#enriching the weapons manufacturer

[inspectorspacetimerevisited]

As it turned out, the crusaders were part of the military-industrial complex,

cogs in the machine that was simply helping control human population across the cosmos and generating money for HieroRelm.

[mariacallous]

In the old ranchlands of South Texas, dormant uranium mines are coming back online. A collection of new ones hope to start production soon, extracting radioactive fuel from the region’s shallow aquifers. Many more may follow.

These mines are the leading edge of what government and industry leaders in Texas hope will be a nuclear renaissance, as America’s latent nuclear sector begins to stir again.

Texas is currently developing a host of high-tech industries that require enormous amounts of electricity, from cryptocurrency mines and artificial intelligence to hydrogen production and seawater desalination. Now, powerful interests in the state are pushing to power it with next-generation nuclear reactors.

“We can make Texas the nuclear capital of the world,” said Reed Clay, president of the Texas Nuclear Alliance, former chief operating officer for Texas governor Greg Abbott’s office and former senior counsel to the Texas Office of the Attorney General. “There’s a huge opportunity.”

Clay owns a lobbying firm with heavyweight clients that include SpaceX, Dow Chemical, and the Texas Blockchain Council, among many others. He launched the Texas Nuclear Alliance in 2022 and formed the Texas Nuclear Caucus during the 2023 state legislative session to advance bills supportive of the nuclear industry.

The efforts come amid a national resurgence of interest in nuclear power, which can provide large amounts of energy without the carbon emissions that warm the planet. And it can do so with reliable consistency that wind and solar power generation lack. But it carries a small risk of catastrophic failure and requires uranium from mines that can threaten rural aquifers.

In South Texas, groundwater management officials have fought for almost 15 years against a planned uranium mine. Administrative law judges have ruled in their favor twice, finding potential for groundwater contamination. But in both cases those judges were overruled by the state’s main environmental regulator, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Now local leaders fear mining at the site appears poised to begin soon as momentum gathers behind America’s nuclear resurgence.

In October, Google announced the purchase of six small nuclear reactors to power its data centers by 2035. Amazon did the same shortly thereafter, and Microsoft has said it will pay to restart the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania to power its facilities. Last month, President Joe Biden announced a goal to triple US nuclear capacity by 2050. American companies are racing to license and manufacture new models of nuclear reactors.

“It’s kind of an unprecedented time in nuclear,” said James Walker, a nuclear physicist and cofounder of New York-based NANO Nuclear Energy, a startup developing small-scale “microreactors” for commercial deployment around 2031.

The industry’s reemergence stems from two main causes, he said: towering tech industry energy demands and the war in Ukraine.

Previously, the US relied on enriched uranium from decommissioned Russian weapons to fuel its existing power plants and military vessels. When war interrupted that supply in 2022, American authorities urgently began to rekindle domestic uranium mining and enrichment.

“The Department of Energy at the moment is trying to build back a lot of the infrastructure that atrophied,” Walker said. “A lot of those uranium deposits in Texas have become very economical, which means a lot of investment will go back into those sites.”

In May, the White House created a working group to develop guidelines for deployment of new nuclear power projects. In June, the Department of Energy announced $900 million in funding for small, next-generation reactors. And in September it announced a $1.5 billion loan to restart a nuclear power plant in Michigan, which it called “a first-of-a-kind effort.”

“There’s an urgent desire to find zero-carbon energy sources that aren’t intermittent like renewables,” said Colin Leyden, Texas state director of the Environmental Defense Fund. “There aren’t a lot of options, and nuclear is one.”

Wind and solar will remain the cheapest energy sources, Leyden said, and a build-out of nuclear power would likely accelerate the retirement of coal plants.

The US hasn’t built a nuclear reactor in 30 years, spooked by a handful of disasters. In contrast, China has grown its nuclear power generation capacity almost 900 percent in the last 20 years, according to the World Nuclear Association, and currently has 30 reactors under construction.

Last year, Abbott ordered the state’s Public Utility Commission to produce a report “outlining how Texas will become the national leader in using advanced nuclear energy.” According to the report, which was issued in November, new nuclear reactors would most likely be built in ports and industrial complexes to power large industrial operations and enable further expansion.

“The Ports and their associated industries, like Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), carbon capture facilities, hydrogen facilities and cruise terminals, need additional generation sources,” the report said. Advanced nuclear reactors “offer Texas’ Ports a unique opportunity to enable continued growth.”

In the Permian Basin, the report said, reactors could power oil production as well as purification of oilfield wastewater “for useful purposes.” Or they could power clusters of data centers in Central and North Texas.

Already, Dow Chemical has announced plans to install four small reactors at its Seadrift plastics and chemical plant on a rural stretch of the middle Texas coast, which it calls the first grid-scale nuclear reactor for an industrial site in North America.

“I think the vast majority of these nuclear power plants are going to be for things like industrial use,” said Cyrus Reed, a longtime environmental lobbyist in the Texas Capitol and conservation director for the state’s Sierra Club chapter. “A lot of large industries have corporate goals of being low carbon or no carbon, so this could fill in a niche for them.”

The PUC report made seven recommendations for the creation of public entities, programs, and funds to support the development of a Texas nuclear industry. During next year’s state legislative session, legislators in the Nuclear Caucus will seek to make them law.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for energy investment in Texas,” said Stephen Perkins, Texas-based chief operating officer of the American Conservation Coalition, a conservative environmental policy group. “We’re really going to be pushing hard for [state legislators] to take that seriously.”

However, Texas won’t likely see its first new commercial reactor come online for at least five years. Before a build-out of power plants, there will be a boom at the uranium mines, as the US seeks to reestablish domestic production and enrichment of uranium for nuclear fuel.

Texas Uranium

Ted Long, a former commissioner of Goliad County, can see the power lines of an inactive uranium mine from his porch on an old family ranch in the rolling golden savannah of South Texas. For years the mine has been idle, waiting for depressed uranium markets to pick up.

There, an international mining company called Uranium Energy Corp. plans to mine 420 acres of the Evangeline Aquifer between depths of 45 and 404 feet, according to permitting documents. Long, a dealer of engine lubricants, gets his water from a well 120 feet deep that was drilled in 1993. He lives with his wife on property that’s been in her family since her great-grandfather emigrated from Germany.

“I’m worried for groundwater on this whole Gulf Coast,” Long said. “This isn’t the only place they’re wanting to do this.”

As a public official, Long fought the neighboring mine for years. But he found the process of engaging with Texas’ environmental regulator, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, to be time-consuming, expensive, and ultimately fruitless. Eventually, he concluded there was no point.

“There’s nothing I can do,” he said. “I guess I’ll have to look for some kind of system to clean the water up.”

The Goliad mine is the smallest of five sites in South Texas held by UEC, which is based in Corpus Christi. Another company, enCore Energy, started uranium production at two South Texas sites in 2023 and 2024, and hopes to bring four more online by 2027.

Uranium mining goes back decades in South Texas, but lately it’s been dormant. Between the 1970s and 1990s, a cluster of open pit mines harvested shallow uranium deposits at the surface. Many of those sites left a legacy of aquifer pollution.

TCEQ records show active cases of groundwater contaminated with uranium, radium, arsenic, and other pollutants from defunct uranium mines and tailing impoundment sites in Live Oak County at ExxonMobil’s Ray Point site, in Karnes County at Conoco-Phillips’ Conquista Project, and at Rio Grande Resources’ Panna Maria Uranium Recovery Facility.

All known shallow deposits of uranium in Texas have been mined. The deeper deposits aren’t accessed by traditional surface mining, but rather a process called in-situ mining, in which solvents are pumped underground into uranium-bearing aquifer formations. Adjacent wells suck back up the resulting slurry, from which uranium dust will be extracted.

Industry describes in-situ mining as safer and more environmentally friendly than surface mining. But some South Texas water managers and landowners are concerned.

”We’re talking about mining at the same elevation as people get their groundwater,” said Terrell Graham, a board member of the Goliad County Groundwater Conservation District, which has been fighting a proposed uranium mine for almost 15 years. “There isn’t another source of water for these residents.”

