#florida beauty labs

[floridabeautylabs]

Is Sulfate-Free Shampoo Really Better? Myths vs. Facts

In recent years, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner have become a buzzword in the beauty industry. Consumers everywhere are ditching traditional shampoos in favor of sulfate and paraben free alternatives. But is sulfate-free shampoo really better, or is it just another marketing trend? Let’s uncover the myths and facts surrounding sulfate-free shampoos to help you make an informed decision for your hair care routine.

Understanding Sulfates and Their Role in Hair Care

Sulfates are a type of chemical detergent commonly found in shampoos. They’re responsible for the lathering effect that many people associate with cleanliness. The most common sulfates used in hair care products include sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES).

While sulfates effectively remove dirt, oil, and product buildup from your hair and scalp, they can sometimes strip away natural oils, leading to dryness, frizz, and scalp irritation. This is where sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner come into play.

Myth 1: Sulfate-Free Shampoos Don’t Clean Your Hair Effectively

Fact: Sulfate-free shampoos clean just as effectively as traditional shampoos. They rely on gentler cleansing agents to remove dirt and buildup without compromising your hair’s natural oils. This makes them ideal for individuals with sensitive scalps, dry hair, or chemically-treated locks.

For those who frequently color their hair, sulfate-free shampoos are a lifesaver. Using a hair color protecting shampoo and conditioner without sulfates helps maintain vibrant color for longer periods, reducing the need for frequent touch-ups.

Myth 2: Sulfate-Free Shampoos Don’t Lather Well

Fact: While it’s true that sulfate-free shampoos produce less lather, this doesn’t mean they’re less effective. The foaming effect of traditional shampoos is purely cosmetic and doesn’t contribute to their cleaning ability.

Sulfate and paraben free shampoo relies on alternative ingredients, such as coconut-based surfactants, to cleanse your hair. These gentle cleansers still remove impurities effectively, even without the rich foam. If you’re transitioning to sulfate-free products, give yourself time to adjust to the reduced lather—your hair will thank you.

Myth 3: Sulfate-Free Shampoos Are Only for People with Sensitive Skin

Fact: While sulfate-free shampoos are indeed gentle and ideal for people with sensitive scalps, they’re beneficial for everyone. Here’s why:

Moisture Retention: Sulfate-free shampoos preserve your hair’s natural oils, keeping it hydrated and soft.

Color Protection: They’re perfect for maintaining dyed or highlighted hair, as they prevent color fading.

Frizz Reduction: By not over-stripping your hair, sulfate-free shampoos help control frizz and promote smoother strands.

At Florida Beauty Labs, we offer a range of sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner options that cater to various hair types and needs. Explore our products here.

Myth 4: Sulfate-Free Shampoos Are Too Expensive

Fact: While sulfate-free shampoos can sometimes be pricier than traditional options, they’re an investment in your hair’s long-term health. Using a sulfate and paraben free conditioner alongside your shampoo ensures that your hair remains nourished, vibrant, and free from harmful chemicals.

Moreover, sulfate-free shampoos are often concentrated, meaning you need to use less product per wash. Over time, this balances out the cost, making them a cost-effective solution.

Benefits of Sulfate-Free Shampoo and Conditioner

Now that we’ve debunked some myths, let’s explore the benefits of sulfate-free products:

1. Gentle on Sensitive Scalps

Sulfate-free formulas minimize irritation, making them ideal for individuals with eczema, psoriasis, or other scalp conditions.

2. Preserves Hair Color

Using a hair color protecting shampoo and conditioner helps maintain your hair dye’s vibrancy, reducing the frequency of salon visits.

3. Reduces Frizz

Without harsh sulfates, your hair retains its natural oils, leading to smoother, more manageable locks.

4. Safe for Keratin-Treated Hair

If you’ve had keratin treatments, sulfate-free shampoos are essential for maintaining your results.

5. Environmentally Friendly

Many sulfate-free products, including those available at Florida Beauty Labs, use eco-friendly ingredients that are safer for the environment.

Common Misconceptions About Parabens

In addition to sulfates, parabens are another ingredient often avoided in modern hair care products. Parabens are preservatives that extend the shelf life of shampoos and conditioners. However, they’ve been linked to potential health risks, leading many consumers to seek sulfate and paraben free conditioner options.

At Florida Beauty Labs, our sulfate and paraben free shampoo and conditioner options provide the perfect balance of performance and safety. By eliminating these harsh chemicals, our products nourish your hair while minimizing exposure to potentially harmful substances.

How to Choose the Right Sulfate-Free Products

Selecting the best sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner for your hair type is key to achieving optimal results. Consider the following tips:

Identify Your Hair Type: Whether you have curly, straight, oily, or dry hair, choose a product tailored to your needs.

Look for Added Benefits: For color-treated hair, opt for a hair color protecting shampoo and conditioner to prolong your dye job.

Read the Ingredients: Ensure your chosen product is free from both sulfates and parabens for maximum safety and effectiveness.

Shop from Trusted Brands: At Florida Beauty Labs, we pride ourselves on offering high-quality, sulfate-free options that deliver real results. Browse our collection here.

Making the Switch to Sulfate-Free

Transitioning to sulfate-free shampoo may take some time, especially if you’re used to the rich lather of traditional products. During the initial weeks, you might notice your hair feeling different as it adjusts. Stick with it—the long-term benefits are worth it.

To enhance your results, pair your sulfate-free shampoo with a sulfate and paraben free conditioner. This combination ensures your hair remains hydrated, shiny, and free from chemical damage.

Final Verdict: Is Sulfate-Free Shampoo Really Better?

The answer largely depends on your hair care needs. For those with sensitive scalps, color-treated hair, or a preference for gentle, eco-friendly products, sulfate-free shampoos are an excellent choice. While they may not be necessary for everyone, their benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for many consumers.

If you’re ready to upgrade your hair care routine, explore the sulfate-free options available at Florida Beauty Labs. Click here to shop now.

By switching to sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, you’re investing in healthier, happier hair. Don’t let myths hold you back—make the change today and experience the difference for yourself.

[nahimjustfeelingit-writes]

HBCU CONFESSIONS.

Erik x Valencia

Smut

Part One.

What am I going to do? I’m pregnant and it’s my freshman year. I don’t know if I should keep the baby or not. Any advice?

-Florida A&M

My stupid boyfriend cheated on me so I fucked his homeboy. Now both of them are fighting over me 🤭

-Hampton

I think my roommate has a thing for me. I’m not gay, but I’ve caught myself staring at his dick a few times. This shit is confusing me. I don’t like dick I like pussy!

-Morehouse College

My girlfriend wants me to eat her butt. She keeps begging me to do it. Who on here ever ate ass before? I need some advice because gahdamn she won’t leave a nigga alone.

-Morgan State

I already know what yall gonna say but I don’t give a fuck. My homegirl keep telling me about how her man is cheating on her. He’s cheating with me. I’m the side chick. The D is just too good. At this point I’m already too far gone. Judge me if you want I don’t care 🤷🏿‍♀️

-Clark Atlanta University

I had a train ran on me the other night. No, they didn’t fuck me. They ate me 😩 and it was a bunch of Omegas! Since they like to show their tongue so much I wanted to see which one of them could make me cum the hardest 😘

-Howard University

-I wish to remain anonymous. I’m not as experienced in the sex department and I am 21 years old. I want to hook up with someone here. Maybe I have unrealistic expectations, but I want it to be with someone I’ve been eyeing around campus. He doesn’t know I exist, but he’s so beautiful. If I could just have one chance with him…

-Texas Southern

“I did it.”

Valencia shut her MacBook Pro and fell back against her bed within her dorm room. Across from her sat her roommate, Brielle. They’d been roommates since freshman year.

“It was an anonymous submission, right? Nothing to worry about.” Brielle replied while looking over her notes for her A&P lab practical.

“I know, but what if someone figures it out?—

Her phone buzzed next to her thigh again.

“Jesus…he keeps fucking calling me.”

Brielle chuckles, “His ego is bruised. He probably wants to make sure you don’t say anything about it.”

“It’s been a week. He needs to let the shit go.”

Valencia ends the call for the eighth time that rainy evening. She’s already angry with herself for even allowing that man to have his way with her body. It was the worst experience. Worse than her first time.

“Head was trash, dick was trash…”

“So, I guess it isn’t all true that Que’s are great in bed, huh?” Brielle jokes.

“It’s definitely not true. I just wish it was with him.”

Valencia grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. Brielle simply laughed at her antics.

“Isn’t he a Que too?” Brielle questions.

“He is. Maybe he’ll be the exception.”

Valencia slowly removed the pillow from her face and blinked her eyes up at the ceiling. Butterflies formed in her belly just thinking about him.

“He’s so damn fine, Brie. Like, why couldn’t it be him that had all of this instead of Isaiah?!”

“Who is this again? Girl, you know my attention span is fucked up.” Brielle replied with a laugh.

“His name is Erik. He’s getting his doctorate.”

“Hm,” Brielle highlighted a section in her textbook orange, “How old is he?”

“I don’t know, like…thirties maybe?”

“Since when do you like them older?” Brielle asked with a shocked tone of voice.

“Since now! He’s too fine, Brie. And he’s really smart. Like a genius. He has so many accomplishments. A sexy nerd.”

“He sounds like he’s out of your league—”

“He’s also a TA—”

Brielle’s eyes went wide.

“A TA? Girl…don’t do it.”

Valencia had to admit that Brielle was right.

“It’ll never happen anyway. That man walks past me everyday like he doesn’t see me. I’ll just crush from afar at this point I don’t even know why I sent that fucking message.”

Valencia pouted in bed. Silence filled the room as she laid there staring at the television. Brielle was completely absorbed into her notes to care. Valencia could be doing some schoolwork herself, but the thought of her anonymous ask kept circulating in her mind.

Valencia sat up on her elbow and reached for her laptop again. Brielle cut her brown eyes at her and smirked playfully. Valencia checked the blog and noticed one note. Clicking on it, it was just a like. Her submission is nothing compared to the other wild confessions.

“There he goes again,” Brielle motioned with her eyes at Valencia’s phone, “Do you want me to cuss his ass out? Block that nigga!”

Valencia grabbed her phone and proceeded to block him.

“You know I have Chemistry with that limp dick fucker, right?” Brielle said.

“Just ignore him, Brie. He’ll be alright.”

“He keeps harassing you!”

Valencia sat her laptop on their shared desk. She shut off her lamp light snd slipped beneath the sheets. She had an early class tomorrow and needed to ease her mind into slumber.

“Goodnight, Brie. Don’t stay up too late.” Valencia said.

