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Discover where cottonmouth snakes live, how to identify them, and whether they are venomous and aggressive. Cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus), also called water moccasins, are venomous snakes(opens in new tab) found in the southeastern United States. They're called cottonmouths because of the white coloration on the inside of their mouths, which they display when threatened. Cottonmouths are semiaquatic, so they're comfortable both swimming in water (hence their other common name of water moccasin) and basking on land. They are the only venomous snake in the U.S. that spends a lot of time in the water, Live Science previously reported(opens in new tab). Other local names for cottonmouths include black moccasins, gapers, mangrove rattlers, snap jaws, stub-tail snakes, swamp lions, trap jaws, water mambas and water pilots. Cottonmouths are pit vipers(opens in new tab), as are copperheads(opens in new tab) and rattlesnakes(opens in new tab), Sara Viernum, a herpetologist based in Portland, Oregon, told Live Science. "Like all pit vipers, [cottonmouths] have heat-sensing facial pits between their eyes and nostrils," Viernum said. These specialized pits are able to detect minute differences in temperature so that the snake can accurately strike the source of heat, which is often potential prey. Cottonmouths rarely bite humans, and usually only do so when provoked. Sara Viernum Herpetologist Sara Viernum is a senior wildlife biologist, and for the last several years has provided professional consulting services to the power transmission and distribution, renewable energy, transportation, mining, and oil and gas sectors. Viernum is a certified wildlife biologist with The Wildlife Society. Viernum has a master’s in biology and herpetology from Jacksonville State University, and a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology from Murray State University. Cottonmouths are relatively large, ranging from 2 to 4 feet long (61 to 122 centimeters), according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory(opens in new tab). They have thick, muscular bodies covered in ridged scales and blocky heads with large jowls. Their pupils are vertical, similar to cat pupils, and they have dark stripes next to each nostril. Their coloration varies from dark brown or black to olive, banded brown or yellow. Cottonmouths are often confused with nonvenomous water snake(opens in new tab) species from the genus Nerodia. Cottonmouths and Nerodia species have similar coloring and patterns and are all usually found near water. Even though water snakes are nonvenomous, they can still bite and are often killed by humans out of fear that they are cottonmouths. There are a few ways you can tell a nonvenomous water snake from a venomous water moccasin, or cottonmouth, according to the University of Florida(opens in new tab). Water snakes are slender compared with cottonmouths, which are thicker and heavier. Water snakes also have longer, thinner tails, and their heads are a similar width to their necks, whereas a cottonmouth's head is thick, blocky and noticeably wider than the snake's neck. Water snake pupils are round, not vertical and cat-like like the pupils of cottonmouths. Water snakes also lack the facial pits that are characteristic of pit vipers, such as cottonmouths. When threatened, nonvenomous water snakes, such as northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) and southern water snakes (Nerodia fasciata), often try to appear bigger than they are by flattening their bodies and heads. This flattening makes them look more like cottonmouths. A water snake's flattened head will look more triangular in shape, but not blocky and thick, like a cottonmouth's head. A water snake's head will also still be a similar width to the neck, even when flattened. Trying to kill a snake greatly increases the risk of being bitten by one, according to the University of Florida. Juvenile cottonmouths have more distinctive bands across their bodies and are lighter brown compared with adult cottonmouths. Juveniles also have bright-yellow tail tips that they use as lure to attract prey. "They undulate the tail tip slowly back and forth to lure prey, such as frogs(opens in new tab), within striking distance," Viernum said. The striking patterns present on the juveniles fades with age. Cottonmouths range from southeastern Virginia to Florida, west to central Texas and north to southern Illinois and Indiana, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature(opens in new tab). They primarily live in aquatic and wetland habitats, including swamps, marshes, drainage ditches, ponds, lakes and streams. Cottonmouths can be seen year-round during the day and at night, but they primarily hunt after dark, especially in the summer, according to the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. They can be found basking in the sun during the day on rocks, logs and stumps, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources(opens in new tab). There are three subspecies of cottonmouth recognized by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS)(opens in new tab). These are Florida cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus conanti), found throughout Florida; western cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus leucostoma), found in Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas; and eastern cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus piscivorus), found in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Identifying the different subspecies is difficult. Their markings vary considerably, and the subspecies can interbreed where their ranges overlap. link: https://www.livescience.com/43597-facts-about-water-moccasin-cottonmouth-snakes.html