“It Was Rigged, a Setup”

On two occasions, the district has participated in lengthy hearings and won favorable rulings in Texas’ administrative courts supporting concerns over the safety of the permits. But both times, political appointees at the TCEQ rejected judges’ recommendations and issued the permits anyway.

“We’ve won two administrative proceedings,” Graham said. “It’s very expensive, and to have the TCEQ commissioners just overturn the decision seems nonsensical.”

The first time was in 2010. UEC was seeking initial permits for the Goliad mine, and the groundwater conservation district filed a technical challenge claiming that permits risked contamination of nearby aquifers.

The district hired lawyers and geological experts for a three-day hearing on the permit in Austin. Afterwards, an administrative law judge agreed with some of the district’s concerns. In a 147-page opinion issued in September 2010, an administrative law judge recommended further geological testing to determine whether certain underground faults could transmit fluids from the mining site into nearby drinking water sources.

“If the Commission determines that such remand is not feasible or desirable then the ALJ recommends that the Mine Application and the PAA-1 Application be denied,” the opinion said.

But the commissioners declined the judge’s recommendation. In an order issued March 2011, they determined that the proposed permits “impose terms and conditions reasonably necessary to protect fresh water from pollution.”

“The Commission determines that no remand is necessary,” the order said.

The TCEQ issued UEC’s permits, valid for 10 years. But by that time, a collapse in uranium prices had brought the sector to a standstill, so mining never commenced.

In 2021, the permits came up for renewal, and locals filed challenges again. But again, the same thing happened.

A nearby landowner named David Michaelsen organized a group of neighbors to hire a lawyer and challenge UEC’s permit to inject the radioactive waste product from its mine more than half a mile underground for permanent disposal.

“It’s not like I’m against industry or anything, but I don’t think this is a very safe spot,” said Michaelsen, former chief engineer at the Port of Corpus Christi, a heavy industrial hub on the South Texas Coast. He bought his 56 acres in Goliad County in 2018 to build an upscale ranch house and retire with his wife.

In hearings before an administrative law judge, he presented evidence showing that nearby faults and old oil well shafts posed a risk for the injected waste to travel into potable groundwater layers near the surface.

In a 103-page opinion issued April 2024, an administrative law judge agreed with many of Michaelsen’s challenges, including that “site-specific evidence here shows the potential for fluid movement from the injection zone.”

“The draft permit does not comply with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements,” wrote the administrative law judge, Katerina DeAngelo, a former assistant attorney general of Texas in the environmental protection division. She recommended “closer inspection of the local geology, more precise calculations of the [cone of influence], and a better assessment of the faults.”

Michaelsen thought he had won. But when the TCEQ commissioners took up the question several months later, again they rejected all of the judge’s findings.

In a 19-page order issued in September, the commission concluded that “faults within 2.5 miles of its proposed disposal wells are not sufficiently transmissive or vertically extensive to allow migration of hazardous constituents out of the injection zone.” The old nearby oil wells, the commission found, “are likely adequately plugged and will not provide a pathway for fluid movement.”

“UEC demonstrated the proposed disposal wells will prevent movement of fluids that would result in pollution” of an underground source of drinking water, said the order granting the injection disposal permits.

“I felt like it was rigged, a setup,” said Michaelsen, holding his 4-inch-thick binder of research and records from the case. “It was a canned decision.”

Another set of permit renewals remains before the Goliad mine can begin operation, and local authorities are fighting it too. In August, the Goliad County Commissioners Court passed a resolution against uranium mining in the county. The groundwater district is seeking to challenge the permits again in administrative court. And in November, the district sued TCEQ in Travis County District Court seeking to reverse the agency’s permit approvals.

Because of the lawsuit, a TCEQ spokesperson declined to answer questions about the Goliad County mine site, saying the agency doesn’t comment on pending litigation.

A final set of permits remains to be renewed before the mine can begin production. However, after years of frustrations, district leaders aren’t optimistic about their ability to influence the decision.

Only about 40 residences immediately surround the site of the Goliad mine, according to Art Dohmann, vice president of the Goliad County Groundwater Conservation District. Only they might be affected in the near term. But Dohmann, who has served on the groundwater district board for 23 years, worries that the uranium, radium, and arsenic churned up in the mining process will drift from the site as years go by.

“The groundwater moves. It’s a slow rate, but once that arsenic is liberated, it’s there forever,” Dohmann said. “In a generation, it’s going to affect the downstream areas.”

UEC did not respond to a request for comment.

Currently, the TCEQ is evaluating possibilities for expanding and incentivizing further uranium production in Texas. It’s following instruction given last year, when lawmakers with the Nuclear Caucus added an item to TCEQ’s biannual budget ordering a study of uranium resources to be produced for state lawmakers by December 2024, ahead of next year’s legislative session.

According to the budget item, “The report must include recommendations for legislative or regulatory changes and potential economic incentive programs to support the uranium mining industry in this state.”

[magmas-stuff]

Virtual Reality weapon: The Phantom Ruby

The Phantom Ruby is one of the coolest gizmos in the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. This post aims to analyze the properties and history it has demonstrated throughout the series.

Powers

The Phantom Ruby is a mysterious object that first came into Sonic’s world after a sudden dimensional breach in the atmosphere, bringing down with it the entirety of Angel Island and sparking interest from several parties. From the get go, this artifact already demonstrated an unprecedented amount of power the likes of which even Eggman sought to replicate (to varying success).

As Tails explains in Sonic Forces, the Phantom Ruby is able to feed false information to the brain and trap its victims in extremely lifelike illusions that can draw from their own thoughts and imagination. This includes Phantom Copies, which can look and act like pre-existing individuals, albeit without "souls."

Perhaps its most interesting property, however, is its ability to react to the sense of being and will of others. Paralleling the Chaos Emeralds' “power enriched by the heart,” it can be said that the Phantom Ruby possesses "power enriched by the mind." This is perhaps better demonstrated in Sonic Mania, where the Hard Boiled Heavies suffer radical changes to their appearance and mannerisms based on the minds of the animals powering them as a result of exposure to the Phantom Ruby.

This trait of the ruby is explored to its extreme in Sonic Channel's Otherworldly Comedy, where Dr. Eggman engulfs the planet in various illusions that reflect the people's own impression of themselves, erasing their memories and having them live out alternate lives and scenarios until then only possible in their dreams. This is done by utilizing a weapon still charged with the aftermath of the Phantom Ruby’s energy. The doctor also uses a modified leftover prototype to power himself up to a form akin to Super Sonic, being able to manifest alternate worlds in a whim and create Phantom Copies of creatures as powerful as Perfect Chaos, seemingly having no limitations in regards to energy consumption like Infinite did, although it's unclear to what extent this prototype was modified.

History

The Phantom Ruby's first chronological appearance, Sonic Mania, has Tails convince Sonic to go and check the unique energy signature detected in Angel Island that caused it to fall to the ocean. Dr. Eggman, who detected that very same signal, has also deployed his elite Eggrobo squad to retrieve its source. The Hard Boiled Heavies, granted new powers and greater freedom of thought by the Phantom Ruby, attempt to escape with it, and thus begins the adventure to prevent the gemstone from falling in the wrong hands.

After Sonic and friends, who are in possession of the seven Chaos Emeralds, wreck Eggman and his Phantom Egg, a mech designed to make use of the Phantom Ruby's energy, the group is taken to what appears to be a dimensional void created by the ruby. There, Super Sonic gets caught in the middle of the conflict between Eggman, riding his Klepto Mobile, and the Phantom King, who at this point has long since betrayed his maker, both fighting to get ahold of the gemstone. In the end, Sonic leaves victorious, being teleported to the future alongside the Phantom Ruby.

