#Watermelon Environmentalism

[liberty1776]

Honesty, Watermelon Environmentalism, green on outside and red on inside.

[notyonatto]

“Fresh seasonal fruit” in November, and it’s a platter of melons and summer berries

[ocean-sunfish-hater]

Straight Out of the Colonial Playbook:

The Myth of Untouched Lands

The Jewish National Fund (JNF) is an organisation with charity status all across the world. Many people know them as the people who use their little blue boxes to collect money to plant trees. They seem to be doing well to reach their goals, having planted over 250 million trees since 1901. All this seems pretty innocuous, perhaps even noble. After all, the idea of planting trees seems quite divorced from violent settler colonialism.

ID: A large slice of watermelon. You can see the Red of the flesh, the black of the seeds, and the white and green of the rind. It is set against a light teal background, a colour that may invoke peace and calm, much like a free Palestine would.

But the two have long, intertwined histories. Just look to the National Parks of the US, used to grab land from Native Americans with the justification that they were "uninhabited". Colonisation of the Arabian peninsula was partially justified with the argument that native Arabs had degraded the environment to the point of desertification,  and colonial rule was the only way they could be saved from themselves [1]. Unsurprisingly, most of the ecological damage in that region had been done by the colonialists themselves in the pursuit of resources.

The JNF isn't just some minor organisation that has unfortunate ties to questionable powers. Though they shroud themselves in the soft words of environmentalism,  they currently stand as one of the primary tools of violence for Zionism.

Established in 1901 by the 5th Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, they have always been an organisation with settler colonial intentions. In 1940, their leader Yosef Weitz, said “There is no way but to transfer the Arabs from [Palestine] to the neighbouring countries, to transfer all of them… not one village must be left… for this goal funds will be found." [2]. You know what happened to him after the first Nakba? He became the head of the JNF's forestry department [3].

According to their own website, they currently stand as the "single largest provider of Zionist programs in the U.S." [4]. They also own about 13% of all state lands in Israel [5]. They have been both a major driver, and unsurprisingly, benefactor from the ongoing Nakba of the Palestinian people.

So how exactly does planting trees feed into settler colonialism? The model works like this:

The Israeli government violently displaces people from their lands in the name of "self-defence".

The land becomes "uninhabited".

The JNF uses funds they have accrued from overseas donations to buy up the land.

They establish a national park in the area and begin to plant trees.

Settlers move into the surrounding regions. The JNF have a policy of not leasing land or accommodation to non-Jewish people [5].

Any remigration of indigenous people back into those lands is framed as "environmental destruction" and those people are forced out once more.

You know what's sneaky? They are using trees as bodies. They don’t have enough people to colonise all the land they've stolen, so they plant trees to occupy the spaces that human bodies cannot. They deliberately use fast growing trees like pines to aid in this pursuit [3]. Each forest acts as an occupying force, just one that uses seeds instead of bullets and trees instead of soldiers.

Most of their efforts are concentrated on Naqab (Negev in Hebrew), a region in the south of Israel mostly consisting of desert. On their website, the JNF boast of their Blueprint Negev initiative, and how it's "transformed Israel’s Negev Desert, making the Southern Israel an attractive place to live and work" [4]. Their mission statement in the Naqab includes the justification that they are providing homes, jobs and opportunities in the "empty" region [6]. One of the slogans have on their website is "Building the Negev, town by town"[6]. This is explicitly a settler colonial project, and all of it can be found on JNF website, in their own words.

And to top it all off, you guessed it, the Naqab is far from uninhabited. It was never empty land. In August 2018, 350 villagers from Umm al-Hiran were displaced to the state-regulated Bedouin township, Hura to accommodate the expansion of the Beit Yatir settlement in the Yatir forest, which was planted by the JNF [5]. In 2010, Nuri-al-Uqbi presented evidence that his ancestors had owned and lived in the lands of al-Araqib since before the Israeli occupation to the courts. In 2010, a Beersheva judge rejected the case, siding with the government's claims that his tribe had no ownership claims on the land [7]. The indigenous peoples of Palestine are constantly disenfranchised, displaced, and have very little means of winning their land back within an Apartheid legal system.

