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reasonsforhope · 2 months

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"With “green corridors” that mimic the natural forest, the Colombian city is driving down temperatures — and could become five degrees cooler over the next few decades.

In the face of a rapidly heating planet, the City of Eternal Spring — nicknamed so thanks to its year-round temperate climate — has found a way to keep its cool.

Previously, Medellín had undergone years of rapid urban expansion, which led to a severe urban heat island effect — raising temperatures in the city to significantly higher than in the surrounding suburban and rural areas. Roads and other concrete infrastructure absorb and maintain the sun’s heat for much longer than green infrastructure.

“Medellín grew at the expense of green spaces and vegetation,” says Pilar Vargas, a forest engineer working for City Hall. “We built and built and built. There wasn’t a lot of thought about the impact on the climate. It became obvious that had to change.”

Efforts began in 2016 under Medellín’s then mayor, Federico Gutiérrez (who, after completing one term in 2019, was re-elected at the end of 2023). The city launched a new approach to its urban development — one that focused on people and plants.

The $16.3 million initiative led to the creation of 30 Green Corridors along the city’s roads and waterways, improving or producing more than 70 hectares of green space, which includes 20 kilometers of shaded routes with cycle lanes and pedestrian paths.

These plant and tree-filled spaces — which connect all sorts of green areas such as the curb strips, squares, parks, vertical gardens, sidewalks, and even some of the seven hills that surround the city — produce fresh, cooling air in the face of urban heat. The corridors are also designed to mimic a natural forest with levels of low, medium and high plants, including native and tropical plants, bamboo grasses and palm trees.

Heat-trapping infrastructure like metro stations and bridges has also been greened as part of the project and government buildings have been adorned with green roofs and vertical gardens to beat the heat. The first of those was installed at Medellín’s City Hall, where nearly 100,000 plants and 12 species span the 1,810 square meter surface.

“It’s like urban acupuncture,” says Paula Zapata, advisor for Medellín at C40 Cities, a global network of about 100 of the world’s leading mayors. “The city is making these small interventions that together act to make a big impact.”

At the launch of the project, 120,000 individual plants and 12,500 trees were added to roads and parks across the city. By 2021, the figure had reached 2.5 million plants and 880,000 trees. Each has been carefully chosen to maximize their impact.

“The technical team thought a lot about the species used. They selected endemic ones that have a functional use,” explains Zapata.

The 72 species of plants and trees selected provide food for wildlife, help biodiversity to spread and fight air pollution. A study, for example, identified Mangifera indica as the best among six plant species found in Medellín at absorbing PM2.5 pollution — particulate matter that can cause asthma, bronchitis and heart disease — and surviving in polluted areas due to its “biochemical and biological mechanisms.”

And the urban planting continues to this day.

The groundwork is carried out by 150 citizen-gardeners like Pineda, who come from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds, with the support of 15 specialized forest engineers. Pineda is now the leader of a team of seven other gardeners who attend to corridors all across the city, shifting depending on the current priorities...

“I’m completely in favor of the corridors,” says [Victoria Perez, another citizen-gardener], who grew up in a poor suburb in the city of 2.5 million people. “It really improves the quality of life here.”

Wilmar Jesus, a 48-year-old Afro-Colombian farmer on his first day of the job, is pleased about the project’s possibilities for his own future. “I want to learn more and become better,” he says. “This gives me the opportunity to advance myself.”

The project’s wider impacts are like a breath of fresh air. Medellín’s temperatures fell by 2°C in the first three years of the program, and officials expect a further decrease of 4 to 5C over the next few decades, even taking into account climate change. In turn, City Hall says this will minimize the need for energy-intensive air conditioning...

In addition, the project has had a significant impact on air pollution. Between 2016 and 2019, the level of PM2.5 fell significantly, and in turn the city’s morbidity rate from acute respiratory infections decreased from 159.8 to 95.3 per 1,000 people [Note: That means the city's rate of people getting sick with lung/throat/respiratory infections.]

There’s also been a 34.6 percent rise in cycling in the city, likely due to the new bike paths built for the project, and biodiversity studies show that wildlife is coming back — one sample of five Green Corridors identified 30 different species of butterﬂy.

Other cities are already taking note. Bogotá and Barranquilla have adopted similar plans, among other Colombian cities, and last year São Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in South America, began expanding its corridors after launching them in 2022.

“For sure, Green Corridors could work in many other places,” says Zapata."

-via Reasons to Be Cheerful, March 4, 2024

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dengswei · 28 days

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@asiandramanet creator bingo — typography — noboru x yamato x cobra | road to high&low (2016)

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katyawriteswhump · 4 months

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I think we're alone now (steddie/steve whump fic)

Finally finished my latest 'ate the whole of my life' fic on AO3 (forgot to post the ending here before-- srsly can't possibly keep up with two streams, but figured I'd cross-post the start now it's completed in case anybody is interested) Thanks to anybody who stuck with me for the ride ;)

I think we're alone now (56194 words) by katya1828 Chapters: 25/25 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson, Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Eleven | Jane Hopper & Steve Harrington Series: Part 6 of Hard to Hate (aka Steve whump fic thread!)

Chapter One

Eddie’s night was warming up—i.e. he was rolling his second joint—when a loud crack sounded from the undergrowth. That was when Steve Harrington stumbled into his life.

For a few thudding heartbeats, Eddie was spooked. Was it a very lost, totally smashed freshman? A bear?

Eddie jumped up from his favourite log. Steve lurched, aimlessly, toward Eddie’s half-assed attempt at a bonfire. Then he froze—perhaps noticing he was on course to transform himself into a Nike-clad version of the Wicker Man.

From a few yards off, Steve stared at Eddie, who recognised the douche from the eternity they’d spent together at High School. Eddie gawked back, incredulous: “What the heck, man?”

Steve kept staring. Didn’t move. Only stared.

“Uh, Harrington. You know me, right?”

Harrington didn’t seem to—only saw a long-haired freak. “I swear this doesn’t happen to Jon Bon Jovi,” mumbled Eddie. He made a mental note to push some low-quality stash to Steve and his dipshit friends next time they came crawling. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

Still no answer.

“Harrington? You okay? Never thought I’d see you wandering round like a lost little sheepie.”

Of all Eddie’s off-road haunts, this was the most remote and secret. Nobody un-initiated ever found it. That said, jerks like Steve had their woodland haunts, too—Lovers Lake, Skull Rock. Maybe the moron got lost? Most likely… but, Oooooh shit! All kinds of alarm bells clanged off in Eddie’s head. It was kinda chilly this late on a spring night, and Harrington had got no jacket—he could afford a decent jacket, right? Uuuuuuh, and Steve wore only one sneaker.

Eddie edged close enough to spot a bruise near Steve’s lip, the blood streaking one side of his face. “Jesus, what happened to you, man?”

Steve’s knees buckled, and he slumped heavily onto them. Eddie indulged in a split second of indecision—this wasn’t his problem, and he could just run . Then he crouched down and caught Steve, clumsily, before Steve crumpled face-first into the mud.

So, there he was, arms wrapped around platinum dickhead Steve Harrington, who leaned heavily against him

“Shit,” said Eddie. “Okay, big guy, do you think you can make it over to that luxurious couch?”

Eddie nodded toward the log. Steve didn’t even lift his head. He trembled violently, his breathing ragged and uneven. Eddie—because wtf else could he do?—hauled Steve to his feet. He guided Steve over to the fallen trunk, groaning at the near deadweight pressed against him. Steve sank onto the log, drooped forward, then wrapped an arm tight around his ribs. Finally, as Eddie hovered, still tempted to flee to the next county, Steve lifted his chin and blinked.

“Munson?”

Okay, maybe Steve wasn’t quite the dick Eddie thought him to be. That was becoming far from the least of Eddie’s problems. Steve was pale and bleeding, and yeah, there were goddamn twigs in that fabled hair.

“Yeah, it’s me, buddy.” Eddie sat down beside Steve, who widened those huge eyes even further, then kinda flinched. Most shocking of all, his lower lip trembled… and Eddie baulked, half-wondering if that single joint had gotten him trippy.

