#South Asia water security

[insightfultake]

Turbulent Waters: Unraveling the India-China Struggle Over the Brahmaputra

The waters of the Brahmaputra, or Yarlung Tsangpo as it is known in Tibet, have always been a lifeline for millions. Yet, they are now becoming a flashpoint in the geopolitical tensions between India and China. With Beijing’s ambitious plans to construct a colossal $137 billion hydropower project in Medog County, the stakes for South Asia’s environmental and water security have reached unprecedented heights.

China’s proposed dam, designed to harness the staggering 2,000-meter drop of the Brahmaputra’s flow, promises to generate 60,000 MW of power—enough to light up entire nations. However, for India and Bangladesh, this “green project” risks becoming a poisoned chalice. The environmental consequences and geopolitical implications could ripple far downstream, impacting millions who depend on the river for their livelihoods...Read more

[dailyanarchistposts]

Chapter 2: Mutual Aid Among Animals (continued)

Migrations of birds.— Breeding associations. — Autumn societies. — Mammals: small number of unsociable species. — Hunting associations of wolves, lions, etc. — Societies of rodents; of ruminants; of monkeys. — Mutual Aid in the struggle for life. — Darwin’s arguments to prove the struggle for life within the species. — Natural checks to over-multiplication. — Supposed extermination of intermediate links. — Elimination of competition in Nature.

As soon as spring comes back to the temperate zone, myriads and myriads of birds which are scattered over the warmer regions of the South come together in numberless bands, and, full of vigour and joy, hasten northwards to rear their offspring. Each of our hedges, each grove, each ocean cliff, and each of the lakes and ponds with which Northern America, Northern Europe, and Northern Asia are dotted tell us at that time of the year the tale of what mutual aid means for the birds; what force, energy, and protection it confers to every living being, however feeble and defenceless it otherwise might be. Take, for instance, one of the numberless lakes of the Russian and Siberian Steppes. Its shores are peopled with myriads of aquatic birds, belonging to at least a score of different species, all living in perfect peace-all protecting one another.

“For several hundred yards from the shore the air is filled with gulls and terns, as with snow-flakes on a winter day. Thousands of plovers and sand-coursers run over the beach, searching their food, whistling, and simply enjoying life. Further on, on almost each wave, a duck is rocking, while higher up you notice the flocks of the Casarki ducks. Exuberant life swarms everywhere.”[24]

And here are the robbers — the strongest, the most cunning ones, those “ideally organized for robbery.” And you hear their hungry, angry, dismal cries as for hours in succession they watch the opportunity of snatching from this mass of living beings one single unprotected individual. But as soon as they approach, their presence is signalled by dozens of voluntary sentries, and hundreds of gulls and terns set to chase the robber. Maddened by hunger, the robber soon abandons his usual precautions: he suddenly dashes into the living mass; but, attacked from all sides, he again is compelled to retreat. From sheer despair he falls upon the wild ducks; but the intelligent, social birds rapidly gather in a flock and fly away if the robber is an erne; they plunge into the lake if it is a falcon; or they raise a cloud of water-dust and bewilder the assailant if it is a kite.[25] And while life continues to swarm on the lake, the robber flies away with cries of anger, and looks out for carrion, or for a young bird or a field-mouse not yet used to obey in time the warnings of its comrades. In the face of an exuberant life, the ideally-armed robber must be satisfied with the off-fall of that life.

Further north, in the Arctic archipelagoes,

“you may sail along the coast for many miles and see all the ledges, all the cliffs and corners of the mountain-sides, up to a height of from two to five hundred feet, literally covered with sea-birds, whose white breasts show against the dark rocks as if the rocks were closely sprinkled with chalk specks. The air, near and far, is, so to say, full with fowls.”[26]

Each of such “bird-mountains” is a living illustration of mutual aid, as well as of the infinite variety of characters, individual and specific, resulting from social life. The oyster-catcher is renowned for its readiness to attack the birds of prey. The barge is known for its watchfulness, and it easily becomes the leader of more placid birds. The turnstone, when surrounded by comrades belonging to more energetic species, is a rather timorous bird; but it undertakes to keep watch for the security of the commonwealth when surrounded by smaller birds. Here you have the dominative swans; there, the extremely sociable kittiwake-gulls, among whom quarrels are rare and short; the prepossessing polar guillemots, which continually caress each other; the egoist she-goose, who has repudiated the orphans of a killed comrade; and, by her side, another female who adopts any one’s orphans, and now paddles surrounded by fifty or sixty youngsters, whom she conducts and cares for as if they all were her own breed. Side by side with the penguins, which steal one another’s eggs, you have the dotterels, whose family relations are so “charming and touching” that even passionate hunters recoil from shooting a female surrounded by her young ones; or the eider-ducks, among which (like the velvet-ducks, or the coroyas of the Savannahs) several females hatch together in the same nest or the lums, which sit in turn upon a common covey. Nature is variety itself, offering all possible varieties of characters, from the basest to the highest: and that is why she cannot be depicted by any sweeping assertion. Still less can she be judged from the moralist’s point of view, because the views of the moralist are themselves a result — mostly unconscious — of the observation of Nature.[27]

Coming together at nesting-time is so common with most birds that more examples are scarcely needed. Our trees are crowned with groups of crows’ nests; our hedges are full of nests of smaller birds; our farmhouses give shelter to colonies of swallows; our old towers are the refuge of hundreds of nocturnal birds; and pages might be filled with the most charming descriptions of the peace and harmony which prevail in almost all these nesting associations. As to the protection derived by the weakest birds from their unions, it is evident. That excellent observer, Dr. Couës, saw, for instance, the little cliff-swallows nesting in the immediate neighbourhood of the prairie falcon (Falco polyargus). The falcon had its nest on the top of one of the minarets of clay which are so common in the cañons of Colorado, while a colony of swallows nested just beneath. The little peaceful birds had no fear of their rapacious neighbour; they never let it approach to their colony. They immediately surrounded it and chased it, so that it had to make off at once.[28]

Life in societies does not cease when the nesting period is over; it begins then in a new form. The young broods gather in societies of youngsters, generally including several species. Social life is practised at that time chiefly for its own sake — partly for security, but chiefly for the pleasures derived from it. So we see in our forests the societies formed by the young nuthatchers (Sitta cæsia), together with tit-mouses, chaffinches, wrens, tree-creepers, or some wood-peckers.[29] In Spain the swallow is met with in company with kestrels, fly-catchers, and even pigeons. In the Far West of America the young horned larks live in large societies, together with another lark (Sprague’s), the skylark, the Savannah sparrow, and several species of buntings and longspurs.[30] In fact, it would be much easier to describe the species which live isolated than to simply name those species which join the autumnal societies of young birds — not for hunting or nesting purposes, but simply to enjoy life in society and to spend their time in plays and sports, after having given a few hours every day to find their daily food.

And, finally, we have that immense display of mutual aid among birds-their migrations — which I dare not even enter upon in this place. Sufficient to say that birds which have lived for months in small bands scattered over a wide territory gather in thousands; they come together at a given place, for several days in succession, before they start, and they evidently discuss the particulars of the journey. Some species will indulge every afternoon in flights preparatory to the long passage. All wait for their tardy congeners, and finally they start in a certain well chosen direction — a fruit of accumulated collective experience — the strongest flying at the head of the band, and relieving one another in that difficult task. They cross the seas in large bands consisting of both big and small birds, and when they return next spring they repair to the same spot, and, in most cases, each of them takes possession of the very same nest which it had built or repaired the previous year.[31]

This subject is so vast, and yet so imperfectly studied; it offers so many striking illustrations of mutual-aid habits, subsidiary to the main fact of migration — each of which would, however, require a special study — that I must refrain from entering here into more details. I can only cursorily refer to the numerous and animated gatherings of birds which take place, always on the same spot, before they begin their long journeys north or south, as also those which one sees in the north, after the birds have arrived at their breeding-places on the Yenisei or in the northern counties of England. For many days in succession — sometimes one month — they will come together every morning for one hour, before flying in search of food — perhaps discussing the spot where they are going to build their nests.[32] And if, during the migration, their columns are overtaken by a storm, birds of the most different species will be brought together by common misfortune. The birds which are not exactly migratory, but slowly move northwards and southwards with the seasons, also perform these peregrinations in flocks. So far from migrating isolately, in order to secure for each separate individual the advantages of better food or shelter which are to be found in another district — they always wait for each other, and gather in flocks, before they move north or south, in accordance with the season.[33]

Going now over to mammals, the first thing which strikes us is the overwhelming numerical predominance of social species over those few carnivores which do not associate. The plateaus, the Alpine tracts, and the Steppes of the Old and New World are stocked with herds of deer, antelopes, gazelles, fallow deer, buffaloes, wild goats and sheep, all of which are sociable animals. When the Europeans came to settle in America, they found it so densely peopled with buffaloes, that pioneers had to stop their advance when a column of migrating buffaloes came to cross the route they followed; the march past of the dense column lasting sometimes for two and three days. And when the Russians took possession of Siberia they found it so densely peopled with deer, antelopes, squirrels, and other sociable animals, that the very conquest of Siberia was nothing but a hunting expedition which lasted for two hundred years; while the grass plains of Eastern Africa are still covered with herds composed of zebra, the hartebeest, and other antelopes.

Not long ago the small streams of Northern America and Northern Siberia were peopled with colonies of beavers, and up to the seventeenth century like colonies swarmed in Northern Russia. The flat lands of the four great continents are still covered with countless colonies of mice, ground-squirrels, marmots, and other rodents. In the lower latitudes of Asia and Africa the forests are still the abode of numerous families of elephants, rhinoceroses, and numberless societies of monkeys. In the far north the reindeer aggregate in numberless herds; while still further north we find the herds of the musk-oxen and numberless bands of polar foxes. The coasts of the ocean are enlivened by flocks of seals and morses; its waters, by shoals of sociable cetaceans; and even in the depths of the great plateau of Central Asia we find herds of wild horses, wild donkeys, wild camels, and wild sheep. All these mammals live in societies and nations sometimes numbering hundreds of thousands of individuals, although now, after three centuries of gunpowder civilization, we find but the débris of the immense aggregations of old. How trifling, in comparison with them, are the numbers of the carnivores! And how false, therefore, is the view of those who speak of the animal world as if nothing were to be seen in it but lions and hyenas plunging their bleeding teeth into the flesh of their victims! One might as well imagine that the whole of human life is nothing but a succession of war massacres.

Association and mutual aid are the rule with mammals. We find social habits even among the carnivores, and we can only name the cat tribe (lions, tigers, leopards, etc.) as a division the members of which decidedly prefer isolation to society, and are but seldom met with even in small groups. And yet, even among lions “this is a very common practice to hunt in company.”[34] The two tribes of the civets (Viverridæ) and the weasels (Mustelidæ) might also be characterized by their isolated life, but it is a fact that during the last century the common weasel was more sociable than it is now; it was seen then in larger groups in Scotland and in the Unterwalden canton of Switzerland. As to the great tribe of the dogs, it is eminently sociable, and association for hunting purposes may be considered as eminently characteristic of its numerous species. It is well known, in fact, that wolves gather in packs for hunting, and Tschudi left an excellent description of how they draw up in a half-circle, surround a cow which is grazing on a mountain slope, and then, suddenly appearing with a loud barking, make it roll in the abyss.[35] Audubon, in the thirties, also saw the Labrador wolves hunting in packs, and one pack following a man to his cabin, and killing the dogs. During severe winters the packs of wolves grow so numerous as to become a danger for human settlements, as was the case in France some five-and-forty years ago. In the Russian Steppes they never attack the horses otherwise than in packs; and yet they have to sustain bitter fights, during which the horses (according to Kohl’s testimony) sometimes assume offensive warfare, and in such cases, if the wolves do not retreat promptly, they run the risk of being surrounded by the horses and killed by their hoofs. The prairie-wolves (Canis latrans) are known to associate in bands of from twenty to thirty individuals when they chase a buffalo occasionally separated from its herd.[36] Jackals, which are most courageous and may be considered as one of the most intelligent representatives of the dog tribe, always hunt in packs; thus united, they have no fear of the bigger carnivores.[37] As to the wild dogs of Asia (the Kholzuns, or Dholes), Williamson saw their large packs attacking all larger animals save elephants and rhinoceroses, and overpowering bears and tigers. Hyenas always live in societies and hunt in packs, and the hunting organizations of the painted lycaons are highly praised by Cumming. Nay, even foxes, which, as a rule, live isolated in our civilized countries, have been seen combining for hunting purposes.[38] As to the polar fox, it is — or rather was in Steller’s time — one of the most sociable animals; and when one reads Steller’s description of the war that was waged by Behring’s unfortunate crew against these intelligent small animals, one does not know what to wonder at most: the extraordinary intelligence of the foxes and the mutual aid they displayed in digging out food concealed under cairns, or stored upon a pillar (one fox would climb on its top and throw the food to its comrades beneath), or the cruelty of man, driven to despair by the numerous packs of foxes. Even some bears live in societies where they are not disturbed by man. Thus Steller saw the black bear of Kamtchatka in numerous packs, and the polar bears are occasionally found in small groups. Even the unintelligent insectivores do not always disdain association.[39]

However, it is especially with the rodents, the ungulata, and the ruminants that we find a highly developed practice of mutual aid. The squirrels are individualist to a great extent. Each of them builds its own comfortable nest, and accumulates its own provision. Their inclinations are towards family life, and Brehm found that a family of squirrels is never so happy as when the two broods of the same year can join together with their parents in a remote corner of a forest. And yet they maintain social relations. The inhabitants of the separate nests remain in a close intercourse, and when the pine-cones become rare in the forest they inhabit, they emigrate in bands. As to the black squirrels of the Far West, they are eminently sociable. Apart from the few hours given every day to foraging, they spend their lives in playing in numerous parties. And when they multiply too rapidly in a region, they assemble in bands, almost as numerous as those of locusts, and move southwards, devastating the forests, the fields, and the gardens; while foxes, polecats, falcons, and nocturnal birds of prey follow their thick columns and live upon the individuals remaining behind. The ground-squirrel — a closely-akin genus — is still more sociable. It is given to hoarding, and stores up in its subterranean halls large amounts of edible roots and nuts, usually plundered by man in the autumn. According to some observers, it must know something of the joys of a miser. And yet it remains sociable. It always lives in large villages, and Audubon, who opened some dwellings of the hackee in the winter, found several individuals in the same apartment; they must have stored it with common efforts.