“I’ll try. You know I’m a night owl.” Brielle grumbled.

The rain seemed to flow into the following afternoon. Valencia ran as fast as she could back to her dorm after the boring lecture she had to endure. A fellow student held the door for her and she made it inside although she was drenched from head to toe. She smoothed wet braids from her face and adjusted her cropped T-shirt. The brisk air of the building caused goosebumps to form along her sepia skin. She could even feel her teeth chattering.

Removing her heavy school bag from her shoulder, Valencia took long strides towards the elevators. She waited impatiently while rubbing her wet arms to try and warm up. She silently cursed herself for not bringing her umbrella. The sunny morning and clear sky deceived her. She stared down at her black and white Adidas Campus 00s for two seconds before the elevator doors opened. Valencia took a step forward and just then a deep timbre sent a shiver up her spine.

“Going up?”

Valencia was halfway into the elevator when her chocolate orbs fell upon the one person she wasn’t expecting to see in her dorm building.

Valencia may have met her match with Erik Stevens.

“Yes,” She stepped to the side so that he could enter.

“Thank you.”

Valencia scooted towards the corner of the elevator.

“Which floor?”

“Six.”

“Bet, that’s where I’m going.”

He has a dorm on the sixth floor? She thought.

She focused on him like she was studying a passage out of one of her textbooks. First, her eyes took in the style of his hair. He kept the sides and back tapered but the rest was beautifully loc’d and braided back. His eyes were shielded with gold-rimmed glasses that complimented his face and made him like artsy. She trailed her gaze down his neck to his broad shoulders. He wore a cream-colored hoodie and khaki cargo pants. On his feet were a pair of boots and in his firm grip was a dripping wet umbrella.

“After you.”

Valencia picked herself up and slipped past him since he was holding the door for her. She could smell his cologne and it was her new favorite smell.

“Thank you.” She said.

She instantly felt warm and fuzzy. He had this effect on her she hadn’t felt in a long while truly. Not even for that lackluster lay she had a week ago. Isaiah who?

Valencia walked into a crowded lounge area with a confused look on her face. She spotted Brielle near the window sitting on a lounger. She was chatting with a few of their mutual girl friends. The grey clouds outside began to allow the sun to peek through. She walked over to them and dropped her bag to the floor.

“Cindy, Skai…”

Cindy jutted out her petite hip and smiled with her braces in greeting. Skai raised her hand and fluttered her fingers covered in various gold rings. Skai was playing in Brielle’s ginger-colored coily hair as she typed away on her tablet.

“Why is everybody sitting here in the lounge?” Valencia questioned.

“Rumor has it, Rochelle isn’t our RA anymore.” Skai revealed.

Valencia furrowed her brows and squinted her eyes.

“Really?—”

“CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!”

The chatter amongst everyone died down to a pregnant pause. Everyone looked towards Erik. Valencia caught his eye briefly and she could feel herself squirming from that small interaction alone.

“My name is Erik. I’m sure some of you have seen your emails, and for those that haven’t, I’m here to fill you in. Rochelle had a personal emergency and she will not continue as your RA for the final months of this semester. I will take over that position from here on out.”

Whispers circulated around the room. Erik stood there with his back straight, arms folded, and poker-faced.

Elusive nature.

Mellow.

“Uh-oh…”

Valencia turned her gaze towards Brielle. Her friend gave her a mischievous smirk. Valencia suppressed a laugh and threw her hands in the air dismissively.

“I will be staying on this floor for the remainder of the semester to keep an eye on things and act as a guide. I know a lot about TSU and I’m more than happy to help. Does anyone have any questions for me?”

Erik scanned the room through his glasses intently, similar to a drill sergeant. For some reason, his presence evoked a feeling of obedience.

A quiet Alpha.

“Well, that’s all I have to say for now,” Erik clapped his hands together in finality, “You can resume studying or whatever it is you were doing. Matt, right?”

Erik pointed to a freshman sitting at a desk. Matt was tall and lanky with designer braids in his hair and dressed like he was ready for a runway. A lot of designer. Definitely attention seeking.

“Yeah. How you know me?”

“I’m a Que Dog. You still interested, right?”

Something in Matt shifted. He stood taller and raised his chin with confidence.

“Absolutely.” Matt replied with excitement.

“Your probationary period starts tonight. You got a lot of work to do.”

Valencia could sense the nervousness in Matt.

“I’m ready.” Matt replied.

“We’ll see.”

Erik walked past Matt and towards the elevators. Valencia watched him leave and when he’d finally gone she let out a shaky breath.

“I don’t think I’m going to enjoy a man being our RA,” Cindy said with obvious disdain.

“Same,” Skai stood up and pulled her tight denim skirt down over her rotund backside and generous thighs.

“Valencia is going to keep me up playing DJ hero every night since her crush is our new RA.”

Valencia glared at Brielle.

“You have a crush on him?!” Cindy questioned with a surprised expression.

“What happened to Isaiah?” Skai asked.

“Isaiah was a disappointment. He talked a big game after that party and when we went back to his room he pretty much did the opposite of what he said he was gonna do.” Valencia recalled with frustration.

“I’M GoNnA MAke YoU CuM,” Brielle mocked.

“I’Mma GiVe YoU THIs DiCk AnD HaVE YOu BeGGiNG FoR MorE.” Valencia said

“oh my fucking GOD,” Cindy giggled, “It was that horrible?”

“Cindy, horrible isn’t even the word. If I could find a word to describe how awful it was I would. Can’t eat pussy for shit, constantly tried to stick it in my ass because he couldn’t find my pussy, has a big dick but can’t fuck, kept asking me if I liked it, it was terrible.”

“I’m so sorry for you, sis,” Skai shook her head, “I really thought he was going to knock the Sonic rings out that coochie.”

“Maybe he was drunk?” Cindy said

“He wasn’t. He had a little bit of weed, that’s it.”

Valencia reached for her bag and stood up to leave.

“Let me go study, I’ll catch up with ya’ll later.”

“Sure you don’t wanna come out with us for drinks tonight?” Brielle asked with a smile.

“I have to train. I have a swim meet coming up.”

“Fine! Maybe Saturday!”

Valencia put a thumb up as she walked away towards her dorm room.

Thirty notes.

Girl if you don’t approach this man!

Who is it? I wanna know 👀

If he hasn’t taken the hint by now he don’t want you.

Valencia’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Most of the replies were nothing but discouraging. She wished she could take back her anonymous submission. Sitting at their shared desk in an oversized yellow Nike hoodie and her braided hair in a messy bun, she clicked on a tab on her MacBook to continue reading about Erik’s accomplishments at TSU. He’s an alumni receiving his doctorate in Computer Hardware Engineering. Summa cum laude. Pledge President. Star Football player. Leading place in various academic clubs and competitions. Tutor in multiple complex subjects such as quantum physics, chemistry, mathematics, and philosophy. Fluent in languages such as French, Spanish, Chinese, Latin, and signing.

Overly intellectual.

Valencia could go on and on about how perfect Erik seemed to be. She was infatuated past the point of no return. Far gone. The sexist fucking nerd she’d ever known. But still, it was just a reminder that he wouldn’t be concerned with a twenty-one-year-old chick with no experience and nowhere near as much maturity as him. He probably wanted a sophisticated woman. confident, in charge, and calm. A lot of experience and knowledge about the world and about culture, art, and literature. Someone who can quote Aristotle.

Studious.

Oh? He was in the Military? That explains a lot.

Valencia clicked out of the tab and back to the HBCU Confessions blog. As she scrolled the page, she wondered to herself who could have created it? She’d heard whispers around campus about how the infamous blog became active again after some years.

As she scrolled, an instant message icon popped up. She shifted her hips in her seat and leaned in to click on the message. It was probably some old man asking if she wanted to be their sugar baby or a bot. Valencia’s dark brown eyes scanned the message.

-Hi:)

It was the blog. HBCU Confessions. The owner.

-Hello ❤️

Why would they message her?

-I read your submission. Probably the most innocent out of them all.

Valencia didn’t know how to take that. Was it an issue?

-Unfortunately for you, I don’t have THAT MUCH excitement in my life lol

-Nothing wrong with that. It prompted me to message you personally.

-It was that interesting? Lol

-I’d like to understand and see if I could give you some advice.

-Thank you! I’d actually love some advice. 🥰

-Perfect. What makes it an unrealistic expectation? Because I can tell you now, I doubt it is.

-He’s on a different level than me. He’s also older than me. Idk I just get this vibe that he wouldn’t be interested.

Valencia grabbed her hot pink Stanley cup to take a sip of water.

-How much older? I know you’re 21.

-All I know is that he’s in his 30s.

-I’m still not seeing where it’s unrealistic. Have you tried anything at all? A smile? Anything?

-No. I’ve been too shy to.

-Shy or afraid of rejection?

-BOTH.

-You gotta break out of that.

-Do you know for sure if he’s single?

-I’ve seen him around campus with this professor sometimes for lunch but that’s it. I’m not sure if they are dating or just friends lol

-What school are you attending again?

-Texas Southern

-Really? 👀

-👀👀👀

Valencia made a face at her laptop screen. Did they know something she didn’t?

-Is there something I should know?

-I think I may know who you’re talking about. He’s not available from what I know…

So, this person attended TSU as well? Makes sense now why they singled out her confession.

-Who am I talking about then? 😌

-He’s 33 by the way.

Valencia’s shoulders slumped.

-This still doesn’t confirm that we’re talking about the same person.

-He’s a Nupe, right?

-No. he’s a Que. lol

-You sure? He’s about 6’0, teaches chemistry, spends time with that one English Literature professor…

Valencia considered their description of Erik but she was sure he said that he was a Que Dog earlier. And he’s a TA for quantum physics not chemistry. The only similarity is the English Lit teacher. Professor Boyd.

-I don’t think we’re talking about the same person. Send me a picture.

Valencia waited two minutes before a picture popped up in their chat.

-His name is James Parham.

-He’s cute but that’s not my crush 😂

-Well then I have no idea who you’re talking about lol.

-wait!

Valencia waited. She stood up from her seat at the desk to grab her phone from the charger. Checking her notifications, she received a text from Brielle an hour ago. Valencia opened the text thread and there was a video. She pressed play and it was a lot of motion to keep the phone steady until the video zoomed into a table far off in the corner. Valencia squinted her eyes and recognition washed over her face.

Erik.

He was sitting alone in a booth with a drink in his hand, bobbing his head to the music.

Ping.

-Is it him?

-Yes!

-😌 ohhh so Erik?

-He’s definitely single.

-Make a move before it’s too late.

-what do you suggest I do? Can you give me some advice please?

