Monthly Archives: October 2023

Supposed you walked in to meet the oncologist whod completed your cancer screening, and he spent 20 minutes telling you what strong, healthy teeth you had? And how he admired the car which youd parked outside his office. And how hed enjoyed the pet photos he saw you post on Facebook.

You might start to get impatient. Maybe scared and angry. If he kept up his dawdling, you might even blurt out something like, Yeah, but none of that matters if Im on the fast track to death! So doctor, tell me do I have terminal cancer?

And then he answered like Dr. Leo Spaceman on TVs classic 30 Rock: We have absolutely no way of knowing. Medicine isnt a science, you know! Would you like some erectile dysfunction gummies? Theyre free!

Dr. Leo Spaceman is more than just a brilliant comic character. In fact, hes a perfect stand-in for all our secular sciences, from the hard ones such as physics to the soft ones like psychology, when faced with only question that really matters: Do our lives endure and have meaning, or are they just multiplied by zero when our brain waves flatline, and eager doctors harvest our useable organs?

Doktors Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking prove no more helpful in the end than Dr. Spaceman.

You can pile up a hugely impressive number, even rope in infinity, on one side of the equation. But multiply it by zero and you still get zero. Thats the math problem each one of us will face, sooner or later.

It was easier, in a sense, before Christianity. Pagans were able to cobble together a sufficient sense of meaning for their lives by imagining some vague sense of immortality in the form of an heroic reputation, or at least of thriving descendants.

But then Christ came and dangled the offer of something much vaster: real, personal immortality, with forgiveness of sins, purification and healing, and eternity spent in communion with the good people who wed loved, in the presence of God. Or judgment for our unrepented sins and eternal punishment, with the devil and all his angels.

Wed have to study 2,000 years of intellectual history to understand all the highways and byways along which our culture traveled, to get to our spot today: Where ever-increasing numbers of Westerners young and old have lost faith in Jesus promise, and face the Abyss grasping at straws.

In fact, theyre worse off than pagans. Having heard the prospect of heaven, and waved it off as a daydream, people arent even interested in leaving behind a noble reputation, or happy thriving descendants. Compared to genuine, personal immortality, all those old comforts seem cold. Fewer and fewer of us are willing to make our short, finite lives less pleasant, moment to moment, for the sake of those once-loved things.

Jesus ripped out paganisms heart, and no Wizard of Oz can replace it. A post-Christian world is vastly worse than a pagan one less noble, less courageous, increasingly incapable of self-sacrifice or even of self-restraint. Were barely able at this point even to refuse the next Dunkin Munchkin, or OnlyFans strumpet, in our rational self-interest. Comparison with the divine goods of Christianity has hollowed out forever the merely human ones. All thats left is fleeting pleasure, and the flinch to avoid any pain.

Unless. What if But no, thats just a wish-fulfilment fantasy. Isnt it?

The beautifully made, calmly persuasive, and moving new film After Death throws out a lifeline to a burned-out, despairing culture. It interviews sober, highly-educated Americans who saw the Other Side whose hearts stopped, brains flat-lined, and bodies went cold. Then by some medical miracle, they were revived. And they tell us, without any evidence of hysteria or superstition, what they saw.

Some of the things they saw puzzle the secular scientists whove spent decades poring over their accounts. Patients felt their selves (or souls) leave their bodies and hover over operating tables. They report on medical details, or fragments of conversation, or events that occurred in the roomthings they had no material way of knowing, with eyes shut, ears plugged, and brains inactive. And yet they saw. They heard. They knew.

Other reports were less scientifically interesting, but much more meaningful. People whose brains were barely operating had complex experiences of remembering long-lost events from their livesboth joyful ones they treasured, and old sins they now regretted. They reported meeting family members, now looking much younger than when theyd known them, and radiantly happy.

And one after another of these people whod undergone a Near Death Experience (NDE) recalled encountering a vastly luminous Light that offered them welcome and forgiveness. Some of them saw a recognizable Jesus. Others recall a more cosmic Presence who didnt yet show His face.

And others (the films says between a third and quarter) who report an NDE saw something quite different: Dark figures trying to drag them down, accusing them of their faults, hustling them ever further into cold, and pain, and punishment. One of those who recalls such an experience was a lapsed Buddhist youth whod been urged to suicide by a spirit, which goaded him to the brink then abandoned him once hed died. Another who entered the darkness was an ex-Christian professor, who desperately called on the Jesus hed known as a child. Who promptly came to rescue him.

