#study medicine in china

[dreamzconsultancymbbs]

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[reasonsforhope]

ETA: Article here (can't believe I forgot this rip)

A new study finds you can reduce the amount of microplastics you drink simply by boiling your water.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposure.

Nano- and microplastics are bits of plastic as tiny as one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter.

Boiling and filtering your tap water may dramatically lower the amount of microplastics you drink, according to new research.

Recent studies have found that nano- and microplastics (NMPs), which are bits of plastic as tiny as one-thousandth of a millimeter in diameter, have been found in a host of products and even in tap water.

A new study, published February 28 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found that boiling mineral-rich water for just five minutes can reduce the amount of NMP you’re exposed to by up to 90%.

Scientists are just beginning to understand the health risks associated with microplastic exposureTrusted Source, but growing evidenceTrusted Source suggests the plastics can accumulate in the body and trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, insulin resistance, and liver issues.

Certain advanced water filtration systems can capture and help remove some NMPs from tap water. But researchers wanted to figure out other options to remove microplastics, especially since in poorer countries cheaper, more accessible solutions for clean water are needed.

Boiling water may be a safe, simple solution that can effectively decontaminate household tap water, the new findings suggest.

“Boiling water before drinking is a great example of an ancient cultural practice that can help reduce an environmental exposure,” Dr. Luz Claudio, PhD, a professor of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Healthline.

Claudio was not involved in the study.

How boiling water can help remove microplastics

The researchers found simply boiling water is the first step to removing NMPs from tap water.

The researchers collected multiple samples of tap water from Guangzhou, China and contaminated the samples with varying levels of NMPs.

Each sample was boiled for five minutes then left to cool for 10 minutes.

Boiling hard water that’s rich with minerals — such as calcium or magnesium — creates a chalk-like residue known as limescale, or calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which can trap the plastics.

That solid, chalky residue then had to be separated and removed from the water with a standard coffee filter or stainless steel filter, thereby removing NMPs.

The team found that the impact was greatest in harder water: In samples that had 300 milligrams of CaCO3, for example, nearly 90% of NMPs were removed.

In softer water samples with less than 60 mg of CaCO3, roughly 25% of NMPs were removed.

“What’s important to note here is that the effectiveness of trapping these micro/nano plastics in these mineral solids is tied to how hard the water is – the harder the water, the more solids are formed, the more microplastics are trapped,” Dr. Anja Brandon, PhD, the associate director of U.S. plastics policy at Ocean Conservancy and an environmental engineer, told Healthline.

Brandon was not involved in the study...

How to limit your exposure to microplastics 

Anyone who wishes to boil their water should do so in a glass or stainless steel pot.

After boiling the water for about five minutes, let it cool, and do not stir it, Claudio says.

The microplastics need to bind to the calcium and fall to the bottom of the pot so they can filtered or scooped out."

-via Healthline, February 28, 2024

[headspace-hotel]

you know how people say "cats domesticated themselves?" I find this statement irksome because as i've been studying plants and particularly weeds, a theory has slowly been forming in my head about domestication that makes a lot more sense than other theories.

Basically, I think everything domesticated itself. Or rather, domestication involves adaptation and active participation on both sides.

Evidence for this is found in studying weed and crop plants—truth be told, most weeds are or were also crops.

Amaranthus, the genus that gives us the most costly USA agricultural weeds? All edible and healthy, and several members of the genus are domesticated. They were staple crops for Mesoamerican empires.

Kudzu, the vine so aggressive in the USA it turns trees into looming kudzu monoliths? It's been bred and cultivated by humans since the Neolithic in its native range, in China it was one of the main sources of fiber for cloth for MILLENNIA to the point that the Zhou dynasty had a whole government office of kudzu affairs. Kudzu roots are edible and they can be as tall as a human and weighing over 200 pounds, you can make them into flour, make noodles out of the flour, you can process them down into a starch and use it just like potato or tapioca starch and make all sorts of sauces and confections and stuff out of it. In Japan it was used for clothes too, if you see pictures of clothes worn by a samurai that's probably kudzu! It has loads of unresearched phytochemicals that probably have medicinal use, it's good for making paper, a researcher even made a biodegradable alternative to plastic out of it

Yellow Nutsedge is a food crop, Purslane is a food crop, at least some species of morning-glories are food crops, crabgrass is a food crop, Nettles are food AND fiber, Milkweed is food and fiber too, Broadleaf Plantain is food and medicinal, Dandelion is food and medicinal AND great companion plant (they used to sell them in seed catalogues around the 1890's or so!) and have y'all ever seen queen-anne's-lace along the side of the road? THATS CARROTS. That's the wild ancestor of carrots! (ofc don't eat anything you aren't 1000% sure you can identify)

Simply put. A weed is a plant that has co-evolved with humans. And most of them are Like That because they co-evolved with us. And honestly I reckon that many plants were domesticated in the first place because they liked to grow in disturbed environments near human settlements and agricultural fields.

Now thinking about this in terms of animals...when our domestic species were first domesticated, there weren't fences, there wasn't "inside" or any controlled environment to bring animals into, and if you tried to overpower or coerce any of those species, they would 100% just kill you. It makes a lot more sense if the humans were just following herds around, and it gradually developed into protecting those herds from predators and tending to them more intentionally until we were kind of just part of the herds ourselves.

a lot of people are familiar with Biblical stories and metaphors about shepherds...it's clear those guys were basically living with sheep 24/7. They were assimilated to the sheep lifestyle.

this theory kinda suggests that we've lost the ability to domesticate new animal species to some extent because domestication has never really involved removing an animal from its natural environment. Feeding wild animals and trying to socialize them to humans isn't in line with the mutualistic nature of domestication because it's trying to change the animal to our whims, and usually decreases the fitness of the animal rather than increases it. And domestication probably takes a long long time to reach the level where an animal can be a "pet" instead of a more distant form of domestication where the association is not as close.

EXCEPT. Animals that adapt to our environment are prime candidates for domestication. This actually checks out because rats and mice are some of the most recently domesticated animals, iirc. Basically, pest animals are the most likely to be domesticated because they've already started evolving into a relationship with us. Just like weeds.

An interesting side note is how both animals and plants can de-domesticate and become "weeds/pests" again. Like "weedy rice" is becoming a problem in some crops where rice has evolved into a weed. And with animals, there's pigeons who were domesticated by us and now their habitat is cities because they co-evolved with us.

[saythenametotheworld]

Timeless | jww

Pairing: SEVENTEEN Wonwoo x Reader

Notes: 2.5k words. Based on a writing prompt I saw today. here's some story written on a whim! Enjoy!

~

The sun shone brightly up the sky, bringing a comfortable warmth to the late Saturday morning at a park by the Han River. Wonwoo sat there, a timeless observer in a constantly changing world. He leaned back on the wooden bench, closing his eyes to the gentle hum of life around him. The soft breeze, the distant laughter of children, and the conversation of people around him that were reduced to soft murmurs in his ears all melded into a soothing symphony. But his thoughts were elsewhere, drifting back through the centuries to a love long past.

Wonwoo had stopped aging a long time ago, a quirk of fate that he had no idea how he came to possess but had left him a witness to the relentless march of time. He had seen the rise and fall of civilizations and empires, cities that crumbled and rebuilt, and the countless faces of people passing in and out of his life. He remembered the grandeur and the bustling markets of ancient Rome, the silent strength of the Great Wall as it snaked through the mountains between China and Mongolia, the rise of the Goryeo Dynasty, and its eventual transition to the Joseon Period.

Exactly how old is he now? He had lost count. Over time, it just didn’t matter anymore. One of his earliest memories was of standing on the shores of a vast, uncharted ocean, the salty breeze whipping through his hair. He had been living his early life on an island with his kin and had no idea there was an entire world beyond the high seas. He had watched as explorers docked on the shores of his home and heard said explorers declare that a whole wide world was out there. Civilizations, society, and people. All of these were foreign to him. Surely, he must set out to see this massive world they spoke of, and he did exactly that.

Wonwoo had set sail into the unknown, his eyes alight with dreams of discovery. That was when he realized that he was no ordinary man. He was someone who was gifted by the heavens with time—a limitless, continuous, endless amount of time.

