#Impact Shorts | 4.5

[womenofwrestlingfashion]

Tiffany wears the Impact Sports Bra ($42.50) & Impact Shorts | 4.5" ($49) in Light Rose Pink from DFYNE with the Air Max 90 Futura Sneakers in White from Nike ($108.97)

[that-foul-legacy-lover]

i just took a shower and now i cant stop thinking about moth boy loving showers

like, poor boy got so upset when he realised he was too big to join you in he bath like he's seen ajax doing from the back of his mind, so he's ecstatic when he finds out your shower is just big enough for the both of you!

he'd definitely love the feeling of the warm water running down his hair and wings, i headcanon that he's designed to spend long periods of time underwater due to ajax's hydro vision so the feeling of water rushing over him is a familiar feeling that he relishes in when it's not happening during battle until he gets shampoo in his eye

big moth man purring while getting his floof dried with the warm hair dryer aadhgfh my heart <3333

(he would also probably try to decipher the "ruins and symbols" that you make with your stray hairs on the shower wall)

dearest lord of moth, please take my thoughts and make something of them (if you have the time lol) 🙏

*furiously takes notes* yes yes please continue

listen listen LISTEN. when Foul Legacy is in the shower and he feels the water raining down and running over him, he does a happy little wing flutter with a delighted chirp, shaking himself so his wings don't become too waterlogged. he loooooves watching you wash your hair too, all the suds and tiny bubbles the shampoo makes look so fluffy, and if he's feeling brave he'll try to scritch your scalp with his claws to help you out. genuinely, Legacy would stay sitting in the shower for hours if it didn't rack up your water bill, but after a while he'll reluctantly get out because he remembers that hot water costs money with his vague knowledge of how Childe deals with expenses and bills- not before turning off the shower and shaking any excess water off, of course

you're always waiting for him with the hairdryer in hand, gesturing for him to sit in front of you with a soft laugh. you gently pat his shoulder when you turn on the hairdryer- neither of you like the loud sound it makes- feeling him stiffen before relaxing as the warm air begins seeping into his bones. his hair and fluff are always especially poofy and soft after being dried, and Legacy just melts more and more the longer you work, on the verge of falling over once you turn the hairdryer off. he lets out small, drowsy chitters when you brush his fur and hair, making sure there aren't any mats or tangles and also that your fluffy Abyss monster doesn't dissolve into a pile of goo while you're at it. only when he's perfectly dry do you nudge his shoulder again, watching him make a beeline for the bed and promptly flop onto the covers, looking at you pleadingly to join him. he's very warm and toasty right now, so he won't need any covers- just you as his pillow, nuzzling against your stomach with a sleepy purr as you stroke his hair to help him fall asleep

[matan4il]

I wanna share with you a small cut from a 2010 documentary about events that began unfolding in 2008. The film (which was up for an Oscar nomination, but wasn't shortlisted), followed the story of a young kid called Muhammad. He was born with an immunity deficiency that killed two of his sisters. Three other siblings didn't have it, but also weren't a match to donate bone marrow to him. To even consider the donation procedure, Muhammad's family needed 55,000 dollars (over 80,000 dollars today), which they obviously didn't have. An Israeli journalist did a TV piece about Muhammad, asking for the money to be donated. An Israeli man, whose son was a soldier killed by Palestinian terrorists, decided to do exactly that.

While Muhammad was in the Israeli hospital, his mom Raida was by him, and here's an exchange she had with the Israeli journalist who helped the family get the money they needed to save their kid's life:

I'm not sharing this because I want to demonize Raida. I'm not sharing it because every Palestinian thinks this way. I'm sharing it because some Palestinians, certainly the ones related to Islamist terrorist organizations like Hamas, do believe that if their child dies as a shahid (a martyr), during an attempt to kill Jews, then the kid would be with Allah. And that will be as if their child never died, because what's better, an imperfect and short life on this earth, or an eternal life with every good thing imaginable by Allah's side? So yes, there are parents who want their kids to die in a confrontation with Israel. There are kids who were brought up with these beliefs. And kindness and humanitarian gestures might change it, but many times they just can't compare to the promise made by this way of thinking.

That's not every Palestinian, but it's enough people to have an impact on the forming and continuation of the Israeli-Arab conflict (much like how Amin al-Husseini was one Palestinian leader, but his antisemitism had a crucial influence on the conflict, and translated into the deaths of countless people, mainly Jews). There are currently at least 30 terrorist organizations in Gaza alone (at least 5 of them are big enough to be household names in Israel), and Hamas on its own includes at least 30,000 people who think this way.

No one can understand this conflict as long as they ignore that the widespread existence of this mentality plays a factor in it. No one can bring about peace here, without getting that this is a part of what threatens it. No one can solve a problem while turning a blind eye to some of its parts.

And if you still think Raida is an exception, here are some more vids reflecting the same mentality from over the years... (I'm not gonna get into how heartbreaking it is that entire generations of Palestinian kids never stood a chance, because I think that's obvious for anyone with a heart watching these clips)

Official Palestinian Authority TV interview with the mother of a shahid, Nov 28, 2003:

"Being with Allah is better." Hamas TV on Jul 21, 2014:

Mother of murderer of 3 Israeli teens: "He was honored with Martyrdom because Allah loved him." Oct 6, 2014:

Palestinian mothers explain why they make joyful noises when their kids get killed as shahids. Apr 7, 2015:

"Death is inevitable, so why not die as shahids?" Oct 28, 2019:

Palestinian father explains his choice to expose his son to danger by bringing him to the site of violent riots, by saying his 4.5 years old wants to go to paradise. Jun 20, 2021:

"My son had nothing called a funeral, rather it was a wedding..." Official Palestinian Authority TV, Sep 13, 2021:

Shahid's mother says her son is a role model for Palestinian kids. Dec 31, 2022:

Shahid's mother shares she instructed her son on how to be a proper shaid. Official Palestinian Authority TV, Feb 21, 2023:

(for all of my updates and ask replies regarding Israel, click here)

[cadaverre]

𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞

hi everyone and welcome back to junos monthly newsletter !!! i hope uve all had a wonderful month, whether its getting warmer or colder where u are (thank god its warming up here i would be dying if it was still winter) and i hope u enjoy this months edition ★ 

𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲

this month was actually one of my fav months of the year so far, my mental health is doing so much better and im finding that the weather is really impacting that. usually its not this warm and sunny but i am so fucking thankful it is !! i had my huge performance this month and it made me super excited to join more music groups and js about performance in general, its such a wonderful night of the year and i always feel so sad when its over !

𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜

monthly playlist charm - clairo manic - halsey short n sweet - sabrina carpenter  hypochondriac - brakence better off - esha tewari home video - lucy dacus

𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐬 + 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐬

» buffy the vampire slayer - up to season 2 i started watching this show this month and ohh my god i love it !! buffy is such an icon and i love the plot and general vibes, i cant wait to watch more ( cordelia, drusilla and buffy are my fav characters so far btw ) » the perks of being a wallflower (rewatch) - 9/10 i always forget how devastating this movie is and then i watch and im like oh! this is soul destroying! but i love it soso much and it always makes me cry » jennifers body - 9.5/10 oh my god. i love this movie soo much megan fox is so fucking hot and its so iconic and aah im. yeah. love.  » (500) days of summer - 8/10 love this movie !! i loveee the non linear storytelling and i think the acting suits the genre and vibes so well, it wasn’t boring at all which i loved. very nice chill vibes tho » deadpool - 8/10 this movie is soso silly, i love the dynamic camera and again, the non linear storytelling is so yummy. i did not appreciate the like 20 min sex scene as i watched this w my dad but i rlly wanna watch the second one !! » janet planet - 4.5/10  idk this movie gave me weird vibes u can read my review here » thirteen - 8.5/10 the vibes? immaculate. wardrobe? im so jealous. taking drugs? not cool. very stressful at times but i still loved it

𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬

» lolita - unfinished still reading it !! its a little hard to get through but i do like picking it up and reading a few pages every day, its getting so strange but the writing is so enchanting i cant stop reading lowkey … hopefully it’ll be done by the end of next month !! » the virgin suicides - unfinished been reading this occasionally and ohh my god i love it. the whole narration/how its being told from a sort of unknown perspective in a documentary style is so yeah. im so fucking hyped to finish it » my year of rest and relaxation - unfinished yes i am reading three books at once and yes it is slightly inconvenient but !!!! i got this book recently and its so… dreary?? but i love it ?? i feel like i dont have to have my literary analysis hat on to read it which is nice compared to the other books im reading rn.

𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 / 𝐚𝐞𝐬

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

@dandelions-fly-in-summer-skies + lmk if u wanna be tagged !!

[ironwoman359]

Taylor Reads - July WrapUp

So I have a spreadsheet where I keep track of all the books I read each year, and I also keep a scrapbook style reading journal where each month has a spread of all the books I read that month, and I'm going to start putting my wrap ups here on tumblr, because I can :3

I had a unexpectedly fruitful reading month in July; I only read three books in June, but the League of Extraordinary Gentlefolk comic here on tumblr made me want to read some classic victorian sci-fi, which pulled me out of my reading slump and got the ball rolling on some of my reading goals.

Here's everything I read in a glance, and beneath the cut is a little blurb review for each book!

The Black God's Drums by P. Djeli Clark - 4/5 Stars This is a fantasy novella set in a post Civil War alternate history steampunk New Orleans featuring street urchins and sky pirates. Need I say more? P. Djeli Clark became an auto-read author for me after I read Ring Shout, and while this didn't have quite the punch of that story, I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells - 3.5/5 Stars My first classic of the month, I went back and forth on whether to rate this book 3 or 3.5 stars (I think it's rated 3 on my storygraph, actually), because while there were parts that were slow/boring to read, some of the prose was very memorable, and the ending was excellent. I find Dracula to be a bit more readable, but if you're interested in these early sci-fi classics, I still definitely recommend it.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne - 2.5/5 Stars This book, on the other hand, I found mostly frustrating. I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more in a serialized fashion similar to Dracula Daily, because the long descriptions of travel to a place where nothing much happens and lists of fish and mollusk species that our main character saw quickly became boring. These moments were interspersed with genuinely interesting character moments and scenes of adventure, but reading the whole book in one week really detracted the impact of those scenes for me. Maybe read an abridged version if you're interested in the story but have more trouble with older books.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson - 4.5/5 Stars This was by far my favorite of the classic sci-fi (or would this be classic horror?) books that I read this month. The book is presented as a mystery that, as a modern reader, it's hard not to know the twist to, but even then, the execution keeps you engaged the entire time. This is by far the most readable of the classics I read this month as well, and is also very short, so there's nothing holding you as a modern reader back from checking this one out! I dinged it half a star because I found the ending to be a bit abrupt and unsatisfying; I wish we'd gotten to see our pov character react to the final explanations and truths instead of him just vanishing from the story. But still, this was very very good!

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron - 4/5 Stars Do you want a sapphic YA fairy tale retelling where our black lesbian protagonist decides to attempt to single-handedly overthrow the patriarchy? Yes, yes you do. While not a perfect five stars, this book still felt absolutely tailor made to my specific tastes, and if I had been a teen myself when it came out I probably would have been obsessed with it. Kalynn Bayron just had a snow white retelling come out last month and if it's anything like this then I need it in my hands yesterday.

The Time Machine by H.G. Wells - 3/5 Stars Reading the book that is credited for popularizing the idea of a time machine as an avid fan of time travel stories today was an interesting experience. I have a few more books of his on my tbr to go before I can make a final judgement, but I'm not sure if Wells's writing style is really connecting with me. I found this to be a little more readable line by line than The Invisible Man, but there were more striking character moments in that book than in this one. Still, seeing the arguable origin of one of my favorite sci-fi subgenres was very cool.

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer - 2/5 Stars I started writing a stand alone review for this book and it's already over one thousand words long. It seems I always have more to say about a book that I thought was bad than a book I thought was good. Suffice it to say, this book had a good premise (if you're into that sort of thing) but it needed several more rounds of editing. It felt like I was reading an unpolished manuscript that had been sent out on submission, not a finished product that I paid money for. Very disappointing.

The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson - 4.5/5 Stars There's not much you can say about this book on its own, as it's the third book in a trilogy, but suffice it to say it was a perfect ending to said trilogy. I have so much love for these characters and this world, and I can't wait to start reading era 2!...after I start Stormlight. And Warbreaker. Why am I trying to read the entire cosmere before Wind and Truth comes out why is this my life-

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan - 4/5 Stars So this is a book that I started on audio back at the end of May, and for whatever reason I listened to the first 60% or so in a few days and then just...stopped. Had no desire to pick it back up, not because it wasn't good, it was, it was really good, I just had some kind of mental block on it for some reason. Then in a burst of inspiration after finishing the Hero of Ages a few days ago, I put the book back on and listened to another hour of it, then finished the rest on ebook during a slow couple hours at work. Again, not much to say about this if you haven't read the first book, She Who Became the Sun, but I highly recommend this duology, it's incredibly written, queer as hell, and the ending was extremely satisfying.

Abeni's Song by P. Djeli Clark - 5/5 Stars Beginning the month where we started it with P. Djeli Clark, this time with his middle grade debut! I love middle grade books, I usually read at least one per month if not more, and this was an absolutely stellar example of the genre. A great coming of age story based on West African mythology with lovable characters and the type of plot that will keep even adults hooked, I highly recommend this and can't wait to read the sequel when it comes out next year!

