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Okay I get the appeal of the uranium glassware, but why the arsenic book covers?
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I assume the idea is to be like the seatbelt beeps: they prevent the unwanted behavior by being too annoying to ignore for more than a few seconds.
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Ah yes, New Hampshire: the South of the North
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Hence why the members of c/fuckcars are so intense (I include myself in this).
The only practical way to avoid exposure to society's car dominance in your everyday life is to live far from society... Which ironically forces you to own a car and drive to get literally anywhere.
fireweed Now • 100%
Sorry I edited my comment to be clearer. But you're not wrong that most famous fictional owls are male.
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If children's animation has taught me anything, it's that this owl is clearly female
(Edit for clarity)
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Actually non-denominational churches come in two sizes: mega and strip mall
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And this is in 2015, after we'd recovered from the great recession but before the housing/rental market forced a lot of families back into multi-generational housing situations.
fireweed Now • 100%
This may have something to do with which states do all-mail voting:
Eight states—California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington and the District of Columbia—allow all elections to be conducted entirely by mail.
Utah is deep red, but the others are quite blue. Especially with California in there, that's a pretty good chunk of the US that votes early by default (there are same-day options in these states, but I suspect that option is often utilized due to procrastination rather than intentionally waiting until election day to vote).
fireweed Now • 100%
To your "edit" point: Don't take a handful of downvotes personally; it's pretty easy to do accidentally on mobile so they may have been unintentional
fireweed Now • 96%
Easy, NASA sends you up with one hundred tampons
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Outer Wilds
Reviews of the game are fantastic ("this is the best game I've ever played" - everybody) but trying to fly that damn spaceship is so hard. I also heard there's tricky platforming later on, and if you mess up you gotta start waaaay back. I did not grow up with video games so I'm terrible at that kind of thing. I should just give up and watch a playthrough but apparently that defeats the whole point of the "incredible" story, which is the only thing I'm here for in the first place.
I guess I'm just holding out for someone to release an assist mode or something.
fireweed Now • 100%
A reason that everyone should get behind:
AI = increased carbon emissions for a product that won't even be useful because AI is really unreliable.
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Seven on 7 is a series of TV news shorts and commercials from The Boys universe. It's a delightful little parody of Fox News. The whole series is available free on YouTube.
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In Washington State (where most voting is done by mail) it doesn't matter when officials receive your ballot, all that matters is that it's postmarked by election day. This does mean that any race that's even remotely close can take days to call (as ballots continue to arrive days after election day), but you never have to worry about how long the post office is going to take to get your ballot delivered.
In neighboring Oregon on the other hand (also primarily mail-in voting) they won't count your ballot if it's not received by election day, so every election they have to throw out stacks of otherwise legitimate ballots just because the voter either underestimated how long it would take for them to arrive, or because all they heard was "XX is election day" and didn't know to consider mailing time.
I think Washington's system is superior, and should be how it's done everywhere. Washington also has same-day registration for the super-procrastinators! Literally no excuse to not vote here.
fireweed Now • 100%
Singapore is even more bonkers because they have eastern and western superstitions to accommodate, plus it's a really densely-built island so tall buildings are extremely common.
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I mean, obviously it's not for everyone, but it's important to actually experience urban living for yourself before deciding you hate cities. Especially given the political situation in the United States right now, where so many suburban and rural residents are bashing cities and urban living without having properly experienced it for themselves; I think there would be a huge bite taken out of the urban/rural divide if more people had experience living in cities, and got to personally see the good and the bad for themselves. Plus your twenties is a great time to learn street smarts, because that way you'll be less likely to have a bad experience when you do visit a big city in the future, whether it's for something fun like a concert or something serious like going to a medical specialist. There are a lot of basic lessons like "never ever leave anything visible in your unattended parked car", how to use public transportation, being able to firmly say "no", and general situational awareness that are just good life skills that city living forces you to pick up.
