#food to eat in malaria

[bookdoctorconsultationonline]

Discover The Best Food For Malaria Patient To Stay Healthy at Livlong

Learn about the best food for malaria patients to boost immunity. In this article, you’ll know about what foods are included in a malaria diet chart like fruits, soups, etc. Find the best malaria patient diet at Livlong.

[allhealthneedsdoctorconsultation]

Discover The Best Food For Malaria Patient To Stay Healthy at Livlong

Learn about the best food for malaria patients to boost immunity. In this article, you’ll know about what foods are included in a malaria diet chart like fruits, soups, etc. Find the best malaria patient diet at Livlong.

[reasonsforhope]

Pairing frogs and toads together might conjure memories of Arnold Lobel’s beloved characters — dressed to the nines in caramel coats and polyester — biking off toward adventure. 

But in the animal world, frogs and toads on nearly every continent are facing a much more harrowing adventure: a decades-long fight against a mysterious fungal virus that has afflicted over 500 amphibian species. 

Since the 1990s, scientists estimate that the chytridiomycosis disease caused by the fungal pathogen Bd (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) has led to the extinction of 90 amphibians. One of the lost species includes the Panamanian golden frog, which hasn’t been spotted in the wild since 2009. 

Fortunately, a new research study has finally pinpointed the virus that has been infecting fungal genomes for decades. 

“Bd is a generalist pathogen and is associated with the decline of over 500 amphibian species…here, we describe the discovery of a novel DNA mycovirus of Bd,” wrote Mark Yacoub — the lead author of the study and a microbiology doctoral student at the University of California, Riverside. 

In an interview with UC Riverside News, Yacoub said that he and microbiology professor Jason Stajich observed the viral genome while studying the broader population genetics of mycovirus (viruses of fungi). 

The discovery will undoubtedly have monumental impacts on future amphibian conservation efforts. This includes the possible launching of new research studies into fungal species strains, the practice of cloning and observing spores, and engineering a solution to the virus. 

But Yacoub cautioned that this is only the beginning. 

“We don’t know how the virus infects the fungus, how it gets into the cells,” Yacoub said. “If we’re going to engineer the virus to help amphibians, we need answers to questions like these.”

Still, as scientists strengthen conservation efforts to save frogs and toads (and salamanders too!) they also appear to be saving themselves. Yacoub pointed out several amphibian species around the world have begun exhibiting resistance to Bd. 

“Like with COVID, there is a slow buildup of immunity,” Yacoub explained. “We are hoping to assist nature in taking its course.”

Pictured: A Golden poison frog — one of the many species endangered by chytridiomycosis — in captivity.

Why are frogs and toads so important?

From the get go, every amphibian species plays an important role in their local ecosystem. Not only are they prey for a slew of animals like lizards, snakes, otters, birds, and more, but in an eat-or-be-eaten world, frogs and toads benefit the food chain by doing both. 

Even freshly hatched tadpoles — no bigger than a button — can reduce contamination in their surrounding pond water by nibbling on algae blooms. 

As they grow bigger (and leggier), amphibians snack on whatever insect comes their way, greatly reducing the population of harmful pests and making a considerable dent in the transmission malaria, dengue, and Zika fever by eating mosquito larvae. 

“Frogs control bad insects, crop pests, and mosquitoes,” Yacoub said. “If their populations all over the world collapse, it could be devastating.” 

Yacoub also pointed out that amphibians are the “canary in the coal mine of climate change,” because they are an indicator species. Frogs and toads have permeable skin, making them sensitive to changes in their environment, and they also rely on freshwater. 

When amphibians vanish from an ecosystem, it’s a symptom of greater environmental issues...

Herpetologist Maureen Donnelly echoed Yacoub’s sentiments in an interview with Phys Org, noting that when it comes to food chains, biodiversity, and environmental impact, the role of frogs and toads should not be overlooked. 

“Conservation must be a global team effort,” Donnelly said. “We are the stewards of the planet and are responsible for all living creatures.”

-via GoodGoodGood, April 22, 2024

[baddywronglegs]

You hear quite often that humans liking spicy food is weird:

Spicy food evolved to discourage mammals from eating it, because we chew up the seeds so mammals are bad at spreading more plants so our shit isn't worth shit to them - birds, who are famously bad at chewing so can shit out a perfectly intact chilli seed, aren't affected, but to mammals it tricks heat receptors into thinking a Bad Heat is happening.

But then along came humans who go "You know what, put that pain in me, I want to be hurt on the way in and the way out" but this is also the species really reliant on cooking so I guess it makes sense that we'd have less aversion to something in our mouth appearing hot.

But bitterness? That's weird.

So how you taste the primary tastes is a reall loose categorisation done on what simple chemistry your tongue can manage:

Sweet is things your mouth thinks are sugars. Sugars mean quick energy, and body like quick energy so its reaction to them is "yum".

Sour means it's acidic, that's literally just tasting hydrogen ions which are what make acids acids (mostly anyway but you don't want to taste any that are acidic any other way). Sour can mean "This fruit has gone from having sugar in it to having bad in it" so it's a not-great taste.

Umami is protein taste for the most part, and we need that to make more body, so yeah generally positive response.

Salty is salt. That's pretty much all I have for you there. It's your body looking out for sodium ions it needs *some of*. So it's pleasant in a modicum but your mouth has a way of telling you that's too much salt. Some people like their mouth telling them it's too much salt. It's not a perfect system.

And then there's bitterness. Bitterness is really vague, lots tastes bitter, because it's a really scattergun sense to detect poison.

That's literally all bitterness is to detect. Poison. It's your mouth telling you not to eat this.

Humans... Do not care. We name drinks after this taste, voluntarily buy and drink them. We cultivate plants for this taste. Hmm, this gin could do with tasting more like poison. What's your favourite kind of beer? Going-off fruit taste? Oh, mine's tastes-like-poison.

I'm not saying everything that tastes bitter is poison. But I am saying the most bitter thing known to man is strychnine. And the Victorians were so obsessed with the idea that if a sensation is unpleasant it must be good for you led to them trying strychnine as an anti-malarial.

It had some success, as it doesn't take much strychnine to guarantee you don't die of malaria.

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

Today's fish of the day is the guppy, by special request of @guppiesareamazing !

The guppy, also known as millions in some English dialects, and scientific name Poecilia reticulata, is a well known freshwater fish. Common across every continent but Antartica, the natural range of the guppy stretches across the warm and tropical waters of South America and the Caribbean, from as far North as Venezuela, far South as Bolivia, and stretching Pacific to Atlantic oceans. Living in smaller streams or ponds due to poor swimming skills in faster waters, these fish are known for their ability to withstand brackish and slightly salty freshwaters, with an ability to be acclimated to saltwater (similar to their close relatives, mollies). Although, saltwater guppies have far fewer offspring. These fish are benthic, living on the river bed, but require water temperatures around 23-24 °C to survive. They can live in any elevation, with some restriction on increased pressure, and due to their highly adaptable way, are incredibly common in the aquarium trade!

The reason for the widespread populations across the globe is due to their habit of eating mosquito larvae, meaning they were often intentionally imported in an effort to control malaria. Although current studies show this was ineffective at best as a control method. However, these populations have caused issues worldwide. Since they are highly adaptable, guppies tend to kill out local species, bringing both competition for food, and disease. In particular, guppies are known for carrying: a parasitic flatworm species known as Gyrodactylus turnbulli which causes the host to swim erratically before dying, waiting for other fish to feed on the corpse so it can infect another host. Along with fin rot, ich, swim bladder disease, and columnaris bacteria, all of which is infectious to other fishes. In the United States, guppies are known particularly for being a problem along the Southwest, and Southeast, driving out cyprinids and killifishes, and damaging damselfly populations.

As discussed earlier, the diet of the guppy is made up of algae, zooplankton, insects/larvae, and surrounding detritus. Foraging for sustenance is common, and they travel in shaling groups as large as 30 individuals. These foraging groups help keep the fish calm, and spending less energy on anti predatory behaviours, leading to guppies that are less aggressive and less competitive, the same reason they need to be kept with multiple of their species in hobby tanks and captivity. In both wild and captivity, this fish is often predated on, especially considering they only grow to an adult size of 4-7cm in length.