Not all the stories are sunny. None of those whod seen what they now call heaven was glad to be forced to return to earth. Each says he felt more alive while in the Beyond than theyd ever felt in life, before or since. Some marriages collapsed, under the scorn and skepticism of an unbelieving spouse.

But the overall impact of the scrupulously documented testimonies in After Death is undeniable. There is powerful, empirical evidence that the current scientific consensus is wrong. Just as our physicists cant explain why the universe just happened to turn out designed for life, and biologists cant explain how life arose from dead chemicals, physicians cannot explain how dead brains have all these experiences.

Dr. Freud and Dr. Spaceman just have to shrug, and its time for believers in Jesus to step up with words of hope. Go see this amazing film, which opens this weekend, and drag your skeptical friends. You might just be rescuing them from their secret shame of despair.

John Zmirak is a senior editor at The Stream and author or co-author of ten books, including The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration and The Politically Incorrect Guide to Catholicism. He is co-author with Jason Jones of God, Guns, & the Government.

Visit link:
After Death Dangles Answers to the Only Important Question - The Stream

On Sept. 30, 300 community members along with UB students, faculty and staff gathered for the sixth annual Igniting Hope conference. The gathering has matured into what organizers describe as a movement aimed at bringing lasting change to the region by ending race-based disparities and their devastating impacts on the health of Black people, Hispanic people and other underrepresented groups.

The movement and the conference clearly benefit from the UB-supported institute, which indicates the universitys strong support of our work with the community, providing critical longevity to the movement, said organizer Timothy F. Murphy, SUNY Distinguished Professor and director of UBs Community Health Equity Research Institute and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute.

President Satish K. Tripathi made welcoming remarks in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, noting that health inequity is a problem that will take the entire university community to address, regardless of specialty.

But doing so will require the clear demonstration that change is possible, said Rev. George Nicholas, pastor of the Lincoln Memorial United Methodist Church, CEO of the Buffalo Center for Health Equity and a conference organizer.

Quoting Malcolm X, who famously said Education is the passport to the future, Nicholas noted that three-quarters of third-graders in the Buffalo Public Schools are not reading at grade level.

If theyre already behind in third grade, how can they ever dream of getting ahead? he asked. Nicholas said it is critical that demonstration projects start be implemented.

What if we do a demonstration project on the East Side where we find a neighborhood or two and commit to bringing every child up to grade level, bringing every home up to code, and improving primary care access, he said. Success in one neighborhood will demonstrate that it is possible to do it in others.

A communitys access to primary care, for one thing, improves outcomes and lowers costs. We know this stuff! he declared. We know the barriers.

One often underappreciated barrier is difficulty in accessing dental care, according to Marcelo Araujo, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. He introduced the first keynote speaker, Natalia Chalmers, chief dental officer of the Office of the Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Chalmers informed the audience that when people without dental insurance have dental pain or issues, they go to the emergency room, where a visit can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. And they dont even get an extraction, she said. Instead, they get an opioid prescription and theyre told they should go to a dentist. So dont go to the ER for a toothache you wont get better.

When the system fails, she said, tragedies can happen. In 2007, a 12-year-old Black boy living in Maryland developed a tooth abscess. Without adequate insurance, he lacked regular dental care. It developed into a severe brain infection that killed him. That tragedy spurred outrage, she said, and almost overnight the state boosted Medicaid reimbursement for dental care.

Chalmers said that remote area medical clinics are often the only way that underinsured families get access to any dental care; these RAMs, as they are known, are temporary medical and dental clinics where volunteer providers provide care to hundreds of patients, typically during a weekend.

They are a great point of access, she said, but do you really want to wake up at 4 a.m. so you can get a number and wait in line for hours for dental care? Is this equitable access to care? Chalmers looks forward to a day when there is no need for RAMs to exist.

The afternoon keynote topic delved into issues at the core of medical research, such as informed consent and medical mistrust. Moderated by Jamal Williams, assistant professor of psychiatry in the Jacobs School, the session featured David Lacks and Veronica Robinson, the grandson and great granddaughter, respectively, of Henrietta Lacks.

Lacks was the young, African American mother whose cancerous cell tissue has become, since her untimely death in 1951, one of the most important medical research tools ever discovered. Without her knowledge or consent, tissue was removed during a biopsy she underwent at John Hopkins Medicine and shared with the hospitals tissue lab.

Unlike all other cells, hers (now named HeLa cells after her) didnt die in the lab. Instead, they rapidly divided over and over, a phenomenon that to this day remains a unique medical mystery. HeLa cells have played a major role in the development of major medical advances, from new cancer treatments to the invention of vaccines that protect against polio and COVID-19 to in vitro fertilization.