I'm not at a point in my life where I want to live in a big city anymore, but I'm so, so grateful that I did in my youth.
fireweed Now • 91%
Travel, live abroad if possible, and experience living in a big, culture-rich city. Unfortunately the economic realities of the 2020s are making this increasingly out of reach for many youth, but if you have the resources and opportunity, absolutely go for it. As you get older, responsibilities and lack of energy will likely sap much of your ability/desire to move around as much (this isn't true for everyone, but it's extremely common). Even if traditional travel is impractical for you, there still exists cheaper opportunities for exploration that are a bit off the beaten path, such as the WWOOF program.
Regardless of your situation/location, one thing that basically anyone can do is get involved in a cause. Find something you're passionate about and throw yourself into it. Make sure it's something that you can do in-person and not virtually... as in, there are local groups you can join for this cause, although if there aren't you can always try making one or forming a local chapter of a larger org. With the right networking you'd be surprised how many other people will join you, especially for causes that involve your local community. This is a great way to meet other people, get to know the issues facing your neighborhood/city better, and learn to navigate your local government/NGOs. Again, as you get older responsibilities/exhaustion can make this sort of thing a lot harder.
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Minnesota is probably the most famous example at the moment, but they're far from alone!
https://www.nycfoodpolicy.org/states-with-universal-free-school-meals-so-far-update/
I love seeing random instances of vaporwave influence. I stumbled across this example in the sci-fi/fantasy webcomic series [*Ava's Demon*](https://www.webtoons.com/en/canvas/avas-demon-/ch-29-rise-and-shine-episode-1/viewer?title_no=349705&episode_no=278). It's only for two panels and has nothing to do with the plot at all, but I thought it was a neat cameo.
I want to try something different to encourage more engagement on this community. Let's share what we're reading and watching this month! Whether you're one or one hundred chapters/episodes deep, whether you love it or hate it, whether it's a new series or an old favorite, this is the place to share what comics and/or animation you've been consuming lately. Friendly reminder that this community is specifically for folks 30-years-old and up; you can still participate in this discussion if you're younger than that, but please mark your comments with "under 30." Thanks!
Second panel of the original comic ([posted here](https://lemmy.world/post/18078906)) amended to track better in 2024 based on the first panel's dialogue
www.webtoons.com
Title: Hell of a Romance (Original: 불지옥 로맨스, 불地獄) Type: Webcomic Year: 2023-2024 Country: South Korea Genre: Slice of Life/Romance/Fantasy Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/hell-of-a-romance/list?title_no=5470)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 3/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ----------------------------------------------- Contrary to what its title suggests, *Hell of a Romance* is a cute, wholesome slice of life series. Yes there is a romance story in there, but it takes a back seat for 90% of the series to the slice of life elements: at its core this is a story about two failures teaming up in an attempt to create a hit webcomic. While nothing about this series stood out to me as a must-read, it's a great choice for when you're in need of a lighthearted pick-me-up or a low-stakes read before bed. The art is basic but distinctive, the pacing is decent (I hated the frequent use of cliffhangers, which made no sense given the general lack of action, but I thought overall pacing was fine and the series length was appropriate), the characters are charming enough, and there's just enough plot to keep the series interesting (although maybe not bingeable). I really liked the portrayal of hell, and while a bit of a cliche, I found the use of the angelic demon and demonic angel trope a good fit for the premise. There aren't quite enough jokes to call the series a comedy, but there are a decent number of amusing moments sprinkled in. All the characters appear and act like adults in their 20s-30s, and there's nothing I noted that would be a particular turn-off to older readers. A relatively short series, *Hell of a Romance* is a great pick for when you want an easy, comforting read that's a bit more engaging than your standard slice of life, thanks to the supernatural premise. --------------------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did you think? Post in the comments!