However, guppies have several tactics for avoiding predation. Considering the bright colors of male guppies, the schools help populations of guppies under high predations, as sholes band together to make antipredator decisions. In these groups, some guppies act as inspectors, approaching predators to assess the danger, and are thought to report back to the larger group, although research is still being conducted. Other tactics, such as the ability to darken the iris of the eyes from silver to black, draws predator attention toward the head of the animal, giving the fish an easier time pivoting out of the way of a strike than if the predator aims for the center of mass. All these abilities to avoid predators only aid the guppies ability to adapt to new areas, making them such an issue as an invasive species.

The lifecycle of the guppy is like that of many other small fish. There are two generations per year, as male fish mature at the ripe age of 2 months and females mature at 3 months, with maturity causing males to exhibit sexul dimorphism dependent on the amount of a certain thyroid hormone that influences color patterns, as female guppies are attracted to brighter colors. Many of these bright colored males are bred specifically for different bright and flashy colors in the freshwater trade, leading to the many different variants of them in the hobby aquarium market. Their total lifespan is only around 2 years, and most fish will survive to see 3 breeding seasons total throughout their lifespan.

Female guppies give birth to live young, who can swim immediately and are often eaten by the parents soon after birth. In mating itself, females will take on multiple male mates a season, despite being incredibly picky about which they choose. This is thought to be in an effort to avoid inbreeding. Most of the choices that female fish make are based on the number and prevalence of orange spots on the flank and caudal tail of the fish. The orange spots are made up of a pigment that the guppies can not synthesize, and must be obtained in the diet. These spots show how healthy the male is, and is a good show for the presence of parasites. After a show of courtship behaviour and an acceptance, the female fish will gestate for 21-30 days, before giving birth to anywhere from 30-200 fry over the course of several hours. Although common, female guppies do not always eat their fry, and this can be prevented entirely by keeping the adult guppies happy and full of live prey, such as brine shrimp, well raising fry.

That's the guppy, everybody! Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

[she-wolf09231982]

Chapter 3- The Letter

Summary: The US Navy had fled allowing the Japanese control of the sea, leaving the marines to fight the battle for Guadalcanal alone. They were vastly undersupplied, and many were on the verge of starvation and some at the mercy of malaria. As thousands of Japanese reinforcements poured onto the island, Kate, Blanche, and the boys were strafed and bombed relentlessly. It was during these harsh times Kate found herself becoming closer to the guys and in a constant state of worry when Hoosier isn't where she could hear or see him. 

A/N: Mature audience, BillHoosierSmithx!FemMedic, WW2, OC/Kate Danaher, Female Pronouns, Cursing/Swearing, Derogatory Slurs, Womanizing Comments, Military and Medical Terminology, Inappropriate Nicknames, HBO The Pacific References, Mentions/Descriptions of Death, Blood, Weaponry, Smoking, 💚Very small Band of Brothers cameo quote…if you blink you might miss it💚

Story takes place Episode 2 Basilone Chapters 1-5

*These stories may not fall entirely in accordance with the TV series timeline. I do not know the real Marines the actors portray in this series, so please understand I show no disrespect. Some or most of historical events and character interactions in my fanfics are fabricated purely for the sake of the enjoyment of fiction* 

~~~~~~~ 

Guadalcanal 

September 1942 

“What’s wrong with him?” Sgt Stone asked Kate while she kneeled over a young marine. 

She had been holding a thermometer to the man’s mouth, and when she removed it, it read 105. 

“His temp is 105. He’s clammy and sweating bullets but says he feels cold-has to be malaria, sarge.” Kate finalized with a frown. 

Sgt Stone shook his head, “He’s the fifth marine to catch this shit.” 

“He won’t survive here if he stays. I don’t have anything to treat him with since that cruiser sank with all the supplies we needed.”  

Sgt Stone nodded, “I’ll try to arrange for transport if it’s available. We’re pretty much on our own out here.” 

Kate nodded, “I’ll do what I can for him, sir.”  

~~~~~~~ 

H Company was due to push forward the following day upon hearing D Company making contact with the enemy some 15 miles ahead. The men were instructed to police their gear to be ready by 0500 the next morning for the convoy. Around sunset, Hoosier scavenged beyond the camp for anything palatable to bring back to his buddies and himself for dinner. 

Leckie, Runner, Chuckler, Sid, and Gibson sat in a 7’ by 8’ foxhole they had dug for all of them to fit in. 

As darkness engulfed the island and thunder rolled through, Hoosier returned with chow. 

“Supper’s on, supper’s on.” he announced as he jumped into the hole. 

“Anything good?” Gibson asked hopefully. 

“What are those?” Runner asked skeptically. 

“Army rations from 1918. Quartermaster at Dog Company claims they’re edible-” Hoosier began as he handed each of them a small, unmarked package of food. 

He noticed the look of disgust stretching across each of their faces as they tried biting into the stale hard-tack crackers that were stiff enough to crack their teeth. 

“-after you suck on them for about an hour or two.” Hoosier added. 

“This is all you could find?” Chuckler asked. 

“You fuckin’ forage next time.” Hoosier spat back. 

They all begrudgingly continued to eat. 

Kate appeared kneeling over the edge of their foxhole. 

“Hey, guys. Just making rounds. Everyone doin’ ok?” she asked. 

“Yeah, just havin’ some dinner while Leckie reads us his letter to his girl back home.” Runner replied playfully. 

“Who said I was writing to anyone?” Leckie retorted. 

“Come on, you can tell us. Go on, read it.” Chuckler pushed. 

“We’d do it for you.” Runner added. 

“Guys, leave him alone.” Kate chuckled, knowing it was all in good fun. 

Leckie shook his head and returned to writing on his pad of paper. 

“So, you guys are ok, then?” Kate reiterated. 

They collectively responded, “yeah yeah,” knowing she’d keep on them until they answered her. 

“Ok, good. Make sure you keep hydrating, too. See you guys later.” she reminded them before standing and walking off. 

“Speaking of girls; how’s that bet going Hoosier?” Runner asked. 

“I’d say I’m in the lead.” he stated assertively. 

“That’s because I’m giving you a head start! She won’t be able to resist me once I’ve unleashed my charm on her.” Chuckler countered. 

“Yeah, and he’s a Corporal now! The ladies love rank.” Runner pointed out. 

Hoosier scoffed, “Yeah? Well, I don’t think she’s that type of girl. She’s not impressed by the number of stripes on a marine’s sleeves.” 

“How would you know?” Chuckler asked. 

“I had a little visit with her yesterday. Sat and talked to her for about two hours sipping on that shit Jap wine that we had left.” Hoosier revealed. 

They all stared at him waiting for him to continue, but he remained silent knowing the anticipation was killing them. 

“And!?” Leckie prompted. 

“And she told me she was only here to do her part for her country by keeping us alive. No matter what I said or did to “charm” her, she went right back into talkin’ about medical mumbo-jumbo or about her two brothers in the 101st airborne,” he paused, “she’s actually real smart.” Hoosier explained. 

“Well, maybe you just don’t got it like I do.” Chuckler returned. 

Hoosier laughed, “Have it at, pal, I’m tellin’ ya, she’s a tough cookie to crumble. She doesn’t melt over the same things most dames do. You’ll have your work cut out for you.”  

“We’ll see!” Chuckler shot back confidently. 

~~~~~~~ 

By midafternoon the next day, H Company caught up with D Company, setting up outlook posts about a mile away in case the enemy approached. With an entire battalion in the same area, a proper aid station was available with tables and cots to tend to the wounded and sick. There was also a chow tent serving hot meals which none of the men have seen in weeks. 

Hoosier, Leckie, Chuckler, and Runner sat in a semi-circle with their plates of hot rice. 

“I hear the army finally landed.” Leckie shared. 

“Nice of them to join the party.” Runner stated sarcastically. 

“They have no idea what they’re walking into.” Chuckler added. 

“Yeah, well word is they came with loads of crates filled with some good shit.” Hoosier voiced. 

“Oh yeah?” Leckie asked, his interest piqued. 

“Maybe we can get at some of that!” Chuckler suggested. 

“If you do, see if you can get some clean bandages, and some morphine. And get me some goddam scissors, I can’t get any.” Kate requested as she walked past the group after hearing them scheming about the army supply delivery. 

“Yes, ma’am!” Chuckler confirmed enthusiastically as he shot a cheeky grin at Hoosier. 

Hoosier released an exasperated sigh as he rolled his eyes at him, 

“You’re a fuckin’ idiot, Juergens.” 