-Erik is introverted and often mistaken for being timid. He is indeed an Omega and takes pride in that. You can find him around campus reading a book or working out. He’s a homebody for sure. Sometimes you may catch him out and about. He’s a chill dude with this mysterious aura about him. That’s what I’ve gathered from just seeing him around campus.

-I would start off by playing into his interests. He likes to read so find out what books he likes. From what I know he’s big on poetry. He likes to run around campus at 6 am. Need help tutoring? See if he’s offering some study hours for that. Start there and see where it goes.

-This is really good advice! It’s very subtle and a perfect way to get his attention without being too obvious. Thank you! ❤️

-You’re welcome love 💗 I’m here if you need anything. Feel free to chat with me.

Intent listener…

“I really don’t know what to do about it, Erik…”

Andrea, Erik’s friend from college and English Literature professor at TSU walked alongside him in the early afternoon the following day.

“He’s so confusing half the damn time, I can’t even tell if he’s into me or not.”

Erik had both hands in the pockets of his slacks. Today was his day to assistant teach quantum physics. He really wasn’t up for it because he’d been up so late in the dorms trying to settle a sneaky party. Apparently, Rochelle allowed them to party and have drinks which is against the rules and grounds for expulsion. He just walked and listened. Out of his friend group, he’s the one they go to to vent because he doesn’t disrupt them, and he gives great advice.

“How long have we known James, Drea? That nigga can’t express himself for shit. Just know, he’s feelin’ you. He’s always had a thing for you.” Erik replied.

Andrea took a sip of her super green smoothie.

“Well, I’m not gonna wait around for him to speak up. What is he so afraid of?”

Erik turned his gaze onto Andrea through his gold-rimmed glasses.

“We’ve been friends for about ten years, Drea. Maybe he’s afraid that if things don’t work out with you two romantically, it’ll mess up the bond you both had as friends.”

Andrea mulled over Erik’s words. They settled in front of the school fountain and sat down on a bench facing it.

“You have a point. We’re going to a spoken word tonight. We’ll see how it goes.”

“Spoken word, huh? Wow…I haven’t done one of those in forever.” Erik replied with a smirk.

“Coming back to Texas is nostalgic, ain’t it?” Andrea said with a giggle.

“It is—”

“Oh! Guess what?”

Andrea leaned into Erik with a playful look in her eyes. Erik narrowed his eyes at her in response.

“Are you gonna guess?” Andrea pestered.

“Aight, You’re finally gonna write that book you’ve been talking about all these years.”

“No! I changed my mind about the book,” Andrea rolls her eyes, “the blog…”

Erik’s eyebrows shot up.

“Yep. It’s been so long I had to see what was going on with it.”

Erik chuckled, “Nah. You’re back on there? Drea,” Erik shook his head, “You’re a professor now! What if somebody finds out?”

“Who’s gonna find out, Erik? We never revealed ourselves when we used it. Nobody knows what school we went to or who we were. Well…I think I may have slipped up last night…”

“What the hell did you do, Drea?”

Erik surveyed his surroundings to make sure they were safe to talk about this.

“I got the sweetest confession from a student here and I just had to message them.” Andrea said.

“Okay, what did they say?”

“So, they pretty much confessed to having a crush on someone here and being afraid to approach them…”

“Who?” Erik said impatiently.

“You.”

Andrea laughed at Erik’s expression. He furrowed his brows and looked at her like she was talking gibberish.

“…Did they say who they were?” Erik asked.

His interest was peeked.

“No. All I know is she’s twenty-one, very shy, feels as if she has no chance in hell with you.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Erik fussed.

“Because I thought you’d want to know! You need some action in your life, Erik. When was the last time you had sex?”

“Aye, don’t worry about it, girl,” Erik playfully shoved Andrea, “I’m just saying, what am I supposed to do with this information? Like…I don’t even know how the girl looks.”

“You will eventually. I gave her some advice. She may pop up today…”

Erik couldn’t deny that he was intrigued. Could be fun to see how things play out.

“Okay, okay…the log in still the same?”

Andrea smirked, “Still the same. You remember?”

“Yeah…it was my idea, wasn’t it?” Erik smart-mouthed.

“Alright, smart ass.”

Andrea checked the time on her Apple Watch.

“Let me head back to my office. When does your class start?”

“In an hour. I’m gonna head over to the library and do a bit of grading to kill some time.”

Andrea and Erik stood up at the same time. Andrea opened her arms to accept a hug from Erik. She squeezed her old friend and then kissed his cheek.

“Aight, Daka, I’ll catch you later.”

“Have a good class, Drea.”

They parted ways and headed in opposite directions.

Valencia felt cute today.

She did her makeup for once. She dressed in a body con black dress that enhanced her curves. She wore her favorite Carolina Herrera perfume. Anything to get his attention.

On her way to the library after her philosophy class, Valencia entered the library with a grace that turned heads. She took the elevators to the third level of the library, her stomach doing flips because of how nervous she was. She exited onto the third level and walked further into the silent area until she was near the windows that overlooked the campus.

Valencia took a seat and proceeded to retrieve her MacBook, and textbook. She wanted to format her notes with bullet points and colors while the information was still fresh on her mind. It was Friday evening and she didn’t want to spend her weekend catching up on school work. Her cafe noir eyes would look up to see if her crush had shown up yet.

After some time, her attention veered back to the HBCU Confessions blog. She was excited to see that there was a new message from the blog.

-Any luck today?

Valencia typed.

-No 😪

Erik strolled over to a desk diagonal to Valencia. He quickly took his laptop and other work out of his bag. It was the last thing on his mind after what Andrea told him. He opened his laptop and found his way back to Tumblr. Being back sparked memories of mischief and lust. Erik started this blog for laughs and he honestly didn’t expect it to transform into what it is today. What started out as a blog strictly for TSU, expanded to other colleges unexpectedly. So many scandalous things go down at college and it sucked that our people didn’t really have their own way of connecting across HBCUs. So, Erik started the blog for fun, and it quickly evolved.

He’d known secrets about people across colleges. It didn’t matter if you were the dean, a professor, a student, or a coach, your deepest darkest thoughts and feelings were exposed for everyone to see with the option of remaining anonymous. Erik witnessed breakups and hookups. It was a guilty pleasure of his, like watching hentai. Erik had many guilty pleasures. Who didn’t?

He successfully logged back in and found himself staring at hundreds of notifications. The only thing he was concerned with was whoever this anonymous person was that had a crush on him. It’s been a while since he’d been with a woman. Being in the military as an engineer was a busy job. He worked a lot and on top of that he moved around from state to state. Hardly any time to settle down or date. He did date a few women, but it was all a dead end.

Erik found what he was looking for.

ebonygoddess1990s_-No 😪

Erik read the entire thread and couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. He was tickled by Andrea’s advice to his secret admirer. She knew him like she knew her classic literature. He was indeed laidback, quiet, nerdy, and ambitious. The more he read the messages, the more he wanted to find out who this woman was. He decided to respond to their message. Why not? It would be fun to play along. Just like the old days.

-Where are you right now?

Meanwhile, Valencia’s head shot up at her MacBook when she heard the ping of a new message. She read the message.

-Where are you right now?

-Library ☺️

-Usually he’s there around this time.

Valencia looked up and she was staring at him sitting at a table diagonally from her table. He didn’t know that she was eyeing him down since he was focused on his laptop. He wore a pair of slim fit paisley and gray pants with a white button down shirt and brown loafers.

-He’s here now 😳

Erik sat up straighter and his eyes locked with Valencia’s. She quickly averted her gaze to her laptop, tucking her braids behind her left ear. Erik took his time admiring Valencia. His eyes started at her feet. She wore a pair of black gladiator sandals with silver spikes on them. She had red painted toes and smooth, brown legs. His onyx eyes ascended further up her body, over the curve of her hip, the hourglass shape of her waist, her toned arms, ample cleavage, neatly braided hair, and then finally her beautiful face.

He really really liked the shape of her lips. Large and wide set with a plump, pouty appearance and equally full on the top and bottom. He’d seen plenty of beautiful women every day, but whoever this girl was, she was the most beautiful. It was her rich, brown skin. Her pretty doe eyes. That body. Erik was certain that she’s his secret admirer, but he needed to be sure. Excitement brewed in him as he typed a response.

-You should say hi. Get his attention.

-I’m nervous 😭

-Don’t be. Just go for it. How else will you know if he’s interested?

-I dare you to give him a flirty wave with a seductive smile. 😏

Valencia’s eyes went round with surprise. That was bold. Bolder than she initially planned to be. She cleared her throat and turned in her seat. Crossing one leg over the other, Valencia flipped her braids so that it gave her a messy look and then she made her eyes look sleepy and hypnotic like Dorothy Dandridge. She took a deep breath in and focused her gaze on Erik steadily. After five seconds, he looked up and did a double take. Valencia raised a small hand and waved at him slowly while her lips were formed in a smile.

Erik simply smirked at her and raked his eyes up and down her frame. That’s all. He just smirked at her and then he dropped his gaze back to his laptop. Valencia gripped the back of her chair to try and calm her racing heart. That slight interaction had her bewitched. He smirked at her and he checked her out. She wanted to jump up and down.

Ping.

-How did it go?

-He smiled at me and then he looked me up and down. 😭 clearly he likes what he sees!

Erik nibbled on his bottom lip to control the urge to smile with all of his teeth. This was so much fun. The most fun he’d had an a long time. It was good to be back.

Erik packed his things so that he could be on his way to the class he needed to assist. As he was getting ready to leave, he felt his phone vibrating with an incoming call. He plucked his cell from his pocket and brought it to his ear. His eyes connected with Valencia’s briefly before turning away.

“Hello? Hey…I was headed there now—really? You sure? Okay…no, no…it’s all good. Uh…I’ll just finish grading everything and drop it off later? Perfect. Alright…see you next Friday…”

Erik ended the call. Fuck it. He didn’t want to assist that class today anyway now that something and someone had his attention more. He stole a glance at her and she was reading from a philosophy textbook. He knew philosophy well. So well that he tutored for it. Erik had an idea. He took his seat again and brought his laptop back out. He opened it to the messages and began typing away.

-That’s a good thing 😌 What’s he doing now?

-He was going to leave but changed his mind. I wonder why. Hmmm…maybe he can’t get enough of me lol

-maybe 🤔 lol. What are you doing now? Are you studying?

-I am. It’s philosophy. It’s so boring but I have to do it.

-Philosophy, huh? He actually tutors philosophy.

Valencia giggled to herself and shook her head.

-Why am I not surprised. He’s so smart 😍

Erik licked his lips. She was infatuated with his intellect. He liked that.

-You want another dare?