We've driven the new-generation Colorado mid-size pickup, but here's how we'd order them using Chevy's online configurator. The Chevy Colorado has been around for 20 years, yet it's only just entered its third generation. It was a much-needed replacement to the S-10 back in 2003. The Colorado continues as the smallest Chevy pickup available, but today it faces some strong competition from mid-size rivals such as the Honda Ridgeline and Jeep Gladiator. The Colorado is offered as a four-door cab with a five-foot-two-inch box no matter how far over its $30,695 starting price you dare to climb. The new Chevy replaced the outgoing 308-hp V-6 and Duramax Diesel powertrain options with a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four bolted to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The five trims offered vary from work truck to rock-crawling plaything. We've driven four of them (in a few months Chevy will give us the keys to the ZR2 released later this year). So naturally, we spent our lunch break poring over the online configurator for the new Colorado, doing a little window shopping before we had to clock back in. Here's how some of our staff would spec the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado. For my 2023 Colorado, I'm envisioning a basic starting point for a truck that will be built into a monster—namely, a prerunner. With the new Colorado's sharper approach and departure angles and punchy turbo power, it'll make a great candidate for off-roading of the Mint 400 variety, even in two-wheel-drive form. So I'm starting with a two-wheel-drive WT and adding the upgraded engine with 310 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque ($1050). Hell, give me the front center console ($135) so I'll have somewhere to rest my right elbow during blasts across the Warp Zone lake bed. And I'll grab the automatic locking differential ($325)—or, as I call it, "poor man's four-wheel-drive." My only frivolous spend, if you can call it that, is for Glacier Blue Metallic paint ($395), because the other WT colors are boring. That puts me at $32,600 all in, leaving me plenty of imaginary budget for long-travel suspension, fiberglass bodywork, and bed-mounted spares. —Ezra Dyer Drew Dorian's $33,110 Rear-Wheel-Drive Colorado WT Ezra's right. There's something charming about the base Work Truck trim. Sure, the Colorado is offered in higher-end trims that are more focused on off-roading too, but the WT has a lovable blue-collar, straight-from-the-fleet appearance. I particularly like it in Sand Dune Metallic which, combined with the 17-inch steel wheels, gives it a handsome look. I'd stick with rear-wheel drive because, honestly, I'm putting this thing to work, not taking it to the trails, so why bother? The 237-hp version of the turbo four is fine too. Where I would spend some money, though, is on several option packages, because believe it or not Chevy will let you add some very non-WT options to the WT. First, I'd start with the WT Convenience and WT Convenience II packages ($415 and $545, respectively), the first of which adds a remote locking tailgate, a manual sliding rear window, and a rear window defogger. The second one adds an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat with lumbar and a tailgate with an integrated storage cubby. I'd then add the Safety package ($505), which includes heated and power-adjustable exterior mirrors with black-painted caps, rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert with automated emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. Finally, the Technology package ($950) adds adaptive cruise control, rear pedestrian alert, and a 360-degree exterior camera system. Considering the Colorado comes standard with that big 11.3-inch touchscreen and a digital gauge display, you're getting a very not-basic base truck here, and the total is just $33,110. Jumping up to one of the Colorado's more expensive trims puts it in Silverado 1500 price territory, so if you're smart you'll stick with the WT too. —Drew Dorian link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42958778/2023-chevrolet-colorado-build-spec-price/