In the years that followed, Wonwoo lived among these men, never given the chance to find his home again. He watched as men took to the seas, charting routes that allowed Wonwoo to explore the vastness of the Earth. He had walked through the newly founded streets of New Amsterdam, marveled at the opulence of Versailles, and witnessed the fiery birth of the industrial age. 

Wonwoo did everything and anything a man with unlimited time could do. He explored the world, unearthing and discovering its beauty and magnificence. He studied sciences, medicine, engineering, and even advancements in architecture and infrastructure. He dabbled with arts in its many forms. He made friends with some people who eventually passed but would be remembered as important figures in history. Sometimes he liked to think he had contributed to the progress of humanity, however little it may be. And romance, well, despite not knowing exactly how to engage in genuine romantic pursuits, that didn’t stop him from indulging himself with people he found alluring—whoever they were, wherever they were from as long as he has taken a liking to them.

But among these myriad of memories, one stood out with aching clarity. You. 

You had been his heart's desire for heaven knows how long. Wonwoo had met you in a bustling marketplace, your eyes catching his from across the crowd. There had been an instant connection, a pull that neither of you could deny. You had spent days exploring the city together, hours lost in whispered conversations and shared dreams, and nights spent with passion and warmth.

He remembered the way you hair flow freely with the breeze, your eyes that shone in the moonlight, the warmth of your hand in his, and the way your laughter had chased away the shadows of his loneliness. But time was a thief, and it had taken you from him, leaving only memories in its wake. Such was the life of an immortal. People will come and go, friends eventually pass, and the bond between lovers wither away like flowers in October. Athough he had never experienced love the way he did with you, he tried to move on with his life knowing no power on Earth will ever bring you back. Or so he had thought.

Years later, he had been wandering through the streets of Paris when he saw you again, your face unchanged, your eyes just as bright. You did not know him—not at first, but the connection was still there, and it was as undeniable as ever.

“I know you,” Wonwoo had told you at the time.

You were surprised at first, frowning at the man with whom you unknowingly held hands with when he offered to help you board your carriage. You had thought it was your coachman, but it was stranger—an oddly familiar stranger, but still a stranger.

“You do?” you had told him, maintaining a dignified composure despite being intrigued by him. What was that slight ache tugging at your heartstrings at the sight of his smiling face? “Well, I do not know you so it would be best if your refrain from approaching me without any warning.”

“I see. I beg your pardon,” he replied, still smiling as if he was overjoyed to be in your presence. “I am Jeon Wonwoo. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

In that life, you fell in love once more. And like the first, your time together was fleeting, and you were gone once more. This time, Wonwoo was hopeful that you would find each other again.

This became your pattern. Several years after your death, you would reincarnate, always with the same face, the same smile, the same laughter. Fate would bring you back to Wonwoo every time, even when he wasn't looking for you. In the high society of England year 1750, you had been a debutante in search of a husband and found Wonwoo. In the streets of Tokyo, in 1821, you were a painter, your art capturing the essence of the love you shared.  In the serene hills of Tuscany,  you had been a writer, your words weaving your shared story into the fabric of time. In the roaring twenties of New York, you had been a singer, your voice a siren call that drew him to you.

Each time you were reborn, you and Wonwoo would meet as strangers, fall in love all over again, and then, inevitably, you would leave him.

“I’ll come find you,” he told you on your deathbed, sickness has caused your young body to wither away. It had always been this way. You meet Wonwoo, share a couple years with him, maybe a whole decade if you are lucky, and then some illness or accident takes you away.

“I love you, Wonu.”

“I know. I love you more than anything in this world.”

It was a cycle of joy and heartbreak, of fleeting moments to Wonwoo that felt like lifetimes for you. But he was content. He was happy and he finally had something he wanted to keep living for.

But then, suddenly, you stopped coming back. You just… didn’t. Wonwoo waited, searched, and hoped, but you did not return. The decades stretched into a century and even as the 2000s came, still, you were nowhere to be found. He scoured the corners of the earth, looking for any sign of you, but it was as if you had vanished from the cycle of reincarnation. Wonwoo had been complacent. He was too relaxed and got so comfortable that he forgot something like this could happen.

Desperation and longing became his constant companions. His endless life was lonely and devoid of meaning until he found love in you, and now, without you, it felt empty once more.

Still, Wonwoo did not dare give up. In his search for you, he discovered a new passion: music. He found solace in melodies and rhythms, and his talent quickly blossomed. He began composing and singing, pouring his soul into every note. His music resonated with people, and he became a renowned singer, his voice known across the world. While he enjoyed his craft, his fame also served another purpose. He hoped that by becoming a public figure, his face appearing on screens and stages everywhere, you would find your way back to him.

But as the years passed, his hopes began to wane. No one who came to him even remotely resembled you, not your face, not your demeanor, nothing. His frustration grew with each passing day, the relentless search taking its toll on his spirit. The world lauded his music, yet he remained haunted by an unfulfilled longing, his heart aching for the one person who made his endless life worth living. The world around him has changed so much, technology advancing, cultures shifting, but his heart remained trapped in the past, the time so long ago when you first saw each other. His heart stayed broken, yearning and mourning you that he had lost.

And today, Wonwoo opened his eyes only to realize that hours had passed since he sat in front of the Han River. This was your favorite spot in your last life. You made the best memories here together, and as such, this place has become the one place Wonwoo can go to if he misses you. As the sun began to dip low in the sky, casting long shadows across the park, Wonwoo closed his eyes again, the weight of his sadness sat heavy on his heart. He did not notice the figure that had taken a seat beside him, nor the way they watched him with a mixture of curiosity and recognition. It wasn't until the voice broke through his reverie that he was jolted back to the present.

“You're still thinking about me after all this time?”

Wonwoo's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding in his chest. He turned to look at the speaker, his breath catching in his throat. There was no mistaking that voice. Even if it was over a hundred years ago, or two hundred, or four hundred years ago when he first heard you speak, Wonwoo would never forget that voice. And sure enough, it was you, unchanged by the years, as if you had stepped out of his memories and into the present.

“My love…” he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief and hope. “My love. Is that you?”

You smiled the same radiant smile that had haunted his dreams. “These days, I think it’s cooler to call your lover Babe, or Bub or something short but sweet like that.”

He reached out, hesitantly at first, then with growing certainty, his fingers brushing against your cheek. You were real, warm, and alive, and the floodgates of his emotions burst open.

You reached back to caress his face. “It’s been a while, Wonu.”

Slowly, unbeknownst to himself, Wonwoo’s tears rolled down his cheeks. With both hands, he held your cheeks, pulling you to sit next to him on the grass. “Where were you? I couldn’t find you!” he said, his voice breaking. 

You rolled your eyes, trying to appear aloof even as your own tears threatened to fall. “Silly. You knew you could never find me even if you tried. It is me who must go to you. Always. It doesn’t matter if I don’t recognize you, I will always be the one to find you.”

“But it has been too long. Too much time has passed without you.”

“Why? Did you get tired of waiting?” you asked, leaning affectionately in his hands. You feigned a sulky face. “Has your love faltered after waiting too long?”

“No,” he denied, a relieved smile finally showing on his lips. “I never stopped looking for you.”

“And I never stopped waiting for a chance to come and find you again,” you replied softly. “I've seen you, through the ages. Always so close, yet just out of reach.”

You sat in silence for a moment, the weight of your shared history pressing down on you. Wonwoo’s eyes never left your face, not even for a second. If he could, he wouldn’t even blink in case you suddenly disappeared and he realized this was all just a dream. You let him stare at you as much as he wanted, enjoying his attention and feeling happy about being able to hold him again. The world around you has faded away, leaving only the two of you, bound by time and love.

Wonwoo thought back to the countless lives he had lived, the friends he had made and lost, the wars he had fought, and the empires he had seen rise and fall. Despite having everything, you had been the only one he wanted and loved, a beacon of hope and love that had kept him going. In his long life, he rarely prayed to the heavens who bestowed him the curse of immortality, but he prayed for you. He prayed they bring you back to him. If they really were up there, it seemed to Wonwoo that they had heard his earnest pleas. Or maybe not, but he still wanted to thank someone, whether it was god, fate, or the universe. Whichever it was, they had allowed him to reunite with his beloved once more.

