#energy provision

[mindbodyhealth-blog]

Unlocking Optimal Health: The Crucial Role of a Balanced Diet in Your Daily Life

[sikfox-arts]

I am so normal about them

[blackcatanna]

Just played The Pale Beyond demo on Steam and it's everything I wanted in a naval exploration game! It's pretty much The Terror as a game EXCEPT WITH DOGGOS. They have the cutest little doggy faces. You can shake their little doggy paws and exchange meaningful looks and pet them as much as you want! They will most likely soon be in mortal peril but the demo doesn't get that far and there are promises of DOGLOOS to come! So, lots to love.

Of course, the doglings are great but there's a lot more going on. You have to manage your limited resources, including morale ("decorum"). You also have to build loyalty with individual expedition members and make difficult snap decisions and live (or die) with the consequences.

The TENSION, the DRAMA, the DELICATE CONVERSATIONS! Such joy! Finally, I can lead my own expedition to a terrible fate! To be fair, I felt pretty optimistic when the demo ended but I'm sure there'll be lots of potential trauma in the full game (released next week) and, honestly I am comparing it to the outcomes of Terror and Erebus so the bar for DISASTER is pretty high.

I love that it's mostly just me making dialogue choices. I can't go off and use my gamer skillz to hunt us some seals to survive. I have to DELEGATE. I enjoy making decisions, even though it feels shitty when I see that little red number showing how a character's respect for me is dropping because I've disagreed with their STUPID IDEA (or just said something stupid myself, more likely).

Anyway, I wanted to talk about this game because I only knew about it because I'm subscribed to Fellow Traveler's newsletter and thought other fans of the classic people-on-a-ship-having-a-horrible-time formula might enjoy fucking up their own expedition (and petting many doggy friends; seriously, the dog art in this game is top tier).

[deweybertolini]

An Exception? Or an Expectation?

In this PODCAST, two words jump off of the pages of Scripture at me. Perhaps they will for you as well. Thank you for listening, and for sharing this message!!! Please remember that depending upon your web browser and connection speed, it may take up to 60 seconds for this podcast to begin to play. God bless you richly as you listen.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau put forward a new regulation to limit bank overdraft fees. The CFPB pointed out that the average overdraft fee is $35 even though majority of overdrafts are under $26 and paid back with-in 3 days. The new regulation will push overdraft fees down to as little as $3 and not more than $14, saving the American public collectively 3.5 billion dollars a year.

The Environmental Protection Agency put forward a regulation to fine oil and gas companies for emitting methane. Methane is the second most abundant greenhouse gas, after CO2 and is responsible for 30% of the rise of global temperatures. This represents the first time the federal government has taxed a greenhouse gas. The EPA believes this rule will help reduce methane emissions by 80%

The Energy Department has awarded $104 million in grants to support clean energy projects at federal buildings, including solar panels at the Pentagon. The federal government is the biggest consumer of energy in the nation. The project is part Biden's goal of reducing the federal government's greenhouse gas emissions by 65% by 2030. The Energy Department estimates it'll save taxpayers $29 million in the first year alone and will have the same impact on emissions as taking over 23,000 gas powered cars off the road.

The Education Department has cancelled 5 billion more dollars of student loan debt. This will effect 74,000 more borrowers, this brings the total number of people who've had their student loan debt forgiven under Biden through different programs to 3.7 Million

U.S. Agency for International Development has launched a program to combat lead exposure in developing countries like South Africa and India. Lead kills 1.6 million people every year, more than malaria and AIDS put together.

Congressional Democrats have reached a deal with their Republican counter parts to revive the expanded the Child Tax Credit. The bill will benefit 16 million children in its first year and is expected to lift 400,000 children out of poverty in its first year. The proposed deal also has a housing provision that could see 200,000 new affordable rental units

[reasonsforhope]

"Governor Janet Mills announced that Maine has, two years ahead of time, surpassed its goal of installing 100,000 new heat pumps by 2025, a milestone that represents significant progress in reducing Maine’s reliance on heating oil, lowering heating costs, and curbing harmful carbon emissions.

To continue Maine’s momentum, Governor Mills also unveiled a new target: installing another 175,000 additional heat pumps in Maine by 2027, thereby bringing the number of heat pumps installed in Maine homes, businesses, and public buildings during her time in office to 275,000.

If this target is achieved, Maine would have more than 320,000 heat pumps in total installed across the state.

Heat pumps can be thought of as temperature recycling machines. They are filled with refrigerant fluid and contain a compressor, and they work by extracting excess heat and moving it around, either in or out of a house depending on whether it’s hot or cold.

It’s believed they work best in hot weather, but in February, Maine’s temperatures in some places plummeted during a cold snap to -60°F. Efficiency Maine, which aided in the state’s adoption of heat pumps by organizing rebates for customers under the provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, did a survey of owners they had helped the previous year.

Many of [the heat pump owners] reported they were comfortable and warm, and offered to bring up the fact that by February they had already saved hundreds of dollars on home heating systems, over boilers, gas furnaces, and heating oil.

“We are setting an example for the nation,” said Mills at the announcement event. ​“Our transition to heat pumps is… curbing our reliance on fossil fuels, and cutting costs for Maine families, all while making them more comfortable in their homes—a hat trick for our state.”