Because Eddie was suddenly as up close and personal as he’d ever been to Steve’s incongruously pretty, if currently somewhat bruised mouth. The mouth he loathed the hell out of, because he got why girls wanted to kiss it so bad. Or, even why some guys did… If the homophobic bullshit that beyond-asshole Billy Hargrove recently put around about Steve had any truth behind it.

Oh, yeah. Eddie had long harboured a beyond-dumbass hankering to do the same as all those lucky gals and guys.

Steve trapped his trembling lip between his very white teeth. “Hey, it’s okay,” said Eddie. “Uh, welcome to my fort. I apologise—it’s kinda rough around the edges. No luxury picnic bench at this one, though the builders are due next Tuesday to plumb in the ensuite.”

Steve didn’t laugh. The drop of fresh blood sliding down the side of Steve’s face proved the final straw. If Eddie wasn’t going to run away, then he was going to have to take this seriously.

Ugh, seriously?

“Okay, Harrington—where do you need to be? Because I ain’t go no wheels. Not that they would be much use out here, anyhooo.”

It was kinda a surprise when Steve answered: “I… uh, I don’t know.” He ran his fingers distractedly across that mouth. His nails were dirty, and when he pushed them into his hair, they snagged.

“Look, you’re bleeding—are you hurt bad? Do I need to get you some help?”

“No. I’m okay… I’m good,” mumbled Steve. “Just gimme a minute, all right?”

“Cool.” Eddie couldn’t contain a sigh of relief. One unwanted guest here was one too many. “Can I get you…” Okay, so he didn’t exactly have a supply of WASP-friendly mineral water. “It’s beer or 7-11 fake cola.”

“Beer,” murmured Steve. An owl hooted and the wind rattled through the trees, and Eddie scooted off to oblige. He fumbled in his pack to locate a not-too-grubby Dunkin Donuts napkin. Meanwhile, from the corner of his eyes, he noticed Steve reach into his jeans pocket, and draw out a jar of pills.

By the time Eddie returned, Steve was tipping the contents into his palm. Which was going badly, because his hand still shook. Way too many pills came out, and Steve grunted as they tumbled to the moist forest floor. Then he dropped the jar altogether. “Shit, shit, shit! I need those, man, I need them.”

He sounded totally distraught, half-sliding, half-falling off the log in pursuit. Eddie kneeled down to help and got to the jar first. When he squinted to read the label, his eyebrows shot sky-high.

“Valium, dude? Wow—never thought I’d see you poppin’ the housewives’ fave.”

Steve, kinda shame-facedly, grabbed the jar back. “Can I have that beer now?”

“Hey, not judging, dude! Stole ‘em off your Mom, huh?” Steve's latest flinch answered that one for him. “Look, I can fix you up with more if you’re interested. Better, in fact.” Eddie opened the beer for Steve—no point risking further spillages—then had second thoughts. “Okay, if you’re going to take those, do you mind if I suggest the Cola option?”

Steve shrugged, as Eddie’s mind screamed—since when did I A, counsel the sensible choice, B, give a flying fuck? That said, he wanted Steve to be able to leave, ASAP. Eddie side-lined the beer, and grabbed the Cola, and opened it for Steve. Who palmed two pills into his mouth, and washed them down with the weak, brown nectar. “Thank you,” he whispered. Then he closed his eyes, and let out a long, shuddering sigh. Another drop of blood trickled down his cheek.

“We need to stop that bleeding, man.” Very carefully, Eddie leaned forward with the napkin and dabbed at the blood. Steve flinched harder than ever, and sliced up a hand as if to protect himself. “Don’t worry, I’m not going in for the death blow. I just need to clean you up a bit.”

Steve’s shoulders sagged, as if in surrender. Eddie tentatively wiped more of the blood from Steve’s brow, and his own worries ratcheted up a whole new notch.

Harrington was usually a brash dick, and had no trouble mouthing off about anything and everything, straight outta the gate. Whatever trouble he’d gotten himself into, he was clearly badly shaken, maybe even in shock, and… Crap, what if he had amnesia? If he was found with Eddie… Oh yeah, baby, Eddie could see exactly where that would go.

Everyone who was anyone would assume he attacked Steve. The Pigs would do anything to dump trailer-trash Eddie Munson Jr into jail where he belonged. Harrington himself could easily lie, or simply not refute any assumptions, and flush Eddie right down the shithole.

Eddie removed the blood-spotted napkin, folded it over and handed it to Steve. “Hold that over the cut.”

When Steve didn’t instantly respond, Eddie took his fingers—cool, smooth, weirdly brittle right now—and placed them in the right spot. Steve hissed between his teeth, and Eddie withdrew his touch.

This was weeeeeeiiird.

“Look, Harrington—are you gonna level with me about what you’re doing out here?”

Steve stared at the fire, mouth pressed into a thin white line.

“You’re making me nervous, man.”

Eddie glanced at the napkin Steve held to his head. Not soaked with blood, so the wound had clotted. Steve's fingers still trembled, though… and something panged, deep inside Eddie.

He slid off his denim jacket, placed it carefully around Steve. “Hey, we’re safe, I promise. Nobody ever comes out here, and you don’t have to spill your guts, but… Did you, uh, by any chance clash with Hargrove tonight? That boy has some serious unchecked anger issues."

Steve palpably tensed. Eddie was onto something. Not his business, and yet…

“Those rumours he put about were harsh, man. What he said about you putting out for him—and, uh, any dude who dropped their trousers—totally out of order.”

Steve’s laugh was one of the most miserable sounds Eddie ever heard.

So Eddie went and said waaaaay too much: “Look, if by any remote chance you and Hargrove were real, and he’s gone and been a tool about it, it’s cool, man. I’m… uh, I’m not like other people.”

“Wha—” That had Steve looking up sharply, a single line creasing across his forehead. He looked away just as swiftly, shook his head. “Nah. Tonight had nothing to do with Billy, it was my fa… No, I guess… I guess Billy started it.”

Eddie reached for the opened beer can. He casually took a slurp. If only to put Steve off the scent for now. ‘Cos, yeah, Eddie was gay. Worse, he’d been begrudgingly hot for Steve for an age. Not that any of that mattered right now—damn his stooopid soft heart.

Although getting involved would doubtless place Eddie in peril, he was genuinely worried about Steve. Rumours alone couldn’t have landed him in such a mess.

Eddie puffed out his cheeks shuffled a little closer along the log, till their thighs almost touched. He offered the beer: “You wanna talk about it now?”

Read more on AO3...

#steve harrington whump #steve x eddie #steddie fic #steddie fanfic #stranger things fanfic #steddie #steve harrington #steve harrington x eddie munson #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington hurt/comfort

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race-week · 1 year

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Baku City Circuit

Track Information

Circuit Length: 6.003km

Race Laps: 51

Sprint Laps: 17

Corners: 20 (12 Left/8 Right)

Average Pit Stop: ~21 seconds

Track Evolution: High

Fuel Consumption: High

Downforce: Low

Traction: High

Asphalt Grip: Low

Braking Energy: High

Key Overtaking Opportunities: T1, T3

3 out of the 5 previous races held at the Baku City Circuit have seen a safety car deployment and there have been 7 safety cars overall, so there is a 60% chance that there will be a safety car.

Baku is a low downforce, rear limited circuit and good traction is pretty vital here because in order to have the grip to come to maximum speed out of the slow speed corners and onto the long straights.

The track surface itself is quite twisty and bumpy, due to the fact that it is held on public roads and as such thw track surface is different to what you get at purpose built tracks, this is why there is low grip here and it’s also why track evolution is so high (essentially the track gets faster the more running there is on it as the cars clear away dust and lay down rubber)

Random Facts:

Since Baku’s introduction to the F1 Calendar in 2016 (as the European GP) there have been no repeat race winners

This Circuit holds the record for the highest Overall Top Speed - 378km/h set by Valtteri Bottas in 2016

#f1 #race-week rundown #<- I don’t think I’ll be doing one for every race this season (I’ve already missed a few)but I have really bad cramps and cant sleep so here #2023 Azerbaijan GP

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world-of-wales · 8 months

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Is India really going to be renamed as 'Bharat'?

