#crude oil news today

[head-post]

Ukrainian military took charge of Nord Stream pipeline last year

A Ukrainian military officer had a central role in the undermining of the Nord Stream pipeline last year, officials in Ukraine and elsewhere in Europe and others with knowledge of the details of the covert operation say.

There is now no talk of the involvement of Ukraine’s military and security leadership in the controversial act of sabotage, as multiple criminal investigations and U.S. and Western suspicions about the security of the energy infrastructure have probably been vindicated.

That military officer turned out to be Roman Chervinsky, a 48-year-old colonel who was the “coordinator” of the Nord Stream operation, according to people familiar with his role. He was in charge of logistics and support for a six-man team that rented a sailboat under an assumed name and used deep-sea diving equipment to plant explosive devices on gas pipelines. Their actions resulted in three explosions on 26 September 2022 that caused massive leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines running from Russia to Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. As a consequence of the attack, only one of the network’s four pipelines remained undamaged as winter set in.

Roman Chervinsky did not act alone and did not plan the operation. The officer received orders from higher-ranking Ukrainian officials.

Read more HERE

[moneysquad-channel]

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[batboyblog]

The United States is experiencing scorching new levels of heat fueled by climate change this summer, with dozens of people dying in the West, millions sweating under heat advisories and nearly three-quarters of Americans saying the government must prioritize global warming.

But as the Republican Party opens its national convention in Milwaukee with a prime-time focus on energy on Monday night, the party has no plan to address climate change.

While many Republicans no longer deny the overwhelming scientific consensus that the planet is warming, party leaders do not see it as a problem that needs to be addressed.

“I don’t know that there is a Republican approach to climate change as an organizing issue,” said Thomas J. Pyle, president of the American Energy Alliance, a conservative research group focused on energy. “I don’t think President Trump sees reducing greenhouse gases, using the government to do so, as an imperative.”

When former President Donald J. Trump mentions climate change at all, it is mockingly.

“Can you imagine, this guy says global warming is the greatest threat to our country?” Mr. Trump said, referring to President Biden as he addressed a rally in Chesapeake, Va., last month, the hottest June in recorded history across the globe. “Global warming is fine. In fact, I heard it was going to be very warm today. It’s fine.”

He went on to dismiss the scientific evidence that melting ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland are causing seas to rise, threatening coastal communities around the world. He said it would result in “more waterfront property, if you’re lucky enough to own.” And he lapsed into familiar rants against windmills and electric vehicles.

At the televised debate with Mr. Biden in June, Mr. Trump was asked if he would take any action as president to slow the climate crisis. “I want absolutely immaculate clean water and I want absolutely clean air, and we had it,” Mr. Trump responded, without answering the question.

Mr. Trump’s spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, later declined to clarify the former president’s position or discuss any actions he would take regarding climate change, saying only that he wants “energy dominance.”

The United States last year pumped more crude oil than any country in history and is now the world’s biggest exporter of natural gas.

A clear majority of Americans, 65 percent, wants the country to focus on increasing solar, wind and other renewable energy and not fossil fuels, according to a May survey by the Pew Research Center. But just 38 percent of Republicans surveyed said renewable energy should be prioritized, while 61 percent said the country should focus on developing more oil, gas and coal.

“Their No. 1 agenda is to continue producing fossil fuels,” said Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences and the director of the Texas Center for Climate Studies at Texas A&M University. “Once you understand their main goal is to entrench fossil fuels regardless of anything else, everything makes sense.”

The party platform, issued last week, makes no mention of climate change. Instead, it encourages more production of oil, gas and coal, the burning of which is dangerously driving up global temperatures. “We will DRILL, BABY, DRILL,” it says, referring to oil as “liquid gold.”

By contrast, Mr. Biden has taken the most aggressive action of any president to cut emissions from coal, oil and gas and encourage a transition to wind, solar and other carbon-free energy. He has directed every federal agency from the Agriculture Department to the Pentagon to consider how climate change is affecting their core missions.

If Mr. Biden has taken an all-of-government approach to fighting climate change, Mr. Trump and his allies would adopt the opposite: scrubbing “climate” from all federal functions and promoting fossil fuels.

Mr. Trump and his allies want to end federal subsidies for electric vehicles, battery development and the wind and solar industries, preferring instead to open up the Alaskan wilderness to oil drilling, encourage more offshore drilling and expand gas export terminals.

Project 2025, a lengthy manual filled with specific proposals for a next Republican administration, calls for erasing any mention of climate change across the government. While Mr. Trump has recently sought to distance himself from Project 2025, he has praised its architects at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative research organization, and much of the plan was written by people who were top advisers during his first term and could serve in prominent roles if he wins in November.

When pressed to discuss climate change, some Republicans say the country should produce more natural gas and sell it to other countries as a cleaner replacement for coal.

While natural gas produces less carbon dioxide than coal when burned, it remains one of the sources of the greenhouse gases that are driving climate change. Scientists say that countries must stop burning coal, oil and gas to keep global warming to relatively safe levels. Last year, at the United Nations climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the United States and nearly 200 countries agreed to transition away from fossil fuels.

But if elected, Mr. Trump has indicated he would pull back from the global fight against climate change, as he did when he announced in 2017 that the United States would be the first and only country to withdraw from the Paris Agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions. (The United States subsequently rejoined under Mr. Biden.)

And it’s possible he would go even further. Mr. Trump’s former aides said that if he wins in November, he would remove the country altogether from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the international body that works on climate policy and created the 2015 Paris deal.

When it comes to international relations, Project 2025 calls for an end to spending federal funds to help the world’s poorest countries transition to wind, solar and other renewable energy.

The blueprint also calls for erasing climate change as a national security concern, despite research showing rising sea levels, extreme weather and other consequences of global temperature rise are destabilizing areas of the world, affecting migration and threatening American military installations.

Federal research into climate change would slow or disappear under Project 2025, which recommends dismantling the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which conducts some of the world’s leading climate research and is also responsible for weather forecasting and tracking the path of hurricanes and other storms.

NOAA, according to the authors of Project 2025, is “one of the main drivers of the climate change alarm industry and, as such, is harmful to future U.S. prosperity.” At the agency’s research operation, which include a network of research laboratories, an undersea research center, and several joint research institutes with universities, “the preponderance of its climate-change research should be disbanded,” the blueprint said.

Project 2025 also calls for the president to issue an executive order to “reshape” the program that convenes 13 federal agencies every four years to produce the National Climate Assessment, the country’s most authoritative analysis of climate knowledge. The report is required by Congress and details the impacts and risks of climate change to a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, health care and transportation. It is used by the public, researchers and officials around the country to inform decisions about strategies and spending.

Project 2025 also calls for the elimination of offices at the Department of Energy dedicated to developing wind, solar and other renewable energy.

Waleed Abdalati, a former NASA chief scientist who is now at the University of Colorado Boulder, said downgrading climate science would be a disservice to the nation. “That’s a loss of four years in pursuit of creative solutions,” he said.

As president, Mr. Trump tried to replace top officials with political appointees who denied the existence of climate change and put pressure on federal scientists to water down their conclusions. Scientists refused to change their findings and attempts by the Trump administration to bury climate research were also not successful.

“Thank God they didn’t know how to run a government,” Thomas Armstrong, who led the National Climate Assessment program under the Obama administration, said at the end of Mr. Trump’s presidency, adding, “It could have been a lot worse.”

Next time, they would know how to run the government, Mr. Trump’s former officials said. “The difference between the last time and this time is, Donald Trump was president for four years,” Mr. Pyle said. “He will be more prepared.”

[regina-bithyniae]

Twitter, 2024

@RobinHanson: Poll: Do you find women annoying, just in general? (Yes: 72%; No: 17%, Undecided: 11%)

@RichardHanania: Interesting new study. Gay men probably have higher IQ than most of my readers. But lesbians? Not so much.

@BestCombatVids: wounded Ruzzian mobik begs for mercy from UA drone pilot, doesn't get it 😂😂😂

@AellaGirl: my year in numbers: 39 sexual partners, 27 showers

SPONSORED: Albertan Crude Oil is VITAL for fighting climate change, voice your support for Canada-Myanmar deal today!

@cremieux: Test anxiety? Your real problem is probably a low IQ. See more in my latest article!

@RealRawTakes: The Democrats' despicable back-door nomination of Tim Walz puts into stark relief their utter abrogation of all principles and their machine's lacuna of (1/126)

@HBDbro: NEW EVIDENCE for Hobbit race on Indonesian island 70,000 BC?

[tootoomanycats]

Boiling Over

Suguru Geto x Personal Chef Smut

Pairing:

Pent Up Geto Cult Leader x OC Fem

(can also be read as reader insert)

Word Count: 3,576 words

Summary: Geto realizes that his new cook has started to put disgusting notions into his daughters heads. After tucking the girls to bed, he finds holding the lid on his anger challenging and complex. It is time to have a talk with this vile monkey; only things don’t go according to plan.