~~~~~~~ 

As the Army staged the dozens of wooden crates and drawstring laundry bags on the beach, an air raid siren sounded off alerting the men of an enemy attack. The newcomer soldiers, unaware that the siren was signifying the attack on the airfield and not the beach, started running for cover leaving the boxes and bags unattended and up for grabs.

The marines waiting in the brush of the jungle like predators waiting to pounce, watched as the last few soldiers disappeared before they took advantage of the situation. 

Platoons of marines scattered out of the tree line like roaches, breaking open boxes and foot lockers, and dumping bags to grab what they could before the army came back. 

Hoosier found a good-sized crate with a red cross insignia painted on it.  

“Has to be scissors in here.” he thought outloud to himself. 

He looked around and found a crowbar lying on the ground. Snatching it up, he got to work on opening the box. As he removed the final nail, he pushed the cover off revealing an assortment of medical supplies to include cases of morphine and first aid kits.  

Hoosier scanned the area around him, “Hey Runner! Come here!”  

Runner trotted over to him and looked into the box, “Nice, you found the medic supply.” 

“Help me grab a few of these, will ya?” Hoosier asked as he handed him a couple cases of morphine.  

“Why don’t you ask Chuckler?” Runner teased as he tucked the box under is arm. 

Hoosier laughed, “You snooze, you lose.”  

Runner snickered as he grasped the handles of three syrette cans in his right hand while slinging a sack filled with tactically acquired treasures over his left shoulder. 

Leckie ran over, “Here! Throw some of those in the bag so we can carry more back.”  

He presented a large empty duffel bag for Hoosier to throw more syrette cases and first aid kits in. 

“Perfect.” Hoosier commended. 

As he tossed as many as he could into the bag, the army rushed back shooing the marines away. The marines took off running towards their camp, each cackling triumphantly at the soldiers behind them. 

~~~~~~~ 

After the excitement settled down, Hoosier, Chuckler, Sid, Gibson and Runner sat in a more secluded area of camp shifting through the prizes they obtained. Leckie sauntered up while carrying his drawstring bag of goods, sporting his new pair of moccasin slippers to the foxhole as a campfire kindled.

“Anything happen while I was prospecting?” Leckie asked the group outloud. 

“Betty Hutton stopped by giving out blowjobs,” Hoosier replied, “What’d you get?” 

Leckie took a seat on the log and showed off the items he got. While he was handing out cans of peaches to the guys, Kate approached them. 

“Hey, guys, did you hear that the army was looted during the air raid earlier toda-”

She stopped a few feet behind Hoosier as Chuckler was waving a can of peaches at Runner who had been sitting by the tree line with his pants down dealing with a bad case of diarrhea. 

“Peaches? I’ve got the goddam runs, and you had to get peaches.” Runner hissed at Leckie. 

“They were all out of cheese, Runner.” Leckie called back. 

The puzzle pieces started to come together as she looked over the scene in front of her. She noticed Leckie with a pair of comfy patent leather house shoes on, the multiple cans of fruit, and the brand-new M-1 rifles next to each man where they sat. She watched as Leckie excitedly carved an opening in his can, eager to eat the peaches and drink the nectar inside. 

“Uh, Bob, you’ll wanna take that slowly,” she cautioned, “you haven’t had real food for weeks, you might-” 

“I’ll be fine, Ace.” Leckie insisted cutting her off. 

Not at all heeding her warning, he inhaled the peaches and sugary liquid from his can. He slowly lowered it looking suddenly alarmed and pale, apparently regretting his hasty decision. He began gagging as he rushed over not too far from where Runner was and vomited the peaches he just consumed onto the grass in front of him. 

Runner laughed at Leckie, pleased and entertained by his misery. 

���Ugh, I told you, Leckie.” Kate pointed out with her hands on her hips shaking her head at him. 

The others sniggered as they slowly ate from their cans so as not to end up like Leckie. 

“Well, I was going to ask if you guys heard the air raid siren earlier, but I assume you did.” she continued as she crossed her arms in a motherly fashion. 

The guys responded with a collective, “Mmhm.” 

She waited, her lips pursed together as she scanned each of them with skepticism to see if they’d own up to what they had been doing during the air raid. They remained quiet, hanging their heads as they avoided eye contact with her while eating their peaches. She already knew, though. She just wanted to see if they’d confess without her outright asking them. She shook her head again, deciding it best to let it go. 

“Hey, Ace-” Runner called out to Kate, “my ass is killing me, can’t you do anything about this??” he begged. 

“Is there blood?” Kate asked invasively outloud in front of the guys. 

Runner’s eyebrows creased together inquisitively, “Huh?” 

Kate huffed irritably and walked closer to Runner, “Is there blood in your stool?” she clarified, speaking slowly. The others groaned in disgust, each placing their cans down. 

“Um-” Runner looked over his shoulder, “-no.”  

“Ok, good,” she stated as she turned on her heel to walk back, “When you’re finished relieving yourself over there, come see me. The nurses over at Dog Company gave me a case of sodium solution that can help that.”   

Kate walked past the group, “Enjoy your haul, you hooligans.” she said with a playful smile, winking at Hoosier as they made eye contact when she passed. 

Leckie slumped back onto the ground across from Hoosier, “When are you giving her the morphine and shit?”  

“Tonight.” Hoosier affirmed. 

“No way! You found her some morphine? What about bandages? And scissors!? How!?” Chuckler asked genuinely befuddled when Hoosier nodded. 

“Simple, I looked for it.” Hoosier responded smugly as he leaned back on his elbows. 

The guys laughed as Chuckler grimaced, resentfully drinking more juice from his can. 

~~~~~~~ 

That night as Hoosier was preparing the aid kits and morphine to bring to Kate and Blanche, fire clouds exploded in the distance and were steadily progressing closer towards them. Japanese aircraft’s were heading towards them dropping bombshells in their wake.

Whatever man wasn’t under the safety of cover dove into the nearest foxhole they could get to.

Enemy aircrafts soared over H and D Company posts, relentlessly deploying one bomb after the other as they passed. Multiple men shouting to take cover, and some crying out in fear, there was nothing they could do other than wait it out. 

The following morning, every marine across the camp that wasn’t injured or stuck beneath the sand was either digging to find survivors that were buried alive or carrying the wounded to the medical personnel. The entire site was in shambles with Jeeps destroyed and burned to a crisp while fallen palm trees lay across where the men’s foxholes were, trapping marines' underneath. 

The hustle and bustle of the aid station was never ending. Kate and Blanche along with a few Dog Company medics and a couple of nurses scampered from one man to another trying to keep them alive while able marines brought more wounded on stretchers. 

“Put him on that table there!” Kate directed to the men who brought another marine with a wound to his right leg. 

Kate rushed over, “What do we got?”  

“Right thigh wound. He said shrapnel impaled him after one of the explosions went off right by him when he was running for cover.” one of the men explained quickly. 

Kate tore through the pantleg to get to the wound. She knew right away by the saturation of the blood that the artery was severed. 

“Blanche! Bring me gauze, sulfur and bandages! I need to pack this, NOW!” Kate yelled across the floor. 

Blanche hurried over with what Kate needed, unraveling the long bandage and opening a bottle of sulfur to clot the wound. Kate balled up the end of the dressing, pushing it down deep into the gash packing it as tight as she could. The man shrieked and bawled, kicking and grabbing at Kate to escape the torture. 

“Jesus, hold him down! I can’t do this if he’s moving around like that!” Kate bellowed. 

The two men that brought him in pinned him down by his arms while Blanche secured his legs by his ankles. Kate layered the bandage hard into his wound, then when she couldn’t fit anymore, she placed a padded bandage over the top wrapping the ends snug around the thigh tying it down to maintain pressure. The bleeding had finally stopped. 

Kate took a syrette and injected it into the meatier part of the marine’s shoulder. 

“Take him over there where the rest of ‘em are.” Kate panted as she weakly motioned over to the treated casualties, recovering in the shade of a hanging tarp. 

“You doing ok, Kate?” Blanche asked. 

Kate nodded, “Did you see Sid?”  

“No, thank goodness,” Blanche breathily replied, “What about Hoosier?”  

Kate looked at her shocked, “Well, no. But I haven’t seen Leckie, Chuckler, Gibson, or Runner either.” she added.  

Blanche raised an eyebrow at her best friend, “Honey, I know you fancy the man. You don’t have to hide it from me.” 