The JNF are using strategies employed by colonial powers in the past to violently seize land from native peoples. Acting under the guise of environmentalism "launders" the colonisation, adding extra steps in between the expulsion of people from their homes and the eventual settlement of that land by colonists, with the added bonus of making the JNF look very good. And you know what? Their reforestation schemes suck. Fast growing, new growth forests in the DESERT are not a substitute for old growth forests, not to mention the enormous amount of water they must be using to keep these forests as, well, forests.

What boils my blood the most is that you can see them honouring their colonial inspirations and sponsors in how they name their parks. Britannia park in the Hebron district obviously takes its name from Britain, a country instrumental in the establishment of the Israeli state and the Nakba that has ensued. Fittingly, it sits upon the ruins of seven Palestinian villages, destroyed by Israel during the first Nakba [8].

And this isn't just stuff that has happened in the past, but is happening right now. JNF UK is currently receiving donations to plant a memorial forest "to commemorate those who were brutally murdered on October 7." For £100, you can plant one tree. For £250, you can contribute to an outdoor seating area for group events. For £36, you can pay for an irrigation system that will provide enough water for one tree for four years [9]. Doesn't it make you angry? 36,000+ Palestinians have been murdered, and the JNF are collecting money to water trees on their graves.

I hate it when scientists stay neutral. We and our work are not divorced from the world around us. Conservation means nothing if it comes at the cost of human lives; it means nothing if it is used to veil the atrocities of colonialism and apartheid. It is our duty as conservationists, and as human beings to hear those whose voices carry cries for help, and answer the call. Do not be won over by the siren song of green colonialism.

Free Palestine. May all empires fall.

Bibliography

[1] Skandrani, Z., Decolonizing ecological research. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2018. 8(3): p. 368-370.

[2] Stop the JNF, The JNF, Apartheid and Settler Colonialism. (Spring 2024). https://www.stopthejnf.org/the-jnf-apartheid-and-settler-colonialism-spring-2024/

 [3] Stop the JNF, Tower and Stockades, Forests and Jim Crow Vetting Commitees. https://www.stopthejnf.org/jnfs-sordid-history-tower-and-stockades-forests-and-jim-crow-vetting-committees-by-jonathan-cook/

[4] Jewish National Fund, We are JNF. https://www.jnf.org/menu-3/about-jnf

[5] Amnesty International, ISRAEL: APARTHEID IN ACTION. Amnesty international: submission to the 43rd session of the UPR working group, 9 May 2023.

[6] Jewish National Fund UK, Homepage, https://www.jnf.co.uk/

[7] Jonathan Cook, Bedouins defiant despite Israel eviction plan. https://www.jonathan-cook.net/2014-06-14/bedouins-defiant-despite-israel-eviction-plan/

[8] Palestine Land Society, Britannia Park - Burial and Treachery. https://www.plands.org/en/articles-speeches/articles/2022/britannia-park-burial-and-treachery

[9] Jewish National Fund UK, Green Sunday 2024 – Memorial Forest. https://israelunderattack.jnf.co.uk/projects/green-sunday-2024-memorial-forest/

[cosmerelists]

What Car Cosmere Characters Would Drive

As requested by @salted-watermelon :)

If Cosmere characters were instead carsmere characters and, like, drove cars, what kind of car would best suit them? (Don't worry--I got my butch wife to help with this post.)

1. Straff Venture: A cybertruck

The worst of cars for the worst of men.

2. Elend: A Prius

Elend decides to get an environmentally conscious, gas-saving vehicle partly because he cares about the planet, but mostly because it makes his dad SO mad.

3. Kaladin: A beat-up old Corolla

Kaladin's car may be a bit old and it may be a bit beat-up but storms if it isn't the most dependable thing ever. No matter what that car goes through, it just keeps chugging along.

4. Adolin: A Mustang

Get it? Because it's a car with a horse on it!

5. Shallan: A VW Bug

"What's an artsy car for Shallan?" I asked. "How about a Bug?" said my wife. "That's perfect!" I cried. "Shallan LOVES bugs because cremlings is bugs!"

