#its usually like 80 dollar food so

[ridragon]

I have no money I need to save moen-OOOOH A TREATO FOR ME??????

[this-doesnt-endd]

Theres one local theatre in my town thats at the end of the line of the bus route and theyll do throwback movies and a lot of the times its 80s movies and with the new 4k version of risky business on the horizion i desperatly need them to show it

[rametarin]

Just a little rant.

Inspired by a childhood and lifetime of dealing with know-nothing vegetarians and vegans since the late 80s.

Back in the day, vegetarian and then vegan peers would say shit like, "Red meat stays in your bowels and becomes toxic poop for 7 years!" And then go on these weird pseudohistorical rants about how the human body, "isn't meant to eat meat." And then kinda dip into this vague spirituality that can kinda sound like empirical science if you don't read into or question what they're saying.

They'd go on and on about toxic chemicals in the food that big corporations and capitalism just puts there, "to save a dollar" and, that largely was not true. Really, it became a source of bad information and propaganda in the form of a peer, who is usually scared or antagonized by other peers to become outlets of bad information.

And so here we are, 2024, with a ton of vegan youtubers and tiktokkers hitting their wall and abandoning veganism because, nutritionally, it just doesn't work. The very imperative to do it is faulty and bogus, and on the other side we learn everything from our dentition to our organ setup to our physiology requires a certain amount of meat eating, and how there's so much we DON'T know about nutrition to adequately supplement it with pills.

Vegetable substitutes are "okay." But they aren't sufficient to replace meat, pound for pound, nutritionally. And it ultimately just comes down to this weird ideological fixation that vegetarians and vegans have regarding how raising beef is for the planet.

Well, we can mitigate the methane emissions, we can get nutritionally defunct corn out of their diets, we can make sure they are grazing places where it's acceptable. But there's no reason to hate on the beef and dairy industry for existing.

And one of the biggest driving factors is either 1.) The existential horror over the loss of life and the grissly way they're killed to make the food, because they find the entire thing morally repugnant. 2.) The belief in suffering itself. So, kind of buddhist/hindu-lite that won't commit to any real coherent belief system but still wants to treat suffering like it's an element on the periodic table, and ideologically treat killing animals for food like a form of suffering that's not acceptable.

Really, adjusting for the lack of nutrition from meat substitutes, about the only alternative that makes ANY god damned sense, is cloned meat. Those meat tissues that are artificially grown. But, even that won't give the quality meat we need from the sort we get from the organisms themselves;

In order to do that we'd effectively need to clone the animals' entire digestive system and its ability to synthesize the nutrition it gets. That, ultimately, is where the benefit is in eating other animals. Other animals have the ability to process plants into essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and a whole fuckton of proteins humans just do not have the infrastructure to do, ourselves. Not just grow the animal muscle tissue in a vat. Conceivably not a bad idea, but it's just not a sufficient replacement for actual animal products.

Really the only good argument towards cloned meat in place of just raising animals for meat is that it involves less slaughter and could conceivably take up less space than grazing cattle or industrial chicken farming.

Nutritionally we need it, there's functionally no difference from an animal living and dying in captivity and not if you do it right, and the only theoretical advantage to cloned meat would be the convenience of a chemical vat to grow the meat in the absence of an animal you have to slaughter.

Refusing to eat meat because slaughtering kills animals will always be a major stumbling block that results in generations of people going into their own echo chambers and deciding that those that eat meat are barbaric. But at least now we can make refutations to these talking points more available and visible.

[aniseandspearmint]

Job training - frequently bullshit (don't actually train useful skills, don't cover enough of what they do teach), frequently hard to qualify for, and frequently wait listed.

Education - expensive. Not guaranteed to actually help (look at how many people with degrees are unemployed/poorly employed/homeless) also subject to a TON of fraud. A lot of internet schools and art schools and tech schools are fraudulent. The degrees they offer are worthless. You end up deeper in debt.

Mental health resources - these are INCREDIBLY hit or miss, depending on where you live. Some areas have decent resources, most do not. You might get someone who helps, you might get someone who makes things worse.

Welfare - takes years to get on. There are very often frequent denials. You have to get lawyers involved more often than not.

Shelters - often way more dangerous than sleeping on the street or in your car if you have one. Also there are usually 'rules' you have to follow like no pets, and a strict schedule, turning over any meds you have to them, and attending very awful religious services. They also rarely listen when if you have special needs of any kind (disabilities, allergies, etc).

Addiction centers - i have no personal experience here, but I've been told they're similar to shelters in a lot of bad ways, with the better ones constantly wait listed.

Food banks - some of these are great. Sone of them are terrible. Its a roulette spin really. They very rarely take allergies seriously I've found, as if those get put on hold when you're in need. And the church run ones often force you to stay a while and listen to a TRULY demoralizing sermon before you can take the food. They're also usually queer phobic, and very racist in my experience.

Food stamps - these are good. They work. They're also hard to qualify for, and every dollar you get counts against how much food stamps you get even if every penny you earn is taken up with other things. And in many areas there's a thing called the Able-bodied Adult initiative, where to get food stamps you HAVE to prove you are either in job training, in school, partially employed, or volunteering 80+ hours a month to get even a pittance of help. And thats not taking into how every single county handles things slightly differently, and while some are fine, they're chill, others will yank your benefits if you breathe wrong, and getting them back requires hours, sometimes days, spent in the local DFCS offices. And they deduct the days you miss from your monthly amount even after you get it fixed. And there is nothing stopping them from doing the same thing to you again, next month.

Rental assistance - the waiting list for this is different for every county, and takes literal YEARS in many cases. So many places don't take it besides literal hellholes, and if you're in an area refugees from a disaster are funneled into? Sorry, you've been dropped to the bottom of the list in favor of them. Doesn't matter that you were three months from qualifying finally, its gonna be 3 more years now, minimum. Move to a new area? You have to start at the bottom of THEIR list. Theirs has an 8+ year wait.

Job banks - Gonna be real here, i have HEARD if these but never seen one. No idea how they work.

Employment resources - here, have a sheet of paper with all the above resources listed! Along with Goodwill, which, allegedly, does job training! (Never actually seen it tho, they said i didn't qualify. Never met anyone who did tbh).

[midnightpulses]

Got tagged in this question game by @itsintrovertedpotato 💜

Its a lot more questions than i thought. Was fun though

1. Do you make your own bed: Once in a blue moon. Usually i dont have the time or the will to do it. I do think i should do it more.

2. What's your favorite number: None. Maybe 14, i dont know.

3. Current job: Software developer i guess

4. If you could go back to school would you: Elementary? No. High school? The older i am the more i think i do. Especially the latter years.

5. Can you parallel park: I could on my drivers' exam. Havent tried since.

6. A job you had that would surprise people: Fry cook. I think thats how you would call it, i was making and selling fried street food as part of a restaurant.

7. Do you think aliens are real: Yes. Dont know how advanced but definitely real.

8. Can you drive a manual car: Same as parallel parking. Although i have tried since but i find it too stressful.

9. Guilty pleasure: None that i can think of, that i actually feel guilty for.

10. Tattoos: I currently have the Necron ankh of the Triarch from Warhammer 40k on my right forearm and the razor logo from Judas Priest's British Steel album on my left shoulder. I do plan to add more things at one point. My next tattoo would probably be High Queen Khalida from Warhammer Fantasy.

11. Favorite color: Purple and Green. Both in some more muted, or deep variants

12. Favorite music genre: Metal in most of its forms, mostly Death and Doom/Sludge. But currently my obsession is 90s/00s jungle/breakcore/DnB... And french disco pop (L'Imperatrice)

13. Do you like puzzles: Like jigsaws? I did as a kid, nowadays it depends on the day. But puzzles in general yes.

14. Phobias: Caves(underground in general) Heights.

15. Favorite childhood sport: Motorsports in general, but especially rallying, f1, and endurance racing. For someone that doesnt like to drive im really into cars.

16. Do you talk to yourself: Small comments sometimes but not like actual conversations. At least not out loud.

17. Favorite movies: Oh i can go on for days. But i think Reservoir Dogs, Dirty Harry, The Godfather pt. 2, Mad Max: Fury Road, The LotR trilogy, Se7en, Hercules (1995 disney one), Howl's Moving Castle, Redline, The Dollars trilogy, Pink Panther (at least the Peter Sellers ones), all Leslie Nielsen comedies, The Land Before Time, and so on

18. Coffee or tea: Tea, 80% of the time.

19. First thing you wanted to be when you grow up: A geographer/explorer/historian mix, or an astronaut.

A lot of the people i would like to tag are either inactive or deactivated. Or i just dont talk to them and it would make me feel awkward. So i wont be taggin.