Warnings:

Language usage refers to non-sorcery users such as monkeys and animals and uses verbiage degrading non-users' ideology. (It's Geto; I am only trying to stick to how I think he would internally speak about us muggle folk.)

Enemies arguing to unexpected smut.

Mentions of premature ejaculation. (we make sure he knows he’s still wanted)

Minor mention of a potential eating disorder for Geto.

Author Notes:

Hello Everyone! I promise I am still working on rewriting Performances, but I had to stop because my brain would not let me get any sleep until I got this little one-shot out and edited. I never planned on writing any JJK content, but this is my lesson in never saying never. Honestly, I don't know if this will be a stand-alone one-shot or if it will develop into a short story. Either way, I hope you'll like it! As always if you like what you have read please remember that fanfic writers live off of likes, comments and reblogs- we wont admit it but we all have praise kinks.

Have you watered your writer today?

Each long stride only allowed more anger to fill his lungs. That disgusting, foul-breathed cretan. How dare she encourage such thoughts in their minds? To speak of this dementedly wicked world like the Garden of Eden, like it was something worth protecting. When creatures like her ruined its oasis, this was just more evidence that only further proved every reason to go through with the plan to wipe them out of existence.

Silence filled the long, winding corridors in the late hour—only the soft shuffles of his steps to be heard. The time spent wandering, stewing in the whirlpool of thoughts, was unknown. Be it subconsciously or with intention, he came to stand before the kitchen door. Finger paints covered the wood in various colors and shapes and crudely drawn animals. No doubt, the artistic freedom given to the girls by that damn woman. Another distraction put in front of them that should instead be spent studying and growing more substantial for the future, his future. Fingers massaged at his temple, and that damn under-eye twitch was back.

Before turning to continue on the walk of rage, a faint light shined from under the door. The source’s inconsistent flickering made it obvious it was a flame light, not the usual overhead bulbs. A shadow was moving about, its lines from under the door jam shifting around. Was someone trying to find a late-night snack? Curiosity got the better of him as the door cracked open, the well-oiled hinges making no noise to give away his presence. There, at the kitchen island, sat the bane of his existence. A single candle was her only light source as she made notes in a thick-bound journal. Books littered across the counter’s surface that she was scanning between.

After spending two hours tossing and turning in bed, Hope had given up on sleep finding her tonight. What time would have been spent dreaming was now used to research and plan instead. In the short time since coming to the estate, she realized how out of her depth she was. Growing up on a farm had taught her many valuable tidbits that rolled over into the new career of personal cook. Sadly, though, most of the knowledge of common fruits and vegetation was useless now due to being on foreign soil. Not to mention, all the meals commonly made here were a complete novelty to her. All day, the worry of not knowing a simple dish to make for the girls if one got sick filled her head.

She felt lucky that it was still summer, but fall and winter would soon come, so it was best to start studying basic soup stocks and how to preserve them now. Just as exhaustion began to creep its way up her spine, the face of that egotistical man came to mind. She groaned, remembering how he had already refused everything but the boiled, unseasoned chicken breast. A previous warning of how picky her new boss was had first been brushed off, but now she only saw it as something more concerning. When inquired, the girls only looked at each other before explaining how their father seemed to struggle with food. Something about how things always seemed to taste putrid: Hope made a mental note to inquire if there were meals that would not be so vehemently refused going forward.

“I see I am not alone in burning the late-night oil.” Geto had to hold in the smug smirk at watching Hope almost jump out of her skin when making his presence known. Stepping closer to the kitchen island, his eyes scanned its counter’s contents. Multiple subjects filled the open pages, text outlining photos and drawings of local flora and fauna in Japan, while another explained cultural customs entwined with particular meals. “Homework?” he asked, keeping the tone of the question light, almost teasing. Anger still simmered just below the surface, the lid of feigned equanimity keeping it in check.

She quickly closed the notebook, gathered the books, and walked backward while responding. “Just menu planning and figuring out what to plant in the garden first.” Mirroring his strained smile, she still tried to calm the racing of her heart from being caught off guard by his presence. “W-What has you up so late?” Gulping when the evident anger in his eyes seemed to be barely masked by the smile on his lips. With each step he took further into the space, she took one back-feigning needing to put the books back in their place, on the opposite end of the island. Something deep and primal warned not to turn her back to him.

Hands going back into their usual hiding place in the sleeves of his haori, he stopped where she had just been sitting. Magnanimous in allowing the useless cook her space. “I just tucked the girls into bed. They were having difficulty falling asleep, and I couldn’t figure out why for a while until they started asking some peculiar questions.” Geto tilted his head, the candle’s light only illuminating one half of his face while the other became shrouded in the darkness of the night. Even in the dimly lit space, the fear on her face was clear as day. Teeth ground together as realization dawned on him; at first, he had chalked up what she had told his daughters as common monkey ignorance. But now, in the fearful response of shirking away from him, it became apparent that she knew exactly what she had done.

“Oh? What kinds of questions?” Hope’s palms began to sweat, making it hard to hold the books. She had no shame in introducing the importance of protecting living things, nor held abasement in teaching how the circle of life affected everyone, including Nanako and Mimiko. However, this did not make her oblivious to the potential backlash of such actions. Placing the books down on the edge of the counter before straightening her posture; if she were to be fired or threatened, then he would have to do it while seeing her head held high.

What was once a simmering pot now started to boil. It was one thing to play stupid with him, but it was another thing entirely to look proud while doing it. Taking a step forward, he spoke sternly, “Yes. It seems they have these ideas suddenly.” Another step. “Notions I have taught them that will not be allowed in the future I am creating. You wouldn't happen to know where they got those from, would you?” He now stood only a few short strides from her and the corner she had put herself in. Watching as she stood taller with each step, even puffing her chest out. She was brave; he would give her that. Bravely stupid.

Hope’s eyes dropped down from where he now stood to the books before her. With a deep breath, she calmly spoke the answer he was trying to pull from her. “Yes, I had asked them what vegetables would be best to grow in the garden earlier today. As it turns out, they didn't know, and neither did I. So I found a book, and the three of us took turns reading and learning.” Wetting her mouth, she continued before glancing up to see the anger on his face build. “The girls started to have more philosophical questions on which I gave my opinions on.” Fear spread through her bones as he quickly walked into the small space that was left between them. Turning to face the outrage on his face, back facing the island as her hands held onto its edge for the needed stability of what was to come.

“Who are you to fill their minds with such disgusting notions?” The pot's lid danced over the boiling rage held within. The candlelight illuminated both of them clearly, making it possible to watch as shock filled her face at his statement.

At first, her jaw hung open until the feeling of offense had her back to defend herself. “You may think it disgusting, Your Radiance, but like it or not, the reality is that those girls are starting to realize that not everything in this world is horrible. There are things worth enjoying now, not just when you create some theoretical future.” Though her words rang with strength, her body responded in alarm at watching the monster before her shift through so many emotions.

“They are my children! And much too young to be curious about such things.” The lid crashed to the ground as the emotions finally boiled over the pot’s opening. His voice had raised before quieting back down.

“They are growing girls, just three years shy of being teenagers! How can you not see that they are becoming curious about the world around them? Both have questions, yet you refuse to acknowledge it.”

Wrath filled his eyes, his usually fake pacifying expression vanishing to show the true nature of his feelings as he crowded her further with a sneer, twisting his lips. “Oh? What questions would be so important that they would go to a vile monkey for answers instead of me?” His tone was dangerous, threatening, and low.

She could feel the hair on the back of her neck rise; he did not expect such rage to be mirrored back. “I may be a monkey, but at least they feel safe enough to tell me when they like a boy.” Shock started filling his face as she took the chance to be the one now leaning in. “Tell me, how do you plan to explain to them that you will cause the death of their crush?”

Her eyes flicked back and forth between his; he was so close that she could feel the heat of his breath across her nose. Blood thrummed in her veins at how hard her heart pounded. The butcher-block wood creaked under her white knuckle grip, and her back pressed firmly against the counter as he further cornered her in. If this is how she died, then so be it; it will have been worth it to have finally shoved reality into the maniac's face.

Large palms and long arms became caged bars around her, nails scratching groves into the woodgrain. “A crush is a trivial thing.” He leaned further, pressing his chest forward, forcing her spine to bow back uncomfortably. The stiff lip of the wood now bit painfully into her haunches. Delicate fingers gripped the front of his gojogesa, desperate to have any control of how he continued contorting her upper body. His head tilted to whisper into her ear, “They will learn that a monkey’s place is beneath them.”

Geto hated weaklings and abhorred their very existence. It was revulsion, not excitement, that caused the fluttering in his stomach when their cheeks brushed. Loathing how it should have been disgust, not pleasure when her breasts pressed against his chest with each shuddered breath she took. He should have felt repulsed when realizing how perfect the closeness of their height was and how easy it would be to connect further.