He remembered a conversation with a philosopher in ancient Greece, who had spoken of the eternal nature of the soul. “Love transcends time,” the philosopher had said. “It is the one thing that endures, no matter the changes that come.”

Wonwoo had seen the truth of those words in the faces of lovers across the ages. He had seen it in the way a soldier clung to a locket, a token of his beloved back home. He had seen it in the eyes of a mother, cradling her newborn child. And now, he saw it in your eyes, as bright and full of love as they had been all those centuries ago.

“How is this possible?” he asked, still grappling with the reality of your presence.

“Honestly? I don't know,” you admitted. “But does it matter? We're here now, together.”

He nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “Indeed. Please don’t let this be a wicked dream that I would wake up from eventually.”

You chuckled heartily, leaning closer to kiss his forehead. “It’s not, Won. It’s me.”

“It really is. It is you, my love,” he chimed, lifting your chin to plant a soft kiss on your lips.

For the first time in centuries, he felt a sense of peace, a feeling of coming home. You talked long into the evening, sharing stories of your adventures and the people you had met along the way. As the stars began to twinkle overhead, Wonwoo held your hand in his and brought you home. Finally, he had found what he had been searching for all these years. Wonwoo and you found your own timeless moment, a reunion that transcended the ages. And in that moment, you both knew that love, true love, was indeed eternal.

[fin]

[australianwomensnews]

Medical research has a major problem: an alarmingly high number of trials are based on fake, fraudulent or misinterpreted data.

Research misconduct sleuths call them “zombie” studies. They look like real research papers but they’re rotten to the core. And when these studies go on to influence clinical guidelines, that is, how patients are treated in hospitals and doctors’ rooms, they can be dangerous.

Professor Ben Mol, head of the Evidence-based Women’s Health Care Research Group at Monash University, is a professional zombie hunter. For years, he has warned that between 20 and 30 per cent of medical trials that inform clinical guidelines aren’t trustworthy.

“I’m surprised by the limited response from people in my field on this issue,” he says. “It’s a topic people don’t want to talk about.”

The peer review process is designed to ensure the validity and quality of findings, but it’s built on the assumption that data is legitimate.

Science relies on an honour system whereby researchers trust that colleagues have actually carried out the trials they describe in papers, and that the resulting data was collected with rigorous attention to detail.

But too often, once findings are queried, researchers can’t defend their conclusions. Figures such as former BMJ editor Richard Smith and Anaesthesia editor John Carlise argue it’s time to assume all papers are flawed or fraudulent until proven otherwise. The trust has run out.

“I think we have been naive for many years on this,” Mol says. “We are the Olympic Games without any doping checks.”

How bad science gets into the clinic

Untrustworthy papers may be the result of scientists misinterpreting their data or deliberately faking or plagiarising their numbers. Many of these “zombie” papers emerge from Egypt, Iran, India and China and usually crop up in lower-quality journals.

The problem gets bad when these poor-quality papers are laundered by systematic reviews or meta-analyses in prestigious journals. These studies aggregate hundreds of papers to produce gold-standard scientific evidence for whether a particular treatment works.

Often papers with dodgy data are excluded from systematic reviews. But many slip through and go on to inform clinical guidelines.

My colleague Liam Mannix has written about an example of this with the hormone progesterone. Official guidelines held that the hormone could reduce the risk of pre-term birth in women with a shortened cervix.

But those guidelines were based on a meta-analysis largely informed by a paper from Egypt that was eventually retracted due to concerns about the underlying data. When this paper was struck from the meta-analysis, the results reversed to suggest progesterone had no preventative effect.

There’s a litany of other examples where discounting dodgy data can fundamentally alter the evidence that shapes clinical guidelines. That’s why, in The Lancet’s clinical journal eClinical Medicine, Mol and his colleagues have reported a new way to weed out bad science before it makes it to the clinic.

Holding back the horde

The new tool is called the Research Integrity in Guidelines and evIDence synthesis (RIGID) framework. It mightn’t sound sexy, but it’s like a barbed-wire fence that can hold back the zombie horde.

The world-first framework lays out a series of steps researchers can take when conducting a meta analysis or writing medical guidelines to exclude dodgy data and untrustworthy findings. It involves two researchers screening articles for red flags.

“You can look at biologically implausible findings like very high success rates of treatments, very big differences between treatments, unfeasible birth weights. You can look at statistical errors,” says Mol.

“You can look at strange features in the data, only using rounded numbers, only using even numbers. There are studies where out of dozens of pairs of numbers, everything is even. That doesn’t happen by chance.”

A panel decides if a paper has a medium to high risk of being untrustworthy. If that’s the case, the RIGID reviewers put their concerns to the paper’s authors. They’re often met with stony silence. If authors cannot address the concerns or provide their raw data, the paper is scrapped from informing guidelines.

The RIGID framework has already been put to use, and the results are shocking.

In 2023, researchers applied RIGID to the International Evidence-based Guidelines for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a long misunderstood and misdiagnosed syndrome that affects more than 1 in 10 women. As a much maligned condition, it was critical the guidelines were based on the best possible evidence.

In that case, RIGID discounted 45 per cent of papers used to inform the health guidelines.

That’s a shockingly high number. Those potentially untrustworthy papers might have completely skewed the guidelines.

Imagine, Mol says, if it emerged that almost half of the maintenance reports of a major airline were faked? No one would be sitting around waiting for a plane to crash. There would be swift action and the leadership of the airline sacked.

[sgstories123]

Eliza's Cruise Adventure

“Can we buy you a drink, miss?”

Eliza looked up at the three men. They were wearing board shorts of loud, gaudy colours. All were topless, showing off their tanned, muscular bodies and chiseled abs. These young punks were most probably in their twenties, thought Eliza.

“Well, if you can get me a Passion Spritz, that will be nice.” Eliza smiled. She had never said no to free drinks. She let her robe slid off a little further, giving the men a good look of her pink bikini-clad body. She was aware that her mum who was lying on the reclining next to her was giving her a disapproving look. But Eliza is no longer a little girl who needed her mother’s approval.

Eliza had worked hard all her life. Ever since her father left her mother to be with his mistress in China, she had decided that she will need to study hard and earn a good living. If nothing else, to show that useless father of hers the good life that he is missing when he made the decision to leave them. She did well in school and earn several scholarships to ease the financial burden on her mother. When she was in her first year in NUS Medicine school, she met a rich and handsome classmate which eventually became her boyfriend. She thought her life had turned for the better but alas, her boyfriend cheated on her just months after she had given her virginity to him. She broke up with him immediately and swore never to depend on any men. When she completed her medical degree, she worked hard at her job in NUH, rising quickly through the ranks. With her career stabilising and a high income, she bought a condominium in the western part of Singapore to live with her mom, fulfilling her promise as a young child to give her mother a good life. True to her words, she never had a boyfriend since her university days. She spends all her free time with her mother, eating at restaurants and going on holidays. And here they are now, on a 4 night Royal Caribbean cruise to Jeju Island in Korea.

Although Eliza is now in her thirties, she had taken good care of her body. Her skin was still flawless and her strict adherence to a diet and Yogo routine helped her body stay slim and youthful. It was no wonder that many men at the swimming pool were ogling at her when she walked past in her pink bikini. Eliza may have sworn off men but she enjoyed the stares of appreciation that she was getting from men. Men are so useless. They only think with their dicks. Eliza smirked as she put on the white bathrobe from the cruise liner. It was not out of modesty but instead, it was a calculated move on her part to cover parts of her body, to make it more mysterious and seductive.

The three men soon returned with her vodka cocktail. They purposefully sat on her seat and tried to touch her. But Eliza was too smart for them. She wrapped herself tightly in her bathrobe and the men could not touch her bare skin. She soon found out that Ahmad, Beng and Chandra were classmates at NUS and had just started work. They decided to take a cruise together with their first year-end bonus as a sort of celebration. Perhaps they thought she could be a memento of their trip, Eliza smirked to herself. Young punks. She will squeeze them dry of their bonus and leave them high and dry. The men continue to talk to her and she encouraged them by revealing parts of her body but never letting them touch her. Throughout, she continued to ask them for drinks and snacks. She even got one of them to buy her a pair of Gucci shades. By the evening, she realised that she had enjoyed the attention so much that she had been a little reluctant to leave the pool for her dinner. The men wanted to follow her but she skilfully evade them.

