#National Pelican's Day

[milkdongcomics]

National Pelican's Day 2024 HEY HUMAN, SEE WHAT YOU DO!? ANIMAN - OILED PELICAN Instagram:  milkdongcomics Facebook:  Milk DoNg Comics

[rabbitcruiser]

National Bird Day 

Don your binoculars to spy these feathered friends in the wild, contribute to conservation efforts or raise awareness of birds in captivity.

The world is filled with a plethora of different species of birds. From cardinals to doves, from parakeets to parrots. Different people have different relationships with the various species of birds. As such, one could easily imagine that there could actually be numerous National Bird Days in the world, serving different purposes and perhaps varying by region.

What this day refers to, however, is known as National Bird Day, observed primarily in the United States. This is a bit different from occasions such as International Migratory National Bird Day, World Migratory National Bird Day, National Bird Day (UK), and several other National Bird Days which do not follow the same etymology as “turkey day”.

It is also worth noting that each of these is named for those avian friends, not the late Senator Robert Byrd!

The ‘National’ term might be a bit deceptive here, since it’s not actually a national holiday in the United States. For a day to technically be a national holiday, an Act of Congress is required, and there is no evidence that has ever happened. That being said, this delightful day is still popularly known as National Bird Day, regardless of whatever Congress might think of that.

So get ready to learn about and celebrate National Bird Day!

History of National Bird Day

Back in 1894, Charles Almanzo Babcock, the superintendent of schools in Oil City, Pennsylvania, declared the first holiday in the United States to celebrate birds. Babcock was passionate about the idea of advancing bird conservation as a moral value and it seems that his idea for the day caught on. Babcock’s National Bird Day eventually turned into what is now known as International Migratory National Bird Day, which is celebrated in May.

That day is not actually related to this National Bird Day, though, in terms of history. This particular version of National Bird Day was created as it marked the end of the annual Christmas Bird Count in the mid-21st century.

National Bird Day has been dedicated at least in part to raising awareness about birds that are held in captivity. This day is a project of the Avian Welfare Coalition, which works hard to raise awareness for birds that are captured or produced in captivity for either profit or amusement of humans.

Presumably that includes Aunt Marjorie’s parrot, the penguins in the Columbus Zoo, and that turkey that made the ultimate sacrifice to grace the family’s dinner table for Thanksgiving back in November. After all, a holiday that marks the end of three weeks of focusing on wild birds that occurs during the Christmas Bird Count would appropriately focus some attention on captive birds.

The goal of the day is to educate folks on the destructive tendencies of the bird trade, the cruelty of bird breeding mills, and ideas for helping and improving the lives of birds that are already living in captivity.

How to Celebrate National Bird Day

Looking for ideas on how to celebrate National Bird Day? Well this list is a great way to begin. Try out some of these ideas or come up with some of your own:

Learn More About Birds

Birds are important for a variety of reasons. They are a valuable part of nature’s ecosystem. Many of them sing and quite a few of them even look pretty! Of course, many species of birds are also eaten by humans, but it does seem that it might be a little inappropriate to go quail hunting in honour of National Bird Day, no matter how delicious quail might be.

Visit Unique Birds in Their Natural Habitats

Forgo the zoo and head on over to places where the birds actually live and thrive in their natural habitats. For some bird lovers, this could simply mean taking a walk in the forest with some bird watching glasses to spot some unique creatures.

For others, this might mean building an entire vacation to an exotic place to see tropical birds in their natural homes. Many different Eco-tour companies will offer limited viewing opportunities for those who want to travel around the world to see parrots in Guatemala, Tenerife, Belize, Honduras and more!

Help with Bird Conservation

Raising awareness, getting involved and making a donation are all ways that bird lovers can celebrate National Bird Day. Host a charity event or party to let friends and family enjoy an evening while learning about the important reasons behind National Bird Day. Get together for a meal, watch a documentary, and then let people know about these ways they can make a donation to these important support bird conservation efforts:

Indonesian Parrot Project Helping protect endangered parrots and cockatoos from trappers, smugglers, transporters and traders.

Hatched to Fly Free This organization works to breed and then release beautiful, colorful macaws in the nation of Costa Rica.

One Earth Conservation Empowering people to save the planet, this organization helps to educate and build programs to love nature, with a specific focus on parrots.

Visit the National Bird Day Website

There’s also a website at National Bird Day, for those who want to learn more about the folks who are actually promoting this day, this website is a great place to start. It’s filled with resources and information to educate adults and children about the difficulties faced by so many birds in captivity today.

Get Educated on the Risks of Bird Extinction

On a serious note, approximately 12 percent of the world’s bird species could face extinction in the next century, if things continue on as they have been. That includes nearly a third of the 330 different species of parrots.

Things don’t look a great deal better for numerous species of songbirds, not to mention some penguin species and others, like the kiwi bird. The largest components of these threats of extinction are habitat destruction and pet trade. A great idea for celebrating the day would be learning about all of the wonders of birds, then helping to educate friends and family members about their plight. Because the survival of the world’s birds hinges on public awareness as well as support for conservation efforts all over the world.

Source

[rapha-reads]

IWTV rewatch

(how to resume the second half of this episode: *Captain Holt's voice* paiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin)

Season 1 episode 5 [A Vile Hunger For Your Hammering Heart] - part 2/2

- The way Louis' face is still as a statue as Loustat make their plans. The way you can feel the resentment covering the entire house.

- Lestat immediately shutting down going to Paris.

- And now welcome to the portion I'd like to call "Claudia Suffered More Than [insert your favourite martyr figure here]". Oof, Bruce immediately gives off a bad vibe, more than that white student who is after all only reproducing classic patterns of racism and classism.

- [Louis] "As the depression set in on the nation, I barricaded myself within the dilapidating walls of 1132 Rue Royale, educating myself from Lestat's library, ignoring all other duties of the role Claudia once mocked me for - the unhappy housewife." - was the raccoon really necessary? It is a nice touch, I won't lie, but really hammering in the point: the depression Louis talks about isn't just the Great Depression, it's his own (I like hammering points too, sorry). But you know what, I WISH I could lock myself wherever my books are and just ignore the whole fucking world and everyone in it for 3 or 4 years.

- [Louis] "Flaubert's style is so dense." - L'éducation sentimentale is, I'll admit it, a horror to read (but less than Le Rouge et le Noir, Stendhal really gave it his whole to make that one unbearable). Madame Bovary on the other hand is a gem.

[Lestat] "Louis Armstrong is in town tonight, playing at the Pelican" - when a bookworm introvert dates a music addict extrovert - beware the conflicting schedules and discordant ambiances. (In which I am Louis and the perfect day is a quiet day with classic music playing lowly in the background and a pile of books)

[Lestat] "You sound like every pompous Sorbonne student I've ever eaten." - ... As a former Sorbonne student, I have absolutely nothing to say in my defence (I studied French and English literature and linguistics for a year with a minor in audio-visual media, fyi). I am sadly very self-aware of how pompous I sound whenever I start talking literature. Sorry not sorry. (would absolutely not protest if Lestat decides to give me a visit. Ahem. Who said that.)

