#are both supportive of the system but are also its biggest threats | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

vexwerewolf · 29 days

Note

Hello, it is I once again, here with a weird meme build. How would you go about building a hacker Swallowtail at LL6? Standard or Ranger, it doesn't matter which

As it happens, Hacktail isn't a meme build at all - due to the Swallowtail's expansive 20 Sensors and innate +1 tech attack, it's an extremely viable Support pick.

-- SSC Swallowtail @ LL6 -- [ LICENSES ] SSC Swallowtail 2, SSC Dusk Wing 1, HORUS Goblin 1, HORUS Minotaur 2 [ CORE BONUSES ] The Lesson of the Held Image, Full Subjectivity Sync [ TALENTS ] Hacker 3, Spotter 2, Skirmisher 2, Field Analyst 1, Nuclear Cavalier 1 [ STATS ] HULL:2 AGI:2 SYS:2 ENGI:2 STRUCTURE:4 HP:15 ARMOR:0 STRESS:4 HEATCAP:6 REPAIR:6 TECH ATK:+3 LIMITED:+1 SPD:7 EVA:14 EDEF:12 SENSE:20 SAVE:13 [ WEAPONS ] FLEX MOUNT: Assault Rifle AUX/AUX MOUNT: Nexus (Light) / Nexus (Light) [ SYSTEMS ] H0R_OS System Upgrade I, Neurospike, Metafold Carver, Personalizations, Lotus Projector, Manipulators

I call this one Hacking The Omninet.

Firstly, let's discuss the basics. This build is fragile, as all systems-first Swallowtail builds are going to be. This mech needs heavy co-ordination with your team to focus down threats. Employ cover rigorously, stay behind the lines and make liberal use of the Invisibility from Integrated Cloak. Low survivability is the price you pay for being able to turn an enemy comp inside out.

Your armament is not going to be used very much, and so is very simple - an Assault Rifle for Reliable damage, and dual Light Nexi for enemies with high Evasion. Oracle LMG-Is consume 1 SP a pop and we're not going to sacrifice system space for guns we might never fire.

We have Personalizations on there for a tiny bit of extra HP, and Manipulators for one simple reason: sacrificial system. We don't want to lose our hacking systems, and so if we take Structure damage and lose a system, we dump the robo-hands.

With all that out of the way, let's get to the meat and potatoes of this build: the hacking tools.

We start with H0R_OS System Upgrade I, possibly the best control tool in the game, definitely the best hacking tool in the game. Puppet System lets you reposition enemies in a straight line equal to their Speed any number of times, and unlike every other form of involuntary movement in the game, it triggers reactions, meaning you can open enemies up to Overwatch attacks from your allies. Meanwhile, Eject Power Cores inflicts Jammed, shutting down an enemy's weapons and tech attacks. It isn't repeatable on the same enemy, but this often doesn't matter - shutting down a heavy hitter's weapons for a single turn often buys enough time for your team to kill them outright.

Moving on to Neurospike, a much slept-on Invade system from the Dusk Wing. We're mostly in this for Shrike Code, which is a very powerful control tool in Lancer's mid-to-late game. At Tiers 2 and 3, a lot of enemy NPC classes get multiattacks, allowing them to use their weapon twice or even thrice every time they attack with it (including during Overwatch). But Shrike Code applies 2 heat per attack, not per action, meaning that a multiattacker who attacks twice will accrue 4 heat in addition to the (at least) 2 heat you put on them with Invade, which can put them close to or at their heat cap. Neurospike also provides the more situational but still useful Mirage, which allows you to make a member of your team (including you) Invisible to a member of the enemy team.

The third and final Invade suite, Metafold Carver, is the weirdest and most difficult to use correctly, but once you master it, it becomes one of the most effective support tools in the game. The biggest trick here is that the primary targets for both of its options are not your enemies - they're your allies. Your allies can choose to accept an Invade from you without taking heat and without it counting as an attack. Once you understand this, your third eye will open and the absurd power of Metafold Carver will be unlocked.

Ophidian Trek allows you to teleport your target a minimum of 2 and a maximum of seven spaces directly towards you. This is impossibly useful for yanking your allies out of melee combat or dangerous terrain, or summoning help if you're getting flanked. You generally don't want to use this on enemies who are already close to you, but pulling hostile backliners towards your team's melee specialist is exceptionally cool and funny.

Fold Space completely removes its target from the battlefield until they start their next turn. The problem with using this on enemies is that they can decide when their turn starts, and if they have an activation remaining, it will often be "immediately after your turn ends," wasting this power - although if they've already taken their turn, you can use it to ruin enemies that rely on reactions to be useful, such as the Sentinel or Archer.

The primary utility of Fold Space, however, is that it's without a doubt the most powerful ally-focused Invade in the game. This ability can quite literally be a lifesaver. Ally went too hard on their reactor and became Exposed? Fold Space. Ally took a bad structure roll and became Stunned? Fold Space. Ally being swarmed by melee NPCs? Fold Space. Ally messing up the shot of your team's artillery? Fold Space. Ally talking too much? Fold Space. You make them completely invulnerable at the "cost" of removing them from the battlefield, which they only even care about if they're a reaction-focused build, and they decide how long they want to stay on vacation, because they can return to the battlefield at any time by starting their turn.

In terms of other support abilities, we have a beautiful SSC/HORUS combo: at the start of an ally's turn, you can Lock On to an enemy as a reaction with Lesson of the Held Image and use your Prophetic Scanners frame trait to inflict Shredded as well. This lets you strip all damage reduction off an enemy just before your ally winds up to hit them, with no chance to react or clear it.

You also have Lotus Projector to help your allies deal with Invisible enemies - standard Swallowtail stuff.

As for talents, we have Hacker to give you even more Invade options (mostly Hack./Slash for shutting down enemy tech attackers) and help with heatgunning (Nuclear Cavalier 1 is in there too, just for kicks), Spotter to provide aim assist and hand out free Lock Ons and Field Analyst to help avoid "missed it by that much" situations.

As previously stated, this is a heavily team-focused build. You are a Support/Controller to the maximum here. Expect to go entire fights without doing a single point of damage. Coordinate heavily with your team to focus targets down and ensure that you stay safe while lighting targets up for them.

#lancer #lancer rpg #lancerrpg #lancer-rpg #swallowtail

39 notes · View notes

mha-grievances · 6 months

Note

Can you do a text post about jurou having arguably the strongest quirk

Sure 😊. Kyouka’s in my top three favorite MHA characters so this is something that’s been spiraling in my head for the longest time 😂.

Now, I wouldn’t say it is THE strongest quirk out there, but if written well, Kyouka would make for one of the most terrifying ambush fighters that could take out threats that people like Katsuki couldn’t.

As written, Kyouka uses her quirk in two ways during combat: to scout and to fire shockwaves from her support gear. Her requesting support gear that allows her to turn a short ranged quirk into a long ranged one is a genius move on her end as it covers her biggest weakness. However, unless she’s away from her support gear, she always fights at a range. Again, this is smart when going up against opponents that would normally outrange her, but I believe that she’s at her best in close quarters combat.

Right off the bat, let me say that there seemingly is no limit in regards to what Kyouka can plug her jacks into. She’s plugged them into flesh, concrete, stone, steel, etc. Canon has yet to show her failing to stick her jacks into something.

Secondly, the plug part of her jacks are exactly the same size as the jacks from a regular earphone. I’m sure if you’ve all seen what an earphone jack looks like in real life, so imagine getting stabbed by those things. For most people, those things would puncture through a lot of flesh and muscle to reach some vital areas, such as bone, organ, and vein/artery systems. Keep this in mind as you continue reading cause it’s important.

Now, let’s talk about how a concussion’s made. When someone receives a concussion, it’s because their brain’s received a jolt, bump, or blow that causes it to rattle inside the skull. The impact doesn’t even need to be strong enough to break/damage bone, as long as that brain’s rattled enough, you’re getting a concussion. When it comes to being dealt damage, the entire body functions in a similar way. If a vital organ/system receives enough of a jolt, they’ll collapse and stop working. What protects us are our bone and muscle, but what if someone can bypass all of that protection and deliver a small shock to the body? This is where Kyouka’s quirk truly begins to showcase its strength.