[yourglobalexpansionpartner]

Technology Adoption: Key Driver for Business Growth in India

India’s Digital Revolution: A Kaleidoscope of Opportunities

India, the place where the modern world meets the ancient past and where the latest technology is allied with the ancient heritage, is on the way to a digital revival. The sun rises over the Himalayas, and it paints a country into the picture that constantly innovates, shows resilience, and remains adaptable throughout. As technology adoption makes its intricate way through the business landscape of India, let us unravel the specific ones that weave it into the fabric of our business environment.

1. The Digital Canvas: A Billion Brushstrokes

The digital canvas of India is wide, covered by over 560 million online subscribers, making the canvas colorful and vast. This globalization situation is just staggering and places India in the second position only after China. From the thronging cities to the unaltered villages of the subcontinent, the internet has affected all places everywhere. The Jan Dhan Yojana program for financial inclusion has so far developed millions of the population, as it gives them the opportunity to have digital financial accounts. The developing digital era witnesses today that 80 percent of adult Indians who own at least one bank account are a bridge across financial services in the traditional way and in the cyber world.

2. The Business Odyssey: Navigating the Digital Seas

Digital advances can be in many ways compared to the ocean. And as people plunge deeper into this ocean of digital space, businesses cannot help struggling to regulate the adoption of digital technology. It becomes different from time to time; different facilities keep advancing, whereas some companies are likely to be left behind. Thus, a new day is coming with the sunrise. Not long ago, homegrown brands were usually defeated by the onslaught of the global giants. However, now they have developed their ways for the brand launch with the distinct characteristics of their nation or geographic areas. Another illustrious personality from such a line is Patanjali Ayurved, which is a venture of Baba Ramdev, the renowned spiritual guru. Through revenue of more than 1 billion dollars, Patanjali Ayurveda has become a glorious example of Indian entrepreneurship and their embodiment of a marriage of heritage and modernity.

3. The Art of Branding: A Kaleidoscope of Narratives

Through these dynamic small vendors, story-telling becomes the paintbrush that adds perspectives that bring brands to life. Along with product attributes, brands ought to tell stories that become iconic in the cultural landscape of India. Imagine a chai-wallah (tea vendor) seasoning stories of the warmth and friendship in his boiling tea, for now, the taste of his tea is not of merely the tea. Brands should also endeavor to arouse emotional appeals by giving a typical sense of India’s varied culture and heritage.

4. The Local Palette: Customizing Hues

India defies homogeneity. Special features of each region, and each locality lay their small but bright threads into the fabric. The brands must espouse localization, among other things, by adapting to the variety of tastes peculiar to a region. Whether it’s exploring the spicy delights of Mumbai’s street food or capturing the detailed weaves of Banarasi silk, contextualizing local cultural dynamics is where the focus is. You can see how Amul, the dairy cooperative, fits the first type of marketing here. Its sporty vinyls decorated with topical humor hit all the Indian languages and age groups.

5. The Symphony of Influencers: Celestial Notes

The influencers' booming influence is symbolic of a heavenly symphony of celestial sound in the digital universe. Working with influencers who speak the local consumer language can foster strong connections with consumers. It can be a Bollywood star appearing and promoting a smartphone, or a fitness expert endorsing natural supplements. Like a two-part harmony of notes, these branding goals echo across social media platforms.

Brand Launch Strategy: Crafting Constellations

Know Thy Audience: The Indian film audience belongs to a space of skies with as many stars as star trajectories. Jump into market research, decipher their orbits, and create a message customized for your brand, or simply turn the tables and give it gravity in your brand.

Adapt or Perish: Technological development follows the speediness of a hummingbird that can beat more than 50 times per second. For that, let your brand survive, adapt, and evolve in accordance with the way the country dynamically moves ahead.

Personalization: Just as a suit is sewn by a seamstress, craft your identity to fit your goals. Share the passion of the hearts, whether it’s Hindi, Tamil, or Bengali. Connect with consumers through online portals, because that’s the place where the majority of India’s digital population lies.

Price Sensitivity: What India buys is not random and mindless, but thoughtful and purposeful. Empower value without inferiority in the sense of quality. Recall the fact that affordability is the opening door that people’s hearts will embrace.

The Grand Finale: When the scene goes, so does the state of the call to action. Whatever you are, be a daring entrepreneur, a visionary, and a dreamer, and never miss an opportunity to make a vision come true. Spare your imagination, forge ahead with modern innovation, and let the fire of branding rise out of the digital embers to show the world the strongest.

Conclusion: As India is about to take to the dimension of a technologically connected world, organizations need to use technology and invent authentic brand launch strategies during the brand launch. Now is the best moment for us to grasp the ace and, without delay, show even more compelling stories and produce brands that have the soul of this energetic nation. Therefore, creative entrepreneurs, the timing is right: buckle up, grab the tech tools, and let your brand fly high. Contact us Now!

[milkovichrules]

weekly tag wednesday friday ! 🌻

thank you sm for tagging me @iansw0rld 🥰

Let's get started!

name: river age: the number that's funnier than 24 star sign: leo ✌️ I always say having the same birthday as mickey is my life's greatest achievement first language: english second language: don't have one, I can string some sentences together in norwegian and im getting better! favorite lip product: straight up lanolin the best food dish you can make without a recipe? fried rice or mac n cheese easy if you drink tea, what kind? oooh yeah, green, peppermint, or oolong if you drink coffee, what roast do you usually get? I love coffee but I have no idea tbh... whatever's strongest favorite thing to watch on youtube right now: John Wolfe, Atomic Shrimp, Nick Crowley, Nexpo, Atrocity Guide, jacksfilms, Scary Interesting favorite thing to watch on youtube in 2012: cryaotic *crowd boos*, 1D stuff, Kelly Kpopp, Dan n Phil, Liam Kyle Sullivan, jacksfilms best boy favorite item of clothing right now: the witchy loungewear set from Drop Dead...idk what its called they don't sell it anymore favorite item of clothing in 2012: whatever I got at wet seal for a dollar

fandom

three movies you recommend: coraline, stardust, the witch your favorite concert: florence and the machine my GOD. thirty seconds into what the water gave me and I was fully sobbing have you ever unfollowed someone over a fandom opinion? absolutely lmao the best tv show you watched last year: probably succession...shiv roy I am free on thursday do you have a fancasting you just can’t let go of? nah but also pls cast noel fisher in everything thank you a ship you’ve abandoned: none they're all in my heart forever!! on a scale of 1-10 how willing are you to share your ao3 history? uuuuuuuh like a 5? It's not too crazy but it is embarrassing some of the fics ive revisited 80+ times what fandom do you wish was bigger? in the flesh!!! please watch my sad gay zombie show its so good do you have a fandom tattoo? nope but there are certain Plans has a finale ever ruined a show for you? the obvious one is GOT but it was going downhill anyway... also I was part of the shameless fandom purge after s5 so lmao

have you…

swam in an ocean? uh huh been vegan/vegetarian? yup for a little while gone skinny dipping? nope gone skiing? nooooo I would be so scared

tagging nobody bc I've been gone for two months hiii everyone💕

[bayrut]

Hello Tumblr, I think most of you have heard by now, but if not: there has been a huge explosion in Beirut, Lebanon on August 4 2020. It was caused by 2,750 metric tons of explosive ammonium nitrate stored at a warehouse at the port of Beirut, but it's still unclear what initiated the explosion. 

These are just the current estimations but more than 135 people have died, more than 80 are missing, 5,000 injured, and 300,000 people are now homeless. The explosion did not only cause damages in Beirut, damages were reported in cities even 10 km away, and the explosion was felt and heard all over the country. People in Cyprus and Greece (more than 270 km away) have felt and heard it too. Experts are estimating that the damages are worth 10 to 15 billion dollars (USD). The explosion was so powerful that it created seismic waves equivalent to those of a magnitude 3.3 earthquake

A few big hospitals are located in Beirut, and were hit by the explosion. People are running from one hospital to another, they’re rejected in 6, 7, 8 hospitals before finding a place where they can be treated. Some people are being treated on the streets on plastic chairs because the hospitals are overloaded. Pharmacies are being used as makeshift hospitals. Med students, who haven’t graduated yet, are being called to help in hospitals. People are finding people that they do not know on the streets, and are carrying them to hospitals.

The government literally does not care, and their negligence has led to the explosion: the chemicals have been stored at the port for seven years. The president waited more than 14 hours after the tragedy to address the people, when leaders from other countries had already addressed it and started organizing help (For example, Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, was awake at 2 AM yesterday to work on sending aid).

