#Vaccine Transportation

[miirshroom]

Suddenly very aware of the reasons why I hesitated to re-read Ship of Magic and skipped through to Tawny Man before circling back. I want to take Ronica Vestrit gently by the hand, lead her to the ocean, and push her in to tread water until she agrees that she was insane for thinking that her child who has been interning at sea for years on a magic boat would be cool with suddenly giving that up to live on land and marry well or whatever. I do not care that she is a bereaved old woman, she had months to prepare and kept pushing to take over making decisions in sailing matters that were clearly not her expertise.

Frankly astonishing that an impulsive 18-or-19 year old like Althea didn't just walk on to the Vivacia and kill herself in despair to become one with the liveship at that point. She suddenly loses everything at once after having her sanity and desire to remain sober and proper worn away by 5 months of being micro-aggressioned by the misogynist who had been given full authority to gaslight her as he fucked up a routine 2 month voyage. For at least a little while here Kyle is the luckiest incompetent man alive that he extended their voyage just long enough that Ephron Vestrit died immediately after they arrived and Althea didn't have a chance to say her piece about his captaincy. If Kyle is such a good solid captain then what happened to the ship that he had before the Vivacia was handed to him? How is having a fleet of two family ships turning profit not better than one?? No I don't think that Althea should have been captain like she wanted (at least not yet) but Ephron did have a sensible plan for that in a successor who he has been preparing.

And then the slave trade vs. Rain Wild River trade debate comes up and Ronica has the nerve to be like, yeah the slave ship idea will surely be the better option. After several paragraphs earlier spent being morally indignant about the cheap labour of "indentured servants" that the neighbours use to work their fields. Like ??? Lady are you low-key hoping that the ship goes crazy and kills everyone on board to teach this man a lesson? You persuaded your dying husband away from every other decision he wanted for captaining the boat, but the line is drawn at letting this asshole break family tradition and take a chance at maybe dying from a plague? I guess that might be Ronica's flaw in a nutshell - she clings to the illusion of there being a "safe" and sensible traditional option in an inherently unsafe and magical setting that is experiencing a period of change.

They're all believable people in a regressive society that is also in a recession but I still want to throw things at them.

[hxhhasmysoul]

i got covid the moment the new hxh chapter dropped and i have zero energy for anything, let alone going into fandom. fuck my life. i turned on my comp for the first time in what 3 days... idk, i need to send one thing and then i will likely turn it off again. i will have to look through the tag when my focus and reading comprehension will be better than that of a dead worm.

[9w1ft]

Don't you find the strict rules of society in Japan overwhelming for you and the kids?

not one bit

[silversnaffles]

Y’all I’m currently fumbling trying to get all of my paperwork ready to ship Tara to Norway potentially NEXT FUCKING WEEK WHAT THE FUCK

It’s come around a lot quicker than I expected as I did not expect the transport company to come back with “we have a lorry leaving the uk the week of the 4th” when I asked what date to tell the vets about when Tara will be leaving and hoooly shit

[vmantras]

The Most Mind-Blowing Inventions That Changed the World

Innovation and human creativity have shaped the world we live in today. From the invention of the wheel to the rise of artificial intelligence, technology has continuously evolved, making our lives easier, more efficient, and sometimes even stranger. This article explores the most revolutionary inventions in history, their impact on society, and the future innovations that could reshape our…

[hunter-rodrigez]

For the rest of my life I will not forget how fucking baffled I was when people acted like it's just a cold and deliberately got infected in like march 2020 just to get it over with... Before we knew fuck all about the virus and it's long term effects.

I won't forget how baffled I was and how I was fucking right to be careful as fuck... Even if I really wish the 'it's just a cold' people had been right.

[tristinian]

Quick question: in your blueprint for an ideal world, where are the disabled people? Are they left to die, or expected to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and push through the disability? Will you disregard the disabled people who need medication as ‘addicts’ and therefore deserving of suffering? Will you decide that people with incurable disabilities are “doomed anyways so who cares what happens to them”? Are people with embarrassing disabilities treated with respect? Will disabled people who have trouble with hygiene or cooking be accommodated for? Will public spaces be accessible to disabled people, or is it convenient that the architecture means you don’t have to see or think about them?

