#tropical scourge

[fymo-blogs]

Uh a stimboard of the tropical scourge map I absolutely love that map

Alright!

🐊|🐊|🐊

🌺|🌴|🌺

🏴‍☠️|🏴‍☠️|🏴‍☠️

Tropical Scourge stimboard:

Requested by: @erikaskblog

Themes: Crocodiles/alligators, tropical, pirates

Note: I do not support CheetahZ or their half-assed apology

Song:

[simbasomba]

I’m never going to finish this so enjoy the unfinished version

[warrior-cat-pride]

Little Daisy with this German shepherd therian flag (( one with paw print))

https://www.tumblr.com/pubbywubby/736736786063261696/german-shepherd-therian-flag-arctic-fox-therian?source=share

Scourge and Sol with the second flag for tropical sea monster kin ?

https://www.tumblr.com/tropical-starlight/728821084386918400/sea-monster-kintherian-flags-tropical-sea?source=share

[sainttropic]

Luci, my scourge aasimar vengeance paladin! He’s a loser bastard man who takes everything way too seriously and believes he’s the most capable person in the room (he is not). He’s elegant, vain, and just wants to do some violence, grab the paycheck, and leave. He drinks after work. A lot.

[fatehbaz]

hi! SUPER interesting excerpt on ants and empire; adding it to my reading list. have you ever read "mosquito empires," by john mcneill?

Yea, I've read it. (Mosquito Empires: Ecology and War in the Greater Caribbean, 1620-1914, basically about influence of environment and specifically insect-borne disease on colonial/imperial projects. Kinda brings to mind Centering Animals in Latin American History [Few and Tortorici, 2013] and the exploration of the centrality of ecology/plants to colonialism in Plants and Empire: Colonial Bioprospecting in the Atlantic World [Schiebinger, 2007].)

If you're interested: So, in the article we're discussing, Rohan Deb Roy shows how Victorian/Edwardian British scientists, naturalists, academics, administrators, etc., used language/rhetoric to reinforce colonialism while characterizing insects, especially termites in India and elsewhere in the tropics, as "Goths"; "arch scourge of humanity"; "blight of learning"; "destroying hordes"; and "the foe of civilization". [Rohan Deb Roy. “White ants, empire, and entomo-politics in South Asia.” The Historical Journal. October 2019.] He explores how academic and pop-sci literature in the US and Britain participated in racist dehumanization of non-European people by characterizing them as "uncivilized", as insects/animals. (This sort of stuff is summarized by Neel Ahuja, describing interplay of race, gender, class, imperialism, disease/health, anthropomorphism. See Ahuja's “Postcolonial Critique in a Multispecies World.”)

In a different 2018 article on "decolonizing science," Deb Roy also moves closer to the issue of mosquitoes, disease, hygiene, etc. explored in Mosquito Empires. Deb Roy writes: 'Sir Ronald Ross had just returned from an expedition to Sierra Leone. The British doctor had been leading efforts to tackle the malaria that so often killed English colonists in the country, and in December 1899 he gave a lecture to the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce [...]. [H]e argued that "in the coming century, the success of imperialism will depend largely upon success with the microscope."''

Deb Roy also writes elsewhere about "nonhuman empire" and how Empire/colonialism brutalizes, conscripts, employs, narrates other-than-human creatures. See his book Malarial Subjects: Empire, Medicine and Nonhumans in British India, 1820-1909 (published 2017).

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Like Rohan Deb Roy, Jonathan Saha is another scholar with a similar focus (relationship of other-than-human creatures with British Empire's projects in Asia). Among his articles: "Accumulations and Cascades: Burmese Elephants and the Ecological Impact of British Imperialism." Transactions of the Royal Historical Society. 2022. /// “Colonizing elephants: animal agency, undead capital and imperial science in British Burma.” BJHS Themes. British Society for the History of Science. 2017. /// "Among the Beasts of Burma: Animals and the Politics of Colonial Sensibilities, c. 1840-1940." Journal of Social History. 2015. /// And his book Colonizing Animals: Interspecies Empire in Myanmar (published 2021).

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Related spirit/focus. If you liked the termite/India excerpt, you might enjoy checking out this similar exploration of political/imperial imagery of bugs a bit later in the twentieth century: Fahim Amir. “Cloudy Swords” e-flux Journal Issue #115. February 2021.

Amir explores not only insect imagery, specifically caricatures of termites in discourse about civilization (like the Deb Roy article about termites in India), but Amir also explores the mosquito/disease aspect invoked by your message (Mosquito Empires) by discussing racially segregated city planning and anti-mosquito architecture in British West Africa and Belgian Congo, as well as anti-mosquito campaigns of fascist Italy and the ascendant US empire. German cities began experiencing a non-native termite infestation problem shortly after German forces participated in violent suppression of resistance in colonial Africa. Meanwhile, during anti-mosquito campaigns in the Panama Canal zone, US authorities imposed forced medical testing of women suspected of carrying disease. Article features interesting statements like: 'The history of the struggle against the [...] mosquito reads like the history of capitalism in the twentieth century: after imperial, colonial, and nationalistic periods of combatting mosquitoes, we are now in the NGO phase, characterized by shrinking [...] health care budgets, privatization [...].' I've shared/posted excerpts before, which I introduce with my added summary of some of the insect-related imagery: “Thousands of tiny Bakunins”. Insects "colonize the colonizers". The German Empire fights bugs. Fascist ants, communist termites, and the “collectivism of shit-eating”. Insects speak, scream, and “go on rampage”.

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In that Deb Roy article, there is a section where we see that some Victorian writers pontificated on how "ants have colonies and they're quite hard workers, just like us!" or "bugs have their own imperium/domain, like us!" So that bugs can be both reviled and also admired. On a similar note, in the popular imagination, about anthropomorphism of Victorian bugs, and the "celebrated" "industriousness" and "cleverness" of spiders, there is: Claire Charlotte McKechnie. “Spiders, Horror, and Animal Others in Late Victorian Empire Fiction.” Journal of Victorian Culture. December 2012. She also addresses how Victorian literature uses natural science and science fiction to process anxiety about imperialism. This British/Victorian excitement at encountering "exotic" creatures of Empire, and popular discourse which engaged in anthropormorphism, is explored by Eileen Crist's Images of Animals: Anthropomorphism and Animal Mind and O'Connor's The Earth on Show: Fossils and the Poetics of Popular Science, 1802-1856.

Related anthologies include a look at other-than-humans in literature and popular discourse: Gothic Animals: Uncanny Otherness and the Animal With-Out (Heholt and Edmunson, 2020). There are a few studies/scholars which look specifically at "monstrous plants" in the Victorian imagination. Anxiety about gender and imperialism produced caricatures of woman as exotic anthropomorphic plants, as in: “Murderous plants: Victorian Gothic, Darwin and modern insights into vegetable carnivory" (Chase et al., Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009). Special mention for the work of Anna Boswell, which explores the British anxiety about imperialism reflected in their relationships with and perceptions of "strange" creatures and "alien" ecosystems, especially in Aotearoa. (Check out her “Anamorphic Ecology, or the Return of the Possum.” Transformations. 2018.)

And then bridging the Victorian anthropomorphism of bugs with twentieth-century hygiene campaigns, exploring "domestic sanitation" there is: David Hollingshead. “Women, insects, modernity: American domestic ecologies in the late nineteenth century.” Feminist Modernist Studies. August 2020. (About the cultural/social pressure to protect "the home" from bugs, disease, and "invasion".)

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In fields like geography, history of science, etc., much has been said/written about how botany was the key imperial science/field, and there is the classic quintessential tale of the British pursuit of cinchona from Latin America, to treat mosquito-borne disease among its colonial administrators in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. In other words: Colonialism, insects, plants in the West Indies shaped and influenced Empire and ecosystems in the East Indies, and vice versa. One overview of this issue from Early Modern era through the Edwardian era, focused on Britain and cinchona: Zaheer Baber. "The Plants of Empire: Botanic Gardens, Colonial Power and Botanical Knowledge." May 2016. Elizabeth DeLoughrey and other scholars of the Caribbean, "the postcolonial," revolutionary Black Atlantic, etc. have written about how plantation slavery in the Caribbean provided a sort of bounded laboratory space. (See Britt Rusert's "Plantation Ecologies: The Experiential Plantation [...].") The argument is that plantations were already of course a sort of botanical laboratory for naturalizing and cultivating valuable commodity plants, but they were also laboratories to observe disease spread and to practice containment/surveillance of slaves and laborers. See also Chakrabarti's Bacteriology in British India: laboratory medicine and the tropics (2012). Sharae Deckard looks at natural history in imperial/colonial imagination and discourse (especially involving the Caribbean, plantations, the sea, and the tropics) looking at "the ecogothic/eco-Gothic", Edenic "nature", monstrous creatures, exoticism, etc. Kinda like Grove's discussion of "tropical Edens" in the colonial imagination of Green Imperialism.

Dante Furioso's article "Sanitary Imperialism" (from e-flux's Sick Architecture series) provides a summary of US entomology and anti-mosquito campaigns in the Caribbean, and how "US imperial concepts about the tropics" and racist pathologization helped influence anti-mosquito campaigns that imposed racial segregation in the midst of hard labor, gendered violence, and surveillance in the Panama Canal zone. A similar look at manipulation of mosquito-borne disease in building empire: Gregg Mitman. “Forgotten Paths of Empire: Ecology, Disease, and Commerce in the Making of Liberia’s Plantation Economy.” Environmental History. 2017. (Basically, some prominent medical schools/departments evolved directly out of US military occupation and industrial plantations of fruit/rubber/sugar corporations; faculty were employed sometimes simultaneously by fruit companies, the military, and academic institutions.) This issue is also addressed by Pratik Chakrabarti in Medicine and Empire, 1600-1960 (2014).

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Meanwhile, there are some other studies that use non-human creatures (like a mosquito) to frame imperialism. Some other stuff that comes to mind about multispecies relationships to empire:

Lawrence H. Kessler. “Entomology and Empire: Settler Colonial Science and the Campaign for Hawaiian Annexation.” Arcadia (Spring 2017)

No Wood, No Kingdom: Political Ecology in the English Atlantic (Keith Pluymers)

Archie Davies. "The racial division of nature: Making land in Recife". Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers Volume 46, Issue 2, pp. 270-283. November 2020.

Yellow Fever, Race, and Ecology in Nineteenth-Century New Orleans (Urmi Engineer Willoughby, 2017)

Pasteur’s Empire: Bacteriology and Politics in France, Its Colonies, and the World (Aro Velmet, 2022)

Tom Brooking and Eric Pawson. “Silences of Grass: Retrieving the Role of Pasture Plants in the Development of New Zealand and the British Empire.” The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History. August 2007.

Under Osman's Tree: The Ottoman Empire, Egypt, and Environmental History (Alan Mikhail)

The Herds Shot Round the World: Native Breeds and the British Empire, 1800-1900 (Rebecca J.H. Woods, 2017)

Imperial Bodies in London: Empire, Mobility, and the Making of British Medicine, 1880-1914 (Kristen Hussey, 2021)

Red Coats and Wild Birds: How Military Ornithologists and Migrant Birds Shaped Empire (Kirsten Greer, 2020)

Animality and Colonial Subjecthood in Africa: The Human and Nonhuman Creatures of Nigeria (Saheed Aderinto, 2022)

Imperial Creatures: Humans and Other Animals in Colonial Singapore, 1819-1942 (Timothy P. Barnard, 2019)

Biotic Borders: Transpacific Plant and Insect Migration and the Rise of Anti-Asian Racism in America, 1890-1950 (Jeannie N. Shinozuka)

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil eliminates lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Brazil for having eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

“Eliminating a disease is a momentous accomplishment that takes unwavering commitment,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I congratulate Brazil for its efforts to free its people of the scourge of this painful, disfiguring, disabling and stigmatizing disease. This is another example of the incredible progress we have made against neglected tropical diseases and gives hope to many other nations still fighting against lymphatic filariasis that they too can eliminate this disease.”

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes. For centuries, this disease has afflicted millions worldwide, causing pain, chronic, severe swelling, serious disability, and social stigmatization.

Continue reading.

[wordycheeseblob]

Ok but why do we get to have a mermaid AU and no sailor AU like I want to see Silvio doing actual sailing and shit

PIRATE AU

FOREIGN FACTION

privateers. In short, pirates working for the government to carry out quasi-military activities... a pirate with papers if you will

With their solemn and equally terrifying captain, Chevalier who oversees his bunch of lawless brigands abide by the contract or else don't get caught. Don't ever engage in direct combat with his fleet.

Clavis is the quartermaster, during the Golden Age of Piracy this was the highest ranking pirate on a ship under the captain, usually elected by the crew. The quartermaster was the only officer on a ship who could veto a captain’s decision, but only when the ship was not engaged in battle or on a mission. This rapscallion is a wild card, difficult to control, has to be strictly supervised to deter from causing all manner of nautical misbehavior but he's always onto something. All the captives are under his supervision... Some destinies are worse than death.

Nokto appraises the goods values and is the one in charge of dealings, negotiations, pricing and reselling. Also paperwork.

Luke is the errand boy whenever they are at port. He is also the cleaning lad but don't be surprised to find he has enormous strength from doing all that sea man work.

DOMESTIC FACTION

Sailors. Honest to goodness sailors. The Royal Navy.

Leon, this charismatic swashbuckler is the captain of the Crown Fleet. He is easy-going but takes his job very seriously. If they ever happen to pass Chevaliers ship they'll definitely exchange annoyed glances.

Jin is the second in command, this shameless carouser enjoys festivity and especially the riotous drinking once on land. He knows his bitches in every port.

Licht is the lookout. He knows how to read the weather and sea and has very good eyesight. Being up there also gives him some much needed alone time from all the noise Jin is steering with the crew.

Yves is the cook. The first time he was introduced someone in the crew was reluctant to accept him on board saying women on ships bring bad luck. Yves was definitely outraged at that remark but rest assured he became an absolute essential to the crew, anytime he's absent Licht is left to cook and we know how that turns out, pray to the gods someone is there to save the ship from burning.

Sariel is the king's emissary, he communicates his majesty's wishes to the captain and anything paperwork related is to him. His inspections aren't without scrutiny, usually Jin is the one getting a scolding word.

PIRATES

Lawless brigands whose name is feared far and wide. Ruthless and unforgiving like the tempest seas, they bow to no man.

Silvio or as some call him Silver, he's... Well actually, I lied. Silvio is not a pirate but a merchant growing his empire of trade and influence. Let's just say that to do that he has the morals of a large corporation, that is, he has the human rights violations as a checklist.

"The capitalist machine must be oiled with the blood of pirates"

-this guy at some point

Keith is a savage pirate you wouldn't want to cross paths with. He committed all manner of atrocities without batting an eye. His ship mostly sails tropical seas and is very difficult to track as it hides in the mist and uses the weather to sail unnoticed. He's very good in dealing with poisons and has a pet bird on his shoulder, Dill.

Gilbert's face is the universal symbol of death and destruction :D scourge of the seven seas, World's Calamity, and prominent glutton, this pirate sails an Obsidian black ship, incredibly military advanced and commands a ruthless crew. Despite the considerable size of his ship it's difficult to predict what route he's going to intercept (making him a constant nuisance to Silvio). Maaaaybe tried to kidnap Emma... more than once. You're not safe. Not even on land.

That said, you never know from where or when he's coming but when you see the dark flag, it's already too late.

Possibly uses pirate slang unironically

[evolutionsvoid]

So often we view civilization's impact on a species through the lens of us taking something away. Of us coming in, destroying their habitat, overhunting their food source or just straight up removing them in general. If I were to say to someone "this species has been greatly affected by our presence," they would assume we pretty much doomed them. While indeed there are plenty of cases of us going into an untouched environment and food web to unintentionally punch a hole through the thing, there are other scenarios where we have added something to the equation rather than take. There is plenty good we do, but sometimes these new additions cause some bad. Even when it is something like "we accidentally gave this species a new food source!" Hey, that sounds good! What is the matter with giving a species new things to eat? Sure, it gives them more options and more resources to help bolster their numbers, but sometimes it can cause problems. Tipping the balance doesn't just happen by taking away weights, as you can certainly add too much to make the scales go screwy. The Pirado is the example that comes to mind on this subject. 

Now to lay out the basics, the Pirado is a flightless bird that was found on a large tropical island. This island had rainforest and palm savannas, and the Pirado stalked each. Since their wings are small and their bodies rather round, they must walk and run instead of fly. They do everything on the ground, be it attract mates, build nests, sleep and hunt. A notable thing about the Pirado is that it is not only a carnivore, but it was once the island's only large predator. It searched the forest floor and savannas for meat, feeding on lizards, turtles, small rodents and even large bugs. They possessed a large hooked beak that was perfect for seizing their prey and cracking their skulls. They would either be swallowed whole or torn into pieces for easier eating. Though a predator, they weren't exactly intimidating, as they stood only a foot and a half tall (and a little more if you counted the odd feather "horn" the males have). But to the fauna of the island, they were scary enough for them! But all that changed when the ships came and strangers from the outside world came visiting.

Sadly, what happened next was all too common back then, when folks didn't think twice about the fragility and uniqueness of island ecosystems. People came to shore, saw nice land and edible inhabitants, and figured it was a good place to set up shop. Since this island was close to a popular trade route, it was believed it would be the perfect place to restock during the long trip. Folks got to work setting up a little settlement, while also introducing their own fauna to help liven up the menu. Pigs and goats were the main addition, as they were hardy animals that could eat pretty much anything. Some newcomers weren't put there intentionally, like the ship rats who scurried off board and vanished into the wilds. All these new species came pouring into this isolated ecosystem, seeing plenty of niches to fill. The travelers who let this all be didn't see a problem, as it was just another island, just another stop. What was the issue? Well, we now know full well what the problem was, and unfortunately have plenty of examples to point to. The new additions to the island disrupted the ecosystem, competing for resources with the locals, or just straight up preying on animals that didn't know how to defend themselves against such a strange new creature. The Pirado was one of these locals affected by all this, and many would assume they would join the grave of the others, but fate went a different route for this bird. 

The rats that swarmed the island and feasted upon undefended birds' nests were certainly a scourge, but the Pirado saw something else in them. They looked similar enough to their usual rodent food, but these ones were just bigger! It wasn't long before the Pirado started eating these rats, using their usually weaponry to crack them open and gobble them down. With all these rats now, there was much more food than they were used to, and they were the main predators! A whole new feast, just for them! So now the Pirado population was strangely getting a boost, as they had an easier time filling their bellies! But there was another issue. The pigs that now roamed this island were omnivores, and bigger than the Pirado. Sure, some of these swine may take a nip at these birds, but they were more interested in their ground nests. Tasty eggs like that are a treat for any animal, and the pigs were eager for the Pirado's nests. Since they were bigger animals, they could bully these flightless birds and gobble up their young, but some of the Pirado did not let this happen. They used their sharp beaks and talons to fight back, "convincing" the swine to leave their nests be and go after more vulnerable eggs. So now the Pirado that were surviving this new horde were the ones aggressive enough and bold enough to fight back, while the more docile were weeded out. And at some point, these Pirado used their razor beaks enough to down one of these pigs, and found a liking to the taste of pork. Now the pigs were the ones on the menu, and the aggressive Pirado worked together to bring these walking meat bags down. Once again, the Pirado was back on top, but something had changed in them, and it only grew with each passing year. 

With a banquet of meat to choose from, and an invading force that made it important to be aggressive and ready to throw down, the Pirado was now going through an unintentional breeding program. The small, weak and docile were removed, while the strong and angry were rewarded. With more food to go around, the Pirado could get bigger. With the bold and hostile gaining new flesh to taste and prey to conquer, those vicious enough remained on top. Trapped on this island with this new scenario, the species underwent an incredible change over the years. And what came out the other end was quite different from their former selves, and a whole lot meaner too. 

We don't fully know when the first horror story came forth, but it is certainly a potent one. The island at some point fell out of favor, and gained fewer visitors with each year. Advances in ships and new trade routes made it obsolete. But eventually, someone pulled out a dusty map and decided to stop by to stock up on pork and goat. When they came to shore, they were expecting a feast of livestock to be waiting for them, but the animals were not easily found. So they got their hunting equipment and dived into the wilds, figuring it would just be a simple, lazy hunt for food. Those that came scrambling back to the ships told a different tale, as you could see from their grievous wounds and missing digits. Folks waiting at the boats didn't even need to hear their words to believe them, as a flock of three foot tall, razor-billed birds came bursting from the foliage. Their beaks and feathers were bloodied, proving the fate of those who didn't return. Everyone ran to the boats, hoping to row out to open water and safety. Most made it, but a few fell to the birds before they could escape, and their crew mates watched in horror as the strange birds surrounded them and tore them to shreds. The story of this encounter spread far and wide, and soon the world learned what became of the Pirado. 

What was once a small flightless bird that snacked on geckos was now a three foot tall nightmare that hungered for flesh. Their beaks have grown sharper and more serrated, backed up by a body now heavier and stronger. Their heads have lost their feathers due to their fondness of larger prey and sticking their heads inside the corpses. While their physical changes are certainly scary looking, the real terror comes from their behavior. Pirado aren't afraid of anything, as they have learned to treat everything as either food or an enemy that must be challenged. Anything they meet is faced with beak and claw, and very rarely is the Pirado alone. They learned safety in numbers, or more so that large prey cannot handle so many attackers at once. Their terrestrial flocks move like a swarm, following the sound and sight of prey, so they can attack from all angles.

When food is tracked down, they run in with their beaks and start slashing away, aiming at the legs to bring them down. Tearing skin and muscle weakens and drops their victim, and then they immediately start eating as the prey still struggles with their final moments. Folks equate them to avian army ants, a razor storm that shreds anything it encounters. With their weaponry and numbers, there are very few things that withstand their assault. Humans have wound up being devoured by these birds, and even dryads have been shredded! They are so aggressive and intent on bringing down all targets, that they will totally attack a moving plant person and mortally wound them before realizing it isn't something they want to eat! So even I have to be incredibly careful around these birds! And believe me, I was! After that Flab Rat incident, I am very much aware of my surroundings and have learned how to avoid these encounters entirely! Thankfully, I am good at climbing trees, and the Pirado is not! 

"Well, it is a good thing those birds are found on only one island!" you are probably saying, hoping you are spared from meeting any of these bloodthirsty birds. Unfortunately, not only has their bodies and behavior changed, but so has their range. The nearby islands surrounding their homeland have become new colonies for them. How they got there, we aren't fully sure. The current theory is that violent storms blew some birds and debris out into the ocean, and they survived long enough to make landfall. With their new size and healthy appetite, it is possible they now have the reserves possible to be adrift at sea for days without food. And it isn't just nearby islands, as they have also spread to various others throughout the ocean. These ones can be fully blamed on people introducing them to these new locales, as there is no way they could reach these islands without a ship. When news of their vicious nature spread, there were plenty of curious people who came to take a look. Quite a few were eaten, but some had the "genius" idea of taking these carnivorous birds with them. Some took Pirado into captivity for entertainment, be it for showing off or putting into a collection. Some thought them a possible food source, with their large size and fast reproduction. Others had the bizarre idea that they could be used for pest control, as they gobbled up rats. Whatever the idiotic reason, populations of these birds have been accidentally or intentionally planted on other islands. With their lifestyle, they absolutely decimate local populations. It is an utter disaster. The one thing we can be thankful for is that they require an ecosystem with little to no large predators in order for them to take over. So they cannot infest larger islands or mainlands, as the even bigger predators quickly take them out. Sadly, this does not protect the more fragile isolated systems that are ravaged by their presence.  

While I would like to believe that the Pirado is seen by the public at large as a symbol of why we must be careful with isolated environments and delicate ecosystems, I know it to not be the case. I am not that naive. Instead, it is infamous for its vicious attitude, insatiable appetite for meat and the horror stories that are born from their attacks. Any adventure story on the high seas is bound to have a chapter where the heroes make it to shore in hopes of supplies or shelter, only to find an island full of ravenous Pirado. Criminal groups and gangs like their imagery and reputation, often weaving them in to their personal heraldry or seals. Underground fighting rings unleash these birds against other animals and predators, so they can bet on who comes out on top. The bloodbath that follows is sure to get the crowd cheering. Some collectors who value "extreme" specimens try to keep Pirado to show off to their fellows, as such a dangerous bird is sure to impress. However, everyone who tries to handle them should know that they are extremely hostile and are ready to bury their beak into flesh at any given opportunity. It honestly baffles me that anyone would want to own a Pirado. They are vicious and have the potential to be extremely invasive. Thankfully, some regions have banned folks from owning these birds, though that of course is not foolproof. The one saving grace is that these birds are so violent and bloodthirsty, that folk are quick to realize they aren't worth the blood, sweat, blood, tears and blood. As I heard someone say, if you want to know if someone owns a Pirado, see how many fingers they have. You can count the length of time they've had this bird by the number of missing digits.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

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

"Pirado"

Here is something a bit meatier! The dodos get revenge!

[boombrothersasks]

Look, doc, can you help or not? I've been freezing my tail holder outside despite the tropical climate and the fact I don't have a tail

"I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHATS GOING ON! SOMETHING ABOUT A PORTAL?? MIRROR DIMENSIONS?? A SCOURGE?? YOU THINK I KNOW WHAT ANY OF THAT MEANS?! I JUST LIVE IN THIS UNIVERSE, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS!"

[the-starry-lycan]

Gym Leader: Brugaves

What Gym?: Brugaves followed suit with Erlina and leads one of the very first dual-type gyms, specializing in Ice + Dark Types.

Personality: An even-tempered, gentle, and fairly outgoing nature. He feels bitter about his past and hates to be called slow. He is deceptive and frequently hides his feelings. He is also quite loyal to his allies, especially so to Erlina.

Team: Meowstic M, Froslass, Liepard, Weavile, Alolan Sandslash, Aurorus.

Favourite Curry: Sour Tropical Curry.

Item of Choice: Lax Incense.

Notable Info: He and Erlina were best friends since their childhood, raising together their first Pokémon: a pair of Espurr. They made a decision to become Gym Leaders, and are in secret supporters of Aephorul of Team Scourge, who gave them the funding (and Pokémon!) plus a promise that he'd make them the strongest trainers in the region. As for his past, he was always one of the last to complete the gyms in the Gym Challenge, and he didn't catch many Pokémon at first, leading many people (including his and Erlina's mentor) to call him slow. He vowed to grow stronger so he could someday protect Erlina the way she did for him.

[english-mace]

So coming fresh from reading Pathogenesis (by Jonathan Kennedy), it's... plague. The American identity and formative fulcrum is plague. The apocalyptic colonial scourge of smallpox and influenza that killed 90% of indigenous people; the tropical mosquito-borne malaria and yellow fever to which western africans' immunity (and white europeans' weakness) carved out a legacy of racialized slavery which had not existed before (research suggests that the mason-dixon line very closely tracks the climate range of the particular mosquitos / the incubation conditions necessary for endemic malaria); botulism and pellagra alongside food scarcity, AIDS denial, the intersectional demographics of COVID impact by capitalistic and racial class...

The USA as a story, an idea, is shaped by the invisible and deniable and not-my-faultism of disease; it built the bones of the nation. Which is to say yes absolutely, the omnipresent kaiju, humongous and amorphous; the arguing scientists, the politicians in denial. But ALSO the people on the street saying: we know. We've KNOWN. And rising despite being failed by the system that should be doing the fighting.

I guess the thing about Godzilla is that it represents a massive national trauma which eviscerated nature and the human soul, but the USA versions fall somewhere on the spectrum between "vaguely about 9/11 or recent natural disaster" and "giant monster smashy smash." I think that stems from trying to conceptualize Godzilla as representing a particular and isolated instance of disaster and translate that into something of a similar nature in the USA.

But the real deep down soul death and national trauma in the USA isn't anything recent, you can't point out something uniquely bad like an atomic bomb. Really the kaiju for the USA needs to be symbolic of how this whole place is an infinite recursive system of devouring its population, starting from colonization and going right up through to the present day. The crucial difference is that if a kaiju was to represent the deep, unhealed, and still bleeding scar at the heart of the nation, it has to by definition be some ancient dead thing which rises on the anguish of everyone consumed in the name of this country and burns it into the ground. There's not an easy way to make a USAmerican kaiju because the only way to do so accurately means the kaiju has to be the protagonist, and ultimately has to show how much the people in the USA are unified when the hyperwealthy and our government are destroyed.

Who is gonna make that?

[theleadersglobe]

World Malaria Day 2024: Uniting Against a Preventable Menace

Observance of a Global Health Imperative

Every April 25th marks World Malaria Day, a solemn reminder of the persistent threat posed by this deadly disease transmitted through mosquito bites. Characterised by shaking chills and high fever, malaria continues to afflict millions, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. Yet, amidst the grim statistics, there’s a beacon of hope: malaria is preventable. With concerted efforts and proper precautions, the scourge of mosquito-borne illnesses can be mitigated.

A Brief History of Advocacy and Awareness

Since 2001, African governments have initiated the observance of Africa Malaria Day, recognising the urgent need for collective action against malaria within the continent. This initiative gained global momentum, culminating in 2008 when the World Health Assembly, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO), elevated the day to World Malaria Day.

Read More:(https://theleadersglobe.com/life-interest/health/world-malaria-day-2024-uniting-against-a-preventable-menace/)

[the-firebird69]

TROPIC THUNDER DIRECTOR EXPLOSION

He was a friend in school and it still is and he saved my life and it wasn't that bad and people said it too but your injury looks bad but not bad enough so I kind of pull it out and I know how to do that and while I was doing it you had this horrifying look on your face no you were doing it before and I know what they look means and it means you need to die permanently and the horrified look went to nasty nastiness. You're an evil person this certainly seems real and you can see you earlier acting like you it was hard to pinpoint you but I want you dead for what you did and you're going to die not too long from now cuz you're having us mix it up with these guys cuz you're a loser

Danny and that's one of my names and he remembers it from somewhere it's also not Carlo I'm David Bowman's he had a lot of fun talking about the instrument that I played it was very curious and he wants to know about it if the mandolin and mandolin is the name of one of his mom's characters I'm disguise to someone else and you come out and you're gone and you think you're inside his body and I'm inside yours and a whole bunch of dumb s*** like that and your body is blown to bits and people need that because it's not really your body and I say it too

So you threaten me with a shovel because I stopped you from killing Stan we're getting killed or a stupid fight cuz I'm trying to leave big ship boy Tommy f and you're a dick for what you were doing and a loser. As usually you could not handle it that day at all and you meant to impress people that you can't. This looks like you earlier in the movie it sounds like your behavior and pretty much it looks like you're all done as he's walking around in circles your grandson is stepping on what's left of you because he knows what I did to help him and I didn't know it was you who had shot him and sincerely still think that it was my brother but he can't stand you anymore and says he did the research and it's not my brother

Zues

Not like it matters you are on trial Trump and so help me God if that head comes back it's not going to have anyone's brain in it but some newbie and I don't want it. If you look at the rest of the movie you don't really see it so that's not bad cuz you're at scourge on us all of us no matter what kind you are you're a dead piece of s*** no matter what you do and you did this to your grandchild and I know it and he wants revenge and Charlie Sheen shot you and you probably hounded him every second of his life in order to make him hate you so you can try and shoot him and take his stuff and have him shoot you again you're an insane piece of s***. And Garfield beheaded him and that was in New York City and people say you ate his body others say parts of it and our friend says you ate his whole body up and you told him about it over and over and he came to me one day in tears and told me I said it's a good thing you told me it's important and I heard there are others there and I questioned him and now you're dead man Trump you don't have any rights to say stuff you're going to die this is your head it sticks the gun in there to make sure your brain is gone and you can hear it there's nothing in there by the way if your head comes back people know that you're an airhead. There's some other people there who want you dead and one of them is Tommy f and he leans over to see if the brain is gone and he's walking around in the same spot. Huge numbers of people will rejoice at your death huge numbers of people hate you nobody wants to be kind to you no one wants to put you up in their house and nobody wants you next to our friend here I don't know how the hell you're doing it yeah you're sacrificing all your people because you're a moron

Mac daddy

We wish we could wish you wish you goodbye but really we have to go through all this stupid s*** just to get rid of one idiot who's messing us all up and you're sitting next door to him saying it's him and really everything's getting messed up so what's the damn point

Charlie Sheen

You're one of us I expect you to behave better and whatever this sucks so bad and I shot him and he's embarrassed and that's what happens in our realm and I've been avoiding it and I tried to stop him by putting clues as to what happened in the future and it is I'm sitting here threatening for my life he's telling me I'm going the wrong way the whole time and I know who it is it's David Bowman's and we had it out in Europe and he's saying I'm full of s*** and I actually I am I fell over on the bike I know it was and nobody will believe me that it was David audette and he deserved to die he's killing a lot of people his brother was in trouble still thinks that he shot you but yeah I act like I did and I won't leave it alone

Trump

Permission to print granted

Olympus

Ew gross

Thor and me too that's gross Freya for Christ's sake Trump get a hold of yourself uhhh gross

That's disgusting put yourself back together you slob who cares if people step on you in life

Nuada Arrianna hahaha my son and daughter-in-law are doing their alien routine yeah it was funny at the time he's stepping on it oh my God why would you do that to yourself Trump now we have to do it to you

I wonder if this is the band on the run

Zues 😂 hold on it's not funny and I said hahaha I didn't put the face there he did Hera

It is funny we think it is the band on the run cuz he's sailor Sam and he's singing about himself and it's a band and they used to call that and in Vietnam they're like a unit and boy I want to show you giving that guy and really we think it was JC who did the shooter shooting and we have proof if anyone wants to see it and he's still in Paris France is in the UK still

Billium

Who said he was threatening him somehow and it happened before you left and he threatened him with a gun at the cookout and it makes sense

David diamonds

Yeah I got hit a lot and I'm real stupid and mean but it's true will and Bill know who it was in Mac but they don't care anymore cuz I'm an a****** and it's true that's pretty gross

Trump

And you didn't influence me to do it and yeah you did and that's what I found out

David Bowman's

It's about greed folks and not caring about people I would never do this to any of mine not to mention people who are my family it is disgusting and repulsive

Zeus Hera

We need to hear it no we did not let's disgusting these people are gross and it's not syrup for Christ's sake that's terrible that we get it it's kind of what he was doing a lot to people

Savage opress

That's really gross really gross okay pig but for Christ's sake he deserves it and really he's doing this to all sorts of people and they just sit there like lumps on a log kind of late your whole clan up and it's his fault too

Frank Castle hardcastle

I want to put I don't want to put up with this anymore we have to get that guy he's such a dick and I guess cheeseman puts me back together and gets hit by Dave who's a complete imbecile

Mac Daddy and Trump tries to suffocate me as a big Indian tries to blame Dave who cares you're also goddamn dumb

Olympus

[dawnstorms]

An Overview of Quel'thalas: Population, Basic Ecology, And Assorted Fun Facts

Part one of a hopefully lengthy series, this one being an introductory piece.

“... an entire land where magic is so much a part of the culture. Not just a part of the city, or confined to a handful of elite, educated magi. Magic is the birthright of every citizen. We are all embraced by the Sunwell.” — Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider

Quel'thalas is a series of verdant, magically enhanced forests, which together make up the peninsula at the pinnacle of what was once considered northern Lordaeron and in fact matches the rest of Lordaeron in size. In its current state, the Kingdom of Quel'thalas has existed for over 7,000 years, beginning at the moment of King Dath'Remar Sunstrider's creation of the Sunwell on the Isle of Quel'danas (to the north of the shore of mainland Quel'thalas).  Governed by the royal dynasty of the Sunstriders and beneath him by the nobility and magisters of the Sunfury Spire, with Silvermoon City forming around this center of government and power.

It has an immensely small population of exclusively Sin'dorei (previously Quel'dorei), which was so even prior to the Razing of Quel'thalas; at that time, the total population of Quel'dorei was already a measly estimated 130,000 [WoWWiki]. The total number of recorded Sin'dorei alive at present is approximately 13,329, but may be slightly underestimated to account for those who live abroad or prefer to remain outside of settlements and/or simply avoid any other such bureaucratic devices.  Approximately 15% of those Sin'dorei departed with Prince Kael'thas to Outland; we expect many not to return. This leaves Silvermoon and its surrounding forests with a rough population of approximately 11,000 persons until the triumphant return of His Highness and His men [at the start of TBC, ie. that are much less than even that now]. (Feel free to correct this; I am not great at math.)

Stemming from the northerly isles but stretching all the way onto the mainland shores of Quel'thalas, the power of the Sunwell was, through the use of enchanted mana crystals, manifested into a massive arcane shield known as Ban'dinoriel - was once used as a great defensive measure to protect Silvermoon City. It was considered to be impenetrable. During the Second War, it was enough to ward off an onslaught of enslaved red dragons; during the Third War it halted the Scourge army's advance entirely until the invaders, using knowledge gleaned from the Traitor Prince of Lordaeron, were able to dispel it.

It is connected to southern Lordaeron by two methods: a narrow mountain pass that bisects the northern Lordaeronian mountain ranges, and the Thondroril River, which runs past very near to Stratholme and continues to the closed northern Lordaeron, into Quel'thalas. The Sin'dorei, however, have never since permitted any non-Elvish vessel to transit up the river into Quel'thalas, leaving only the land bridge that is now forever sealed. 

α. THE ECOLOGY OF QUEL'THALAS

Located at the northernmost point of the Eastern Kingdoms, Quel'thalas was initially a temperate, mountainous alpine forest speckled with harsh, cold beaches. On average, it rested at around 50°F in the summer and enjoyed extremely long, sunny days—with nights as short as one hour during its peak—but being insulated by the surrounding oceans and mountains during the winter so as not to completely freeze over. This environment holds true in the south to this day, while the northernmost reaches of Quel'thalas that now house Silvermoon and the Sunwell have been magically altered over time. The heart of Quel'thalas is nearly tropical on the ground, averaging a comfortable mid-70°F year round and never suffering any hint of natural disaster or inclement weather. Rains are somewhat frequent, but if they would prove too much or otherwise unplanned, the Magisters at the Spire and the rare-but-storied Botanists will simply see to it that the clouds blow elsewhere. 

Quel'thalas is rich in low to the ground, bush-type flora, as well as in large shaded areas cast by their massive trees; though difficult to grow elsewhere, most types of bushfruit such as blueberries and manaberries—as well as shrubberies and small trees for such things as figs and pomegranates—thrive in Quel'thalas. Mushrooms are similarly common, and must be removed regularly to maintain the health of the forest's trees. Fungi thusly make up a huge portion of the diets of the lowborn or the rural, being the cheapest and the easiest to procure for one's self (without upsetting a Farstrider). 

Fruits are the favored meals of the local dragonhawks, which make up a massive part of the Sin'dorei cavalry as well as being their only native beast of burden, and is thusly somewhat more protected. It grows nearly everywhere across Quel'thalas on easily reachable shrubs and bushes, varying somewhat by type depending on one's proximity to the ocean and to Silvermoon City and the Sunwell (Southern Quel'thalas, now called the Ghostlands, is significantly colder and more landlocked, for example). As the Ghostlands and parts of rural Quel'thalas rapidly chill, which may affect the foods that they have available to them and bring them more into line with the traditions of the local Amani.

Keep in mind that there are few, if any, large fruit-bearing trees in most of Quel'thalas, which far prefers shrubbery for fruiting. Apart from the goldenbark apples for which the area is known, any other fruits which might exist in the treetops are exclusively the domain of the dragonhawks and may never be harvested by Sin'dorei, as a matter of their naturalist principles. If they had been meant to take those from the dragonhawks, they'd have grown wings. They may, of course, be eaten if they happen to fall onto the ground or are brought by a dragonhawk as a gift, both of which are known to happen. Goldenbark apples, for example, are a local delicacy and a favorite of both dragonhawks and Sin'dorei, and are said to taste like honey (see below). 

Interestingly, dragonhawks also featured prominently in early Quel'dorei spirituality and religion after they arrived in their new homeland; the Amani also revere a dragonhawk loa, and both cultures associate them with the Sun.

[johnjankovic1]

The Monroe Doctrine's Panama Canal

Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far. Theodore Roosevelt, 1901

America succeeded where France failed in excavating the Panama Canal as the latter stumbled upon financial ruin with $287m in funds haemorrhaged and 22,000 lost souls (Ameringer 1970). The initial follies of this white elephant with its pecuniary overruns and human tragedy was symptomatic of hubris when architect Ferdinand de Lesseps had recently been canonized for his iconic Suez Canal in the twilight of the 19th century. Unbeknownst to the Frenchman however was how the jungle proved far less forgiving if not outright sadistic between the scourge of tropical disease and logistics. The learning curve for the Panama Canal differed from the Suez Canal in that the first was much steeper relative to the benign desert whose excavation took place at sea-level. Furthermore a jungle’s habitat incubates malarial and yellow fever vectors as in mosquitoes which only exacerbated woes like landslides most prominent in wet seasons. Equipment quickly succumbed to the cancer of rust from humidity or the bog of mud (Hook 2010). Workers fared no better as three out of every four engineers embroiled in the snafu perished to disease within a few short months upon arrival. By conservative estimates five hundred lives were sacrificed for every mile of the canal built (Parker 2009). From the outset this monument to empire was accursed.

When France debuted its star-crossed project in 1881 until its premature end in 1889 the method of construction encountered a litany of problems. The single biggest fault in a constellation of them hinged on the preference to dig a sea-level canal versus one governed by locks. Blinded by accolades from the Suez Canal engineers sought to recycle past know-how and extrapolate it wholesale onto Panama’s geological map. In the absurdity of such logic it never occurred to the Pollyannas that a mind-numbing amount of earth would need to be excavated. Moreover if the tolerances of slopes were not minded then landslides could become a thing of habit. The latter did manifest. Not only was a sea-level anatomy a great fiscal burden its design also begot a minefield of complications from the inherent instability of soil. Although locks were added later to the architecture’s plan in 1887 a gratuitous waste of money had already aroused skepticism for the project hence hubris doomed it from the start. Lessons from triumphs of old across the sand dunes of Egypt bore no resemblance to Panama’s topography (Bonilla 2016). Upon taking the helm in 1903 American engineers adumbrated in a meticulous study that a sea-level canal was so outlandish its costs would have exceeded one with locks by $100m in tandem with a ten-year delay (McCullough 1977).

The Icarus syndrome afflicting the French had much to do with a lack of deference for geometry which in turn blighted their gambit of vicariously attempting godhood in bridging two oceans via the Isthmus. Because a sea-level canal was prized the subsequent cut had to reach an incredible depth as it would need to taper off with a shallow gradient to eschew landslides. The nemesis of rainfall endemic to the region however made it abundantly clear that the angles chosen would destine any work to be in vain since excavations were refilled just as quickly as they were dug. A run-of-the-mill project deteriorated into a Sisyphean task when floods wrought havoc on worksites by turning them into a sodden mess. This misadventure brought forth by miscalculation from the parochialism of insisting on a sea-level canal led to an ever faster depletion of resources as cash reserves in Paris dwindled. Ferdinand de Lesseps simply could not be moved from his brash notion of terraforming the Isthmus in spite of how the attrition of wasted time claimed more lives by the day when disease terrorized the workforce. In all fairness upon Americans resurrecting the project they too were intoxicated by a sea-level canal in the incipient stages but averted disaster by the narrowest of margins when the Senate voted 36 to 31 for locks (McCullough 1977).

Blessed with the luxury of hindsight the cautionary tale of France’s ignominy ensured the project would not be abdicated anew. The next chapter of the saga began when Columbia reneged on the Hay-Herrán Treaty promising Washington a lease over the Panama Canal Zone. When the latter did not take kindly to this effrontery the stick substituted for the carrot as America militarized Panama on its quest for independence. In the spirit of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine which sought to make a protectorate out of the Western Hemisphere the ribbon of land soon fell under the prerogative of President Theodore Roosevelt after the yoke of Columbian rule was cast off. Upon ratification of the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty in November of 1903 ownership of the real estate stretching fifty miles across the isthmus was formally transferred at the cost of $10m and $250k in annuities henceforth (Connie 2012). Panama ceded the Canal Zone in perpetuity as recompense for the gun-boat diplomacy that was brought to bear when the USS Nashville shored up deterrence against Columbia’s tit-for-tat through its proximity to the coastline. With such realpolitik put to rest this patch of land which proxied for a de facto outpost of American imperialism saw work begin in earnest. President Roosevelt thus inherited the defunct Panama Canal.

Unlike the brinkmanship of the French the esprit de corps for the Canal under American stewardship evoked much more intensity for it was an existential matter. Whereas private capital financed the Compagnie Universelle du Canal Interocéanique it was the Treasury which shepherded the project in its entirety as it incurred $375m (1910 USD) in costs. Such statism was a function of the Progressive Era when pundits and technocrats subscribed to a larger role for government. Hence President Roosevelt would couch the infrastructure in the firmament of industrial policy for two red-letter reasons: (1) proffering a gateway of a 11,700-mile shortcut for commerce between New York and San Francisco (Lesseps 1886); (2) remedying the impasse of the isthmus that divided the Atlantic and Pacific theatres to the detriment of deployment. The Canal was equally esteemed for diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region when Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines were seized as spoils of conquest following the 1898 Spanish-American War. A strategic artery spanning the isthmus that transcended its utilitarian function could therefore consolidate territorial possessions for overseas imperialism. Seen through American exceptionalism the Canal became a physical expression of empire.

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil is the 20th country certified by the WHO for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis

Brazil was the 20th country certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem and the Institute of Drug Technology (Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz) played a key role in this achievement, as the only supplier of the drug used in the treatment registered in Brazil. Diethylcarbamazine 50mg was developed by the Institute and first registered in 1996, and it has been distributed throughout the country for more than 20 years, contributing to the national plan to tackle the disease, created in 1997.

"The elimination of a disease is a major achievement that requires unwavering commitment," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "I congratulate Brazil for its efforts to rid its people of the scourge of this painful, deforming, disabling and stigmatizing disease. This is another example of the incredible progress we have made against neglected tropical diseases. And it gives hope that eliminating this disease is possible for many other nations that are still facing lymphatic filariasis."

Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade Lima reinforces the government's strategies, carried out over the last few years, and the next steps. "In recent decades, Brazil has adopted a series of coordinated measures to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, such as mass distribution of antiparasitic drugs, vector control and strict surveillance, especially in the most affected areas. It is an achievement of generations of sanitarians and other health professionals. Thanks to these efforts, the country managed to cease transmission of the disease in 2017. In the post-elimination phase, vigilance will be maintained to prevent the disease from reemerging," she says.

Continue reading.