Joy and Politics

by David Bell, Childrens Health Defense: About 500 people died from mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year, over 80% of them under age 15. In that same period, about 40,000 people in DRC, mostly children under age 5, died from malaria. The mpox emergency The World Health Organization (WHO) acted as […]

from RT: The billionaire ran his own “super unscientific” vote on his social media platform Former US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump has resoundingly beaten his Democrat rival Kamala Harris in an online poll conducted by billionaire tech entrepreneur Elon Musk on X (formerly Twitter). Harris accepted her party’s official nomination earlier in August after President Joe […]

from Peak Prosperity: TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

It’s been over three decades since Chernobyl experienced the most massive nuclear disaster in history. Even after billions spent cleaning up and at least four thousand dead, the area itself is a ghostly shell of itself, long reclaimed by plant and animal life.  Pripyat, the town built next to the plant, was intended to be a symbol of Soviet strength. A city of the future that could only be matched by the massive achievement of nuclear power. Today, it’s merely the Chernobyl exclusion zone, long since abandoned, tragically full of past relics.   A Brief History of Chernobyl Before The Disaster With construction beginning in 1970, Chernobyl was the third Soviet RBMK nuclear plant and the first on Ukrainian soil. By 1977, reactor no. 1 was operational, with four more completed by 1986. The USSR had big plans for Chernobyl. A fifth reactor was almost complete, and seven more were planned to go live by 2010. At the time of the disaster, it provided 10% of Ukraine’s power.  How The Chernobyl Meltdown Happened Problems started early on April 25, 1986. The day-shift planned a routine test as part of a reactor shut down. Because of another regional power plant shutdown, the test didn’t move forward to meet new electric demands. The delay ended up lasting until the night-shift, giving them very little time to prepare. If things had gone to plan, the night shift would have only had to monitor the after-effects of the initial test. Even worse, Anatoly Dyatlov, the deputy chief-engineer, decided to oversee the test, overriding senior personnel’s objections with more hands-on experience.   The test called for a gradual power decrease in reactor No. 4. When the power dropped to the target of 500 MW, it suddenly dropped down to 3 MW, a near shutdown state. We don’t know the circumstances because the engineers who would know died in the hospital of radiation poisoning.  While trying to continue with the test and get power back to normal levels, a sudden spike in power caused the reactor to explode, knocking a 1,000-ton steel lid off the top of the reactor. Fifty tons of hazardous material shot into the air and drifted all over the surrounding area.   Plant and emergency workers went to work on the reactor. After a day of poor communication and failed cover-ups, officials began evacuating the city around it. The rest of the world had no idea what was happening. It only became known because Sweden detected the elevated radiation levels and pushed the Soviets to come clean. At this point, around 100,000 people were in the midst of being evacuated, and the USSR finally announced that there had been a nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. Over the next weeks and months, workers risked their lives to contain the fire and radiation, eventually containing the reactor in a steel and concrete dome. Many died horribly in this process, but they heroically contained the plant. Decades later, the long-lasting effects of the Chernobyl disaster are finally taking shape.   An irradiated ghost town The radiation levels in the Chernobyl area after the disaster were too high for humans. Many emergency workers became ill, and over the years, many more would follow.  Chernobyl released 400 times more radioactive material than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima. The radiation was carried across Europe, reaching as far as France, thousands of kilometers away.  Millions of acres around Chernobyl were affected and made uninhabitable for years to come. The Soviets abandoned the city of Pripyat and the area around it. The Chernobyl exclusion zone is 19 miles in every direction around the plant. It is the world’s largest ghost town, left to nature and ruin.  Chernobyl Today Though Chernobyl is a ghost town, it’s not devoid of life. If you look closely, you can see signs of life that say a lot about the past and future. Many people don’t know that though the area is mostly abandoned, some people still live there. The government had to remove 1,200 who wanted to stay forcefully, many of who returned. Today, there are a couple of hundred living in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.   Despite health risks, Chernobyl isn’t the wasteland that many video games and movies make you think. The people there live lives, not unlike many people. People live incredibly close to nature. They grow their food, raise livestock, and trade with their neighbors.  Still, things aren’t all roses. The disaster certainly still looms over the area. Take a look at some of the most amazing photos of Chernobyl today.   A doll in the ruins of a kindergarten in Pripyat – Gleb Garanich/Reuters Abandoned Interior of a building in Pripyat – Gleb Garanich/Reuters An abandoned amusement park in Pripyat – Gleb Garanich/Reuters An abandoned grocery store in Pripyat A cat near the amusement park by Pripyat – Gleb Garanich/Reuters Abandoned gym in Pripyat Empty pool in Pripyat Abandoned Football field in Pripyat Gleb Garanich/Reuters A radiation-warning sign near checkpoint “Maidan” – Sergei Grits / AP Bear graffiti in Pripyat -Brendan Hoffman/Getty Images David McMillan Pripyat central square – Efrem Lukatsky Abandoned Hallway Pripyat – Efrem Lukatsky A tree growing out an abandoned bard in Krasnoselie, Belarus – Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters View of Pripyat – Gleb Garanich / Reuters An abandoned building near Kpachi – Sergei Supinsky / AFP / Getty Former Soviet DUGA Radar station – Sun Shine / Shutterstock Overturned Barge in the Pripyat river – Sean Gallup / Getty Images Stray puppies near Chernobyl – Sean Gallup / Getty Images Ariel view of a hammer sickle on top of an abandoned building – Sean Gallup / Getty Images Nature reclaiming a building – David McMillan David McMillan A grown over basketball hoop – David McMillan David McMillan David McMillan Abandoned rowboat – David McMillan David McMillan Toys left behind – David McMillan David McMillan The post Haunting Photos of Chernobyl Decades After The Nuclear Meltdown first appeared on History Defined.

