✅ Finally announced by official medium: "BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood... War" Final Cour for 10 episodes, listed in single Blu-ray / DVD volume (#41 ~ #50) » Also debunked ❌ the info of ‘13 episodes’ provided by VIZ Media, which is outdate / incorrect!!show more

🚨❗❗🇵🇰 BIG | This move by Pakistan is a... demonstration that it is a force to be reckoned with in war. The mobilization of the air force indicates that Pakistan is also ready to act together with Saudi Arabia in a war situation. A month later, details of the April deployment of Pakistani forces and equipment to Saudi Arabia finally emerged. According to Reuters, around 8,000 Pakistani troops, 16 JF-17 fighter jets, and at least one HQ-9 air defense system were deployed to Saudi Arabia. The publication's sources report that the equipment is being serviced by Pakistani military personnel, and the funding is provided by Saudi Arabia. This is a typical scheme of service provision by Islamabad to Riyadh, which has been in place for several decades. The contingent is intended to support the Saudi army in the event of new attacks.show more

In 2024, Russia faced a 13-year record jump in... gas prices after a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries that caused fuel production to collapse by more than 10% in the first half of the year. According to Rosstat, from the beginning of the year to December 23, gasoline prices rose by 11% on average in Russia. At the same time, prices in remote regions of the Far East exceeded the Russian average by a quarter. By the end of the year, gasoline price growth will be the strongest since 2011. For the first time in 6 years, gasoline prices have risen significantly above the headline inflation rate, which the Russian ministry of economic development estimates at 9.7% a week before the end of the year. This year, the Russian government tried to curb gasoline prices by banning its exports: the restrictions were imposed shortly after two dozen major Russian refineries were attacked by Ukrainian UAVs and a number of them were forced to halt production. By the end of May, the decline in gasoline production in Russia reached 20% compared to December 2023, and diesel fuel - 11%. In response, the authorities classified fuel output statistics, citing geopolitics and the threat of market manipulation as reasons. In 2025, gasoline will continue to rise in price in Russia. In the best-case scenario, it will rise by 10-15%, and in the worst case - 20%, which, according to Rosstat, has not happened in Russia since 2004 (when the cost of fuel jumped by a record 31.3%). The reason will be an increase in Transneft's pipeline pumping tariffs, as well as a sharp increase in excise taxes: they will rise 14% for gasoline and 16% for diesel fuel, which is three times more than was provided for in the Tax Code (4.7%). According to government calculations, this will bring 170 billion rubles ($1,6 billion) to the treasury, of which 116 billion ($1,13 billion) will be due to the unscheduled increase. Rising gasoline prices will automatically lead to higher prices for everything else in Russia, as the cost of fuel is included in the delivery of all goods and automatically increases the cost of the end product for the buyer. Inflation in Russia will also increase.show more

A video is being widely circulated by several Pakistan-based... social media accounts, claiming that it shows a civil war-like situation in India and further alleging that India is unsafe #PIBFactCheck: ❌ The claim is FAKE! ✅ The video is from a cylinder blast incident and is not related to any civil unrest or violence. For more info: 🛑 Help stop misinformation. If you come across any such misleading content related to the Government of India, report it immediately: 📲 WhatsApp: +91 8799711259 📩 Email: [email protected] DD News All India Radio Newsshow more

[MBC News] 260701 "BTS Surpasses the Rolling Stones in... World Tour Revenue" BTS has become the highest grossing group for a single month thanks to its world tour in May. The group also easily surpassed the record previously set by the legendary British band the Rolling Stones. Recently, Billboard announced that "from May 2 to May 28, BTS generated 190 billion Won in revenue and sold more than 640,000 tickets across 12 concerts." Billboard added that "BTS became the highest grossing and best selling touring group for the month of May." It also explained that this marks the highest monthly revenue ever recorded by a group since the Billboard Boxscore chart was launched in 2019, comfortably surpassing the approximately 140 billion Won record set by the Rolling Stones in August 2019. Billboard further predicted that with more than 50 concerts still scheduled for the second half of this year, the Arirang tour is expected to become BTS's biggest tour ever, surpassing the Love Yourself World Tour held across 2018 and 2019. #JIN #방탄소년단진 방탄소년단show more