Aah you are gonna get me banned from here and red listed by the Indian govt 😭😭😭 buckle up, this will be a long one

So, bharat is already a name for the country. It's the Indian hindi name. So the constitutions Article 1 says 'India that is Bharat shall be a union of states.....' so it's already a name.

Now the government seemingly had no problems with the name ' India' before this month really. Infact in 2016 some conservative nationalist had gone to the Supreme Court petioning that we need to change the name since 'India's a foreign name, colonial etc etc' and back then, the same government had said no need to change it, it's the choice of the people. You wanna call it India you can, or if you wanna call it Bharat you can.

Now it's just rumors at this point but the people have been saying pretty much that the government is going to change the name. Media houses have hyped the rumor up. Celebrities have jumped in etc. Full on political storm at this point.

So the issue comes from the fact that the opposition basically all the opposition parties came together and formed an Alliance for the next elections happening in 2024 and they named themselves I.N.D.I.A. And since the day they formally decided to come together, it's only been political drama. Now you can easily guess where this thing about changing the name has come from. It's nothing but blatant insecurity.

The ruling party is not doing well there's been a lot of issues of their own doing. They're losing state elections. They've lost a lot of momentum due to their mishandling of a lot of things especially the Civil War situation in the state of Manipur, the way they have used religion as a way to divide people all across the country, the very high inflation, the basically non response to the environmental crisis - sinking of Joshimath, flash floods all across the country this monsoon, the washing away of roads, buildings collapsing like a house of playcards basically in the state of himachal. The government's Covid response? Disgusting.

Then there's a lot of other problems like for example the Indian wrestlers were protesting against the chairman of their federation. He's a bjp mp and the atheletes were accusing him of sexual harassment and the government didn't respond for a long time. He resigned but he still an MP in Parliament by the way.

Then the controller and auditor general (CAG) the one who actually audits the govt accounts, all the expenditure on the Indian treasury etc. They've actually released reports saying that a lot of the developmental projects have used excess money than what they were supposed to have used as per the initial estimates so that's another thing. Also there's very little press freedom, almost non exisitent freedom for activists. There's very little transparency especially when it comes to things established by this government.

They also tend to also put the laws in the constitution on the back burner and do their own thing as per their own whims. Don't even get me started on the kind of expenditure they are doing for the G20 summit happening right now. And the other things surrounding it in terms of organization etc, just search about what they've done to the low income areas of Delhi during this time on the internet and you'll find out

These are just a few issues, there's a lot more and I'm not putting them here since it's already turned into an essay. But safe to say that M*di and his govt would have had very stiff competition in the elections next year because a large population of the people are just not interested in their whataboutry now and want the real tangible things to be done on ground in terms of Healthcare, planning, education etc.

And if they actually do it, change the name I mean then it is basically a last ditch by the government to get their ardent supporters back on their side, give them a shot of nationalism and make sure they vote for them next year.

Legally speaking article 1, which I mentioned above it can be amended but till what level can you amend it? That's what I'm unsure about and I have been researching for the past few days, so still in the process of it. Because the thing is that the Indian constitution is both rigid as well as flexible. Basically means that, you can amend the constitution but you can't encroach upon or you can't change its basic structure like the main tenants which make it the document that it is. So I'm not particularly sure over how much the first article be amended to facilitate this name change. It's not even a name change really it's the deletion of one of the names.

The name which is basically what everybody knows the country as. If they do change it then it would be nothing but a political gimmick but also it will be a waste of a lot of taxpayer money. I'm honestly scared to calculate how much it would cost and what all would need to change from people's legal documents, to names of state institutions, their documents, the public sector firms, educational institutions etc.

Another issue is the language, Bharat is the Hindi name and a lot of states might not accept given the fact that their local languages have always been given a lower position as compared to the North Indian Hindi. Then there's the history attached to it the name India and the govt will be basically bulldozing all that has been associated with it if they delete it.

Now people who've never actually opened a book up in their lives say that this is a name given by the British so it's our Colonial Legacy etc, but the thing is the name 'India' is actually related to the ancient Greeks who used to trade with the people of the indus Valley civilization. Locally the indus river was known as 'sindhu' and they in their own language translated it to 'indus' and thus, the word India came into being - the people who lived on the indus Valley were thus called 'Indians'. And then this name India given by the Greeks was later exported to other western cultures etc. So not a colonial Legacy after all.

A lot of other things also but the gist is that the name change/name deletion situation is a very slippery slope to go down.

Once again saying that it's just rumors at its point, but I won't be surprised that they are thinking it. the government is known to take pretty significant and often rash decisions without any prior information to anybody. Still it's just rumors till now.

#ash's asks #anons #PS

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the-rewatch-rewind · 8 months

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The most underrated 1980s teen movie

Script below the break

Hello and welcome back to the Rewatch Rewind! My name is Jane, and this is the podcast where I count down my top 40 most frequently rewatched movies in a 20-year period. Today I will be discussing number 10 on my list: Embassy Pictures and Monument Pictures’ 1985 adventure romantic comedy The Sure Thing, directed by Rob Reiner, written by Steve Bloom and Jonathan Roberts, and starring John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga.

In his first term at a small northeastern college, Walter Gibson (known as “Gib”, played by John Cusack) is frustrated with his sex life, or rather, lack thereof. So when his high school best friend Lance (Anthony Edwards) sends him a picture from UCLA of a beautiful woman (Nicollette Sheridan) and promises that she’s a “sure thing” – no questions asked, no strings attached, no guilt involved – Gib takes the first ride he can find to California for winter break, even though that means traveling with Alison Bradbury (Daphne Zuniga), who has already rejected his underhanded advances and is on her way to visit her boyfriend (Boyd Gaines). Gib and Alison’s constant fighting finally pushes the driver (“Gary Cooper, but not the Gary Cooper that’s dead,” played by Tim Robbins) to abandon them on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, and they are forced to find their own way to LA. Their adventures prompt them both to learn from each other and start to change for the better.

I remember not being very interested in this movie when my mom first got it from the library, and her really having to talk me into watching it. I think I was pleasantly surprised the first time, but it wasn’t until I rewatched it a couple years later that I truly appreciated it and became kind of obsessed for a while. I saw it for the first time in 2004, then eight times in 2006, three times in 2007, once in 2009, three times in 2010, once in 2011, once in 2012, once in 2013, once in 2015, once in 2016, twice in 2019, and twice in 2022. I would have watched it more in recent years, but for a while I only had it on VHS (my sister’s had it on DVD for several years but since we don’t live near each other I don’t have many options to watch her copy, so I did finally get my own DVD of it last year) and it’s very rarely available on streaming services. There was a major boom of teen movies in the 1980s, many of which are still considered classics now, but hardly anybody ever talks about The Sure Thing, and I have no idea why because it is truly delightful.

Most of the people involved in this movie were just starting their careers. Rob Reiner had only directed one movie (This is Spinal Tap) prior to this, and it was both writers’ first feature film, and it was John Cusack’s first starring role. So The Sure Thing has the charms of a low-budget project that everybody’s making because they want to, not because they think they’re going to get rich and famous from it, with the added bonus that many of the actors did become rich and famous later, so you can watch it and go, “Oh look, it’s Dr. Mark Greene from ER back when he had hair” or “Wow, is that a very young Tim Robbins?” But even if none of them had made anything else, this would still be a fun movie to watch because the writing and acting are incredible, especially when it comes to the two main characters’ arcs.