- [Lestat] "'You draw me into your gloom.' [Louis] 'It's your fault she's gone. If you hadn't pushed her... ' [Lestat] 'Claudia.' [Louis] 'If you hadn't done your...' [Lestat] 'Claudia, Claudia. I cannot listen to this insanity about Claudia one more time, bordel de merde.'"

I know we justifiably talk about Armand's "Lestat, Lestat, Lestat" litany, but Lestat's "Claudia" is quite good too.

Also, can't quite decipher what Lestat says in French there. English accent too thick. I think it's "ils me chient dans la main [gibberish]" ("they" or maybe "he shits in my hand") but don't quote me on that.

- Bruce's been stalking Claudia for a while, huh. And interesting to note that it's partly Louis' fault, his repetitive calls to Claudia that attracted his attention.

- Louis's destroying that table. I'm going to focus on that instead of whatever happened to Claudia or what Louis's doing to Daniel, no thanks. Just like how Armand immediately calms Louis down, and gonna cheer for that slap, good one, Daniel, well deserved, about time.

- [Lestat] "It could be her, but I am the one who is currently standing in front of you, and unlike Claudia, I am a full-blooded adult... with all the right appendages. So if all my considerable considerables continue to be squandered..."

'Stat... Yeah, I have nothing to say.

- [Grace] "Whoever you are that took my Louis" - yeaaah, if one of my sibling would say that to me, I think I'd just crumble and shut down. But at the same time, kudos to Grace for having the strength to bury her brother while he's standing in front of her and keeping whatever secrets he's guarding.

- [Claudia] "I spent time following Louis and Lestat now that I am my own woman, with no obvious sense of why I follow them, other than meaning slowly disintegrates without them... my companions in immortality. But today at the cemetery, I finally understood something so obvious, which I pondered for a decade... why they made me. To be Louis' sister."

*silently sobbing* It's the way Louis knows that passage by heart, and the way Claudia's prose keeps on being heartbreaking.

It's how Louis curls around his pain, and how Claudia makes herself taller in the face of this pain. It's how they don't even need more than an embrace and a word to make it better. It's how siblings who have gone through the same shit know each other so intimately. It's how that's the moment Claudia goes from daughter to sister.

- [Lestat] "The vampires out there are vicious. Oh. But you knew that already. Who did you meet out there in the American hinterland?" - oh, you are being especially awful, Lestat. I love you but you are being unfair. Even if you fear loneliness and abandonment, even if you've just went through seven years of not getting a single kind word or affectionate gesture from Louis... Lashing out, refusing to tell Claudia the truth about European vampires, the cruelty, the violence... No, that's not a good reason for it. But then again you wouldn't be Lestat if you didn't lash out when terrified and angry.

- Ouch. Contrasting that fight seen through Claudia's perspective with the s2 scene seen through Louis and Lestat's... Shivering. This is baaaaad.

Oh, no, no, no, no, I don't wanna see that part. I don't want to have to think about it and analyse it.

Man, I had forgotten how much that episode fucking hurts.

No, but the way Louis won't even say "I don't love you" not just because he won't give Lestat that satisfaction, because he lives to be stubborn and contrary, but maybe also because after all, after everything, that would still be a lie, and Louis doesn't lie; he forgets, he obfuscates, he redirects, he refashions his memories, but he doesn't lie... Even when his own life depends on it.

Episode insider:

Rolin Jones saying for Claudia "why was I the thing to make up for your mistakes". Yeah.

"This is where we start building the Anne Rice universe. As Lestat rightfully warned her there are wolves around the corner."

"It's the kid that goes 'My parents weren't all that bad. I have gone out and seen life. It is not all easy and conquerable'. And she comes back with hat half in hand, but with a mission - to take the good vampire and continue on with her life, and that is at odds with the other vampire in the house."

"It is about the fight of Louis, the fight for Louis's soul. I mean, in the end, it's 'Everbody Loves Louis', isn't it?" - Louis is catnip for vampires. And honestly I can relate. Did I say lately he's my favourite too...

That shot of Lestat hovering in the air all dressed in black with his hair floating around him while Claudia covers Louis's broken body with hers... Enraged Angel. Oh, that's worthy of a full oil on canvas painting.

Alright. That was harsh. And we're so not done. We love angst and tragedy, yey! *sobbing*

episode 1 | episode 2 | episode 3 | episode 4 | part 1 | episode 6 | episode 7

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

A Call to Repentance

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,

2 before the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes on you, before the day of the LORD's anger comes on you.

3 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, who have kept his ordinances. Seek righteousness. Seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD's anger.

4 For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.

5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites. The word of the LORD is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.

6 The sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will find pasture. In the houses of Ashkelon, they will lie down in the evening, for the LORD, their God, will visit them, and restore them.

8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the people of Ammon, with which they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

9 Therefore as I live, says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab will be as Sodom, and the people of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the survivors of my nation will inherit them.

10 This they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.

11 The LORD will be awesome to them, for he will famish all the gods of the land. Men will worship him, everyone from his place, even all the shores of the nations.

12 You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.

13 He will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.

14 Herds will lie down in the midst of her, all the animals of the nations. Both the pelican and the porcupine will lodge in its capitals. Their calls will echo through the windows. Desolation will be in the thresholds, for he has laid bare the cedar beams.

15 This is the joyous city that lived carelessly, that said in her heart, "I am, and there is none besides me." How she has become a desolation, a place for animals to lie down in. Everyone who passes by her will hiss, and shake their fists. — Zephaniah 2 | New Heart English Bible (NHEB) The New Heart English Bible is in the public domain. Cross References: Genesis 19:24; Exodus 4:31; Deuteronomy 29:23; Joshua 5:9; Ruth 1:6; 1 Samuel 30:14; 2 Chronicles 20:4; Job 16:4; Psalm 22:26; Psalm 45:4; Psalm 72:8; Psalm 72:10; Psalm 102:6; Isaiah 5:17; Isaiah 7:25; Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:16; Isaiah 14:29-30; Isaiah 15:1; Isaiah 16:6; Isaiah 17:13; Isaiah 18:1; Isaiah 20:4; Jeremiah 3:3; Jeremiah 4:4; Jeremiah 6:4; Lamentations 1:9; Ezekiel 25:16; Revelation 18:2; Revelation 18:7

Zephaniah 2 - Smith's Bible Commentary

[westadventure24]

Day 5 - We made it to Yellowstone!

It was a long day of travel as we left Moorcroft, WY towards Cody. Everything seemed rather barren and desolate as we moved down the highway. At the last minute, we decided to take a more scenic route through Big Horn National Forest…and scenic doesn’t fully describe the majestic views! The thick, tall pine forests, the crystal clear rocky streams winding with the road, and the much smaller, less known Gooseberry Badlands. Quite of the day from Mom, “Now I know why people live here!!!”

We stopped in Cody for a bite of lunch at Annie’s Soda Saloon, where Lily was able to join on the patio and Todd drank his long-awaited root beer float!

