#huk natural

[huknatural]

Huk Soap with Aloe Vera & Coconut Oil

Gentle Care for Radiant Skin

Huk Soap with Aloe Vera & Coconut Oil is a perfect blend of nature's finest ingredients designed to nourish and protect your skin. Enriched with the soothing properties of aloe vera and the deep hydration of coconut oil, this soap provides a luxurious cleansing experience.

Aloe Vera: Known for its cooling and healing properties, it soothes and rejuvenates the skin, leaving it soft and refreshed.

Coconut Oil: Packed with natural moisturizers, it deeply hydrates, repairs, and enhances skin elasticity.

Ideal for all skin types, Huk Soap with Aloe Vera & Coconut Oil ensures your skin feels clean, smooth, and naturally radiant after every wash. Experience the gentle touch of nature in every use!

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 44, 2023

Rhythmic temporal coordination of neural activity prevents representational conflict during working memory. Abdalaziz, M., Redding, Z. V., & Fiebelkorn, I. C. (2023). Current Biology, 33(9), 1855-1863.e3.

Which processes dominate visual search: Bottom-up feature contrast, top-down tuning or trial history? Becker, S. I., Grubert, A., Horstmann, G., & Ansorge, U. (2023). Cognition, 236, 105420.

Neural dynamics underlying associative learning in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus. Biane, J. S., Ladow, M. A., Stefanini, F., Boddu, S. P., Fan, A., Hassan, S., … Kheirbek, M. A. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 798–809.

A reservoir of foraging decision variables in the mouse brain. Cazettes, F., Mazzucato, L., Murakami, M., Morais, J. P., Augusto, E., Renart, A., & Mainen, Z. F. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 840–849.

Spike-phase coupling patterns reveal laminar identity in primate cortex. Davis, Z. W., Dotson, N. M., Franken, T. P., Muller, L., & Reynolds, J. H. (2023). eLife, 12, e84512.

Is all mental effort equal? The role of cognitive demand-type on effort avoidance. Embrey, J. R., Donkin, C., & Newell, B. R. (2023). Cognition, 236, 105440.

Ventral striatum dopamine release encodes unique properties of visual stimuli in mice. Gonzalez, L. S., Fisher, A. A., D’Souza, S. P., Cotella, E. M., Lang, R. A., & Robinson, J. E. (2023). eLife, 12, e85064.

Computational complexity drives sustained deliberation. Hong, T., & Stauffer, W. R. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 850–857.

Mathematical Model of Synaptic Long-Term Potentiation as a Bistability in a Chain of Biochemical Reactions with a Positive Feedback. Katauskis, P., Ivanauskas, F., & Alaburda, A. (2023). Acta Biotheoretica, 71(3), 16.

Geometric determinants of the postrhinal egocentric spatial map. LaChance, P. A., & Taube, J. S. (2023). Current Biology, 33(9), 1728-1743.e7.

Learning at your brain’s rhythm: individualized entrainment boosts learning for perceptual decisions. Michael, E., Covarrubias, L. S., Leong, V., & Kourtzi, Z. (2023). Cerebral Cortex, 33(9), 5382–5394.

Retinal motion statistics during natural locomotion. Muller, K. S., Matthis, J., Bonnen, K., Cormack, L. K., Huk, A. C., & Hayhoe, M. (2023). eLife, 12, e82410.

Neural dynamics and architecture of the heading direction circuit in zebrafish. Petrucco, L., Lavian, H., Wu, Y. K., Svara, F., Štih, V., & Portugues, R. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 765–773.

Elucidating a locus coeruleus-dentate gyrus dopamine pathway for operant reinforcement. Petter, E. A., Fallon, I. P., Hughes, R. N., Watson, G. D., Meck, W. H., Ulloa Severino, F. P., & Yin, H. H. (2023). eLife, 12, e83600.

Principles for coding associative memories in a compact neural network. Pritz, C., Itskovits, E., Bokman, E., Ruach, R., Gritsenko, V., Nelken, T., … Zaslaver, A. (2023). eLife, 12, e74434.

Critical Drift in a Neuro-Inspired Adaptive Network. Sormunen, S., Gross, T., & Saramäki, J. (2023). Physical Review Letters, 130(18), 188401.

Dopaminergic prediction errors in the ventral tegmental area reflect a multithreaded predictive model. Takahashi, Y. K., Stalnaker, T. A., Mueller, L. E., Harootonian, S. K., Langdon, A. J., & Schoenbaum, G. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 830–839.

Inhibitory control of sharp-wave ripple duration during learning in hippocampal recurrent networks. Vancura, B., Geiller, T., Grosmark, A., Zhao, V., & Losonczy, A. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 788–797.

Optogenetics reveals paradoxical network stabilizations in hippocampal CA1 and CA3. Watkins de Jong, L., Nejad, M. M., Yoon, E., Cheng, S., & Diba, K. (2023). Current Biology, 33(9), 1689-1703.e5.

The cholinergic basal forebrain provides a parallel channel for state-dependent sensory signaling to auditory cortex. Zhu, F., Elnozahy, S., Lawlor, J., & Kuchibhotla, K. V. (2023). Nature Neuroscience, 26(5), 810–819.

[accursedkaleeshi]

Depressing General Grievous Headcanon:

Grievous was 40 standard years old when he was so rudely obliterated &, not that he'd brag or anything, but he was in pretty good shape for all he had been through.

Kaleesh have a similar natural lifespan to humans but it isn't quite the norm for them to reach it. Warrior cultures glorified burning hot & fast, so to speak. If you were a warrior, each year you made it after you started in the field was impressive. Grievous spending most of his life single-handedly rallying his people against much more superior enemy forces made kaleesh feel like he was utterly unstoppable.

Indeed, he himself found it impressive that he had all of his limbs & digits intact. This was not for lack of trying on the Huk's part or even by his own part reverse engineering advanced technology. Still, as any good kaleesh is, he was covered in scars. Some more extreme injuries hounded his overworked joints. The Techno Union graciously replaced his left shoulder joint with a newly developed cybernetic replacement a few years before they graciously rebuilt his entire body. Although what was left of him was in a constant state of pain, it was not the same. It didn't hinder his functioning. Now he really was unstoppable.