Remember that in any society there will always be disabled people and you have to think of them if you’re creating the blueprint for a new, ideal, equal one.

[nuadox]

West Japan Railways unveils 40-foot humanoid robot to tackle worker shortages and enhance safety

- By Nuadox Crew -

West Japan Railways is introducing a 40-feet-tall humanoid robot to help with train line maintenance, addressing worker shortages and reducing accidents in Japan's aging population.

The robot, mounted on a truck and operated from a cockpit, has powerful limbs and camera-equipped eyes, allowing precise control by a human operator.

Developed by Jinki Ittai Co and Nippon Signal Co, the robot can handle tasks like lifting heavy loads, felling trees, removing obstacles, painting, and replacing signal equipment. 

This mechanization aims to improve safety and efficiency, potentially reducing the required workforce by 30% and creating a more diverse working environment.

Header image credit: West Japan Railways

Read more at Interesting Engineering

--

Other recent news

Space-Resilient Probiotic Bacteria: MIT researchers have given probiotic bacteria a space-resilient superpower, which could be crucial for long-term space missions.

World’s Largest Seaplane: China has started batch-producing the AG600, the world’s largest seaplane, which is 129.9 feet long.

Fusion Protein Breakthrough: Researchers from Columbia University and the La Jolla Institute for Immunology have made a breakthrough in developing a novel measles vaccine using fusion proteins.

[tahani-family]

GAZA 😭😭🇵🇸🔗⬇️

support us we lost our home and our workes😔💔

My children are sick from the cold and the spread of diseases, and they are all in pain. I have been displaced with my children many times, and each time we had to bleed her precious evacuation money to buy transportation and transportation.

These conditions are absolutely catastrophic. It's the end of the world. No child, no mother, no person should have to go through this.

You can help by donating and sharing so we don't have to struggle anymore. All we are hoping for is to get enough money to evacuate to Cairo so we don't have to rely on the black market for simple things like food anymore.

You can help. 

Please take time out of your day to donate to my family, our campaign is moving very slowly and we need your help.

Please help my family get out of this hell. We, like all human beings, deserve safety, comfort, and warmth, and now you have a way to help provide these things for us.

https://gofund.me/5770752d.

Dear, please don't let me down, we deserve life and we deserve your generosity and kindness towards us, you are our lifeline and with your generosity you give us life even a little, but you relieve us of injustice and the cursed war, you are the hope and life once again, be side by side hand in hand, we will make a big difference with faith, strength, will and determination, we will reach the goal, we are very close, I hope you participate and contribute if you can. 💜🇵🇸🍉🍉💐💐.

I am a mother of three beautiful little girls, Sana and Hanan. Hla has been sick recently and Hla needs to be vaccinated very soon, but I can tell you that the situation has been very difficult in Gaza and the campaign has been slow lately.

Thank you to everyone who donated and participated from the bottom of my heart, but my campaign needs more support and interaction. I think that my campaign did not receive the required interaction and attention. It is not my fault that I am Palestinian so that I do not receive support. I think that other campaigns and non-Arab campaigns take momentum from interaction and support. It is not my fault that a Palestinian is marginalized for the sake of my children, humanity, and children's rights. Help m🙏🏻🙏🏻💔💔.

My name is Tahani, I am 30 years old from Gaza and I have three very young children, Sana, Hanan and my youngest, Hala, who grew up during the war. Our house was destroyed, I was displaced several times and I am currently separated from the rest of my family - my husband, brothers, sisters and parents. I cannot tell you how stressed I am.

@xxx-sparkydemon-xxx @lampthehealthminister @baandar @doug-dimmadumb @astronotesstuff @prokyon @the-bitch-isback @aceofrage @intheindustrynow-blog @horrorcore2002 @thescavenger29 @yvening @springcres @meowmaids @akaratna @ezras-turtleneck-blog @fagarlic @grandpom @omens-augury @pianta @kingtransgender @friendlizard @intricatecakes @marbirds @error-core-animations @block-swing-perry @br-eddrolls @kraigerzz-blog @daily-click-reminders @commissions4aid-international @anneemay @tumkaafiho @balaclava-trismegistus @ripley-stark @mangocheesecakes @bees-fantasies @girl4pay @turtletoria @rikebe @esperantoauthor @starless-gaze @frehsca

I am doing my best to take care of my children by myself, despite facing hunger, thirst, disease and the threat of death. The other day, there was heavy shelling near me and another family close to us was killed. Life in Gaza is now hell and I tell you that we are living as if we are waiting for our turn to die.