[world-cinema-research]

Week 1 - The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Short Analytic Essay

By Carly Leavitt-Hullana (THE 112-SP '24)

The film I saw was The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, (see trailer below). This movie was released in July of 2012, 10 years after the original Spider-Man was released starring Tobey Maguire. I chose this movie as it was one of the first movies I remember fully and joyfully watching, as I was seven years old at the time. My mom bought us the Blu-ray DVD when it came out in November, and my sister, my two cousins and I would watch it all of the time; so another major impact of this movie was simply spending time with my family. However in this short essay, I will not focus on the significance of this film but speak about the box office performance, critical acclimation, general plot of the film, factors that could have persuaded or limited viewers from watching, the conventionality, and what new revelations I found after rewatching all these years later.

Official Trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man (Youtube)

In regards to the box office numbers, this film was commercially successful as the budget was about 220-230 million dollars and made $262,030,633 domestically and $495,895,604 internationally, or $757,890,267 worldwide. Although the opening weekend only raked in 23.7% of total gross, $62,002,688 respectively, it still performed well and the DVD and Blu-ray sales also performed admirably with a total of $113,789,781 domestically, (The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) Box Office Numbers via THE NUMBERS). Staying a little below trend with the commercial aspects, the movie was still critically successful with ratings of 6.9/10 for IMDb, a 71% for Rotten Tomatoes, and 66% for Metacritic. Regardless, the film is considered successful in both aspects as it made 2x the budget just from the domestic box office sales and received highly related reviews. One review is from Roger Ebert, who claims The Amazing Spider-Man is "...probably the second best [out of the Spider-Man franchise]." In the same article, "A remake that's also a reboot," he gives the film a 4.5/5 star rating. He also touches on an aspect that many of those who have watched the film appreciate; the screen time given to show Parker's story as well as an explanation why he decides to step into his newfound role, (A remake that’s also a reboot via Roger Ebert).

The movie begins with Parker as a child when he still lived with his parents, who soon dropped him off to board at his aunt and uncle's house and then mysteriously disappeared. Leaving behind a bag with his father's work that Parker finds at the beginning of the film, which then sends him on a hunt for answers that leads him to the "Tower," also known as the headquarters of Oscorp where his father's former research partner currently works, (The Amazing Spider-Man Summaries/Synopsis via IMDb).

The background story of Peter Parker is rather tragic, however, the producers used it to their advantage to bring in a larger audience in addition to the action scenes. Along with the star actors including Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys Ifans and even Stan Lee's cameo where he plays the librarian in a fight scene. With the rating of the film being PG-13, that the directors represented the film to the proper audience of young teenagers and family, which also contributed to the high viewing and ratings. Even watching the Peter Parker Wake Up Scene (see below), you can see that this is a high-action, suspenseful movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat, pretty spot on with what I remembered.

The Amazing Spider-Man Wake Up Scene (Youtube)

On the other hand, a restraining factor that might have prevented more viewers from seeing this film is how recent the film came out in consideration to the original Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire. As I mentioned earlier, The Amazing Spider-Man only came out 10 years after the first Spider-Man, and 5 years after Spider-Man 3, so potential viewers who do not follow the Marvel-verse have a subsidiary probability of viewing the movie. Even so, looking at current reviews The Amazing Spider-Man (see promotional flier below) with Andrew Garfield is still loved, however recent adaptations starring Tom Holland are more favored. 

The Amazing Spider-Man Promotional Movie Poster

Although this movie is categorized as conventional, there are some unconventional themes that can be observed throughout the movie. Such as the controversial dispute Parker exchanges with Captain Stacy, where he claims the police are not doing their jobs effectively enough and that the "amateur in a suit" is only trying to help and do what the police are failing to do. Seeing as I was only six at the time I watched this movie, I cannot attest to society's views on the police in 2012, however it is a very controversial topic that is talked about more and more today. Another controversial topic that stood out to me is how the police and government try to downplay Lizard's sighting on the bridge. Which reflects the lack of information from government officials and framing of news coverage we experienced then and especially now in America. An example can be said about the death of the French photographer Remi Ochlik and war reporter Marie Colvin, who died from a Syrian attack in 2012. It is believed that they were targeted by Assad for speaking out, however the media framed them as being accidentally caught in the crossfire as they were suspected of being "rebel forces," Journalists Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik die in Homs via BBC News).

Overall, there are a lot of new affairs I gathered after re-watching this film. Especially since the last time I saw this film I was about six or seven years old. Now, I can relate with Peter Parker's more introverted and shy side. I have also learned and experienced a lot about society and rhetorical and ironic messages in the media. However, aside from social commentary, the biggest difference I noticed was the spider bite scene as my memory of this scene was that he got bit in an office-like setting (?) whereas he actually got bit in the lab/building where the spiders and genetic testing took place (go figure!).

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

My Balls by Your Favorite Martian

Ray William Johnson is one of the great poets of our time, the John Lennon of the YouTube age, and nowhere is this more evident than with the breathtaking masterpiece that is “My Balls.”

Check out the first verse’s heartfelt lyrical content, a desperate plea to get a lost loved back:

Baby girl, you left me

Oh no, we broke up

And it's been a while since we last spoke

But I need another chance, can you give me that?

'Cause there's something in my pants that could win you back

It’s a display of raw emotion that is universally relatable; we’ve all been in a similar position to “My Balls” at one point or another.

I wanna be your man again

But you left me like I'm Jennifer Aniston

And I know you said you'd never call

But girl, you ain't seen my balls

These lines could be chalked up to merely clever wordplay, but I think that is greatly underselling the genius of “My Balls;” the comparison to Aniston is clearly meant to imply the girl our narrator is trying to win back is, in fact, Brad Pitt.

And then we come to the chorus:

You-you-you-you ain't seen my balls

You-you-you-you ain't seen my balls

You-you-you-you ain't seen my balls

You ain't seen my balls, you ain't seen my balls

You-you-you-you ain't seen my balls

You-you-you-you ain't seen my balls

You-you-you-you ain't seen my balls

You ain't seen my balls, you ain't seen my balls

Bob Dylan wishes he could achieve even half of the impact that “My Balls” does. This is poetry, pure and simple, unrivaled and unmatched by any living artist. “My Balls” really carry a lot of depth and meaning that may not be evident at first glance, but a closer examination of “My Balls” reveals profound wit and brilliance.

Let me single out the top 5 most profound lyrics of the song:

5.

My balls are so awesome, don't get me started

They're so damn big

How big are they?

They're so big, it's really obnoxious

4.

And how can I be subtle

When my balls chase Indiana Jones through a tunnel?

3.

And everyone at Disney World keeps telling me

That Epcot Center looks at 'em with jealousy

2.

I, I got what you need

And you said you'll never call

But girl, you ain't seen these balls, here we go

1.

My balls are so epic but I ain't boastin'

'Cause they have an effect on the tides and the ocean

And when the sun's right, they might cause

A total solar eclipse of my balls

This clears the entire discography of the Beatles and I will never hear anything this good again. Music peaked here and it’s been a steady decline since.

In short, My Balls are amazing. The song’s good too. 4.5/5.