The transition began in 2019 with bipartisan support of the Legislature, when Governor Mills enacted laws setting ambitious targets for transitioning to renewable energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

-via Good News Network, July 31, 2023

[stellarsecrets86]

Groom(5129) In the Houses of the Groom Persona Chart

Other posts you might like:

Masterlist

[The house placement of the Groom asteroid in the groom pc will show where in life, as a husband, his focus as a husband will be most evident, and where within the marriage his role as a husband will be most impactful. Its aspects show how this energy interfaces with other parts of his persona chart to influence his approach to love, partnership, and shared goals.]

[PS: For entertainment purposes only. Have fun.💚]

💐💐💐💐💐💐-------------💐💐💐💐💐💐

1st House

Groom in the 1st house is indicative of the groom who assumes the character of a husband with the utmost pride and confidence, his identity being closely hooked to the role of the husband in the marriage; he sees himself as both a leader and protector in the relationship. He is likely to be very initiative-taking and make sure his partner feels valued and taken care of. However, his strong focus on a role might at times make him overly concerned with appearances or what people expect. An ideal partner for him likes his sense of responsibility yet encourages him to be a little vulnerable. This placement favors a groom who seeks shared growth and harmony in marriage.

2nd House

Groom in the 2nd house brings forth a groom desirous of stability, security, and material comfort in marriage. He is likely to be a dependable provider, working hard to build a solid foundation for his family. His approach to marriage is practical and grounded, emphasizing mutual respect and shared goals. However, he might sometimes equate love with material provision, overlooking emotional intimacy. His partner should remind him that emotional connection is just as vital. This placement suggests a marriage based on trust, mutual effort, and shared financial goals.

3rd House

Groom in the 3rd house shows a groom who wants to communicate, intellectually connect with, and share ideas in a marriage. He is sure to be articulate and a thoughtful partner, engaging his spouse in meaningful conversations and encouraging open dialogue. His ideal relationship thrives on mutual learning and intellectual growth. He might, at times, however, be given to overthinking his emotions or avoiding deep feelings and going into intellectual discussions. His partner needs to encourage him to strike a balance between logic and the expression of emotions. This placement promises a marriage based on mutual understanding and clarity in communication.

4th House

He is very attached to family and home when it is placed in the 4th house. He looks upon marriage as the starting point to establish a loving, secure home, primarily with the aim of maintaining a harmonious atmosphere and peaceful domestic life. He can be very caring and overprotective, wanting to let his partner stay in shelter for comfort. Yet at times, this may make him overly concerned with home life and wary of alterations. The partner needs to support his need for stability and build up flexibility. This placement suggests a groom who gets fulfillment from the emotional and familial aspects of marriage.

5th House

Groom in the 5th house points to a groom who would marry with passion, creativity, and a great belief in romance. He thrives on shared joy and seeks a partner who can bring excitement and spontaneity into the relationship. His marriage is likely to be filled with laughter, adventures, and romantic gestures. However, his need for constant excitement might at times override deeper emotional needs. His partner should try to get him to balance up the fun with deeper connection. This placement does indicate a groom who considers marriage a celebration of love and shared experiences.

6th House

In the 6th house indicates that this is a hardworking and dedicated groom who will try with all his might to be of practical service to his spouse. He values teamwork and tries to maintain a balance and order in marriage. His ideal relationship should be based on mutual support and sharing responsibilities. His perfectionism, however, may sometimes overwork or make him sacrifice too much of himself. His partner would need to remind him that he needs to take better care of his emotional needs and himself. This placement would show a groom who finds satisfaction in serving and supporting loved ones.

7th House

This placement can suggest that the groom views marriage as a partnership of equals. Groom in the 7th house is all about harmony, balance, and mutual respect in the relationship. He is looking for someone to complement him and one who believes in open communication and joint decision-making. He is very much a committed partner but at times might tend to avoid confrontations because he focuses too much on balance. His wife needs to be encouraging of frank discussions and emotional openness. This placement can indicate a groom who is at ease in relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

8th House

In the 8th house is indicative of a groom who desires deep emotional and physical intimacy within marriage. He is drawn to transformative experiences and seeks a partner who matches his intensity and depth. He needs trust, vulnerability, and emotional connection. Marriage for him is often a path to mutual growth and healing. His passion is the strength here, though it can turn possessive or emotionally turbulent at times. His partner needs to foster balance and frank communication. This placement indicates that the groom finds deep meaning in an emotional and spiritual connecting with his partner.

9th House

Groom in the 9th House: Being with an explorer, studying and growing with a life companion, and seeking or taking a spiritually growing road within marriage-these will provide the base for partnership to this kind of individual. He foresees love filled with travel and studying or with the discussion of world outlooks together. His union would involve exchanging culture or undertaking some spiritual voyage. At the same time, one should realize that too much idealism fosters restlessness and perhaps unreal views about marriage. The partner should keep him grounded, yet support his desire to learn and grow. This is the placement of a groom who enjoys shared adventure and mental stimulation.