General Grievous took every advantage over his mechanical frame & regularly threw himself into battle with complete abandon. Wat Tambor & Poggle would find themselves redesigning bits & pieces that proved incapable of keeping up with the general, especially his "neck" apparatus. This tapered off after the first 6 months of the Clone Wars, as Dooku would begin to chastise Grievous about wasting time & money.

[koyato]

Kaleesh week

Day 3

Demigods

@tuberculosis-bot-9000

Well I love classic demigods duo, but Kalee planet with rich religion and culture, so welcome to come fanons about it!

Introduce Jeevit auz Bahan (for au with @komorebi-art-blog), Siamese twins with one name and living as one person, Saint from born.

Siamese twins in Kaleesh folklore can be interesting. They have cult of bones and death, of course without life and meat it won't be full, but bones more important... for our fanons their ancestors gods can be made from founding fossilized bones, and all gods drawn as a skeletons. But bones can be more than from one animal, or just in strange location according to each other, and in order not to disturb the dead, Kaleesh do not try hard to figure it out. So strange skeleton with more bones, or bones not in right place is just wow! And Siamese twins is perfect proof that this is possible!

And in period of later Huk war more such anomalies. Kaleesh thinks that it's just signs from goods, that they are all doing right, they can be defeated, even spirits helping them. Most of this children die fast, but it's totally fine! Spirits should come into the world for a short time, this is still the world of the living, they only came to look and bless them.

But real reasons more brutal. We with Komo thinking a lot WHAT exactly started hunger on Kalee... and what if in last years, when Huks just wanted to survive in front of counterattack, they use chemical weapon? Something like Agent Orange in Vietnam... it explains why later Kaleesh even needed to move on Oben, Kalee is poisoned a lot... and this make not only hunger, but diseases and many ill children.

And Jeevit auz Bahan sisters from this category. Them kinda lucky by having not so brutal splice and only skin anomaly (it very sensitive and specially for ultraviolet in dark places, so they literally can't abandon their home, cause Iminec and wind are painfull), but they still alive and from born live inside the temple to give anyone hope. They are artistic and can act like real gods, it's their duty, they can't imagine another life. And they love it. Hard, yes, really hard, but all on Kalee living hard, so they need too and make everyone else life better. Even when they just read sermons or something.

And some details, more about clothes. Kaleesh religion says that everyone has to cover max of the body, even hands. But in Eyes Of the Revolution we see a priest with uncovered hands and in veeeery plus size clothes. Maybe only religious ministers have to uncover themselves? This detail of the dress code radically distinguishes them from everyone else, their flesh can see the world even before death and decay (only in death Kaleesh is undressed so that the body quickly rots and becomes bones). So twins have minimum clothes for everyone to see that they are really one body but two skeletons.

Their mask was not so long head of Animal that was living spirit in that temple before them. Beast with parasitic head. Ofc only this Animal can be protector of Bahan, so them kill old mutant turning him asleep.

And why is their clothes black. We think White color on Kalee means death and maybe even mourning (indian moment, and some Grievous). Color of the bones. But black is means life. Kaleesh not afraid of night and dark so black can be positive. Black is color of old blood and in night their jungle nature comes alive. So Bahan as ALIVE spirit uses it as symbol of resurrection. Resurrection of Kalee in this hard ages.

[alenchikova]

Meet the Viper's Fang.

Viper Fang, aka Viper!

Kaleesh spiritual leader (priest in our way) with a very unusual natural colouring, looking exactly like the skeleton of a viper for which he got his name. Mature, but not old. Used to be a warrior, participated in the Kaleesh-Bittævrian, Huk and many clan wars before. Wears armour made from the bones of Bittæurians he's killed. The character is like a viper - calm and unkind, but can "bite" in a split second if necessary.

Based on the shaman character from the Eyes of the Revolution.

The first picture features the actual funeral of Grievous after the Martyr crash. It's a mask specially made by the Viper. These are the kind they bury when no bodies are found....

And a little bit about kaleesh embroidery culture stuff.

🌊 A snake curled up in a ball

It is a symbol of wisdom and tranquility, measuredness, reliability. As well as the protection of the house, because the snake in this position can be not only calm and relaxed, but also protect the clutch.

As in the Kaleesh culture the snake personifies the conductor between the world of the living and the world of spirits (the moulting of the snake, namely that period when the eyes acquire a milky blue shade - the so-called "eyes of death" - is considered the time when the snake is among the spirits of the ancestors and can transmit their messages to the world of the living; the message is a snake crawl, its integrity and elasticity can tell a shaman or priest) the presence of a snake in the house or its surroundings is a good sign.

🌊 A snake that crawls.

Opposite symbolises aspiration, commitment to goals, activity and hunting prowess and excitement. In addition to communicating with spirits, snakes are reliable helpers in the fight against household pests and unwanted guests from the wilderness. Also, a crawling snake represents curiosity, benevolent unkindness and caution. If the snake swarms, embroidery means housekeeping and thoroughness.0

That's not all, another things i told you later)

@tuberculosis-bot-9000

[depomera]

Anyways, kinda dumb but I’m making a SW AU that takes place a few years before the Clone Wars. I’m doing the dirty and making everyone meet and being allies and such. This is just filling in gaps. One of my weaknesses in projecting is I really like fantasy role playing stuff and I’m trying to incorporate things like that into the SW universe but also keeping to lore as best I can. This AU is more of a slice of life/shoujo/shounen/fantasy adventure campaign.

***

• Grievous and Jango work for the IBC (intergalactic banking clan) to pay off their debt. They do things from rescue missions to bounties, escorts, and dealing with their own slice of life. (The “debt duo”).

• Jango is an esteemed bounty hunter but paying off debts of Mandalore owed to the IBC. He is aloof but a caring man. He has a soft spot for children and hopes to become a father one day.