She went to Jamie’s for dinner with her mother. Throughout, her mother was nagging at her over her spaghetti on how she was being overly flirtatious and how she will regret her actions. Eliza was bored. She did not blame her mother but her mother was really too conservative. It was all fun and nothing else. If men can flirt with women, why can’t women flirt with men?

To avoid further nagging, Eliza went down to the bar and left her mother to return to their room. She was wearing a purple long dress with a low neckline, showing off the cleavage to her ample breasts. She was pleased that her choice of dress drew appreciative stares from the men when she walked into the bar. As she sat at the counter, the three men that she saw earlier plonked themselves on the seats beside her. She was pleasantly surprised to see them again. To be honest, they were good conservationist and were good looking. Ahmad had a boyish looking face and a nice brown tan. Beng had a muscular broad chest that exuded masculinity. Chandra was the most average looking of the three men but he sported a large, angular nose. Supposedly, this was the mark of a large cock. Eliza laughed to herself. She had not seen any medical reports on this yet and wondered how this myth became popular.

“Any of you want to buy me a drink?” Eliza purred seductively. The three men rushed to be the first to buy her a drink and other refreshments. Several hours later, Eliza realised perhaps a bit belatedly that she was getting drunk. She usually knew when to stop but she must have missed that point with the engaging conversations and the never ending flow of drinks. She blamed her mother momentarily. Maybe she drank too much because she was pissed with her mother’s nagging.

“I need to go.” Eliza stood up resolutely but faltered straightaway, holding onto the bar counter for support. “Come on, let’s have another one.” Ahmad suggested.

“The night is still young.” Beng argued.

“Or do you want to come to our room for another round.” Chandra said with a twinkle in his eye.

“No. I am going up to my room.” Eliza knew that she must not drink any more.

She walked a few tentative steps but stumbled forward on her fourth step. Ahmad and Beng ran forward and each held one of her arms. “Thanks.” Eliza muttered, her world spinning crazily around her.

“Let’s go to our room.” Chandra urged.

“No. I want to go back to my room 1120.” Eliza stated as firmly as she could. She looked at the bartender, who was looking at her direction. “I want to go back to my room 1120.” She repeated loudly, making sure that the bartender heard her. These young men would not want to try anything funny now that the bartender is aware that she does not want to be in their room. Eliza smiled to herself. Still smarter than you guys who think with their dicks, assholes.

The three men brought Eliza to her room. She was still too weak to stand on her feet and was half-dragged to her room, stumbling along the way. They met several people along the corridors and Eliza made sure that they knew that she was heading back to her room. “These men are bringing me back to my room 1120.” She repeated loudly whenever she saw anyone along the corridors. It was embarrassing to be that drunk but it was important to draw attention to herself, Eliza rationalised.

Once the door to her room was opened, the three men dropped her on the bed. Eliza fell asleep immediately when she realised that she was safe in her room and her defences dropped. Chandra closed the door behind them and smiled at Ahmad and Beng knowingly. Their plan to make Eliza drunk and then fuck her had worked. Well, almost. They had planned to bring her to their room but the venue was not the most important thing, was it?

“Eliza, you back?” Eliza’s mother called out from the toilet. The three men froze, looking at each other. Shit. They forgot about the mother. Beng looked around and pulled off two pillow cases. He motioned the other two to stand with him behind the toilet door. The toilet door opened and Eliza’s mother walked out in her bathrobe.

“Eliza? Are you okay?” Eliza’s mother asked, drying her hair with a towel in her hand. Beng pushed Eliza’s mother down onto the bed and sat on top of her. He pulled her hands behind her and tied them with one of the pillow cases. Eliza’s mother screamed and Beng quickly took the towel and stuff it into her mouth, muffling her screams. Ahmad took the remaining pillow case and tied Eliza’s mother’s legs to stop her from kicking and struggling. Secured, the three men carried Eliza’s mother to the sofa.

“Well, there were a few hiccups but I guess it was almost as easy as ABC, huh? Shall we begin?” Ahmad rubbed his hands gleefully.

“This bitch is really too much. It is payback time for all the money we spent on her.” Beng laughed.

Chandra did not even bother saying anything as he simply smiled and undressed himself. The other two men followed his cue and undressed themselves too. They quickly removed Eliza’s dress, revealing the twin mounds of flesh. Despite her age, Eliza’s breasts were still perky and firm. The men took turns squeezing them and sucking on her nipples. Eliza moaned in her sleep and the men seemed to be even more excited when they heard her.

“Fuck! She trimmed herself down there. She like some fucking schoolgirl.” Ahmad exclaimed as he positioned his head between her legs. He licked her love hole as he brushed his fingers against the thin pubic hair. He slowly peeled the folds of her love hole open carefully, taking in the sweet smell emanating from her vagina. He found the small bud of pleasure and carefully licked it.

Eliza opened her mouth and moaned softly as pleasure coursed through her body. Beng took the opportunity to thrust his manhood into her mouth. He could feel his hard cock reaching the back of her throat. He pulled Eliza’s head over the edge of the bed. Eliza’s head now tilted backwards and allowed his cock to reach even deeper. “Fuck! Her mouth feels damn good.”

Chandra straddled Eliza and rubbed his hard cock between her breasts. He closed his eyes and moaned softly as his cock coursed through the smooth valley.

By this time, Ahmad decided that Eliza was sufficiently lubricated. He spat a glob of saliva onto his hard cock and guided it slowly into her. “Fuck. This bitch is so tight, like a goddamn school girl.”

Chandra laughed when he heard that. He turned around and helped spread Eliza’s legs wider. 

Ahmad thrusted hard and finally got his cock totally in her. It was so tight and pleasurable that he could not stop himself from ejaculating after only several thrusts. “Shit! What a waste!”

Chandra laughed again. “Weak! My turn!” Ahmad relented and Chandra took over his position. Chandra’s cock was even larger and thicker than Ahmad’s. It will be even more difficult to get his cock into Eliza’s tight cunt but Ahmad had lubricated Eliza’s hole well with her love juice and his semen. Slowly, Chandra eased his cock into Eliza, stretching her tight hole that has not been used in years to her limit. The pain shot through Eliza and she woke up with a start. The first thing she saw were Beng’s balls swinging in front of her and her mouth being violated by his cock.

“Mmph!” She tried to push Beng away but Chandra had now pushed the last two inches of his large cock into her, going where no cock had ever gone before. Pain paralysed her, followed by blinding pleasure. Instead of pushing Beng away, her hands grabbed his ass and pulled him even deeper into her mouth. Beng groaned in pleasure as he went deeper, the pleasure from his cock finally tipping him over the abyss. He shot out white waves of little Bengs, flooding Eliza’s mouth and bathing his cock in them.

Eliza was choking on Beng’s ejaculate. She tried to push him away but was too weak. Left with no choice, she swallowed his man juice as much as she could, but there was too much and some even went into her nose.

While Beng and Chandra were fucking Eliza, Ahmad had sat himself next to Eliza’s mom. He had been stroking his cock to hardness while watching his friends enjoying themselves with Eliza when he realised that Eliza’s mom was staring hard at her daughter being fucked.

“You like what you see, huh? Are you an old horny cow, huh?” Ahmad jeered. He pulled open her bathrobe and was pleasantly surprised that the older woman had even larger breasts than her daughter. The skin was still soft and smooth. He bent forwards to suck her tits as he stroked himself. His cock hardened as his body touched the older woman’s bare skin.

Aroused, he took an irrational risk. He removed the towel from the older woman’s mouth and stood on the sofa, positioning his hard cock in front of the older woman.

“Suck it, old cow!” The older woman complied, sucking his cock hungrily.

“Look guys! The old cow is horny!” Ahmad laughed. “God! She still has the skills. Damn it. She is good!” Ahmad groaned in pleasure as he started fucking the older woman’s mouth.

Beng walked over and untied the woman’s legs. He spread it open and started licking her cunt. The older woman moaned in pleasure, Ahmad’s cock still in her mouth.