www.webtoons.com
Title: Lore Olympus Type: Webcomic Year: 2018-2024 Country: New Zealand Genre: Drama/romance/fantasy Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/lore-olympus/list?title_no=1320)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- *Lore Olympus* is one of the best-known and popular Webtoons, and it 100% deserves that distinction. There's so much that's fresh and unique about the series while also having a lot of classic elements. For the uninitiated, *Lore Olympus* is a retelling of ancient Greek myths in a hybrid 21st century/ancient Greek setting. Webtoons bills it as a romance, however I call it a drama because there is so much going on beyond the romance plot: action, political scheming, revenge, trauma recovery, familial relationships, independence and interdependence... The art style is bold, stylish, unique, and very aesthetically pleasing. The characters are fresh and interesting, drawing heavily from ancient myth mixed with more contemporary traits and personalities. The overall fusion of ancient and contemporary is fantastic; the entire series is full of little details pulled from old myths, right up to the end. The plot is engaging, and the pacing is mostly consistent. The main cast is huge, the supporting cast even bigger, and they all get fleshed-out personalities and storylines, and most undergo significant character development. Even though much of what happens in *Lore Olympus* was composed thousands of years ago, I didn't feel like the plot directed the characters, rather the characters drive the plot. For how much happens in this series, it's all surprisingly well organized and balanced. Yet a surreal, dreamy tone persists through the series, beautifully complementing the serious plot elements. This webcomic really utilizes its medium well. I think *Lore Olympus* gathered some hate during its third season that I completely chalk up to the weekly release format. Readers complained that the plot wasn't moving as quickly as they wanted, which I attribute to readers' expecting the exciting pace from the previous arc's climax to continue (which would be bad storytelling) as well as frustration from fast-pass readers that they weren't "getting our money's worth" out of each chapter. I binged the series instead of reading it weekly, and thought the pacing perhaps got a tad slower than it should have during season three, but the story was clearly progressing and at a fairly consistent pace and wrapped up well. There are plenty of Webtoons where the story pace grinds to a halt or starts flailing as the author runs out of ideas while their editors push them to artificially extend their golden goose, but *Lore Olympus* isn't one of them. I've also seen some hate around how some of the characters and/or relationships are handled, which I think a full read of the series combined with researching the original myths would generally dispel. In my opinion, *Lore Olympus* does a fantastic job maneuvering around the elements of Greek mythology we'd consider especially tasteless today (such as the incest), and given that the original myth is literally called "the rape of Persephone," I think the author's renditions of myth to better appeal to 21st century tastes is brilliant (from non-consensual encounters to giant age gaps). Mild spoiler: ::: spoiler spoiler Persephone herself grows tremendously as a character, from an example of the immature, "born sexy yesterday" trope to an empowered woman. Her early-season naivete is fully explained by her upbringing and relationship with her mother, who herself has reasonable if somewhat misguided reasons for her parenting style. Season 3 is all about girl power, and I really enjoyed the subversion of typically male-centric mythology. ::: The characters span a wide range of ages, but generally look and act like young adults and middle-aged adults. The characters express both maturity and immaturity, and overall I think this is a series that older readers will greatly enjoy, especially as the older characters are introduced and take more prominence in the plot. *Lore Olympus* is a truly unique and well-made series that I would unreservedly recommend any fan of comics at least give a try. ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!
I was listening to the radio the other day and did an audio double-take as I could swear I heard vaporwave coming from my speakers. Turns out it was the intro to [Espresso](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVli-tstM5E) by Sabrina Carpenter, one of the hottest songs of the summer. Another popular song that seems like it might have some subtle vaporwave influences is [Saturn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Lpv6NJDgIA) by SZA. What do you think, is this just a coincidence or has the niche phenomenon of vaporwave influenced pop music? What mainstream songs give you synthwave/vaporwave vibes?