It’s because of the years of celibacy that she was so sensitive, Hope told herself. Why else would such a monster cause the sensation of pooling hot honey to form in her belly? How, when Geto shifted his weight to press the muscle of his hips against hers, a whimper caught in her throat that pride refused to let out.

It must have been the lack of touch for so long that had her eyes fluttering shut when he nuzzled his nose into her temple. Monsters did not fathom such intimate affection. Monsters would not wrap such large hands around the back of her neck, gripping the corded muscles of her throat in such a dizzying way. She would not lift onto the counter and widen the distance of her thighs for a beast to slot between them so perfectly. Surely, such a creature would not brace his other hand around the center of her back to press further for contact. The sensation of the growl emanating from its lungs shooting to her core.

It was because his nose had become accustomed to the disinfectant spray that he was so sensitive to her smell. Internally berating himself for nuzzling into the hairline above the cook’s ear, lemon verbena, and citrus mixed pleasantly among the uplifting notes of her scent. Geto couldn’t refrain from pressing firmer into her hairline, gulping in deep breaths of Hope’s scent. The grip on the back of her neck tightened further; confirmation of the creature’s ability to still breathe came in how she tried and failed to hold back a second low moan.

His own response vibrated from how feminine hands gripped the thick fabric on his back and along his rib cage. Cursing at the way, soft, long legs dragged upward along the sides of his hips before wrapping around to press him closer. Silk robe falling open from the movement to show matching panties. It was unbelievable how quickly his cock hardened, straining against the white cloth of his momohiki. He could feel the heat radiating from her core, even with the five layers of Buddhist robes between them. How many years had it been since he had touched himself, let alone such a tempting, vile animal?

Hope bit her bottom lip at the delicious pressure against her core. If she hadn’t been so swept up in the moment’s intensity, she might have been embarrassed about the wet spot that could be felt already in her underwear. Skin growing hot as her body craved more contact and friction. The hands that previously gripped his clothes now reached up to thread into the long tendrils of the brutes hair. Fingernails scraped against his scalp before grasping firmly to pull the face away from hiding against her cheek. The strangled gasp he made caused her walls to flutter; what other noises would this monster of a man make?

The site that greeted her was breathtaking: flushed cheeks, eyes wide with shock and pleasure, and an oh-so-tempting pout to kiss. Gone were the fake smiles, disgusted glares, and angry scowls. Now what stood before her was a desperate mess of a man whose cock was so hard it could be felt through the many layers of clothing. She felt relief from the sight before her; a previous worry that he was toying with her was dissipated. No one would be able to deny his desire from how hard he was breathing, his own hands clinging to her like a lifeline.

Suguru was a man who had faced his fair share of dangerous and terrifying situations in his lifetime. He prided himself on keeping calm and making calculated choices during high-stress moments. So panic began to set in when he found moving from this frozen position impossible. The way her hands had gripped his hair, forcing them to hold eye contact, had his cock throbbing. Panic rose higher from the sensation. She kept glancing at his lips; this wasn’t good. Willing his lungs to work and throat to open, a quiet but hoarse word came out. “No.”

It was Hope’s turn to pout. Her legs locked tighter around him. In reality, he could break free from her so easily; the fact that he wasn’t just proved how much his body languished for contact. Her eyes pleaded as she took in his image, memorizing it and burning it into her mind. “Please.” she quietly asked in return. Hips rocked gently against his to help emphasize her ask. All movement paused at hearing an odd sound. Her brow furrowed in question at the noise he made suddenly, his face contorting to one that could be described as painful. Had she hurt him just now?

Geto eyes shut as the sudden climax continued quivering through him. Its shame was felt running down his stomach, legs, and clothing. He refused to look, to see her expression once she realized what had just occurred.

Hope's concern grew as he stayed still and closed off, contrasting how he clung to her a moment ago. The grip in his hair melted into gentle touches on his cheek, cupping his face to see if she could coax him to look at her. Hormones and endorphins craving the intimacy once more. When his eyes still refused to open, she scanned more of him to find the source of the sudden change. That’s when she spotted it; instantly, it all made sense. The relatively sizable wet spot formed on his clothes was proof of what occurred. Warmth spread to her cheeks as sinful thoughts began to race in her mind, the desire for more growing. Biting her bottom lip, she murmured-

“Again.”

His eyes sprung open wide, disbelief shaping the expression. Their eyes met as he processed her expression of hunger. The gentle touch of her hands on his cheek shifted to clasping the side of his face in place. Hips tilted as she pressed her core to where the wet spot lay on him. His mouth was agape in shock at the feeling of being nuzzled along his jawbone, the sensation trailing a line to his ear where a whisper was pressed against its shell. “I want another one, please.” The ask was sweet and sincere, even begging. Words failed him as a hand gently guided his own from the counter across the warmth of a plush thigh to someplace much hotter. A palpation hit his ribcage when feeling thin satin fabric, saturated and slick, shuttering when Hopes’s fingers encouraged his own to press more firmly against the spot. Her resounding whine brought him back from the out-of-body experience.

The overwhelming rage from before shifted into something much more savage and ravenous. Years of repressed urges bled to the surface; sturdy fingers gripped into the base of her hair like a handle to be pulled back from him, the movement forcing her skull to tilt up. It felt impossible to catch any breath as it heaved erratically between the groaning and growls, responding to how desperate legs clung to him. Any previous control had spilled from the pot that now boiled over. Another hand raised to cup her face with the same tenderness she had shown him just moments ago, watching how her eyes repeated their glances to his lips again. Finally, he leaned in.

“Shhh, I know where she hid the cookies from earlier.” Multiple footsteps could be heard getting closer and closer outside the door. Mimiko and Nanako both telling the other to be quiet, annoying the other with each repeated response given back and forth.

Hope and Geto’s eyes widened as the reality of their situation quickly sunk in. Her mouth opened and closed like the koi fish in the pond outside, and before she could say a word, the maniac was gone. Her brain struggled to process his disappearance, the movement inhuman in its speed. The limbs that once were held up against the other body flopped from no longer having something to grip onto. As the kitchen door slowly opened, she scrambled off the counter and ripped open one of the fridge doors to hide her overtly flushed face. Praying that its cold air would help calm down her heart rate. She was panicking as she quickly fixed the front of her silk robe back in its proper place.

Hidden outside the kitchen’s veranda, Geto stood in horror as the events that had just transpired replayed in his mind. Dismay that the truth about who started the whole situation was him. What was worse was that as hard as he tried to feel the disgust he so proudly touted for her kind, he could only feel how hard he was--again. Realization dawned on him of how dangerous the cook was as he shifted Hopes’s title from monkey to succubus.

[pumpkinsy0]

even more TO characters as things from my school(this years been boring af)

twobit: me cooking up the most diabolical lunch combinations. mozzarella sticks w blue pop rocks💖

dally: the several holds(less intense lockdowns) in a week and general safety threats. also just general unruliness + kids swearing at the art teacher. i feel bad for her bc shes constantly getting cussed out and im pretty sure she's senile

johnny: there being so many crickets in the fine arts hall. like multiple have to be dealt with within 30 minutes. also getting "What duh heeeaal" yelled at me while i was minding my own beeswax.

darry: english teacher wearing a "human by chance alpha by choice" shirt. a student lent it to him idk why. twas funny tho.

steve: i forgot like last year there wuz a cupcake in my bag and it turned to dust like today n spilled everywhere + the inside joke "THEY TURNED HIM INTO CRUDE OIL!!!!! THEIR REFINING HIM STOP!!!!!!!"

pony: this one kid having the most loud ass diabolical elderly man cough EVER. to give you an idea of how bad it is the teacher said to him "if you cough like that one more time we're sending you to the nurse" im kinda concerned for his health atp because this has been happening for a week

+ some girl during art screaming "STOP!!!!!" when it was silent bc a boy threw like a sheet of paper at her. it was like an ear piercing scream 2

soda: me flunking out of math within the first three weeks of school. i didn't even get consulted about it at all?? like they were just "oh yeah u failed anyways bye bye effective immediately get out" + boys yelling out the lyrics to "last christmas i gave you my heart" really loud down the hall

i mean expand on these if u want?? idk what this is doing in ur inbox I'm sorry. but something compelled me to to this

nonono this gives me the perfect opportunity to add on the shepards and my own stories in general

curly: me laying down and watching adventure time but my cousins came in running and one jumped over me but the other, i shit u not, TRIED to jump over me but put his whole body weight on my one knee🙎🏽‍♀️🙎🏽‍♀️

angela: me SWEARING my aunts house was haunted bc she had these scary masks on the wall and apparently, someone died??? in her living room once???? and the ppace where me and my cousins and sister would sleep just scared the shit outta me i was so scared to get up to use the bathroom at night 😭

tim: my sister catching me kissing the tv when i saw kuzvo from emperors new groove

bonus pony: my cousins laughing at me bc they found me on wattpad</333

[octuscle]

I know this is a huge ask but you wouldn’t happen to have two suitcases for Lagos would you? My coworker and I are here on business and lost ours. The big meeting is coming’s up and we smell like sweat. Please help if you can. 😅

Lagos… Exotic… No, I don't have a suitcase, but I can offer two large duffel bags. They look very robust. And smell like Lagos smells… Like crude oil and car exhaust. Like market hall and harbor. Sorry, them. Or none.