We continued down the road for just over an hour to Yellowstone! Didn’t see too much wildlife on the way in other than this grazing mule deer and one solitary bison. We stopped at Pelican Valley, which was supposed to a place to se moose. Unfortunately, no luck. Instead, Mom got a bear protocol education by the reading the sign indicating it was bear country.😳🐻

At our campsite, elevation of over 7,900 ft, Todd got a nice warm fire ready to cook our dinner of burgers and dogs. Todd took care of Dad by getting him a nice spot by the fire to prop his feet while dinner cooked. At check in, campground personnel mentioned to Todd that Bear wandered through the night before for a visit, we thought it best to lock up all food for the night in the bear proof container.

Needless to say since you are actually getting our Day 5 post on Day 6, service here is not great. Will try to post our Day 6 adventures when I can. Here’s a hint…we will have a “faithful” explosive report for our faithful readers. Stay tuned!

[desertmountainapothecary]

Tidepools of La Jolla, California – Nursery of The Pacific Ocean Marine Life - Torrey Pines, California – San Diego Pacific Ocean Beach Adventure

To the north and east of the beach Los Peñasquitos Marsh Natural Preserve is one of the last remaining salt marsh areas and waterfowl refuges in southern California. The marsh, coves, and tidepools are rich in sea life: limpets, shore crabs and hermit crabs, mussels, barnacles, sea anemones, and many species of snails and cast-off shells.

This is the perfect place to watch the annual gray whale migration. All year round, you can see Seals, dolphins, porpoises, and sea lions in the ocean. About two hundred species of birds are protected at the reserve, including migratory ones.

Year round Resident shore birds include brown and American white pelicans, black-bellied and snowy plovers, American avocets, western sandpipers, willets, whimbrels, sanderlings, great egrets, and longbilled curlews. Occasionally, visitors may see gray foxes, bobcats, coyotes, and mule deer. Reptile residents include rattlesnakes and various other snakes and species of lizards, including the endangered horned lizard.

The Torrey Pines 2,000-acre reserve contains about 300 endangered and protected species of native plants. These vanishing habitats are home to sand verbena and beach primrose on the beach, as well as California sagebrush, California buckwheat, black sage, and coastal barrel cactus. On the cliffs other high elevations there are many chaparral plants, including chamise, manzanita, ceanothus, California scrub oak, toyon, and mountain mahogany. Many of these scrub plants in particular provide the refreshing herbal fragrance that mixes so incredibly with the ocean breeze.

Before this area was colonized by Spain, the Kumeyaay tribes migrated lived here, and migrated between here, the deserts, and the mountains throughout the seasons. The land was bountiful, and the Kumeyaay would have fished, hunted, collected crustaceans, and gathered seeds, fruit, roots, to create probably a very healthy and tasty diet. The Kumeyaay have left an indelible archaeological and cultural legacy here in San Diego county and they continue to be a strong tribal nation today both here and south of the border in Baja Norte state.

The water is usually so clean and clear here, and because of the lack of shoreline development, and the underwater marine reserve, this constantly ranks as one of the 3 cleanest beaches in SoCal. This is a wonderful rare instance of extremely valuable real estate, both being a wildlife refuge and habitat, and a beautiful escape from civilization for people to enjoy for the most part in harmony.

It’s been an incredible day on the coast here in Torrey Pines and La Jolla, and I’m so glad that we were able to explore my favorite beach together. You can enjoy my series: Torrey Pines – La Jolla, California – San Diego Pacific Ocean Beach Adventure, full length, 3 glorious days on the North County coast, and experience all of the different moods and landscapes from the ever-changing interplay between the coastal inversion and sunlight.

Full Length Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLyySza85jA

Thank you so much for joining me for this adventure in my favorite beach town on the west coast, the gem of the San Diego coastline, La Jolla, California. It means the world to me to be able to share my treasured slice of heaven in the summer heat with you, and thank you so much for watching, upvoting, commenting, and subscribing.

All the best,

William Z. Brennan & Desert Mountain Apothecary

Please Enjoy Anza Borrego Desert Wildflower Superbloom – We had the most incredible wildflower superbloom in the California Desert this past year, join me from the beginning of the cold winter through the waves of dazzling blooms to the hot end of the season.

Web: https://desertmountainapothecary.com/

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Please Enjoy More Videos!

Supreme Superbloom! Anza Borrego Desert Spring Wildflowers! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGDPHEmN3v8

Grateful Desert Ocotillos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bstybc3XcAk

Coyote Canyon Offroad Adventure! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQYPvqj2ouU

Julian & Santa Ysabel, CA Epic San Diego Backcountry Road Trip- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Z_o0S4Hpg

Bellport in Spring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J9hzsFhS-k

Santa Ysabel Preserve – Backcountry Hiking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XLrSJMLXUw

[janeaye]

2024 Golden Globes

Hello!! I watched the Golden Globes tonight and like many others was underwhelmed and off-put by the monologue at the top of the show. Bored and reading too many Buzzfeed "Best Dressed" and "Check Out These Awkward Moments" posts after, I decided to take a sorry stab at a shortened, substitute monologue. I'm no comedy writer, but consider it award-show alternate universe fan fic. Enjoy :)

---------

Welcome to the Golden Globes!!!

The Golden Globes of course are a unique time where television and film combine for a night of joint celebration. Which differs from our more categorial counterparts in the Oscars for film and the Emmys for TV. And so for those of you looking to claim a Globe tonight for either medium, please know this does not make you one step closer to the EGOT. Okay? That G is for Grammy. Leave that to Taylor Swift & Billie Eilish. (Hi Taylor *smooch*. Billie *wink*.)

Tonight the Golden Globes competes with the likes of the final games of the regular season of the American National Football League. Thank God we’re only competing for ratings and not actually competing. Although these folks may portray the occasional superhero or athlete on screen, these are a bunch of theatre and improv kids, okay? Wouldn’t be pretty.

We also have a couple new awards this year. We have one for stand-up comedy. You’ll notice no current late-night show hosts are nominated in that category. That’s because they perform 80% of their comedy sitting down. Doesn’t qualify. Not a high enough threshold.

Another new award is for cinematic and box office success. Because if there’s one thing those nominees need more than all of the money they made at the box office is the acknowledgement of all of the money they made at the box office. In the form of solid gold handed to them on a glittering stage.

Amongst that gold, true Hollywood Royalty is here. We have Emma Stone. Margot Robbie. Oprah Winfrey. All people that exude the confidence and message and grace of Barbie. But perhaps not quite that of Poor Thing's.

The content nominated tonight really is magnificent. Killers of the Flower Moon is nominated tonight. Or what women used to be called in the olden days before menstrual cycles were truly understood.

The cast of Oppenheimer is here tonight. Oppenheimer has one of the most star-studded ensemble casts I’ve ever seen...From Matt Damon to Cilian Murphy to RDJ..It’s the stuff Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve dreams are made of. (Sorry Bradley Cooper.. Robert De Niro..)

Saltburn made it in under the wire for a nomination for the outstanding Barry Keoghan. Barry, somehow I was more comfortable when you portrayed a deranged joker at the end of The Batman than I was when I saw you in a mere bathtub. 

Speaking Batman, William Dafoe is here tonight. He’s one of a select few nominees who have multiple projects up for awards tonight. William, of course, voiced the Noble Pelican in the English dubbed version of The Boy and the Heron. And yet Batman himself, Robert Pattison, was actually the voice of the eponymous heron and not William, which, if you’ve seen the film, I mean believe me you’d understand why I’m mentioning that tonight. Truly a shocking non-plot-related twist for us viewers.