There was a conversation about lupine seed collection in the comment section of a post a little while back, and now that my lupine is going to seed I thought I'd follow up on what that looks like. From left to right, we have immature seed pods (still green, still developing), maturing seed pods (brown, with black seeds inside), pods just about to pop (you can see them starting to split open with the round black seeds poking through), old pods most of which have popped open and dispelled their seeds, and finally a branch with all four stages present (generally seed pods develop from the bottom up, however this can be affected by variables like sun exposure). The seed pods are apparently heat-activated; we've been getting a major heat wave here in the Pacific Northwest and the pods have been exploding open like crazy during midday when the sun hits them and the ambient temperature is at its peak. The seeds are propelled out when the pods burst open, and I've witnessed them fly well over ten feet. If you want to harvest lupine seeds, the key is to grab them when they're mature but not yet expelled; you can do this by harvesting the pods by hand as they mature, but usually I prune the branches off the lupine once the pods on the branch start opening and put the entire branch in a bucket to break open at their leisure. While this pruning is generally unnecessary if you're not interested in seed saving, it does prevent thousands of volunteer lupine from popping up all over the garden (it's nearly impossible to keep all the seeds from spreading so I usually get a few dozen every fall and spring, but it's super easy to remove any that aren't wanted). One year I pruned the spent flowers before seeds could develop, and while that did produce a small second round of blooming I think it overly stressed the plant. Many lupine species are fairly short-lived perennials (with a few annuals sprinkled in), so it may be worth stressing them for more blooms if it's likely to die soon after anyway. Some general disclaimers about lupine: due to their prolific seed generation and speedy life cycles, lupine are highly invasive outside their native range. There are also many species of lupine out there, so before planting make sure to source species from your area! There are some more "domesticated" ornamental species out there, but I'd really recommend sourcing a native variety if you can. They are really wonderful plants that require little care once established, have unique and showy foliage, and native bumblebees absolutely adore their gorgeous flowers. I hope this was informative!
en.wikipedia.org
Title: Train to the End of the World (English); 終末トレインどこへいく？(Japanese) Type: Anime Year: 2024 Country: Japan Genre: Surreal Status: Completed Platform: Crunchyroll (watch [here](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GXJHM3GNX/train-to-the-end-of-the-world)) Appropriate for 30+?: No, but I (mostly) enjoyed it anyway My rating: 3.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- *Train to the End of the World* (TEW) is perhaps one of the worst "cute girls doing cute things" series I've ever watched, and yet it's probably the series I've enjoyed the most this year so far. Much like *Girls' Last Tour,* this is an entry into the "cute girls doing cute things, but in a dystopian setting" sub-sub genre that in theory hinges upon the bizarre juxtaposition of two seemingly incongruent elements. However unlike *Girls' Last Tour,* (or the currently-airing *Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction*), TEW probably would have benefited greatly from having literally any other cast of main characters. I thought the girls were really cliche, annoying, and forgettable, with painfully uninspired dialogue, and were regrettably-yet-unsurprisingly subject to a level of sexualization that would probably make most older audiences uncomfortable (nothing extraordinary, just the anime standard treatment of high school girls). Honestly I zoned out during most of the scenes involving the girls chatting amongst themselves, and I doubt I missed much plot at a result. Despite all this, the premise/setting/world building of TEW makes up for its flaws. Once the girls STFU, the show gets to show off its weird, fun, creepy side. This is a series that makes you go ah, this is what the animated medium is for: surreal nonsense that would require a buttload of fake-ass CGI to even attempt to portray in live action. I really like the tone of the series, which is generally upbeat but with an uneasy aftertaste that puts you on edge while never actually venturing into tragedy (as can happen with surreal/dystopian series, looking at you *Kaiba*). There's a good balance of exploration and action, with some decent comedy tossed in on occasion. Maybe I'm biased because my first trip to Japan, I spent a few weeks living at a guest house in Oizumi-Gakuen along the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line featured in this anime, and I'm a complete sucker for series that utilize real places (and TEW has a whole train line of them). Regardless I absolutely loved the premise of riding a train through a vast, unknown land of magic and horror, stopping at each station to learn what became of various previously-sleepy commuter towns in bizarro-Tokyo, intensity growing the closer you get to the city-within-a-city of Ikebukuro. TEW is a bit like *Kino's Journey*, but with socio-political commentary replaced with the train scene in *Spirited Away* albeit with more menacing vibes. In summary, TEW is weird and atmospheric and I am here for it, despite the obnoxious (and occasionally uncomfortably-portrayed) main cast of cliche anime high school girls. Perhaps the creators didn't quite nail what they set out to do, but I couldn't help but really appreciate the attempt. ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!