I know the dynamic of a buttoned-down, over-organized control freak paired with a spontaneous, go-with-the-flow goofball has been done to death, but no movie does it better than The Sure Thing. The characters of Gib and Alison are so well developed that they feel like real people rather than a tired trope. Even though it’s fairly obvious from the moment Alison enters the story that she and Gib are ultimately going to end up together, their journey toward that predictable conclusion is never dull. Part of that is because of the obstacles they encounter on their journey across the country, but the main reason is because they were perfectly cast. Apparently both John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga were a lot like their respective characters at the time and therefore brought a lot of themselves to their roles. The whole “shotgunning a beer” bit was added because Cusack mentioned that was something he could do, and that became an important way to show the evolution of their characters and relationship. Initially, Rob Reiner didn’t even want to consider Cusack for the part of Gib because he was a minor, but the casting directors talked him into giving the then 16-year-old a chance, and Cusack’s audition convinced the director that he was the perfect Gib. Producer Roger Birnbaum went to court to have John Cusack emancipated and served as his legal guardian during filming. It is a little uncomfortable to know that Cusack was only 17 at the time of filming while his love interests were 20 and 21 – like, I know the age gap is only a few years, but he was technically a minor and they were technically adults, although their characters were all meant to be 18 or 19, so it’s not like the movie is promoting inappropriate relationships. Yes, it definitely would have been better to cast someone who was over 18, but at the same time, John Cusack does such an incredible job playing this character that I totally understand why they went ahead and cast him anyway. He plays Gib with the perfect balance of kind of a jerk but still kind of sweet that keeps the audience rooting for him while still criticizing his bad behavior. And the way he and Zuniga play off each other is endlessly compelling.

One of my favorite scenes, not just in this movie but in any movie, is after Gib and Alison have been kicked out of the car and accidentally left all their cash in a hotel room, and they’re sitting on the side of a deserted road at night hoping to hitch a ride. Alison finds a stick of gum in her purse, unwraps it, and the second she’s about to put it in her mouth, Gib says, “I’m starving.” So Alison dutifully breaks the gum in half and splits it with him. Then he starts listing other complaints until she can’t take it anymore and snaps, “Can’t you try to look on the bright side?” which of course is the sky’s cue to start pouring rain. In their desperate search for shelter, they find a trailer, but there’s a padlock on the door. Gib starts frantically pounding at the lock, and Alison thinks she might have a nail file in her purse, so she starts searching, and suddenly finds something much better. She tells Gib, “I have a credit card!” He’s so focused on getting into the trailer that at first he doesn’t understand the implications of what she said, and his immediate response is, “Credit cards work on a completely different kind of lock!” And Alison says, “I don’t think you understand: I have a credit card!” “You have a credit card?” “I have a credit card.” “You have a credit card.” And then her face falls as she remembers: “Oh. My dad told me specifically that I can only use it in case of an emergency.” And he just looks at her, soaked from the pouring rain, and deadpans, “Well, maybe one will come up.” And it’s just…so good. The comedic timing between the two of them is utter perfection.

And they’re also very good at having serious moments together. Like right after that scene, when they’re in a fancy restaurant because it was the only place they could find that would take a credit card – oh how times have changed – Gib opens up about where his interest in outer space came from. Earlier in the movie, both with Alison and with other girls, he’s tried to use his knowledge of space and astronomy to impress/seduce women – not very effectively – but here he’s being vulnerable and genuine, and Alison’s reactions show that she recognizes and appreciates that. And then when they finally get to LA and separate, they both do such a great job of showing how much they have changed, while still remaining true to who their characters have been from the beginning. Alison starts to realize that her boyfriend Jason, whose idea of a good time is staying home, playing cards, and admiring the special hangers and flannel sheets, is not nearly as fun to be around as Gib. And after making such a deep personal connection with Alison, Gib starts to question whether an emotionless sexual encounter with the Sure Thing is really what he’s looking for. Neither of them say these things in so many words, but they make it abundantly clear how they’re feeling, and it’s very rewarding as an audience member to see the characters we’ve become so invested in reach that point in their journeys. But they’re also very mad at each other, mostly because they’ve fallen for each other against their will, and it isn’t until they somehow get back to the east coast (we never see how that happens, but I guess it’s not important) that they resolve this tension. And the way they reconcile through a paper that Gib has their English professor (played by Viveca Lindfors) read to the class is an amazing way end the movie. So basically, this is a story about two very well-written, perfectly cast characters who go on an extremely satisfying journey that is just as fun to watch the 20th time as the first.

Now, if you’ve listened to other episodes, or even just read the description of this podcast, you might be a little confused right now. “But Jane,” I can imagine you thinking, “Aren’t you aromantic and asexual? Isn’t this movie all about a character pursuing sex, and then coming to the very amatonormative conclusion that he should commit romantically and sexually to the one person he’s had an emotional connection with? Why would a movie like that be in your top 10?” And you know, those are fair questions. They’re the kinds of questions I asked myself a few years ago, when I suspected I might be aroace but wasn’t completely convinced. And an important step on my path to recognizing that that label truly described me was when I realized that I appreciate this movie from a very aroace perspective. For one thing, it always irked me that the movie ends with Gib and Alison kissing. “Why can’t they end up as friends?” my obliviously aromantic teenage self would lament during the years when I was watching this movie the most. But on the other hand, I had always appreciated the message that forming a genuine emotional connection with someone is more fulfilling than casual hookups with people you’ve lied to and manipulated to get them to sleep with you. So I liked the part about “sex isn’t actually the end all be all of human experience” but I disliked that the conclusion was “but finding a romantic partner is” – could there be a more aroace response to this movie?

And as I thought about it even more, I realized that, even though I’m positive that this was not the intention of any of the filmmakers, there is a way to interpret the character of Gib as being on the asexual spectrum. In the first half of the movie, he does appear to be in constant pursuit of sex, at least at first glance, but a lot of his attempts are kind of halfhearted. You get the feeling that he wants to be able to say he’s slept with a lot of people because his friends and society tell him that’s what will make him cool. He seems a lot happier and more comfortable when he’s stopped trying to seduce Alison, and ultimately, even though the Sure Thing is definitely willing to sleep with him, he decides he doesn’t want that anymore, despite having travelled across the country specifically to have sex with her. Obviously, there are a lot of different conclusions that could be drawn from this. I think a big one is that people who are socialized as boys, regardless of whether they’re asexual or not, are often given a very toxic and unhealthy message about what their sex lives should be like, including the idea that women are objects to be tricked into providing momentary pleasure, and that having lots of sex is what makes you a real man. So it’s rather refreshing to see a coming of age story that shows a young man maturing by actively choosing not to have sex with a woman who is given no name, and is only identified by her willingness to put out. And in some ways I don’t want to encourage the headcanon that Gib is asexual because I think it’s important to show that allosexual men are allowed to say “no” when it doesn’t feel right, and that that doesn’t make them less of a man. But I also think the disconnect between how Gib is expected to feel about the Sure Thing and how he actually feels when he meets her is very relatable to asexual people. Society’s messages about how “normal” people feel about sex and sexual attraction are very confusing to people who don’t feel that way. And I guess what this movie is trying to say is that some of those messages don’t apply even to allosexual people. I just wish it didn’t perpetuate the amatonormative message that sex and romance are vital aspects of the most important relationship in everyone’s lives. In the story that Gib writes to reveal to Alison that he didn’t sleep with the Sure Thing, he reveals that she asked, “Do you love me?” and that for the first time in his life, he knew that those were more than just words, and that if he said it, it would be a lie, so he said no and left. And again, part of that feels very amatonormative, but at the same time, the whole idea of being true to yourself and honest with any prospective partners is a good message for people of all romantic and sexual orientations.

I still hope to find a movie about a journey like this in which the leading man and woman explicitly end up as friends (let me know if you’re aware of one), but I can almost be content imagining that soon after the events of this movie, Gib and Alison realize that they don’t actually like kissing each other but remain BFFs. Hey, it could happen! But that was definitely not the intent, and if you like cute 80s teen romance movies, The Sure Thing is definitely one to check out – if you can track it down. Don’t let my weird aromantic headcanon ruin your appreciation for this romance. I’m not saying this movie was made for aroace people by any means; my point is that realizing I was enjoying this movie in a very aroace way helped me come to the conclusion that I am aroace. And it’s also a great movie aside from all that, as one would expect from this director and cast.

Thank you for listening to me discuss another of my most frequently rewatched films. The Sure Thing was the only movie I watched exactly 26 times in the 20 years I was tracking, and I didn’t watch any exactly 27 times, so next week I will be talking about the movie I watched 28 times, which is widely – and extremely incorrectly – regarded as one of the worst movies ever made. So that should be a fun episode. As always, I will leave you with a quote from that next movie: “Forget ‘herb.’ I never heard of a hit that had the word ‘herb’ in it.”