Facial reconstruction of a 12,580-year-old American woman. Her remains... were found in a quarry near Buhl, Idaho, United States, in January 1989. The Buhl skull exhibited a suite of craniofacial features that fall within the range of Native American or East Asian populations. Buhl showed pronounced dental wear despite being no more than 21 years of age. The extent of enamel loss and cupping likely resulted from consuming well-processed food containing fine sand or grit, probably introduced during food preparation or preservation. Her dentition also exhibited linear enamel hypoplasia on the right mandibular canine - a developmental defect associated with metabolic stress due to disease or nutritional deficiency. In addition, Buhl’s bones displayed Harris lines, which are thought to form during episodes of growth arrest followed by resumed bone formation. These lines most often occur in otherwise well-nourished individuals who experienced periodic stress, such as seasonal food shortages. The presence of both Harris lines and linear enamel hypoplasia indicates evidence of stress or hardship during the Buhl woman’s growth and development. Her height is estimated to have been about 165 cm. She had a medium-large cranial length of 181 mm, a medium-large cranial width of 139 mm, and a medium-large bizygomatic breadth of 131 mm.show more

Here’s my analysis on NotPixel Airdrop: - Mining phase:... it was entertaining to paint on the canvas alongside with many of you! Personally, I had fun drawing 🧡 together with you, just for fun, no competition. For that I will rate it a ✅ - Earn Launchpool: personally, I think this is great that there’s such a tool, that allows holders effortlessly farm tokens. For me it’s a ✅ - Distribution: the major frustrations has been caused by the overload of the smart contract for Airdrop claim, where the biggest frustrations came from the fact that many were not able to claim their tokens for long (Including me) and watched the price go from $0,5 to $0,8 & to $0,2. Personally, I think that if Airdrop claim was done prior to the launch, it may have been better. For that, I will put a ❌ - Launch: NotPixel decided to launch its PX token only on DEX’es on TON. the price at launch actually was at $0,5-$0,8 however, it shortly went down to $0,2 , causing frustration to the community & making them question “who sold?!” & “why no CEX listings?” Here, it’s important to understand the way Sasha & his team decided that they want to build the project. As they mentioned on X “start from the basics, start from 0.” While many dislike this approach, I personally believe that this is how the launches must be happening. Launch on DEX -> generate traction & volume -> go list on CEX’es -> create more news -> grow more from new ppl joining For that I will put ✅ - Team allocation: while many have speculated that “team sold”. this is completely not true. In fact, team has locked their allocation & it can be verified on chain. Which is ✅ for me. - Future plans: NotPixel will have a big canvas on which you will be able to paint, but this time, with some NFT mechanics & PX token integration. For which it is ✅ to me. Burning: NotPixel plan with the new update also includes a mechanism for Burning, which means that PX token will be deflationary. Which is ✅ - ownership revoked: meaning that PX token supply cannot be increased. Nor any modifications could be made to the smart contract at this point. Which is a big ✅ in my opinion - Community: while many are still frustrated with the current token price on the market, many express desire for token appreciation & further growth. One of the interesting feedbacks I saw on the timeline was “NotPixel forced us all to hold”. Which shows that there are ppl who are not willing to get less than their target. Also many express that they want to see PX on CEX’es. For it to grow even more. ✅ - Holders: as with any Airdrop, many have sold their tokens on the market, the volume also came down a bit. However, what’s interesting is that while ~200k ppl sold, the token still fluctuates between the lowest point $0,13 to $0,26. Which shows that there’s a demand & ppl are accumulating more tokens. Currently PX has 205k holders. Which is a ✅ - BuyBacks: the NotPixel team recently announced the buybacks with the money raised from the NotPixel stickers sale. Which created more support for the price on the market. ✅ - Expectations vs reality: Many community members said that they were expecting price to be above $1 as minimum, many were predicting as high as $10. In reality, the price at launch turned out to be much lower than many expected. Leading to the frustration being expressed on the timeline. Which is understandable. ❌ Conclusion: - Mining phase: ✅ - Earn Launchpool: ✅ - Distribution: ❌ - Launch: ✅ - Team Allocation: ✅ - Future plans: ✅ - Burning: ✅ - Ownership revoked: ✅ - Community: ✅ - Holders: ✅ - BuyBacks: ✅ - Expectations vs reality: ❌ This is not bad execution, not many ppl will be able to pull this off in crypto. No one knows the future, but I chose to believe that Sasha & NotPixel team has a plan. Currently they are not listed on any CEX’es, but I think that Sasha & his team could easily get there. Let’s see what the future holds for us 🙌show more