• Grievous is a renowned warlord but is paying off his planet’s debts to the IBC as well as looking for his long lost mate, Ronderu who mysteriously vanished during a Huk invasion.

•Darth Plagueis is now Sith Lord after being given the title from the previous Sith Lord whom renounced her faith and is on the run. The Sith operate from a Church on a planet in Wild Space due to the Galactic Republic outlawing/banning their research on dark magic (summoning, rituals, etc). Plagueis is obsessed with magic and science and is trying to find ways to use Midi-Chlorians to further his own powers by accessing dark magic that hasn’t been seen for thousands of years. I kinda wanted the prior Sith Lord (cat lady) to have an affair with Plagueis, which is one of the reasons why she’s on the run:

1) She realized she wants a “career change”, perhaps to become a mother? she knows her apprentice/ex lover, Plagueis wants her dead but due to her renouncing her faith, she believes she no longer has to abide by Sith rules. It is unknown why she won’t kill him. Perhaps her ethics changed or she needs to conserve energy due to trying to conceive/ has conceived, still has feelings for him, possibly manipulating him, etc (still wip lol).

2) Her beliefs in the Sith are different than Plagueis, rule of 2 = life and death, good and evil**, love and hate, weakness and power, parent and child, yin and yang, Fire and Water; she believes the Force is the balance between good and evil**, the grey between two extremes and everyone has a place within the universe such as herself being on the extreme (Sith vs Jedi). She is driven by passion and striving to be the best (including protecting and getting revenge for those who wronged her and loved ones). I wanted her beliefs to challenge many struggles we see in current religion such as “cherry picking” but also following one’s heart, beliefs and values.

I had “Rudo” (Thrawn) in mind. A spy who happens to partner up with Jango and Grievous on occasion for random missions and quests. Rudo is a spy for the Chiss Ascendancy and goes by a different name to keep his identity hidden.

Maul is struggling with wanting to be his own person but coming to terms with his destiny, chosen by adoptive father Sheev Palpatine. Early on, Maul showed powerful magic ability such as communicating with animals and harnessing the powers of nature (Sith magic) such as fire, earth, water, metals, etc. In other words he has shaman/druid abilities (similar to Ezra from Rebels). Maul is an innocent but honest and hardworking kid. He loves animals and wants to make friends. Prior to the romantic scandal (cat lady x Plagueis), the cat lady then Sith Lord, saw Maul as a son and was enamored by his love and connection with nature and the wild life - this led her to believe that Maul had the heart of a true Sith and was the catalyst to his downfall by having him train as Sheev’s apprentice rather than stay an acolyte/“alter boy”.

To be continued…

***

Sorry for the typos and crappy grammar. I have food poisoning as well as a kinesiology exam tomorrow. >_<;

[dawn-of-worlds]

The Qurri

Shorter update from me this week. This is still in Round 7.

Tepponilamek has 2 + 3 – 1 (granted to others) + (2d6 => 5 + 5 = 10) = 14 power.

Tepponilamek presides over the Messonir as they grow swiftly. Each generation is several times larger than the ones before it, the Windborn gathering new knowledge before returning to the homeland and joining their fellows in building a civilization. Tsallosis becomes a city in truth, surrounded by many smaller settlements – the lands around the River Ajuna are fertile and well-suited to agriculture. Tepponilamek spends much of his time away from the Messonir, only returning on occasion to watch how they progress. (Tepponilamek uses Command Race (-4), though without actual commands, to cause the Messonir to grow and develop).

One of Tepponilamek’s deeds during this time is to create a new race of beings. Dwelling for a time amongst the jungles of the islands south of Nulat, they come across fascinating creatures, many limbed and many-jointed, that dwell for a time amongst an egg before emerging with wings to take flight, mate and die. Seeking to uplift them and lengthen their lifespans, Tepponilamek at first tries to grant their adult form the same grace and purpose while flying that they themselves possess. But it all ends in failure. Not to be deterred, Tepponilamek guides the smaller, younger form into self-awareness and teaches them the basics of civilization.

The Qurri, as they soon come to call themselves, are segmented arthropods with between a dozen and two dozen limbs – the first four are capable of delicate manipulations, but can also be combined into a pair of sturdy front legs for swift movement, while the others merely lerge to move on. They are well suited to forested environments, being extremely agile and swift in moving between trees – they instinctively curl into a ball if they fall, whereupon the fraction of Tepponilamek’s aerial grace they possess guides them down safely.

The Qurri live for perhaps half a century (it varies substantially) before they pupate – the resulting adult form, known as the Huk, is non-sapient and settles to mate and produce eggs in a suitable swampy patch of woodland. It is rare that Qurri know the lineage of an egg even after it hatches – keeping track of Huk mating is both very difficult and very taboo. The Qurri instead track “teaching-lineages”, the passing on of knowledge from experienced Qurri to those newly hatched, a manner not unlike adoption. Some blood-lineages are tracked only by the notable physical characteristics of the Qurri in question. Once out of their initial stages of learning about the world, Qurri, who are genderless, typically form “bond-groups” of three to five individuals, united by bonds of love and affection. The Qurri can engage in sex despite being technically a larval stage and thus infertile – though it is not considered the default part of a relationship within bond-group.

The Huk tend to be fiercely territorial, and while the small communities of Qurri that grow up on the islands have regions they maintain for the Huk to live their short lives, others escape and dwell elsewhere. Some Qurri thus grow up “feral” – unfamiliar with civilisation, though still being in communion with their Creator’s nature they possess language and complex thought, and often these Qurri have more supernatural gifts – foresight and insight, weather-prediction and water-seeking, affinity with some form of knowledge or skill at some trade. Most are treated with respect and reverence by other Qurri, and it is a rare Qurri who would refuse to take one to teach and guide.