“I don’t know what you’re-” 

“Ssshhh...” Blanche shushed Kate placing her fore finger over Kate’s lips, “your secret is safe with me.” 

 Kate scoffed at her then rolled her eyes, “We got more work to do.”  

She turned around and made herself busy with the next injured marine. 

~~~~~~~ 

Kate sat alone behind the rickety medic shelter, taking a minute to let her brain rest by closing her eyes and humming a tune quietly to herself. The hum of her voice slowly became words as she sang the song softly outloud.  

“There you are.” Hoosier’s voice came crashing through Kate’s tranquil thoughts. 

Kate gasped as her heart and body jumped from surprise. 

“Bill, you have GOT to stop sneaking up on me like that!” she told him clutching the front of her uniform. 

Hoosier chuckled, “I am sorry, I really don’t mean to.”  

Kate released a long exhale, “Glad to see you’re ok, though.” she admitted looking up at him through her eyelashes as he stood over her. 

“You, too.” he returned. 

Kate blushed, smiling weakly as she looked down at her lap. She looked behind him and noticed a dog sniffing around.

"Looks like you got yourself a new friend." she acknowledged.

Hoosier looked over his shoulder, "Yeah, after all the bombings last night this little fella slipped into our foxhole, so I grabbed him. Hasn't left my side since." he explained.

The dog looked up at him as if he knew Hoosier was talking about him.

"He's adorable." Kate cooed.

“I have something for you.” Hoosier declared. 

“For me?”  

“Yep. But you need to close your eyes.” he instructed. 

Kate narrowed her eyes in suspicion, “Why?”  

“Trust me.” he insisted grinning proudly. 

Kate clicked her tongue at him but closed her eyes as he requested. 

“Hold out your hand.” 

She presented her hand palm up in front of her.

"Stay." she heard him command to the dog.

She felt his calloused palm gently slip under hers. His surprisingly tender touch sent electrical currents up her arm and through the rest of her body. She almost wasn’t able to contain her shudder. 

Just then, she felt a hard slender object placed on her palm as he slowly removed his hand from under hers. 

“Ok, you can look now.” Hoosier told her. 

Kate opened her eyes, face to face with Hoosier kneeling right in front of her, his eyes as blue as the water behind him. She looked down at her hand to find a pair of scissors.  

Kate’s eyes widened with excitement as she smiled at him. 

“You got me scissors!” she squealed throwing her arms around his neck pulling him into a hug. 

Hoosier chuckled as he loosely embraced Kate around her torso, “Yeah, I found a crate full of first aid kits and morphine and grabbed you a whole bunch of ‘em.” 

Kate leaned back looking at him in disbelief, “You did?” 

Hoosier nodded, “Leckie and Runner helped, too so we could get as much for you as we could. I brought them over and left them by the aid station for you. There are at least a dozen scissors over there so you’ll never run out of them again.”  

Kate’s heart almost rocketed out of her chest.

“You didn’t get anything for yourself while you were out there?”

“Nah, I don’t need much.” he dismissed.

She beamed adoringly at him and pulled him back for another hug. 

“You missed your chance to get something for yourself to get me what I needed? Thank you.” she whispered to him.

He squeezed her tighter, “Of course.” he purred back. 

They pulled away slowly, still smiling at eachother. Kate patted Hoosier’s shoulder before standing up. 

“I’m going to go take a look at those kits before anyone tries to get their mitts on them.” Kate proclaimed as she headed towards the casualty collection point. 

Hoosier fixated on Kate as she walked away. He was lost in a daydream relishing the feeling of her pinned against him when they hugged. It was the closest feeling to home he’s felt since he got to Guadalcanal. 

Kate stopped and turned to Hoosier, “You comin’?”  

Hoosier snapped out of his trance and clumsily scurried over to join her for the walk back to the aid station. 

~~~~~~~ 

As D and H Company fixed up the camp as best they could, they returned to foxholes to keep watch of the line. Col Puller (known as ‘Chesty’ to the marines) disclosed intelligence that the enemy was going to try to take Matanikau which was south of the airfield where the Americans currently had control. Most of the battalion was to join the 5th and 1st marines there to help defend the coast road into the airfield to maintain that control. This meant that Dog Company would be entirely alone on the front lines as they relocate to sector 3 of the island. H Company had their own orders. 

Hoosier and Runner were tasked to set up a listening and observation post 30 yards inside the treeline. While they were gathering their weapons and gear, Kate walked up with two ammo cans in her hand. A look of concern appeared across her face when she saw a tired rough looking Hoosier with his dog and Runner packing up gear behind him. 

“Where you two going?” she asked. 

“We’re settin’ up a little less than a mile that way along the perimeter.” Runner replied pointing in the direction they were going to be heading. 

“Oh?” Kate queried. 

“Yeah, the Japs decided to go around us to hit the airfield. We got the first watch for two hours at sunset.” Hoosier explained. 

Kate looked down at her boots inadvertently kicking at the sand, “I see.” 

Hoosier stopped what he was doing to look her over and noticed what she had been holding. 

“Whatchya got there, Ace?” he asked gesturing with his head at the small metal boxes. 

Kate’s breath hitched in her throat as she looked up at Hoosier, “Oh-” she looked back down at the cans perplexed like they just appeared in her hands, “-it’s for you guys. I figured you’d need these more than me and Blanche.”  

She walked closer to Runner and Hoosier handing them each a container. Runner opened the can and saw stacks of crackers neatly packed to the brim. Hoosier looked into Runner’s can, then beamed back at Kate. 

“I heard you guys traded your saltines for the peaches and figured once you ran out of fruit you’d need more rations in the field. Good thing I caught you before you two took off.” she remarked. 

“You’re giving us your food?” Runner asked utterly surprised while Hoosier gaped at her. 

Kate’s eyebrows drew in together, “Of course. Someone’s gotta take care of you boys.”  

Kate averted her eyes to Hoosier.  She blushed seeing he had been gazing at her the whole time, his lazy smile and droopy blue eyes, ready to worship the ground she walked on.  

“We’re so lucky to have you.” Hoosier muttered. 

“Yeah, thanks, Ace!” Runner said as he ascended into the cubby hole shelter they all built to share the fresh crackers with the rest of the group. 

“Anytime, Runner!” Kate called out. 

Hoosier, still smiling, walked towards Kate, leaving very little room between them when he reached her. Kate hiccupped when he stood inches from her, looking up at him with her sparkling green eyes. 

“You didn’t have to do that, you know?” he asserted. 

Kate grinned, “I know. You guys would do the same for me and Blanche.”  

Hoosier’s smile widened, “Absolutely.”  

“I have one other thing,” Kate stated as she dug into her dungaree pocket, “-here.” 

She held a sealed envelope with the name ‘Bill’ written in cursive on the front. He took it from her and as he looked it over, he realized he didn’t recognize the handwriting.  

He looked back at her, “Who’s this from?”  

Kate laughed, “Me, silly!”  

A smile returned to his face, “But why?” 

“Well, I heard you saying something about Leckie having a girl back home to send letters to and that you didn’t. So, I wrote you one.” Kate explained. 

Hoosier’s heart melted, practically becoming a puddle at his feet. He looked back at the letter smiling so hard his cheeks started to ache. 

“Well, thank you Kate Danaher. That’s about the nicest thing that any broad has ever done for me.” he admitted. 

“Glad to hear it. Oh, and you should wait to read it when you’re feeling crummy during one of your watches. It’ll cheer you up.” she insisted. 

“What if I want to read it now?” Hoosier asked with a mischievous smile. 

Kate laughed, “Defeats the purpose of me writing it for you! It’ll be worth the wait, cross my heart!” she promised as she drew a crisscross over her chest with her fingers. "-And when you do read it, you'll have to write me back. Those are the rules."

Hoosier was absolutely mesmerized by her childlike innocence. 

“Ok, I’ll save it.” he pledged placing the letter in the breast pocket of his uniform. 

Kate standing on her tiptoes snaked her arms over his shoulders pulling him into a hug as his arms instinctively embraced her pulling her flush against him.

“Please be careful. Both of you.” Kate whispered. 

Hoosier’s heart pounding against his ribcage had his chest heaving as his strong hands kneaded Kate’s upper back. He nodded, agreeing to her request. 

“Promise?” Kate implored. 