In the aftermath of this battle, the Phantom Ruby winds up in front of one of Eggman's facilities. The doctor begins to study it closely, learning how to make use of its abilities after his base is attacked by the Jackal Squad. He performs his first real test on Angel Island, creating copies of Pachacamac's village and Chaos, god of destruction. Seeing it in action, Robotnik deems the jewel even more powerful than the Master Emerald itself.

Beholding the Phantom Ruby's incredible power, Eggman aims to replicate it. In this pursuit, he manufactures various faulty prototypes in Mystic Jungle until he can finally perfect it, gifting the final product to the new leader of his army, Infinite.

Eventually, six months after taking over the world, Eggman orders Infinite to dispose of those prototypes, seeing as he had no need for such liabilities. The jackal does a poor job, however, leaving a few unattended. One in particular, the one he dropped while fighting Silver in Mystic Jungle, is discovered by the Avatar, whose heroism would prove enough to activate it.

At the climax of the Eggman War, Infinite uses his Phantom Ruby's power to summon an illusionary sun above the battlefield, aiming to wipe out all of the resistance. The Avatar manages to dissipate it, however, losing his own prototype in the process. Weakened from spending much of his energy to create that sun, Infinite tries to take on Sonic who, aided by the Avatar, beats the mercenary one final time. This causes him to lose control of his powers and be pulled into the Eggman Empire Fortress' decoy reactor, ultimately being consumed by the original Phantom Ruby.

After Infinite's defeat, Eggman reveals he has incorporated the Phantom Ruby into his new Death Egg Robot, claiming to have surpassed Infinite as the ultimate form. Just as the Phantom Egg before it, however, this mech is destroyed by Sonic, his classic self and the Avatar, ending the war and sending both the Phantom Ruby and Classic Sonic back to the past.

Classic Sonic, returning from the future after aiding the Resistance in winning the war, is still chasing after the Phantom Ruby. The gemstone falls into the hands of Heavy Magician, who uses it to reassemble her fellow Hard Boiled Heavies. Thus, Sonic is forced to go on his earlier adventure again, though this time accompanied by Mighty and Ray as well.

As Eggman's plan once again fails, he is sucked into a Phantom Ruby portal, presumably finding himself stuck in Egg Reverie Zone. This is the original Phantom Ruby's last appearance, leaving its fate ambiguous.

Meanwhile, back in the future, the modern Dr. Eggman has yet to give up on his Phantom Ruby exploits. Seeing as how he still had a weapon charged with Phantom Ruby energy, the doctor decides to put it to good use and begins another world conquering plot. By covering the entire planet with the Phantom Ruby's energy, he used what Tails calls "cognitive frictional energy" to generate extreme amounts of energy from the discrepancy between the world's original reality and the new reality overwriting it. By absorbing this resulting energy, Eggman created his ultimate weapon, the Egg Field, a mech capable of reshaping the world around it to erase all of his past failures.

Sonic manages to destroy the weapon by turning into Super Sonic, forcing Eggman to transform into "Super Eggman" by making use of his modified Phantom Ruby prototype. The doctor attempts to persuade Sonic by arguing that these fake scenarios cause harm to no one, but the hedgehog refutes this by saying that the thoughts of Earth's denizens should not be forced out of their minds, and to do that would be to inflict suffering upon the planet. Eggman also attempts to create a fake world tailored to Sonic's every whim, but he manages to see past it and defeat Robotnik, allowing things to return to normal, even if slowly due to how massive the scale of the illusions were.

Eggman, beneath the wreckage of Eggmanland, contemplates fixing his modified Phantom Ruby prototype and using it once more, but Infinite, who was briefly able to leave the Phantom Ruby during the whole event, snatches it from his hand. Initially seeking revenge, he instead accepts his fate as his body disappears once more, dropping the prototype into the lava.

Conclusion

And that was essentially my write-up of the Phantom Ruby! It's a topic I learned I really like, so I hope this was enjoyable to read.

[v-ividus]

26. The Algorithmic Trifecta of Desire: An Exploration of Hatred, Jealousy, and Fear in Modern Relationships

“Let it be considered that what is more wholesome than any particular belief is integrity of belief, and that to avoid looking into the support of any belief from a fear that it may turn out rotten is quite as immoral as it is disadvantageous.” — Charles Sanders Peirce

In our hyper-digital age, we conflate connection with intimacy, often mistaking the virtual for the visceral. It is here, amid curated profiles and algorithmic endorsements, that we cultivate a façade of relationships, stripped of authenticity. This deceitful proliferation of “likes” fosters an illusion that we are seen, yet what we truly long for remains unfulfilled. Each click brings us closer to a debilitating truth: in our pursuit of connection, we have become increasingly disconnected from the self and each other.

Moreover, this manufactured connection breeds resentment. The voyeuristic penchant for observing others’ lives through distorted lenses inflates envy as a countermeasure to feeling inadequate. When we measure our worth against the highlight reels of others, we propel ourselves into a cynical spiral, dominated by a crushing fear of irrelevance. The projected charm of digital companionship is shattered, revealing the isolated reality beneath—a sobering reminder that these fleeting interactions often mask profound alienation.

Within this context, the specter of jealousy lurks, ravaging our capacity for genuine affection. Instead of fostering enriching bonds, we find ourselves ensnared in a relentless competition for validation. Jealousy thus transforms relationships into zero-sum games, where camaraderie is sacrificed on the altar of ego—all while we cling to the illusion of authenticity. The irony lies in our refusal to introspect, ensnared by our own desires and competitive instincts, blind to the manner in which we wield these emotions as weapons against one another.

Yet, in the midst of this social pandemonium, the notion of integrity, as posited by Peirce, becomes paramount. Rather than shunning the complexities of our emotional landscapes, we must confront them with unwavering curiosity. The true moral tragedy is the avoidance of self-examination; by immersing ourselves in the shadows of our own psyche, we emerge into the light of understanding. Thus, only through rigorous introspection can we reclaim the realness stripped from our relationships.

To navigate the chaos of our digital interactions, we must begin to redefine what it means to connect. Authenticity stems not from superficial exchange but from vulnerability—the willingness to expose our innermost fears, desires, and flaws. Only then can we dismantle the false binary of connection and disconnection, replacing it with a more nuanced understanding of our interdependencies. It is through cultivating genuine connections that we can counteract the toxic trinity of hatred, jealousy, and fear.

Algorithms and the Erosion of Self

The sovereign algorithms that govern our online interactions are not mere code; they embody cultural attitudes that clandestinely surveil our desires, preferences, and insecurities. Marketing data is the new currency, allowing technology firms to capitalize upon our most primal instincts—our need for validation, acceptance, and recognition. Consequently, we surrender our autonomy to an electronic overseer, granting undue power to unseen forces that dictate our social landscape.

We, the unwitting participants in this grand experiment, negotiate our identities through algorithmic filters and curated personas. The result is a pernicious cycle: as we strive to attain the idealized versions of ourselves perpetuated by social media, we lose sight of our own uniqueness—trading authenticity for approval. Each scroll through carefully crafted feeds further entangles us in a web of expectations, solidifying our dependence on external validation, and entrenching us in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction.

In this algorithm-driven world, the concepts of fear and anxiety take on heightened significance. The ever-looming specter of being “cancelled” or “unfollowed” incites behavioral modifications, compelling individuals to mask their true selves in favor of a manufactured persona deemed socially acceptable. Herein lies the madness: our very identities become liabilities, susceptible to the whims of public opinion. In our avoidance of vulnerability, we instead cultivate a culture replete with superficial constructs disdained by the very emotions they seek to diminish.

However, it is through this struggle with identity that we may discover the power of self-reflection. Peirce’s assertion regarding integrity encourages us to not only scrutinize our beliefs but to challenge the underlying narratives that govern our online existence. By reclaiming agency over our emotional responses, we can reverse the effects of disordered attachment, embracing our imperfections as sources of strength rather than weaknesses.

Ultimately, the reclamation of self necessitates an awareness of our interconnection. To resist the hypnotic pull of algorithms, we must seek authenticity in our interactions, recognizing that it is vulnerability—and not an insatiable thirst for perfection—that binds us. Strength lies not in the dissociation from our emotions but in the courage to confront them.