The Lebanese government hasn’t cared for a long time. Since October 2019, people have been protesting over the unfair treatment. The country has fallen into an economic crisis (you can read more about it here). Since then, the local currency has lost 86% of its value, and because most food is imported, the prices have tripled everywhere. Approximately 39% of the people had lost their jobs, most of the rest have been working on half of their usual salary. A lot of people literally cannot afford food anymore, and even those well-off can only afford basics. This is a twitter thread with the most important details. The situation is only going to get worse now.

In addition, right before the explosion happened, a second wave of COVID-19 was starting in the country. Cases have already started to increase dramatically after the explosion, and will probably keep increasing.

Beirut isn’t only home to 300,000 people, it is the economic center of the country. Most of the people work in Beirut, most of the universities and schools, (and big hospitals, as I already mentioned) are located in that city. All of this is gone. The pictures are horrifying, it looks like a war zone. The port itself is very pivotal for the country’s economy, which makes the disaster way worse.

Petitions do not work in the area, and donations cannot be sent to the government, because they cannot be trusted (even during this year’s economic crisis, many countries had refused to help because they do not trust the Lebanese government). If you can help financially, please consider donating to these trustworthy sources:

Lebanese Red Cross: they have been providing medical aid and helping to treat people. They are probably the most trustworthy source possible. All of the money from the donation goes to this non-profit organization. 

Impact Lebanon: this non-profit organization has been raising money for disaster relief, but there is a processing fee that goes to the fund-raising website anytime a donation is made. 

DAFA: this local NGO has been providing help since the beginning of the economic crisis. They don’t have a donation section on their website, but this link is to their official GoFundMe page (I called to make sure). Since it’s on GoFundMe, a processing fee does to the website.

Caritas: this local NGO also has been providing help. The donation directly goes to them.

These two carrds have links to more local NGOs, which are helping after the recent events but are not specific to the explosion aftermath.  

If you can’t donate, please please please reblog this. Likes do not help, but reblogs do. When you reblog this post, someone who can help might see it, and I really mean it when I say that every bit of help counts. If you can’t donate, you can also help by watching this video on YouTube, all the money from the ads is going to the Lebanese Red Cross. There is no sounds, but please play it on full volume for it to actually help.

Also, you can help by reading about what is going on, but not only in Lebanon. Lots of countries all around the world are going through crisis, and we often don’t hear about any of these unless the country becomes on the verge of collapse. Please try to keep up with recent news, try to read headlines about what’s going on around the world, try to learn and educate yourself. Those are the first steps to real change. 

Thank you for bearing through my long post, I hope it made sense, I am still overwhelmed. It’s been a bit over 24 hours, but I am still in shock, and a lot of information might be missing. Feel free to add to this if you have relevant information.

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

Aussie Currency Guide [Part 2 - Notes]

Have an aussie character, or sending your character downunder for a fic? Are you coming for a holiday and our weird monopoly money and coins are confusing?

If you want some currency continuity, then here's a little info on our money system. It's pretty self-explanatory, but the bills have been changed recently to include a new design, but the amounts are similar.

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

Notes

The notes are $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100.

Our currency has changed recently, but you may see old notes in circulation that are still valid currency, so I'll include a picture of both sets.

Above are the OLD notes, they are all double-sided with different figures and images.

Please be aware some vending machines and ticket machines have trouble with bent, damged or new notes. The new notes have a clear strip in the middle and machines that have not been updated go, "?????????" at you and spit it out.

(If you need an action for a character to do while having a late-night wanted-a-snack-from-the-vending-machine conversation with a friend or other person, yelling at the machine due to frustration over emotions, etc. Some, not all, also have new card charge functions).

Of the notes, $5, $10 & $20 notes are used day to day. You get out a $50 if you know its a big event, eg going to the cinema or the local markets, etc. You do not often have a $10 note on you, that's like super fancy birthday or 'let's put this in your savings account' type stuff. I mean, if there's a rich person out there that carries $100s around daily then like... hey, what's the security at your house look like? No reason...

Most ATMs will dispense in $20 or $50 notes only, so you need to think on what you are after. A lot of chain stores have an abundance of smaller notes and coins because of this, but it's still a bit painful to have someone try to buy a $2 item with a $50 just to 'break it up'.

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

5 dollar note

The old note , lot of details. If you want to look into it, they're fascinating, and there's usually little details you miss unless you're really looking.

The New Note (above) copped a lot of flack from the public who disliked the change.

A lot of things are '$4.99' which straight up means $5, people. Anything with '0.99c' on it, means that you are paying one cent more, and because we don't have 1 cent coins anymore, the retailer builds up additional funding. Etc.

1 x 5 = $5, 2 x $5 = $10, 4 x $5 = $20, 10 x $5 = $50, 20 x $5 = $100, etc.

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

10 dollar note

[Old Note above]

New $10 note, with a transparent section (as previously mentioned, this can cause issues with automated machines like ticket dispensers, vending machines, change machines, etc. There's usually a human around you can check with, and most are happy to exchange an 'old note' for you, or vend the ticket directly.

Lots of items for $10 or less, often in larger retail stores like Big W and cheap stores like the reject shop, silly solly's, choice, price busters, crazy clarks, etc. Lots of little meals and things at food stores like Woolies, Coles, IGA, ALDI, etc.

Very easy to understand, in terms of use. 1 x 10 = $10, 2 x $10 = $20, 5 x $10 = $50, 10 x $10 = $100, etc.

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

20 dollar note

[Old note]

New note (above), again easy to understand.

Most meals at fast food restaurants or general small meals at a cafe will be around $20 (just under or just over). At restaurants, cheap meals are 18 - 30 dollars, depending on what you order.

Easy to understand - $20, 2 x $20 = $40, 3 x $20 = $60, 5 x $20 = $100, etc.

-----------

50 dollar note

[Old note above]

[New Note above]

Self-explanatory, 1 x $50 = $50, 2 x $50 = $100, 5 x $50 = $250, 10 x $50 = $500.

Not super unusual to have in your purse, especially if you went to the ATM or bank, but not an everyday thing. Plus bigger purchases are more often than not completed by card.

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

100 dollar note

[Old note above] Have only seen one of these up close on one occasion.

oI mean it looks interesting?

Not many would wander around with this amount of cash in the bag, and I don't think most ATMs give out a 100? As far as I know you have to go to the bank directly to withdraw a $100?

Easy enough to understand, 1 = $100, 5 = $500, 10 = $1000

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

Please let me know if you have any questions about currency, r what have you.

The Aussie dollar is generally lesser when it come to currency exchange. Like, when buying something from america, it can be 1.5 - 2 x more than the aussie amount. i.e. In american it says $10, but to pay in Aussie dollarydoos, it's between $15 and $20 dollars in practice. And in GBP, it's like 3 x the amount in aussie.

If you want to see what it will be for you, your characters or a family member's trip, there are currency converters online that keep up to date on the daily changes in exchange rates. (eg. today 70 american cents is equal to 1 aussie dollar, but tomorrow, 1 dollar = 1 dollar, and the next day 50 cents = 1 dolar).

Money is a messy factor, but it's worth looking into if you're planning a trip, so you don't get confused or scammed.

If you feel something might be a tad overpriced but you're not sure, feel free to check in. A lot of touristy type shops overcharge, and half of it is the thrill of being at place X, but you don't want to pay $80 bucks for something worth $30, and all.

Part 1 - Coins

[fangsandforests]

Is a Leopard Gecko the Right Pet for You?

Leopard geckos are right up there with ball pythons and bearded dragons as some of the most common and popular reptiles in pet stores. You’ve no doubt seen them go for about $30 at your local pet store.

But if you’re interested in getting a leopard gecko, don’t be fooled into thinking that caring for them is as easy and cheap as the pet stores make it look. Compared to other reptiles, leopard geckos are indeed a great choice for beginners. But it shouldn’t be an impulse buy, and I’ll give you a few reasons why. 

Here are the pros and cons of keeping leopard geckos as pets. As usual, we’ll start with the not-so-great news. 

A good setup can be pricey

You’ll have no problem finding common color forms of leopard geckos for less than $50. There are always some up for adoption/rehoming, too. But if you’re like me and want to provide the absolute best for your pet, expect to spend at least a couple hundred dollars on its setup. 

Now, you can keep a leopard gecko in a tub setup with a heat mat or heat tape, as many breeders successfully do. This is by far the cheapest way to go. If your goal is just to cover all the bases, then I’m not here to stop you. But if your goal is to provide everything a leopard gecko needs to thrive, not just survive, here’s what it might cost you. 

