#but these bales can be from 40 to 75 pounds

[softquietsteadylove]

Oh you gotta continue the dressage AU! It looks promising and already so good too!

Maybe something cute? Gil playing with Olympia? And Thena who wanted to look after Olympia coincidentally sees it? And she is not only watching her mare 👀

"Olympia?" Thena looked around, not spotting her mare in the fields. She walked down the steps of the clubhouse, the apples she swiped from the brunch table in hand. "Olympia!"

Where was that devilish horse?

Thena walked towards the stables, where at the very least there would be someone who would know where Olympia was.

She and Gilgamesh had come to know each other better. She had to admit that she judged him perhaps too quickly. He was a very experienced and diligent caretaker, and he really did know the horses very well. Olympia especially seemed to get the very best food mix, the best attention, the best of everything!

The club would insist on nothing less, after all, given she was their top prize winner. But to have a caretaker who actually cared about Olympia because she was Olympia was...refreshing. And he was not so bad to know as a human, either.

"Olympia?"

Thena walked into the stables, the doors open to air the place out on such a temperate day. She leaned against one of the pen doors, rolled open for exactly who she was looking for.

"Gotcha!"

Olympia whinnied in glee, cantering and kicking like a bunny as Gil played peekaboo with her. She was like a puppy with a toy as her handler took turns peeking at her in between shovelling her hay.

"Hm," Gil pursed his lips, setting aside the shovel as he moved onto the bales. He looked over the wrong shoulder, "it feels like someone is here...but I don't see anyone."

Olympia shuffled her hooves, moving behind him further as he slowly turned around the wrong way to see her.

"Hello!" he called out, chuckling at the sound of the horse behind him. "Oh!"

Thena leaned off the barn door, officially caught in the act. "Oh, h-hi."

"Thena," he smiled as she walked over to them. He grinned, his hands on his hips, "have you seen Olympia?"

Thena barely bit back a laugh; he had his charms, she had to concede. "I...was just looking for her."

"Me too," he put on a look of confusion, ruffling his hair. His shirt had come a little undone in his work. "I was going to get her a snack, but-"

Thena hid her laughter behind her hand as Olympia nudged his hand with her snout and then got her slobbery lips all over them. "Olympia!"

But Gil had no admonishment for the snackish mare, "there you are!"

Olympia cantered on the spot in humour.

Thena went to her mare's side, smoothing her hand down her neck, "he spoils you."

Olympia looked at her as if to tell her not to spoil the fun.

"I spoil her?" Gil smiled, taking one of the apples Thena had brought with her in hand. "And what are these?"

"They were-" Thena gave Olympia a pointed look, "for a very hard working horse when she took a break. But I don't see any hard work being done."

Olympia nudged Gil, urging him to convince her rider to surrender the juicy snack.

"Hey," he chuckled, looking down at the apple in his hands, "I work very hard."

"That you do," Thena murmured. Gil dug his thumb into the top of the apple's core and then split the damned thing right in half. Maybe he was used to it, but it was still quite a feat to witness, nonetheless. He fed one to OIympia and took a bite of the other half for himself.

"At least I have some company," Gil smiled at Olympia, patting her nose as she crunched her surprise snack. He looked back to Thena, "what are you up to now?"

"Well," she blinked; his shirt seemed to come more and more undone the longer she spoke with him. "Practice this morning was thorough. I thought I would look in on Olympia before leaving for the day."

"Aw, we're having a nice time, right girl?" Gil cooed to the horse who was so smitten with him. Her tail swished behind her. "After hay time I was going to give her a nice brushing, maybe a hose down if it's necessary."

Olympia stomped her hoof.

"Stop it," Thena chided, pointing in her horse's long face, "you behave for Gilgamesh. He quite literally does everything he does for you."

Olympia turned faintly, shamed by Thena's scolded.

"Hey, it's okay," Gil said more gently as Olympia sought to hide behind him. "The others don't like baths either."