Parasocial Relationships: A Complex Connection

In the modern milieu of social media, the emergence of parasocial relationships underscores the profound loneliness that underpins our existence. As we cultivate attachments to personas and influencers—individuals we may never genuinely know—we engage in a dance both enthralling and tragic. These relationships provide a semblance of connection, yet they are inherently one-sided, distorting our expectations of interpersonal dynamics and amplifying our sense of isolation.

The psychological ramifications of these detached attachments purport insidiousness. As we invest in the lives of others, we often neglect the deep work of self-connection. The simulation of camaraderie engenders a morbid fascination with the lives of others, while simultaneously reinforcing feelings of inadequacy. When our worth becomes intertwined with the perceived happiness of others, we are rendered vulnerable—not merely to jealousy but to existential despair.

On a macro level, these parasocial engagements exacerbate our discontent, feeding into cycles of comparison and competition. Rather than fostering authentic human connection, they further entrench disordered dependencies masquerading as relationships. Fear, jealousy, and resentment ebb and flow through our digital exchanges, often eclipsing the joy long sought through proximity—but unattainable in a digital realm governed by spectacle and artifice.

Yet, in recognizing these dynamics, there exists an untapped reservoir of potential for transformation. We must interrogate what drives our attraction to such relationships, confronting the void they expose within ourselves. The algorithmic stranglehold diminishes when we embrace our own complexities, seeking solace and companionship in tangible bonds rather than simulated affiliations.

Through this process of discovery, we cultivate deeper relationships forged upon honesty and reciprocity. By embracing vulnerability, we create spaces for authentic connection, mitigating the allure of parasocial attachment. Integrity of belief, as posited by Peirce, compels us to scrutinize our investments in these artificial bonds, urging a return to collective humanity. To navigate the tumult of emotional isolation, we must embrace emotional authenticity, welcoming others into our lives—not as performers in our spectacle, but as partners in a shared journey.

The Morality of Attachment and Desire

At the heart of our struggles with hatred, jealousy, and fear lies the foundational question of desire. In our quest for connection, we often find ourselves entrapped by the very emotions deciphering our interactions with others—perpetuating cycles of toxic relational dynamics that undermine our moral integrity. This moralistic platitude beckons scrutiny, compelling us to evaluate the values that govern our desires, which should operate in tandem but too often stand as adversaries.

Desire, when left unchecked, can lead to relational transgressions rooted in impulse rather than deliberate choice. Emotions coalesce, transforming desires into weapons used against one another. It is through this lens that we discern the ethical implications of our behaviors. We must acknowledge that our desires, while innate, require an ethical framework—a moral compass guiding us toward safer and healthier relational dynamics.

The digital era exacerbates this struggle, as social mores dissolve in the face of algorithmic pursuits. When our identities are intertwined with a cacophony of voices clamoring for attention, the morality of our desires is further diluted. We must interrogate the forces that shape our emotional responses, recognizing that unchecked desire serves as a breeding ground for ethical dissolution.

In awakening to this realization, we pave the way for introspection that challenges our underlying beliefs. The moral choice lies not merely in the pursuit of meaningful relationships but in the ongoing commitment to navigate the treacherous waters of desire with integrity. This process is not easy; it demands grappling with our own shadows as we confront our capacity for both love and hate.

Through this engagement with desire, we reclaim the power to redefine connection. The goal becomes not merely to satiate our yearning but to cultivate relationships that withstand scrutiny. In doing so, we must accept that love is embedded in our capacity for emotional exploration—where the morality of our desires intertwines inevitably with healthy relational dynamics.

Reimagining True Self

As we navigate the intricate landscape of modern relationships, it becomes vital to ground ourselves in a renewed commitment to authenticity and realness. Amid the chaos created by algorithms, parasocial connections, and the moral dilemmas associated with desire, we must shift our perspective—viewing these challenges not merely as barriers but as opportunities for growth.

Reclaiming authenticity demands that we confront the ways we have allowed external influences to shape our emotional landscapes. It requires peeling away curated identities to uncover the essence of who we are—flawed yet beautifully human beings yearning for genuine connection. Only through this introspective journey can we begin to dismantle the facades that have seeped into our relationships.

The responsibilities we bear in this endeavor are significant yet within reach. Embracing the integrity of our beliefs involves acknowledging the multifaceted nature of our identities and granting ourselves permission to express vulnerability without fear. This reclamation empowers us to engage in relationships with intention and depth, free from the burdens of societal expectations.

Moreover, restoring authenticity positions us as disruptors within corrupt societal norms. By fostering self-awareness and emotional honesty, we gradually illuminate the shadows of hate, jealousy, and fear that taint our interactions. We start to honor our complexities and those of others, nurturing connections that are rich and nuanced, ultimately guiding us toward meaningful relationships rooted in honesty.

Ultimately, the return to authenticity and realness is both solitary and collective. It beckons us to adopt an unwavering gaze toward the interplay of emotions that have shaped our lives while remaining committed to a vision of connectedness that thrives beyond the confines of digital interactions. We emerge transformed, reclaiming the power to foster relationships steeped in authenticity, integrity, and enduring value.

Conclusion

In this elaboration of psychological and sociological realities, we find a hauntingly relevant inquiry into our collective psyche. The trifecta of hatred, jealousy, and fear is omnipresent, consuming our potential for meaningful connection while veiling our true selves. The algorithms that shape our engagements only serve to exacerbate these internal and external conflicts, seducing us into emotional estrangement from ourselves and others.

It is vital to recognize that the keys to overcoming this crisis lie within us. By embracing introspection and confronting the complexities of our desires, we begin the arduous yet transformative journey towards authenticity. The moral implications of our choices will be inevitable, compelling us to cultivate connections guided by empathy and vulnerability.

Let us emerge from this psychological quagmire, empowered to forge relationships grounded in shared humanity. Adhering to Peirce’s call for integrity of belief, we are urged to confront the uncomfortable truths within ourselves—unearthing the moral clarity necessary to traverse the labyrinth of modern relationships with resilience and authenticity. Together, we can dismantle the corrosive forces that threaten our capacity for love, reclaiming the essence of what it means to connect genuinely in an ever-evolving social landscape.

[the-intellectual-journal]

Leila and The Wolves: Revolutionary Feminism and the Importance of Third Cinema

Image by Cinema of Women Presents

Leila and the Wolves created in 1984 by Lebanese filmmaker Heiny Srour follows the story of a young woman named Leila. Leila lives in London and can travel through different points of Middle Eastern history through the collective memory of women a part of the 20th-century Palestinian and Lebanese resistance movements. The film is framed through a radical and feminist lens and highlights the women central to the Palestinian liberation struggle, serving as a testimony to their revolutionary spirit.

Srour’s approach to the film's formal elements solidified her status as an innovative filmmaker — reflected through the film’s radical political commitments through challenging dominating structures of occupation and colonialism. The film reflects these commitments through Leila’s ability to travel through time and space. Leila’s power bridges the gap between the past and present, giving agency to the Arab women often erased in historical narratives. Srour employs Leila's ability to time travel offers a transformative approach to interconnecting various periods of a collective history — contributing to a richer and textured narrative.

At the beginning of the film, Leila is transported to the West Bank in the 1920s. While Leila is there, she witnesses a violent demonstration and the cruelty inflicted on the Palestinian people. She is shortly taken back to the present, and the brutal imagery remains etched in her memory. During a conversation with her partner, Leila questions why he exclusively selected photos of men in the exhibit showcasing the Palestinian struggle. 

He responds, claiming he doesn't recall any images featuring women and that they had no role in politics back then. This scene is juxtaposed moments later when Leila is transported back to the West Bank in the 1920s, and the viewer witnesses how the women resist colonial subjugation. The women are strategic in their resistance — flinging rocks and pouring boiling water at the unsuspecting colonial officers from the balcony. 

