

It's a common misconception that you should wear work boots or steel-toed shoes; after all, big horse very strong very heavy smash on foot!

Yeah, but a furry hydraulic press will crunch that steel right into your damn foot, and then you have guillotined all your toes.

Wear special riding boots instead. These don't have the ridges that hiking shoes or tennis shoes have, so they won't get caught on the stirrup. Cheap short ones cost like $40 and will last you a few good years. No need to go whole-hog on the long dressage boots if you're a casual rider.

Horses are usually taught to be groomed, tacked up, and mounted from one side.

This may not apply to therapy horses, who are trained to accept whatever way is easiest for the rider.

For dressage horses, they are taught to be groomed, tacked up, and mounted from the left. You should stand on the horse's left side when leading them. You'll dismount from the right.

Tack: The Stuff That Goes on Horse

No matter your discipline, you'll have these general things:

Halter. This is for leading the horse around before you tack them up. Generally, you will tie up the horse to cross-ties while you're grooming and tacking them. It is removed right before you put on the bridle.

Saddle blanket/pad. Western uses saddle blankets, but with English, you'll use a pad. Sometimes, with older horses or those that need a bit more comfort, you will have a blanket and a pad. This goes on before the saddle.

Saddle. Western saddles are very big, made for riding long distances. They are made mostly of leather, including the stirrups, which are attached directly to the saddle. English saddles are much smaller and lighter, and they have more removable parts. I won't get into all the specifics of them because it's probably irrelevant to your story.

There are also more specialized saddles, like jockey saddles.

Girth. Old-school Western saddles have cinches that you tie with the same knot you use for a necktie, but modern ones that detachable girths just like English saddles. They have buckles on both sides. One side will have leather straps; this is the one you put on first, from the left. The other side has elastic so it's a bit stretchier. This goes on the right side.

Bridle. How you control horse. Goes over the face and you hold onto the reins. This is put on last, right after you remove the halter. Put the reins over the horse's neck so you have something to hold onto after you remove the halter!

Bit. This is a metal bar that goes in the horse's mouth, over the tongue. Snaffle bits are the most common; they are made of two parts that meet in the middle. They aren't as uncomfortable for horses as other types. Some people are moving away from bits entirely and using bitless bridles.

Putting Tack on Horse

English stirrups are "run up" when tacking up and leading a horse.

The metal stirrups can bang against things and hurt the horse if they are not pulled up against the saddle by running them up the leather strap they hung from. You'll then tuck the excess strap into the stirrup to hold them in place.

Stirrups can be adjusted with a buckle hidden under the saddle seat. You'll run them up, pull the buckle down to a comfortable height, and then adjust as necessary. Then pull the stirrup down to the bottom, put your hand against the seat, and lift the stirrup up to run along your arm. It should brush against your armpit for most people.

Most dressage stirrups have numbered holes so you can remember what your height is.

Western saddles have leather stirrups that may or may not be detachable or adjustable.

Never tie a horse's reins to anything.

Don't listen to old Western movies that show this. If the horse spooks and they are tied up, they could rip the bit out of their mouth and really hurt themselves.

Horses have bars in their mouth - a blank space with no teeth. This is where the bit sits.

To get a horse to accept a bit, you can stick your thumb into this blank spot to make them open their mouth, just as you can do with dogs.

You then pull the bit up over their front teeth and settle it in there so it's comfortable.

There should be a small bit of pull you can see from the wrinkles around their mouth, but it shouldn't be squeezing them to death. Gentle pressure, happy horse.

Tighten the girth (the strap around their tummy) right before you get on.

Horses like to "bloat," meaning they suck in a bunch of air when you're putting the girth on, then relax so that the girth is loose. You don't want this, because then you can slide off. So put it on loosely at first, then put it up a few slots once you're about to get on.

Don't rachet it up to the highest possible setting you can reach, and don't yank on it, because this hurts the horse. Gently pull it up until it's tight enough to hold on, but not so much that it becomes a corset. You should be able to slide three fingers between the girth and the horse's stomach.

Getting On Horse

Lead the horse to where you want to go by bringing the reins over their head and holding them under the chin.

Do not use a death grip! You don't need to. Loose and happy. Keep the excess in your other hand so it's not a tripping hazard.

Then, of course, put the reins back over their head when you're ready to get on.

Mounting blocks are convenient and safer for the horse.

These are kind of like step stools, and they get you closer to the horse's back. Mounting from the ground puts a lot of pressure on the horse's back and should only be used sparingly.

The procedure is like so for English:

Gather the reins in your left hand, which should be placed near the front of the saddle.

Put your right hand near the back of the saddle for balance.

Put your left foot in the stirrup.

Swing your right leg over.

Settle your right foot in the stirrup.

Don't jump up; you might fall the hell over, lmao. Gentle easy swing.

The stirrup sits on the ball of your feet, with the heel pointing down.

This is true for both Western and dressage. You want it on the balls of your feet so you have leverage and can pivot your ankle to lightly tap the horse on the side, and you want your heel down to help maintain your balance.

A lot of riding boots, including cowboy boots, will have stitching that runs across the top of the foot. You can align this with the stirrup so you know that you don't have your foot too far back in the stirrup.

Your leg is slightly bent when in the saddle.

You do not have your legs straight out, because then you don't have leverage and can't maintain balance.

My instructor says it should feel like you're kneeling, and then when you post (rise out of the saddle during the trot or canter), you should feel like you're coming out of a squat. You're not springing all the way out of the saddle and standing up, because then you will fall over.

Your leg should stay as still as possible, with your heels pointing down to the ground. You shouldn't move them up or forward when you're trotting, a common beginner mistake.

When training in a ring, you don't have a right leg and left leg: you have an "outside" leg and "inside" leg.

