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#still a precious endangered species of an animal
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literally who the fuck is this gay
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*guy, shit sorry my finger slipped….
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Hiiiii !!!
How are you? ^^
I just saw your post from a few months ago ( this one https://at.tumblr.com/a-small-tired-lonely-potato/hi-ive-seen-some-of-your-posts-about-mairuma-and/6c7a5uv63rvk) and since you said that we could ask you about your opinions of different characters I wanted to ask, what do you think of Balam ?
I only watch the anime so I'm not up to date with the manga but I really like him, he's adorable and seems like a really good teacher too !!!!
Balam Shichiro is my favorite Bird Teacher.
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He is one of my favorite characters in the entire show! And I would adore sharing my thoughts on him.
(note, sorry to all for my absence, Christmas time was chaotic and my batteries were hella drained, even doing things I liked doing took waaay to much outta me, hopefully when I finish moving in my mojo will come back)
When Balam first showed up, like when we first meet him in class, I thought he'd only be a teacher with a couple odd quirks that the gremlin side of the fandom would froth at the mouth for.
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I wasn't entirely wrong about that, but I was wrong about him being only that.
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"I showed everyone your wings, not out of malice but it still probably sucked showing people something you might be embarrassed about, and I'm sorry, so you can see something I'm embarrassed about so we can call it even." I thought that was a very sweet gesture to give someone, because Iruma was worried about showing his back, not in the way Balam was thinking but still.
It was just such pure kindness, then we got Iruma's sudden confession after being shocked by that kindness and Balam's reaction just sealed my love for him immediately.
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At first his excitement gets the best of him, I mean if I spent my whole life hearing that the study I was invested in wasn't even real and that I was crazy for spending so much time on it, only to have living, breathing, Talking Proof! I might get overexcited and almost pass out too.
And then he immediately turns on his teacher switch, realizing that Iruma was in incredible danger and had no way to defend himself if the truth came out to someone who shouldn't know and he should be keeping his humaness a SECRET and that Dumb Naive Boy just up and decided to out himself!!! For What??!? TEA!? KINDNESS!?!
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And ends up chastising the boy for hours
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And you know what? I'd do that too, That confession scene gave me a heart attack Iruma, what in Delkira's name were you thinking?! Thank God you stumbled upon the ONE demon who wouldn't immediately eat your dumbass.
And after that my love does nothing but grow every time we meet, he has such pure honest dad energy
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I adore his vibes.
The first thing he does is make sure no one else knows so he can guarantee Iruma's safety, for no other reason then Iruma is his student and is an endangered precious species and he has a responsibility to keep the boy safe and help him grow.
He makes picture books for Iruma when he hears he's having problems with studying so he can make sure he has the knowledge to survive the demon realm, and from there on becomes Iruma's closest ally and confidant, at least in Bablys.
He can't tell any of his friends or his other teachers about him being a human, and while Grandpa Sully is sweet he can't always be there for Iruma, neither can Opera. So Balam becomes his de-facto guardian, and then also becomes someone he can talk to when he's unsure.
And while I loved him in the Walter Park Arc my favorite moment of him comes much later.
There are spoilers ahead so I'm gonna make a block in orange so you can skip if you dont wanna get spoiled for it.
~~~~~~~~DONT READ! HERE BE SPOILERS!~~~~~~~~~~
So after the HeartBreaker exam Balam calls Iruma to his office to give him a full check up (He's probably become his doctor since he's the closest thing the demon realm has to a human expert now that i think about it) and after checking up on him he drops some bitter truth on our boy.
He brings up the attack by one of the teachers, and that even though two other students were attacked with one being injured, the teacher was primarily searching for and targeting Iruma.
He brings up that the teacher more likely then not, has figured out that Iruma was a human, and he gives Iruma two options going forward. Either seek out the Border Patrol to send him back home to the human realm, or stay by Sulivan's side under lock and key for the rest of his lifespan.
Iruma, when faced with two options he doesn't like, does what he usually does, and makes his own option. He decides to devote himself to getting stronger so he can stay with his friends and be safe.
Balam then admits it was a test of Iruma's conviction, and to make sure he understood the danger he was in.
And it just melted my heart, because he truly cared about Iruma at that moment, and wanted him to be safe, but also wanted him to follow the path he wants.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~END OF SPOILERS!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other then that, his relationship with Kalego as being each other Best Tolerants (I fully believe Kalego would die before he admits to caring) gives me life, and I love how different their relationships with Opera are!
The one problem I have with Balam isn't even with Balam himself, It's with Sullivan, Because Balam's Bloodline Magic is BUZZER, A lie Detector Magic. Didn't think maybe Iruma might've wanted a warning about the One Demon who could for SURE out him?!? No heads up on that??? Thanks For Nothing you useless Grandpa.
Balam's protective nature and kind demeanor coupled with his immense power and frighting appearance reminds me of my Father, Whom every single person we meet is terrified of because he's 6 feet of pure muscle and his resting face looks like death, but he's really just a big teddy bear! Anything that reminds me of Dad is great to see in manga because usually dads in anime and manga suck so Balam gets all the love points!!
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Very Dad Behavior, well done.
I love his closeness with Sabnock and Azz-Azz when he becomes their personal tutor in the Forest arc, he really shows how much he cares about his students. He just wants the best for them.
And yeah! I just adore our Bird Teacher, he's the best and can do no wrong. We stan a King.
Thank you for the ask! I love blabbing about WTDSIK and am hoping to get back in the saddle on answers! Love that people are enjoying my incessant long ramblings!
Peace out Babes!
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rabbitcruiser · 8 months
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National Wildlife Day 
Visit a zoo or wildlife reserve, donate your time and money, spread awareness, and help save the numerous species of wildlife currently threatened or endangered.
Every year we lose numerous species to the growth and expansion of human holdings, but through the effort of zoos, sanctuaries, and preservation organizations that rate is being slowed. These groups do amazing work, educating and bringing awareness to people everywhere, all while preserving these precious treasures from Mother Nature. National Wildlife Day reminds us that there are creatures out there that cannot speak for themselves, so we have to stand up and be a voice for them. The animals will thank you for it, as will the generations to come who will still be able to enjoy them!
History of National Wildlife Day
In September of 2006, the world suffered a terrible loss. Steve Irwin, known colloquially as “The Crocodile Hunter”, died in an encounter with a sting ray that went horribly awry.
These normally docile and peaceful creatures pack a powerful punch in their tail, and instead of swimming away as Steve expected, it instead attacked him with its stinger. After hundreds of strikes, Steve believed he had sustained only a punctured lung, but the stinger had actually managed to pierce his heart causing him to bleed out. So passed an amazing man from the world.
What does this have to do with National Wildlife Day? Steve Irwin was an expert on animals, and spent much of his career working to bring attention to endangered species and aid conservation.
In his honor National Wildlife Day reminds us that the animals of the world are a precious resource, and of the many zoos, sanctuaries, conservatories, and organizations that work together every year to help preserve them for future generations.
If we don’t start taking care of them now, we’re going to lose them. Once an animal has gone extinct, they’re lost forever to future generations, it’s our responsibility not to let that happen.
How to celebrate National Wildlife Day
Thankfully there are plenty of options to help support endangered animals, and National Wildlife Day is a great opportunity to get out and do it! Almost every community has animal sanctuaries and zoos nearby, so take a trip with you, your family, and friends out to enjoy their exhibits.
While you’re there see what you can do to donate time and/or money, or even just spread the word about drives they’re doing. You can even contact them ahead of time and work to help them organize an event, you can even go to the local library to hand out flyers to spread awareness!
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fast-fashion77 · 2 months
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Our precious forests
(09/05)
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The production of animal-based textiles is derived from the breeding of farm animals. To make space for these animals things like deforestation and grassland conversion happen.
Trees from endangered species of forest shouldn't have to be cut down just so you can wear the latest Adidas tracksuit.
Yes, the trees can be replanted, but intimately a forest, an ecosystem takes hundreds of years to grow into its beautiful climax state.
An example of an industry that does this is the wool industry. Sheep displace the wildlife, eat the plants and cause problems with fecal waste polluting waterways.
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More than 150 million trees are cut down yearly to produce man-made cellulose fibers.
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We need our forests, we need to have some part of our nature so that future generations can still lay their eyes on it, and so animals can continue to live there without trouble.
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breithenua · 9 months
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I want to make clear that I still love the overwhelming majority of Boruto episodes, but the episodes having to deal with that lady running an agency that captures and sells rare animals to the highest bidder are dogshit in a can. Primarily because the villain is so cartoonishly cunty so as to be unbelievable. Tries to intimidate a local man into divulging the location of an endangered species of hawk he knows about, going so far as to cause rock slides near his house? Check. Betrays, kills, and turns into a scarf the rare animal that shared it's warmth with her when she was a child? Check. Doesn't let her son learn to read or go to school because he "doesn't need those skills for when he takes over her business" (which I also find unbelievable for someone you want to be a BUSINESSMAN)? Check. Takes away her son's precious pet hawk because she thinks his daytime training of it to hunt with Boruto is a waste of his talent? Check. Decides she's going to sell his hawk to someone that wants to kill it and stuff it AND TELLS HIM SO? Check. WE GET IT, SHE SUCKS. I'm not even done with this mini-arc yet because I keep getting caught off-guard by how over the top disgusting this lady is. I'm almost reluctant to post this in case the anti-Boruto people take it to mean the rest of the show is this bad, when in reality the rest of it is AMAZING, it's just this one mini-arc is absolute dogshit. Also because that means I have to go back to watching the rest of said mini-arc.