Tepponilamek is proud of their new creations, who soon gathering villages along the isles and coastlines on the equatorial region. They decide not to burden their creations with the difficulty of creating cities and interacting with the larger world – they should enjoy their innocence while it lasts. (Tepponilamek uses Create Race (-6))

Meanwhile, the forty-three Windborn who left Tepponilamek’s side before their creator explained how they would grow travelled the world many times, staying as a single flock. They grew and grew, sharing their knowledge amongst each other rather than splitting apart to learn alone. Eventually, they came to rest in the high mountains known as the Tuukasinen, where they settled and rested. Talking amongst themselves, they determined that they did not wish to return to their creator, and that they were better as one flock, one people, on their own. Thus decided, they finished their growth. They stood upright, and never again took flight. They called themselves the Kukan, and at first dwel around a lake they called Muriman. Thought they were few to begin with, their numbers grew quickly – they soon discovered how to produce more Windborne, but rather than send them off into the world to learn, they kept their chidlren close, and produced and taught them in large flocks rather than small numbers. To each flock they gave a name – the first flock who settled in the Tuukasinen named themselves the flock of Thoughtful Morning, and the first flock they themselves produced they named Blessed Future. Each Kukan takes the name of their flock as their surname, no matter who created them – for each Kukan’s family is their flock before all others. (Tepponilamek uses Create Subrace (-4)).

[shipcestuous-two]

My Cousin, My Lover: The Rosales Saga by F. Sionil Jose

(Hi! Former lurker/anon here. Behold my humble contribution to this blog. I’ve been sitting on this for a while now and I wish I could talk to more people about it. Too shy to do it IRL).

Francisco Sionil Jose (1924–2022) was a Filipino writer. Declared a National Artist for Literature in 2001, he’s best known for The Rosales Saga, which is composed of five historical novels centered on the town of Rosales. Other people have commented on the saga’s main themes: Philippine history, colonialism, class struggle, etc. I’m only here to talk about the cousincest.

In My Brother, My Executioner (published 1973), the main character Luis Asperri marries his paternal first cousin, Trining. Before we proceed, here’s some background. Luis is the illegitimate son of Don Vicente Asperri (rich landowner) and Nena (used to work for the Asperris as a domestic helper). Trining is the daughter of Don Vicente’s brother, who along with his wife died when their house was burned by angry peasants. A servant saved Trining, who was then raised by Don Vicente. Luis didn’t join them until he was 13. Prior to that, he grew up in a village with his mom, grandpa, and half-brother. But then Don Vicente, who had no legitimate sons, called for him. His mom was angry for obvious reasons but let Luis go.

Fast forward a few years to the main point of the story. Luis, now living in Manila and the editor-in-chief of a magazine, is summoned back to Rosales. Reluctantly, he goes back home with Trining, now a student at a convent school (not sure if high school or college). She’s very proud of her cousin and brags about him to her friends, who tease that she’s in love with him. But he doesn’t pay attention to them, much to her disappointment. Now that they’re going home, she’s looking forward to spending more time with him, but he just wants to hear what his dad has to say before going back to his job.

So they go home. Don Vicente’s now getting older and sicker, so of course he wants Luis to be his heir and continue the family line. At some point, he asks Luis about women and says, “I want you to have a look again at your cousin.” Don Vicente talks about how Trining is pretty and rich, and tells his son not to worry if his current feelings for her are only like a cousin’s or even a brother’s. He also tells him not to worry about the church - “We’ll get a dispensation from the bishop later.” Granted, since the book’s set in the ‘50s and these are rich propertied people, there’s the “keep the money in the family” angle, but I found it hilarious that the old guy shipped his son and niece. Anyway, dad and son have a disagreement about their lives as landlords vis-a-vis the poverty of the peasants, so Luis cuts his stay in Rosales short.

Prior to that, he did view Trining in a platonic light. He felt comfortable enough to change his clothes in front of her, for example. But over time, he starts appreciating her less platonically and they go all the way when they’re back in Manila. A bit of a love triangle develops between Luis, Trining, and Trining’s friend, but the cousincest wins out. Trining says that even making love feels natural with them, while Luis comments (maybe with some sarcasm?), “What a nice, compact little family we are." 

They get married in Rosales at Don Vicente’s behest. Trining wants to meet Luis’ mom and is sad that the rest of his family couldn’t go to the wedding. Again, context: during the story’s time frame, the Philippine government was trying to suppress the Hukbalahap insurgency. Remember Luis’ village? People there were accused of harboring "Huk” rebels, so the army attacked it. When he finds out after the wedding, he goes searching for his family, but he only finds burned-out remains where the village used to be. Trining insists on joining him in his search, but it proves fruitless. 

As you may expect, the story ends on a sad note. Trining gives birth to a baby boy, but it’s premature and implied to have birth defects. She herself is fine, but sad because the doctors also removed her uterus (“Oh, Luis, I wanted to give you a dozen children!”). Then Luis (who becomes the new landlord when Don Vicente dies) gets a note telling him and Trining to leave before the day is over. Alarmed, she wants them to sell everything and move to Manila, but he tells her not to worry. Bad move. That night, the “Huks” attack the estate and Trining is shot. Before she dies, she tells Luis to give their son a happy childhood. This…doesn’t happen. It’s implied that Luis is killed, too. We don’t know what happens to the baby.

The relationship had cute parts and potential. Imagine: prim and proper Catholic girl x the brooding intellectual guy who fought with a priest and wants to fight for the poor. We could’ve seen how they first met, the little moments when they were growing on each other without them realizing it. The way it was, Trining seemed way more into Luis than the other way around. But the novel’s main point was always the class struggle, not the romance. Oh well. Maybe some fanfiction writer could fix that…?

The other novel featuring cousincest is The Pretenders (published 1962). I haven’t read this, but according to TV Tropes, the main character Antonio Samson (who, like Luis, starts out poor in a village and gets a job involving writing) has a son with his cousin Emy. However, these two don’t end up together.

There is another F. Sionil Jose-written story (not one of the Rosales books) that features incest, but I think it belongs on the other blog.

If you made it to the end of this long post, thank you :)

--

This is a wonderful contribution to the blog! Thank you so much or writing up all of these details about Trinning and Luis. It’s a pity the relationship isn’t explored more, but the development sounds wonderful. I particularly love that Luis’ father wants him to marry Trinning and that Luis isn’t enthusiastic at first but comes around later. 