Today, Lacks family members are active in the National Institutes of Healths HeLa Genome Committee, but for decades they had no idea of the extraordinary role Henrietta played in modern medicine. Neither she nor her family was ever given the opportunity to provide informed consent. Only after a tenacious science writer named Rebecca Skloot started researching the story, which eventually became The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, did the family learn about their ancestors incredible legacy.

Had they asked her, she would have probably given consent, said Veronica. We have been unwilling participants, which keeps us from being a part of science, she said of her family and the African American community as a whole. It starts with saying we cant be silenced anymore.

The Henrietta Lacks story is a story of science at its best and at its worst, said Williams.

We are now at another critical juncture, he said, which is the intersection of having to reckon with past exploitation in biomedical research and the need for historically marginalized groups to be included in studies that pertain to their long-term health.

Understandably, the Lacks family was skeptical when Skloot began her research.

When we were introduced to her, I thought, is this just another white woman who wants something from us? said Veronica. That was a big fear of the family, but Rebecca was very persistent. It has opened up a lot of conversations.

David noted, She took but she also gave back. The biggest thing to come out of this is communication. Even if you dont monetize it, let people know whats going on!

Veronica agreed, noting, One of the worst things you can take from a person is their right to know; then you cant make informed decisions. If it comes from me, then its not medical waste, its mine. Theres a difference between something thats given and something thats taken. We have to change that narrative.

In addition to the keynote speeches, breakout sessions took place on topics including Black Lungs Matter, food and elders, neighborhood restoration and medical mistrust.

More information about Henrietta Lacks, the Igniting Hope conference and the issues discussed at it is available in the Sept. 26 WBFO conversation with Pastor George Nicholas.

Read the original here:
Igniting Hope conference aims to end race-based health disparities ... - University at Buffalo

The series discussed contain graphic violence, mature subject matter, and content viewers may find disturbing.

With Halloween fast approaching, many anime fans are wondering what the best horror anime on Crunchyroll are. Crunchyroll's extensive anime catalog doesn't actually have "Horror" listed as a distinct genre. The closest thing is the "Supernatural" genre, and that should be the starting point for any interested Horror fans. It takes some digging to find them, but there are some fantastic and fantastically creepy Horror series to be found in Crunchyroll's catalog. Fans of Horror are sure to find all the thrills and frights they can handle in the best horror anime on Crunchyroll.

The best horror anime on Crunchyroll take various approaches to delivering scares to the audience. From ghosts and zombies to plots based on traditional folklore and urban legends, Crunchyroll's horror catalog finds inspiration for its supernatural terror tales from diverse sources. There are even a few Horror Comedy series to balance out the scares with some lighter ghost stories.

Year Released

2013

Number of Episodes

130

The name Yamishibai is a pun based on kamishibai, a type of Japanese street performance involving a storyteller using pictures to accompany their story. Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai makes use of this premise to fascinating and chilling effect. The series is a compilation of four-minute short stories framed as stories being told by a masked street performer. The stories themselves are based on Japanese folktales and urban legends and range from unsettling to downright nightmarish. The art style is particularly interesting, resembling the style of picture boards used in real kamishibai performances. They're more static images that move or change slightly than full animation, but that contributes to the uncanniness of the on-screen stories and really adds to the series' overall aura of creepiness.

The exact English name of the series has been translated in several different ways but is listed in the Crunchyroll catalog as Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai.

Year Released

2023

Number of Episodes

9

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead is primarily a comedy, but the series isn't shy about depicting the Zombie Apocalypse in all its gory glory. Zom 100 thrives on dark comedy and the basic comedic premise driving the series is that protagonist Akira finds the zombie apocalypse preferable to his previous soul-crushing desk job. Despite the comedic elements, the backdrop of the Zombie Apocalypse leads to plenty of legitimately horrifying scenes. The zombies themselves are depicted in a very horrifying style and the zombie-related violence is frequently intense and depicted on-screen. Although the series was plagued by delays and the last episodes of Zom 100's first season have been put on indefinite hiatus, the anime adaptation shows a lot of potential, and original the manga has been unaffected by this hiatus for any fans who want to keep following the story.