Outside leg is the one closest to the wall (or fence), and inside leg is the leg closest to the middle of the ring. This keeps you from getting confused when you change directions.

Horses also have an outside leg and inside leg that you use to determine when to post or perform other maneuvers.

Horses need to be trained to go both clockwise and counterclockwise.

This helps them maintain balanced muscle tone on both sides of the body; otherwise, it's like doing leg exercises with only one leg. When getting a lesson, your instructor will ask you to change directions once you've done a certain exercise so that you can try it the other way, too.

Actually Riding Horse

You shouldn't yank on the reins like you're in a tug-of-war.

This can really hurt the horse and, paradoxically, make them more disobedient. It's like someone put their fingers in your mouth and then stretched your lips as far back as possible.

Keep your body loose.

Your horse is listening to your body language and will feel when you're tense. Every little movement means something to the horse. If you're tight, they think they should be nervous too.

Stay calm, upright, and loose. Legs slightly bent, elbows flexible, hands in line with the sides of the horse's neck and a bit above the front of the saddle.

Squeezing or tapping the horse is called impulsion.

It should be used lightly and with just enough pressure to get their attention. Don't kick the horse with all your might. The more movement you need from the horse, the more intense your impulsion will be.

Don't squeeze with your knees.

Pressure on the horse comes from the thighs and calves, not the knees. Your knees are there to bend.

Yes, your inner thighs will be super duper sore when you're done. It gets better though, prommie.

In dressage, you post at the trot in rhythm with the horse.

This reduces pressure on their back so you're not banging on their spine with each hootbeat. You post when their outside shoulder comes forward and lightly land back in the saddle when their inside shoulder rises: not sitting all the way down, just crouching a bit lower.

When you want the horse to walk again, you will sit down and pull (gently!!) back on the reins. The added pressure makes them not want to trot anymore because it would hurt them when you bump around on their back.

Being Nice to Horse (so Horse Is Nice to You)

Respect a horse's personal space and power.

They are big strong animals that can break your spine if they buck you, or crush your foot, or give you brain damage if they kick you in the head. Healthy respect (not fear) is crucial.

If a horse is pissed off, leave them alone. If they're scared, treat them kindly and speak soothingly. If they're not doing what you want, find a way to redirect them instead of screaming at them and making them more anxious.

And remember that they are prey animals despite their size and power! They may get nervous about things that you wouldn't even consider. Truly, the horse I ride on the regular, gets freaked out by jackets hanging over fence posts and barking dogs.

That's okay and natural; I just have to reassure her that she's going to be alright. You are the leader and caretaker of the horse, making them feel confident.

Training tools like whips, crops, or spurs should be used sparingly.

Any trainer who tells a beginner to use spurs as soon as possible is an asshole who doesn't actually know how to train horses. They don't know how to teach riders to control their body pressure, so they go right to the aversives.

I left a stable because the trainer demanded I buy spurs after like two lessons; my current stable doesn't use these at all, ever.

You should be able to control the horse with your hands and feet without these tools before adding them, and they should always be used as gently as possible: a slight tap with the spurs or crop, not beating the horse with a crop or digging your spurs into their sides. Horses are very sensitive animals and will respond well to a light kick with your heels if they are properly trained.

I've developed such a good rapport with the therapy horse I use (and she's such a good girl) that she can tell when I want to her trot. I start working her up to her "party walk" as my instructor calls it, and then click my tongue, and she's off. No kicking necessary.

Reward, Don't Punish

Same as when training dogs. Don't yell at them and say "no!! bad horse!!" Instead, offer a small correction, like checking the reins, or redirect them.

Do not hit or kick horses when they don't do what you want. They are trained that tap means go; you're going to make them gallop instead of stop.

Give them a pat on the neck and say "good horse!" when they do a good job. You can also talk to the horse while you're grooming and riding, offering them compliments and assurance.

Again, horses look to riders as leaders. They want to know the're performing correctly; if you've built up a good relationship, they want to make you happy and perform well.

Most of the time, horses are not trying to make you mad. You're just miscommunicating with them and need to figure out how to make your commands clearer.

Abusive training tactics are counterintuitive in the long run.

This makes for a nervous, flighty, disobedient, and anxious horse who may become dangerous. They're 1,200 pound animals, and if they don't like what you're doing, they will kick, buck, or bite.

Kicking, hitting, excessive use of spurs or crops, and screaming at horses doesn't make your horse respect you: it makes them fear you. You want your horse to be excited to work with you, to look forward to your training sessions, and to have fun.

I've created a masterlist of writing resources that you can peruse at your leisure, all for free.

The posts I write can sometimes take me hours - they're always intricate, always thoughtful. This one took me about three hours to complete.

I do this as a labor of love for the writing community, sharing what I have learned from almost 15 years of creative writing.

However, if you'd like to support me, maybe you'll consider buying my book for $1.99?

9 Years Yearning is a gay coming-of-age romance set in a fantasy world. It follows Uileac Korviridi, a young soldier training at the War Academy. His primary motivations are honoring the memory of his late parents, protecting his little sister Cerie, and becoming a top-notch soldier.

However, there's a problem: Orrinir Relickim, a rough and tough fellow pupil who just can't seem to leave Uileac alone.

The book features poetry, descriptions of a beautiful country inspired by Mongolia, and a whole lot of tsundere vibes.

Oh, and horse!!! Horse love!! SO MUCH HORSE LOVE.

You can also check it out on Goodreads for a list of expanded distribution.

If you do purchase my book, don't forget to leave a review!

Reviews are vital for visibility on Amazon and help to support indie authors like me. Whenever you love a book, be sure to let the author know! It's much appreciated.