#the sure thing #rob reiner #john cusack #daphne zuniga #the rewatch rewind

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mariacallous · 7 months

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It is incontestable that the well-being of today’s children and youth will determine the future of the planet. For young people to develop and thrive, sound investments must be made across multiple sectors including health, nutrition, social protection, and education. The COVID-19 pandemic has both hampered progress toward meeting the sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to children and youth and highlighted the interconnectedness across these sectors. Pandemic-related setbacks have been observed in child and youth-centered targets in several domains including health (SDG 3), education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), and economic growth (SDG 8). UNESCO estimates that there are 244 million children and youth out-of-school, and progress at lowering this rate had already stalled before the pandemic (Global Education Monitoring Report Team and UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2022)1. In just three years, learning poverty jumped from an already unacceptable level of 57 percent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries unable to read and comprehend a simple text in 2019 to 70 percent in 2022 (World Bank et al., 2022). Further complicating this is the fact that of the $5 trillion spent yearly around the globe on education, a mere 0.5 percent is spent in low-income countries while two-thirds is spent in the wealthiest nations (UNESCO, n.d.). And while improvements have been made in child malnutrition since the beginning of the century, in 2022 nearly a quarter of children under 5 (22.3 percent) were stunted (UNICEF, 2023). Almost half of all deaths of children under five are due to malnutrition, and those that survive chronic malnutrition in their childhood can be impacted for life. Stunted children are less likely to achieve in school, have diminished ability to learn, and are less likely to attain formal employment (UNICEF, 2023; Oot et al., 2016).

To address the learning crisis and other challenges facing children and youth (those 15-24 years of age) it is critical for governments, multilateral and bilateral funders, other donors, and implementers to have a clear understanding of program costs and cost breakdowns to inform financing decisions. The World Bank pointedly notes that “countries should develop and cost evidence-based plans for achieving their learning goals and a road map for financing those plans” to improve outcomes (Arias and Kheyfets, 2023, emphasis added). Cost data are a critical component of cost-effectiveness analysis, which is imperative to ensuring the best use of limited resources. Indeed, cost data are needed for advocacy, budgeting and planning, and resource allocation in all sectors. While cost is not the only factor to consider, it is a critical one that is often overlooked due to such issues as a lack of accessible high-quality cost data, low capacity to conduct cost analysis, an aversion to transparency, or simply low prioritization of data collection and analysis. Several studies have shown that even at the highest levels, most evaluations of programs and initiatives do not include cost data analysis (Brown & Tanner, 2019; Velez, 2020).

For nearly a decade, the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at the Brookings Institution has led the Childhood Cost Data initiative, a research project focused on the collection, analysis, and use of cost data to increase the volume and quality of funding for programs targeting children and youth. The initiative’s end goal is to improve learning and life outcomes for the youngest generation through these advancements. As part of this initiative, Brookings developed the Childhood Cost Calculator (C3), intended to facilitate cost analysis. This study introduces C3, the tool’s various dimensions and functionalities, and presents learnings from three case studies from piloting the calculator in the 3 education or early childhood development (ECD) sectors in Cambodia, Ghana, and Honduras. It concludes with suggestions for a way forward that supports funders, implementers, and researchers to better use cost data to make strides in tackling the multiple crises facing children and youth today.

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hikeofthemonth · 2 months

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February 2024 Mangum Dental Hike-of-the-Month

Grandfather Juniper Trail - In Memory of the Granite Mountain Hotshots

#38 Upper Pasture Trail to #39 White Rock Spring Trail

Distance: 3 – 4.5 miles

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate due to rough terrain

Elevation gain: minimal

Mangum Dental Hike-of-the-Month is reprinted from July 2016 and describes a hike to the Grandfather Juniper, a legendary tree with local fame. The Juniper tree may be the largest known Juniper in the world with a circumference measuring over 26 ft. at the base. The tree is estimated to be 1000 years old and was named one of Arizona’s “Magnificent 7” trees for 2015. Despite these amazing statistics, the tree is special for another reason. The plaque at the base of the tree tells the entire story. In short, this tree was spared from the Doce Fire in June 2013 through the valiant efforts of the Granite Mountain Hotshots from the City of Prescott Fire Department. Later that month, responding to another urgent threat to homes and communities, 19 of the 20 hotshots tragically lost their lives. This hike is dedicated to their memory and this tree is a representation of how much we miss our 19 heroes.

Directions: From the intersection of Williamson Valley Road and Iron Springs Road, travel west on Iron Springs for 6.8 miles to Contreras Rd. (between mile marker 8 and 9). Turn right on Contreras Road and head north .7 miles to a parking area on your right. Those with low clearance vehicles will want to park here and start the hike. Moderate to high clearance vehicles can follow the rough road to the left (north) out of the parking area (Road 9261U). The road follows a fence for another .7 miles to the trailhead.

The hike: A gate and a sign designate trail #38, Upper Pasture Trail. Follow this old road for slightly less than 1 mile to the well-marked junction of trails #38 and #39, White Rock Springs Trail. Turn left or north onto trail #39 and hike for just over ½ mile. As the trail nears the turn-off for the tree, there will be a short stretch of quartz rock along the path then the trail drops into a creek bed. Look to the left for a trail marker and follow the single-track trail that heads west. This short path will lead to the Grandfather Juniper, marked with a beautiful monument and plaque dedicated to the Granite Mountain Hotshots.

Mangum Dental has been serving the Prescott-area dental needs since 1978. We strive to provide exceptional patient care while rendering outstanding compassionate service.

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vro0m · 5 months

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vro0m's rewatch - 175/332

2016 European GP

Okay this morning were watching the European GP in Baku, for the first time ever.

Oh quali didn't go well for Lewis. He's starting 10th on the grid. He's not destabilised though. He seems calm and relaxed. About quali he just says it was a difficult day. He gets a bit impatient with Johnny as he asks questions because he wants to move on. I wonder what happened, especially as Johnny pointed out he was very fast in practice. When asked what results he's hoping for this weekend, Lewis says the team has worked hard to get a good pace and he hopes he's able to use it. He says the GP2 race showed anything is possible, and he's going out trying to get as many points as possible. Of course he wants to win so he'll do the best he can.

Apparently he locked up a couple of times and then clipped a barrier in quali. So what we're looking at is he made mistakes. Everybody is surprised. Hill reports Lewis said he couldn't get in the rhythm, in the flow. Oh yeah we see the images. The mistake was minimal but of course it's high cost in Baku. He just barely touched the edge of a wall in a corner with his front right and the suspension broke immediately. In a very low key way. All he can do is park metres down the road. Meanwhile Nico is on pole, of course. Then it's Ricciardo, Seb, Raikkonen, Massa, Kvyat, Perez, Valtteri, Max, and Lewis as we said. What a weird grid.

Anyway it's a very boring build up.

Formation lap.

Oof. It's okay at the start but there's contact at the back. I hope Lewis is unscathed? I can't see him. Oh here he is. Yellow flags. Green flags. Ahhh Baku is terrifying. So narrow. Yellow flags. At the end of the first lap, the order goes Nico, Ricciardo, Seb, Raikkonen, Perez gained 2 places, Massa lost 1 place, Max is up 2 places, Kvyat lost 2 places, Valtteri lost 1 place, and Lewis is still P10. Valtteri overtakes Kvyat easily with the DRS. Perez is getting close to Raikkonen and Valtteri overtakes Max as he goes wide. But Max comes back at Valtteri while Lewis gets in the mix! Valtteri takes off, Lewis moves to the inside line and he gets ahead of the RedBull as well in the next corner. Seb is closing on Danny. Phew, that was an easy overtake. Nico is already 7 seconds ahead which is insane and boring. Max pits. Kvyat retires. Massa pits. Seb is called in, he asks if they're sure about it because the pace is good, but the engineer argues they'll be undercut by Daniel if they don't. Raikkonen pits instead. Lewis locked up. The deg is high.