Over the-top ceramics have been flying off the shelves since the hit TV series aired, boosting artisan trade Fans of The White Lotus will be familiar with the classic Sicilian vases known as testa di moro that adorn the fictional luxury hotel in the second season of the TV drama. The handpainted faces hark back to the legend of a Moorish man who fell in love with a local woman, only to have his head cut off when she discovered he had a wife back home. The director uses these ornaments as a powerful visual motif to remind viewers to be wary of the guests and their actions. But their appearance in the hit show has also prompted a surge of interest in Italian maximalism and ceramics. The British-based online seller Bettina Ceramica, which specialises in handmade traditional Italian ceramics, has been inundated with messages. Meanwhile the online retailer Etsy reports an increase of more than 20% in searches for testa di moro and Italian-inspired pieces compared with a year ago – a trend it expects to continue growing. While maximalism – and Italy in general – are already having a pop culture moment, evident in fashion, television and interiors, The White Lotus has only helped to drive the trend. “Over-the-top seems to be the rule of the day,” said Carl J Dellatore, the New York writer, textile designer and author of More Is More Is More. “And Italian maximalism, specifically the Memphis movement, is playing a part.” The Sicilian interiors of The White Lotus provided “endless inspiration”, he said. “I expect them to influence contemporary interiors.” Since the Memphis group, the 80s Italian design and architecture collective founded by Ettore Sottsass, there have been many versions of Italian maximalism. Its latest evolution was defined by audacious colour and colour combinations, a vibrant mix of patterns and juxtaposed silhouettes, he said. “The new rule? Take chances – break the rules.” The trend is in keeping with a wider move, particularly among Gen Z, away from big mass-produced brands towards limited-run, exclusive, sustainably made products. Natalie Sytner, founder of Bettina Ceramica, said the small-batch nature of Italian ceramics was central to its appeal, with demand fuelled by social media. “When I was a student and it was just 100% Ikea, you didn’t think about doing anything different,” she said. “And now, in all age groups really, everybody is keen for something new, different, interesting, sustainable, with a story, handmade and handpainted.” Some of the pieces she sells – which include acquasantiera, or holy water vessels, figurine candlesticks, Santa Croce ornaments and Gigli jugs and bowls – have been made for hundreds of years. Increasingly, people are taking a mixed media approach to decorating their walls – combining ceramic wallhangings with paintings and other artwork. It’s helping to revive a trade that until recently was almost dormant, she said. “Lots of my artisans and makers had stopped making a lot of the designs I’ve recommissioned them to make, and we’ve redesigned them together. So a lot of people are loving that – the resurgence of a style which maybe wouldn’t be here otherwise.” Among artists and artisans outside Venice and Florence, there was “excitement brewing and bubbling”, she added. “I think they all realise that, hopefully, it can be a bustling trade again.” Cristina Onori, production designer on the second season of The White Lotus, said her original aim was to bring life into the hotel using symbols of Sicily’s heritage and transporting them into the modern world. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/19/escapist-flamboyant-fun-white-lotus-inspires-maximalist-look

French President Emmanuel Macron has said he does not want to see Russia crushed by a defeat in Ukraine. Speaking to French media, Mr Macron urged Western nations to increase military support for Kyiv and said he was prepared for a protracted war. "I want Russia to be defeated in Ukraine, and I want Ukraine to be able to defend its position," he said. But he hit out against those who he said wanted to extend the war to Russia itself in a bid to "crush" the nation. The comments came as world leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference, which saw promises to speed up the supply of weapons to Kyiv and impose tougher sanctions on Moscow. "I do not think, as some people do, that we must aim for a total defeat of Russia, attacking Russia on its own soil," Mr Macron told the paper Le Journal du Dimanche. "Those observers want to, above all else, crush Russia. That has never been the position of France and it will never be our position." Addressing the conference in Munich on Friday, Mr Macron insisted that now was not the time for dialogue with Moscow. But he did not shy away from mentioning peace talks as a final goal. The president suggested that Ukrainian military efforts, supported by allies, were the only way to "bring Russia back to the table and build a lasting peace". He also dismissed the prospect of regime change in Russia, describing similar efforts around the world as a "total failure". Despite Mr Macron's comments, negotiations are a faraway prospect for Ukraine's leaders. On Friday, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed the decision to not invite Moscow to the Munich conference. Russian leaders should not be invited to the table as long as the "terrorist state kills, as long as it uses bombs, missiles and tanks as an argument for international politics", he said. President Volodymyr Zelensky has ruled out immediate talks with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, insisting there was "no trust" between the parties. In an interview with the BBC earlier this week, he also dismissed the idea of giving up territory to strike a peace deal with Moscow. Mr Macron has previously been criticised by some Nato allies for sending what they believe are mixed messages on Ukraine. Last June, he was condemned by Mr Kuleba for saying it was vital that Russia was not "humiliated over its invasion". Mr Kuleba at the time responded that Russia - which was "humiliating itself" - needed to be put in its place. link:https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-64693691