[gottalottarocks]

You guys have probably heard that the EPA just set new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for the first time in decades for PFAS, which is BIG news in the industry, but not a surprise. I've been in meetings for months hearing about how new PFAS regulations were in the works, and the consensus in the environmental sector is that it's long overdue. But for the rest of you who've never heard of PFAS before I can break down what the big issues are and why they've taken so long to address.

^stolen from pubchem

So PFAS stands for per- and poly- flouroalkyl substances, and it's not one chemical compound, but an entire class of thousands of chemicals that have these chains of Carbon and Flourine atoms. For anybody who doesn't have a chem background fluorine is a nasty atom, it has seven electrons in its valence shell and it will do anything to fill it up to eight, creating incredibly strong bonds.

So you have really strong C-F bonds and these chains of C and F atoms are hydrophobic, which means these compounds are durable and water resistant, which makes them great for all sorts of industrial uses. And we've used them in everything: clothing, fast food wrappers, paints, solar panels, and non-stick pans just to start.

Unfortunately, these wonder chemicals are PBTM- Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic, and Mobile. They don't break down, they build up in the food chain, they have adverse health effects, and even though C-F chains are hydrophobic, additional compounds connected to them can make them soluble in water (so they're in our drinking water). We're starting to realize PFAS can raise cholesterol, inhibit immune response, interfere with your thyroid (part of your hormonal system), cause liver toxicity, is linked to cancer, and more!

At this point you're probably starting to think wtf, how did we allow the continued widespread use of these chemicals? Well, we have phased out quite a few high profile PFAS compounds including PFOA and PFOS, but we still want to regulate and test for them in our drinking water. While PFAS is in many different products, the biggest sources of contamination are industrial runoff, areas where fire fighting foams were tested and used, landfills that leach out PFAS into the surrounding area, and wastewater treatment plants. So don't feel too stressed about eating microwave popcorn or using nail polish.

The reason these regulations took so long to implement was because of how difficult it was to connect such small amounts of PFAS with health hazards. The level of concern for PFAS is extremely low- in the ppt (parts per trillion) range. When I sample for contaminants I'm generally testing in the ppm range and higher, for PFAS we're looking an entire scale lower. We literally did not have the technology before the last few decades to detect PFAS in the ppt range in water, let alone study their effects (you can't just impose massive regulations without any proof to back it up).

States that currently have PFAS limits in drinking water have mostly capped it in the 10-70 ppt range. The new MCLs are 4-10 ppt for the six PFAS compounds the EPA addressed, which are six of the most common and most studied PFAS compounds. Most of the bitching I've seen is about how much this will cost and that the new limits are too low. The conservative take on this is that there isn't enough evidence to support such low MCLs, although most people in the environmental industry feel that more and more research keeps coming out and will keep coming out (remember studying such small amounts of anything is difficult) to support these levels. On the other side of the spectrum, there's the consensus that this is just the beginning and that more and more regulations on PFAS will be needed.

And they're in the works! I saw a proposed rule by the EPA that would ban 12 (already defunct) PFAS substances from pesticides. It wouldn't really affect the current manufacturing of pesticides, but it would be a safeguard from letting them back into the manufacturing process in case of a conservative presidency.

If you're still here I'd like to end on the note that as our science improves, our understanding of how we have impacted the environment and our health will improve. We are constantly going to find out about the adverse effects of new chemicals or things that we may not even produce anymore, and that's a good thing. Over time we are going to make the world a healthier and safer place.

[sustainabilitythoughts]

A more sustainable back yard

The article below provides sustainability tips on a variety of topics for your yard, including lawn care, fire pits, alternatives to peat moss, alternatives to artificial turf, and alternatives to impervious surfaces.  Some additional tips that are not in the article:

Select native plants to support local insects, birds, and animals. 

Don’t overwater.  If the area is soggy or water is running off into the street, cut back on watering.

Investigate non-toxic methods of pest and weed control.  When you do need to use pesticides or herbicides, use them only in the affected areas and follow instructions for how much to apply and how to dispose of empty containers.  Keep the chemicals out of the water supply; remember that chemicals in storm sewer water can enter natural waterways. 

Large areas of rock or concrete can raise the surrounding air temperature significantly on hot days. 

[lupa-von-wolf]

I very rarely make serious posts on here, but this is a very serious one, and I need it to be shared as quickly as possible.

Friday, June 28th, the US Supreme Court overturned Chevron. What this means is that the Supreme Court will now have ANY and ALL power over any decision that has any generalizations that has come through congress. Previously this has been delegated to federal agencies that specialize in these generalizations, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Heath and Savety Administration (OSHA), the Federal Avian Administration (FAA), just to name a few.

Previously, the levels of harmful objects found in food, such as rat droppings or pesticides, were monitored and maintained by the FDA, going forward it will be up to the Supreme Court to decide what these levels will be.

And this is only exacerbated by the fact that the Supreme Court has also made it legal to bribe them into deciding in your favor (as long as the "tip" comes after the decision). They've made it legal to be bought by corporations so they can turn a blind eye to the safety hazards that they'll be allowing.

The vote for overturning Chevron AND the "tipping" decision were both 6-3, with all 6 conservative justices voting in tandem, 3 of which were appointed by Trump during his presidency.

This election is more important than just "I'm going to show how I feel about the state of things by not voting." Rights and safeties are deteriorating before our very eyes.

Trans people are going to be forcefully detransitioned, and in the state of Florida, the state officials can rip apart families if *anyone* in the house is trans. Being trans in the state of Florida, if there are children present, is considered a sex crime, which can be punishable by execution. Trump has already stated that he wants to eliminate term limits if he wins again, and make it so he can't be removed from office. He wants to force the country into a theocracy and is complete against abortions, no matter what, including loss of life, ectopic pregnancies, or impregnation by rape or incest.