www.webtoons.com
Title: Nonesuch Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-2024 Country: United States (?) Genre: Thriller Status: Completed Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/mystery/nonesuch/list?title_no=3606)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 3.5/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- If you're like me with decades of comic reading under your belt, you're likely on the hunt for series that have something a little different to offer, and *Nonesuch* delivers. While a bit rough in spots, *Nonesuch* is a solid series, with good pacing, an engaging plot, and quite a bit of novelty, plus it's short enough that you could complete it in one or two sittings. First, the novelty: this series is set in rural Appalachia and that''s not just an aesthetic; the characters are gun-toting, Christ-loving, red-blooded Americans. To each point: I know jack-all about guns, however my impression is that the series portrays them accurately. In the creator notes at the end, the author mentions that her intent was to create a "Christian" series, which I think is quite interesting given that I spent most of the series wondering if the Christian elements were supposed to be dismissive of the religion or not (in other words there's nothing preachy about *Nonesuch*, and the inclusion of Christianity definitely adds quite a bit of realism to a series set in the Bible Belt). Overall I really felt the setting in this series, which is a huge breath of fresh air not only in the world of comics, but American media overall (which are very California/NYC-centric). Further bits of novelty: the art style, while not my favorite, is bold and distinctive. The plot/premise share vibes with various horror/thriller/mystery series (strong zombie and *X-Files* notes), but regarding the specifics I can't think of any examples that are similar. Probably my favorite aspect of the series is that one of the main characters not only has a disability, but it's a rare (yet real) condition that most readers probably haven't heard of, *and* it's an invisible disability, *and* it's integral to both the plot and character development. I'm assuming the author has personal experience with the condition, because it's handled with significantly more understanding and gravitas than nearly all depictions of disability/non-lethal health conditions in media. The rough edges: while distinctive, the art style feels a bit clunky at times, with occasional bad anatomy and a limited range of facial expressions (I get that none of the characters are having a good time, but does "grimace" have to be everyone's default expression?). The series also does the thing where the characters often make reckless decisions that, while perhaps justified by the situation they are in, are nonetheless frustrating for the audience to witness (and indeed, often lead to completely preventable bad things happening). I think one other misstep happens when the characters discover what's causing the supernatural situation they're in (minor spoiler): ::: spoiler spoiler I found the explanation given for the clones, the mint, and the trapped space unconvincing and unsatisfying. It's a really hard line to walk in series like this, between explaining the supernatural happenings and leaving some things dangling. There's a bit of a midi-chlorian phenomenon going on, where knowing exactly how the magic works kills the suspension of disbelief, especially when you try to use hard science to explain something blatantly supernatural. In the case of *Nonesuch*, the explanation tried to be highly scientific, but came off as total bullshit (at least to me and my personal level of scientific understanding; maybe a subject matter expert would differ). ::: Of the three main characters, two are in their mid-twenties and the third is middle-aged. Everyone acts their ages, for better or worse (the younger two can be a little grating with their inexperience/immaturity in various things, including their relationship with each other). Other than this, there's nothing in the series that would turn off an older reader. ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!