(This was my shopping list for a naturalistic setup when I rescued Calcifier. Prices may vary depending on where you buy the items and if you choose different brands than I did.)

Enclosure (Exo Terra 24x18x12) - $125

Heat Source (Arcadia Deep Heat Projector bulb + Zilla Deep Dome) - $50

Thermostat (Herpstat EZ1) - $80

UV Lighting (Arcadia Shadedweller fixture and bulb) - $40

Substrate (Bio Dude Terra Sahara) - $17

Natural rock and wood - $50

Hides - $25

Water dish - $8

Supplements (Arcadia EarthPro-A, Arcadia CalciumPro, and Repashy Calcium Plus) - $25

This price list doesn’t cover feeders, but crickets and mealworms are fairly cheap. Even if you get more expensive feeders like dubia or hornworms, you’re monthly cost will likely stay below $30. 

A quick word about thermostats before we move on: a reliable thermostat is an absolute must for any animal that requires a heat source. There are definitely cheaper options than Herpstat (my choice), some around $20. But this is not an area where you want to skimp on quality or you could end up with a dead animal or a house fire, so choose wisely! Also, if you get a heat source like the Deep Heat Projector, it’s recommended that you use a dimming thermostat to extend the life of the bulb.

It’s a long-term commitment

Leopard geckos don’t just live for a few short years. In fact, males can live for 20 years or more if you’re caring for them properly. I don’t know many dogs and cats that have lived that long! 

So if you’re getting a leopard gecko, you need to think about the future. Are you getting it for a kid who’s going to grow up and leave it behind? Are you going to have the time for daily care for the next 20 years? Do you have a backup plan if you can no longer give it a good home? 

They prefer the night

If you were hoping for a pet you can hang out with during the day, you might not like having a leopard gecko. They are most active at dusk, dawn, and during the night. 

On the other hand, a leopard gecko would be a wonderful pet if you work all day and prefer to spend time with your animals in the evening.

Certain morphs have complications

Breeders have been producing and selling leopard geckos for a long time. And, as a result, a number of problematic situations have cropped up with certain color morphs and traits. 

I’m not going to go into detail on this, because a gecko keeper I deeply respect recently made a wonderful video on the subject. The bottom line is, be sure to familiarize yourself with the types of complications associated with some of the morphs out there. I wouldn’t recommend that first-time gecko keepers try to deal with neurological issues. 

And that’s all I have to say on the negative side of things, believe it or not. There are a number of reasons leopard geckos make great pets, and the pros definitely outweigh the cons here. 

They’re clean

Once leopard geckos adjust to their new home, they will typically pick a corner to use as a bathroom zone. I’ve even seen keepers successfully “litter train” them with a removable dish or paper towel. They’ll do their business there every single time, making cleaning day incredibly easy. 

I should mention that I do provide natural substrate for Calcifer, and he likes to dig around in it. Sometimes that means he gets substrate where I don’t want it to go, but that’s an easy fix. He is, by far, the cleanest animal I have!

They’re personable

In general, leopard geckos are one of the friendliest reptiles out there. Of course, every animal is an individual, so there are some exceptions to this. Some geckos can be skittish and never seem to adjust to handling. 

Here a few things I noticed about Calcifer that seem to be pretty standard for most leopard geckos: 

He’s curious. Ever since I established trust with him, Calcifer has never shown any signs of fear around me. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. If I’m doing something in the same room during his waking hours, he will watch me. If I move something or add something to his enclosure, he’s quick to come out and investigate. 

Calcifer comes when called. I get all my animals used to my voice so they hear me before they see me and won’t get startled. Calcifer knows that when I speak to him, I’m generally about to bring him food or take him out for handling, so he will eagerly come out from wherever he’s hiding.

He loves to just “chill” with me. Because human hands are warm, Calcifer is happy just sitting on my hand for a while. It’s not like handling a crested gecko, which is typically moving/jumping around the entire time. Calcifer is cool with just hanging out for a bit. 

He doesn’t bite. Now, I have been bitten by Calcifer, but that was on the first day I had him. I couldn’t give him time to settle in because I had to start giving him antibiotics and medicated soaks right away. He was understandably scared and not happy with this arrangement, so he bit me once. It did not hurt at all or break skin, and he never tried it again. It takes a lot for a leopard gecko to want to bite someone, and if you’re being a respectful keeper, it should never happen.     

They’re hardy

Leopard geckos can definitely have health problems, don’t get me wrong. But I’ve seen geckos that endured horrible care and were able to come out of that situation and make a full recovery. (Calcifer is one of those geckos!) 

While I think you should always try to provide the best possible care, your leopard gecko probably won’t be negatively impacted if you forget to dust a feeder, you miss a feeding day, or the heat source stops working. There’s a little bit of wiggle room to make some mistakes.  

They’re easy to find

Like I said, it’s not hard to find a leopard gecko in the color morph of your choice for a relatively cheap price. And there always seems to be people out there looking to rehome geckos, or rescues that have some ready for adoption. 

So if you want a leopard gecko, you won’t have to look far! 

[newstfionline]

Thursday, March 18, 2021

Battling bigness: Congress eyes action against monopolies (AP) The battle against bigness is building. Whether it’s beer, banks or book publishing, lawmakers are targeting major industries they say have become so concentrated that they’re hurting competition, consumers and the economy. The economic dislocation of the pandemic has laid bare the struggles of small businesses unable to compete with corporate giants that have been able to capitalize on the new order. Experts and lawmakers are throwing out stunning stats: The four biggest airlines control about 65% of U.S. passenger traffic, five giant healthcare insurers control an estimated 45% of the market, pharmaceuticals are dominated by three major companies, the top four banks control about 44% of the market, the so-called Big Five book publishers control some 80% of the U.S. book market, and Google alone accounts for about 90% of web searches worldwide. Beer and a burger? Four companies are estimated to control 80% of U.S. meat-packing; the top four brewers and importers control about 76% of the U.S. beer market. Critics say the corporate concentration is quickening, limiting consumers’ choices, raising prices and eroding service.

Bloodshed in Atlanta (Reuters) Eight people, six of them women of Asian descent, were shot dead in a string of attacks on Atlanta-area day spas on Tuesday, and a man suspected of carrying out all of the shootings was arrested hours later in southern Georgia. The violence unfolded days after U.S. President Joe Biden used a nationally televised speech to condemn a recent surge in hate crimes and discrimination against Asian-Americans.

On Mexico’s Border With U.S., Desperation as Migrant Traffic Piles Up (NYT) The migrants’ hopes have been drummed up by human smugglers who promise that President Biden’s administration will welcome them. Instead, the United States is expelling them back to Mexico, where they wait along with tens of thousands of others hoping to cross. The pressure, and desperation, is quickly building among families stuck in Mexico, as shelters and officials struggle to help them. Shelters that were empty four months ago are now having to turn many away.

Chinese fishing fleets are sweeping South American oceans dry (Clarin/Argentina) A new Greenpeace report warns that foreign fishing fleets, mostly from China, are gobbling up every bit of marine life they can into “stadium-sized” nets in Argentina’s sea waters, writes Natasha Niebieskikwiat in Buenos Aires-based daily Clarin. The environmental group Greenpeace recently counted at least 470 boats in a biodiversity hotspot known as “Agujero Azul” or the “Blue Hole,” off the Patagonian coast between Chubut and Santa Cruz. Luisina Vueso, who worked on the report, told Clarín that usually, Argentine coastal waters have 270 boats concentrated in an area of roughly 1 million square kilometers. Right now there are 470 boats extracting stock like squid and other species in barely 5,000 square kilometers. Greenpeace warns that there are no checks on this type of fishing, which sweeps up marine life with underwater nets almost the size of football pitches. These reach the seabed and pick up all there is, regardless of numbers, endangered status or usefulness. Greenpeace concluded in 2019 that years of exploitation had devastated the seabed off the Argentine coast.

Boris Johnson’s vision for post-Brexit ‘Global Britain’ includes more nuclear weapons (NYT) In a declaration of its aspiration to become “Global Britain,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday unveiled his government’s 10-year plan to boost international trade and deploy soft power around the world. But Johnson’s government surprised many by declaring it would also increase its arsenal of nuclear warheads, not only to deter traditional threats but also to confront biological, chemical and perhaps even cyber assaults. In the sweeping review of its priorities for the coming decade, the 110-page document titled “Global Britain in a competitive age” declared that the U.K. would raise the cap on the number of nuclear warheads aboard the Royal Navy’s Trident submarines—from 180 to 260, an increase of more than 40 percent. The document also vowed to maintain a fleet of four nuclear-armed subs, so it would always have one at sea, ready to respond. The new goal appears to mark a profound shift away from Britain’s long commitment to nonproliferation. For decades now, Britain seemed content to reduce its aging nuclear arsenal, not bolster it.