Refusing to vote, or choosing to vote for Kennedy is choosing to vote for genocide. It's choosing to vote for Trump, because we all know each and every one of his cultists is showing up. It's choosing to vote for the death and annihilation of your friends, your family, and America.

Yes, Biden is fucking terrible. But he's not Trump.

[darkmaga-retard]

Poisonous baby food, brought to you by the same company that funds Planned Parenthood. See the connection here?

Leo Hohmann

Sep 19, 2024

The Defender reports that a new investigation led by Friends of the Earth found an alarming number of pesticide residues in baby food manufactured and sold by Target under its house brand Good & Gather.

Lab tests of two items — the non-organic apple and the pear fruit purees for babies — revealed no less than 21 pesticides, including 12 classified as extremely hazardous to human health.

Chemical pesticides called neonicotinoids were present in 100% of the baby food samples tested. These chemicals have been linked to birth defects of the heart and brain, learning disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, damage to the nervous system and hormone disruption.

Neonicotinoids are among the most devastating pesticides since DDT, The Defender reports, writing:

U.S. agriculture has become nearly 48 times more toxic to

The toxic biproducts of pesticides, including organophosphate pesticide metabolites, were also found in 100% of the baby food samples.

The Defender reports that “Scientists have called for a complete ban on these chemicals, as they are known to be highly toxic to children’s developing brains, even at low levels of exposure. They are associated with reduced IQ, attention disorders, delayed motor development and learning disabilities. They have also been shown to harm bees, birds and aquatic organisms like fish.”

[michiko-museum]

["Since the establishment of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in 1989 and the implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) in 1990, US museums involved in repatriation efforts have been grappling with the dilemma of sacred Indigenous objects and remains contaminated by toxic pesticides and preservatives."

.....For tribal members, this history can pose hazards. Those interested in incorporating previously held items such as repatriated regalia back into ceremonial practice worry that contaminated objects might endanger their health. For others seeking the reburial of ancestral remains, there are concerns that preservatives and pesticides could potentially poison the surrounding environment."]

Something the article doesn't talk about is how this is a major issue that plagues museums in general and is a health and safety hazard to museum workers. Paraphrasing my professor who said something like; "It's actually a good sign if you have to manage and fight off pests eating away at your natural history collections, because that means they aren't saturated with arsenic. Taxidermy is scary if it's in good condition."

Ensuring the safety of museum workers, the communities repatriated items belong to, and the environment are big issues. If you are getting an occupational/environmental health and safety degree and looking for a thesis topic, have I got some ideas for you....

[amandacanwrite]

Violet Thread of Fate || Part Eight: A Search

Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six || Part Seven || Part Eight || Join Taglist

POV || 3rd Person -- Gale Dekarios

Scenario|| Elinna Inklynn is an orphan with an uncanny ability to mess up even the simplest of spells. It’s not her fault; she hasn’t ever had access to a proper teacher. But she has had access to books, and she’s read about a certain gentleman wizard in Waterdeep that may just be willing to help her.

She books passage on a ship from the Moonshae Islands and sails to Waterdeep, only to be rejected by Gale Dekarios. He doesn’t take on apprentices.

But their paths become inextricably intertwined when an enormous Nautiloid targets the City of Splendors.

Word Count || 4,400 words

Warnings || This chapter has spooky spiders in it and descriptions of blood/wounds.

A/N || Enjoy Gale being worried sick over his accidental charge.

Taglist || @verba-writing @softvampirewhump @horizonstride @thoughts-of-bear 

@mymybirdie

@tiedyedghoulette @drabblesandimagines @madwomansapologist @hijirikaww @tryingtowritestuff24

@laserlope @auroraesmeraldarose @puckprimrose @dont-try-pesticide @cherifrog

@circusofthelastdays  @nourangul @crucibelle @fan-aaa-tic

Gale scrubbed a hand over his mouth as he watched Halsin strike a flint with a dagger and start a fire. Night was falling and Elinna was still nowhere to be found. The other druid, Briar, was out in their wildform following Elinna’s scent after finding a spot of her blood on the ground between two stones, within a cavern he had somehow missed entirely. 

He’d only been separated from Elinna for a few moments when Halsin and Briar found him and offered their help. It took until the early afternoon to find the blood, which had already dried by the time it was found. 

“You have the expression of a man over-burdened,” Halsin said, interrupting Gale’s recounting of the day’s events for the umpteenth time. 

“I am,” Gale said with a heavy sigh. “I suppose I’m feeling especially stupid for missing the alcove. And terrified that something horrendous has happened to her.”

“We will find her–Briar said that it was not a large amount of blood,” Halsin said. “Enough to wound, but not to kill.”

“For some reason, the idea of a young lady being kept alive after being harmed doesn’t sit well in my chest either,” Gale said. 

Halsin nodded with grim understanding. 

“She was only out of my sight for seconds,” Gale said, pressing the heel of his hand to his forehead. “Seconds.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Halsin said. “Wandering in the wilds of the sword coast is always risky. Nautiloid aside, there are goblins and bandits. Any number of hazards.” 

“It is–if I hadn’t been horrible to her; if I hadn’t made her cry…she wouldn’t have been walking so fast. She couldn’t have been spirited away. If I’d been better rested, I could have used my magic to find her,” he said. 

“Believe me when I say that I understand,” Halsin said. “But I encourage you to not lose hope, either. She’s not been missing long, and no matter what treatment she’s being subjected to, if they’ve kept her alive she is most likely to live another day.”

Gale exhaled slowly and nodded, rubbing the spot over his chest that still insisted on being fed, even with how distraught he was over Elinna’s vanishing. 

