No Oppo Supporters The TAN 82 - a groupthink soggy salada

[Rayzorwire]

This story is seriously fascinating...recommend the full read, it's only a little over twice as long as the quote:


A study of 26 years' worth of wolf behavioral data, and an analysis of the blood of 229 wolves, has shown that infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes wolves 46 times more likely to become a pack leader.

The research shows that the effects of this parasite in the wild have been horrendously understudied – and its role in ecosystems and animal behavior underestimated.

If you have a cat, you've probably heard of this parasite before. The microscopic organism can only sexually reproduce in the bodies of felines, but it can infect and thrive in pretty much all warm-blooded animals.

This includes humans, where it can cause a typically symptomless (but still potentially fatal) parasitic disease called toxoplasmosis.
Once it's in another host, individual T. gondii parasites needs to find a way to get their offspring back inside a cat if it doesn't want to become an evolutionary dead-end. And it has a kind of creepy way of maximizing its chances.

Animals such as rats infected with the parasite start taking more risks, and in some cases actually become fatally attracted to the scent of feline urine, and thus more likely to be killed by them.

For larger animals, such as chimpanzees, it means an increased risk of a run-in with a larger cat, such as a leopard. Hyenas infected with T. gondii also are more likely to be killed by lions.

Something Strange Happens to Wolves Infected by Infamous Mind-Altering Parasite

A study of 26 years' worth of wolf behavioral data, and an analysis of the blood of 229 wolves, has shown that infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes wolves 46 times more likely to become a pack leader.

www.sciencealert.com

 

[NaturalDisaster]

whats goin on with the tan title NaturalDisaster Muddiemoose gimme the rights to change the title

Do you promise to not use those rights for evil?

 

[Rayzorwire]

"Civilised" Europe rundown...neck and neck with the US for dysfunction and chaos...


Environmental NGOs have identified toxic substances in the blood of top Brussels politicians — part of a campaign to push for an EU-wide ban on the chemicals despite heavy industry pushback.

Each of the 16 politicians and public figures who participated — a group that includes EU competition head Margrethe Vestager, former Green Deal chief Frans Timmermans and EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius — were found to have at least seven types of toxic PFAS chemicals in their blood. In five cases, the amount "exceeded existing safety threshold levels" for the chemicals.

PFAS chemicals, which are widely used in everyday items like non-stick pans and raincoats as well as in semiconductor manufacturing and batteries, are linked to a host of severe health issues, including cancer and infertility. Also known as "forever chemicals" because they don't naturally break down in the environment, they have been identified in everything from rainwater and soil to breastmilk.

Top EU officials have toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in their blood

Margrethe Vestager and Frans Timmermans among officials tested as EU debates potential ban.

www.politico.eu

This legislation on digital services is a Trojan horse: it presents a facade of respecting democratic principles. The EU Commission stresses that the DSA is intended to establish “strict rules to safeguard European values” and Article 1 of the DSA directly states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression”.

Behind this liberal facade, however, the exact opposite is happening: an attack is taking place against the constitutional order. Due to the complexity of the matter and the sheer volume of information available, its introduction is going unnoticed. The DSA opens up the possibility of [EU or national authorities] demanding the removal of entries that are not unlawful from very large online platforms and search engines…

Platform operators are required to “pay particular attention to how their services could be used to disseminate or amplify misleading or deceptive content, including disinformation.” (Recital 84). In addition, Art. 34 of the DSA makes a clear distinction between unlawful information and information with only “detrimental effects”.

However, the term “disinformation” is not defined in the DSA. But in 2018 the EU Commission did define it as including information that can cause “public harm”. In doing so, it determined (p.4) that public harm is to be understood as “threats to democratic political processes and political decision-making as well as to public goods such as the protection of health, the environment and security”.

There can be no doubt that false, misleading or just inconvenient entries need not be unlawful.

Nevertheless, they can be declared unlawful at any time on the basis of the DSA. The EU Commission sets the standard by which disinformation is judged. However, this means that politically unsavoury opinions, even scientifically argued positions, can be deleted, and not only that: if it is classified as unlawful, there are social consequences.

One inevitable result is that citizens begin self-censoring to align their messages on the platforms with what is currently acceptable within the corridors of power…. The cornerstone of any free society — the perpetual exchange of intellectual and political ideas, even with opposing opinions — will therefore crumble.