“I swear it.” Hoosier reassured; his voice low and calm like a song to Kate’s ears. 

~~~~~~~ 

[beemovieerotica]

OKAY so I was studying abroad and YES I DID get the typhoid fever vaccine. and the thing about vaccines is they're very close to 100% effective if you're a normal human being who doesn't literally subject yourself to the worst case scenarios imaginable. at a certain point your immune system is like "I'm so sorry I know we're vaccinated but this is too much for me, goodbye"

so of course I was eating street food every single day because it was $1 and I was a student!!! I also smoked weed 24/7 and had the constitution of a little wretched lamb because of possibly lifelong undiagnosed hypothyroidism.

anyway I kept eating street food and ended up in the hospital with a fever, they gave me shots in my ass for malaria, and I stayed overnight. this was the hospital where I ran out of my IV fluids overnight and then my own blood started pumping out of my body back up the line into the empty IV bag which was NOT a thing I thought blood could do!! I shambled around the hospital in the dead of night wheeling around this IV bag slowly filling with my own blood like "hello is anybody here" and I found this pile of clothes in a dark room that turned out to be a nurse and she helped me out. anyway.

so i went home and hung out for a week or so like "hmm my tummy still hurts." that was ME walking around shitting out typhoid FOR A WEEK. eventually I was like euuguhh I guess I should go to the doctor. and then I got there and they were like HA-HA! YOU HAVE TYPHOID!

I had to stay 3 nights in the hospital and it was literally like the worst life-changing cleansing experience. nobody else was in the room with me, nobody spoke to me for 3 days except the doctor for like 5 minutes a day. the TV was permanently set to soap operas and I couldn't change it. I had 1 book which I read in 4 hours and hated. I would later tear the pages out and use them as toilet paper. I texted my boyfriend who was back in the states and told him I was breaking up with him. I think I hallucinated. but the breaking up part was probably the best thing to come out of that!!

oh also I had NO CLOTHES except 1 cheap slip-on dress that I had sweated in so much that there was an actual DYED IMPRINT OF THE DRESS PATTERN ON THE HOSPITAL BED. I was literally so gross and called my friends to bring me clean underwear from my dorm and they did, and they were also so mean and took selfies with me while I was disgusting even though I told them not to (I love them and I still talk to them 10 years later). I have the pics somewhere but it's me sweaty delirious & reeling and looking like I'm going to bite someone while my friends are making peace signs posing around me.

I ended up getting out of the hospital and everyone back at the dorm was like "wow we thought you were dead!" and then I immediately went back to eating street food.

[causetheturtle]

Moments/things in the Next Step that altered my brain chemistry;

1. Eldon biting James’s ankle

2. West going method as a raccoon and disappearing for a quarter of an episode

3. James offering $100 to whoever can find him a four leaf clover - Chloe then instantly runs off to try and find one

4. West finding a five leaf clover and instantly throwing it away

5. Chloe having a deathly fear of children

6. Eldon hinging his relationship with Michelle on a dance battle

7. Lucien buying the building that TNS’s studio is based in after it’s set to be demolished to build condos just on the chance he might be able to destroy the Next Step and attend internationals

8. Eldon drinking out of a bidet

9. Ella forcing everyone to learn how to line dance by pretending they need to for a round at internationals just cause she’s bored

10. James being prepared to do a task that would include learning scuba diving, magic tricks and juggling along with getting malaria pills, having his ears pierced, hiking at a high altitude and getting a passport

11. Riley buying so much food at a restaurant that she’s made to work as a waitress to pay off her bill

12. Miss Kate leaving her studio to a completely unqualified teenager/20 something year old

13. Michelle and Emily getting fired as studio heads and instantly getting a job in the cafe downstairs

14. Ozzie going into property development

15. James’s uncle eating paper

16. Alfie turning out to be a Swedish Prince who is running away from his family and responsibilities who arrives at the Next Step after having previously worked in a cafe in New York for 3 months, lived on a sheep farm in Australia and competed for Sweden at internationals

17. Margie disappearing into glitter

[itwashotwestayedinthewater]

im a gluttonous motherfucker i eat huge portions i eat big fat fucking helpings of slop im built like a fridge im a heavyset bulky motherfucker with a heavy skeleton and strong bones thats right, strong bones, i drink milk, i shit blood, i eat food, i got fucking malaria WHY? i breed mosquitos. i have a huge fucking pond in my backyard with stagnant water, im singlehandedly responsible for a mosquito outbreak in my fucking neighbourhood, i also make sanctuaries for bugs, i turn my bonfire out back into a nest for millions of bugs and snakes i will unleash them give me 200 dollars

[bunnywip]

𝘼-𝙕 𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝘿𝙄𝙎𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀𝙎/𝙄𝙇𝙇𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙎𝙀𝙎 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙁𝙄𝘾/𝙒𝙃𝙐𝙈𝙋

— A

Anemia.

Adenomyosis.

Asthma.

Arterial thrombosis.

Allergies.

Anxiety.

Angel toxicosis ( fictional ).

Acne.

Anorexia nervosa.

Anthrax.

Atma virus ( fictional ).

ADHD.

Agoraphobia.

Astrocytoma.

AIDS.

— B

Breast cancer.

Bunions.

Borderline personality disorder.

Botulism.

Barrett's esophagus.

Bowel polyps.

Brucellosis.

Bipolar disorder.

Bronchitis.

Bacterial vaginosis.

Binge eating disorder.

— C

Crohn's disease.

Conjunctivitis.

Coronavirus disease.

Coeliac disease.

Chronic migranes.

Coup.

Cushing syndrome.

Cystic fibrosis.

Cellulitis.

Coma.

Cooties  ( fictional ).

COPD.

Chickenpox.

Cholera.

Cerebral palsy.

Chlamydia.

Constipation.

Cancer.

Common cold.

Chronic pain.

— D

Diabetes.

Dyslexia.

Dissociative identify disorder.

Dengue fever.

Delirium.

Deep vein thrombosis.

Dementia.

Dysthimia.

Diphtheria.

Diarrhoea.

Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder.

Dyspraxia.

Dehydration.

— E

Ebola.

Endometriosis.

Epilepsy.

E-coli.

Ectopic pregnancy.

Enuresis.

Erectile dysfunction.

Exzema.

— F

Fusobacterium infection.

Filariasis.

Fibromyalgia.

Fascioliasis.

Fever.

Food poisoning.

Fatal familial insomnia.

— G

Gonorrhoea.

Ganser syndrome.

Gas gangrene.

Giardiasis.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Gall stones.

Glandular fever.

Greyscale ( fictional ).

Glanders.

— H

Hookworm infection.

Hand, foot and mouth disease.

Hypoglycaemia.

Herpes.

Headache.

Hanahaki disease ( fictional ).

Hyperhidrosis.

Heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion.

Heart failure.

High blood pressure.

Human papillomavirus infection.

Hypersomnia.

HIV.

Heart failure.

Hay fever.

Hepatitis.

Hemorrhoids.

— I

Influenza.

Iron deficiency anemia.

Indigestion.

Inflammatory bowel disease.

Insomnia.

Irritable bowel syndrome.

Intercranial hypertension.

Impetigo.

— K

Keratitis.

Kidney stones.

Kidney infection.

Kawasaki disease.

Kaposi's sarcoma.

— L

Lyme disease.

Lassa fever.

Low blood pressure.

Lupus.

Lactose intolerance.

Lymphatic filariasis.

Leprosy.

— M

Measles.

Mad cow disease.

Mumps.

Major depressive disorder.

Malaria.

Malnutrition.

Motor neurone disease.

Mutism.

Mouth ulcer.

Monkeypox.

Multiple sclerosis.

Meningitis.

Menopause.

Mycetoma.

— N

Norovirus.

Nipah virus infection.

Narcolepsy.

Nosebleed.

Nocardiosis.

— O

Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Osteoporosis.

Ovarian cyst.

Overactive thyroid.

Oral thrush.

Otitis externa.

— P

Pancreatic cancer.

Pneumonia.

Pelvic inflammatory disease.

PICA.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Psoriasis.

Parkinson's disease.

Panic disorder.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Plague.

Postpartum depression.

Pediculosis capitis.

Psychosis.

Post-traumatic stress disorder.

— Q

Q fever.

Quintan fever.

— R

Rubella.

Rabbit fever.

Rotavirus infection.

Ringworm.

Restless legs syndrome.

Rhinovirus infection.

Rosacea.

Relapsing fever.

Rheumatoid arthritis.

Rabies.

— S

Shingles.

Sore throat.

Stutter.

Separation anxiety disorder.

Smallpox.

Scoliosis.

Septic shock.

Shigellosis.

Sepsis.

Social anxiety disorder.

Stroke.

Scarlet fever.

Schizophrenia.

Sleep apnea.

Sun burn.

Syphilis.

Sickle cell disease.

Scabies.

Selective mutism.

Salmonella.

Sensory processing disorder.

— T

Thyroid cancer.

Tuberculosis.

Thirst.

Trichuriasis.

Tinea pedis.

Tourette's syndrome.

Trachoma.

Tetanus.

Toxic shock syndrome.

Tinnitus.

Thyroid disease.

Typhus fever.