🇺🇦 According to The Economist, Ukraine could achieve a... significant armored breakthrough on the front this year. American military analyst Rob Lee believes that the war in Ukraine has reached a stage similar to the final phase of the First World War — characterized by a static front line and mutual exhaustion of both sides. At the same time, he draws attention to new tactics that emerged in 1918, when the combination of precise artillery fire and well-trained assault groups made decisive breakthroughs possible again, ending the dominance of trench warfare. Lee argues that a similar evolution of technologies and tactics is currently underway, which could restore maneuver warfare to the battlefield. He expects that if the front is properly “opened,” Ukrainian armored units will be able to advance rapidly 5–10 kilometers deep, leading to the collapse of Russian positions. The analyst anticipates successful armored breakthroughs based on these principles as early as this year. This assessment is noteworthy as it suggests that the prolonged positional warfare may soon give way to more dynamic operations. If Ukraine manages to combine effective drone and artillery strikes with coordinated mechanized assaults, it could create the conditions for the first major armored breakthroughs since the early stages of the war. Video is generated by grok AIshow more

"Jesus was not murdered but died voluntarily for your... sins" In short, without Jesus' death on the cross for our sins, none of us would have eternal life. Jesus Himself said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" ( John 14:6 ). With this statement, Jesus explains the reason for His birth, death, and resurrection—to pave the way to heaven for sinful humanity, who could never reach it on their own. When God created Adam and Eve, they were perfect in every way and truly lived in a paradise, the Garden of Eden ( Genesis 2:15 ). God created humanity in His image, meaning that humans also had the freedom to make their own decisions and choices. Genesis 3 then describes how Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan's temptations and lies. In doing so, they disobeyed God's will by eating from the tree of knowledge, which they were forbidden: “And he [God] commanded him [Adam], ‘You may freely eat of every tree in the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you must not eat of it, for when you eat of it you will surely die’” ( Genesis 2:16-17 ). This was the first sin committed by man, and as a result, all people—because of the sinful nature inherited from Adam—are subject to not only physical death but also an eternal, spiritual death. God declared that all who sin will die, both physically and spiritually. This is the fate of all humanity. But in His grace and mercy, God provided a way out of this dilemma in the form of the blood of His perfect Son shed on the cross. God declared, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” ( Hebrews 9:22 ), but through the shedding of blood, redemption is obtained. The Law of Moses ( Exodus 20:2-17 ) provided a way for people to be considered “sinless” or “righteous” in God’s sight—the offering of animals sacrificed for sin. But these sacrifices were only temporary, and were actually a foreshadowing of Christ’s perfect sacrifice, offered once for all on the cross ( Hebrews 10:10 ). This is why Jesus came and why He died: to become the ultimate and final sacrifice, the perfect offering for our sins ( Colossians 1:22 ; 1 Peter 1:19 ). Through Him, the promise of eternal life with God is made effective through faith for those who believe in Jesus “so that the promise might be given through faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe” ( Galatians 3:22) .These two words, "faith" and "trust," are essential to our salvation. Through our faith in the shed blood of Christ for our sins, we receive eternal life. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" ( Ephesians 2:8-9 ). Please feel free to connect with me on Telegram as well.show more

❗️❗️🇺🇦🇷🇺 SBU strikes Russia’s Vtorovo oil pumping station for... the second time in a month, targeting key fuel supply lines to Moscow during Zelensky’s 40-day operation. The SBU struck the oil product pumping station “Vtorovo”, which supplies Moscow with fuel, for the second time in a month. Within the framework of the 40-day influence operation set by President Zelensky, during the implementation of the set tasks, fighters of the SBU’s special unit Alpha carried out successful strikes on the linear-production-dispatch station “Vtorovo” located in Russia’s Vladimir region. Through this station, diesel fuel is pumped into the Moscow ring oil product pipeline, from where it is distributed to large oil depots in the Moscow region. In addition, the station also ensures the export of petroleum products through the ports of the Baltic Sea. According to preliminary information, the SBU’s unmanned aerial vehicles struck the technical buildings of the facility, after which an explosion occurred. Previously, the SBU also carried out a drone attack on “Vtorovo” on June 10 of this year. The SBU states that it will continue special operations in the future against strategic facilities of Russia that ensure the functioning of the country’s military economy. The agency states that Russia must feel the consequences of aggression not only on the battlefield, but also on its own budget, logistics, and export revenues. According to their assessment, every damaged facility reduces the resources needed for waging war and increases the price for the Kremlin to continue aggression. Video is generated by grok AIshow more

