Adorable cat getting a scrub

Loaf

For some reason, humans really don’t like things that look like humans but aren’t quite human. Hence why a lot of people are uncomfortable with movies with animation like Monster House and The Polar Express. It looks too realistic to us and sets us off.

Scientists call this the “Uncanny Valley” effect and its thought to be an evolutionary tactic for survival.

- Report produced by the U.S Strategic Bombing Group (employed by Truman) to survey the air attacks on Japan concluded that: 

“Based on a detailed investigation of all the facts and supported by the testimony of the surviving Japanese leaders involved, it is the Survey’s opinion that certainly prior to 31 December 1945 and in all probability prior to 1 November 1945, Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated.” - page 52-56 

- Dwight Eisenhower future president and then Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces also said:

“I had been conscious of a feeling of depression and so I voiced to [the then Secretary of War] my grave misgivings, first on the basis of my belief that Japan was already defeated and that dropping the bomb was completely unnecessary, and secondly because I thought that our country should avoid shocking world opinion by the use of a weapon whose employment was, I thought, no longer mandatory as a measure to save American lives.” - page 380

- Admiral William Leahy, one of the highest ranking officials in the US army during WW2 wrote of the usage of the bombs:

“It is my opinion that the use of this barbarous weapon at Hiroshima and Nagasaki was of no material assistance in our war against Japan. […] My own feeling was that in being the first to use it, we had adopted an ethical standard common to the barbarians of the Dark Ages. I was not taught to make war in that fashion, and wars cannot be won by destroying women and children.” - page 441

- General Douglas McArthur, another high ranking US official in the war:

“[When asked about his opinion on bombing Japan] He replied that he saw no military justification for the dropping of the bomb. The war might have ended weeks earlier, he said, if the United States had agreed, as it later did anyway, to the retention of the institution of the emperor.” - page 70-71

- On September 9, 1945 Admiral William F. Halsey commander of the Third Fleet publicly quoted as saying:

“The first atomic bomb was an unnecessary experiment… . It was a mistake to ever drop it… . [the scientists] had this toy and they wanted to try it out, so they dropped it… . It killed a lot of Japs.” - online source

- The US secretary of war, Henry Stimson, speaking to President Truman:

“I was a little fearful that before we could get ready the Air Force might have Japan so thoroughly bombed out that the new weapon [the atomic bomb] would not have a fair background to show its strength.” - diary of Henry Stimson which can be found online here 

- Even those deploying the bombs questioned the decision to drop them on civilian cities:

“I thought that if we were going to drop the atomic bomb, drop it on the outskirts–say in Tokyo Bay–so that the effects would not be as devastating to the city and the people. I made this suggestion over the phone between the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and I was told to go ahead with our targets.” - online source

- Lewis Strauss Assistant to the Navy Secretary James Forrestal on the locations of the bombings:

“I remember suggesting […] a large forest of cryptomeria trees not far from Tokyo. The cryptomeria tree is the Japanese version of our redwood… I anticipated that a bomb detonated at a suitable height above such a forest… would lay the trees out in windrows from the center of the explosion in all directions as though they were matchsticks, and, of course, set them afire in the center. […] Secretary Forrestal agreed wholeheartedly with the recommendation.” - page 145

So to recap: 

A lot of American generals were against using the bomb as they felt it served an empty purpose.

Those who agreed with its usage completely disagreed with dropping them on cities.

Truman went ahead and had them detonated in two highly populated civilian cities anyway. Two cities that had remained mostly untouched by regular bombings throughout the war precisely bc of their lack of value to the Japanese war effort.  

I mean, she gives advice to Iroh about his relationship with Zuko, despite never having met zuko and despite Iroh being one of the wisest characters in the series who usually gives advice to others.

She cares deeply about her parents, despite knowing that they don’t understand her, and tries to live up to what they want from her and doesn’t want to worry them. WIth the money she was making in the earth rumble, she actually could have left on her own, but she obviously loves them and even after she runs away, she worries about causing them pain.

She was gutted when she couldn’t save Appa, and Aang accuses her of not caring but that’s clearly not true at all. She holds herself accountable for not being able to save everyone and spent most of that episode blaming herself for him getting taken.

She makes an effort to enjoy the spa day with Katara even though it wasn’t what she wanted to do because Katara is her friend and that was what Katara wanted to do.

She takes a “tough love” approach to teaching Aang earthbending but also tries to build up his confidence and is super excited for him when he finally gets it.

Her face when Iroh is hurt

and Jet

The way that she quickly forms emotional bonds with every single member of the gaang and gives them ridiculous affectionate nicknames.

“Do you really think friendships can last more than one lifetime?”

The way that she is the first one to believe in Zuko’s sincerity and defends him multiple times to the gaang even though he burned her because she knows it was an accident.

The way that she comforts Zuko and reassures him that Iroh still cares about him.

The way that she does rely on Katara as a motherly figure but also reassures Katara that she can still be a kid, too.

The way that she clings to Sokka, the guy who wants to be needed and feels like he needs to be the protector of this group of kids, but also has playful banter with him and can rival him for sarcasm.

The way that she gave up her comfortable life to join a fight that she wasn’t even involved in because other people needed her.

1. if your area is under mandatory evacuation, you NEED to leave. there will no no emergency services when the storm hits, this includes 911. there are no hospitals, you will be on your own. if you are under mandatory evacuation and choose to stay, write your full name and social security # on your arm so that you can be identified if you are found unresponsive.

2. fill the tubs/sinks with water, the power will be out for 2-3 days at least. fill bowls and cover them so they don’t get dust or debris in them.

3. don’t go to the attic. floods are scary, and your first instinct may be to get to higher ground once water enters your home. if you have a second floor, go there. if not, get to the ROOF. DO NOT TAKE SHELTER IN YOUR ATTIC!! the water may rise and trap you in there. always be in a place where you can escape if the water gets too high.

4. buy spray paint. this saved lots of lives in nola. if you get to the roof, you can write a message so that rescue crews can see. keep it simple, ex: “4 survivors. 1 elderly diabetic. 1 child.” if/when you escape your home, cross your message out and/or write “rescued” so that emergency crews know you don’t need help anymore. (if you have enough paint try to include your last name)

5. don’t go in the water, please. you don’t know what’s in there, you don’t know how deep it is. turn around, don’t drown. under NO circumstances should you drive a vehicle through flood waters.

6. mail important documents to relatives and take pictures of everything, and make insurance claims early. take EVERYTHING off the floor and put it on a table.

7. charge your phones, and buy an old fashioned radio and program it to the weather center.