The large tribe, of the marmots, which includes the three large genuses of Arctomys, Cynomys, and Spermophilus, is still more sociable and still more intelligent. They also prefer having each one its own dwelling; but they live in big villages. That terrible enemy of the crops of South Russia — the souslik — of which some ten millions are exterminated every year by man alone, lives in numberless colonies; and while the Russian provincial assemblies gravely discuss the means of getting rid of this enemy of society, it enjoys life in its thousands in the most joyful way. Their play is so charming that no observer could refrain from paying them a tribute of praise, and from mentioning the melodious concerts arising from the sharp whistlings of the males and the melancholic whistlings of the females, before — suddenly returning to his citizen’s duties — he begins inventing the most diabolic means for the extermination of the little robbers. All kinds of rapacious birds and beasts of prey having proved powerless, the last word of science in this warfare is the inoculation of cholera! The villages of the prairie-dogs in America are one of the loveliest sights. As far as the eye can embrace the prairie, it sees heaps of earth, and on each of them a prairie-dog stands, engaged in a lively conversation with its neighbours by means of short barkings. As soon as the approach of man is signalled, all plunge in a moment into their dwellings; all have disappeared as by enchantment. But if the danger is over, the little creatures soon reappear. Whole families come out of their galleries and indulge in play. The young ones scratch one another, they worry one another, and display their gracefulness while standing upright, and in the meantime the old ones keep watch. They go visiting one another, and the beaten footpaths which connect all their heaps testify to the frequency of the visitations. In short, the best naturalists have written some of their best pages in describing the associations of the prairie-dogs of America, the marmots of the Old World, and the polar marmots of the Alpine regions. And yet, I must make, as regards the marmots, the same remark as I have made when speaking of the bees. They have maintained their fighting instincts, and these instincts reappear in captivity. But in their big associations, in the face of free Nature, the unsociable instincts have no opportunity to develop, and the general result is peace and harmony.

Even such harsh animals as the rats, which continually fight in our cellars, are sufficiently intelligent not to quarrel when they plunder our larders, but to aid one another in their plundering expeditions and migrations, and even to feed their invalids. As to the beaver-rats or musk-rats of Canada, they are extremely sociable. Audubon could not but admire “their peaceful communities, which require only being left in peace to enjoy happiness.” Like all sociable animals, they are lively and playful, they easily combine with other species, and they have attained a very high degree of intellectual development. In their villages, always disposed on the shores of lakes and rivers, they take into account the changing level of water; their domeshaped houses, which are built of beaten clay interwoven with reeds, have separate corners for organic refuse, and their halls are well carpeted at winter time; they are warm, and, nevertheless, well ventilated. As to the beavers, which are endowed, as known, with a most sympathetic character, their astounding dams and villages, in which generations live and die without knowing of any enemies but the otter and man, so wonderfully illustrate what mutual aid can achieve for the security of the species, the development of social habits, and the evolution of intelligence, that they are familiar to all interested in animal life. Let me only remark that with the beavers, the muskrats, and some other rodents, we already find the feature which will also be distinctive of human communities — that is, work in common.

I pass in silence the two large families which include the jerboa, the chinchilla, the biscacha, and the tushkan, or underground hare of South Russia, though all these small rodents might be taken as excellent illustrations of the pleasures derived by animals from social life.[40] Precisely, the pleasures; because it is extremely difficult to say what brings animals together — the needs of mutual protection, or simply the pleasure of feeling surrounded by their congeners. At any rate, our common hares, which do not gather in societies for life in common, and which are not even endowed with intense parental feelings, cannot live without coming together for play. Dietrich de Winckell, who is considered to be among the best acquainted with the habits of hares, describes them as passionate players, becoming so intoxicated by their play that a hare has been known to take an approaching fox for a playmate.[41] As to the rabbit, it lives in societies, and its family life is entirely built upon the image of the old patriarchal family; the young ones being kept in absolute obedience to the father and even the grandfather.[42] And here we have the example of two very closely-allied species which cannot bear each other — not because they live upon nearly the same food, as like cases are too often explained, but most probably because the passionate, eminently-individualist hare cannot make friends with that placid, quiet, and submissive creature, the rabbit. Their tempers are too widely different not to be an obstacle to friendship.

Life in societies is again the rule with the large family of horses, which includes the wild horses and donkeys of Asia, the zebras, the mustangs, the cimarrones of the Pampas, and the half-wild horses of Mongolia and Siberia. They all live in numerous associations made up of many studs, each of which consists of a number of mares under the leadership of a male. These numberless inhabitants of the Old and the New World, badly organized on the whole for resisting both their numerous enemies and the adverse conditions of climate, would soon have disappeared from the surface of the earth were it not for their sociable spirit. When a beast of prey approaches them, several studs unite at once; they repulse the beast and sometimes chase it: and neither the wolf nor the bear, not even the lion, can capture a horse or even a zebra as long as they are not detached from the herd. When a drought is burning the grass in the prairies, they gather in herds of sometimes 10,000 individuals strong, and migrate. And when a snow-storm rages in the Steppes, each stud keeps close together, and repairs to a protected ravine. But if confidence disappears, or the group has been seized by panic, and disperses, the horses perish and the survivors are found after the storm half dying from fatigue. Union is their chief arm in the struggle for life, and man is their chief enemy. Before his increasing numbers the ancestors of our domestic horse (the Equus Przewalskii, so named by Polyakoff) have preferred to retire to the wildest and least accessible plateaus on the outskirts of Thibet, where they continue to live, surrounded by carnivores, under a climate as bad as that of the Arctic regions, but in a region inaccessible to man.[43]

Many striking illustrations of social life could be taken from the life of the reindeer, and especially of that large division of ruminants which might include the roebucks, the fallow deer, the antelopes, the gazelles, the ibex, and, in fact, the whole of the three numerous families of the Antelopides, the Caprides, and the Ovides. Their watchfulness over the safety of their herds against attacks of carnivores; the anxiety displayed by all individuals in a herd of chamois as long as all of them have not cleared a difficult passage over rocky cliffs; the adoption of orphans; the despair of the gazelle whose mate, or even comrade of the same sex, has been killed; the plays of the youngsters, and many other features, could be mentioned. But perhaps the most striking illustration of mutual support is given by the occasional migrations of fallow deer, such as I saw once on the Amur. When I crossed the high plateau and its border ridge, the Great Khingan, on my way from Transbaikalia to Merghen, and further travelled over the high prairies on my way to the Amur, I could ascertain how thinly-peopled with fallow deer these mostly uninhabited regions are.[44] Two years later I was travelling up the Amur, and by the end of October reached the lower end of that picturesque gorge which the Amur pierces in the Dousse-alin (Little Khingan) before it enters the lowlands where it joins the Sungari. I found the Cossacks in the villages of that gorge in the greatest excitement, because thousands and thousands of fallow deer were crossing the Amur where it is narrowest, in order to reach the lowlands. For several days in succession, upon a length of some forty miles up the river, the Cossacks were butchering the deer as they crossed the Amur, in which already floated a good deal of ice. Thousands were killed every day, and the exodus nevertheless continued. Like migrations were never seen either before or since, and this one must have been called for by an early and heavy snow-fall in the Great Khingan, which compelled the deer to make a desperate attempt at reaching the lowlands in the east of the Dousse mountains. Indeed, a few days later the Dousse-alin was also buried under snow two or three feet deep. Now, when one imagines the immense territory (almost as big as Great Britain) from which the scattered groups of deer must have gathered for a migration which was undertaken under the pressure of exceptional circumstances, and realizes the difficulties which had to be overcome before all the deer came to the common idea of crossing the Amur further south, where it is narrowest, one cannot but deeply admire the amount of sociability displayed by these intelligent animals. The fact is not the less striking if we remember that the buffaloes of North America displayed the same powers of combination. One saw them grazing in great numbers in the plains, but these numbers were made up by an infinity of small groups which never mixed together. And yet, when necessity arose, all groups, however scattered over an immense territory, came together and made up those immense columns, numbering hundreds of thousands of individuals, which I mentioned on a preceding page.

I also ought to say a few words at least about the “compound families” of the elephants, their mutual attachment, their deliberate ways in posting sentries, and the feelings of sympathy developed by such a life of close mutual support.[45] I might mention the sociable feelings of those disreputable creatures the wild boars, and find a word of praise for their powers of association in the case of an attack by a beast of prey.[46] The hippopotamus and the rhinoceros, too, would occupy a place in a work devoted to animal sociability. Several striking pages might be given to the sociability and mutual attachment of the seals and the walruses; and finally, one might mention the most excellent feelings existing among the sociable cetaceans. But I have to say yet a few words about the societies of monkeys, which acquire an additional interest from their being the link which will bring us to the societies of primitive men.

It is hardly needful to say that those mammals, which stand at the very top of the animal world and most approach man by their structure and intelligence, are eminently sociable. Evidently we must be prepared to meet with all varieties of character and habits in so great a division of the animal kingdom which includes hundreds of species. But, all things considered, it must be said that sociability, action in common, mutual protection, and a high development of those feelings which are the necessary outcome of social life, are characteristic of most monkeys and apes. From the smallest species to the biggest ones, sociability is a rule to which we know but a few exceptions. The nocturnal apes prefer isolated life; the capuchins (Cebus capucinus), the monos, and the howling monkeys live but in small families; and the orang-outans have never been seen by A.R. Wallace otherwise than either solitary or in very small groups of three or four individuals, while the gorillas seem never to join in bands. But all the remainder of the monkey tribe — the chimpanzees, the sajous, the sakis, the mandrills, the baboons, and so on — are sociable in the highest degree. They live in great bands, and even join with other species than their own. Most of them become quite unhappy when solitary. The cries of distress of each one of the band immediately bring together the whole of the band, and they boldly repulse the attacks of most carnivores and birds of prey. Even eagles do not dare attack them. They plunder our fields always in bands — the old ones taking care for the safety of the commonwealth. The little tee-tees, whose childish sweet faces so much struck Humboldt, embrace and protect one another when it rains, rolling their tails over the necks of their shivering comrades. Several species display the greatest solicitude for their wounded, and do not abandon a wounded comrade during a retreat till they have ascertained that it is dead and that they are helpless to restore it to life. Thus James Forbes narrated in his Oriental Memoirs a fact of such resistance in reclaiming from his hunting party the dead body of a female monkey that one fully understands why “the witnesses of this extraordinary scene resolved never again to fire at one of the monkey race.“[47] In some species several individuals will combine to overturn a stone in order to search for ants’ eggs under it. The hamadryas not only post sentries, but have been seen making a chain for the transmission of the spoil to a safe place; and their courage is well known. Brehm’s description of the regular fight which his caravan had to sustain before the hamadryas would let it resume its journey in the valley of the Mensa, in Abyssinia, has become classical.[48] The playfulness of the tailed apes and the mutual attachment which reigns in the families of chimpanzees also are familiar to the general reader. And if we find among the highest apes two species, the orang-outan and the gorilla, which are not sociable, we must remember that both — limited as they are to very small areas, the one in the heart of Africa, and the other in the two islands of Borneo and Sumatra have all the appearance of being the last remnants of formerly much more numerous species. The gorilla at least seems to have been sociable in olden times, if the apes mentioned in the Periplus really were gorillas.

We thus see, even from the above brief review, that life in societies is no exception in the animal world; it is the rule, the law of Nature, and it reaches its fullest development with the higher vertebrates. Those species which live solitary, or in small families only, are relatively few, and their numbers are limited. Nay, it appears very probable that, apart from a few exceptions, those birds and mammals which are not gregarious now, were living in societies before man multiplied on the earth and waged a permanent war against them, or destroyed the sources from which they formerly derived food. “On ne s’associe pas pour mourir,” [We do not associate to die] was the sound remark of Espinas; and Houzeau, who knew the animal world of some parts of America when it was not yet affected by man, wrote to the same effect.

Association is found in the animal world at all degrees of evolution; and, according to the grand idea of Herbert Spencer, so brilliantly developed in Perrier’s Colonies Animales, colonies are at the very origin of evolution in the animal kingdom. But, in proportion as we ascend the scale of evolution, we see association growing more and more conscious. It loses its purely physical character, it ceases to be simply instinctive, it becomes reasoned. With the higher vertebrates it is periodical, or is resorted to for the satisfaction of a given want — propagation of the species, migration, hunting, or mutual defence. It even becomes occasional, when birds associate against a robber, or mammals combine, under the pressure of exceptional circumstances, to emigrate. In this last case, it becomes a voluntary deviation from habitual moods of life. The combination sometimes appears in two or more degrees — the family first, then the group, and finally the association of groups, habitually scattered, but uniting in case of need, as we saw it with the bisons and other ruminants. It also takes higher forms, guaranteeing more independence to the individual without depriving it of the benefits of social life. With most rodents the individual has its own dwelling, which it can retire to when it prefers being left alone; but the dwellings are laid out in villages and cities, so as to guarantee to all inhabitants the benefits and joys of social life. And finally, in several species, such as rats, marmots, hares, etc., sociable life is maintained notwithstanding the quarrelsome or otherwise egotistic inclinations of the isolated individual. Thus it is not imposed, as is the case with ants and bees, by the very physiological structure of the individuals; it is cultivated for the benefits of mutual aid, or for the sake of its pleasures. And this, of course, appears with all possible gradations and with the greatest variety of individual and specific characters — the very variety of aspects taken by social life being a consequence, and for us a further proof, of its generality.[49]

Sociability — that is, the need of the animal of associating with its like — the love of society for society’s sake, combined with the “joy of life,” only now begins to receive due attention from the zoologists.[50] We know at the present time that all animals, beginning with the ants, going on to the birds, and ending with the highest mammals, are fond of plays, wrestling, running after each other, trying to capture each other, teasing each other, and so on. And while many plays are, so to speak, a school for the proper behaviour of the young in mature life, there are others, which, apart from their utilitarian purposes, are, together with dancing and singing, mere manifestations of an excess of forces — “the joy of life,” and a desire to communicate in some way or another with other individuals of the same or of other species — in short, a manifestation of sociability proper, which is a distinctive feature of all the animal world.[51] Whether the feeling be fear, experienced at the appearance of a bird of prey, or “a fit of gladness” which bursts out when the animals are in good health and especially when young, or merely the desire of giving play to an excess of impressions and of vital power — the necessity of communicating impressions, of playing, of chattering, or of simply feeling the proximity of other kindred living beings pervades Nature, and is, as much as any other physiological function, a distinctive feature of life and impressionability. This need takes a higher development and attains a more beautiful expression in mammals, especially amidst their young, and still more among the birds; but it pervades all Nature, and has been fully observed by the best naturalists, including Pierre Huber, even amongst the ants, and it is evidently the same instinct which brings together the big columns of butterflies which have been referred to already.