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xiaotangyuanm · 10 months
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Giant panda – an example of successful rare species conservation
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Giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) are one of the most popular protected animals in the world. They are also the national treasure of China. They are widely loved for their unique appearance, cute look and gentle nature. Over the past few decades, the giant panda has faced serious threats to its survival and has become one of the species on the brink of extinction. However, through the efforts of global conservation organisations, government departments and scientists, the giant panda's fortunes have been reversed. This article explores the story of the giant pandas and shows how they have been successfully rescued.
The endangered species
Around 1980, scientists declared the giant panda to be on the brink of extinction. Yet it is curious to know why the giant panda, which has no natural predators, has plummeted in population and is about to become extinct.(Zhu et al., 2013)
The earliest speculations that were raised were due to the monoculture nature of the giant panda's diet. Bamboo is the main food of the giant panda, but due to its long growth cycle, bamboo forests are slow to recover. Excessive bamboo harvesting, planting of non-native bamboo species and climate change have all contributed to the scarcity of food resources for pandas, putting them at risk of starvation and malnutrition. Also, as bamboo is mostly grown in China's high altitude mountains. And the deforestation, agricultural expansion, road construction and other human activities made for development in China at the time have severely damaged the natural habitat of the giant panda. These activities have led to the destruction and fragmentation of the giant panda's habitat, affecting their living space and food supply.
Others have suggested that giant pandas are endangered because of their low reproduction rate.(Wei et al., 2015) Female pandas only come into heat for a short period of time each year, and the number of male pandas is relatively low. This makes the breeding process difficult and results in slow population growth in the wild. In addition, the mating behaviour and reproductive success of giant pandas has been affected by habitat destruction and disturbance from human activities.
People blame the demise of giant pandas on their inability to adapt to the environment. Yet the truth is that giant pandas have a high reproductive rate in the wild.(Wei et al., 2015) At this point, it became clear that it was mainly human interference and direct persecution with certain objectives that caused the population of giant pandas to plummet. Environmental pollution, water pollution and climate change have also had an impact on the survival of the giant panda. The accumulation of toxic substances, contamination of water sources and extreme weather events caused by climate change may all have a negative impact on the health and survival of giant pandas. In addition, due to their rare and precious status, giant pandas have been the target of illegal hunting and illegal trade. Despite increased efforts by the Chinese government to combat wildlife trade, there are still some illegal practices that pose a potential threat to the survival of giant pandas.
Conservation measures 
In response to these threats, the Chinese government, conservation organisations and the scientific community have taken a number of proactive measures.
The first is the protection and re-siting of habitats. A series of nature reserves and wildlife protection bases have been established in China to provide safe habitats and protected areas for giant pandas. An example is a Giant Panda National Park in Sichuan, the home of the giant pandas, with a total area of 27,134 square kilometres.(Kang & Li, 2019) Strict management and monitoring has been implemented in these areas to ensure that the living environment of the giant pandas is protected and restored. The management of bamboo forest restoration and protection has also been strengthened. This includes limiting bamboo harvesting, promoting sustainable management and planting native bamboo species to increase the food supply for giant pandas.(Wei et al., 2015)
China is also actively working closely with international conservation organisations and the scientific community on giant panda conservation projects and scientific research. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda was established to study the species and habits of giant pandas, and to try artificial propagation of pandas. The research base is also open to visitors, allowing them to learn about conservation while experiencing the loveliness of giant pandas.
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Figure 1. Twin giant panda cubs born at China research centre (1,600 × 700)
Finally, the Chinese government has also established a legal framework to prohibit illegal hunting and trade activities. Poachers are not allowed to threaten the safety of wild pandas. Along with rapid economic development, China has also begun to focus on environmental and ecological protection. Recently, China's constitution added ecological civilisation, which will enable man and nature to develop and progress together in harmony.(Kang & Li, 2019)
The future of the giant panda
The future of pandas still faces some challenges, but has a positive outlook. In the future, scientists will attempt to reintroduce pandas back into the wild. Reintroduction is an important way to protect endangered species and prevent their disappearance.(Yang et al., 2018) 
At the same time, experts have declared a continued focus on environmental issues. The current threat status of IUCN Red List species does not always mean the same threat in the future under climate change.(Tang et al., 2022) If we let the issue of temperature change go unchecked, the giant panda will once again be threatened with extinction and we humans will be next in line to have survival problems.
Thank you all for reading! If you have any questions or ideas, please feel free to discuss them with me in the comments.
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Figure 2. Photo of panda (Panda-facts-3-1.jpg)
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petnews2day · 1 year
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Trophy hunting: Import ban - EU Reporter
New Post has been published on https://petnews2day.com/pet-industry-news/pet-travel-news/trophy-hunting-import-ban-eu-reporter/
Trophy hunting: Import ban - EU Reporter
While the tourist season is in full swing, animal welfare NGOs around the globe call for a ban on hunting trophy imports. Special attention is given to the U.S. and EU travellers, who are the major clients of modern taxidermists.
In a joint position manifesto 137 conservation and animal protection organisations from all around the world, including 45 NGOs from the African continent, took a stand against trophy hunting and urged lawmakers to ban imports.
“Trophy hunting stands out among the worst forms of wildlife exploitation and is neither ethical nor sustainable. In the face of the man-made global biodiversity crisis, it is unacceptable that exploitation of wildlife simply for acquiring a hunting trophy is still permitted and that trophies can still be legally imported. It is high time that governments end this detrimental practice” Mona Schweizer, Ph.D., from Pro Wildlife said.
The statistics point to a huge ongoing crisis in the field of animal conservation: from 2014 to 2018 almost 125,000 trophies of species protected under CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species – were imported globally, with the U.S. and the EU clients leading in fetishism, ensuring flows of commissions to the taxidermists.
And we look forward to the release of the two Assessment Reports on Sustainable Use of Wildlife and the Value of Nature – both 4 years in development and keenly anticipated https://t.co/Tkb9gewEko
— CITES (@CITES) July 4, 2022
Increasingly questioned as a dignified and ethical way of entertainment, trophy hunting adversely affects the survival of species and undermines conservation efforts. Trophy hunters often target rare and imperilled species or animals with impressive physical traits and remove individuals who are essential for the reproduction and well-being of animal groups. By targeting such precious animals, trophy hunters, directly and indirectly, contribute to their population declines, disrupt the animal social structure, and reduce resilience. The trophy hunting industry drives demand for parts and products of endangered species and incentivises and prioritises their killing through award schemes and other promotions, especially for rare and precious species, constituting an ecological crime.
Needless to add, the killings of protected and endangered species is mainly a privilege of foreign hunters, the residual of the Colonial times, while access to wildlife and land is often restricted for locals. This disenfranchisement of local communities coupled with the social impact effects of trophy hunting can rather fuel human-animal conflict rather than mitigate it. This particular aspect is further aggravated by the failure of trophy hunting to deliver meaningful economic benefits to local communities, contrary to what is claimed by the pro-trophy hunting lobby. In fact, as most hunts are conducted on private land and the hunting sector is plagued with endemic corruption, trophy hunting revenues enrich the hunting operators, private farm owners and local elites, patronising the issuing of various hunting permits.
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“At Born Free, we have long campaigned for an end to trophy hunting on moral and ethical grounds. In this time of crisis for wildlife and biodiversity, it cannot be right for European hunters to be able to pay to kill threatened wild animals, either within the EU or overseas, and ship the trophies home. Trophy hunting causes immense animal suffering while doing little or nothing for wildlife conservation or local communities.
Indeed, in many cases trophy hunters remove key individual animals from fragile populations, damaging their social and genetic integrity. It’s time for the European Union’s policymakers to listen to the overwhelming majority of their citizens, and bring trophy hunting within the EU and the import of trophies to a permanent end while seeking alternative, more effective ways of resourcing wildlife protection and local community development” said Mark Jones, PhD, head of policy at Born Free.
Trophy hunting not only hampers conservation efforts and generates minimal economic benefits, but also raises ethical and animal welfare concerns. Shooting animals for fun simply to obtain a trophy as a status symbol is ethically unjustifiable, disregards their intrinsic value by reducing them to commodities, and puts a price tag on death reflecting the amount foreign hunters are willing to pay for the kill. Moreover, trophy hunters frequently employ and incentivize hunting methods that increase the suffering of the animal, such as the use of bows and arrows, muzzleloaders, handguns or dogs chasing animals for hours to exhaustion.
Joanna Swabe, PhD, senior director of public affairs at Humane Society International/Europe, said: “Economic benefit – which is minimal at best in the trophy hunting industry – is no excuse to allow the inhumane killing of animals for entertainment or to make up for the often irreversible biological and ecological damages it causes to protected species when there are alternative, more lucrative revenue streams available for development and conservation efforts. As the largest importers of hunting trophies in the world, the US and EU have a moral obligation to stop contributing to this harmful industry through hunting trophy imports and to institute policies that support ethical forms of foreign aid, tourism and industry.”
Around the globe the citizens clearly and eloquently oppose trophy hunting and the import of body parts of killed animals thus hunting trophies. Surveys in the European Union, Switzerland and the U.S. confirm that between 75% and 96% of respondents oppose trophy hunting as such and deriving activities. The absolute majority of the Europeans stand for import bans for trophies.
According to the surveys In South Africa, the major African exporter of hunting trophies of protected species, a majority of 64% of respondents disapprove of trophy hunting. “With the unethical practice of trophy hunting harming species conservation and the economy for decades, a policy shift is long overdue. Together, with a united voice of 137 NGOs from all around the world, we call on governments to take responsibility for the protection of species and biodiversity–and to ban the import of hunting trophies.” Reineke Hameleers, CEO of Eurogroup for Animals, concluded.
