Podcasts about Kestrel

Hyacinth Carter and Maxine Mabel are surprised when a second crime surfaces as Sheriff Dalrymple arrives with Edgar. He attempts to question the ladies but they successfully evade him. They take a closer look at the bridge, captain's quarters, and lower decks with a little help from a new…ally? Put a kettle on and tune in to COZY CITY.–Cozy City is mini-series produced by Fun City and Fortunate Horse.Support the Fun City team and access bonus content on Patreon: http://patreon.com/funcityventuresLearn more about Brindlewood Bay by Jason Cordova: https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/brindlewood-bay.html—@funcityventures is the show on twitter@funcityventures is the show on instagram@funcity.ventures is the show on tiktokAll episodes are on http://funcity.venturesBijan Stephen (@bijanstephen) is Hyacinth CarterShannon Odell (@shodell) is Maxine MabelMike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta) is EdgarJenn de la Vega (@randwiches) is The Keeper and everything else—This episode was recorded at various locations around Brooklyn, New York; and Los Angeles, CA. Produced by Jenn de la Vega. Edited and sound designed by Sam Grant. Mixed and mastered by Mike Rugnetta.“Pixlriffs is the bribe hidden in a suitcase chained to the bottom of the bay.”Our Discord mods are Olivia Gulin, Kit Pulliam, Kelly McKew, and Kestrel.

In episode 291, Kestrel welcomes Abby Mills, aka @abbyontheinternet, to the show. A product designer working in tech in the San Francisco Bay Area, Abby is a style enthusiast, thrifter, beginner sewist, and a slow fashion + sustainability advocate. “If we're talking about the original definition of de-influencing, I think it's great that more people are talking about this. There's a wider conversation that's happening now, and it's this newer idea to a more mainstream audience. And I think that a lot of people are craving this conversation. I think there's a strong response because people are pretty sick of being advertised to — they're craving the substance, they're craving this authenticity, they're craving people with a unique point of view.” -Abby You have most likely heard about this week's topic – DE-INFLUENCING.  It's something that started trending over on TikTok earlier this year, and has taken on many forms since then. In its origins, it was about becoming more critical about the things that we buy – and it started when a lot of so-called influencers started telling folks what NOT to buy, instead of their typical MO which is to focus on selling us things from their brand partners – things we more often than not, don't need. This is a refreshing idea – I mean, our feeds are flooded with sponcon these days. Apparently traditional influencer marketing was a $16.4 billion industry last year, and we are becoming increasingly aware of how much we are being marketed to on a constant basis. But while the initial concept of de-influencing is refreshing, it's definitely not new. There are several *influencers* or *content creators* who have been talking about issues around overconsumption and fast fashion and buying less for years now. Insert writer Aja Barber or creator Heidi Kaluza or drag queen Kimberly Clark – who was doing anti-hauls on YouTube 7 years ago, or this week's guest – who sometimes calls herself an ex-influencer. Over the last couple of months, we have seen the meaning of de-influencer shift rapidly. It's gone from being about critiquing our consumerist society to instead, being co-opted by influencers and marketers as an opportunity to share why you shouldn't buy this product and instead, you should just buy that product! Before we dive deep into all these layers – let's take a step back and momentarily examine what the origins of the influencer industry were all about.  This week's guest reminds us that the influencer industry was built off of the idea that folks trust the authenticity of everyday people, aka influencers, more than actual brands. But, aren't we all struggling to trust *influencers* today? Aren't we regularly overwhelmed with searching for some sort of authenticity, because so much of the content we consume was created, solely because someone was paid to create it? As this week's guest proposes – if influencers were actually doing their jobs (which includes being truthful and honest with their communities), would the de-influencing trend even exist? If you can't tell yet, we go down a labyrinth of a rabbit hole with this one – but a lot of the discussion circles back to this primary question — Can de-influencing help us combat overconsumption? Quotes & links from the conversation: “Deinfluencing EXPLAINED Sustainability, Overconsumption, & Deifluencers” — video by Queer Brown Vegan that Kestrel mentions “The new TikTok trend is convincing people not to buy things”, article in The Washington Post that Kestrel mentions “Can Social Media's New Deinfluencing Trend Really Encourage Us To Buy Less Stuff?”, article in British Vogue by Aditi Mayer that Kestrel mentions  Aja Barber — one of the original folks who have been talking about de-influencing concepts (mentioned on the show) Heidi Kaluza — one of the original folks who have been talking about de-influencing concepts (mentioned on the show) Kimberly Clark — one of the original folks who have been talking about de-influencing concepts (mentioned on the show) Mandy Lee — *trend* analyst who has discussed de-influencing (mentioned on the show) “I started to understand what monetizing was all about — when I came into this industry, I naively did not understand how to get paid to be on the internet. And now, if you're a content creator or a vlogger or an influencer or whatever you call yourself — if you're monetizing, you're in the advertising industry. And this is not a judgement, you know, the advertising industry is a huge industry — there are many smart and creative people. So, it's not a judgment, but it's a fact. If you want to be paid to be on the internet and you're not being paid by your following, like through subscribers, you're part of the advertising industry.” -Abby (15:14) “That's something that I try to practice throughout many aspects of my life is allowing myself to have little moments of failures and mistakes and being kind with myself so that I can feel confident to try new things … mistakes are an integral part of the learning process. You know, they're not accidental — they really are necessary if you want to learn and you want to grow.” -Abby (49:20) Follow Abby on Instagram >

In episode 290, Kestrel welcomes Samata Pattinson, the CEO of RCGD Global, to the show. A women-led global change-making organization, RCGD Global is bringing environmental and social sustainability to the forefront of conversation and action within the global apparel and design industry.  “All I really want to be part of is helping other people see where they fit in this. And helping them to identify something that means something to them. It could be any of the things we talk about — it could be climate on a specific realm, it could be biodiversity through a specific realm, it could be women's rights, it could be advocating for Indigenous or Black representation. It could be any of those things, but it's almost like — let me try and help you see how you form a way of being in this conversation.” -Samata Have you ever heard of the term generative conversation? It's a newer concept for myself and it's one that this week's guest reminds us of. On a basic level – generative conversations are conversations that involve genuine inquiry and sharing. They are conversations in which we engage in deep listening. They are conversations in which we feel truly heard and nourished – they involve a space where respect and trust are cultivated. And through generative conversations, they allow the possibility for expanded understandings and the discoveries of shared meaning. In order to truly quote unquote *move the needle* in the sustainability and fashion space, these types of conversations are mandatory. As this week's guest reminds us, when we talk about sustainability, we have to lead with questions … not our individual agenda. Questions welcome an openness to learning and sharing. And they help avoid the critical tone that can easily sneak its way into these discussions. Because remember – how we have the conversation influences where the conversation goes.  Thoughtful communication is so KEY for this week's guest. As the CEO of a global change-making organization, she is navigating storytelling with notable talent across a massive platform – the Red Carpet at the Oscars. This year, she wrote the first ever Oscars Sustainable Dress code, that went out to every single attendee of this year's event. Imagine condensing the many layers of sustainability and fashion into one document – she shares how she did it. I love how she welcomes a constant expansion in the sustainability narrative, and never loses sight of a key ingredient: hope. Quotes & links from the conversation: RCGD Global Sustainable Style Guide “We do say we want representation, we want these varied voices, but we don't talk about how much more interesting the conversation is, how much more enlightening the conversation is. The same way we will say — oh, you know, we have Indigenous communities protecting 80 percent of our biodiversity, but what we don't say is like but they protect it better. Comparatively, like 30-40-50 percent better growth biodiversity of fauna and flora. So, it's not just saying like, this should exist — it's saying it's more interesting, it's more expertise, it's more engaging, why aren't we doing more of it?” -Samata (30:22) Follow Samata on Instagram > Follow RCGD Global on Instagram > Follow Red Carpet Green Dress on Instagram >

In episode 289, Kestrel welcomes Amy Powney, a UK based fashion designer, creative director and activist living in London. After starting as an assistant who swept the cutting room floor, Amy worked her way up, and is now the Creative Director and owner at Mother Of Pearl. A luxury womenswear brand, Mother of Pearl celebrates individuality, authenticity and sustainability. Amy is also the star of a new documentary called Fashion Reimagined, that tells some of her story building Mother Of Pearl into what it is today. “I guess growing up on a farm, growing up the way I did, working you know, in the bottoms of the supply chains and agriculture, et cetera, it just kind of — it felt homely and it felt raw and it felt honest and it felt important and it's really motivated me even more to want to tell that story, and for us to really understand when we see our product, what people and places and craftsmanship has been added. And that we can't just focus on this pure kind of end part, and we need to be really respectful and honored for the farmers and these workers — you know, without them, we don't have clothes and without them, we don't have food. I think we need to connect that supply chain up and respect it. And it's given me so much more respect as a designer to what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.” -Amy In Fashion Reimagined, Amy takes folks along with her on a journey to shift Mother Of Pearl toward a more sustainable direction. It all starts in 2017, when she wins the British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund award and decides to invest that cash into tracing her supply chain back as far as possible to the raw materials.  The most exciting part of the film is watching them navigate their way through the sourcing process. We see their adventures in Uruguay to find a wool supplier, and their journey in Turkey to find a denim mill and factory, we see how they cultivate a relationship with a mill in Austria that uses steam rather than chemicals to soften the fabric, and of course, unexpected events happen, reminding us how important it is to be an exceptional problem solver in this industry.  The film culminates in the launch of the No Frills collection at London Fashion Week in September of 2018 – when Mother Of Pearl was the ONLY sustainable collection on the schedule. A reminder that this was only 5 years ago. While we are undoubtedly seeing a lot of shifts in recent years – more brands showing more sustainably-focused collections, entire fashion weeks like Copenhagen dedicated to sustainability, and more mainstream discussion about it, Amy reminds us in the film that – “It's not enough – we aren't changing fast enough.”  As Pedro, the owner of Lanas Trinidad (Mother Of Pearl's wool supplier), says in the film — “We talk about sustainability and the environment – but we have to live the way we say.”  Quotes & links from the conversation: “I guess, the highlights, albeit being obviously one of the hardest parts of the process, was just reconnecting with the people in the supply chain. You know, in the fashion industry, it's notorious for promotion and sales and social media. We see fashion and we very much see it a kind of a glossy moment. And I think historically, a lot of the conversations around supply chains has been a bit boring and it's turned people off. And I think there's one thing learning about a supply chain or thinking about it, but another thing is when you actually meet these humans involved in it.” -Amy (17:11) “If you look at a cotton garment, a wool garment, a viscose garment — I mean, even if you get into polyester and synthetics; obviously it's all been through these plastic processes and fundamentally, it is plastic. But its origin is actually oil, so we're actually taking from the planet in a very raw way to make our products, but we're so disconnected at the end. And actually, if we look at farming and agriculture, it's exactly the same in fashion — it's just it's a few more steps back, and people just don't connect the dots, and I think that's the piece of education that we all need to understand to respect our things in a different way.” -Amy (21:54) Lanas Trinidad, Mother Of Pearl's wool supplier Fashion Reimagined Website (Fashion Reimagined - in cinemas 3rd March, 2023 and available on Sky Documentaries and streaming service NOW from 9th April, 2023) Mother Of Pearl Website  Follow Amy on Instagram > Follow Fashion Reimagined on Instagram > Follow Mother Of Pearl on Instagram >

  Veronika Kestrel joins us for a conversation about creating safe & inclusive kink spaces for everyone across the gender spectrum. Despite the BDSM subculture's roots in the queer community & emphasis on inclusivity, many communities remain steeped in heteronormativity, leading to the fetishization and othering of gender non-conforming and trans people. Some of what we touch on:  Why gender bias exists in kink The commodification & politicization of GNC & trans kinksters Tips for vetting communities & individuals The responsibilities of allies & accomplices Issues with sissy play & cuckolding Commonalities between marginalized groups in BDSM & more   Guest Bio – Veronika Kestrel Veronika Kestrel (She/Her) is a Professional Dominatrix and kink lifestyle educator affiliated with the Los Angeles Sanctuary. A 15-year veteran of the kink lifestyle, she began her kink journey in the Denver community and relocated to Southern California in 2018, where she helped facilitate trans-focused events in the Orange County scene. Since then, she has conducted clinics for the LA Sanctuary, CancerPhase Productions, and at numerous private venues. She was a panelist at DomCon 2022, and has appeared on "Your Kinky Friends", "Pink Kink Podcast", and, of course, "American Sex Podcast"! She prides herself in her efforts to make Kink a friendlier, more ethical, and inclusive community in any way she can. She can be often found helping facilitate newbie-focused events in her local community and hosting the Kestrel Industries Monthly Doll Play munch in Anaheim, CA.  Episode 200 Helpful Links & Resources Veronika Kestrel Tiktok http://tiktok.com/@switchvero Veronika Kestrel OnlyFans https://onlyfans.com/vkestrel Veronika Kestrel Instagram https://www.instagram.com/veronikakestrel/ Veronika Kestrel Twitter https://twitter.com/VeronikaKestrel Veronika Kestrel FetLife https://fetlife.com/users/13001382 Ep 176 Dollification with Veronika Kestrel https://sunnymegatron.com/dollification-doll-play-kink/  The Dom/sub Virtual Summit on demand VIP Package $99 http://bit.ly.sunnydssummit 94 Nonbinary BDSM Titles & Honorifics https://zippermagazine.com/non-binary-bdsm-names-dom-sub/ Sunny's Free Kink Negotiation & Scene Planning Mini-Workbook https://sunnymegatron.gumroad.com/l/negotiationwb Sunny Megatron TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@sunnymegatron American Sex Podcast Discord Community http://bit.ly/discordasp American Sex Podcast Patreon http://patreon.com/americansex Episode 200 Sponsor & Affiliate Discount Codes/Links *by using our links & codes you can help support our work while saving a few bucks too—win/win! Build your credit score with http://Kikoff.com Pleasure Podcasts Network https://www.pleasurepodcasts.com/ Sunny's on Demand recorded BDSM classes:  https://sunnymegatron.gumroad.com/ 15% off most items from Stockroom https://bit.ly/sunnystockroom15 with code SUNNY  –To support American Sex Podcast/Sunny Megatron & help offset the cost of providing no-charge education: http://patreon.com/americansex   