The habit of coming together for dancing and of decorating the places where the birds habitually perform their dances is, of course, well known from the pages that Darwin gave to this subject in The Descent of Man (ch. xiii). Visitors of the London Zoological Gardens also know the bower of the satin bower-bird. But this habit of dancing seems to be much more widely spread than was formerly believed, and Mr. W. Hudson gives in his master-work on La Plata the most interesting description, which must be read in the original, of complicated dances, performed by quite a number of birds: rails, jacanas, lapwings, and so on.

The habit of singing in concert, which exists in several species of birds, belongs to the same category of social instincts. It is most strikingly developed with the chakar (Chauna chavarria), to which the English have given the most unimaginative misnomer of “crested screamer.” These birds sometimes assemble in immense flocks, and in such cases they frequently sing all in concert. W.H. Hudson found them once in countless numbers, ranged all round a pampas lake in well-defined flocks, of about 500 birds in each flock.

“Presently,” he writes, “one flock near me began singing, and continued their powerful chant for three or four minutes; when they ceased the next flock took up the strains, and after it the next, and so on, until once more the notes of the flocks on the opposite shore came floating strong and clear across the water — then passed away, growing fainter and fainter, until once more the sound approached me travelling round to my side again.”

On another occasion the same writer saw a whole plain covered with an endless flock of chakars, not in close order, but scattered in pairs and small groups. About nine o’clock in the evening, “suddenly the entire multitude of birds covering the marsh for miles around burst forth in a tremendous evening song.... It was a concert well worth riding a hundred miles to hear.”[52] It may be added that like all sociable animals, the chakar easily becomes tame and grows very attached to man. “They are mild-tempered birds, and very rarely quarrel” — we are told — although they are well provided with formidable weapons. Life in societies renders these weapons useless.

That life in societies is the most powerful weapon in the struggle for life, taken in its widest sense, has been illustrated by several examples on the foregoing pages, and could be illustrated by any amount of evidence, if further evidence were required. Life in societies enables the feeblest insects, the feeblest birds, and the feeblest mammals to resist, or to protect themselves from, the most terrible birds and beasts of prey; it permits longevity; it enables the species to rear its progeny with the least waste of energy and to maintain its numbers albeit a very slow birth-rate; it enables the gregarious animals to migrate in search of new abodes. Therefore, while fully admitting that force, swiftness, protective colours, cunningness, and endurance to hunger and cold, which are mentioned by Darwin and Wallace, are so many qualities making the individual, or the species, the fittest under certain circumstances, we maintain that under any circumstances sociability is the greatest advantage in the struggle for life. Those species which willingly or unwillingly abandon it are doomed to decay; while those animals which know best how to combine, have the greatest chances of survival and of further evolution, although they may be inferior to others in each of the faculties enumerated by Darwin and Wallace, save the intellectual faculty. The highest vertebrates, and especially mankind, are the best proof of this assertion. As to the intellectual faculty, while every Darwinist will agree with Darwin that it is the most powerful arm in the struggle for life, and the most powerful factor of further evolution, he also will admit that intelligence is an eminently social faculty. Language, imitation, and accumulated experience are so many elements of growing intelligence of which the unsociable animal is deprived. Therefore we find, at the top of each class of animals, the ants, the parrots, and the monkeys, all combining the greatest sociability with the highest development of intelligence. The fittest are thus the most sociable animals, and sociability appears as the chief factor of evolution, both directly, by securing the well-being of the species while diminishing the waste of energy, and indirectly, by favouring the growth of intelligence.

Moreover, it is evident that life in societies would be utterly impossible without a corresponding development of social feelings, and, especially, of a certain collective sense of justice growing to become a habit. If every individual were constantly abusing its personal advantages without the others interfering in favour of the wronged, no society — life would be possible. And feelings of justice develop, more or less, with all gregarious animals. Whatever the distance from which the swallows or the cranes come, each one returns to the nest it has built or repaired last year. If a lazy sparrow intends appropriating the nest which a comrade is building, or even steals from it a few sprays of straw, the group interferes against the lazy comrade; and it is evident that without such interference being the rule, no nesting associations of birds could exist. Separate groups of penguins have separate resting-places and separate fishing abodes, and do not fight for them. The droves of cattle in Australia have particular spots to which each group repairs to rest, and from which it never deviates; and so on.[53] We have any numbers of direct observations of the peace that prevails in the nesting associations of birds, the villages of the rodents, and the herds of grass-eaters; while, on the other side, we know of few sociable animals which so continually quarrel as the rats in our cellars do, or as the morses, which fight for the possession of a sunny place on the shore. Sociability thus puts a limit to physical struggle, and leaves room for the development of better moral feelings. The high development of parental love in all classes of animals, even with lions and tigers, is generally known. As to the young birds and mammals whom we continually see associating, sympathy — not love — attains a further development in their associations. Leaving aside the really touching facts of mutual attachment and compassion which have been recorded as regards domesticated animals and with animals kept in captivity, we have a number of well certified facts of compassion between wild animals at liberty. Max Perty and L. Büchner have given a number of such facts.[54] J.C. Wood’s narrative of a weasel which came to pick up and to carry away an injured comrade enjoys a well-merited popularity.[55] So also the observation of Captain Stansbury on his journey to Utah which is quoted by Darwin; he saw a blind pelican which was fed, and well fed, by other pelicans upon fishes which had to be brought from a distance of thirty miles.[56] And when a herd of vicunas was hotly pursued by hunters, H.A. Weddell saw more than once during his journey to Bolivia and Peru, the strong males covering the retreat of the herd and lagging behind in order to protect the retreat. As to facts of compassion with wounded comrades, they are continually mentioned by all field zoologists. Such facts are quite natural. Compassion is a necessary outcome of social life. But compassion also means a considerable advance in general intelligence and sensibility. It is the first step towards the development of higher moral sentiments. It is, in its turn, a powerful factor of further evolution.

If the views developed on the preceding pages are correct, the question necessarily arises, in how far are they consistent with the theory of struggle for life as it has been developed by Darwin, Wallace, and their followers? and I will now briefly answer this important question. First of all, no naturalist will doubt that the idea of a struggle for life carried on through organic nature is the greatest generalization of our century. Life is struggle; and in that struggle the fittest survive. But the answers to the questions, “By which arms is this struggle chiefly carried on?” and “Who are the fittest in the struggle?” will widely differ according to the importance given to the two different aspects of the struggle: the direct one, for food and safety among separate individuals, and the struggle which Darwin described as “metaphorical” — the struggle, very often collective, against adverse circumstances. No one will deny that there is, within each species, a certain amount of real competition for food — at least, at certain periods. But the question is, whether competition is carried on to the extent admitted by Darwin, or even by Wallace; and whether this competition has played, in the evolution of the animal kingdom, the part assigned to it.

The idea which permeates Darwin’s work is certainly one of real competition going on within each animal group for food, safety, and possibility of leaving an offspring. He often speaks of regions being stocked with animal life to their full capacity, and from that overstocking he infers the necessity of competition. But when we look in his work for real proofs of that competition, we must confess that we do not find them sufficiently convincing. If we refer to the paragraph entitled “Struggle for Life most severe between Individuals and Varieties of the same Species,” we find in it none of that wealth of proofs and illustrations which we are accustomed to find in whatever Darwin wrote. The struggle between individuals of the same species is not illustrated under that heading by even one single instance: it is taken as granted; and the competition between closely-allied animal species is illustrated by but five examples, out of which one, at least (relating to the two species of thrushes), now proves to be doubtful.[57] But when we look for more details in order to ascertain how far the decrease of one species was really occasioned by the increase of the other species, Darwin, with his usual fairness, tells us:

“We can dimly see why the competition should be most severe between allied forms which fill nearly the same place in nature; but probably in no case could we precisely say why one species has been victorious over another in the great battle of life.”

As to Wallace, who quotes the same facts under a slightly-modified heading (“Struggle for Life between closely-allied Animals and Plants often most severe”), he makes the following remark (italics are mine), which gives quite another aspect to the facts above quoted. He says:

“In some cases, no doubt, there is actual war between the two, the stronger killing the weaker; but this is by no means necessary, and there may be cases in which the weaker species, physically, may prevail by its power of more rapid multiplication, its better withstanding vicissitudes of climate, or its greater cunning in escaping the attacks of common enemies.”

In such cases what is described as competition may be no competition at all. One species succumbs, not because it is exterminated or starved out by the other species, but because it does not well accommodate itself to new conditions, which the other does. The term “struggle for life” is again used in its metaphorical sense, and may have no other. As to the real competition between individuals of the same species, which is illustrated in another place by the cattle of South America during a period of drought, its value is impaired by its being taken from among domesticated animals. Bisons emigrate in like circumstances in order to avoid competition. However severe the struggle between plants — and this is amply proved — we cannot but repeat Wallace’s remark to the effect that “plants live where they can,” while animals have, to a great extent, the power of choice of their abode. So that we again are asking ourselves, To what extent does competition really exist within each animal species? Upon what is the assumption based?

The same remark must be made concerning the indirect argument in favour of a severe competition and struggle for life within each species, which may be derived from the “extermination of transitional varieties,” so often mentioned by Darwin. It is known that for a long time Darwin was worried by the difficulty which he saw in the absence of a long chain of intermediate forms between closely-allied species, and that he found the solution of this difficulty in the supposed extermination of the intermediate forms.[58] However, an attentive reading of the different chapters in which Darwin and Wallace speak of this subject soon brings one to the conclusion that the word “extermination” does not mean real extermination; the same remark which Darwin made concerning his expression: “struggle for existence,” evidently applies to the word “extermination” as well. It can by no means be understood in its direct sense, but must be taken “in its metaphoric sense.”

If we start from the supposition that a given area is stocked with animals to its fullest capacity, and that a keen competition for the sheer means of existence is consequently going on between all the inhabitants — each animal being compelled to fight against all its congeners in order to get its daily food — then the appearance of a new and successful variety would certainly mean in many cases (though not always) the appearance of individuals which are enabled to seize more than their fair share of the means of existence; and the result would be that those individuals would starve both the parental form which does not possess the new variation and the intermediate forms which do not possess it in the same degree. It may be that at the outset, Darwin understood the appearance of new varieties under this aspect; at least, the frequent use of the word “extermination” conveys such an impression. But both he and Wallace knew Nature too well not to perceive that this is by no means the only possible and necessary course of affairs.

If the physical and the biological conditions of a given area, the extension of the area occupied by a given species, and the habits of all the members of the latter remained unchanged — then the sudden appearance of a new variety might mean the starving out and the extermination of all the individuals which were not endowed in a sufficient degree with the new feature by which the new variety is characterized. But such a combination of conditions is precisely what we do not see in Nature. Each species is continually tending to enlarge its abode; migration to new abodes is the rule with the slow snail, as with the swift bird; physical changes are continually going on in every given area; and new varieties among animals consist in an immense number of cases — perhaps in the majority — not in the growth of new weapons for snatching the food from the mouth of its congeners — food is only one out of a hundred of various conditions of existence — but, as Wallace himself shows in a charming paragraph on the “divergence of characters” (Darwinism, p. 107), in forming new habits, moving to new abodes, and taking to new sorts of food. In all such cases there will be no extermination, even no competition — the new adaptation being a relief from competition, if it ever existed; and yet there will be, after a time, an absence of intermediate links, in consequence of a mere survival of those which are best fitted for the new conditions — as surely as under the hypothesis of extermination of the parental form. It hardly need be added that if we admit, with Spencer, all the Lamarckians, and Darwin himself, the modifying influence of the surroundings upon the species, there remains still less necessity for the extermination of the intermediate forms.

The importance of migration and of the consequent isolation of groups of animals, for the origin of new varieties and ultimately of new species, which was indicated by Moritz Wagner, was fully recognized by Darwin himself. Consequent researches have only accentuated the importance of this factor, and they have shown how the largeness of the area occupied by a given species — which Darwin considered with full reason so important for the appearance of new varieties — can be combined with the isolation of parts of the species, in consequence of local geological changes, or of local barriers. It would be impossible to enter here into the discussion of this wide question, but a few remarks will do to illustrate the combined action of these agencies. It is known that portions of a given species will often take to a new sort of food. The squirrels, for instance, when there is a scarcity of cones in the larch forests, remove to the fir-tree forests, and this change of food has certain well-known physiological effects on the squirrels. If this change of habits does not last — if next year the cones are again plentiful in the dark larch woods — no new variety of squirrels will evidently arise from this cause. But if part of the wide area occupied by the squirrels begins to have its physical characters altered — in consequence of, let us say, a milder climate or desiccation, which both bring about an increase of the pine forests in proportion to the larch woods — and if some other conditions concur to induce the squirrels to dwell on the outskirts of the desiccating region — we shall have then a new variety, i.e. an incipient new species of squirrels, without there having been anything that would deserve the name of extermination among the squirrels. A larger proportion of squirrels of the new, better adapted variety would survive every year, and the intermediate links would die in the course of time, without having been starved out by Malthusian competitors. This is exactly what we see going on during the great physical changes which are accomplished over large areas in Central Asia, owing to the desiccation which is going on there since the glacial period.