Film scholar Vivianne Saglier expands on this theme, “My argument navigates the tension between historical continuities and ruptures intrinsic to disenchantment by re-articulating the relationship between historical projects of decolonization and later decolonial feminist approaches, which materialize in Srour’s “post-Third-Worldist praxis”. 

Srour’s filmmaking style in Leila and the Wolves resonates with the principles of third cinema, which disrupts conventional American narratives. As mentioned by Saglier, “Srour’s cinema of liberation experiments with myth-based historiography to establish connections between distinct epistemic worlds across time, space, and gendered groups—what Lugones calls “world-travelling,” the realization and negotiation of the plurality of epistemic worlds that enrich the construction of collectivities” 

With this framework in mind, the spectator immerses themselves in the gendered collective memory of the Palestinian liberation struggle. These instances are witnessed through Leila, as she acts as the viewer's guide. The viewer can observe the women gathering to manufacture bullets out of old residue, strategically concealing weapons to bypass checkpoints, and taking up arms to resist the 1948 Deir-Yassin massacre. These acts of resistance reflect how Leila and the Wolves stand as a tribute to the revolutionary and feminist spirit of Arab women.

Leila’s ability to serve as a historical witness in combination with archive footage enables the viewer to tap into the collective memory and shared trauma of the Palestinian plight. The archive footage often shows the violence occurring on the front lines and the heartbreaking display of Palestinian refugee camps. 

While Srour's methodology enhances the depth and authenticity of the story, many Arab male filmmakers during Srour's time, often fell short in this respect. Srour comments on Arab men’s films such as Borhane Alaouie´’s Kafr Kassem (1968), Youssef Chahine’s Al-Asfour/The Sparrow (1972), or Tewfiq Saleh’s Al-Makhdu‘un/The Dupes (1973) often represented women in a one-dimensional perspective—typically relegating Palestinian women into symbolic representations that mirrored patriarchal narratives such as passive beings or the docile mother identity. 

Srour’s decision to integrate archive footage while displaying women’s political role in liberation struggles contrasts with this traditional narrative. This approach to storytelling not only adds a layer of historical context but underlines that the efforts and struggles of Arab women are not fictitious or symbolic representations but are grounded in historical authenticity. 

In doing so, the film paints a broader picture of the Palestinian liberation struggle and illustrates its feminist principles. In a world that often erases the contribution of women’s historical efforts, Leila and the Wolves is a groundbreaking form of media that commemorates the revolutionary commitments of women at the heart of the Palestinian liberation struggle.

Heiny Srour gives us more than just a story; she presents a lesson, a memory, and a call to not forget the sacrifices made by Arab women at the forefront of the Palestinian liberation movement. Although Leila and the Wolves was released nearly 40 years ago, the depiction shown in the film reflects the material reality of Palestinians today, from having to navigate checkpoints in their own land to being displaced from their homes to live the rest of their lives in refugee camps. Srour’s approach to storytelling is a reminder that the struggles of the past continue to echo in the present, urging the viewer to reflect on the challenges Palestinians face today.

Saglier, Viviane. "Decolonization, Disenchantment, and Arab Feminist Genealogies of Worldmaking." Feminist Media Histories, vol. 8, no. 1, 200.

[redfish-blu]

Gravel Gertie’s Orphanage: Danger Days

Don’t know if this will be interesting to anybody, but this is what an actual Gravel Gertie is:

I don’t know why every photo sucks, but it is “a type of bunker designed to provide containment during the nuclear weapons assembly process, when the plutonium or highly enriched uranium "pit" is mated with the high explosive components and wired into the electronics (the "physics package") of the warhead.” (Wikipedia)

Gravel Gertie was also a character in the Dick Tracy comic series appearing for the first time in 1944.  She has nothing to do with the manufacturing of nuclear weapons.  Though she was raised in an orphanage.

Conclusion?  I don’t know.  Gravel Gertie’s was first mentioned in Dr. Death Defying’s Listening Party (which I have never listened to), then on his twitter.  Coupled with what an actual Gravel Gertie is, it leads me to believe Gertie isn’t an actual person, rather the name of one or more zones orphanages.  But that’s just my perspective.  Bottom line: that’s an interesting name for an orphanage?

[hiddentrails7]

This took me longer than it should've tbh

I simply just. Like associating characters with songs and this is very Nero coded (with a bit of Weiss and a smidgen of Tsviets in general)

Hope you enjoy my ramblings of why I associate Nero (and somewhat Weiss) w/ Tiny Gods by Shayfer James

My crooked back

was built for teeth and claws

The bloody wrath

of Tiny Gods

Tear at me, tear at me

Until I'm tame

This is what I was manufactured for

The dirt, the dark, the art of war

Punish me, punish me, until I'm saved

Nero's “wings”, literally edged with blades?? Those “wings”, that were implanted into him via scientists, who DEFINITELY play God in Deepground.

UH?? THIS IS THE MOST NERO-CODED SET OF LYRICS I'VE EVER FUCKING READ

And of course, this applies to Weiss and the other Tsviets: though the first few not as literally. They're made to be weapons.

Then you have the last four lines, which could clearly go with the fact that Nero was experimented on. There are various restraints on his body to keep him tame.

[Chorus]

The night is mine, mine, mine

And I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

The night is mine, mine, mine

And I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

“The night is mine” could ofc refer to his darkness, but I'M more interested in “I will worship as I please”. Nero does this: he doesn't worship those scientists, he willingly worships Weiss (say that five times fast).

Then there's Weiss; who doesn't worship shit. He is the one being worshiped by the others of Deepground.

Guide me from this hell of hope

and bind me with your holy rope

Look at me, look at me

I'm nearly there

Cut me with your vicious tongue

Make me taste what I've become

The violence, the violence

The perfect prayer

While kinds looser in comparison to others, I think of their hunts. Nero and Weiss, as well as the other Tsviets, being set loose to do something… be it an incredibly violent activity, it's something they're used to. It's enriching, and better than being contained.

[The Chorus repeats twice, slowly becoming louder]

The repetitive, strengthening chorus is just ugh <3. The world is falling apart. I think of Nero in DoC, just doing everything he can to help Weiss. Nero has nothing else! If Weiss is struggling or unresponsive, Nero is likely freaking the fuck out– the world might as well be ending.

[And then the outcome is much softer in comparison]

The night is mine, mine, mine

And I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

I will worship as I please

Fuck the ending of Weiss and Nero in DoC pulled at my heart tbh. DoC is a fucking mess and I hope they handle it a little differently in a DoC remake or even in the future two main games but it's good to see Weiss and Nero in INTERmission. They've been shown really well so far and I am in love with them.

[libertariantaoist]

News Roundup 6/11/2023 | The Libertarian Institute

Here is your daily roundup of today's news:

News Roundup 6/11/2023

by Kyle Anzalone

US News 

A group of Republican senators on Thursday introduced a bill to repeal the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that was passed in the wake of the September 11th attacks and is still being used to justify wars today. AWC

Russia

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said Thursday that Russian forces repelled a Ukrainian attack in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast as Western media outlets are reporting Ukraine’s counteroffensive has officially begun. AWC

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev said Thursday that Ukraine was ready to sign a peace deal with Russia in the early days of the war but gave up on negotiations due to US pressure. AWC

Two recent reports have uncovered billions in trade between members of the North Atlantic alliance and Russia since the Kremlin ordered the invasion of Ukraine last year. The Institute

The Department of Defense announced on Friday it will purchase $2.1 billion in weapons for Ukraine, including munitions for Patriot and Hawk air defense systems. AWC

Stockholm plans to send a “signal to Russia” by allowing NATO troop deployments in Sweden before the country is admitted into the alliance, according to top officials. Turkey is holding up Sweden’s bid to join the bloc. AWC

As part of a “deepening” military partnership between Iran and Russia amid the war in Ukraine, US intelligence officials believe Tehran is assisting Moscow in building a drone manufacturing plant that may be operational next year, the White House said on Friday. American officials claim hundreds of Iranian drones were transported to Russia via the Caspian Sea last month. AWC