Lap 10. Nico, Seb +11.5, Perez +8.6, Valtteri +0.8, Lewis +0.9, Hulkenberg +7, Daniel just overtook both Grosjean and Wehrlein, and then Raikkonen is P10 about 3 seconds behind that battle. Lewis attacks Valtteri and gets ahead in P4. Raikkonen overtakes Wehrlein for P8. Lewis is gaining fast on Perez. Raikkonen gets a 5 second time penalty for crossing the pit entry line. It seems those who haven't pitted yet are getting over the graining. The times are improving but Lewis complains of vibrations. He pits. Raikkonen overtakes Hulkenberg for P6. Lewis is out in P9. Perez pits from P3. We're hoping he'll be out behind Lewis but unfortunately not. Raikkonen overtakes Ricciardo for P4.

Lap 20. Nico, Seb +20.8, Valtteri +18.9, Raikkonen +1.6, Ricciardo +1.8, Hulkenberg +3, Massa +1.1, Perez +0.5, Lewis +0.7, and Max +10. Valtteri pits and everyone is up a place. Lewis overtakes Massa, who's already been pushed back by Perez. Seb finally pits. And he's out in P3, behind Raikkonen. Meanwhile Perez and Lewis are up in P5 and P6 as Hulkenberg pits. Max pits again. It's not a good stop. Nico pits for the first time. He's easily still in the lead. Perez overtakes Ricciardo for P4, and Lewis follows. Ricciardo pits. Ted reports RBR is struggling with their tyres. There's a big midfield battle between too many cars to keep track. Seb is closing on Raikkonen. Lewis is not gaining on Perez though. Here he comes on the radio : "Derates everywhere. I’m sure that’s not helping. Is there no solution for this?" – "We are working on it, Lewis," Bono says. "You guys need to pick up the pace," he answers. Seb is back in P2, we're unsure whether it was a proper overtake or team orders. Well now Raikkonen is getting thanks from the team so it becomes pretty clear. Ahhh right, Ted reminds us Raikkonen has a penalty anyway.

Lap 30, Lewis is still struggling with his ERS. The order is currently Nico, Seb, Raikkonen, Perez, Lewis, Valtteri, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Massa and Verstappen. Lewis asks if he can't just reset the thing. Bono says the problem seems to be the current mode he's using. Lewis is annoyed. "Ah, I don’t know what you mean but I don’t know what’s wrong." Bono stays calm as always : "Copy that Lewis, hard to say what it is." It might be due to the radio restrictions, they are not allowed to provide technical help so they can't tell him what to do. Ted says on Lewis on-board you can see lots of warning signs on his steering wheel. And Sainz stops, off track. He has an issue with his suspension. No need for a SC where he's stopped. Di Resta argues the radio ban is taking it too far because now it's compromising a driver's race and it's not good for the fans either. Lewis gets back on the radio. He sounds a bit rattled. "This is ridiculous guys, I don’t know, looking at my freaking dash every five seconds trying to find a switch that’s in the wrong position. I haven’t changed anything or done something wrong as far as I’m aware." Bono answers it's not something he's doing wrong, there's an incorrect setting. "HPB?" Lewis asks. "Afraid I can't say, Lewis." – "I may not finish this race because I'm gonna try and change everything," Lewis says, resigned. "Uhh we don't advise that, Lewis," Bono says a bit more urgently than we're used to. It's so frustrating. They know what it is and can't say. Ted reports that the pit wall is discussing telling him and dealing with the consequences that come with it. "Can I make a suggestion and you say if it's okay or not?" Lewis hopefully asks moments later. "No that's not allowed. Let's just get our head down and focus on the job."

It's lap 40. Nico, Seb, Raikkonen, Perez, Lewis, Valtteri, Hulkenberg, Ricciardo, Massa, Verstappen. No change. Wehrlein retires in the same place Carlos did. Alonso is called in to retire as well. Ted confirms what we've been suspecting for a couple of laps which is Lewis has managed to find the right setting. His lap times are improving. "OK Lewis you're the fastest car on track, 9 laps remaining," Bono says. "No shit man, I've got my power back." he answers. Well now there's 7 laps remaining and he's 15 seconds behind Perez though. So I'm not sure what he's gonna be able to do about it. Nothing much happens after that. Daniel overtakes Hulkenberg for P7. Then Max does so as well a couple laps later. On the last lap, Perez overtakes Raikkonen on track rather than relying on the penalty.

It's the end of the race.

Nico wins ahead of Seb and Perez.

About the radio ban Niki says it's difficult. He claims Nico had the same issue but figured it out quicker than Lewis, who had to drive and overtake at the same time. He says everybody is under the same rules so it's what it is basically. He says in any case Lewis never got the pace Nico did.

Lewis is the first we hear from. He seems a bit dejected and still confused. He says he had no idea what was wrong with his engine, there's like 16 different engine positions with 20 settings each and he had no idea what problem he had. Low power. She asks if he knows what he did when it resolved. He says he didn't do anything, it fixed itself. She asks if at the end it went wrong again or if he slowed down to save the engine. "I turned the engine down, yeah," he says with a shrug and a hint of a smile.

He points out exactly what I was saying : he was 15 seconds down with 7-8 laps to go, not in danger of getting caught up by the guys behind him, so he saved the engine. He says he doesn't have as many engines left as the others. She asks about the radio rules. He hums. "I don't see the benefit, really, in… The FIA have made Formula One so technical as it is today." He says the problem could have been one out of 100 or 200 switch positions, and there's no way for him to know which one, "no matter how much I study", because he didn't know what the problem was. He smiles. Shrugs again. Tilts his head.

"But you know… It was just – it was a shame that I couldn't race. I wanted to race." He says if he'd been able to solve the engine issue he could've at least been a part of the show, maybe catch the guys ahead. "But it wasn't to be, and so it is." The journalist says Alonso said it's like being given a spaceship to drive but having no info when there's an issue. She asks if he hopes it gets changed or if he thinks it's just something they'll have to keep dealing with. He refuses to answer. "It doesn't make any difference now, it's done so…" He smiles his way out of it.

Toto confirms they had a problem on both cars and it was something to do with a configuration of switches, whatever that means. There was a way to change the config of switches on the dashboard, but they couldn't say so to the drivers. When asked why Nico was able to change it and not Lewis, Toto says Nico had to do it before so he just did it again. They're saying Nico did well to come back after the last couple of races. Of course Nico's contract is running out so they're asking how the contract talks are going. Toto confirms they want to keep Nico and Nico wants to stay, they're settling the details.

It's really about all there is today about this GP. See you next race!

#f1 #lewis hamilton #vro0m's race reviews #2016 #2016 european gp

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sky-squido · 2 years

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#maybe it was an adventure is getting SCIENCE’D now, baybe!!!

no i am not putting this below the cut. this stuff is REALLY FREAKING COOL YOU GUYS! let characters grow from their hardships! spread hope that we are more than the difficulties we encounter in life!

This isn’t even just about the characters!! Studies (quoted below) show that viewing your own life as an adventure, that accepting that challenge is a part of growth, that assigning meaning to your hardships helps you to overcome them better and emerge stronger!

We cannot control what happens to us, but we can decide what stories we are going to use our beaten, bloodied lives to tell the world.

Don’t let this break you.

(all bolding is mine)

“consequently, it is not the environment per se but the meaning that people attach to their experiences in that environment that is the determining factor […] Positive effects have been noted in exceptional, extreme and tortuous environments including submarines, polar research stations, space missions, and even amongst survivors of genocide and persecution including the Holocaust” (Leach 2016, 12).

“when the moment of turning finally came, it was attended by a strong sensation of choice. That sensation of choice indicates a reversal of mental defeat and the reimposition of some personal control over the situation which is a key factor in recovery” (Leach 2016, 20).

“With their new awareness that the impossible might now be possible, [patients] harness their energy and allies for a final showdown with their dragon. [Patients] have gained a psychological “second wind” and almost come full circle with their cognitions concerning the problem, from “this is not a problem” to “this is my problem to resolve.” This awareness, coupled with their new sense of self-efficacy (“I can’t” to “I might just do this!”) makes for a more determined and motivated [patient]. The Road Back signals the [patient’s] final resolution to address the significant life problem. The fearful and avoidant person present at the beginning of their Hero’s Journey is no longer” (Williams 2019, 534).

“Taken together, these studies support the idea that missions in space and space-like environments on Earth can provide mental health benefits, even though the experiences may be fraught with danger, hard work, and isolation from family and friends” (Ritsher 2007, 339).

