Evan Gershkovich's Sister Describes His Year Detained in Russia During National Press Club Event

When you are about to launch into space‚ you want to make sure everything is GO – all the more so if you have people on that rocket. Yesterday’s Soyuz launch toward the International Space Station was scrubbed just 21 seconds before lift-off.The abort was triggered by an automated system‚ the cause being a low voltage reading in the Soyuz rocket's electrical system. The window for the next launch is tomorrow‚ and both Roscosmos and NASA will want to know if what happened yesterday will affect the next launch attempt.“The next available launch opportunity is Saturday‚ March 23‚ pending completion of State Commission review for the Roscosmos launch. More information will be provided as available‚” NASA said in a statement.Soyuz MS-25 carries to the International Space Station NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson‚ Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy‚ and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus. Dyson is going to spend six months aboard the space station as part of the Expedition 71 crew. Marina Vasilevskaya‚ who will become the first Belarusian woman in space‚ will be in orbit for 12 days and return with a member of Expedition 70 crew as well as Novitskiy.Soyuz rockets are extremely reliable and an abort before launch is very rare. Yesterday’s event reminded us of the in-flight abort of 2018‚ when NASA astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin’s Soyuz was jettisoned from its rocket and forced to do an emergency landing.Once launched‚ the Soyuz will complete two orbits and dock after a few hours with the Prichal module on the Russian side of the space station. They will be met by NASA astronauts Loral O’Hara‚ Matthew Dominick‚ Mike Barratt‚ and Jeanette Epps‚ as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko‚ Nikolai Chub‚ and Alexander Grebenkin. Loral O’Hara will hitch a ride and come back with Vasilevskaya and Novitskiy in early April. 

The Amazons of ancient Greece made their first appearance in classical literature almost 3‚000 years ago‚ yet continue to inspire feminist‚ lesbian‚ and transgender movements to this day. However‚ a lack of solid archaeological evidence means that historians still understand very little about these legendary warrior women‚ with some scholars arguing that they were purely mythical creatures that never really existed.Regardless of whether they were real or fictional‚ the Amazons have been continually reimagined and realigned with various gender nonconforming groups over the years. Attempting to disentangle this complex history‚ the Journal of Lesbian Studies has recently published a special issue dedicated to the legacy of the Amazons.Who were the Amazons?As in many societies‚ women in ancient Greece were expected to perform the role of housewives‚ raising children and managing domestic affairs. “Yet beginning with Homer‚ the earliest known Greek author‚ the stories of the Amazons arose to defy those expectations‚” writes Walter Duvall Penrose Jr‚ author of the introduction to the special issue.First mentioned in the Iliad in the eighth century BCE‚ this enigmatic group of women were referenced by numerous subsequent authors over the next 700 years. According to Penrose Jr‚ “ancient Greek literature details how the Amazons challenged patriarchy‚ lived without men‚ and defeated their male enemies.”“Amazons fought and hunted‚ tasks normatively assigned to men in ancient Greece‚” he explains. Thus‚ “in ancient Greek legends and iconography‚ the Amazons are understood as gender nonconforming individuals.”The origins of these trailblazing women are unknown‚ but some scholars believe the Amazons - or at least their legend - were linked to ancient female Scythian and Thracian warriors‚ for whom actual archaeological evidence does exist. Exactly how they perpetuated their female-only society is yet another mystery‚ although some rather radical clues can be found in the writings of certain Greek authors.The first-century BCE philosopher and geographer Strabo‚ for example‚ wrote that the Amazons would have sex with neighboring groups of men once a year‚ typically in the spring. Any girls born as a result of these rendezvous would be raised by the warrior women‚ while baby boys were sent to live with their fathers.