In episode 288, Kestrel welcomes designer, Trish Langman, to the show. With over 18 years of experience working with a long list of prestigious fashion brands, Trish is currently the Program Knowledge and Content Lead for the Fashion CEOs Accelerator program by Sovereignty, a partner with Argentinian NGO Hecho Por Nosotros and an advisor to the Board of Fashion Ghana, West Africa. "Obviously, the companies need to be complicit — you know, they should stop making stuff. But the consumer, you know, because they're uneducated, they don't understand what they're buying. It's just a piece of clothing, but they're not thinking about any consequences of how it's made or what it does to them. Is it shedding microplastics, is it clogging the water? The consequences of you buying something that costs two dollars means that somebody's not being paid somewhere.” -Trish Have you ever thought about some of the basic knowledge that's shared with us in primary school? I'm thinking about the practical information that can help us in our everyday lives.  For example – as this week's guest mentions, the food pyramid is something most of us have probably learned about in school. (Ok, so I've read a plethora of concerns about the traditional food pyramid and how it was largely influenced by big business — hint, hint: grains, especially refined ones, are not necessarily the food we should eat the most of…) BUT the point here is, the idea of a balanced diet is relayed to us at an early age. It's a basic component of the education system. However – how often are kids learning about the ingredients used in our clothes? How often are we taught that the fabric used in our garments can come from a plant grown on a farm, or from fossil fuels that are processed into thread?  There are a lot of layers at play, when it comes to who can access which clothing options. But with that in mind … we should have the right to learn basic practical knowledge about clothing in school, beginning at a young age. Because let's be real – how many of us have finally been collecting pieces of this practical clothing knowledge as adults?  This week's guest is very passionate about the power of education – for children, for everyday people, and for business owners. In one of her most recent endeavors, she's working as the content lead for a new Fashion CEOs accelerator program that's focused on empowering fashion entrepreneurs of color to collectively solve climate change and inclusion challenges.  The focus is on transforming entrepreneurs in a more holistic way through both access to capital and access to layers of education, with the intention of helping folks build more circular fashion brands.  As this week's guest said in an article in Women's Wear Daily – “I have not seen this in the industry … I have not seen an accelerator that speaks to circularity, that speaks to sustainability and that speaks to the BIPOC community. It's just something that's not there.” Quotes & links from the conversation: “New Fashion CEOs Accelerator Set To Advance The Industry's Sustainable Business Models and Its Racial Representation”, article in WWD that Kestrel mentions “You know, at the moment, every company has their sustainability manager, but it doesn't really mean anything — it's just the box they tick off. You know, they're ESG person, their social responsibility person ... not all, but a lot. So, just really making sure there's that understanding, there's that education, just the awareness.” -Trish (19:45) “People have changed I think, in terms of how they see the value of their business. I think a lot of people feel like their business has to, for them, mean more to them than just making money. It's more about what they give back to their community in some way.” -Trish (30:52) “In order for us to sort of think about the future, science and design need to come together. You know, about a hundred years ago, science and design and arts were kind of almost interlinked — sort of the alchemy of them all together. And then we got more industrialized and technology took over, and they just seemed to separate.” -Trish (48:50) Hecho Por Nosotros Website > Sovereignty's Website > Follow Trish on Instagram > Follow Sovereignty on Instagram >

Is it the winter mid-season already? Well, this season is anything but mid! Cain, Kestrel, Brandon, and Kate catch up on what they've been watching and we get some last minute input from DJ as well. Find out who is thinking outside the penalty box, who's a Trigun Stan-pede, and Thorkell's live reactions to Vinland Saga Season 2. Plus licensing news, sad news, happy news... all the news! And recommendations! You know, the usual! 

Hyacinth Carter and Maxine Mabel continue their investigation. To cover more ground, they split up! Maxine snoops in the galley and Hyacinth gets to know JELLE at the bar. They attempt to squeeze ISABEL one more time before familiar sirens arrive on the scene. Grab your binoculars and tune in to COZY CITY.–Cozy City is mini-series produced by Fun City and Fortunate Horse.Support the Fun City team and access bonus content on Patreon:http://patreon.com/funcityventuresLearn more about Brindlewood Bay by Jason Cordova:https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/brindlewood-bay.html—@funcityventures is the show on twitter@funcityventures is the show on instagram@funcity.ventures is the show on tiktokAll episodes are on http://funcity.venturesBijan Stephen (@bijanstephen) is Hyacinth CarterShannon Odell (@shodell) is Maxine MabelMike Rugnetta (@mikerugnetta) is EdgarJenn de la Vega (@randwiches) is The Keeper and everything else—This episode was recorded at various locations around Brooklyn, New York; and Los Angeles, CA.Produced by Jenn de la Vega.Edited and sound designed by Sam Grant.Mixed and mastered by Mike Rugnetta.“Pixlriffs is the cigar that Sheriff Darymple smokes every night while reviewing case files.”Our Discord mods are Olivia Gulin, Kit Pulliam, Kelly McKew, and Kestrel.

In episode 287, Kestrel welcomes Sage Paul, an award-winning artist and designer, to the show. An urban Denesuliné (Den-a-sooth-leh-nay) woman based in Toronto and a member of English River First Nation, Sage is the artistic director and founder of Indigenous Fashion Arts. “There's all this talk about sustainability and you know buy this or buy that, but the truth is, is that these corporations that are preaching this are just making too much. They are making too much, they are mass producing it, and the way that they mass produce it is unsustainable for the Earth. And so, it just doesn't seem like they're painting the full picture for everyone. But then going back to cost — is the fact that people aren't getting paid enough in order to purchase items that are quote unquote sustainable, because the only thing that's accessible are these mass-produced items.” -Sage You may have noticed that the idea of *sustainability* is often aligned with luxury or having extra money to invest in less harmful things or less polluting options – for example, an electric car or organic produce or a more thoughtfully-made garment. These options generally cost more than the conventional option in our society.  While there are a lot of narratives challenging the eliteness of sustainability today, the mainstream conversation has been led by a very white and capitalist-centered idea that promotes buying this, instead of that product.  Like we talked about on last week's show with Kristine of Doen, the sustainability conversation has been very binary in its approach – very good vs bad, and often, oversimplifies what quote unquote sustainability could look like. Through several conversations on the show, we've explored how resourcefulness is a grounding pillar of true sustainability. But it's not just resourcefulness, it's also culture.  As this week's guest shares, thinking sustainably and locally is innately an Indigenous cultural practice – and for many folks, it's not anything *shiny and new* to be learned – it's instead, an integral part of their own history and identity.  Of course, we all have a lot of unlearning and relearning to do – from an individual to a community to a corporate to a governmental level. At the same time – it's important to acknowledge where some of the true knowledge lies in order to collectively move forward in a less harmful way. I love how this week's guest reminds us that it's OK to actually ask the industry to change the way it works.  Quotes & links from the conversation: “Sustainable Clothing Is Fashion-Forward. Just Ask Innovative Indigenous Designer Sage Paul”, article in CBC that Kestrel mentions “I was raised with the values of only taking what you need and sharing those extras that you don't need. And leaving no trace behind wherever you are. Using everything of what you do take, and giving thanks to those items. There's also — in a lot of Indigenous cultures — there's the value and understanding and belief that everything is living, everything has a spirit. So in that way, you would treat things as you would a friend or a family member, even though these are inadimate objects. So, your respect for these inanimate objects become far greater than just a disposable item or a short-term item that you purchase.” -Sage (11:22) “Changemaker Sage Paul On Building A Future For Sustainable Design”, article in FashionMagazine.com that Kestrel mentions “Your Clothes Are The Most Political Choice You Make Every Day”, TedTalk by Sage which was given in 2020 Christian Allaire, writer at Vogue that Sage mentions — listen to the Conscious Chatter episode featuring Christian White Milano, trade show that Indigenous Fashion Arts is taking part in this year Section 35, Indigenous-owned brand that Sage mentions Indigenous Fashion Arts  Follow Sage on Instagram > Follow Indigenous Fashion Arts on Instagram >

In episode 286, Kestrel welcomes Kristine Kim, the Director of Impact at Doen, to the show. An LA-based women-run business, Doen offers collections inspired by a nostalgia for the coastal California of decades past. Doen recently unveiled their 2030 Roadmap, spearhead by Kristine, which provides an overarching blueprint for the business that will encapsulate both social and environmental elements of impact. “We wanted to see our supply chain as a value chain — not just as a global supply chain that creates beautiful products, but also generates social and environmental value across that process as well, and to find opportunities for us to maximize that social and environmental value.” -Kristine You've probably heard me say this on the show before, but the fashion and sustainability space has an issue with obsessing over binaries – I mean, it's not the only space constantly questioning what's right vs wrong or good vs bad.  These very simplified binary structures have been deeply embedded into our society – by way of concepts from white supremacy, colonialism, and the patriarchy. They also lead to a lot of pinning one perspective against another – which doesn't help us move forward collectively, and instead tends to force us to choose one side over the other.  I've said it before and I'll probably say it again, but there is a lot of gray area here — a lot of nuance that must be welcomed so we can actually get somewhere in our efforts to transform the fashion industry. This week's guest leads impact at Doen, and she is determined to accept the challenges that come with these *gray areas*.  As she said in a recent blog post: “Like any industry, ours is often viewed—but does not actually function—within a black and white framework of right vs. wrong, sustainable vs. unsustainable. We know that labeling any brand as a “sustainable fashion brand” is greenwashing and misleading, but have we challenged ourselves beyond this? Every business on a sustainability journey will be confronted with a series of complex micro and macro decisions, often on a daily basis. The “right” answer for each organization looks different, and requires collective problem-solving and collaboration. Weighing all of the various trade-offs involved in any single action is the real impact work facing companies.” This acknowledgement is key and I find it so refreshing coming straight from a Director Of Impact. She's recently unveiled the company's 2030 Roadmap, which represents their desire to do better in an imperfect industry. Quotes & links from the conversation: “Kristine Kim On Defining Impact For Doen”, blog post Kristine wrote about the 2030 Roadmap “The main intention that I wanted to communicate to the organization was — this type of value chain work, this type of sustainability work in fashion is very not straightforward, it's nuanced, multiple shades of gray, it's not a black and white binary, right or wrong, you're sustainable or you're unsustainable. And trying to get comfortable with that level of ambiguity and unfamiliarity is what I really wanted the teams to openly embrace.” -Kirstine (21:38) Empower@Work, collaborative effort that Doen has joined Doen's 2030 Roadmap Hand Me Doen Follow Doen on Instagram >

In episode 285, Kestrel welcomes artist and illustrator Kelly Lottahall to the show. An artist and illustrator, Kelly incorporates preloved textiles and scraps into her unique works of art. “It's so like not that significant to most people, but for me — when it's an item, a shirt, anything that's used … this doesn't have to be vintage, I'm talking about stuff that's just regular old stuff people don't want. Not like vintage that's 30 years old and super cool because it's another era — no, I'm talking about like 10 years ago and you don't care about it anymore. I'm like no, but I do — that could be really really cool, are you kidding me?” -Kelly Have you ever noticed how the fashion world often orients itself as very separate from the art world? They are obviously intertwined, and we see some overlap in the mainstream, but there tends to be a very distanced relationship – especially in the way that the fashion industry disregards the artistic aspects of fashion.  Here's a couple examples – Garment construction has been devalued and not treated as though it is a REAL art form – both in the way sewers are paid (so often less than a living wage) when they are true artists; and also in how the industry has reduced our perceived *value* of garments through fast fashion and lower prices. There is the way that traditional fabrics and garments (which literally ARE art) have been disrespected and/or appropriated for the sake of commercialism – so stealing cultural fashion art and then replicating it in a way to simply make a profit off of it (in turn, totally detaching it from its artistic roots). This week's guest is literally BRINGING the fashion and art worlds together through her unique craft, and she's repurposing quote unquote *trash* while doing it. As she says – “I like finding old things and turning them into new things. I like gadgets that used to work that don't anymore. I like clothes that are too old to wear the original way, that can be recreated in a new way.” Quotes & links from the conversation: “I think there is something in me — there's just this natural connection with somebody's lived in story.” -Kelly (9:36) “The biggest thing we need to understand is that our culture — we just consume so much, excessively consume so much stuff that we just don't have to have. But we also have to understand that brands — fast fashion brands — they also know this about us, and they've made it so easy for us to just click and buy the second we think about it.” -Kelly (32:14) “A Photographer, A Stylist, And An Artist” collaboration Kelly's Website > Follow Kelly on Instagram >