Year Released

2023

Number of Episodes

13

Accompanied by their elite samurai guards, a group of condemned criminals are sent to a mysterious island on a mission to retrieve the elixir of immortality for the Shogun. As soon as they reach the island though, some of the criminals try to escape or attack their guard and are immediately killed by the samurai. Some of the criminals attack each other. The survivors soon discover that the series lives up to its name. The island is beautiful but monstrous. The island is full of giant mutants and ruled over by a group of eight malevolent god-like shape-shifters. Even things as simple as the island's flowers and butterflies are terrifyingly lethal. Even before Hell's Paradise fully embraces the survival-horror premise and the full nature of the island is revealed, there are scenes of disturbingly graphic violence that set the tone of the rest of the series.

Year Released

2021

Number of Episodes

12

Miko Yotsuya is a high schooler who can see ghosts, a problem she hopes will go away if she ignores it. When that doesn't work, Miko soon finds herself embroiled in various ghostly escapades throughout the series. Originally a webcomic published on the popular Japanese art website Pixiv, Mieruko-chan is really more of a supernatural comedy series with creepy aspects than a full-on horror story, though most of the ghost designs are suitably scary and well-drawn. Mieruko-chan is a welcome change of pace from more intense Horror anime and is a good choice for horror fans looking for moderate scares balanced with humorous scenes.

Year Released

2018

Number of Episodes

12 + 2 OVAs

An episodic compilation of adapting the works of legendary horror mangaka Junji Ito, Junji Ito Collection brings the original manga stories to life in a horrifying new way. Ito is a master of unsettling art, and the anime adaptation of his stories adds not only full color but also movement and audio components that aren't present in the original black-and-white manga images. Each individual episode of Junji Ito Collection consists of two standalone shorts. While the stories themselves are scary, the series' representation of Ito's signature art style is sufficiently uncanny that it manages to be highly unsettling even when nothing particularly scary is unfolding on-screen.

Junji Ito's manga is available to read on Viz's website with a subscription.

Year Released

2001

Number of Episodes

13

Although primarily an action-oriented series, Hellsing has clear horror-genre underpinnings and doesn't shy away from the scariest aspects of having a ruthless Vampire monster hunter for its protagonist. Alucard is at least nominally heroic and on the side of good, but he isn't a nice person. He's very much a monster who hunts other monsters, both literal and metaphorical. He's creepy at the best of times, and when unleashing his full power in battle, he comes across as a powerful, almost Cthulhu-like entity that just happens to be contained in a humanoid form. The rest of the series is filled with horrifying monster designs, intense violence, and bad guys that are so despicable that they deserve every terror Alucard unleashes on them.

Year Released

2005

Number of Episodes

46 + 2 Specials

For a horror series, Mushi-shi is pretty laid-back. The series follows Ginko, a traveler who's equal parts wandering exorcist and therapist. He helps people haunted by Mushi, supernatural creatures that aren't necessarily evil but are nevertheless dangerous because of their supernatural powers and not operating within the constraints of human morality. Thanks to Ginko's intervention, many of the human characters and Mushi get fairly happy endings, though that isn't a universal rule. That also doesn't mean there are no scary parts in Mushi-shi. In general, the Mushi themselves are inherently weird and mysterious, and manage to be unsettling just by existing. The series' general aura of strangeness and low-key horror is punctuated by moments that are overtly and openly scary.

Fans looking for the scariest episodes should watch season 1's Cotton Changeling and season 2's Tree of Eternity.

Year Released

2019

Number of Episodes

23

The Promised Neverland isn't the first horror story to use a dark plot twist to subvert an initially idyllic setting. In this case, the reveal that the children at the Grace Field House orphanage are in fact being raised as livestock to feed demons who need to eat humans to remain sentient. After that reveal, the plot centers on the characters' attempt to escape the orphanage and somehow overthrow the demons' regime that created the orphanages in the first place. Similar to a series like Stranger Things, much of the horror and lingering unsettling aura of The Promised Neverland comes from the fact that the protagonists are children being placed in very real and often very graphically depicted danger.

Year Released

2004

Number of Episodes

13

Throughout his career, the late Satoshi Kon was a master of blending surreal art and animation with mind-bending stories and themes. The only full-length anime series he directed, Paranoia Agent is a fantastic example of his signature beautiful but bewildering style. What begins as a fairly mundane crime story investigating a series of seemingly random attacks by a young boy with roller skates and a baseball bat gets progressively weirder, more surreal, and more supernatural. Like many of Kon's other works, Paranoia Agent has a major psychological focus, and like many other horror stories, has a clear metaphorical component. In Paranoia Agent's case, the series turns into an examination of coping with grief and processing trauma.