And that is my story.

6. Wax: A Bentley...and also a beat-up old pickup truck

In true Wax style, he drives the Bentley in the Roughs but uses the old beat-up pickup truck in the city, especially when driving to fancy parties.

7. Steris: A Volvo

According to a google search, a Volvo is a car for someone dependable, boring, and safety-conscious. Steris is not actually a boring person, of course, but she would definitely have a boring-person car. Not to mention one that is very safe!

8. Eshonai: A Jeep

A good car for exploring!

9. Lightsong: Rolls Royce

He doesn't drive it anywhere. It mostly just sits there and looks beautiful.

10. Vasher: A mangled Dodge Charger

The car looks a lot like Vasher himself--like it's been through centuries of wear and tear. But hey, it works! Sorta.

11. Leshwi: A Motorcycle

Basically I thought about Leshwi riding a motorcycle and then I passed out.

12. Allrianne: Mini Coop

Apparently these are the girliest of cars. And in Allrianne's case, it's definitely pink!

13. Tress: Takes the bus

In no universe does Tress have a car, I feel. Taking the bus is fine!

14. Raboniel: Subaru

Leading, of course, to the classic exchange:

Raboniel: I drive a Subaru. Navani: 👀 👀 👀

15. Dalinar: A Minivan

Doesn't it just feel right? The other Highlords may scoff at his stodgy old car, and Sadeas might bitterly remind Dalinar of his Hummer days, but a minivan is just the best for Dad-inar. He can drive all his kids around, it has lots of room for storage, and it's so dependable!

A minivan is just where it's at.

[jesncin]

I noticed something in Steven Universe. I don't really think the estranged but caring family working to better themselves angle the crew did with the Diamonds truly worked because the Diamonds were oppressors and colonizers on a larger scale, killed (?) their own gems, kidnapped a whole group of people, and they colonized many planets. We don't even get to know the planets they colonized and instead have to focus on the feelings of the Diamonds instead of the victims! Do you feel this?

Yesss. It's clear that Steven Universe's finale was meant to reflect the dynamics of essentially "coming out as trans to your conservative family over Thanksgiving dinner" and while I thought it was a touching story from that angle, it really doesn't reconcile with the full extent of the Diamonds' colonialism. On a worldbuilding scale I find what Ian Jones-Quartey said about the specifics of the Diamond's colonialism both fascinating and puzzling:

[link to the tweet so you can see the full context if you wish]

What really bothers me with this means of absolving the Diamonds' colonialism because they "never destroyed planets with "intelligent humanoid life"" is that it reveals what the showrunners believe are creatures and planets worthy of not destroying- something it weirdly shares with Blue People Avatar tbh. The series itself shows us planets with sentient plants, animals, and even rocks (the gems themselves). It opens up a fascinating discussion over how- to make the fictional colonizers more sympathetic, SU as a show needed to narrow what it considered "sentient life worth protecting".

When the pitch linked in the above tweet says "the gems that invaded were surprised to find intelligent life. As they colonized earth they became fond of humans and started to question the invasion." So...is Earth worth protecting from colonizers because the creatures in it share similar intelligence as their colonizers do, to the point you're capable of forming relationships with them, and their planet is subjectively beautiful? I have to use Jack Saint's words on this because I can't word it better myself (from his video on blue people avatar):

"it's just natural life developed from its ecosystem. And the novel [the novel he's comparing Blue People Avatar against] makes it clear that this should be preserved for its own sake. Because that's what conservation and an opposition to colonialism is. Not to value or devalue something based on personal sentiments on what would be the most wish-fullfily to come rescue, but on the ethical standard that life deserves to continue regardless of whether it personally serves us."

Regardless of Earth being the first planet the Diamonds encountered with "intelligent life", they still committed acts of great environmental harm and destroyed other planets for their own gain. The series easily upends their own logic when the main characters are literally sentient rocks and has anthropomorphized watermelon Stevens as the norm in this world. The Diamonds just aren't given the full narrative recognition of their wrong doing as colonizers.