Valencia looked heavenward. Erik peeked over at her.

-Okay. What do you dare?

Valencia’s eyes veered from her laptop to Erik again.

Ping.

-I dare you to ask him to be your tutor.

Valencia exhaled louder than she’d expected to. She brought a hand to her belly to calm the butterflies. That actually wouldn’t be a bad idea. She just needed to calm her nerves. Valencia counted down from ten in her head and stood up from her seat. She paused with her fingertips against her philosophy textbook before lifting it from the table. She pressed it against her, beneath her cleavage, hugging it with both arms like those school girls from teen dramas.

She started making her way towards him slowly. Erik didn’t look away from his laptop until she was standing next to him. Being that close to him, his features more prominent, Valencia couldn’t find the words to speak. Erik looked up at her through his glasses and gave her a friendly smile before recognition washed over his face.

“Hi.” Erik said.

“Hi…”

Valencia shifted her focus on the empty seat at the table. She took a moment to gather herself before scooting out the chair and making herself comfortable.

“Weren’t you in the elevator the other day?” Erik said.

“Yeah…yeah that was me,” Valencia smiles.

Erik nodded his head, “You look different.”

She wasn’t as dolled up and she was soaked from head to toe.

“I didn’t look very flattering,” Valencia released a dry chuckle, growing more bashful the more his eyes were on her.

“No, what I mean is…you’re not all wet.”

Valencia blinked at Erik. Heat crept up her face. The way he said wet…

Erik’s eyes fell to the book that pushed her titties up.

“Philosophy. What’s your major?”

“Psychology.” Valencia replied.

“It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, as long as you don’t stop…”

He sounded those words out so smooth like he was serenading her. Valencia furrowed her brows at Erik’s response. Her full lips parted invitingly.

“���What?” She questions.

“Confucius. Confucianism? the importance of having a good moral character?”

“Oh—oh!”

Valencia sat her textbook down and giggled.

“Right, right…I had a brain fart.”

Erik laughed.

“Uhm…do you tutor?”

Valencia leaned in, unknowingly exposing her cleavage more. Erik fought the urge to look, focusing his penetrating gaze on her face.

He adjusted his glasses very studiously, “I do actually.”

“That’s perfect actually,” Valencia folds her arms against the table, “I could use a tutor. You seem to be well versed in the subject.”

Valencia looked at Erik expectantly with those doe eyes and honestly she could have whatever she wanted if she kept staring at him like that.

“Are you asking me?” Erik quirked a brow.

“…Please?”

Valencia folded her hands and pouted her bottom lip. It was adorable.

“Are you free after five?” Erik inquired.

“I am, actually. Tonight I have plans with friends but I can meet at five.”

“Alright,” Erik shut his laptop, “We can study in the lounge at the dorms. Wait…”

Erik touched Valencia’s arm, stopping her from standing. The hairs on her arm stood up like a jolt of electricity coursed through her.

“I didn’t catch your name…”

“Oh…sorry. Valencia.”

“Nice to formally meet you, Miss Valencia. I’m Erik.”

“I remember.”

They smiled at each other. Erik stood up, placing his laptop in his bag. Valencia took her time retrieving her textbook, unsure of what else to say.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye for now—”

“Valencia?”

Isaiah.

The last person she’d hope to run into. He looked irritated with her as he approached them. Valencia fixed her face into a look of frustration and Erik noticed straight away. The tension between them was palpable.

“What it do, shawty? You avoiding me?”

Valencia looked between Erik and Isaiah. Isaiah loomed closer, draping his arm around her shoulder. Valencia rolled her eyes.

“What can I do for you, Isaiah?” Valencia quipped.

“Did you block me?”

“I did—”

“For what? Didn’t we have a good time?”

Valencia pursed her lips and shut her eyes.

“Isaiah, don’t make me embarrass you…”

Truthfully, she was the one embarrassed at the moment. Erik’s eyebrows ticked up and the corner of his mouth twitched. Isaiah cut his eyes at Erik, sizing him up initially before he recognized him.

“Oh, shit what’s poppin’, Poet?”

Isaiah raised his hand to dab Erik. Erik slowly brought his hand forward and their palms collided with a loud smack and a firm grip. Erik released his hand and watched as Isaiah discreetly flexed his fingers.

“Don’t mind us, just tryna see why my girl mad at me.”

Isaiah clearly couldn’t read the room.

“I’m not your girl, Isaiah.”

Valencia lifted his arm from around her and turned to leave. She threw Erik a furtive glance before retreating quickly.

“Valencia!”

Shhhhhhhhhh!

He was in a library after all.

Isaiah was ready to chase her down but Erik yoked him up by his backpack to stop him.

“Gahdamn, Bro,” Isaiah fixed his bag.

“She’s not interested, One Pump Chump.”

“Fuck you and that nickname. That was one fucking time. I was drunk.”

“Yeahhhh and I’m sure the same happened with Valencia?”

Isaiah glared dangerously at Erik.

“If it didn’t happen that way, it shouldn’t matter, right?”

Erik slapped Isaiah on the back and proceeded to walk away.

“I’ll catch you later, little bruh.”

Erik threw up a hook and twisted his tongue before descending the stairs with a laugh.

[controlledarrhythmia]

Tell me more abt Lepidopterologist Hux can’t stop thinking about it since you mentioned it 🫀

OH, ABSOLUTELY. As mentioned in the concept post, I love the idea of him as a moth breeder, but I think that’d be more of a hobby thing— like his taxidermy —so I’ll get back to it in a bit. Career wise, I’m definitely imagining him as a laboratory entomologist. Or perhaps a disgruntled children’s museum worker who may or may not have been fired from his previous job as a laboratory entomologist.

Irregardless, he loves capturing new specimens for his personal collection. Be it wandering through the woods at night in search or waiting for them to come to the moth sheet he has set up in his yard, it’s a time that must not be intruded upon.

Which is why when it comes time to clock in he leaves the field work up to his coworkers. He’ll be damned if he lets the presence of Other People taint his favorite activity. (And if a coworker happens to send a specimen to the lab that he then identifies as a new genus and he takes the credit for it… so be it.)

As for the breeding, he dreams of one day having his own sanctuary, but as of now most of his breeding is contained to an area of his office where he raises caterpillars and hangs chrysalises/cocoons before he brings the adult moths to a local sanctuary to breed.

When it comes to what he breeds, I think he’d adore the faithful beauties I mentioned in a previous post, but those are native to the area around Florida and he’d never subject himself to living there. So I think he’d love to breed meadow rue owlet moths. Though not being one themselves they belong to the same genus as vampire moths, being the only moths from the genus (Calyptra) to inhabit North America. He’d be a big fan of that. For the record I imagine him living somewhere like Virginia or Maryland.

I hope this satisfied some of your curiosities!! I’ll probably have more to say on this later and ofc my fics are still coming eventually, but I’m a little out of it right now.

[dailyanarchistposts]

"Ecologist" means different things to different people. Strictly speaking, an ecologist is a scientist (usually a biologist) who studies the interrelationships between organisms and their environments. "Deep ecologists," on the other hand, may or may not be scientifically trained, and their topic is not ecology per se but rather developing a harmonious relationship with Nature, and defending the Earth against human-generated threats. Scientific ecologists, to the extent that they want to appear respectable, may be quite anthropocentric in their day to day behavior; deep ecologists, on the other hand, are explicitly biocentric (or at least they try to be). To many people, an "ecologist" is simply an environmentalist, or someone who (unlike Hayduke) picks up bottles and cans along roadsides (I've seen garbage trucks labeled "Ecology Dept."). Some self-labeled environmentalists have added to the confusion by misinterpreting what ecology fundamentally means, and using it as a buzzword for various political goals.

More distributing to me, as a professional ecologist sensitive to people's lack of appreciation of ecology, is that environmentalists are often antagonistic toward science and scientists in general, not just toward manipulative science and technology. Some openly suggest that scientists are the enemy, and have nothing positive to offer the environmental movement. For example, in planning a recent Green Conference in Florida, organizers went out of their way to assure that no scientific ecologists were involved. When I criticized the program of the conference (which featured anti-deep ecologist Ynestra King as a keynote speaker) and asked why no ecologists had been invited to speak, the conference organizer responded that if I meant, by "ecologist," the "progressional, biological scientist type," then he saw no need for that kind of person to speak at a conference for activists.

I admit I feel a little uneasy about being called a scientists...somehow that label conjures up images of little men in white lab coats playing with test tubes and DNA. But a woman or man crouched in the forest, keying-out (and admiring) a fungus or recording details of bird behavior, is every bit as much of a scientist as the experimenter in the laboratory. And the lab scientists, too, may contribute invaluable information toward our understanding of how Nature works. I suggest that science phobia is often misguided, and that ecological science is a constructive approach to knowing Nature. By itself, science may be neither necessary not sufficient to understand Nature, but it is one fo the best tools we have. Deep ecologists and other environmentalists would do well to consider more thoughtfully what the Way of Ecology offers, both as a science and as a worldview.

The science of ecology developed from natural history, the lore of Nature. Since Charles Darwin, this lore has been unfused with concepts of interdependence, interrelationship, and co-adaptation—indeed, it was Darwin's thoroughly scientific theory of evolution that made ecology possible. Evolution made sense out of natural history; facts heretofore disconnected became interacting components of general patterns that should be explained in a rational and convincing way. Furthermore, elements in Darwin's theory were empirically testable—the hall-mark of science.

Unlike religious beliefs, scientific hypotheses are designed to be discarded if they no longer accord with observations. Much hogwash persists in science, but honest scientists do their best to weed it out. The subject of ecology is Nature, which has developed in all its beauty through organic evolution and is a vast web of interactions more complex than humans can ever fully comprehend. As ecologist Frank Egler has pointed out, "Nature is not only more complex than we think, but more complex than we can ever think." It is one intricate system composed of a hierarchy of nested subsystems, with structure flowing upward and constraints flowing downward. Although ecological complexity can never (and some would add, should never) be fully quantified, the study of complex interactions—ecology—produces overwhelming respect for the whole in all who approach it sensitively.

In becoming scientific, natural history does not denigrate into mechanism, but rather matured into holism while retaining the proven techniques of mechanistic science. Establishing facts through observation, experiment, and other reductionist methods, ecology unites them and integrates them into broad, general theories, into wholes greater than the sum of their parts. The wholes (theories) are there all along, of course, guiding the collection of data and providing context for facts. As Stephen Jay Gould has pointed out, facts do not speak for themselves, but are read in the light of theory. Perhaps most important to deep ecologists, ecology and evolutionary biology demonstrate unequivocally that humans are just one ephemeral component of an interrelated and interdependent biota. Ecology and evolutionary biology place us firmly within nature, not on top of it.