Thena gave him a look, "this is what I mean by you spoiling her. She had declared you her ally against me."

"I'm not taking anyone's side," Gil laughed, holding up his hands in good will. "I'm here to bale the hay and brush the horses."

Thena looked at the massive pile of hay beside them, both the loose stuff and the pre-rolled and blocked bales. "This is an awful lot for just you, Gil."

He shrugged, though, like staring down a mountain of hay up to the ceiling was nothing. "It's a full afternoon, that's for sure."

"Surely they can't expect you to do it all alone," Thena frowned as he did indeed start drifting back to the hay. She put her hand on Olympia's nose.

"I'm used to it."

Thena could argue that it didn't make it right, but he hefted up a bale and started moving them into each of the pens for the horses. She knew they could weigh around 50 pounds for the smaller blocks. Hay was light, but densely packed, anything could reach a weight that was still a pain to lift and move. "I can help."

"Thena, really," he gave her a look as he walked back for another one. "I only need two in each stall, it won't take long. The rest I'll load onto the forklift to be moved later."

"There must be something I can do," she frowned, not willing to just let it go as he picked up another one.

He set it down at his feet, his back stretching as he did. Why was his shirt so thin?! Thena blinked as he stood up, pulling her eyes away from the spectacle of it all.

"Really, Thena, I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself," he said gently. "Not to mention the club would probably kill me in the back woods if I let their prized champion help me shovel the slop."

Thena rolled her eyes; what was this, the 18th century? "I am more than capable of basic horse care. I did manage it long before you came along."

"Hey, I'm not doubting that," he chuckled, looking at Olympia, who was watching their debate with bulbous eyes. "She's the best shape I've seen in a horse here."

Thena held her head high, her pride showing through.

"Okay," he shrugged, putting his hands on his hips again. Was he allowed to work in such a flimsy shirt? Wasn't he supposed to wear protective gear or something? "Hose her down for me, then."

Thena looked over her shoulder at Olympia, who looked away.

"You said you wanted to help," he chuckled, walking past her for more hay again. "She needs a brush and a little shampooing. Then, if you're really keen on helping, you can help me shovel the loose stuff."

The lighter stuff, he meant. Thena put her hands on her hips as well, "fine."

He nodded at her, seeming quite amused by her firmness, "deal."

He moved to retrieve another bale, hoisting this one all the way up onto his shoulder. His back muscles were plain to see regardless of the shirt over them.

Thena sputtered as Olympia flicked her tail right in her face. "Olympia!"

Olympia rolled her eyes and shook her mane out. If she was not going to have her fun, then neither was her rider.

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Research

We all delegated jobs for everyone to look into some research on fashion so that we could have some foundation information and statistics to work off of.  

Waste Statistics on Fashion Consumption - Claudia

- Second to oil, the clothing and textile industry is the largest polluter in the world. - The fashion industry contributes 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to its long supply chains and energy intensive production. - Nearly 20% of global waste water is produced by the fashion industry - 15.1 million tons of textile waste was generated in 2013, of which 12.8 million tons were discarded. - A few communities have textile recycling programs, about 85% of this waste goes to landfills where it occupies about 5% of landfill space and the amount is growing. - Up to 95% of the textiles that are land filled each year could be recycled. - Using recycled cotton saves 20,000 liters of water per kilogram of cotton, a water-intensive crop. -  Only about 0.1% of recycled fiber collected by charities and take-back programs is recycled into new textile fibers - Consumers are regarded as the main culprit for throwing away their used clothing, as only 15 percent of consumer-used clothing is recycled, whereas more than 75 percent of pre-use clothing is recycled by the manufacturers. - The average person buys 60 percent more items of clothing every year and keeps them for about half as long as 15 years ago, generating a huge amount of waste.The average lifetime of a piece of clothing is approximately 3 years.

https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2018/10/facts-statistics-about-fast-fashion-inspire-ethical-fashion-advocate/

https://edgexpo.com/fashion-industry-waste-statistics/

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/textile-recycling-facts-and-figures-2878122