By this time, Chandra had been enjoying fucking Eliza for some time now. He gave several deep and slow strokes, before finishing with a series of quick thrusts. Eliza’s love canal was flooded a second time after more than a decade of drought. As Chandra withdrew his cock, he was pleased to see the white man juice slowly seeping out of Eliza’s cunt. That was so erotic and made him feel that he had successfully conquered that proud bitch.

Eliza was feeling confused. She was conscious now. She knew she should be frightened by what had just happened but instead she she wanted more. It had been so long since she had sex and they had made her feel so much more pleasure than her boyfriend so many years ago.

“What? What are you staring at, bitch?” Chandra saw a confused look on Eliza’s face. Eliza looked away and was drawn to Chandra’s large, black, hairy cock. Maybe there is some truth to the myth. That was a huge cock. Did it actually went in her? Unbelievable.

Chandra saw Eliza looking at his cock. His cock hardened again. He smiled to himself. “You want some more of my cock, bitch?”

“You are not strong enough. Weak bastards that think with your dicks? You can’t even last long enough to pleasure me, assholes.” Eliza retorted without thinking. The rebellious streak in her took over.

Chandra saw red and pulled Eliza towards him. Her legs were now over the edge of the bed while her back was on the bed. He turned her over, spreading her legs wide and without any warning, forced his cock into her, impaling his whole length in one deep stroker. Eliza screamed as pain tore through her. She was still not accustomed to such a big cock in her. Chandra pulled her hair and forced her body to arch against his. This only caused his cock to slide even further in, eliciting pain and pleasure all over Eliza’s body. Eliza willed herself not to blackout. Chandra tilted her head towards his. “Not strong enough? I will make you come so much that you will beg me to stop, bitch.” Chandra grunted as he pumped deeper and faster into Eliza. Minutes later, he seeded Eliza again, with semen dripping out of her cunt, a long white river along the length of her legs.

Ahmad saw what was happening and took his cock out of the older women’s mouth. He walked over to the bed where Eliza was now lying flat on her back, exhausted. He spread her legs wide, sticking his hard cock covered with Eliza’s mother’s saliva into Eliza’s cunt. This time, it went in easily. He pulled Eliza up so that she was now sitting on his cock. He sank his head into her breasts, sucking on them slowly. The first time was too quick for him. Now, he intends to savour Eliza. As Eliza bounced slowly on his cock, she started moaning in pleasure as the slow love-making generated gentle waves of pleasure.

“Look at her!. She enjoying being fucked. What a bitch!” Chandra sneered. His cock twitched and blood starting flowing into it again. He pushed both Eliza and Ahmad down onto the bed, straddled Ahmad’s legs, positioning himself behind Eliza’s ass.

“Fuck, Chandra! What you doing, huh?” Ahmad sounded a bit piss at having his pleasure disrupted.

“I want to fuck her in her asshole. Give that bitch two cocks at the same time.” Chandra spit on his fingers and inserted them into Eliza’s asshole. Eliza froze at the unfamiliar intrusion but Chandra was impatient. He quickly inserted a second finger, trying to loosen it as much as he can. Eliza winced in pain but that only encouraged Chandra’s sadistic instinct. He pushed his cock into Eliza’s ass, forcing it against the muscles in her opening. Eliza screamed, her whole body reacting to the unnatural forced entry. Ahmad groaned in pleasure as the muscles squeezed his cock even tighter. Chandra did not care and forced his cock even deeper. Eventually, Eliza had both cocks deep in her. Chandra pushed himself against Eliza, the movement causing Eliza pleasure in both her holes. She moaned louder and louder in pleasure, unable to control herself.

Beng was amused at his two friends fucking Eliza. But he had no intention of joining them. Having his cock coated in another man’s semen seemed disgusting. Anyway, now that Ahmad had done a good job lubricating the old cow, he decided to fuck the old woman instead. He lifted her legs over his shoulders and fucked her on the sofa standing up. It was not tight as to be expected, but a cunt is a cunt. It was still warm and pleasurable and the old woman seemed appreciative of having a fuck at this age. She was moaning softly, seemingly enjoying herself.

The three men continued fucking for a while and ejaculated for the final time. Dressing quickly, the three men looked at the two women, covered in semen, exhausted. They laughed and exited the room quietly. It was already morning. The ship had docked and they should quickly leave the boat before the women wake up.

[transmutationisms]

not the ko-fi anon for reading lists but i am interested in reading more about diabetes and fatness not being a disease, if you happen to have any recs :)

im not sure what your familiarity is with concepts like medicalisation and biopolitics more broadly but these are pretty foundational ideas for this critique.

if you're new to critical readings on fatness & weight then i think two decent places to start are bacon & aphramor's 'body respect' and paul campos's 'the obesity myth', though both have shortcomings imo. j eric oliver's 'fat politics' probably falls into this category as well. all of these are afflicted with liberalisms and there are also issues that i think often arise from projects that have to read archives or bodies research 'backwards', but these are still useful for introducing paradigms that problematise the medicalisation of fatness, and also raise some of the (many, many) methodological issues plaguing dietetic and weight science.

nicolas rasmussen's 'fat in the fifties' is useful on the question of medicalisation because he presents the rise and fall of fears about an american 'obesity epidemic' in the 1950s as a case study and examinines the political and social (ie, not apolitically scientific) factors that configured fatness as a disease and a pressing political problem in a specific social context, and then the factors that made this 'epidemic' slide further from official view for a few decades after. i disagree with rasmussen on a lot of his policy discussion and he's not aligned with fat liberation by any means; nevertheless i think the historicisation he does here is valuable for anyone interested in the medicalisation of fatness. susan greenhalgh made a case study of china more recently in "neoliberal science, chinese style" in 'social studies of science' 46.4: 485–510 (DOI 10.1177/0306312716655501).

on the more sociological side i'd strongly recommend sabrina strings's 'fearing the black body' and da'shaun harrison's 'belly of the beast'. these focus more on anti-fat attitudes and cultural history/analysis than on directly deconstructing medicalisation and medical research.

wrt diabetes, i would recommend anthony ryan hatch's 'blood sugar', which argues that current scientific and cultural conceptions of metabolic syndrome reify biologised and genetic ideas of race and racial fixity; hatch sees the proposed treatments and diagnostic methods as failing to interrogate the social and economic factors that produce racial disparities in health. james doucet-battle also discusses this in 'sweetness in the blood'. hay and fiddler's 'inventing the thrifty gene: the science of settler colonialism' tackles an analogous medical discourse of race, the idea that indigenous peoples are genetically predisposed to diabetes and obesity, and the ways in which this concept rests on and reinforces categories of race while eliding the colonialism and racism that actually result in poorer health outcomes for indigenous populations. a broader history of diabetes and racial medicine is arleen marcia tuchman's 'diabetes: a history of race and disease', and i also want to pick up karen throsby's 'sugar rush', which came out just last year i think.

[fanficfish]

explaining characters in hetalia badly: family member archtype edition

an incomplete list for funsies

just imagine they're all at a big family reunion lol

Germany: The closeted cousin who still hasn't figured it out.

Prussia: The cool older cousin who's jacked up on the remnants of the energy drinks he chugged during finals week trying to study for his med school exams. Probably specialized in kids medicine, but he's too jittery to confirm.

Italy V: The cousin who's a cousin because someone married someone a couple months ago and has no idea about all the ettiquette rules ye and what not to discuss in front of Great Aunt Sarah.

China: Great Aunt Sarah

Italy R: The cousin who's just hit his highschool years, and has decided MHA and Valorant is his whole personality.

England: The one manning the grill.

France: The one actually manning the grill.

America: The guy who's young enough to be your older brother but old enough that he's a dad. Don't worry, he's cool- he won't make you babysit, but he's gonna show up with those kids in biker jackets and they'll do a fun dance to entertain everyone halfway through dinner.

Russia: The uncle that apparently is a war vet. Definitely saw things he shouldn't have seen and you don't leave your kids with him. Tells the wildest stories over dinner though.

Canada: The cousin who you forget exists because he's actually normal. Actuality has probably spiked something.

Japan: The one hiding in a room playing video games. He might share if you ask nicely.

Lithuania: Someone's spouse. Not sure whose, but he made a nice caserole.

Sweden: That one distant relative who you almost forgot to invite.