In episode 284, Kestrel welcomes designer Angel Chang to the show. Over the last decade, Angel has been working with artisans in southwest rural China, making garments using zero carbon design / Indigenous practices (all-natural, locally-made, zero electricity). “For the past 20,000 years, we've been making our own fabric and you know, using ingredients from our own backyard. It's only in the last 150 years that electricity was invented, that chemical dyes were created, that plastic and plastic textiles were created. And all the stuff that we say is polluting for the fashion industry — well, that was all created in the last 150 years. So, if we really want to create quote unquote sustainable clothing, we just have to make clothing like it was before then, before the Industrial Revolution." -Angel The sustainability and fashion narrative has an obsession with whatever is *new and innovative*. The focus regularly leans toward innovations in fabric development or tech-centered approaches to reduce carbon emissions. There tends to be this obsession with looking forward into the future, instead of slowing down to look back and maybe unveil what we could also learn from the past.  This week's guest has deep knowledge around this. After falling in love with the hand-embroidered Miao traditional costumes exhibited in museums around the world, Angel found herself traveling to remote mountain villages in Guizhou Province, China, searching for the elders who made them. And she ended up finding them.  Years later, she's working in collaboration with several communities, in an effort to help preserve their textile traditions that over the last 30 years or so, have been eroding amidst China's rapid modernization. As she says – “Saving these textile traditions is not just about preserving the past. They can also provide tangible solutions for an environmentally sustainable future.” Turns out, zero carbon design – fashion that's all natural and locally-made with no electricity — is possible.  Quotes & links from the conversation: “I think maybe it's human nature to always want to find something that's new and flashy. But I feel like it's also feeding an obsession that will never be satiated. There's always so much emphasis on technology and the future, and the thing is — technology is not going to be the thing that's going to save us from climate change or whatever. We have to learn how to work with nature again.” -Angel (49:59) Alexis Bunten, Angel mentions them and some of their wisdom about the need to reconnect with our own roots “I think not being able to know who you are fuels a lot of insecurity and unrest internally. And so, I feel like learning about where we come from, our ancestral roots, and going to that physical land and just feeling it and spending some time there — I feel like that will give us a lot of solace and calm us down and bring more satisfaction to our hearts and souls.” -Angel (59:38) “How Ancient Textiles Can Help The Future”, Angel's TEDTalk Angel Chang Website > Follow Angel on Instagram > Follow Angel Chang (the brand) on Instagram >

Kestrel confronts Liz the Spider, much to Captain Rayne's disappointment. Find our gaming livestreams at https://www.twitch.tv/critribbit Email us your questions at: FreelanceHeroismPodcast@gmail.com Visit Freelance Heroism on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/freelanceheroism/ We have a Patreon! Any support you can provide goes toward us giving you a better podcast listening experience: https://www.patreon.com/Freelance_heroism Check out Deece's webcomic with our (mis)adventures! http://www.1d4rounds.com/ Find Deece on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@1d4rounds You can find our gameplay videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TwfLOFsl192ExdAugebgg/ You can check out our web page here: http://www.freelanceheroism.libsyn.com/

After ending 2022 with a bang, 2023 starts off feeling like 2020 with one COVID hiatus after another. With half of the winter season missing, half of our hosts are missing as well, but that doesn't stop DJ from loving his most packed season yet. Kestrel is close in numbers if not enthusiasm, and even with a relatively small slate Brandon still has about ten shows to talk about. Add in some more Attack on Titan seasonal fragmentation absurdity and we still manage to exceed two hours as always.

Formerly a bar owner, a criminal defense investigator, and an English teacher, James Kestrel is now an attorney practicing throughout the Pacific. His writing has won advance praise from Stephen King, James Patterson, Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, Meg Gardiner, James Fallows, Pico Iyer, and numerous other authors. A sailor and world traveler, Kestrel has lived in Taiwan, New Orleans, and a West Texas ghost town. He lives in Volcano, Hawaii.Also available on YouTube: Winner of the 2022 Edgar Award for Best Novel, James Kestrel on The WCCS. - YouTubeWinner of the 2022 Edgar Award for Best NovelFIVE DECEMBERS:“War, imprisonment, torture, romance…The novel has an almost operatic symmetry, and Kestrel turns a beautiful phrase.” -New York TimesFive Decembers is a gripping thriller, a staggering portrait of war, and a heartbreaking love story, as unforgettable as All the Light We Cannot See.NOMINATED FOR BEST THRILLER IN THE 2022 BARRY AWARDSFINALIST FOR THE HAMMETT PRIZE 2021"Read this book for its palpitating story, its perfect emotional and physical detailing and, most of all, for its unforgettable conjuring of a steamy quicksilver world that will be new to almost every reader."- Pico IyerDecember 1941. America teeters on the brink of war, and in Honolulu, Hawaii, police detective Joe McGrady is assigned to investigate a homicide that will change his life forever. Because the trail of murder he uncovers will lead him across the Pacific, far from home and the woman he loves; and though the U.S. doesn't know it yet, a Japanese fleet is already steaming toward Pearl Harbor.This extraordinary novel is so much more than just a gripping crime story—it's a story of survival against all odds, of love and loss and the human cost of war. Spanning the entirety of World War II, FIVE DECEMBERS is a beautiful, masterful, powerful novel that will live in your memory forever.#JamesKestrel #FiveDecembers #Writers__________________________________________________________________Find out more: www.TheWritingCommunityChatShow.ComTHE WCCS – TOGETHER AS ONE WE GET IT DONE!If you would like to advertise your #book on the show, to enroll in a book launch interview, or to have a WCCS social media shout out, visit here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheWCCSFOLLOW US► Our website – https://www.thewritingcommunitychatshow.com► Universal link – https://linktr.ee/TheWCCS► Buy the show a coffee – https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheWCCS► Use hashtag TheWritingCommunityChatShow or TheWCCS on social media to keep us current. This show will only succeed with your support!► Support us through Patreon – https://www.patreon.com/WCCS► For our FIVERR affiliate link click here (we will earn a little from you signing up through our link and more if you use the service. We back this service and have used it with great results! – https://fvrr.co/32SB6cs► For our PRO #WRITING AID affiliate link click here – https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=15286Hey! We have spent 3 years using StreamYard. You can see how much we love its features, and how we can make it look great for live streaming. We are huge fans and they are constantly improving their service. Check it out with our link and we could earn from referrals!https://streamyard.com/pal/4835638006775808

In episode 283, Kestrel welcomes Kristin Morrison, the founder and designer behind All Species, to the show. A textile arts and design studio, All Species investigates the potential to create regenerative garments and textiles. The below story was written by this week's guest — it's vision-inducing and reminds us of all the value that can come from further connecting ourselves to the natural world. It's a beautiful way to envision what could happen if we work toward literally wearing the land around us. “Can we imagine together the rumble of 200 hooves- the vibration spiraling up from your feet to your heart as you witness wooly Rambouillet sheep running in the distance. Your work boots kick up dust as you run alongside to get a closer view. Sipping in the scent of wool, grasses, soil, you can sense the vitality of this wild ecosystem. Hooves till the soil…wild grasses are mowed by hungry animals and the carbon gases are sequestered safely back into the earth in the process. Today is a special day, sheep shearing day. You are here to witness the fine wool be cut from the animals, leaving them with small bare bodies. Shearing is a necessity and tradition that keeps the sheep healthy and also provides a source of income for the farmer. Giant pillows of dusty, grassy, potent wool will be sent to local mills to be made into cloth. Sensing the good intention of this in your belly, brings a feeling of wholeness to your being, like you are part of something bigger than yourself. The wools is then spun and woven into exquisite cloth in artisanal mills. In your minds eye, you imagine the supple yet stiff fabric and how it will be draped into form passing through hands of more creators…how it might shift from cream to charcoal as it is colored with native plants-and eventually come together as calf length coat styled with other fibers from the land. This embodied garment, carries the vibration of all the hands who have imbued love into its cloth and echos the rumble of those 200 sheep.” Quotes & links from the conversation: Sally Fox, one of Kristin's fabric suppliers — listen to Sally on episode 267 of Conscious Chatter > CA Cloth Foundry, one of Kristin's fabric suppliers — listen to founder Lydia on episode 135 of Conscious Chatter > “When we are wearing the land, we embody the frequency of it — it's subtle quiet and yet, powerfully transformative. And in this, we are invited into the wisdom and the knowing, to what the lands needs to regenerate.” -Kristin (32:09) All Species website > Follow Kristin / All Species on Instagram >

In episode 282, Kestrel welcomes Katia Dayan Vladimirova, a senior researcher at the University of Geneva, to the show. In addition to her research on fashion consumption, sustainability, and degrowth, Katia is the founder and coordinator at the Sustainable Fashion Consumption Network, and recently contributed to the Hot or Cool Institute's Report – Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable. “Sufficiency is part of —very much interlinked with degrowth conversations today — it's about abandoning economic growth in favor of wellbeing and enoughness as a positive vision of the future, in which we are content with enough and are not looking for more all the time.” -Katia I've been thinking a lot about the sustainable fashion narrative (over the last decade or so) and as I see it, we've seen a few big stages in the conversation – mind you, there are so many more nuanced narratives that have been out there, but these are the narratives I've heard the most noise around: Stage 1 – A focus on redirecting your consumption habits. The idea that you can be more sustainable with your wardrobe if you buy differently. The narrative was very much interconnected with capitalism and focused on the notion of BUY THIS, NOT THAT. Stage 2 – A basic understanding that massive corporations are the biggest culprits of carbon emissions and human rights violations in fashion. The narrative shifted a bit away from *blaming the consumer* and a bit toward highlighting the need for brands to change. This also involved an acknowledgement of the important role that legislation can play in transforming the industry. This was when we saw the rise of the fashion activist. Stage 3 – (This is the stage I believe we are currently amidst.) It's a combination of the previous stages, with greater context and more specific recommendations on HOW to truly make an impact. It involves an understanding that there is not one specific avenue to change the way fashion currently operates – but instead, we need all hands on deck, and multiple avenues working to address the industry's inequities. This week's guest was one of the authors of a recent report that came out by the Hot or Cool Institute. I feel like the findings in this report directly assist in providing specific ways that a so-called CONSUMER can transform their behavior to make measurable impacts on climate change (something I'm seeing as an integral part of this Stage 3 we are currently amidst).  In the report, it highlights that – “If no other actions are implemented, such as repairing/mending, washing at lower temperatures, or buying second-hand, purchases of new garments should be limited to an average 5 items per year for achieving consumption levels in line with the Paris Agreement – to keep the average global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030. This is very exciting – to see a report tell us a target number – to let us know that we can still buy clothing, but if we can all reduce our purchasing to only 5 garments per year, we can stay within planetary boundaries.  Tune in to hear more from this week's guest on HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? when it comes to our fashion consumption. Quotes & links from the conversation: Hot or Cool Institute's Report "Unfit, Unfair, Unfashionable: Resizing Fashion for a Fair Consumption Space" Sustainable Fashion Consumption Network, international research network on sustainable fashion consumption "Consumption Corridors in Fashion: Deliberations on upper consumption limits in minimalist fashion challenges", Katia's article that explores how much is enough “When we're talking about the key driving force behind the growing emissions in fashion — these are the wealthiest 20%. And we may think that, wealthiest 20%, oh this is somewhere far away from us. But if we look at the numbers — in Germany, to be within the wealthiest 20%, the individual income has to be over 3.2K Euros per month. So, many people who are participating in policy conversations, in research — many people who are asking these questions actually are within the richest 20 percent.” -Katia (26:17) “Those who really should change is the middle class and upper middle class who can afford to buy better, but they choose not to.” (27:22) “The positive message here is that when we're talking about staying within planetary boundaries, we're not talking about having 2 pairs of underpants, 2 socks and a pair of jeans for the whole year — that's not the case. We actually have a very generous allowance — our allowance to stay under the 1.5 degree limit is higher than the number of pieces that a woman in France used to have in the 1960s in her wardrobe. So we're really very generously allowed to experiment.” -Katia (29:30) “Citizen Insights: Clothing Longevity and Circular Business Models Receptivity in the UK”, WRAP study that Katia mentions Follow Katia on Instagram >

It's a quiet new year around here but we aren't neglecting our duty to our listeners to go over the best of the best of last year, anime style. Kestrel, DJ, Cain, and Brandon sit down to discuss a lengthy and detailed set of lists covering damn near everything worth watching. Plus the submitted lists we got from listeners like you! Perhaps even one of your own lists! Settle in, its a long one!