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hinsonwilliford8 · 2 years
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ostrich birkin 9
Hermès Ostrich Birkin 30 Authentic Hermès Birkin 30 bag in Etrusque brown ostrich leather-based. Lined in brown chevre with an open pocket in opposition to the front and a zipper pocket against the back. Hermes Miel Ostrich 32 cm Haut a Courroies- HAC Birkin Bag Pristine situation Considered the last word luxury merchandise the world over and hand stitched by expert craftsmen, wait lists of... If you want to view the condition report of this lot, please sign up to your account. Prospective purchasers are suggested that a quantity of international locations prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, potential purchasers ought to familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations previous to bidding in the event that they intend to import this lot into one other country. 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bopinion · 2 years
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2022 / 23
Aperçu of the Week:
"I'm just a soul whose intentions are good.
Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood."
(Blues song by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus, interpreted by Nina Simone, The Animals and Santa Esmeralda, among others).
Bad News of the Week:
Wednesday was "International Day of the Sea." 71% of the earth's surface is covered by oceans. An interconnected ecosystem of massive proportions. And yet still largely unexplored. And I'm not talking about mythical creatures like Nessie - after all, it lives in a lake. I'm talking about Posidonia australis, for example, the largest plant in the world. It's a species of seagrass that has grown to an incredible size of about 200 square kilometers in Shark Bay, Australia, in about 4,500 years. And was only recognized as one single organism a few days ago.
This is to illustrate that we have precious little idea about the world's oceans. Which does not stop us from destroying them. Especially perfidious: most of the effects of our environmentally harmful behavior cannot be estimated at all. Take the Gulf Stream, for example. It carries about 30 million cubic meters of water - per second! That is more than one hundred times as much water as flows into the sea via all the rivers in the world together.
The Gulf Stream is largely responsible for the land weather throughout northern Europe. The significance of the Gulf Stream for the oceans themselves cannot even be guessed. Only one thing is certain: its importance is great. Bad luck for the Gulf Stream, the already irreversible loss of Arctic summer ice due to global warming will have a strong impact on it. Bad luck for the Gulf Stream? No: bad luck for us. Because no scientist dares to predict what changes this domino-stone effect will have. And - once again - we simply do nothing.
After all, that's what we traditionally do: nothing. Let's stay in the home of Posidonia australis. Last year, UNESCO planned to place the Great Barrier Reef's more than 340,000-square-kilometer World Heritage Site on the Red List of "endangered" sites. That's because more than two-thirds of the coral has been damaged, and another mass bleaching event is taking place right now. Pressure from the Australian government (yes, those were the coal lobby guys) had prevented this. More was invested in PR than in fixing causes. Because what was done about the coral die-off was: nothing.
Again, it's not about tourism and postcard motifs. But about everything. The oceans are ONE complex ecosystem. This can best be imagined by comparing it to a gearbox: if even one cog loses a few teeth, the entire gearbox no longer functions. But a broken cog is relatively easy to replace. If a part of the world ocean ecosystem is broken, it takes generations to adapt to the new situation. And no plan B, if there is one, can be as good as the original, which nature has worked on for millions of years.
Until that pesky parasite named man came along. And for some inexplicable reason decided to risk the long-term profound well-being of all life forms on the planet for his own short-term superficial well-being. Man "accepts death in a particularly reprehensible and selfish manner." According to the penal code this definition qualifies for murder.
Good News of the Week:
Let's stick to the topic. Fortunately, when it comes to the environment, there is good news every now and then: The end of combustion engines could come sooner than pessimists thought. Because from 2035, new cars in the EU will no longer be allowed to emit CO2 - that was decided by the EU Parliament last week. This is just one part of the "Green New Deal," but one with considerable significance for the continent. Firstly, because the automotive industry is still an extremely important industry - for jobs and for tax revenues. Secondly, because in terms of technical innovation cycles, 2035 is practically the day after tomorrow. So it's no wonder that the lobbyists are starting to scream. But hopefully they will not be heard. Because in the end, there is no way around overcoming technology from the century before last. And it comes as no surprise. So deal with it!
Personal happy moment of the week:
On Saturday, my father and my son set out on a week-long bicycle tour, along the beautiful Moselle River from Trier to Koblenz. In the run-up, there was some uncertainty, as the railroad company did not want to guarantee that the booked train connections would actually take place, due to many construction works, route closures and 9-Euro-Ticket users. And that they can take their bikes with them. But it all worked out and I'm happy that grandpa and grandson were able to start their adventure.
I couldn't care less...
...that Boris Johnson survived his impeachment for "Partygate". On the one hand, it was clear that the reputation of No. 10 Downing Street was already ruined - with a man at the helm who had become delinquent in office for the first time in British history. For another, it was clear that the Tories would have no real personnel alternative to this clown in the event of new elections. So it was apparently just a shot across the bow of the prime minister. And a feeble attempt to maintain some semblance of the rule of law and accountability to the electorate. P.S.: Wrote this before the official result, did the crystal ball work?
As I write this...
...I'm starting to cross my fingers for Emmanuel Macron that his "Ensemble!" coalition wins a solid majority in the second parliament election next Sunday. Not because I would support him or his program unconditionally. But because, with Boris "The Haircut" Johnson already lame, Europe can't use another leading nation that can't deal with external problems because of internal trench warfare. And since the Trotskyist competitor Jean-Luc Mélenchon (who deserves respect indeed for having succeeded in uniting the French left) has so far only attracted attention with positions such as "Less Europe, less Euro, less Schengen, less immigration, less Germany, less work - France first!", I would like to avoid an endless hanging game between the Élysée Palace and the Palais Bourbon. You can just see between the White House and Capitol Hill what that can lead to.
Post Scriptum:
The Donetsk Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced two Britons and a Moroccan to death. Saying they were mercenaries who only came to the Donbas to "kill civilians for money." According to the families, however, both Britons had already moved to Ukraine in 2018, have Ukrainian partners and have served in the Ukrainian military for years. And the Moroccan had studied in Ukraine and joined the army as early as last year. So the grounds for the verdict are just as flimsy as the legitimacy of the court itself. After all, the so-called Donetsk People's Republic is recognized by only one state: Russia. If the verdict is indeed carried out, the United Kingdom in particular will be called upon to explain why it cannot even protect its citizens from the pseudo-rule of law of a puppet government. Once again, a process that was previously thought impossible in the middle of Europe.
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kiribaku-headcanons · 3 years
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kiribaku + fantasy
barbarian dragon lord bakugou and dragon changeling kirishima
bakugou was traveling throughout the country. his people were nomadic by nature. there was once a tradition that a young dragon lord would search throughout the country for their dragon companion. but due to traders the changeling population were deminishing.
there is a large and illegal business of capturing changelings. some are sold to the highest bidder for slavery. some are killed and their magical properties are used for spells and medicine. this has put them on the endangered species list. the kingdom has feigned protection. most people look away when a changeling was captured or killed.
bakugou had just entered a large town just a few ways from the capital. seeking out valuable treasures.
as he was walking the streets a scuffle taking place in an alleyway caught his attention. curiously bakugou stood and watched. when he noticed it was 5 men against one. and then he noticed the black horns coming from the top of the man’s head and the glistening red scales that highlighted his cheeks.
bakugou immediately stepped in drawing his sword before the men even took notice.
bakugou placed himself between the changeling and the traders. defending the injured boy. his movements quick and ruthless. he fought on the style of his ancestors and the traders could not compete. bakugou slain them all.
as gratitude for saving his life kirishima pledged to serve bakugou as his dragon. bakugou said no. he wasn’t on this quest to find a companion.
so naturally kirishima followed him everywhere.
for weeks bakugou tried to get kirishima to leave him alone. sneaking off at night when the boy was sleeping. just for kirishima to track him down hours later. outrun him when kirishima stopped to admire something. just for kirishima to be at his side within seconds.
kirishima rabbled excessively. telling bakugou his entire life story from when he was first born to mere seconds before meeting bakugou. he told bakugou how he was alone. his parents gone. the rest of his clan spread throughout the country to go into hiding. bakugou listened to all of it.
bakugou rarely spoke back. but the few times he did kirishima’s wings and chest puffed and the scales in his cheeks darkened just ever so slightly.
kirishima could detect treasure like it was his sixth sense. coins and lost rings found loosely buried in the earth. precious gems that where naturally found in the land. he gave them all to bakugou with a sharp toothy smile. rare finds at shops and stands.
when bakugou ventured into shops or markets kirishima would whisper to bakugou which treasures were valuable. which ones were fakes. all the crystals and metals in the object.
bakugou would hunt animals and gather food. every night he snuck food kirishima’s way. pounds of slightly cooked meat just raw enough to satisfy kirishima’s dragon side.
he kept a hand on the base of kirishima’s spine when they walked through towns. his other hand ready on his sword in case.
one night kirishima began to feel that itch to take to the sky. since he began traveling with bakugou he had not fully transformed.
bakugou could tell the other was feeling anxious about something. kirishima couldn’t sit still. he was running ahead then circling back and then repeating the motions. the scales around kirishima’s cheeks rippled and the horns seemed to slowly grow.
as soon as they approached a large clearing kirishima ran out to the center of it and transformed. and bakugou has never seen anything more beautiful. kirishima was not a fully fledged dragon yet he was still large in stature. with deep red and black scales. the wings reached the trees on either side. bakugou could feel the heat radiating from the fire deep within kirishima. and all of it was beautiful.
kirishima huffed out smoke and shook out his wings. he kept titling his head back until bakugou caught on. with a wicked smile bakugou climbed onto kirishima’s back. settling on his neck just behind his head. and kirishima took to the sky.
bakugou clung to the tips of the horns that curved over kirishima’s head. he hollered and cheered alongside kirishima’s prideful roars.
bakugou never felt more at home than sitting atop his dragon companion with the wind and clouds.
kirishima flew them for hours until the sun began to rise. kirishima landed at the base of the mountain they had been heading towards based off rumors of infinite gems buried within.
kirishima transformed back to his human form and before he could speak bakugou grabbed him around the waist and kissed him.