What are you going to do? It's the middle of the night. All the stores are closed, so you try your luck with the duffel bags. But you have no luck. The contents are clean, everything neatly folded. But unfortunately, they are completely unsuitable for your meeting. Hi-Viz clothing. Work boots. T-shirts, jockstraps. Rough socks. Nothing that goes with a suit. And everything is way too big for you. Well, at least the boxer shorts for sleeping fit to some extent. And you have a clean t-shirt as an undershirt now, too. The rest you will have to see tomorrow, when the stores downstairs in the lobby and in the shopping mall are open.

You sleep restlessly. Very restless. You wake up several times because you have an almost painful hard-on. At 06:00 you can't take it anymore. You have to jerk off. And that goes fast. Because your reflection in the bathroom knocks you out. You are a Nigerian giant. With a huge cock. And you cum loads of cum into the sink.

Nice! You just look very nice. You can hardly get enough of your reflection. Your cell phone vibrates. A message from your colleague "Dan uwa kana ina? Ba mu hadu a dakin motsa jiki ba?" That's Hausa. Your native language is actually Igbo, but you understand it quite well. Still, you answer in English "Bruh, give me five more minutes and I'll be with you."

Akono is a freak. He was at the gym on time at 06:00 and warmed up on the cross trainer. You have to skip the warm-up today. At 08:00 you'll meet the two white guys from headquarters in London. And then it's off to the oil fields. Hopefully this time there will at least be fellows to have fun with. It can be lonely in the evening on the oil rig. Good to know that at least Akono can handle the beast between his legs.

The pics of your new Nigerian you found @blackmusclecake

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

Amid the corporate events pervading New York’s “Climate Week,” an international people’s tribunal held an emotional hearing that spotlighted the ecosystems and people living in the shadow of fossil fuel projects. 

Representatives from communities around the world, scientists and advocates told stories of human and nonhuman forced displacement, degraded heath, ruined economies and lost histories to the International Tribunal on the Rights of Nature on Sunday. 

In India, coal mines are degrading the habitat of endangered elephants sacred to Adivasi Indigenous people. In Louisiana, petrochemical facilities are being built on sacred grave sites. In East Africa, construction of a new oil pipeline is displacing communities and slicing through the homes of giraffes, lions and hippopotamuses. And in Peru, communities that have endured decades of crude oil production and more than 1,000 oil spills are facing down installation of a new refinery and expanding operations.

The testimonies, sweeping in both their global reach and in the harms alleged, were gathered to create a repository of evidence linking the “fossil fuel era” to violations of humans’ and nature’s rights. 

The tribunal, now in its sixth session since 2014, is designed to probe alleged violations of the 2010 Universal Declaration on the Rights of Mother Earth, which recognizes nature as a living being with inherent rights, including the rights to exist and evolve.  

“Just as human beings have human rights, all other beings also have rights which are specific to their species,” the nonbinding declaration says. The declaration was written during a 2010 people’s conference in Cochabamba, Bolivia, following a disappointing United Nations climate summit in Copenhagen a year earlier.

The tribunal is part of the growing “rights of nature” movement, which since 2006 has also created binding laws and judicial precedent recognizing nature’s rights. Today, more than a dozen countries have such laws on the books, including Ecuador, Panama, Spain, New Zealand, Brazil, Colombia and Uganda. But few countries have taken steps to enforce the laws. 

The advocacy group Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature created the tribunal to showcase how a legal system recognizing nature’s rights might work. Past hearings have taken on cases like the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, lithium mining in Chile’s Atacama Desert and the impact of free trade agreements on the environment. In each case, “defendant” companies and governments are invited to participate but generally decline to do so. Though the rulings are nonbinding, the tribunal’s website says its work pressures governments by drawing international attention to issues. 

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Meanwhile at Trump’s mini rally in Asheville. Best photo of the new billboard truck yet! Please help us fund the truck! Doug did great! Chip in https://maddogpac.com/products/quick-donate-1

* * * *

Republicans say, “It’s the economy, stupid” . . . unless the economy is strong, then it’s “Look, there goes Elvis!”

August 15, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

I hurt my jaw on Wednesday. I was listening to MSNBC report on the drop in inflation below 3% when the news anchor asked an “expert” how the positive economic news would affect the election. With no sense of irony or memory, the “expert” said, “Well, of course, the election won’t be decided on the economy.”

My jaw hit the floor so quickly that I nearly chipped a tooth. Remember that time—for the last year-and-half—when political pundits told us that voters cared about inflation more than democracy itself?

Now that inflation is at the lowest level in the last three years, pundits are telling us that the economy doesn’t matter—or that the good news about inflation is actually bad news for Kamala Harris. See, e.g., Politico, Inflation is easing. Now, Harris has an even bigger problem with the economy. (Per Politico, the economy faces a possible recession—which is what economists have been predicting for the last year-and-half.)

To President Biden’s credit, he called out the media’s insistence on spinning all economic news as unfavorable. At an event at the White House, a reporter shouted a question, “Did the US beat inflation, Mr. President.” Biden responded,

Yes, yes, yes. I told you we were going to have a soft landing [and]we’re going to have a soft landing. My policies are working. Start writing it that way.” See President Biden on Easing Inflation: "My Policies Are Working" | C-SPAN.org.

But the press has no interest in reporting on a positive economic story. Kamala Harris announced that she would give a speech on Friday outlining her economic policies. The New York Times didn’t wait for the speech to give it a negative review, posting the headline Harris Is Set to Lay Out an Economic Message Light on Detail.

Per the Times,

In her speech, according to those familiar with her plans, Ms. Harris will call for expanding the child tax credit, along with higher taxes on corporations and high earners, in line with Mr. Biden’s budget proposals in office. She will also push for more affordable housing, among other measures. In her campaign, Ms. Harris has already called for raising the minimum wage and providing paid leave for workers. She has defended the independence of the Federal Reserve.

Other outlets reported that Kamala Harris will also introduce “anti-price gouging” legislation to prevent corporations from using inflation as an excuse to raise grocery prices faster than justified by cost increases. See The Guardian, Kamala Harris economic plan to focus on groceries, housing and healthcare

Hmm. Sounds specific to me. Perhaps if the Times had waited for the speech before declaring it was “light on details,” it would have had a firmer basis for its critique.

By comparison, when Trump gave a rambling speech on Wednesday that was billed as setting forth his “vision for the economy,” he descended into name-calling, conspiracy-mongering, and crowd-sizing. The Times’ headline was Trump Lobs Personal Attacks Against Harris in Economy-Focused Speech.

The Times summarized Trump's economic plans as follows:

During his speech, Mr. Trump vowed that he would end “costly, job-killing” regulations in order to bring prices down, though he did not specify which regulations. He promised to address housing costs by opening large tracts of federal land for development, imposing tariffs of up to 20 percent on America’s trading partners and expanding signature tax cuts he pushed while in the White House. He also said that his chief tool to fight rising prices would be boosting oil and gas production, even as the U.S. is currently producing significantly more crude oil today than it did under the Trump administration.

So, Trump's “economic” policy is (1) “Drill baby, drill,” (2) cut taxes for the wealthy, (3) reduce federal regulation, and (4) allow private developers to use federal land to build homes. Now that sounds “light on details,” no?

Ah, well! We aren’t going to fix the broken press before November. But the general acknowledgment that the media is broken is widespread and accepted as truth. See Jonathan Chait in NYMagazine, The Media’s Double Standard Favors Trump, Not Harris.

Per Chait,

If Harris avoids any substantive commitments by September and the media aren’t making a big issue out of it, I’d be surprised. Meanwhile, Donald Trump very much is skating by without serious policy commitments. He floated the idea of repealing Obamacare, then backed away, and is continuing to vaguely promise to make health care better for everybody without anybody paying for it. He has made positive noises about cutting retirement programs without specifying how. He is secretly promising huge tax cuts to wealthy donors, while saying he would “be okay” with setting the corporate tax rate just one point lower. The media are reporting on some of these questions . . . but most of Trump’s issue evasions have disappeared from the news, and the press has had almost no ability to force him to take a stand on any issue he prefers not to talk about. Harris, at least, is supposed to be working on an agenda. Trump won’t get more specific until he wins.

So, as the media whines about Kamala Harris's lack of a full-blown policy portfolio three weeks after entering the presidential race, it has failed to hold Trump to specifics on his grandiose, illusory promises.