In episode 281, Kestrel welcomes Sarah Danu, the founder of Danu Organic, to the show. Danu Organic is focused on making clothing that is healthy for our bodies, the earth and everybody involved in the growing and making process of our garments. When it comes to food, we are constantly bombarded with messaging around healthy choices, and we have been taught to weigh which ingredients or products are the HEALTHIER option. However, when it comes to our clothes, do you ever hear folks question whether or not a garment is HEALTHY? This week's guest, Sarah, makes what she calls – HEALTHY CLOTHES.  While it's often overlooked, when we put on clothing, its components can enter our body, which can impact our overall health. For Sarah, a personal health crisis years ago opened her eyes to this very real discovery. When an organic underwear set turned her skin red – she knew there was more to uncover beyond just the fiber choice – to truly understand what our clothing contains. While we're starting to hear warnings from experts about how toxins are being discovered in fast fashion garments, the research on the direct impact of wearing toxic clothing is minimal. But if we look to anecdotal examples, there are multiple pieces of evidence that showcase the impacts of toxic clothing. I have heard numerous stories from folks who had some sort of health crisis, that they then discover was impacted by their clothing. So what does healthy clothes really mean? Quotes & links from the conversation: Vreseis, Danu Organic uses some of Sally Fox's naturally colored cotton — listen to our show with Sally here > Danu Organic's new jeans Follow Danu Organic on Pinterest > Follow Sarah on Instagram > Follow Danu Organic on Instagram >

Kestrel's attempts to lay low are quickly brought to an end, and Kaeviir and Captain Rayne realize they're being followed. Find our gaming livestreams at https://www.twitch.tv/critribbit Email us your questions at: FreelanceHeroismPodcast@gmail.com Visit Freelance Heroism on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/freelanceheroism/ We have a Patreon! Any support you can provide goes toward us giving you a better podcast listening experience: https://www.patreon.com/Freelance_heroism Check out Deece's webcomic with our (mis)adventures! http://www.1d4rounds.com/ Find Deece on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@1d4rounds You can find our gameplay videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TwfLOFsl192ExdAugebgg/ You can check out our web page here: http://www.freelanceheroism.libsyn.com/ We also have a Twitter: https://twitter.com/freelanheroism  

That's a wrap on 2022. Happy New Year! In this episode, Jasmine, Kestrel, and Eliza unpack the astrology of 2023. With Mercury and Mars both retrograde at the top of the year, we begin on a slow note. But this year has a few huge changes in store. Like, generationally huge. In March, Saturn enters Pisces for the first time in 30 years. (That means if you have Saturn in Pisces, you're entering your Saturn return. And if you have Saturn in Aquarius, your return is officially ending.) Then Pluto enters Aquarius for the first time since the 18th century. 2023 is all about cultivating supple boundaries with yourself and others and co-creating the reality you want to exist in. Tune in for a detailed breakdown of these transits and more.For more on Jasmine, Kestrel, and Eliza: www.kosmictonic.comFor more information on the books mentioned in this episode: Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by adrienne maree brownI Got a Name: The Murder of Krystal Senyk (forthcoming in May 2023 by Eliza Robertson — pre-orders available in Canada only for now) 

Episode #114 Jim Kelly from Kestrel Golf joins the pod. Jim takes us through the patent acquisition of the most advanced tee in golf! Kestrel has a bunch of cool gear in their lineup! We'll be running a giveaway on our Instagram page soon so stay tuned! Check out Kestrel GolfFollow Kestrel Golf on Instagram Check out the site & merch Follow On The Screws Podcast on Instagram! Subscribe on YouTube! Intro Ft. RORY Blaklroy Golf (@roryblaklroy) • Instagram photos and videosOn The Screws Podcast Linktree Manscaped - The Best In Men's Grooming https://www.manscaped.com/USE PROMO CODE - OTSGOLF - 20%OFF + FREE SHIPPING

Kestrel and Vespera hide on a not-date, while Captain Rayne takes Elizabeth on a date, meanwhile young Kaeviir is questioned by a mysterious woman looking for a cleric. Find our gaming livestreams at https://www.twitch.tv/critribbit Email us your questions at: FreelanceHeroismPodcast@gmail.com Visit Freelance Heroism on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/freelanceheroism/ We have a Patreon! Any support you can provide goes toward us giving you a better podcast listening experience: https://www.patreon.com/Freelance_heroism Check out Deece's webcomic with our (mis)adventures! http://www.1d4rounds.com/ Find Deece on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@1d4rounds You can find our gameplay videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TwfLOFsl192ExdAugebgg/ You can check out our web page here: http://www.freelanceheroism.libsyn.com/ We also DONT have a Twitter: NO!

The end of 2022 and the end of the Fall 2022 anime season is upon us. Kestrel, Brandon, DJ, and Kate are here to discuss the shows of the fall and how they stacked up. Turns out there was a lot to like this season! We talk about Blue Lock, Chainsaw Man, To Your Eternity, Gundam Witch, BLEACH, Spy x Family, and more! Which old favorites are way better than they have any right to be, which shows let us down? Tune in and find out! Plus a bunch of news and some end-of-the-year recommendations. See you next year!

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Extended military service to include higher pay, longer boot camp: President ** President Tsai Ing-wen has announced that compulsory military service in Taiwan will be extended from four months to one year, effective Jan. 1, 2024, to strengthen Taiwan's combat readiness against potential Chinese attacks. Tsai also promised to increase the monthly salary of conscripts, from the current starting salary of $6,510 NT to $26,307 NT, to make sure they earn enough to cover their basic daily expenses. The decision is expected to affect conscripts who were born on Jan. 1, 2005 and after. Tsai says conscripts will receive more intense (強烈的) and longer boot camp training to boost their combat preparedness, firing no less than 800 rounds of ammunition during their one-year service period. She says they will also be trained to fire Kestrel anti-armor rockets and FIM-92 Stingers, operate UAVs and engage in close-combat training, which have proven useful in modern day warfare, she said. The president stressed that "No one wants war," but Taiwan has faced increasing military coercion from China in recent years and needs to do its part by boosting self-defense. (NS) **New wage subsidy available to employers of live-in migrant caregivers ** The Ministry of Labor says employers of live-in migrant caregivers are eligible for a subsidy of up to $3,000 NT per month. Officials say the subsidies are aimed at covering the increase in the minimum wage for live-in migrant caregivers from $17-thousand NT to $20-thousand NT, that took effect on Aug. 10-th. The ministry says applicants (申請人) should provide the employment contracts showing that their employees are paid at least $20-thousand NT per month and a copy of the passbook cover of the employer's domestic bank account. Health officials say as of Dec. 15-th, there have been nearly 40-thousand applications, and the first subsidy payments were made on Dec. 5-th. (NS) **Pakistan Bombing Suspects Arrested ** Pakistan's interior minister says authorities have arrested five people suspected of involvement in last week's suicide car bombing that killed a police officer in the capital of Islamabad. The minister says the detainees included the suicide bomber's handler. He said the attacker arrived in the garrison (駐軍) city of Rawalpindi from a former tribal area of Kurram. The official did not disclose the identity of the detainees and no spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, which had claimed responsibility for the attack, was immediately available for comment. **US Trump Tax Returns Published Friday ** Former President Donald Trump's tax returns are expected to be made public on Friday. AP correspondent Norman Hall reports **Mexico President Appeals Against ** Mexico's president is appealing (呼籲) to the country's citizens not to accept holiday handouts and gifts from drug gangs. His comments came after videos posted online showed pickup trucks handing out loads of gifts while bystanders described the drivers as members of the Jalisco drug cartel. Authorities have not confirmed the source of the gifts, but President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador confirmed that some drug gangs were looking to resume such giveaways to gain the support of the local population. Lopez Obrador said that local residents in some communities have tried to protect traffickers, stop drug seizures or oppose the installation of National Guard bases intended to fight drug trafficking. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

The mascots of the Kestrel put on a show and discover hidden treasures. Get Jylliana's Logs, Kit's homebrew content, and general shitposts on our Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last month, Zach & Ed had the good fortune of joining the folks over at Fandom Post Radio for a sit down about One Piece and the history of our podcast and fandom of the series.Join us as we discuss, in total, the series One Piece, the unstoppable juggernaut that just keeps getting bigger and bigger. After a quarter century and over 1,000 installments of the manga and anime each, it's about time we spend a few hours on it. Kestrel is joined by One Piece fan Skyler, a sea-worn Brandon fresh off of a six-month thousand-chapter binge, and special guests Zach and Ed, founders and hosts of the One Piece Podcast itself. There's plenty of great discussion all around, and all relatively spoiler-free. Enjoy!This week's image was drawn by Maddie for a completely different episode!You can subscribe on Patreon and get access to our 700+ episode archive, exclusive episodes with our special guests, SWAG and a lot more. Don't miss out, subscribe at patreon.com/onepiecepodcast to get the full One Piece Podcast experience! We have the full One Piece Podcast documentary The One Piece Podcast Goes to Japan exclusively on Patreon!

Kestrel and Kaeviir check the Red Crab for clues, and Captain Rayne gets some info from the Kargat. Find our gaming livestreams at https://www.twitch.tv/critribbit Email us your questions at: FreelanceHeroismPodcast@gmail.com Visit Freelance Heroism on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/freelanceheroism/ We have a Patreon! Any support you can provide goes toward us giving you a better podcast listening experience: https://www.patreon.com/Freelance_heroism Check out Deece's webcomic with our (mis)adventures! http://www.1d4rounds.com/ Find Deece on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@1d4rounds You can find our gameplay videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TwfLOFsl192ExdAugebgg/ You can check out our web page here: http://www.freelanceheroism.libsyn.com/ We also have a Twitter: https://twitter.com/freelanheroism  

“The Oracle of Canada.” One of the great guiding lights of Canadian contemporary art. Tragic figure. Welcome to the self-guided audio tour for the 10 year retrospective of the great Eloise Kestrel's life and work. --Special thanks to Isabel Brandt for providing research, writing support, and additional material for this episode. The Wrong Station contains explicit content and mature themes. Episode-specific warnings can be found at www.wrongstation.com/c-w Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the first flakes fall here in the northern hemisphere, the 2022 convention season is drawing to a close and the fall shows are creeping toward a quiet close. Kestrel and Darius touch upon AnimeNYC, while Brandon, Cain, and DJ have thoughts and feelings about the fall anime season. Plus we have some news and the usual banter and recommendations and such. So grab a hot chocolate and have a listen!

Our heroes are ashore, so the Kestrel's mascots seek adventure on the shores surrounding Lato. Get Jylliana's Logs, Kit's homebrew content, and general shitposts on our Patreon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Captain Rayne and Kaeviir follow up on a lead, much to Kestrel's annoyance. Find our gaming livestreams at https://www.twitch.tv/critribbit Email us your questions at: FreelanceHeroismPodcast@gmail.com Visit Freelance Heroism on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/freelanceheroism/ We have a Patreon! Any support you can provide goes toward us giving you a better podcast listening experience: https://www.patreon.com/Freelance_heroism Check out Deece's webcomic with our (mis)adventures! http://www.1d4rounds.com/ Find Deece on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@1d4rounds You can find our gameplay videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TwfLOFsl192ExdAugebgg/ You can check out our web page here: http://www.freelanceheroism.libsyn.com/ We also have a Twitter: https://twitter.com/freelanheroism  

SpaceTime Series 25 Episode 130*Are the Sun's solar cycles getting weakerNew computer modelling suggests the Sun's 11 year solar cycle is getting weaker, and scientists aren't sure how that will affect the Earth.*New NASA climate change mission ready to launchNASA has greenlighted the launch of its Surface Water and Ocean Topography or SWOT spacecraft on December 12. The two thousand kilogram satellite will fly aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and provide high-definition data on the salt- and fresh water on Earth's surface.*Mars was once covered by 300 metre deep oceansA new study claims that the red planet Mars was once blue and covered in a 300 metre deep ocean.*Another scrub for Southern LaunchStorm damage has delayed the launch of ATSpace's Kestrel 1 rocket from Southern Launches' Whalers Way space complex near Port Lincoln.*The Science ReportOne in eight deaths in 2019 were linked to bacterial infections.Even if you've had COVID-19 – getting a vaccine can still help prevent you getting it again.The genome of Australia's floral emblem, the golden wattle sequenced for the first time.Skeptics guide to the growing popularity of paranormal TVThis week's talent includes:Professor Andy Tomkins from Monash UniversitySWOT Project Scientist Lee-Lueng-FuSWOT Mechanical Engineer Phoebe Rhodes-WickettKarin Instrument Systems Engineer Eva PeralSWOT Project Manager Parag VazeAnd our regular guests:Alex Zaharov-Reutt from iTWire.comTim Mendham from Australian Skeptics Listen to SpaceTime on your favorite podcast app with our universal listen link: https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com/listen For more SpaceTime and show links: https://linktr.ee/biteszHQ If you love this podcast, please get someone else to listen to. Thank you…To become a SpaceTime supporter and unlock commercial free editions of the show, gain early access and bonus content, please visit https://bitesz.supercast.com/ . Premium version now available via Spotify and Apple Podcasts.For more podcasts visit our HQ at https://bitesz.com Your support is needed...SpaceTime is an independently produced podcast (we are not funded by any government grants, big organisations or companies), and we're working towards becoming a completely listener supported show...meaning we can do away with the commercials and sponsors. We figure the time can be much better spent on researching and producing stories for you, rather than having to chase sponsors to help us pay the bills.That's where you come in....help us reach our first 1,000 subscribers...at that level the show becomes financially viable and bills can be paid without us breaking into a sweat every month. Every little bit helps...even if you could contribute just $1 per month. It all adds up.By signing up and becoming a supporter at the $5 or more level, you get immediate access to over 280 commercial-free, double, and triple episode editions of SpaceTime plus extended interview bonus content. You also receive all new episodes on a Monday rather than having to wait the week out. Subscribe via Supercast (you get a month's free trial to see if it's really for you or not) ... and share in the rewards. Details at Supercast - https://bitesznetwork.supercast.tech/ Details at https://spacetimewithstuartgary.com or www.bitesz.com #astronomy #space #science #news #podcast #spacetime