Year Released

2007

Number of Episodes

12

Mononoke has few jump scares, but it feels like it was designed from the ground up to make viewers as uncomfortable as possible. The art style is gorgeous but full of clashing colors and patterns. In addition to that, it's also heavily steeped in visual symbolism and metaphor, so it's never clear what exactly the audience is supposed to be seeing, or if they're even seeing the same thing as the characters.

While the traveling Medicine Vendor exorcises each of the titular restless spirits he encounters, each storyline is left open-ended, and very few of the lingering uncertainties are resolved. Even the Medicine Vendor himself is a constant mystery. He claims to be a simple merchant, but he's clearly supernatural and all but explicitly established to be immortal and ageless. Mononoke is an underrated gem of historical fiction that all horror fans need to watch, but the series deliberately never does anything to dispel the lingering aura of unease and slow, inescapable dread it builds up from the very first scene.

Whether it's ghosts, zombies, or even Horror Comedy series, there are some real gems in Crunchyroll's Horror catalog. Although the lack of a genre label makes the Horror series hard to find, it's worth the effort to track them down. There are plenty of memorable thrill and frights to be had for anyone brave enough to watch the best horror anime on Crunchyroll.

All anime on this list are available to stream on Crunchyroll!

The rest is here:
10 Best Horror Anime on Crunchyroll - Screen Rant

Flowers are a beautiful gesture to give to someone on any special occasion. However, each flower has a specific meaning and symbolism, making them unique. After writing this article, I understand why certain flowers are placed together in a bouquet. Each flower listed in this article originates somewhere in the world, and all represent freedom! Freedom can appear different for everyone. It can mean letting something go, breaking free of a burden, or taking back independence!

The Nerine Flower symbolizes freedom and good fortune. This flower drifted on the seas from South Africa, washing up on the Island of Guernsey Shores. In Greek Mythology, Nerines or Nereids were the nymph offspring of Nereus, the sea God. This pink and violet flower is sensitive to cold weather. Nerines is also called the Guernsey lily because it thrives well on the English Channel Island of Guernsey.

Chris Lawrence Travel/Shutterstock.com

The Strelitzia flower represents freedom, independence, and the immortality of man. The flower obtained its name from a naturalist who became Queen of England in 1761. Strelitzia is also known as the Bird of Paradise Flower because it resembles a tropical birds beak. It is also known as the Crane Flower because of its exotic, tropical appearance. This Strelitzia grows in Southern Africa and Cape Province but was introduced in England in 1773.

Anetta Starowicz/Shutterstock.com

In the Victorian language, Freesia resembles trust, innocence, freedom, and independence. A German Physician, Friedrick Heinrich Theodore Freese, discovered the flower and thus how the flower got its name. The Freesia flower is native to the eastern side of Southern Africa. This beautiful flower comes in white, cream, yellow, orange, red, pink, mauve, and purple. This flower thrives in hardiness zones nine and ten.

New Africa/Shutterstock.com

The Milkweed flower has its name because it releases milky fluid from its stem or leaves if damaged. The flowers genus name, Asclepius, is derived from the son of the Greek God Apollo. In Greek Mythology, Asclepius had the power to raise the dead, which is why the Milkweed plant is associated with freedom and independence.

Nancy J. Ondra/Shutterstock.com

Dandelions symbolize becoming free from things that try to enslave us. It also represents the release of the past and living in the present. Religious and Ancient tribes believed dandelions had healing properties because the forming seeds help detox the body and improve cholesterol levels. The dandelion thrives in North America, Northern Europe, and Asia. This flower is the first sign of spring and is utilized by bees for nectar. The flower is yellow at first but then turns into a bundle of globe-shaped seed heads that are soft and white. Dandelions can produce 20,000 seeds!

Romolo Tavani/Shutterstock.com

The Tulip is native to Central Asia and Turkey. After World War ll, the Netherlands shared thousands of tulip bulbs with Canada to thank them for assisting them during the war. Because of this gesture, tulips represent freedom! Eighty percent of tulips are grown in the Netherlands. These vibrant flowers come in many colors, shapes, and sizes.

Heynicepictures/Shutterstock.com

The sunflower played a role in the Greek Mythology feud between Apollo and Clytie. Clytie was buried alive and turned into a sunflower by a nymph. No wonder why these flowers are so big! The Beautiful sunflower represents joy and the desire for freedom. This flower is useful for fodder, yellow dye, seeds, and oil. This large flower is native to North and South America.

Pablesku/Shutterstock.com

Roses come in many colors; however, the yellow rose represents freedom from following crowds or trends. The yellow rose is also unique because they do not have a scent, unlike the other colors. The yellow rose was discovered during the 18th century and originated in the Middle East.