One final note: Trump is touting “No taxes on Social Security.” Without regard to the merits of that proposal, Democrats introduced a bill in 2022 to eliminate taxes on Social Security. See Pensions & Investments, (1/31/2024), Bill reintroduced to eliminate federal taxes on Social Security benefits, extend solvency. (“Originally introduced in August 2022, the bill would repeal the taxation of Social Security benefits starting in 2025.”)

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]

[beardedmrbean]

CHANCAY, Peru (AP) — On the edge of Peru’s coastal desert, a remote fishing town where a third of all residents have no running water is being transformed into a huge deep-water port to cash in on the inexorable rise of Chinese interest in resource-rich South America.

The megaport of Chancay, a $1.3 billion project majority-owned by the Chinese shipping giant Cosco, is turning this outpost of bobbing fishing boats into an important node of the global economy.

From the presidential palace in Lima, 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of the port inauguration ceremony, China’s President Xi Jinping watched a livestream of the ribbon-cutting alongside his Peruvian counterpart, Dina Boluarte, late Thursday.

The leaders' faces appeared on a giant screen in Chancay, where engineers in bright orange safety vests declared the port operational to the swell of string instruments. Chinese dancers with red dragon-costume heads seemingly burst out of nowhere to prance around the docking station as a crane lowered the first aluminum containers onto a berthed cargo ship.

“Considerable income and enormous job opportunities will be generated for Peru,” Xi said from Lima, where world leaders were preparing to gather for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. “This will generate tangible results for the people of the region.”

But the development — expected to encompass 15 quays and a large industrial park drawing more than $3.5 billion in investment over a decade — has met a skeptical response from impoverished villagers, who say it is depriving them of fishing waters and bringing no economic benefit to locals.

“Our fishing spots no longer exist here. They destroyed them,” said 78-year-old fisherman Julius Caesar — “like the emperor of Rome” — gesturing toward the dockside cranes. “I don't blame the Chinese for trying to mine this place for all it's worth. I blame our government for not protecting us.”

The Peruvian government hopes the port will become a strategic transshipment hub for the region, opening a new line connecting South America to Asia and speeding trade across the Pacific for Peru's blueberries, Brazil's soybeans and Chile's copper, among other exports.

Officials cite the port's potential to generate millions of dollars in revenues and turn coastal cities into so-called special economic zones with tax breaks to lure investment.

“We Peruvians are focused primarily on the well-being of Peruvians,” Foreign Minister Elmer Schialer told The Associated Press.

But many of Chancay's 60,000 residents are unconvinced. Fishermen returning to port with smaller catches complain that they have already lost out.

The dredging of the port — which sucked sediment from the seabed to create a shipping channel 17 meters (56 feet) deep — has ruined fish breeding grounds, locals said.

“I’ve been out in the water all day and I’m always needing to venture farther,” said Rafael Ávila, a 28-year-old fisherman with sand in his hair, returning to shore empty-handed and exhausted.

“This used to be enough,” he said, pointing at his painted dinghy. “Now I need a larger, more expensive boat to reach the fish."

To make extra cash, Ávila started offering occasional joyrides to selfie-taking visitors wanting to get a glimpse at the hulking Chinese ships.

With some of the world's largest container ships to berth at Chancay Port in January 2025, residents also fear the arrival of pollution and oil spills. In 2022, a botched tanker delivery at La Pampilla refinery nearby sent thousands of barrels of crude oil spilling into Peru's famously biodiverse waters, killing countless fish and putting legions of fishermen out of work.

Today a glance at the moribund town center, featuring mostly empty seafood restaurants, tells the story of diminished fishing stocks and decimated tourism even without the port being operational.

The port's breakwater changed the currents and destroyed good surfing conditions, locals said, affecting everyone from ice vendors to truckers to restaurant owners. “No to the megaport” is spray-painted on a wall overlooking the waterfront.

“This port is a monster that's come here to screw us,” said 40-year-old Rosa Collantes, cleaning and gutting slimy drum fish on the shore. “People come to the port and they say ‘Wow, tremendous!' but they don't see the reality.”

Port authorities say they're aware of the stark contrast between the sleek modern port and the surrounding village of Chancay, where many live on unpaved roads lined with ragged shacks and littered with trash.

“You cannot build a state-of-the-art port and have a city next to it that has no drinking water, no sewage, a collapsing hospital and no educational centers,” said Mario de las Casas, a manager for Cosco in Chancay, adding that the company had already launched studies to determine how the port could help reduce inequality and spur local growth.

“The port should not be a blemish,” De las Casas said.

[materialsscienceandengineering]

A new way to make an important ingredient for plastics, adhesives, carpet fibers, household cleaners and more from natural gas could reduce manufacturing costs in a post-petroleum economy by millions of dollars, thanks to a new chemical reactor designed by University of Michigan engineers. The reactor creates propylene, a workhorse chemical that is also used to make a long list of industrial chemicals, including ingredients for nitrile rubber found in automotive hoses and seals as well as blue protective gloves. Most propylene used today comes from oil refineries, which collect it as a byproduct of refining crude oil into gasoline. As oil and gasoline fall out of vogue in favor of natural gas, solar, and wind energy, production of propylene and other oil-derived products could fall below the current demand without new ways to make them.

Read more.

[lukefics]

Hi! Can I request a fluffy/comfort Luke x Reader, where reader has just been going through a lot and Luke is there to have their back and make them feel better? Thanks!

The Storm Will Pass

Pairing: Luke Skywalker x GN! Reader

Summary: When the weight of the world becomes too much to bear, Luke is there to comfort you.

Warnings/Content: Mentions of blood/injury, minor bullying, alcohol, feelings of depression, strong language, angst ending in fluff, mutual pining.

A/N: my first request! be warned tho - it’s very long. also i apologise in advance for any unfamiliar slang, i’m scottish lmao. that being said i hope you enjoy, pls let me know what you think! <3

──────── ༻❁༺ ────────

It had felt like the entire universe had been against you recently - if such a thing was possible. It had been a busy couple of weeks for you and your rebel comrades, what with the Alliance moving its new base of operations to the ice planet of Hoth, you'd barely had a moment to breathe.

The transition to your new home, Echo Base, hadn’t been the most straightforward. Immediately upon arrival, there were issues; starfighters wouldn’t fire up due to the cold, equipment had gone missing in transit. Since then almost every day something had gone wrong, and as luck would have it - or rather lack thereof - today would be no different.

You were currently in the repair hangar perched on top of a Blue Squadron X-Wing trying to fix its faulty hyperdrive, your grey overalls and padded snow jacket covered in oil and grime. This was the third time this hyperdrive had packed in this week, and now the task of repairing it again had been assigned to you. You’d been at it all morning; removing parts, dismantling parts, putting them back together with your hypdrospanner or replacing them entirely, trying to get the ship back in full working order.

Your hands, which were gloveless as it was the only way you could reach and grab smaller components in tight spaces, were freezing which only made the job more difficult. Why High Command couldn't have chosen to establish their new headquarters on a planet with a tropical climate instead, you had no idea.

"You're still working on that hyperdrive, Y/L/N?" You looked down to the hangar floor to see the unimpressed face of the base’s Chief Technician glaring up at you.

You swallowed nervously and assured him, "I'm almost done, sir."

But that answer wasn't satisfactory, "Do you think if the Empire were to find this base they'd give us a fair chance and wait around until our ships were in working order before launching an attack? No - so get a move on!"

"Yes, sir." you nodded, your voice quiet and heart pounding.

Shaking his head as he stormed off, the older man left you to it. You sighed, returning to your work. Miserable git, you thought to yourself. He'd been getting on at you and the other technicians even more so than usual, probably because of the huge backlog of repairs yet to be done due to the missing equipment. Just a few days ago he'd called you 'useless' for being a minute late for your shift. You were exhausted from all the overtime you’d been doing recently, which was why you’d slept in, but that wasn’t a good enough excuse - he’d made that clear when he threatened you with disciplinary action if it happened again.

Knowing it'd only be a matter of time before he came back and gave you another earful, you quickened your pace, trying to get this hyperdrive fixed as soon as possible. However, just as you were going to install a new coupling, in your haste your hand grazed against the edge of some sharp metal inside the hyperdrive bay.

"Ah fuck!" you seethed as you dropped the coupling and clutched your injured hand, the gash across your palm beginning to bleed. Great, what next? Quickly grabbing a rag from inside your jacket pocket you crudely wrapped it around your hand, biting down hard on your bottom lip to stop yourself from emitting a very loud string of curse words, before climbing down the ship's ladder and going to find help.

Half an hour later you were sat on a bed in the base's med bay, your hand being tended to by one of the Alliance's medical droids. You zoned out on your boots and the sterile white floor beneath them as 2-1B finished stitching up your wound, occasionally wincing in pain when it hurt most. You couldn't believe you'd made such a rookie mistake. You were an experienced technician; in the Alliance long enough that you could probably take apart an X-Wing and put it back together with your eyes closed. You could only imagine the lecture you were going to receive from the Chief Techie about your carelessness, probably in the middle of the main hangar for everyone to witness.