To take another example, it has been proved by geologists that the present wild horse (Equus Przewalski) has slowly been evolved during the later parts of the Tertiary and the Quaternary period, but that during this succession of ages its ancestors were not confined to some given, limited area of the globe. They wandered over both the Old and New World, returning, in all probability, after a time to the pastures which they had, in the course of their migrations, formerly left.[59] Consequently, if we do not find now, in Asia, all the intermediate links between the present wild horse and its Asiatic Post-Tertiary ancestors, this does not mean at all that the intermediate links have been exterminated. No such extermination has ever taken place. No exceptional mortality may even have occurred among the ancestral species: the individuals which belonged to intermediate varieties and species have died in the usual course of events — often amidst plentiful food, and their remains were buried all over the globe.

In short, if we carefully consider this matter, and, carefully re-read what Darwin himself wrote upon this subject, we see that if the word “extermination” be used at all in connection with transitional varieties, it must be used in its metaphoric sense. As to “competition,” this expression, too, is continually used by Darwin (see, for instance, the paragraph “On Extinction”) as an image, or as a way-of-speaking, rather than with the intention of conveying the idea of a real competition between two portions of the same species for the means of existence. At any rate, the absence of intermediate forms is no argument in favour of it.

In reality, the chief argument in favour of a keen competition for the means of existence continually going on within every animal species is — to use Professor Geddes’ expression — the “arithmetical argument” borrowed from Malthus.

But this argument does not prove it at all. We might as well take a number of villages in South-East Russia, the inhabitants of which enjoy plenty of food, but have no sanitary accommodation of any kind; and seeing that for the last eighty years the birth-rate was sixty in the thousand, while the population is now what it was eighty years ago, we might conclude that there has been a terrible competition between the inhabitants. But the truth is that from year to year the population remained stationary, for the simple reason that one-third of the new-born died before reaching their sixth month of life; one-half died within the next four years, and out of each hundred born, only seventeen or so reached the age of twenty. The new-comers went away before having grown to be competitors. It is evident that if such is the case with men, it is still more the case with animals. In the feathered world the destruction of the eggs goes on on such a tremendous scale that eggs are the chief food of several species in the early summer; not to, say a word of the storms, the inundations which destroy nests by the million in America, and the sudden changes of weather which are fatal to the young mammals. Each storm, each inundation, each visit of a rat to a bird’s nest, each sudden change of temperature, take away those competitors which appear so terrible in theory.

As to the facts of an extremely rapid increase of horses and cattle in America, of pigs and rabbits in New Zealand, and even of wild animals imported from Europe (where their numbers are kept down by man, not by competition), they rather seem opposed to the theory of over-population. If horses and cattle could so rapidly multiply in America, it simply proved that, however numberless the buffaloes and other ruminants were at that time in the New World, its grass-eating population was far below what the prairies could maintain. If millions of intruders have found plenty of food without starving out the former population of the prairies, we must rather conclude that the Europeans found a want of grass-eaters in America, not an excess. And we have good reasons to believe that want of animal population is the natural state of things all over the world, with but a few temporary exceptions to the rule. The actual numbers of animals in a given region are determined, not by the highest feeding capacity of the region, but by what it is every year under the most unfavourable conditions. So that, for that reason alone, competition hardly can be a normal condition but other causes intervene as well to cut down the animal population below even that low standard. If we take the horses and cattle which are grazing all the winter through in the Steppes of Transbaikalia, we find them very lean and exhausted at the end of the winter. But they grow exhausted not because there is not enough food for all of them — the grass buried under a thin sheet of snow is everywhere in abundance — but because of the difficulty of getting it from beneath the snow, and this difficulty is the same for all horses alike. Besides, days of glazed frost are common in early spring, and if several such days come in succession the horses grow still more exhausted. But then comes a snow-storm, which compels the already weakened animals to remain without any food for several days, and very great numbers of them die. The losses during the spring are so severe that if the season has been more inclement than usual they are even not repaired by the new breeds — the more so as all horses are exhausted, and the young foals are born in a weaker condition. The numbers of horses and cattle thus always remain beneath what they otherwise might be; all the year round there is food for five or ten times as many animals, and yet their population increases extremely slowly. But as soon as the Buriate owner makes ever so small a provision of hay in the steppe, and throws it open during days of glazed frost, or heavier snow-fall, he immediately sees the increase of his herd. Almost all free grass-eating animals and many rodents in Asia and America being in very much the same conditions, we can safely say that their numbers are not kept down by competition; that at no time of the year they can struggle for food, and that if they never reach anything approaching to over-population, the cause is in the climate, not in competition.

The importance of natural checks to over-multiplication, and especially their bearing upon the competition hypothesis, seems never to have been taken into due account The checks, or rather some of them, are mentioned, but their action is seldom studied in detail. However, if we compare the action of the natural checks with that of competition, we must recognize at once that the latter sustains no comparison whatever with the other checks. Thus, Mr. Bates mentions the really astounding numbers of winged ants which are destroyed during their exodus. The dead or half-dead bodies of the formica de fuego (Myrmica sævissima) which had been blown into the river during a gale “were heaped in a line an inch or two in height and breadth, the line continuing without interruption for miles at the edge of the water.”[60] Myriads of ants are thus destroyed amidst a nature which might support a hundred times as many ants as are actually living. Dr. Altum, a German forester, who wrote a very interesting book about animals injurious to our forests, also gives many facts showing the immense importance of natural checks. He says, that a succession of gales or cold and damp weather during the exodus of the pine-moth (Bombyx pini) destroy it to incredible amounts, and during the spring of 1871 all these moths disappeared at once, probably killed by a succession of cold nights.[61] Many like examples relative to various insects could be quoted from various parts of Europe. Dr. Altum also mentions the bird-enemies of the pine-moth, and the immense amount of its eggs destroyed by foxes; but he adds that the parasitic fungi which periodically infest it are a far more terrible enemy than any bird, because they destroy the moth over very large areas at once. As to various species of mice (Mus sylvaticus, Arvicola arvalis, and A. agrestis), the same author gives a long list of their enemies, but he remarks: “However, the most terrible enemies of mice are not other animals, but such sudden changes of weather as occur almost every year.” Alternations of frost and warm weather destroy them in numberless quantities; “one single sudden change can reduce thousands of mice to the number of a few individuals.” On the other side, a warm winter, or a winter which gradually steps in, make them multiply in menacing proportions, notwithstanding every enemy; such was the case in 1876 and 1877.[62] Competition, in the case of mice, thus appears a quite trifling factor when compared with weather. Other facts to the same effect are also given as regards squirrels.

As to birds, it is well known how they suffer from sudden changes of weather. Late snow-storms are as destructive of bird-life on the English moors, as they are in Siberia; and Ch. Dixon saw the red grouse so pressed during some exceptionally severe winters, that they quitted the moors in numbers, “and we have then known them actually to be taken in the streets of Sheffield. Persistent wet,” he adds, “is almost as fatal to them.”

On the other side, the contagious diseases which continually visit most animal species destroy them in such numbers that the losses often cannot be repaired for many years, even with the most rapidly-multiplying animals. Thus, some sixty years ago, the sousliks suddenly disappeared in the neighbourhood of Sarepta, in South-Eastern Russia, in consequence of some epidemics; and for years no sousliks were seen in that neighbourhood. It took many years before they became as numerous as they formerly were.[63]

Like facts, all tending to reduce the importance given to competition, could be produced in numbers.[64] Of course, it might be replied, in Darwin’s words, that nevertheless each organic being “at some period of its life, during some season of the year, during each generation or at intervals, has to struggle for life and to suffer great destruction,” and that the fittest survive during such periods of hard struggle for life. But if the evolution of the animal world were based exclusively, or even chiefly, upon the survival of the fittest during periods of calamities; if natural selection were limited in its action to periods of exceptional drought, or sudden changes of temperature, or inundations, retrogression would be the rule in the animal world. Those who survive a famine, or a severe epidemic of cholera, or small-pox, or diphtheria, such as we see them in uncivilized countries, are neither the strongest, nor the healthiest, nor the most intelligent. No progress could be based on those survivals — the less so as all survivors usually come out of the ordeal with an impaired health, like the Transbaikalian horses just mentioned, or the Arctic crews, or the garrison of a fortress which has been compelled to live for a few months on half rations, and comes out of its experience with a broken health, and subsequently shows a quite abnormal mortality. All that natural selection can do in times of calamities is to spare the individuals endowed with the greatest endurance for privations of all kinds. So it does among the Siberian horses and cattle. They are enduring; they can feed upon the Polar birch in case of need; they resist cold and hunger. But no Siberian horse is capable of carrying half the weight which a European horse carries with ease; no Siberian cow gives half the amount of milk given by a Jersey cow, and no natives of uncivilized countries can bear a comparison with Europeans. They may better endure hunger and cold, but their physical force is very far below that of a well-fed European, and their intellectual progress is despairingly slow. “Evil cannot be productive of good,” as Tchernyshevsky wrote in a remarkable essay upon Darwinism.[65]

Happily enough, competition is not the rule either in the animal world or in mankind. It is limited among animals to exceptional periods, and natural selection finds better fields for its activity. Better conditions are created by the elimination of competition by means of mutual aid and mutual support.[66] In the great struggle for life — for the greatest possible fulness and intensity of life with the least waste of energy — natural selection continually seeks out the ways precisely for avoiding competition as much as possible. The ants combine in nests and nations; they pile up their stores, they rear their cattle — and thus avoid competition; and natural selection picks out of the ants’ family the species which know best how to avoid competition, with its unavoidably deleterious consequences. Most of our birds slowly move southwards as the winter comes, or gather in numberless societies and undertake long journeys — and thus avoid competition. Many rodents fall asleep when the time comes that competition should set in; while other rodents store food for the winter, and gather in large villages for obtaining the necessary protection when at work. The reindeer, when the lichens are dry in the interior of the continent, migrate towards the sea. Buffaloes cross an immense continent in order to find plenty of food. And the beavers, when they grow numerous on a river, divide into two parties, and go, the old ones down the river, and the young ones up the river and avoid competition. And when animals can neither fall asleep, nor migrate, nor lay in stores, nor themselves grow their food like the ants, they do what the titmouse does, and what Wallace (Darwinism, ch. v) has so charmingly described: they resort to new kinds of food — and thus, again, avoid competition.[67]

“Don’t compete! — competition is always injurious to the species, and you have plenty of resources to avoid it!” That is the tendency of nature, not always realized in full, but always present. That is the watchword which comes to us from the bush, the forest, the river, the ocean. “Therefore combine — practise mutual aid! That is the surest means for giving to each and to all the greatest safety, the best guarantee of existence and progress, bodily, intellectual, and moral.” That is what Nature teaches us; and that is what all those animals which have attained the highest position in their respective classes have done. That is also what man — the most primitive man — has been doing; and that is why man has reached the position upon which we stand now, as we shall see in the subsequent chapters devoted to mutual aid in human societies.

[beardedmrbean]

Life in Afghanistan has gotten perpetually worse for Afghans living under Taliban rule for the last three years as the humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, rights for women have all but vanished and Kabul remains essentially shut off from the international community.

A quarter of Afghans face "acute" food insecurity, more than half the nation requires humanitarian assistance, and according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), nearly 70% of the country is "subsistence insecure," meaning they do not have reliable access to basic resources like food, water, housing or health care.

After the Taliban takeover of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, the nation’s economy "basically collapsed," according to the UNDP, in large part because international funding through government donor plans, like the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, were shut down.

TALIBAN PARADES AMERICAN WEAPONS 3 YEARS AFTER CHAOTIC WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

The Taliban has further exacerbated its own economic crisis by propelling its extremist ideologies and enforcing oppressive bans on women by barring their access to the workplace or education. 

In three years since Washington concluded its "War on Terror," many have questioned whether life in Afghanistan is worse than it was before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S. and its subsequent invasion.

"If it's not worse, it's heading in that direction quickly," Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and expert on security issues in the Middle East and South Asia, told Fox News Digital.

The Taliban has not only reinstated harsh bans on women, it has also brought back corporal punishment through public floggings and group-enforced executions. Additionally, the Taliban's supreme leader, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, in May threatened to reinstate stoning women to death for adultery – a Taliban punishment on women that was never fully eradicated even during the U.S. incursion. 

"The biggest difference between now and pre-2001 is the Taliban are much better resourced," said Rubin, who spent time with the Taliban before the 9/11 attacks.

TALIBAN VOWS TO PUBLICLY STONE WOMEN TO DEATH IN DIRECT MESSAGE TO WESTERN DEMOCRACIES

Rubin said that even though the Taliban are not directly funded by international humanitarian groups, it has found ways to siphon off funding for its own gains. 

The Taliban marked the three-year anniversary of the takeover of Kabul in a parade on Wednesday at Bagram Air Base – formally the largest U.S. military base in Afghanistan – while showing off U.S. military hardware that had been abandoned following the withdrawal.

While neglecting any mention of the hardship Afghans face, speeches championing Taliban efforts to squash opposition to the extremist group were flaunted, along with a reference to Afghanistan’s continued isolation from the international community.

"The Islamic Emirate eliminated internal differences and expanded the scope of unity and cooperation in the country," Deputy Prime Minister Maulvi Abdul Kabir said in reference to a term the Taliban uses to describe its government, according to an AP News report. "No one will be allowed to interfere in internal affairs and Afghan soil will not be used against any country."

Former U.S. military machinery abandoned at the airbase like helicopters, tanks and vehicles were displayed alongside soldiers holding light and heavy machine guns.

"The Taliban holds these parades yearly to rub their victory and our defeat in our face," Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and founding editor of "The Long War Journal," told Fox News Digital.

Afghanistan has largely remained an international pariah over its human rights violations. But even as some countries have begun to allow for diplomatic engagement with the insurgent group, Western nations remain highly concerned over how Afghanistan has once again become a haven for terrorist organizations.

"Afghanistan is far more dangerous today than it was prior to 9/11," Roggio said. "The Taliban is in full control of the country, and it is sheltering and supporting al Qaeda and allied terror groups."

Roggio said al Qaeda is once again running training camps in at least 12 provinces across the country with very little internal resistance.

[mafiaamongstus]

So what does Earth look like 900 years from now in terms of like... Governmentally speaking? Are there still countries or is there like one big world government? If it's the latter then how/when did that come to pass? Whereabouts on earth are our brave cast members being deployed from?