People in Ouarzazate reported being stranded after heavy snowfall. Rabat - Morocco launched urgent aid operations in the province of Ouarzazate after heavy snowfall left people and travelers stranded. The Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity launched its operations on Saturday evening after instructions from King Mohammed VI, Morocco's news agency MAP reported. The aid will benefit 9,000 families from 75 douars (small villages), said head of communications at the foundation Sanaa Drdich. The beneficiaries will receive medical attention, as well as companionship to help them with their needs. The first aid shipment, which reached Ouarzazate on Saturday, contained food supplies and blankets for the residents, as well as medical supplies. Morocco's King Mohammed VI issued instructions to launch urgent aid operations to benefit residents affected from the cold weather and heavy snowfalls. Aircraft from the Royal Armed Forces were also mobilized for the operation. The snowfall in Ouarzazate caused road blockages, leaving travelers stranded in the area and supplies unable to reach residents. The extreme weather conditions also affected residents with inadequate heating, leaving them to suffer in the extremely taxing circumstances. In January, the King had ordered a solidarity campaign for other po[CENSORED]tions exposed to extremely low temperatures, including in the provinces of Midelt, Khenifra, Azilal, and Al Haouz. Extreme drops in temperature have always caused hardships for disadvantaged and remote communities in Morocco, as the extreme conditions cause a lack of supplies and health issues. In 2019, Minister of Transport and Logistics Abdelkader Amara said that more than 700,000 Moroccans suffered from adverse effects due to cold snaps every year. Despite efforts from the government to alleviate some of the negative effects, activists have maintained that those measures remain inadequate, and have called for “shared responsibility” to help the affected po[CENSORED]tions. link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/02/354111/morocco-launches-aid-operations-for-people-affected-by-heavy-snowfall

Nick Movie: KANDAHAR Time: May 26, 2023 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: - Trailer:

Live Performance Title: Nesa Band & Nikola Ajdinovic 🔥2022🔥 Signer Name: Nikola Ajdinovic Live Performance Location: - Official YouTube Link: Your Opinion About the Track (Music Video): 10/7

Music Title: Music Mix 2023 🎧 Remixes of Po[CENSORED]r Songs 🎧 EDM Bass Boosted Music Mix Signer: - Release Date: 19/02/2023 Official Youtube Link: Informations About The Signer: - Your Opinion About The Track (Music Video): 10/10

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Nick : @BirSaNN Old grade : Founder New grade : Daddy-BoSS Reason : By @Like a BOSS

Nick: SHEENY Old grade : PLAYER New grade : CO-OWNER Reason : By @Like a BOSS

There are real splits in Plaid Cymru following allegations of a toxic culture within the party, one of its MPs has claimed. Hywel Williams praised leader Adam Price but said a party had to be led by a team rather than one person. "Running a party that succeeds and that reaches its goal requires discipline - individually and as a party in general," said Arfon MP Mr Williams. Plaid Cymru said said it was focused on "building" the party. Mr Williams, who is standing down at the next election, told BBC Radio Cymru's Bore Sul the disagreements were a distraction from party's main aim, which is independence for Wales. Politician told off for 'mad as box of frogs' jibe Plaid Cymru ask HR firm to investigate misconduct "It saddens me, I must say, to see that there has been some arguing recently," he said. Plaid Cymru formed a working group in December to set out the party's values, and after its chief executive Carl Harris left his job after less than a year and a half. "I think that the divisions that have appeared - and they are real divisions - there are people with conviction on both sides." Mr Williams said the party needed to look at its structures constantly and that it would launch a new political strategy within weeks. "There are real things to discuss, and the topics that have caused a rift, to a degree in recent times, they're not minor things," he said. Plaid Cymru said its "new political strategy" was nearing completion. A party spokesperson said: "Plaid Cymru is entirely focused on the future and on building our party to the best of our ability". "Already we have shown we can deliver from outside government through the co-operation agreement," they added. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-64617003