Finland: The guy who showed up and you're not sure where he came from, but he's kinda fun so no one questions it.

Norway: The one who was forced to tag along with the rest of the family.

Iceland: The one who pretends he doesn't want to be there but he'd show up even if he wasn't invited because the food is kinda good.

Denmark: The one bringing the alcohol and manning the bar you didn't kow you had.

Latvia: The one trying to sneak underage drinks.

Estonia: The one pretending to be a normal person with his "honor student" and "full ride scholarship next year" but is secretly helping Latvia sneak a drink.

Spain: The uncle who's been married ten times.

Switzerland: The one who only showed up because he was begged to. Either ends up in the corner watching the game or in the middle of the table retelling some grand tale.

Liechtenstein: The one bringing all the delicious deserts and a fruit tray and forced Switzerland to socialize.

Austria: The one insisting on putting on the radio the moment the "go ahead" for the food is said. Might have even called up everyone to remind them to bring their instruments.

Hungary: The one who gets everyone dancing the moment Austria whips out the fiddle tunes.

Seychelles: The one who innocently suggested a board game after the dance-off winds down.

Hong Kong: The cousin who sticks around long enough to say hello to the aunts and uncles and grandparents and get some food before hiding in the room with Japan.

Belarus: The cousin who's a movie-cutter highschool "popular girl" and spends the whole time on her phone texting her boyfriend.

Ukraine: The aunt that break up the board game fights and bans it from future events.

Luxenberg: You don't know what he does for a living, but he brings cool stuff for everyone.

Netherlands: The globetrotting uncle who you're pretty sure knows everyone and everything.

Belgium: The cool aunt who's single and living life.

Phillipines and Thailand: The fresh-out-of-collegers cousin who keeps taking photos of everything.

Malaysia: The fresh-out-of-colleger cousin also taking photos but only aesthetic ones.

Taiwan: The aunt that starts making smoothies unprompted.

Monaco: The cousin who brings a book to read in the corenr.

Cameron: The uncle you don't want to get into an argument about sports with. Switzerland does not head this warning.

Greece: The uncle who drove all day and night to get here with a full car, and is now knocked out on the couch.

Turkey: The funny wine grandpa.

Cyprus: The college dropout who now works at a seven-eleven.

Egypt: The cousin who's studying history and is pretty average except you have photographic evidence that he sat next to a pond and talked to ducks for half an hour and was very serious about it.

[mothyandthesquid]

Chrysanthemum flowers have central tubular disc florets surrounded by layers of beautiful ray florets, which together create their distinctive appearance. They are native to East Asia, particularly China, where they are considered a symbol of nobility and purity. In Japan, they are a symbol of longevity, happiness, and the imperial family.

In Chinese traditional medicine, the chrysanthemum was used to make teas and remedies believed to have cooling properties that can alleviate ailments related to heat, such as fever, sore throat, and eye irritation. They are a source of antioxidants and have been studied for their potential anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Chrysanthemums, provide nectar and pollen for pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, which, in turn, help in the pollination of other plants. In terms of cultivation, chrysanthemums are relatively easy to grow and adapt to various climates and soil types. Their popularity in gardens and floral arrangements has led to the development of numerous cultivars with different characteristics, making chrysanthemums a versatile and colourful addition to gardens worldwide.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - August 8-14

Like these weekly* compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon! (*sorry this one’s a day late, I had a family emergency)

1. Rio’s grassroots agroforestry sustains birds, bees & communities

“[Community-created and -maintained] agroforests have reshaped the urban landscape and now attract an array of fauna, from birds to bees and even fireflies, drawn by the diversity of plant life thriving on improved soils. Perhaps most importantly, the agroforests offer free food and medicines to residents in need, plus shade and educational opportunities for the whole community[….]”

2. First giant pandas from China in decades make their public debut in San Diego

(image source) “Tensions between the U.S. and China had temporarily paused the program known as "panda diplomacy" in which China loans its native animals to zoos around the world […] as a show of goodwill[….] But the presence of [the two pandas in San Diego] appears to show a mending of the diplomatic relationship, which Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to work toward in a meeting with President Biden last year. [… Gov. Newsom] called the giant pandas an example of how strong worldly partnerships can protect wildlife and their habitats[….]”

3. Good news for Europe's top economies as disposable income rises

“Poland experienced the largest increase in disposable income per capita, rising by 10.2% compared with a decrease of 2.7% in the last quarter of 2023. According to the OECD, this growth was "mainly driven by increases in employee compensation, social benefits other than in-kind transfers, and property income". […] In Germany, [household income per capita] rose by 1.4%, compared to just 0.1% in the previous quarter, partly driven by an increase in employee compensation.”

4. FDA approves nasal spray as first needle-free treatment for anaphylaxis

“The spray, which will be sold under the brand name Neffy, is seen as an alternative to EpiPen and other autoinjectors. […] “Some people, particularly children, may delay or avoid treatment due to fear of injections,” said Kelly Stone, an associate director at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, adding that the availability of the nasal spray may reduce barriers to rapid treatment.”

5. [Colin Farrell] is launching a foundation to support adult[s] who have an intellectual disability

““We want to take a good look at residential potential for families with young adults who are ready to go out into the world and have a greater sense of community and connection,” says the actor. […] "It’s really important for James and for all of our kids to feel like they are wanted, to feel like they’re part of the community. Not just out of charitable endeavors or being nice and doing the right thing, but out of a sincere desire to engage and learn about each other."”

6. The Berlin Zoo is hoping for more German-born giant pandas as scans confirm a pregnancy

“Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and births are particularly welcomed. There are about 1,800 pandas living in the wild in China and a few hundred in captivity worldwide. […] The zoo noted that female pandas are only capable of reproducing for about 72 hours per year.”

7. Arizona school district highlights the benefits of free lunch

“A study by the University of Washington found free meals at school help reduce hunger, reduce the stigma tied to free lunch, and can help reduce childhood obesity. [… A cafeteria worker] said since the school district began offering free lunch, they have seen a positive shift in the cafeteria culture, and students seem happier. […] In September of 2023, the USDA […] loosened up its application threshold for applicants, allowing an estimated 3,000 more school districts in high-need areas to participate in the [CEP] program.”

8. Gigantic millipede lost to science for 126 years rediscovered in remote Madagascan jungle

“A further 20 species 'lost' to science were rediscovered during the expedition, including three iridescent species of fish and several species of ant-like flower beetles.”

9. The climate law’s $8.8B in home energy rebates are starting to roll out

“New York and Wisconsin are the first to launch their long-awaited Inflation Reduction Act programs meant to deploy everything from heat pumps to insulation. […] Once deployed, the DOE estimates, the home energy rebates will help save consumers up to $1 billion in annual energy costs and support an estimated 50,000 U.S. jobs in construction, manufacturing, and other sectors. They’ll also help clean up buildings, one of the biggest sources of carbon pollution in the country.”

10. Advance in stem cell therapy: New technique for manipulating stem cells opens door to novel treatments

“Recently, a team of McGill researchers discovered that by stretching, bending and flattening the nuclei of stem cells to differing degrees, they could generate precisely targeted cells that they could direct to become either bone or fat cells. […] The first applications of this discovery are likely to involve bone regeneration, possibly relating to dental or cranio-facial repair[….]”

August 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[dreamzconsultancymbbs]

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securing a minimum of 50% from a government-recognized board.

Successful NEET qualification is also required for admission.

What's App: "https://wa.me/+919100770071

Visit us at: https://dreamzconsultancy.com/

[reasonsforhope]

"[There is] fantastic news for species conservation after new populations of the gorgeous ‘Skywalker’ gibbon, known to science for only 6 years, were recently found living in the politically chaotic nation of Myanmar.

Also called the hoolock gibbon, this dainty vocalist was first described in 2017 living in the extreme south of China on a mountain in Yunnan. Classified as Endangered by the IUCN, the population was estimated to number a paltry 150 individuals, but others were believed to live in Myanmar.

Even before the recent military junta usurped the president and plunged the country into civil war, Myanmar [was a difficult place to conduct field studies, especially extensive or ongoing ones, due to ongoing conflict.]