What is a Minuteman? :) And, actual fundamentals versus contrived ones... (yeah)... Knowing your role and function in the preservation of freedom... and esoteric cartridges (are there mainstream options that might be better?)... this and more in this week's episode of the BangSteel Long Range Shooting Podcast. We hope you'll listen. :)

Last time we spoke the reluctant Lord Elgin took up the job as the new emissary to China. Alongside his french counterpart Baron Gross, both men would overlook their military coalitions expedition in China to force the Qing emperor to abide by their treaty and some new demands. They began with a bombardment and occupation of the grand city of Canton and then Ye Mingchen was hunted down and arrested. Ye was replaced with a puppet named Pih-Kwei who would be nominally controlled by the European forces. Now the coalition would fight their way to Beijing to force an audience with Emperor Xianfeng, but something lied in their way, the famous Taku forts at the mouth of the Bei He River. Could the coalition fight past these legendary forts and strangle Beijing  enough to get their demands met?   Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. #21 This episode is Part 3 of the Second Opium War: battles for the Taku Forts At high tide the Taku Forts were surrounded by water, the Bei He River became something like a natural moat. The entrance to the Bei He River was 200 yards in width, forcing the British and French warships into a bottleneck gauntlet with each shore holding 137 pieces of antiquated artillery. When the invaders arrived, the Qing forces quickly went to work creating earthwork walls with sandbags to bolster the defenses. The Qing forces presumed the European gunboats hulls were too deep and thus they would not risk entering the river until it was very high tide to avoid going aground. That presumption was a grave error as Seymour and Rigault were willing to risk it and mounted a surprise attack at 10am on May 20th. Elgin made one last ditch effort to get Tan to surrender peacefully, but Tan did not even bother to respond to Elgins message. Now in a similar fashion to the first opium war, as you might remember a large problem for the Qing was their outdated artillery. Their cannons were usually immobile, unable to aim at all degrees and angles. The Taku Fort cannons were aimed in such a way to hit warships at high tide, but the British-French force was going to attack during low tide. Alongside the Taku Forts cannons another defensive obstacle was a 7 inch thick boom made out of bamboo. The Europeans opened fire unleashed pure hell upon the forts and when the forts unleashed their own volley, literally all of their shots went over the European masts. To add insult to injury, the British sacrificed one of their ships, the Coromandel to ram into the boom which broke with ease. The Coromandal received a nasty gash in her hull, but the job had been done. As pieces of the boom floated away, the rest of the European armada began to steam through the gap while the Qing helplessly fired their cannons straight over their masts. The French ships Mitraille and Fusee alongside the British Cormorant fired upon 2 of the Taku Forts on the left bank while the French Avalance, Dragonne and British Nimrod fired upon the 3 forts on the right. The Chinese manning Gingalls had much better luck than the cannons, though it also came at the price of making the Europeans laugh watching men fall over from firing each shot. However not all was funny as Gingalls could be properly aimed unlike the cannons and managed to kill 5 British and 6 French while wounding another 61. Then tragedy happened when a gunpowder cache in one of the Taku forts accidentally exploded killing 100 Chinese. Alongside the invaders maelstrom of gunfire and the defenders despair at the futility of their cannons many began to panic. Even before many of the British and French forces began to land ashore, countless Qing forces were deserting the earthen parapet en masse. In desperation seeing his men flee, the Qing commander launched 50 fireboats stuffed with straw at the barbarian ships, only to see the fireships crash into the bank at the bend in the river. Not a single fireship was able to cause damage to the invaders. With the last ditch effort a complete failure, the commander of the Taku Forts went to the Temple of the Sea God and slashed his jugular vein with his sword killing himself.  The Viceroy of Zhili province was banished to the desolate border territory with Russia in the north. As he packed his bags, Emperor Xianfeng condemned the Viceroy's mismanagement of the Taku Fort defense as being “without plan or resource”. Elgin after witnessing the victory over the Taku Forts had a really interesting thing to say “Twenty-four determined men with revolvers, and a sufficient number of cartridges, might walk through China from one end to another.”  Back home in Britain Elgin was being praised and was rewarded likewise with carte blanche for all further military actions and negotiations. The new Prime Minister, Lord Derby, haha looks like those grand speeches worked out for him, well he sent Elgin a congratulatory dispatch “giving me latitude to do anything I choose, if only I will finish the affair.” The very same man who condemned British imperialism the year prior was now a warhawk. Lord Malmesbury became the new foreign minister replacing Lord Clarendon. Back in China, the European gunboats made their way up the Bei He River triumphantly towards the next Qing stronghold, Tianjin. Tianjin was around 30 miles away from Beijing. The 3 Plenipotentiaries stayed further behind at the Taku Forts for their own safety as Seymour and Rigault took the lead. As they steamed up the Bei He River, both the Fusee and Cormorant ran aground numerous time, but the Europeans found some very unlikely allies to help, the local Chinese. Turns out a lot of the populace absolutely hated their Manchu overlords and volunteered their tugboats free of charge to help the Europeans. Apparently when the Europeans tried to pay them many refused if it is to be believed.  On June 4th the European armada arrived at Tianjin without any resistance along the way. The Qing defenders at Tianjin morale was so low they were at the point of surrender. There was also a rumor spreading around that Emperor Xianfeng had been overthrown and replaced by a new dynasty who was willing to simply sign a new treaty with the Europeans. Seymour and Rigault advised Elgin he should stay at the Taku Forts for security, but he disregarded this and came up to the war party on May 26th. Elgin wrote in his diary as he made his way up the river. “Through the night watches, when no Chinaman moves, when the junks cast anchor, we laboured on, cutting ruthlessly and recklessly through that glancing and startled river which, until the last few weeks, no stranger keel had ever furrowed. Whose work are we engaged in, when we burst thus with hideous violence and brutal energy into these darkest and most mysterious recesses of the traditions of the past? I wish I could answer that question in a manner satisfactory to myself. At the same time there is certainly not much to regret in the old civilisation which we are thus scattering to the winds. A dense population, timorous and pauperised, such would seem to be its chief product. “ The Plenipotentiaries were quite surprised when they were met outside Tianjin by a detachment of local Qing officials and merchants who came looking for opium. Yes these were those types of middle men folks who were used to bribes and the lucrative business of moving opium. Despite the rumors, Emperor Xianfeng had not been overthrown, but he was willing to negotiate with the Europeans. Emperor Xianfeng sent commissioners to Tianjin in the hope of stopping the European advance to Beijing. Meanwhile with Tianjin not putting up a fight, Elgin wrote in his diary “[I have] complete military command of the capital of China, without having broken off relations with the neutral powers, and without having interrupted, for a single day, our trade at the different ports of the Empire.” The Europeans were treated with the utmost respect and the lavish temple known as the Supreme Felicity was used as headquarters for the Europeans. The Europeans transformed the temple by creating a bowling alley, they used its myriad of altars for washbasins and placed vanity mirrors in front of statues of the gods. This cultural vandalized would be an appetizer for events in the future. Two emissaries were sent by Emperor Xianfeng, both were commissioners, the first was the 74 year old Guiliang, a senior military officer. The other was a 53 year old Mongolian military officer. They met with the Europeans at the Temple of Oceanic Influences southwest of Tianjin. Elgin arrived on June 4th alongside 50 Royal marines and a band from the warship Calcutta to add some muscle.  The first meeting went…terribly. The commissioners had the authority to negotiate, but lacked carte blanche to finalize any deal. Elgin stormed out of the first meeting, completely blowing off this lavish buffet the Qing had set for the party to celebrate the new peace treaty. Elgin was well known to be courtes, but after spending 6 months in China had quickly learnt the only way to get Qing officials to act was to show some bravado. Elgin even wrote to his wife at the time “I have made up my mind, disgusting as the part is to me, to act the role of the ‘uncontrollably fierce barbarian.'” As Elgin stomped his feet walking off he made a threat that he would soon march upon Beijing, even though in truth the Europeans did not have the land forces to do so. Elgin left his brother to continue negotiations, Lord Frederick Bruce. One of Fredericks interpreters, Horatio Lay decided it was a good idea to use some Sturm und Drang and began to literally scream at the Qing commissioners whenever they talked about clauses in the new treaty. Lay even threatened to lay waste to Beijing and would slap the Emperor himself, this guy had some balls. Lay's abuse of the two commissioners became so bad, the men went around his head to speak to Putiatin and the American envoy William Reed. Reed sent a letter to Elgin asking him to help rein in the tyrannical Lay, but Elgin ignored the letter, wow. Putiatin asked Gros whom he knew had grown very close to Elgin, to intercede, but Gros declined to do so as he feared it would alienate his friendship to Elgin. The Qing then resorted to bribery, they tried to give Lay a horse, but Lay did not change his aggressive stance.  The negotiations were taking very long, it was the typical Chinese strategy of procrastination. Elgin was becoming livid and wrote in his diary about Reed and Putiatin “These sneaking scoundrels do what they can to thwart me and then while affecting to support the Chinese act as their own worst enemies.” Elgin also felt British parliament had failed to back him up. Elgin received a letter from the new Foriegn minister Lord Malmesbury on April the 9th, berating him for not concluding the peace treaty in due time. “A Cabinet has been held today and it is our anxious wish to see this Chinese business settled if it can be done without loss of honour and commercial interests as at present enjoyed. Our reputation is sufficiently vindicated at Canton and we do not look at the chance of a war with the Chinese Empire without much apprehension. I trust therefore that you will not engage us in a contest of this sort if you can possibly avoid it.” The negotiations over the terms of the new treaty stretched for 3 weeks and the Qing were rejecting two clauses the British absolutely wanted: free passage throughout China and for a permanent British and French embassy at the Qing imperial court. The two commissioners stated that accepting either of these would cost the men their lives. Gros and Putiatin began arguing that the permanent embassy point was not critical as long as their ministers had access to Beijing in some form. After much arguing the commissioners conceded to the two points and thus the Treaty of Tianjin was formed. The Europeans made sure to add a clause they henceforth they would no longer be called barbarians in official communications and treaties, though it should be noted the term used by the Chinese literally just meant “those who don't speak Chinese”.  The Treaty of Tianjin opened new ports for trade: Tianjin, Hangzhou and Nanjing. It should be noted the Qing were all too happy to toss Nanjing into the treaty as the Taiping were occupying it as their own capital. Perhaps if they were lucky, the Europeans would go to Nanjing, run into some trouble and attack the Taiping for them! Baron Gros raised concerns over the clauses as he argued Britain would have to bear even more military might to enforce the treaty. As Gros pointed out to Elgin, the Confucious principle, a promise made under duress does not need to be kept. Another item on the treaty clauses was the payment of 2 million taels of silver to Britain for the damage to their factories at Canton and another 2 million in general reparation. The French were to receive 2 million taels as well. Now the warnings Gros made concerned Elgin and he was having second thoughts. One major concern was the idea of extracting he enormous sums of money from what seemed to be an Empire on the verge of Bankruptcy. Elgin wrote back to the foreign minister, concerned that extracting the large sums of money would lead to the toppling of the Manchu rule “Everything we saw around us indicated the penury of the Treasury. To despair, by putting forward pecuniary claims which it could satisfy only by measures that would increase its unpopularity and extend the area of rebellion.” Elgin ended by saying the humiliating treaty would be a large beacon for the Taiping Rebels. William Reed recommended legalizing opium as a clause, arguing the tax revenue from it would benefit the Qing Empire. The British wanted a tariff of only 30 taels and the Cohong merchants supported this. Jardine & Matheson & co released a statement “The use of opium is not a curse, but a comfort and benefit to the hard-working Chinese.” Boy you can't get any more gross than that one. The French for their part performed a study of the opium problem in China. Baron Gros found that users who smoked upto 8 pipes per day had a life expectancy of only 6 years. Casual consumers could expect around 20 years after starting to smoke it, many died around the age of 50 or so. Opium addicts were found to be spending 2/3 ‘s of their income to feed their addiction. The Russians and Americans agreed with the French that the opium trade was horrible. The French however have little to nothing to say about another form of trade they took part in with China, the “pig trade”, that being the enslavement of coolies. Now you have to hear this one, this is so symbolic of the event as a whole. The translator for the treaty took forever because he was an opium addict. You just can't make this stuff up folks. The Russians agreed to the terms first on June 18th Putiantian signed off, making Elgin feel betrayed and abandoned because he still had qualms. What was really important to Russia was the border they shared with the Qing, it had been a source of much conflict. Thus Russia settled with a visiting ambassador to Beijing with no permanent status. Christianity received a formal toleration and the Russians got access to 2 more ports on Taiwan and Hainan. Five days later the Americans signed off on a similar agreement to the Russians. Both the Americans and Russians made sure to include the most favored nations clause in their treaties, which meant that whatever further concessions went to the British and French, they too would enjoy them. Thus the 2 nations who brought zero military aid and did basically nothing reaped the same benefits as the 2 nations shouldering everything, ain't that nice? Putiatin sent Elgin and Gros a copy of Russia's treaty urging them not to topple the manchu rule with too many humiliating concessions. Reed made a similar appeal. Gros reached an agreement on june 23rd and did not hesitate to sign the treaty because he did not want to undercut Elgin's negotiators, preferring to let them finish the job. The French also sought much less than Britain from the Chinese. A week after and the British had still not come to an agreement, Gros became impatient and sent Elgin a letter, that if the British did not sign soon the French would simply sail off. The British were stuck on two key issue; to have a permanent ambassador in Beijing and freedom to travel anywhere in China. The Chinese commissioners desperately sought the aid of Gros and Putiatin, indicating to them the Emperor was going to have them killed if they agreed to the two clauses. Elgin threatened to march on Beijing and it seems the commissioners were forced to give in. On June 26th the British Treaty of Tianjin was ratified. The Chinese would pay 5 million in war reparations, Christian missionaries would be allowed to work unhindered throughout China and 11 ports would be opened for trade. Taxes on imported goods would be set on a follow up meeting at Shanghai, and there 5% was agreed upon. Taxables goods would be silk, brocades and of course opium. The taxation agreement basically made opium legal in China, but without bringing the subject up. The Commissioners signed the treaty, but when they got back to Beijing, take a wild guess, the Emperor rejected the humiliating terms. Now Elgin failed to bring up the issue of the opium trade and its official legalization as were his instructions from Clarendon. Elgin probably felt since Clarendon lost his position he no longer had to respect the order. Clarendons successor Lord Malmesbury did not give a similar order. On July 3rd, 400 men and a naval band serenaded Elgin signing the Treaty of Tianjin at the Temple of Oceanic Influences under some paper lanterns. And despite the fact the commissioners, as they said it, were soon to be beheaded, they invited Elgin to a lavish dinner at the temple after the signing. At the dinner one of the commissioners, Hua Shan gave Elgin copies of some famous poetry. The next day, Baron Gross signed the French treaty but cheekily added some new demands that the commissioners were forced to abide by. He demanded the release of all Chinese christians imprisoned for their faith. Gros sent a triumphant report back home stating “Je suis heureux de pouvoir annoncer aujord-hui à Votre Excellence que la Chine s'ouvre enfin au Christianisme, source réelle de toute civilisation, et au commerce et à l'industrie des nations occidentales.” (“I am happy to be able to announce today to Your Excellence that China has at last opened itself to Christianity, the real source of all civilization, and to trade and the manufactures of the nations of the West.)” Back in Britain Elgins triumph was met with mixed reviews, though most were favorable. Elgins private secretary Laurence Oliphant, noted the impressive cost/benefit ratio of the casualties in his 1860 account of the campaign, ‘Narrative of the Earl of Elgin's Mission to China and Japan': “Hostilities with the Empire of China had terminated with a loss to the British arms of about twenty men killed in action...and a treaty had been signed far more intensive in its scope, and more subversive of imperial prejudices than that concluded fifteen years before, after a bloody and expensive war, which had been protracted over a period of two years.” Karl Marx, yes the Karl Marx, was working at the time as the European correspondent of the New York Tribune wrote a letter to his writing partner Friedrich Engels on some thoughts towards the conflict  “The present Anglo-Chinese Treaty which in my opinion was worked out by Palmerston in conjunction with the Petersburg Cabinet and given to Lord Elgin to take with him on his journey is a mockery from beginning to end.” Karl Marx would have a lot more to say about the Taiping Rebellion, which is quite interesting given the rebellion is considered a proto marxist one. Elgin himself was quite depressed over the ordeal, he wrote this in his diary “I have an instinct in me which loves righteousness and hates iniquity and all this keeps me in a perpetual boil. Though I have been forced to act almost brutally I am China's friend in almost all this.” To try and raise the celebration somewhat, Elgin decided to take 5 ships up the Yangtze River as a demonstration of Britain's naval power and to discourage the Chinese from going back on the new treaty. However news of some raids against Canton forced him to pull be short. The new Viceroy of Canton named Huang had incited a rebellion rallying Canton residents to quote “Go forth in your myriads, then, and take vengeance on the enemies of your Sovereign, imbued with public spirit and fertile in expedients.” In July a group of Cantonese got their hands on some artillery and began to shell the British resident at Whampoa. The Cantonese mob followed this up by performing a raid after they heard about the humiliating terms of the treaty of Tianjin. During a short conference in Shanghai, Elgin demanded Viceroy Huang be removed. On top of the Canton problem, the two commissioners, Guiling and Hua Shan had reneged on the treaty clauses about allowing British ambassadors in Beijing. They sent a letter to Elgin stating that had agreed to such clauses under duress and suggested that future British ambassadors visit Beijing from time to time as diplomatic business warranted. They argued that because of large scale xenophobia in Beijing, they feared for the lives of any British dwelling there. Then 4 days later they added another excuse; they said that to allow British ambassadors to live in Beijing would generate fear and a loss of respect for the Qing government. Such further humiliation might very well topple the Manchu and allow the Taiping to take over. Elgin was somewhat swayed by the Taiping excuse and said he would pass their message onto his foreign officer. Elgin was also in a tough position as the fact a rebellion was occurring in Canton made it seem clear that guaranteeing the safety of British ambassadors in Beijing would not be an easy task. The French concurred with Elgin, that to have ambassadors in Beijing would be dangerous now. In the meantime Elgin had set up a 2 month survey of the Yangtze River using 2 gunboats to demonstrate Britains new right of travel throughout China. The idea had been to see if the local Chinese would obey the treaty clauses. Elgins tour wound up going past the Taiping capital of Nanjing and it is alleged a single cannon perched on a Nanjing wall fired upon Elgin's ships. Elgin's reprisal was pretty brutal, he sent a volley knocking out the Taiping cannon then ordered a 99 minute naval bombardment of Nanjing before sailing on. Eglin had planned to finish the trip by meeting with the Emperor and giving him a letter from Queen Victoria, but the worsening of the Canton situation forced him to pull back south. In February of 1859 Cantonese rebels ambushed and massacred 700 British marines around the countryside of Canton. In retaliation, General van Straubenzee, the military commander of 3000 troops in Canton, hunted down the headquarters of the rebels which they found at Shektsing a few miles south of the city and completely annihilated all those there and razed everything to the ground. The destruction of the rebel camp seems to have worked quite well as suddenly the Emperor sent word to ratify the treaty of Tianjin's clauses and had Huang removed from power and demanded the rebels disband. While Elgin dealt with the renewed China problem, his brother Frederick Bruce returned to Britain with the signed Treaty of Tianjin. Lord Malmesbury rewarded Bruce by naming him the first ambassador to China, a post Elgin would have received, but he was too wary of the post given the circumstances now. Elgin left China in March of 1859, taking the chance to link up and meet his brother in Sri Lanka in April as Bruce was on his way back to China. Now Bruce was not lets say, as great as his brother. He had recently been the Lt-governor of Newfoundland, then the Colonial secretary of Hong Kong. In all honestly a lot of his appointments were merely a result of him being Elgin's brother. But Bruce did have working knowledge of Chinese customs. Bruce arrived back at the mouth of the Bei He River on June 18th of 1859 alongside a force of 16 warships. Admiral Seymour had returned to London and was replaced by Rear-admiral James Hope. Unfortunately it seems Hope was even more racist and hated the Chinese more than Seymour. 3 days later the new American ambassador showed up John E Ward aboard a steamer, the Powhatan. The French representative, Anton de Bourbelon brought 2 warships with him as the French fleet had remained close by in Indo-China. Now Emperor Xianfeng wanted above all else to keep the Europeans the hell out of Beijing. The Emperor suggested right away that they ratify the new treaty at Shanghai, but all 3 of the European powers declined this. Many of the Emperors close advisors wanted to resist the foreigners taking up residence in Beijing. Some of these high ranking officials gave orders for 3 large bamboo booms, 3 feet thick to be strung across the Bei He river to block the foreigners advance. It looked like war was back on the menu and in a vain attempt Bruce tried writing a letter to Beijing politely asking the booms be removed. Well Bruce got no reply and this prompted Admiral Hope to ask permission to blow the booms apart. On June 21st, Hope sent captain Willes aboard a steamer to break through the first boom which went successfully, but the other 2 proved unbreakable. The British tried using some gunpowder but it just couldn't do the job, then to add insult to injury during the night the Qing repaired the first boom.  On June 25th Bruce received a letter from the Viceroy of Zhili, Heng Fu. Heng suggested the ambassadors lodge at Beitang, around 8 miles north of Beijing, basically it was a face saving gesture. The British however were armed to the teeth and had just undergone 3 annoying and long years of negotiations and war and had no patience. Bruce told Admiral Hope to attack the booms again. That afternoon Hope took his flagship Plover and attempted ramming the boom, but this time hit ship was stopped cold. The Qing had learnt a lesson from the previous conflict and this time had made the 2nd and 3rd booms out of full sized tree trunks sling together with heavy chains. As the Plover staled and the other European gunships had to stop just before it, all of a sudden the forts portholes were cast aside to reveal a full complement of 40 cannons and they opened fire. The first salvo took the head right off Plovers bow gunner and 3 other sailors fell wounded. For 3 hours Plover was pulverized. Hope unwisely stood on his deck wearing a gold braid basically showing the Chinese he was a high ranking official. A Qing sharpshooter landed a shot hitting Hope in his thigh. Hope fell on deck and was bound up by a surgeon as the Qing retaliated. For a rather surprising change, the Qing cannons, though still immobile were better aimed and managed to blow Hope's second in command and 8 other sailors to pieces, 22 others were wounded. Plovers hull eventually burst sinking the ship into the mud and this would lead to the deaths of countless crew. Hope believe it or not got up and rowed over to another ship, the Opossum and began standing on its deck in plain sight. Because of his thigh wound he had to hold onto a railing to hold himself upright and that said railing was hit by a Qing cannonball. The railing collapsed and Hope fell breaking several ribs, ouch. This prompted him to turn command over to Captain Shadwell. The Qing volleys managed to disable 5 of the invaders frontal gunships prompting Bruce to order 7 more which were 8 miles away to come forward and replace the damaged ones. By the evening, 5 British warships had been immobilized and 2 had run aground and one was a sitting duck for fort cannons.  The fort guns went silent in the early evening and the British officers took it to mean that the forts garrisons had fled like they had in the previous year. The landing parties surged ahead as planned and that was when disaster struck again. It turned out to be a ruse to entice the landing parties to storm the beach. The landing party soon found out to their horror 2 trenches were dug in front of the walls, filled with water and mud and some large iron spikes behind them. That was bad, but immediately when the marines got off their barges the muddy banks seized their feet leaving them helpless as the forts unleashed carnage upon them. Those lucky enough to make it to the trenches found the muddy water was too thick to swim. Many men in despair clambered beside the base of a fort wall to escape the trenches and gunfire. The Qing began setting off fireworks to illuminate the trapped marines as they fired upon them. Although America said it would remain neutral, Commodore Josiah Tattnall aboard the USS Powhatan was trying to get past the booms as well when he ran into the conflict. Tattnal was a veteran of the war of 1812 and like pretty much any American at the time disliked the British. Tattnal received word that Hope had been shot and upon witnessing the horror show he suddenly cast neutrality to the wind. Tattnal was from Georgia, a loyal southerner with a lets say, strong sense of racial pride…yeah we will call it that. Whatever hate he held for the British was cast aside as he suddenly screamed out “blood is thicker than water, I'd be damned if I stood by and watched white men butchered before my eyes!”. Tattnals charge forward hardly turned the tide of battle, it amount mostly to him towing more British marines forward to their horrific death. Some of his men grabbed and operated some British guns firing at the fort while Tattnall personally tended to Hope. A single american died and the breach of neutrality could have caused a catastrophe, but one thing it did do was set a new tone for British-American friendship. As the London times wrote “Whatever may be the result of the fight, England will never forget the day when the deeds and words of kindly Americans sustained and comforted her stricken warriors on the waters of the Bei He.” Around 7pm, as the Qing set off fireworks to illuminate the area, Captain Shadwell with 50 royal marines and French seamen led by the French commander Tricault landed on some muddy flats outside one of the Taku forts. They clamored through knee deep mud as the defenders rained Gingall fire down upon them at short range. The British-Franco force found themselves literally stuck in the mud, unable to use their wall scaling ladders to get over the fort. Shadwell sent word back to his superior that he and his men were pinned down and requested reinforcements to storm the Taku walls. There was no more fighting men available however, he was eventually order to limp back to the ships. The British and French suffered high casualties. Shadwell was wounded, Tricault was dead, and of the 1000 men who took part in the battle around half were killed or wounded, 29 of them officers. Many men dragged themselves or limped through mud to get back to their ships. A lot of these men were veterans of the Crimean war and had never tasted such defeat. One veteran of the battle of Balaclava said he would rather have relived that battle three times over than suffer the Taku Forts again. The gunboats, Lee, Plover and Cormorant were disabled, the Kestrel sank.  Admiral Hope sent a dispatch to the Admiralty showing his shock at how the Qing performed “Had the opposition they expected been that as usual in Chinese warfare, there is little doubt that the place would have been successfully carried at the point of the bayonet.” To try and save face, Bruce reported back to Britain that the sudden military prowess of the Qing forces at the Taku forts was because Russians were helping them. He alleged based on eyewitness testimony that some men in fur hats and European dress had been seen directing operations atop a Taku fort, it was mere bullshit. The real reason for the Qing victory was because of Prince Senggelinqin. Senggelinqin was a mongol cavalry commander that had helped the Qing crush a large army of Taiping rebels. He was a member of the Borjigin clan and the 26th generation descendant of Qasar, a brother to Genghis Khan. He led Qing forces to smash the Taiping during the Northern Expedition in the southern suburbs of Tianjin. When the Second Opium War broke out he was appointed Imperial commissioner in charge of the defense of Tianjin. Seng rejoiced in his well earned victory. He wrote back to the emperor acknowledging the British and French might return with more ships, but asserted confidently he would thrash them again and again “the pride and vainglory of the barbarians, already under severe trial, will immediately disappear. When that happens, China can then enjoy some decades of peace. The barbarians, already somewhat disillusioned and repentant, may lend themselves to persuasion and be brought under control. If they of their own accord should wholeheartedly become obedient, then peace would be secure and permanent.” The Emperor responded with caution “the foreigners may harbor secret designs and hide themselves around nearby islands, waiting for the arrival of more soldiers and ships for a surprise attack in the night or in a storm” Emperor Xianfeng still shared a sense of relief and expressed hope the foreigners needs for Chinese goods would mean that they could sort out their problems in Shanghai and that there would be no need for ambassadors in Beijing nor new treaties. Seng also pointed out during the battle the Americans got involved. “Although the starting of hostilities was by the English barbarians, France and America's cooperation in the melee is also inescapable.” Seng based his claim off intelligence extracted from a Canadian POW named John Powers. John claimed to be a neutral American in an attempt to escape imprisonment. The Chinese did not free him and instead used him as proof the Americans had abandoned neutrality. Seng much like most Chinese at the time were weak on Western Geography and assumed Canada was part of the United States, sad Canadian noises. At one point an American missionary who spoke Chinese tried to explain to Seng the difference between English and French Canada and the United States, Seng described the experience in a letter to the Qing imperial court. “[The missionary] stated that America contained Englishmen and Frenchmen, and when there was fighting, the flag was the only criterion.” Eventually John was released after a month, the Qing simply did not want to add America to a list of growing enemies. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me.  The battle for the Taku Fort was an absolute catastrophe resulting in humiliation for the Europeans for once. Prince Seng had a grand victory, perhaps now the foreign barbarians would learn their lesson and stop their war. Or perhaps the Europeans would like their wounds and come right back.  