Halsin looked over to the forest. “They return,” Halsin said. 

Gale followed Halsin’s gaze and after a few moments, a small red fox appeared from the treeline, woefully alone. Briar shifted out of their wild shape and looked between the two men. 

The grim expression on Briar’s face was enough to make Gale’s insides whither. 

“I traced her scent to the blighted village, but I had to turn back,” they said.

“Goblins? I thought they’d been fully cleared out,” Halsin said. 

Briar shifted a little uncomfortably on their feet. 

“Well…it’s just that…the scent led me into the underground and I found myself hesitant to go in by myself. Underground spaces make me feel a bit uncomfortable now,” they said. 

Gale watched as Halsin’s gaze softened and he reached a hand out to Briar, beckoning them closer. Briar slipped their hand into Halsin’s, which Halsin cradled with care before kissing the edge of their knuckles. 

Gale found himself looking away from the sudden display of intimacy, feeling something gnarl in his stomach. Some bitter edge of a want that would not be satisfied.

“We’ll get rest and follow the trail in the morning,” he heard Halsin say. 

Gale’s gaze snapped back to them. 

“The morning?” Gale said. “No, we should go over there immediately!”

“We’re all a bit worse for wear,” Halsin said. “I’ve exhausted my wildshape, and you told me yourself that your sleep last night did not rejuvenate your own magic. If there’s a battle to be fought, we won’t be able to win it. 

“If we don’t go after her now, we may lose her forever,” Gale said. “She could be dead by the time we wake up in the morning. I might be out of the will to conjure more sophisticated and nuanced spells such as locating spells. But I can still blow a beast up or two.”

It was true. Using the weave for destruction required far less focus and skill. It was why the first years learning magic were so fraught with injuries and mishaps. It was why a girl like Elinna could cast, but only chaotically.

Halsin looked up at Briar, who gave a bit of a shrug.

Gale’s irritation flared. 

“If saving Elinna is less important to you than a good night’s sleep, I’ll go by myself,” Gale said. 

“A compromise,” Halsin suggested. “We’ll get closer tonight. Learn what we can. See if we can save her tonight but, I must implore you. If there is a fight to be had, let it at least be after a short respite.”

Gale didn’t know if he could agree to that, but at least agreeing to this compromise would get them closer to where Elinna was. 

“Fine,” he finally said. 

Halsin’s large chest rose and fell with a sigh as he looked over at Briar. “Will you lead the way, my heart? I’ll get this fire put out.”

It was less than another half-hour before the three of them were on the path, though the lighting wasn’t conducive to searching for much of anything. Gale used a cantrip to conjure a small ball of light to illuminate the way, lest he or the others injure themselves on an errant stone. 

By the time they reached the blighted village, the moon was high in the sky. The village loomed ahead, veiled in mists that clung to broken cobbled roads like a miasma. Even without entering, Gale could feel the sticky presence of dark magic and it made his heart ache with worry. 

“Her scent goes underground, strongest near the workshop, but I didn’t get far in,” Briar said. “We can set up camp on one of the roofs nearby.”

“You go ahead. I’m going to keep going and see if I can’t find her.”

Briar’s brown eyes widened and they looked between Gale and Halsin, who’s expression became serious. 

“We made an agreement–a compromise–” Halsin started.

“I am not willing to compromise on the matter of Elinna’s safety,” Gale said. “If you need to rest, I invite you to do so, but I–I dare say I won’t even be able to get any rest even if I tried.”

Halsin and Briar looked at each other once more. 

“If the situation were reversed, if it were you in there, I’m sure I would feel the same,” Briar said. 

“I already know first hand that I would. I experienced it only days ago,” Halsin admitted somewhat grimly. He looked at Gale, then. “You’re sure you can fight?”

Gale tried not to think too much about a romantic pair drawing parallels between their own connection and his connection to Elinna. He decided instead to be relieved that they’d agreed to join him, instead. “I have enough in me to chuck out a few destructive spells. It’s not so hard to ruin a spell so catastrophically that it aids in combat.”

“Very well,” Halsin said. “I can’t take wildshape, but this body isn’t just for show. I can muster a fight.”

Briar nodded in silent agreement and Gale exhaled, feeling relieved. He gave his stiff shoulders a loosening roll. 

“Shall we?” he asked. 

Briar took the lead once again.

The heaviness in the air only worsened as they entered a dilapidated building and descended a set of creaking, wooden stairs. The conjured balls of light cast elongated shadows that sometimes made Gale do a double take when he thought he’d spotted some phantom or monster lurking in the darkness.

Nothing was ever there. Just the growing weight of some presence deeper within.  

Briar came to a stop as they reached a tired old forge. Strewn around seemed to be the signs of a fresh struggle, including smoldering gashes in the ground where haphazard spellwork was done. 

“This is where I stopped,” they said as they nodded over to a hole in the brick wall, leading to a network of caves beyond.

Past the opening in the wall was a cave smelling of mildew. Even in the dim lighting, Gale could see the faint reflective quality of something on the ground.

Spider silk. 

He took a few hesitant steps toward the opening, feeling sick when he saw it. 

On one of the large swathes of cobwebs was a smudge of blood. It was still wet. Recent.

“Is it hers?” he asked without looking back at Briar. 

“Yes,” they said gravely. 

Gale nodded, steeling his resolve. “On we go, then,” he said.

Their steps became slower, more cautious as they descended into the cool, damp cavern. More blood followed, and Gale found himself worried about the supply Elinna would have left when they found her. 

The cave was…shockingly large. More like a cavern than a network of man-made tunnels for what he’d assumed would have been a village well. It stretched up above them, probably more than a hundred feet from floor to ceiling.