Turkey: Getting away with murder (NYT) Turkish men get away with murder—literally. Since 2002, when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Islamist Justice and Development Party took office, instances of domestic violence and femicide have soared, and the men responsible continue to go unpunished. Murders of women rose from 66 in 2002 to 953 in the first seven months of 2009, after which the government stopped releasing the data. Turkey’s interior minister said 266 women died from domestic violence in 2020, but women’s rights groups say the number is much higher. They cite their own figures of 370 recorded femicides and 171 cases of women dying under suspicious circumstances. Add to that women’s suicides, which get only cursory investigation. “In Turkey, at least three women are being killed every day,” said an activist and women’s issues commentator. She noted that femicide is becoming more violent, and some of the brutality is tantamount to systematic torture.

Deadly violence resumes in Myanmar after peaceful protests (AP) At least two people protesting last month’s military coup were reported shot and killed by Myanmar security forces Tuesday after a morning of peaceful marches. Security forces have killed scores of their countrymen in recent days, and the U.N. has put the death toll at 149 since the Feb. 1 coup that toppled Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. Violence was reported Tuesday in the biggest city, Yangon, where casualties have been the highest. Police fired rubber bullets in several neighborhoods, and one man was reported killed. Another killing was reported in Kawlin city in the northwestern Sagaing Region.

‘We are hungry’: Lebanese protest worsening economic crisis (AP) Outraged protesters returned to the streets of Lebanon’s capital Tuesday, blocking roads with burning tires and garbage containers as the currency continued to plummet to all-time lows and the country’s financial crisis intensified. The protests resumed—although in smaller numbers—following several days of relative calm as the Lebanese pound continued its slide, plunging to a new low of 15,000 to the U.S. dollar on the black market. The currency has lost 90% of its value since October 2019, when anti-government protests erupted, including more than 25% in the past few weeks alone. Inflation and prices of basic goods have skyrocketed in the country, which imports more than 80% of its basic goods. Senior politicians, meanwhile, have refused to work together to form a new government that would implement the reforms needed to extract the nation from the crisis. The currency crash has pushed more than half the population into poverty. It has also depleted foreign reserves, raising concerns that Lebanon’s central bank will not be able to finance subsidies of some basic commodities, including fuel in coming weeks.

Gunmen on motorcycles kill at least 58 in Niger (AP) Gunmen on motorcycles attacked a group of civilians returning from market day in a volatile corner of Niger, leaving at least 58 people dead and then burning granaries to the ground, the government said Tuesday. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s massacres, though extremists belonging to the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara group are known to be active in the Tillaberi region where the villages were attacked.

Nigeria: Inflation hits four-year peak as food prices soar (Al Jazeera) Nigerian inflation hit a four-year peak in February as food prices jumped more than 20 percent, heaping financial pressure on households already faced with a shrinking labour market and a stagnant economy at a time of mounting insecurity. Inflation, in double digits since 2016, reached 17.33 percent, driven by the impact of a coronavirus epidemic that has also induced a drop in the price of oil, Nigeria’s main export, and weakened the naira currency. Food prices, which make up the bulk of the inflation basket, rose 21.79 percent in February, a jump of 1.22 percentage point in January, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said. In a country plagued by insecurity following a wave of kidnappings of schoolchildren in its increasingly lawless north, there are concerns that the “stagflation” combination of rising unemployment and prices and low growth could trigger significant social unrest.

[cleaningservicekalamazo]

Choosing a Commercial Cleansing Services

One would certainly think choosing the commercial cleaning support to maintain their facility would become a relatively simple activity. Most maintenance administrators of facilities, dependable for overseeing the particular cleanliness and health of their constructing, know this is usually not as simple as it sounds. Typically the type of center and its needs dictate the services required. The appearance of the particular facility plays the large role inside the success of the business, whether this is a superstore, retail store or even a medical center. A dirty look always makes a bad impression! With cleansing being an $80 billion dollar market, there is a great extensive listing of commercial cleaning services, some of which have decided to franchise. They range between little, mid-size and enormous, plus all have their own own menu of services to offer. So, exactly what are several things to appear for when coming up with a new decision?Let's get started with the facility plus size. Depending upon the sort of company and size of your current facility helps filter down the list of economic cleaning providers to analyze. Do a person have multiple places requiring service? Next, decide on typically the services you will need; Cleaning service kalamazo  typically the type of surface(s) that need to be cleaned, in addition to what type of frequency are you seeking for? Lastly, decide on your price range. Once this list is in place this is time to start the interview procedure. Write down all your questions.For a new mid-size to large facility there are usually most likely multiple area or form of areas to become cleaned. Whether it is a superstore, retail space, school, hospital or also a warehouse, every place has floors to be cleaned and maintained. Nevertheless what sort of area is it? Could it be ceramic, vinyl, tangible, carpet? Don't forget the windows. When it's a supermarket you may require department cleaning, like meat rooms, bakery, deli & warm foods, etc... Is it a hospital? Hospitals and schools have their own level associated with "clean" to preserve, with strict regulations, regulations and processes to be implemented. 

Choosing a bigger commercial cleaning support who offers a new diverse menu of services is going to be your current best choice. Be sure to add to your own list commercial cleaning service franchises, since they tend to always offer the services you will many likely require and may provide them to multiple locations ought to you need this specific.Here are a new few important questions to help you create your decision around the choosing the correct cleaning service:just one. What services perform they specialize in?2 . not Are they will a franchise organization? Can they support multiple locations if necessary?3. Do these people have the man-power to accomplish the assistance you require?four. What exactly is their knowledge?5. 

What varieties of cleaning products do they make use of? and why?6th. What kinds of clients do they currently supply services for? Do they have encounter Cleaning service kalamazo  with other companies like yours?7. 

Do they possess references? A commercial cleaning company that will give an individual no less than 3 recommendations of current customers also is a strong indication this business is confident of the skills to provide the services you need and in how you should have to have your current facility look.A person want to search for a well rounded industrial cleaning service which has a proven track record of retaining its clients. In fact a person don't want to be able to have to help keep repeating the hiring digesting. Review the answers to these queries carefully to help narrow your checklist of possible cleansing services to choose from. Just before making your ultimate selection there usually are a few added items just because important within the decision making process.Insurance policy:Does the organization have liability insurance coverage and is also it sufficient enough to guard you against a new potential liability claim arising from the particular cleaning? Do these people maintain worker's payment insurance for their own workers? Most says require this sort of insurance policy. Don't simply take the cleaning company's term stating they have insurance. Many companies do not carry insurance, or only carry a minor amount. Get a copy of their insurance certificate. In case you hire these people insist on becoming added as a new certificate holder in addition to additional insured, therefore you are updated with a new certificate when this expires or in case the policy is cancelled.Every trustworthy commercial cleaning service will be happy to provide proof regarding insurance. Choose a new commercial cleaning services that has insurance coverage to protect you and your commercial facility in case of harm to your property and injury to the cleaners while they are upon your property.

Business Name: Hallman Window WashingAddress: Kalamazoo MI 49001 USA, Portage MI 49002 USAEmail: HallmanWindowWashing@gmail.comPhone Number: 269-568-2327

Choosing a Commercial Cleansing Services

[and-then-there-were-n0ne]

The human brain is composed of two hemispheres, connected to each other through a thick neural cable. Each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body. The right hemisphere controls the left side of the body, receives data from the left-hand field of vision and is responsible for moving the left arm and leg, and vice versa. This is why people who have had a stroke in their right hemisphere sometimes ignore the left side of their body (combing only the right side of their hair, or eating only the food placed on the right side of their plate).

There are also emotional and cognitive differences between the two hemispheres, though the division is far from clear-cut. Most cognitive activities involve both hemispheres, but not to the same degree. For example, in most cases the left hemisphere plays a more important role in speech and in logical reasoning, whereas the right hemisphere is more dominant in processing spatial information.

Many breakthroughs in understanding the relations between the two hemispheres were based on the study of epilepsy patients. In severe cases of epilepsy, electrical storms begin in one part of the brain but quickly spread to other parts, causing a very acute seizure. During such seizures patients lose control of their body, and frequent seizures consequently prevent patients from holding a job or leading a normal lifestyle. In the mid-twentieth century, when all other treatments failed, doctors alleviated the problem by cutting the thick neural cable connecting the two hemispheres, so that electrical storms beginning in one hemisphere could not spill over to the other. For brain scientists these patients were a gold-mine of astounding data.