10th House

Groom in the 10th house indicates that for the groom, marriage is a partnership in supporting his public image and life ambitions. He is ambitious and looks for a spouse that can support his vision and ambition. His approach to marriage is very practical and goal-oriented, always focusing on shared achievements. The same strength of his-namely, the focusing on external accomplishments-could at times shadow the emotional intimacy. The partner will help him strike a balance between his ambition and personal connection. This placement suggests a groom who looks at marriage as coming together of two people in building a legacy.

11th House

Groom in the 11th house indicates a groom who desires shared ideals, social connection, and community involvement with his marriage partner. He is drawn to partnerships that can facilitate change or contribute something to a higher purpose. His ideal spouse shares his vision for making a difference and supports his dreams. While his idealism is laudable, it may at times lead him to sacrifice personal needs for the greater good. His partner needs to encourage him to strike a balance between social aspirations and private connection. This placement promises a marriage based on shared values and mutual inspiration.

12th House

In the 12th house brings out the sensitivity of a groom emotionally and his spiritual approach to marriage. He searches for a partner who will understand his introspective nature and help him sail through his inner world. This could play a very significant role in his marriage, as deep-seated trust, forgiveness, and emotional healing could make a great impact on the self-realization of individuals. Very empathetic and sensitive, he may struggle to let his emotions be seen out in the open. His partner should create an environment of safety where vulnerability can be experienced and self-awareness nurtured. He sees this marriage as a spiritual journey-one filled with growth lessons and change.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Ending mass human deprivation and providing good lives for the whole world's population can be accomplished while at the same time achieving ecological objectives. This is demonstrated by a new study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and the London School of Economics and Political Science, recently published in World Development Perspectives. About 80% of humanity cannot access necessary goods and services and lives below the threshold for "decent living." Some narratives claim that addressing this problem will require massive economic growth on a global scale, multiplying existing output many times over, which would exacerbate climate change and ecological breakdown. The authors of the new study dispute this claim and argue that human development does not require such a dangerous approach. Reviewing recent empirical research, they find that ending mass deprivation and provisioning decent living standards for 8.5 billion people would require only 30% of current global resource and energy use, leaving a substantial surplus for additional consumption, public luxury, scientific advancement, and other social investments. This would ensure that everyone in the world has access to nutritious food, modern housing, high-quality health care, education, electricity, induction stoves, sanitation systems, clothing, washing machines, refrigerators, heating/cooling systems, computers, mobile phones, internet, and transport, and could also include universal access to recreational facilities, theaters, and other public goods. The authors argue that, to achieve such a future, strategies for development should not pursue capitalist growth and increased aggregate production as such but should rather increase the specific forms of production that are necessary to improve capabilities and meet human needs at a high standard, while ensuring universal access to key goods and services through public provisioning and decommodification. In the Global South, this requires using industrial policy to increase economic sovereignty, develop industrial capacity, and organize production around human well-being. At the same time, in high-income countries, less-necessary production (of things like mansions, SUVs, private jets and fast fashion) must be scaled down to enable faster decarbonization and to help bring resource use back within planetary boundaries, as degrowth scholarship holds.

July 25 2024

[kcrossvine-art]

hi friends! :D y'all voted and fought neck and neck for this SO- heres the first entry into our little cooking journey of J. R. R. Tolkeins fictional food for his fictional little guys he puts in fictional turmoils for our enjoyment and awe!

 Before we get started i wanna say i owe my heart to all the LotR fans who upkeep the wiki, debate the cannon, and create their own versions of the foods mentioned. Both because of my love for people who LOVE (passionate people)(passion about anything) and because my own knowledge of this series is a little dusty. I've never seen the movies but I did read the books growing up. I'll be learning and remembering things from a fairly newbie standpoint, so no worries if you yourself arent familiar with the series! (and if you are familiar, hopefully youll forgive me!)

We will be making Lembas ('waybread') today! If you've made your own version of this please feel free to share it, similarly if you have any ideas for what we make next!

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to Lembas?” YOU MIGHT ASKWell so the funny thing is we kinda dont know. At least not entirely? The elves are dicks like that. But heres what we'll be using in ours-

Butter

Self-rising flour

Granulated Sugar

Raisins

A small dried fruit of your choosing

Almonds OR Pecans

EGG

Whole Milk

Heavy Cream

And if you would like for dipping-

Blackberry jam

To the extent i understand this is kinda like hardtack from the bri'ish military, but a fantastical version of it that actually tastes really good. Hardtack was a military provision with the texture of a brick that took a long time to spoil and could be easily carried with soldiers. So the texture we're going for is super dense, packed full with nuts and fruits (haha just lik-), but perhaps not that dense. We want something closer to a dog biscuit than actual tack.

I remembered something about corn being mentioned, thankfully the wiki clarified that no actually the british just referred to any grain as corn back in the day. Thank Fuck! Although I would like to try a version of this using masa in the future.

AND, “what does Lembas taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASK

Took a few tries but eventually got it perfectly chewy and dense

The raisins cook-in like little beads of flavortown sweetness

Cant speak for other fruits but for dried apple it softened up nicely, kinda matching the raisins in the end

Im a big pecan slut, pecans fuck on anything especially here. Crumble them on top after you coat the dough with the egg-mixture for some visual appeal

Somewhat flakey outside

The jam was my idea, it was nice but might be too sweet for some tastes

Would pair very well with a kiwi flavored drink

Or mead

I can see why this would a travelling provision. Its both sugary (a good thing when expending energy) and filling (also a good thing when youre travelling) while not being overwhelming with flavor (if youre prone to motion sickness. Horse sickness? Do get motion sickness on horses?)