[beauzos]

Books I read this July

Something I've been wanting to do but kept forgetting so here we are!! An overview of all the books I've read this month!! I don't know if anyone really cares but I love talking about books, so here we are. We have a couple more days of July, but I just started an 800 page book so no shot it gets done this month. I read 10 books this month, and I'm rather pleased about that.

The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides | 4.5/5 stars

I started this in June but finished in July so I'm counting it. One of my favorites this month. I could conceive of it being slightly better or detailed at some parts, so it's not a 5/5, but it's damn close. Sides has a great and engaging nonfiction style that this makes book incredibly approachable for anybody. It's very well-researched and does a great job unveiling the final journey that Captain Cook took before his death in Hawaii.

I loved this book because it clarified a lot of things about Cook. Something I thought was interesting was how rarely he ever judged the Native peoples he came into contact with. Because of that, you actually get such an intimate feel for who these people actually were at the time because he just accepted their practices, religion, and so on. He's still a colonizer, don't get me or this book wrong, but I've never really seen a book about someone like Cook where they didn't immediately hate the people they encountered or tried to "fix" or proselytize to them. I found that to be a very interesting dynamic.

It was such a unique historical experience reading this book because he just observed and impartially participated in their goings-on. I've never quite seen anything like it.

I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Two Old Women by Velma Wallis | 5/5 stars

This one I loved. This is a telling of an Alaskan Native legend about two old women who were abandoned by their tribe in the winter due to famine, and how they fought to survive, eventually returning to their tribe and helping them survive in return.

Really short, very simple. I don't have a lot to say, I just thought the story was great and had really solid emotional impact for its length. Easy to breeze through, can read this in an hour or so. Definitely recommend checking out.

Antelope Woman by Louise Erdrich | 3.5/5 stars

I read this one after my best friend told me Stephen Graham Jones took inspiration from it for The Only Good Indians. I only read Tracks by Erdrich and that was back in 2017 and I did not love it, but I liked her style. I think this one is better. Something about it doesn't fully work, and I wish honestly the book had been about the family story that gets rushed through in chapter 1, but the premise is super interesting and Erdrich's style is incredible.

She writes in a way that makes everything feel incredibly mythic. The characters are interesting and the story is pretty good. I love Sweetheart Calico as a character and I see how she could've inspired Jones for Elk Head Woman in TOGI.

The amount of incest was a bit strange though.

Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx | 3/5 stars

This one I have mixed feelings on. Annie Proulx has a great style but I had trouble getting into a lot of the stories. A lot of the stories feel kinda samey with all the cheating, rape, and sexual harrassment. The best of those stories is the one about the rodeo bull rider, that was legitimately a great story. My favorite of the set overall is Brokeback Mountain. It stands miles above the other ones and is what makes the book 3 stars instead of 2. It by itself is a solid 5/5.

I would revisit some of these stories but I just struggled to get into the book overall. Not bad though.

The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry | 2.5/5 stars

Oh, brother. This one. I was really excited for this one because it's a new Western that's been getting a lot of buzz and then it was nottt good. Extremely rushed pacing early on, insta-love romance, terribly developed romance. Why would I even care about these two-levels of bad development.

The prose is fine. Very casual, kinda reminds me of a mix of Annie Proulx and Cormac McCarthy. It carries the book because there isn't much to get attached to otherwise. The ending renders the entire book pointless. If I care about their relationship then maybe it'd mean something.

Mid as fuck. Beginning is the worst bit but if the ending had stuck the landing it could have been 3 stars.

The Art Thief by Michael Finkel | 3/5 stars

This was the non-fiction pick at Barnes & Noble for July. I picked it up because this is new in paperback, and it came with sprayed edges, yellow with bats printed on the side. I read it, and it was fine. That's about all I can really say. There's something missing from this book, but as to what it is, I have no idea. It's readable and the story is interesting enough, but I guess I'm just more interested in hardcore history non-fiction books.

But I'd never heard of this guy before; he stole over 200 pieces of art from museums across Europe with his girlfriend and kept them all in his bedroom. The ease in which they managed to steal these artworks is incredible.

It's not my usual kind of non-fiction read. But it wasn't bad. It's interesting, it's a wild story, and it was fine.

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton | 3/5 stars

This one turned out better than I expected. I read it because I had a weird dream about being super moved by Edith Wharton's writing and then found out she did a novel on Gilded Age New York so couldn't pass it up. First half of the book is painfully boring. I don't like Edith Wharton's style of narration, but eventually, the characters start to carry it and you get invested in this stupid rich white people drama. I kinda loved the ending, though it also disappointed me-- but I think it was brilliantly done and I couldn't ask for it to be changed.

Newland Archer is so despicable at points yet terribly sympathetic as a protagonist, I find him SO interesting because of that. I really loved Ellen Olenska and Catherine Mingott too. The cast was honestly pretty solid. I'm glad I didn't give up on it, but it didn't wow me.

But it was enlightening to see the culture of the NYC elite during the Gilded Age. it's what I was there for. It's white people drama, and that's all, really, but it's good stuff.

West by Carys Davies | 2/5 stars

I found out about this one after seeing a customer come up with it in my line a while back. Found out it was a Western and ordered it for myself. Real itty bitty book, only 150 pages, and honestly, I think the book would be improved by being a full-length novel-- or, that it is to say, about double the pages, at least.

I thought the premise was interesting but it doesn't really go anywhere. The father goes West to find proof that giant beasts exist after dinosaur bones are discovered in Kentucky, searches fruitlessly for a year, then dies, and that's it. I wanted an actual journey, I suppose.

The way the daughter's half of the story veers into multiple pedophiles preying on her was weird as hell and I'm not sure it contributed very much beyond the ending. I think the inclusion is fine, it just feels super underbaked in a short novella like this and needs some tweaking.

It just kind of ends with a whimper and that's that. Woefully underdeveloped, but I didn't hate it. I just finished it and went "huh." and that was it.

Navola by Paolo Bacigalupi | 2.5/5 stars

Man what the fuck.

The book is both really bad and really good. Really boring, hard to get into, pseudo incest subplot making me want to DNF after the story started getting through. But I'd already read 300 pages, so I forged on and finished it. The book gets really good at the end, but at what cost to my sanity?

I did a whole review of this before. Look at it here. I don't feel like repeating myself. The book would be 3 or even 4 stars without the pseudo incest or the boring start.

President Garfield by C. W. Goodyear | 3.5/5 stars

This one took me a while to get through because I got sick in the middle of it. It was a bit dry, but not dense, but still took me over a week. I thought it was very interesting and informative-- Garfield's era reminds me, in some ways, of our current situation, so it's always neat to compare. He was a very interesting man, and I wonder what could've been had he been able to carry out his presidency; he died only six months into his term. Pretty good. Close to four stars but not quite. I felt some things could've been elaborated on more, but overall, it was well written.

The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris | tba

I have no shot at finishing this by the end of July, the fucker is 800 pages. But Teddy Roosevelt is one of the most interesting people to ever become president, so I look forward to learning more about him.