And, finally, you know what, forgive me for the delay folks, Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024. It’s a big year. Big year for our industry following what our incredible writers and actors advocated for last year...Big year for world events too. Leap Year. The Olympics. The Election. Because at the end of the day, can’t we all agree that Paris & [insert US politician’s name here] don’t get enough attention as it is?…

:)

[swede1952]

Good morning. ☀️

4 October 2023

I wonder do introverts get lonely, I don't, and I admit I'm a bit introverted. But I'm never really alone. I pretty much enjoy solitude.

"Good morning, Mister Sunshine You brighten up my day. Come sit beside me, in your way."

- Bee Gees, Lonely Days

“Let me tell you this: if you meet a loner, no matter what they tell you, it's not because they enjoy solitude. It's because they have tried to blend into the world before, and people continue to disappoint them.” - Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper

This morning's photograph is of four brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) flying from right to left in a blue sky with light clouds. Thye pelicans themselves are mostly silhouetted against the clouds.

"Brown pelicans are large birds with gray-brown bodies, yellow heads, white necks, and long bills with pouches. They hunt fish by plunging into the sea from high altitudes and are the only pelican species that does so. They nest in colonies on islands or vegetated areas and lay two or three white eggs5. They are very social and often gather in flocks. They can live up to 40 years. They are the national or state bird of several places in the Caribbean and North America" - bing.com

[victorysp]

Visit to The Caribbean part of The Kingdom - Day 8

The Royal Couple and the Princess of Orange visit Fort Amsterdam in the morning and go on a birding expedition in search of the brown pelican, the island's national bird. Feb. 7, 2023.

📷 Royal House of The Netherlands

[nameless-brand]

Labor unions amuse me. I don't know why. Maybe because we technically are in an adversarial relationship, but I'm in an even worse relationship with my fellow companies. Alas, hated all around. The fate of being beautiful and intelligent and stellar as me φ(。。*).

So American Labor Law is a wonderful fun mess to navigate. But they did get one thing right, and it's preventing companies from making their own internal unions: company unions / "yellow" unions. The company union in theory is supposed to do the job of independent trade unions, but since they are managed and paid by the company, it's obvious they won't do anything that would severely harm the company's profits or image. They rarely strike, undercut other unions in terms of wage, and will rarely countermand a company's unjust ruling. Not the type of union you want on your side if you are a worker.

There are proponents of company unions, stating that it gets worker grievances addressed faster and they have a closer relationship with the company and thus are able to contextualize things better. But in my opinion, the company union will always protect the company first. Much like trickle-down economics, company unions being for the worker are a lie.

Section 8(2)(a) of the National Labor Relations Act does not allow an employer "to dominate or interfere with the formation or administration of any labor organization or contribute financial or other support to it." This forces unions to be independent trade unions in the States and technically prevents companies from influencing union affairs. Unfortunately, this also means I can't directly donate money or provides goods to a union to help support a strike.

But I own grocery stores and stationary stores in a good number of places. If my stores so happen to be selling products at cost that day... let's see February 22nd was the last time I did it - for National Walking the Dog Day while a strike is happening, that isn't really collusion, is it. :)

There's already a handful of Unions that have been made in several of my divisions. Given I haven't received a list of demands from them, I'm assuming this is more preventative - like if I decide to become another gluttony-obsessed pelican or something. Still irks me a little though, but I keep reminding myself that people don't live to work, they work to live.

Regardless, my competitors hate me because I pay well above industry standard and provide very good benefits. And their workers see it and either come over to me since they're tired of living paycheck to paycheck - or unionize to fight for better pay and benefits. My competitors can't undercut me as easily as a mom-n-pop shop because I control everything from the transportation to the farms to the production line; and when they are trying to resist a strike, I'll actually undercut their undercut anyway lol.

They either shape up - or leave and I buy their land using a shell company later. I almost always find room for the displaced workers. Eventually, these people are going to realize that shutting down because a union is forming/has formed (which is illegal by the way, but hard to directly prove) just benefits me in the end lol.

Anyway, happy National 529 Day.

[rabbitcruiser]

Audubon Day

We greatly admire people working towards conservation activities and this factors into our celebrations of Audubon Day on April 26 each year. Held to commemorate the birth of John James Audubon, a brilliant illustrator, conservationist, ornithologist, and naturalist, this day also recognizes the crucial work done by The National Audubon Society.

WHEN IS AUDUBON DAY 2024?

John James Audubon’s brilliant work and legacy are celebrated on Audubon Day on April 26.

HISTORY OF AUDUBON DAY

This day is celebrated in honor of (and marks the birth of) John James Audubon, a French-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter who was well-known for his extensive studies on American birds and their habitats. Born in Saint Domingue (now Haiti), Audubon was raised in France by his father and stepmother. He began studying and drawing birds after moving to America, continuing to do so even as he moved to Kentucky with his wife, Lucy. He began delving deeper into his hobby of bird illustrations after the store that he owned went bankrupt, even sailing down the Mississippi River on a flatboat to find new birds to paint. He was so successful that he took his work to England and published it there. This work, Audubon’s greatest work, “The Birds of America,” is now widely considered as one of the most noteworthy examples of wildlife illustration. It set the tone for future wildlife illustrations; even today, artists are measured against this book’s standards.

Years after Audubon’s death on January 27, 1851, one of Audubon’s wife’s students, George Bird Grinnell, went on to co-found the National Audubon Society in John Audubon’s memory. This society promotes and protects the habitats that support the world’s birds, and also sponsors National Audubon Day. Located in the United States, this society is one of the oldest such organizations in the world. Today, there are many branches of the National Audubon Society all over the U.S., connecting John Audubon’s name to bird conservation forever.

AUDUBON DAY TIMELINE

1803

John Audubon Arrives in America

Audubon arrives at his family estate in Pennsylvania, America, where he studies and draws birds.

1820

Illustration Glory

Audubon floats down the Mississippi River on a flatboat so he can paint new species of birds.

1827–1838

“The Birds Of America” is Published

Audubon's exceptional work is published during this period, containing more than 700 North American bird species with 435 hand-colored, life-size prints of 497 bird species.

1905

The National Audubon Society is Born

A student of Audubon's wife, Lucy, establishes the first Audubon Society to protect birds and their habitats.

AUDUBON DAY FAQS

Is Audubon reliable?

The National Audubon Society emphasizes science as their basis for sound policy and action, which shows they are reliable and effective.

What is the bird society called?

National Audubon Society. Their official website states, “The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. We protect birds and the places they need.”

Who helped found the Audubon Society?

John Muir, George Bird Grinnell, T. Gilbert Pearson, are the founders of the National Audubon Society.

HOW TO CELEBRATE AUDUBON DAY

Go bird watching: Bird watching is a very fun pastime enjoyed by around 45 million people, as per data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Step outside for a quick (and safe) walk and observe the birds around you. You can look up details of birds you don’t recognize on the Audubon website. You can even take the fun one step further by learning about their names, habitats, and migration patterns.