But you could hardly focus on that. Sitting here, you could feel the exhaustion of the last few weeks washing over you, your mind drifting a million parsecs away. Being in the Alliance was always hard work - you had signed up for it - that wasn’t the problem. It was the frayed patience’s of your colleagues, the gruelling extra hours and being stuck on a frozen hellscape which didn’t help general morale one bit.

You were brought back to reality by 2-1B talking you through the aftercare of your wound and to return in a week to have your stitches removed. Thanking the medical droid for his aid, you hopped down from the bed and left the med bay, sighing quietly as you walked through Echo Base’s maze of underground tunnels.

༻❁༺

You couldn't return to duty until your hand had begun to heal so you retreated to your quarters for the rest of the evening. Your roommate was working a late shift which meant you had the room to yourself, a fact you were quite happy about as the last thing you wanted to do after today's events was socialise. You were laying there in your bunk reading a holobook absentmindedly when there was a knock at the door.

Getting out of your bunk and padding over to the entrance to your room, you worried about who it might be. Pressing the button to open it, the hydraulic door whooshed open to reveal your best friend Luke, still dressed in his orange flight suit, “Hey!”

Your eyes widened in both surprise and joy, “Luke!" you practically jumped into the boy’s arms, “I wasn’t expecting to see you till next week - when did you get back?”

“About five minutes ago. The mission was over sooner than planned.” Luke laughed, hugging you back. He was about to pull away but your arms around him didn’t loosen. You closed your eyes as an unexpected wave of emotions hit you, compelling you to hold him just that little bit longer. The pilot didn’t question it, he just rubbed your back comfortingly as the two of you continued to embrace.

Luke had been on a relief mission with his squadron to the Eriadu system for two weeks. It was always hard to watch him leave on long missions, being as close as you were, not knowing if you’d see him again. This time though, what with everything going on, it had been even harder, “I’m so glad you’re back.” you mumbled into his shoulder before finally letting him go.

“So am I,” Luke gave you that sweet smile which always made your heart flutter. However, his cheerful expression immediately changed to one of concern when he noticed your bandages, “Hold on, what happened to your hand?”

Taking your injured hand gently in his, you reassured him, “Oh, that? Stupid mistake while fixing an X-Wing today. Just a couple of stitches - I’ll live.”

“Still, must be painful,” Luke grimaced, “You sure you’re okay?”

You nodded, "It’s actually not that bad. Those medical droids patched me right up, and the painkillers I was given have been taking the edge off. If the pain gets worse, I can always take enough to completely knock myself out - then I won’t feel a thing.” you joked.

“Yeah, maybe don’t do that,” Luke chuckled, running his thumb over the back of your bandaged hand, his eyes softening, “I really missed you, Y/N.”

You pushed your emotions down into the pit of your stomach, giving him a wavering smile, “I missed you too.”

Carefully letting go of your hand, Luke gestured to the door, “The squad and some of the others on base are having a couple of drinks to celebrate the success of the mission. You’ll be joining us, right?”

Your smile had faltered almost completely, “I dunno, Luke. As much as I’d like to, I’m just not…feeling it tonight.”

You hoped your friend wouldn’t pick up that something else was wrong, but Luke knew you too well. He stepped forward again, “Are you sure there’s nothing else bothering you? You don’t seem…yourself?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Honest. I’m just tired…that-that’s all…” Before you could stop it from happening, a lone tear rolled down your cheek. Embarrassed, you quickly wiped it away and avoided eye contact with the boy in front of you.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong?” Luke moved closer, cupping your chin to encourage you to look up at him, the gentle act just making it harder not to completely fall apart.

“I’m-I’m sorry, I dunno where that came from," you managed to utter with a shaky voice as you waved your hand dismissively, "Just ignore me, I’m being an idiot.”

“No, you’re not. C’mon, sit down.” the pilot coaxed softly, bringing you over to the edge of your bed and sitting you down. You’d managed to stop more tears - for now. But the way Luke was looking at you, with those blue eyes filled with such care and concern, you knew you’d be struggling to keep them at bay. Sitting down beside you, he ran his hand up and down the side of your arm, “What’s going on?”

As much as you wanted to bottle it up and insist that you were fine, there wasn't much point. You knew that if you really didn’t want to go into detail, Luke would understand, but he was your best friend - he was the last person you'd want to lie to.

“It's nothing, it’s just…these last few weeks, as you know, have been so hectic. I think the stress is just getting to me a bit, that’s all.”

"You wanna talk about it? Only if you want to, of course." Luke asked. It never failed to amaze you just how kind the former farmboy was. His aunt, who he rarely talked about but from what you'd gathered from past conversations was like a mother to him, had done an outstanding job raising him, that was for sure.

You sighed quietly, “Well, the Chief Techie has been on my case, but that’s nothing new.”

Luke scoffed at the mention of his name, well aware of how he could be from the many stories you had told him, “Asshole.”

“Agreed,” you replied, “He’s been relentless recently. No matter what we do, or how fast we work, it’s not good enough for him. He had a go at me today for taking too long on a task. That’s how I made that mistake and injured myself - because I was rushing.” you looked down at your bandaged hand, “Still, I should have been more careful.”

“Are you being serious? Y/N, that’s not okay,” Luke stated, his voice stern, “I can mention this to Command, if you want?”

That brought an amused smile to your face, “Of course, I forget - you have the power to do that now, Commander Skywalker.” you emphasised the title of his new rank.

“I’m not looking for a power trip opportunity,” Luke rolled his eyes and nudged your arm, “I’m trying to look out for you.”

“I know you are, Luke,” you reached over and took his hand in your uninjured one, “And I’m grateful for that, but it’s not just him. I haven’t mentioned it before but…I’ve not been feeling like myself for a while now,” tears began to well in your eyes, “I’ve been trying to stay positive, brush it off as fatigue but, I dunno, I’ve just been feeling so…useless lately. Like I can’t do anything right. And after these last couple of weeks, I think I might be starting to believe it.”

Before you could stop it from happening, tears began to stream down your cheeks as you covered your mouth to silence a quiet sob.

“Hey, come here. Come here.” Luke said softly as he immediately moved closer and wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into him. Letting the floodgates open, you cried into the pilot's chest. Luke rested his chin on top of your head as he held you tightly, one hand rubbing your shoulder; the other gently combing through your hair, "You're not useless, Y/N. I've never met anyone more knowledgeable and hard-working as you - and I'm not just saying that because you're my friend. Please don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

You couldn't even respond due to your outpour of emotions so you just closed your eyes and sank further into him, his body warmth which radiated against you welcoming against the cold air of Echo Base. He smelled faintly of hyperfuel and standard-issue soap, and you knew that if you weren’t so upset you’d probably be blushing furiously at your close proximity. Your feelings towards Luke had grown from that of friendship to something more a while ago, and while you suspected he might feel the same, neither of you had dared to make a move out of fear of ruining the relationship you already had. You were fond of the farmboy’s company and the bond you shared, it was too precious a thing to risk losing. But that didn’t stop your gaze from falling to his lips when he spoke to you, or your heart from skipping a beat when you made him laugh and your mind from wandering; lost in tender thoughts about what could be. After a while, your tears began to cease.

"I’m so sorry, Luke. You’ve been back all of ten minutes and you've already had to deal with this.” you managed to say between stuttered breaths, fearing you'd made a complete fool of yourself and your friend uncomfortable.

“Don’t be silly, there’s no need to apologise. If anyone should, it’s me,” You looked up at him confused, “I’m sorry you’ve been going through this, Y/N. I want you to know that if you need someone to talk to, vent to, or cry to,” he reached over and gently wiped away the last remaining tears away from your reddened cheeks, “No matter what, even if I’m away on a mission, I’ll be at the other end of that comlink as soon as I can. I’ll be there for you - always.”

You smiled gratefully, “Thank you, Luke.”

Smiling back, the pilot hesitated slightly before leaning in and placing a kiss on your forehead, the loving act surprising you as he’d never done anything like that before. You looked at each other for a moment after. Neither of you said anything because you didn’t know what to say, but luckily you didn’t have to - what could be read in your eyes said more than enough. The two of you would talk about it later as the sound of Luke’s said comlink interrupted the silence.

“That’s Wedge wondering where I am.” Luke said as he started getting up, “You sure you won’t come along, even just for a bit?”

You thought about it for a moment, now feeling a hundred times better than you did the first time he’d asked, “You know what? I will actually," you smiled and put on your boots, "Only if Han's there, though. Is the Falcon still here?"

"Yeah, it was there when I walked through the main hangar, I don't think him and Chewie are leaving till the morning," Luke gave you a curious look as he helped you put your heavy snow jacket on when he noticed you struggling one-handed, "Why?"

"Because I need cheering up and he's great entertainment after a few drinks," you explained, "It's like he has a complete personality transplant!"

Luke laughed at your comment as the hydraulic door opened and the two of you left your quarters, "Don't let him hear you say that."