Its like how if you're going hiking you want a good mix of sugars and salts, to balance your intake of water.

. If you wanna make it like the illustrations or the movie, use a cookie cutter for either triangles or squares . If you don't have a cookie cutter, an apple cutter also works ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . try to keep the board you'll roll the dough out onto chilled before you use it, it seems better for the texture of the food though i dont entirely know why

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So from beginning to end, it took about an hour and half for the first attempt. Down to about 40 minutes for the second attempt. These are a real simple recipe because its not like a croissant where the margin for error is nonexistent. Middle-earth be damned my boy can work a grill.

I'd recommend storing in a tubberware container, but if you're deadset on using leaves please rinse and dry them first, and wrap the bread in either wax paper or saran wrap underneath. We dont have mallorn leaves in real life (as far as we know) but most salad greens should work, or as Marie Porter says (linked in the reblogs!) a banana leaf.

I really enjoyed the process of making this recipe, itd be really easy to batch-bake these en masse, and the process of eating said recipe. Like all jokes aside, i think this would be a great substitute for trailmix. Its not going to get smushed and even if it breaks a bit it wont affect the taste. It wont keep you fed for a whole day but pair it with some pickles or a salty snack and yeah itll keep your motor running.

I give this recipe a solid 10/10 (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) Let me know if you think I got something wrong, or if you ran into issues with the recipe. We're off to a strong start, lads!

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

6 TBSP butter, chilled

2 cups self-rising flour

1 TBSP granulated sugar

½ cup raisins

½ other dried fruit (strawberry slices, oranges, etc.), chopped

Handful of almonds or pecans, chopped

1 egg, well beaten

½ cup whole milk

4 TBSP heavy cream

Method:

Preheat your oven to 400 f.

Cut the butter into slivers/small pieces. With your hands, combine the butter into the flour in a mixing bowl until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Chop your dried nuts and dried fruit until it feels right.

Mix in the sugar, raisins, nut, and dried fruit of your choosing

In a seperate bowl, beat the egg until combined, and then mix in the milk until combined. Keep a bit of this mixture to brush the tops of the bread.

Stir while adding the egg/milk mixture and the heavy cream into the flour. Mix just until combined into a soft dough.

Knead the dough until firm on a floured surface.

Roll into a half inch thickness and cut with a square or leaf shaped cookie cutter. (...or in my case, an apple corer).

Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, with about an inch of space between each piece. Brush the tops of the lembas with some of the mixture you saved earlier.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until it turns a soft gold and the inside is chewy.

[narumi-gens]

yandere!morax/zhongli x adeptus gn!reader

morax finds you where he always does on the few occasions he allows you time to yourself, kneeling in the garden with your hands folded in your lap and your head respectfully tilted down. it's been only a few decades since he took you for his own, a self-reward of sorts for a still freshly won war.

and what are a few decades to the immortal?

he supposes you spend so much time here because the gardens are so wide and open that they make the high, stone walls that keep you caged within his grasp seem slightly smaller by perspective.

there's a soft, spring breeze in the air, which picks up for just a moment as he chooses to sit on the grass directly in front of you with his legs crossed before him and his wrists casually resting on his knees.

your head remains down and your eyes stay closed, choosing not to acknowledge his presence.

"have you not grown bored after spending so much time alone with nothing but your thoughts?" his deep voice and teasing tone shatter the garden's tranquility, yet still you refuse to look at him. "I'm happy to provide you with whatever book you would like. all you need to do is ask."

"my prayers keep me occupied."

it's a dangerous admission on your part. as liyue's archon, he hears every prayer his people make yet he's never once heard yours. which means that your prayers aren't to him.

but he'll indulge you and play your game – for now at least.

"what do you pray for?"

"for liberation." your answer isn't a surprise. what else could you pray for?

"oh? and to whom do you pray?"

finally, you open your eyes and lift your chin to meet his gaze. there's a hardness in them that reminds him of the jewels the people of liyue put so much time and effort into mining. even the warm, gentle wind and the smell of blooming flowers it brings are incapable of softening your demeanor.

"the archons."

any trace of amusement immediately vanishes as his eyes flash dangerously. his pupils morph into the slits of his true, draconic form.

"I am your archon."

he doesn't mention the contract you signed during the archon war in concert with the other adepti, agreeing to protect liyue. he doesn't need to.

although with your powers now sealed away through his own means, there's little protection that you would be able to provide should you ever actually be called upon to do so. the only part of the contract that still pertains to you as you are now, as he's made you now, is the provision accepting morax as liyue's archon.

it's a provision that he worded carefully in the specific contract he offered you, where you not only accepted him as the prime of adepti, but also swore eternal subservience to him as part of it.

"you are one archon," you remind him coldly, raising an eyebrow in challenge, daring him to contradict what is fact. "one of seven."

he offers you a patronizing smile in return.