If anyone out there has ever read Ender's Game, we've got a quasi-similar thing happening out on earth here. (tho, it all happened pre imposter war)

There are about three major world powers that control essentially the entire globe. The Sovereign of Europe/Africa/South America, the Hegemon of Asia, and the Speaker of North America/Australia.

There are still individual countries with their own governments (think like, ancient greece/rome, u had the emperor and then the cities managed themselves they were just all under the big guy)

The three of them work together to basically make sure World War 4 doesnt wipe out the face of the planet after WW3 did a pretty danged good job of attempting it.

Basically, things hit a boiling point, WW3...happened...and humanity realized, oh crap, we're about to perform self-genocide.

Yada yada politics n stuff, they ended up with the Sovereign/Hegemon/Speaker, and basically those three help make sure to keep each other in check while also ensuring their regions are safe and secure.

The discovery of alien animal and plant life was a massive help to the planet as well, seeing as there are certain ones that basically, when brought to earth by power of alien sciency idek man became the slow fix to climate change + pollution (turns out there's basically a water version of goats. those suckers will eat and digest ANYTHING. set them loose in the ocean and say goodbye to oceanic pollution)

As for where the main cast is from- i dont have specific regions for anyone just vague ideas for the most part

Olo - Somewhere in the middle east (Egypt maybe?)

Rouvan - South America / brazil maybe

Rynn - Europeish, probably around Greece?

Joris - Canada

Odil & Jitil - North America, maybe Alaska maybe Mexico idk

Kyle - Australia.

[entailglobal]

The Challenges and Opportunities for Agrochemical Exporters in the Global Market

Agrochemicals play a pivotal role in modern agriculture, contributing to increased crop yields and food security worldwide.  As the global population grows, the demand for agricultural products has risen exponentially, creating significant opportunities for agrochemical exporters.  However, this market is not without its challenges.  For agrochemical product exporters in Gujarat, navigating these dynamics requires strategic planning, robust product quality, and an understanding of the global trade environment.

In this blog, we will explore the challenges and opportunities in the global agrochemical market, focusing on how exporters, particularly those among the top 10 agrochemical product exporters in Gujarat, can thrive amidst these evolving conditions.

The Role of Agrochemicals in Agriculture

Agrochemicals encompass fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemical products designed to improve agricultural productivity.  These products are critical in controlling pests, enhancing soil fertility, and boosting crop yields, especially in regions with limited arable land or unpredictable climatic conditions.

India, and specifically Gujarat, has emerged as a hub for the production and export of agrochemical products.  Known for their quality and cost-competitiveness, products from the best exporters of agrochemical products in Gujarat are in demand across various global markets.

Challenges Faced by Agrochemical Exporters

1.         Stringent Regulatory Standards

Exporting agrochemicals to international markets involves complying with stringent regulatory requirements.  Countries like the United States, Japan, and European nations have strict environmental and safety standards.  Meeting these demands requires significant investment in research, testing, and compliance, which can be a barrier for small and medium exporters.

2.         Fluctuating Raw Material Costs

The production of agrochemicals depends heavily on raw materials such as petroleum-based products and minerals.  Price volatility in these materials can affect production costs, making it challenging for exporters to maintain competitive pricing.

3.         Trade Barriers and Tariffs

While the global market offers immense opportunities, it is also rife with protectionist policies.  Exporters often face high tariffs, quotas, and non-tariff barriers that can hinder market entry and profitability.

4.         Environmental Concerns

Agrochemical usage is often criticized for its environmental impact, such as soil degradation and water pollution.  Exporters must address these concerns by promoting sustainable practices and environmentally friendly products.

5.         Global Competition

The agrochemical export market is highly competitive, with major players from countries like China, the United States, and Brazil.  For Indian exporters, including those among the top 10 exporters of agrochemical products, staying competitive requires innovation and differentiation.

Opportunities for Agrochemical Exporters

1.         Rising Demand in Emerging Markets

Emerging economies in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America are experiencing rapid agricultural growth.  These regions present significant opportunities for agrochemical exporters, particularly those offering cost-effective solutions.

2.         Focus on Organic and Sustainable Products

With growing awareness about environmental sustainability, there is an increasing demand for organic and bio-based agrochemical products.  Exporters who can pivot to sustainable offerings stand to gain a competitive edge.

3.         Technological Advancements

Advances in agrochemical formulations, such as slow-release fertilizers and precision application pesticides, have created opportunities for exporters to offer high-value products.  Leveraging such innovations can help agrochemical product exporters in Gujarat capture premium markets.

4.         Government Support

The Indian government supports agrochemical exporters through incentives like subsidies, tax benefits, and streamlined export processes.  By taking advantage of these schemes, exporters can enhance their global competitiveness.

5.         Branding and Market Positioning

Building a strong brand reputation is crucial for success in international markets.  The best exporters of agrochemical products invest in quality assurance, certifications, and marketing to establish themselves as reliable suppliers.

The Competitive Edge of Agrochemical Exporters in Gujarat

Gujarat is renowned for its thriving chemical industry, with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and access to a well-developed port infrastructure.  This makes it an ideal location for agrochemical production and export.  Many of the top 10 agrochemical product exporters in Gujarat have capitalized on these advantages to establish a strong presence in global markets.

Key Strengths of Gujarat’s Agrochemical Exporters:

Proximity to Raw Materials:  Gujarat’s chemical manufacturing ecosystem ensures easy access to key raw materials, reducing production costs.

Export-Ready Infrastructure:  The state boasts world-class ports, including Mundra and Kandla, facilitating seamless export operations.

Quality Standards:  Exporters in Gujarat prioritize adherence to global quality standards, earning them a reputation as reliable suppliers.

Research and Development:  Many exporters invest heavily in R&D to develop innovative and eco-friendly agrochemical products.

How to Succeed as an Agrochemical Exporter

Understand Global Market Trends Exporters should stay updated on trends such as the shift toward organic farming, the rise of precision agriculture, and changing regulatory landscapes.  This knowledge enables them to adapt their offerings accordingly.

Invest in Technology Leveraging technology in product development and supply chain management can enhance efficiency and competitiveness.  For instance, exporters can use blockchain for traceability or AI to predict market demands.

Build Strategic Partnerships Collaborating with distributors, agricultural organizations, and government agencies can help exporters penetrate new markets and build lasting relationships.

Focus on Sustainability Sustainability is no longer optional in the agrochemical industry.  Exporters should adopt green manufacturing practices and offer products that align with global sustainability goals.

Strengthen Brand Identity A strong brand identity differentiates exporters in a crowded market.  Emphasizing quality, certifications, and customer satisfaction can position exporters among the top 10 exporters of agrochemical products globally.

Conclusion

The global agrochemical market presents a mix of challenges and opportunities.  For agrochemical product exporters in Gujarat, success lies in navigating regulatory hurdles, addressing environmental concerns, and staying competitive through innovation and quality.  By leveraging Gujarat’s strengths as an agrochemical hub and focusing on emerging trends, exporters can position themselves as the best exporters of agrochemical products on the global stage.

With a strategic approach and commitment to excellence, companies can not only overcome challenges but also seize opportunities in this dynamic market, securing a spot among the top 10 agrochemical product exporters in Gujarat and beyond.

[theantonian]

The Battle of Actium, Part 1: Pre-War

In September or October, 32 B.C., the men established winter quarters at Patrae on the Gulf of Corinth. In the spring they moved to Actium, the south shore of the entrance to the Gulf of Ambracia, a superb harbor for the fleet. Strategy included cutting off Octavian's attack and keeping supply lines open to Egypt.

Therefore, ships and men were stationed on the islands and coastline of western Greece, from Corcyra south to Methone, the westernmost point of the southern Peloponnesus, which controlled the passage around it. Crete and Cyrenaica completed the supply line secured to Egypt. The land army now included 19 legions of approximately 60,000 Italians, 15,000 light-armed Asiatics, plus 12,000 cavalry. The navy had over 500 manned warships. Mark Antony, imperator for the fourth time, claiming the consulship for the third time—although Octavian's other consuls were actually in office—seemed strongly positioned. Octavian, however, had some critical advantages and the daring to use them. His army and navy were slightly stronger than Antony's: a likely estimate is 75,000 legionnaires, 25,000 light-armed, 12,000 cavalry, over 400 warships. His officers were united behind him. His admiral was Marcus Agrippa, who had already proved his naval genius against Sextus Pompey. While Antony prepared his defense, Octavian initiated the offensive.

In early spring, 31 B.C., Agrippa, with half Octavian's fleet, broke Antony's lifeline to Egyptian supplies by capturing Methone, Antony's southernmost harbor in Greece. Octavian then crossed the Adriatic to the north, landing his army in Epirus but marching south swiftly in an attempt to catch Antony unprepared. Failing in that hope, Octavian fortified a high position and secured for his fleet an adequate harbor north of the entrance to the Gulf of Ambracia and opposite Antony's camp at Actium on the southern point.15 While Octavian thus immobilized Antony's main army and locked his navy into the gulf, Agrippa seized critical positions along Antony's supply line. The island of Leucas, which was southwest of Actium and along which Antony's ships bound for Egypt had to sail, was seized. Then Corcyra, Patrae, and Corinth, which secured the Gulf of Corinth and access to the Peloponnesus, were taken. Octavian dominated the Egnatian roadway to the north. With startling swiftness, Antony had lost the whole superiority of Egyptian granaries and had been reduced to foraging supplies from impoverished northern Greece for his vast host. Plutarch recounts his great-grandfather's tale how the people of Chaeronea in Boeotia, goaded by whips, were forced to carry their meager supplies to Antony's camp. Antony crossed to the northern shore, trying to provoke Octavian to fight, but Octavian would not be lured from his safe heights. Next Antony tried twice to encircle Octavian and cut off his limited water sources. When these efforts failed, Antony withdrew again to Actium, essentially besieged.

The distresses of siege beset the camp. Widespread disease, malaria or dysentery, resulted from the brackish water. Food grew scarcer. By August, Antony tried to break the blockade by sending an army north under the joint command of Dellius and Amyntas, king of Galatia, which he followed with another contingent, while the fleet tried to break out of the Gulf of Ambracia. The effort was disastrously aborted. Amyntas, now free of Actium and in command of 2,000 crack Galatian cavalry, deserted to Octavian. So, too, did Dellius, who had in former years acted as diplomatic agent between Antony and Cleopatra. He brought as his pledge to Octavian a full account of Antony's problems and plans.

Escape from the rapidly worsening situation was imperative. The Romans, trusting the legions and Antony as general, argued that their army could cut its way overland into Macedonia, thence to Asia, Syria, and Egypt. Cleopatra still trusted the sea and was unwilling to desert her rowers and burn her fleet. She argued that if Egypt were secured, new legions could be raised throughout the east. Antony, no longer trusting either the army or the navy or, perhaps, his own leadership, accepted the Egyptian plan, realizing that the fight by sea was needed to enable the land forces to escape. Canidius Crassus, who had brought the legions out of Armenia, was given charge of about 50,000 men to march inland to Macedonia, thence to Asia and Egypt, if the sea battle were lost. Antony took charge of the fleet, realizing fully his inexperience at sea and the attrition his navy had suffered from disease and desertion. Indeed, despite the impressment of Greek sailors, he had more ships than rowers and burned the craft he could not man. He was left with about 230 ships to Octavian's 400 ships, although Antony's ships on the average were larger and well reinforced with metal braces against ramming. In the face of the odds, Antony's objective was not a fight to victory but successful flight. Sails and tackle were added to the ships, awkward for naval maneuver but appropriate for swift flight.

To the dismayed crews they were explained as needed to pursue retreating ships. The treasure, necessary for any future struggle, was loaded on Cleopatra's flagship, the Antonias, which commanded a squadron of sixty warships. The sailors and the 20,000 legionnaires and 2,000 archers and slingers manning the ships were exhorted to fight. They read the preparations as those for flight and lost all heart for the battle.

Sources: Plutarch's Life of Antony

Cassius Dio, Roman History, Vol. V, Book: 50

Eleanor Goltz Huzar, Mark Antony-A Biography

Arthur Weigall, The Life & Times of Mark Antony

Painting: Battle of Actium by Johann Georg Platzer

[mariacallous]

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is now forecasting a moderate-to-strong El Niño season to continue through February 2024. The forecast itself mostly piques the interests of meteorologists, oceanographers, fishers, and the global network of food commodity traders and crop insurers whose fortunes live and die in the technical arcana of the weather report.

But this forecast has vast implications: Even a typical El Niño can reduce harvests for important crops, increase the disease burden, hammer developing and middle-income countries’ economic prospects, increase armed conflict risk in the tropics, and fuel maritime conflict and territorial ambitions in the East and South China Seas.

Some of these challenges—such as civil wars and maritime conflict in the South China Sea—would manifest as immediate, hurricane-like clear and present dangers. But many would not. Like climate change, perhaps the greater danger lays in the accumulation of thousands of small cracks in the global food, public health, and other systems that are the bedrock of life.

Most of these hazards will hit hardest in countries that are ill-equipped for the economic and political fallout. They add urgency to easing developing and middle-income countries’ debt burdens and building more resilience into the global food system. For the United States, they highlight the need to adopt a more comprehensive strategy for defining national security threats and government responses to them.

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a cyclic pattern of warming and cooling in the waters of the east-central Pacific Ocean. ENSO oscillates between cool (La Niña) and warm (El Niño) phases at intervals averaging five to seven years. Climate change is giving ENSO a “push,” making the swings back and forth deeper and potentially longer lasting. The currently forming El Niño follows a rare “triple dip” La Niña that ended in June lasted nearly three years—the longest in over 50 years.

But what happens in the east-central Pacific doesn’t stay there. As Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist Josh Willis has said, “When the Pacific speaks, the whole world listens.” ENSO is the single most important driver of year-to-year variation in global climate. ENSO’s teleconnections—links between weather phenomena separated by vast distances—shape weather across the southern United States, Africa, Latin America, and closer to “home” in Southeast Asia and Oceania. They cause or strengthen droughts as well as extreme rainfall events and affect temperature and humidity levels over much of the world.