I am Tahani from Gaza, I am 30 years old. I stand before you as a person trying to maintain my family. I am married and a mother of three children: Sana, who is seven years old, Hanan, who is five years old, and a girl named hla. She grew up during the war and in very harsh conditions that no human being can bear. I moved from the hospital directly to the tent. I cannot describe the extent of the suffering and difficulty of living in the tent.

But I need help. The situation in Gaza is very bad right now, with the IDF preventing aid from entering and the food, water and medicine that is available are very expensive. Please share and donate to help me and my children survive and eventually leave Gaza.

Thank you all. I hope you will support me to save my life and the lives of my children🇵🇸🍉🍉.

‼️Please don’t skip taking a look 🍉🇵🇸.

We are trying to survive in miserable conditions in tents in Mawasi Deir al-Balah, south of Gaza. It is difficult for me to find the words to describe what we face every day in Gaza. No food, no medicine, no clean drinking water, oppression, helplessness, psychological pressure, doubts and daily trauma due to the loss of loved ones. In Gaza, it is not only hunger, disease and fear; it means actual death.

We have been forced to move more than 7 times, and my house has been completely destroyed, and I cannot provide enough milk, diapers, medicines, and vitamins for my children.💔🍉🇵🇸😭

Now, I find myself in this difficult situation, and I strongly and humbly ask for your help to save the lives of my family, especially my children, by getting us out of Gaza. The situation in Gaza has become unbearable due to slow death as a result of hunger, thirst, displacement, the spread of diseases and continuous bombing.🍉🇵🇸💔

The past months have been full of hell and horror. This war has gone on for too long, and our mental health and lives are constantly at risk. We have reached a point where there is no hope anymore in Gaza, as if we are waiting for death. Even if a ceasefire is reached, the devastation in Gaza in all its forms cannot be quickly repaired

Please help me and my children to get us out of genocide🍉🇵🇸💔.

Your help will contribute greatly to alleviating our suffering. I hope you will share my story with your family and friends.💔💔

I will be forever grateful for your kind assistance in this difficult time🇵🇸🇵🇸

Thank you for your kindness and generosity❤️.

Donation link 🇵🇸👇

https://gofund.me/5770752d

1. Verified using Butterflyeffect Project font (1153)

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on the list is ( #275 )✅️

[hansa-logistics]

Vanccine Transportation

We understand the importance of timely and secure delivery of vaccines, and our vaccine transportation service is tailored to meet these requirements.

Our vaccine transport service includes temperature-controlled transportation that ensures vaccines are maintained at the appropriate temperature throughout the journey. Our vehicles for vaccine transport are equipped with state-of-the-art refrigeration systems that ensure that vaccines are not compromised during transport.

We are specialized in pharma logistics. Our team of trained professionals is committed to delivering vaccines on time and with the utmost care. We understand the importance of vaccine delivery in the fight against virus, and we are proud to play our part in ensuring that the vaccine reaches those who need it most.

[reasonsforhope]

"India's efforts and progress in reducing preventable child deaths have been lauded as an "exemplar" by the United Nations, which cited the example of health initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat, and said the country has saved millions of young lives through strategic investments in its health system.

The United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation report, released Tuesday, cited the example of five “exemplar countries” in achieving child mortality reduction -- India, Nepal, Senegal, Ghana and Burundi -- highlighting diverse strategies that have accelerated progress in reducing preventable child deaths.

The report said these countries illustrate that with "political will, evidence-based strategies and sustained investments, even resource-constrained settings facing unique challenges can achieve substantial reductions in mortality, bringing the world closer to an end to preventable child deaths".

On India, the report said the country has made gains through health system investment...

The report highlighted that since 2000, India achieved an under-five mortality reduction of 70 per cent and a neonatal mortality reduction of 61 per cent, “driven by overlapping measures to increase health coverage, enhance available interventions and develop health infrastructure and human resources", the report said.