"Can’t make any promises, but I’ll try my best." you chuckled as Luke nudged your arm amusedly again, the two of you walking through the frozen corridors of Echo Base to meet up with the rest of your rebel comrades.

[tomorrowusa]

Ukraine is hitting Russia where it hurts – in its fossil fuel industry.

Ukrainian drones have attacked several oil refineries in Russia, hundreds of kilometres from the frontline in regions including Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod and Leningrad. The continuing attacks are part of a strategy to hurt Russia’s economy. The Ryazan oil refinery, Rosneft’s biggest refinery, was set ablaze, a regional governor said on Wednesday. It shut down two damaged primary oil refining units. Rosneft did not comment. The plant handles about 5.8% of Russia’s total refined crude, according to industry sources. A fire broke out at Norsi, Russia’s fourth-largest refinery, after a Ukrainian drone attack, Russian officials said on Tuesday. Its main crude distillation unit was damaged, which means that at least half of the refinery’s production is halted, according to industry sources. Norsi handles nearly 6% of Russia’s total refined crude. Before the latest drone attack, one of its two catalytic crackers had already been put out of action. The governor of the Leningrad region, Alexander Drozdenko, said a Ukrainian drone targeted the Kirishi refinery. It is one of the top two refineries in Russia, handling 6.4% of Russia’s capacity, according to industry sources. And the Novoshakhtinsk export oil refinery in Russia’s southern Rostov region had to suspend operations on Wednesday after a drone attack.

Russia's economy is about the same size as that of Italy which has maybe 40% as many people as Russia. And much of that economy is centered on fossil fuels. Putin and his oligarch buddies skim off graft to enrich themselves; those superyachts, palaces, and prime real estate properties abroad are all ultimately paid for by countries which import Russian oil and gas. Meanwhile, Russians outside the big cities live in poverty; imagine a 1920s standard of living but with censored internet and state TV.

Ukraine is doing the climate a big favor by indirectly encouraging importers of Russian fossil fuels to look for cleaner replacements.

Some other bits of good news for Ukraine...

EU agrees to €5 billion boost in Ukraine military aid

European Union member states agreed Wednesday to provide Ukraine with an additional  €5 billion ($5.5 billion) in military aid. Belgium, which holds the EU's rotating presidency, said ambassadors from the bloc's 27 nations had agreed "in principle" on the plan to support arms supplies to Kyiv in 2024.  The contribution of €5 billion will go on EU-managed fund called the European Peace Facility. The fund operates as a giant cashback scheme, giving EU members refunds for sending munitions to other countries. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called it a "powerful and timely demonstration of European unity."

White House announces $300 million military aid package for Ukraine

With new aid for Ukraine stalled in Congress since December, the White House on Tuesday announced it had cobbled together another $300 million in military assistance to use as a stopgap measure. "The package includes munitions and rounds to help Ukraine hold the line against Russia's brutal attacks for the next couple of weeks,” President Joe Biden said in a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the White House, adding, "we must act before it literally is too late.” National security adviser Jake Sullivan detailed the package at White House briefing, saying that the aid comes as Ukraine "does not have enough ammunition to fire back." "So today, on behalf of President Biden, I'm announcing an emergency package of security assistance of $300 million worth of weapons and equipment to address some of Ukraine's pressing needs," Sullivan said.

French National Assembly approves bilateral security agreement with Ukraine

The 10-year security pact with Ukraine includes commitments by Paris to deliver more arms, train soldiers and send up to 3 billion euros ($3.2 billion) in military aid to Ukraine in 2024. Macron has also adopted a tougher stance towards Russia, urging Ukraine's allies to urgently do more. He also did not rule out the presence of Western troops in Ukraine which has created a backlash among some Ukrainian officials had told Reuters they were worried that a vote not overwhelmingly in favour of Kyiv would be negative symbolically and could hurt President Emmanuel Macron's efforts to ramp up his country's support in the coming months.

AOC says Democrats must take advantage of ‘razor-thin’ House margin after Ken Buck steps down

In an unexpected Tuesday evening announcement, Mr Buck — a Republican from Colorado — said he would leave Congress next Friday, rather than retiring at the end of his term as originally planned. Afterwards, Republicans will hold just 218 seats out of 435 in the House, leaving Democrats one step closer to clinching the majority. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from New York and member of the progressive Squad, told The Independent her party must take advantage of Mr Buck’s early departure. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats “have to make sure that that we see that do the best we can to navigate how razor-thin the situation is.”

That last item is rather interesting. Ken Buck, a never-Trump Republican, is stepping down early. His seat in a deep red district will be vacant until late June when a special election is likely to take place. His departure will leave the House GOP (for now) with 218 seats – the bare minimum for a majority. This will make it easier for Democrats to persuade several remaining anti-Putin Republicans to defy Speaker "MAGA Mike" Johnson's wishes and support President Biden's aid package for Ukraine.

[mariacallous]

The growing strength of Chinese-Russian alignment—and how to counter it—is one of the major issues occupying Western strategic minds. It is commonly acknowledged that Beijing and Moscow have drawn closer together since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine in 2022, with China’s economic and technological support of crucial importance to Russia’s war efforts.

But there is still much debate over how strong the Sino-Russian relationship really is and what drives it. Mutual mistrust based on the two powers’ difficult history still runs deep, and it is uncertain how comfortable Moscow is with its growing dependency on China. Beijing, in turn, has been put in an awkward position vis-à-vis one of its largest trading partners, the European Union, by Russia’s war. Some Western strategists seem to hope that Sino-Russian disaffection could lead to a split reminiscent of the famous Sino-Soviet fracture in the 1960s and early 1970s.

It is therefore a useful exercise to assess the strength of the current Beijing-Moscow axis by comparing it to the Cold War’s Sino-Soviet alliance. Oct. 2 marks 75 years since the Soviet Union became the first country to recognize the newly founded People’s Republic of China and established diplomatic relations with the new regime. In December 1949, China’s paramount leader, Mao Zedong, traveled to Moscow for his first state visit abroad. The two-month visit culminated with Mao signing a 30-year friendship treaty with his Soviet counterpart, Joseph Stalin. However, this quasi-alliance only lasted about one decade. In 1961, Beijing officials denounced Soviet communism as the work of “traitors,” and an undeclared Sino-Soviet border war erupted in 1969. Later, in 1971, China switched sides by aligning with the United States.

A similar collapse of Sino-Russian ties and switch of alignment seems much less likely today. When Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted in March that Russia’s relationship with China was at its “best,” he was not expressing mere propaganda. It is actually true. Indeed, by comparing today’s Sino-Russian ties to the past Sino-Soviet alignment along five key factors—geopolitics, economics, ideology, leadership, and institutions—it becomes obvious that the Beijing-Moscow axis is stronger today on all accounts.

First and foremost, the Beijing-Moscow axis now rests on a more solid geopolitical foundation. Just like during the early Cold War, their adversarial relationship with the United States drives them together. But today, the two have less to fear from each other than during the Cold War. The strength and global reach of Soviet military power made it a potential security risk to Beijing all throughout the Cold War. Today, China is the more powerful partner, but its limited geographic reach makes it less of a threat to Russia. China is in no position to encircle Russia. In addition, Moscow knows that China will be preoccupied for the foreseeable future with its naval rivalry with the United States, which reduces Beijing’s willingness and ability to flex its muscles on land in Russia’s neighborhood.

Second, whereas Soviet economic and technical aid dominated the Sino-Soviet friendship phase, Beijing and Moscow have formed an economic relationship over the course of the past decade that builds on the complementary nature of their economies. Russia is now China’s largest source of crude oil and its second-largest source of natural gas (after Australia), while China is Russia’s largest source of imported technology. Beijing and Moscow have also agreed on enhanced cooperation in sectors such as satellite navigation, space, and atomic energy. There is no denying that Western sanctions on Russia are an obstacle to their trade relationship, but China and Russia are reportedly trying to skirt financial-sector sanctions by switching to a system of barter transactions to facilitate trade.

Third, ideology mattered during the Cold War. A shared belief in communism underpinned the Sino-Soviet alliance. Ideological differences then helped propel their split, with Mao highly critical of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev’s post-Stalin reforms. Today, ideology is simply a less intense factor in world politics. It still helps bind China and Russia together, with both authoritarian regimes concerned about the ability of Western ideas to undermine their political stability. But it is difficult to imagine ideological differences leading to a breakdown of Sino-Russian relations today.

Fourth, leadership matters in foreign policy, and the dialogue between the top leadership in Beijing and Moscow is much stronger today than it was during the Cold War. There was never a great deal of trust between Mao and his Soviet counterparts, Stalin and Khrushchev. For instance, Mao was angered by Stalin’s demands during the friendship treaty negotiations, and he intentionally humiliated Khrushchev during the Soviet leader’s visit to China in 1958. The contrast to today was underlined in 2018, when Putin became the first recipient of China’s friendship medal. One should probably not put too much value into Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping continuously referring to the other as close friends. More importantly, the two have met more than 40 times since 2012, when Xi became general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party.