Both El Niños and La Niñas cause weather-related hazards. The crushing three-year drought that’s been devastating the Horn of Africa since October 2020? It’s partly a result of that triple-dip La Niña. South America’s severe drought, gripping many of the world’s most significant grain exporters? ENSO’s effect is there, too. Ditto for drought in the U.S. south and southwest. The transition to an El Niño will likely bring some relief to these areas, though that “relief” has come to the Horn in the form of torrential rains and flooding that burst the banks of the Juba and Shabelle rivers and forced 300,000 Ethiopians and Somalis from their homes. This whipsawing between extremes is the “push” climate change is providing.

But more broadly, the effects aren’t symmetrical. Shifting from La Niña to El Niño conditions doesn’t just redistribute good and bad weather around the globe. El Niños come with much more downside risks to global food supplies, public health, economic recovery in the global south, as well as to peace and stability – in the Global South where its impacts are most acute, but also in East Asia.

Let’s start with food. Though global food prices are down a bit from record highs following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, they are still among the highest prices seen in the last 60 years. And these prices don’t yet fully reflect the effect of Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative and attacks on Ukrainian export infrastructure, both of which further weaponize Russia’s role in food markets and have led prices to begin creeping back up at a time when more than 250 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity.

Some qualified good news: In the past, El Niños haven’t caused global food prices to spike, with price effects being relatively modest. A multinational team of scientists found both El Niños and La Niñas suppress global yields for maize, rice, and wheat, with the effects of El Niño particularly strong for maize. On average, El Niños slightly reduce global food supply, though the effects are typically modest and can be offset by planting more acreage to offset lower productivity.

But at the country or regional level, as in western and southern Africa, the effects can be quite strong, sending local prices higher and increasing rural unemployment. El Niño effects for food production aren’t confined to land, either. The warming of the West-Central Pacific suppresses catches for important fisheries like the Peruvian anchoveta—the world’s most productive fishery—and in heavily fished areas like the East and South China Seas.

The effects of weather-related crop failures on food markets operate on two levels. First, they constrict actual supply in a market where demand is both constantly growing and price-inelastic: The prevailing price doesn’t change biological necessities. Second, they shape current expectations about future production and thus hedging behavior. Expecting a bad harvest, buyers with the means and the foresight—like China—may begin stockpiling grains in anticipation of failed harvests or potential market disruptions.

In the past, these activities have only had modest effects on prices. Yet this time may be different. These hedging strategies are now being implemented in the context of rising economic nationalism in which governments—especially authoritarian ones—are resorting to export bans to address concerns about domestic food shortages and explicitly weaponizing food trade; that is, they are occurring in markets that are more risky than in the recent past. This could be bad news for a global food security picture already hammered by the Ukraine war and the lingering effects of coronavirus-related supply chain disruptions.

Speaking of the coronavirus: A strong El Niño could increase the infectious disease burden. Analyzing the strong El Niño of 2014 to 2015, researchers found increases in cases of plague in Colorado and New Mexico, cholera in Tanzania, and dengue fever in Brazil and Southeast Asia. In the U.S. southwest and Tanzania, the culprit was wetter-than-normal conditions that increased the abundance of plague-carrying fleas and overwhelmed drainage and sanitation systems, causing drinking water to become contaminated with cholera. In Brazil and Southeast Asia, higher temperatures and droughts had a more complicated impact: Bereft of standing water in the natural environment, mosquitos penetrated further and in larger numbers into urban areas with open water sources, then matured more rapidly—and developed more voracious appetites, thus infecting more people.

At the macro scale, the economic losses from El Niños can be significant. Failed crops are foregone income that drive up demand for imports. Burst riverbanks and dams must be repaired and often come with considerable damage to infrastructure such as roads and electricity grids, which are critical for the normal functioning of the economy.

But that’s just a fraction of the story. A recent article in Science by Christopher Callahan and Justin Mankin attributes massive economic losses to the persistent negative effects of El Niños on growth, estimating total global losses of $5.7 trillion from the 1997 to 1998 El Niño.

That’s an enormous number. But it’s not as if the world lost nearly a sixth of total economic output in 1998 (world GDP was roughly $31.5 trillion at the time). Many of those effects emerged in the years after the event due to the compounding effects of forgone growth investment—the same reason money saved now is worth more than money saved later—and the high costs of building back after associated natural disasters such as floods and mudslides. And because we never “see” foregone growth due to lack of investment or diversion of resources from building new schools to repairing roads, we don’t typically think of these losses when counting up the economic consequences of natural disasters. It’s an example of how many of the costs of climate-related events are almost imperceptible in the moment but add up to real (and large) numbers.

The estimates reported in the Science article are orders of magnitude above previous ones of El Niño–associated economic losses. While some economists have questioned the astounding size of these estimates, even losses in parts of Africa and countries where the historic relationship between El Niños and GDP growth is strongest—such as Peru, Ghana, and Indonesia—could still wind up being in the hundreds of billions of dollars.

El Niño’s effects for economic growth and food supplies help us understand one of its other consequences: elevated risk of civil conflict. Over a decade ago, Solomon Hsiang, Kyle Meng, and Mark Cane found that civil conflicts—armed conflicts between rebels and governments—were more than twice as likely to break out during El Niños relative to La Niñas in world regions whose local climate is affected by ENSO teleconnections, with conflict outbreaks clustering between July and November. In doing so, their study was the first to link climate at the global scale with armed conflict, a topic that is now the subject of exhaustive study and discussion.

When studying climate impacts on conflict, researchers almost never find a smoking gun. To date, no rebel leader has cited El Niño as their rallying cause. Rather, what researchers find is that climatic factors “load the dice,” making conflict marginally likelier to occur. Again, the impact is hard to detect in any given conflict but emerges from analyzing hundreds if not thousands of conflict events over time.

El Niño’s adverse consequences for fisheries also increase the risk of militarized conflict on the seas. Of particular concern are its effects in the East and South China Seas, where the impact on fish populations is strong, fishing pressure is high, and the regions’ major fishing nations—China, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and Taiwan among them—have tense security relationships in the best of times. While it’s extremely unlikely a Taiwan invasion would begin over a fisheries dispute, these types of militarized conflicts are one of the few scenarios in international affairs where the coast guards and navies of rival countries may come into conflict over the actions of third parties—such as fishing vessels crossing disputed maritime boundaries—that they do not command or control.

Facing these potential outcomes, what can be done? Countries with strong ENSO teleconnections—which are mostly developing and middle-income—need resources and budgetary space to address problems such as rising food import bills, disaster preparedness and relief, and adequate provisioning for their security forces.

For this reason, creditor countries—especially China and those in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development—need to address the large debt overhangs many of these countries accumulated during the coronavirus pandemic. Ghana’s $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund is a signal that creditor countries, including China, can work together to address these challenges.

Consistent with the increasing role armed forces are playing in disaster response and relief, countries such as the United States may be called upon to provide more emergency services that leverage their considerable airlift capacity and ability to move medical supplies and emergency food aid in difficult circumstances.

Stepping back from immediate responses, a bigger picture take-home point emerges for the U.S. government. The evidence of strong, adverse health, economic, and security consequences has made clear that the conventional approaches to defining national security interests and threats are lacking. Climate impacts—El Niños among them—are security impacts, but identifying and responding to them shouldn’t be the exclusive domain of national security and intelligence agencies like the Department of Defense and National Security Council. The Biden administration has done more to mainstream climate security than any of its predecessors—but there is far more work to be done.

[werindialive]

India's Minister of External Affairs Sounds Alarm on Global Geopolitical 'Storm' and Advocates for Cooperative Solution

In a poignant address to the international community, India's Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, delivered a stark warning about the brewing geopolitical tensions across the globe. Speaking at a prestigious diplomatic forum, Jaishankar outlined India's stance and role amidst the turbulent geopolitical landscape, emphasizing the need for cooperation and strategic foresight to navigate the storm ahead.

Against a backdrop of escalating conflicts, trade disputes, and technological rivalries, Jaishankar cautioned that the world is on the brink of a profound geopolitical "storm." He underscored the interconnectedness of nations in today's complex geopolitical ecosystem, where disruptions in one region can reverberate globally, impacting economies, security, and stability.

Highlighting India's historical commitment to peace, stability, and multilateralism, Jaishankar articulated India's vision for a rules-based international order that fosters inclusive growth and development. He stressed the importance of respecting sovereignty, upholding international law, and resolving disputes through dialogue and diplomacy rather than coercion or unilateral actions.

Jaishankar outlined India's role as a responsible global actor, advocating for inclusive development, sustainable practices, and equitable partnerships. He reaffirmed India's commitment to fostering regional cooperation, particularly in South Asia, to address common challenges such as terrorism, poverty, and climate change.

Addressing the evolving dynamics of great power competition, Jaishankar emphasized the need for strategic autonomy and diversification of partnerships. He acknowledged India's strategic engagements with multiple stakeholders, including traditional allies, emerging powers, and multilateral institutions, to safeguard its national interests and contribute to global stability.

In the realm of economic diplomacy, Jaishankar highlighted India's efforts to enhance connectivity, trade, and investment across regions through initiatives such as the International North-South Transport Corridor and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. He underscored India's commitment to promoting an open, inclusive, and rules-based trading system that benefits all nations.

Regarding technological advancements and digital governance, Jaishankar stressed the importance of harnessing innovation for societal progress while addressing concerns related to data privacy, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty. He called for greater cooperation among nations to develop norms and standards for the responsible use of emerging technologies.

Jaishankar's address served as a clarion call for collective action and strategic foresight to navigate the turbulent waters of global geopolitics. He reiterated India's commitment to playing a constructive role in shaping a more stable, prosperous, and peaceful world order, where nations cooperate for the common good while safeguarding their sovereign interests. As the storm clouds gather on the horizon, Jaishankar's message resonates as a beacon of hope for a more resilient and inclusive global community.

For more such political news India in Hindi, subscribe to our news channel!

[rabbitcruiser]

Vancouver Seawall (No. 8)

The False Creek area was the industrial heartland of Vancouver through to the 1950s, and was home to many sawmills and small port operations. As industry shifted to other areas, the vicinity around False Creek started to deteriorate. In 1960, BC Forest Products plant and lumber storage facility on the south side of False Creek caught fire in Vancouver's first-ever five-alarm blaze. Every piece of firefighting equipment and all of Vancouver's firefighters fought the blaze for hours, but the facility was totally destroyed.

Walter Hardwick, a geography professor at UBC, first elected to City Council in 1968, led the City's redevelopment team and helped secure the participation of the Federal Government, which owned Granville Island. A major public involvement and co-design process followed which established public priorities for an accessible waterfront seawall; mixed-tenure housing including market condominiums, co-op and low-income housing and live-aboard marinas; and a vibrant waterfront market. These plans were formalized in a 1972 Official Development Plan. The form and mix of development were revolutionary for Vancouver at the time. A third of the site was set aside for 40 units/acre housing with the balance converted to park, waterfront and community uses.

The North Shore of False Creek (NFC) was further transformed in the 1980s, as it took centre stage during Expo 86. Following Expo, the Province sold the NFC site to Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing whose company Concord Pacific successfully marketed Vancouver in Asia, as a place for investment and migration. With the province enabling strata titles, a high-rise condominium boom soon followed, with Downtown Vancouver's population soaring from around 6,000 throughout the 1970s and 1980s to over 43,000 in 2006.

The 1991 Official Development Plan enabled significant new density commensurate with the provision of significant public amenities including street front shops and services, parks, school sites, community centres, daycares, co-op and low-income housing. Since then, most of the north shore has become a new neighbourhood of dense housing (about 100 units/acre), adding some 50 000 new residents to Vancouver's downtown peninsula.

On December 1, 1998, Vancouver City Council adopted a set of Blue ways policies and guidelines stating the vision of a waterfront city where land and water combine to meet the environmental, cultural and economic needs of the City and its people in a sustainable, equitable, high quality manner.

Southeast False Creek (SEFC) is the neighbourhood designated by Cambie, Main, West 2nd Avenue, and False Creek. The 2010 Olympic Village, for athlete housing and logistics of the Winter Olympics, is found in Southeast False Creek. As of 2021, the population exceeded 3,000.

Source: Wikipedia

[bopinion]

2023 / 20

Aperçu of the Week:

"Music is a language in which you can't lie."

(Hubert von Goisern, Austrian singer-songwriter and founder of alpine rock)

Bad News of the Week:

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is upon us again. This weather phenomenon of the equatorial Pacific happens at irregular intervals of two to eight years and refers to the occurrence of unusual, non-cyclical, altered ocean currents in the oceanographic-meteorological system. Without going into detail about Walker cells, trade winds and surface waters, let's just say that the weather between South America and Southeast Asia is tipping. With worldwide effects.

Plankton dies en masse and leads to the collapse of entire food chains, e.g. there are no more fish off Peru, seabirds die in the entire Pacific. Unnaturally heavy rainfall on the western side of the Andes causes landslides and flooding. In Southeast Asia and Australia, the lack of rain causes huge bush and forest fires, and the Amazon region and southern Africa dry out. Huge hurricanes develop in Mexico, the monsoon intensifies in India, and coral bleaching increases significantly worldwide. Everywhere it becomes noticeably warmer.

El Niño has already been documented by the pre-Columbian Incas and is even believed to have led to the extinction of the Moche civilization. It is therefore a natural phenomenon for which, for once, humans are not to blame. However, since man-made climate disasters such as floods, hurricanes and forest fires have increased dramatically in recent years, more than a few experts expect a reciprocal amplification that could be devastating due to its cascading effect. In the best case, humanity gets a temporary taste of circumstances to come, hopefully leading to more immediate action to mitigate climate change impacts. At worst, this heated combination pushes climatic tipping points past their very tipping point. Which, as we know, is irreversible.

Good News of the Week:

The annual G7 summit is over. This time under Japanese leadership in Hiroshima. This cooperation format of the seven economically strongest Western nations (Japan, USA, Canada, France, Great Britain, Italy and Germany) with the participation of the European Union originally saw itself as a forum for discussing issues of the global economy. And in recent years, it has evolved into a hub that also has security and sociopolitical relevance. Therefore, an unsurprising item on the program this year was the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenski to promote fighter jets.