Tonsillitis.

Thrush.

— U

Urinary tract infection.

Underactive thyroid.

— V

Valley fever.

Vertigo.

Vomiting.

— W

White piedra.

Withdrawal.

Whooping cough.

West nile fever.

— X

Xerophthalmia.

— Y

Yersiniosis.

Yellow fever.

— Z

Zygomycosis.

Zika fever.

Zeaspora.

[riririkinzi]

FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL: THE UNSEEN STRUGGLES OF QUEER REFUGEES IN EAST AFRICA 🌈🏳️‍⚧️

my name is Ciara ,and I am a queer refugee from Uganda. My journey of survival has taken me across borders, through unimaginable hardships, and into the depths of human cruelty. I am writing this today not just to share my story, but to give voice to the silenced—those of us who are fighting every day to stay alive in one of the most hostile environments on earth.

Being LGBTIQ in Uganda is a death sentence. The fear of being hunted, beaten, or killed is a daily reality. I survived a brutal attack, narrowly escaping death simply because of who I am. In 2019, I fled to Kenya, hoping to find safety in Kakuma Refugee Camp. But the violence there was relentless. For nearly five years, I lived in constant danger—beatings, threats, and persecution followed us wherever we went.

Earlier this year, I made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Kakuma and seek refuge in Gorom Camp, South Sudan. I’m now here with a group of fellow LGBTIQ refugees who have fled the same horrors. But life in South Sudan is even more terrifying. The civil war has torn this country apart, and the laws against LGBTIQ people fuel the violence against us. We’ve lost friends to this cruelty—lesbians and transgender refugees are being raped, and the rest of us live in constant fear of what might happen tomorrow.

The struggles don’t end with the violence. We are starving. We are without clean water. We are without proper shelter. Every single day feels like a fight for survival, as we battle diseases like malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and typhoid fever. These diseases, rampant in the camp, claim lives at an alarming rate. And for those of us who are already living with HIV, the lack of medicine is an added death sentence.

We wake up every morning wondering if today will be our last. Hunger gnaws at us, and even when we manage to find something to eat, it’s not enough. The water we drink is often contaminated, making us sick with typhoid or other waterborne illnesses. Malaria, spread by the swarming mosquitoes in our unsheltered camp, leaves us bedridden and weak, and yet we must find the strength to keep going. TB spreads quickly in our crowded living spaces, adding to the burden on our already fragile bodies. Our medical supplies are almost non-existent, and we’re losing the battle against these diseases.

We are not just asking for help; we are begging for our lives.

Without food, without clean water, without medicine, we are dying. But with your support, we can survive. Your donation, no matter how small, can provide us with:

1. Food – Our bodies are frail, but a simple meal can give us the strength to keep fighting.

2. Clean Water – Safe drinking water is a lifeline, protecting us from deadly diseases like typhoid.

3. Shelter– A safe place to sleep, away from the violence and harsh environment, means everything to us.

4. Medication – For those living with HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, and other illnesses, medicine is our only hope for survival.

We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but with your help, we might see a future. Your support doesn’t just provide food or water—it brings us hope. Hope that we won’t starve. Hope that we can fight off these diseases. Hope that we will live to see a future where our identities are not a death sentence.

This is a plea for survival. Please consider donating to our cause. Every dollar, every share, every bit of support can make the difference between life and death for us. You can donate here:

GoFundMe

https://gofund.me/4d80b32c

Thank you for standing with us and giving us hope in our darkest hour.

Written by ciara, queer refugee and advocate for LGBTIQ refugees in East Africa.*

.

[jake-is-screaming-in-tune]

FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL: THE UNSEEN STRUGGLES OF QUEER REFUGEES IN EAST AFRICA 🌈🏳️‍⚧️

my name is Ciara ,and I am a queer refugee from Uganda. My journey of survival has taken me across borders, through unimaginable hardships, and into the depths of human cruelty. I am writing this today not just to share my story, but to give voice to the silenced—those of us who are fighting every day to stay alive in one of the most hostile environments on earth.

Being LGBTIQ in Uganda is a death sentence. The fear of being hunted, beaten, or killed is a daily reality. I survived a brutal attack, narrowly escaping death simply because of who I am. In 2019, I fled to Kenya, hoping to find safety in Kakuma Refugee Camp. But the violence there was relentless. For nearly five years, I lived in constant danger—beatings, threats, and persecution followed us wherever we went.

Earlier this year, I made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Kakuma and seek refuge in Gorom Camp, South Sudan. I’m now here with a group of fellow LGBTIQ refugees who have fled the same horrors. But life in South Sudan is even more terrifying. The civil war has torn this country apart, and the laws against LGBTIQ people fuel the violence against us. We’ve lost friends to this cruelty—lesbians and transgender refugees are being raped, and the rest of us live in constant fear of what might happen tomorrow.

The struggles don’t end with the violence. We are starving. We are without clean water. We are without proper shelter. Every single day feels like a fight for survival, as we battle diseases like malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and typhoid fever. These diseases, rampant in the camp, claim lives at an alarming rate. And for those of us who are already living with HIV, the lack of medicine is an added death sentence.

We wake up every morning wondering if today will be our last. Hunger gnaws at us, and even when we manage to find something to eat, it’s not enough. The water we drink is often contaminated, making us sick with typhoid or other waterborne illnesses. Malaria, spread by the swarming mosquitoes in our unsheltered camp, leaves us bedridden and weak, and yet we must find the strength to keep going. TB spreads quickly in our crowded living spaces, adding to the burden on our already fragile bodies. Our medical supplies are almost non-existent, and we’re losing the battle against these diseases.

We are not just asking for help; we are begging for our lives.

Without food, without clean water, without medicine, we are dying. But with your support, we can survive. Your donation, no matter how small, can provide us with:

1. Food – Our bodies are frail, but a simple meal can give us the strength to keep fighting.

2. Clean Water – Safe drinking water is a lifeline, protecting us from deadly diseases like typhoid.

3. Shelter– A safe place to sleep, away from the violence and harsh environment, means everything to us.

4. Medication – For those living with HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, and other illnesses, medicine is our only hope for survival.

We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but with your help, we might see a future. Your support doesn’t just provide food or water—it brings us hope. Hope that we won’t starve. Hope that we can fight off these diseases. Hope that we will live to see a future where our identities are not a death sentence.

This is a plea for survival. Please consider donating to our cause. Every dollar, every share, every bit of support can make the difference between life and death for us. You can donate here:

GoFundMe

https://gofund.me/4d80b32c

Thank you for standing with us and giving us hope in our darkest hour.

Written by ciara, queer refugee and advocate for LGBTIQ refugees in East Africa.*

go help them if you can

https://gofund.me/4d80b32c

[brookston]

Holidays 11.6

Holidays

All the Good Things Wrapped Up in One Day

Arbor Day (Republic of Congo, Samoa)

Bank Workers’ Day (Argentina)

Constitution Day (Dominican Republic, Tajikistan)

Electric Razor Day

Fala Day

Fill Our Staplers Day

Finnish Swedish Heritage Day

Flag Day (Chad, Finland)

Global Refill Day

Green March Day (Morocco, Western Sahara)

Gustavus Adolphus Day (Sweden)

Hydrogen Bomb First Test Day

International Day For Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War & Armed Conflict (UN)

International End Gossip Day

International Tracksuit Day

Legalization Day (Cannabis)

Malaria Day in the Americas

Marching Band Day

Marijuana Recreational Legalization Day (Colorado, Washington)

Marooned Without a Compass Day

Measure Up Day

National Basketball Day (a.k.a. Play Basketball Day)

National I Read Canadian Day (Canada)

National Ladies Learning Code Day (Canada)

National Michele Day

National Report Home Health Care Fraud Day

National Stacey Abrams Day

National Team Manager Day