Neirfy/Shutterstock.com

The Edelweiss is a mountain flower that symbolizes freedom and independence. The 10th Special Forces Group of Airborne Soldiers of the United States Army has adopted this unique flower. Edelweiss serves as a national symbol on their uniforms. The German Army also wears the flower symbol on the left sides of their hats, whereas Australia wears it on the rear side of their hats. Edelweiss was associated with the Alps peoples purity and patriotic mindsets.

Kluciar Ivan/Shutterstock.com

White lilies represent the rejuvenation of the soul and starting over. The red, orange, and yellow lilies represent freedom and independence. The lily flower grows in tropical areas of Europe, Asia, and North America. The word lily derives from the Latin word lilium.

NadinD/Shutterstock.com

Originally posted here:
10 Flowers That Represent Freedom - AZ Animals

In the world of Demon Slayer, Muzan Kibutsuji stands as the enigmatic antagonist, concealing a profound secret that defines his character - a lifelong illness. Seeking a cure, Muzan continually experiments on humans to turn them into demons. However, he remains frustrated by the limitations of his condition.

This illness shapes his ruthless quest for a remedy and dominance over demonkind. Though hidden beneath his fearsome exterior, it is a critical weakness that affects Muzan's character and motivations. This article explores the origins and implications of Muzan's ailment, unveiling the hidden layers of his character.

Muzan's illness is never explicitly named in the Demon Slayer manga or anime, but it is described as a rare and terminal disease that would have killed him before he reached the age of 20. The doctor treating Muzan gave him a special experimental medicine, but it initially appeared to have failed.

However, after killing the doctor in a fit of rage, Muzan realized that the medicine was actually working and had helped him acquire a strong body. He also realized that he needed to consume the flesh of humans to survive.

In the Demon Slayer series, Muzan Kibutsuji is portrayed as the original demon. However, his origins can be traced back to a story of human vulnerability. He was born into the noble Ubuyashiki family during the Heian Era but faces a curse of extreme fragility. His heart stopped multiple times in the womb, and he was declared stillborn upon birth. However, he escaped cremation by crying. Throughout his life, he fought tirelessly to survive, haunted by an unrelenting and unnamed illness.

Centuries ago, as Muzan's life hung by a thread due to his worsening condition, he resorted to desperate measures. He underwent experimental treatments in pursuit of a cure, only to take a drastic stepending the life of the very doctor entrusted with his care. To his surprise, the doctor's experimental medicine, concocted from the elusive Blue Spider Lily, bestowed upon him an extraordinary strength that transcended human limits.

However, the newfound power came at a price. Muzan discovered that he could not withstand sunlight, and even brief exposure would spell his demise. The doctor's incomplete remedy had unintentionally transformed him into the world's first demon, granting him a form of immortality, albeit with a critical vulnerability.

Muzan's relentless quest for a remedy for his ailment becomes the driving force of the Demon Slayer storyline. His ultimate goal is to find a way to overcome his vulnerability to sunlight. It's essential to note that Muzan's desire to survive in the daylight is not what defines his malevolence. Rather, it's his single-minded focus on his own survival, often at the cost of others.

This relentless pursuit leads to conflicts between demons and the Demon Slayers, culminating in a climactic showdown in the series' final season. Notably, it is revealed that Nezuko, the sister of the protagonist, Tanjiro, has acquired the ability to walk in sunlight, further fueling Muzan's desperation.

In the world of Demon Slayer, Muzan Kibutsuji is not simply a formidable enemy but a character marked by the shadow of a lifelong illness. His transition into a demon was both an act of desperation to survive and an unintended curse, trapping him in darkness and an unending quest for dominance.

Muzan's illness plays a critical role in the story, shaping his personality and driving the unfolding story. Fans are captivated by his journey, which is characterized by despair and obsession, as they eagerly anticipate his ultimate destiny in the realm of Demon Slayer.

Sportskeeda Anime is now on Twitter! Follow us here for latest news & updates.

Excerpt from:
Demon Slayer: What is Muzan's illness? Explained - Sportskeeda

Summary

Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) has a romance in Star Trek: Enterprise season 1 that essentially copies Captain Jean-Luc Picard's (Patrick Stewart) romantic tryst in Star Trek: Insurrection. In Enterprise season 1, episode 9, "Civilization," the NX-01 Enterprise investigates the Akaali, a pre-industrial humanoid civilization whose population's water supply is being poisoned by another alien race, the Malurans. As Captain Archer, Subcommander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock), Ensign Hoshi Sato (Linda Park), and Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer) get to the bottom of what's happening with the Akaali, Archer becomes attracted to a local apothecary named Riann (Diane DiLascio).