Natural science is explicitly non-anthropocentric, even though many of its practitioners are still stuck in anthropocentric modes of thought. Scientists, such as Jared Diamond, who have become familiar with taxonomies developed by indigenous cultures (i.e., the way they separate and classify wild organisms into types) are generally impressed by the similarity of indigenous taxonomy to scientific taxonomy. "Primitive" people recognize mostly the same species in Nature as do modern scientists. The differences usually involve those plants and animals that are not used directly for food, clothing, ornamentation, drugs, and other human purposes. These "useless" species tend to be "lumped"; thus, fewer distinctions and fewer species may be recognized by indigenous cultures than by scientific taxonomists. Indigenous people, like everyone else, have a utilitarian bias that has been naturally selected to foster their survival. For this reason, they have developed a taxonomy that is anthropocentric compared to that of biology, which seeks to classify all organisms with equivalent precision, regardless of their utility to humans. This is not to deny that most research money in biology is channeled into anthropocentric research (e.g., medical science and genetic engineering), and that vertebrates and vascular plants have received more attention than "lower" forms.

Ecologists, as scientists, devote their lives to studying, and hopefully understanding, how Nature works. These people love the Earth. As the British entomologist Miriam Rothschild remarked, "For someone studying natural history, life can never be long enough." Other approaches to this same end (or to no particular "end") are also valid, and are not mutually exclusive. Direct experience, contemplation, meditation, and simply the ecstasy of being immersed in wilderness are equally viable approaches and, in fact, provide many ecologists with the inspiration they need to carry on. These spontaneous or mystical experiences are accessible to scientist and non-scientist alike. Nothing in my professional code of conduct as an ecologist says that I cannot run naked and whooping with joy through the desert, or sit all day and stare at a rock. When I am actively engaged in research, of course, these particular activities may not be appropriate, but only because they may bias my results (for example, by scaring away all the fauna). A whole human being is one who is equally comfortable with rational and intuitive-spontaneous explorations of Nature---one who can deal with "hard facts" at one moment and be a wild animal the next. These two approaches, complementary and intertwined as yin and yang, are both essential to holistic understanding.

Aldo Leopold, my favorite deep ecologist, was able to carry his message so powerfully because he had the sensitivity of a poet and the objectivity of a scientist. He communicated in the hard, factual language of science, sprinkled with brilliant, experiential metaphors in the finest tradition of Nature essays. Virtually every faction within the environmental, ecosophical, and resource management fields claims old Aldo for its own, yet few people seem to comprehend the more radical, biocentric notions he developed gradually through his life, and articulated late in his career. Because he could write so damn well and is appreciated by so many people of such divergent worldviews, Leopold provides deep ecologists with an avenue along which to lead others toward biocentric understanding.

If yin and yang, intuition and rationality, emotion and thought, right brain and left brain are complementary, then so too are deep ecology and scientific ecology. It may be that their relationship is mutualistic: they need each other. Don't judge scientific ecology from your experience that most ecologists (or scientists, generally) are anthropocentric jerks. Most philosophers, accountants, lawyers, farmers, and television repairmen are anthropocentric jerks, too. At least ecology, "the subversive science," has a biocentric, holistic underpinning, which cannot be said for most other disciplines. If most scientific ecologists are not deep ecologists, it is because they have yet to grasp the radical implications of their science. If most deep ecologists are not scientific ecologists, then perhaps it would behoove them to explore natural history, evolution, and ecology. You don't need a college degree to be a good ecologist, though it helps, because it compels exposure to the cumulative knowledge of others through textbooks, journals, and symposia. But the best ecology is learned in the field from observation and reflection on why Nature works the way it does; and from just being there, out of doors and away from the human-dominated world.

It is no accident that many ecologists and field biologists are somewhat crude, wild-eyes, and uncivilized, or to put it simply—"earthy." As John Steinbeck, who was trained in zoology, noted in Log from the Sea of Cortez, "What good men most biologists are, the tenors of the scientific world---temperamental, moody, lecherous, loud-laughing, and healthy...The true biologists deals with life, with teeming, boisterous life, and learns something from it." The message of the ecological worldview, in its fullest expression, is this: Get out into the woods, the mountains, the deserts, the swamps. Feel it, explore it, examine it, think about it, understand it. Rational analysis and direct intuition do not conflict—you need both and your brain is built by natural selection to do both. It is your Nature.

If science, in the form of the "new sciences" or ecology, evolutionary biology, and quantum mechanics, is capable of reinserting humans into Nature by enlarging the self to include the whole biosphere—"the world is my body" (Alan Watts)—then perhaps we have come full circle. We began as primitives, relatively un-self-conscious and inseparable from the ecosystem; we evolved into calculating, rational beings, becoming more and more alienated from our real home; we developed other-wordly religions to place us above other life-forms, and dualist reductionist science to ascribe mechanism to all of Nature; but then we developed new forms of science that put us, surprisingly but objectively, right back where we began and where we belong: as Earth-animals.

Most scientists don't want to think (or, at least, talk openly) about such things or feel they cannot do so without jeopardizing their scientific credibility and, therefore, their careers. Jobs and money are scarce for ecologists, and appearing radical or unscientific is usually a one-way ticket to poverty and obscurity. This does not excuse ecologists from active involvement in defending the Earth, but their hesitation is understandable. Deep ecologists must encourage scientific ecologists to get involved in saving that which they study. The battle to defend the Earth needs warriors who specialize in determining what the war is being fought over, what it takes to save what we have, and how we might be able to put it all back together again.

[rockislandadultreads]

Libby Spotlight: Newly-Added Science & Nature eBooks

Fire Weather by John Vaillant

In May 2016, Fort McMurray, the hub of Canada’s oil industry and America’s biggest foreign supplier, was overrun by wildfire. The multi-billion-dollar disaster melted vehicles, turned entire neighborhoods into firebombs, and drove 88,000 people from their homes in a single afternoon. Through the lens of this apocalyptic conflagration—the wildfire equivalent of Hurricane Katrina—John Vaillant warns that this was not a unique event, but a shocking preview of what we must prepare for in a hotter, more flammable world.

Fire has been a partner in our evolution for hundreds of millennia, shaping culture, civilization, and, very likely, our brains. Fire has enabled us to cook our food, defend and heat our homes, and power the machines that drive our titanic economy. Yet this volatile energy source has always threatened to elude our control, and in our new age of intensifying climate change, we are seeing its destructive power unleashed in previously unimaginable ways.

With masterly prose and a cinematic eye, Vaillanttakes us on a riveting journey through the intertwined histories of North America’s oil industry and the birth of climate science, to the unprecedented devastation wrought by modern forest fires, and into lives forever changed by these disasters. John Vaillant’s urgent work is a book for—and from—our new century of fire, which has only just begun.

Slow Birding by Joan E. Strassmann

Many birders travel far and wide to popular birding destinations to catch sight of rare or “exotic” birds. In Slow Birding, evolutionary biologist Joan E. Strassmann introduces readers to the joys of birding right where they are.

In this inspiring guide to the art of slow birding, Strassmann tells colorful stories of the most common birds to be found in the United States—birds we often see but might not have considered deeply before. For example, northern cardinals thrive in the city, where they are free from predators. White brows on a male white-throated sparrow indicate that he is likely to be a philanderer. This essential guide to the fascinating world of common, everyday birds features: detailed portraits of individual bird species and the scientists who have discovered and observed them; advice and guidance on what to look for when slow birding, so that you can uncover clues to the reasons behind specific bird behaviors; and bird-focused activities that will open your eyes more to the fascinating world of birds.

Slow Birding is the perfect guide for the birder looking to appreciate the beauty of the birds right in their own backyard, observing keenly how their behaviors change from day to day and season to season.

Universe: 50 Ideas You Really Need to Know by Joanne Baker

From dwarf planets to dark energy; and from the Big Bang to the death of stars, this book is the perfect introduction to the cutting-edge science that is shaping our understanding of our place in the Universe and that could lead to the next great discovery -- the detection of life beyond Earth.

The Devil's Element by Dan Egan

Phosphorus has played a critical role in some of the most lethal substances on earth: firebombs, rat poison, nerve gas. But it's also the key component of one of the most vital: fertilizer, which has sustained life for billions of people. In this major work of explanatory science and environmental journalism, Pulitzer Prize finalist Dan Egan investigates the past, present, and future of what has been called "the oil of our time."

The story of phosphorus spans the globe and vast tracts of human history. First discovered in a seventeenth-century alchemy lab in Hamburg, it soon became a highly sought-after resource. The race to mine phosphorus took people from the battlefields of Waterloo, which were looted for the bones of fallen soldiers, to the fabled guano islands off Peru, the Bone Valley of Florida, and the sand dunes of the Western Sahara. Over the past century, phosphorus has made farming vastly more productive, feeding the enormous increase in the human population. Yet, as Egan harrowingly reports, our overreliance on this vital crop nutrient is today causing toxic algae blooms and "dead zones" in waterways from the coasts of Florida to the Mississippi River basin to the Great Lakes and beyond. Egan also explores the alarming reality that diminishing access to phosphorus poses a threat to the food system worldwide—which risks rising conflict and even war.

[nancypullen]

MIA

Yep, I've let too many days pass without posting. I've missed the opportunity to crow about how much fun Halloween was, we're already more than a week into November! We did have a grand time though. Trick-or-treating with our little miss in her fun neighborhood ticks all of the boxes on my perfect Halloween check list. I popped on my witch hat and my sweatshirt and had as much fun as the kids.

I'm trying to be better about sharing pictures of myself (ugh!) so that when I'm dead my kids can have something to prove I was here.

Yes indeed, we gave October a fantastic send off and November arrived with chillier weather and even more color in the trees. Absolutely beautiful.

I've been busy filling a big earring order, and keeping appointments. My in-person interview at the library went well ( I thought) but I haven't heard a peep. I can't worry about that. I know I'm qualified and would be helpful and cheerful to the patrons, but I still may not be what they're looking for - who knows? If not there, I'll find something else. I had a follow up appointment after my yearly physical/ lab work because my blood pressure was up. That's really unusual for me, so I had to track it for a month and then bring my monitor in and all that. Turns out I'm normal, I just don't like going to the doctor. I'm really glad that I don't have to take meds. I'm too forgetful for that.

Then, I received a call that my mammogram results were abnormal and showed a "developing asymmetry" in the left breast. Tomorrow I have to go to Easton for a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound. I'm 99% sure that it's nothing, probably just normal changes, but for someone who doesn't like going to doctors and/or having procedures, enough already! If this is what getting older is like, I'm not a fan. I told a friend that it's probably a lump of cookie dough that didn't make it all the way to my hips - much ado about nothing.