Create your own bird-friendly space: Have some space in your backyard? Go ahead and design your own bird-friendly locale with native shrubs, trees, pedestal birdbaths, and more. You can hang bird feeders that you've created from plastic bottles, coffee cans, or even milk jugs for a better environmental impact. If you want to try your hand at more professional-type bird feeders, there are various woodworking tutorials online for making such feeders.

Draw, paint, and sketch birds; By all accounts, John Audubon loved illustrating birds. Take a feather out of his book and immortalize your neighborhood birds too. Grab a pencil and notebook and head to your bird-friendly backyard to draw the birds you see. Add in pops of color using paint or colored crayons.

FUN FACTS ABOUT AUDUBON DAY

Audubon introduced the concept of bird banding to Americas: The process of attaching a small tag to the wing of wild birds to make identification easier was first introduced by Audubon in North America.

His book is worth A LOT! In 2010, the first edition of Audubon's book, “The Birds of America,” sold in London for a whopping $11 million.

Audubon was an exceptional taxidermist. So he could sketch birds, then, if they died, prepare, stuff, and mount them too.

You might recognize a particular student of his: Famous naturalist, geologist, and biologist Charles Darwin sat in on one of Audubon's demonstrations of his methods, as a student.

Audubon made his money selling animal skins. A noted hunter, Audubon's practice of selling animal skins was his primary source of income for much of his life and even funded the printing of his book, “The Birds of America.”

WHY WE LOVE AUDUBON DAY

It brings us closer to nature: Many of us live in concrete jungles where the only brush of nature is a faraway tree, a kitchen garden, or a small shrub. Observing Audubon day brings us closer to nature and to what it means to be human in this world.

We can give back to the environment: The climate crisis reminds us that most of us aren't that mindful when it comes to nature or conservation. Perhaps learning about Audubon's conservation attempts and the Audubon Society's efforts to study and help birds and their habitat will inspire us to make more hands-on contributions, starting by simply being more bird-friendly.

We make some feathered friends: Who says no to making more friends? Only this time, we're making friends with some feathered buddies. All our conservation attempts, creating bird-friendly spaces, and even simply increasing our awareness bring us one step closer to making birdie friends and embracing Mother Nature.

Source

[othernaut]

Character Creation Challenge 2025, Day 11: Avatar Legends

Kyda always knew that she was going to lose that child.

Mitik and his wife came home to birth her; they had that much sense at least. She was happy to host them, even raise a place to stay. When Amka was born, she had her grandfather's piercing blue eyes. Navrik hadn't stayed, either. She knew it from the moment she laid eyes on the girl - staring out the door, grasping and straining to be free. She was going to lose that child, and the child would destroy everything around her if she tried to pin her in place.

Kyda argued for a longer convalescence, of course. Mitik's wife, she was eager to get back to sea, but birthing was hard no matter how smooth the venture went, and there was a limit to how much waterbending could fix you up in a short period of time. Kyda was happy to play the part of the traditionalist, throwing out every new-mother good-luck superstition she could drag out of the past. "Ako, you need at least two weeks of pine jelly, otherwise all your hair will fall out!" "Ako, you're giving too much milk, the spirits will be angry if you don't share it with the other mothers!" "Ako, Mitik, don't take her out yet, it's bad luck if the first sun she sees is a winter one!"

Stay. Stay. Please.

But the next time the Pelican-Hawk came by, they left with Amka. Her eyes were like two tiny blue fireworks as soon as she saw the ship. She reached out those little baby hands and gripped the rail when Ako climbed the ladder. She held out her fingers, mock-counting the plunder as it was loaded onto shore. She waved her fat little hands along with everyone else when the ship pulled out to sea again. That child was made to be a pirate, and anything else Kyda told herself was misery wrapped in deceit.

Two long years until she saw her again, though, and that was hard. The Fifth Nation, they didn't have anything like a schedule. It depended on what ship took what, what ship was free to swing by the South Pole, who had what to trade. Kyda searched the names of the ships in the bay: The Sudden Conclusion, the Captain Gita, the Humble Fishing Vessel. At two years old, Amka was already waterbending, which might well have been a foregone conclusion; Mitik always joked that the talent would skip generations, and the spirits listen to jokes to make patterns for their tapestries of truth.

Kyda fed them, of course. Raised a home for them. Offered to teach the child healing, when she was of age to do anything more than crack ice. She hugged them all, never certain when she'd next get the chance. Little Amka squirmed in her arms, tried to escape if she held her too long.

Two more years, and next time they had Cousin Iri.

Kyda didn't like that woman, not from the second she saw her. Bad enough that Mitik married outside the tribe, but Ako always seemed to have another unsavoury relative somewhere. The wedding was full of hairy men who felt naked without their weapons, slavers with their stolen locks of hair, firebenders who delighted in fireworks and melting the ice sculptures. Cousin Iri had a look to her, though, that went beyond her unassuming appearance. She had a way of smiling at you that let you know just what she thought she could do to you. And Amka held close to her side, eating every sentence that came out of her mouth.

Two more years. Amka was growing skilled at a prodigious pace, strong enough to race a canoe. She stole an ivory necklace out of Kyda's bedroom, and all three of them, herself and Mitik and Ako, had to sit Amka down and lecture her - not on why stealing was wrong, but on who it was okay to steal from. Two more years, and Amka was strong enough to walk to shore on waterspouts. She had been working with the other wavetenders, capsizing prize ships from below. Her hair was full of golden cuffs and jade rings, her own prizes claimed from vessels she'd helped to take. She had a bit of that quiet, now, that Cousin Iri had. When Kyda's hands would shake around her teacup, Amka would put hers over them and they would stop. She never found out how.

One year later the whole of the Fifth Nation was gone. Tagaka, their pirate queen, was imprisoned in some Earth Kingdom oubliette. The Avatar had participated, they said. Kyda hadn't seen the final battle - the village was too far from the bay where it had occurred - but she had felt the shifting of the waves.

The Earth Kingdom navy came to her a few weeks later. Mitik and Ako were gone, hidden away where their pirate queen was. Kyda would never see her son again. But they brought Amka home to her grandmother, sullen and silent. Nine years old, and you already couldn't tell whether she had hurt someone or not.

She did her best, but absent the supply ships - pirate or not - things grew difficult. Amka was used to stolen spices and foreign voices; the quiet, the routine of life in the village didn't agree with her, and it was pretty much immediate. She started building the canoe not six months into her stay. She thought she was clever, but Kyda knew what a deliberately misbehaving child looked like. And besides, she'd never see her son again - was it so wrong to fight so hard to keep her granddaughter with her? That was the thought she warmed herself with, watching Amka's work sink below the waves.

But still, still, no matter how she held her close, Kyda always knew she was going to lose that child. The tremors in her hands moved to her legs and she found it more and more difficult to find the hidden coves where Amka hid her grand escape plans. The last time she did, Amka was there, fixing the boards on a great catamaran. She pinned Kyda with those serious blue eyes, and she just... stood there. Turned and walked back to the village and made herself a cup of tea. She was never sure why she did that, but she never tried to spy on Amka's boat-building again.