Just as predictable as the condemnation of Russia's war of aggression was the theme of economic cooperation with China while distancing oneself from its geopolitical and human rights positions. The same applies to concerns about climate change, declining biodiversity and the too-slow expansion of renewable energies - albeit without any significant breakthroughs. Also, security of supply in globalized trade and cooperation with emerging economic powers. So no surprises at all?

Yes, in my opinion there are. After the delivery chain issues at the time of the Corona pandemic, the grain exports from Ukraine and fertilizers from Russia, which have been stopped in the meantime, have thrown another spotlight on the global food situation. Which is shitty to say the least. Among other things, because it is precisely the poorest countries that are most affected by the effects of climate change that are already being felt today.

Last year, under German auspices, the G7 and the World Bank founded the Global Alliance for Food Security (GAFS). According to its statutes, the alliance is committed to an agile, targeted and rapid response to food crises, which at the same time takes the right path toward sustainable agricultural systems. And pools the corresponding resources of its members: Germany, for example, has already been giving 2 billion euros annually for years to fight hunger in needy countries.

Now, according to a communiqué, the G7 have decided to provide a further 21 billion U.S. dollars in emergency aid. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze, initiator of the GAFS, commented: "The fact that the G7 are now united in their commitment to a further and holistic commitment one year later is a strong sign of solidarity with the Global South."

Of course, this is not enough. Oxfam, for example, points out that the UN has put the financial requirement in this regard at 55 billion. The G7 would have therefore failed in terms of development policy. But if you take a look at the bare figures, you will see that the G7 are contributing their fair share according to their economic performance. I am not aware of any corresponding initiative by China, India, Russia, Brazil or the Arab world. So we are on track so far. At least we are. And at least on a topic that too rarely makes it into the headlines.

Personal happy moment of the week:

My two children are getting older - and on their own feet. First, my daughter, who just turned 20, was in Budapest with the political science department of her university. Although only in her first year of study already as a group leader. And then my son, who just turned 15, was at the partner school in Paris. As the only one from the 8th grade and the youngest participant of the student exchange. Both not only completed their trip with aplomb, but also took the opportunity to present themselves as cosmopolitan, curious, self-confident young people. And made their dad proud.

I couldn't care less...

...about the voting behavior of Turks in Germany. Because they are allowed to vote in their home country, even if they are resident abroad. And they do. In large numbers. Unfortunately, two-thirds for Recep Erdogan. That was the case in the regular presidential election a week ago and that will be the case in the runoff election a week from now. I do not understand that. People who live in a well developed prosperous democracy should actually appreciate its canon of values - and not keep an autocrat in power.

As I write this...

...I am sitting on the train to Cologne. As I or my employer had booked it. Which is no longer a matter of course in view of the frequent strikes lately. The next round of negotiations between the union and Deutsche Bahn is scheduled for the day after tomorrow, so my return trip should also work out that day. On schedule. Which is tantamount to being late. Right now, we've been theoretically on the move for 12 minutes - but we're still standing on the platform in Munich. So everything is completely normal.

Post Scriptum

The Arab League has welcomed Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad back into its midst - with a brotherly kiss. Those who were still waiting for proof that human rights do not always feel at home in the Arab cultural area (to put it mildly) now have it. The greeting "Salam alaikum" means "(May) peace be upon you". Yeah - but some terms and conditions apply.

[businessindustry]

Compression Coupling Market Growth, Supply Demand by 2024-2032

The Reports and Insights, a leading market research company, has recently releases report titled “Compression Coupling Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2024-2032.” The study provides a detailed analysis of the industry, including the global Compression Coupling Market share, size, trends, and growth forecasts. The report also includes competitor and regional analysis and highlights the latest advancements in the market.

Report Highlights:

How big is the Compression Coupling Market?

The compression coupling market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2032.

What are Compression Coupling?

A compression coupling is a plumbing fitting utilized to connect two pipes or tubes. It comprises a compression nut, a compression ring (or ferrule), and the coupling body. Pipes are inserted into each end of the coupling, and the compression nut is tightened onto the body, compressing the ring to create a watertight seal between the pipes. These couplings are popular in plumbing for their simple installation and ability to form a secure connection without soldering or welding.

Request for a sample copy with detail analysis: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/sample-request/1745

What are the growth prospects and trends in the Compression Coupling industry?

The compression coupling market growth is driven by various factors and trends. The market for compression couplings is experiencing consistent growth, fueled by the rising demand for dependable and easy-to-use plumbing solutions. These couplings are favored for their ability to establish a secure and leak-proof connection between pipes without requiring soldering or welding. They find extensive application in plumbing systems across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors. The market offers a diverse range of products, including brass, copper, and plastic couplings, tailored to various needs and preferences. Noteworthy trends in the market include the introduction of innovative coupling designs to enhance performance and longevity, alongside the growing adoption of eco-friendly materials. Hence, all these factors contribute to compression coupling market growth.

What is included in market segmentation?

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

By Product Type:

Straight Couplings

Transition Couplings

Reduced Couplings

Repair Couplings

Expansion Couplings

Others

By End-Use Industry:

Plumbing

HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning)

Oil and Gas

Chemical and Petrochemical

Water and Wastewater Treatment

Mining

Agriculture

Others

By Application:

Water Distribution

Gas Distribution

Industrial Fluid Transfer

Irrigation Systems

Sewer and Drainage Systems

Fire Protection Systems

Others

Segmentation By Region:

North America:

United States

Canad

Europe:

Germany

The U.K.

France

Spain

Italy

Russia

Poland

BENELUX

NORDIC

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific:

China

Japan

India

South Korea

ASEAN

Australia & New Zealand

Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America:

Brazil

Mexico

Argentina

Middle East & Africa:

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

United Arab Emirates

Israel

Who are the key players operating in the industry?

The report covers the major market players including:

Victaulic Company

Mueller Water Products

Uponor Corporation

Georg Fischer Piping Systems Ltd.

McWane Inc.

Reed Manufacturing Company

Fernco Inc.

Anvil International

Smith-Blair Inc.

NIBCO Inc.

Romac Industries, Inc.

Tyco International Ltd.

Matco-Norca Inc.

View Full Report: https://www.reportsandinsights.com/report/Compression Coupling-market

If you require any specific information that is not covered currently within the scope of the report, we will provide the same as a part of the customization.

About Us:

Reports and Insights consistently mееt international benchmarks in the market research industry and maintain a kееn focus on providing only the highest quality of reports and analysis outlooks across markets, industries, domains, sectors, and verticals. We have bееn catering to varying market nееds and do not compromise on quality and research efforts in our objective to deliver only the very best to our clients globally.

Our offerings include comprehensive market intelligence in the form of research reports, production cost reports, feasibility studies, and consulting services. Our team, which includes experienced researchers and analysts from various industries, is dedicated to providing high-quality data and insights to our clientele, ranging from small and medium businesses to Fortune 1000 corporations.

Contact Us:

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[dailyanarchistposts]

Notes: PDFs of Return Fire and related publications can be read, downloaded and printed by searching actforfree.nostate.net for "Return Fire", or emailing returnfire@riseup.net

[ed. - Released by anhilaal, of the Coalition Against Work and Civilization: South Asia. From an invitation to a two-day gathering in Puri, India, October 2012: “Civilization is the history of turning more and more human activities into work[...] What else is the impersonal, organized power and violence other than impersonal, organized control over our work and its products? We are against all work-pyramids operating in the name of countries, parties, families and identities. We are for self-determined human activities which are not possible without abolition of our existence as wage-workers or serfs.”]

1. “Everyday almost the same routine: go to bed around 24 hrs; go to work and come back home around 20 hrs; have dinner and read a little and go to bed again. Well anyway I'm glad to have at least something to do. I am doing this job not only for the sake of earning money as you know. Let's hope for the best: for being able to do something more useful for myself like studying some nice books and try to write something about the current international affairs.”

A page from our normal daily life devoted to un-charismatic struggles to keep our head above water.

2. Bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed 100,000 within seconds.

3. The scale of killings betrays only the extent of state formation. Conversely, claims of organizing its prevention betrays the extent of the same. An elementary question: how do they mobilise so much financial, ideological and human resources to carry them out?

4. One of the questions we might ask, to start with, is: how high was the per capita income in America on the eve of war? Or per capita domestic rate of saving? Or how big was the size of the credit-bubble? Everything boils down to the endless control over the reservoir of labour of contemporary and future generations through indirect and direct taxes and profits. To be precise, crumbs that we get back as salary, wages and benefits are only a fraction of all that is taken away from us and turned against us. In other words, immense funds mobilised for national unity/security and/or development are unthinkable without our daily normal lives.

5. Our eventless drab, normal life is the other side of spectacular killings: organised by states or proto-states in the name of god, people and workers.

6. Our drab daily struggle to keep hunger at bay might take place without such killings. But such spectacular killings will not take place without our drab daily struggles.

7. Every time we shout “Hiroshima or Auschwitz never again!” and we put our magnifying glass at the root of world-history to uncover the reasons 'that gave birth to such tragedies', we end up preparing for the last or lost battles.

8. The roots of extraordinary events are not lost in an unbreakable chain of extraordinary events, personalities and thoughts. The roots of the spectacular events are in our 'non-spectacular', normal, daily lives.

8.a. The roots are, to be precise, between our hands and the plough, our hands and the assembly-line, fingers and the keyboard and trigger and the index-finger. Empires emerge and vanish into thin air because of the type of relationship that exists between us and our instrument of work. In this the biggest violence that we do unto ourselves is the root of all violences.

9. So long as large swathe of populations is engaged in existential combat i.e. tied down to and reproducing itself mainly for work, the final non-recurrence of spectacular killings can never be guaranteed.

10. It is only the freedom from this chain called ordinary, daily life determined by needs of outpumping work-pyramids i. e. the Chief and the subordinates of the thieves of our lifetime, for example competing states, firms, families, identities and managements; that will free us from the recurrence of extraordinary human tragedies.

[news24-amit]

AIoT Adoption Accelerates as Industries Embrace Intelligent Automation

The Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) is transforming industries by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling smart decision-making and automation. AIoT enhances efficiency, optimizes resource utilization, and provides real-time insights across multiple industries. The AIoT market, valued at US$ 8.4 billion in 2022, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 24.6% from 2023 to 2031, reaching US$ 58.4 billion by 2031.

Market Dynamics

Key Drivers

Growing Adoption of IoT Devices: The proliferation of smart devices and sensors is generating massive data volumes, fueling AIoT growth.

Need for Real-Time Decision Making: AI-driven analytics help industries make data-driven decisions, improving operational efficiency.

Rise in 5G Deployment: Faster and more reliable connectivity enhances AIoT capabilities, enabling seamless real-time communication.

Increasing Use in Healthcare: AIoT is widely used in wearable health devices, remote patient monitoring, and AI-powered diagnostics.

Demand for Smart Manufacturing: AIoT-driven predictive maintenance and automation solutions enhance production efficiency and reduce downtime.

Challenges and Restraints

Lack of Standardization: The absence of global AIoT regulations poses challenges for widespread adoption.

Data Privacy and Security Concerns: AIoT systems handle vast amounts of sensitive data, increasing risks related to cybersecurity and compliance.

High Initial Investment: AIoT deployment requires significant capital expenditure, limiting adoption in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Market Segmentation

By Component

Software/Platforms: AI-powered analytics, cloud computing, edge computing solutions.

Services: Consulting, integration, maintenance, and managed services.

By End-User Vertical

BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance): Fraud detection, risk assessment, and customer experience enhancement.

Retail: AI-driven inventory management, customer behavior analysis, and automated checkouts.

Automotive: Autonomous vehicles, predictive maintenance, and AI-enabled traffic management.

Transportation & Logistics: Route optimization, fleet management, and real-time tracking.

Healthcare: AI-powered diagnostics, telemedicine, and patient monitoring.

Energy and Utilities: Smart grids, AI-powered energy optimization, and predictive maintenance.

Manufacturing: Predictive maintenance, automation, and supply chain optimization.

Others: Smart cities, agriculture, and public sector applications.

Regional Outlook

North America: The largest market, driven by strong IoT infrastructure, tech innovations, and AI adoption.

Europe: Significant investments in AIoT for industrial automation and smart city initiatives.

Asia-Pacific: Fastest-growing region due to rising manufacturing sector, smart city developments, and AIoT adoption in industries.

Middle East & Africa and South America: Emerging AIoT markets with moderate growth potential.

Key Industry Trends

AIoT in Smart Manufacturing

Leading companies such as ABB, Siemens, and Schneider Electric offer AI-powered industrial analytics platforms.

Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) is simplifying AI adoption in industrial applications.

Embedded AI hardware (e.g., NVIDIA GPUs, Google TPUs) is driving edge AI capabilities.

Smart Cities and AIoT Integration

AIoT is being used for energy-efficient buildings, smart grids, and intelligent water management.

Barcelona's AIoT initiatives in energy and water management have significantly reduced waste and emissions.

Advancements in AI Chips for AIoT

NVIDIA A30 and A10 GPUs, AWS EC2 G5 Instances, and Google’s TPUs are enhancing AIoT performance in various applications.

Competitive Landscape

Key players in the AIoT market are investing heavily in research & development, strategic partnerships, and product innovations to expand their market presence. Some leading companies include:

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Google LLC

IBM Corporation

Microsoft Corporation

Oracle Corporation

Siemens AG

SAP SE

Schneider Electric

PTC Inc.

Contact Us: Transparency Market Research Inc. CORPORATE HEADQUARTER DOWNTOWN, 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200, Wilmington, Delaware 19801 USA Tel: +1-518-618-1030 USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453 Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com

[cheese-sambousek]

Cheese Sambousek - A Crispy, Cheesy Delight

Cheese Sambousek, or سمبوسك جبنة in Arabic, is a popular snack and appetizer that has captured the hearts and taste buds of food lovers worldwide. This golden, flaky pastry filled with a gooey, cheesy center is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, often served during Ramadan, festive occasions, or as a quick treat for guests.

In this article, we’ll dive deep into Cheese Sambousek's origins, ingredients, preparation methods, and variations, and even offer insights into where you can find pre-made options for this delightful snack.