“For the rest of the year‚ Strabo relates that the Amazons lived independently of men‚ farming‚ raising horses‚ hunting‚ and making war‚” explains Penrose Jr. Were the Amazons lesbian or transgender?Despite their association with modern lesbian movements‚ the Amazons are never described in the ancient literature as being homosexual. While this doesn't mean they weren’t gay‚ it does mean that any lesbian connotations applied to the Amazons are unfounded.Equally difficult to pin down is their gender‚ possibly because the notion of transgenderism may not have been understood in antiquity in the same way as it is today. Whenever mentioned in classical writings‚ the Amazons are grammatically gendered as female. Similarly‚ they are typically depicted as white-skinned on ancient Greek pottery‚ thus distinguishing them as women in contrast to the black-skinned male warriors.At the same time‚ however‚ the Amazons are always seen fighting and wearing men’s clothing‚ thus signaling their masculine roles in spite of their female sex. Moreover‚ in Homer’s Iliad‚ the Amazons are described as antianeirai‚ meaning “equals of men”.It's also interesting to note that the word "Amazon" translates as "breastless" in ancient Greek‚ indicating that these warrior women may have been seen as not entirely female‚ at least in terms of gender roles. “Thus‚ in early extant Greek literature‚ the Amazons are clearly defined as women‚ but gender nonconforming‚ masculine ones at that‚” writes the author. “In twenty-first-century parlance‚ we might think of the Amazons as gender non-binary or transmasculine‚ but from an ancient Greek perspective‚ they might be better understood as representative of female masculinity.”In other words‚ while it may be tempting to assign modern labels‚ pronouns‚ and gender categories to the Amazons‚ all we can really say for sure is that “the Greeks perceived them as traversing preconceived Greek notions of gender and sexuality.”The legacy of the AmazonsIn spite of - and perhaps because of - the historical uncertainties surrounding the Amazons‚ their image has been repeatedly adapted to encapsulate the spirit of subsequent gender nonconforming groups. The Dahomey Amazons‚ for instance‚ was the name given to an all-female military unit that existed in what is now Benin in west Africa from the 17th to the 19th centuries.More recently‚ “lesbian feminists in the United States adopted the Amazons as their forebears as they defied patriarchy and decided to live without men‚ in a fashion that became known as lesbian separatism‚” writes Penrose Jr. Some modern lesbian groups have also adopted the labrys – a double-headed axe associated with the Amazon Hippolyte – as their symbol.Summing up their legacy general terms‚ Penrose Jr says that “while the legends of the Amazons have provided a fictive ancestry for lesbians‚ today they also serve as a myths of ancestry for transgender and gender nonbinary audiences as well.”The introductory chapter is published in the Journal of Lesbian Studies.

After the invasion of the actually pretty friendly alien pea pods‚ we’re back with another banger of an aquatic blob – but this one isn’t quite so harmless‚ according to a new study‚ thanks to more frequent and intense ocean heatwaves.These gelatinous sea creatures are called pyrosomes‚ which are made up of colonies of individuals that typically live in warmer waters. After a series of marine heatwaves in the northeast Pacific Ocean‚ the population of pyrosomes grew rapidly‚ with millions of the creatures seen in places along the west coast of the US where they had never been seen before.However‚ researchers wanted to understand the ecosystem-wide effects of the marine heatwaves in order to figure out what was happening for all organisms involved and how best to manage the situation. “If you look at single species interactions‚ you’re likely to miss a lot‚” said lead author Dylan Gomes in a statement. “The natural effects of a disturbance are not necessarily going to be straightforward and linear."To do this‚ researchers used food web models‚ which provide an estimate of the energy flow and feeding relationships between the organisms living in an ecosystem. They applied these models to the northern California Current‚ comparing the ecosystem before and after the heatwaves occurred.“Food web models allow us to estimate the cascading effects of marine heatwaves throughout the ecosystem‚” Gomes explained. “By tracking all of the many direct and indirect relationships within food webs‚ these models help us identify potential winners and losers as the ocean reaches new conditions.”Though it’s not exactly their fault‚ the results suggest that pyrosomes are absorbing a lot of the available energy – not just because there’s a lot of them feeding on plankton‚ therefore taking energy away from other plankton feeders‚ but because they themselves aren’t really eaten by much else in the ecosystem.“What I found both alarming and fascinating is the extent to which these pyrosomes absorb all of the energy in the system‚” said co-author Joshua Stewart. “Because nothing else really eats the pyrosomes‚ they just become this dead end‚ and that energy is not available for anyone else in the ecosystem.”This could end up affecting other members of the ecosystem further up in the food chain‚ such as fish and marine mammals. The authors suggest that‚ in turn‚ this could have an economic impact on fisheries‚ as well as on efforts to recover and conserve endangered species.That being said‚ for the moment‚ the ecosystem appears to be stable.  However‚ if things do start to change – particularly if marine heatwaves continue to occur – the researchers hope that their findings will help to inform the tools that’ll be used to deal with it.The study is published in Nature Communications.