In the episode where Stevonnie gets stuck on another planet, they are on a planet once colonized by the Diamonds. There is life everywhere- which Stevonnie comments on. I'm glad life was able to grow back after what the Diamonds did, but whose to say for the other planets? Were these creatures not intelligent enough to fight for?

[thecassafrasstree]

I finally finished putting patches on my pencil case/art bag! Some I made myself, some I purchased, and some had been sitting in my mom's sewing kit for 20+ years so I just took them. 😂

[ID: A brown canvas purse with embroidered patches all over it. Individual patch descriptions in the next image. End ID.]

The front. I have a lot of Critical Role stuff on this bag, as it's my current hyperfixation.

[ID: Top - The top flap of the front pocket. Has a blue embroidered patch of the Bell's Hells logo from Critical Role on the left, and enamel chibi pins of two of the Bell's Hells characters, Ashton and Orym, on the right.

Bottom - The bottom flap of the front pocket. There is a triangular, blue and white Girl Guides patch; a round, green patch with a person considering 3 roads before them; a homemade patch of a blue, cartoon dragon head: a honeybee patch; a red and black patch that says "Just Don’t"; a rectangular, black patch with a yellow border and a blue violin; and a black and white patch of the Critical Role logo. End ID. ]

Close-ups of the front patches and pins. I'm pretty sure the green one and the violin patch are badges from my Girl Guide days. The triangle patch is from the Guiding troop I was in in my hometown, but I've blanked out the town name for privacy reasons. The dragon patch I made myself.

[ID: The back of the purse, featuring more embroidered patches. There is a rectangular Asexual Pride flag patch; a watermelon slice patch; a black and white, oval-shaped patch from the TV show Supernatural that says "Protected by Castiel"; a rainbow with clouds patch; and a black and red patch that features the Anarchy symbol of an A inside a circle. End ID.]

The Ace Pride patch and the Anarchy patch are handmade. I've had the Castiel patch sitting around for a while, and just had to figure out what to put it on.

[ID: A side panel of the purse. On top there is a patch shaped like a mushroom that has a red cap and white spots. On the bottom is a colourful Ashari symbol from Critical Role that resembles 2 stacked hourglasses with a diamond in the center. End ID.]

These two are both handmade. The mushroom was the first patch I ever made myself. The second is the symbol of the Ashari, a druidic culture from the world of Exandria in Critical Role.

[ID: the other side panel of the purse. On top is a rectangular patch featuring a white Trillium flower and "Ontario" printed in yellow letters. Underneath is a round patch with the Antifascism symbol of a black flag and a red flag waving together on a white background. End ID.]

The top one is a patch I found in my mom's sewing kit. I decided to use it because I'm from Ontario, and the trillium (the provincial flower) is pretty. The other one is an Antifa patch that I made myself.

[ID: Photos of each side of the purse's shoulder strap. A series of colourful pin-back buttons runs the length of each side. End ID.]

I also have a bunch of buttons pinned to the strap. Most of them are fandom buttons for Pokémon, Doctor Who, Supernatural, and Undertale. Some have funny sayings printed on them. A couple are for different causes, like environmental protection, and free university education.

I'm pretty pleased with how it came out! There's a little bit of space under the front flap that I could potentially put a couple more patches or pins on, but I'm happy to take a break from this one for now. It was actually pretty challenging to get them all sewn on. 😅

[archtroop]

I hate this so much. I HATE THIS.

May them JihaNazis never have a whiff of fresh air ever again in their miserable short lives.

A large fire sparked by Hezbollah rocket attacks in the Kiryat Shmona area continues to spread, and is now threatening homes in the city's northern Tel Hai podium neighborhood.

The Fire and Rescue Service says several yards, pergolas, and the roof of one home are now on fire due to the high flames.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Grist:

At a laboratory in Newark, New Jersey, a gray liquid swirls vigorously inside a reactor the size of a small watermelon. Here, scientists with the mining technology startup Still Bright are using a rare metal, vanadium, to extract a common one, copper, from ores that are too difficult or costly for the mining industry to process today. 