Katsuki has failed to immediately knock out people with even his strongest explosions. Why? Because that person usually has a strong enough defense system to absorb the impact, whether it be a strength enhancing quirk or a hardening quirk. Kyouka has knocked out people without any effort just by stabbing them with her jacks and sending a small shock through them. Sure, it was done as a gag, but in terms of feats, this still counts. She’s been able to knock people unconscious without even trying, so now let’s imagine what would happen if she unleashed her full power into someone’s body. Without the aid of her support gear and just by plugging her jacks into the ground, she’s been shown to be able to crack cement, push back Nine (a guy who was near Tomura’s power level for a while), and send both debris and people flying. If a small jolt is enough for her to knock someone unconscious, then by amping her output by a slight amount, she could send someone into a coma and/or cause several of the person’s internal organs to fail. If she was to unleash a jolt using all of her power, she’d blow them up from the inside.

The only way TO counter her quirk once she’s got her jacks in you would be to have a body capable of withstanding such great force from within. So far, we’ve seen almost no one who can claim such a feat. Ejiro, the representative of what a hardening quirk can do, would drop like a fly to Kyouka. Even in “unbreakable” form, her jacks can pierce him. His quirk also only hardens his skin and some of his muscles, not the rest of the body. The fact he can still feel pain and bleed is proof of this. He may be able to tank an assault from her if she uses her support gear to fire a shockwave, but if she fires one inside his body, he’s done. She can also potentially knock out someone who’d otherwise resist her attacks by aiming her jacks at a more vulnerable area such as the heart or the head.

Now, Kyouka does have some weaknesses. First, she would have to inject her jacks into someone in order to quickly dispose of them. If someone could prevent her from tagging them with her jacks, Kyouka’s going to have a tougher time with swiftly taking them out. In addition, her jacks aren’t invincible, as shown by how AFO managed to take one out during his fight against her. However, between having her support gear and being able to cause massive earthquakes without them, she could knock a person around until she can close the distance. She can also take a page from Shota’s book and rely on ambush tactics. With her super hearing, she’s able to hear people’s heartbeats. Give her some proper training and she’ll be able to use that to determine if a target has spotted her or when they’ve relaxed to the point that they’ll be slower to react.

If Hori wanted to write her as such, Kyouka could be one of the most deadly assassins in the entire series, being able to take out even those who can withstand numerous explosions to the face by Katsuki. She’d a force to be reckoned with if she was allowed to use her abilities to their fullest potential. Sadly, as a side character, she’s shoved to the backseat so we’ll never get to see what a beast this girl can truly be.

#kyouka jirou #jirou kyouka #mha jirou #mha jiro kyoka

36 notes · View notes

let-us-cultivate-our-garden · 9 months

Note

Someone DM me insisting that Belos is a Hate Sink unlike Lord Voldemort because "their fantasy crimes are too unrealistic to be hated" unlike Belos who "is a human planning to murder all the witches, who are highly similar to humans." And I'm like, did you even read Harry Potter (I mean, there are legit reasons not to)?

"This fantasy wizard who is planning witch genocide is too unrealistic unlike that other fantasy wizard who is also planning witch genocide!!"

No seriously, it's funny because Belos and Voldemort have a lot of similarities and to say that one is more realistic than the other is absurd: Both are former humans who perverted and destroyed their bodies through the misuse of magic, both see their group as superior to another group that is just minding its own business, both seek to destroy said group because of that preconceived sense of superiority. Both even brand their followers with magical tattoos to signify that difference! The causes of their motivation are different but they are functionally the same.

Back when Harry Potter was the biggest fandom in the world, a lot of people made comparisons to Voldemort's Death Eaters to the Nazis; both are obsessed with blood purity and seek to rid the world of those they consider impure and to have their supreme leader rule everyone.

Like, it's really obvious.

The fantasy genre as a whole has an escapist element and a common plot that pops up a lot is the "diverse group of heroes set out to destroy the Big Evil trying to take over the world as Supreme Dictator For Life." It's an easy Good vs. Bad plot and if you add in how the Big Bad oppresses people based on physical traits, beliefs, etc. then you can easily read a political angle as well.

And honestly, really good and memorable villains will have that real world element to make the threat more believable and engaging for the audience: Voldemort is basically Wizard Hitler, Darth Vader is an authoritarian, etc. So the idea that a villain is so hated because their "fantasy crimes are too realistic" is laughable.

(Also, as a side note, it's really funny that that person said that TOH witches are really similar to humans while HP witches and wizards are literally just humans without any pointy ears to physically distinguish them from Muggles.)

I honestly think the reason why Belos is so hated is because of Hunter--full stop. If he wasn't abusive toward Hunter and people didn't project their own feelings onto Hunter and see how relatable his situation is, then I doubt Belos would get this much vitriolic hate. (We're also in this very strange time where some younger fans seem to think that liking a villain means you support their actions.)

I think that's the element of realism that triggers people the most; compare Voldemort to Umbridge, people can like Voldemort and not get flamed for it but EVERYONE in the HP fandom hates Dolores Umbridge. While Voldemort is more of a typically fantasy villain, Umbridge feels like a person you could meet in real life. She's a bureaucrat who takes over the school and enforces her oppressive and nonsensical laws with an iron fist. Power wise, she doesn't stand out from the other wizards but she has institutional power, which makes her terrifying as a villain. It's easier to defeat the one Big Bad and save the day but it's damn near impossible to destroy the System that makes little Umbridges every day.

Again, I think that what triggers people about Belos is how he treats Hunter not the whole witch genocide thing or "colonization" because the show spends more time showing us how much Hunter suffers than the whole Boiling Isles.

#asks #the owl house #emperor belos #philip wittebane #harry potter #voldemort #dolores umbridge #villains #fandom shenanigans

38 notes · View notes

dailyanarchistposts · 9 days

Text

Horizons

History presents us with a panoply of examples of the capitalist state’s ability to reconstitute itself in a new form. This does not always assume the form of a frontal attack on revolutionary elements, but is often carried out in the very name of the revolution itself. The revolution that brought to power the Islamic Republic offers a ready example of this dynamic. By 1978, no new order could constitute itself in the name of the monarchy. Any new form of rule had to be implemented in the name of ��the people.” This was accepted by the United States, who by this time had already lost confidence in the Shah’s ability to maintain order, and were looking for an entity within the revolution with whom they could build a relationship. It may be the case that if the current revolutionary movement continues to grow, rendering the survival of the Islamic Republic untenable, ruling classes both within Iran and internationally will seek out a solution by which to protect their positions. This is perhaps the greatest threat to the revolution.

We must not assume — as the regime’s propaganda exhorts us to — that international capital is not heavily invested in Iran. It is only the US that wasn’t invited to the party. The sanctions by the US exist not merely to punish Iran, but to try to discipline other nations, particularly Western Europe. The idea that the US is an imperialist power, but French, German, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Russian investment has nothing to do with imperialism, is a curious position. Foreign investment and privatization have been on the rise ever since post-war reconstruction began. From the perspective of capital, the business situation in Iran is far from ideal, and the same goes for the domestic bourgeoisie. As it was under the Shah’s regime, the national bourgeoisie — both the bazaaris and private industrialists — have been in search of a more “rational” and less arbitrary system, and generally support the regime only so long as it is the prevailing order and, in the end, protects their interests.

In the end, however, the biggest obstacles to social revolution often come from those who speak in the name of the revolution itself. As the revolution against the Shah’s dictatorship demonstrated clearly, the counter-revolution is contained within the revolution. Reformist illusions are not unique to the advanced capitalist nations, but are also present in the global south as well. Although Iran’s liberal reform movement appears to be dead for the time being, we should not underestimate the possibility that life will be breathed back into it. This is especially the case if the revolutionary movement grows and becomes more all-encompassing and radical. There are many who would like to see the end of the current regime, yet are equally opposed to social revolution. Right now, it may seem that all are united in one big happy oppositional family. This is ideology at its most dangerous. It is this illusion that radicals must not fall into.

There are many, particularly among the wealthy, who may want to get rid of some of the more socially repressive aspects of the regime, but without altering the capitalist relationship, or their continued access to accumulation. This includes those elements of the bourgeoisie who are close to the regime, as well as those who have fallen out of favor with, or are marginalized from the corridors of power. The illusion that all who oppose the regime are in favor of a radical change is a dangerous one. If the revolution of 1979 teaches us anything, it is that the biggest obstacle of social revolution often emerges from within the revolution itself. The counter-revolution in Iran today may come from those, within and abroad, who themselves chant “woman, life, freedom.”