Former judge Manfred Kölsch on how the EU’s Digital Services Act will end free speech – Money and more

norberthaering.de

“Democracy has won” in Poland following the election of a new government in October – or at least so declared the country’s new prime minister, Donald Tusk. The former top European Union official’s party only won 30% of the vote compared to the 36% of his incumbent conservative, EU-skeptical rivals, the Law and Justice (PiS) party, but was nonetheless able to assemble a coalition of leftists to take power. Since entering office, Tusk has moved quickly to prove his particular commitment to “democracy.” Which is to say that, in a particularly striking example of what all of us can now increasingly anticipate whenever “democracy” wins elections in the West these days, he immediately began trampling the constitution in order to jail his political opponents.

First, on January 9, he dispatched police to storm the presidential palace and arrest two opposition lawmakers seeking refuge there. These were former Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński and his deputy, Maciej Wąsik. Kamiński, a well-known anti-communist and a key figure in freeing Poland from Soviet domination, previously served as chief of Poland’s anti-corruption bureau. He was convicted during Tusk’s previous regime (2007-2014) for allegedly abusing his power while pursuing government corruption with “excessive zeal,” but was officially pardoned by then-new President Andrzej Duda in 2015 – a long-standing point of displeasure for the Polish left.

Duda, a former PiS member, is still Poland’s president, officially dividing executive power with Tusk. When, away for a meeting, he heard what was occurring at his own offices, he tried to intervene, but found his communications mysteriously jammed and his car’s route back to the palace mysteriously blocked by a Warsaw city transit bus (all surely a coincidence). The President was reduced to voicing his outrage online. Noting that the arrests appeared to have been conducted in outright violation of the Polish constitution, he said he was “deeply shocked that people who are honest and who have always fought for a free Poland have been arrested.”

When Duda pardoned the two men again on January 23, Tusk first stalled on releasing them from prison and then suggested that even though let go they would soon be held “responsible for other things.” Either way, Tusk seems to have won, since having been jailed for a crime the parliamentarians can now be stripped of their seats, consolidating Tusk’s balance of political power. Indeed Tusk is apparently just getting started, as he also arrested former Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk. Wawrzyk had already been sacked and placed under investigation by the PiS government in connection to a recent visa fraud scandal. But by escalating to an arrest Tusk signaled that he was only in the opening moves of a long-planned “step by step” campaign to purge opposition figures throughout the country.

Poland and the Demon in Democracy

Liberal authoritarianism’s tusks have been bared across the West

theupheaval.substack.com

When Houthi missiles began raining down on container vessels in the Red Sea last year, European leaders feared a blowback on energy supplies. Three months on, it’s food that is under fire, with exporters and shippers warning of growing damage to the fruit and vegetable trade.

Shipping companies have halted operations through the strait of Bab el-Mandeb and re-routed around the Cape of Good Hope, adding delays of up to three weeks for transport to and from Europe. Besides a five-fold surge in container costs, that means that fresh produce is more likely to rot en route.
…
Exporters are particularly affected in southern European countries like Italy, Greece and Cyprus. Since their cargoes must now leave the Mediterranean to the west and go the long way round to the Middle East and Asia, many are struggling to get perishables to foreign markets on time, imperiling goods worth billions of euros.

Spoilage alert: Red Sea crisis hits Europe’s fresh food trade

Houthi attacks on shipping are disrupting shipments of perishables, with exporters in southern Europe most affected.

www.politico.eu

 

[Rayzorwire]

Do you promise to not use those rights for evil?

 

[Groupie_]

Do you promise to not use those rights for evil?

of course

 

[DickieKnee]

Do you promise to not use those rights for evil?

Is this a trick question?

 

[Groupie_]

 

[NaturalDisaster]

Is this a trick question?

of course

 

[Groupie_]

how do some places have tiles on the ceiling

I would be scared the campaigner is gonna fall off one day and break your skull open

 

[tigs2010]

how do some places have tiles on the ceiling

I would be scared the campaigner is gonna fall off one day and break your skull open

Pic?

 

[Groupie_]

Pic?

imagine this shite
cracking ya head open

 

[Mudhoney]

View attachment 1895956





This story is seriously fascinating...recommend the full read, it's only a little over twice as long as the quote:


A study of 26 years' worth of wolf behavioral data, and an analysis of the blood of 229 wolves, has shown that infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes wolves 46 times more likely to become a pack leader.