Star Trek: Insurrection, the third film starring the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, saw Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the USS Enterprise-E defy Starfleet to protect the Ba'ku, a long-lived peaceful race residing in the section of space called the Briar Patch that has regenerative properties. Picard put a stop to Admiral Dougherty's (Anthony Zerbe) conspiracy with the Son'a and their leader, Ru'afo (F. Murray Abraham), to forcibly relocate the Ba'ku and take control of the Briar Patch. Meanwhile, Jean-Luc found a new love interest in Anij (Donna Murphy), who helped the Enterprise crew defend the Ba'ku planet from the Son'a.

Related: Star Trek: Enterprise Cast & Character Guide

Although the Akaali were not a seemingly immortal race like the Bak'u, there are similarities between Captain Archer getting romantically involved with Riann in Star Trek: Enterprise season 1, episode 9, and Captain Picard's romance with Anij in Star Trek: Insurrection. Neither Starfleet Captains expected to become attracted to a woman from the pre-industrial worlds they found themselves defending from hostile aliens out to exploit their respective planets. Anij comes from the Ba'ku's agrarian society that shuns technology. Riann is, similarly, from a pre-industrial race, and she is a dealer in holistic cures and medicine. Both Anij and Rianne are quite the opposite of the space-faring starship Captains who fell for them, albeit briefly.

Star Trek: Insurrection hit theaters in 1998, four years before Star Trek: Enterprise season 1, but it seems the basic idea of Captain Picard's lone movie romance with Anij was recycled for Archer and Riann on Enterprise. However, at the end of Star Trek: Insurrection, Picard promised Anij he would return to Ba'ku and use up his shore leave to be with her - something he apparently did because in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) mocked Jean-Luc for throwing "the Prime Directive out the window so they could snog a villager on Baku." Archer's actions on Akaali also would have been a violation of the Prime Directive, had General Order 1 been instituted in Enterprise's 22nd century era. Unlike Picard however, Captain Archer didn't promise Riann he would return for her, and their lone kiss was evidently a farewell.

At the end of Star Trek: Enterprise season 1, episode 9, Captain Archer left Riann on her planet, and they didn't see each other again. Archer's behavior is indicative of the playbook established by Star Trek in the 1960s wherein the Captain of the Enterprise has no permanent relationship, no family, and is devoted entirely to his starship seeking out new worlds and new lifeforms. This is why Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Picard, and Captain Archer were essentially lonely men whose sole purpose was commanding their starship. Enterprise was also the last of the episodic Star Trek legacy series, at least in its first 2 seasons, so Archer was bound to the show's format of moving on after solving whatever problem there was in that week's Enterprise episode.

Star Trek: Enterprise could have broken the mold as a prequel, but the show largely played it safe and stuck to the tried and true Star Trek formula. If Enterprise were made today, the show would likely be structured differently and take more "big swings," like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, whose Captain, Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), also commands the USS Enterprise but has a girlfriend, Captain Marie Batel (Melanie Scrofano). But Star Trek: Enterprise was a show of its time, which means drawing inspiration from the most successful series of the era, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the films that followed it.

Continued here:
Enterprise's Archer Copied Picard's Star Trek: Insurrection Romance - Screen Rant

Anemones are a group of flowers, or a genus of flowers, that includes a number of different types, yet very similar flowers. Anemones are perennial flowers with anywhere between four and 27 petals. They can be red, purple, white, and a variety of other beautiful, pastel colors. Anemones are famous for their large, dainty petals that can easily float away in the wind. Anemones are very common in subtropical and temperate climates and are sometimes called windflowers. But what is the meaning and symbolism of the anemone flower? When can you use it? What are the best ways to incorporate anemone symbolism into your home and events?

While the anemone looks like a simple, beautiful flower, it carries ill fortune and sad symbolism with it in many cultures.

Victoria Kurylo/Shutterstock.com

The anemone flower group was first officially named and documented by Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The name comes from the Greek word,anemn,which means daughter of the wind. Specifically,anemn,is made by combiningnemos, which means wind, andn, which means daughter of.

According to OvidsMetamorphoses, the Greek goddess Aphrodite created the flower we know as Anemone.