Fast Fashion - Huy

Negative  - Cheap, trendy clothing - One of the most polluting industries - Creates a huge climate change footprint through its unsustainable practices - Popular brands include ASOS, Boohoo, H&M, Zara, Missguided, Shein - Average person discards about 80 pounds (36kgs) of textiles each year, being almost double of what was discarded 20 years ago - Cheap labor, harsh working conditions - H&M produces so much surplus inventory, they began burning the clothing for fuel

Positive  - Better to prioritise quality > quantity of clothing - “Slow fashion” promotes conscious consumption and supports companies that protect the environment and respects their workers. - rent /sell clothing, there is a growing market for second-hand clothes - Many aren’t actually aware of the damage because information on the impacts of our clothes are not readily available to us, so once they are educated, their behaviour is likely to change - Good to inform people in a way that is easily digestible and  visually appealing

https://experiencelife.com/article/6-ways-to-quit-fast-fashion/

https://goodonyou.eco/five-fast-fashion-brands-we-avoid/

https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/understanding-sustainable-fashion?gclid=CjwKCAjw8e7mBRBsEiwAPVxxiCd-idEeP1-zAubixbxUQd0QIAf-LP5FT5ueX2bM91LWgqAJQnmgghoC_7gQAvD_BwE

Fabric/Material Analysis - Oliver

Common clothing fabric

1. Cotton cloth

Cotton cloth is a general term for all kinds of cotton textiles. Most of them are used for making casual wear, underwear, shirts, etc. The advantages are good warmth, softness, moisture absorption and good breathability. The disadvantage is that it is easy to shrink and wrinkle.

2. Burlap

Burlap is a kind of cloth made of linen, jute, sisal, and hemp. Generally used to make casual wear, work wear, summer wear, the advantages are extremely high strength, moisture absorption, heat conduction, and good ventilation. The disadvantage is that it is uncomfortable to wear, rough and blunt.

3. Silk

Silk is a general term for various silk fabrics made from silk. It is used to make a variety of clothing, especially suitable for making women's clothing, such as some scarves and dresses. The advantages are light, fit, soft, smooth, breathable, multi-colored, shiny and comfortable to wear. The disadvantage is that it is prone to wrinkles, easy to stick, not strong, and easy to fade.

4. Wool

Wool is a general term for fabrics of various types of wool and cashmere. Usually used to make dresses, suits, coats, and other high-end clothing. The utility model has the advantages of anti-wrinkle and abrasion resistance, soft hand feeling, elasticity, strong heat retention and secondary use. The disadvantage is that the washing is difficult, and the material is heavy.

5. Leather

Leather is an animal fur fabric that has been tanning. Divided into two categories, one is leather, depilated leather. The other is suede, a treated leather with skin and hair that has the advantage of being light and warm. The disadvantages are that they are expensive, storage, and care.

6. Chemical fiber

Chemical fiber is a kind of fiber textile made from high molecular compound, which is usually divided into artificial fiber and synthetic fiber. Their common advantages are bright colors, soft texture and comfort. The disadvantages are wearing resistance, heat resistance, moisture absorption, poor gas permeability, preheating and deformation, and easy generation of static electricity. Can make all kinds of clothes, but most of them are not comfortable.

7. Blended

Blended, it is a fabric made of natural fiber and chemical fiber mixed in a certain proportion, which can be used to make all kinds of clothing. The advantages are that there are advantages of cotton, hemp, silk, woolen cloth and chemical fiber, and they avoid their respective shortcomings, and the value is relatively low and relatively popular.

Fiber classification: natural fabrics and non-natural fabrics

Natural

A. Plant fiber: cotton, hemp, fruit fiber

B. Animal fiber: wool, rabbit hair, silk

C. Mineral fiber: asbestos

Unnatural

D. Recycled fiber: viscose, acetate, modal, bamboo fiber

E. Synthetic fiber: synthetic cotton, polyester, acrylic, spandex... (Synthetic fiber: Polyester fiber: Polyester, melting point 255~260°C, bonding starts at 205°C, safe ironing temperature is 135°C.