Kestrel gets rid of a Revenant, again, and Captain Rayne arrives in port looking for a specific set of heroes. Find our gaming livestreams at https://www.twitch.tv/critribbit Email us your questions at: FreelanceHeroismPodcast@gmail.com Visit Freelance Heroism on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/freelanceheroism/ We have a Patreon! Any support you can provide goes toward us giving you a better podcast listening experience: https://www.patreon.com/Freelance_heroism Check out Deece's webcomic with our (mis)adventures! http://www.1d4rounds.com/ Find Deece on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@1d4rounds You can find our gameplay videos on our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6TwfLOFsl192ExdAugebgg/ You can check out our web page here: http://www.freelanceheroism.libsyn.com/ We also have a Twitter: https://twitter.com/freelanheroism  

The Winning ESG Companies articles include: “11 Best ESG Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Al Gore”; “Top 12 ESG Companies in 2022”; “IBD's 100 Best ESG Companies For 2022”; “Investing in green energy here are the top 5 stock picks”; “Capital Keeps Flowing Into Green Bonds Despite Inflation Challenges”; and much more this episode… Podcast: The Winning ESG Companies Transcript & Links, Episode 93, November 4, 2022 Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 93 published on November 4, 2022, titled “The Winning ESG Companies” — and presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources. Remember that you can find a full transcript, and links to content – including stock symbols and bonus material – on this episode's podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts. Now if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them. Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, nor do I receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal to you any personal investments I have in the investments mentioned herein. Additionally, quotes about individual companies are brief so that I can get as many companies covered as possible in the time allowed. Please go to this podcast's webpage for links to the actual articles where you'll find much more great company information. ------------------------------------------------------------- 1) The Winning ESG Companies Now the content of this first article will likely interest most of you. It's titled 11 Best ESG Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Al Gore and found on yahoo.com. It's by Vardah Gill. Al Gore is a former U.S. Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and well-known for his environmental advocacy and investment management skills. He co-founded Generation Investment Management. Here's some of what Mr. Gill has to say. Incidentally, quoted dividend yields are as of October 28. “For this list, we selected stocks from Generation Investment Management's 13 F portfolio as of Q2 2022… Moreover, these companies pay dividends to shareholders. The stocks are ranked according to their stake values in the hedge fund's portfolio. 11. Microchip Technology Incorporated (NASDAQ:MCHP) Generation Investment Management's (G-I-M's) Stake Value: $76,630,000 Microchip Technology Incorporated is an Arizona-based manufacturing company that specializes in microcontrollers, mixed-signal, and other related circuits… It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.301 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.94%. 10. The Cooper Companies, Inc. (NYSE:COO) GIM's Stake Value: $394,222,000 The Cooper Companies currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.015 per share, with a dividend yield of 0.02%. 9. Carlisle Companies Incorporated (NYSE:CSL) GIM's Stake Value: $408,039,000 Carlisle Companies Incorporated is an Arizona-based manufacturing company that specializes in a wide range of products including optical fibers and defense electronics… it pays a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.24%. 8. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) GIM's Stake Value: $486,718,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific is an American supplier of scientific instruments, reagents, and other software products… It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share with a dividend yield of 0.24%. 7. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) GIM's Stake Value: $552,560,000 Intel Corporation is an American multinational semiconductor company that also specializes in cloud computing and data centers…. It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.365 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.19%. 6. Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) GIM's Stake Value: $555,224,000 Applied Materials is a California-based manufacturing company that supplies services and software for the manufacturing of semiconductor chips… The stock has a dividend yield of 1.19%. 5. Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI) GIM's Stake Value: $649,049,000 Analog Devices is an American semiconductor manufacturing company that specializes in data conversion, signal processing, and power management technology… (It has) a quarterly dividend of $0.76 per share and… a dividend yield of 2.13%. 4. Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:BDX) GIM's Stake Value: $789,414,000 Becton, Dickinson and Company is a New Jersey-based multinational medical device company… It pays a quarterly dividend of $0.87 per share, with a dividend yield of 1.49%. 3. The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) GIM's Stake Value: $800,177,000 The Charles Schwab Corporation is a Texas-based financial services company that offers investment and commercial banking services to its consumers… The stock has a dividend yield of 1.11%. 2. Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX) GIM's Stake Value: $836,163,000 Baxter International is an American multinational healthcare company that specializes in kidney diseases and other chronic conditions… It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.29 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.09%. 1. Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX) GIM's Stake Value: $850,637,000 Equifax, a Georgia-based credit bureau company… Last year… announced that it will achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040… It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.39 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.94%.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 2) The Winning ESG Companies This next article is also fascinating. You'll see in a moment. It's titled Top 12 ESG Companies in 2022 on yahoo.com. By Fahad Saleem. Here are some quotes from Mr. Saleem… “For this article we used the latest datasets of Just Capital a not-for-profit founded in 2013 by popular individuals like billionaire Paul Tudor Jones, Deepak Chopra, Rinaldo Brutoco, Arianna Huffington, Paul Scialla, Alan Fleischmann, among others. Just Capital ranks the largest US companies based on their performance related to issues concerning environment, workers, customers, communities and shareholders… We focused more on the environmental aspect of the ESG matrix of these companies… 12. Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ:EXC) Exelon Corporation is an Illinois-based utilities services company that owns nuclear, fossil, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and solar generating facilities… claims to be the largest producer of zero-carbon electricity in the U.S. 11. PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) … in January last year announced that it plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its supply chain by 2040. 10. Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) In September last year, Cisco Systems Inc announced plans to reach net-zero emissions across all scopes by 2040. 9. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) In 2019, it became the first US telecom company to issue a green bond. The offering raised about $1 billion in net proceeds. Verizon Communications has announced plans to generate renewable energy equivalent to 50% of its annual electricity consumption by 2025.  8. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) The company says it's building a digital version of our planet on which it'll apply its AI and Omniverse technologies to predict weather changes and their effects over a span of several decades. NVIDIA Corporation GPUs will also be used to power the Department of Energy's supercomputer called ‘Kestrel' which is dedicated to advanced energy solutions. 7. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) … has an ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by 2030. 6. PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PYPL) Payments giant PayPal Holdings Inc announced last year that it plans to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. 5. Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) … has set a goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. 4. Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) … announced in September 2021 that it achieved net-zero residual emissions across its full value chain and met its 100% renewable energy goal for its operations. 3. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) … plans to become carbon neutral by 2030… By 2050, Microsoft plans to remove the ‘historical emissions' it created since its founding. 2. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) Earlier this year, Intel Corporation announced plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across its global operations by 2040. 1. Alphabet Inc. Class A (NASDAQ:GOOGL) … is the top ESG company in 2022, thanks to the billions of dollars' worth of ESG-related investments and ambitious goals it has set for the betterment of the environment. In its 2022 ESG report, the parent of Google said that it issued a whopping $5.75 billion in sustainability bonds, easily surpassing all peers in the industry.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 3) The Winning ESG Companies Now to the first of our two company ranking lists. The reviewing article is titled IBD's 100 Best ESG Companies For 2022. It appears on investors.com and is by Kathleen Doler. Now some quotes from Ms. Doler. “Topping the list this year is Worthington Industries (WOR). J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) took second place. And rounding out the top three is data analytics provider Verisk Analytics (VRSK). All 100 companies on our 2022 list ranked in the top 15% of Dow Jones ESG scores and had an IBD Composite Rating of 81 or better (on a scale of 1 to 99), as of Aug. 31… Technology behemoths Texas Instruments (TXN) and Apple (AAPL) finished fourth and fifth respectively.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- 4) The Winning ESG Companies The second company ranking also has an intriguing background. It's called The Humankind 100 and this list is found on their site humankind.co. Here are some quotes from their site. “The Humankind 100 list is compiled annually by the research team at Humankind Investments, an investment manager whose mission is to invest in the manner that is best for humanity. You can learn more about the Humankind Value methodology by visiting our research or articles pages… Humankind 100 companies tend to contribute positively to humanity, for example by providing access to food, clean water, healthcare, or free digital services.” End quotes. Incidentally, though Humankind purports a unique methodology, they arrive at pretty much the same companies as most other 'best company ESG' lists. Nonetheless, they have an interesting concept that will appeal to many ethical and sustainable investors. Their top five companies are Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Pfizer Inc. (PFE), AbbVie Inc. (ABBV), and Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ). ------------------------------------------------------------- 5) The Winning ESG Companies Now back to a favorite sector with this article. It's titled Investing in green energy here are the top 5 stock picks on londonlovesbusiness.com. It's by LLB Finance Reporter. Here are some brief quotes with their picks. “With the green energy industry continually expanding, Maxim Manturov, Head of Investment Advice at Freedom Finance Europe, explores which companies are promising investment choices within the sector… (He chooses) Tesla (TSLA) Plug Power (PLUG) Enphase Energy (ENPH) Sunrun (RUN) First Solar (FSLR).” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Capital Keeps Flowing Into Green Bonds Despite Inflation Challenges Finally, we have this article titled Capital Keeps Flowing Into Green Bonds Despite Inflation Challenges by Ben Hernandez on etftrends.com. Here's some of what Mr. Hernandez says. “One option for fixed income investors looking for ESG bond exposure who also want the yield that corporate bonds can offer is the Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (VCEB). Additionally, the fund doesn't command a high premium with its low expense ratio of 0.12% and a 30-day SEC yield of 5.51%, as of October 17. (This bond fund) seeks to track the performance of the Bloomberg MSCI US Corporate SRI Select Index, which excludes bonds with maturities of one year or less and with less than $750 million outstanding, and it is screened for certain ESG criteria by the index provider, which is independent of Vanguard… The fund has a discerning screener. This adds an air of purity for VCEB's holdings, avoiding any greenwashing with a keen focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. (It's) highlights: Provides debt issues screened for certain ESG criteria. Specifically excludes bonds of companies that the index sponsor determines are involved in and/or derive threshold amounts of revenue from certain activities or business segments related to adult entertainment, alcohol, gambling, tobacco, nuclear weapons, controversial weapons, conventional weapons, civilian firearms, nuclear power, genetically modified organisms, or thermal coal, oil, or gas. Excludes bonds of companies that, as determined by the index sponsor, do not meet certain standards defined by the index sponsor's ESG controversies assessment framework, as well as firms that fail to have at least one woman on their boards.” End quotes. ------------------------------------------------------------- One Other Honorable Mention Title: Top 5 Renewable Energy Stocks For Q4 2022 on forbes.com. By Q.ai. Canadian article Title: 10 Best ESG ETFs in Canada for Ethical Investing in (2022) - on savvynewcanadians.com. By Enoch Omololu. India article Title: Best ESG Funds in India: How Are They Different from Other Mutual Funds? On indmoney.com. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ending Comment Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “The Winning ESG Companies.” Now, please be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you download or listen to this podcast. That helps bring these podcasts to others like you. And please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family. Let's promote ethical and sustainable investing as a force for hope in these deeply troubled times! Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you for listening. Talk to you next on November 18th. Bye for now. © 2022 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul

One Piece is an unstoppable juggernaut that just keeps getting bigger and bigger. After a quarter century and over 1000 installments of the manga and anime each, it's about time we spend a few hours on it. Kestrel is joined by our top One Piece fan Skyler, a sea-worn Brandon fresh off of a six-month thousand-chapter binge, and special guests Zach and Ed, founders and hosts of the One Piece Podcast itself. There's plenty of great discussion all around, and all relatively spoiler-free. Enjoy!