One can recognize these manipulators and forces of counter-revolution in two ways: on the one hand, there are those who deny any economic cause for the uprising, seeking to limit the struggle solely to the question of “democracy” and individual rights; on the other, there are those who deny any internationalist component to the struggle, by claiming that it is an “Iranian” struggle not relevant to those in other countries, including the United States. This is exemplified by those opposition exiles who speak of women’s oppression in Iran, yet who continue to associate with the very elements who are doing the utmost to destroy women’s freedoms here. Often enough, it is these same elements who argue that the struggle has nothing to do with capitalism. In either case, it is those internal elements who work to keep the struggle fractured and compartmentalized that present the greatest obstacle to its radicalization.

The third wordlist populism of the Islamic Republic has largely exhausted itself. As elsewhere, the ideological recuperation of the radical movement will henceforth be carried out under the banner of democracy, secularism, and human rights. Still, even if the particular brand of anti-imperialism born of the post-WWII decolonization moment may have lost its efficacy, nationalism still runs deep among much of the Iranian population. We should not underestimate what Fredy Perlman described as the “continuing appeal” of nationalism, which continues to offer fertile soil for demagogues to rally around Politicians within the opposition, particularly those in exile, who frequently appeal to nationalism in their babble. There have been various attempts to reinject such nationalism into the movement as a means to dilute it and control it. The most apparent has been the attempt to spread the slogan “Mard, Mihan, Abadi” (Man, Nation, Development), which is often presented as a supplement to “Woman, Life, Freedom,” even though it is clearly a reactionary slogan designed to undermine the radical presence of women within the struggle. It is often circulated on social media by people who support the movement, but are not aware of the reactionary character of the slogan. Whether the phrase originated within the regime, or perhaps among people inside the opposition who were opposed to the radical wing of the movement, one cannot know.

Today’s polarizations are unlike those witnessed during the Shah’s regime. By the late-1970s, the state had so alienated itself from most domestic classes that the uprising was that of a broad majority against an increasingly small circle around the Shah and his court, the top generals, and the “big” capitalists connected to the multinationals. No matter how widespread the dissatisfaction with the regime, it is unlikely that the same situation could repeat itself today. The Islamic Republic, since its inception, has made it a point to have strong foundations among the populace. As a result, the present situation presents the danger of a prolonged civil war, not merely in the form of a violent conflict, but along many fronts, including the cultural and ideological one. There are many segments of the population who either explicitly support the current state, or at least experience a profound relation of dependence upon it. Today’s demonstrators do not just face opposition from the police, but also from people on the street. It does us no favors to deny or downplay the obstacles involved in the revolution. When protesters take to the streets in small groups, particularly when composed of younger women, they frequently face harassment and vitriol from reactionaries, including other women.

On college campuses, it has always been a feature of life to have conflict between rightist-Islamist students and leftist students. This dynamic has become far more intense of late. Fights and battles between reactionary students’ groups and left-wing students are common. The reactionary right-wing student groups enjoy the support of the police and the administration, for whom they work as an auxiliary. They make it their duty to snitch and provide information on any students they know to be actively causing disruptions, including women who have become increasingly emboldened to violate dress codes.

One can tell a lot from the slogans that have proliferated. Some are throwbacks to past struggles, other new innovations: “Down with the Oppressor! Whether the Shah or the Leader!” is a common one widely used. “Unity, Struggle, Victory” was once the slogan of the Confederation of Iranian Students during the struggle against the Shah, and has been revived again on university campuses. What is new is the near-total lack of nationalist and chauvinist slogans, whether these be associated with Iranian nationalism, or the nationalism of oppressed minorities. While discrimination and civil rights for ethnic minorities has been central to the struggle, there is a solidarity and unity between ethnic groups that exceeds anything seen in the past. Significant, especially when one considers the historical animosity that has existed between these groups at different times.

The current radical movement in Iran has learned from and incorporated the lessons of the past. The Iranian movement has recaptured the “revolution of everyday life,” a struggle not limited to economic or political dimensions. Whether students or young workers, there exists a youth culture of resistance that plays an important role in the radical movement in Iran. Gender, class, freedom of expression, and environmental destruction are no longer seen as separate issues. Much of this has to do with a response to their conditions. The Islamic Republic established through its authoritarian system the unity of all these aspects by denying freedom in any of these domains. For the young person in Iran, there doesn’t seem to be any hope for the future, generating feelings of total alienation, as evidenced by high rates of addiction and suicide. However, the reverse of a feeling of total despair can also be a loss of fear. And that is a definite characteristic of the uprising: a shedding of fear that suddenly spreads contagiously.

As the capitalist crisis deepens, the social compromise on which the Islamic Republic is based will continue to wither away. The social question cannot be resolved by the regime without undermining its own position. It is for the same reasons that social democratic compromises, whether in the core capitalist countries or in the global south as a result of national liberation struggles, are not possible today as they once were. We shouldn’t see in neoliberalism just the poor decisions of politicians, but rather the global tendency of capitalism to manifest its contradictions in the face of all political attempts to overcome them. The Islamic Republic is further proof that there is no political solution to the national question.

In the midst of the 1979 revolution, an observer made a remark that remains equally true for the struggle today: “The fundamental question in Iran is not which combination of forces will hold the state, but whether the workers will affirm themselves autonomously against it. If they don’t speak for themselves, the bureaucrats will speak for them.”[25] Whatever happens from here on out, it is clear that a revolutionary movement with its own distinctive culture and symbols exists in Iran, and is going to be much more difficult to extricate by violence alone. The social conditions that gave rise to such explosions persist, and it is increasingly obvious that they cannot be solved within the confines of the present system. What new social arrangement could supersede it is another question. The demand for a council system points in the right direction, but as we have seen in the past, simply calling for workers councils is insufficient, and can even be manipulated by the system. Everything depends upon how the councils operate, and whether they can maintain their strength and autonomy from the state. While it may appear that the movement has suffered a severe defeat, it is equally possible that what we are witnessing, in Iran as well as globally, is a rising tide rather than its ebb.

Footnotes

[1] The slogan “woman, life, freedom,” (zan, zendegi, azadi in Persian) originates from the radical wing of the Kurdish national movement in Syria (jin, jiyan, azadi in Kurdish). Jina Mahsa Amini was a Kurd from the town of Saqqez, and Iranian Kurdistan was and continues to be the center of resistance to the regime.

[2] For more on the “integration and peripheralization” of the Middle East in the rising world capitalist system, see James Gelvin, The Modern Middle East: A History, Oxford University Press, 2011.

[3] I take this term “tribal-feudalism” from historian Nikki Keddie. See Roots of Revolution: An Interpretive History of Modern Iran, Yale University Press, 1981.

[4] Bazaar is the Persian-Turkish name for the central marketplace. Souk is the Arabic name used in the Levant and North Africa. Among participants in the bazaar there is diversity and hierarchy. It runs from those who sell spices and fruit on one end, to wholesalers and those involved in imports and exports on the other. It includes moneylenders as well as rug merchants, as well as workshops where artisans produce metalwork, gold, silver, jewelry, and fine textiles. Merchants and artisans were organized into guilds. Despite these classed differences, there is a cultural and ideological cohesiveness among the bazaar: for example, they are known for being pious and traditional, with a close relation to the clergy. In this way, they demonstrate that an understanding of class must consider not only economic factors but political and ideological ones as well. While this class is often, correctly, referred to as the petit bourgeoisie, the traditional bourgeoisie, and the traditional middle class, all of which are accurate, none of them really captures what the term bazaari does.

[5] See Cosroe Chaqueri, Origins of Social Democracy in Modern Iran, University of Washington Press, 2001.

[6] The revolution established a constitution (mashruteh) and a national assembly or parliament (majlis) limiting the power of the monarch for the first time.

[7] In 1908, oil was discovered in the southern region of Abadan, which was still under the British sphere of influence. This also augmented Britain’s desire for security in the region. The oil industry in the south would contribute to the growth of the working class in ways that resemble the effects of the same industry in the north some years prior, drawing workers from various regions to the Abadan oil fields.