Elephants are known for their extraordinary memories, but is it true that they never forget? They say "an elephant never forgets." But how much truth is there to that expression? How good is an elephant's memory? Though it's not strictly accurate to say an elephant never forgets, the pachyderms did evolve to remember details that are key to their survival. For example, elder African elephants (Loxodonta africana) can recall the unique sounds and smells of predators (even discriminating between different groups of people, depending on their odor and clothing color(opens in new tab)), retrace their steps to find water holes in the arid savanna, and distinguish family members and associates from hundreds of other elephants. "Being able to seek out sufficient food and water in a highly dynamic environment such as the savanna, while also managing complex social relationships and avoiding predation risk, requires a brain capable of processing and remembering detailed information," Graeme Shannon(opens in new tab), a lecturer in zoology at Bangor University in the U.K., told Live Science in an email. "This is a critical skill that can mean the difference between life and death." Elephants are not the only animals that forage for food in the savanna, but the unique challenges these pachyderms face demand exquisite memories. For instance, each elephant needs to eat about 330 pounds(opens in new tab) (150 kilograms) of vegetation each day, and to satisfy their voracious appetites, elephants embark on long migration routes between the wet and dry seasons. Whether they survive that migration depends heavily on their knowledge of the route. "An elephant's memory facilitates remembering long migration routes that include tree and water resources, which are important in order to make it through a very long migration," Caitlin O'Connell(opens in new tab), a faculty member at Harvard Medical School who studies elephant hearing, told Live Science in an email. Related: Do elephant tusks or rhino horns ever grow back? Memory becomes particularly important during a drought. A 2008 study in the journal Biology Letters(opens in new tab) observed that elephant herds with older matriarchs, who had lived through prior droughts, successfully led their herds to water — presumably by remembering how the herd had survived the prior drought. One herd, however, was led by a young matriarch that could not have remembered how the previous generation had handled the last drought. Her herd stayed put rather than traveling through new terrain to find water, and its calves suffered a 63% mortality rate that year. The normal fatality rate during a drought is only 2%. "Hence the importance of older matriarchs as important repositories of knowledge," said O'Connell, who was not involved in the study. "And hence why long-term memory can lead directly to survival." Elephants also need their memories to navigate what biologists call a "fission-fusion" dynamic. In this arrangement, also common among primates and some whale species, a core family unit of elephants comes into contact with hundreds of other elephants over the course of the year (fusion), only to later break off into the same core group (fission). "Operating in a highly complex social world takes considerable brain power," Shannon said. "It is crucial that elephants have detailed knowledge on familiar families and close associates, as well as being able to identify strangers and being more cautious when interacting with these unknown individuals," who might act aggressively and pose a threat to the family unit. Unknown elephants are not the only threats these pachyderms need to keep in mind to survive. Shannon was a co-author of a 2011 study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences(opens in new tab) that demonstrated that younger elephants underreact to recorded sounds of roaring male lions, whereas older elephants (who would remember prior lion attacks) assume defensive positions in response to the roars. In another study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences(opens in new tab) in 2014, Shannon and colleagues demonstrated that elephants can also identify the voices of humans who pose a threat. They found that elephants are more likely to take precautions when they hear the recorded voices of semi-nomadic Maasai people, who periodically kill elephants, than the voices of other Kenyan ethnicities. The elephants were also more likely to defend themselves when they heard the recorded voices of Maasai men, as opposed to recordings of Maasai women and children. "The incredible memories and cognitive abilities of elephants has even enabled them to use human language to determine the threat posed by different groups of humans," he said. Elephants' unique brain structures may be what allows them to pull off these impressive feats of memory and cognition. A series of studies(opens in new tab) conducted by Bob Jacobs(opens in new tab), a professor of psychology who specializes in neuroscience at Colorado College, has demonstrated that elephants' cortical neurons are radically different from those of other intelligent species. Jacobs thinks that the unique characteristics of these neurons suggest that elephants carefully mull over their memories. "In terms of cognition," he wrote in The Conversation(opens in new tab), "my colleagues and I believe that the integrative cortical circuitry in the elephant supports the idea that they are essentially contemplative animals." Related: Why can't we remember our dreams? Elephants also have the largest absolute brain size(opens in new tab) among land mammals, and the largest temporal lobe relative to body size; the temporal lobe is the part of the brain responsible for processing sounds and encoding memory. The fact that elephants rely so heavily on their memory makes conservation efforts all the more necessary. When poachers target the largest elephants with the biggest tusks, they are usually placing the oldest elephants in their sights — repositories of the herd's collective memory — and those losses mean that younger elephants are left in charge of a herd that they do not have the experience to lead to safety during the dry season. Likewise, if elephant survival hinges on elders remembering migration routes, development that changes the landscape and cuts off crucial paths could have devastating consequences for entire herds. "Their habitat is threatened by human development blocking important migration routes, leaving them confined to marginal lands that often don't have important resources needed to survive long dry seasons," O'Connell said. "An obvious implication is the importance of preserving critical migration routes." link: https://www.livescience.com/do-elephants-have-good-memories