"tell me, then. which of the remaining six do you think would be foolish enough to answer you?"

he only decides to humor you because he knows the answer is none of them. no archon would risk upsetting the peaceful but precarious balance they had just spent centuries, more than a millennium, fighting for.

and to break this unspoken contract amongst the seven in order to steal his greatest treasure right out from under him wouldn't just be foolish. it would be reckless.

but then his sight turns a pure, blood red that he hasn't experienced since the final days of the archon war. his fingers begin to elongate as they transform into claws. his horns make a grotesque cracking sound as they emerge from his skull. his teeth sharpen as he bares his fangs openly.

because a sudden divine energy has appeared between you and you open your clasped hands to reveal a glowing, teal-colored gem bearing a pair of spread wings.

"the god of freedom, it would seem."

[auspicioustidings]

Any version of Soap in any position of power would be soooo disgusting, calling IT Security reader at all times of the day and telling her that the speaker on his computer doesn’t work, while he’s clearly streaming some porno in the background 😭😭😭

You get it Lumi, he's a sick freak :) You also sent this while I happen to be working through 1k requests so bonus short for you <3

Back Chat

Words: 1k

CWs: non-con groping, just all around gross awful Soap

Sergeant John MacTavish was the reason you had poured over your contract for any get out clause that didn't cost you a fortune. You came up with nothing. The military had paid for a high end training course for you on the provision that if you left the role within 2 years then you had to pay every penny back.

Plus this job paid well and the benefits were great. You didn't even mind having gruff military personnel seeing fit to give you a bollocking over the phone because you would be following procedure whether they liked it or not and they could file a damn ticket if they wanted their issue looked at. Generally they were an OK bunch at heart, but rough around the edges and used to recruits eager to please them. When they realised your lack of any rank also excused you from being ordered around by anyone but your actual boss they usually mellowed out.

Of course you had made the mistake of chewing out one such gruff man after he called in a temper demanding that his laptop be fixed as a priority. Not even his work laptop, no he wanted his personal laptop fixed.

“Look MacTavish was it?”

“Sergeant MacTavish tae you.”

“No it isn't. I am not one of your soldiers. I work in IT for the military, your laptop is not military property so I'm not touching it. Use your big boy Sergeant wage and buy a new one.”

“Listen here ye wee bitch-”

You hung up on him and got on with your day right up until he physically showed up at your office on base. You handled IT for multiple bases, you had not considered that the person you had chewed out would actually work on this one. Oops.

He was a big motherfucker as well. Handsome. Crazy scary dog energy. Definitely not your usual soldier with his lack of uniform (unless jeans and a t-shirt that was so tight he was liable to tear out of it was uniform these days) and out of regulation haircut. You scrambled to try and stand but he was already looming over you in your chair, leaving you no space to do so as he settled his hands on the armrests and leaned over you to get into your face.

“I'll need tae settle for you then hen. Better make it good.”

“Excuse me?”

“The lassie on my laptop begs tae get it up the arse. Is a good girl for a thick cock pounding her tight cunt. Even when she's fucked oot her nut and ruined she still gags around a man down her throat and swallows like a proper bitch.”

You were flooded with fear and arousal. Nobody had ever spoken to you like that and you weren't entirely sure he was joking. He wouldn't actually do anything to you right? He was just being a dick because he wanted his laptop fixed. Just trying to intimidate you.

“And I bet she gets paid a lot more than me MacTavish, back off.”

Oh no. There was a feral gleam in his eye and a rabid grin that showed those sharp incisors. He clearly relished your response.

“Then I'll need to buy ye with, what was it? Right. My big boy Sergeant wage.”

He leaned in close and took a deep breath. Christ he was sniffing your currently greasy and messy hair. You hadn't showered in like 2 days, you were fucking IT, it wasn't like people usually came to physically see you in your little den.

“...I'll fix your fucking laptop oh my God just bring it by.”

“Atta girl” he all but panted into your ear before tugging at the lobe with his teeth and then fully tounging at your ear hole.

The sensation was truly the most awful thing you had ever felt. Your skin crawled and your body shivered uncomfortably as you tried to push him away from you. He chuckled and you choked on your own saliva as he firmly smacked your pussy before pulling away.

“I'll bring it right doon.”

You were left completely gobsmacked in your little office, your body hopped up on adrenaline and your cunt throbbing from the spank it had gotten and from the sick part of your mind that found the whole thing depraved and disgusting but sort of titillating.

When he brought the laptop back he hovered behind you while you worked on it, making you sweat. It was an easy enough fix and you sighed in relief and carefully avoided eye contact when you told him it was fixed.

“Ye’ll check it over, cannae be sending me away with a half done job.”

“You can see that it's working.”

He leant over, arms surrounding you so he could scroll over to open a video file. It was of a woman being railed hard from behind, drooling into the pillow and babbling for more. The wet squelch was disgusting, the man spitting down on her and smacking her already red ass.

“Speakers are fucked.”

You squirmed in your seat.

“I can hear it just fine.”

“Aye? What are ye hearing then?”

You remained silent, eyes fixed on the wall instead of on the screen. At least you were silent until he drew a yelp from you by groping one of your tits.