When I'm not kneading clay and baking earrings, or getting poked and prodded by medical personnel, I'm trying to prepare for the upcoming holidays. I love an October vacation, and Ireland was sublime, but it tends to dump me right at the doorstep of Thanksgiving and Christmas and I'm not ready for either one! I confess to playing some Christmas tunes already, just to get in the mood. I feel like I'm way behind. I've been trying to come up with our card for this year and the creative well is running dry. They just get thrown away by the recipients, why not just pick up a couple boxes of cards at Target? That would be smarter and I could cross it off my list. I know that I'm one of the dinosaurs still sending out holiday cards, but I love getting them in my mailbox and one must give in order to receive, right? So that's my quick check in, and my apology for being tardy with this post. Tomorrow I'll ship those earrings off to Florida and go get my boob smashed again, and then my schedule will be nothing but holiday madness. I'm looking forward to it. It's time to get my jingle on!

The Edgewater gang will come over this weekend and I'll have to make sure that I have a grasp on the grandgirl's list for Santa. I have a toy catalog here that should inspire her. Everyone else is getting socks and a toothbrush. Just kidding, but that sure would be easy. When am I old enough to start doing that? They'll head to Tennessee for Thanksgiving, but will be with us for Christmas. Matt is flying in for Thanksgiving, then in December he jets off to Brugge, Belgium and Amsterdam for the Christmas markets. He'll be here for Christmas week full of stories to share. I can't wait. On that happy note, I'll head of to soak in a bubble bath and then snuggle under the covers with a book. I'm pooped. Until tomorrow, stay safe, stay well...and

You better watch out You better not cry You better not pout I'm telling you why

… Santa Claus is comin' to town! 47 days!!! XOXO, Nancy

[strigops]

beautiful little a. vulgare from my florida pods culture, sadly infected with rickettsiella. they’ve apparently been slow cooking the infection for over a year and a half and it’s taken until now for them to start showing noticeable symptoms (thanks again @crevicedwelling for the help in diagnosing it!!). not surprising considering these guys were scooped out of a backyard in sarasota and lived on a diet of soil and leaves indiscriminately dug up from the front of the lab building they originally lived in, but still a bummer as they’re my fav culture :(

i have salvaged quite a few (currently) healthy individuals, hopefully the new subculture will do well and i can eventually eliminate it over subsequent generations!

[vintage1981]

Swamp Think Comes to UHD and Blu-Ray from the MVD Laservision  & Rewind Collections!

THE DC COMICS SUPERHERO COMES TO LIFE IN WES CRAVEN'S CULT CLASSIC FILM, MAKING ITS DEBUT ON 4K ULTRA HD AND FINALLY, INCLUDING BOTH THE PG THEATRICAL VERSION AND THE UNRATED INTERNATIONAL VERSION!

Releases  7/25/2023

MVD LaserVision Collection #1 TITLE: Swamp Thing (2-Disc Collector’s Edition) [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray] SKU: MVD12567UHD UPC / Barcode: 760137125679 YSRP: 49.95 SCIENCE TRANSFORMED HIM INTO A MONSTER. LOVE CHANGED HIM EVEN MORE!

Deep in Florida's darkest everglades, a brilliant scientist, Dr. Alec Holland (Ray Wise, Robocop) and a sexy government agent, Alice Cable (Adrienne Barbeau, John Carpenter’s The Fog) have developed a secret formula that could end world hunger and change civilization forever. Little do they know, however, that their arch nemesis, Arcane (Louis Jourdan, Octopussy) is plotting to steal the serum for his own selfish schemes. Looting the lab and kidnapping Cable, Arcane douses Holland with the chemicals and leaves him for dead in the swamp. Mutated by his own formula, Holland becomes “Swamp Thing” - a half human/half plant superhero who will stop at nothing to rescue the beautiful Cable and defeat the evil Arcane... even if it costs him his life.

DISC 1: SWAMP THING 4K LASERVISION COLLECTION – SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2023 4K Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR • Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono • Optional English Subtitles • Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version) • Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munns moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version) • Collectible “4K LaserVision” Mini-Poster of cover art • Limited Edition “4K Laservision” Slipcover (First Pressing Only) DISC 2: SWAMP THING REWIND COLLECTION BLU-RAY – SPECIAL FEATURES: • 2023 HD Restoration of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio • Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version) • Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munns moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version) • DTS-HD Audio 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono Audio • Optional English Subtitles • "Tales From the Swamp" (Remastered) with Actress Adrienne Barbeau (HD, 16:56) • "Hey Jude" with Actor Reggie Batts (HD, 14:30) • "That Swamp Thing" with Len Wein, Creator of Swamp Thing (HD, 13:19) • "Swamp Screen: Designing DC's Main Monster" featurette (HD, 20:32) • "From Krug to Comics: How the Mainstream Shaped a Radical Genre Voice" featurette (HD, 17:34) • Posters & Lobby Cards - Photo Gallery • Photos from the Film - Photo Gallery • William Munns’ Behind the Scenes Pictures - Photo Gallery • Behind the Scenes Photos by Geoffrey Rayle – Photo Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:31) • "REGION A" LOCKED * Special Features May Not Be Rated, Closed Captioned Or In High Definition. MVD Rewind Collection #51 TITLE: Swamp Thing (Collector’s Edition) [Blu-ray] SKU: MVD8554BR UPC /Barcode: 760137855484 SRP: $39.95

SWAMP THING REWIND COLLECTION BLU-RAY – SPECIAL FEATURES: • 2023 HD Restoration of both the US Theatrical PG Version and Unrated International Version of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio • Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Wes Craven moderated by Sean Clark (Theatrical / PG Version) • Audio Commentary with Makeup Effects Artist William Munns moderated by Michael Felsher (Theatrical / PG Version) • DTS-HD Audio 2.0 Mono, Spanish Mono Audio • Optional English Subtitles • "Tales From the Swamp" (Remastered) with Actress Adrienne Barbeau (HD, 16:56) • "Hey Jude" with Actor Reggie Batts (HD, 14:30) • "That Swamp Thing" with Len Wein, Creator of Swamp Thing (HD, 13:19) • "Swamp Screen: Designing DC's Main Monster" featurette (HD, 20:32) • "From Krug to Comics: How the Mainstream Shaped a Radical Genre Voice" featurette (HD, 17:34) • Posters & Lobby Cards - Photo Gallery • Photos from the Film - Photo Gallery • William Munns’ Behind the Scenes Pictures - Photo Gallery • Behind the Scenes Photos by Geoffrey Rayle – Photo Gallery • Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:31) • Two-Sided Artwork • Collectible MVD Rewind Collection Mini-Poster • Limited Edition Slipcover (First Pressing Only) • "REGION A" LOCKED * Special Features May Not Be Rated, Closed Captioned Or In High Definition.

[evoldir]

Fwd: Graduate position: UCentralFlorida.EvolutionParasiticWasps

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Graduate position: UCentralFlorida.EvolutionParasiticWasps > Date: 10 November 2024 at 05:42:44 GMT > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > > University of Central Florida (UCF) > > The Sharanowski lab at the University of Central Florida is seeking > a Ph.D. student to work on comparative genomics and evolutionary > genomics projects, focusing on parasitic wasps in the superfamily > Ichneumonoidea. This research will be largely computational, working > on full genomes, and thus a strong background in programming would > be ideal, as well as course work in genomics, genetics, evolution, > molecular biology, and several courses that would provide a strong > statistical background.  Students with a biology, math, or a computer > science degree are highly encouraged. Students with Masters degrees and > previous publications are preferred. > > PhD students are supported via a graduate teaching assistantship (GTA) > from the Biology Department and are supplemented with summer salary > from the Sharanowski Lab for full support including health insurance > benefits. Interested applicants are encouraged to email Dr. Sharanowski > by November 15th with a > > a CV outlining research experience with 3 names of references > included please include your GPA on your CV > > and a short description of research interests including why you want to > join the Sharanowski Lab. > > Dr. Sharanowski will only contact suitable applicants for a zoom > interview to assess a good fit between the project and student and > advisor. Applications to UCF are due Dec 1st, 2024. International > applicants are welcome. The University of Central Florida is a large > university and a designated Hispanic serving institution. Students > from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Orlando is a diverse > and beautiful city and the department, campus and city have supportive > communities. > > Dr. Barbara Sharanowski > Professor, Department of Biology > University of Central Florida > barb.sharanowski [at] ucf.edu > > Barbara Sharanowski

[floridabeautylabs]

How Hair Color Protecting Shampoos and Conditioners Maintain Shine and Softness

Maintaining vibrant and healthy hair color is a priority for many, especially those who invest time and effort into achieving that perfect shade. Color-treated hair requires special attention to preserve its shine, softness, and integrity. Hair color protecting shampoos and conditioners are key to maintaining the vibrancy and longevity of your color.

Why Hair Color Protection Matters

Coloring hair involves altering the structure of the hair cuticle, allowing color molecules to penetrate. However, this process can leave hair vulnerable to damage and fading. Without proper care, the shine and softness of freshly colored hair diminish over time. Hair color protection is essential for:

Preserving Vibrancy: Color-treated hair tends to lose vibrancy quickly due to UV exposure, heat styling, and harsh chemicals.

Preventing Fading: Frequent washing, sun exposure, and environmental factors can cause color to fade. Protecting shampoos and conditioners form a barrier, extending the color’s lifespan.

Maintaining Softness: Hydrating products like Keywest Professional Color Protect Shampoo and Conditioner restore moisture to keep hair soft and manageable.

How Hair Color Protecting Shampoos and Conditioners Work

Specialized hair color protecting shampoos and conditioners are designed to meet the needs of color-treated hair, helping it stay soft, shiny, and healthy:

1. Gentle Cleansing Without Stripping Color

Hair color protecting shampoos, such as Keywest Professional Color Protect Shampoo, cleanse the scalp and hair without removing essential moisture. The milder ingredients in these shampoos preserve color vibrancy while keeping your strands glossy.

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Keywest Professional Color Protect Shampoo 250ml: This 2-in-1 shampoo retains pigment while nourishing the follicles, keeping your hair vibrant and healthy. Buy now

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Coloring your hair is exciting, but it requires care to preserve its vibrancy. Using a quality color-protecting shampoo and conditioner like Keywest’s ensures your hair stays nourished, shiny, and soft while protecting the integrity of your color. These products protect against environmental damage, restore moisture, and provide essential nourishment, giving you long-lasting, salon-worthy results at home. Visit Florida Beauty Labs to shop for these essential products and maintain your beautiful hair color.