It cited the example of Ayushman Bharat, the world's largest health insurance scheme which provides annual coverage of nearly USD 5,500 per family per year.

It noted that every pregnant woman is entitled to free delivery (including caesarean section), and infant care provides free transport, medications, diagnostics and dietary support in public health institutions.

To ensure comprehensive coverage and equitable access to health services, India has strengthened infrastructure via the establishment of maternity waiting homes, maternal and child health wings, newborn stabilisation units, sick newborn care units, mother care units and a dedicated programme for birth defect screening, the report said...

“This ensures millions of healthy pregnancies and thriving live births each year. India has also prioritised the training and deployment of skilled birth attendants, such as midwives and community health workers, to provide appropriate maternal and child health services,” it said.

The report noted that additionally, data systems and digital surveillance of maternal, newborn and child health indicators are continuously improved to support evidence-based decision-making...

Other Countries that Did Well

The UN agency also said that several low and lower-middle-income countries have surpassed the global decline in under-five mortality since 2000.

Angola, Bhutan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, India, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia have all cut their under-five mortality rate by more than two thirds since 2000.

In 2000, the country with the highest burden of under-five measles mortality was India, with only 56 per cent of infants vaccinated for measles and 189,000 deaths from measles.

By 2023, the infant measles vaccination rate had increased to 93 per cent, and under-five deaths due to the disease decreased by 97 per cent to 5,200 measles-related deaths...

Since 2000, child deaths [globally] have dropped by more than half and stillbirths by over a third, fuelled by sustained investments in child survival worldwide...

"Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said.

-via India Today, March 27, 2025

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Year - 2024 Edition

Welcome to our special edition newsletter recapping the best news from the past year. I've picked one highlight from each month to give you a snapshot of 2024. No frills, just straightforward news that mattered. Let's relive the good stuff that made our year shine.

1. January - South Korea passes law banning dog meat trade

The slaughter and sale of dogs for their meat is to become illegal in South Korea after MPs backed a new law. The legislation, set to come into force by 2027, aims to end the centuries-old practice of humans eating dog meat.

2. February - Greece legalises same-sex marriage

Greece has become the first Christian Orthodox-majority country to legalise same-sex marriage. Same-sex couples will now also be legally allowed to adopt children after Thursday's 176-76 vote in parliament. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the new law would "boldly abolish a serious inequality".

3. March - Global child deaths reach historic low in 2022 – UN report

The number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low, dropping to 4.9 million in 2022. The report reveals that more children are surviving today than ever before, with the global under-5 mortality rate declining by 51 per cent since 2000.

4. April - Restoring sight is possible now with optogenetics

Max Hodak's startup, Science, is developing gene therapy solutions to restore vision for individuals with macular degeneration and similar conditions. The Science Eye utilizes optogenetics, injecting opsins into the eye to enhance light sensitivity in retinal cells. Clinical trials and advancements in optogenetics are showing promising results, with the potential to significantly improve vision for those affected by retinal diseases.

5. May - Vaccine breakthrough means no more chasing strains

Scientists at UC Riverside have demonstrated a new, RNA-based vaccine strategy that is effective against any strain of a virus and can be used safely even by babies or the immunocompromised.

6. June - Bill Gates-backed startup creates Lego-like brick that can store air pollution for centuries

The Washington Post detailed a "deceptively simple" procedure by Graphyte to store a ton of CO2 for around $100 a ton, a number long considered a milestone for affordably removing carbon dioxide from the air. Direct air capture technologies used in the United States and Iceland cost $600 to $1,200 per ton, per the Post.

7. July - Stem cell therapy cures man with type 2 diabetes

A 59-year-old man had been suffering from diabetes for 25 years, needing more and more insulin every day to avoid slipping into a diabetic coma and was at risk of death. But then Chinese researchers cured his disease for the first time in the world. The patient received a cell transplant in 2021 and has not taken any medication since 2022.

8. August - Chinese drones will fly trash out of Everest slopes

Come autumn, Nepal will deploy heavy lifter drones to transport garbage from the 6,812-metre tall Ama Dablam, south of Everest. This will be the first commercial work an unmanned aerial vehicle does in Nepal’s high-altitude zone.