Less than a year and a half with that brilliant, sullen, driven, reckless girl, enough time to know all her tantrums and moments of vulnerability, enough time to see how she yearned for the crew she had lost, enough time to see her prodigious talent as the paradoxical wind in her sails and anchor tied around her legs - enough time to love her. Enough time to sting when she would lose her again.

Amka took all her treasures when she left, the gold cuffs and jade rings. Kyda saw where her ivory necklace had been disturbed, as if little fingers had picked it up, thought better, and put it back again. She thought she was being sneaky, as all children do sooner or later, but Kyda hobbled down to the shore to watch her granddaughter cross the horizon, smaller and smaller until she was indistinguishable from the sea and the sky.

Then she went and made herself a tea, and waited.

*****

Name: Amka Training: Waterbending Fighting Style: Manipulate environmental water, bending non-standard liquid and causing billowing fog. Background: Outlaw, Wilderness (Fifth Nation) Hometown: Fifth Nation destroyer, the Pelican-Hawk Demeanor: Curious Look: Big coat, sealskin boots and gloves, dozens of bags and pouches, hair full of cuffs and beads.

Playbook: The Prodigy Creativity: 0, Focus: +2, Harmony: 0, Passion: 0 Fatigue: 0/5 Conditions: All good!

Balance: Excellence --- +/-3 --- +/-2 --- +1/-1 --- C --- +1/-1 --- +/-2 --- +/-3 Community Moment of Balance: When I call upon my commitment to the group, I can push beyond my limits, accomplishing a feat no one thought I was capable of to help or save my friends. Feature: Extraordinary Skill (Maneuvering, Shaping) Advanced Technique: Steady Stance (Defend and maneuver; any engaged foes who advance and attack mark 1 fatigue, negate the first condition or negative status inflicted in this exchange, and if no negative statuses/conditions are inflicted, I gain Empowered for the next exchange.) Combat Technique: Seek Vulnerabilities (learned), Blood Twisting (mastered), Breath of Ice (mastered) Moves: An Open Mind (can learn 3 techniques outside my skills and training; get +1 to training move); Wait and Listen (if I take the time to assess a situation using my skills, roll with Focus and gain Prepared on a success) Growth Question: Did you express gratitude to a companion for their presence, support, or teaching?

History: I first accomplished something thought impossible for me when I was six years old, waterbending to swim like a flying manta in order to keep up with the ship in transit. My cousin Quiet Iri, one-eyed former first mate of the Ill Wind and rumored slaver, clandestinely taught me to use everything available in my environment to exert my control. Everything. My grandmother obviously cares for me, but she's primarily interested in keeping me safe at home. She didn't see the Fifth Nation; she doesn't know what I can do. I always tried to participate in raids, even from a very young age, and kept little tokens of my early "spoils".

*****

As much as this exercise has had its share of ups and downs - boy, I'm glad to never have to touch Burning Wheel again - Avatar Legends is the first real, no-fooling disappointment this year, and that's all due to Powered by the Apocalypse.

I was very curious about this game, and not just because I love Avatar, like every right-thinking person should, but because Magpie Games are currently working on the role-playing game for Fallen London. Fallen London is one of those things I'm weird about. I've been playing that beautiful monster for years, now, and its dark and delicious world is one I've been eager to dip dice into. I wanted to see how they handled Avatar for, hopefully, some insight into how they'd handle Fallen London. And I come back... mixed.

Avatar Legends is a PbtA game, and you've gotta be cool with that to be cool with the endeavor as a whole. It uses PbtA moves, it makes you think in PbtA terms, and the bits that the game knits together and invents for the Avatar theming are woven out of PbtA yarn. PbtA has, at this point, probably more market penetration than D&D 5e - but where there is a tacit acknowledgement that, hey, maybe D&D 5e isn't the right system for every kind of property, PbtA doesn't have that kind of restraint. I love Ironsworn and Blades in the Dark as much as anyone, I'm currently running a game built on Apocalypse bones, but christ fuck am I just sick of it at this point. I don't want to do any more moves. I don't want to mind any more triggers. I want to see something new. I want grand failures and grand successes, and each nested in each, to pick through like a whaler pulling swallowed gold out of a beached blue.

Don't get me wrong, Avatar Legends strongly holds to the themes and ideas of the property, but it also makes explicit what has always been implicit in the show. There's knowing what a theme is, and then there's rolling 2d6+2 on that theme. But, also, if there's anything I'd have wanted Magpie to get right about it, it'd be knowing and caring deeply for the narrative centerpoints of the series. That's the thing I hope they bring forward into Fallen London, as deep a fascination as I feel for that dark world redolent of strange mundanities and mundane wonders as I have. And thank fuck they're not doing it in PbtA.

Next up: Your grandmother wants to know why you killed that guy.

[bills-bible-basics]

EAGLES IN THE BIBLE -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List #Scriptures #BibleStudy #BibleVerses "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." Exodus 19:4, KJV "Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions." 2 Samuel 1:23, KJV "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." Proverbs 30:17, KJV "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31, KJV "Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled." Jeremiah 4:13, KJV "Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness." Lamentation 4:19, KJV "The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." Daniel 4:33, KJV "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." Matthew 24:28, KJV "And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together." Luke 17:37, KJV Following are all of the verses where the singular word "eagle" is used : "And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray," Leviticus 11:13, KJV "And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle," Leviticus 11:18, KJV "But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray," Deuteronomy 14:12, KJV "And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant," Deuteronomy 14:17, KJV "The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;" Deuteronomy 28:49, KJV "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:" Deuteronomy 32:11, KJV "They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey." Job 9:26, KJV "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?" Job 39:27, KJV "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:5, KJV "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." Proverbs 23:5, KJV "The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid." Proverbs 30:19, KJV "For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab." Jeremiah 48:40, KJV "Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD." Jeremiah 49:16, KJV "Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs." Jeremiah 49:22, KJV "As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle." Ezekiel 1:10, KJV "And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle." Ezekiel 10:14, KJV "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:" Ezekiel 17:3, KJV "There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation." Ezekiel 17:7, KJV "The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it." Daniel 7:4, KJV "Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law." Hosea 8:1, KJV "Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD." Obadiah 1:4, KJV "Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee." Micah 1:16, KJV "Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat." Habakkuk 1:8, KJV "And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle." Revelation 4:7, KJV "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." Revelation 12:14, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/eagles-in-the-bible-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?EAGLES%20IN%20THE%20BIBLE%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

[whitepolaris]

Cemetery Safari

Long before Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda took their wild 'n' crazy trip through New Orlean's St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 in Easy Ride, the image of labyrinthine, mausoleum-crammed graveyards filled with zombies, nutcases, cracked tombs, and creepy, looming statuary had already become a widely held stereotype of the Pelican State. The trouble with such stereotypes is that there's usually at least a nugget of truth behind them. In the case of Louisiana graveyards, they are different from the ones you'll find in the rest of the nation. In this southern state, the dead aren't quickly forgotten or ignored. They're part of day-to-day life, so much so that in certain parishes the dead have been known to cast votes from time to time. The dearly departed have also been known to emerge from the comforts of their crypts-to praise their family's status, condemn the community for slights or offenses, express regrets . . . or tend to unfinished business.