[jodilin65]

Haven't been very active on Swell lately. I just get sick of all the damn invites and I've always preferred writing anyway.

So fucking sick of these daily helicopters. They’re worse on weekends, though.

Had decent energy yesterday but today I'm exhausted. I woke up a million times. I still fear I'm not meant to sleep well no matter what I do. Really hope I'm wrong but we'll find out as soon as I can get my hands on another CPAP. Every time it annoys me, I’m going to remember how badly I want to have more energy more often and stop replacing the traffic wake-up calls with snoring wake-up calls.

Anyway, I still have burning down there and I did a second urinalysis test and the strip was the same color. A couple of things were almost borderline, but not quite. Tom thinks it's just how I am now, but I'm not sure what to think. I researched the possibilities and I don't have lupus and my A1C isn’t out of control. Also, since there's only a 1% chance of cancer, if I read correctly, and I don't have other symptoms like flank pain or stomach pain, I'm just not sure what the hell to think. Maybe I can get some answers from Rhonda tomorrow, although I suspect she may want me to go to the lab.

I'd love to do a piss test when I'm not burning and see what the colors are then. We have tons of strips. So many that, as gross and funny as this may sound, we even tested the rat. The silly little thing has a habit of going on her upper shelf instead of taking the time to go downstairs to her bedding. She has a surprising amount of protein in her pee for one that doesn't eat much protein. It's not good for their skin.

Really beginning to wonder just where those spots came from. Another thing that may sound gross but something I'm curious about just the same—given their placement on my undies, I question which portal they emerged from. Haven't noticed any in a while, though. I'm sure whatever it is, it's no big deal, but it sure is annoying.

The only thing that doesn't make sense about the vision I had was the "for sale" sign being on a stake driven into the ground. They don't do that in this park. They just tape the signs to their lanais. 

I'm just wondering when Florida is going to feel like Florida again! The heat has had to run all day, and that just seems all wrong. It shouldn't be running in the middle of the afternoon in this state.

I was thinking of Andy earlier. I miss him, but not his thinking everything everyone says is a lie and assuming we're all the same. I wonder if he would still be digging through Stevie's trash periodically if we were still in Phoenix. I was laughing when I was remembering those days. I've seen the house—well, with what little I could see of it from the street—but I never participated in any of those trash raids. But he would tell me everything he found and it was pretty funny. Nothing was funnier than Sally, the girl singing and playing guitar on a cassette. I don't think I ever heard anything sound as bad as that! LOL. No wonder the damn thing ended up in Stevie's trash if she even heard it to begin with. I'll have to look through some of my '90s entries and see what else was found. I think there were some receipts for beauty products and something about doctors. Pretty sure he took Michelle with him on one of these endeavors.

The connection he made with Stevie's mom was cool too.

I don't miss Maliheh, but I sure miss Nane at times. That’s ok. We can still ravish each other in my stories. I don't think I'll ever miss anyone as much as I miss Aly, though!

[writerprincess]

My Favorite Flower:

White Magnolias

Have you ever seen a white magnolia flower? I did, but in the most unexpected way. On my way to a college chemistry lab, I happened to look up at a tree—one I must have passed every day for three years. This tree, along with many others like it, adorned the parking lot of the school. The flowers were white, yet I had never noticed them before. Instead, what always caught my eye was the underside of the leaves. These leaves, with their brown, leathery texture, resembled the color of dead fall leaves and seemed to obscure the beauty of the flowers they encased.

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When I looked at the tree again, it felt like I had stumbled upon a sacred plant, its white flowers almost magical in their presence. Living in Florida, I don’t often see flowers like these, as the extreme heat and humidity can be unforgiving. But when the magnolia flowers began to bloom, their elegance took my breath away. Like orchids, their beauty is fully revealed once they open, and their size and southern charm have always captivated me.

I couldn’t help but think of artists painting these stunning blossoms, their intricate details celebrated on canvas—and yet, here they were, right under my nose all along. At that time in my life, I was going through so much that simply moving forward was all I knew. I didn’t have the luxury to admire the scenery or stop to smell the flowers.

Now, I see the brown, leathery leaves as something symbolic—a protective design, shielding the delicate beauty within. Perhaps I’m rambling, but this flower holds a special meaning for me. I hope to incorporate magnolias into a bouquet someday or even into my future home. They will always remind me of resilience and grace.

I am the flower that blooms.

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The art

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Now my favorite flower

Took a quiz on buzzfeed : 😂Validating my love for this flower

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#magnolia#favorite flower#self awareness#bloom#white magnolia

Blaze

0 notes

[yourreddancer]

HEY RED STATES!!! - Huffpost - Miles Mogulescu

HEY RED STATES!!! - Huffpost - Miles Mogulescu

So some of you patriotic Americans in Red States are so mad that a Kenyan, Muslim, socialist black man got elected President of the USA for a second time that you want to demonstrate your patriotism by seceding from the United States of American? Go ahead. Make our day.

But be careful what you wish for. Here's how it could go down, and it might not be so pretty for you after all is said and done.

We would get the West Coast, all of the Northeast and the upper Midwest.

You would get Texas, Oklahoma and all the former slave states.

We would keep Hawaii too, the foreign country with warm water and beautiful beaches where Barack Hussein Obama was born without a birth certificate.

You can have Alaska and stare at Russia from your front porches.

To be fair, we may have to split up some states.

You get North Florida. We get South Florida. After all, what would you want with all those gay people in South Beach and old Jews in Miami?

We get North Virginia. You get South Virginia. To be fair, we'll let you keep the University of Virginia. Go Cavaliers! Plus you need at least one place to educate some leaders who believe in science.

But Austin, Atlanta and New Orleans get to be their own Blue city/states, sort of like West Berlin before the Wall came down. We'll even pay to move the capital of Texas from Austin to W's hometown of Midland, where as one native recently put it, "There used to be one Democrat in town, but I think she died".

We might even merge with Canada. That way we get single-payer healthcare, solvent banks, the Royal Canadian Mounties, and Ryan Gosling (eat your hearts our Red-nation women).

To sum up briefly:

We get Bruce Springsteen, Jay Z and Beyonce. You get Ted Nugent and Meatloaf.

Plus Willie Nelson gets to park his bus anywhere he likes in the Blue America.

We get Elizabeth Warren. You get Todd Aiken. (Hey, we'll even keep Chris Christie. He's too large to move, anyway.)

We get the Statue of Liberty. You get OpryLand.

We get the New York Philharmonic. You get the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

We get Oprah. You get Paula Deen.

And Blue America will have an easy repatriation policy for the ancestors of slaves still stuck in the former Confederate states, as well as a path to citizenship for undocumented workers and their children from both Red and Blue America who have worked hard/studied hard and put down roots. We'll even have a 21st century version of "40 acres and a mule" with education, job training and work at a fair wage for those who need it. (But here's a warning: good luck getting your crops picked, your kids asses wiped, and your pools cleaned without a bunch of low-paid undocumented workers.)

Any Red-nation NBA team that wants to gets to move to a Blue state city without its own team. Hey, how about them World Champion Pittsburgh Thunder?

And the New York Jets will send you back Tim Tebow for a player to be named later.

We get 85 percent of America's venture capital and entrepreneurs.

You get backwoods crystal meth labs.

We get Intel, Microsoft and Apple. You get WorldCom.

We get Harvard. You get Ole' Miss.

We get two-thirds of the tax revenue. You get to pay your fair share for once.

Speaking of all those federal taxes you love to hate. Most of it comes from us and goes to you. So stop talking nonsense about how "It's our money, not the government's money". Of the 19 states that send more money to Washington than they get back in benefits, 14 are Blue. And of 31 states that get more money back from the Feds than they pay in taxes, 23 are Red. It's not your money. It's our f**cking money. So from here on out, you can pay for your own damn roads and bridges.

Which state do you think has the lowest divorce rate? It's Taxachusetts, the first state to recognize gay marriage. Think that's some aberration? How about this? 9 of the 10 lowest divorce rates are in the Blue states. And where are the highest divorce rates? 10 of the top 10 are Red.

But gay people getting married is going to ruin the family for you? Seems like you're ruining it pretty well on your own.

So we get a bunch of happy families, straight and gay. You get a bunch of single moms and deadbeat dads.

With the Blue States in hand we will have firm control of 80 percent of the country's fresh water, more than 90 percent of the pineapple and lettuce, 92 percent of the nation's fresh fruit, 95 percent of America's quality wines (you can serve Texas wines at state dinners) 90 percent of all cheese, 90 percent of the high tech industry, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Stanford, Cal Tech, UC Berkeley, and MIT.

With the Red States you will have to cope with 88 percent of all obese Americans and their projected health care costs, 92 percent of all US mosquitoes, nearly 100 percent of the tornadoes, 90 percent of the hurricanes, 99 percent of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, and Bob Jones University.

So, as we said at the start. You want to secede? Go ahead. Make our Day. But be careful what you wish for. You might not be so happy if you actually got it. If you ask nicely, we might even take you back.

[uniquejellyfishqueen]

11/24/1835 The Texas Rangers, a horse-mounted police force were authorized by the Texas Provincial Government

*Didn’t she have horses wearing friendship bracelets?

11/24/1877 - Black Beauty, by English Author Anna Sewell is published. It became an immediate best seller and eventually sold over 50 million copies

11/24/1932 - In Washington, D.C., the FBI Crime Lab opens (officially known as the FBI Scientific Crime Detection Laboratory

11/24/1943 - During World War II, at the battle of Makin, the USS Liscome Bay is torpedoed by the Japanese near Taraw and sinks killing 53 officers and 591 enlisted men

11/24/1963 - The assassin of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald is killed by Jack Ruby

11/24/1969 - The Apollo 12 command module splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean, after it completed the second manned mission to land on the Moon

11/24/1971 - Dan Cooper, aka D.B. Cooper parachutes from a Northwest Orient Airlines plane during a thunderstorm over Washington state with $200,000 in ransom money. He was never found.

*same initials as Down Bad

11/24/1973 - Photography by Ringo Starr hits #1

11/24/1994 - At the first annual MTV European Music Awards, Oasis is named the Best UK Band 

11/24/1998 - Garage, Inc., is released as the Metallica compilation of cover songs

11/24/2014 - Shady XV is a two-disc compilation album released by Eminem

The Panthers host the Chiefs on 11/24 at 1pm.

Bank of America Stadium is 33 acres.

Broke ground on 4/22/1994 and opened on 8/3/1996

The Carolina Panthers have never won a Super Bowl, losing both of their appearances:

2004: In Super Bowl XXXVIII, the Panthers lost to the New England Patriots 32-29.