“Told ye, if ye cannae prove that it's fixed I'll need to settle for you. Bit shorter, softer and dirtier than my lassie mind, so got tae give it yer full effort.”

“I-It's working!”

“Prove it, what ye hearing?”

He made you replicate the whole script from each broken moan to the begging to the degrading. He was only satisfied when the whole video had run its course, by which time he had a hand on either tit, rough with how he groped and tugged.

“See now? Wisnae so hard to follow a Sergeant's orders was it?”

“No” you mumbled, crying out when he gripped your nipples through your shirt and twisted. “No Sergeant!”

He let go then, closing the lid of the laptop and standing with it to leave.

“Got an LT having trouble with his phone, he's naw as friendly as me though so best limit the back chat soldier.”

[eatmangoesnekkid]

I don’t have children. I haven’t worked an outside job since 2010. And I have had a weekly cleaner come into my home since I lived in Dunwoody Georgia in 2011. Black, Brown, and Poor women of any ethnicity are conditioned to believe that we have earn our rest and relaxation, earn any kind of support, or earn the right to travel. We were groomed from youth to be cogs in a wheel of this system, to believe that we have to do it all, and if we don’t, we are lazy. You have to kill that belief system from your psyche and bury it into the earth for composting. When you hold these kinds of “I must struggle” frequencies in your body, it is going to be difficult for the universe to provide provisions and support for you in the most magical ways. I know some women who can afford in-house help but won’t pay for it because of their own limiting beliefs and sense of achievement around laboring. I am not rolling in cash flow dough, but I have had a sense of freedom since I was in my 20s. Notice what beliefs are blocking your freedom and expansion, begin to bury them into the earth one by one, and free your energy accordingly. . —India Ame’ye, Author

[r0entgen]

"Why won't Venezuelans just address the blockade?"

If you're wondering why, read below.

Let me start by saying that I wrote this after I finished work, with less than three hours of sleep and a single meal in my body, so if you find any grammar mistakes, my apologies.

This is the comment that kickstarted this post. I believe I've mentioned this before, but when you're living in a country that weaponizes propaganda and hijacks every single media outlet, you have to master the fine arts of fact checking and cross-referencing. Which is exactly what we're going to do right now, addressing the claim that 40,000 Venezuelans have been killed by the US sanctions, and why We Won't Engage with You In This Particular Argument.

*Note: click the underlined text for links and sources.

In the paper Economic Sanctions as Collective Punishment: The Case of Venezuela by Mark Weisbrot and Jeffrey Sachs (who will be referred to as WS in this post), WS mention that between the years of 2017-2019, the economic sanctions caused a 31% increase in the general mortality rate in Venezuela, a number that they calculate may be of about 40,000 deaths. While they cite ENCOVI and a UN report from 2019 as the sources of this statistic, they clarify the following in the footnotes:

The ENCOVI 2018 survey has not been made public, the mortality statistic cited here is from the UN Report (2019).

As of this date, WS has not made public the data source for this estimate, and the UN report used as a source (Venezuela: Overview of Priority Humanitarian Needs, March 2019) is not publicly available.

So let's take a look at some sources that ARE publicly available.

The World Bank Group World Development Indicators registers at least a 30% increase in the infant mortality rate in Venezuela from the dates of 2013 to 2016. Similar numbers are reported in this paper, seeing a 40% increase in the infant mortality rate in Venezuela between the dates on 2008-2016. Here's an excerpt from the paper Impact of the 2017 Sanctions on Venezuela:

While different than other overall mortality rates, increases in infant mortality rates are generally interpretable as a preventable consequence of inadequate pre- and post-natal care for otherwise healthy but vulnerable infants. Thus, infant mortality is often recognized as a good proxy measure of the quality on overall public health provision.

What this tells us is that THERE HAS BEEN an increase in general mortality rate - one that started long before the 2017 sanctions.

However, this doesn't mean that in the periods of 2017-2019 there wasn't a high death toll. Let's look at another publicly available source.

The National Hospital Survey (2019) found that between November 2018 and February 2019, 1557 people died owing to the lack of supplies in hospitals [...]. 40 patients died as a result of the power outages in March 2019.

We see the first mention of a number in the 2019 Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Something interesting this report mentions is that 40 deaths were caused by the blackout in March 2019. A blackout that lasted 7 days and affected our 23 states.

The energy crisis which caused this nationwide blackout started in 2010. The Wikipedia article is a good summary, if a bit simple, of the events that led to and took place during and after the energy crisis (which affects us Venezuelans living in the country to this day)

Back to the UN Report. Something else this report indicates is the following:

In 2018, the Government registered 5,287 such killings, while the non-governmental organization Observatorio Venezolano de la Violencia reported at least 7,523 killings under this category. Between 1 January and 19 May 2019, the Government reported 1,569 killings for resistance to authority. The Observatorio Venezolano de la Violencia reported at least 2,124 such killings between January and May 2019. Information analysed by OHCHR suggests many of these killings may constitute extrajudicial executions.

[...] Six young men executed by the Special Action Forces (SEBIN) in reprisal for their role in anti-government protests in 2019.

This means that between the dates of 2018-2019, there have been approximately 9,647 deaths in the context of security operations - which includes Venezuelans that took part of the protests in 2019. Very similar to what we have been reporting since after the elections in July 28.