What we're getting at is that a Louisiana graveyard is often a hotbed of activity. Don't believe us? Here's a collection of tombs, crypts, and mausoleums you won't soon forget.

[newstfionline]

Saturday, November 30, 2024

In Traffic-Weary Toronto, a Battle Breaks Out Over Bike Lanes (Bloomberg) At the evening rush hour in downtown Toronto last week, Victor Perelman stopped his bicycle at the intersection of Yonge and Bloor streets and explained his mission: He was going to ride the full length of all the bike lanes that Ontario Premier Doug Ford had just promised to rip up. “I see young people, old people, people with trailers behind their bikes, people with their children on kids’ bikes,” Perelman said of his fellow cyclists, “and this government just wants to push them all out into the road for their political expedience.” Since 2020, Toronto has unveiled dozens of kilometers of protected bike lanes, spanning from east to west to the downtown core. But the Ontario government, currently led by Ford’s Progressive Conservative majority, has pledged to remove some of them, arguing that bikeways are causing “standstill” congestion in Canada’s largest city because they can sacrifice a potential driving lane. The bill’s announcement has helped reignite a culture war that has long raged between urban Toronto and its sprawling suburbs. On one side: drivers who are increasingly frustrated with the city’s traffic delays, which the navigation tech company TomTom has ranked the worst in North America. The other side comprises city residents and transportation advocates who say that making more investments in non-car modes like transit and cycling is the only way out of the city’s congestion trap.

This 22-Foot Turkey Roosts in a Region of Roadside Giants (NYT) The most celebrated resident of Frazee, Minn., is 22 feet tall and is known to his friends simply as Big Tom. He lives alone just off Highway 10, past the metal barns but before the railroad tracks, where admirers show up seeking photos at all hours of the day. Big Tom is a turkey—the world’s largest, locals will tell you—and his fiberglass feathers are more than just a conversation starter. He pays homage to the region’s poultry industry, a cornerstone of the rural Minnesota economy, and to the annual Turkey Days festival in Frazee, a town of 1,300 people about 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis. While no sculpture is quite like Big Tom, it does not take long while wandering the Midwestern countryside to see more supersize statuary. Minnesota alone is home to a giant loon in Vergas, a giant otter in Fergus Falls, a giant prairie chicken in Rothsay, a giant sugar beet in Halstad, a giant crow in Belgrade, a giant pelican in, of course, Pelican Rapids, and giant Paul Bunyans in Akeley, Bemidji and Brainerd. For small places that will never have the tallest building or grandest stadium, having one of the world’s largest of something—truly, anything—can be a way to forge an identity, pull in visitors and, perhaps most of all, share a laugh.

Stripped of citizenship, these Nicaraguans live in limbo scattered across the world (AP) Sergio Mena’s life dissolved in hours. After years resisting President Daniel Ortega, the rural activist fled Nicaragua in 2018, joining thousands of protesters fleeing a yearslong crackdown on dissent. Mena returned from exile in neighboring Costa Rica in 2021 to continue protesting, only to be thrown in a prison where he said jailers hung prisoners by their feet and shocked them with electricity. Now in exile in Guatemala, Mena may be out of prison but he’s far from free. Upon their release, he and hundreds of religious leaders, students, activists, dissidents and journalists were rendered “stateless”—stripped of their citizenship, homes and government pensions. The United Nations says that they’re among 4.4 million stateless people worldwide who struggle to find jobs, education and healthcare or even open bank accounts or marry without valid ID documents.

After Emotional Debate, British Lawmakers Vote to Legalize Assisted Dying (NYT) Lawmakers in Britain voted on Friday to allow assisted dying for terminally ill patients in England and Wales under strict conditions, opening the way to one of the most profound social changes in the country in decades. After five hours of debate in the House of Commons, they voted by 330 to 275 to support a plan that would allow doctors to help patients with less than six months to live to end their lives. The vote was not the final word on the legislation: It will now be scrutinized in parliamentary committees and amendments to the bill may be put forward. The bill that lawmakers approved on Friday would apply to a narrow group: Applicants would have to be over 18, diagnosed with a terminal illness and have been given six months or less to live. Two doctors and a judge would be required to approve a patient’s choice to end their life, and fatal drugs would have to be self-administered.

Russia Launches Huge Bombardment of Ukraine and Signals More to Come (NYT) Russia attacked Ukrainian energy infrastructure with missiles and drones on Thursday, in what President Vladimir V. Putin said was retaliation for Kyiv’s hitting Russian territory with long-range American missiles. Mr. Putin suggested that such strikes could be stepped up, after millions of Ukrainians were left without power on Thursday, Ukrainian officials said. Ukraine’s energy ministry said it was the 11th major attack on the country’s energy infrastructure this year. The total extent of the damage was not immediately clear, but explosions were heard in cities across Ukraine, and many officials reported power outages. Six people were reported injured across the country, according to the regional authorities.

Desertion threatens to starve Ukraine’s forces at a crucial time (AP) Desertion is starving the Ukrainian army of desperately needed manpower and crippling its battle plans at a crucial time in its war with Russia, which could put Kyiv at a clear disadvantage in future ceasefire talks. Facing every imaginable shortage, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops, tired and bereft, have walked away from combat and front-line positions to slide into anonymity, according to soldiers, lawyers and Ukrainian officials. Entire units have abandoned their posts, leaving defensive lines vulnerable and accelerating territorial losses, according to military commanders and soldiers. Some take medical leave and never return, haunted by the traumas of war and demoralized by bleak prospects for victory. Others clash with commanders and refuse to carry out orders, sometimes in the middle of firefights. Although Moscow has also been dealing with desertions, Ukrainians going AWOL have laid bare deeply rooted problems bedeviling their military and how Kyiv is managing the war, from the flawed mobilization drive to the overstretching and hollowing out of front-line units. It comes as the U.S. urges Ukraine to draft more troops and allow for the conscription of those as young as 18.

China Is the World’s Largest Car Exporter (NYT) Just two decades ago, China had little capacity to make cars, and owning one was considered novel. Today, China produces and exports more cars than any other country in the world. President-elect Donald J. Trump has promised to impose new tariffs on China. Many countries, including the United States, already levy extra tariffs on China’s electric vehicles. But with all of the advantages China wields in automaking, this pushback is unlikely to undercut China’s dominance. China’s home market for car sales is the world’s largest—almost as big as the American and European markets combined. China is a leader in the transition to electric vehicles and it exports more of them than any other country. Chinese brands like BYD are becoming known worldwide for offering advanced electric cars at the most competitive prices. And as Chinese drivers have shifted rapidly to electric vehicles, demand for gasoline-powered cars in China has plunged and many are being exported instead.

3 dead, over 80,000 displaced as Malaysia prepares for worst floods in a decade (AP) Malaysia prepared on Friday for its worst floods in a decade after heavier-than-expected monsoon rains caused severe flooding that killed three people and displaced more than 80,000. The National Disaster Command Center online portal said Friday that 84,597 people, from more than 25,000 families, across seven states were evacuated to 488 temporary shelters. The northeastern state of Kelantan, bordering Thailand, was the worst affected.