NASA needs you! Or‚ more precisely‚ they need your phone to help study the Sun during the coming eclipse on April 8‚ 2024.Now we're sure conspiracy cranks are poised at their keyboards to claim that this is some large takeover effort‚ or whatever‚ but there is actually good reason for the initiative. NASA are encouraging people interested in the celestial event to participate in their SunSketcher program. By installing NASA’s forthcoming app‚ you can use your phone to gather data on the so-called Great American Eclipse 2024 to help them map the star’s shape.As Professor Gordon Emslie‚ the principal investigator‚ explained‚ “The 2024 Eclipse offers an unprecedented opportunity to measure the shape of the Sun and so to infer its inner structure. The SunSketcher project will use smartphone observations by Citizen Scientists situated along the two-thousand-mile-long eclipse path from Texas to Maine to reveal the precise shape of the solar disk."You may be wondering why we need to ascertain the shape of the Sun. I mean it’s clearly a sphere‚ right? Well‚ that’s not really true‚ one of the key factors being that the Sun is made of plasma‚ and so it's not a solid. So‚ when it spins‚ it bulges in the middle‚ just as any other rotating spheroid does.This property is called oblateness‚ but is sometimes referred to as polar flattening. To be sure‚ the Sun is not the only celestial body that experiences this. Within our Solar System‚ Earth‚ Jupiter‚ and Saturn all exhibit oblateness to different extents.But the Sun’s oblateness is influenced by various peculiarities associated with its interior distribution of rotation‚ which is not uniform. For instance‚ the motion of sunspots tells us that the surface rotation is “differential”‚ which means the spots move at different speeds depending on where they are – spots at the equator move 10 percent faster than those at higher latitudes. Scientists also expect that the flow of gas accompanying convection and magnetic activity leads to transient distortions at a smaller level as well.This is where the SunSketcher data comes in and why NASA want your help. As they explain‚ the data will “allow scientists to probe details of the interior of the Sun. An accurate measurement of the solar oblateness will also allow very precise calculations of the effects of solar gravity on the motions of the inner planets (e.g.‚ Mercury)‚ and comparison with observations of planetary motion will thus provide a test of different gravitational theories.”So how does this all work? Well‚ aside from the help of citizen scientists using the app‚ scientists also need to recruit the Moon for assistance. When the Moon makes its final move across the Sun during a total or annular solar eclipse‚ there’s a spectacular moment when small flashes of light can be seen. This phenomenon is known as Baily’s beads and occurs when the Sun’s light moves across the moon’s uneven surface (its craters‚ hills‚ and valleys).  “This phenomenon has very precise parameters”‚ NASA explain. “[T]he geometry of the observer-Moon-Sun coincidence‚ and its exact time on sub-second timing scales. The parameters differ systematically for observers located at different places and times within the path of totality.”This is where SunSketcher app comes in. It is programmed to take a series of photographs of the Baily’s Beads as they occur at the times of second and third contacts. Depending on where you are within the path of totality‚ the flashes will occur at different times. NASA can use this data to better map the Sun’s oblateness.“With your help‚ we hope to create a massive hour-long database of observations‚ more than we could ever make on our own‚” NASA explained.You can already download the SunSketcher app for iPhone‚ and the Android version is coming soon. 