🚨BREAKING: THE COUP IS OVER | WAGNER’S RETREATING This... official statement from Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group and the leader of this coup, says it all. I don't think anyone expected this: "They were going to dismantle PMC Wagner. We came out on 23 June to the March of Justice. In a day, we walked to nearly 200km away from Moscow. In this time, we did not spill a single drop of blood of our fighters. Now, the moment has come when blood may spill. That’s why, understanding the responsibility for spilling Russian blood on one of the sides, we are turning back our convoys and going back to field camps according to the plan." The President of Belarus, Lukashenko, has been in talks with Prigozhin all day and has taken credit for the peace agreement. Prigozhin accepted the terms of Lukashenko’s agreement and agreed to halt the movement of his forces and return back to his bases. The agreement also guarantees security for fighters of PMC Wagner. It seems that the attempted coup has come to an end, and Prigozhin, along with his men, will return to their bases. Reports of Wagner forces not only leaving Moscow Oblas, but also leaving Rostov. Russian media reports that criminal cases have already been dropped from Yevgeny Prigozhin and that Prigozhin and his forces will receive FULL IMMUNITY Restrictions on the movement of vehicles have been lifted from the Voronezh region which saw clashes earlier during the coup. MY THOUGHTS: - I did not expect this would end peacefully with a deal as it seemed both sides seemed at the point of no return - I have no idea how Prigozhin and Putin can both operate in Russia with what just transpired, and I also have no idea what will happen with the war in Ukraine but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a space deal reached. - Today was another example of citizen journalism replacing mainstream media with UNBIASED and UNCENSORED live breaking news. - I am fried, been awake for more than 30 hours, initially doing a space with former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan before shifting to the Coup space which is at 21 hours and counting. Time for me to finally sleep!show more

.Elon Musk says that "the right metric for intelligence... is the ability to predict the future." Elon says that if your predictions are not very good, you're not that smart. During his interview with CNBC, Elon confirmed that there would be fully autonomous Teslas on the streets of Austin by the end of June. I predicted that Tesla would not have non-geofenced, unsupervised Full Self-Driving Teslas in Austin by July 1. Today is July 1, and Elon's predictions were completely wrong. By his own definition of intelligence, he is not that smart. I have always been better at predicting things about Tesla Full Self-Driving than Elon Musk is. That's why No Safe Words crowned me the "world's leading autonomous vehicle safety expert". As I predicted, Tesla's "Robotaxi" is geofenced to a small area in Austin. It is not autonomous, and is supervised both remotely and from the passenger seat. The only passengers it has carried so far are Tesla Cultists and shareholders. Tesla has not launched a real robotaxi service like the one Waymo operates. The 11 supervised robotaxis it has deployed made at least 17 safety critical and driving errors in just the first week of operation. Elon predicted in October 2024 that Tesla would have a 30% growth in sales in 2025. Tesla's sales fell 13% in Q1 2025 and tomorrow's delivery numbers are expected to be similarly terrible. I predict that Tesla's sales growth in 2025 will be less than 30%. Elon also predicted every year for the past 11 years that Tesla would solve autonomous driving by the end of the year. His predictions have been wrong every single year for over a decade. I predict that Tesla will not solve autonomous driving this year. Elon says "you're as intelligent as you can predict the future well". He is terrible at predicting the future, so according to "the right metric for intelligence", he is not that smart. Elon also predicted that Tesla would have a "thousand" robotaxis "within a few months" during his CNBC interview. I predict that by October 1, Tesla will not have 1,000 robotaxis offering unsupervised rides to ordinary customers.show more

TOMORROW SPACEX WILL KILL THE MARKETS In just 1... day - June 12, SpaceX announces its IPO Announced valuation is $1.77T - which guarantees Elon Musk's company a place in the top-10 global assets But for markets, especially $SPX as the main American index, this is a catastrophe Why? First, money has to come from somewhere to buy in SpaceX is selling only 4% of the company - meaning $75B flows out of existing positions into a single stock on day one Second - roughly 95% of shares sit with insiders, controlling around $1.6T in paper wealth Lock-ups will expire in stages Every quarter from now on becomes an insider exit window To justify $1.77T, SpaceX needs roughly $1.1T in annual revenue by 2035 That means 50% growth every single year for a decade - no slowdowns, no bad quarters But revenue in 2025 was $18.7B For example Samsung does $230B and trades at half this valuation Someone is going to be very wrong about this price This isn't an IPO. It's the largest liquidity event in Wall Street history Retail buys the rocket. Insiders board the exit The $SPX correction was mapped out here before the first candle confirmed it The next update is the one that matters most this cycle Turn on notifications or spend the next month catching up on what you missedshow more