There were clusters of eggsacks everywhere, smooth and white and nearly the size of his mother’s serving platters back in waterdeep. He hated to think of the size of the creature that laid those eggs, or the potency of the venom of the offspring within them. A faint sheen of nervous perspiration broke out upon Gale’s brow as they continued on. 

He wasn’t the only cagey one, it seemed. Briar’s shoulders were so tense they were almost pulled up to their ears. Part of Gale felt guilty for pushing them to lead the way and another part of him wondered what had happened that made the young druid so uncomfortable with being underground.

Before long they heard the quiet grunts of a man. The sounds of someone struggling against restraints. They rounded a corner and found him. 

He was pale with moon-white hair. His eyes were the color of rubies. He was wrapped tightly in a cocoon of spider silk and only a few feet away from him, hanging motionless, her hair disheveled and her skin worryingly pale, was Elinna. 

Gale’s heart did flips in his chest and he couldn’t decide which emotion he felt more; fear for the state or her health or elation to find her still breathing–however shallow that breathing was. 

“Let me down from here!” The pale elf demanded. “That blasted creature will be back any moment.”

Gale ignored him and approached where Elinna was hanging, unconscious. He looked back at the others, his expression desperate. “Help me get her down,” Gale pleaded. 

Halsin was near tall enough that he could reach to cut her down, but just as he neared there was a terrible hissing sound from the towering ceiling of the cave. 

“No!” The other captive cried. “No, No! Hurry, let me down! It’s going to eat me.”

Briar lifted their nose to the air, sniffing a few times before crinkling their nose. “He’s the other scent that I detected with Elinna’s,” they said. 

“You’re the one who stole her away? The one who made her bleed?” Gale sneered. 

“Ah–I thought I was doing you both a favor!” the pale stranger said, giving his most apologetic, charming smile. “But I see now that I was mistaken, of course. C-can we not let bygones be bygones?”

Gale narrowed his eyes up at the man. If he could have his way, he’d have incinerated the bastard outright. As it was, though, Gale would need to save all of the energy he had for the battle ahead.

The three of them backed away somewhat at the giant spider descended from the cavern ceiling and closer to the ground.

Gods…the thing was the size of a full grown owlbear. 

The stranger craned to look up, his charming expression faltering as the massive spider poised itself over Elinna. 

The stranger’s amenable behavior dropped as the spider gave a terrible hiss, its front legs lifting as if preparing to strike. 

“Get me down. NOW!” he demanded as he squirmed in his spider silk cocoon.

Briar’s eyes narrowed as they looked at the spider, turning their head slightly as if trying to listen to a single conversation in a crowded room. 

In the same moment, Halsin’s brow furrowed. 

Gale realized that the druids likely understood what the abhorrent creature was saying. It wasn’t uncommon at all for druids to speak with animals and monsters thanks to their innate connection to nature. “Can you communicate with it? Negotiate perhaps?” Gale asked, already flexing his fingers to try and pull at strings of the weave and attack if necessary. 

“Normally, I would say yes, but she seems disinterested in negotiating,” he said. “She… said something strange.”

“Gods, who cares?!” The pale elf cried. “Get me down, get me down!” 

“She says that she’s going to take the girl as an offering to Lolth–in hopes of earning her good favor,” Briar told Gale, ignoring the stranger’s pleading.

Strange indeed. What would Lolth want with a girl like Elinna? How would taking her to the goddess of torture, cruelty and spiders earn the creature any favor?

Whatever the case, Gale could already feel how weak and almost slippery his grasp on the weave was. It wouldn’t serve him well; at least not as well as it would if he was well rested and the orb in his chest was properly fed. Perhaps Halsin had been right about needing to wait–then again, if they had, Elinna might be halfway to the underdark by the time they made it. Maybe even already in the spindly clutches of Lolth herself.

Gale glared at the shouting man some feet away from Elinna, just out of reach of the spider. 

“If we let you down, it is with the expectation that you help us best this creature,” Gale snarled. “Am I understood?”

“Yes! Yes!” he begged. “Whatever you want, please!”

Gale mustered what he could of the weave and brought it to a focus at the tips of his fingers before hurling a bolt of fire toward the spider’s web. 

As if it were a child’s candy floss falling into a puddle, the entire web melted away as that fire spread, dropping the stranger on the ground along with the massive creature and–the poor girl–Elinna. 

Gale couldn’t decide if he was relieved or horrified that one of the hairy limbs of the spider scooped up Elinna’s cocooned form before they both made impact with the ground below. 

“Get up and fight,” Gale sneered as the pale elf pulled lingering bits of cobwebs from his dark leather armor. 

“No need to be rude,” he tutted as he got to his feet, drawing a pair of vicious looking daggers from where they were belted at his thigh. 

The four of them only had a few moments to prepare as the creature righted itself. Briar drew a crossbow and loaded bolts. Halsin unstrapped a glaive from his back and gave it an impressive, artful flourish. 

Gale had never been much for combat–at least not martial combat. But he would do everything he could to call forth the weave. 

“Mystra protect us all, if she can hear us down here,” Gale said gravely. 

The spider moved with unnerving agility, Elinna discarded callously behind her now that she was close enough to the ground to survive the fall. Gale did his best to stay focused on the creature, though he wanted nothing more than to run over to his unlikely travel companion and check on her well-being. 

As the enormous arachnid drew closer, Briar lifted their crossbow and fired a bolt. It flew with impressive precision, the bolt lodging itself in one of the spider’s eight eyes. The creature reared back, screeching and flailing four of its eight legs. 

In the chaos, Halsin was thrown into a nearby stalagmite. The stone crumbled under his body. 

Briar cried out and bolted after him, leaving Gale and the stranger alone. 

“What are you doing?!” Gale called. 