The mysteries of our Universe persist‚ raising questions about the feasibility of teleportation‚ the influence of higher intelligences‚ and the potential friendliness of artificial intelligence‚ as cosmologist and author of “Unreal Reality‚” Andrey Kananin‚ discussed with a Russian news outlet. “Andrey Vladimirovich‚ rumors circulate about our Universe being a virtual construct‚ with much information intentionally concealed. Could this be to preserve our mental well-being or facilitate societal control?” queried the interviewer. “I find it hard to entertain Earth-centric conspiracy theories; my trust lies in scientific principles and our comprehension of fundamental physical laws‚” responded Kananin. “Yet‚ the ‘zoo theory’ proposes that an advanced extraterrestrial intelligence monitors us‚ inhibiting contact with other civilizations due to our relative underdevelopment. Despite our attempts to communicate‚ we are seemingly blocked.” “Many scientists posit that advanced civilizations would uphold ethical principles and potentially intervene in global crises‚” Kananin continued. “However‚ if we inhabit a simulated reality‚ it could be switched off at will.” “Is it conceivable to teleport not just elementary particles‚ but entire physical bodies across space and time at tremendous speeds?” pondered the interviewer. “Quantum mechanics unveils peculiar properties: particles exhibit behaviors contingent on observation‚” Kananin elucidated. “Entanglement allows instantaneous interaction across vast distances without transmitting information‚ circumventing Einstein’s laws. While teleportation seems paradoxical‚ scientists explore avenues within these boundaries.” “Teleporting macroscopic objects‚ like humans‚ remains a daunting task‚” Kananin admitted. “Yet‚ historical precedent demonstrates humanity’s capacity to innovate despite challenges. With exponential advancements and the aid of ethical algorithms‚ artificial intelligence may facilitate our endeavors.” In the realm of uncertainty‚ the quest for answers persists‚ driven by human curiosity and the promise of scientific discovery. The post Physicist: teleportation will become a reality appeared first on Anomalien.com.

In the popular bar of the Solymar Hotel in Posada de Llanes‚ Spain‚ something amazing happens every morning: a raven named Paco has been a regular and loyal customer of this establishment for 26 years. After the bird fell from its nest and was rescued by the bar’s owners‚ it became an integral part of the place.. Every time the bar opens‚ Paco flies in for breakfast‚ never missing a day. The owners of the establishment welcome him with open arms and serve him a special dish with his name on it to give him enough energy to get through the day. The waiters call Paco a member of the family and say that he is one of the most demanding customers‚ always choosing what he likes. Paco’s story became a social media phenomenon after hotel owners posted a video of the bird politely greeting everyone who entered the bar by saying “hello.” The animal has an amazing ability to talk and amazes with its politeness. Paco has become a real star‚ attracting the attention of both regular customers and new visitors. Its story touches and inspires‚ making this bar a special and unique place where every day begins with a meeting with a faithful feathered friend. Crows live half of the life span of humans. The life span of crows in the wild is upto 15-20years. Crows under very special care are known to live up to 30 years. Under the records‚ the longest known lifespan is 40 years. The post Crow has been having breakfast in the same bar for 26 years appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Imagine a scene straight out of a fairy tale‚ unfolding in the picturesque coastal town of Martigues‚ France. Here‚ the boundary between the human world and the aquatic realm blurs in a captivating encounter. A pregnant woman emerges from the sea‚ accompanied by an unexpected companion—a baby octopus clinging to her belly. This magical moment‚... The post Pregnant lady emerges from water unaware creature is clinging to belly appeared first on Animal Channel.