“Although recent research has taken greater notice of such variables as hardiness, resilience, and optimism, the majority of studies on stress still focus on sequelae such as PTSD, anti-social behaviour, low self-esteem, learned helplessness, and the feeling of permanent victimization” (Suedfeld 1998, 100).

“Even amidst the acknowledged dangers and deprivations of the early polar explorations, expeditioners frequently referred to the beauty and grandeur of the land, ice, and sea, the camaraderie and mutual support of the team, the admirable qualities of their leader, and the thrill of facing and overcoming the challenges of the environment. Those who study present-day polar sojourners report very similar positive reactions. Many studies have reported high emotional adjustment and positive feelings in expedition members in both summer and winter. […] An Australian survey of 104 Antarctic residents reported that although a greater range of negative reactions was listed, most of them were infrequent; positive events were much more frequent […] One important piece of evidence of the overall benefit of the polar experience is that so many people volunteer for repeated assignments and are perturbed when asked to consider never going back; as one researcher noted, “Almost every member of the winter party considered his Antarctic stay as one of the best experiences of his life.” (Palinkas & Suedfeld 2007, 158).

“Salutogenesis means not only the ability to cope with stress, but also the ability to come out of a stressful experience with increased psychological and perhaps physiological strength with which to face future stressors… well-known study of naval veterans of Antarctic service, whose subsequent lives demonstrated better health and greater career success” (Suedfeld 2005, B63).

“There may be a hint in a recent finding that, with increasing experience in polar regions, station crew members and scientists prefer to work in small field camps, which pose more difficulties and discomforts than do larger stations” (Suedfeld 1998, 100).

“The emphasis on positive psychology, and the benefits that may result from meeting [extreme] challenges, should be lauded. It reminds us that human beings are, in general, a remarkably tough and adaptable lot” (Steel 2005, B72).

#maybe it was an adventure #squido's op #squido rambles #linkeduniverse #linked universe #making this post really fandom neutral so i can blaze it #because everyone needs to know this #but i will be making an LU-specific version for the vibes #AND YES I KNOW I USED CHICAGO FORMATTING FOR SCIENTIFIC PAPERS INSTEAD OF APA I LIKE IT BETTER OKAY #i really like adding page numbers and the formatting for page numbers in apa in text citations is gross and me no likey #okay that's all byeee

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fujikasa · 7 months

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@userdramas event 10: emotions

high&low + h o m e

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wherewhereare · 9 months

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Gavin Rossdale: 'I just quit everything to work on my private life, which was a waste of my time'

Separate ways: Gavin Rossdale with ex-wife Gwen Stefani

By Joe Nerssessian

April 06 2017 09:05 AM

The past few years have been a little rocky for Gavin Rossdale, but he's adamant joining The Voice was one of his 'best decisions', and working on the new Bush album proved a much needed catharsis.

Gavin Rossdale is a busy man. Aside from his role as a coach on ITV's The Voice UK, the Bush frontman has been working on a new cookery talk show, his own clothing line, is currently promoting the band's latest record, and the ink is still drying on his first venture into songwriting for other artists.

The past few months have also seen him play his first UK gig in more than five years, amid frequent trips to see, and visits from, his three youngest children (he has three sons with ex-wife Gwen Stefani, and is also the father of 28-year-old model Daisy Lowe).

It all seems quite remarkable given that, two years ago, Rossdale had cancelled a tour and decided he'd never record music again - because, he says, he wanted to focus on trying to fix things with then-wife Stefani, who he'd been married to since 2002 (however, their divorce was finalised in early 2016).

"I just quit everything to work on my private life, which was ironic because that was a waste of f****** time," explains London-born Rossdale (51). "I stopped working when I got divorced, I didn't care, I didn't want to work... I went insular and I put all my time into them (his sons)."

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Slowly but surely, however, the pain subsided and he returned to work, which involved writing two albums - the first of which he "spared" everyone, while the second is Black And White Rainbows, Bush's seventh studio album, released in March.

Then there's The Voice. Rossdale calls the decision to join the series one of the best he's ever made, but admits it perhaps seemed a little strange.

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"I know it was unusual that someone like me, a street urchin, from counterculture corners where this ancient transcription called rock music exists, [would do something like that], so I know it was a bit of a weird thing, but I'm really proud to be on it and it's nothing but a total pleasure," he insists.

Rossdale was also recently signed by a new record label, after his dealings with BMG came to an end. He claims they feared that he would release a "manic depressive" album, admitting the unreleased material perhaps swayed towards that.

But it was never intended for consumption, he says: "I wasn't writing for anyone but just for me, to find a way for me to mourn, so I went through the mourning process and then a record appeared - and because I'd decided to be as English as possible and take the high road and never discuss it, it meant I had to put everything I felt into the music.

"It was really cathartic and pure because I wasn't trying to sell anything, I wasn't trying to get a hit record."

Bush are famed for being a UK band embraced by America, a trend that's continued with Black And White Rainbows.

However, for a group rarely treated to praise from the Press, Rossdale argues that concern over what the critics think is almost beyond him.

"Of course it bothers me being bashed around, but the funny thing is the world is so serious and difficult, and whether you take the 16 million people who are facing famine, or look at Syria or at the refugees in other war-torn areas, it's a bit much to shed tears because someone says, 'You're pants, you're not very good, we don't like you'."

He thinks The Voice offered a platform for the UK public to see him as a "three-dimensional character", as opposed to "a headline or the t*** who is successful in America and not here".

Rossdale continues: "It was never a situation where I was concerned or worried about a lack of success, I was just as successful as The Pixies, just as successful as The Jesus Lizard, all the bands I grew up with and love and admire. How greedy can you be? 'Oh love me more', it's b*******, man up."

On a roll, he recalls how, when touring with Bowie, the late pop superstar told him to "outlive your critics".

"And I have, I hope. Also, I don't really read as much about our albums because I'm sick of getting a hiding," he adds with a laugh, before suggesting he had a lot of critics in the UK media because of his success in the States.

Despite all this, Rossdale is a charming interviewee. He makes frequent jokes, cheerfully compliments questions, and critiques himself as a hypocrite when suggesting some celebrities cross platforms too readily.

He's also surprisingly funny. After being reminded of a television appearance on The Nightly Show, in which he sat quietly as his fellow Voice coaches did the talking, he admits he was kept silent by a dilemma over whether to have Chinese or Italian for dinner.

His new-found friendship with fellow coach Sir Tom led to the Welsh singer attending Bush's recent gig at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire, and perhaps more poignantly, prompted a conversation about Elvis, which has left a mark on Rossdale.

"People can't go through a week without having a good day, a bad day; it's being human and no matter your stature in life, life is just there.

"I realised this recently after chatting to Tom and he was telling me about a phone call he had from Elvis in 1965. He'd (Elvis)had a tough couple of years, had Kissin' Cousins, the worst Elvis song, he'd stopped making music because he took part in some dodgy movies and he was lost," Rossdale explains. "Tom told me this, and I thought, 'Oh my God, if Elvis was lost for two years, how the f*** are the rest of us going to cut it?'"

From <https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/gavin-rossdale-i-just-quit-everything-to-work-on-my-private-life-which-was-a-waste-of-my-time-35597417.html>

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dengswei · 2 months

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@asiandramanet creator bingo — parallels

road to high&low (2016) koisenu futari (2022) episode 5 the blood of youth (2022) episode 14 eye love you (2024) episode 2

#jdramaedit #cdramaedit #userdramas #asiandramanet #photopeablr #mine | all #mine | gifs #userparallels #the blood of youth #eye love you #koisenu futari #road to high and low #high and low #*parallels #asiandramasource #blackandwhiteedit #road to high&low #high&low #dailyasiandramas #oh would you look at that my comfort shows/movies all having the same sorta quote about home being a place to return to #tboy one isn't technically the same but the quote is similar so it counts #i giffed the rth&l + koifu before but in the caption i put the wrong koifu ep 🤡#also LWJ says the one in TBOY it's off screen/in a wideshot and i thought it would look out of place so i used the scene where XS repeats it #why do i always put myself through suffering that scene in h&l laksjhdjskds #the only decent set i've done for this month's bingo is the jing one omg #all the rest are awful #b&w because i hated the colouring lmfaooo #koifu subs by kaizensubs | ely + h&l by netflix | tboy by viki #ELY was added last minute lmfaooo #for anyone who didn't know why my blog title is what it is now you do

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ask-de-writer · 1 year

Text

THE FEAST OF HARVEST HOME : Annals of Grumpy Goat : Part 3 of 4

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THE FEAST OF HARVEST HOME

a Grumpy Goat <tail>

Part 3 of 4

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

4499 words

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Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions. All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

I looked up, my expression changing to injured innocence. “It says that you are going to get 25,000 golden bits from Sir Snobbin Realty acting as agents for the Royal Road Commission. That is a very useful sum of money, isn’t it?”