If the promising results Still Bright is seeing in beakers and bottles can be replicated at much larger scales, it could unlock vast copper resources for the energy transition.

till Bright isn’t the only company seeking to revolutionize copper production. A handful of startups with similar goals have announced partnerships with major mining firms and scooped up tens of millions of dollars of investment. These companies claim their technology can help meet humanity’s surging appetite for the metal, while driving down the industry’s environmental footprint.

“We’re facing unprecedented demand for copper, and that’s really tied to the electrification of everything,” Still Bright chief of staff Carter Schmitt told Grist.

The world cannot reach its climate goals without copper, which plays a central role in the technologies needed to decarbonize. Copper wiring is at the core of the world’s electricity networks, which will have to expand enormously to bring more renewable energy online. Wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles, and lithium-ion batteries all rely on the mineral, too. As the market for these technologies grows, the clean energy sector’s demand for the 29th element is expected to nearly triple by 2040. 

At the same time, copper miners are exhausting their best-quality reserves. Copper that is economical to mine is found in rocks known as ores, and grades of the ores that miners are exploiting — the concentration of copper contained in them — have declined steadily over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, easy-to-process minerals near the surface are giving way to more challenging ones deeper down. And the current standard procedure for extracting the metal from the majority of ores results in a lot of pollution.

[yuripoll]

KNOCKOUTS: Yokohama Kaidashi Kidou (1994 - 2006)

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is a 14 volume scifi series by Hitoshi Ashinano about the life of a robot girl post-climate collapse.

Set hundreds of years in the future after an environmental catastrophe, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou (also known as Yokohama Shopping Log) centers on the simple life of Alpha, an android who runs a small coffee shop in coastal Japan. Alpha stands witness to chronicle the end of humanity’s days with coffee, a slice of watermelon, and the sound of her moon guitar backed by distant seagulls. Quiet and bittersweet, this tale is about the melancholy beauty that can be found even as the end approaches. - AniList

JP available on Comic Days; ENG published by Seven Seas.

CWs under the cut. General severity rating: mild.

not strictly yuri <- the yuri is undeniably there, but YKK is, first and foremost, a scifi slice of life. there's more focus on family and community than any romance.

non-explicit nudity <- one character in particular is always nude, but aside from the occasional nipple, details are indistinct and it isn't really framed as erotic.

climate catastrophe <- very significant aspect of the setting and there's a sense of melancholy about it all, but the series does overall have an optimistic outlook.

gun violence <- alpha and kokone carry guns (pistols? not big ones), but no person is ever shot and they use non-fatal shock bullets. in ch60 a gun is pointed at someone by mistake but it is not fired.

underage age gaps <- mostly an anti-warning? a little boy has a crush on alpha, but she firmly sees him as a little brother. a younger girl also has a crush on him, but he is also never shown to return it.

[gothfoxgirlboy]

“Moss”

He/Him/Xe/Xem

Moss is a nature spirit who guards forests. He is fat with light brown skin. His hair is a mottled brown and green, he keeps it cut short and doesn’t bother shaving. He has a nice beard and a fuzzy chest. Xes skin is slightly rough but warm, and xe has short horns resembling twigs that grow from xes forehead. He is 6’5 and weighs 297 lbs at age 36. Moss cares deeply about preventing waste, so he tends to wear jewelry made of teeth and bones, always keeping his lucky bone knife on his necklace, and clothing made out of natural leather. In other words, he is a leather daddy. He boasts an impressive 11” cock and thighs that crush watermelons as a warmup.

Moss is a hardworking man who is well-respected and frequently gets arrested at protests. When xe isn’t at a environmental protest, xe works as a leather worker, often going around to local butchers and farmers and buying hides and bones that otherwise would have gone to waste. He tries to keep his carbon footprint low and uses natural scents and soaps when he needs to wash up. He is kind and caring but not afraid of a fight, he’s loud and outspoken about his love of nature and animals.