The ending makes me sad. But particularly that the child has birth defects irks. As we all know, unless the family was already inbred the risk of such things is not much higher than a non-cousin union. Anyway... 

Thank you to all the family sagas with incest, and thank you to all of my followers who have read them!

[roomchailimited]

Oslo’s Outdoor Oasis: A Nature Lover’s Guide to Norway’s Capital

Oslo, Norway’s vibrant capital, is a haven for nature lovers. Nestled between the Oslofjord and lush, rolling hills, the city offers a perfect blend of urban life and outdoor adventure. With an abundance of green spaces, waterways, and hiking trails, Oslo is a place where you can experience the beauty of nature without ever leaving the city limits. Whether you're an avid hiker, a water enthusiast, or simply someone who enjoys a peaceful stroll, Oslo provides the ideal backdrop for reconnecting with the natural world.

Vigeland Park is the perfect place to begin your outdoor adventure. As the world’s largest sculpture park created by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, it features over 200 sculptures across 80 acres. Among them are the iconic Monolith and the Angry Boy (Sinnataggen). The park is not only a celebration of art but also a serene green space for walking, relaxing, or having a quiet moment by its tranquil ponds.

Oslofjord, the city's defining natural feature, offers countless activities for water lovers. Island hopping is a must – take a ferry to islands like Hovedøya and Lindøya, where you can hike, swim, or enjoy a picnic surrounded by scenic fjord views. For a more immersive experience, rent a kayak and paddle along the calm waters. If you're new to the sport, guided kayak tours are available to help you discover the fjord’s hidden gems.

For a true wilderness experience, a short metro ride from the city will take you to Nordmarka, Oslo’s expansive forest. This area is perfect for hiking, cycling, and cross-country skiing in winter. Lake Sognsvann, one of Nordmarka’s most accessible spots, is a popular destination for hiking or leisurely walks. It’s also a favorite for swimming in summer, with its peaceful surroundings and clear waters.

Holmenkollen, Oslo’s famous ski jump, is a must-see for winter sports fans and nature lovers alike. Offering sweeping views of the city and fjord, it’s not only a site for skiing but also a gateway to great hiking and biking trails. Visit the Holmenkollen Ski Museum to learn about Norway’s skiing history and the daring Arctic expeditions that shaped the country’s adventurous spirit.

Ekebergparken is a beautiful blend of art and nature. Located on a hill overlooking the city, this sculpture park features works by renowned artists such as Salvador Dalí and Auguste Rodin, all nestled among scenic walking paths. With sweeping views of Oslo and the fjord, Ekebergparken offers a peaceful escape where nature meets world-class art.

The Bygdøy Peninsula offers another unique outdoor experience, blending culture and nature. Known for its museums, it also has beautiful beaches like Huk, perfect for swimming and sunbathing during the summer. The area is ideal for cycling, with scenic paths running through forests and along the waterfront, making it easy to explore both its cultural and natural attractions.

A walk along the Akerselva River provides an urban nature escape right in the heart of Oslo. This 8-kilometer river walk takes you from the city center through green parks, waterfalls, and past historical industrial buildings that have been repurposed into trendy cafés and galleries. It's a peaceful spot for wildlife watching, with birds, fish, and even the occasional beaver along its banks.

Oslo also serves as a gateway to some fantastic day trips. For more hiking and serene landscapes, explore the forests of Østmarka or Lillomarka. For a taste of the southern coast, charming towns like Drøbak or Tønsberg offer a more relaxed, seaside atmosphere, complete with traditional wooden houses and cozy harbors.

Oslo is a city that effortlessly blends urban life with nature. From the fjords and forests to the parks and rivers, it offers endless outdoor experiences for nature lovers of all kinds. For those looking to make the most of their visit, travel agencies like Roomchai Limited and local tour operators such as Oslo Hiking and Fjord Tours offer tailor-made adventures that showcase the best of Oslo’s natural beauty.

[eddystshirts]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Huk Performance Fishing T Shirt Blue XL Extra Large Gear Fish Graphic Tee Solid.

[spackhuggare]

Heavy wind and massive rain. Huk, Norway. Photo taken by me.

[huknatural]

Keratin Hair Treatment: A Comprehensive Guide to Smooth, Shiny Hair

Keratin hair treatment has gained immense popularity in recent years as a go-to solution for achieving smooth, shiny, and manageable hair. Whether you struggle with frizz, dullness, or unmanageable locks, keratin treatments offer a transformative experience for your hair. Here, we delve into what keratin treatment is, its benefits, the process, and essential aftercare tips.

What is Keratin Hair Treatment?

Keratin hair treatment is a salon-based or at-home procedure designed to infuse keratin, a protein naturally found in hair, back into the hair shaft. This treatment repairs damaged hair cuticles, eliminates frizz, and leaves hair silky, smooth, and glossy.

The treatment is suitable for a wide range of hair types, including curly, wavy, and straight hair, and can provide long-lasting results, typically lasting 3 to 6 months with proper care.

Benefits of Keratin Hair Treatment

Eliminates Frizz: Keratin fills in the porous areas in the hair shaft, smoothing out frizz and flyaways.

Boosts Shine: The treatment adds a radiant, glossy finish to your hair.

Improves Manageability: Post-treatment, your hair becomes easier to style and manage.

Repairs Damage: Keratin strengthens the hair shaft and restores moisture, repairing split ends and other damage.

Long-lasting Results: With proper care, the effects of keratin treatment can last for several months.

The Process of Keratin Hair Treatment

Cleansing: The treatment begins with a thorough wash using a clarifying shampoo to remove any residue.

Application: The keratin solution is applied evenly to the hair and left to penetrate for a set duration.

Heat Sealing: Using a flat iron, the keratin is sealed into the hair cuticles, locking in smoothness and shine.

Rinsing and Final Styling: After the treatment is set, the hair is rinsed and blow-dried for a polished finish.

Post-Treatment Care Tips

To maximize the benefits and longevity of keratin treatment, follow these aftercare tips:

Use Sulfate-Free Products: Switch to shampoos and conditioners free of sulfates and harsh chemicals to avoid stripping the keratin.

