I acknowledge your point and agree there is contradiction in AP and Reuters’ headline. On the other hand release of hostages is kind of a given to accept a sustained ceasefire. Hamas must come to the table in some capacity. After all, it isn’t really even the hostages that are preventing Israel from bombing Gaza into oblivion. And it isn’t the hostages that is spurring public outcry, but rather the death of Palestinian civilians already occurring. So anything that advances the protections of those civilians should be paramount, and that includes hostages.

Regardless it’s a moot point, for a ceasefire resolution did pass days later:

The text demanded “an immediate ceasefire for the month of Ramadan leading to a lasting sustainable ceasefire”. It also demanded the release of hostages but did not make a truce dependent on them being freed, as Washington had previously demanded.

Not sure I agree with that personally, nor that China and Russia are some sort of concerned humanitarian forces in the region, but alas.

“Russia and China veto US resolution calling for immediate cease-fire in Gaza”

Russia and China on Friday vetoed a U.S.-sponsored United Nations resolution supporting “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza

???

That’s equivocation.

Reuters - “Russia, China veto US-led UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire”

AP - “Russia and China veto US resolution calling for immediate cease-fire in Gaza”

What kind of shady shit are you pulling to try to side-step the fact that this was, by definition, a ceasefire? Yes, China and Russia vetoed a ceasefire.

Also let’s not pretend Russia and China are acting out of humanitarian interest.

(Also, choosing between no ceasefire and Israel committing collective punishment, or a ceasefire and israel committing collective punishment — welp, I’d surmise the latter is better.)

They have tried to stop the war… With Ceasefire votes… That even the US no longer vetoes…

… Russia and China vetoed. Blame them:

Reuters - “Russia, China veto US-led UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire”

AP - “Russia and China veto US resolution calling for immediate cease-fire in Gaza”

The next best thing is that UN committees can investigate and identify genocide without it necessarily being vetoed. Once the UN and especially ICJ identify such genocide, that adds global pressure; such global pressure leads to supporters of Israel to reconsider holding Israel’s hands; hence why the US in an unprecedented move has stepped further away from Israel than it has for decades. People don’t understand just how closely-linked Israel and US have been. I never would’ve thought a sitting US President would say a bad word about Israel/Bibi without fear of major backlash. We’re certainly at an inflection point — and it’s about fucking time.

Edit: Also, let’s not all pretend we’re human rights lawyers who can definitively define what is and what isn’t genocide. If the ICJ took the case up and thought there was merit in the case, then one should probably hold their tongue; after all, according to the ICC:

First, the crime of genocide is characterised by the specific intent to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial or religious group by killing its members or by other means: causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; or forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Note: National; note religious; note “whole OR in part” On the flip-side, then we’d have to say Hamas wasn’t carrying out an attempt of genocide with October 7th, since they killed Palestinian Muslims among the Jewish population.

It’s kind of a moot point. At this point Israel has committed something around 20 October 7ths in the number of civilian deaths they’ve incurred in Gaza. With an estimated 80:20 civilian-combatant death ratio according to US figures, that’s well-above average. Forgetting the fact that more aid workers have died in this war than any previous one in decades… This is a travesty. So the question remains: If we’re all pro-civilian and anti-terrorist… Even if Israel didn’t do anything in Gaza and just enhanced its border protections, then what are the odds when looking at it from a quantifiable standpoint Hamas would be able to commit another 20 (and counting) October 7ths? (forgetting the fact that even before October 7th the IDF committed the vast-majority of civilian casualties for decades).

damn is lit and low-key really out of date now?

Oh christ we’re already referencing pop-culture of the 2010s, help me I don’t like this aging thing.

“cool”

needs more bets and caps, right?

I just happened to stumble upon the Lord of the Flies film on IFC one night at the perfect age of a kid. Was like, “oh wow cool bunch of kids trying to survive on an island this looks like a cool movie!” … an hour later and I grew up real fast.

urine is a fantastic nitrogen fertilizer

bonemeal for phosphorus

wood-ash for potassium.

Probably not concentrated enough to work on an industrial scale, but probably on smaller communal farms.

Was wondering, do Orchids do this, too? They have “air roots” and basically subsist off zero substrate.

According to this article

Like other epiphyte orchids, the roots of Phalaenopsis roots are covered with a spongy epidural tissue called “velamen.” Just a few cells thick, velamen helps orchid roots absorb water and nitrogen from the air.

It’s probably my favorite plant. Hardy as hell despite a bad reputation for being picky. People don’t realize they just go dormant until Spring.

Dad (a mountain Appalachian man who did own guns but always hated gun nut culture) always said it was better to use your brain than bullets. I wholly agree with your assessment that if we’re at the point where we need guns, then we’ve already lost.

Yeah I don’t know how anyone could compel themselves to buy one. Do they really have that much of a monopoly on the industry? Is their tech that much further advanced? I genuinely don’t know.

What is the best, more ethical alternative? Growing up my dad had New Holland and we liked them. Eventually I’ll be going more rural and choosing a route to take and it sure as shit won’t be John Deere.