[8] Cosroe Chaqueri, The Soviet Socialist Republic of Iran, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1995.

[10] Fred Halliday, Iran: Dictatorship and Development, Penguin Books, 1979, 53.

[11] Chador is the traditional long black covering worn by women in Iran. While it is now primarily worn by conservative religious women, at the time it was worn by all urbanite women.

[12] He took the name Pahlavi from the ancient Persian language, reinforcing his nationalist project.

[13] See, M. Reza Ghods, “The Communist Movement Under Reza Shah,” in Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 26, No. 4 (Oct. 1990), 506–513. This “anti-Marxist” law would remain on the books until the revolution of 1979. It was a core of the Pahlavi state. When the last Shah, Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, was questioned by reporters regarding political prisoners in Iran, he often responded by invoking the law, saying “Marxism is illegal in our country. It isn’t allowed.” After the 1979 Revolution, the Islamic Republic would develop its own version of anti-communist laws.

[14] Frederick Engels. The Role of Force in History: A Study of Bismarck’s Policy of Blood and Iron [1887–1888].

[15] While the 1953 coup has gone down in infamy, there are common misunderstandings. Although the US clearly aided and supported the coup, it is quite unthinkable that it could have been successful if not for the opposition that existed and was growing, particularly among the army officers. One of the central conflicts was not just oil nationalization, but Mossadegh’s demand that the army be under the control of parliament and the Prime Minister. This the Shah could not accept, with the army being his only real base of power. Mossadegh believed he could gain the support of the Americans, and for a brief moment the US thought of using Mossadegh to gain a foothold over the British. But Mossadegh underestimated the extent of the alliance of the US with the Iranian army. At the same time, the Iranian bourgeoisie as well as most clergy increasingly abandoned Mossadegh, particularly as the economic situation deteriorated, and the communists increasingly showed their strength.

[16] Iran at this period was asserting itself and backing the other reactionary regimes in the region. Iran intervened in Oman to help defend Sultan Qaboos against the rebellion of the Popular Front, while it also sent fighter jets to South Vietnam. It was also at this time that Iran first began its nuclear program with the full support of the United States.

[17] One of the principal readers was Said Soltanpour, a Marxist playwright and supporter of the Fedaiyan, recently released from prison. His liberty wouldn’t last long however, as he was one of the first prominent Marxists to be executed by the new regime.

[18] Mehdi Bazargan as Prime Minister. Bazargan was a longtime opposition figure who had worked in Mossadegh’s cabinet and was the leader of the Freedom Movement of Iran, a religious-nationalist group representing the liberal-Islamic wing of the revolution. His cabinet comprised members of the National Front and the Freedom Movement.

[19] In places such as Kurdistan, the local committees were dominated by opposition forces such as the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and the Maoist Komalah party, while in Turkoman-Sahra they were organized by the communist Fedaiyan. In other areas they were loyal to other clerics, including those opposed to Khomeini’s interpretation.

[20] Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enghelab-e Eslami, Revolutionary Guard of the Islamic Revolution, commonly referred to as the Pasdaran.

[21] Over the last decade Iran has regained a regional influence similar to that enjoyed under the Shah’s regime in the 1970s, only with the difference that it is no longer in the US camp.

[22] “New Arrests and ‘Disappearances’ of Iranian Students,” Human Rights Watch, July 30 1999.

[23] The Iran Khodro has been referred to as the “Detroit of the Middle East,” and its workers are known for their militancy and class-consciousness. However, measures such as temporary contracts, the threat of sacking, as well as blatant repression have been put in place to counteract this. During the protests of June 2009, the workers staged a work slowdown in protest of the repression and in solidarity with the popular movement.

[24] As Malm and Esmailian explain: “The number of women in the industrial labor force rose from 6 per cent in 1986 to 11 percent ten years later. However, most women engaged in manufacturing do not go to a factory: they work from home. The image of the Iranian woman as Fatima, a homemaker supported by her working husband, is just that: an image. In reality, a woman at home must work within the confines of the family, for the sake of her family’s survival. Millions of working Iranian women are thus invisible in the official statistics, as they look after their children while trying to finish orders from their textile manufacturers.” Andreaas Malm and Shora Esmailian, Iran on the Brink: Rising Workers & Threats of War, Pluto Press 2007, 62–63.

[25] Ken Knabb, “The Opening in Iran” March 12, 1979.

10 notes · View notes

torillatavataan · 1 year

Photo

Read full article by Euronews

In Finland and Sweden, the militaries know a thing or two about extreme cold weather combat, and how to battle the elements. And with an eye on the weather, the two Nordic nations have announced their biggest packages of military aid for Ukraine to date.

"It is important that we keep supporting Ukraine and providing it with the means to end the war," said Antti Kaikkonen, Finland's minister of defence.

"Ukraine is fighting and defending its independence and freedom, it's right to help assist Ukraine in this situation. That's why Finland and most European countries help," he told Euronews in an interview.

The tenth -- and latest -- Finnish defence package is valued at €55.6 million, bringing the combined value of all defence material earmarked for Ukraine to €160.4m since the start of the war.

The Finns are notoriously tight-lipped about what exactly they've been providing -- "it is for security and op-sec reasons," said Kaikkonen -- but the minister does explain a bit more about the process involved.

"We get a list from Ukraine, and we consult them when we are building these packages. Of course, at the same time, we tell them we have this and this which we could donate. And through discussions, we are able to make the packages," he said.

While some countries have been more open about what weapons systems they've given to Ukraine, the Finns see no need to flag to the Russians what they're supplying.

"We have two principles in our aid: we give stuff that Ukraine needs, and we give things that are possible to give without weakening our own defences."

Open-source intelligence analyst and military historian Emil Kastehelmi says Finland is probably sending basic winter gear, but nothing too expensive "because of course Finland still has its own geopolitical threats that happen to be the same that Ukraine has. What I've understood from different sources is that both Ukraine and Russia are having shortages of proper winter gear like warm under-clothes and winter camouflage suits, and Finnish camouflage suits are really good ones. We might be sending those, and sleeping bags too."

Another important piece of equipment is tents with stoves that can be heated in winter: soldiers can get warm, and also hang up their wet clothing to dry off while they sleep. A tent with a stove, or warm dry socks, thermal underwear and camouflage uniforms might sound like simple pieces of equipment, but it's "highly possible" that neither Ukraine nor Russia has the means to supply all of their troops with basic gear like this.

The official government-level military aid from Finland is not the only aid flowing from north to south, with a number of groups working to fill gaps in equipment supplies. One of those organisations is Your Finnish Friends, which has been processing requests mainly for defensive equipment such as ballistic helmets and body armour plates requested by Finnish volunteer fighters in Ukraine, but also sending any surplus to the Ukrainian army.

Read full article by Euronews

#suomi #finland #ukraine #war in ukraine #stand with ukraine #*

29 notes · View notes

mariacallous · 1 year

Text

U.S. President Joe Biden has a tough task before him this week as he prepares to meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. The countries face the shared threats of an increasingly capable nuclear North Korea as well as a likely significant nuclear buildup by China. The need for close cooperation on these and other international challenges, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and developing clean energy for climate change, could not be more urgent. That’s why it is especially concerning that some in South Korea are publicly entertaining the idea of the country developing its own nuclear weapons.

Even Yoon joined in when he said in January that if North Korea’s nuclear threat grows, South Korea would consider building its own arsenal. He later walked back these comments, but they attracted international attention, as it is incredibly rare for a country—let alone a democracy allied with the United States—to publicly muse about developing nuclear weapons.

It isn’t only Yoon who has flirted with the nuclear option. Oh Se-hoon, the mayor of Seoul and a potential future presidential contender, also called for the development of these weapons to address South Korea’s security needs. Though politicians have the biggest platforms on this issue, some of the strongest voices advocating for nuclear weapons emanate from prominent South Korean think tanks. Public opinion polls show high popular support for an indigenous nuclear arsenal, though that could change as the downside risks penetrate the public debate. A few polls and remarks from private citizens should not be given excessive credibility, but loose talk from leaders has consequences, and it’s time for South Korea to tighten up if it wants to continue playing a major leadership role in the global system. Biden needs to take advantage of the upcoming summit to make this clear.