In this episode, we invite Vanessa Montgomery on the show to talk about astrology and creativity. Vanessa is author of Star Power, Cosmic Power, and Astro Power, as well as the resident astrologer for Glamour Magazine. Together, we explore how different houses and planets relate to creativity. We also talk about gendering (or not) the planets and "self-objectification theory.” And we discuss art of all kinds, from writing to fashion to pole dancing — as well as what it's like to be a creator after your Chiron return.For more on Vanessa: https://astroallstarz.com/For more on Jasmine, Kestrel, and Eliza: www.kosmictonic.comFor more information:Vanessa's books: https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/17739293.Vanessa_MontgomeryIf you want to explore the muse asteroids, and find out where they live in your natal chart, these are the numbers to enter into astro.com:Calliope (Asteroid 22): muse of poetry and eloquenceCleo (Asteroid 84): muse of herstoryEuterpe (Asteroid 27): muse of music Erato (Asteroid 62): muse of lyric poetry Melpomene (Asteroid 18): muse of tragedy and actingPolyhymnia (Asteroid 33): muse of hymnsTerpsichore (Asteroid 81): muse of dance Thalia (Asteroid 23): muse of comedy Urania (Asteroid 30): muse of astrology and astronomy 

In episode 280, Kestrel welcomes Nadia Bunyan, a fashion designer & the cofounder of Growing A.R.C., to the show. Growing A.R.C. is a nonprofit that creates spaces and opportunities for people to activate, reciprocate and cultivate their relationships with all beings. Through plants, material culture, and bioregional design, they are engaging in a conversation on sustainability through active participation. What started as an experiment – tossing some flax seeds into the ground in the backyard, has now led to the creation of a community-oriented nonprofit, that's using the concept of farm to closet to shift peoples' mindset on consumption; reinforcing their connection to the local environment and expanding their understanding of biodiversity to include the diversity of human perspectives, and experiences from diverse communities (because while we are trained otherwise, yes – we, humans, are also a part of nature). Nadia gives us an education on the need to try new things, to jump in without the fear of making mistakes, and to embrace those so-called *failures* along the way. As she tells us, “No expert becomes an expert without first having tried something.” With over 20 years of experience working as a fashion designer, she started growing flax – has now harvested it with other collaborators, and is working toward spinning and weaving it into linen fabric.  Such a reminder that there is so much beauty that can be found through the act of stepping outside of your comfort zone and opening yourself up to learning new things. Quotes & links from the conversation: “You can plant, you can craft, you can knit, you can do what have you. But we're around each other and in those moments, we're talking. And that's the cultivation — not just of the plant, but of community. You need to put into your community, you need to support, you need to create spaces for that to happen, and you need to give space for that to grow.” -Nadia (25:38) “So, to grow the flax, it's a period of about 80-90 days, to get it to the right maturity, so that you have fiber. And that changes, depending. You can harvest the flax at different times, depending on how fine you want the flax to be. Full germination to get seeds is 100 days. So, when you take it out at 100 days, then you have the seeds, but you're gonna have a very rough kind of fiber. We've experimented with both and left some plants in a little longer so that we would have seeds for next year, and also to see how thick that fiber is going to be.” -Nadia (36:48) “How the pandemic transformed one Montrealer's relationship to her backyard and her world”, article in CBC that features Nadia Interview with Nadia on CBC, starts at around 12 minutes into the video Follow Growing A.R.C. on Facebook > Follow Nadia on Instagram > Follow Growing A.R.C. on Instagram >

In episode 279, Kestrel welcomes Jono Salfield, the cofounder of Afends, to the show. A sustainability-focused brand based in Byron Bay, Australia, Afends recently started their own Hemp R&D facility – Sleepy Hollow Farm — delving into farming to grow their own hemp for future collections. “Sustainability is just an evolution and being more innovative and looking at alternatives and trying things, to basically improve the way that we impact. Because we're always gonna impact. And if you say that you're not impacting, then you're lying, really.” -Jono We've definitely explored HEMP on past shows. We've explored the challenges in cultivating the fiber commercially, due to legislation that prevented that for the last century or so. We've talked about the many uses of the plant – from feeding to housing to healing to clothing you.   And this week, we're talking about how to actually GROW THE PLANT for fiber production.  Our guest, Jono, is the cofounder of an Australia-based brand …. and now, you could also say, a hemp farmer. Two things I very rarely encounter TOGETHER across my work in this space.  In 2021, he and his cofounder purchased nearby farmland to build a hemp R&D facility –  Sleepy Hollow Farm. And recently, they harvested their first fiber, impressively growing enough to replace the hemp used in their current line. Throughout our chat, we get into the why, the how, the challenges and the wins they've experienced in their first foray into hemp farming. But for real – how do you go from running a brand to buying farmland, getting your hands in the dirt and figuring out how to actually grow fiber!? As Jono tells us, “we kind of jump into the deep end a lot.”  I'd say so. He shares more on why hemp is so freaking amazing (from both a farming and carbon-capture lens), the general process involved with retting and decordication, the challenges that still exist to turn the plant fiber into actual fabric, and more. Quotes & links from the conversation: “What we aim to do is show Australia, or even the rest of the world, that hemp is a fiber which can 1) be easily grown, 2) be potentially that next big fiber that can help decrease a bunch of the impacts that growing conventional cotton has.” -Jono (17:26) “For us, looking at the farming from seed to skin was something really important to us, because yeah, you can go online and you can research everything until you've seen what everyone's written. But I think there's something really important about seeing things firsthand and discovering what it entails to do it yourself.” -Jono (17:55) “The type of plant that we need to grow for textiles is fast-growing sativa plant, which we needed to get to maximum height and it needs to be super dense. The denser, the more plants in a small area, the better, because you'll be able to grow more fiber, basically. Sourcing that seed was the first major challenge.” -Jono (20:18) Retting Process = hemp gets cut down and left in the field to basically let the microbes start to help separate the fiber from the hurd Decordication = separating the hurd from the fiber // the long stalk has fiber on the outside and hurd on the inside “We're not able to make that fiber into actual textiles in Australia, there's just no facilities set up. So, we have to send it to China, to where we actually construct and make the textile material. And look, ideally, on a perfect sustainable level, everything's just done within a few kilometers of where you've grown it, so the impact's as small as possible. But, we're not there yet.” -Jono (24:55) “The other major positive behind it is that nothing goes to waste — especially when you're growing fiber — because you've got this super dense field of really tall, stick-like plants, basically. There's a little bit of leaf on top, but it's not a thick cannibis plant with heaps of leaves and buds and stuff. But everything gets used. The hurd gets used for building, and then you've got the textiles from the fiber. So, the whole plant gets used. It's quite incredible in that degree.” -Jono (29:03) Watch *Weed Need Change* Hemp Docu-Series > Afends Website > Follow Afends on Instagram >

The boys are back, in podcast form, to discuss the Summer 2022 anime season! Kestrel, Cain, Brandon, and DJ dig through their lists to separate the wheat from the chaff. (That means the good from the bad, I haven't forgotten you, non-US and under 30 listeners! - Editor Kate) Made in Abyss, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, Lycoris Recoil, Overlord IV, Prince of Tennis and so much more! Like news, and recommendations! But all eyes are on the horizon as the fall season comes in like a hurricane of anticipated anime, so stay tuned...

In episode 279, Kestrel welcomes Shubhi Sachan, a multidisciplinary designer and the the founder of Material Library of India, to the show. A research and design space, Material Library of India is the first material library in India, and is focused on remodeling the use of industrial & agricultural waste materials, by combining the knowledge and skills of traditional crafts with modern materials. "We are not talking about waste holistically. And to be able to get the best output in my experience when you're working with recycling or post-consumer for any industry (not just picking on textile industry), you have to think about system change, because the more marriages you make while making that particular product or a material, the more complex the recycling cycle is. And the more complicated the recycling cycle is, the more difficult it is to get anything out of that, at the end of life.” -Shubhi When we talk about *textile industry waste* – what comes to mind? For me, it's fabric piling up, off-cuts scattered about, rolls and rolls of fabric, and heaps of garments that were overproduced and unsold. However – as our guest Shubhi reminds us – when we talk about *textile industry waste* we can't just talk about textiles. The entire industry produces a lot more than just fabric in excess. From underwires to buttons to rivets to zippers … fashion uses materials like polymers, metal, rubber, adhesives, and of course - textiles. Basically, we are NOT talking about waste holistically. And when we are thinking about solutions, yet again – the approach thus far has predominantly been reactionary instead of preventative.  As Shubhi shares, in order to get the best output (meaning that at the end of life, there is the best potential for it to be recycled well or to go back to the earth through composting) … you have to think about systems change. Because if not, the recycling process at the end of a garment's life just gets more and more complicated and less and less productive. Quotes & links from the conversation: “Industries are producing textiles, and yes, the rejents, the off-cuts, and all those things. They, put together, make industrial textile waste. But, the moment you move into a post consumer textile waste section — post consumer textile waste section is comprised of zippers, buttons, labels, your underwires of bra, and everything that you've sandwiched together to make that fabric or a garment behave in a certain manner. It's a marriage and an amalgamation of any material and every material from polymer industry to textile industry to metal to rubber to adhesives to everything.” -Shubhi (21:11) “But once you trap anything in resin, it's not good to take care of its own self. Natural materials are capable of taking care of their own selves. But once you trap them into a manmade material or any poly resin or any synthetic matter, for that matter — maybe you're able to justify, which often is the case, that you're using less virgin material of that particular polymer, but you're trapping that particular agricultural waste in a position where it can't take care of itself and it's actually becoming another piece of plastic.” -Shubhi (38:26) Material Library Of India's Website > Follow Material Library of India on Instagram >

We are thrilled to welcome astrologer, artist, and teacher Kelsey Rose Tortorice to the podcast to discuss human design. Human design draws from several distinct traditions of knowledge, including astrology, the Qabalah, the chakra system, and the I'Ching. The result? A system that offers eerily concrete information on your natural tendencies, patterns, and the ways you can live in greater alignment with yourself. In this episode, we go over the main components of human design, including how to live by your specific “strategy” and “authority."  We talk about what happens when you subscribe to the rules, morals, and projections of other people, and the process of de-conditioning from those conventions. We also explore different patterns of shame and judgment and how to transmute them. Kelsey is also offering a discount code to Kosmic Tonic listeners: use the code “kosmictonic” to receive 20% off their course, “Fundamentals of Human Design for the Astrologically Minded."For more on Kelsey: https://www.kelseyrosetort.com/humandesignFor more on Jasmine, Kestrel, or Eliza: www.kosmictonic.com For more information on the themes covered on this episode:Human Design: The Definitive Book of Human Design, The Science of Differentiation by Ra Uru HuAmy Lee and John Cole, Human Design Collective -- https://humandesigncollective.com/Alokanand Diaz -- https://yourownauthority.com/alokanand-diaz/

Lindsay sees a hovering kestrel out the car window.

The team catches up with Byron Tardif from the App Services team to learn about App Services' migration to Kestrel+YARP (Yet Another Resource Provider)   Media file: https://azpodcast.blob.core.windows.net/episodes/Episode436.mp3 YouTube: https://youtu.be/OuPj4RAGDLQ Resources: A Heavy Lift: Bringing Kestrel + YARP to Azure App Services - .NET Blog (microsoft.com) gRPC support on App Service now in Public Preview - Azure App Service   Submit App Services ideas at Web Apps · Community (azure.com)