9. November - Tokyo to make day care free to boost birth rate

Tokyo plans to make day care free for all preschool children starting in September, the city governor has announced as part of efforts to boost Japan's low birth rate.

10. October - FTC Rule Banning Fake Product Reviews Takes Effect With Stiff Penalties

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan announced on Oct. 21 that the agency’s prohibition on fake online reviews was taking effect, imposing fines as high as $50,000 for violations. Khan encouraged followers to report the proscribed practices at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

11. November - Bumblebee population increases 116 times over in 'remarkable' Scotland rewilding project

The bumblebee population has made an impressive comeback in a developed area by increasing to 116 times what it was two years ago thanks to a nature restoration group.

12. December - Spain to enshrine gay marriage and abortion rights into its constitution so 'they cannot be undone in the future'

The left-wing PSOE leader made the announcement at an event marking the 46th anniversary of the Spanish Magna Carta.

“We believe that these are rights that we must protect in the Constitution so that no one can touch them in the future,” Sanchez said in a statement in parliament on Friday.

----------

That's it for last year :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation here:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to share this post with your friends.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #20

May 24-31 2024

The EPA awards $900 million to school districts across the country to replace diesel fueled school buses with cleaner alternatives. The money will go to 530 school districts across nearly every state, DC, tribal community, and US territory. The funds will help replace 3,400 buses with cleaner alternatives, 92% of the new buses will be 100% green electric. This adds to the $3 billion the Biden administration has already spent to replace 8,500 school buses across 1,000 school districts in the last 2 years.

For the first time the federal government released guidelines for Voluntary Carbon Markets. Voluntary Carbon Markets are a system by which companies off set their carbon emissions by funding project to fight climate change like investing in wind or solar power. Critics have changed that companies are using them just for PR and their funding often goes to projects that would happen any ways thus not offsetting emissions. The new guidelines seek to insure integrity in the Carbon Markets and make sure they make a meaningful impact. It also pushes companies to address emissions first and use offsets only as a last resort.

The IRS announced it'll take its direct file program nationwide in 2025. In 2024 140,000 tax payers in 12 states used the direct file pilot program and the IRS now plans to bring it to all Americans next tax season. Right now the program is only for simple W-2 returns with no side income but the IRS has plans to expand it to more complex filings in the future. This is one of the many projects at the IRS being funded through President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act.

The White House announced steps to boost nuclear energy in America. Nuclear power in the single largest green energy source in the country accounting for 19% of America's total energy. Boosting Nuclear energy is a key part of the Biden administration's strategy to reach a carbon free electricity sector by 2035. The administration has invested in bring the Palisades nuclear plant in Michigan back on-line, and extending the life of Diablo Canyon in California. In addition the Military will be deploying new small modular nuclear reactors and microreactors to power its installations. The Administration is setting up a task force to help combat the delays and cost overruns that have often derailed new nuclear projects and the Administration is supporting two Gen III+ SMR demonstration projects to highlight the safety and efficiency of the next generation of nuclear power.

The Department of Agriculture announced $824 million in new funding to protect livestock health and combat H5N1. The funding will go toward early detection, vaccine research, and supporting farmers impacted. The USDA is also launching a nation wide Dairy Herd Status Pilot Program, hopefully this program will give us a live look at the health of America's dairy herd and help with early detection. The Biden Administration has reacted quickly and proactively to the early cases of H5N1 to make sure it doesn't spread to the human population and become another pandemic situation.

The White House announced a partnership with 21 states to help supercharge America's aging energy grid. Years of little to no investment in America's Infrastructure has left our energy grid lagging behind the 21st century tech. This partnership aims to squeeze all the energy we can out of our current system while we rush to update and modernize. Last month the administration announced a plan to lay 100,000 miles of new transmission lines over the next five years. The 21 states all with Democratic governors are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and Wisconsin.

The Department of Transportation announced $343 million to update 8 of America's oldest and busiest transportation stations for disability accessibility. These include the MBTA's the Green Line's light-rail B and C branches in Boston,  Cleveland's Blue Line, New Orleans'  St. Charles Streetcar route, and projects in San Francisco and New York City and other locations

The Department of interior announced two projects for water in Western states. $179 million for drought resilience projects in California and Utah and $242 million for expanding water access in California, Colorado and Washington. The projects should help support drinking water for 6.4 million people every year.