Some of the most notable studies on these split-brain patients were conducted by Professor Roger Wolcott Sperry, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for his groundbreaking discoveries, and by his student, Professor Michael S. Gazzaniga. One study was conducted on a teenaged boy. The boy was asked what he would like to do when he grew up. The boy answered that he wanted to be a draughtsman. This answer was provided by the left hemisphere, which plays a crucial part in logical reasoning as well as in speech. Yet the boy had another active speech centre in his right hemisphere, which could not control vocal language, but could spell words using Scrabble tiles. The researchers were keen to know what the right hemisphere would say. So they spread Scrabble tiles on the table, and then took a piece of paper and wrote on it: ‘What would you like to do when you grow up?’ They placed the paper at the edge of the boy’s left visual field. Data from the left visual field is processed in the right hemisphere. Since the right hemisphere could not use vocal language, the boy said nothing. But his left hand began moving rapidly across the table, collecting tiles from here and there. It spelled out: ‘automobile race’. Spooky.

Equally eerie behaviour was displayed by patient WJ, a Second World War veteran. WJ’s hands were each controlled by a different hemisphere. Since the two hemispheres were out of touch with one another, it sometimes happened that his right hand would reach out to open a door, and then his left hand would intervene and try to slam the door shut.

In another experiment, Gazzaniga and his team flashed a picture of a chicken claw to the left-half brain – the side responsible for speech – and simultaneously flashed a picture of a snowy landscape to the right brain. When asked what they saw, patients invariably answered ‘a chicken claw’. Gazzaniga then presented one patient, PS, with a series of picture cards and asked him to point to the one that best matched what he had seen. The patient’s right hand (controlled by his left brain) pointed to a picture of a chicken, but simultaneously his left hand shot out and pointed to a snow shovel. Gazzaniga then asked PS the million-dollar question: ‘Why did you point both to the chicken and to the shovel?’ PS replied, ‘Oh, the chicken claw goes with the chicken, and you need a shovel to clean out the chicken shed.’

What happened here? The left brain, which controls speech, had no data about the snow scene, and therefore did not really know why the left hand pointed to the shovel. So it just invented something credible. After repeating this experiment many times, Gazzaniga concluded that the left hemisphere of the brain is the seat not only of our verbal abilities, but also of an internal interpreter that constantly tries to make sense of our life, using partial clues in order to concoct plausible stories.

In another experiment, the non-verbal right hemisphere was shown a pornographic image. The patient reacted by blushing and giggling. ‘What did you see?’ asked the mischievous researchers. ‘Nothing, just a flash of light,’ said the left hemisphere, and the patient immediately giggled again, covering her mouth with her hand. ‘Why are you laughing then?’ they insisted. The bewildered left-hemisphere interpreter – struggling for some rational explanation – replied that one of the machines in the room looked very funny.

It’s as if the CIA conducts a drone strike in Pakistan, unbeknown to the US State Department. When a journalist grills State Department officials about it, they make up some plausible explanation. In reality, the spin doctors don’t have a clue why the strike was ordered, so they just invent something. A similar mechanism is employed by all human beings, not just by split-brain patients. Again and again my own private CIA does things without the approval or knowledge of my State Department, and then my State Department cooks up a story that presents me in the best possible light. Often enough, the State Department itself becomes convinced of the pure fantasies it has invented.

Similar conclusions have been reached by behavioural economists, who want to know how people take economic decisions. Or more accurately, who takes these decisions. Who decides to buy a Toyota rather than a Mercedes, to go on holiday to Paris rather than Thailand, and to invest in South Korean treasury bonds rather than in the Shanghai stock exchange? Most experiments have indicated that there is no single self making any of these decisions. Rather, they result from a tug of war between different and often conflicting inner entities.

One groundbreaking experiment was conducted by Daniel Kahneman, who won the Nobel Prize in Economics. Kahneman asked a group of volunteers to join a three-part experiment. In the ‘short’ part of the experiment, the volunteers inserted one hand into a container filled with water at 14°C for one minute, which is unpleasant, bordering on painful. After sixty seconds, they were told to take their hand out. In the ‘long’ part of the experiment, volunteers placed their other hand in another water container. The temperature there was also 14°C, but after sixty seconds, hot water was secretly added into the container, bringing the temperature up to 15°C. Thirty seconds later, they were told to pull out their hand. Some volunteers did the ‘short’ part first, while others began with the ‘long’ part. In either case, exactly seven minutes after both parts were over came the third and most important part of the experiment. The volunteers were told they must repeat one of the two parts, and it was up to them to choose which; 80 per cent preferred to repeat the ‘long’ experiment, remembering it as less painful.

The cold-water experiment is so simple, yet its implications shake the core of the liberal world view. It exposes the existence of at least two different selves within us: the experiencing self and the narrating self. The experiencing self is our moment-to-moment consciousness. For the experiencing self, it’s obvious that the ‘long’ part of the cold-water experiment was worse. First you experience water at 14°C for sixty seconds, which is every bit as bad as what you experience in the ‘short’ part, and then you must endure another thirty seconds of water at 15°C, which is not quite as bad, but still far from pleasant. For the experiencing self, it is impossible that adding a slightly unpleasant experience to a very unpleasant experience will make the entire episode more appealing.

However, the experiencing self remembers nothing. It tells no stories, and is seldom consulted when it comes to big decisions. Retrieving memories, telling stories and making big decisions are all the monopoly of a very different entity inside us: the narrating self. The narrating self is akin to Gazzaniga’s left-brain interpreter. It is forever busy spinning yarns about the past and making plans for the future. Like every journalist, poet and politician, the narrating self takes many short cuts. It doesn’t narrate everything, and usually weaves the story only from peak moments and end results. The value of the whole experience is determined by averaging peaks with ends. For example, in the short part of the cold-water experiment, the narrating self finds the average between the worst part (the water was very cold) and the last moment (the water was still very cold) and concludes that ‘the water was very cold’. The narrating self does the same thing with the long part of the experiment. It finds the average between the worst part (the water was very cold) and the last moment (the water was not so cold) and concludes that ‘the water was somewhat warmer’. Crucially, the narrating self is duration-blind, giving no importance to the differing lengths of the two parts. So when it has a choice between the two, it prefers to repeat the long part, the one in which ‘the water was somewhat warmer’.

Every time the narrating self evaluates our experiences, it discounts their duration, and adopts the ‘peak-end rule’ – it remembers only the peak moment and the end moment, and evaluates the whole experience according to their average. This has far-reaching impact on all our practical decisions. Kahneman began investigating the experiencing self and the narrating self in the early 1990s when, together with Donald Redelmeier of the University of Toronto, he studied colonoscopy patients. In colonoscopy tests, a tiny camera is inserted into the guts through the anus, in order to diagnose various bowel diseases. It is not a pleasant experience. Doctors want to know how to perform the test in the least painful way. Should they speed up the colonoscopy and cause patients more severe pain for a shorter duration, or should they work more slowly and carefully?

To answer this query, Kahneman and Redelmeier asked 154 patients to report the pain during the colonoscopy at one-minute intervals. They used a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 meant no pain at all, and 10 meant intolerable pain. After the colonoscopy was over, patients were asked to rank the test’s ‘overall pain level’, also on a scale of 0 to 10. We might have expected the overall rank to reflect the accumulation of minute-by-minute reports. The longer the colonoscopy lasted, and the more pain the patient experienced, the higher the overall pain level. But the actual results were different.

Just as in the cold-water experiment, the overall pain level neglected duration and instead reflected only the peak-end rule. One colonoscopy lasted eight minutes, at the worst moment the patient reported a level 8 pain, and in the last minute he reported a level 7 pain. After the test was over, this patient ranked his overall pain level at 7.5. Another colonoscopy lasted twenty-four minutes. This time too peak pain was level 8, but in the very last minute of the test, the patient reported a level 1 pain. This patient ranked his overall pain level only at 4.5. The fact that his colonoscopy lasted three times as long, and that he consequently suffered far more pain on aggregate, did not affect his memory at all. The narrating self doesn’t aggregate experiences – it averages them.

So what do the patients prefer: to have a short and sharp colonoscopy, or a long and careful one? There isn’t a single answer to this question, because the patient has at least two different selves, and they have different interests. If you ask the experiencing self, it will probably prefer a short colonoscopy. But if you ask the narrating self, it will vote for a long colonoscopy because it remembers only the average between the worst moment and the last moment. Indeed, from the viewpoint of the narrating self, the doctor should add a few completely superfluous minutes of dull aches at the very end of the test, because it will make the entire memory far less traumatic.