China

The Pentagon on Thursday dismissed a report from The Wall Street Journal that claimed Beijing and Havana have reached an agreement in principle on China establishing a secret spy facility in Cuba. AWC

The US, Japan, and Taiwan are preparing to share real-time data from naval surveillance drones in a move sure to anger China, Financial Times reported on Thursday. AWC

Middle East

According to a report from Middle East Eye, the US and Iran are near a deal that would reduce Iran’s uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief, although it’s not certain that a final agreement will be reached. AWC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Secretary of State Antony Blinken that no deal the US makes with Iran would prevent Israel from attacking the country over its nuclear program. The Institute

Read More

[kevinsreviewcatalogue]

Review: The Avengers (2012)

The Avengers (2012)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action throughout, and a mild drug reference

<Originally posted at https://kevinsreviewcatalogue.blogspot.com/2023/04/review-avengers-2012.html>

Score: 5 out of 5

Eleven years and dozens of movies and TV shows later, The Avengers still stands as arguably the greatest achievement of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Even more than its best standalone films like Guardians of the Galaxy and Black Panther, this was the movie that demonstrated what the "idea" of the MCU could produce and accomplish, a shared universe that brought together characters from different popular movies for a big crossover in which they all got a chance to shine as a team. Looking back, the legacy of the MCU on Hollywood as a whole has been mixed, such that it's increasingly come in for backlash in the last few years to the point where hating the series is no longer necessarily a contrarian take, the genuinely divisive reception to recent movies and shows in the franchise not helping its case. (I've been nicer to Marvel's recent output than most, and even I can't help but feel that there's a bit of malaise there.) Which makes it all the more impressive to see that, watching the original Avengers again with a group of kids who were either in diapers or not even born yet when it came out and experienced the series mostly through home video and streaming, it still absolutely holds up, and moreover, it reminded me of what Marvel's strengths were back in its 2010s imperial phase when it was firing on all cylinders. It's got an all-star cast, probably the best direction of Joss Whedon's career, and a use of continuity that enriches the experience for those who've seen the prior films in the franchise but doesn't detract from it if you haven't -- the secret sauce that, if you ask me, allowed the MCU to succeed for so long where other, similar attempts at big, modular franchises failed, and something that it's lost sight of recently. Once we're past the backlash phase and old enough to be nostalgic for the MCU (won't that be something), I think that this movie and "Phase One" more broadly will get its due once again.

The plot feels like it could've been lifted out of any number of Big Event crossovers from the comics. An alien race called the Chitauri, led by the Norse trickster god Loki (the Norse gods in this universe being aliens themselves) with a chip on his shoulder, is planning to invade Earth, and Nick Fury, director of the secret government agency S.H.I.E.L.D., has a plan to stop them: assemble a collection of exceptional individuals with unique skills to lead the fight. They include: Tony Stark, the egotistical billionaire CEO of a weapons manufacturer who built a suit of high-tech "Iron Man" powered armor to fight terrorists; Steve Rogers, the product of an American World War II scientific program to create a superior fighting man who wound up frozen in ice for decades and thawed out in the present day; Bruce Banner, a brilliant physicist who, thanks to an accident during an experiment with gamma radiation, developed a monstrous Jekyll-and-Hyde alter ego called the Hulk that comes out when he's angry or stressed; Thor, the Norse god of thunder seeking to stop his adoptive brother Loki's warpath and return him to Asgard for judgment; and Natasha Romanoff; a deadly spy codenamed "Black Widow" who defected from Russia and is now one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents. Unfortunately, Loki, using his own supernatural gifts, has seduced a number of humans to his own side, most notably Erik Selvig, a physicist who was researching an alien artifact called the Tesseract that Loki needs to open a portal to bring his army to Earth, and Clint Barton, another S.H.I.E.L.D. agent codenamed "Hawkeye" who knows his employer inside and out.

The underlying theme of most of the first two acts of this movie is a reflection of what people in real life, from critics to comic book fans to much of the movie's audience, were thinking in 2012: "can this actually work?" Can you do this kind of superhero team-up in the movies the way they do it in the comics? It's here where you see why Marvel producer Kevin Feige sought out Joss Whedon to write and direct this movie, and not just because he was already a geek media legend by then. Whedon's style has unfortunately been caricatured over the years as revolving around jokey, flippant dialogue, thanks in no small part to the many filmmakers and TV show runners who've tried to imitate it, and the man's own personal controversies in the last several years have made him an easy punching bag. That said, anybody who's watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, or Firefly knows that his real strength as a writer, the thing that separated him from the countless writers making jokey, flippant Shane Black ripoffs back in the '90s, was working with large ensemble casts in which there often wasn't a singular protagonist.

Whedon tackles the question of whether this will work head-on by making the real "arc" of the movie revolve less around stopping Loki than around having Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and the Incredible Hulk, the four marquee superheroes who each had their origin stories told in prior movies, learn to put aside their differences and work as a team. They each bring their own larger-than-life personalities to the table, and while Tony and Bruce hit it off immediately over their shared love of science, Tony's ego and gung-ho attitude clash with both Steve's Boy Scout values and military code of honor and Thor's own ego as a superbeing of ancient legend, while Bruce's volatile temper and the end result of such threatens to get them all killed if he can't control it. Loki knows all of this, and for much of the film, a good chunk of his plan, as befitting a trickster god, is to play mind games with the heroes and convince them to tear each other apart so that he can move on and conquer Earth in their absence. Black Widow and Hawkeye, the relative newcomers to the MCU (the former had been a supporting character in Iron Man 2 but wouldn't get her own movie for nearly a decade), serve as surrogates for audience members who know what superheroes are but may not have seen every (or even any) prior movie in the series, while Nick Fury, the authority figure looming over them all, is the ringmaster who introduces us to them and brings them all together.

It helps when you've got a bunch of A-list (or soon-to-be-A-list) actors at the top of their game, the kinds of people who feel born to play these sorts of figures. Robert Downey, Jr.'s great gift as Tony Stark was making him just unlikable enough that you want to see him humbled but not so much that you want to see him lose, Chris Evans always knew how to make Steve Rogers feel like a good-hearted average Joe given extraordinary abilities but never forgetting who he used to be, Chris Hemsworth was exactly the kind of chiseled, Ahnold-style hunk you'd need to play the mighty God of Thunder, and Mark Ruffalo, replacing Edward Norton after some complicated backstage politics, brought an almost Jeff Goldblum-style energy to Bruce Banner, a squirrelly nerd who's visibly hiding a shameful secret. Scarlett Johansson, meanwhile, made her scenes in this movie as Natasha a demo reel for her as both an action hero and a femme fatale, while Samuel L. Jackson brought his usual BAMF energy to a PG-13 version of such as Nick Fury, a man who most of us would happily take orders from. Last but not least, Tom Hiddleston as Loki is exactly the kind of classy-yet-subtly-off-putting British theater actor you want playing a hammy, egomaniacal villain straight out of mythology, like a young Alan Rickman, standing as one of the best villains the MCU's ever had to this day and only failing to steal the show out from under everyone else because, again, this is a Joss Whedon ensemble piece where everybody gets a moment in the sun.

(And Hawkeye seems cool, like a really nice guy. Okay, I kid, Jeremy Renner was alright in the part. He was much better in later movies, though. There's a reason why people used to make fun of him so much.)