The research shows that the effects of this parasite in the wild have been horrendously understudied – and its role in ecosystems and animal behavior underestimated.

If you have a cat, you've probably heard of this parasite before. The microscopic organism can only sexually reproduce in the bodies of felines, but it can infect and thrive in pretty much all warm-blooded animals.

This includes humans, where it can cause a typically symptomless (but still potentially fatal) parasitic disease called toxoplasmosis.
Once it's in another host, individual T. gondii parasites needs to find a way to get their offspring back inside a cat if it doesn't want to become an evolutionary dead-end. And it has a kind of creepy way of maximizing its chances.

Animals such as rats infected with the parasite start taking more risks, and in some cases actually become fatally attracted to the scent of feline urine, and thus more likely to be killed by them.

For larger animals, such as chimpanzees, it means an increased risk of a run-in with a larger cat, such as a leopard. Hyenas infected with T. gondii also are more likely to be killed by lions.

Something Strange Happens to Wolves Infected by Infamous Mind-Altering Parasite

A study of 26 years' worth of wolf behavioral data, and an analysis of the blood of 229 wolves, has shown that infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii makes wolves 46 times more likely to become a pack leader.

www.sciencealert.com

Amazing article. That research could lead to amazing discoveries in human behaviour.

 

[Truetiger]

whats goin on with the tan title NaturalDisaster Muddiemoose gimme the rights to change the title

Usually have to pay for the rights to something Not much is free anymore.

 

[Rayzorwire]

Amazing article. That research could lead to amazing discoveries in human behaviour.

Was absolutely thinking the same thing, mate, first line in!

Beyond that, is there some evolutionary symbiosis going on...felines are effectively somehow developing their internal parasites as bio-weapons?

Something that makes other species' powerless to control their compulsions counts somewhere along those lines to me!

Most important of all, surely it's the answer to how far ken Geelol won a flag with a masters games volleyball side for a list and a half-witted child for a coach?

Parasite scandal!

 

[DickieKnee]

Was absolutely thinking the same thing, mate, first line in!

Beyond that, is there some evolutionary symbiosis going on...felines are effectively somehow developing their internal parasites as bio-weapons?

Something that makes other species' powerless to control their compulsions counts somewhere along those lines to me!

Most important of all, surely it's the answer to how far ken Geelol won a flag with a masters games volleyball side for a list and a half-witted child for a coach?

Parasite scandal!

I heard a scientist talking about experiments going on now how some parasites are beneficial to humans combating certain disease and cancers.

 

[Rayzorwire]

I heard a scientist talking about experiments going on now how some parasites are beneficial to humans combating certain disease and cancers.

Yeah mate, and fermentation is all the rage too!

For all the talk of fusing man and machine in our cyber future, we really probably need to study the straight biological stuff for a few more centuries yet before we start on that adventure...starting with the clearly superior parasites from Dusty's gut biome!

 

[Groupie_]

just smashed almost half an ice cold watermelon farrk me theyre addictive

 

[Rayzorwire]

just smashed almost half an ice cold watermelon farrk me theyre addictive

Which half did you start on?

 

[DickieKnee]

just smashed almost half an ice cold watermelon farrk me theyre addictive

I've been smashing fresh cherries straight from the orchard. $10 a kg. Been through 15kg this month. Addictive AF. Reckon I've released a couple hundred kg of methane.

 

[Triggering Tiger]

how do some places have tiles on the ceiling

I would be scared the campaigner is gonna fall off one day and break your skull open

This is what too much drinking does to ya, total paranoia!

 

[Triggering Tiger]

I've been smashing fresh cherries straight from the orchard. $10 a kg. Been through 15kg this month. Addictive AF. Reckon I've released a couple hundred kg of methane.

Phwoar!!! you stink!

 

[Groupie_]

I've been smashing fresh cherries straight from the orchard. $10 a kg. Been through 15kg this month. Addictive AF. Reckon I've released a couple hundred kg of methane.

you should get some watermelon theyre farrken hectic right now

 

[Triggering Tiger]

18 more days and we melbum in a praccy match!, I'm chomping at the bit farrrkin!

 

[Groupie_]

18 more days and we melbum in a praccy match!, I'm chomping at the bit farrrkin!

theyll play their grand final

 

[Triggering Tiger]

theyll play their grand final

We'll smash the campaigners, kosi and big sexy will kick 6 a piece!