The Origins of Cheese Sambousek

Sambousek has a rich history dates back to the Middle East and South Asia, where it is believed to have originated. The dish has since evolved and taken on various forms across different cultures. The word “Sambousek” derives from the Persian word “Sanbosag,” which refers to small triangular pastries filled with savory or sweet fillings.

In the Middle East, Cheese Sambousek is a favorite due to its simple yet irresistible combination of crispy pastry and flavorful cheese filling. Over time, the dish has gained global popularity, appearing in restaurants and homes worldwide.

Key Ingredients for Cheese Sambousek

Creating the perfect Cheese Sambousek starts with the right ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Cheese

The star ingredient, cheese, can vary depending on personal preference. Popular choices include feta, halloumi, mozzarella, and cream cheese. A combination of these cheeses can also be used for a more complex flavor profile.

2. Pastry Dough

Traditional Sambousek uses thin pastry dough or phyllo dough. Store-bought sambousek sheets are also a convenient option.

3. Seasonings

Herbs and spices such as thyme, parsley, or black seed (Nigella sativa) are often added to the cheese filling to enhance the flavor.

4. Frying Oil

Neutral oils like sunflower or vegetable oil are ideal for deep-frying Sambousek, ensuring a crispy texture.

For those seeking ready-made options, consider trying Mai Frozen Food’s Cheese Sambusak with Thyme for a quick and delicious solution.

How to Make Cheese Sambousek

Here’s a step-by-step guide to making Cheese Sambousek at home:

Ingredients:

2 cups of grated cheese (feta, halloumi, or a mix)

1 tbsp dried thyme or za’atar

1 pack of sambousek or phyllo pastry sheets

2 tbsp flour mixed with water to create a paste (for sealing)

Oil for frying

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Cheese Filling

In a bowl, mix the grated cheese with dried thyme or za’atar. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Set the mixture aside.

Step 2: Assemble the Sambousek

Lay a sambousek or phyllo pastry sheet on a clean surface.

Place a small amount of the cheese mixture at one end of the sheet.

Fold the sheet into a triangular shape, ensuring the filling is securely enclosed.

Use the flour paste to seal the edges.

Step 3: Fry the Sambousek

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat.

Fry the Sambousek in batches until golden brown and crispy.

Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy

Serve the Cheese Sambousek warm with a side of yogurt dip or tomato chutney.

Garnish with fresh herbs for an extra touch.

For detailed recipes and preparation tips, check out Chef de Home’s guide to Cheese Sambousek.

Variations of Cheese Sambousek

Cheese Sambousek can be customized to suit different tastes and dietary preferences. Here are some popular variations:

1. Baked Cheese Sambousek

For a healthier alternative, bake the Sambousek in the oven at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Sweet Cheese Sambousek

Add a touch of sweetness by mixing the cheese filling with sugar or honey and serving it with a drizzle of syrup.

3. Vegan Cheese Sambousek

Use plant-based cheese and pastry dough to make a vegan-friendly version.

4. Spicy Cheese Sambousek

Add chili flakes or jalapeños to the cheese mixture for a spicy kick.

Nutritional Benefits of Cheese Sambousek

Cheese Sambousek isn’t just delicious; it also offers several nutritional benefits:

Calcium: Cheese is a great source of calcium, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth.

Protein: Cheese provides protein, helping to build and repair body tissues.

Energy: The pastry dough and frying process provide an energy boost, making Sambousek a satisfying snack.

Where to Buy Cheese Sambousek

If you’re short on time or prefer ready-made options, there are several great choices available:

Mai Frozen Food’s Cheese Sambusak with Thyme

Foodys Halloumi Cheese Sambousek on Jumla

Talabat Mart’s Saniora Cheese Sambousek

Tips for the Perfect Cheese Sambousek

Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh cheese and herbs ensure the best flavor.

Seal Properly: Ensure the edges are sealed tightly to prevent the filling from leaking during frying.

Fry in Small Batches: This helps maintain the oil temperature, resulting in evenly cooked Sambousek.

Serve Immediately: Cheese Sambousek is best enjoyed hot and crispy.

Conclusion

Cheese Sambousek is a versatile and crowd-pleasing dish that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a party, preparing a festive meal, or simply craving a cheesy treat, this snack is sure to satisfy. Try making it at home or explore convenient ready-made options from trusted sources like Mai Frozen Food and Talabat Mart.

Bring the magic of Cheese Sambousek to your table today and enjoy a snack that’s as comforting as it is delicious!

CheeseSambousek #MiddleEasternCuisine #SambousekRecipe #CheeseAppetizers #RamadanSnacks #EasyAppetizers #CheesySnacks #FriedPastries #PhylloDoughRecipes #SavoryPastries #PartySnacks #HomemadeSambousek #TraditionalMiddleEasternFood #BakedSambousek #SweetAndSavorySnacks #QuickCheeseSnacks #HealthySambousekVariations #SpicySambousek #VeganSambousek #MiddleEasternAppetizers

[deluxe-cruises]

The Ultimate Guide to Booking the Best Seabourn Cruises with DeluxeCruises.com

Welcome to DeluxeCruises.com, the best website to buy Seabourn Cruises and other ultra-luxury cruise vacations. Whether you're looking to embark on a voyage across the breathtaking Mediterranean, explore the wonders of Alaska, or enjoy the pristine beauty of the Northwest Passage, we offer the best deals and unparalleled service. Our team is dedicated to making your travel experience seamless, luxurious, and tailored to your desires.

Contact us today at info@deluxecruises.com or send a message via WhatsApp for fast, responsive service. We guarantee the best prices in any currency and look forward to helping you plan the trip of a lifetime.

Why Book Seabourn Cruises with DeluxeCruises.com?

DeluxeCruises.com is your premier choice for booking Seabourn cruises, one of the world's leading luxury cruise lines. Here’s why thousands of discerning travelers choose us:

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Early Advantage Savings on 2026 Northwest Passage Expeditions

Seabourn’s Northwest Passage Expeditions for 2026 offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore one of the most remote and untouched regions of the world. Book early to take advantage of significant savings and secure your place on this extraordinary journey through the icy wilderness.

With DeluxeCruises.com, you’ll experience:

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Celebrate Cruise Director Jan Stearman’s Last Season

Beloved Seabourn Cruise Director Jan Stearman is retiring after a legendary career at sea. Join her for her final season, sailing through the magnificent landscapes of Alaska. This is your last chance to enjoy her exceptional onboard programming and entertainment before she bids farewell.

Sail Alaska with Jan: Explore the stunning fjords, glaciers, and wildlife of Alaska on a journey that promises to be both breathtaking and memorable.

Exclusive Events: Celebrate Jan's career with special onboard events, including farewell dinners and personalized experiences.

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Top 10 Seabourn Sailings for a Tailored Experience

Looking for a cruise that goes above and beyond the standard luxury offerings? Here are the top 10 Seabourn sailings that provide even more tailored experiences for discerning travelers:

Mediterranean: Wake up to stunning views of azure waters and scenic coastlines.

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Australia & New Zealand: Discover the beauty of the South Pacific.

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South America: Experience vibrant cultures and stunning natural landscapes.

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Each of these sailings offers enhanced amenities, spacious suites, and curated shore excursions to ensure your journey is extraordinary.

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Don’t miss out on Seabourn’s special savings and offers on cruises to all seven continents. At DeluxeCruises.com, we provide:

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Discover the Alluring Mediterranean

A cruise through the Mediterranean with Seabourn is an experience unlike any other. Picture yourself waking up to the gentle sound of waves lapping against the ship while you gaze out at some of the most stunning coastlines in the world. From the historic cities of Italy and Greece to the picturesque islands of Spain and Croatia, the Mediterranean offers something for everyone.

Highlights include:

Cultural Immersion: Visit iconic cities like Rome, Barcelona, and Athens with expert-led excursions.

Gourmet Dining: Savor world-class cuisine onboard and at exclusive restaurants on shore.

Private Beaches & Hidden Gems: Explore secluded beaches and lesser-known ports for an intimate, luxurious experience.

Start planning your Mediterranean adventure today!

A Travel Journal Through the Inian Islands of Alaska

Explore the stunning beauty of Southeast Alaska through the eyes of a guest. Seabourn offers an intimate, luxurious way to experience the wild landscapes and remote islands of this pristine region. From the deck of your ultra-luxury ship, you’ll witness towering glaciers, abundant wildlife, and unspoiled wilderness.

Highlights include:

Wildlife Encounters: Spot whales, sea otters, and bald eagles in their natural habitat.

Glacier Excursions: Get up close to some of Alaska’s most breathtaking glaciers.

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Read more about this incredible journey on our website.

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At DeluxeCruises.com, we help you elevate your Seabourn experience by providing a range of exclusive upgrades and perks. Whether it’s a suite upgrade, personalized shore excursions, or access to private events, we ensure your journey is one of absolute comfort and luxury.

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Why DeluxeCruises.com is the Best Choice for Seabourn Cruises

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Contact Us Today for the Best Seabourn Cruise Deals

Ready to book your dream Seabourn cruise? Contact us today at info@deluxecruises.com or via WhatsApp for fast service and exclusive deals. We look forward to helping you plan your next ultra-luxury adventure.

[rentnhope]

Unleash Adventure in Goa with Rentnhop’s Affordable Bike Rentals

Goa is a dream destination for travelers who seek adventure, scenic beauty, and the charm of beaches. With its vibrant streets, serene countryside, and cultural landmarks, Goa has a lot to offer. The best way to explore this paradise is by renting a bike. Rentnhop brings you the ultimate solution for a bike on rent in Goa, making your journey convenient, affordable, and full of excitement.

This guide will help you understand why renting a bike in Goa is the best choice and how Rentnhop makes the process easy and hassle-free.

Why Rent a Bike in Goa?

Goa is best explored on two wheels. Here’s why renting a bike is the top choice for travelers:

Freedom to Roam: A bike gives you complete freedom to explore at your own pace. Whether it’s a quiet beach or a bustling market, you can reach every corner of Goa with ease.

Cost-Effective Travel: A bike on rent in Goa is an economical way to travel compared to hiring cabs or private vehicles.

Access to Hidden Gems: Bikes allow you to venture into narrow streets, scenic routes, and offbeat locations that are hard to access by cars.

Eco-Friendly Option: By opting for a bike, you contribute to reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions.

Experience the Vibes of Goa: Feel the wind in your hair and enjoy the beautiful weather as you ride through Goa’s picturesque roads.

Renting a Bike in Goa with Rentnhop

Rentnhop makes renting a bike in Goa a simple and enjoyable experience. Here’s how you can book your ride:

1. Visit Rentnhop’s Website

Rentnhop’s user-friendly website provides a seamless platform to browse and book a bike on rent in Goa.

2. Choose Your Preferred Bike

Rentnhop offers a wide range of bikes, including:

Scooters: Ideal for short trips and city rides.

Commuter Bikes: Perfect for longer journeys and better mileage.

High-End Bikes: For those who love adventure and thrill.

3. Provide Your Details

Upload a valid driving license and ID proof for verification. Rentnhop ensures your documents are securely handled.

4. Select Rental Duration

Whether you need a bike for a day, a week, or longer, Rentnhop offers flexible rental plans to fit your travel schedule.

5. Confirm Your Booking

Once you’ve selected your bike, complete the payment process to confirm your booking.

6. Pick Up Your Bike or Opt for Delivery

You can pick up the bike from your chosen location or have it delivered to your doorstep for added convenience.

Why Choose Rentnhop for Bike Rentals in Goa?

Rentnhop stands out as the most reliable option for renting bikes in Goa. Here’s why:

Affordable Pricing: Rentnhop ensures that renting a bike in Goa doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket.

Well-Maintained Bikes: All bikes are regularly serviced and in excellent condition to provide a smooth and safe ride.

Transparent Policies: With no hidden charges, Rentnhop offers a hassle-free rental experience.

Wide Variety of Options: Whether you prefer a scooter, a commuter bike, or a sporty model, Rentnhop has something for everyone.

Convenient Booking Process: The platform is designed to make booking quick and easy.

Excellent Customer Support: The Rentnhop team is always ready to assist you, ensuring a stress-free experience.

Explore Goa Like Never Before

Once you’ve rented your bike, it’s time to start your Goan adventure. Here are some must-visit places to explore with your rented bike:

1. North Goa

Baga Beach: A hub for nightlife and water sports.

Anjuna Beach: Known for its vibrant flea market.

Chapora Fort: Offers stunning views of the Vagator coastline.

2. South Goa

Palolem Beach: Perfect for a tranquil escape.

Colva Beach: Famous for its serene beauty and local seafood.

Cabo de Rama Fort: A historic spot with breathtaking views.

3. Old Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus: A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Se Cathedral: One of the largest churches in Asia.

4. Offbeat Locations

Dudhsagar Waterfalls: A must-visit natural wonder.

Spice Plantations: Experience Goa’s rich agricultural heritage.

Tips for Renting and Riding a Bike in Goa

To ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience, keep these tips in mind:

Book in Advance: Goa is a popular tourist destination, and bikes are often in high demand. Booking early ensures you get the bike of your choice.

Inspect the Bike: Before taking the bike, check for any damages or issues. Take pictures if necessary.

Wear a Helmet: Rentnhop provides helmets with every rental. Make sure to wear it for safety.

Carry Essential Documents: Always have your driving license and rental agreement with you.

Follow Traffic Rules: Adhere to local traffic regulations to avoid fines or accidents.

Fuel Up: Bikes usually come with limited fuel, so make sure to refuel before starting your journey.

Experience Goa Like a Local

Exploring Goa on a bike gives you the freedom to discover its hidden treasures and soak in its vibrant culture. Stop at roadside shacks for authentic Goan food, take scenic detours, and enjoy the stunning sunsets. Renting a bike allows you to experience Goa from a unique perspective.

Conclusion

Renting a bike in Goa is the best way to explore this beautiful destination. With Rentnhop, you get a reliable and affordable option for a bike on rent in Goa. From a simple booking process to well-maintained bikes, Rentnhop ensures you have a memorable experience.

So, what are you waiting for? Unleash your adventurous spirit and book a bike with Rentnhop today. Whether you’re here for a weekend getaway or an extended vacation, your journey will be nothing short of extraordinary!