2016: In Super Bowl 50, the Panthers lost to the Denver Broncos 24-10. The panthers were the favorite by 5.5. The network it was on was Westwood One…(Woodvale?….I forgot how the west was won….)

*They are 1 out of 12 teams that have not made it to a Super Bowl.

Owned by David Alan Tepper 9/11/1975 hedge fund manager of Appaloosa Management (specializing in distressed debt) founded in 1993 based in Miami Beach, FL (their logo is a horse.)

TS was wearing a Panther necklace on 11/19

The Panther on her 1989 set

The “Big cat” on her blind for love shirt in the bank vault

“Range Rovers and Jaguars…”

“Karma is a Cat”

Her 2 cat is Olivia Benson… Named after Mariska Hargitay who can speak 4 languages.

In SVU History:

* Clarence Williams III 
In the 2000 Law & Order episode "Burn Baby Burn" (aired on 11/22/2010), a former Black Panther named Clarence Williams III shoots and kills two cops on the warrant squad. The episode explores the idea that police can never know what they might encounter when they knock on a door. 

* Former Black Panther accused of murder 
In season 11, episode 6 of SVU(aired on 10/28/2009), a former Black Panther is accused of murdering a Caucasian police officer. The episode features a politically charged trial and the accused questioning Detective Green's integrity. 

PANTHER SYMBOLISM:

* Protection and guidance: In medieval bestiaries, the panther was seen as an embodiment of Christ, and was said to bring unity and harmony to the animal kingdom, while also protecting from evil. 

* Leadership and unity: In modern times, the panther has become a symbol of leadership and unity, especially in comics, civil rights activism, and cinema. 

* Power, protection, and ferocity: In Greek mythology, the panther was associated with Dionysus, the god of wine and pleasure. 

* Grace, beauty, and mystery: For many tattoo enthusiasts, the panther represents these qualities. 

* Justice, morality, and money: In The Visit, the black panther symbolizes these concepts

Or we have the Florida Panthers

They do not have a game on the 24th.. but they do play on the 23rd and 25th of this month…. Bookends of sorts. And they are all home matches for the kitties.

11/23 Colorado Avalanche W 7 vs Florida Panthers 4

11/24 KC Chiefs vs Carolina Panthers

11/25 Capitals vs Florida Panthers

The day before Thanksgiving 11/27 the Florida Panthers host The Toronto Maple Leafs (TS current stop on the ET)

11/27/1942 is Jimi Hendrix birthday (electric lady..)

11/27/1957 Caroline Kennedy Birthday (US Ambassador to Australia since 2022)

11/27/1727 - The foundation stone of the Jerusalem Church in Berlin i laid

11/27/1870 - Baseball is called "The National Game" by The New York Times

11/27/1901 - The U.S. Army War College is established

11/27/1924 - The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York City

11/27/1960 - Gordie Howe becomes the 1st NHLer to score 1,000 points

11/27/1961 - Gordie Howe becomes the 1st to play in 1,000 NHL games

11/27/1965 - The Pentagon tells U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson that if they are to succeed in the Vietnam War that the number of American troops has to be increased from 120,000 to 400,000

11/27/1973 - The U.S. Senates votes 92-3 to confirm Gerald Ford as Vice President of the United States

11/27/1983 - Avianca Flight 011 (Boeing 747) crashes near Madrid's Barajas Airport, killing 181 people on board

11/27/1989 - Avianca Flight 203 (Boeing 727) explodes over Columbia, killing all 107 people on board and three people on the ground - The Medellin Cartel claim responsibility

11/27/2009 - The Nevsky Express train between Moscow and Saint Peterburg derails after a bomb explodes causing 28 deaths with 96 people injured

11/27/2015 - A shooter in a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado shoots four police officer, one police officer and two civilians die and six are injured

11/27/2017 - Country singer Blake Shelton is named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive

11/27/2020 - Days after the discovery is announced, the Utah monolith is removed

11/27/2021 - All Too Well, the extended version by Taylor Swift with a time of 10:13, hits #1 on the Hot 100

But also because Pittsburgh has been relevant The Penguins host the Florida Panthers on 12/3/24. 1..2..3..?

*5 days before the last day of tour.

12/3/1818 - Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. State

12/3/1910 - Modern neon lights are demonstrated for the first time by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show

12/3/1960 - The musical Camelot debuts at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway in New York City

12/3/1968 - NBC airs a TV special called Elvis

12/3/2014 Actor Taye Diggs (Private Practice) divorces Broadway actress Idina Menzel after 11 years of marriage

12/3/2015 - Scott Weiland American singer and songwriter who was the lead singer of the Stone Temple Pilots and made six albums with them

12/3/2015 - Based on the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, a live adaptation of The Wiz airs on NBC

12/3/2016 - Following his death, Leonard Cohen's original version of Hallelujah enters the Hot 100 at #59

TS HISTORY IN NC (15 shows):

1/20/2007 @ Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC

5 song set list

8/2/2008 @ Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, Raleigh

7 song set list

8/3/2008 @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater - Charlotte

8 song set list

Fearless Tour:

6/12/2009 Greensboro

9/5/2009 Charlotte

5/1/2010 Raleigh

Speak Now Tour:

6/30/2011 Greensboro

11/16/2011 Charlotte

11/17/2011 Raleigh

Red Tour: Charlotte

3/22/2013 Charlotte: “Tim McGraw”

9/12/2013 Greensboro: “Change” acoustic tour debut, “Everything Has Changed” with Ed Sheeran

9/13/2013 Raleigh: “Everything Has Changed” with Ed Sheeran

1989 World Tour:

6/8/2015 Charlotte:“You Are In Love Acoustic”

6/9/2015 Raleigh:

10/21/2015 Greensboro: “Little Red Wagon” with Miranda Lambert

[isabelwcna]

Discover Top-Rated CNA Classes in Fort Myers, Florida: Your Path to a Rewarding Healthcare Career Starts Here!

When⁢ it ⁢comes ‌to​ starting a ​rewarding career‍ in healthcare, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is an excellent choice. CNAs play a crucial role in providing direct ‌patient‍ care and assisting nurses and other medical ⁤professionals in various ​healthcare settings. If you’re looking to kickstart your healthcare career⁤ in Fort Myers, ⁤Florida,⁢ you’ll need to find top-rated CNA classes ‌to‌ get the training⁣ and certification you need.

In this ⁣article, we’ll explore some of the best ⁢CNA classes in Fort Myers, Florida, that will help you on your path to a fulfilling career ​in ‍healthcare. Whether you’re looking to ‌gain hands-on experience, learn⁣ valuable ‌skills, or advance your career prospects, these top-rated CNA classes will ⁣provide you with the knowledge and training you need to succeed.

### Why Choose ⁢Fort ‌Myers ⁣for CNA Classes?

Fort Myers, Florida, is ​a popular destination for those looking‌ to pursue a career in‌ healthcare. With ​a ⁢growing population and a high demand for healthcare professionals, Fort Myers offers ample opportunities for CNAs to secure employment in hospitals, nursing homes, ‌assisted living⁤ facilities, and other healthcare settings. In addition ⁤to its thriving healthcare ​industry, Fort Myers boasts a warm climate, beautiful beaches, and a welcoming community, making it an ⁤ideal place to start⁣ your career as a CNA.

### Top-Rated CNA Classes in Fort Myers, Florida

1. **Fort Myers Technical​ College**: ⁣ – Location: 3800 Michigan Ave, Fort Myers, FL ​33916 – Phone: (239) 334-4544 – Website: [Fort Myers Technical College](https://fortmyerstech.edu/) – Description: Fort ⁣Myers ⁤Technical College offers a comprehensive CNA program that covers essential topics ⁤such as⁣ patient care, medical terminology, and infection control. With experienced instructors and hands-on training opportunities, students ​can gain the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their CNA careers.

2. **Southwest Florida Technical College**: ⁤ ‌- Location: 5264 US-19, Palmetto, FL ‌34221 – Phone: (941) 723-2211 – Website: [Southwest Florida Technical College](https://southtech.edu/) – Description: Southwest Florida Technical College’s CNA program ⁢provides students with a ⁤combination of classroom instruction ⁢and clinical experience to prepare‌ them for‍ the ⁣challenges of working as a CNA.⁤ The⁢ program ⁢covers a wide range of topics, including ⁣medical ethics, patient⁢ safety, and communication skills.

3. **Lee ​Health**: – Location: 2776 Cleveland Ave, Fort Myers, FL 33901 – Phone: (239) 343-4120 ⁣ ⁢- Website: [Lee Health](https://www.leehealth.org/) ⁢ ⁣- Description: Lee Health offers a CNA ⁣training program for individuals looking to pursue a ⁤career in healthcare. The program includes classroom instruction, skills labs, and clinical rotations to provide students with a well-rounded education in patient care ⁣and medical assistance.

### Benefits of Enrolling in Top-Rated CNA Classes

– **Hands-On Training**: Top-rated CNA classes‍ offer hands-on training opportunities that allow students to practice their skills in a real-world healthcare setting. – **Career Advancement**: Becoming⁢ a CNA can ⁤open‍ up⁢ doors to further ‌career ​advancement⁣ in the healthcare field, such as becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse⁣ (LPN) ​or Registered Nurse⁣ (RN). – ​**Job ⁢Security**: With an ⁤aging population and​ a growing need for healthcare services, CNAs have excellent job prospects and job security in the healthcare industry.

### Practical Tips ‌for Success in CNA Classes

– **Stay ⁤Organized**: Keep track of assignments, deadlines, and clinical rotations to​ ensure⁣ you ⁢stay on top of your coursework. – **Seek Help When Needed**: Don’t hesitate to ask questions or seek help from instructors or classmates if you’re struggling⁤ with a particular topic. – **Practice Self-Care**: Taking ⁤care of yourself both‍ physically and mentally is‌ essential to ‌succeeding in CNA classes and in your future healthcare career.

enrolling in⁤ top-rated⁢ CNA​ classes in‌ Fort Myers, Florida, is ⁤the first step‍ towards⁣ a ⁣rewarding career in healthcare. By choosing a⁣ reputable‌ institution that offers quality education and hands-on​ training, you’ll be well-prepared to embark on your journey as​ a ⁤Certified Nursing Assistant. With the​ right⁤ skills,⁣ knowledge, and dedication, you can look forward to⁢ a fulfilling​ career providing care and support to those in⁢ need. Start your path to ‌a ‌rewarding healthcare ​career today ​with top-rated CNA classes in Fort Myers, Florida.

https://coursescna.com/discover-top-rated-cna-classes-in-fort-myers-florida-your-path-to-a-rewarding-healthcare-career-starts-here/

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