Polyamide: Nylon, melting point 230~270 °C, available on the Internet.)

F. Inorganic fiber: glass fiber, metal fiber.

Old clothes collection process:

1. Clothing eligible for donation - disinfection - donation, charity;

2. white cotton fabric - fiber treatment - cotton yarn;

3. colored fines - fiber treatment - non-woven fabrics;

4. polyester fabric - chemical treatment decomposition - polyester raw materials;

How Clothing Recycling Works (https://www.thebalancesmb.com/textile-recycling-facts-and-figures-2878122)

Clothing recycling is part of textile recycling. It involves recovering old clothing and shoes for sorting and processing. End products include clothing suitable for reuse, cloth scraps or rags as well as fibrous material. Interest in garment recycling is rapidly on the rise due to environmental awareness and landfill pressure. For entrepreneurs, it provides a business opportunity. In addition, various charities also generate revenue through their collection programs for old clothing.

Garment recycling involve a series of sequential activities as outlined below:

Creating Awareness of Clothing Recycling

Website information. A basic step for garment recyclers is to raise public awareness with information about the importance and benefits of donating used items like clothing and shoes. As such, recycling companies often provide educational materials at their websites regarding garment recycling and its importance. They may also explain what items they accept for recycling.

Informative bins and truck signage. Other approaches to raising awareness truck and bin markings. Colorful bins help describe what articles of clothing are accepted and what charity benefits from the contribution. Truck signage can be useful in raising awareness, for example, of home pickup programs for old clothing.

Collection

Clothing recyclers use a variety of strategies for picking up clothing. Post-consumer clothing is picked up generally from bins placed in public places, as well as from clothing drives and door-to-door collection. Bins are typically placed strategically in public places like parking lots in business centers and shopping malls. Colorful bins are positioned in high traffic, high visibility locations to help maximize donations.

One recent development has been the partnering of leading retailers with garment recycling companies such as I:Co. In collaboration with its partners, I:CO collected around 17,000 tons of clothing and shoes in 2015 (or 37 million pounds) while recycling 40 percent of the clothing or almost 15 million pounds.

Clothing sorting

Once collected, clothing is classified into three groups: reuse, rags, and fiber. Typically this is a manual sorting process that requires expertise in identifying various types of material. The process can be aided by such mechanical systems as conveyor belts and bins to segregate various grades of material. There is, however, at least one initiative to automate the sorting process, known as Textiles4Textiles.

Recyclers report that about one-half of donated garments can be reused. Some recyclers bale this clothing for export to developing countries, while some garments are used domestically for sale in thrift shops. Industrial cloth rags and wipes are another important residuals of the recycling process. Additionally, clothing may be reduced to fibrous material.

Processing

Textile fabric and clothing commonly consist of composites of synthetic plastics and cotton (biodegradable material). The composition will influence its method of recycling and durability.

Collected clothing is sorted and graded by highly experienced and skilled workers. These sorted items are sent to different destinations as outlined.

For natural textiles, incoming items are sorted in terms of color and material. By segregating colors, the need for re-dying can be eliminated, reducing the need for pollutants and energy. Then the clothing is torn into sloppy fibers and combined with other chosen fibers, conditional on the planned end use of the recycled fiber. Once cleaned and spun, fibers can be compressed for use in mattress production. Textiles which are sent to the flocking industry are used to produce filling material for furniture padding, panel linings, loudspeaker cones, and car insulation.

The recycling process works somewhat differently for polyester-based materials. In this case, the first thing is to remove zippers and buttons and then to cut the clothing into smaller pieces. Those shredded small fabrics are then granulated and shaped into pellets.

As the textile industry continues to grow, it will be challenged to devise ways to boost recycling rates as well as to develop technologies that will help maximize the value of recovered material.