Fifth, the institutional links between China and Russia are both wider and deeper today than during the Cold War. When China and the Soviet Union signed the friendship treaty in 1950, their respective communist parties had close ties going back to the early 1920s. However, those ties were not frictionless, and beyond them the scope of collaboration was limited to the Soviet experts dispatched to China in the 1950s to help it industrialize. In contrast, even though the current Sino-Russian relationship is still mainly top-down, there are strong links across a wide range of government agencies.

At the highest political level, China and Russia have established regular meetings between their presidents and prime ministers. They have also conducted 18 rounds of strategic security consultations at a high level, most recently in Moscow in 2023, and they run a number of other intergovernmental commissions and working groups. The military ties between the two are now arguably stronger than ever. Since China and Russia first participated in a military exercise together in 2003, they have conducted more than 100 joint military exercises involving land, air, sea, cyber, and paramilitary forces. This level of joint activity across their various services contributes to cement ties.

The current Sino-Russian relationship is not all top-down; it also consists of expanded people-to-people relations, including local initiatives, academic collaboration, student exchanges, and tourism. These links have now developed uninterrupted for more than three decades since the Cold War ended in 1991. Institutional and people-to-people links by themselves are not a driver of alignment, but they do inform the stability of a bilateral relationship.

Given that the United States managed to play the China card against the Soviet Union in the 1970s, it is tempting to explore the possibilities of weakening the current Chinese-Russian alignment. However, the relatively strong basis for Sino-Russian cooperation just discussed reduces the likelihood of a Cold War-type split.

It makes sense for the United States and Europe to pressure Beijing to reduce its support of Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine. But any endeavor to sway China away from Russia more broadly will most likely fail, as Beijing’s Russia policy is driven, above all, by its superpower rivalry with the United States. It would be like attempting to woo the Soviet Union away from China during the Cold War.

In theory, a wedge strategy has a better chance of success if it targets the weaker member of the partnership. During the Cold War, that was China; today, it is Russia. But despite Western sanctions, Russia is in a stronger position now than China was in the early 1970s. When Mao decided to align with Washington, his country had been economically isolated since the split with Moscow in the early 1960s and had recently fought a border war with the Soviet Union. The incentive for Beijing to strike a deal with Washington was, therefore, high and the cost to Washington was low.

Today, however, Russia is much more aligned with China and greatly benefits from its strong support. If Washington attempted to woo Moscow away from Beijing, the Russian leadership would drive a hard bargain to extract a high price that would likely come at great cost to European security. But even a sweet deal allowing Russia to enhance its position in Europe might not be enough to sway it away from China. Why should Moscow abandon its strong relationship with Beijing when it does not perceive China to be a serious threat to Russian security? Moscow knows that Beijing is preoccupied with Washington. Would Russia’s total defeat in Ukraine and possible collapse of its economy change the calculus for the Russian leadership? Perhaps, but China would likely be much keener than the United States and Europe to help Russia rebuild its economic and military power.

The United States was only able to play the China card against the Soviet Union because of the Sino-Soviet split one decade earlier, with Beijing perceiving Moscow as a considerable security threat. The Sino-Soviet alliance unraveled from within—and not because the United States applied outside pressure or offered an irresistible deal. While the Sino-Russian relationship is unlikely to ever be perfectly stable, it is difficult to see anything like the Sino-Soviet breakdown threatening their alignment. In stark contrast to the Cold War, the current Beijing-Moscow axis rests on a solid geopolitical foundation with strong economic ties, freedom from ideological friction, strong relations between the two countries’ leaders, and a well-established web of bilateral and institutional links.

[blakegopnik]

THE FRIDAY PIC shows a pair of little sculptures, under 10″ tall, from Natia Lemay’s new solo show at Yossi Milo gallery in Chelsea. I wrote a few words about these pieces for today’s New York Times, pasted at the bottom of this post.

But I didn’t have space to discuss how Lemay’s work reveals the complexities of any discussion of “native culture,” rather than taking the concept for granted. As I said in the Times, the format of Lemay’s carvings gives them links to totem poles — usually associated with First Nations of the West Coast. The soapstone they are carved from tends to evoke the Inuit and Eskimo peoples of the far north, and their vexed relationship with “fine-art sculpture” in the European sense. So what does it mean for a fine artist like Lemay, with roots among the Mi’kmaq of the East Coast, to call on those “foreign” traditions? Her pieces don’t answer that question, but they manage to raise it in powerful ways. 

And here’s my Times review:

Three tiny sculptures, each less than 10 inches tall, fill all the psychic room in Natia Lemay’s solo at Yossi Milo.

She stacks up miniature versions of banal furnishings — a chair, a sofa, a rocking horse — glued one on top of the other. Carved from soapstone, they copy the crude softwood miniatures that kids build from dollhouse kits.

Lemay was born into hardship in Toronto, with roots in African-Canadian culture and among the Mi’kmaq peoples of Canada’s East Coast. Her generic home goods seem to commemorate the rough years she spent moving between public housing, homeless shelters and low-end rentals. I think of her sculptures as “memory towers,” and their diminutive scale seems to concentrate their energies rather than diminish them. (Don’t memories always feel small — small enough to fit into a skull?)

Lemay links her towers to the Native art of the totem pole, which makes sense in terms of their form and mnemonic function.

The soapstone she uses, some of which came to her from her father, also recalls Indigenous crafts. Using that material to render the troubled urban world she has known, Lemay claims it as her continuing birthright. She reclaims it from the decades it has spent in the tourist trade.

There are also 20 oil paintings in Lemay’s show. To me, they accept the authority of the old master tradition rather than pushing back against it. But then, I feel that way about most recent painting. Lemay’s terrific little sculptures seem more like hand grenades, primed to blow a hole in our hierarchies. 

[mynewshq]

Nigerians tell Tinubu how to #EndBadGovernance

▪︎ Downsize cabinet, reduce cost of governance ▪︎ Fight corruption with all sincerity ▪︎ Stop crude oil theft ▪︎ Reverse harsh economic policies ▪︎ End culture of impunity ▪︎ Fight insecurity, boost agriculture ▪︎ Invest substantially in critical sectors ▪︎ Ensure justice, equity, rule of law ▪︎ Ensure electoral reforms The 10-day nationwide protest against hunger which kicked off on August 1 ends today but not without casualties. Nigerians who went on the streets across the country demanded an end to the hardship they were going through as a result of unfavourable government policies. They wanted an end to what they called bad governance. The protest was peaceful in the southern part of the country. But in the north, it was marked with violence resulting in the loss of lives and destruction of property and the governors of some northern states had no choice but to declare curfew to restrict movement and avert further chaos. The nationwide protest may have expired, leaving on its trail deaths and destruction. The protesters may have left the streets. But Nigerians have not stopped asking for an end to bad governance. They have continued to insist on having good governance in Nigeria. Eminent Nigerians including lawyers, activists, traditional rulers, academics and political leaders have therefore reflected on the 10-day national protest and agreed that the government must address the concerns of the protesters if we must have peace in the country. To have good governance, they were unanimous in their call for a reduction in the cost of governance and to revert to the old pump price of petroleum products. They also argued that there must be transparency and accountability in government activities and the government must be resolute in the fight against corruption. They want the government of Ahmed Bola Tinubu to downsize his cabinet of 42 ministers, hundreds of aides etc. They are outraged that the government has failed in the fight against crude oil theft which is ravaging the economy. The government’s failure is also manifest in the insecurity that has chased our farmers out of the farms, resulting in a high cost of food. The opulence of the elite especially those in government and those who have businesses with government is another source of concern that must be put to an end. The critical stakeholders of the Nigerian project also demanded electoral reforms and a return to the parliamentary system of government. Government must make substantial investments in critical sectors —Femi Aborisade, human right activist There’s an urgent need for the government to implement substantive reforms to restore public trust. The protests are a clear indication that the Nigerian people have had enough of the corruption, inefficiency and lack of accountability in government. Government must put an end to the culture of impunity. Government must improve public service delivery by making substantial investments in critical sectors like healthcare, education and infrastructure to meet the basic needs of citizens. More avenues should be created for citizens to engage with the government and provide input on policy decisions, as democracy requires meaningful public participation. We must eliminate manipulation and ensure the will of the people is reflected in the outcomes. ”New constitution will bring about good governance —Hon Peter Umoh, former federal lawmaker“ The Federal government should set up a Constituent Assembly to make a new constitution for Nigeria. Only a new constitution will bring about good governance in the country as amendment to the constitution has not moved the country forward despite the billions of naira spent by the National Assembly for such amendments over the years. When I was in the House of Representatives and the issue of constitution amendment came up I was the only member who spoke against it and I gave cogent reasons for that. I opted for a brand new constitution. Read the full article