Moss was born and raised in a small cottage in the woods, his mother was a nature spirit and his father was a lumberjack. Though his parents started out on bad terms they grew to love eachother through mutual understanding and teaching of healthy practices. These same practices of sustainability and conservation shaped Moss more than anything else. He grew up surrounded by nature, foraging and occasionally hunting. He learnt many tradeskills to repair rather than replace. His mother was a hippie and would also frequently get arrested, he started going to protests with her in his late teens. In his mid 20s he started exploring queer clubs and music which led him to his career of leatherworking.

Moss is a service top, he keeps custom-made leather harnesses, swings and accessories that he loves having used on him. He’s hung like a horse and has the stamina for sexual marathons. He isn’t scared of hair when he’s eating someone out. He’s bisexual and has a kink for size difference. He likes being degraded and petplay, having made multiple puppy play masks. 

Kinks: Size difference, submission, bondage, puppy play, musk, service topping, outdoor sex.

Newest adoptable for y'all. same as the others bidding starts at 3$ CAD and raises by .50$. 3 Dollars for the story once purchased.

Bidding closes on the 23rd

[kendallstansbury]

Item 1: Asparagus- There are several varieties of asparagus including green, white, and violet-green.

Item 2: Pillow- Modern pillows come in variety of forms that fall into several basic categories including throw, cushion, cylindrical, and bed pillows.

https://www.sleepexpome.com/news-list/7-interesting-facts-about-pillows/

Item 3: Cheerio- The heart shaped Cheerio is made in that shape in honor of American Heart Month and is limited edition

Item 4: Moon- A rock colliding with Earth created the Moon

Item 5: Pistachios- Hearing a pistachio nut crack is considered lucky in other countries

https://www.tastemade.com/articles/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-pistachios/

Item 6: Tote bag- Recently, tote bags are symbols of environmental and earth-loving.

Item 7: Popsicle- Banana, cherry, grape, lemon, orange, root beer, and watermelon are the original 7 flavors of popsicles. Out of the more than 2 billion popsicles sold annually, cherry remains the most popular flavor, despite the fact that there are now over 25 flavors.

Item 8: Carrot- 88% of carrots are water

Item 9: Snowboards: Over the past 40 years, over ten different snowboarding styles have developed, some including broadercross racing, freestyle snowboarding, and half pipe.

[anarchotahdigism]

Zionists complained about an art piece called From the River to the Sea (a giant fiberglass watermelon) on the burning man website so the picture was taken down and some people are promising to boycott Burning Man (which is an environmentally destructive event on stolen land and should end anyways)

[kimpining]

top 5 worms? top 5 unjust depths Moments? top 5 izzy noises? top 5 weapons you would use?

long ass post. yeesh!

top five worms:

1) snom, the most beautiful and wonderful 'worm pokemon'.

2) izzy is practically some manner of worm, when it comes down to it.

3) sandworms sweep. shai hulud are sick as fuck.

4) the huge worms that are like an environmental obstacle in hollow knight are pretty cool. i guess maybe they're just normal sized worms, since hollow knight is so bug-sized? huh.

5) koyomi araragi has no bones in his body. one of the most wormy thangs.

top five unjust depths moments:

1) it's majida's quest in the finale of surviving an evil time. the beautiful intersecting of violence and love and this community that keeps driving her further and reinforcing what she needs to do, culminating in decking the shit out of radu. it's so fucking killer.

2) murati, stuck in her diver after its power died and looking out of a small reinforced glass port in it with a broken arm and drifting in and out of consciousness as she's getting the vaguest psychic flashes. it's a real powerful image. stuck with me a lot.

3) 'the only heterosexual kiss in unjust depths'. i love the way hunter iii's bites are described as really just ruining his flesh and self and adelheid just keeps sneaking quick peeks. it's so fun. dude had it coming. and i think its the first Real body horror bit in the story. so it was of course deeply enrapturing.

4) homa and kitty's final moments. i think it's incredible. really incredible sadness and woe and a moment for homa to actually stop and process the hell she's been through as she has to deny a dying woman any last rites. it's so good. homa can speak to the dead...