But Briar ignored him as they crouched in front of Halsin protectively while he got his bearings again. 

Gale growled and shook his head, placing his focus on what he could control. The weave. He honed his attention to a razor edge, lifting both hands and moving them with expert precision in complex casting gestures. 

He could feel the weave crackle and coalesce around him, building and building. 

Perhaps Mystra heard him after all, he thought, as he cried out the spell’s incantation. 

“Perurere!” 

A blinding flash of lightning slammed into the huge spider, the smell of burning carcass filled the cavern, sickly and acrid. 

Halsin was back on his feet again and there in seconds, raising the glaive and driving it into the spider’s side. It’s blood sprayed out in a rain of acid, dousing the druid and blinding him. Halsin let out a cry and backed away.

“My turn,” the pale stranger said as he dropped down into a crouch and sprinted for the spider. He brought his blades down on one of the spider’s eight legs, severing it from the bulbous, smoking body of the monstrous creature. 

Gale couldn’t help but think that, for all the worry over their party being fatigued before going into this fight, they were actually doing alright.

But he spoke too soon.  

The spider simply vanished. Flashed out of existence completely before reappearing behind them near a cluster of the eggs they’d walked past on their way in. 

“Shit,” the pale elf said, expressing exactly the thought Gale had in his mind. 

The spider–the phase spider, as it so appeared–let out another ear-piercing cry and dozens of spider eggs started to hatch. Their nubile white bodies scrambling out of sickly-green goo and gathering around the remaining seven legs of their mother. 

After chittering back and forth with their mother for a few seconds, the mass of  spiders made a run toward the four of them in a hunger-fueled stampede. 

Briar was healing Halsin when they looked over at the approaching hoard. “H-Halsin…” they said, their voice quivering. 

Halsin winced a single eye open and cursed lowly. “Everyone, behind me! Now!” he shouted. “Gale, I’ll need your help.”

Gale looked back, realizing suddenly that the path to Elinna was entirely clear. He looked at Halsin as he stood and ran over to one of the huge pillars of stone jutting out of the ground and forming a canopy over their heads. He wasn’t sure what Halsin was planning, but as he saw the Druid prepare, he put two and two together. 

He wanted to cause a cave in. 

“It’s too risky!” Gale said as he hurried over to Halsin. “If we do this, it may bring the entire cave down on our heads!”

“We have no other choice– we can’t fight that many,” Halsin said. “It’s either risk dying and have a good chance of making it, or have no chance at all.”

“They can teleport! They’re phase spiders,” Gale said. “Even if we cut them off, they can get to us!”

“Not if they’re crushed,” Halsin called back. “Now, help me, Gale.  Or we all die!”

Gale looked back at Elinna, then to Briar. Briar gave Gale a quick nod of understanding, getting onto their feet and running over to Elinna. He didn’t hear the incantation or see any casting gesture, but he did see the dome of golden weave that emanated from the smaller of the two druids, forming a protective barrier around both themselves and Elinna. 

At least that could do something–at least something for the girl–if the cave came down. It would protect her from the impact.

Halsin placed his hands on one pillar of stone and the earth began shaking violently. “See to the other side,” Halsin shouted over the rumble of earth. 

Gale looked at another pillar, forming what resembled a stone archway with the one Halsin was in the process of destroying. Gale rallied himself again, sensing the magic in the ground and seeking to disrupt it. With another flourish of his hands he inhaled and cried out, “Detono!”

The ceiling came down with terrific and terrible force. So much force that Halsin and Gale had to scramble back from it to not get crushed along with the hoard of spiders. 

There was a cacophony of screeching sounds, of stone cracking together. 

Then there was no sound at all; only a cloud of dust. 

The four of them heaved heavy breaths as the reality of surviving dawned on all of them. 

Gale coughed and swatted his hand in front of his face, trying to clear his mouth and eyes of pulverized stone. As the plume of dirt and dust settled, Gale found himself relieved by the sight of ichorous green goo oozing from the pile of stones before them. 

“A bit anticlimactic if you ask me,” a smarmy voice came from behind him. 

Gale’s head whipped around to see the elf standing there, his blades sheathed and his weight kicked off to one hip. Gale gritted his teeth and turned, storming towards the man.

He seemed ill-prepared for Gale’s sudden pursuit, starting to back up a few steps. But Gale got there too quickly, balling his fists in his threadbare clothes and giving him a shake. 

“What did you do to her?” Gale snarled. “What is wrong with her?”

“Me?!” he asked. “You think I did that? Hells, all I did was grab her as a snack and ask her to take me to the inn!”

“Sna–” Gale’s face contorted with disgust as he looked toward Elinna. 

Briar turned Elinna’s head to the side and tore at some of the webs still wrapped around her neck, revealing two puncture wounds caked in dark, dry blood. Gale glared at the stranger again, but he already had two hands up in surrender. 

“I wasn’t going to kill her,” he said. “My name is Astarion. I’m a magistrate from Baldur’s Gate. I was just trying to get home, but I was weak and I needed to eat.”

“You’re vampire spawn?” Gale asked. “How did you even make it over here with the daylight? You should have been turned into ash.”

Suddenly, searing pain overtook Gale, burning a path through his synapses. There were flashes of memories–memories not belonging to him. There was Baldur’s gate, then the Nautiloid, then the worm. Then Elinna’s fearful face, streaked with quiet tears.

Gale released the vampire, holding his own head in his hand. 

“You–you were picked up by the nautiloid?” he asked. 

“What, you were too?” Astarion asked. “That pesky thing they put in out brains seems to have rendered me immune to the sunlight.”

“Both Elinna and I were–from Waterdeep,” Gale said shaking his head. “We were trying to get to some measure of civilization–”

“Gale?” Briar said. 

He looked over at Briar and found the druid’s face worryingly grave. It seemed that while Gale had been busy with Astarion, Halsin and Briar had gotten Elinna free of her spider-silk cocoon and done a preliminary examination. Still, even being far away with the sub par lighting, Gale could see the dire state of things.

Elinna was so, so pale. Pale as death. Her body looked limp and heavy and…

And there was an enormous wound on her upper thigh, oozing some fluid that looked like the same ichor that flowed from the stones where the spiders were now crushed. 

Astarion clicked his tongue.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” Astarion said. “The little witch led me off course, trying to shake me off, I think. Only she got us out of the frying pan and into the fire. That thing attacked us and it used its venom on her. She was paralyzed in seconds and we’d both been ensnared moments later.”

Gale hurried over to her side, taking Elinna’s face in his hands. He patted her mauve-freckled cheeks gently, trying to rouse her if only for a moment. “Elinna, wake up,” he coaxed. “We can’t start your lessons if you give out on me now.”

But she was unmoving–not even a flutter of her lashes or a twitch of her brow. 

Gale looked at Halsin, his expression desperate. 

“She seems to have lost a lot of blood,” Halsin told him. “If she had more, we might have even been able to have the vampire spawn purify her by sucking out the venom, but it’s too risky with her in this state. We’ll need to get her out of here and I’ll need to gather ingredients to create a purifying poultice. It’s her only chance of survival.”

“We just destroyed our access to the way out of here,” Gale said, gesturing with a hand back to the piles of stones. 

“We’ll have to find another way out. There was running water at the mouth of the cave. If we can find where that water goes, we can probably find a way out of here,” Halsin said. 

“How much time do we have before it’s too late?” Gale asked. 

Halsin pressed his lips together and heaved out a sigh. “Perhaps until dawn, perhaps not even that long. I’ve never seen a victim of this kind of venom look this ill,” he said. “So best we get moving now.”

Gale’s throat tightened painfully as he looked down at his charge.

This was all his fault. If he hadn’t been such a troll to her–if he’d just taught her something to protect herself–she may not have wound up in this mess. 

Now her life was at risk and he may not be able to do anything to save her. 

Halsin placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him out of his spiral of despair. 

“We can only put one foot in front of the other,” Halsin said. “Let us start with the first step. All is not lost. Not yet.”

Gale nodded. “Right,” he said quietly. “Let’s get going. No time like the present.”

His tone lacked the cheer it usually did.  

Gale leaned over, putting Elinna’s arm over his shoulders and cradling her back and underneath her legs. He got back onto his feet, knees barking in protest for a moment before he settled into carrying her limp body. 

At this point he would take a blessing from any god or goddess. Mystra or otherwise. 

If only Elinna would be alright. 

If only Elinna would make it to see another day. 

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Researchers discover eco-friendly fungicide alternative

A material that could replace current fungicides (i.e., anti-fungal pesticides), increase food security, and help protect wildlife has been discovered. A recent investigation undertaken by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) revealed that the UK is still using 36 harmful pesticides that have been banned in other European countries, with 13 described as "highly hazardous" that have links to water contamination, cancer, infertility, and other illnesses. Published in Green Chemistry, researchers at the University of Nottingham have completed a successful field trial of a material they have developed to help to protect crops from fungi. Simon Avery, professor of eukaryotic microbiology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, said, "The test material is not toxic but works by passively resisting attachment of fungal spores to protect surfaces from fungal infection, including crop surfaces. Results from this first field trial with wheat are particularly encouraging as there is a lot of scope to optimize further the material properties for crop protection."

Read more.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

As president, Donald Trump’s sweeping attempts to roll back federal environmental regulations were often stymied — by the courts, by a lack of experience, even by internal resistance from government employees.

But if he retakes the White House in November, Mr. Trump would be in a far better position to dismantle environmental and climate rules, aided by more sympathetic judges and conservative allies who are already mapping out ways to bend federal agencies to the president’s will.

“It’s going to be easier,” said Myron Ebell, who led the transition at the Environmental Protection Agency after Mr. Trump won in 2016. “They’re going to have better people, more committed people, more experienced people. They will be able to move more quickly, and more successfully, in my view.”

On the campaign trail, Mr. Trump has promised to repeal federal regulations designed to cut greenhouse gas pollution that is rapidly heating the planet. Many of his allies want to go further. They are drafting plans to slash budgets, oust career staffers, embed loyalists in key offices and scale back the government’s powers to tackle climate change, regulate industries and restrict hazardous chemicals.

Those plans, while wildly ambitious, may be more attainable next time around. Perhaps the biggest change in Mr. Trump’s favor is that over the past two years, the Supreme Court’s conservative supermajority has significantly curbed the legal authority of the government to impose environmental rules on businesses.

At the same time, Mr. Trump has proposed reclassifying tens of thousands of career civil servants, making it easier to fire them. He has said that move, which he tried to implement at the end of his first term, is necessary to “destroy the deep state” that he says secretly worked against his presidency. The result is that a second Trump administration might not face as many legal or bureaucratic guardrails as the first.

“Because of the Supreme Court in particular, he’ll be able to get away with a lot more than anyone ever suspected,” said Christine Todd Whitman, who led the Environmental Protection Agency under President George W. Bush. She said the courts have effectively given a second Trump administration a “free hand” to slash regulations.

That could mean a drastic transformation of the E.P.A., which was created by a Republican, Richard Nixon, and for five decades has played a powerful role in American society, from forcing communities to reduce smog to regulating the use of pesticides. Businesses and conservative groups have long said that excessive regulation drives up costs for industries from electric utilities to home building. Environmentalists say that handcuffing the E.P.A. now, when time is short to contain global warming, could have dire consequences.