[bloodmaarked]

the thursday murder club // richard osman

first published: 2020 read: 16 june 2024 - 20 june 2024 pages: 377 format: paperback

genres: fiction; adult; mystery (cozy); crime; comedy favourite character(s): joyce and bogdan least favourite character(s): ian ventham (great antagonist!)

rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗 thoughts: recently i've been on the verge of a reading slump, with me not having been blown away or massively enthusiastic about my recent and current reads. in fact, i had to DNF a book because of it (back to black by kehinde andrews, which i do plan to go back to). so i really needed a book to pull me back from the edge, something brilliant that could excite me. and on top of that, i wanted to try and limit myself to books that i already own. i hoped that the thursday murder club would be a good bet, given the constant praise and massive impact it's had, and thankfully, joyfully, it absolutely lived up to the hype.

where to begin? the plot, of four elderly friends who get together, solve murders, and poke their noses in places they generally don't belong, sounded right up my alley. i'm much more interested in the cozy mystery genre right now given my first introduction to it through vera wong's unsolicited advice for murderers, which i read last year (and vera wong would fit in brilliantly with this cast, by the way!). i was down for a good mystery and silly, goofy fun and richard osman delivered. the humour was spot on, and i don't remember the last time i read a book that made me laugh, out loud, repeatedly. the humour is very british, and to be honest i have no idea how non-brits are getting their heads around this one, but i loved it. the chapters are short and punchy, so it was easy to fly through this book. the mystery itself was so good, filled with twists and turns and fake outs and reveals. the midpoint twist at the end of part one? jaw on the floor. i thought i knew where it was going, and of course i was wrong every time.

the characters, i loved them all. of the main gang, elizabeth (followed by joyce) was given the most attention and felt the most fleshed out. in the next book i would like to see more development of the others, and especially more interactions and relationship development between the characters (we got a bit of this with elizabeth and joyce, and ibrahim and ron, and i would like more!). even the characters outside the four were enjoyable to read. donna and chris i loved, bogdan and ian i loved. there were quite a few secondary and tertiary characters that i got a bit lost with remembering the names of. the cast is actually quite big, and it could potentially be trimmed a touch?

but really, i had so much fun with this and it’s easily one of my top reads this year. someone at book club had said it was a joy to read, and i wholeheartedly agree. i was getting excited to read book two before i’d even finished, and i can’t wait to get my hands on it. as for the movie adaptation, i’m excited to see what they do with it (i feel like it might’ve been better as a show?) but it’s also going to be weird to see considering i headcanoned half the characters as black 😭 but we shall see. for now, it’s an enthusiastic 4.5* to the thursday murder club, and an excited wait for my copy of the man who died twice to arrive!

[marlin-blue]

i love chenee and frejus from the 4.5 slime event SO much. him pretending to be a genius bc he doesn't want to disappoint the only person who believes in him enough to enthusiastically stay by his side, him wanting to keep her happy for the short while she's interested in him, her knowing all of this and fucking around with him on purpose bc she thinks its amusing, her being the real 'genius' who keeps giving him complicated tasks and then gently nudging him to the solution while acting clueless about it all, the whole thing where he doesn't remember saving her life bc to him, blocking the gun was a normal thing to do, but its something that's obviously had an immense impact on chenee ..... her asking him to design an oven, and not to worry because even if it fails, he can just make up for it by cooking for her for the rest of their lives ..... hyv is crazy for writing this crazy shit for some random slime event npcs, im going insane all by myself

[mediaevalmusereads]

Foster. By Claire Keegan. Grove Press, 2022.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Genre: literary fiction, short story

Series: N/A

Summary: A small girl is sent to live with foster parents on a farm in rural Ireland, without knowing when she will return home. In the strangers' house, she finds a warmth and affection she has not known before and slowly begins to blossom in their care. And then a secret is revealed and suddenly, she realizes how fragile her idyll is.

***Full review below.***

Content Warnings: use of the g-slur

Overview: I decided to pick k up this book after seeing it on a YouTuber's best books of 2023. I was in a lit fic mood, and the high praise got me interested. Overall, I enjoyed this story, and though I wish certain things had been pushed a little more, it was a quiet, understated little narrative that I no doubt will be mulling over for a while. For those reasons, this book gets 4.5 stars from me.

WRITING: Keegan's prose is incredibly descriptive yet understated and reticent at the same time. The author manages to hide little details in every sentence that reveal how her narrator views the world, and yet, she never outright says much (either because the narrator is a child with limited understanding or because Keegan is making a point about silence or both). Personally, I found this style incredibly effective; not only does it do a masterful job of "showing" over "telling," but it allows the reader to do a little brain work and interpret the story for themselves. It also does much to capture big, emotional sentiment that can't be voiced directly, and the narrator says as much at one point.

This style does, however, mean that it can be easy to miss some things. Whether or not this style works for you will probably depend on how forthright you like your books; for me, I think it withheld just the right amount, and even though I doubtless missed some things, it doesn't necessarily bother me. It just means I want to go back and read again.

PLOT: The plot of this story follows a young unnamed girl who is sent to live with her distance relatives, the Kinsellas. The narrator comes from a large, poor family in rural Ireland, and the understanding is that she is being sent away because A.) the mother is pregnant again, and B.) the family is struggling to care for all the children. While living with the Kinsellas, the girl is cared for in a way that reveals the degree of neglect she experiences at home, and over time, she forms a bond with the Kinsellas, who come to love her as their own.

This story was touching and, by the end, left me quite emotional. Through the little details we can see how the girl's home life is lacking - she is taken aback by little luxuries such as a hot bath, clean floors, etc. and all this doesn't so much criticize the poor family so much as it filled me with an incredible amount of pity and sadness.

The bond that formed between the girl and the Kinsellas was heart-warming and became especially impactful once we learn of the Kinsellas' past. Knowing that they eventually would be parted filled me with some degree of dread, but mostly, it just made me appreciate their short time together and left me wishing they could have stayed together forever.

If I had any criticism, I would say that I kind of wish there was more in this story to drive home the neglect or the sense of safety and care at the Kinsellas; but in all fairness, something so overt would probably go against Keegan's style. My personal tastes tend to go towards things that are a little more blatant in their messaging, but this doesn't mean Keegan did anything wrong at the level of craft.

CHARACTERS: Our unnamed female narrator is not much of a character in her own right, but is mostly notable for being a filter or lens through which the story is told. Her most defining feature is that she comes from poverty and is thus unused to little luxuries, including hot baths, refrigeration, and even love and affection from her guardians. I honestly didn't mind this because the narrative was so short; if Foster had been a novel, it might have been a problem, but for the purposes of this story, the narrator is just as complex (or not) as she needs to be.

The Kinsellas are also fairly simple folk and show a quiet kindness that I could feel through the page. I loved that they treated the narrator as their own child and that they opened their hearts so fully to her. I also loved that the husband and wife seemed to genuinely love each other so that the whole household felt like a safe, loving environment - a stark contrast to the home where our narrator comes from.