Obama Day (Kenya)

Pine Nut Day (French Republic)

Recreational Cannabis Legalization Day (Colorado)

Saxophone Day

Scotchtoberfest (The Simpsons)

Skirret Day (French Republic)

Stranger Things Day

Tazaungdaing (Myanmar)

United Americas Day

World Cee-C Day (Nigeria)

World Lets Stop Shouting Awareness Day

World Materials Day

World Paper Free Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Do Tater Tots Ever Grow Up? Day

Global Donut Day

National Nachos Day (a.k.a. I Love Nachos Day)

Peanut Butter Lovers Day

Independence & Related Days

Constitution Day (Tajikistan)

Cycoldia (Declared; 2018) [unrecognized]

Day of the First Shout For Independence (El Salvador)

Mexico (Independence Declared; 1813)

Polish Republic (Declared; 1918)

1st Wednesday in November

Eat Smart Day [1st Wednesday]

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

International Pathology Day [1st Wednesday]

International Stress Awareness Day [1st Wednesday]

Men’s World Day [1st Wednesday]

National Advent Calendar Day [1st Wednesday]

National Eating Healthy Day [1st Wednesday]

National Holiday Calendar Day [1st Wednesday]

National Stress Awareness Day (UK) [1st Wednesday]

Take Our Kids to Work Day (Canada) [1st Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Wheat Beer Wednesday [1st Wednesday of Each Month]

Wilderness Wednesday [1st Wednesday of Each Month]

Wobbly Wednesday [1st Wednesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning November 6 (1st Full Week of November)

None Known

Festivals Beginning November 6, 2024

Dublin Book Festival (Dublin, Ireland) [thru 11.10]

Hawai'i Food & Wine Festival (Oahu, Hawaii) [thru 11.10]

Jazz Fest Sarajevo (Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina) [thru 11.9]

Stockholm International Film Festival (Stockholm, Sweden) [thru 11.17]

Worlds of Flavor International Conference and Festival (Napa Valley, California) [thru 11.8]

Feast Days

Adelaide of Italy (Christian; Saint)

Albert Camus (Writerism)

Alois Senefelder (Artology)

Barlaam of Khutyn (Christian; Saint)

Birth of the Bab (Baha'i) [1 Muharram]

Birth of Tiamat (Ancient Egyptian mother of gods, goddess of primeval chaos)

Burroughs Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Cosimo de Medici the Elder (Positivist; Saint)

Dabucuri uiga, (Initiation Rites of the Young Men; to Jurupari, South American Guarani/Tupi God)

Demetrian (Christian; Saint)

Dodo Grieving Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of All Saints of Ireland (Ireland)

Festival of Total Submission

Herne’s Day II: Predator (Pagan)

Illtud (a.k.a. Illtyd or Iltntus; Christian; Saint)

Illitud’s Bell (Celtic Book of Days)

Learn a New Swear Word Day (Pastafarian)

Leonard of Noblac (Christian; Saint) [Coopers] *

Los Posadas (Latin America) [until 12.24]

Lucy Jones (Muppetism)

Melaine of Rennes (Christian; Saint)

Misa de Gallo begins (Rooster’s Mass; Philippines) [until 12.24]

Stephanie Vozzo (Artology)

Tiamat the Dragon Mother Day (Everyday Wicca)

Winds of Change Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Winnoc (Christian; Saint)

Wish-Granting Championships (Fairies; Shamanism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Tycho Brahe Unlucky Day (Scandinavia) [33 of 37]

Uncyclopedia Bad to Be Born Today (because it’s National Day to Lose Money on Horses.)

Unglückstage (Unlucky Day; Pennsylvania Dutch) [26 of 30]

Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [51 of 60]

Premieres

All Along the Watchtower, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1967)

And Then There Were None, by Agatha Christie (Mystery Novel; 1939) [29]

Behind Blue Eyes, by The Who (Song; 1971)

The Boondocks (Animated TV Series; 2005)

Chew Chew Baby or Stick to Your Gums (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 175; 1962)

A Cowboy Needs a Horse (Disney Cartoon; 1956)

Cry Freedom (Film; 1987)

Elizabeth (Film; 1998)

The Flea Circus (Tex Avery MGM Cartoon; 1954)

Forget-Me-Net, Parts 3 & 4 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 31 & 32; 1965)

Foxtrot, by Genesis (Album; 1972)

Go Down Mooses or The Fall Guy (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 70; 1960)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Film; 2005) [#4]

Head (Film; 1968)

Hiding Out (Film; 1987)

Hold What You’ve Got, by Joe Tex (Song; 1964)

Ickle Meets Pickle (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1942)

Jersey Boys (Broadway Musical; 2005)

John Wesley Harding, recorded by Bob Dylan (Song; 1967)

Justify My Love, by Madonna (Album; 1990)

Kitty Caddy (Phantasies Cartoon; 1947)

Less Than Zero (Film; 1987)

Little Good Beep (WB LT Cartoon; 2000)

The Little Match Girl (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1937)

Little Red Walking Hood (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Made in Heaven, by Queen (Album; 1995)

Meet the Press (TV Series; 1947)

The Missing Mountain or Peek-a-Boo Peak (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 69; 1960)

The Moon Fell in the River, by Guy Lombardo (Song; 1940)

Paper Doll, by The Mills Brothers (Song; 1943)

Passenger 57 (Film; 1992)

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., by The Monks (Album; 1967)

Precious (Film; 2009)

Rain of Terror or The Desperate Showers (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 176; 1962)

The Robot Spy (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #8; 1964)

Secrets of Life (Short Documentary Film; 1956)

Ski-Napper (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1964)

Sky Trooper (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Spectre (UK Film; 2015) [James Bond #24]

Spotlight (Film; 2015)

Symphony No. 3 in A Minor, by Sergei Rachmaninoff (Symphony; 1936)

Time Bandits (Film; 1981)

24 (TV Series; 2001)

The Universe in a Nutshell, by Stephen Hawking (Book; 2001)

The Unpopular Mechanic (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1936)

An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, by P.D. James (Novel; 1972)

When We Were Very Young, by A.A.Milne (Children’s Book; 1924)

Wintertime Dreams, recorded by Woody Herman (Song; 1936)

Woody’s Kook-Out (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1961)

Your Friend the Rat (Pixar Cartoon; 2007)

The Zoo (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1933)

Today’s Name Days

Christina, Leonhard, Rudolf (Austria)

Leonard, Melanija, Sever, Vedran (Croatia)

Liběna (Czech Republic)

Leonhardus (Denmark)

Aadi, Aado, Aadu, Ado, Adolf (Estonia)

Mimosa (Finland)

Bertille, Léonard (France)

Christine, Leonhard, Nina (Germany)

Leonardo (Greece)

Lénárd (Hungary)

Leonardo (Italy)

Leo, Leonards, Leonhards, Leons, Linards (Latvia)

Ašmantas, Leonardas, Vygaudė (Lithuania)

Lennart, Leonard (Norway)

Feliks, Leonard, Trzebowit, Ziemowit (Poland)

Pavel (Romania)

Renáta (Slovakia)

Alejandro, Leonardo, Severo (Spain)

Adolf, Gustav (Sweden)

Mac, Mack, Mackenzie, Makenzie, Mckenzie (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 311 of 2024; 55 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 45 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Hagal (Hailstone) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Yi-Hai), Day 6 (Jia-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 5 Heshvan 5785

Islamic: 4 Jumada I 1446

J Cal: 11 Wood; Foursday [11 of 30]

Julian: 24 October 2024

Moon: 24%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 3 Frederic (12th Month) [Guicciardini / Philippe de Comines]

Runic Half Month: Wyn (Joy) [Day 15 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 45 of 90)

Week: 1st Full Week of November

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 14 of 30)

[chaotic-diaries-of-yours-truely]

FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL: THE UNSEEN STRUGGLES OF QUEER REFUGEES IN SUDAN 🌈🏳️‍⚧️

my name is Calvin Phil, and I am a queer refugee from Uganda. My journey of survival has taken me across borders, through unimaginable hardships, and into the depths of human cruelty. I am writing this today not just to share my story, but to give voice to the silenced—those of us who are fighting every day to stay alive in one of the most hostile environments on earth.

Being LGBTIQ in Uganda is a death sentence. The fear of being hunted, beaten, or killed is a daily reality. I survived a brutal attack, narrowly escaping death simply because of who I am. In 2019, I fled to Kenya, hoping to find safety in Kakuma Refugee Camp. But the violence there was relentless. For nearly five years, I lived in constant danger—beatings, threats, and persecution followed us wherever we went.

Earlier this year, I made the heart-wrenching decision to leave Kakuma and seek refuge in Gorom Camp, South Sudan. I’m now here with a group of fellow LGBTIQ refugees who have fled the same horrors. But life in South Sudan is even more terrifying. The civil war has torn this country apart, and the laws against LGBTIQ people fuel the violence against us. We’ve lost friends to this cruelty—lesbians and transgender refugees are being raped, and the rest of us live in constant fear of what might happen tomorrow.