Avoid Excessive Washing: Wash your hair 2-3 times a week to maintain the treatment.

Minimize Heat Styling: While keratin-treated hair is easier to style, limit the use of hot tools to prevent damage.

Protect Against Chlorine: Use a swim cap or rinse hair immediately after swimming to protect it from chlorine and saltwater.

Regular Touch-Ups: Schedule periodic touch-ups to maintain the effects of the treatment.

Is Keratin Treatment Right for You?

Keratin hair treatment is ideal for individuals looking to:

Tame unruly, frizzy hair.

Reduce styling time.

Enhance hair’s natural texture while improving its overall health.

However, consult with a hairstylist to ensure the treatment suits your specific hair type and concerns.

Conclusion

Keratin hair treatment is a revolutionary solution for those desiring smooth, shiny, and manageable hair. By infusing keratin into your hair shaft, it restores and rejuvenates damaged hair while providing long-lasting results. With proper aftercare, you can enjoy the benefits of this treatment for months, transforming your daily hair routine into an effortless and enjoyable experience.

[compneuropapers]

Interesting Papers for Week 36, 2023

Optimization of energy and time predicts dynamic speeds for human walking. Carlisle, R. E., & Kuo, A. D. (2023). eLife, 12, e81939.

Learning critically drives parkinsonian motor deficits through imbalanced striatal pathway recruitment. Cheung, T. H. C., Ding, Y., Zhuang, X., & Kang, U. J. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(12), e2213093120.

A circuit mechanism linking past and future learning through shifts in perception. Crossley, M., Benjamin, P. R., Kemenes, G., Staras, K., & Kemenes, I. (2023). Science Advances, 9(12).

Critically synchronized brain waves form an effective, robust and flexible basis for human memory and learning. Galinsky, V. L., & Frank, L. R. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 4343.

Rapid learning of predictive maps with STDP and theta phase precession. George, T. M., de Cothi, W., Stachenfeld, K. L., & Barry, C. (2023). eLife, 12, e80663.

Asymmetric retinal direction tuning predicts optokinetic eye movements across stimulus conditions. Harris, S. C., & Dunn, F. A. (2023). eLife, 12, e81780.

Learning vs. minding: How subjective costs can mask motor learning. Healy, C. M., Berniker, M., & Ahmed, A. A. (2023). PLOS ONE, 18(3), e0282693.

Comparing retinotopic maps of children and adults reveals a late-stage change in how V1 samples the visual field. Himmelberg, M. M., Tünçok, E., Gomez, J., Grill-Spector, K., Carrasco, M., & Winawer, J. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 1561.

Modulation of potassium conductances optimizes fidelity of auditory information. Kaczmarek, L. K. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(12), e2216440120.

Progressive neuronal plasticity in primate visual cortex during stimulus familiarization. Koyano, K. W., Esch, E. M., Hong, J. J., Waidmann, E. N., Wu, H., & Leopold, D. A. (2023). Science Advances, 9(12).

Sensory and Choice Responses in MT Distinct from Motion Encoding. Levi, A. J., Zhao, Y., Park, I. M., & Huk, A. C. (2023). Journal of Neuroscience, 43(12), 2090–2103.

Complexity of cortical wave patterns of the wake mouse cortex. Liang, Y., Liang, J., Song, C., Liu, M., Knöpfel, T., Gong, P., & Zhou, C. (2023). Nature Communications, 14, 1434.

Enhanced Reactivation of Remapping Place Cells during Aversive Learning. Ormond, J., Serka, S. A., & Johansen, J. P. (2023). Journal of Neuroscience, 43(12), 2153–2167.

Human generalization of internal representations through prototype learning with goal-directed attention. Pettine, W. W., Raman, D. V., Redish, A. D., & Murray, J. D. (2023). Nature Human Behaviour, 7(3), 442–463.

On the role of inhibition in suppression-induced forgetting. van Schie, K., Fawcett, J. M., & Anderson, M. C. (2023). Scientific Reports, 13, 4242.

Interaction of dynamic error signals in saccade adaptation. Wagner, I., & Schütz, A. C. (2023). Journal of Neurophysiology, 129(3), 717–732.

Honey bees infer source location from the dances of returning foragers. Wang, Z., Chen, X., Becker, F., Greggers, U., Walter, S., Werner, M., … Menzel, R. (2023). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(12), e2213068120.

Resolving the associative learning paradox by category learning in pigeons. Wasserman, E. A., Kain, A. G., & O’Donoghue, E. M. (2023). Current Biology, 33(6), 1112-1116.e2.

Development of a measure of kindness. Youngs, D. E., Yaneva, M. A., & Canter, D. V. (2023). Current Psychology, 42(7), 5428–5440.

Recurrent network interactions explain tectal response variability and experience-dependent behavior. Zylbertal, A., & Bianco, I. H. (2023). eLife, 12, e78381.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Do you have anymore fun ideas for hijinks in Rotbottom? My Bogwatchers really enjoyed beating Uncle Huk out for the Ol’ Mosskeel’s treasure!

Dungeon: The Revolting Tombs

“ARIE, Fetch the watch!! The dead walk the earth!...AGAIN” 

-Rolved, exasperated farmer, for the third time this month

Setup: The old parish cemetery might’ve once been a nice place to be laid to rest, not too far away from the village with a scenic view of the river and the shade of many trees. Then the river decided to shift its banks, flooding the catacombs and forcing the locals to build tombs above ground. After years of watery encroachment however it became obvious that the village had to move, and so the old cemetery was left to be retaken by nature as folk picked up stakes and moved to drier climbs. 

Sometime after this the dead got FUSSY, rising from their tombs to pester the living with varying levels of intensity. Perhaps it was this abandonment that set the dead off, perhaps it was because the old priest was a little too fond of the local shine and never set them down quite right, perhaps it’s because no one likes sleeping in a damp bed. Regardless, the dead walk; Sometimes merely mischievous, other times actively murderous, and whenever it happens SOMEONE’S got to figure out what the dead want, or else the living will have no peace. 