Conversation with Galleries - Mac

Guidance for appropriate places to display our creative creator as an interactive installation.  - Asking what they are looking for and requirements to get published/displayed.  - What is required to get it displayed on a national level.  Contacted the acting director at Auckland city art gallery Toi o Tamaki about what it would take to have an installation at that level.  The results being that they only publish widely known artists as installations. They gave recommendations for local community hubs and suggested starting at that level. 

[keywestlou]

FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST KEY WEST'S NEW YEAR'S EVE CURFEW

We have become an extremely litigious society.

Key West finally understand the responsibility theirs was re the spread of coronavirus. The Commission passed weak laws and then failed to enforce even them. The bar and restaurant owners were running the City. The City Commission quaked every time the bar and restaurant owners complained.

The City Commission has another responsibility besides accommodating bar and restaurant owners. The health of its people. Key West has the highest number of COVID-19 cases than any other Keys community. No other City even close.

Key West was facing a 50,000 person tourist onslaught for New Year’s weekend. Hotel reservations were at 93 percent.

The tourist have been coming weekends to party because their home communities in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties will not permit them to do so as they could in Key West.

Key West had become the Dodge City of Florida.

The 10-6 nightly curfew was passed. Bars and restaurants closed at 10. People off the streets by 10:30.

Almost immediately, the hotels experienced something like a 50 percent cancellation.

Key West bar or restaurant owner Andrew T. Day decided he was not going to take the curfew sitting down. I do not know the name of his establishment. I could find no one who did know. I am not suggesting he is not such an owner. Rather that I am ignorant as to the name of the business he runs.

The lawsuit was filed thursday or friday in federal court against the City of Key West, Mayor Johnston, and City Manager Veliz. A high powered Miami lawyer is representing Day.

Day claims the New Year’s emergency curfew order violates his First Amendment rights to free speech and peaceful assembly. The Complaint alleges Day’s “rights are being taken away from the plaintiff for 8 hours per day for three consecutive nights.” He seeks a temporary restraining order for the New Year’s weekend.

I have not seen the City’s responsive papers yet. I assume it will claim the City has an obligation and a right to protect it citizens from coronavirus.

Today is monday. Thursday, New Year’s Eve. The Judge will have to decide the case via a temporary restraining order between now and then. Day seeks an order till trial that his rights have been violated, he can remain open, disregard the curfew, etc.

Similar cases have been brought throughout the United States the past few months. Decisions have come down on both sides of the issue.

Back in the 1970’s and 1980’s, the criminal element seeking to bring in marijuana to U.S. shores did so via planes and boats. The marijuana bales became known as “square groupers.”

The game is on again!

In addition to marijuana, cocaine.

Last wednesday, a fisherman came upon a 75 pound bale of cocaine 15 miles south of Sugarloaf Key. Street value $850,000.

The fisherman turned the cocaine over to the Sheriff’s Department who in turn transferred it to the U.S. Border Patrol. The Border Patrol has responsibility for the cocaine catch.

In 1989, the Joint Interagency Task Force South was established. It is headquartered at the Naval Air Station in Truman Annex. Its major responsibility is illicit drug trafficking. Its roster includes the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and the FBI.

The Coast Guard fills the top leadership position. A Coast Guard Admiral is presently in charge of the Interagency Task Force.

Is drug trafficking returning to the Keys in the same volume it was 30-40 years ago? I doubt it. However the government must be vigilant to make sure it does not.

I appreciate one bale of cocaine does not make for a resurgence of the problem. However there have been several other episodes in recent months.

Bales of marijuana were found in August and September washed up on Keys shores. In July, 50 pounds of cocaine washed up near Grassy Key. Early in July, 29 bales of cocaine were discovered in waters off Marathon. In October, 30 pounds of marijuana were discovered in waters off the Keys.