The struggles don’t end with the violence. We are starving. We are without clean water. We are without proper shelter. Every single day feels like a fight for survival, as we battle diseases like malaria, tuberculosis (TB), and typhoid fever. These diseases, rampant in the camp, claim lives at an alarming rate. And for those of us who are already living with HIV, the lack of medicine is an added death sentence.

We wake up every morning wondering if today will be our last. Hunger gnaws at us, and even when we manage to find something to eat, it’s not enough. The water we drink is often contaminated, making us sick with typhoid or other waterborne illnesses. Malaria, spread by the swarming mosquitoes in our unsheltered camp, leaves us bedridden and weak, and yet we must find the strength to keep going. TB spreads quickly in our crowded living spaces, adding to the burden on our already fragile bodies. Our medical supplies are almost non-existent, and we’re losing the battle against these diseases.

We are not just asking for help; we are begging for our lives.

Without food, without clean water, without medicine, we are dying. But with your support, we can survive. Your donation, no matter how small, can provide us with:

1. Food – Our bodies are frail, but a simple meal can give us the strength to keep fighting.

2. Clean Water – Safe drinking water is a lifeline, protecting us from deadly diseases like typhoid.

3. Shelter – A safe place to sleep, away from the violence and harsh environment, means everything to us.

4. Medication – For those living with HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB, and other illnesses, medicine is our only hope for survival.

We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but with your help, we might see a future. Your support doesn’t just provide food or water—it brings us hope. Hope that we won’t starve. Hope that we can fight off these diseases. Hope that we will live to see a future where our identities are not a death sentence.

This is a plea for survival. Please consider donating to our cause. Every dollar, every share, every bit of support can make the difference between life and death for us. You can donate here:

GoFundMe

https://gofund.me/4d80b32c

Thank you for standing with us and giving us hope in our darkest hour.

Written by Calvin Phil, queer refugee and advocate for LGBTIQ refugees in East Africa.*

[jeusussavearmyveteran1205]

A single dragonfly can eat hundreds of mosquitoes a day. I swear by this trick to attracting dragonflies and getting rid of all the mosquitoes

Morgan Reed

Contributing Writer

The battle against mosquitoes can feel never-ending, especially during warmer months when these pesky insects are at their peak. Apart from being annoying, mosquitoes pose health risks as carriers of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and Zika virus. With this in mind, it’s no wonder that finding an effective way to eliminate mosquitoes is a priority for many people. Fortunately, nature provides a simple yet efficient solution: dragonflies! These incredible insects can consume hundreds of mosquitoes each day, offering a sustainable method of mosquito control.

If you're tired of using chemical-laden repellent sprays and seeking a more natural way to get rid of mosquitoes, then this article is for you. By attracting dragonflies to your garden or outdoor space, you can significantly reduce the mosquito population around your home. Read on to discover the steps and tips that will turn your yard into a dragonfly haven and create a mosquito-free environment.

Why Dragonflies Are the Best Mosquito Predators

Dragonflies are not just beautiful to look at; they are also voracious mosquito predators. An adult dragonfly can eat up to hundreds of mosquitoes in a single day. Their predatorial skills are unmatched, making them a key player in controlling mosquito populations naturally.

Creating a Dragonfly-Friendly Environment

Attracting dragonflies to your backyard is easier than you might think. Here’s how you can make your garden inviting for these beneficial insects:

1. Build a Pond

Dragonflies lay their eggs in water, so having a pond or water feature in your garden is crucial. It doesn't have to be a large pond; a small one will do. Ensure it has shallow edges and some aquatic plants to mimic a natural habitat.

2. Add Native Plants

Planting native grasses and blooming plants around your pond will provide perching spots for dragonflies to rest and hunt. Native plants are more likely to attract insects that dragonfly larvae feed on, ensuring they have a food source.

3. Avoid Using Pesticides

Pesticides can be harmful to dragonflies. Avoid using chemical pesticides in your garden to create a safe environment for these insects. Instead, focus on natural pest control methods.

4. Install Flat Rocks

Dragonflies love to bask in the sun, and flat rocks provide the perfect surface for them to do so. Place some flat rocks around your pond area to attract sunbathing dragonflies.

5. Keep Water Clean

Dragonflies need clean water for their larvae to thrive. Ensure your pond's water is clear of pollutants and populated with beneficial creatures like aquatic snails that help keep the water clean.

By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to attracting dragonflies and reducing your mosquito problem naturally. Not only will you enjoy a more pleasant outdoor experience, but you'll also enhance your garden's ecosystem.

[jeannereames]

Happy Halloween! 🎃👻🎃👻🎃

I have a question on the potential of assassination, specifically of Hephaestion? Was there anyone close to him that would have the means or motive to kill him? Or anyone who gained greatly from his death?

(I believe I read you say that his death was caused by eating too soon after being incredibly sick, but ignoring him not being killed!)

Sorry for any bad English, I'm sick in bed avoiding school work 🤒🤧🤒🤧🤒 📝📖😱

No, I don’t think Hephaistion was deliberately poisoned. I wrote about it in prior post, HERE.

Another, a little more cheeky, HERE.

Like Alexander, Hephaistion would have had (and did have) plenty of enemies. Ancient Greek and Macedonian society was honor-based, and could be violent at the drop of a hat: witness the crossing of swords between Hephaistion and Krateros in India.

That said, poison was widely regarded as a woman’s weapon, one beneath honorable men. Hence the Successor Era (and almost certainly untrue) accusations that Antipatros conspired with others to poison Alexander had the additional insulting overtones that he couldn’t come after Alexander “like a man,” and was, thus, unfit to be regent for the kings Philip III Arrhidaios and Alexander IV.

That doesn’t mean nobody might have wanted to eliminate Hephaistion, or Alexander, but I wanted to underscore the cultural baggage of a poisoning accusation.

For me, the main reason I don’t think he was murdered (by poison) is simply that Alexander himself didn’t seem to think he had been. Alexander blamed (and executed) the doctor for malpractice—not murder. Given how anxious the king had become, I consider that the best evidence that Hephaistion’s death didn’t seem especially suspicious. He apparently died of natural causes.

What those natural causes were…that’s trickier. We have two basic accounts. In one, he died of a flare up in the fever disease he’d contracted, although he had seemed to be getting better. In the other, he more or less caused his own death by ignoring doctor’s orders and eating food (and drinking a LOT of wine) when he shouldn’t have.

Now, which of those you believe probably says a lot about your prior opinion of Hephaistion. 😉 Is the former whitewashing? Or is the latter intentional slander against his memory?

I’m more inclined to the latter, in part because it seems to have come from a hostile pamphlet that circulated after Hephaistion’s and Alexander’s deaths by one Ephippos of Olympus, On the Death (or Funeral) of Alexander and Hephaestion. The original is lost, so it’s only speculation what was in it, but the vulgate, and Plutarch used it, while Arrian did not. Arrian’s account is missing any hint of boiled chickens and a gallon of wine. Of course, one could also say that Arrian concealed the truth to rehab Hephaistion’s memory.

So make of it all what you will, but I do think it important to note that these are two accounts that we shouldn’t try to reconcile. It’s possible that the hostile account exaggerated a real event in which he ate solid food against doctor’s orders, and died of a perforated intestine, internal bleeding, and sepsis. But if so, the death was unduly rapid. More likely, that particular version was an example of what Thomas Africa considered a “moralizing” death rather than an actual (or accurate) account of what happened (or his symptoms).

To me, it seems more likely that he died of typhoid or malaria. His doctor thought he was recovering, but he suffered an unexpected relapse and died quickly. Alexander’s rage stemmed from being led to believe he was getting better when he wasn’t.