Paediatricians know this trick well. So do vets. Many keep in their clinics jars full of treats, and hand a few to the kids (or dogs) after giving them a painful injection or an unpleasant medical examination. When the narrating self remembers the visit to the doctor, ten seconds of pleasure at the end of the visit will erase many minutes of anxiety and pain.

Evolution discovered this trick aeons before the paediatricians. Given the unbearable torments women undergo at childbirth, you might think that after going through it once, no sane woman would ever agree to do it again. However, at the end of labour and in the following days the hormonal system secretes cortisol and beta-endorphins, which reduce the pain and create a feeling of relief and sometimes even of elation. Moreover, the growing love towards the baby, and the acclaim from friends, family members, religious dogmas and nationalist propaganda, conspire to turn childbirth from a terrible trauma into a positive memory.

One study conducted at the Rabin Medical Center in Tel Aviv showed that the memory of labour reflected mainly the peak and end points, while the overall duration had almost no impact at all. In another research project, 2,428 Swedish women were asked to recount their memories of labour two months after giving birth. Ninety per cent reported that the experience was either positive or very positive. They didn’t necessarily forget the pain – 28.5 per cent described it as the worst pain imaginable – yet it did not prevent them from evaluating the experience as positive. The narrating self goes over our experiences with a sharp pair of scissors and a thick black marker. It censors at least some moments of horror, and files in the archive a story with a happy ending.

Most of our critical life choices – of partners, careers, residences and holidays – are taken by our narrating self. Suppose you can choose between two potential holidays. You can go to Jamestown, Virginia, and visit the historic colonial town where the first English settlement on mainland North America was founded in 1607. Alternatively, you can realise your number one dream vacation, whether it is trekking in Alaska, sunbathing in Florida or having an unbridled bacchanalia of sex, drugs and gambling in Las Vegas. But there is a caveat: if you choose your dream vacation, then just before you board the plane home, you must take a pill which will wipe out all your memories of that vacation. What happened in Vegas will forever remain in Vegas. Which holiday would you choose? Most people would opt for colonial Jamestown, because most people give their credit card to the narrating self, which cares only about stories and has zero interest in even the most mind-blowing experiences if it cannot remember them.

Truth be told, the experiencing self and the narrating self are not completely separate entities but are closely intertwined. The narrating self uses our experiences as important (but not exclusive) raw materials for its stories. These stories, in turn, shape what the experiencing self actually feels. We experience hunger differently when we fast on Ramadan, when we fast in preparation for a medical examination, and when we don’t eat because we have no money. The different meanings ascribed to our hunger by the narrating self create very different actual experiences.

Furthermore, the experiencing self is often strong enough to sabotage the best-laid plans of the narrating self. For example, I can make a New Year resolution to start a diet and go to the gym every day. Such grand decisions are the monopoly of the narrating self. But the following week when it’s gym time, the experiencing self takes over. I don’t feel like going to the gym, and instead I order pizza, sit on the sofa and turn on the TV.

Nevertheless, most people identify with their narrating self. When they say ‘I’, they mean the story in their head, not the stream of experiences they undergo. We identify with the inner system that takes the crazy chaos of life and spins out of it seemingly logical and consistent yarns. It doesn’t matter that the plot is full of lies and lacunas, and that it is rewritten again and again, so that today’s story flatly contradicts yesterday’s; the important thing is that we always retain the feeling that we have a single unchanging identity from birth to death (and perhaps even beyond the grave). This gives rise to the questionable liberal belief that I am an individual, and that I possess a consistent and clear inner voice, which provides meaning for the entire universe.

- Yuval Noah Harari, Who are I? in Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow

[daybreak-academy-fanfic]

Daybreak Academy: Chapter 80

Spooky Scary Reflections

Summary: In which Sabrina wreaks havoc during the Halloween party and Anora’s reflection lies to her. Word Count: 1,681 First | Previous | Next ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆

Even though she recognized everyone in the Dandelions clubroom, Anora got a sudden wave of nausea regardless. There was only, what? Two more people than if she and Ephemer were a part of Pyra's study group? She shouldn't have been this nervous. Maybe she could tell herself that it was the way the clubroom had been decorated. The lights were off, but there were multiple battery-operated candles in bunches around the room. Someone had even put a plasma ball lamp in the center of the round table for extra ambiance. Over by the writing desk was a wireless stereo, playing music that definitely fit the Halloween atmosphere.

“We can leave whenever you want.” Ephemer reminded her, giving her hand a little squeeze. Anora looked at him and offered a smile. She could do this. It's not like this was any different than before. She knew everyone. This wasn't going to be hard at all.

“Gang way!” someone shouted before barreling by Anora and Ephemer. Whoever it was ended up clipping Anora's side, and both parties went staggering backward at the impact.

“Urg; sorry, sorry, sorry.” Anora's bumper quickly apologized. They hurried back to Anora, quickly brushing her off without permission. “I heard there were goodie bags, and I wanted to see what was in them, and I didn't think to look where I was going...”

The bumper paused for a moment, suddenly aware that they were brushing off Anora, before looking up at the older student with curiosity. Their respite allowed both them and Anora to get a good look at each other. This new person didn't seem to be much older than 10 years old- her long black hair tied into a neatly braided bun, and her chocolate brown eyes staring intensely back at Anora. Her skin was so light, that it almost seemed to glow slightly in the darkness. It likely was not helped by the dark purple formal gown she was wearing.

“Sabrina!” a new voice called out. Anora and her bumper broke their glances to see Ventus come up. Wearing an elaborate armored costume, with matching helmet, the boy looked out of breath- like he had been trying to catch up with the younger girl for miles. Which was odd in and of itself; they only had the clubroom to roam around in, after all.

“Ven!” the young girl randomly shouted in return, startling both Ephemer and Anora. “You said there were goody bags!”

The Second Year let out an exhausted sigh as he shook his head. “No, I said there weren't any goody bags. I didn't have time make them.”

“Well, why not?!”

“You ate all the candy.”

Sabrina opened her mouth to retort, but froze. “Oh yeah...” she finally decided. “I remember that now.”

Watching the duo interact made Anora shrink in mild distaste. She clung to Ephemer as if the younger student planned on kidnapping her in a blink.

“But wait!” Sabrina quickly declared as she grabbed the blonde haired boy by the wrist. “I can make it up to you! let's head to my dorm real quick; we're gonna put on better music than this!”

“We are?” was all the boy managed to say before letting out a yelp in surprise as she pulled him away. Ephemer and Anora watched the duo leave in a flurry. The young man gave a small snort at their display, but his amusement was lost when he looked over at Anora.

“You alright?” he carefully asked her, nudging her a bit so she'd ease her grip a little. “I don't think she'll bite you. I mean, Ven doesn’t have any visible bruises on him.”

Suffice to say, he earned the dark glare Anora gave him. The young man let out a nervous laugh as he threw a hand behind his head.

“I see you've met Ventus's princess?” Brain mused as he came over to the couple. The Eighth Year student wasn't dressed much different than usual, spare for the long vampire cape. In one hand he had a cup of blood red punch, and using the other he tipped his fedora to them in greeting. The only reaction he got at first was an equally confused blink from Ephemer and Anora.

“Ven's… what?” Ephemer finally questioned.

Brain gave a small snort before explaining, “Sabrina's name means princess- or, at least, that's what she keeps saying. Along with occasionally referring to herself as Princess Sabi, of course.”

“You sure it's not because she's wearing a princess costume?”

“Oh no, I'm pretty sure she's always like that.” he informed them before taking a rather long sip of punch. “Possibly the last person I'd expect to be one of Ven's friends.”

“What kind of friends do you think Ven would have?” Ephemer then wondered- a small accusatory tone was laced in his voice. He paused when he caught himself and added, “Besides us.”

“A mother figure, for one.” the older student considered. He swirled his cup as he thought over what he'd think Ventus's ideal friends would be like. “And a big brother type. You know the kind; all big and muscular, probably addicted to protein shakes. Not little miss Probably-inhales-an-absurd-amount-of-chocolate.”

Before he could stop himself, Ephemer said, “Are you sure that it's chocolate she's inhaling?” which earned him a small elbow jab from Anora. Brain didn't seem to notice it.

“No.” he admitted. “But I like to be an optimist when time comes down to it.”

“I don't like her.” Anora spoke up. It surprised everyone, including herself. Brain gave her an interested raise of his eyebrow.

“Well, I guess there's a first time for everything.” he mused with a teasing grin. “You guys are allowed to sit, you know. Skuld made the food, so make sure to save some for the rest of us. And there's a lot of drinks to go through. Oh, and Ephemer, you're on the after party clean up duty.”

“Got it.” Ephemer nodded. “Thank you for the reminder.”