5) gertrude lichtenberg exhibiting 'gertrudeswag' in norn's solitary confinement cell in sinners under the firmament. it's so good. beautiful sign of the gertrude swag to come. just losing her mind and declaring hell on earth for everyone forever because of a breakup.

top five izzy noises:

1) thine coquettish lilt

2) your soft little 'waw' you say after certain things i say and express to you.

3) the noise when you [] inside an izzy

4) you have this like, tone, that builds as you know you're going to start doing a bit that's got this funny unmistakable confidence to it that's so charming. like your voice gets heavier with the weight of the Joke.

5) you have a Conceited Chuckle that is charming. when you're playing up your confidence a bit. it's so cute! adorable, even.

top five weapons you would use:

1) spear. history bears this one out as the best weapon. it rules. it's got range. it pierces. can be planted in the ground for increased stability. what other weapon went 1v1 against jesus and won? it's got cred.

2) zweihander. it's fucking huge i just want to swing it around in a grocery store and knock a bunch of shit off the shelves and mulch a watermelon.

3) fire axe. honestly any two-handed one-sided axe. i'm familiar with them and they're comfortable and extremely useful when chopping firewood and various other things.

4) knives are aesthetically very intimate and personal in a lovely way. beautiful tool to perform harm on others.

5) i've grown more fond of kukris recently. lovely shape they seem so neat and useful for carving things and such. no personal experience so shrug. but i would love get some.

[seaside-hysteria]

If there was one food you had unlimited supply of, what would it be and why?

(Assume that the unlimited supply had no economic or environmental effect)

Hmmm… a fruit maybe? Like grapes or watermelons, cuz I love love love those fruits. Or muffins

For savory foods, probably just pasta

[samueldays]

The watermelons are at it again

So-called "environmentalists" at the Sierra Club are celebrating the fact that they won't have nuclear power.

Most "environmentalists" are like this, but in my experience the big ones like Greenpeace and WWF simply boo nukes and then go into what they want you to do to help stop nuclear power. This release from the Sierra Club goes into why, which I found moderately interesting to see what they're lying about.

Illinois -- Today, Governor JB Pritzker vetoed SB76—a bill that would have lifted Illinois’ decades-old moratorium on new nuclear power plants.  Responding to growing concerns about safety, waste and cost associated with nuclear power generation,

"Responding to fear, uncertainty and doubt that we ourselves have been stirring up," more like.

Everyone involved in writing this should be made to live in France for a year, in a house where every electrical device reminds the reader that France gets the majority of its electricity from nuclear power. The "concerns" are mostly ignorant hypotheticals. France has been getting the majority of its electricity from nuclear power for thirty years. France is an ongoing demonstration of the safety of nuclear power at scale. The waste goes in storage. The cost is an absolute non-issue, electricity in France is both cheaper and cleaner than in Germany.

In the absence of the 25-year moratorium, Illinois would be exposed to risk from long-lapsed rules, regulations and oversight.

So when are you planning to do something about the rules, regulations and oversight? Because I smell a rat here: each half of this will be used as a circular argument for not fixing the other one.

(Also, Illinois has active nuclear power plants, which receive regular oversight. What exactly is lapsed about them? Liars.)

Additionally, Illinoisans would bear the burden of exorbitant construction costs and growing stockpiles of hazardous waste with no safe, permanent disposal method.

Again: electricity in France is both cheaper and cleaner than in Germany.

The exorbitant construction costs in America are largely the result of the environmentalist movement choking the nuclear construction industry, demanding infinite mitigation and infinite paperwork review, with rules such as the ALARA standard.

Meanwhile the coal plants continue to operate because of status quo bias.

new nuclear’s exorbitant cost threatens to distract investment from Illinois’ plan for a clean energy future.

For those unaware of the context, Illinois recently passed a bill promising (in the completely unenforceable way of politician promises) to switch to 100% CO2-free electricity generation by 2050.

New nuclear power is the only way this is achievable. Nuclear is not a distraction. Everything else is a distraction from nuclear.

Illinois has a head start on this goal because it already has a good deal of nuclear power. Braidwood nuclear plant originally built in 1988 can generate 2400 MW, day or night. The biggest wind farm in Illinois is Radford's Run, opened 2018, generating... up to 308MW, if the wind blows right.