[Although they are] now in open revolt against the military junta, [the Myanmar states of Shan and Kachin] were nevertheless destinations for an intrepid team of scientists from the Nature Conservation Society Myanmar, Fauna & Flora International–Myanmar Programme, the IUCN’s ape specialist group, and field researchers from universities in England, China, and the US.

Together, they conducted acoustic surveys, collected non-invasive DNA sampling, and took photographs for morphological identification at six sites in Kachin State and three sites in Shan State. With the help of the Myanmar conservationists, the team also interviewed locals dwelling in rural forested areas, small conservation programs, and timber companies about the frequency of sightings and the hunting pressure.

Population estimates of unknown quality and scientific rigor conducted in 2013 suggested there might be 65,000 hoolock gibbons in Myanmar, but the matter became much more complicated after the classification of the Skywalker gibbon as a separate species from the eastern hoolock gibbon—where before they were confused as the same.

“We were able to genetically identify 44 new groups of Skywalker gibbons in Myanmar,” said senior author Tierra Smiley Evans, research faculty at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and contributing author. “This is a huge resource and success story for Myanmar.”

These gibbons sing to each other at dawn for around 22 minutes, and consume 36 different plant species; choosing fruit first, and flowers later. They seldom sleep in the same tree two nights in a row to avoid predation, and can’t swim so are often confined to territories by river systems.

The team that discovered them in China in 2017 loved Star Wars, and called them tianxing which is Chinese pinyin for “heaven movement;” a nod not only to their favorite sci-fi franchise, but also to China’s ancient history. In the famous Book of Change [aka the I Ching] of the Zhou Dynasty [1046 BCE to 265 BCE], a divination poem refers to gibbons specifically, and uses tianxing as a verb to describe their movements.

The interviews were a source of great data for the scientists. For starters, nearly all individuals in both the Kachin and Shan states could identify a Skywalker gibbon by sight and by playback of its singing, lending the exercise a good degree of reliability...

“Biologists did not believe Skywalker gibbons could live in the small remaining patches in Southern Shan State before we started this project,” Pyae Phyo Aung, executive director of Nature Conservation Society Myanmar, told the UC Davis press.

“I am delighted with our field team members who have done an excellent job, within a short period of time, building community trust for further conservation actions. This area is degraded forest. It is really important for Myanmar and China to consider extending conservation approaches for the Skywalker gibbon to this new geographic area.”

Nearly 32,000 square kilometers, or around 8 million acres of forestland in Eastern Myanmar are suitable gibbon habitat, and while existing forest reserves like Paung Taung and Mae Nei Laung are quite large, they remain unprotected. For this reason, the survey team recommended they remain considered ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List until habitat protections improve."

-via Good News Network, February 21, 2024

[niteshade925]

Apr 11, Xi'an, China, Beilin Museum (Stele Forest):

Continuing from the previous post about the museum... I have a LOT of pictures from this trip to Xi'an, almost 900 pictures total. For the sake of brevity, I will not post all of them.

Jingyun Bell/景云钟:

The Jingyun bell is a giant bronze bell cast in 711 AD (Tang dynasty), this bell was originally inside the Bell Tower of Xi'an/西安钟楼, and bear the inscription written by Emperor Ruizong of Tang/唐睿宗 (full name Li Dan/李旦). This bell is 2.47 m tall (~8.1 ft), has a circumference of 4.86 m (~15.9 ft), has a diameter (at opening) of 1.65 m (~5.4 ft), and weighs 6 metric tons (~6.6 US tons).

Fun fact about Emperor Ruizong of Tang Li Dan: apparently he has the nickname of "六位帝皇丸", or "Six Emperors Wan". "六味地黄丸" is the name of a prescription in traditional Chinese medicine, but here it's used as a pun. This is because Li Dan himself had been emperor twice, his father Li Zhi/李治 was the emperor (Emperor Gaozong of Tang/唐高宗) before him , his mother Wu Zetian/武则天 made him cede the throne to her and became emperor after his first reign (Emperor Zetian Dasheng/则天大圣皇帝), his older brother Li Xian/李显 was an emperor (Emperor Zhongzong of Tang/唐中宗), and finally after his second reign, he ceded the throne to his son Li Longji/李隆基 (Emperor Xuanzong of Tang/唐玄宗). So that's the 6 emperors, and they all came from himself and his immediate family.

Just in case that was confusing, here's his family tree:

One more fun fact about the bell itself: it provided the bell sound sample heard at midnight in CCTV New Year's Gala every year. The bell itself probably won't be sounded anymore for conservation purposes--it is over 1300 years old at this point. The bell currently inside the Bell Tower of Xi'an is a replica.

Classic of Filial Piety Set Upon Stone/石台孝经:

This stele is also among the most famous in the Beilin Museum, as it combines the calligraphy work of two emperors of Tang dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang/唐玄宗 Li Longji/李隆基, and his son, Emperor Suzong of Tang/唐肃宗 Li Heng/李亨, and also has excellent examples of 4 different scripts. Specifically, Li Longji wrote the Classic of Filial Piety/孝经 (a Confucian classic text) and annotated it in lishu/clerical script/隶书, then added comments in xingshu/semi-cursive script/行书. Li Heng wrote the title in zhuanshu/seal script/篆书 (see picture of the actual stele below), and a memorial written in kaishu/regular script/楷书 by Imperial College Chief/国子监祭酒 Li Qigu/李齐古.

Since the stele actually has inscriptions on all four sides, here's the complete rubbing:

Here's the pavilion over the stele, picture from Wikipedia. The bian'e/匾额 (can be understood as a sign) says "stele forest"/碑林 (read from right to left), and was by Lin Zexu/林则徐 (1785 - 1850). The exact reason why 碑 is missing a stroke at the top is unclear, but one thing is certain: that was one of the correct ways to write the character. It's just that modern standardized systems of written Chinese (both Simplified and Traditional) only accept 碑 as the correct form.

Cao Quan Stele/曹全碑:

One of the most famous steles in the museum. This stele, which praised Cao Quan's accomplishments, was written by Wang Chang/王敞 and was erected in 185 AD (late Eastern Han dynasty). It is important for two reasons, first is because it represents lishu/clerical script/隶书 at its full maturity by the end of Eastern Han dynasty. The second reason is because it provides a great source for scholars studying the history of that time, particularly with regard to the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

A closeup at the calligraphy:

Li Mountain Hot Springs Poem/骊山温泉诗:

This one isn't particularly famous, but it is one of my personal favorites from the exhibition. The calligraphy was by Prince Guo/果亲王 of Qing dynasty (full name Aisin Gioro Yunli/爱新觉罗·允礼) in 1735, and is in the xingshu/semi-cursive/行书 script.

Emperor's Calligraphy Work in Daguan Period/大观圣作之碑:

This stele is actually not part of the Beilin Museum's collection, since it's currently located in Zhaozhou, Hebei, China. I thought I should include it here, because the writing is in a script that I've never really talked about before, which is the shoujinti/"slim gold script"/瘦金体. It's a variation of kaishu/regular script/楷书 that's invented by Emperor Huizong of Song/宋徽宗 Zhao Ji/赵佶, who is the calligrapher here, hence the title.

A closeup of the calligraphy:

Stele of an Imperial Edict/加圣号诏碑:

By Zhao Shiyan/赵世延 in 1313 (Yuan dynasty). The content is an imperial edict in 1307 that posthumously bestowed the title of "Great Completer, Ultimate Sage and Exalted King of Culture"/大成至圣文宣王 upon Confucius. The purpose of this picture is just to show what the bigger steles really look like, as ink rubbings definitely don't do them justice. The top is decorated with two carved dragons, and the stele is mounted on a stone bixi/赑屃, one of the 9 sons of the loong that has remarkable strength and looks like a turtle (with teeth).

And finally a pagoda tree/槐树 outside the museum that is 1100 years old (planted at around the end of Tang dynasty):

[southeastasianists]

A fear of spiders, or arachnophobia, seems quite common around the world. Last year, a team of researchers published a global database showing the pervasiveness of arachnophobic sentiments in media based on their investigation of a decade of online newspaper coverage from over 80 countries. These fears remain even though less than 0.5 percent of spider species can actually harm humans through their venom, and most of these species live far from humans anyway.

But there are some exceptions—and my home country, the Philippines, is one of them.