Adventure Hooks: 

While escorting a cart or traveling by barge, the party awakens one night to the sound of a skeleton attacking their conveyance with a saw or a drill and trying to be quiet about it. Caught in the act, the unstealthy cadaver runs off into the night leaving the party in the middle of the wilderness with a sudden crisis in logistics: quite a lot of cargo with no sure way to carry it. Do they load themselves down with as much as they can take? attempt a field repair and risk their conveyance breaking somewhere down the river/road? try to hide their goods and come back for them later? What sabotage will their boneheaded adversary try next?

Folk always know the dead are really walking when the Bonemiser sets up in town. Cartoonishly offputting, this shrouded figure with its rasping voice and pallid flesh claims to be a sort of groundskeeper for the old cemetery, forced to vacate its post as the residents have become too rowdy. It hangs a violet lantern outside whatever shadowed ally or abandoned hovel it’s taken up residence in at the moment, a sign that it’s willing to reimburse anyone who brings it humanoid bones for reinternment. The miser pays in grimy old coins, and professes that it is only interested in the remains of those who were original residents of the cemetery, encouraging good folk to help these poor wayward souls back to their rest. That said, it doesn’t take much pretense for the miser to accept a new set of bones, under the pretext that it merely “forgot” this resident during its long stewardship. 

A child collapses on the edge of town, having run almost two days after a group of skeletons descended on her family farm in the middle of the night. When the party ventures out to the countryside however they find that the family is fine, though barricaded in their house, and the skeletons have taken over all of their usual farmstead chores. Two problems though a) the skeletons move with murderous intent against anyone that threatens to interrupt them b) they’re doing the chores very badly, ploughing crops that are already growing, herding animals into the wrong paddocks, and just making a general nuisance of themselves. With superior numbers their ability to regenerate from mere shards, it seems the only way to get the skeletons to leave is to join in their nightly games of dice and win the chores back in a daring wager. 

Challenges & Complications

It’s always something silly that sets the dead off: a door fell off a mausoleum after the hinges rusted through, they haven’t had a funeral in a while and they’re all bored. Something irksome manages to lodge in their thick skulls and suddenly they’re rampaging through the countryside looking to cause mayhem until someone comes and solves the problem for them. If the party wish to put the dead to rest, they can’t just fight their way through the tombs smashing any skeleton they see, they need to do a little detective work about what caused this particular uprising and what can be done to prevent it next time. 

 while fighting unliving warriors over quaggy ground can be challenging, even more challenging is descending into the lower levels of the tombs where flooding has taken over completely. There are three sections to the dungeon, the above ground section, the partially flooded section (where the party can dive for brief stints before surfacing into hidden chambers), and the completely flooded section. This last will require some kind of magic to explore, possibly requiring the party to come back after they’ve obtained the aid of a proper spellcaster. 

Mist rolls in on the party’s second day of exploring the dungeon, giving their skeletal opponents cover and making aboveground navigation more difficult. When they return to their camp, they find a spectral figure waiting for them, calling to them from the shoreline. The spirit appears to be in good spirits, and offers to give the party a ride anywhere they want if they help him collect a few of the cemetery's more malicious residents:  More than just restless bones dwell within the sodden cemetery, as the deepest of the flooded chambers contains an altar that has become a portal to the shadowfell, allowing dark spirits and twisted creatures to sllip through. To close this keyhole into the underworld, the party must figure out a way to perform a consecration ritual while underwater, something that few landbased theologies have ways to do. 

For the asker: Rotbottom has been such a hit that I’m going to start using a single tag for prompts I think would fit well in the setting. Check it out periodically as I imagine more zany swamp misadventures

Art

[koyato]

Kaleesh week

Day 4

Pups

@tuberculosis-bot-9000

All for our with @komorebi-art-blog AU

OKAY WELL SORRY I KNOW THIS IS NOT CUTE but still about children i guess?.. sorry, really sorry...

In Kaleesh society we have many sins... disrespect your family, run from a fair fight... but what are the worst?

Little Kaitiaki Huna have a jackpot. He's cannibal corpse eater.

Young and weak ginger Kaleesh lost his family really early, nothing special. But he was with a little, maybe even newborn he doesn't remember, sister and brother. And this was beginning of the final part of war.

I've been writing about it in last post but Huks started use chemical weapons to poison the nature and start the Great Hunger. And yes, trio was in this poison lands. They already lost family when they was trying to eat something, Kaleesh very tolerate to poisoning, but not in this time. And toxic zone was too big for children to cross fast.

After few days without even water older understood that it's dead end if they immediately don't find something. And the only clear meat in all forest was already here. Huna choose that little brother is weakest one and simply strangled him to death. When him and sister finally got out there was no clues that there were three of them and what happened.

Only Kaitiaki knows, for God's sake sister was to little to remember that. And well yes ancestors know it too. He convinced that they let him live only to protect remaining child.

In Kaleesh culture there is two constant values. Family, your parents, partners... and the most value-children. Children is future, murder a child is the worst thing, they don't know life yet, they don't became honorable warriors. Their souls would be cursed by ignorance.

In our headcanons Kaleesh believe in cycling of life and dead. You born, live your best life, die with honor, your family bury you in common grave, when your meat slowly rots and only bones remaining soul go in heaven, there you have good time with ancestors, help your children, but eternal existence without death sounds like curse. So when soul is ready she is reborn as a totally different kaleesh, and the past life is gone.

So little children can't go on heaven like honorable warriors, they just faster go in another life, and this is gone forever too fast... and Huna do this curse to his own brother he needs to protect no matter what. And even more he ate him, he defiled the corpse. He betrayed second great Kaleesh thing-Death.

He make himself and sister not better then Huks. Soulless demons. Maybe gods will forgive little one, but now he is getting used to the thoughts of his imminent punishment in any moment.

Аnd has nightmares every night... everytime he eats meat he again feels this taste and thinks that his mouth looks like Huk's one. Maybe it's true...