The threats to Yoon’s country are real, but a South Korean nuclear weapons program is not the answer. The pursuit of these weapons by Seoul—a stalwart of the global nonproliferation regime and a country protected by the U.S. defense treaty and nuclear umbrella—would needlessly rupture some of the country’s most important geopolitical relationships. It would isolate South Korea, challenge its role as a major technology exporter in the global economy, and jeopardize both the U.S.-South Korean alliance and South Korea’s role as a major geopolitical player—not to mention increase nuclear risks in the region.

South Korea’s nuclear debate—and its extended deterrence relationship with the United States—has only become more complicated in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Some South Korean observers have made the questionable claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats have deterred direct U.S. military involvement in Ukraine and wondered whether North Korea might successfully employ the same tactics against the United States should it engage in conflict against the South. Moreover, it was only a few years ago that then-U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to coerce larger South Korean defense contributions by threatening to withdraw troops from the peninsula. The damage Trump did to confidence in U.S. security assurances in various geographies should not be underestimated. As a result, and despite considerable efforts by the Biden administration to repair the damage, South Korea is scrutinizing whether it can count on future U.S. presidents to uphold the alliance and the security guarantee it provides.

But South Korea will not solve its national security challenges by developing a nuclear deterrent. Doing so would instead invite new challenges and trigger consequences that would stymie Seoul’s rise as a global leader and imperil both economic prosperity and national security in the process. The South Korean government and its people must fully understand these dangers before they consider such a risky course.

The global nonproliferation regime is designed with consequences in mind—many of which are steep. The United States has played an instrumental role in creating and sustaining this system. Since the mid-1960s, the United States has worked rigorously within this system to prevent nuclear proliferation to adversaries and allies alike. This policy should be no different for South Korea.

Washington has several tools at its disposal should South Korea breach its Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) obligations, enrich or reprocess any material provided by the United States under its civil nuclear cooperation arrangement, or receive enrichment or reprocessing technology from other sources. Should South Korea cross any of these red lines, the United States could, for example, terminate its nuclear energy cooperation with South Korea and end certain types of military sales and economic assistance, including U.S. credits or loans to South Korea. If South Korea went all the way and tested a nuclear device, the United States would be required under the 1977 Glenn Amendment to cease defense sales and the export of certain key technologies to a nuclear South Korea. Unlike the previous example, there are no waivers for Glenn Amendment sanctions, meaning that even if a future U.S. administration were reluctant to penalize Seoul, it would still be required to enact them.

Some of the harshest consequences would fall on Seoul’s energy sector. South Korea’s nuclear energy program—which provides nearly 30 percent of the country’s electricity—relies on the import of uranium fuel and would thus be impacted severely by the international response. That’s because countries that provide nuclear fuel as part of the Nuclear Suppliers Group would be required under international guidelines to cut South Korea off from these supplies if it abandons its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and many might choose to halt assistance even if South Korea did not cross that threshold. Beyond domestic energy supply, Seoul’s ambitious plan to be a leading nuclear reactor exporter, one of Yoon’s key policy goals, would be unlikely to succeed. Nuclear power has become more widely accepted as an important tool for combating climate change, and it is poised to expand in many parts of the world. South Korean nuclear reactor technology, with U.S. supply chain support, has already been deployed successfully in the United Arab Emirates, and failure to capitalize on this demonstrated success will likely open the way to more Russian and Chinese influence in the Middle East and beyond.

China, South Korea’s neighbor and largest trading partner, would be strongly opposed to a nuclear South Korea and would likely ratchet up military and economic pressure to prevent such a development. These sanctions would almost certainly go beyond those levied by Beijing following Seoul’s deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in 2017—an action that cost South Korea billions of dollars.

Most visibly, South Korea’s prestige and influence also would suffer tremendously if it decided to build nuclear weapons. It’s hard to see how a South Korea mired in controversy over a nuclear weapons program would be permitted to host major international meetings or attend a NATO summit, as Yoon did last year.

Instead of embarking on this pathway, which serves neither South Korea’s nor the United States’ interests, the countries should use the upcoming White House summit to further invest in their now 70-year-old alliance to address emerging challenges in ways that advance, rather than undermine, nuclear stability and nonproliferation. That means strengthening extended deterrence, including by tighter coordination of U.S. and South Korean military capabilities, and improved planning and communications mechanisms for peacetime and crises. It also means continuing to work toward an eventual nuclear weapons-free peninsula through renewed diplomacy with North Korea. For the United States, it means finding ways to manage strategic competition and avoid nuclear risks with China, however daunting those tasks may seem.

For his part, Yoon should use the summit to publicly reaffirm South Korea’s commitment to the NPT. Biden should applaud that commitment given the country’s worrisome security environment and, in return, reiterate the importance the United States attaches to its mutual defense obligations.

The security challenges facing Seoul and Washington are real—but so are the opportunities for advancing their deeply rooted alliance based on shared values and interests. South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear weapons would be a dangerous miscalculation. It’s a scenario neither country should countenance.

3 notes · View notes

issela-santina · 2 years

Text

last night I stayed up reading TV Tropes yet again and found a passage saying Billy Butcher (bearded TV version) may be borderline

last character I could really remember having gotten a BPD dx like that (so to speak) was Elsa of Arendelle

so I thought it over:

the biggest hallmark of BPD as far as I know is a whiplashed swinging between emotions and especially its effect on relations

as an outsider what you see is them being impulsive, extremely clingy jerks of sorts who turn on you without much of a reason

from the insider POV, you're constantly under threat of being suddenly ghosted, abandoned, or forgotten (immediate or eventual, since whether the threat is real or imagined it's really common if not always natural for people to just disappear without the closure you or they want) and/or you feel so bad about yourself around people because you feel like your feelings and perception of the world are really just that deep, piercing, and uncontrollable

upbringing also matters: as with the cases of Butcher and Elsa who are both literally deadly if you piss them off just enough,

Billy is vengeful and violent because he grew up in the mercy of this toxic dad who bullied him and especially his little brother Lenny whom the dad's abuse had driven to suicide while Billy was away

he had probably seen so many losses while in the SAS so he coped by substance abuse somewhere down the line, and then there's Becca Saunders who could have fully helped him out of hell if Homelander didn't rape her (the rest is history)

Billy makes everyone unhappy to see him thanks to his cynicism but given that many of the supes he hates so much, especially Homelander the megalomaniac, are far worse to deal with, the humans just deal with him and learn that he's very much grieving underneath like the rest of them

meanwhile,

Elsa is avoidant and isolated thanks to her immense guilt over nearly killing her sister Anna so Elsa spent the next several years of her life shutting Anna out instead

the sisters had privilege having better parents apparently but it was short-lived since said parents died before the girls were legal to rule

I wanted also to look at how Agnarr told Elsa to “conceal it, don't feel it” and how Elsa processed her father's words as a masking mantra until the coronation day when her masking just . . . gave out

she got better after this though, as Elsa is closer to and more careful with her support system however few people it may directly be, compared to Butcher who can, and does, make more direct connections and yet manage to sabotage all of them with one wrong move

both Butcher and Elsa are impulsive as hell to the point that their decisions and actions endanger others, even more when power is involved

both of them sabotage their connections with people in fear of the people straining or severing the connection first, and so what happens is sadly a self-fulfilling prophecy

both of them always have a chance to be anchored and reassured again and heal from the damage, though susceptible to relapse, and at some point learn to regulate themselves

#elsa of arendelle #billy butcher #bpd #borderline personality disorder #the boys tv #disney frozen #borderline

6 notes · View notes

thomasenhartman21 · 5 months

Text

Foreign exchange Trading: A Newbie's Overview to the Largest Financial Market

The world of foreign exchange trading can be an interesting and rewarding venture for those eager to discover the ropes. With trillions of bucks traded every day, forex, short for forex, is the biggest financial market worldwide. But what exactly is forex trading, and how can newbies obtain started? In expert advisor , we will check out the fundamentals of foreign exchange trading, including its mechanics, advantages, and threats. Forex trading includes the purchasing and selling of currencies. Unlike supplies or products, forex trading is not systematized on an exchange. Instead, it operates over-the-counter, meaning that purchases are performed online between individuals through computer system networks. The primary participants in the foreign exchange market are significant banks, reserve banks, firms, institutional financiers, and private traders. These participants trade currencies for numerous reasons, such as hedging versus fluctuating currency exchange rate, assisting in worldwide trade, or guessing on money movements. To trade foreign exchange, one needs a forex broker who functions as an intermediary in between the trader and the market. It is important to choose a trustworthy broker with reduced transaction costs, trustworthy trading systems, and superb customer support. A good broker will certainly give accessibility to a vast array of currency pairs, including significant, minor, and exotic sets. When trading foreign exchange, individuals guess on the rate movements of money sets. Each money pair consists of a base currency and a quote currency. For instance, EUR/USD stands for the euro as the base currency and the US buck as the quote money. Traders intend to make money from changes in exchange rates between both currencies. Forex trading offers various advantages to traders, making it an eye-catching market for newbies. One of the most evident benefit is its high liquidity, which makes certain that participants can easily enter or leave placements without significant cost changes. Furthermore, forex markets are open 24-hour a day, 5 days a week, enabling investors to trade at their ease. Additionally, utilize plays a considerable function in foreign exchange trading. Leverage allows investors to manage larger settings with a little amount of resources. While this can magnify possible profits, it additionally raises the threat of losses. As a result, it is important for novices to work out care and utilize suitable danger administration strategies. Despite its numerous advantages, forex trading also comes with inherent dangers. The hectic nature of the marketplace can lead to rapid price variations, making it necessary for investors to have an audio understanding of technical and fundamental evaluation. Additionally, money trading includes macroeconomic variables, geopolitical occasions, and rate of interest differentials, all of which can affect currency exchange rate. To be successful in foreign exchange trading, newbies should invest effort and time in enlightening themselves concerning various trading methods, technical signs, and economic indications. They must additionally exercise on demonstration accounts to gain experience without sustaining genuine economic danger. Creating a trading strategy and staying with it is critical to alleviate emotional decision-making, which can cause bad trading end results. To conclude, forex trading provides a globe of chances for those going to learn and apply themselves. While it can be intimidating for beginners, correct education and learning and method can aid navigate the ins and outs of this large monetary market. With technique, perseverance, and a strong understanding of market characteristics, forex trading can be a satisfying and potentially profitable endeavor.

#forex

1 note · View note

linuxgamenews · 1 year

Text

Barotrauma survival horror and RPG officially launches

Barotrauma co-op submarine simulator game launches v1.0 on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. This is all due to the harrowing work of developers FakeFish and Undertow Games. Available on both Steam and Humble Store with a discount. While earning a 92% Very Positive review rating. After nearly four thriving years in early access, the sci-fi submarine sim Barotrauma is ready. Since it is taking on its biggest mission yet, the full launch of v1.0! The game is officially launched. Due to celebrate this pivotal moment and take players into the depths of Europa. And as a result, releasing a new cinematic launch trailer. This also teases the horrors that await you and your crew beneath the waves. Barotrauma is a sci-fi submarine simulator game with both a single-player campaign as well as co-op modes. While offering support for up to 16 players, who must steer through the depths of Jupiter’s frozen moon Europa. Due to fulfill various missions to survive. Together with their passionate and active community, developers, FakeFish and Undertow Games have greatly expanded the game. Improving the title since its early access launch in summer 2019. They completely re-did the campaign and tutorials. Adding new monsters, missions, and outposts, improved graphics and settings. Even adding in a scripted event system and much more.

Barotrauma Full Release Trailer | v1.0

youtube

All of this was only possible thanks to the feedback and support of more than 30,000 Discord members. As well as 60,000 players making entries on Steam Workshop. To show the team’s devotion to their players and fanbase, the developers even have a player made submarine. Which is part of the base game from a community competition. Barotrauma is exciting and often hilarious chaos. Which is both fun to play and watch, due to procedurally generated levels. There is also crazy ragdoll physics and full mod support. But beware: some threats are closer than you think. Multiplayer’s “traitor mode” option may randomly assign players in a secret plot to ruin the missions. Complete with their own unique missions, like killing other players or sabotage. Barotrauma co-op submarine simulator game launches on both Steam and Humble Store. Priced at only $26.24 USD / £22.49 / 26,24€, with the 25% discount. Along with support for Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Which is also "playable" on Steam Deck.

#barotrauma #co-op #submarine simulator #linux #gaming news #fakefish #undertow games #ubuntu #mac #windows #pc #monogame

0 notes

yermak · 1 year

Text

When Putin’s propagandists are partying at the Grammys, it’s time for tougher sanctions

Russian pop stars may not be political titans, but the world must not allow the Kremlin to wriggle through any loopholes

by Andriy Yermak

Published on February 22, 2023

Earlier this month, media from across the globe were training their cameras on the Grammy awards to catch a glimpse of Beyoncé, Adele and Sam Smith. But for the people of Ukraine, the pleasure of watching the cream of music talent perform the biggest hits of the year was spoiled by the presence of Philipp Kirkorov, a Russian pop star often described as “Putin’s favourite singer”.

In Kyiv, we know Kirkorov well. In June 2021 we designated him as “a threat to Ukraine’s national security” and he was banned from entering our country after he spoke in support of Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Last month, we added him to our list of Russian propagandists who are subject to personal sanctions for their support of Russia’s warmongering. He had reportedly been asking his audiences to stand up and clap for the “heroes”, Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

Now, here was Kirkorov preening openly at the Grammys, posting selfie videos on social media. A few days earlier he had dinner with Engelbert Humperdinck in Los Angeles and visited Las Vegas to watch an Adele concert. How could such a man be freely wandering the US? How is he able to party at a time when so many Ukrainians are fighting for their lives?

Sadly, Kirkorov is no isolated case. On the first day of Paris fashion week last month, Dior was criticised for inviting Yana Rudkovskaya, a Russian TV presenter and influencer who we also sanctioned over ties to the Kremlin.

We have long believed that a key weapon in the fight against Kremlin aggression is an international sanctions regime that weakens the Russian economy, reduces its military potency and targets the gang of criminals who run their country.

We are grateful to the international community for the sanctions they have already imposed. But sanctions can only be effective if they close loopholes, deny exceptions and block gaps. Russia is desperately looking for ways to escape its isolation. Every success, however minor, is seen by the Kremlin as a victory.

Of course, pop stars and influencers are not political or military titans. But they do represent a broader problem of both constructing and maintaining a sanctions regime that applies lasting pressure on the Kremlin. We have had great success so far in stretching the Russian budget, which is running a huge deficit. But the Kremlin works ceaselessly to dodge our restrictions. It has already found a replacement for western cargo shipping and insurers, is building new supply routes through Asia and Africa, and we believe may even be resorting to mineral and diamond smuggling to raise new funds. If the sanctions regime has holes, Russia will be sure to wriggle through them.

We believe that the current sanctions coalition has proved effective, but we also believe it is capable of more. The anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine falls on 24 February, and we are happy that the EU will mark it with a new sanctions package, which we hope will cover some of the most worrying gaps.

Perhaps the most urgent of those concerns is Rosatom, the Russian state-owned nuclear energy provider, which has long been active in EU markets. We have reason to believe that Rosatom may be supplying components to the Russian arms industry. We believe it has also been party to the Kremlin’s reckless and inexcusable strikes on Ukrainian nuclear facilities. Yet no punitive measures have been applied to Rosatom. Another urgent financial priority should be the banishment of Russian banks from the Swift international payment system.

We would also like to see a tougher approach to the barbarians who cheer on Russian atrocities from comfortable boltholes in Europe and elsewhere. Russian propagandists aid the aggressor. They are complicit in the crimes of the regime.

We note that Russian individuals who have found themselves sanctioned are increasingly trying to challenge those sanctions in court. Those who despise democracy are once again trying to turn its strength into weakness. The fact that they and their loved ones enjoy the benefits of the European rule of law while fanning hatred for its values is the real injustice.

The EU’s visa policy for Russians should be as strict as possible. Kremlin propagandists and families of military personnel fighting in Ukraine should not be allowed to stay in the EU. Their visas should be cancelled, if necessary.

This war is not only for the future of Ukraine. It is a war for civilised values and ideas. The aggressor needs to understand that he can never win. Appropriately, one could take the lyrics of Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning song to sum up Ukraine’s defiant message to Russia “You won’t break my soul, you won’t.”

Andriy Yermak is head of the Office of the Ukrainian Presidency.

#andriy yermak

0 notes

waecorp · 1 year

Text

3 Reasons to Switch for a Touchless Water Dispenser at Office

Incessant advancement in technology have led to a lot of innovations in every sector. The water sector is evolving every second with such inventions. However, touchless water dispensers are winning preferences for installations with larger number of individuals with need for pure water. Thus, at workplaces, it’s the prerequisite of the present time when virus spread is one of the biggest threats to life.

Gone are the days when drinking water was just a matter of switching the tap on. In the present time, when only 1% water on the planet Earth is pure fresh water, getting it treated to make it fit for drinking is one of the prerequisites of healthy living. Going further with the technological advancements in the water sector, a lot has been innovated ever second to enhance the drinking water experience like never before. Touchless Water Dispenser is one such example of innovative technology to reinvent the way of consuming water without the need of touching the dispenser.

Undeniably, it had been the pandemic era that made touchless products a necessity. However, along with the purpose of eliminating the changes of virus spread, touchless water dispensers add a lot of ease in dispensing water. In fact, there are multiple reasons for touchless water dispensers to win preferences for office installation like -

Eradicates the Chances of Virus Spread -

At workplaces, where there are numerous users to use the water dispenser, the chances of virus spread are always high. Thus, at office places where there are several users for drinking water dispenser, touchless water dispensers enable people to use water dispensers without even touching or pressing a button. Thus, with no contact, it eradicates the chances of any spread of virus or bacteria.

It Brings in the Never Before Ease of Hydrating -

For satiating the need for pure drinking water, dispensers with touchless operation make it amazingly easy for users to dispense pure drinking water. These are basically, the dispensers with bottle fillers that start operating through the touchless sensors. The sensors activate when a bottle, glass or any other vessel comes near at a required distance and start dispensing water in the vessel. Thus, the task is to simply bring the glass or bottle near to the touchless sensor and simply collect the water required. Thus, these are disability friendly as the task of collecting water doesn’t require any support and hands can remain occupied for another essential tasks.

It Adds to the Appeal of the Office Interiors -

The advanced touchless water dispensers these days are available in amazing designs that give an appeal of style and elegance to the place of its installation. The touchless versions are usually more stylish and advanced in looks and functioning both. The compact structure also makes it ideal to fit in small spaces.

To settle down with only the best drinking water dispenser with touchless operation, WAE is trusted as one of the best companies for the complete drinking water solution. The c company holds expertise in catering to various businesses with its highly efficient drinking water machines like Bottle filling stations, drinking water fountains, water chillers, purification system and more. Also, for addressing to specific concerns of the customers, the company has been trusted for providing only the best customized solutions.

#water dispenser #touchless water dispenser #drinking water dispenser #touchless water dispenser for office #water dispenser touchless water dispenser drinking water dispenser touchless water dispenser for office water dispenser machine water dispen #water dispenser with ro #water dispenser purification systems

0 notes

democracyinternational · 1 year

Text

An End-of-Year Message from DI President Eric Bjornlund

After several difficult years for democracy and public health in the U.S. and around the world, 2022 provided some reasons for hope. While the Covid pandemic continued to threaten public health and claim too many lives, it receded as a day-to-day threat for many, and DI, like many other organizations, was able to return to more normal operations. Meanwhile, there were signs of a possible democratic resurgence. In the U.S., a range of institutions—including the House January 6 Committee, Congressional leaders, federal and state prosecutors, and the courts—moved to ensure accountability for those responsible for the attack on democracy in our own country. Voters in the U.S. mid-term elections rejected election deniers in many battleground states and signaled a renewed willingness to reject extremism and stand up for democracy. Globally, many of the world’s democracies united to support Ukraine’s self-defense against Russia’s unprovoked, horrifying attack on Ukraine’s sovereignty and democracy, and citizen protests and demands for government accountability have grown in China, Iran, and elsewhere. Even the World Cup in Qatar, the world’s biggest sporting event, has been unable to avoid important protests about human rights.

Meanwhile, government leaders in the U.S. recommitted in the past year to American support for democracy abroad. The U.S. government, for example, has led a global Year of Action to build on its Democracy Summit in December 2021. As part of this effort, DI has participated in the Global Network for Securing Electoral Integrity convened by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Global Democracy Coalition led by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, among other efforts. And in a major speech in June, USAID Administrator Samantha Power urged the democracy promotion community to “reinvent our playbook” for democracy assistance, in response to new threats as well as traditional ones, a theme that has long animated DI’s work.

Democracy International has worked effectively and grown substantially in the past year. We have consolidated our important work in support of both political inclusion and legal aid in Bangladesh, engaging at-risk youth in Jamaica, and reinforcing the civic education and the electoral process in Liberia. We launched an effort to improve local service delivery and strengthen the social contract between municipalities and citizens in Kosovo as well as a program to support the independence and effectiveness of the parliament in Malawi. Working through Pact, we adapted and continued our technical assistance for civic education in Ukraine; as a sub to WSP, we are providing monitoring and evaluation support for a local governance project in El Salvador; and working through DevTech Systems, we have begun providing technical support to USAID on “digital democracy.” USAID also recently awarded DI the important, high-profile Justice, Rights, and Security-Rapid Response Assistance (JURIS) activity to address threats to the rule of law, human rights, and security around the world.

In addition, consistent with USAID’s focus on localization, DI has played an innovative, supporting role to local organizations in several countries. In Kenya we are working as a subawardee to the Electoral Law and Governance Institute for Africa (ELGIA) by providing technical assistance to improve elections. In Georgia we are supporting the United Nations Association of Georgia to better integrate ethnic and religious minorities into politics, government, and society. And in Pakistan we support the Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA) on its project to improve domestic citizen election observation. By supporting local organizations to take the lead and be the prime recipient of assistance funds, DI and its local partners are flipping the traditional development program relationship, thereby reinforcing local ownership of development programs and priorities and increasing the sustainability of results.

DI has also been a leader in drawing on social and behavioral science (SBS)—including social psychology, behavioral economics, and other social sciences—in the design and implementation of international development programs, as part of our broader focus on learning for better development. Insights from SBS play a critical role, for example, in our interventions to build trust between local government and citizens in Kosovo, encourage at-risk youth to pursue more “positive pathways” in Jamaica, and build trust and socio-economic linkages between minority and majority communities in Georgia.

As before, we focused in our programs during the past year on engaging youth, empowering women, and supporting marginalized communities around the world to access politics, rights, and services. We are also proud to have continued our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the way we work. We joined the Coalition for Racial and Ethnic Equity in Development (CREED) of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian assistance organizations. And in the summer, we ran a successful internship program focused largely on providing opportunities for traditionally underrepresented minorities in international development careers, drawing in part on our established partnerships with One World Foundation and the internship collective of Johns Hopkins University.

We are proud that, despite enormous challenges to international development, genuine democracy, and public health, DI has made a meaningful contribution. This process wouldn’t be possible without the continued support of our partners, clients, and funders, as demonstrated through their ongoing and growing collaboration. We appreciate the funding and trust we have received from USAID, the U.S. State Department, the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office, and others.

We also note the incredible dedication of our professional, committed, far-flung, and growing staff as well as the important work of our expert consultants and outside advisors. We are proud to work together with such talented and dedicated colleagues around the world in such a critically important common mission.

DI moves forward into 2023 with increasing confidence and a renewed commitment to supporting active citizens, responsive governments, and engaged civil society and political organizations to achieve a more peaceful, democratic world.

#latest #end of year message

0 notes

changing-the-paradigm · 1 year

Text

The Ocean, The Food Industry, and The Overlap

Last week, we discussed biodiversity loss on land, so this week’s first topic is naturally the aquatic side of the issue. Two major themes I found within the broad subject were the role that coral is playing as humans continue to destroy the environment and the devastating effects of poor fishing practices. The latter issue blends seamlessly into the week’s second topic: food production. Interestingly, coral has been documented as a species that has consistently died off in all five mass extinctions, disappearing for millions of years. This aligns with the current behavior of coral considering we have now entered the Earth’s sixth mass extinction. Coral is bleaching at an alarming rate. This and previous instances of mass bleaching are likely due to the fact that coral is such a delicate and sensitive organism. In some ways, I see parallels between it and indicator species. When the coral is dying, there is trouble. The only issue is that the bleaching occurs very rapidly, and resolving the sources of distress will be no easy feat. Scientists fear that if nothing is done to save coral reefs, they will disappear for millions of years as they have in the past. Aside from this specific case study revolving around harm to the ocean, problems with fishing practices are another major threat to aquatic ecosystems as well as food production for humans. One of the biggest issues is general overfishing, which occurs as a result of industry quotas needing to be met. Government subsidies also contribute to this. Overfishing can occur with the harvesting of any marine species. It simply means that the species is being fished at an unsustainable rate and cannot replenish its populations. This, of course, leads to biodiversity loss since the gene pools for certain species are made significantly smaller, and some species die out entirely, which puts a strain on the whole ecosystem. Other problems surrounding fishing practices have less to do with wiping out individual species and are more problematic because of the collateral damage they cause. For example, drift net fishing unintentionally catches other aquatic creatures besides the intended ones. This is called bycatch. The loss of biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems poses risk for everyone, but it will first impact those that rely on marine life for income and food. There are also a plethora of concerns with the food industry, and the ones I found to be most notable in the reading were crop-based and meat-based. Industrial agriculture has its own set of inefficiencies, one of which is monoculture. While meant to be best for the economy, the practice is terrible for soil. The meat industry is also in dire need of rebuilding. Not only is the rate at which humans are consuming meat unhealthy, but it is also jeopardizing the environment by wasting energy and water on crops to feed livestock and producing large amounts of greenhouse gases.

When it comes to solutions, there is plenty to be done for fishing practices. First, the creation of marine life reserves can help preserve coral reefs and keep certain species of fish safe from the dangers of extinction. Maintaining biodiversity in this way could be beneficial for the ocean as a whole. Passing legislation plays a part in reserves, but it can go even further and help protect certain endangered species directly. In the textbook, the specific focus is less on fixing the damage and more on preventing future damage. Miller and Spoolman discuss this, saying, “[m]any scientists support efforts to restore aquatic systems, but they warn that these projects could fail if the problems that caused their degradation are not addressed. They call for more emphasis on preventing aquatic ecosystem degradation, which is far less expensive and more effective than restoration efforts” (Miller and Spoolman 248). I believe there is a good balance between both strategies. In terms of agriculture, my favorite solution to the dangers of monoculture is very simple. Crop rotation helps keep soil healthy and produces quality food. No-till farming is a technique that goes along with crop rotation that promotes healthy soil and prevents the dangers of monoculture. When it comes to the meat industry, I feel that an entire reworking of the system may be necessary. However, since that is unlikely to occur and would be very difficult, there are several “smaller” things we can do. The first is full-cost pricing. Meat is often as cheap as it is because the price of the harm its production causes is not factored in. By implementing full-cost pricing, global meat consumption will lower and hopefully even out. The second is a bit more drastic. I, along with many other scientists, propose a mass effort to consciously reduce meat consumption. Some even advocate for its removal from our diets entirely, though I am not convinced of the need for such an extreme. Even Bill Nye supports this idea and has been quoted saying, “[p]lant-based diets are the future” (qtd. in Lockie).

Question: would a reconstruction of the agriculture industry as a whole be possible, or is it too large a scale?

Word Count: 829

Works Cited

Lockie, Robbie. “Bill Nye The Science Guy: Plant-Based Diets Are The Future!” Plant Based News, 19 April 2017, https://plantbasednews.org/news/bill-nye-the-science-guy-plant-based-diets-are-the-future/. Accessed 14 November 2022.

Miller, G. Tyler, and Scott Spoolman. Living in the Environment. Cengage Learning, 2021.

Sommer, Lauren. “Australia's Great Barrier Reef is hit with mass coral bleaching yet again.” NPR, 26 March 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/03/26/1088886918/australia-great-barrier-reef-coral-bleaching-climate. Accessed 15 November 2022.

11/15/22

0 notes

rootsmulticlean · 2 years

Text

Mechanised Road Sweeping Machines – For Cleaner & Safer Roads

Roots RSB 6000 Truck Mounted Road Sweeper

In this modern day with ever increasing traffic, the biggest challenge is the sharp increase in road accidents. Two and three-wheeler riders accounted for 40% of all traffic fatal accidents in India, according to WHO’s Global Status Report on Road Safety and India ranks first in the number of road accident deaths across the 199 countries and accounts for almost 11% of the accident related deaths in the World.Civic Bodies face a real challenge of maintaining cleaner and safer roads free from fine sands. Fine sand that gets accumulated near the center median and on the side of the roads is a major threat to two wheeler riders who have to navigate through with extra caution. To sweep these sands, Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are engaging conservancy workers, who manually sweep the accumulated sand mounds near the center median. However the constant vehicle movement, dissolves the mounds by pushing the sand back on to the road, giving a tough time to motorists who struggle for balance, especially two-wheeler riders.Also known as City Sweepers, the Truck Mounted Sweepers come as a boon and a great solution in resolving this day to day challenge faced by Municipal Corporations in ensuring cleaner and safer Roads for motorists to commute…Roots Multiclean Ltd is the Leader in the cleaning Industry with wide range of mechanized cleaning solutions for almost three decades. Our innovative and hi-tech Road sweeping machines also known as City Sweepers are manufactured at the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Coimbatore.With the experience of offering City Sweepers for over 20 years now, Roots Multiclean Ltd is proud to offer the RSB 6000, the High-Performance Road sweeping Machine, a truck mounted sweeper, with maximum performance, strength, efficiency and productivity.The

RSB 6000 City Sweeper

comes equipped with unbeatable features and innovative technology.As the name suggests, The Truck Mounted Sweepers are sweeping units mounted on to a Truck for primary movement and the functions of the sweeping unit is controlled by an Auxiliary engine.The Powerful yet fuel efficient Auxiliary engine, powers the broom and vacuum functions of RSB 6000. While in operation, the Side & Center Brooms dislocates the sand/debris from the surface and moves it towards the Suction Head, which effectively picks up all the debris and collects in to the Hopper. The RSB 6000 offers a Hopper capacity of 6 cu.m. This large hopper supports uninterrupted and large area coverage.The Hydraulically operated Hopper Door has an opening angle of 90º with Hydraulic locking system. The controls from inside the cabin, make it a safe system and easy to operate always.The challenging part of Dust suppression even in heavy sand/dust accumulated surfaces is taken care by Water Suppression at source. Dust suppression by water sprinkling through multiple different nozzles ensures Dust suppression at its best. Flying dust inside the hopper is also totally arrested by continuous water spray making RSB 6000, an all Weather Runner.The Polypropylene main Broom combined with the Spring Steel Side Brushes ensures excellent sweeping performance every time. The Two free floating Suction hoods on either side with the choice of operating any one hood independently or both simultaneously depending upon the need offers supports excellent sweeping performance.Safety parameters have always been an important aspect of machines from RMCL’s stable and RSB 6000 is no exception… The Hopper load holding valve in addition to the Manual safety lock to ensure additional safety is a classic example in addition to Auxiliary engine control unit with automatic safety shut down, Hopper home position indicator, Hopper overload indicator, warning beacon etc.Equipped with an option of High Pressure water jet

of 130 bar, this machine makes it simple to clean sign boards, monuments, paver blocks on the walking tracks, barricades and any kind of stubborn and sticky dirt on different surfaces.Inbuilt water tank of 1000 Liters, this machine offers an optional tank of 800 liters.The In-built wander hose system ensures Gutter and difficult to access area cleaning a simple task.RSB 6000 Sweeping kit is engineered to suit different brands of international Trucks.Thanks to the robust and rugged construction, the RSB 6000 Road Sweeper offers excellent sweeping performance even in challenging working conditions in Ports, Container terminals & Manufacturing units and many ULBs across India.

The Role Of Industrial Vacuum Cleaners In Manufacturing Sectors

Rhino RD 180 For Cement Plants

Reasons Why You Need A Scrubber Drier?

#floor cleaning #Road Sweeping Machines #cleaning equipment manufacturer #industrial cleaning machine #floor cleaners #road sweeepers #industrial floor cleaners #sweeping machine #roots multiclean

0 notes