The quality of Whedon's work here doesn't stop at his writing, either. The MCU has never been known as a visually inventive series, and a lot of people blame Whedon for that, accusing him of bringing a flat visual style straight out of network television to the biggest blockbuster franchise in Hollywood and relying on his writing as his main creative thumbprint. I'm convinced that they got Whedon mixed up with the Russo brothers who handled the later Avengers films, because Whedon actually does a lot that's interesting behind the camera. Noting that scenes in superhero movies look like they were pulled straight out of a comic book is practically a cliché at this point, but in this case, it's a perfect description, as Whedon seemed to understand exactly how to bring a comic book splash panel to life on the big screen. This movie looks and feels epic, with action that's not only well-shot and easy to follow but also downright massive in scope, often having several things going on at once in the bigger sequences like the attack on the helicarrier and the climatic third-act battle in the streets of Manhattan. The effects were top-notch and felt like they had all the love and care in the world put into them, especially in comparison to some of the rush jobs that more recent Marvel movies have been guilty of. This was the kind of movie they make movie theaters for, and even watching it at home, I was consistently enthralled by its action sequences. There's a reason why so many sci-fi blockbuster action movies in the 2010s had their villains shoot big beams of light into the sky as part of their plan, or featured armies of faceless alien monsters for the heroes to fight without feeling guilty about killing people, and that's because this movie did it so amazingly well that everybody else couldn't help but copy its notes.

The Bottom Line

The Avengers is a movie that still holds up even after countless superhero movies, including in its own franchise, that tried to top it. I don't know if I'd call it the best movie in the MCU, but it's certainly the most impactful, the one that everyone's gonna remember above all else (barring maybe Black Panther) years from now as the movie that made the whole enterprise worth it.

[rauthschild]

The NATO Laundromat: Profiting from Ukraine’s Tragedy

Retired US Army Lt. Col. Earl Rasmussen has pulled back the curtain on what many suspected: Western aid to Ukraine is little more than a cash machine for NATO training firms, weapons manufacturers, and a labyrinth of shadowy interests. Speaking to Sputnik, Rasmussen laid it bare: billions earmarked for “supporting Ukraine” are being funneled back into Western coffers, enriching the arms industry and other private players under the guise of “help.”

▪️ NATO training programs? Ineffective and irrelevant to the realities of combat with Russia. But they’re highly effective at keeping Western military contractors fat and happy.

▪️ Ukraine, unable to repay these so-called “assistance packages,” is quietly selling off its land and industries to settle the debt, essentially handing over its sovereignty to Western interests.

▪️ Rasmussen highlights how up to 30% of NATO-supplied weapons are disappearing into the black market. And as if the corruption couldn’t run deeper, large chunks of financial aid are being siphoned off, enriching middlemen at every level.

❗️This isn’t aid, it’s extortion masked as benevolence. The West isn’t “helping” Ukraine; it’s plundering its future, carving it up and looting under the guise of defense and democracy. Ukraine, once the breadbasket of Europe, is being strip-mined by globalist vultures in Armani suits. NATO’s so-called aid is a “pay-to-play” racket, leaving nothing but scorched earth and empty promises for Kiev.

[andrewtheprophet]

Iran Pushes for Nuclear Weapons: Daniel 8

Former Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization Fereydoon Abbasi: We Should Enrich Uranium to over 90%, Build Particle Accelerators, Conduct Radiation Tests, and Manufacture Nuclear Engines for a Strategic Navy #11584 | 02:46Source: Channel 1 (Iran) In an interview on Channel 1 (Iran) on November 20, 2024, Fereydoon Abbasi, former head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, stated that if…

[allthenewzworld]

For the first time, North Korea has offered a glimpse into a uranium enrichment facility which produces material for its nuclear weapons.

Photos showed its leader Kim Jong Un, who had earlier vowed to "exponentially" increase the country's stash of nuclear weapons, inspecting the area.

Enriched uranium is essential in the manufacturing of nuclear warheads.

Although it unknown how many nuclear weapons North Korea has, one recent estimate puts the number at 50, with sufficient material to produce another 40.

The tour of the facilities site comes just a couple of days after he visited a training base of North Korea's special operations armed force - where he was seen aiming a weapon.

Tap the link in bio to find out what South Korea's Ministry of Unification had to say about the latest photos.

(📷 Reuters/Korean Central News Agency)

#NorthKorea #KimJongUn #AlltheNews

[mariacallous]

On a spring day in 1978, a fisherman caught a tiger shark in the lagoon surrounding Enewetak Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands in the north Pacific. That shark, along with the remains of a green sea turtle it had swallowed, wound up in a natural history museum. Today, scientists are realizing that this turtle holds clues to the lagoon’s nuclear past—and could help us understand how nuclear research, energy production, and warfare will affect the environment in the future.

In 1952, the world’s first hydrogen bomb test had obliterated a neighboring island—one of 43 nuclear bombs detonated at Enewetak in the early years of the Cold War. Recently, Cyler Conrad, an archeologist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, began investigating whether radioactive signatures of those explosions had been archived by some particularly good environmental historians: turtles.

“Anywhere that nuclear events have occurred throughout the globe, there are turtles,” Conrad says. It’s not because turtles—including sea turtles, tortoises, and freshwater terrapins—are drawn to nuclear testing sites. They’re just everywhere. They have been mainstays of mythology and popular culture since the dawn of recorded history. “Our human story on the planet is really closely tied to turtles,” Conrad says. And, he adds, because they are famously long-lived, they are uniquely equipped to document the human story within their tough, slow-growing shells.

Collaborating with researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory, which was once directed by J. Robert Oppenheimer, Conrad was able to use some of the world’s most advanced tools for detecting radioactive elements. Last week, his team’s study in PNAS Nexus reported that this turtle, and others that had lived near nuclear development sites, carried highly enriched uranium—a telltale sign of nuclear weapons testing—in their shells.

Turtle shells are covered by scutes, plates made of keratin, the same material in fingernails. Scutes grow in layers like tree rings, forming beautiful swirls that preserve a chemical record of the turtle’s environment in each sheet. If any animal takes in more of a chemical than it’s able to excrete, whether through eating it, breathing it in, or touching it, that chemical will linger in its body.

Once chemical contaminants—including radionuclides, the unstable radioactive alter egos of chemical elements—make their way into scute, they’re basically stuck there. While these can get smeared across layers in tree rings or soft animal tissues, they get locked into each scute layer at the time the turtle was exposed. The growth pattern on each turtle’s shell depends on its species. Box turtles, for example, grow their scute outward over time, like how humans grow fingernails. Desert tortoise scutes also grow sequentially, but new layers grow underneath older layers, overlapping to create a tree ring-like profile.

Because they are so sensitive to environmental changes, turtles have long been considered sentinels of ecosystem health—a different kind of canary in the coal mine. “They’ll show us things that are emergent problems,” says Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist who was not involved in this study. But Conrad’s new findings reveal that turtles are also “showing us things that are distinct problems from the past.”

Conrad’s team at Los Alamos handpicked five turtles from museum archives, with each one representing a different nuclear event in history. One was the Enewetak Atoll green sea turtle, borrowed from the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Hawaii. Others included a Mojave desert tortoise collected within range of fallout from the former Nevada Test Site; a river cooter from the Savannah River Site, which manufactured fuel for nuclear weapons; and an eastern box turtle from Oak Ridge, which once produced parts for nuclear weapons. A Sonoran desert tortoise, collected far from any nuclear testing or manufacturing sites, served as a natural control.

While working at Los Alamos, Conrad met isotope geochemist and soon-to-be coauthor Jeremy Inglis, who knew how to spot even the most subtle signs of nuclear exposure in a turtle shell. They chose to look for uranium. To a geochemist, this might initially feel like an odd choice. Uranium is found everywhere in nature, and doesn’t necessarily flag anything historically significant. But with sensitive-enough gear, uranium can reveal a lot about isotope composition, or the ratio of its atoms containing different configurations of protons, electrons, and neutrons. Natural uranium, which is in most rocks, is configured very differently from the highly enriched uranium found in nuclear labs and weapons.

To find the highly enriched uranium hidden among the normal stuff in each turtle shell sample, Inglis wore a full-body protective suit in a clean room to keep his uranium from getting in the way. (“There’s enough uranium in my hair to contaminate a picogram of a sample,” he says.) Inglis describes the samples like a gin and tonic: “The tonic is the natural uranium. If you add lots of natural uranium tonic into your highly enriched uranium gin, you ruin it. If we contaminate our samples with natural uranium, the isotope ratio changes, and we can’t see the signal that we’re looking for.”