One of my favorite aspects of "wave music" is that it's spun off so many various sub-genres and niche aesthetics. We've got: Synthwave, Chillwave, Vaporwave, Retrowave, Darkwave as some of the main players, but what else is out there? What other "waves" have you come across?
lemmy.world
Hello fellow synthwave fans! I created a new community for all the "wave" genres: synth, vapor, chill, retro, dark, cyber, etc. Please come check it out! !wavemusic@lemmy.world
For fans of '80s-inspired contemporary beats. Share artists, albums, compilations, -wave channels, and vibe art. !wavemusic@lemmy.world
[Droid Bishop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Droid_Bishop) (real name: James Bowen) is a one-man synthwave artist who's put out multiple banger albums over the last decade-ish. Each album feels like the soundtrack to an introspective 80s drama/action film. [Beyond the Blue](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4OO_ruWNqw&list=OLAK5uy_l1lC0flij97npOCAsJvh30c6lYVN9T0eI) is probably my favorite road-trip album of all time; it makes driving through the empty expanses of I-80 through Wyoming feel like a grand, meaningful adventure. As far as I can tell he doesn't have an official YouTube presence, but this channel seems to have all his works: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYb8MJseDAimJBFCJQ8Hfvg
[INEXED](https://www.youtube.com/@INEXED) is one of my favorite channels for background music. If I wanted to introduce someone to synthwave, this might be where I direct them. Videos are consistently high-quality, and the compilations are long (1hr to 2hr+) without repetition. There's perhaps not a lot of variety in vibe: some videos label themselves and vaporwave, chillwave, retrowave, etc, but I'd consider those to be more the flavor of synthwave being featured than actual examples of those genres. Most compilations are calming but energetic, with a bit of a surreal touch. It's frustrating that INEXED only has about 37k subscribers when the quality is so much better than a lot of other synthwave/chillwave channels out there. Please check them out! https://www.youtube.com/@INEXED
[NewRetroWave](https://www.youtube.com/@NewRetroWave) is the GOAT. They've posted over 3000 retrowave and synthwave songs and albums since 2011, and more keep coming. With over a million subscribers, they're one of the biggest players in the YouTube synthwave scene, and for good reason: in an era of low-effort compilations repeating the same tired tracks over and over, NewRetroWave somehow keeps finding quality fresh material for us listeners. Most of their posts are single songs (3-6 minutes), but there's a few longer (hour-ish) compilations mixed in. This feels less like a YouTube channel and more like a library. Definitely check it out! https://www.youtube.com/@NewRetroWave
[Dreamingr0b0ts](https://www.youtube.com/@dreamingr0b0ts) is a fantastic house/trance YouTube channel with a mere 123 subscribers. (It may not technically be synthwave, but it's synthwave-adjacent) Some of the very oldest videos are a bit rough around the edges, but they quickly improve in quality. I like this channel because it has more of an old-school vibe than most synthwave; it reminds me a lot of early-2000s electronica, back in the days of Armin van Buuren. Vocals are present more often than not, and the vibe is more "dance" than "chillax." Great music to stay awake during a long road trip, or to stay motivated during a big house clean-up. A lot of synthwave videos rehash the same songs over and over, but as far as I can tell these are quite fresh. Check out their "The Daily Dose" series, each of which are albums of about 20 minutes each. https://www.youtube.com/@dreamingr0b0ts
Inspired by a comment reply I made in [another thread](https://lemmy.world/post/16458535), I thought it would be fun to share what plants native to your region you've had easy success with growing from seed, either in pots or direct-sowing. Please mention your country/region when commenting!
xerces.org
*Cross-posted from !nativeplantgardening@mander.xyz original post: https://lemmy.world/post/16458535* The [Xerces Society](https://xerces.org/) is an insect conservation nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon. They engage in a variety of work to protect native insects, including publishing resources for the general public. One such resource are their [Native Plants for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects](https://xerces.org/publications/plant-lists) guides, which are curated illustrated lists of plants broken down by geographic region. The lists include basic growing conditions info for each species, as well as some info on how the plants benefit insects. They even have separate lists specifically for supporting the endangered monarch butterfly. If you're a native plant fanatic like me you can cross-reference their lists with the [USDA Plants Database](https://plants.usda.gov/home) (I wrote about that other great resource in [this post here](https://lemmy.world/post/15961632)) to verify if the Xerces-recommended plants are native to your county, however the Xerces lists are broken up into relatively small regions so you're unlikely to cause damage or introduce problematic species even if it's not technically native to your specific county. I hope y'all find these lists as useful/inspiring as I have!