The final "Last Call" Dodge Challenger or Charger will be revealed on March 20, so we speculate about what it could be. Dodge will reveal its final "Last Call" special edition in Las Vegas on March 20. In anticipation, we speculate about what it could be: How about something with 1000 hp? For those who forget, the "Last Call" editions are send-offs to the outgoing gas-burning Charger and Challenger. It's no secret that Dodge has one final "Last Call" car on the way—the company has been teasing it ever since the seven-part series started with the Shakedown Challenger last August. Well, strap in, because Dodge will finally reveal the eagerly anticipated machine in Las Vegas on March 20. Hellephant? Hella Yes! Since twiddling our thumbs is boring, we decided to dust off our usually dormant thinking caps to brainstorm what to possibly expect from the final "Last Call" car. Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely. Projecting what goodies the last "Last Call" Dodge has in store, we see one of two eventualities playing out. One we think (and hope) could happen is a Charger or Challenger packing the 1000-horsepower leviathan that is the Hellephant crate engine. Of course, achieving the reliability standards needed for a production product, even for a limited-run product, may be proving difficult. Flex Fuel in Its Future? The other potential powertrain involves E85 flex fuel and upwards of 909 horsepower. Road & Track has been speculating since July that Dodge is planning to give a Challenger a V-8 with that much horsepower by using E85. It could also better explain why Dodge has had to delay the car for so long. It was originally supposed to show the final "Last Call" model in October at SEMA 2022. Dodge ultimately scrapped that plan after seven engines exploded during durability testing. "So far, we've grenaded seven engines," Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis told reporters, as quoted by R&T, during a background event leading up to SEMA. The Dodge Charger King Daytona and Black Ghost Challenger "Last Call" models both feature a boost in performance. Each ups the power to a Jailbreak-matching 807 horsepower. The pairing is based on the widebody Charger and Challenger's 797-hp Hellcat Redeye models, with an additional 10 ponies added to the mix. The other four of the previously announced special editions are essentially just visual packages being sold in limited quantities, but Dodge promises the last will be something special. link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a42862482/dodge-charger-challenger-last-call-edition-hellcat-1000-hp/

We haven’t had sex for three years, during which time an affair reignited my love of kink. Now my partner wants to reconnect but I find myself recoiling from her ] I have been with my partner for seven years and we have not had sex for the last three. For a long time this was due to her mental health and a period of intense stress and trauma. During this time I flirted with other people and rediscovered my love of kink, a love my partner does not share. This also led to an affair that resulted in the best sex of my life. My partner now wants the relationship to work and to re-engage sexually but, much as I love her, I find myself recoiling from her efforts. I also feel tremendous guilt that my desire for a more kink-based sex life might destroy a seven-year relationship. It sounds as though you are on your way out of this relationship. You have difficult decisions to make. If you choose to stay, you will either have to give up your outside activities or continue them in secret. Whatever you choose, there will be a price to pay. First, you must try to find out if it would even be possible for you to re-engage with your partner, although your use of the word “recoiling” suggests that is unlikely. It sounds as though you have been hiding an important part of your sexual self for some time in this relationship. If we are not fully ourselves with a partner, the pressure of shutting off an “unacceptable” part can become too great and end the relationship. Provided your specific “kink” interest is a consensual one, try to be accepting of it yourself, and recognise that you deserve to be fully accepted by others. Pamela Stephenson Connolly is a US-based psychotherapist who specialises in treating sexual disorders. If you would like advice from Pamela on sexual matters, send us a brief description of your concerns to private.lives@theguardian.com (please don’t send attachments). Each week, Pamela chooses one problem to answer, which will be published online. She regrets that she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions. Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure discussion remains on topics raised by the writer. Please be aware there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site. … we have a small favour to ask. Tens of millions have placed their trust in the Guardian’s fearless journalism since we started publishing 200 years ago, turning to us in moments of crisis, uncertainty, solidarity and hope. More than 1.5 million supporters, from 180 countries, now power us financially – keeping us open to all, and fiercely independent. Will you make a difference and support us too? Unlike many others, the Guardian has no shareholders and no billionaire owner. Just the determination and passion to deliver high-impact global reporting, always free from commercial or political influence. Reporting like this is vital for democracy, for fairness and to demand better from the powerful. And we provide all this for free, for everyone to read. We do this because we believe in information equality. Greater numbers of people can keep track of the global events shaping our world, understand their impact on people and communities, and become inspired to take meaningful action. Millions can benefit from open access to quality, truthful news, regardless of their ability to pay for it. Whether you give a little or a lot, your funding will power our reporting for the years to come. link: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/14/i-feel-guilty-for-wanting-a-more-kinky-sex-life-than-my-partner-can-offer