[short-wooloo]

(Original post: https://short-wooloo.tumblr.com/post/666200054499016704/do-you-even-hear-yourself-the-jedi-were-part-of)

Wow, God tier idiocy here

Like, way to miss the point of the original post and end up sounding just like a fucking nazi like I said in the op

Congrats

Well, first off

It is very clear that this is another galidraan type situation (@monjustmon 's post on the subject https://monjustmon.tumblr.com/post/656610965931114496/so-this-is-what-i-mean-mandos-woke-up-chose), you haven't actually read the source material about the subject, you've just "heard" about the events, so let's just go over what actually happened:

Kalee and Huk were two worlds located in Wild Space, a region beyond the fringes of Outer Rim (which itself is a region where the Republic has little authority and slavery is legal), home to the Kaleesh and Yam’rii respectively, neither were a part of the Galactic Republic, the Kaleesh apparently having only recently become space-faring or simply rarely left their native space, but the Yam’rii did have contact and economic ties with the Republic and Trade Federation

How things began was the Yam’rii, or "Huk" (soulless bugs) as the Kaleesh came to cal them, established an outpost/colony on Kalee, they found the natural resources of the planet weren't what they were hoping for, but the native Kaleesh were of far greater value, and began to take them as slaves, thus beginning the Huk war

Now the exact length of the war or when it began is unclear, but what is known is that eventually a Kaleesh warrior named Qymaen jai Sheelal rose to prominence with his partner Ronderu lij Kummar, the two being leaders of the Kaleesh war efforts and even being considered demigods

Unfortunately, Kummar died in battle with the Yam’rii, and Sheelal was heartbroken, and after so soul searching and wallowing in sadness, Sheelal gave into his grief entirely becoming Grievous

From there the newly christened Grievous lead the Kaleesh in a victorious war of liberation, reconquering Kalee and driving the Yam’rii off world

They won

But for Grievous the freedom of his world and people wasn't enough, he was out for blood

So Grievous lead the Kaleesh in a genocidal revenge campaign against the Yam’rii, attacking their colony worlds and massacring their civilians (and I think that's an important distinction to make, the Yam’rii who attack Kalee would have been slavers and soldiers, killing them would have just been an act of battle)

Now what the Yam'rii originally did to the Kaleesh was horrible

But that doesn't justify the Kaleesh trying to do the same to them

Genocide does not make counter-genocide ok

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind

And genocide for genocide just leaves more people dead, the dead are still dead, nothing is fixed, no one's better off,

And with the real threat of total annihilation on their heads, the Yam’rii made use of their economic ties to the Republic to get help, while also portraying the Kaleesh as the aggressors and themselves as victims

It is here that the Jedi got involved, with a force of 50 (that number is important) sent to end the war, which they did

That, that right there, that is what the person in the above photos considers to be the Jedi aiding in the genocide and subjugation of the Kaleesh

Stopping them from committing a revenge genocide

Now you could argue that the Jedi were in the wrong for not stopping the Yam’rii from originally invading Kalee and enslaving the Kaleesh

But that doesn't really hold up

The Jedi only have authority in Republic space, anywhere else they need permission to be,and Kalee/Huk are in Wild Space, a region beyond the Outer Rim, a region where the Republic/Jedi have little to no authority

Furthermore, the Kaleesh's own limited space travel, coupled with the Yam’rii's economic ties to the Republic (and the Senate's corruption) meant the Jedi probably never even heard of the invasion until after the Kaleesh repelled it

Anyways, with the war over the senate imposed economic sanctions on Kalee and forced them to pay reparations

I fail to see whats wrong here

Yes, what the Yam’rii originally did was horrible, but by this point, they were driven off of Kalee, and the Kaleesh were now attacking the Yam’rii worlds and killing their civilians, with the very real possibility of being totally wiped out, that can't just go unpunished

The senate absolutely was overly punitive no disagreement there, but you gotta remember that this is happening in the years leading up to the Clone Wars, when the senate is at its most corrupt and is being run by sith who are attempting to engineer a galactic scale war, trying to turn people against the Republic/Jedi and make Jedi killers

And before anyone blames the Jedi for this, I will remind you that the Jedi serve the Republic, they do not make its decisions or policies, they do not run it,they have no say in what it does

Now to summarize what happens with Grievous afterwards, this is what kicks off his hatred of the Jedi, and in a deal to free Kalee of its debts Grievous became the the IGBC's debt collector, but eventually ditched the job when conflicts with the Yam’rii kick off again (specifically over the Yam’rii desecrating Kaleesh burial sites on Yam’rii colony worlds, y'know the world's Grievous invaded and slaughtered the populations of), now the IGBC wasn't happy with him leaving so they conspired with Dooku to get him permanently in their service, planting a bomb on Grievous' shuttle and blaming the Jedi, with his body ruined and more vengeful than ever,Grievous agreed to his reconstruction (during which his brain was modified without his knowledge) and thus Grievous the cyborg General with a grudge against the Jedi was born

With that out of the way, I'd like to examine what the person said about Grievous being justified in killing "every Jedi he saw"

only 50 Jedi were really involved in the situation

“every Jedi he saw” includes younglings in the wrong place at the wrong time, padawans drafted into the war effort by the senate/Palpatine, and every other Jedi who had nothing to do with what went down on Kalee

you are literally saying that because 50 people stopped him from committing genocide, Grievous is justified in killing people who aren’t those 50, including children, because they’re a part of the same cultural group as that 50

Fuck you

Plus, All of the above is eu, legends eu, neither informs the movies and shows, and do yknow what the movies and shows say about Grievous, his origin, and his hatred of the Jedi?

Not much, but it implies that his cyborg status is in some part voluntary, augmentations to keep with and kill Jedi because he hates them because he's jealous of them, he wants their power but cannot have it, so he kills them

More importantly, Grievous is a butcher, mass murderer, and war criminal, all of which he loves and is proud of being, there is no excuse or justification for his actions, he wants and loves to kill

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kalee/Legends

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kaleesh/Legends

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Yam%27rii/Legends

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Huk_War

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Wild_Space/Legends