Paul Waldman of The American Project recently wrote what 2020 revealed to us. The title of the article: What A Miserable 2020 Revealed About America.

The thrust of his article can be summed up in one sentence from it: “It exposed an impotent political system, a deadly mythology of rugged individualism, and a Republican Party without shame.”

It appears 63 year old Anthony Quinn Walker was responsible for the Nashville Christmas Day bombing.

Walker a self employed computer guru.

It appears the explosion was Walker’s way of committing suicide.

Except for Walker himself, no one was injured or killed. The property devastation extensive covering several blocks. As if the area had been bombed by planes in war time.

The 8 police officers who roused residents that there was to be an explosion are heroes. Unquestionably. Make note, it is good to have an incident of consequence where the police did their job, were on top of the problem, and saved many lives. No blacks shot in the head or chocked to death.

The 8 officers consisted of 6 whites, 1 black, and a female.

They are heroes because they knew they only had 15 minutes or less to get everyone out of the buildings. They had to move their asses and make each resident immediately understand to move or die.

A job well done!

Enjoy your day!

        FEDERAL LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST KEY WEST’S NEW YEAR’S EVE CURFEW was originally published on Key West Lou

[thorsuggestion]

How can I purchase a goat as fast and cheap as possible

Goats are a four-legged, hoofed farm animal and have been domesticated for thousands of years. Goats, especially miniature species such as African Pygmy Goats and Nigerian Dwarf Goats, are kept as pets. Goats are well-liked for their curious and intelligent nature.

Typical costs:

Goats range in price from $75 to $300, depending on factors including sex, age and temperament.

Wethers, or neutered male goats, are typically cheaper, often sold for around $100. Bucks, unneutered males, are next in price, typically between $150 and $250. Does, or female goats, range from $250 to $300. Wethers or does make the easiest pets. It's also easier to own two does, or a doe and a wether, than to mingle a doe and a buck together.

What should be included:

Goats are generally even-tempered, curious and playful.

The average lifespan of a goat is about 15 years.

The purchase usually includes a health certificate, which is needed for transporting. Purchased separately, a health certificate costs about $50.

Many goat enthusiasts recommend owning two or more goats instead of one, since goats are social creatures. However, some goat owners say if the pet is alone from very young it will be used to it and may in fact bond to its human companions moreso than it would if it had another goat around.

For more nuts-and-bolts information about goats, view introductory information on pet goats at GoatWorld.com.

Additional costs:

Fencing. Goats are curious and intelligent, and can escape from weak fences. A chain link fence is recommended, these cost between $2,500 and $10,000, depending on the size of the lot and the type of material. Make sure the fence is at least six feet high, since goats typically jump over fences.

Housing and bedding. Goats must have an enclosed living space to keep them warm and dry. For the smaller breeds, a large doghouse will do. For a standard breed, an enclosure will cost between $300 and $600 depending on size and durability. The home will need to be scattered with hay as bedding, which will need replaced about once a month at a cost of about $10.

Food. Goats are vegetarian. Goats will eat about 3 to 10 pounds of hay per day. A small 40-70 pound bale will last one to two weeks and can be purchased for between $3.50 and $8.25, depending on where you live and how plentiful hay is that season.

Supplement the hay with a goat chow and yeast culture. Purina makes a chow for $50 and lasts several months. A 50-pound bag of yeast culture will cost about $40 and will last several years. CaprineSupply.com has a variety of these products.

Veterinary costs. Expect to spend between $50 and $250 on vet bills annually. Find a goat vet nearby at CyberGoat.com.

Additionally, goats need their hooves trimmed about every other month. This can be done at home with hoof trimmers, which cost about $20 a pair. Prevent intestinal worms, a common goat malady, with deworming medication about every four months. It costs $15.

Goats are a lot of work; they take time, love, and effort and should not be bought on a whim. For more information check these links:

https://www.livinghomegrown.com/the-truth-about-keeping-backyard-goats/

http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/want-a-backyard-goat-10-things-to-consider