Brain gave a smirk as he tipped his fedora at them once more before heading to talk to Lauriam. Ephemer and Anora decided to sit at the loveseats with Skuld and Strelitzia. The four of them went into a very long talk about everything and nothing. It started when Ephemer chastised Skuld for wearing a hospital gown- to which she said she was test subject, not a critically injured invalid, and that he needed to relax a little. It only took one glance between Anora and Strelitzia to quickly change the subject. Strelitzia had made her costume by hand, a very beautiful regency inspired dress with headdress.

After awhile, Anora politely excused herself to get a drink. The snack table had been set up against the same wall as the writing desk. A little smile was on Anora's face. This party wasn't so bad. It was just her and her friends. Because the room had been darkened, she barely saw Sabrina for most of the party. Occasionally, you'd hear the youngest girl laugh or shout for Ventus, but other than that it was rather relaxed.

Anora quietly poured herself a cup of lemonade. She happened to look up and noticed that there was a mirror on the wall. As she gave the reflection a little smile, something about the mirror seemed to change. For a moment, Anora could still see herself in the mirror- but she was older. The expression her reflection made was contemplative. Stern, almost. Her reflection turned its head as if it were talking to someone beside her. Frightened, Anora jumped away from the mirror, landing almost directly into Ephemer's arms. How he was suddenly there was beyond her, she was too surprised that her reflection moved to even react.

“Are you alright?” he worried. “Do we need to go?”

Anora quickly shook her head, pointing a quick finger at the mirror. In a shaking voice she even muttered, “The mirror, it… it had...”

Ephemer looked at her, then looked at the mirror.

“Anora, it's a dollar store frame with aluminum foil in it. It's not a real mirror.”

“It's not a…?” she repeated before looking back at it. Sure enough, he was right.

“Come sit back down,” Ephemer offered, “I'll get us drinks. We'll leave soon, promise.”

Anora recoiled a little. “But I don't want to leave.”

Ephemer look at her with a worried frown. “You're seeing things in a fake mirror that doesn't even have a reflection.” he bluntly told her. “Obviously this is too stressful for you. We'll leave after we tell Skuld good bye and-”

“I don't want to leave yet.”

For a moment, Ephemer blinked at her in bewilderment. She glared back at him with a still expression. The young man opened and closed his mouth in an attempt to say something, but nothing ever came out. Their tense moment was broken when a very loud, very trashy song started to play from the wireless speaker.

“Could someone turn that trash off?” Lauriam demanded from over the song. “There are children at this party!”

“The children are the ones who put in on!” came the mischievous response from Sabrina, which was then followed by a near maniacal laughter.

Anora let out a light shudder at the sound and tried to turn her attention back to Ephemer. But he was gone. The Dandelion leader had gone to Lauriam and Sabrina (the former looking like he was about smack the latter's mouth from talking back) in hopes to stop a fight before it started. Not that he truly needed to- Brain and Ventus were trying to defuse the situation as well. Skuld didn't bother to get up, even though she was keeping a close eye on the events. Strelitzia had gotten up, though, and was carefully making her way over to Anora.

“Should we leave?” the older girl asked the younger. “Just until things have cooled off a bit?”

But Anora shook her head- her gaze still dead set on Ephemer. “I'm not going anywhere.” she said under her breath, not meaning for Strelitzia to hear. “I can wait.”

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[powerfultulips]

weird asks?

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

coffee mugs

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

chocolate bars!

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

both?

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

probably something along the lines of “weird, but brilliant. also really small and tiny”

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

plastic cups

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

ideally, grunge

7. earbuds or headphones?

headphones all the way babey

8. movies or tv shows?

not really a big fan of either

9. favorite smell in the summer?

um, like campfires and stuff

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

didn’t really have p.e. in school, but i always liked kickball and dodgeball

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

just a spoonful of peanut butter, along with my meds

12. name of your favorite playlist?

either “h” or “oliver!”

13. lanyard or key ring?

key ring i guess

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

smarties?

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

hamlet, probably. if you’re looking for a novel, a prayer for owen meany.

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

the comfy one

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

i have these shitty dad shoes (air monarchs) that i wear a lot. mostly because i keep them tied, and i often don’t feel like tying another pair of shoes when i go out. so they’re basically slip-ons

18. ideal weather?

70 degrees, mostly cloudy, maybe a light rain, or a soft breeze

19. sleeping position?

i usually sleep on my right side, but sometimes i roll over to my left

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

depends what i’m writing, but i like notebooks and my laptop

21. obsession from childhood?

quite a few. gas stations, legos, baseball, phineas and ferb

22. role model?

not sure i have one, i look up to all of my friends in different ways

23. strange habits?

i chew on my knuckles a lot, it’s a nervous stim i’ve had since i was young. dunno if i have any others

24. favorite crystal?

um.... the pretty ones

25. first song you remember hearing?

i have no fuckin idea my guy. maybe 99 luftballons

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

exist in an air-conditioned room

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

put a hoodie on and go for a walk

28. five songs to describe you?

“your heart is a muscle the size of your fist” by ramshackle glory; “after you” by good morning; “dip you in honey” by the wombats; “i’m against the government” by defiance, ohio; “new loved ones” by toro y moi

29. best way to bond with you?

probably helping me out when i’m in a bad situation

30. places that you find sacred?

dunno that there are any, really

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

karkat t-shirt, black jeans (that unfortunately don’t fit me anymore), probably some cute socks

32. top five favorite vines?

hang on i have a list. mychael with a B, this bitch empty YEET, the AA-AAA-AAAA battery one, bbq sauce on my titties, and “is that allowed?”

33. most used phrase in your phone?

i. what does that mean

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

none, fuck capitalism

35. average time you fall asleep?

probably like 2am

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

i. have no idea

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

suited case

38. lemonade or tea?

tea

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

pieeee

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

one time a teacher set a dollar bill on fire, i think. i wasn’t there. also a bat got into the bathroom once or twice

41. last person you texted?

my sweet, precious baby boy @literally-an-envelope

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

p a n t

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

hoodie!!!!

44. favorite scent for soap?

vaniwwa

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

sci-fi perhaps?

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

i usually sleep in a tshirt and pj pants

47. favorite type of cheese?

pepperjack probably. i had a dream about gouda last night, though

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

a blackberry. idk

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

“All people are good for something. The important thing is finding what.” (Tom, MLB Power Pros 2008)

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

fuck if i know dude

51. current stresses?

is “everything” an answer

52. favorite font?

helvetica

53. what is the current state of your hands?

slightly sweaty

54. what did you learn from your first job?

sprite with grenadine.... tasty

55. favorite fairy tale?

idk bro

56. favorite tradition?

my family usually goes to chuck e cheese on new years eve. its fun

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

bold of you to assume i’ve overcome anything

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

writing, singing, pitching (baseball), and punting (football)

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be?

y’know, like nya?

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be?

slice-of-life, or a sports anime

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.?

shrugs

62. seven characters you relate to?

are these all gonna be homestuck characters? probably. karkat, tavros, kanaya, dave, john/june, jade, and kankri. ok those are just my favourites but fuck you

63. five songs that would play in your club?

i’d probably have a really chill “club” that just played like, indie music from bands i like

64. favorite website from your childhood?

poptropica

65. any permanent scars?

yeah i have a few, although they’re fading and healing, idk if they will be on my skin forever.

66. favorite flower(s)?

i like tulips

67. good luck charms?

stuffed animals

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

black liquorice

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

fun fact! why do they call it oven when you of in the cold food of out hot eat the food

70. left or right handed?

right, but i swing left

71. least favorite pattern?

idk

72. worst subject?

like in school? physics

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

shrugs aggressively

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

like 5

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

i have no clue

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

probably fries

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

shrug

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

neither?

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

school id, i think

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

jewel tones

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

ain’t those the same thing

82. pc or console?

i guess i prefer console, but most of my games are on my laptop

83. writing or drawing?

writing

84. podcasts or talk radio?

podcasts, i guess?

84. barbie or polly pocket?

shrugs

85. fairy tales or mythology?

mythology?

86. cookies or cupcakes?

cookies !

87. your greatest fear?

losing my loved ones

88. your greatest wish?

am i allowed to say “to be dead”

89. who would you put before everyone else?

my fiancé, for sure

90. luckiest mistake?

i.... don’t know

91. boxes or bags?

🅱️oxen

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

sunlight!!

93. nicknames?

yeah

94. favorite season?

spring

95. favorite app on your phone?

tumblr, or discord

96. desktop background?

something from homestuck. it’s terezi

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

four (mine, dad, mom, fiancé)

98. favorite historical era?

i don’t know that i have one