With billions of dollars poured into shiny new wind turbines, while new nuclear power plants have had a 25-year moratorium, wind power in Illinois is still providing less power than natgas or coal, each of which in turn is providing less than nuclear, which is both clean and independent of weather.

Who's the fucking distraction here?

“SB76 would have opened the door to increased risk, negative environmental impacts, and higher costs for consumers while jeopardizing our progress toward Illinois’ clean energy future. We applaud Governor Pritzker for vetoing the bill and ensuring that Illinois follows the roadmap laid out in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act toward that vision for our future,” said Sierra Club Illinois Director Jack Darin.

A case study in deceptive phrasing. Building new nuclear power plants would have increased risk - by a minuscule amount, which would still be preferable to the alternatives, for example: the even higher risk of coal plants, the wishful thinking of wind power, and the other risk of people freezing to death for lack of electricity.

[healthcareforskin]

Enhancing Your Skin's Radiance with Juices

In the pursuit of radiant, healthy skin, skincare products often take center stage. However, one often overlooked aspect of achieving a glowing complexion lies in what we consume. The old adage "you are what you eat" holds true, especially when it comes to skin health. Juicing, with its array of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, offers a delicious and effective way to nourish your skin from the inside out. Let's explore how incorporating fresh juices into your diet can help improve your skin.

Hydration and Moisture: Proper hydration is key to maintaining supple, hydrated skin. Many fruits and vegetables used in juicing, such as cucumbers, celery, and watermelon, have high water content, helping to keep your skin hydrated from within. Additionally, juices made with hydrating ingredients can replenish electrolytes and support healthy cellular function, contributing to a dewy complexion.

Antioxidant Power: Antioxidants play a crucial role in protecting the skin from environmental damage and premature aging caused by free radicals. Juices made from antioxidant-rich fruits like berries, pomegranates, and citrus fruits can help neutralize free radicals, reducing inflammation and promoting a more youthful appearance. Antioxidants also support collagen production, which is essential for maintaining skin elasticity and firmness.

Vitamin Boost: Vitamins are essential nutrients that support various skin functions, including repair, regeneration, and protection. Juices are an excellent source of vitamins, particularly vitamins A, C, and E, which are known for their skin-enhancing benefits. Vitamin A helps regulate cell turnover and prevent clogged pores, while vitamin C promotes collagen synthesis and brightens the skin. Vitamin E acts as a potent antioxidant, protecting the skin from UV damage and supporting overall skin health.

Detoxification: The skin is often a reflection of our internal health, and juicing can aid in detoxifying the body, promoting clearer, healthier skin. Ingredients like leafy greens (e.g., spinach, kale) and cruciferous vegetables (e.g., broccoli, cabbage) are rich in chlorophyll and sulfur compounds, which support liver function and facilitate detoxification processes. A cleaner internal environment can lead to a reduction in skin issues such as acne, dullness, and inflammation.

Healthy Fats: Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for maintaining skin integrity and barrier function. Juices incorporating ingredients like avocado, flaxseeds, and nuts provide a source of healthy fats that nourish the skin and help prevent moisture loss. These ingredients also contain vitamin E, further enhancing their skin-boosting benefits.

Customized Formulas: One of the beauty of juicing is its versatility and ability to tailor recipes to address specific skin concerns. Whether you're targeting acne, dryness, or aging skin, you can experiment with different combinations of fruits, vegetables, and herbs to create juices that support your skin goals. For example, adding ginger or turmeric to your juices can provide anti-inflammatory benefits, while mint or parsley can aid in digestion and promote clear skin.

Incorporating fresh juices into your daily routine can be a refreshing and enjoyable way to enhance your skin's health and appearance. However, it's essential to remember that juicing should complement a balanced diet rich in whole foods. Additionally, be mindful of sugar content when juicing fruits and aim to include a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to maximize nutritional benefits.

By nourishing your body with nutrient-dense juices, you can support your skin from within and achieve a radiant complexion that glows with vitality.