Russia's Wagner mercenary group has reportedly recruited tens of thousands of prisoners to fight in Ukraine. But the growing number of casualties and extrajudicial executions make it much harder to find volunteers, even in prisons. Many convicts are now worried that they can be simply forced to go to war - and migrant workers from Central Asian countries find themselves particularly vulnerable. Anuar came to Russia in search of work in 2018. He was later imprisoned for drug trafficking and sent to serve his term at Penal Colony Number Six in Vladimir region. The BBC is not disclosing his real name and citizenship for safety reasons. At the end of January, he told his father that a group of Central Asians had been sent to fight in Ukraine without their consent. "There are lots of Uzbeks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz there in that prison. Now they are planning to send another group and my son is worried that they will force him to go too," Anuar's father told the BBC. The BBC has seen court documents and Anuar's letters which confirm he is indeed serving his sentence in that prison. And his story about the group that was forced to go to Ukraine in January is also corroborated by Olga Romanova, director of the civil rights organisation Russia Behind Bars. Parents of those prisoners approached her for help. "They were not given a choice. They were told to sign the contract and were sent to the front line like a bag of potatoes," Ms Romanova said. Initially, the parents were willing to go to court so that their children wouldn't end up in Ukraine, she says. But then they refused to, out of fear of the punishment their children could face if they stayed in prison. Penal Colony Number Six is notorious for its ill-treatment and frequent beatings of convicts. Olga Romanova described it as "a torture prison". It's where Alexei Navalny, the prominent Russian opposition figure, is being held. The colony's administration has not replied to the BBC's request to respond to the allegations that they forced prisoners to sign military contracts. Recruitment in prisons appears to have been very successful, but things are changing as the Wagner group is suffering heavy losses on the battlefield. BBC Uzbek has spoken to Farukh (not his real name), a citizen of Uzbekistan who is in prison in Russia's Rostov region. Several of his fellow inmates joined Wagner. First it was voluntary, Farukh said, but now he's worried that prisoners may be forced to go to war. "In the beginning, I also considered going because everyone thought that Russia was more powerful, that Russia would win - maybe in one month, three months or in one year. But now we see how many people are dying there and if they are short of soldiers - it's not good. If they tell me to go and I refuse, then they can declare that I am against Russia." Central Asian citizens are recruited to fight for Russia in other ways too, not just in prisons. Overall, there are about 10.5 million migrants from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan working in Russia, according to the latest statistics from the Russian Interior Ministry. And that's a massive resource for military headhunters to tap. Russian authorities openly sign up people to join the armed forces at the migration centre in Moscow. There are even ads in Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Tajik languages offering citizens of these countries a fast track to obtain a Russian passport if they join the armed forces. But activists say that it's not always voluntary. Migrant rights defender Valentina Chupik told the BBC that police officers sometimes stopped Central Asian migrants on the street and intimidated them into signing a military contract. They were told that otherwise they would get deported, Ms Chupik said. Many labour migrants lack proper work permits, live at a place other than where they're registered, or violate other migration rules. And that's why they can be an easy target for recruiters. Aziz, not his real name, who has dual Russian and Tajik citizenship, told the BBC he was detained during a police raid at the construction site where he works. He was told he'd be taken to a police station to check his ID but instead, he ended up at a military enlistment office. When he started shouting at police officers demanding why they had lied to him, they twisted his arms and threw him back into the bus. Eventually they released him. But many migrants in Russia are too afraid of law enforcement officers to object to being signed up for the war. link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64582985