*Disclaimer: data only available for the lower 48 United States, although Southern Canada and Northern Mexico should be able to extrapolate* The [Xerces Society](https://xerces.org/) is an insect conservation nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon. They engage in a variety of work to protect native insects, including publishing resources for the general public. One such resource are their [Native Plants for Pollinators and Beneficial Insects](https://xerces.org/publications/plant-lists) guides, which are curated illustrated lists of plants broken down by geographic region. The lists include basic growing conditions info for each species, as well as some info on how the plants benefit insects. They even have separate lists specifically for supporting the endangered monarch butterfly. If you're a native plant fanatic like me you can cross-reference their lists with the [USDA Plants Database](https://plants.usda.gov/home) (I wrote about that other great resource in [this post here](https://lemmy.world/post/15961632)) to verify if the Xerces-recommended plants are native to your county, however the Xerces lists are broken up into relatively small regions so you're unlikely to cause damage or introduce problematic species even if it's not technically native to your specific county. I hope y'all find these lists as useful/inspiring as I have!
www.webtoons.com
Title: 1HP Club Type: Webcomic Year: 2022-? Country: Unknown (comic published in English) Genre: Dungeons & Dragons (fantasy/action/adventure/slice-of-life/comedy) Status: Ongoing (review as of chapter 130) Platform: Webtoon (read [here](https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/1hp-club/list?title_no=2960)) Appropriate for 30+?: Yes My rating: 4/5 stars (Rating scale: 5/5 = masterpiece, 4/5 = quite good, 3/5 = mostly good, 2/5 = bleh, 1/5 = I regret ever being exposed to this series, 0/5 = affront to humanity) ------------------------------------------------------- *1HP Club* is a webcomic series about a group of adults playing Dungeons & Dragons. That's it, that's the premise. However due to a combination of eye-candy art, rapid pacing, engaging action scenes, and interesting characters, *1HP Club* actually manages to be a surprisingly fun and easy read. There are a number of works out there that take place in the D&D (or similar) universe, ranging from the live-action *Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves*, the animated *The Legend of Vox Machina*, and webcomics like *The Weekly Role*. However *1HP Club* takes the approach of primarily taking place in the D&D universe but occasionally pulling back to a (also fictional) table-top setting. In my opinion this dual-setting is handled quite well and overcomes the issues frequently inherent to D&D fiction that primarily focus on one or the other: bouncing between table-top and in-game action helps facilitate good pacing and avoids "downtime" in both settings, helps ease the issue of "suspension of disbelief" (because not only is it "just a story," it's "just a story within a story"), and adds padding to character development (because every character also has a character playing them). Do you need prior knowledge of D&D for this series to make sense? Not necessarily, but without at least some basic knowledge of game mechanics and/or general tabletop gaming experience readers are likely to miss at least a few references, plot points, or jokes; the series isn't quite a parody, but it does assume prior D&D knowledge. However even the completely uninitiated may still find the action/adventure plot and eye-candy art to be more than sufficient to enjoy the series. On the topic of art, I really like how it's handled: both the table-top and in-game settings done in a colorful and aesthetically-pleasing style, but the table-top characters look more like normal people while the in-game characters are more attractive with some occasional mild cheesecake (interestingly of the male characters only, which is strangely refreshing given that nearly all non-romance fantasy series are more about sexualizing their female characters). Ages of the table-top characters and in-game characters aren't mentioned, but they act and look to be in the 20s-30s range. There's no content "objectionable" to older readers, and while zany antics abound, they're thankfully of the standard D&D/role-playing variety. It shouldn't take more than the first ten chapters or so to figure out if this is a series you'll enjoy or not, and with each chapter being about a one-minute read, why not give *1HP Club* a try? ----------------------------------- As with all my reviews, the above is nothing more than my personal opinion. Have you read this series? What did *you* think? Post in the comments!