Side characters were fine and did the jobs they needed to do. The narrator's father wasn't overly mean or abusive, but it was clear he was somewhat neglectful or at least reluctant to connect with his children emotionally. Various neighbors or acquaintances did enough to reveal to the reader that there was something going on with the Kinsellas, and they didn't overwhelm the narrative. The narrator's mother also felt warm and kind but overwhelmed, which created some interesting tension with the father.

TL;DR: Foster is a touching short story about the bond that forms between a neglected girl and a childless couple in rural Ireland. With a reserved writing style that manages to pull back the curtain just enough, the effect is a melancholy gut punch that showcases just how wonderful and fragile a peaceful, loving home is.

[deliriumsdelight7]

Baby, you need some reading comprehension skills, because for a fully grown adult, you’re severely lacking.

No one was victim blaming. Phoenixwrites was literally shipping Eddie and Erica and wanting smut of Chrissy at 16!!! With Eddie who was 30+… which is also statutory rape as well as pedophilia/hebephilia. And you’re just as disgusting as her for supporting that. She also said someone getting death threats sent to them was “karma” for saying that you shouldn’t ship Eddie and Erica OR 16 year old Chrissy and 30+ year old Eddie and wanting them to fuck, which they were absolutely correct about. Tell me what part of this is victim blaming. It’s not.

Sugar pie honey bunch, I already outlined this for you in my last response to you. Telling someone that they deserved a terrible thing that happened to them as a child, decades before they engaged in shipping discourse over characters who are fictional and do not exist, is victim blaming. The lived experiences of real people is, has been, and always will be more important than the imaginary lives of fictional characters. If that’s not clear enough for you, I’m not sure how I can spell it out for you. But apparently I’m a masochist, so I’m going to try.

My lovely, would you accuse everyone who listens to True Crime podcasts of being a serial killer? How about George R. R. Martin, who wrote a sex scene between a thirteen year old and a thirty year old in the first book of ASOIAF? Is he a pedophile? Or how about the Duffers, who wrote not one, not two, not three, but four gratuitous murders of teenagers in season 4 alone of Stranger Things? Are they teen murderers? They wrote a racist character. Are they racists? (And if so, shouldn’t you be boycotting it?)

The answer to all of the above is no. People can consume and/or create stories that do not embody their real life values. If we couldn’t, then your local library would be full of nothing but coffee shop meet-cutes.

I’m done talking about this. You have come to my inbox based on something you saw on my friend’s blog, which you only would have seen by hate-scrolling when you could be doing something productive with your time. Write a fanfic. Do some volunteer work. Learn a new hobby. Take a class. Hang out with friends. Life is too short to be spent hate-scrolling someone’s blog and picking fights over a matter that doesn’t have any impact on you.

So I’ll say again, hoping that the third time’s the charm: please, for the sake of your mental health and the environment of fandom, do better.

All future hate asks will be met with recipes, because I want this blog to be a positive space, and interacting with this negativity is, quite frankly, not how I would like to spend my time. So, as a soothing cleanser, please enjoy this recipe for a lovely lavender cold process soap.

Ingredients:

Distilled water: 6.8 oz. / 193 g

Lye (Sodium Hydroxide): 4.2 oz. / 118 g

Lavender infused Olive Oil: 8.7 oz. / 247 g (29%)

Coconut Oil: 8.1 oz. / 230 g (27%)

Tallow: 5.4 oz. / 153 g (18%)

Shea butter: 4.5 oz./ 128 g (15%)

Castor Oil: 1.8 oz. / 51 g (6%)

Hemp Oil: 1.5 oz. / 43 g (5%)

Lavender essential oil: 25 g

Patchouli essential oil: 6 g

Kaolin clay: 3 Tbsp

dried lavender flowers: 1 cup (~¾ cup for the oil infusion, 1 tablespoon for the "tea")

Optional: about 8 little lavender twigs or buds for the top

INSTRUCTIONS

Safety First: Put on googles and gloves, wear long sleeves and make sure you're not soaping around children and/or pets. Keep your space ventilated or soap outdoors

Measure out 8 oz. of distilled water (a little more than the recipe calls for) and boil it in a small saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of lavender buds to the hot water, stir and let it cool to room temperature

Using a coffee filter, cheesecloth or fine sifter filter out the lavender

Weigh your water again and depending on how much has evaporated either add or take away as much as needed

Slowly and carefully add the lye, gently stirring until fully dissolved.

Place lye solution in an ice bath (if the lye water turns too brown it will color your soap brown as well)

Melt coconut oil, tallow and shea butter over low heat

Add hemp, castor and infused olive oil to melted oils

Add essential oil blend (lavender and patchouli essential oil)

Add kaolin clay and mix until there are no more clumps

When lye solution and oils are about room temperature combine the two and stick blend until medium trace (thin pudding consistency) is achieved

Pour soap batter into soap mold and tap it down a couple of times to release any air bubbles

If you wish to decorate the top with lavender twigs or buds, make sure that the soap is at VERY thick consistency at that point. For me that was 10 minutes after I poured the soap. This will prevent them from leaving brown marks on the top of your soap.

Insulate mold with a heavy towel to encourage gel phase, cut into bars after 24-36 hours and cure for 3-4 weeks

[answersfromzestual]

Many patients mistakenly believe that the longer the operation, the better the healing results, and that short surgery is a sign that the surgeon is in a hurry or is not meticulous.

These myths can be a major source of anxiety for patients. However, the opposite is true: the longer the surgery time, the more the healing time and the risks associated with the intervention increase.

While it is true that operating time is an important indicator of risk factors and possible complications, the type of surgery and procedural complexity are also determining factors. Although often independent, these risk factors can sometimes be interrelated.

Infections and complications

The link between wound infection and operative time has been known for a long time. Every additional minute of surgery has a direct impact on the rate of wound infection.

As proof, a study on breast reconstruction with implants published in 2019 clearly demonstrated that the possibility of medical complications or wound infections increases when the surgery time goes beyond three hours. There would be a direct causal link between complications, preoperative health conditions, and longer operative time.

While the complication rates vary little for surgeries of less than 3 hours, the risks multiply by 1.6 times after 3 hours. Each successive operating time interval is accompanied by an associated growth in complications, with rates increasing 3-fold after 4.5 hours and almost 5-fold for a 6.8 hours procedure.

When surgery lasts longer than 6 hours, every additional hour increases the risk of cardiovascular, kidney and pulmonary complications. The same goes for the increased rate of infection. Surgeries lasting longer than 3 hours increase the risk of erythema and bruising, and often involve slower healing of the wounds.

Morbidity

The main issue regarding the risk of morbidity is the complexity of the procedure, not the duration of the operation. Indeed, according to a study published in 2014, complications can vary between two surgeries of more or less equal duration. For example, surgeries to the head or neck cause more complications than breast or limb surgeries, although the duration is similar, due to the complexity of these procedures. Delicate procedures on smaller surfaces requiring less manipulation cause less morbidity than reconstruction or dissections or excisions of body contouring procedures. On the other hand, studies indicate that operating times of more than three hours also increase the risk of morbidity. All these factors must be taken into account by the surgeon during the preoperative preparation.

The duration of the operation is therefore a key factor in the recovery of patients and in the severity of postoperative complications. It would be an indicator of complications, with a marked increase in risks if the surgery lasts more than three hours.

Surgeons are highly trained professionals. Although an experienced surgeon works quickly, other factors can contribute to the length of the operation, some of which may be beyond his control, such as excessive bleeding which can slow down the procedure. However, speed of execution does not necessarily guarantee better results, as operating time is not the only factor to consider in the event of complications.

So patients don’t have to worry if the surgery is shorter than expected. This does not indicate shoddy work. Longer surgery will not necessarily give better results. Surgery time is an important factor in recovery, but so too are the type of surgery and procedural complexity. Above all, be sure to ask questions before surgery so that you are fully aware of the risks.

Source

[random-thought-depository]

While I'm here, I made a partial list of worlds with complex life within 20 light years of Earth in my setting, with short descriptions. I haven't figured out names yet, so I'll just name them by reference to the star they orbit.

"Gaian class" here means an Earth-like planet with liquid water, plants and animals, a photosynthesis-based food chain, etc.. I took the liberty of using the term used by John M. Dollan's Arcbuilder universe and the Orion's Arm universe, at least for now. Given the history of my setting as I've mentally plotted out so far, it might make more sense if the setting's in-universe equivalent of the Planetary Classification List used references from bonobo-like human mythology instead of references from Earth Greek, Norse, etc. mythology, and that would eliminate the necessity of eventually having to ask Mr. Dollan if he's OK with me using some terms from his PCL, but right now I don't feel like doing fictional culture mythology worldbuilding just to have an equivalent of when the characters in Star Trek say "M class planet."

Also, as I said, this is an incomplete list, I'm also planning to put Gaian worlds around Sigma Draconis, HR 7703, and 82 Eridani (and a bunch of stars farther out), but I haven't decided what those worlds will be like yet.

----------------------------------------------------------

Gaian class planet of Alpha Centauri A: A bigger (1.3-1.5 Earth masses), denser, more metal-rich planet than Earth, reflecting the Alpha Centauri system's high heavy element abundance. Gravity is only moderately higher than Earth's (1.15-1.25 G) because of the bigger surface area. The biosphere is quite rich, comparable to Earth's. Climate is similar to Earth, but a bit warmer and with bigger seasonal contrasts because of a higher axis obliquity and the longer year. Oceans are deeper than Earth's and the land to water ratio is lower; the land surface is 120-130 million square kilometers (compared to Earth's 150 million square kilometers) on a planet with more surface area than Earth. There are five continents, but the biggest continent is the majority of the planet's land surface.

The planet has a very big moon (3.5-4.5 Luna masses) in a high orbit (above 500,000 km). This big moon is superficially similar to Luna aside from its higher gravity, being a cratered, basically airless, almost geologically dead world like Luna, but it is much denser and more metal-rich than Luna; it is probably a captured world, instead of one that was formed by an impact.

Gaian class planet of Alpha Centauri B: A smaller and less rich world than Alpha Centauri A's Gaian class planet. There is a single continent, hot and dry in the southwest, warm and wetter in the southeast, cool to cold and wet in most of the other coastal regions, and dry and mountainous in the interior. Fluctuations in volcanic activity over the last few million years have caused considerable fluctuations in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which have caused considerable fluctuations in climate. These climate fluctuations have stressed the biosphere; biodiversity has been reduced and surviving common species tend to be hardier and more generalist than equivalent species on Earth or the Alpha Centauri A Gaian planet. The present climate is broadly similar to Earth's, has been more-or-less stable for the last few tens of thousands of years, and will probably remain stable for many millennia in the future.

Gaian class planet of Epsilon Indi A: This is the Epsindi homeworld.

This planet orbits close to its dim sun, around .5 AU, but nonetheless receives less light than Earth and is a chilly, marginal Gaian world despite a high level of atmospheric carbon dioxide. About a third of the planet's surface is ice-lidded ocean, vast continental glaciers, and cold deserts. The equatorial and subtropical regions are warm, but tend to be dry because the cool climate means less evaporation from the oceans and cooler air holds less water. The planet does not have very much continental crust; the land surface in the liquid water belt adds up to a few tens of millions of square kilometers. Compounding these problems, mountain ranges block rain from most of the warm land that does exist, so this is largely a world of ice, ocean, and desert. This geography means the human inhabitants of this world mostly live in narrow coastal strips of good land and on the many islands that dot the ocean in the liquid water belt. These restricted good lands are peppered with the broken, crumbling remains of the cities and other constructions of the fallen Epsindi civilization. The less technologically sophisticated present human inhabitants often make their humbler settlements in the shadow of these ruins.

Gaian class planet of Tau Ceti: This is the bonobo-like human world.

A smaller, older, less metal-rich world than Earth, for most of the last billion years this was a cool world with low and heavily eroded continental platforms. An upsurge of geologic activity in the last tens of millions of years has caused much new land uplift and mountain-building and also dramatically warmed the climate by pumping large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Today, the planet is much warmer than Earth. Snow and real cold happen only on mountains, in highland regions, and near the poles. There are essentially no permanent glaciers. Even the polar regions have almost subtropical weather in summer and the polar oceans are basically free of ice even in winter, though the polar lands do experience snow and cold during the dark polar winters. Greenhouse climates have lower equator to pole temperature contrasts, so the equatorial regions are not much warmer than Earth's; the entire planet from the equator to the poles has temperatures compatible with thriving plant and animal life.

Sea levels are high relative to the height of the continental platforms, so much of the continental platform area is covered by biologically rich shallow seas. There is less land than Earth, both absolutely and as a percentage of the surface area; the planet's surface is 25% land and the total land surface is around 110 million square kilometers (Earth's surface is 30% land and Earth's land surface is 150 million square kilometers). The land area is fragmented into multiple continents and many islands. Most land is not far from the sea and has a warm and wet climate. Thus, while there is land than Earth, more of that land is good land. The warm climate does intensify storms, and there are more poisonous plants than on Earth, but aside from this the planet is almost a tropical paradise, with little desert and no cold lands.

There is no large moon, but there are some captured asteroids in high elliptical orbits, the biggest of which is more than thirty kilometers on its long axis.

Gaian class planet of 40 Eridani A: This is the bearfolk world.

For the past few million years, this planet has been locked in a cycle in which its axis obliquity varies from only a few degrees to almost 60 degrees and back again over a few hundred thousand years. For most of this period the average temperature was relatively low and the planet was not very friendly to humans. Low obliquity eras were ice ages, while high obliquity eras had very hot summers and very cold winters. Life here has adapted to this cycle to some extent, but biodiversity has been considerably reduced by the stresses of the obliquity variations. During the cool period, much of the land surface was covered by a very simplified ecosystem in which most biomass was tough, fibrous, nutrient-poor grass-analogues and most animal biomass was a single species of large grazer.