Part One: As so many TRUE Patriots have done... with the utilization of my Platforms... I wrote the Blueprint Strategy of 45 —— 47. The Blueprint takes all the Military Laws, Irregular and Unconventional Warfare Strategies and Tactics, paired with the 4 ways the Military pairs with Federal Laws, Executive Orders, National Emergencies, Proclamations, and Treaties, all of which are Executive Branch and require the President, from 2017 to present day, all of which outline a Whole of Government using a Military Government, Military Occupation, Continuity of Government, Puppet Government, in phases and stages when needed. The average American truly does not know how misinformed, uneducated, and ignorant they sound when they're whining, complaining, griping, fussing, cussing, mad. From the 3 Branches of Government down to Orders, Presidential Directives, National Defense Strategies, Department of War Directives and Instructions, National Security Strategies, National Security Memorandums, Law of War Manual, Irregular Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Unconventional Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Asymmetrical Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Psychological Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Informationized Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Cyber Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Weather Warfare Strategies and Tactics, Military Government, Martial Law, Military Precedents, Title 10, Title 14, Title 32, Title 50. 99% of Republicans and Democrats do not know one single term from one single sentence from one single paragraph from one single Law. I can take 100 at a time and put them in a 1, 2, 3 hour podcast. This is what President Trump calls working with MERIT. Majority of Americans are focused on all the lights, images, sounds, and traps in the Pinball Machine versus focusing on the Pinball and what makes the Pinball successful, the levers. Pinball = PJDT. Levers = HIS Orders being enforced backed by Law which are Strategies and Tactics. Majority of Americans are too lazy, dumb, selfish and stubborn to comprehend the difference between the term 'War' and 'Conflict.' Don't want to be called dumb or lazy? Stop acting like it. Everyone who's read and studied the 'Midnight Rider Rides Again'... Part 1 and 2... #1 Best Sellers... the ONLY Books that outline 45 —— 47 which is a Strategic and Special Operation by all those listed above have all empowered themselves not only with the knowledge of how our Government and Military are supposed to operate and function by the will of the People, a knowledgeable and educated People, but see the Fundamental Reset as described and prescribed in the Declaration of Independence is underway in phases. 2017 to 2021 Resetting of Legislative Branch by the unique Executive Orders and National Emergencies declared, Federal Continuity Directives 1 and 2 by FEMA and DHS, Executive Order for the Federal Mission Resilience Strategy, Executive Order with the most recent Order of Succession with Department of War, Executive Branch Reconstitution Publication by FEMA and DHS, Tariffs placed, and Funeral Cannons for "Inauguration" for "Biden"... 2021 to 2025 resetting of the Executive Branch by ZERO Tariffs terminated, ZERO Obama, Bush, Clinton appointed Judges trying to block a single Tariff," with a Democrat controlled House and Senate from 2021 — 2023, ZERO revocations of key EOs by PDJT, National Guard deployed all over the Nation with ZERO Title 10, 32 Orders by “Joe” all still PDJT Orders, ZERO Title 18 Prosecution of PDJT at Border in 2024 or meeting with Foreign Leaders from April to Dec 2024… all Executive Branch focused. 2025 to 2029: Resetting of the Judicial Branch hence why its Judge this, Supreme Court that, Appeals Court did this, Judge ruled that… all Judicial driven and focused. President Trump's speeches in videos such as this one are all pre-recorded Proclamations. They're specific to the Military Operation and Occupation.show more