2017 to 2019 was one of the most difficult periods in Venezuelan history, marked by the sanctions imposed by Trump which affected oil export, access to diesel, and food and medicine imports. Some people argue that the economic recession in Venezuela was caused by the sanctions - failing to notice the negative trends in the years prior to these.

Bahar, Bustos, Morales and Santos (who will be referred to as BBMS in this post) conclude in their paper, Impact of the 2017 Sanctions on Venezuela, that while the sanctions had a negative effect in the oil production, "it is quite impossible to attribute the fall [...] to one single event (i.e., the sanctions), when many other confounding events were happening at the same time."

Oil production: Oil prices dropped during 2015, and oil production decreased as a result of lack of maintenance and investment.

Energy crisis: By 2009, when the energy crisis was first declared, the electrical grid had already been suffering from the lack of maintenance and investment since 1998. The Chávez administration distributed million dollar contracts [...] that enriched high officials of his government and the works were never built. [1] [2] [3]

Economic decline and hyper-inflation: Actions taken by the Chávez administration such as expropriation and price control, as well as the PDVSA purge in 2002 led the country to depend almost entirely on its already declining oil industry, causing shortages and price rises in common goods, food, medical supplies and so on. By 2015, 60% of the Venezuelan population was living in poverty. [1] [2] [3] [4]

From only these three points, we can establish a negative trend starting way before the first US Sanctions. Thus, we can conclude that by the time the devastating 2017-2019 sanctions took place, Venezuela was already deep in a state of generalized crisis.

WS conclude in their paper:

[...] One of the most important impacts of the sanctions is to lock Venezuela into a downward economic spiral. [...] An economic recovery could have already begun in the absence of economic sanctions.

While Bahar, Bustos, Morales and Santos declare:

[...] Our analysis finds insufficient evidence to conclude that they [sanctions] were responsible for the worsening of the socio-economic crisis. [...] The weight of evidence seems to indicate that, rather than being a result of US-imposed sanctions, much of the suffering and devastation in Venezuela has been, in line with most accounts, inflicted by those in power.

In conclusion - both papers seem to agree that the crisis in Venezuela started before 2017, but where WS claim that it worsened due to US sanctions, BBMS place a higher blame on the deterioration caused by the Venezuelan government.

Now, you may keep whichever analysis you prefer, but one thing we know for sure: the 40,000 Venezuelans that WS claimed died due to the sanctions cannot be found in any public report, while the death toll of protests and extrajudicial killings has been extensively reported.

Why is this relevant?

Contrary to what some people on this site would say, Venezuelans generally agree on the negative impacts of US-imposed sanctions (note: this poll accounts only for Venezuelans in Florida, as polls aren't often published inside Venezuela). However, the general consensus is that US-sanctions only added up to a crisis that had been building up since Chávez rose to power, and rather than the cause, it was yet another symptom.

Yes, the US is the Big Bad, but placing the blame solely on the sanctions only takes the responsibility away from the government and diverts the attention from the poor governance, rampaging corruption, violent repression and denialism that we've grown used to in the last 25 years.

So if you ask "why don't you address the blockade?", my response is: why don't you address the 9,647 extrajudicial killings, the 40 deaths caused by the energy crisis, the energy crisis itself, the economic decline, the lack of maintenance in the infrastructure, the violent repression, the forceful abductions and the censoring?

What we want you to understand is that when you center the US as the cause of the crisis, you are actively participating in our state-funded propaganda and knowingly turning a blind eye on the suffering of all Venezuelans. You are no better than imperialists - you ARE participating in imperialism.

Remember:

Last, but not least - be careful with your sources. This Venezuelanalysis article was written by Andreína Chávez, former editor-in-chief of TeleSUR, a government-funded news channel known for spreading Maduro propaganda. One of their most recent claims: dead Venezuelans are shown as having voted in the ballots shown in resultadosconvenezuela.com. Needless to say, this is false. This news portal is what some people would call, BIASED.

For more information, please read the amazing analysis written by @systhemes HERE.

A more direct response by @achillesmonochrome HERE.

For other sources, check HERE.

*Fellow Venezuelans, feel free to include anything I might have missed.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week

🦾 - High-Five for Bionic Hand

1. Houston-area school district announces free breakfast and lunch for students

Pasadena ISD students will be getting free breakfast and lunch for the 2023-24 school year, per an announcement on the district's social media pages.

The 2023-24 free lunch program is thanks to a Community Eligibility Provision grant the district applied for last year. The CEP, which is distributed by the Department of Agriculture, is specially geared toward providing free meals for low-income students.

2. Dolphin and her baby rescued after being trapped in pond for 2 years

A pair of dolphins that spent nearly two years stuck in a Louisiana pond system are back at sea thanks to the help of several agencies and volunteers.

According to the Audubon Nature Institute, wildlife observers believe the mother dolphin and her baby were pushed into the pond system near Grand Isle, Louisiana, during Hurricane Ida in late August 2021.

3. Studies show that putting solar panels over waterways could boost clean energy and conserve water. The first U.S. pilot project is getting underway in California.