In the last few tens of thousands of years the opening of a new, highly active volcanic rift under the ocean raised the atmospheric carbon dioxide level, warming the planet. This created conditions for forests and richer grasslands to thrive and spread and caused a large-scale collapse of the simple fibrous plant and big grazer ecosystem and its replacement by richer ecosystems (a development that may have been catalyzed by early bearfolk hunting of the big grazers and proto-agricultural ecosystem interventions). Today the planet is in a relatively low obliquity era (obliquity is presently similar to Earth's) and has an overall rather pleasant climate, a little warmer than Earth's. It superficially resembles a quite conventionally Earth-like rich Gaian world, but close inspection of the native plants and animals reveals a relatively low level of biodiversity and many hardy, generalist forms with ability to endure extremes of heat and cold and prolonged periods of darkness.

Many of this planet's native plants are poisonous or otherwise inedible or poorly nourishing to humans, and many of its native small animals are poisonous or venomous, an environmental difficulty that has been very significant to the bearfolk's evolution.

There are three continents, though one is relatively small and another is very thinly populated by the bearfolk because it is still mostly covered by the simplified tough fibrous grass-analogue and big grazer ecosystem where it isn't desert or glaciated. Most of the bearfolk live on one continent, a large land mass that stretches from the northern polar region to a point south of the Antarctic Circle.

Gaian class planet of Delta Pavonis: For most of its history this was cool and dry world, but its sun has now become a subgiant and dramatically increased in brightness, making this a hot marginal Gaian world. Average daytime temperature is over 90 F. There is little surface water, only small seas, so most of the surface is desert, a wasteland of sand and rock baking beneath a blazing, swollen sun. The atmosphere is thin; even in the lowlands oxygen levels resemble a highland such as Tibet on Earth. The thin atmosphere and lack of moisture means the nights can be quite chilly, as the temperature can fall rapidly and dramatically after the swollen sun goes down. The subgiant sun also floods the surface with increased UV radiation. Axis obliquity is low, so the climate is almost seasonless, a year-round brutally hot summer.

Most of the planet's remaining plant and animal life is in the small seas and in the vegetated areas around them. These vegetated areas are mostly scrub and "grassland" (technically not grass but a structurally similar native plant) surrounded by semi-desert, as the seas are mostly too small to generate enough evaporation to support extensive forests. Forests are restricted, mostly existing where highland regions close a sea catch rain.

Much of the planet's water is in vast subterranean aquifers (the planet has a lot of porous rock). These aquifers are interconnected with the small seas. Water from these aquifers wells up to the surface in many places, creating many oases in the desert.

Like the bonobo-like human world and the bearfolk world, this planet had some proto-humans transplanted to it within the last few million years. The Delta Pavonisian branch of the human family have evolved into a sapient species adapted to better endure the harsh conditions of their world; compared to Homo sapiens they have a greater capacity to endure high temperatures, a reduced reliance on perspiration, expanded lungs and increased hemoglobin to enable them to better extract oxygen from the thin air, and almost coal-black skin to protect them from the intense UV radiation of their subgiant sun.

Gaian class planet of Eta Cassiopeiae A: A rich Gaian world, though one with a rather limited land area. Most of the land is a single continent that runs from the fringes of the north polar region to the fringes of the south polar region. This continent is quite extensive in the north-south axis, but relatively narrow in the east-west axis. This continent has equivalents of almost every major land biome on Earth, including high-altitude ones in its mountains, so biodiversity is higher than one might expect given the limited land area. The biosphere is still recovering from a mass extinction event within the last two million years. Nights on this planet are often rather bright, illuminated by two sizable moons and the local sun's companion star Eta Cassiopeiae B.

[zneemaorr]

Zmeena Orr: A Dazzling Journey 🌟

Zmeena Orr, born on December 11, 1986, in the Bronx, New York, is a multifaceted personality who has captured the hearts of millions. At 36 years old, she defies age with her vibrant charisma and captivating online presence.

The Woman Behind the Name

Zmeena, also known as ‘zneemaorr’ on social media, is a Sagittarius, and her online handles include Instagram (@zmeenaorr), TikTok (zneemaorr), and Twitter (@ZmeenaO), where she has amassed a following of 4.5 million on Instagram.

Talents Beyond Social Media

Zmeena’s interests go beyond the digital realm. She’s not just an internet sensation; she’s a real estate maven, successful in her ventures. In 2018, she ventured into the world of music with her debut single, “Digital Love,” showcasing her musical prowess.

A Colorful Palette of Hobbies

This multicultural personality enjoys an array of hobbies, including painting, dancing, and exploring different cuisines. Her striking and alluring hair, along with her mesmerizing and captivating eyes, add to her allure.

Please visit official website

A Private and Enigmatic Love Life

Zmeena keeps her relationship status private, leaving her fans intrigued and guessing about her special someone. Her enigmatic approach to matters of the heart is part of her charm.

Inspiring Journey and Notable Impact

Zmeena’s journey from the Bronx to stardom is nothing short of inspiring. Her online impact is undeniable, with a captivating presence and engaging content that resonates with a global audience.

A Financial Luminary

In addition to her social media success, Zmeena’s notable financial brilliance shines through her successful real estate ventures. She strikes a balance between her health-conscious lifestyle and her career in real estate.

In a world of captivating personalities, Zmeena Orr’s journey is a tapestry of colors, blending success, enigma, and charisma. Her story serves as a testament to the power of determination and the magic of pursuing one’s passions. 🌈

[idontlikeem]

Thank you for answering my UFA question! I am very nervous about Zucker, Jarry and Dumo 😔

no problem!

honestly, dumo should not be extended unless it's for $1M. he's unfortunately truly never rebounded from that injury he had a few years ago, and his on-ice impact is an overall negative. he's looked better recently, but i don't think he's a top pair dman any longer, and if he's not willing to take a significant pay cut and take sheltered third-pair minutes then they have to cut him loose.

jason should be extended. my ideal for him would be 3 years (to line up with the end of geno's contract since they're so good together) at $4.5-$5M. a bit of a paycut for a stable situation and being stapled to the wing of a guaranteed hall of famer who's still producing at an elite rate. my fear is granlund's contract ($5M for the next two years after this one) will box him out. i have some very very intrusive thoughts about why that might have happened, surrounding ron's treatment of geno over the summer—likely a hysterical overreaction, but i can't rule it out.

this opinion might not be super popular on tumblr dot com but.......jarry needs to prove himself in the playoffs and there needs to be confidence that his injury is not going to turn into something recurring. the best ability is availability, especially for a guy who's supposed to be your #1 goaltender, and if this is going to be an issue moving forward, they should either not extend him or give him a short contract and bring in a backup that's more of a 1B than a traditional backup, who can carry a heavier workload with consistent slightly above average performance if necessary.