The team concluded that all four turtles that came from historic nuclear testing or manufacturing sites carried traces of highly enriched uranium. The Sonoran desert tortoise that had never been exposed to nuclear activity was the only one without it.

They collected bulk scute samples from three of their turtles, meaning that they could determine whether the turtle took in uranium at some point in its life, but not exactly when. But the researchers took things a step further with the Oak Ridge box turtle, looking at changes in uranium isotope concentrations across seven scute layers, marking the seven years of the turtle’s life between 1955 and 1962. Changes in the scutes corresponded with fluctuations in documented uranium contamination levels in the area, suggesting that the Oak Ridge turtle’s shell was time-stamped by historic nuclear events. Even the neonatal scute, a layer that grew before the turtle hatched, had signs of nuclear history passed down from its mother.

It’s unclear what this contamination meant for the turtles’ health. All of these shells were from long-dead animals preserved in museum archives. The best time to assess the effects of radionuclides on their health would have been while they were alive, says Kristin Berry, a wildlife biologist specializing in desert tortoises at the Western Ecological Research Center, who was not involved in this study. Berry adds that further research, using controlled experiments in captivity, may help figure out exactly how these animals are taking in nuclear contaminants. Is it from their food? The soil? The air?

Because turtles are nearly omnipresent, tracing nuclear contamination in shells from animals living at various distances from sites of nuclear activity may also help us understand the long-term environmental effects of weapons testing and energy production. Conrad is currently analyzing desert tortoise samples from southwestern Utah, collected by Berry, to better relate exposure to radionuclides (like uranium) to their diets over the course of their lives. He also hopes that these findings will inspire others to study plants and animals with tissues that grow sequentially—like mollusks, which are also found in nearly all aquatic environments.

The incredible migratory patterns of sea turtles, which sometimes span the entire ocean (as anyone familiar with Finding Nemo may recall), open up additional opportunities. For example, sea turtles forage off the Japanese coast, where in 2011 the most powerful earthquake in Japan’s history caused a tsunami that led to a chain reaction of failures at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. With lifespans of up to 100 years, many of those turtles are likely still alive today, carrying traces of the disaster on their backs.

Recently, the Japanese government started slowly releasing treated radioactive water from the Fukushima Daiichi plant into the Pacific Ocean. Scientists and policymakers seem to hesitantly agree that this is the least bad option for disposing of the waste, but others are more concerned. (The Chinese government, for instance, banned aquatic imports from Japan in late August.) Through turtle shells, we may better understand how the plant’s failure, and the following cleanup efforts, affect the surrounding ocean.

The bodies of these creatures have been keeping score for millennia. “For better or for worse, they get hit by everything we do,” Nichols says. Maybe, he adds, “the lesson is: Pay more attention to turtles.”

[blaze-papers]

North Korea Unveils First Weapons-Grade Uranium Facility

North Korea has revealed its first-ever facility for manufacturing weapons-grade uranium, marking a significant escalation in its nuclear weapons program. The disclosure, which was broadcasted by state media on Friday, features North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspecting the newly unveiled centrifuge plant—a crucial element in uranium enrichment.

During his visit, Kim Jong-un urged the facility’s engineers to ramp up production to significantly expand the country’s nuclear arsenal. This announcement comes amidst rising global tensions and the upcoming U.S. presidential election, highlighting North Korea’s ongoing defiance of international regulations and United Nations Security Council resolutions aimed at curbing nuclear development.

The centrifuge facility, previously shrouded in secrecy, was shown to the international community for the first time through state media photos depicting long rows of centrifuges designed to enrich uranium to weapon-grade levels. Although a similar plant was briefly disclosed to a U.S. delegation in 2010, this is the first time such a facility has been revealed to a broader audience.

North Korea’s nuclear program has faced widespread condemnation and numerous UN sanctions intended to halt its progress. The country has conducted six nuclear tests between 2006 and 2017 and is estimated to have around 50 nuclear warheads, with sufficient material to produce an additional 40.

In recent months, North Korea has also tested a range of ballistic missiles and increased its production of short-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Kim Jong-un has stressed the importance of boosting production to enhance North Korea’s tactical nuclear capabilities, particularly with short-range missiles.

The timing of North Korea’s announcement aligns with intensified U.S. presidential campaign debates, where North Korea’s nuclear threat has become a focal point. Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have both addressed the issue, with Trump reflecting on his previous interactions with Kim and Harris critiquing Trump’s approach to the North Korean threat.

In response to North Korea’s latest development, South Korea has condemned the continued advancement of its nuclear program and pledged to fortify its alliance with the United States. Joint defensive plans are being developed to counter potential nuclear aggression from Pyongyang.

As the international community closely examines the implications of North Korea’s newest move, global leaders remain focused on managing the escalating nuclear threat posed by the regime.

[grizzlygunwork]

Advanced Developments in the FN 502 Compensator: An In-depth Review of Recent Upgrades

The firearm industry is perpetually advancing, with manufacturers consistently endeavoring to augment the user experience by introducing innovative features and improved designs. A noteworthy example of such innovation is the FN 502 compensator, an essential accessory designed to enhance the functionality of the renowned FN 502 Tactical pistol, favored for its adaptability in training and recreational shooting. This article provides a comprehensive examination of the recent enhancements made to the FN 502 compensator, elucidating how these improvements facilitate greater accuracy and refined shooting dynamics.

Introduction to the FN 502 Compensator

The FN 502 compensator is intricately designed for the FN 502 Tactical, a .22 LR caliber pistol acclaimed for its versatility. The compensator’s principal role is to mitigate muzzle rise and the recoil experienced by the shooter. It achieves this by redirecting the gases emitted upon firing, which conventionally push the muzzle upward. Through effective management of these forces, the FN 502 compensator aids shooters in maintaining enhanced control, thereby enabling quicker successive shots.

Significant Upgrades and Their Implications

1. Enhanced Material Quality: Recent upgrades to the FN 502 compensator have incorporated the use of superior materials. The latest model utilizes a high-grade aluminum that not only diminishes the firearm's overall weight but also exhibits remarkable durability against frequent use. This material improvement ensures the compensator’s long-lasting effectiveness and reliability, providing consistent performance that both enthusiasts and professionals can depend on.

2. Refined Gas Deflection Design: A pivotal enhancement in the redesign is the improved gas deflection mechanism. The updated FN 502 compensator is equipped with strategically positioned vents that more efficiently direct the gases sideways rather than upwards. This modification significantly curtails muzzle rise and also minimizes the lateral displacement of the pistol during firing. Such advancements bolster the shooter's capacity to remain on target and render the shooting process more manageable and comfortable.

3. Aesthetic and Functional Congruence: Beyond performance enhancements, the latest iteration of the FN 502 compensator also features an aesthetic design that complements the FN 502 Tactical’s appearance. The compensator’s sleek, modern design integrates smoothly with the pistol’s overall aesthetics, appearing as a natural extension of the barrel. This integration not only enhances the firearm's visual appeal but also maintains the balance and handling of the weapon, ensuring no negative impact on its functionality.

Conclusion: The Refined FN 502 Compensator – Elevating Shooting Standards

In summation, the recent enhancements to the FN 502 compensator represent a substantial progression in firearm accessory development. These improvements not only elevate the performance of the FN 502 Tactical but also enrich the overall shooting experience, permitting shooters to achieve heightened control and precision. Whether for training purposes, competitive shooting, or leisure activities, the refined FN 502 compensator provides a discernible advantage, making it an essential upgrade for any firearm enthusiast’s collection. With these advancements, FN continues to demonstrate leadership in firearm innovation, affirming their commitment to delivering high-quality and functional products.

[christinamac1]

Australia: Opposition’s nuclear power plans open the door for nuclear weapons

Barely mentioned is the potential of a nuclear power industry to provide a pathway for the development of nuclear weapons: first, by providing a large pool of nuclear scientists, engineers and technicians and, second, by creating the means to manufacture the fissionable material needed for a bomb. The latter would require further heavy investment in either a uranium enrichment plant or a…