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mintenochian · 4 years
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what other people want added to Minecraft: g u n s
what I want added to Minecraft
•Birds
-For multiple biomes, but mainly for the forests.
-Songbirds would add SO MUCH life to the otherwise quiet areas of the game
-Ravens and crows would be awesome and could use some of the parrot mimicking AI
-Cardinals in the snow biomes would bring a GORGEOUS pop of colour into the white atmosphere
-Seriously we need something to populate the sky, parrots do NOT fly like they should
-nests in trees, can find eggs in them
-doesn't really add a use but fun new feather types would be cool
•Owls
-technically still a bird but would go really well in covered rooftop forests and snow biomes
-we're already getting larger avians added in the form of vultures so why not more large birds?
•Mice and / or rats
-absolute precious babies
-sadly would go well with owls :(
-with cave update coming we need adorable rodents scurrying around
-lil bastards could make mouseholes inside of blocks
-will they be tameable? idk.
-adds the necessity for cheese
•Deer
-MOJANG this is a MUST, this is a NEED
-You literally have pigs, chickens, cows, and sheep spawning in forests what the fuck
-Deer with spotty baby fawns??? Yes
-Young bucks with different stages of antler growth? Yes
-Fawns frolicking in flower forests bc they feel safe
-Stripped wood appearing on trees where bucks scrape velvet off their antlers
-Being able to collect sets of antlers when they fall off periodically (would NOT be attainable by killing the deer, you have to wait for them to shed)
•Elk and Moose
-Same vein as deer
-Bigger, much bigger, neutral instead of passive, less shy
-Snowy biomes
-Better additions than fucking llamas tyvm
-Sidenote but savannahs could also really use some endangered deer-like species to help raise awareness for their status
•Squirrels
-Mojang plz
-Adds nuts to Minecraft ;)
-Black, grey, red, and mixed colour squirrels and breeding
-Brings life to forests like songbirds and deer
•Bears
-Mojang bby you literally already have a neutral bear in Minecraft why have you not reskinned it for grizzly/brown/black bears?
-Bear caves
-Hibernating mobs
-Brings more use to the beehives and bees, bears could be attracted to any area that has more than one bee hive with honey
•WOLVES AND DOGS
-They NEED the ocelots and cats update
-More wolf types (red, timber, snow, black, etc)
-Actual wolf packs (the AI would be difficult to program but the doges are worth it)
-Please let the howl at the moon, if foxes get to say ringdingding all night long wolves deserve to be allowed to howl
-More dog breeds (I know that there's no reason for domesticated dog breeds in Minecraft but ACTUALLY THERE IS)
-Hunting dogs like springers that can jump and run faster
-Foxhounds :D
-Most Important Goodest Boy: Herding dogs like collies and sheepdogs
-Herding dogs could be found in plains where cows and sheep spawn and create herds
-LET DOGS LAY DOWN FOR FUCKS SAKE
•Herding
-Instead of having to pen up and enclose your livestock you could form herds of cows and sheep
-Your Goodest Boi herding dog would protect them and move around with them when they graze
-Just soft peaceful minecraft tingz
•Salt licks
-Something SO SMALL but would make SO MUCH HAPPINESS
-Drawing new cows into your herd by putting up a salt lick
-I'm soft
-I guess salt would be a new ore???
•Bird feeders
-idk I think it would be cool
-excess seeds used for SOMETHING
•Raccoons
-The coolness of wolves, the chaos of foxes, the cunning of cats
-thumbs
-be gay do crimes
-can open chests (trigger trap chests to catch them?)
-Fantastic little shits
-Not tameable but will trust players like foxes do
•Snakes
-I know it's a lot to ask and it would be hard to make them look good
-But??? Imagine a tiny lil garter snake in your garden
-unlikely but would be so fantastic
•Rope
-climeable
-please Mojang we need this so badly
-imagine the ships? The bridges? The bell towers and everything?
-super easy to add, just reskin vines and add a string crafting recipie
•Butterflies and Moths
-Bflies could be a unique mob to flower forests and friends with bees
-if moobloom is added they would all be BEST BUDS
-get it "buds" ahahaha
-help with flower polination but just gives a TON of life to flower forests
-We literally have lanterns in minecraft why do we NOT have moths? Such a cool aesthetic addition.
-helps fill both the daytime and nighttime sky
•Hummingbirds
-fourth member of BEST BUDS
-just soft baby
-i love birbs okay
-the only avian who does not work for the bourgeoisie
•Fireflies
-10 million of them please
-they give great hugs
-adds so much atmosphere to the night world
•Cheese
-We have milk
-We have, presumably, goat milk
-Quit being cowards and add butter and cheese
-Butter churn job block for villagers
-V funny bc they have no arms to churn with?? Oh well
•Seashells
-Something decorative and beautiful that could 1) liven up beaches and 2) have snails and crabs inside!
-Mojang plz do not add sand dollars to the game people already don't know how to tell if they're still alive before trying to take them home
•Whales
-WHALES.
-Imagine something as massive as the ender dragon but peaceful. Allows you to stand on them (idk how but make it happen Jeb)
-WHALE SONGS.
-Being so deep and far out into the ocean, and when the moon is high in the sky and you're sitting in your boat, you just hear the beautiful melancholy sounds of the whales in the distance
•Jellyfish
-Idk if y'all know this but the glow squid is a bad idea
-Dream buddy you fucked up, please use your influence to get in contact with Mojang and have them redo the vote. People would have so much regained respect for you if you tried to fix your mistake.
-Also why does a speedrunner get to tell millions of people what mob would bring more life to Minecraft? He's only playing the game for 5 minutes smh
-aNYWAYS
-Jellyfish could literally do everything the glow squid is going to and look better for it AND possibly be neutral instead of peaceful
•Orcas
-Not much to say but it would liven up the frozen water biomes a bit
•Penguins
-You already know why
-Imagine giving a new home to all the Club Penguin players? Legendary.
-Gender doesn't exist in Minecraft but we all know penguins would be hella gay
•Lobsters
-I think they would be cute
-You would NOT BE ABLE TO BOIL THEM ALIVE THANK YOU VERY MUCH
•Mermaids
-Never going to happen since passive mobs are generally real life animals but it would be so cool
•Otters
-they can hold hands
-brings life to the rivers
-super cute
•Frogs and possibly toads
-Swamp gods
-Absolute mad lads
-maybe grow from tadpoles
-wouldn't do much but needed
•Fairy Forests
-NOT Twilight Forests. Not a new dimension.
-Just gentle hidden groves in forests
-ADD FAIRY RING GENERATION TO MINECRAFT.
•Big cats
-Tigers, lions, bobcats, panthers
-Literally anything that could finally add a strong predator possibility to savannahs and jungles
•Zebras and Giraffes
-Shy and skittish
-cannot ride (their skeletal structure is NOT MADE FOR CARRYING HUMANS)
-Super cute tho, brings much needed life to savannahs
•Camels
-The better llama
-Can honestly just be a reskin
-brings much needed life to the desert
-spits and wears carpet and forms caravans like llamas
•Lemurs
-Easier to add to "jungles" than monkeys
-it would be really cool if we could just get a Rainforest biome
-King Julian stans awaken
•Red pandas
-we need them
-cuter than normal pandas and you can @ me
-better idea than sloths or koalas
•More Eldritch Horror Hostile Mobs
-Fun fact time
-The enchanting table language already has Lovecraftian references
-"phnglui mglwnafh cthulhu rlyeh wgahnagl fhtagn" is literally a quote from the enchanting table
-translates to "In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming."
-Bet you didn't know that fun fact
-aNYWAYS add the Kraken to Minecraft instead of the shitty guardians. Thanks.
-imagine how cool it would be to see lights slowly extinguish as something terrifying and dangerous slowly moves in for the kill
-torches get extinguished and can get relit
-if not relit fast enough Something will be waiting
•Ice statues
-We have giant fossils and ship wrecks and cool stuff like that but please imagine finding a GIANT humanoid ice sculpture in an ice spikes biome
-maybe bones inside to show you that... That wasn't carved or naturally generated.
•Skeletons
-Not a mob but a decoration block
-Found in temples, mineshafts, and caves
-implied to be the remains of miners and explorers
-rare
-also implies that every skeleton you kill has some backstory since they look the same
•Constellations
-Not real world star maps but completely unique to Minecraft
-chance for LOTS of fun references
-The stars are your only companions in an apocalyptic world where you are the last of your kind
-Space is gay minecraft is gay thus minecraft space is gay
•Corn
-we have butter in this list
-we have salt in this list
-popcorn. That is all.
And finally
•Leeks
-mostly a joke but would be a cool crop
-100% a reference to Hatsune Miku the creator of Minecraft
DISCLAIMER: I recognize that mobs are added to Minecraft to serve a purpose within the game and that many of these mobs would be better in mods and such, but I also feel like many of these suggestions would really bring so much more life to parts of the game that really need it. Even if they don't serve a huge purpose, they would still be really amazing additions imo.
I would love to see the ideas and suggestions that other people have for what they want added to Minecraft, please TAG ME if you make a post like this, I wanna hear and read it!
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trashcankitty12 · 3 years
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Flora Headcanons:
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Guys, meet the Sugar and Sweet part of the Winx Club.
Or, as you already know her: Flora La Rosa of Linphea.
Under the cut are the headcanons because again, these get long. (Also some I’ve mentioned before, I think, but whatever. And again, these are mostly for my main verse ‘Balance/The New Company of Light’ and for ‘Left’.)
-Flora has a rather large family, one that stems partially from cousins adopted after the Great War of Magic ended. (So many were displaced or orphaned, and her family was just one of many who took in the children left behind.)