Aphrodite once had a lover named Adonis. He was a great hunter, the ideal male figure, and the lover of both Aphrodite and Persephone. He was famous for being a mortal who achieved immortality. One day, as he was hunting, a wild boar gored him with its tusk. Aphrodite held him in her arms as he slowly bled to death and died. There are several different stories about why the boar killed Adonis, and most of them say it was revenge for one or several slights by Aphrodite.

Whatever the reason for his death, Aphrodite was distraught and caused Anemone flowers to bloom wherever Adonis blood hit the ground. Ovid named the flower Anemone because its large petals can be easily blown away by the wind.

Because of its name, daughter of the wind, the Anemone flower is also known as the windflower.

iStock.com/PatrikStedrak

In European and American countries, anemones are associated with love, loss, and the coming of spring. This is due to its origin tied to the death of Adonis in Ovids myth. They can be, and have been, incorporated into art and events that are associated with springtime, specifically spring winds, and the passing of loved ones and lost love.

Because its petals are easily blown away, the anemone is also associated with fragile love and delicate beauty. Adonis was seen as the ideal male form, yet he was killed easily. Things we love can be destroyed or taken away from us in a moment. The anemone is a reminder of the impermanence of all things.

In Egyptian and Chinese cultures, some anemone flowers, specifically the white ones, are seen as a sign of impending illness. The Japanese, and other Asian cultures, associate the anemone with bad luck and ill tidings.

iStock.com/McKinneMike

You can use anemones of any color for an occasion or event that commemorates a death, a big life change, or some kind of memorial. Things like a funeral and the birth of a new baby are both, surprisingly, appropriate occasions to present an anemone.

Incorporating an anemone into a bouquet symbolizes that you believe the event is important, no matter what it is. A first date or a work anniversary are great examples of such important events.

People usually dont use anemones as flowers to show affection or as a celebration. Events like graduation, marriage, or passing the BAR exam usually dont include anemones. The undertone of tragedy and ill omen will detract from the gesture if someone is familiar with their meaning.

As with all natural symbols, the meaning and symbolism of colors are also very important when using flowers for their symbolic meanings. Keep in mind the meaning different colors have to different cultures, especially as they relate to flowers when presenting one to someone.

For example, the color white usually means purity, holiness, or peace to most Western audiences. However, the same color means death and decay in some Asian cultures. Incorporating white anemones into a funeral arrangement in Asia might mean you are mourning the death and decay, while at a Western funeral it can symbolize the promise of heaven or an angelic destiny.

Red anemones, like other flowers, symbolize deep love. But with its mythological origins, it can also be tied to blood and death.

Blue anemones can symbolize calmness, peace, and relief. It can be a reassuring symbol in the face of overwhelming loss.

The color symbolism continues with each other color. Combine the meaning of the color with the cultural symbolism to strengthen the intention of your gift.

You can give anemones by themselves, either as a bouquet or a single flower, or include them in an arrangement. They are beautiful flowers and look amazing when pinned to a lapel or blouse by themselves. This heightens their symbolism and draws attention to their vibrant color.

If there is any kind of event that involves mourning or death, an anemone is always appropriate. Giving a potted anemone is a fantastic idea, as it will be a reassuring, positive reminder for a long time about the person who has passed, or the tragedy that occurred.

Mariola Anna S/Shutterstock.com

In magic, there are many uses for the different types of the anemone flower.

One example is the wood anemone. This is a white variety of anemone also known as the moonflower. This might be because it is white and grows in darker areas of forests and under bushes. They are popular for their use in the magic of protection and healing. They are particularly useful in spells to ward off disease.

You can wear a white anemone by itself. Attach it to your clothes, or hat, or incorporate it into a decoration. You could dry out a few to use as incense or infuse them into an oil for rituals or anointing. Or, you can use it in a spell and take advantage of its warding attributes.

Another attribute of the white anemone is tied to the tale of Aphrodite and Adonis, which is a feeling of letting go. The flower represents the sadness and heartbreak of a passing of some kind. When you use the flower in a ritual or carry it with you, it can take on that burden of trauma or sadness, leaving you lighter and less burdened by the trial of the event. It can be a reminder that the sadness is real, but will soon pass.

As with all magic and folk rituals and spells, we recommend you get in touch with local experts or healers. They will be able to point you to where you can find the plants you need, and how to do them properly. It is a rewarding and enlightening journey.

Anemones are toxic flowers. Do not follow any folk medicine or recipes that call for them as an ingredient that is to be ingested or consumed. It can be applied as a perfume or reduced to an oil to be applied to the skin. They are safe to have around the home, but should never be eaten.

See the article here:
Anemone Flowers: Meaning, Symbolism, and Proper Occasions - AZ Animals