HUD announced $150 million for affordable housing for tribal communities. This adds to the over $1 billion dollars for tribal housing announced earlier in the month. Neil Whitegull of the Ho-Chunk Nation said at the announcement "I know a lot of times as Native Americans we've been here and we've seen people that have said, ‘Oh yeah, we'd like to help Indians.’ And they take a picture and they go away. We never see it, But there's been a commitment here, with the increase in funding, grants, and this administration that is bringing their folks out. And there's a real commitment, I think, to Native American tribes that we've never seen before."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged $135 million to help Moldavia. Since the outbreak of Russia's war against neighboring Ukraine the US has given $774 million in aid to tiny Moldavia. Moldavia has long been dependent on Russian energy but thanks to US investment in the countries energy security Moldavia is breaking away from Russia and moving forward with EU membership.

The US and Guatemala launched the "Youth With Purpose” initiative. The initiative will be run through the Central America Service Corps, launched in 2022 by Vice President Harris the CASC is part of the Biden Administration's efforts to improve life in Central America. The Youth With Purpose program will train 25,000 young Guatemalans and connect with with service projects throughout the country.

Bonus: Today, May 31st 2024, is the last day of the Affordable Connectivity Program. The program helped 23 million Americans connect to the internet while saving them $30 to $75 dollars every month. Despite repeated calls from President Biden Republicans in Congress have refused to act to renew the program. The White House has worked with private companies to get them to agree to extend the savings to the end of 2024. The Biden Administration has invested $90 Billion high-speed internet investments. Such as $42.45 billion for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment, $1 billion for the The Middle Mile program laying 12,000 miles of regional fiber networks, and distributed nearly 30,000 connected devices to students and communities, including more than 3,600 through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program

[mortalityplays]

five out of six of my most immediate family members have serious lasting health issues from catching covid (all vaccinated and boosted, ranging from a 29yo to a 93yo). three of those were working adults when they caught it, and are now long term sick. I wear masks indoors and a respirator on public transport, and only three people have ever bothered me about it. one was a guy shouting conspiracy nonsense at me from an open car window, which I ignored, one was a woman who stopped me on the street to tell me about faith healing, which I politely turned down, and the third was a cashier who made a good natured darth vader joke (I did an impression, we both laughed). that's three people, total, since 2019.

when people say they feel awkward masking or they fell out of the habit or they're worried about social repercussions sorry but I am completely unsympathetic. I'm not going to excuse you. there's no moral test you can cram for later and make up your grade. this it. you're failing.

[angualupin]

There is a distressing habit among historians to assume that historical elites -- the members of past civilizations who were most "like us", that is, urban, educated, and relatively wealthy -- were also like us in being both secular and cynical. That their professed adherence to the local religion, be it ancient Egyptian, Roman, or medieval Christian, was a sham, a cynical ploy adopted to manipulate the masses. And that, I think is a complete misunderstanding of both people and history.

Secularism is a luxury reserved for those who don't live one bad harvest away from starvation.

Life in the premodern world was precarious in the extreme, and wealth could only shield you from so much of it. Even Roman emperors saw half (or more) of their children die. A famine might kill the poor first, but when there is no bread to be had, "ten thousand strings of cash cannot cure hunger", as the Nihon shoki said of the famine of 536.

Humans reach for what control they can exert over their environment. In the modern world, we have many levers, from a global transportation chain to vaccines to chemical fertilizer. The premodern world had few. Religion was, for most of human history, not a person's individual spiritual path but one of the primary levers of control that humans had over the natural world. Religion was how the world was influenced. To believe that an aristocrat in Republican Rome thought of Jupiter Optimus Maximus as a creation of human thought just because modern academics imagine him thus is to attribute to that aristocrat a cynicism he could not afford. The one constant of all premodern religions is the profound, fundamental, inherently honest belief that the proper worship of the gods is what kept the world in balance. No one in the premodern world was so secure as to be able to afford to reject that. For both king and commoner, death came early and often, and the mechanisms by which death occurred were so often opaque. How else do you reach out into the numinous and say, "not me, not this time"? Why would you ever be so foolish as to not do so?

He went consenting, or else he was no king. It was no man's place to say to him, it is time to make the offering.