Amid a sea of hearts and roses, Moroccans celebrate love for friends and family, especially mothers. In the days leading up to Feb. 14, hearts and roses began to adorn Rabat’s shopping hubs. One may expect that Morocco, with its conservative culture, may not celebrate Valentine’s Day or only see it as a commercial opportunity, but many are celebrating the day of love in their own way — with a focus on friends and family, especially mothers. Love is in the air Despite its origins as a Christian holiday named after Saint Valentine, the annual celebration has mostly lost its religious associations and expanded beyond just love in a romantic sense. In America, for example, family and friends send each other cards and gifts, spending a total of $23.9 billion last year. Rabat’s businesses are gearing up, too. Around the mall Arribat Center, clothing stores put up signs for discounts, and cosmetic stores displayed packages wrapped with red bows. A snack stand encourages customers to “show your love with sweet gifts.” For children, too, toy shops displayed shelves of teddy bears hugging little hearts. Left: a wall in Tendy’s covered with sticky notes saying “I love you” in different languages. Right: Valentine’s Day advertisements. Tendy’s cafe, perhaps most thoughtfully, decorated a wall with handwritten sticky notes that say “I love you” in different world languages, including Standard Amazigh and Riffian, a language spoken in northern Morocco. In the Fleur d’Agdal florist shop, the workers showed Morocco World News their behind-the-scenes preparations. Hundreds if not thousands of red rose buds sit in bins, not yet blooming but timed to reach their most beautiful on Valentine’s Day. They will soon be arranged in heart-shaped pots and gift-wrapped with heart-print papers that proclaim “I love you” in artistic fonts. The Pralinor Artisan Chocolatier is also going all out, with roses on its window and arch, framing a table filled with love-themed products ranging from a heart-shaped stuffed chocolate shell to elaborate arrangements in heart-shaped velvet boxes with ribbon bows. In recent years, florists and chocolatiers have seen significant increases in sales, they told MWN. Outside of the commercial hub of Rabat, small businesses are also offering Moroccans the chance to buy a perfect gift to a loved one. Personal bakery Delices Dghoghi, for example, offers customized cakes for Valentine’s Day. To the moon and back Commercialization may appear superficial, but love runs much deeper. A husband, holding hands with his wife, told MWN that they celebrate Valentine’s Day every year, sometimes going out and sometimes at home. “Love is important because it’s the essential thing in life,” he said. An overt celebration of love is not always accepted, however, especially for unmarried couples. While some object to the commercialization of love, others protest on religious grounds, evident in the backlash that confectionary brand Merendina faced for its love-themed packaging last year, with some Moroccans calling it “Hchuma [shameful]” while others responded by declaring “love is not a crime.” For some youth around Rabat, however, Valentine’s Day is not about romantic love but rather about family, friends, and other people they cherish in life, they told MWN. “It's actually similar to Mother's Day,” 23-year-old Fadel Mahade said. “When you ask Moroccans if they celebrate Mother’s Day, they may think ‘why should I celebrate my mother on one specific day when I celebrate my mother throughout the year?’ Why should we choose one specific day to celebrate love when we can celebrate throughout the year and as long as we live?” A chocolatier preparing for Valentine’s Day. Salah Eddine Kadimi, who taught English at an education institute in Rabat, told MWN that he used to hold writing competitions for students on Valentine’s Day: “The surprise was that the majority — around 85% or more — wrote about their moms. They tell us it's a cycle of love.” Kadimi pointed to the Atlas Lions’ touching celebrations with their mothers and King Mohammed VI’s royal invitation to their mothers for a reception. Although many of the players were raised in a different environment and culture, their love is “100% a manifestation of a typical Moroccan family,” Kadimi explained. “We’re shifting in generation but some of our basic rituals and principles are still there because they are highly appreciated,” Kadimi said, recalling that “it’s always one of the highest priorities in Islam to give it all to your mother and father.” link: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/02/354027/valentines-day-in-morocco-cherishes-love-beyond-romance

Nick Movie: SUPERCELL Time: Aug 23, 2021 Netflix / Amazon / HBO?: ? Duration of the movie: = Trailer: