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gottalottarocks · 12 days

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You guys have probably heard that the EPA just set new Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for the first time in decades for PFAS, which is BIG news in the industry, but not a surprise. I've been in meetings for months hearing about how new PFAS regulations were in the works, and the consensus in the environmental sector is that it's long overdue. But for the rest of you who've never heard of PFAS before I can break down what the big issues are and why they've taken so long to address.

^stolen from pubchem

So PFAS stands for per- and poly- flouroalkyl substances, and it's not one chemical compound, but an entire class of thousands of chemicals that have these chains of Carbon and Flourine atoms. For anybody who doesn't have a chem background fluorine is a nasty atom, it has seven electrons in its valence shell and it will do anything to fill it up to eight, creating incredibly strong bonds.

So you have really strong C-F bonds and these chains of C and F atoms are hydrophobic, which means these compounds are durable and water resistant, which makes them great for all sorts of industrial uses. And we've used them in everything: clothing, fast food wrappers, paints, solar panels, and non-stick pans just to start.

Unfortunately, these wonder chemicals are PBTM- Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic, and Mobile. They don't break down, they build up in the food chain, they have adverse health effects, and even though C-F chains are hydrophobic, additional compounds connected to them can make them soluble in water (so they're in our drinking water). We're starting to realize PFAS can raise cholesterol, inhibit immune response, interfere with your thyroid (part of your hormonal system), cause liver toxicity, is linked to cancer, and more!

At this point you're probably starting to think wtf, how did we allow the continued widespread use of these chemicals? Well, we have phased out quite a few high profile PFAS compounds including PFOA and PFOS, but we still want to regulate and test for them in our drinking water. While PFAS is in many different products, the biggest sources of contamination are industrial runoff, areas where fire fighting foams were tested and used, landfills that leach out PFAS into the surrounding area, and wastewater treatment plants. So don't feel too stressed about eating microwave popcorn or using nail polish.

The reason these regulations took so long to implement was because of how difficult it was to connect such small amounts of PFAS with health hazards. The level of concern for PFAS is extremely low- in the ppt (parts per trillion) range. When I sample for contaminants I'm generally testing in the ppm range and higher, for PFAS we're looking an entire scale lower. We literally did not have the technology before the last few decades to detect PFAS in the ppt range in water, let alone study their effects (you can't just impose massive regulations without any proof to back it up).

States that currently have PFAS limits in drinking water have mostly capped it in the 10-70 ppt range. The new MCLs are 4-10 ppt for the six PFAS compounds the EPA addressed, which are six of the most common and most studied PFAS compounds. Most of the bitching I've seen is about how much this will cost and that the new limits are too low. The conservative take on this is that there isn't enough evidence to support such low MCLs, although most people in the environmental industry feel that more and more research keeps coming out and will keep coming out (remember studying such small amounts of anything is difficult) to support these levels. On the other side of the spectrum, there's the consensus that this is just the beginning and that more and more regulations on PFAS will be needed.

And they're in the works! I saw a proposed rule by the EPA that would ban 12 (already defunct) PFAS substances from pesticides. It wouldn't really affect the current manufacturing of pesticides, but it would be a safeguard from letting them back into the manufacturing process in case of a conservative presidency.

If you're still here I'd like to end on the note that as our science improves, our understanding of how we have impacted the environment and our health will improve. We are constantly going to find out about the adverse effects of new chemicals or things that we may not even produce anymore, and that's a good thing. Over time we are going to make the world a healthier and safer place.

#PFAS #if the boomers were the lead poisoning generation then were the pfas and microplastics generation #chemistry #geology #science #environment #long post

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atomictomb · 4 months

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Fallout Fan Theory: The Cloud

So I have a theory as to what the cloud is in Dead Money. I've been researching others opinions and everyone I've seen as been summed up "created by some experiment" or "chemical weapons". But I don't think that's the case. I think it's something already existent.

Let's start off with the characteristics of the cloud.

Corrosive

Blood red

Seen as a vapor, but also as residue

Toxic to inhale

Symptoms from coming in contact including: trouble breathing, burns, death

Smells like copper/metallic

This sounds to me like bromine. Bromine is a naturally occurring halogen with the atomic number 35 on the periodic table. It is highly corrosive and at room temperature, is a liquid that gives off blood red fumes. Due to the location of the Sierra Madre, we can assume that it is well above room temperature which explains why we may see more cloud as a gas than liquid, and explains why we can find residue to scrape up. Now why would it be there in the first place?

Common uses of bromine include:

Water treatment

HVAC refrigerant

Fire retardants

Preservatives

Well drilling and precious metal mining

Which could explain why it was first discovered in ventilation, as it is one of the most common refrigerants in HVAC. Now you may argue that it was still part of an experiment, but we never find evidence that they made the chemical. At the Z-43 Innovative Toxins Plant in the Old World Blues DLC, they're studying chemicals toxic to humans. Perhaps one of the studies was to see what prolonged exposure to bromine would do.

Another thing mentioned about the cloud, is how it seems to have preserved the area. Bromine is used as a food preservative. BVO or Brominated Vegetable Oil is used to preserve processed foods and beverages, though due to bromines toxic nature, is banned from use in several countries.

I replayed Dead Money and Old World Blues to get this information because I do not trust Fandom wiki. I also spent way too long researching bromine. I'd like to clarify that I am by no means saying I'm necessarily correct. I'd also like to clarify that I am writing this at 4 am. So I'm sorry if this is a jumbled mess. I am sleep deprived. Do with this post what you will.

#fallout #fallout new vegas #fallout nv #fonv #fallout fan theory #fan theory #dead money #sierra madre #old world blues #ramblings #i am sleep deprived

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ros3ybabe · 5 months

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Day 4 - 90 Day Challenge 🎀

I got a lot done yesterday, I'm actually super proud of myself! I didn't do every single goal I had but I did a lot of them and to me that still counts for something!

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

walked to and from campus✅️

did not hit 8k steps❌️

did not stretch before bed❌️

took my morning meds✅️

did not take my night meds❌️

read 3 chapters of Fast like a girl ✅️

made the decision to begin Intermittent fasting again ✅️

🧠 Mental Health

read a chapter of Atomic Habits ✅️

guided Journal in the AM ✅️

guided Journal in the PM ✅️

listened to a podcast from the mindset mentor about productivity ✅️

❤️ Emotional Health

answered the journal prompt "What am I addicted to?" (stimulation and validation were the two things i immediately thought of) ✅️

wrote down a list of relevant affirmations ✅️

read a section of 101 Essays ✅️

did not read a chapter of attached ❌️

📚 Intellectual Health

completed writing assignment for psychology ✅️

complete nutrition chapters quiz ✅️

researched PCOS friendly foods and diet ✅️

Researched fasting and it's benefits (specifically for PCOS) ✅️

did not budget yet ❌️

attempted but did not complete any language lessons ❌️

🥳 Social Health

did not zoom call with boyfriend ❌️

did not text friend ❌️

🥰 Self Love/Care

AM + PM Skincare ✅️

oil + washed hair + used a hair mask ✅️

cleaned around my bedroom ✅️

washed towels + sheets + pillowcases ✅️

washed dirty clothes ✅️

washed comforter ✅️

cleaned my makeup brushes ✅️

Misc.

decided I wanted to try out crochet in winter break

looked into other artsy hobbies

As I said, I got a lot done yesterday. My boyfriend and I ended up getting a little upset with each other over something which brought my mood down a little bit but I still managed to have a good day and him and I were good by the end of the day thankfully. communication goes a long way. Now, for today!

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

morning workout

complete fasting window; 8 hour or less eating window

cook a healthy dinner

read a chapter of Fast Like A Girl

🧠 Mental Health

Read 1 Chapter of Make Your Bed

Meditate sometime during the day

AM + PM Guided Journal

❤️ Emotional Health

answer a journal prompt question

repeat affirmations to myself for 2 minutes

read a chapter of 101 Essays

read a chapter of attached

📚 Intellectual Health

1 Busuu Japanese Lesson

1 Duolingo Spanish Lesson

Complete remaining 2 Homework assignments

🏘 Adulting Tasks

look at insurance stuff some more

find Social Security card

disinfect all tech devices

🥰 Self Love/Care

Skincare at least once today

put away all clean clothes

lay down in silence for 3 minutes

So I replaced social health with adulting tasks as I'm a more introverted person so the only social tasks would be calling my dad or talking to my boyfriend or the occasional chat with the roommates. I also know that "lay down in silence" is odd but I'm trying to train myself to be okay with being bored. sort of like meditation but with an emphasis on the do nothing aspects.

I'm super tired today for no reason, but I know I'll get at least 90% of my goals met.

Til next time lovelies 🩷

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edaworks · 22 days

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Wasteland Survival Guide: The Institute, Fusion Reactors, and M.I.T.'s Actual Basement

It's that time again. Periodically I make unreasonable longposts about Fallout-related topics (it's a good way to keep track of fic research). Today I'm tackling nuclear fusion, the Institute, and the real-world Massachusetts Institute of Technology's basement.

Yeah, Yeah, M.I.T. is the Institute, We've All Seen - Wait, What Do You Mean, "The Vault Laboratory?"

M.I.T. - the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - is a highly exclusive research university with a well-deserved reputation for hosting brilliant minds.

It also got its serial numbers filed off in order to host the in-game Institute. Why? Probably because of all the very real research into robotics, artificial intelligence, and power armor (no really). And because M.I.T. is actually doing now what the Institute tries to do in-game with nuclear fusion.

And, of course, because of the vaults in the basement.

You know what? I'll just start at the top...Read on below.

I'll be focusing on fusion-related research in this post, and comparing in-game Institute work on fusion to what's actually happening over at M.I.T. (We'll get to the Media Laboratory and robotics and AI and the, uhm, power armor stuff in a separate post. Or three.)

all actual M.I.T. researchers/faculty/students and/or nuclear physicists have my sincere apologies, I don't know shit about shit but I'm doing my best

I Didn't Sign Up for a Physics Class, but Okay

Here's the thing about nuclear fusion generators - y'know...the ones powering nearly** the entirety of pre-war in-game America?

Including self-contained, miniaturized reactors (fusion cores, fusion cells, microfusion cells, Corvega engines, assaultron and robobrain power supplies, recharger weapons, G.E.C.K.s, etc.) and full-scale reactors (powering vaults, the Lucky 38, the Prydwen (and Rivet City before Maxson Happened), missile silos, etc.)...?

We don't have them yet.

Of course we have nuclear power generation, what are you talking about?

Yes - but nuclear power plants currently operating use fission reactors! Fusion reactors, though? Well...

For the pre-war in-game universe, even more than for us, that fuel-to-energy ratio would have been absurdly important. Companies rushed to implement fusion for damn near every possible use, but waited until the Resource Wars left them no other choice. "No more (viable) oil reserves? Well, shit. Fusion it is."

Because of this, by October 23, 2077, pre-war Western markets were still somewhat new to adopting miniaturized nuclear fusion reactors.

For instance, Chryslus' first fusion vehicles - intentionally reminiscent of the absolutely wild Ford Nucleon concept car dreamed up in 1957 - came to market in 2070, less than a decade before the nuclear exchange.

As for the other benefits of nuclear fusion...Atom knows the in-game universe could do with less radioactive contamination:

It is no wonder the Institute wants to get the reactor in their basement up, running, and running better than originally designed.

Real-life M.I.T. is no stranger to running fusion reactors - they've been at it since the late '60s - but as it turns out, they are currently also "building a better mousetrap," and if they succeed they will be achieving all the Institute would hope for in clean energy production - without the moral deficit.

If nuclear fusion is so great, why aren't we using this technology yet IRL?

Because - and I cannot stress this enough - we are attempting to levitate bits of the Sun inside a donut to make really hot things boil water* so steam will turn a fan attached to a dynamo to power light bulbs.

*(there are two other ways to generate power using this heat)

Naturally...this comes with some complications.

We know fusion reactors can be the most energy-efficient form of power generation - we just need better reactors. That's where M.I.T. comes in.

The biggest problem right now is efficiency:

TL;DR - as of April 2024, all fusion reactors as a matter of course still consume more power to run than they are able to produce (meaning they do not reach "breakeven"). Many cutting-edge reactors also require tritium (very rare) as well as deuterium (very common) fuel.

We did not even see a fusion reaction that reached "breakeven" for power production until December of 2022. That reaction occurred at the National Ignition Facility in California, and their results just passed peer review in February of this year (2024).

Several in-progress reactors aim to improve on this, including ITER (the combined work of dozens of nations) in France, and SPARC: the new reactor under development by Mass Fusion Commonwealth Fusion Systems and M.I.T.'s Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC).

Another big problem with this technology is that it involves plasma.

Plasma, as a particular song reminds us, is what the Sun is made of and The Sun Is Hot. That means plasma carries some very real 'we're-losing-structural-integrity, the-warp-core-is-breaching' risks, and we must jump through all kinds of hoops to work with it.

Why are we shoving the Sun inside a donut, again?

The most well-funded, well-researched way of smashing atoms together involves plasma and magnetic confinement fusion.

This shit is beyond cool. It may also look very familiar:

In-game, the Institute is trying to get what appears to be a spherical tokamak reactor up and running.

Bethesda's choice of reactor was no coincidence: M.I.T. operated the Alcator C-Mod, a spherical tokamak, while Fallout 4 was under development - but that reactor could not achieve "breakeven" IRL, and per Shaun's in-game dialogue, the fictional Alcator C-Mod couldn't either. (Weird given the miniaturized fusion devices everywhere in-universe, but okay, Shaun.)

However, M.I.T. stopped operating that reactor in 2016, a year after Fallout 4's release. SPARC, their planned replacement reactor actually has the sort of power potential we see in-game - and they aim to bring fusion power to market in this decade.

M.I.T., right now, in real life, is doing exactly what you're asked to help the Institute do in-game: build a fusion reactor that surpasses "breakeven."

What the hell is a tokamak and why does it look like half of a Star Trek warp core?

Your typical tokamak reactor is a great big donut-shaped vacuum chamber (the torus), traditionally surrounded by AT LEAST three sets of electromagnets (sometimes many more). M.I.T.'s design for the new SPARC reactor is a bit different, but let's start with the basics.

Why so many magnets?

Because plasma, being Literal Sun Matter, cannot come into contact with the torus containment walls or it will instantly burn through. (This happened in France in 1975. Following initial "well, fuck"s and a couple years' repairs, the logical next step was to publish a paper about it.)

The magnetic fields work to heat the plasma and provide current drive (keep electrons moving in a consistent direction through the plasma and around the torus), while also keeping it from touching anything, preventing a "warp core breach." I'll take a stab at explaining it but the Department of Energy probably does it better.

Meet the magnets:

Toroidal field magnets (blue, above): These enormous D-shaped magnets wrap around and through the torus, conducting an electrical current. This creates a magnetic field that keeps plasma from drifting horizontally into the containment walls.

Central solenoid (green, above): Inside the "donut hole" sits a massive, stacked electromagnet that generates enough electromagnetic force to launch two space shuttles at once. This heats the fuel to about one hundred million degrees Celsius so that it reaches plasma state, and helps "drive" the plasma current around the torus. (Radiofrequency or neutral beam injection heating/drive may be used as well for reactor prototypes aiming for power generation, because current drive from just the solenoid isn’t practical for continuous operation.) The central solenoid also creates another magnetic field called the "poloidal field," which "loops" around the plasma like a collar to prevent it from drifting vertically into the walls. The strongest central solenoid in existence was made for the ITER reactor...by General Atomics.

Outer poloidal field magnets (grey, above): A third set of electromagnets "stacks" up the outside of the torus, and helps maintain and adjust the poloidal field.

Together these three sets of magnets force the plasma to "float" inside the torus, shape it, and provide current drive. The stronger the magnetic field, the higher the reactor's power output.

Okay, and then what?

Given sufficient heat and drive/stability, the plasma fuel mixture undergoes fusion.

Neutrons released during fusion have plenty of kinetic energy (the kind of energy a kickball has midair before it hits you in the face), but no electric charge.

Since magnetic fields only affect negatively or positively charged particles, neutrons completely ignore the fields, sailing straight through and slamming into a "blanket" of metal coating the donut's insides. Neutrons passing into the 'blanket" lose their kinetic energy, which is converted to heat and absorbed by the "blanket." (ITER's "blanket" involves a lot of beryllium, which...behaves a bit differently IRL than it does in-game.)

Heat captured by the "blanket" is then used to generate power. For instance, a water cooling system can bleed heat from the "blanket," regulating temperature and creating superheated highly-pressurized steam to run turbine generators.

I notice you described a "typical" tokamak above -what's the atypical option?

Check out SPARC.

Its huge design departure is that it uses new high-temperature superconducing magnets (most existing types have to be cooled to vacuum-of-space temperatures using something like a liquid helium system to achieve superconductivity, which is a huge power drain) to create a monstrous magnetic field - and its size is tiny in comparison to its projected power output.

Neat. So why did you refer to plasma as a problem?

Well...between the heat and the neutrons, the "blanket," the "first wall" and all plasma-facing surfaces inside the torus take one hell of a beating:

"Neutron degradation of wall surfaces-" "Energy is released in the form of the kinetic energy of the reaction products-" In practical terms, that just means countless neutrons are doing THIS:

...but to the containment wall and other surfaces inside the torus, instead of to Batshuayi's face. And so:

Basically, this stuff breaks fast enough - and the only materials that don't break quickly are rare enough - to create a real barrier to commercial use.

And THIS is one of the problems they're working on solving in M.I.T.'s basement.

Now we can talk about the Vault. FINALLY.

M.I.T. is home to the Center for Science and Technology with Accelerators and Radiation (CSTAR). CSTAR's splash page announces:

Linear plasma devices? You mean like -

No, not like plasma rifles. Instead of weapons, we're talking about tools being used to solve the "plasma fucking destroys everything it touches" problem.

How does CSTAR do this? They've got CLASS. ...No, really:

This field is called plasma-surface interaction science, and if you want a really long but very informative read on how CSTAR's work helps move it forward, check this out. It involves the DIONISOS Linear Plasma Device - a "let's shoot it with plasma and see what happens" tool.

CSTAR also works to better undertstand how materials handle radiation damage, and how they behave after becoming irradiated.

And to handle this sort of work, one needs a...

The Vault Laboratory for Nuclear Science "combines high-intensity particle sources, precision particle detection, and a heavily shielded experimental area to create a facility for nuclear research in high-radiation environments." It contains, among other things:

the DT Neutron Generator, which is used in a variety of experiments, including radiation detector development (pretty damned important) and characterization, fast neutron imaging, and material activation (stuff becoming radioactive).

the DANTE Tandem Accelerator, which was "originally designed to produce high neutron yields for use in cancer therapy research."

And that is what's actually going on in M.I.T.'s basement: truth is cooler than fiction.

The takeaways:

Yes, M.I.T. really is building a revolutionary fusion reactor with parts from Mass Fusion Commonwealth Fusion Systems.

Yes, there really is a secure underground facility where incredibly advanced research related to nuclear fusion, radiation detection, irradiated materials, and degradation of materials due to radiation exposure takes place.

Yes, I really would spend eight hours researching nuclear physics instead of doing more dishes. Shoutout to @twosides--samecoin for tolerating my absurd hyperfocus on researching this.

Thanks for coming to my TED talk on what M.I.T. is really doing in its basement.

Tune in next time for M.I.T.'s Media Laboratory, and how it is related to real-world power armor, plus: the relationship between Langley, P.A.M.'s IRL cousin, and Vault 101.

** (Fallout is wildly inconsistent re: how widespread fusion is in-game and when it was developed. I mean we're talking a two-decade spread of inconsistency! And somehow the technology - first available to the military - was then miniaturized and made available to the general public before becoming widespread for commercial power generation? And somehow we both do and don't have impossible cold fusion in game? It's a mess. I reject this reality and replace it with a fish, hence this post. Also, I hate fission batteries. don't talk to me about fission batteries, "fission batteries" are small fission reactors but they are definitely not "battery sized" - the "fission batteries" in-universe are so miniaturized that they are more likely another kind of atomic battery like a radioisotope thermoelectric generator and those are subject to a law of diminishing returns as the fuel decays/not producing a reasonably useful power output after over 200 years due to the isotopes normally used/can be VERY dangerous if the shielding is breached or removed, and - you know what, that's also a whole different post.)

#actual insanity #fallout #fallout 4 #why am I like this #nuclear fusion #physics #institute #fallout institute #the institute #worldbuilding #meta #oneifbyland #wasteland survival guide

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girlfriendsofthegalaxy · 3 months

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tuesday again 2/13/2024

writing cover letters like "Market Research Firm 953989464860, will YOU be my Valentine?"

also, a fallout 4 femslash fic for femslash feb

listening

Fresh Blood by the Eels off their 2009 album Hombre Loco. i would say this is another "i think a vampire probably wrote this low, grooving track" but there are several howls featured. wikipedia says it is about a werewolf. this song sounds like it has a simple bassline and simple drums but it knows what it's about. it's probably secretly really complicated but i specced in knowing about fabric, not about music.

youtube

it makes me want to ice skate really fast and also sounds like watching broken highway lane dividers go by late at night. fascinating that the back half of the four-plus minute song is fully instrumental. definitely a song for when you are traveling, or perhaps proceeding. spotify

Sun down on the sorry day By nightlights the children pray I know you're probably gettin' ready for bed Beautiful woman get out of my head I'm so tired of the same old crud Sweet baby I need fresh blood

i've been mainlining The Black Keys' album Brothers so it makes sense this popped up on my Discover Weekly spotify playlist

reading

in 2015, the year i dropped out of college, the closest comic/weird nerd shit store was a forty minute drive from my house. i bought the first issue of the serialized anthology comics magazine The Island bc i liked the Moebius-esque cover by Brandon Graham, before i knew who either of those artists were or that i liked them. i think it was ten bucks, and having to show my drivers' license really sticks in my brain for some reason. the point i am slowly approaching is that the magazine only ran for fifteen issues, and i didn't buy any other copies bc ten bucks a month was too dear for me, but it was a tremendous incubator for artists i would end up loving. about half the time i stumble across a lovely self-contained book that knocks my socks off i find out it started life in The Island.

All his life, Hank Cho wanted to join the ranks of the Habsec—the rulers of the orbital habitat his people call home. But when he finds a powerful, forbidden weapon from the deep past, a single moment of violence sets his life—and the brutal society of the habitat—into upheaval. Hunted by the cannibalistic Habsec and sheltered by former enemies, Cho finds himself caught within a civil war that threatens to destroy his world. A new barbarian sci-fi adventure by SIMON ROY (PROPHET, JAN'S ATOMIC HEART, Tiger Lung), originally serialized in ISLAND MAGAZINE.

Simon Roy's Habitat asks: do you want to hear a story about a generation ship gone wrong? this is a guy who really knows how to draw mechs and all their fiddly bits and loves doing it, which is a really transferrable skill to lovingly detailing the crumbling brutalist neo-mesoamerican architecture. the Habsec cannibals and their bits and pieces of scavenged armor blend in so well, it's genuinely shocking when we see someone in full, kept up, incredibly colorful armor. gorgeous, gorgeous book. love a fucked up generation ship.

found while perusing the stacks of the library that was closest to a bunch of other admin errands i was running, bc i finally have a tx drivers license and can start collecting tx library cards

watching

im also asking myself why the hell i'm watching yellowstone with my bestie and her husband. it has every trigger warning and a lot of them would make me decline the experience had i looked them up beforehand. however, the inevitablilty of each little tragedy feeding into the circular threshing maw that is the Dutton family is really clicking for me. like well! that mom sure did die in the most traumatizing way possible! and wow that really does go a long way toward explaining why the daughter is self-medicating to an alarming degree AND why no one else is doing anything about it bc they're all still mad at her for being very tangential to her mom's death!

the amount of Stuff that happens per episode is truly astonishing. one of my favorite parts of the ttrpg Beamsaber is the downtime between missions, bc you get to have some really bonkers interactions with people who don't usually interact. despite its huge cast, Yellowstone doesn't yet feel incoherent or like it's jumped the shark in its first season bc it's really successful at getting its huge cast to have unexpected interactions with each other. this sounds a little bit like praising it for knowing how to be good television, but this is a neowestern about a land grab that's also a familial dynasty drama that's really leaning into the familial dynasty part of it. it would be very easy for this to become incoherent or bad at switching between storylines, but so far it's really good at it. it's not beamsaber or black sails bc nothing will ever be beamsaber or black sails but it's really scratching that itch of many small rapidly shifting factions and rapidly shifting political goals bc each child is their own horrible little faction and they have a lot of time where they're trapped in cars or helicopters together getting around their ranch, which is simply too large.

we're trying to watch the yellowstone franchise in release order, and the yellowstone prequel with tim mcgraw came out between the first and second seasons. we will not be continuing this. this is a bog standard wagon train western. cripplingly boring after the brazen insanity of the first season. also i think it is in poor taste at best and irresponsible at worst to show a suicide on screen.

i said i don't know why i'm watching this but i do know why i'm watching yellowstone, and that's bc my bestie keeps seeing tiktoks about it. sometimes im influenced in real life

playing

changed my sheets this week and didn't chortle at the TOP OR BOTTOM tag which is how i know im having. a brain time. another way you can tell im having a brain time are these screenshots of the Breath of the Wild map. as you may or may not remember from last week, last week i had very little of the map filled out.

now is this EXPLORED? good heavens no. i have under 40 shrines DISCOVERED. i have simply beelined to each tower and went VERY fast. or was very sneaky. the three towers i have not bothered to climb yet are the ones i would have to actually fight some guys about. fuck the akkala tower for real.

i love to accidentally get way too close to dragons and die. some fun things about this run: incredibly, exceptionally rainy. except for the stint in the literal desert and the five minutes in the snowfield it has been raining about 70% of the time, which has made climbing very annoying. another fun thing about this run: exceptionally low ancient shaft drop rate, which makes getting ancient arrows to safely kill guardians from afar very difficult. bc as discussed above i have optimized this little blond boy to be very fast and very sneaky to get up the towers very quickly in the two minute spans of time it is not raining.

another fun thing about this run: not very good at successfully spitting out riders next to horses. you can only see the tip of spinch's hat bc he is underground.

i have unlocked the elephant and the falcon, i haven't gotten much farther than finding painkillers for the goron boss and stalled out at the yiga clan stealth mission. bc despite liking being a sneaky fast sniper out in the world, i fucking hate an enforced stealth mission. i don't think i ever got past this part in my other run either.

not jacked enough to unlock the master sword, i think you need twelve hearts? i would rather have more stamina so i can get faster horses + the princess's horse.

after i unlocked a bunch of towers i spent a goofy amount of time in the Lake Floria system herself hunting for treasure chests (there are easily fifty chests in the water. wild) to get the 10k rupees to unlock the last great fairy. i also spent several real-life hours video game mining video game ore. this was deeply annoying bc i sold off all my gems to get 10k rupees and then had nothing to get those sweet sweet high level upgrades with. this was the point on sunday night where i realized i was getting irrationally annoyed with a game that is supposed to be fun, and is NOT meant to support the kind of grinding i was doing. that was enough video game for one day thank you.

did you know there's a korok in the shrine of resurrection? me either.

also did you know magnesis ACTIVATES on the windmills in Hebra but i can't figure out how to get close enough to any of them to do anything about it. annoying.

this has got to be so funny from ganons point of view. i unlocked the elephant and the falcon in under a week of in-game time and then spent several in-game months mining and collecting clothes. would that make ganon more or less anxious d'you think

making

cross stitch update. this confetti in the rover square. i am dying. here’s what it will look like finished, and a link to buy the pattern

i had such high hopes for pin stitches as a thread finishing method but i had to rip out a mistake near a pin stitch and accidentally ripped out the entire pin and single confetti cross stitch. so what the fuck. i am an insane woman who likes to fully submerge and lightly hand wash projects before they get framed to remove all the oils (yes i wash my hands before stitching, i do get paranoid) and i am not confident pin stitches will hold up to that. oh well. the loop method is pretty great in halving the number of ends i have to weave in, even though i feel like it is extremely wasteful and leaves me with lots of short useless lengths my cats would love to eat. so the gains from halving thread management are really not offset by the meticulous cat management i must embark upon every time i do my fun relaxing hobby.

and the back, which is a horror. and will only become more of a horror. but once this is framed no one will actually see it so it's FINE. i am FINE with this. i started this knowing there was going to be lots of confetti. that's the point of this masochistic pattern

i wrote the first chapter of this fic last summer and outlined the emotional beats (but not much else) while procrastinating moving and have finally lightly polished the first chapter and threw it on the archive. im trying to let things molder less and just fucking post them in the hopes this activates the writing part of my brain again but who could say what's going on up there. this is still something that hasn't quite returned to me post-covid round 2

this will eventually be an E-rated 5+1 fic fixing all the fucking bullshit around Cait Fallout4's companion quest. she will NOT go in the magic chair that tortures her into not being a junkie and being the perfect waifu. she is going to stumble backwards and accidentally into some harm reduction and get railed by a mean top. the mean top and the harm reduction won't fix her but they certainly won't hurt.

#being unemployed is great for the amount of Stuff in these posts even though it is very bad for all other aspects of my life #tuesday again #tuesday again no problem

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turtledotjpeg · 1 year

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(chapter 400 spoilers)

i have been fed and i must make stupid internet doodles about it

my wife is so successful and popular (said with distress) and she is doing her best and she just wanted to do healing and said 'noooo' to murders and she cried about kacho and hates being called old and kurapika is the only one she can rely on and i'm gonna cry

more thoughts (not interesting) under the cut because this is an art blog but I am compelled to yell into the void about this chapter

man I was ready to be happy just to see Melody for one panel, but there was So Much in this chapter 🥺 feels like we're getting to see some new facets of her personality (see: Old Maid Melody lmaoo) and it's so fun

it was nice to see her and Kacho getting to interact a bit more openly - for some reason I was expecting nen-Kacho to be more of a separate entity, rather than the "brought back to life" kind of deal where she basically feels and acts like she's the same person? I like it though, I want to see her messing with Melody some more lol

I was wondering if Kurapika's goal might come up re: the fourth prince's invitation, but it seems like the immediate concern with Fugetsu takes priority, which makes sense Zhang Lei also wanting a private audience is interesting, I wonder if that could give her and Kurapika an opportunity to meet up and plan things out before she visits terrorsandwich? Before all that, though, they'd have to deal with Benjamin (assuming it's a first-rank-first-served kind of deal), no idea how that's gonna work out unless they actually pull off the Just Murder Everyone plan

also lmaooo the love confession 😂 one the one hand I feel like all her initial suspicion and mistrust towards glasses guy has to be a setup for him to actually be more honest than she expects, but I still can't help being a bit skeptical of him... both because there has to be something going on with the heartbeat thing, right?

and also, even if it is probably what's most practical for the situation, I'm not toootally sure if I love this "stop being sad and go use your powers to help us do murders" thing lol (granted kacho was very on board with both of those, too, but. idk man, maybe at least try to comfort her a little or something? xD)

that said, he is kind of risking his neck to help them, and i Am extremely in favor of anyone and everyone being in love with melody, so i appreciate him for that haha

okay, totally baseless "theory" #1: he's melody's dead sonata friend possessing the body (& therefore lying about the not believing in ghosts thing) - probably unlikely given Fugetsu is also said to be "possessed" and that looks very different, plus it sounds like that's something Melody should be able to notice? but it'd give him a genuine motive to help her out while lying through his teeth about all the details

or totally baseless theory #2: he's literally just a normal guy with a medical condition

melody: but I just don't get it, HOW can your heartbeat be so calm and steady all the time?!? kaiser: oh, cause of the pacemaker you mean? melody:

(**based on about 2 minutes of research I don't think that's quite how pacemakers work, but it's hxh universe, there could be Something)

(on an unrelated note, I also really liked Tyson in this chapter…sounds like she was basically pressured into a death battle she assumes she won't win, but she's still just out here baking birthday cakes and trying to have a good time :( rootin for her)

...and finally can I just say, even if there was a good reason for it, I think it's hilarious that Melody's reaction to someone liking her is just "hmm... 🤔 kinda sus" alternative responses to "i love you": "with a heart rhythm as precise as an atomic clock?! yeah right!"

#hxh #hunter x hunter #hxh chapter 400 #hxh chapter 400 spoilers #hxh spoilers #melody hxh #senritsu #rereading this and oh god i'm an embarrassing human being lmao #but it's been long enough that there's no point editing the wall of text to try and hide my shame #“i am cringe but i am free” or something #(that's a lie i am cringe and i am constantly judging myself through the eyes of imaginary people who think i'm just the worst)#(but that's a Me Problem™ dw about it lol)

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celestialholz · 1 year

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Today in meta: Mister Milquetoast himself.

Hassel, Brassius, if you could stay in your lovely lawnside Artazon house for TEN DAMN MINUTES whilst I talk about someone else, I'd appreciate that. Love you kings, stay gay, I'll be back for you real soon. <3

Instead, it's the Celestial meta debut of this bitch!

You know him, you love him, it's Larry, and I wish to strip him down to his ATOMS he's so interesting, but I'm going to start simple: birds. The dichotomy of birds.

Let's take a peek at his Elite Four squad - I'm not going to analyse the gym one, because it's half a team, but you'll see that it matters anyway in a minute.

This is his lovely team:

Now, you probably know what I've said before about the penultimate slot in a full team, and especially Hassel's - how it's meant to represent the heart and personality of the trainer. And that rings perfectly true for our favourite salaryman, too, if we take a look at Staraptor's Scarlet dex entry:

That's Larry, solitary and resilient against whatever the world throws at him. And of course, Staraptor is Normal/Flying, both of Larry's specialties. Even the Intimidate ability is relevant, as according to his official bio on the Pokemon website, Larry becomes 'unsettlingly still whenever he is lost in thought, much to the worry of people nearby.'

... But what intrigues me is the ace switch between teams. What was Staraptor's slot in the gym is now replaced with Flamigo - a lovely representation for Staraptor in that penultimate slot, certainly, but the birds themselves are a world apart.

If we take a quick glance at Flamigo here...

... We see that he is the entire opposite of Staraptor - he only flourishes in a group. And we see that in Larry, too - as lone wolf as he is, when does he truly come alive, hit his peak of battling strength? When he's surrounded by others - when the crowd gathers for his gym battle towards its conclusion, when Rika and Poppy watch on and support him in the Elite Four.

And so, pasting all this together, if the penultimate slot in the party is the heart of the trainer, what does that make the ace?

Potential; what the trainer could be... for better, or for worse.

If we take the examples I used before in the meta I linked above, of champions:

Cynthia's ace is the ultimate in trainer nightmare fuel, Garchomp. Without the goodness in her heart, without her academic curiosity for the ancient past being channelled into research... well, we know what happens. It's this fucker.

Cynthia has the potential to be this guy, and I think we're all pretty fucking thankful that she isn't...

Wallace's ace is a Milotic. Said to be the 'most beautiful of all Pokemon', and able to calm violence simply by its presence, Wallace without a League structure would be a Contest master, which is something he also excels at: and he's got the perfect pal to do it with. He values physical beauty, exuberance, and charm, it'd be a simple switch.

Steven's ace is a Metagross. Destined as he is to take over the Devon Corporation when his father eventually retires, without his battle prowess and fascination for fossils, in another life he'd run the technology company with quick intellect and good business sense.

Even in the very League Larry is part of, this checks. Poppy's is Tinkaton - a little girl, vastly too powerful for her size, has the potential to be an utter nightmare of a child without having an outlet for her strength; Hassel's Baxcalibur is him without Brassius - partly the emotional distance of Ice, and part the heritage of Dragons. It's no coincidence that Bax's signature move Glaive Rush bounces double damage back to itself the turn after - a deeply appropriate sentiment for the man who feels too much.

... And so, where does that leave us with Larry?

It leaves us with a man wearing a facade - unsurprising, when he gives you the TM for it. It leaves us with a man whose genius and vibrance is swallowed by corporate life, who actually LOVES the thrill of being cheered on. It leaves us with a man wants to overcome his own weakness, a man who wishes to Fight AND to Fly... it leaves us with a man whose ace has Scrappy, which will allow him to strike Ghosts - something his 'normal' team can't do. It leaves us with a showman, and...

... it leaves us kinda sad, really. This man is the only character in the series who has managed to master two separate types, and it's for the worst of reasons, but... we do see those glimmers of brilliance, and we do see a Terastillised Flamigo - a Pokemon known for silly movements and power, much like his masterful trainer with the very silly throw, who is now pure Flying.

Pay attention, Larry dear. Maybe you too can soar. <3

#larryposting #larry pokemon #mentions of many people including...#cynthia #hassel #brassius #wallace #steven stone #and even a little bit of #ephemeralartshipping #because it is even a celestial meta otherwise #pokemon scarlet and violet #team analysis #flying types! and I'm sad now!

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fox-fic-and-ink · 6 months

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*slaps table excitedly*

Surprise! It's an interest check!

For a long time now, I've been thinking about this fan project and this year is THE year to make it a reality. I'm making a...

Yup, yup, yup! One of the things about Destiny that still grabs me is the beauty and warmth of the in-universe winter celebration, The Dawning. As a lore nerd, some of my favorite Destiny tidbits come from Dawning lore (Eva, your cookie recipes are unhinged and only you can so effortlessly bully Ikora into celebrating holidays. I love you.) I also find myself wanting to write fluffy Dawning fic every year.

So I thought, "Why not combine my loves of heartwarming lore, fanfic writing, and adorably thematic gifts by making an ADVENT CALENDAR?!"

And here I am. But most anything worth doing is more fun with friends so I wanted to open the experience to the net! I did my research and my cost analysis and I would like to present two options for consideration.

Option #1

12 days of individually wrapped gifts themed around the Dawning/Destiny. Three holiday ornaments, a wearable pin, small toy/game, hilariously on-brand six sided dice, three piece Vanguard scents in atomizers (y'all remember when I was a fancy department store big shot? I spent a lot of that time curating character scents from expensive perfumes/colognes. I know what the Vanguard smells like and you can too. XD), stationary and stickers, keychain, and more.

$35, US shipping included. (International shipping would require an additional fee. I'm so sorry things are like this, Canadian friends!)

Option #2

21 days (about the standard length of the Dawning) of individual gifts. All the above from option 1 plus four more ornaments, a pair of 'Cayde's cotton socks', two more small toys/games, another pin, and lots more surprises.

$50, US shipping included. International negotiable.

Packages containing all gifts (in individual, stylish, numbered paper bags), string and clips for hanging advent calendar on a vertical surface (think Command Strips) would ship out second week of December (or sooner).

And just to stress, this is a FAN PROJECT. You won't receive a bunch of official Destiny branded merch that I bought at the Dollar Tree or something. These are insider jokes and throwback/experiences Destiny fans will remember (along with some new cheeky fan lore for each piece). Some of the curated items are manufactured and some are handmade by yours truly. All of them are dorky or charming with serious Destiny vibes.

What do you think? Would you want one for yourself or a friend? Let's circulate this interest check until Monday Nov 13 and then plot a course from there!

#the dawning #advent calendar #destiny #destiny the game #destiny 2 #fan project

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bluef00t · 4 months

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Do you have any comic recommendations for stories about pulpy-like heroes in fantastical adventures, a la Atomic Robo or Hellboy?

Those ARE my two big recs, which makes this difficult! Golden age pulp's unpredictable spikes of bigotry makes it hard to suggest to strangers as light reading, while modern pulp pastiches can feel overly self-conscious or just hollow to me (while continuing to import all the same old xenophobia.)

With those critiques in mind, though, I can name some more names.

Tom Strong is a 1999 creation by Alan Moore(!) It's not entirely free of... Moore-isms, but it's deeply sincere: no cruel twist awaits his science-action family or their casually fantastical alt-history.

Tintin is still translated and reprinted worldwide for a reason. IMO you won't find a more solid combo of research, jokes, action, and artwork in any other genuine vintage comic series. However, being written in the 30s-60s does show around the edges.

The Spirit, by comics legend Will Eisner, also dates back to the 40s. Post-Eisner, his legacy still pushes creators to get fun and experimental with format and storytelling. The role of racial caricature in the series history is a little harder to work around.

2000s Agents of Atlas is a team of '50s Timely/Marvel heroes. I have frustrations with its yellow peril "deconstruction" but do love the lineup: a secret agent, talking gorilla, Atlantean princess, Greek goddess, humanoid alien, and killer robot walk into a bar...

The Rocketeer is a popular throwback to the 30s that I find too mired in cardboard nostalgia to reach its full potential, but it's had some genuinely fun installments (and a movie!) so it's worth a look.

Sam & Max are mostly known for the point and click games, but they started out as comics parodying pulp adventure and I love their relentless cheesiness so I'm putting them here.

I also, as always, suggest exploring Franco-Belgian comics. (I think Spirou & Fantasio has decent English translations these days). The tone and formatting will be different; I tend to prefer BDs' longer "episode" length, higher density of physical comedy and puns, and more everyman characters.

And I'm always on the lookout for graphic novels which seem cool. Bone (which is honestly a very European series, stylistically), Bad Island, and Rapunzel's Revenge (+ sequel Calamity Jack) are some favorite one-off fantastical adventures I've picked up at my local library. Mostly from the kids or teens section.

#I only read Tom Strong very recently so I haven't formed full intelligent opinions there #I apologize that these are scifi-weighted rather than fantasy—honestly I probably wouldn't have even gotten into hellboy #if I wasn't head over heels in love with the art in the first place.#John Constantine's pre superhero integration stuff looks cool if you're into that! but I have not read it #Also thank you for your other questions I am thinking about them while reading more hellboy...

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wizard-irl · 1 year

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Don't Cleanse Your Crystals In the Sun (+ What to Do Instead)

I'm here to bitch about crystals again.

A lot of people use the sun to cleanse their crystals. Regardless of your belief, this is not the best practice to do if you care about preserving the quality of your crystals.

Archived.

Why is Sunlight Bad?

Ultraviolet (UV) rays.

UV rays are waves that are smaller in wavelength (100-400nm) than the colour violet (~380nm). To put this in perspective, a single gold atom is a third of a nanometer wide.

UV rays are also why you need sunscreen, and is also a major cause of skin cancer. And they are responsible for fading crystals.

The mechanism for how sunlight fades crystals seems to depend on what the crystal is. Amethyst's colour is caused by trace amounts of iron within the crystal's structure that affect how light interacts in the crystal. When UV light hits the amethyst, it causes the iron and oxygen atoms within it to swap electrons, which causes the fade. While I was unable to find examples with other crystals, it may work the same, as many crystals are coloured by trace elements.

What Happens When You Leave Crystals in the Sun

source

The top left is the natural colour of this specimen, the top right is the result of being left under two 18W UV lamps for three months. The bottom two are both due to different amounts of heating. If the bottom right quadrant reminds you of citrine, that's because heating amethyst is how artificial citrine is made.

I realise that most people only put their crystals out in sunlight for a few hours at most, but that builds up over time. You won't get the top right result in a week, but you will notice fading over time.

But surely, this is the only one with a severe reaction right?

Well... (pg. 34 on PDF, 106 on page), quite a few, actually.

source. Top left down: red zircon (no effect), yellow barite, blue fluorite, grey fluorite, amethyst, amber, white barite, celestine (no change), chalcedony, calcite. Each specimen was exposed to 36W of UV for forty minutes.

Alternate Sources of Light

If you think that a window will prevent damage, they will not. Windows only prevent shorter wavelengths of UV. While there are windows that can block all UV, unless you are absolutely certain that you have a window like that, you can't rely on a window to protect your crystals.

If you want use a natural source of light, use moonlight. Moonlight is about 400,000 times fainter than sunlight. It does not reflect enough UV to cause sunburns, and what little UV is reflected at the Earth is overwhelmingly likely to be absorbed into the atmosphere before it reaches you. Hence, your crystals will be safe, and this is the method I wholeheartedly recommend for any crystal.

Fire can also work, but many crystals tolerate heat poorly, so you'll want to keep your crystals away from the fire, and never put them directly on it. You never know if you have water-filled inclusions that you're evaporating that then put pressure on the crystal, making it more liable to break. Do your research on your crystal before trying this, but this can be a great method if you want the fiery aspect of sunlight in your crystals.

You could also use artificial light. Why not bless a lamp and place a crystal under that? Make sure the lamp you use doesn't emit a lot of heat, and don't use an UV lamp! This can be a great option if you don't have ready access to fire, but still want something more fiery than moonlight.

There are other methods of cleansing out there that I won't get into, but there are many ways to use light as a cleanser without damaging your crystals. Please research to see if your crystal can be put in sunlight without being damaged, and if you don't know, just use moonlight.

#self post #crystals #||#crystal #crystal witch #witchcraft 101 #witch 101 #witch101 #witchcraft #baby witch #witches of tumblr #witchblr #beginner witch #crystal healing

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syscourse-confessions · 7 months

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I'm honestly just so tired of endogenic logic it makes zero sense to me. First off: Yes, the DSM isn't the best resource. I am studying Psychology and one of the first things they teach you when studying clinical psych is not to use the DSM as your crutch. It constantly gets edited or changed, and over the years information can get outdated, null or void. That's just how science and research works. It happened with the atom, and it can happen with the brain. That being said.

DID, OSDD-1(a and b), UDD, etc. has been meticulously studied. The research is limited, as with every disorder. You aren't going to find a Real Good paper on anything unless you try. Google Scholarly, Wikipedia citation tabs (not Wikipedia directly Do Not Use Wikipedia As A Source) and the Public & School libraries are my best friends, but even they don't answer everything as many psychiatric and mental disorders are under-researched, even the prevalent ones. Especially the prevalent ones. Yet, near every article and case study (if not, every article) has something in common: The disorder has a positive correlation between adverse childhood experiences. The more trauma a person has gone through as a child, the more likely they are to have the disorder. We do not only cling to the DSM-V. We cling to the countless case studies that are out there. Yes, more research needs to be done, but we cannot deny the facts we have found. You want to know what else is under-researched? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD. Yet, my friend can take Clomipramine and feel okay! Why? Because science evolves to find answers!!! We discovered evolution through science and geneticists, so you can't just say "Adam and Eve" and call it a day sometimes. We discovered that trauma in young childhood is the main cause of DID. You can't just say they randomly appeared and call it a day. That's not how the theory works. And yes, nothing is proven in psychology, we don't use the word prove. You know what else we can't prove? Cell theory. Theories don't exist not to be real, but to explain the real. We use Pavlov's theories and still apply them to this day! Does that mean it's all a lie just because we can't use the word """prove"""? A little afterword, too. It still baffles me how the word Tulpa was also completely ripped from Buddhist practices and turned into an endo thing. It's mind-boggling how a spiritual awakening tied to cultural practices was taken and appropriated by people who turn it synonymous to imaginary friend. It's honestly disrespectful. Culture is not a game that you could cheat off. Dissociation isn't fun! Remembering and compartmentalizing your trauma is not fun! I go to a therapist for this, while simultaneously having to juggle classes and life in general because of generations of unrealized trauma and the oversexualization of women in many cultures. To see it become a game where people believe that alters can just magically appear without reason, despite all the research done, it's just downright insane to me. We did not go this far in our science to do this. We did not develop The Structural Dissociation Theory for this. We have come so far in this research from where we were before, just to find out that 1-2% of people have DID takes a lot of work! It's terrible to me that people can take this research and throw it out the window for the sake of ignorance.

DISCLAIMER: Posts may or may not reflect accurate information. More info here: https://www.tumblr.com/syscourse-confessions/728819621058232320/disclaimer-treat-posts-here-like-you-would-any

#syscourse #syscourse confessions

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flyin-shark · 8 months

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hi, about antitheism. (i am not going to be able to put that much effort into proofreading, i have an assignment due tonight and i have dyslexia.)i grew up in an antitheist cult, so i know what i'm talking about (yes antitheist cults are a thing and antitheism/atheism can be missionary, controlling, fundamentalist, etc, just like any religion, no i am no longer in the cult, no i am not an antitheist any more nor am i an atheist). first off, there is no ethical way to control people's belief systems. this goes just as much for antitheism as for religion. forcing people to believe in "truth" is impossible, because "truth" is almost impossible to achieve. the scientific method never reaches a point of truth. is the Newtonian model of physics truth or is Einstein's theory of relativity true instead? is Bohr's atom model truth, or do we need everyone to know about and always use the model believed to be most accurate at any time, even when it's less convenient for the calculations made? are we ever going to reach the full truth, or are we constantly going to discover new scientific theories? where should we stop looking? and any system for determining this truth would be corruptable, and whoopsie-daisy, now we've got fascists again. there's no system for deciding objective truth that cannot be corrupted (even science, take racial biology for example). and how would things like ideology work if everyone follows one truth, without resorting to fascism? also, the question of "is there a God" is beyond the scope of science. it's equally impossible to prove that there is no God, as it is to prove the existence of one. as such, the scientific model cannot determine either of them, and as such there is no way to say either is true (assuming we're attempting to use science as our model for truth here). belief in God should be a personal choice, not forced upon you, but neither should atheism. i also appreciate the disclaimer that you were speaking from a Christian perspective, although i wouldn't have needed it, because your ignorance of other religions was very clear. Disclaimer, I am not Jewish, but I have done a lot of research on the topic. Judaism is not missionary, and converting to Judaism is actively discouraged and takes over a year at minimum, doesn't force non-Jewish people to follow more than 7 basic rules (things like don't murder people), says that Jewish people may not obey the rules if doing so would endanger a life (theirs or another's), barely believes in an afterlife, and there's no unified picture of the afterlife but the consensus is that all good people go to Heaven, and either bad people don't get an afterlife, or their stay in Hell is temporary. doubting God and having a personal interpretation/opinion of the scriptures are seen as good things. Judaism is also used to abuse people, of course, but many of your specific complaints are extremely Christian-centric and it shows. antitheism scares me more than religion does though, because it presents itself as scientific and reasonable. religion presents itself as faith, and can be used to lure in vulnerable people that way, but something that presents itself as being based on truth, difficult to achieve at best and actively harmful at worst, based on (a misunderstanding of) science, that's scary, and can be used to fool people into a fascist mindset whilst presenting itself as otherwise. people should ALWAYS be allowed to believe whatever they want, and the trick to not end up with flat-earthers and conspiracy theorists is to have source criticism and thinking for yourself taught in good schools from a young age. with good education, people can think freely and still follow science. compassion and human rights can also be taught in schools. in my country, all these things are taught at schools, the curriculum is good, but the education system is bad, so it doesn't sink in properly. also, are you by any chance from the usa?

I went through this in detail so hopefully I answered all of your questions and concerns.

tldr: I don't think it's ok to force anyone to believe or not believe anything. Fascists can get fucked.

"i grew up in an antitheist cult, so i know what i'm talking about (yes antitheist cults are a thing and antitheism/atheism can be missionary, controlling, fundamentalist, etc, just like any religion"

"there is no ethical way to control people's belief systems"

I’m against cults and forcing people to do or believe anything. I’m sorry you were in a cult and I don’t support them. I never said that anyone should be controlling anyone else’s belief systems. Antitheism and atheism aren't religions but sure people can value them and be assholes.

"forcing people to believe in "truth" is impossible, because "truth" is almost impossible to achieve"

I agree that you can’t force anyone to believe in truth nor should you force them. I am explicitly antifascist and I do not support anyone trying to force beliefs onto others. I don't think anyone can reach absolute truth about anything since we all perceive reality through our subjective experiences. However, we appear to share the same reality and so if you care about believing in true things then we should find the best way to figure out what's true.

"the scientific method never reaches a point of truth"

I’m not a scientist but my understanding is that the scientific method isn’t a way of finding out what’s true. Science develops reliable models that are most consistent with reality. Science never proves anything to be true. The process starts with an observation about reality, forming a testable hypothesis to explain a phenomenon, testing the hypothesis, running more experiments and peer review, trying to disprove the hypothesis, and after failing to reject the hypothesis we go with that tentatively until we find something better. This is the best method we currently have of finding out what things are consistent with reality.

So when you ask if Newton’s model or Einstein’s model is “true” you’re missing the point of those models. They’re just trying to put facts in order and explain the phenomena we see as accurately as possible. They aren't making truth claims. For example, a map from the 1600s is wrong but more useful than having no map at all. A modern day map is more accurate but still doesn't show all of the details of the real locations. Maps using data from satellites and other advanced technology is even more accurate but still don't show the world exactly how it is. Each model is more accurate than the last but they're all wrong because they're just maps and not the actual place.

"Do we need everyone to know about and always use the model believed to be most accurate at any time, even when it's less convenient?"

No. Take gravity for example. If someone's idea of gravity is "when you drop something, it falls" that's perfectly fine for the average person just living their life. It's not perfectly accurate but it's enough for the average person. Anyone dealing with planes or spacecraft or physics will probably want a more advanced understanding of gravity.

"are we ever going to reach the full truth, or are we constantly going to discover new scientific theories? where should we stop looking?"

I don't think we will ever reach absolute truth or absolute certainty about anything. Still, we should continue to study and learn more about reality. I'm curious why you ask where we should stop looking as opposed to when. Are there certain subjects that we shouldn't try to learn more about?

"any system for determining this truth would be corruptable, and whoopsie-daisy, now we've got fascists again. there's no system for deciding objective truth that cannot be corrupted (even science, take racial biology for example)"

The thing I like about science is that it checks itself. We found out racial biology was bullshit by using science. We found out you can't measure someone's skull and determine their intelligence by using science. We found out that there's no causal link between vaccines and autism by using science. If we're wrong about something the way we figure that out is almost always if not always through science.

"how would things like ideology work if everyone follows one truth, without resorting to fascism?"

I don't know how people believing the same things about reality would result in fascism but also I'm not saying that everyone should believe the same things or have the same ideology. Truth is that which aligns with reality. I think everyone should believe in true things and not believe untrue things. But I'm not forcing anyone to believe or not believe in anything. It's just my opinion.

"the question of "is there a God" is beyond the scope of science. it's equally impossible to prove that there is no God, as it is to prove the existence of one. as such, the scientific model cannot determine either of them, and as such there is no way to say either is true (assuming we're attempting to use science as our model for truth here)."

It depends on which god you're talking about. If someone believes in a god that doesn't interact with reality, just started the universe and left, then yes that god is outside the scope of science because we have no way of investigating outside of reality. However most theists believe in a god or gods that interact with reality in some detectable way. Those gods do fall within the scope of science.

"belief in God should be a personal choice, not forced upon you, but neither should atheism."

I agree but I'm going to be a bit pedantic here. I don't think people choose their beliefs. People are either convinced or unconvinced of something based on some evidence or reasoning. Regardless of whether it's good evidence or not they are either convinced or unconvinced by it. Anyway it shouldn't be forced on anyone.

"i also appreciate the disclaimer that you were speaking from a Christian perspective, although i wouldn't have needed it, because your ignorance of other religions was very clear."

I made that disclaimer specifically because I don't know almost anything about other religions and wasn't talking about them. I specified that I'm an antitheist broadly because there isn't enough evidence to believe in a god. And then I went into the specifics of the religion I'm most familiar with and the harm it can cause.

On your points about Judaism. Ok? They can believe in whatever. I'm saying that you shouldn't believe in things without good evidence. They can listen to my opinion or not care about it. I don't really care either way. I have no problem with them practicing their traditions and maintaining their heritage.

"many of your specific complaints are extremely Christian-centric and it shows"

Yes because I was specifically talking about Christianity as that's the only religion I have some familiarity with. I wasn't talking about all religions broadly. If anyone from another religion wants to talk to me about what they believe and why then I would love to have that conversation. Maybe they'd even convert me.

"antitheism scares me more than religion does though, because it presents itself as scientific and reasonable. religion presents itself as faith, and can be used to lure in vulnerable people that way, but something that presents itself as being based on truth, difficult to achieve at best and actively harmful at worst, based on (a misunderstanding of) science, that's scary, and can be used to fool people into a fascist mindset whilst presenting itself as otherwise."

Antitheism is just an opposition to theism. It doesn't say that we should force theists to convert to atheists. I'm an antitheist because I don't think people should be theists. The main reason is the lack of sufficient evidence. The other reason is the harm that believing in a god can cause. But also this is just my opinion. I am in no way forcing others to change their beliefs. Fascists can come from any religious or nonreligious background. So can antifascists. Here in the US we're dealing with Christian fascists at the moment but I don't doubt that there are fascists that don't believe in god.

Religion does not present itself as faith. Faith is the method through which people believe in the religion. Religions claim certain things to be true. Again using Christianity as an example, it claims that it is true that there is a god and that Jesus died for our sins. People believe that on faith but they also claim it to be true.

"people should ALWAYS be allowed to believe whatever they want, and the trick to not end up with flat-earthers and conspiracy theorists is to have source criticism and thinking for yourself taught in good schools from a young age. with good education, people can think freely and still follow science. compassion and human rights can also be taught in schools."

I agree with all of this. I object to the wording of "follow science" since it makes science sound like a religion rather than a methodology. But besides that I agree with all of this. Unfortunately whether any of this is taught in school varies depending on where you live. In many places in the southern US especially, there's still a fight to separate religion and government. I think Texas passed a law requiring schools to have "In God we Trust" posters up on the walls.

"in my country, all these things are taught at schools, the curriculum is good, but the education system is bad, so it doesn't sink in properly. also, are you by any chance from the usa?"

Source criticism, thinking for yourself, thinking freely, compassion, and human rights are taught in your schools? That's great! Yes I am in the US. I thought that would be obvious from the Christian-centric antitheist perspective lol.

Anyway I hope I answered all of your questions and concerns. If you have anymore feel free to send another ask or dm me.

#anti theism #shark sayin stuff #long post

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ros3ybabe · 5 months

Text

Day 3 - 90 Day Challenge 🎀

I was so tired that not only was I in bed by 930, but I was asleep by 932. Sadly, I fell asleep before I could get much accomplished. But I still did some things, and I'm going to be honest because what's accountability without honesty!

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

I did walk over 10k steps, I just don't know how many exactly because my watch died when I got home from work ✅️

🧠 Mental Health

I did not read a chapter of atmoic habits ❌️

❤️ Emotional Health

I did not beat myself up or feel guilty over not doing as much as I had very low energy after a long, busy day ✅️

📚 Intellectual Health

I was in bed by 930, and this is an intellectual goal as quality sleep helps improve cognitive function ✅️

🥳 Social Health

did a quick zoom call with my boyfriend✅️

had a small chat with my roommates while they made themselves dinner ✅️

😘 Self Love/Care

I can't believe I forgot to moisturize last night but dang was I exhausted ❌️

I finally have my week break from school and work so I'm going to spend this time both on me and preparing for my finals. Let's see what's on the goal list for today!

🏋‍♀️ Physical Health

complete an at home morning workout OR some gentle stretching at the end of the day depending on energy levels

walk to and from campus today to get some steps in - try to hit 8k steps at least for the whole day

Read a chapter of Fast Like A Girl

Take morning medication and night medication

🧠 Mental Health

Read a chapter of Atomic Habits

Guided Journal AM + PM

Listen to a podcast from the 5AM Miracle or Mindset Mentor

❤️ Emotional Health

answer one journal prompt

write down a list of affirmations currently relevant to my life

Read a chapter of 101 Essays OR book on attachment styles (can't remember the name)

📚 Intellectual Health

complete homework assignments on my todo list today

research more health information regarding Inflammatory PCOS and healthy diets to follow for PCOS

budget for next paycheck

complete a couple language lessons on my apps

🥳 Social Health

zoom call with boyfriend

text long distance friend to catch up and chat

🥰 Self Love/Care

AM + PM Skincare

oil hair + wash hair + hair mask

clean around bedroom

wash dirty laundry (clothes)

wash sheets, towels, and pillowcases

wash comforter

clean makeup brushes

Misc -

look at health insurance stuff

research crochet stuff to see if I have an actual interest

There's a lot to get done today, but I finally have the time to do it, and I'm looking forward to being productive with the stuff I personally need to get done! I'm definitely looking forward to this week off as a whole <3

Thank you to everyone whose being encouraging while I embark on this challenge, I appreciate all of you so much !!

til next time lovelies 🩷

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noisytenant · 11 months

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how safe are weed vapes compared to like regular vapes? I've recently heard vapes are like horrible for you cus you're just smoking a shit ton of chemicals but does that depends on what's being smoked?....since you said the weed is just being heated up is there less chemical intake overall or just less combustion byproduct like you said before (sorry if this makes like no sense I'm not familiar with this stuff at all or how it works lol but I also had a really bad experience with edibles and have bad lungs so I just wanted to know a bit more)

Hey sorry for responding so late I had gotten most of this post done after you first sent it but I ran out of energy and got too perfectionistic. Anyways here it is:

Excellent question! The first formal modern e-liquid vape was only released in 2003, though various attempts had been made earlier, which means we are still researching the long-term effects they have on health. When the average person says "vape", they almost exclusively mean "e-liquid vape".

Currently, what we can see about e-liquid vapes: They're not very good. They do reduce some smoking risks (no tar) but introduce other risks, and have a reputation of being safer and a potential smoking cessation aid while a reality of unregulated and poorly sourced ingredients which can cause acute and lasting lung damage.

Dry herb vaping, which is what I recommend, is much more straightforward, but only recently popularized and thus still needing more research.

At the risk of being a square: Any time you intentionally inhale something other than air, you're introducing more risk than if you simply never smoked or vaped anything. But like don't let that stop you, we take on risk all the time, that's what harm reduction's all about babey

Dry Vapes are Not Vapes

A vape or e-cigarette is a device that heats and vaporizes a liquid carrier with a suspension of the psychoactive chemical, either nicotine or THC. These are what people think of when they think of vapes, and these are generally the most problematic for having untested and unregulated chemicals while being touted as healthier.

A dry vape/dry herb vaporizer is the method I recommend, which heats the plant material (or concentrate like wax--I haven't done this myself personally) and evaporates the cannabinoids and terpenes without combustion. It's basically like baking your weed in a tiny oven.

This method was popularized most recently in 1993 with Eagle Bill's Shake and Vape, though apparently the principle of boiling vapor has existed since ancient times.

General Smoking Health Risks

Tobacco and weed both produce "tar" when burned--a catch-all for a variety of chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic, produced during combustion. The tar isn't made from the THC or the nicotine, but from the plant matter itself and its additives. If you burn plant matter and inhale the smoke, you inhale a certain number of toxic and carcinogenic chemicals.

There is some conflict on if smoking weed causes cancer. It certainly doesn't carry the same correlation as tobacco, but the reasons are unknown. We don't have long-term studies verifying a connection between the two. Very preliminary lab tests suggest that THC and CBD have antitumor effects, but it'll be a while before we can figure out the deal. There is still risk!!!

Regardless, the deposition of tar in lungs is an irritant and increases risks of things like bronchitis. For someone with asthma or weak lungs, smoking of any kind causes problems.

E-Cigarettes, or e-liquid vapes

E-cigarettes were manufactured to counter tobacco cigs starting in 2003. An e-cig heats a liquid with a suspension of nicotine, atomizing it into droplets of vapor that are then inhaled.

The liquid is usually propylene glycol or glycerol with other additives like flavorants. It seems like propylene glycol and glycerol have been safe for ingestion as a food additive, but being atomized in an inhaled form is pretty new and the effects aren't well-known.

The major issue is that we don't have a standardized and proven-effective vape juice formula. E-liquid is poorly regulated and many samples contain entirely unidentified substances.

This is the major cause for concern.

THC vape liquids have similar issues, including being cut with Vitamin E acetate, which was correlated with a string of vaping-related lung disease, though not fully confirmed to be the culprit.

Hopefully this delineates why vaping, as in e-liquid vaping, is problematic, and why dry vape is comparatively safer.

Why dry herb vape?

The boiling of the material introduces fewer (but not 0) unknown or undesired chemicals into the airstream. You're primarily getting the cannabinoids.

On a user experience level: It's quite weed-efficient, the weed tastes better w/o the smoke, it produces less smell, the vapor is less harsh on the lungs (you can and will still cough if you inhale too much tho), not much less portable than a joint

You can get a bong adapter and get megahigh still (I do have a bong but I don't like getting that fucked up)

Some vapes can heat concentrates, wax, etc. for potent highs (I haven't done this. But you can. Research yourself)

The already vaped bud (AVB) can be saved and reused for edibles, extracts, and concentrates; it's gonna be stripped of a lot of the psychoactives already, but not all of them--obvs be mindful of dosing here

Downsides: You do have to recharge battery vapes and get over the learning curve of batteryless (I'm pretty shit at using mine). You also have to clean your equipment every once in a while which is nbd for me who likes cleaning but yknow it does require upkeep. Easier than cleaning a bong tho

So, could you dry vape tobacco?

You can, but you probably shouldn't. Nicotine itself is highly physically and psychologically addictive and classified as toxic, and while it isn't considered carcinogenic, it is potentially a tumor promoter.

Pretty much everyone I know who's on nic tells me they don't like it, they wish they could quit, and they would never want me or anyone else to start.

Last, some Dry Herb Vaporizer Tips

Controlling the temperature allows you to control which cannabinoids are released to a certain extent.

Hot vapor can still irritate your lungs. Keeping a relatively low temperature (Guides indicate the best range) and having a long enough vapor path that the vapor can cool will help you have a smoother inhale.

Do not use a vaporizer with cheap elements. Plastic near the heating element will cause by-products.

Contaminants and pesticides can be inhaled, source your material appropriately

Overheating can still cause combustion. You will smell, taste, and see smoke if this happens.

All the physical and psychological risks of weed are present--Take it easy, know your limits, don't vape or smoke when you're in an unstable state, etc.

Thanks for reading, I hope this helps you make informed decisions and potentially find a way of intaking weed that suits your needs :) If you have any more Qs I'll try to answer (IN FEWER WORDS)

#indexed post #LONG POST #weed #vaping #vape #dry herb vaporizer #Also I don't want to plug brands that hard you can look on reddit for recs but #I got a combo deal of the potv ONE (battery) and the dynavap M (batteryless) for like $160 on sale and #while its an investment it's very worth it imo. Again the general efficiency and the AVB add a lot #I am not a heavy user by any means but I like. Have so much weed. I cant go thru it all.#Cuz its very efficient you can squeeze like 2-3 sessions out of one chamber of weedwhich is like #Idk how much goes into one pot its probably like 0.5-2g.

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