One of the authors of the study, entomologist Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo, is also from the Philippines. In an interview, she explained that unlike most countries where spiders were depicted as sources of venom and harm, in the Philippines spiders figured in news reportage mostly as pets or as participants in the popular pastime of laro ng gagamba (literally “game of spiders”). The game involves catching spiders, taking care of them, and making them fight other spiders.

I know the game very well. When I was a child growing up in Laguna province in the Philippines, I played it with other kids in my neighborhood.

My father taught at the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of Forestry, which was located on Mount Makiling, some 60 kilometers away from Manila. Those of us who grew up on the slopes of the mountain would go into the forests to look for the fiercest, strongest, and most unique spiders. We would then house them in medicine bottles or matchboxes, and feed them ants, grasshoppers, and other insects—until it was time to play.

When two of us were ready to fight, we would place our spiders on the opposite ends of a stick of walis tingting, a kind of broom. Another person, who acted as a referee, was usually asked to hold the stick. Then, we’d nudge our spiders to walk toward one another and fight. The winner of the wrestling match was decided very quickly, sometimes within seconds or at most a few minutes. It ended when one of the spiders was killed or incapacitated, or when a spider either fell off the stick or tried to run away more than once.

We had names for the different spiders we commonly caught: gagambang botchog (round spider), gagambang pari (priest-like spider), gagambang ekis (spider with an X). Sometimes we would give them nicknames based on their appearances: gagambang pula (red spider) or Voltes V (after a Japanese anime character).

Could it be that this game desensitized us to spiders, making us less fearful of them in contrast to many other parts of the world?

This question interests me not just because of nostalgia for the spiders of my childhood but as an anthropologist who today explores human entanglements with other species. I’m fascinated by how we perceive and live with other creatures, including animals we pit against each other and play with—from cockfighting in Bali to bullfighting in Spain to cricket fighting in China.

When it comes to widespread fears surrounding spiders, a closer look reveals a more complicated picture of human responses and interactions with these creatures. The arachnologist David Wise, for instance, surveyed folk tales from North America to Africa that cast spiders in a positive light, leading him to conclude that not all societies are arachnophobic.

In the Philippines, a handful of scholarly accounts of laro ng gagamba depict people’s close relationships with spiders. Some of these detailed accounts remind me of my childhood days, while others go beyond my own experiences, showing how diverse and sophisticated the practice is across the country.

One example comes from an ethnographic account by cultural anthropologist Ty Matejowsky, who researched spider wrestling in Pangasinan province in Northern Luzon in the early 2000s. He recounts how boys and young men collect, train, and play with spiders, often for money. Although my experience of laro ng gagamba didn’t involve placing bets, Matejowsky sees the game as an entry point for many Filipinos into “gambling culture.” (He also presents the practice as exclusive to boys and men, but I remember playing it with neighbors who were girls.)

Matejowsky also details how players attempt to heal their spiders who may be hurt in battle. “As surprising as it may seem,” he notes, “steps can be taken to rehabilitate injured spiders for an eventual return to wrestling.” For instance, players place the leaves of ampalaya (bitter gourd), thought to have restorative properties, in the spider’s box for a few days before slowly resuming the regular diet of “insects and bits of meat and rice.”

Barrion-Dupo, with two biology colleagues, conducted a survey of 300 spider game players in Northern Mindanao from 2014 to 2015 that revealed more details of the practice. Gambling on laro ng gagamba matches, the investigators found at the time, could involve sums of up to 10,000 pesos (around US$180).

Fascinatingly, the researchers also recorded various substances people fed to the spiders to prepare for a fight. The list included various vitamins and supplements, dextrose, coconut water or meat, duck egg soup, Jujube plum fruit (Ziziphus jujuba), milk, honey, energy drinks, and even human breastmilk. The gamers usually placed these substances on cotton balls and left them in the boxes where the spiders were kept.

These details show that more than just a game, spider wrestling in the Philippines involves care and intimacy between humans and spiders. Matejowsky describes it as an “attachment … that approaches what some feel for more conventional pets.”

Today laro ng gagamba continues to be played in rural areas in some parts of the country. Barrion-Dupo sees the spider game as offering children “first steps in science and natural history,” ultimately contributing to an appreciation not just for spiders but for the environment at large.

However, the research by Barrion-Dupo and her colleagues also shows the game has a potentially detrimental impact on the populations of various spider species. Gamers usually extract mature reproductive females from the wild; female spiders, as it turns out, are more ferocious than their male counterparts. The researchers call for policies to restrict the game to prevent species decline.

As far as I know, spiders are not often included in animal rights discourses in the Philippines. (Matejowsky’s article noted spiders are considered “pests, not animals.”) However, these attitudes may change in the future; some people are already discussing the need to expand animal welfare concerns to include insects, spiders, and other invertebrates.

Even without active intervention, however, the game already seems to be declining in popularity.

When I recently returned to the neighborhood where I grew up, I was told that none of the kids ventured into the forests like my friends and I used to. During the pandemic, people were forbidden to go outdoors, and many public green spaces were off-limits for recreational activities. Plus, the advent of electronic gadgets and digital technologies has meant that children today, whether they live in urban neighborhoods or mountainous communities, are far more likely to be familiar with Spider-Man than the spiders that share their environments.

Regardless of the ultimate fate of laro ng gagamba, however, I hope our familiarity and fascination with spiders will continue.

[blueiscoool]

2,000-Year-Old Giant Panda Skeleton Unearthed in Grave of Chinese Emperor

While excavating the tomb of an ancient Chinese emperor, archaeologists unearthed the skeleton of a giant panda, officials said.

The skeleton, which was in good condition, dates back around 2,000 years, according to an Aug. 2 news release from the Chinese Archaeology Network.

The tomb it was found in belonged to Emperor Wen, a ruler in the Han Dynasty who lived from 202 B.C. to 157 B.C, according to the British Museum.

Wen was “singular in many respects,” according to a 2018 study published in the journal Archaeological Research in Asia. “He is known for the reform of the empire, and for his ‘frugality’ and concern for his people.”

And unlike many other emperors, he declined to build a “burial mound,” instead opting to construct his tomb inside of a mountain, according to the study.

Inside this tomb — located in Xi’an, a city in central China — archaeologists uncovered an animal sacrifice pit, which housed the panda bones.

In Han Dynasty China, like many other ancient societies, the dead were buried with many material goods, so they could be enjoyed in the afterlife, officials said.

Animals, including the panda, would have been entombed as part of an underground royal garden for the dead.

Additionally, the internment of animal bones was used to display power and wealth.

The panda has long held a unique place in Chinese culture, according to the Chinese Consulate in Calgary. The black-and-white animals traditionally symbolized peace and were once believed to have medicinal powers.

[haveyoureadthistransbook]

After Eunuchs: Science, Medicine, and the Transformation of Sex in Mondern China by Howard Chiang

goodreads

For much of Chinese history, the eunuch stood out as an exceptional figure at the margins of gender categories. Amid the disintegration of the Qing Empire, men and women in China began to understand their differences in the language of modern science. In After Eunuchs, Howard Chiang traces the genealogy of sexual knowledge from the demise of eunuchism to the emergence of transsexuality, showing the centrality of new epistemic structures to the formation of Chinese modernity. From anticastration discourses in the late Qing era to sex-reassignment surgeries in Taiwan in the 1950s and queer movements in the 1980s and 1990s, After Eunuchs explores the ways the introduction of Western biomedical sciences transformed normative meanings of gender, sexuality, and the body in China. Chiang investigates how competing definitions of sex circulated in science, medicine, vernacular culture, and the periodical press, bringing to light a rich and vibrant discourse of sex change in the first half of the twentieth century. He focuses on the stories of gender and sexual minorities as well as a large supporting cast of doctors, scientists, philosophers, educators, reformers, journalists, and tabloid writers, as they debated the questions of political sovereignty, national belonging, cultural authenticity, scientific modernity, human difference, and the power and authority of truths about sex. Theoretically sophisticated and far-reaching, After Eunuchs is an innovative contribution to the history and philosophy of science and queer and Sinophone studies.

Mod opinion: I haven't heard of this book before and while it does sound interesting I feel that it might be too specific for my own interest in academic trans literature, but I am excited to hear that a book like this exists.