-Honestly though, she really just sees her immediate family often, the rest of them coming around only for major Linphean holidays. (Though they all stay in touch through letters, phone calls, and social media. Especially the cousins.)
-Flora tends to be closer to her father as they share a similar sense of humor and have similar hobbies (like leaf surfing and giant ladybug racing). But her magic took after her mother’s and her mother was her first magic teacher.
-(She was a bit late getting her magic and a bit late getting her wings. She was eight when her magic came in and already 13 by the time her wings sprouted. Though she wasn’t surprised, as her mother had been a late ‘winger’ too.)
-Flora’s mother is the Guardian Fairy of Linphea and helps run the Main GreenHouse alongside the Nymph of Linphea and the royal family. Thanks to Alyssa’s job, Flora got to meet and assist all sorts of people from her realm. (Including the witch triplets who went to Cloud Tower; Euphorbia, Ververine, and Gerbera. And Princess Krystal.)
-Rhodos works with a faction of conservationists in Linphea to keep endangered animals (and plants) alive. He mainly works with the magiwolves of Linphea and tries to keep their numbers where they’re supposed to be. And because of his job, he ended up adopting a young magiwolf pup they named Amarok.
- (They weren’t going to keep him… They weren’t. But because he was born a different pigment than his littermates, his mother had abandoned him and… Rhodos couldn’t very well leave him to die. Besides, Amarok is nothing more than an overgrown lapdog. Usually.)
-Miele was born when Flora was about six or seven, give or take a few months. And yes, there was a touch of jealousy when Miele first came home because Flora didn’t understand why her parents weren’t spending as much time with her.
-Her parents were quick to pick up on her anxieties about the new baby and started incorporating Flora into assisting with Miele’s care. (Like reading and playing with her while Alyssa made dinner and helping her toddle around the family’s garden while naming off the plants.)
-Honestly, they grew up close and Flora became like a second mom to Miele. (Which would later turn into a minor annoyance as Miele got older, but that’s fine. They’re working through that.)
-Sibling shenanigans still occurred however, like Miele taking and reading Flora’s diary or Flora planting frogs or bugs into her sister’s room. (Or the Great Baking War that Alyssa refuses to let them live down.)
-Flora’s paternal grandmother, Nana Rose, is close to her family and has been living with them since her husband, Poppop Miden passed away.
-She’s a witch who works at the local clinic, her focus is on potions. (Which she passed on to Flora and has tried to teach her everything she knows about them… And everything she knows on poisons too because sometimes a poison is necessary.)
-And yes, Nana Rose did have hope that at least one of her granddaughters would be a witch, but she’s still proud of them. Wings and all.
-Flora has a hidden angry side. It doesn’t come out much and she does her best not to show it often, but she has a major temper when she does slip and let it out. She will unleash her will into the plant life around her and have it come for whoever pissed her off. Or if she’s really feeling it, she may just go in for a physical attack. The girl can pack a punch. (Granted, this only happens in situations where loved ones are in danger.)
-Flora is the only one from her elementary and middle school friend group that went to a Magix School. Most of her friends went to the Linphean Academy.
-She’s the tallest in her main friend group, standing at 5’7.
-She’s one of the Mom friends in the group, the other being Tecna. (She’s the more empathetic and emotional mom friend. Tecna’s the ‘well you fucked around and found out the hard way’ mom friend.)
-Flora wasn’t too sure about Chatta being her pixie at first, but is beyond grateful for the pixie helping her come out of her shell more.
-They now attempt to have weekly (though it’s sometimes monthly) tea parties to catch up on everything.
-Flora doesn’t really ‘do’ competitive sports often, but leaf surfing is the best thing ever and it’s one of the few sports she’s better at than Layla. (Though she does have the advantage of being Linphean and getting to leaf surf regularly…)
-Flora is a romantic and enjoys the ‘rom-com’ things; walks on the beach, silly moments around the town, dancing in the rain. But that shouldn’t mean she’s not careful with her heart. She’s empathic (as many Linpheans are) and is good at reading people when meeting them. So unless you’ve got a ‘beautiful’ soul, she’s not going to be interested.
-Flora loves that her friends are from such vastly different places because it means she can learn more about the realms from people who actually live there. (And teach her their languages, though she’s only really fluent in Solarian and conversational in the others.)
-She’s a spiritual person, as many from Linphea are. Flora believes that just like plant life, all life is connected by an invisible root system and that life is precious and should be treated with respect. (However, she also recognizes that there are those who have ‘tainted spirits’ and need to be dealt with so they don’t harm others.)
-Flora’s not exactly shy. She’s just shy around new people. But once she gets to know you and considers you a friend, you’ll find she has no problem speaking her mind. (And sending random things to you over the phone because they made her think of you.)
-There’s a misconception that she, and other Linpheans, are vegetarian. That’s not entirely true. Linpheans do eat meat: fish. They don’t have it often, only for certain occasions, but they do eat it.
-Flora also doesn't mind dirt or getting dirty. (But there is a difference in natural dirt and gunk. Okay? And gunk sucks.)
-Flora doesn't swear often, but she has let a few slip out from time to time. Usually in heated or emotional or upsetting moments.
-Her favorite parts of an Linphean holiday are getting to spend time with her family. She loves it when they all get together and enjoy each other.
-Like most Linpheans, Flora is immune to most poisons. She’ll likely feel a touch of nausea or a minor headache when poisoned, but due to her immune system, she’ll be perfectly fine within a few hours.
-Despite the fact she’s usually the one trying to talk the others out of dangerous situations, doesn’t mean she’s actually afraid of them. Sneaking into another school, fighting through a realm of shadow creatures, going toe-to-toe with magical terrorists; those don’t phase her.
-No, her real fear is something a bit more… Relatable. She’s scared of losing her loved ones. The thought of having her magic and being able to do such incredible things, but not being able to save her family or her friends just absolutely shakes her to core. (Especially in her nightmares when she’s forced to watch them die and she can’t do a thing to save them.)
-(Freshman year really fucked her up when they were fighting the Army of Darkness/Decay. There was a moment she thought she’d lost Musa and Tecna and she nearly broke down. Thankfully, the other two fairies managed to recover with a few of Palladium and Ofelia’s healing salves, but it was touch and go.)
-Flora can’t stand bullies. Granted, not many people like bullies or tolerate them, but Flora just can’t stand for someone to pick on anything that can’t fight back. It’s why she’s managed to enchant a few endangered plant species to being able to speak up and fight back against those who want to pick them apart and why she’s always ready to take on the Trix.
-Flora was the one who helped catch Bloom up on some of the most important aspects of the Magical Dimension (or at least the parts that Stella glossed over or that Tecna overexplained to the point of making it sound alien even to Flora). In return, she learned so much about Earth culture… She was stunned.
-(And fell in love with Earth’s versions of disaster movies. She likes to show other Linpheans and be like “see, if we don’t start really helping the other realms with the ecological problems, this will happen here too.”)
-(Bloom may have also gotten Flora hooked on those ‘hidden camera’ shows... It’s a guilty pleasure.)
-Flora’s got a major sweet tooth. Major. Which is fine because the girl is great at baking. (The other girls are always excited to taste test.)
-Flora’s not quite as delicate as others make her out to be. Yes, her hands are soft despite being in dirt and soil 80% of the time (Linphean lotions are awesome), and yes she’s good a giving that gentle touch to her plants, but she’s physically stronger than she appears. She can lift 50 pound bags of fertilizer with little issue. She’s pretty handy with a shovel (and not just for digging, which her poor cousin Marlow found out when a prank went wrong). And she’s not ‘razer thin’. She has decent muscle mass and is a bit on the broad side. Doesn’t make her any less graceful in the air or on the ground.
-In a fight, she tries to be more defensive than offensive because she doesn’t want to get in Bloom, Layla, or Stella’s way. And she finds her spells work better as traps than as an offensive maneuver. That said, if she feels her friends are in extreme danger, she will not hesitate to call on the Plant Life around them for help. (And she’s known for getting physical too, so watch out for that.)
-Aside from Layla, Flora feels a connection to Roxy. The younger girl’s passion about animals makes her think of her father and she does her best to encourage Roxy to use her passion in her magic.
-Bloom introduced Flora to the game Minecraft. For the first time, Flora understands why Tecna gets so involved in her videogames. (Please send help, she may be addicted. But her farm is looking amazing.)
-Flora doesn’t really worry about fashion, preferring to go by what she feels is comfortable, but she has a hard time saying ‘no’ to Stella when the other fairy has ideas. (Which usually turn out to be beautiful and comfortable and really, Flora just has the best friends.)
-Flora enjoys the nights when all six Winx Club girls can just hang out and be normal for a few hours. Sleepovers, Truth or Dare, movies and junk food. She loves it.
-She got close to Mirta while the other girl was a pumpkin, even finding a way to communicate despite the spell. After the spell was broken and during their sophomore year, Flora was one of the students who helped show Mirta around and made sure she was comfortable. They often talk and catch up. (And yes, Flora did have a hand in helping push Mirta and Lucy together. She regrets nothing.)
-Flora has thought about a tattoo. Many people on her realm get them, though it’s not a requirement nor does it give any extra magical benefits. She just doesn’t know what to get and she wants it be special. (All she knows is where she’d put it, over her burn scar from the Wizards.)
-At her time at Alfea (and in her middle school), Flora was part of the Student Council and Eco Club. She did her best to help make her schools a little more ‘green’ and energy proficient. (Tecna was a big help in coming up with a design for more efficient electrical equipment.)
-Out of all the girls, Flora has the hardest time connecting to Musa with convergence. Their personalities and magical abilities tend to clash from time to time, so they need to really strike a feeling of harmony before trying.
-Bloom is the easiest to converge with. They shared a room and often had so many late-night chats that their auras and feelings just naturally come together when needed.
-Out of all the girls, she’s the most likely to continue living on Earth. She finds the realm so fascinating. (It was a magically dead planet that kept on living... Just.... how?)
-Flora’s current goal in life is to start the revival process of other dead realms in the Magical Dimension. She feels that if she and her friends can resurrect Domino, bring ShadowHaunt back to its former glory, and bring magic back to Earth, they should be able to handle bringing others back to life too.
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rabbitcruiser · 1 year
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Monkey Day 
Spend a day at the zoo with these cheeky creatures, throw a monkey-themed fancy dress party or fundraise to protect these precious primates.
Monkeys are interesting creatures – cute, mischievous, and sometimes downright obnoxious (anyone who disagrees has obviously never had their laundry torn down by a family of primates when it’s hanging to dry). Many species of primates are also endangered, and then there are questions of animal rights and the usage of primates in medical research. That’s why there’s Monkey Day, a day that’s been dedicated to raising awareness about non-human primates.
Learn about Monkey Day
Monkey Day has been created to celebrate monkeys, as well as “all things simian,” which includes lemurs, tarsiers, apes, and other non-human primates. It is a great day when it comes to raising awareness about different types of monkeys and primates around the world, as well as the issues they face and how we can help them.
Environmental activists and animal rights activities are especially vocal and passionate about this date. The same goes for art institutions and visual artists. Supporters and celebrates of this date include the Smithsonian Institution, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Louvre Museum, London’s National Portrait Gallery, National Geographic, Greenpeace, and Jane Goodall.
History of Monkey Day
Back in 2000, Casey Sorrow was an art student at Michigan State University, and he ended up writing “Monkey Day” on his friend’s calendar as a prank. But then they actually celebrated the occasion with other art students at MSU, and Sorrow later started collaborating with fellow MSU student on the Fetus-X comic strip, where the holiday was mentioned and popularized. Since then, Monkey Day has been observed internationally as a day to celebrate primates (including monkeys, but also apes, lemurs, and tarsiers).
Sorrow himself still does much to promote the holiday and the cause of primate welfare, and in addition to the Monkey Day website, he also maintains a “Monkeys in the News” blog which discusses primate-related news around the world and comes out with a list of the top ten primate-related news stories from the past year every Monkey Day.
Since Monkey Day was created, it really has gone from strength-to-strength. It is now celebrated in many different corners of the world. This includes Scotland, Turkey, Thailand, Colombia, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Pakistan, India, Germany, and Canada. It has been described by the Washington Post as a day to do the following:
“Learn something about these adorable and highly intelligent primates. Or you could use this day to act like a monkey.”
Monkey Day Timeline
2nd Century AD Claudius Galenus studies monkeys
In the early days of pioneering medicine Galenus (known as Galen) studied monkeys through dissection, noticing their similarities to humans.
1939 Flying monkeys are featured in film Wizard of Oz
In a strange and frightening portion of the plot, monkeys with wings act as minions released by the Wicked Witch of the West to scare off Dorothy and her friends.
1941 Curious George makes debut in books
As monkeys begin appearing in films and books, one of the most endearing monkeys will last in popularity for at least 80 years–Curious George. Although there are only 7 books in the original series by H. A. Ray, the character lives on through an animated television show, videos and even a 2006 feature film.
1959 First monkey in space
A squirrel monkey, Miss Baker, and a rhesus macaque, Able, were the first monkeys who made a successful launch and return to space. They were sent by the United States Air Force on a Jupiter rocket.
2000 Monkey Day begins
As a little joke, Casey Sorrow, a Michigan State University art student, wrote “Monkey Day” on a friend’s calendar just to be silly. Then, in more silliness, they decided to go ahead and celebrate the day with other art students. Later, Casey Sorrow became the co-creator of the weekly Fetus-X comic strip, which was used to promote the day.
How to celebrate Monkey Day
You could simply dress up in a monkey costume and play the part, because there are some people who do just that for Monkey Day and even hold competitions for it. Or you could spend the day at the zoo, because many zoos around the world do hold special celebrations for Monkey Day. Some of these events focus on educational events about monkeys, while others do things like auction off artwork created by chimps and performing intelligence tests on primates.
Even if a local zoo in your area is not hosting an event on this date, we would definitely recommend taking a trip to your nearby zoo and spending some time with the animals. Make sure you do take a look at their calendar beforehand, as zoos all around the world have special activities and talks going on. For example, at Australia’s National Zoo & Aquarium, they hold a number of educational talks and activities that are designed to raise money for endangered species, such as Cotton-top Tamarins in Columbia, as well as increasing awareness.
In Scotland, at the famous Edinburgh Zoo, they raise awareness about the different dangers that primates face by using monkey storytelling. Monkey Day events are also held at The Faruk Yalçın Zoo and Botanical Park in Darıca, Turkey to raise awareness. In India, the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park holds a number of different programs so that children can become educated about issues facing wildlife and so that people are encouraged to adopt monkeys. The list doesn’t end there either. In Pakistan, the Lahore Zoo really goes the extra mile. They hold educational events and art competitions about monkeys, including performances to highlight the threats they face, poetry readings about monkeys, and much more.
Even if you don’t have a monkey at your house, you might consider throwing a monkey day party, inviting all of your friends over (keep in mind that humans are in fact primates too, even without gorilla costumes), and common activities at such celebrations involve films such as King Kong, Planet of the Apes, and Lady Iron Monkey, as well as monkey-themed music (The Monkees, anyone?).
Often, celebrations involve fundraising for primate-related causes and charities, and many organizations around the world dedicated to primates hold Monkey Day events of various sorts. So when Monkey Day comes around, get out there and do it proper, by monkeying around!
Finally, another way that you can celebrate Monkey Day is by watching a film based on this primate! There are so many different types of monkey films. Of course, the Planet of the Apes series of films is the most well-known, but there are many others. Disney’s Monkey Kingdom comes highly recommended. Other famous monkeys on our screens include the Chain-Smoking Capuchin in The Hangover Part II, Clyde in Every Which Way But Loose, Cheeta in Tarzan the Ape Man, George in Curious George, Joe in Mighty Joe Young, and King Louie in The Jungle Book. 
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seymour-butz-stuff · 3 years
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President Joe Biden on day one terminated the so-called “national emergency” his predecessor declared as an excuse to build his border wall, ordering a halt to construction “as soon as possible but in no case later than seven days” while his administration reassessed the legality of the project. Biden last week then informed Congress of the termination, telling leaders that he had “determined that the declaration of a national emergency at our southern border was unwarranted.”
But weeks after Biden ordered that pause to wall construction at the southern border, environmental advocates have discovered what appears to be bulldozers continuing to level through a mountain and critical wildlife habitat in Arizona, “in an apparent violation of President Biden’s proclamation halting border wall construction,” Center for Biological Diversity said. “The footage was reportedly shot on Wednesday, Feb. 10, by members of the Tucson Samaritans, who shared it with the Center.”
“ALERT: Contractors are still hard at work building Trump's #BorderWall,” tweeted Laiken Jordahl, a borderlands campaigner with the center. In the one minute and eighteen second clip he shared on Twitter, at least two bulldozers and an excavator can be seen tearing into the Pajarito Mountains in Arizona. “They're leveling mountains & destroying jaguar habitat in an apparent violation of Biden's order to halt construction,” he said. “@POTUS must investigate & stop this madness for good. Footage shot by Tucson Samaritans.”
Advocates said that it appears that not only are construction crews continuing with building in violation of the president’s order, they are continuing to tear into the habitat at detriment to precious wildlife in the region.
“This section of wall, west of Nogales, is a part of a larger 74-mile stretch being built through remote, mountainous terrain that includes the last remaining corridors jaguars use to move back and forth between the United States and Mexico,” the Center for Biological Diversity said. “Many other animals use these remote areas to migrate across the landscape. A 2017 Center report identified 93 threatened and endangered species along the 2,000-mile border that would be harmed by Trump’s wall.”
https://twitter.com/LaikenJordahl/status/1360634792149139456
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“The president’s Jan. 20 executive order directed that work ‘on each construction project on the southern border wall’ be paused ‘as soon as possible, but in no case later than seven days’ from the date of the order,” the Center for Biological Diversity continued. “It shall be the policy of my administration that no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall,” Biden’s proclamation said. “I am also directing a careful review of all resources appropriated or redirected to construct a southern border wall.”
Yet construction crews continue harming the land, according to what’s seen in the video. “A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson did not confirm or deny the report, but said the agency remains fully committed to implementing President Biden’s immigration and border security-related executive actions,” Arizona Public Media reported. Considering the previous president corruptly pushed for favored companies to get border wall contracts, it would not come as a shock if contractors were knowingly violating Biden’s order out of their loyalties.
One favored contractor, Fisher Sand and Gravel admitted to tax fraud in 2009, 60 Minutes reported in September. “They've racked up thousands of environmental and safety violations in six states, and almost $2 million in fines.” Advocates say that President Biden must not only ensure that all construction ends now, but that the federal government use its authority and cancel the contracts as soon as possible.
“These alarming videos seem to show construction crews destroying every acre of pristine wildlands they can lay their hands on, in what appears to be blatant disregard of Biden’s order halting construction,” said Laiken Jordahl, borderlands campaigner at the Center. “The Biden administration should investigate this immediately and stop any construction that’s still occurring. Pausing work on the wall isn’t enough. The new administration must cancel these contracts for good and work with border communities and tribal nations to repair all that Trump destroyed.”
Considering the amount of no-bid border wall construction contracts that were handed out to Trump donors, odds are pretty high the people in charge are Qdiots, Trumplicans, or worse.