Some 8,000 miles of federally owned canals snake across the United States, channeling water to replenish crops, fuel hydropower plants and supply drinking water to rural communities. In the future, these narrow waterways could serve an additional role: as hubs of solar energy generation.

4. Gene therapy eyedrops restored a boy's sight. Similar treatments could help millions

Antonio was born with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a rare genetic condition that causes blisters all over his body and in his eyes. But his skin improved when he joined a clinical trial to test the world’s first topical gene therapy.

The same therapy was applied to his eyes. Antonio, who’s been legally blind for much of his 14 years, can see again.

5. Scientists develop game-changing vaccine against Lyme disease ticks!

A major step in battling Lyme disease and other dangerous tick-borne viruses may have been taken as researchers announced they have developed a vaccine against the ticks themselves.

Rather than combatting the effects of the bacteria or microbe that causes Lyme disease, the vaccine targets the microbiota of the tick, according to a paper published in the journal Microbiota on Monday.

6. HIV Transmission Virtually Eliminated in Inner Sydney, Australia

Sydney may be the first city in the world to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Inner Sydney has reduced new HIV acquisitions by 88%, meaning it may be the first locality in the world to reach the UN target to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030

7. New bionic hand allows amputees to control each finger with unprecedented accuracy

In a world first, surgeons and engineers have developed a new bionic hand that allows users with arm amputations to effortlessly control each finger as though it was their own body.

Successful testing of the bionic hand has already been conducted on a patient who lost his arm above the elbow.

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That's it for this week :)

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Also don’t forget to reblog.

[crazylittlejester]

I keep imagining the Chain's reaction to Legend's new quest, and now you must hear about it.

Like first off- their sadness that Legend has to leave them for ANOTHER quest, making him have 8 quests including the one they're on now. They send him off with provisions, plenty of potions, hugs, wishes of good luck, and tidbits of advice.

Then, he gets back to the Chain. And they're all worried about the new trauma that comes with adventures, but instead, he seems- fine? More than willing to fight? Very energetic- as though he has a lot of pent-up energy that he hasn't gotten the chance to let out through fighting or running around in a very long time.

Of course they all want to know what happened. They want to ask Legend all about his quest. They want to figure out what exactly made him change in these little, (possibly positive?) ways. But they don't know how to ask without seeming insensitive or accidentally triggering whatever horrible memories Legend is hiding from them.

Legend isn't saying anything because nobody asked.

Then one evening, during a chill night around the fire, the topic of everyone's princesses is brought up.. mainly the fact that many if not all (I don't know all the games' lore in that regard) of the heroes had saved their Zelda at one point or another.

Wind asks Legend if he had to save Fable again in the last quest.

And Legend

Goes

Quiet.

He's covering his face with one hand, hunched over himself, and shaking. The others immediately try to backtrack and tell him that he doesn't have to share anything until he's ready, but Legend just holds up a hand, silencing them.

And he starts to laugh.

Everyone is confused, and it takes a good 5 minutes before Ledge stops laughing.

"I didn't save Fable on my quest. It wasn't even my quest!"

"What?? Whose was it?!"

"Fable's! She had to save me!"

i’m obsessed with this actually

[beaulesbian]

i'm probably pointing out obvious & what was said times and times again with luffy's connection to healing by food, but with the new chapter seeing how luffy literally took the food - especially meat - to get new strength - and how quickly it made for him possible to go back into gear 5,

i couldn't help but thought back to thriller bark - where luffy brought a whole barrel of drink to zoro, maybe thinking it could heal him immediately, like food heals him.

in the next day after the fight with moria, luffy is shown eating cheese but getting not enough strength from it:

(there's also interesting point to make here, that despite zoro taking luffy's pain/fatigue away, he couldn't take his hunger away, (ofc they're all hungry since it probably was some time since eating before that, but it's always a bit different with luffy's levels of hunger. as usopp points out - luffy is full of energy, but he's still so hungry like after every fight. despite all other signs of fight aren't really there..))

then, luffy learns that zoro still isn't up and from chopper in how bad of a condition zoro's actually in:

once the feast is in full swing, luffy isn't shown to be eating, but rather he brings the booze in the barrel to zoro to get better - because he's thinking it could magically and instantly heal him, like food heals luffy

side note - after rereading this now, the last few chapters luffy isn't shown even being near food or holding any drink, he hangs around brook and the piano, and learns about his connection to laboon, but even with sanji cooking just behind him, the ones who are mostly shown celebrating with food are franky, usopp, chopper, nami and the rest of the survivors

and it isn't until the very end, when they're all together back on sunny, and with zoro up, that they celebrate brook joining the crew properly with a toast:

---

of course, luffy healing from food isn't anything new. it just made me think about this from the recent chapter because it's the first arc i'm reading weekly, but also the intention of luffy knowing how fast the food will help him is nice to read.

previously the food was important for him usually after battles, or someone gave it to him, or it almost cost his life when he couldn't eat on time -

like whole cake island, it worked instantly

and now on egghead twice already too:

with the giant's helpful provisions lol

so in some way i feel it might have worked with zoro on thriller bark too, to a certain point - with the way they both woke up on wano & respectively yelled for booze and meat - that might have been the thought that luffy knew they were kind of similar - stubborn and simple in what they needed to heal.