I received a request from a friend in my close circle. She is a mother and reasonably concerned about the best ways to face the coming economic downturn heading their way. I have done some research and compiled some of my personal experiences. Please note I am not a specialist in children’s psychology. I’m just a single dad who was gifted with an incredibly loving‚ warm family. Maybe we were sometimes scraping here and there but managed to make it decently‚ all things considered‚ in the 40 years since I was a child. Being the owner of a fully paid home and a couple of land patches for future development‚ added to a CNC machine and basic tools for woodworking is a remarkable achievement for our nation’s standards. My son has been through a full-blown economic collapse. Here’s how I handled it. Economic problems are hard on kids. Make no mistake: economic hardship does have a significant impact on our children’s emotional well-being. I believe this is a feeling we all share. In times of economic hardship‚ children and teenagers often bear the brunt of the struggle. The impact of an economic crisis can be particularly overwhelming for families living in poverty‚ as they face constant financial stress and uncertainty. Children who live in these conditions are more likely to experience anxiety‚ depression‚ and other mental health problems. They may also have difficulty sleeping‚ concentrating‚ and learning. I have seen this for a while on my kid‚ and we are working on it. I still remember how bad I felt sometimes back in the day. Financial struggle can have a profound effect on the emotional well-being of children. It’s important to acknowledge that their experiences may differ depending on their age and developmental stage. Younger children may not fully comprehend the complexities of the scenario; but can still sense the tension and stress within the family‚ and my kid went through some bitter experiences at a very young age‚ even though we tried to protect him as much as we could (you may want to read about that in this article). Teenagers‚ on the other hand‚ may be more aware of the economic challenges and may feel a greater sense of responsibility or worry about their future. How they react to that‚ it’s another issue. Here’s how I’ve handled it. I talk to him about the situation. It is important to talk to your children about the economic situation in a way that is age-appropriate and very honest. We have always been good at communicating with each other our ideas since he was a small child. This was a process that took countless ice cream trips on my bike to his favorite cafeteria‚ donuts‚ home pizza making with his mom‚ cooking videos‚ and many‚ many nights reading him stories although he was quite the reader by age 4 and a half‚ like myself. Let them know that you are aware of the challenges that they are facing and that you are there to support them‚ no matter what. He knows I am doing my best to keep him fed and pay for his school. It’s paramount to understand this: they are going to become anxious. We can’t avoid that 100%. But we certainly can mitigate that feeling. It is a good moment‚ though‚ to make children notice that avoiding some vices is a good practice; spending money on alcohol‚ for instance‚ when they don’t have too much to eat is something we don’t want our grown children doing. Signs of emotional distress in children Recognizing the signs of emotional distress in our children is vital for providing timely support. Every child may respond differently to economic hardship‚ and‚ according to my research and a years-long observation as a single dad‚ there are common indicators that everyone should be aware of. Changes in behavior‚ such as withdrawal from activities‚ difficulty concentrating‚ changes in appetite or sleep patterns‚ and increased irritability or aggression‚ all of them indicate something is not good. Increased anxiety‚ excessive worry‚ or frequent tearfulness. They may express fear about the financial situation within the family‚ or exhibit regressive behaviors like bedwetting or clinginess. It is crucial to pay attention to these signs and address them promptly to prevent long-term emotional consequences. Be a listening ear. Children need to feel like they can talk to their parents about their worries and fears. Be a patient and understanding listener‚ and avoid judging or criticizing them. Mine sometimes get pushy‚ but it is not easy at this age to understand how deep all of the branches of our industry sank under this crushing regime. He gets stressed‚ but I always try to keep the same more or less relaxed‚ patient mood that made me navigate the 2020 waters and beyond. The fear of not having enough food‚ shelter‚ or other basic needs can cause significant distress and impact a child’s emotional well-being. By learning skills (I’m considering seriously teaching him to weld and use an angle grinder‚ as those seem to be the only work instruments he won’t break so easily) and reassuring the child this is not going to happen we can remove a great deal of the concerns. My parents are (still!) a great support. I usually dealt with my stuff the best I could; but modern parenting is different‚ it seems. I have come to accept it‚ but at the same time‚ I remind him constantly not to be a snowflake‚ and to man up if he wants to find a great girl someday who admires the fine man he is destined to be. I have never dismissed or minimized his feelings: I know this can undermine