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sepublic · 4 years
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Xian Characters, Features, and Landmarks (Pt. 2)
Karzahni- Karzahni is a delusional, questionably-sane despot in the Voymari District. A crimelord, he has –in addition to traditional thugs- amassed an army of orphans to do his bidding. He sends them out every day and night, scouring the streets of Voymari for small scrapes of riches and anything else of value that they report to him; Orphans who bring back better things get higher status, more food, comfortable rooms, and so forth.
           Of course, many other crimelords mock Karzahni for resorting to children, but nevertheless he is terrifying in his own right. Karzahni himself also has a penchant for ‘rebuilding’ people, taking them apart, modifying them, and grating mechanical limbs and masks and so forth. Many of his victims include people who have angered him, or just the general unfortunate homeless Xian; Regardless, Karzahni has modified many, turning them into horrific, shambling abominations with unusual proportions, too frail to be alive while also partially-mechanical.
           The sick tyrant enjoys this- He likes to build and craft, even if his materials are the bodies of people. Alas, he is somewhat frustrated by his inability to truly ‘fix’ someone, because to Karzahni he is doing a service, or at least trying to, by ‘repairing’ Xians he and others deem faulty. He tends to take his frustrations out not only on his twisted creations, but his own underlings and orphans as well. If in a particularly bad mood, he’ll tear apart a creation down to their most base parts, and/or feed them to his Manutri Penguins, which he has conditioned to be only carnivorous.
           The terror does not stop there, either- Karzahni possesses an uncanny ability to inflict powerful illusions on others, showing them ‘alternate timelines’, or so he claims, of things that could’ve happened to them; If something in their past, or another’s, turned out differently. Many times he has used this ability to torment and traumatize others, but Karzahni has also used this power to comfort himself with alternate timelines of victory, grandeur, and success of himself.
Because he dives so frequently into the subject of alternate timelines and what could have been, he is often dissatisfied and bitter over his lot- Not only that, but he occasionally has issues remembering what is or isn’t real, and will have to be reminded that what happened in one vision didn’t happen in real life. Sometimes he’ll randomly start talking to someone else that isn’t there, as if interacting with an alternate timeline; It is disconcerting to watch. Additionally, Karzahni uses his power to create simulations and predictions of events as he attempts to figure out the most optimal decision or strategy for himself. The exact accuracy of these predictions are questionable and seem to be somewhat rooted in the data he is aware of.
Karzahni wears unusual, green-and-violet armor. He has a mask that is a patchwork of various other elements, and he wields chains in combat that can lash around foes and rise to burning temperatures, searing through opponents. He has an unusual amount of strength and durability for Xian- Apparently, he has modified himself in the past as well. Even if one were to break through Karzahni’s powerful, demoralizing illusions, the tyrant himself is still a dangerous enemy to fight.
Whenua and Tehutti- These two roommates have a thankless, low-paying job as minimum-wage librarians and occasional tutors. Despite their poor wages and lack of appreciation for their work, these two have a vested passion for history and are eager to share their knowledge with others. With no prompting or personal gain beyond the satisfaction and triumph of it all, these two have pooled their lifetime’s earnings and savings towards expanding their simultaneous home/book store to include a ‘Xian Museum of History’, for any and all who are interested! No cost is required to enter and enjoy their exhibits, but unfortunately no one seems to be interested either…
Rorze- The warden of The Archives, Rorze is an Archives Vahki with the latest, most advanced AI programming in order to achieve maximum efficiency. Although all other Archives Vahki are specially designed to prevent any level of free will whatsoever, Rorze was ultimately granted the ability of sapient thought in order to enhance his leadership abilities and control over the Archives’ security. He constantly supervises every single step of each procedure, while inspecting all possible inches of his facility. Rorze has dedicated his entire existence to maintaining the Archives and protecting whatever is within- It was all he was made for, after all.
           Throughout the years, Rorze has subjected himself to new patches to ensure that his programming is completely immune to computer viruses, hacking, and other forms of tampering. After each update is installed, past memories and data are transferred to the new ‘brain’. Whether or not each version of Rorze is truly the same person is up for debate, but Rorze himself does not care. As far as he’s concerned, he has no allegiances or loyalty to anyone, and acts as a neutral party whose sole concern is preserving objects and even living creatures within the Archives. Because of his robotic, single-minded dedication towards his task, Rorze will do anything to accomplish his goals, so long as he is permitted; He is still technically beholden to The Powers That Be and those that he serves.
Idris- A grumpy, surly overseer, Idris was placed in charge of a field of Airweed and its workers after the past overseer and his hired guns mysteriously died, obviously killed by The Beast. Hired specifically for her apathy on the subject, Idris doesn’t particularly care that other workers are at risk of being devoured by The Beast each day they work; Xia’s harsh climate for workers has taught her to be similarly callous. Still, when three masked strangers appear, offering to help find and kill The Beast –and for free no less!- she can’t help but take the offer. Even if their help is on the condition that Idris herself attend the mission…
Fero- Amongst the Bone Hunter clans, one is led by the persistent, vindictive Fero. Fero is the leader of his clan for obvious reasons- He is a skilled, cold fighter who knows when to cut his losses, when to retreat, and when to strike suddenly from the cover of the sands, or the darkness of night. Like any successful Bone Hunter, Fero is a patient individual, and he has led countless raids on villages, caravans, and so forth. His clan has amassed a wide variety of goods and weaponry to sell, alongside prisoners to keep or sell off as slaves.
           Fero knows that he is human, just like anyone else, but he manages to get around this by being an incredibly stealthy and skilled hunter. He is an intelligent strategist, knowing exactly how to track footprints in the sand, find resources, or take advantage of the environment to swiftly ambush enemies. He has led various guerilla attacks on past opponents and emerged in victory in the process, and is experienced in the realm of survival in any circumstance. Fero himself wields a hand-held rail gun, and rides atop his personal Rock Steed Skirmix, with rider and steed having known each other their entire lives. Skirmix is fiercely loyal to Fero, and would die for him- And should he die, Skirmix intends to go down alongside him. Skirmix is intelligent and understands Fero’s harsh orders well.
Berix- Travelling across the arid sands of the Baran Desert are Water Merchants, who will sell precious stores of water or replenish them to thirsty travelers. Among them is Berix, a heavily-cloaked, hooded figure who keeps himself cool with mechanisms and air-conditioning units underneath his pack. Despite Berix’s rough, coarse demeanor and voice, he is still trustworthy; He is a man of his word and will not try to scam or take advantage of his customers.
Berix is also a scavenger and collector, and with his supply of water is able to make extended trips out into the desert, hoping to dig up neat artifacts to keep. One can barter for water by trading him a unique item of some sort. Berix owns quite the collection of knick-knacks, some gathered from corpses, or found in the sand, or sold to him; Others bought directly from the market. There is some suspicion towards him having killed or robbed for his collection, but he maintains that he is totally innocent.
Berix wields a sword for self-defense, one that has an edge etched with carvings in the shape of sharp waves. It is a keepsake from the past, one of the first things he found in the desert, and an item he treasures and cherishes. In addition, he also has a shield that doubles as a wide, double-edged sword.
Perditus- Perditus is a frequent champion of Zakaz’s brutal races, riding his own Thornatus V9 into victory. Amongst its modifications are an Exsidian front, an improved engine, a rail-gun, and a few Force Blasters. Outside of his races, Perditus will frequently ride across Zakaz’s deserts, and will offer rides; For a price, of course. The longer the trip, the higher the pay. For someone of his title, he is of course a skilled and quick-thinking driver, able to outmaneuver bandits and Bone Hunters on the fly.
           Perditus himself is a mysterious figure, often wearing a racing helmet that obscures his face. There is even a bit of a rumor going about that he is a serial killer, but nobody can know for sure. Outside of his Thornatus, Perditus keeps a rapier on himself for personal defense.
Sahmad- Riding across Zakaz atop his chariot, pulled by a Spikit steed is Sahmad; A ruthless, nihilistic bandit, smuggler, and poacher. Armed with a powerful whip, as well as a rail gun merged with a blade, Sahmad has made a living not only robbing helpless travelers, but also hunting and selling even endangered species- Attached to the back of his chariot is a wheeled cage that he keeps animals in. Poached animals are kept in line with brutal whip-cracks as Sahmad gathers them, before eventually selling them off. On the side, he helps carry cargo of questionable legality across the Baran Desert.
           Supposedly, Sahmad was once a member of the decimated Iron Tribe- Apparently, members of the Iron Tribe one day found themselves unable to dream when asleep. This predicament began to spread amongst others, with those afflicted soon going mad as they could not sleep; Rest had no effect on their addled minds, which became unable to recover and sort through the events of each day. Victims of the ‘Dreaming Plague’ eventually could not fall asleep, and died of exhaustion.
           Naturally, neighbors of the Iron Tribe reacted in fear, and worked to shun the group. It eventually got so bad that the Vahki, normally scarce in Zakaz, were called in to quarantine and contain the entire tribe. Sahmad escaped the quarantine, traumatized after seeing his loved ones die, and became an outcast- Others in Zakaz feared he had the Dreaming Plague and would spread it to them. As a result of his trauma, Sahmad has become an embittered, nihilistic individual who sometimes wonders if his cruel crimes are his attempts to lash out at the world that had forsaken him and his people so?
Telluris- A mad, brilliant inventor, Telluris was also another survivor of the Iron Tribe after the Dreaming Plague wiped it out; Although he and Sahmad didn’t really know each other back then, nor do they interact much in general. Still, a general kinship between the two is still there, as they both share the same trauma and have also been shunned by Xia for their association with the Dreaming Plague. Once, Telluris partnered up with Sahmad, believing that if they colored their armor a dark-blue, people wouldn’t recognize them…
           It didn’t work out, and his armor has remained a rusted-orange since. Yet despite his eccentricities, Telluris is nevertheless a brilliant engineer. On his own, he scavenged parts for and created the Skopio-XV1, a massive four-legged mech with treads built into its limbs. The Skopio has a ‘stinger tail’ equipped with powerful cannons and other weaponry, such as a targeting rail gun and Force Blasters. Telluris himself rides on the back of his Skopio, and has grafted mechanical bits into the back of his head that let himself plug cables leading into his Skopio, enabling a more accurate and precise control over it.
           Perhaps to get back at the world that hurt him –or just because- he rampages frequently around Zakaz, attacking villages, settlements, bandits; Anyone that comes across his path. His Skopio-XV1 is unmatched in firepower, and can even fold up to assume a faster vehicle mode as well. Telluris is paranoid, believing everyone has it out for him, and aims to take over all of Zakaz with his personal weapon. Thankfully, his own madness inhibits his effectiveness- If Telluris were fully sane, he likely would’ve taken over Zakaz by now. One has to wonder if he didn’t totally avoid the Dreaming Plague…
           Between the occasional rampage, Telluris will suddenly calm down and become peaceful in order to visit markets to buy parts and tools from. He has a hidden garage where he performs maintence on Skopio, which he seems to treat as a living creature and beloved pet of his, often talking to it. Damage against Skopio is a personal affront to Telluris, who believes that people are hurting his precious creature, and he will retaliate tenfold for such an action. Between his sudden mood swings and genuine brilliance, Telluris is a dangerous, volatile character that is hard to predict.
Tuma- Once a slave, this towering titan of a Xian has risen to fame and glory as an esteemed Glatorian. Operating in the Baran desert, Tuma is intimately aware of his place and status in society, and knows that the villages of Zakaz see gladiators like him as nothing more than a tool to use; And he is familiar with indignity and dehumanization of slavery as well. Initially a slave-fighter, Tuma earned his freedom after winning countless battles with his unusually potent strength and huge frame.
           Now an independent master of himself, Tuma has become dissatisfied with his lot in society, and still feels like a puppet. To remedy this, he has begun to make recent alliances, hoping to establish a ‘Glatorian Monopoly’ of sorts; Him and other like-minded Glatorian have begun to make deals with one another, purposely losing fights, or choosing jobs, according to the needs of one another. Members of this ‘ring’ of individuals will make alliances, giving out recommendations to one another, and helping to recruit new fighters and training them.
           With his lieutenants Stronius and Branar, Tuma hopes to control the gladiator system that many villages in the Baran desert rely on. Ideally, his network of gladiators will collaborate and coordinate with one another, scheming to lose or win matches with each other, reject offers and services unless at a proper price, strike for better conditions, etc. With Tuma at the top of this Glatorian Monopoly, Tuma hopes to rule the Baran desert by proxy of having control over its gladiator matches, which decide the majority of its political decisions and conflicts. With his wealth as a champion, Tuma has also set up betting offices, and employed his fellow Glatorian, whom he essentially commands, into collecting on debts, as well as accepting matches that he deems beneficial, and in general swaying the events of the arena as he pleases.
           A Glatorian strike and unionization is much-welcomed, and needed. Many gladiators have benefitted from what Tuma has brought about, and the concerns that some villages have on Tuma are not exactly out of the goodness of their hearts, or for the safety of society. Still, Tuma must not let the power and greed get to his head… It seems that gladiators who refuse to join his alliance tend to get bullied into submission, or find themselves out of a job as other members of the network will take job openings and positions from them. Tuma must beware becoming the tyrant that his masters were, and continue providing power to his fellow gladiators instead of oppressing them as well.
           Born with unusual genetics, Tuma towers over most and wears black-and-green armor while wielding a massive sword, shield, and additional blades on his back in combat. Even though he is older than most gladiators, he retains his peak strength, height, and stamina, and stories of this ‘titan’ have spread across Zakaz. Some have interest over the secrets of Tuma’s body…
As a result, groups in the past have attempted to kidnap Tuma for their own gains. Tuma has resisted such efforts naturally, and is used to Exo-Toa Baterra being sent in to spy on him and his actions. Tuma is not open about his Glatorian network, and the Baterra have been sent to keep an eye on him. Unsurprisingly, this kind of surveillance has made Tuma somewhat paranoid, but rightfully so, and he remains sharp-minded as ever to avoid any mistakes.
Metus- A silver-tongued businessman and merchant, Metus has since become a recruiter in the Baran desert. He works to spot out potential fighters and introduce them to the gladiator system, as well as recommend combatants amongst villages, settle disputes, and so forth. Metus has a good eye and nose for potential, able to scout out a potential Glatorian amongst a group, and grant them the funding, investment, and support they need to reach success.
           Metus himself was once a trader in the northern-kingdom of Iconox, only to lose everything within the crossfire of a war he wanted no part in. He does whatever it takes to survive, and will gladly sell out anyone else. He is untrustworthy, and while his recommendations are often good, he has also been caught giving villages poor fighters or else granting dishonest advice. On the side, he makes sure to place his bets well and carefully, and has amassed some wealth as a result.
Metus hopes to get in on Tuma’s planned network of Glatorian and gather a share of the riches, yet is also reporting intel and data to Baterra spies as well. Tuma doesn’t trust him of course, but Metus is insistent on getting a hand on the stocks and treasure; He aims to one day become rich enough to truly leave Zakaz behind, perhaps starting his own business in Stelt…
Surel- An aged veteran from the same conflict that robbed Metus of his livelihood, Surel was left wounded and dying on a blood-stained battlefield. But amidst the White Quartz Mountains, she found salvation in a pack of Iron Wolves that tended to her need, helping protect Surel and bringing her food as she recovered.
           Now, Surel is a leader of this Iron Wolf pack, and leads them on hunts in the White Quartz Mountains, off the fringes of the kingdom of Iconox. She is mostly crippled from age and old wounds, and walks with a limp and walking stick; But armed with a dagger, she can be lethally fast, taking down and gutting an enemy in seconds. She knows how to conserve and utilize her strength well, and with her pack of Iron Wolves by her side, Surel is a lethal opponent and not one to cross. She has no interest in Zakaz’s politics- She has long ago rejected the battlefield she almost died in, and now intends only to live a life of hunts alongside her trusted Iron Wolves.
The Sisters- A cult of powerful telepaths and mind-readers, this all-female (trans-inclusive!) coven of ‘witches’ lives in a desolate forest, somewhere along the borders of Zakaz. They worship a deity named Annona, and their exact intentions and plots are unknown. They prefer to live to themselves, occasionally venturing out in their forest for supplies, and have used their mental abilities in the past to place others beneath their thrall- Such unfortunate victims are not only robbed and used as proxies to gather more materials, but are occasionally even harvested for their body parts.
           The Sisters perform many unusual, arcane rituals. It is unknown to outsiders what they have planned, but evidently they seek to one day find Annona, whom they attribute the cause of their powers to. Attempts to infiltrate the group and learn their secrets have failed; They can sense intent and faultiness, and even Exo-Toa Baterra have been caught by them. Rumor has it that they can even perform magic, and the gladiator Tuma has an unknown connection to them that he’d rather not talk about. Things are apparently uncomfortable between him and The Sisters…
The Kraahl- In the darkness of night, people have spotted them- Darkened, cloaked figures who can be sighted briefly, only to suddenly blip out of existence as if they were never there to begin with. The Kraahl, as they are known, have been known to access areas under heavy fortification, somehow teleporting across massive distances with no one able to catch them. The Kraahl are cryptids in Zakaz, and known to occasionally appear to gather resources for themselves. Attempts to plant cameras and trackers on the things they steal have failed, with signals abruptly ending entirely once the Kraahl disappear. Where are these mysterious people going? Where do they come from? How do they have their power? Attempts to understand and decipher their strange, teleporting abilities have failed.
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rjzimmerman · 4 years
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Excerpt from this story from The Revelator/EcoWatch:
A porcupine's diet is wide, varied, and a little hard to digest. A lifetime of grasses, herbs, bark and other vegetation can leave little bits of indigestible matter behind in a porcupine's digestive tract, where they occasionally congeal into a hard ball called a bezoar.
That sounds uncomfortable, but a porcupine's health probably doesn't suffer due to the presence of this undigested mass in its stomach or intestines — that is, not until humans come along.
For centuries people have valued these rare "stones" or "dates," as they're sometimes called, for their purported healing abilities. Bezoars have been used to "treat" everything from fevers to diabetes and even cancer.
Bezoar use even creeps into popular fiction: the stones are an ingredient for protective spells in the Harry Potter universe.
The medicinal claims are equally fiction: there doesn't appear to be any veracity to bezoar use to treat illnesses. Yet despite the lack of evidence, the trade in bezoars has persisted. Not only that, it appears to be increasing.
Previous research has suggested that bezoars only grow in an incidentally small portion of the porcupine population, so the total number of animals killed to accumulate that quantity for sale could conceivably have been in the tens of thousands.
And since the study didn't look at the e-commerce sites every day, it probably uncovered only a portion of the total trade.
This paper calls for more study about this issue and additional conservation actions to protect porcupines. Currently the various species enjoy some national-level protection but precious little on the international level, because they're still perceived as relatively common. In fact, most old-world porcupine species currently appear on the IUCN Red List as either "least concern" or "data deficient." Only the Philippine porcupine (Hystrix pumila) is listed as "vulnerable to extinction." None are currently protected by the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species.
Should that change? While the authors acknowledge the limitations caused by their study's short time frame and their inability to examine and verify the nature of the bezoars (some of which could have come from other animals or been counterfeits), they still uncovered an alarming level of trade. The authors warn that "current trade levels are likely unsustainable, and we predict that porcupine species may become threatened in the future should current trade levels continue."
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