Art on Tezos Friday Recap 🔔 → River Davis... announced MASCULINITY exhibition for April 30 at Quantum Galerie, Berlin — 17 artists including ann hirsch, Bernardo Martins, ClownVamp, jiwa 🔆, OONA & more explored masculine energy across identity, culture & sexuality. Accompanied by digital works via Cyberforms on objkt, supported by Tezos Foundation. → 3 Monogrids by KiM ASENDORF secondary sales for a total of 24,000 tez — what a week for one of the most iconic generative art series on Tezos. → ACTZ - Art Commissions: April Curators made their selections for the monthly artist curation cycle — congratulations to all selected artists! 🙌 → TezNouns ⌐◨-◨ relaunched the Artist Edition auctions. Open call ongoing: one rule only — create a piece in your style including the iconic Noggles glasses! → Lumineers announced PRISMA, their first exhibition under Lumineers Gallery — focusing on analog and experimental visual practices. Launching April 19 on → "Bio-Drops" series by ailadi announced via InfiniteInk // first drop took place this week. More to come soon → Generative Art Week by TheTezosCommunity kicked off with activities, Discord games, quizzes, and giveaways celebrating Tezos-coded creativity. Artists were invited to share generative works for Support Artists Day #47 via their Warpcast /thetezos channel. → this week @thisisaraid raided Tate R. Tots’s objkt page this week — a collective effort to boost visibility and share support. → XCOLLABZ revealed the first wave of artists for "Echoes of Light" ⚡️ NFC SUMMIT - LISBON - JUNE 4-6 2025 2025 powered by Tezos. Another 10 artists to be added after the open call. → Teia Community hosting the Teia Rave April 12–13 with Oncyber exhibitions, poetry, live music, and the #TeiaRave minting event open through April 14. 🕺 → сcube ıı announces ZEROTERMINAL v1.04 — new standalone version lets you interact with onchain art without visiting the site. → One Love Art DAO, Ìtàn: West African Artistry & NFTCLT share open call for works on Motherhood — 10 artists to be selected for a group show and drop on May 9 on objkt. Submissions open from April 10–24. 🤰🏻 Don't miss: → 『-』M░a░z░i░n 『-』 27 new works on April 9 via vending machine — including 4 1/1s, all editions capped at 25. Pricing: 1 for 20 tez / 3 for 50. → Their eyes are often the same — a new collection by MEK.txt ⌨️ on objkt.one featuring 5 new works // final hours for the auction → Objkt Galleries: fakewhale latest Art Market line-up, 𝘼𝘾𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙋𝘼𝙍𝙏'𝙎 new works in the RARE series, and The Second-Guess Body Anxiety in the Age of AI - with Claudia Hart's "Machiavelli99.1" piece just listed 💥 Image: monogrid bb by KiM ASENDORF collected by delrondeshow more

I think that fast strides are the most powerful... training stimulus for runners. For a glimpse at the physiology, I want to talk about my all-time favorite study. If we were playing FMK, I’d F this study, M this study, and K any study that is not this study. Published in 2018 in Physiological Reports, it had 20 trained athletes (14 men and 6 women) complete a 40-day intervention with 10 sessions involving 5-10 x 30 seconds with 3.5 minutes recovery, in conjunction with a 36% reduction in weekly volume. Before and after the intervention, participants did a time-to-exhaustion test, two 10km tests (one with glycogen depletion) preceded by 2 x 6 minute intervals at 60% of VO2 max, and a series of muscle biopsy and blood tests. Running economy during the 10k improved by 2.1% and during the intervals at 60% of VO2 max by 1.7%. In other words, the athletes improved at both hard efforts and easy ones. Meanwhile, there was no running economy change in the glycogen-depletion 10k, leading the authors to theorize that improvements were primarily related to changes in slow-twitch muscle fibers. Expression of protein dystrophin increased, which may enhance the ST-fiber structural integrity via the actin-myosin cross-bridge, improving running economy. In addition, the expression of UCP3 decreased, which may improve mitochondrial efficiency. In fast-twitch fibers, expression of the muscle protein SERCA1 decreased by 22%, which could reduce the energy turnover during exercise. Enzymatic activity and testosterone:cortisol ratio also went up. Don’t be discouraged, I only kinda know what a few of those words mean. The point is that as researchers introduce stride-like speed sessions and measure more variables, they often see major changes that may explain why Olympians are always doing strides. So when we use the term “running economy,” we’re actually incorporating dozens of these physiological variables, some of which we can measure and some of which we can’t, from the cells to the muscles to the circulatory and cardiovascular systems. Put it together, and getting faster is a wonderfully complex algorithm. Strides are one way to help solve it 💪show more

Azad Kashmir's total population is 4 million, and millions... of people reside abroad or in other provinces of Pakistan. There are more than 100,000 government employees in Azad Kashmir. The number of Grade 16 to 22 government employees exceeds 18,000; these are employees who work only within Azad Kashmir. Employees serving in the Pakistan Army, Islamabad, and other provinces and institutions are separate from this. A total of 80,000 people from Azad Kashmir are employed in the security forces. If those living abroad and in other parts of Pakistan are excluded, approximately 22% of Kashmir's people are government employees. The total budget of the Azad Kashmir government is 310 billion rupees, of which only 153 billion comes from state resources, while the remaining 157 billion rupees are provided by the Government of Pakistan. Out of this budget, 261 billion rupees are spent on salaries. Last year, after protests, the Government of Pakistan further reduced the price of flour provided to the citizens of Azad Kashmir and also significantly lowered the cost of subsidized electricity. The question is: how much industry has the business community established in Azad Kashmir? How many citizens have they provided jobs to? What notable contributions have they made to the state's agricultural development? Which goods have they made cheaper, and by how much? Another question is: besides running heaters and electric rods with cheap electricity, what facilities have been provided to the people of the state? There are demands to abolish the seats allocated to Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan, but this issue is not so simple that it can be explained through a few social media posts. After escaping the massacres in Jammu and the subsequent aggression, thousands of Kashmiris were forced to seek refuge in different areas of Pakistan. The free state (the base camp) allocated seats and employment quotas to provide them with an identity. But now India, which seeks to strip Kashmiris of their identity, is running an organized campaign against these seats through deceptive slogans, with the Action Committee and the business community becoming its fuel. The people of Azad Kashmir produce 100,000 tons of wheat. However, 500,000 tons of wheat are consumed in Azad Kashmir. The remaining 400,000 tons, supplied from Punjab, are sold in Azad Kashmir at subsidized rates cheaper than in Punjab. Any Kashmiri can receive treatment at military units, advanced health centers, or CMHs located along the Line of Control. The Awami/Joint Action Committee is in fact neither truly public nor does it contain any real action, because it consists of violent protesters who have come onto the streets only for chaos and propaganda.show more

Today I was visiting the exceptionally beautiful Plantin-Moretus Museum... in Antwerp, Belgium (one of the only museums in the world that is itself listed as UNESCO World Heritage), which is one of the oldest printing shops in Europe, with the oldest surviving printing presses in the world. I stumbled upon an old 16th century atlas - written in Old French - and I was pretty amused to read their understanding of China at the time, which was surprisingly accurate, maybe even more than today's! A translation of some of the most interesting passages: - They call it "China" in French (it's now called "Chine") and they write that the locals call it "Tangis", which probably refers to the Tang dynasty but which is strange given that by the 16th century the dynasty had already ended for about 600 years - They write that to its North China is bordered by "tartares" (which I guess means Mongols) whom they describe as "very warlike people from whom it is separated by a wall made by hand" - The Chinese work ethic was already legendary: "those who live there are not at all lazy but devoted to labor and work, because it is there a shameful thing to be idle" - They share a number which must have seemed astonishing at the time: "in the city of Canton, one of the smallest in the entire country, some ten or twelve thousand ducks are eaten daily at table". And then they marvel during a good proportion of the text about the abundance of food in the country, which probably made a big impression on travelers at the time. - They write that "there are in this kingdom two hundred and forty famous cities, whose names end in this syllable FU which means a city: like Cantonfu, Panquifu: the small towns, which are in great number, end in CHEU [undoubtedly refers to "zhou"]. There are infinite villages, heavily populated, because of the continuous agriculture." - China's infrastructure and engineering capabilities were also already legendary at the time: "The city gates have entrances magnificently and marvelously well made, the streets are made level, not sloping this way or that, but following their straight line. They are so wide that ten or fifteen men on horseback can march abreast and are everywhere marked and separated by triumphal arches that marvelously ornament the cities. Portuguese say they saw in the city of Fuchco [probably Fuzhou] a tower set on forty solid marble pillars, the height of which was forty palms (masonry measure) and the width twelve: that this work is so grand, so exquisitely made, so beautiful to see, so sumptuous and so pleasing that it far surpasses all the magnificent buildings of all Europe." - Already at the time, China was very wary of safeguarding its sovereignty: ""[The Chinese] rarely or never leave their country and do not easily let foreigners enter it, especially into the interior of the province, unless they first have safe conduct from the king." - On moral and cultural habits: "They put adulterers to death. There are no brothels in the cities, all manner of prostitutes being sent to the suburbs. They celebrate their weddings at the time of the new moon and around the month of March which is their first day of the new year, and they make these celebrations, like us, very magnificently. They show themselves valiant in banquets and entertainments, in which they owe nothing to the Flemings or the Germans. They eat at tables like us in Europe, on chairs or on benches, and not on the ground as other peoples of Asia do." - On justice: "Bandits and murderers are kept in perpetual prison. Theft, which is a very odious crime, is punished by whip strokes in this manner: they put a man belly down, tie his hands behind him, striking him on the fleshy part of the legs with a whip made of reeds or canes." - On China's naval capabilities at the time: "This kingdom has an infinite number of ships, galleys and vessels of all sorts, with which they cross the seas and rivers. So much so that when they want to show through vainglory the power of their king, they are accustomed to say in a common proverb that he can make a bridge of ships joined together, which can reach and extend from China to Malacca, which is a distance of five hundred leagues and more." - On the emperor and China not being warlike (already back then): "All this region is subject to a single king, like a monarch; whom they call lord of the world and son of the sun. He holds court at Paquin [Beijing], which is a city toward Tartary. He never leaves it, except in time of war. It is said that when he makes war on the Tartars he leads an army of three hundred thousand soldiers and two hundred thousand horses, although it is also said that this nation is not very warlike. This king has under him fifteen very large provinces, which they call governments, and he alone surpasses in power all the other neighboring princes of Asia; and his annual revenues exceed all the riches of Europe. Antonio Pigafetta [the chronicler of Magellan's voyage] calls this king the most powerful of all the universal earth and says that the royal city is fortified and ramparted with seven walls, having ten thousand soldiers for the guard, and that the king commands seventy other crowns of the royal diadem [likely refering to the tributary state system]." Reading these passages, it seems that the further we've come in our ability to know China, the more obscured our vision seems to have become. These 16th century observers, working with fragments brought back by explorers, merchants and missionaries, managed to capture the essential - the industriousness, the engineering mastery, the administrative sophistication, the careful sovereignty. They approached their subject with the humility of the genuinely curious. They had no framework to force China into, no predetermined narrative to fulfill. They simply watched, counted ducks in Canton, measured city walls, and wrote it down. Their errors were errors of transmission - a dynasty name lingering centuries past its time, numbers perhaps inflated through retelling - but the spirit was one of simply describing unknown territory, not to convince anyone of anything. Today however, drowning in information, we're somehow seeing less of what's there and more of what we expect to find. Each observation must fit into existing narratives, serve predetermined conclusions, advance familiar arguments. So much so that we must ask ourselves: have we actually moved backward from those 16th chroniclers? Maybe we need to re-learn to approach China - and others in general - like those old cartographers, pen in hand, ready to be surprised? What might we discover if we stopped explaining and started counting ducks again?show more

The great bronze doors of St John Lateran (San... Giovanni in Laterano), the cathedral of Rome, once belonged to the ancient Curia Julia (Senate House), which still stands in the Forum. The doors, which date back to the reign of the emperor Domitian (r. 81-96), were moved to the cathedral in 1660, at the bequest of Pope Alexander VII (r. 1655-67), who had them adorned with the heraldic eight-pointed stars of his own coat of arms. From a symbolic viewpoint, the Holy Door takes on a special significance: it is the most powerful sign of the Jubilee, since the ultimate aim of the pilgrim is to pass through it. The opening of the door by the Pope constitutes the official beginning of the Holy Year. Originally, there was only one door, at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, which is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. Later, to allow as many pilgrims as possible to take part in the Jubilee experience, the other Roman Basilicas also opened their own holy doors. In crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, the pilgrim is reminded of the passage from chapter 10 of St John’s gospel: “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” Passing through the Holy Door expresses the decision to follow and be guided by Jesus, who is the Good Shepherd. The door is a passageway that ushers the pilgrim into the interior of a church. For the Christian community, a church is not only a sacred space, to be approached with respect, with appropriate behavior and dress code, but it is a symbol of the communion that binds every believer to Christ: it is a place of encounter and dialogue, of reconciliation and peace which awaits every pilgrim, the Church is essentially the place of the community of the faithful. In Rome, this experience takes on a special significance because of the special links between the Eternal City and Saints Peter and Paul, the apostles who founded the Christian community in Rome and whose teachings and example are models for the universal Church. The tombs of Saints Peter and Paul are located in Rome, they were martyred here; and together with the catacombs, these sacred sites are places of continuous spiritual inspiration. 🎥© thecatholictraveler (IG) #archaeohistoriesshow more