Philippines’ Marcos says debate over impeachment of VP Sara Duterte a ‘storm in a teacup’ (Reuters) Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Friday that any impeachment complaint against his estranged vice president Sara Duterte would only distract Congress and not help people, in remarks that drew criticism from some lawmakers. Sara Duterte, who made threats against the president’s life on the weekend, is under legislative investigation for alleged misuse of public funds. She quit her cabinet post as education secretary in June and has denied wrongdoing. “Why waste time on it?” Marcos told reporters. “None of this will help improve a single Filipino life. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a storm in a teacup.”

Australia Has Barred Everyone Under 16 From Social Media. Will It Work? (NYT) Australia has imposed a sweeping ban on social media for children under 16, one of the world’s most comprehensive measures aimed at safeguarding young people from potential hazards online. But many details were still unclear, such as how it will be enforced and what platforms will be covered. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said that it puts the onus on social media platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent anyone under 16 from having an account. Corporations could be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (about $32 million) for “systemic” failures to implement age requirements. Neither underage users nor their parents will face punishment for violations. And whether children find ways to get past the restrictions is beside the point, Mr. Albanese said. “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act,” he said in a statement this month.

In a shock offensive, insurgents breach Syria’s largest city for the first time since 2016 (AP) Insurgents breached Syria’s largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars. The advance on Aleppo followed a shock offensive launched by insurgents Wednesday, as thousands of fighters swept through villages and towns in Syria’s northwestern countryside. Residents fled neighborhoods on the city’s edge because of missiles and gunfire, according to witnesses in Aleppo. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the country’s unresolved civil war, said dozens of fighters from both sides were killed. Reports emerged of government forces melting away in the face of rebel advances, and insurgents posted messages on social media calling on troops to surrender.

Battered by war and divisions, Lebanon faces a long list of challenges after ceasefire deal (AP) Hours after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect, Lebanon woke up to the sound of celebratory gunfire instead of Israeli airstrikes and drones buzzing overhead. It was a rare moment of respite for Lebanon, as bombs stopped falling after a year of war. Thousands of displaced people joyfully drove back to their towns and villages in southern and eastern Lebanon. But the realization of what lies ahead quickly sank in. Town after town in the south and east as well as parts of Beirut have been destroyed, entire border villages leveled to the ground, and thousands of buildings damaged. The World Bank estimates losses amounting to some $8.5 billion. For the tiny and broken Mediterranean country, which has dealt with compounded calamities for over half a decade, the ceasefire deal has brought more questions than answers. Among them, who will foot the bill for rebuilding? Will Hezbollah fully remove its fighters and arsenals from the south, relocating north of the Litani River—and how will the Lebanese army ensure that it does so? And will Israel ultimately accept the militants being pushed back, battered but not destroyed?

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Thursday, November 22, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: BLITZ (Apple TV+) BREAD & ROSES (Apple TV+) SAGO MINI FRIENDS (Apple TV+) BIA AND VICTOR (Disney + Star) JIM GAFFIGAN: THE SKINNY (Disney + Star) THELMA (Paramount+ Canada) PD TRUE (Season 2) (Series Binge) (Paramount+ Canada) DOUBLE HOLIDAY (Paramount+ Canada) RITA (Shudder) CHRISTMAS ON CALL (W Network) 8:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT? OUTLANDER (Premiering on December 02 on W Network at 9:00pm)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA EL CIRCO DE LOS MUCHACHOS TIGRES ET HYÈNES

CBC GEM BESTEST DAY EVER WITH MY BEST FRIEND! FAMILIES LIKE OURS MARY BERRY’S HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS STAY THE NIGHT

CRAVE TV AMELIE ARTHUR CHRISTMAS BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND THE BLIND A CHRISTMAS CAROL THE CONGREGATION (Season 2 premiere) CORALINE HUSTLERS IT’S FLORIDA, MAN (Season 1 finale) I USED TO BE FUNNY SPY KIDS SPY KIDS 2 STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 SWEET NAVIDAD

DISNEY + STAR BIA AND VICTOR (Amor Da Minha Vida) (all episodes) THE DEVIL’S CLIMB JIM GAFFIGAN: THE SKINNY OUT OF MY MIND

NETFLIX CANADA 900 DAYS WITHOUT ANABEL (ES) DADDY’S HOME DADDY’S HOME 2 THE EMPRESS (Season 2) (DE) THE HELICOPTER HEIST (SE) JOY (GB) THE PIANO LESSON SPELLBOUND TEX MEX MOTORS (Season 2) TRANSMITZVAH (AR) WHEN THE PHONE RINGS (KR)

NBA BASKETBALL (SN) 7:00pm: Celtics vs. Wizards (TSN/TSN4) 7:00pm: Nets vs. 76ers (SN1) 7:30pm: Warriors vs. Pelicans (SN Now) 8:00pm: Pacers vs. Bucks (TSN/TSN4) 10:00pm: Mavericks vs. Nuggets (SN1) 10:30pm: Kings vs. Clippers

NHL HOCKEY (TSN3) 7:00pm: Jets vs. Penguins (SN) 10:00pm: Sabres vs. Ducks

MARKETPLACE (CBC) 8:00pm: A collage of Marketplace investigations comes together when a father finds his disabled son's story being used to sell a bogus product that claims to remove everything from pesticides to bacteria, including E.coli, from food.

MEET ME UNDER THE MISTLETOE (CTV2) 8:00pm: Rival real estate agents both make the same wish during the first snow of the winter: to win the most coveted listing in town. As the business competitors begrudgingly work together, they learn the house comes with a special commission: love.

HUMAN VS. HAMSTER (Magnolia Canada) 8:00pm/9:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): To kick off the competition, teachers and nurses square off against four mighty hamsters before one team takes on Shadow in the final. In Episode Two, in three all-new challenges, the Trivia Kings and Volunteer Queens take on hamsters Astro, Lightning, and Romeo, as well as returning favorite Kevin.

WE'RE SCROOGED (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:03pm: Years after parting ways, former high school sweethearts reunite at their ten-year Christmastime reunion, where they are visited by three ghosts who try to make them reconsider their decision to part ways.

FRIDAY NIGHT THUNDER (APTN) 8:30pm: Young guns Johnny The Iceman Miller, #20, and Ashton The Beast VanEvery, #77E, have been challenging the veterans all season, proving their skills on the track. Tonight at the Nationals, they solidify their status as formidable competitors.

THE FIFTH ESTATE (CBC) 9:00pm: Vancouver's Sky ECC promises confidentiality to customers with its encrypted cellphones, which are a hit with criminals but also the target of an international police sting; the investigation brings down thousands of criminals and Sky.

I USED TO BE FUNNY (Crave) 9:00pm: Stand-up comedian Sam struggles with PTSD, and considers joining the search for a missing teenage girl she used to nanny.

AMERICAN UNDERDOG (Super Channel Fuse) 9:05pm: The inspirational true story of Kurt Warner, who overcomes years of challenges and setbacks to become a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback.

CRIME BEAT (Global) 10:00pm: The Investigators (Melinda Breda-Buchanan)

BEFORE I CHANGE MY MIND (Crave) 10:50pm: In 1987, other students wonder if new kid Robin is a boy or a girl, as Robin forges a complicated bond with the school bully and makes increasingly dangerous choices to fit in.