his perception and sense of security and trust. I listen to him‚ and after that‚ hug him and make some hot chocolate. We both always feel better after that. Help them with the development of coping mechanisms and skills. Teach your children healthy coping skills‚ such as relaxation techniques‚ exercise‚ and spending time with loved ones. These skills can help them to manage stress and anxiety. Exercising is especially important. We usually walk or jog together. In Lima‚ we used to go to a nearby park‚ as the fair weather is much better for jogging. So we stretch‚ warm up‚ and practice some Muay Thai in the air‚ in dry runs‚ at low speed. It is quality time that he will remember. The same as us baking bread together for the family. Use your sense of humor. I’m not advising you to take things lightly‚ but using some not-so-good events to generate laughs is a skill that will be a wonderful source of good‚ warm memories later on time. And THIS is something I can grant. Imagine you’re cooking dinner. “Jee. All right‚ Junior…I have good news and bad news” -Jr: “What are the good ones?” -Dad: “I burned a LOT of calories today” -Jr: “Cool‚ and the bad ones?” -Dad: “It was the pizza for dinner”. Watching the kids stare at you is priceless. (Smile) Maintain a positive attitude. It is crucial to maintain a positive attitude‚ even during difficult times. Let your children know that you believe in them and that you are hopeful for the future. Let’s use a personal example. When we were in Lima‚ Peru‚ we experimented: dried some meat under the scorching summer sun (this is more detailed on my Patreon page). He loved it! When he was with his mother‚ they mostly ate eggs‚ rice‚ beans‚ chicken‚ fish‚ and vegetables; however‚ I’m a different kind of mammal. I need beef‚ eat vegetables too‚ but lots of fruits‚ cheese‚ yogurt‚ milk‚ and oatmeal. And I know he does need beef‚ also. Then‚ once one of my temp contracts finally ended‚ he was with me at home. I found it odd that he didn’t ask for anything special like going to eat outside. After a few questions‚ he told me that he knew I didn’t have too much money those days‚ and could not ask too much. So I took out the bag with all the dried meat I had prepared‚ almost a kilo‚ and his look was incredible. So I simply told him “That’s why one has to be prepared‚ kiddo. Stockpile in the good times and you will have always something to eat”. We made arepas with that jerky‚ some pasta‚ sandwiches…real feast. He will remember that for life‚ and will never forget his dad was a provider. Seek professional help if needed. If your child gives signals of difficulties in coping with economic hardship‚ you may want to seek professional help. A therapist can provide them with additional support and guidance. They do not know how to face many things in life‚ and shouldn’t be too concerned about the domestic economy if they can´t do anything yet. The feeling of impotence can be overwhelming for them. I know because my kid insinuated he would love to have the power to change things. Now he knows sometimes it’s not possible. But he knows he won’t be alone and that we will take care of him. And it is wonderful to see he has ditched most of those concerns. This bonding process between my kid and I has been so delightful‚ that I can say I am enjoying fatherhood very much. Too bad it was only one‚ as the crisis and our unsolved problems led to the dissolution of the relationship between me and his mom. Not that I regret it. Sometimes you can’t fix things. Why is this necessary? Because the good memories will take us through hard times. Using your sense of humor helps a lot. Our people laugh at everything including themselves. Maybe a little bit too much‚ but it seems to be working to avoid so much pressure and discouragement from building up the economic troubles. During tough times‚ providing emotional support can go a long way in shaping a child’s future. Just be nice to them‚ and make sure to tell them how much you love and will take care of them until your last breath. Thanks for reading! And I look forward to hearing your comments! Stay safe‚ and keep tuned. What are your thoughts? Have you ever had to discuss economic hardship with your children? Do you have any advice? Any stories to share? Let’s discuss it in the comments. About Jose Jose is an upper middle class professional. He is a former worker of the oil state company with a Bachelor’s degree from one of the best national Universities. He has an old but in good shape SUV‚ a good 150 square meters house in a nice neighborhood‚ in a small but (formerly) prosperous city with two middle size malls. Jose is a prepper and shares his eyewitness accounts and survival stories from the collapse of his beloved Venezuela. Jose and his younger kid are currently back in Venezuela‚ after the intention of setting up a new life in another country didn’t  go well. The SARSCOV2 re-shaped the labor market and South American economy so he decided to give it a try to homestead in the mountains‚ and make a living as best as possible. But this time in his own land‚ and surrounded by family‚ friends and acquaintances‚ with all the gear and equipment collected‚ as the initial plan was.  Follow Jose on YouTube and gain access to his exclusive content on Patreon. Donations: paypal.me/JoseM151. The post Providing Emotional Support to Children During Economic Hardships appeared first on The Organic Prepper.

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