Big Mac slitted his eyes as he pointed out, “Eyup. Not much good to us if we looses the farm, though.”

Coalsmoke suddenly smiled too. “I don’t know how he is working it, AJ, but Sweet Apple Acres is safe. You are totally protected by Grumpy’s allergy.”

Apple Bloom stared up at my skull simply floating in the air above my ledge. She shook her head and asked in a puzzled voice, “What can he possibly be allergic to? I mean, I heard that he’s dead.”

Clarence smiled gently at Apple Bloom as he explained, “You are correct. Grumpy is dead. What he is allergic to is giving out refunds!!”

I asked AJ, “Didn’t you just pay your taxes yesterday? Was Sir Snobbin in the Tax and Assessment Office too?”

AJ nodded sourly. “He was. Making a big ol fuss about his estate being taxed too high.” She paused, a puzzled expression on her face. “How in tarnation did you know that?”

With a clatter of bone on stone, Clarence collapsed in a laughing fit! He was pounding the stone of my ledge with his forehoof! He finally got out, “Oh Grumpy! That is priceless! I love it!” Calming himself, Clarence advised, “In legal matters, Grumpy is slightly slipperier than a greased weasel! Whatever he tells you to do, do it exactly like he says to.”

Turning to Coalsmoke, he smiled and requested, “My dear, would you please bring out the serving trolley? Grumpy made breakfast for four. He and I have already eaten.”

She ducked inside my iron and steel front door and wheeled out the trolley. Grinning from ear to ear, she offered, “Grumpy made his famous Clover Top Scramble for you! These apple fritters on the side look like the ones that you make, AJ!”

She took one look and replied, “They is. Ah made them for Grumpy 'bout two days agone.”

Coalsmoke served and they all fell to.

As she gathered the last of the dishes to take back in to my kitchen area, she commented, “Are you going to go with them, Grumpy? We can read later. I think that this is too important to leave to chance.”

I nodded and offered brightly, “Right! I will just go on in and park my skull, then we can all go. I guarantee that this will be fun.”

The Apples, Coalsmoke and I made a merry troop as we strolled down my trail and through the woods to Ponyville. Clarence stayed behind, saying only, “I have a bit of business of my own that I need to take care of.”

As we neared the town hall and Judge Coldheart’s courtroom, I reminded the Apples, “NEVER say Sweet Apple Acres. Just say, The Property. That is very important. We are going to accept this seizure since it is for the common good but we feel that the price is far too low. Do you understand? Be glum.

“Also, DO NOT take a check or draft. The order says payment in gold and that is what we are demanding. Checks or drafts can be stopped before they are cashed.”

We waited in the audience while Judge Coldheart dealt with petty matters first. Most were simply ordering fines to be paid. A few were led out to serve short sentences and three were released as innocent of the charges.

The Bailiff called, “The Judge will now hear civil matters with no contest. First on the docket is a case of Eminent Domain involving the Apple family and Sir Snobbin Realty, representing the Royal Road Commission.”

That being our cue, we all came forward. AJ sourly put the notice of Eminent Domain Seizure on the judge’s bench. He started to look through the papers. Glancing down at me, he asked, “The Apple family, I understand being here, Grumpeter. Why are YOU here?”

I replied, “AJ came to me about this problem, Your Honor. Because of the season, just short of harvest, they could not afford a Lawyer. I am offering them the best advice that I can in this sad situation.”

“I see. Are you giving them legal advice?”

“No, Your Honor. I know better than that. All that I am doing is reminding them of some legal forms like referring to the land in question as 'the property described in the document of seizure’ and such small matters.

“The decision to acquiesce to the seizure without contest is theirs.”

AJ, picking up her cue, glumly pointed out, “The only thing we ain’t going along with is the price. That 25,000 gold bits ain’t but a tenth of what the property is worth. If Sir Snobbin wants it without no fight, he gotta give us more than that!”

Sir Snobbin sneered, “You can’t afford a lawyer to fight our generous offer!”

I shoved a hoof up his rump by pointing out, “There is such a thing as Pro Bono representation. It wouldn’t cost THEM a thing if they lose but it WILL cost YOU if they win, and with that pittance, they will!”

Grinding his teeth, Sir Snobbin snarled, “30,000! Not a bit more!”

AJ saw my minute nod and hung her head as she said, “We accepts but only if you pays it right here and now. None of this 'we will pay in due course’, stuff. We going to have to get a house and move. Can’t do that with promises.”

Sir Snobbin grinned triumphantly and pulled out his check book. “I will give you a check right now!”

AJ saw my small head shake. She stomped her hoof as she snapped, “No! The paper say GOLD. Get us the gold. The court will count it and we will take it from the COURT. Don’t trust YOU an inch!”

Amused, Judge Coldheart checked the Document of Seizure and snickered, “She is right, Sir Snobbin! Get her the gold. Bring it here. We will count it and render the payment.”

I spoke up, “Judge Coldheart, Sir, may I suggest that Sir Snobbin provide both the gold and a bank receipt for it. After the court renders it to the Apple family, they deposit it into their account at the Ponyville Trust and Loan. Their receipt of deposit, Sir Snobbin’s receipt of withdrawal and the court’s count and render of payment will make this matter final and un contestable by either party. The described property will be the sole property of the Royal Road Commission for their new gravel grading and storage facility.”

The judge nodded. “That will be done, Grumpeter. It makes perfect sense. I wish that there could be a better outcome.”

His teeth grinding in rage, Sir Snobbin wrote in his checkbook and gave the paper to one of his flunkies. It took a while for him to return. He had rented a cart to haul the load. The Bailiff stood guard while the load was shifted to the courtroom.

It was mostly larger ten, twenty and hundred gold bit coins. It made the count up go far faster.

Sir Snobbin, in a show of his usual grace, sneered, “Hire your own cart! You can’t use the one that I had to rent!”

Chuckling, AJ looked up to her huge brother and asked, “Do we need a cart, Big Mac?”

His one word answer was, “Nope!” They began shoveling the coins into his huge saddlebags. When they were full, AJ’s bags took the rest.

They trotted out of the court and up the street to the Ponyville Trust and Loan.

It took a bit of time but they returned with the needed receipt. All three items, withdrawal, court count, and deposit were attached to the Eminent Domain Seizure document. Judge Coldheart signed it all and said heavily, “It is done. This transfer is complete and can not be further contested.

“All that remains is to register the transfer of the property described at the Taxation and Assessment Office. They will dispatch a constable to affix the final seizure notice to the gates of the described property.”

I pointed out, “All that will be left is the one week grace period for the residents to find a place, pack and move.”

Sir Snobbin grabbed the documents of Eminent Domain and was about to leave. AJ gave me a puzzled look and asked in a small voice, “What do we do now, Grumpy?”

I replied brightly, “We follow Sir Snobbin and you trust in my allergy!”

AJ gave a sort of sideways smile and said, “I hope it is a real strong allergy. This business can’t be fixed if it is haywire in any way.”

Coalsmoke joined us from the audience and snickered, “Nothing is stronger than Grumpy’s allergy to giving out refunds! Let’s go see how this happens!”

We entered the Taxation and Assessment Office in time to see the clerk filling out the Gate Notice of Seizure placard. A constable was waiting to take it to wherever the clerk directed him.

Sir Snobbin noticed us and chortled, “Losers!”

TO BE CONTINUED

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