This Easy Raspberry Cake is simply irresistible. It’s simple enough for a weeknight dessert and delicious for weekend brunch. A surprise ingredient makes this cake extra tender! This Easy Raspberry Cake is so moist and tender thanks to a few key ingredients. In This Article Video: Watch Us Make This RecipeWhy This Recipe Stands OutKey Recipe IngredientsSubstitutions And VariationsStep-By-Step Recipe InstructionsHow To Prep AheadCommonly Asked QuestionsEasy Raspberry Cake RecipeMore To Bake And Eat View more Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe Why This Recipe Stands Out If you’ve hung around here at all, you know we love a good home-baked cake, and we’re making this Easy Raspberry Cake on repeat. Here’s why: So Easy: This cake is so easy to make that we’re finding ourselves whipping it up on weekdays. Secret Ingredient: We use an unexpected secret ingredient to make raspberry cake ultra-tender and boost the protein content: cottage cheese. Fresh Berries: Nothing beats fresh, summer berry recipes for dessert. Prep Ahead Recipe: This easy raspberry cake chills (and freezes) wonderfully! It’s one of our go-to make ahead breakfasts. Key Recipe Ingredients All-Purpose Flour – There’s no need for cake flour in this recipe; simple all-purpose flour does the job perfectly! Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar sweetens the cake without overpowering the raspberries. Eggs – Eggs make the cake hold together and tint the batter a beautiful golden color. Cottage Cheese – This secret ingredient creates the moistest, most tender cake you’ll ever taste. Nobody can tell it’s there! Butter – We use butter instead of oil for this recipe for best flavor. Raspberries – Ripe raspberries are the star of this cake. Make sure you dry them well before using. Substitutions And Variations Here’s are some favorite additions and variations to this Raspberry Cake: Change the Berries: Feel free to swap the berries for this recipe. We adore baking with blueberries like with this Easy Blueberry Sour Cream Cake. Strawberries also go amazingly with this recipe or in this Strawberry Crumb Cake. Add Frosting: While this cake doesn’t require any frosting, feel free to add some. Try slathering on this cream cheese frosting from our Super Easy Carrot Cake or this light and fluffy Stabilized Whipped Cream. Serve it with Ice Cream: Easy Raspberry Cake is divine served with a scoop of Easy Vanilla Ice Cream or Easy Chocolate Ice Cream. Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, cottage cheese, and vanilla. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients and add melted butter mixing until just combined. Fold in all raspberries except for 1/4 cup. Pour batter into prepared spring form pan and sprinkle top with remaining raspberries. Bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes. Let cool another 30-60 minutes before removing from pan. Enjoy! For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below. How To Prep Ahead Here are a few tips to make this raspberry cake even easier: Prepare Dry Ingredients: Combine the dry ingredients for this recipe several days in advance. Just store in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerate Cake: Make the entire cake a night in advance. Bake cake as usual and let cool completely before placing in an airtight container and popping it in the fridge. Raspberry Cake will stay fresh for 4-5 days. Freeze Slices: This cake also freezes wonderfully. We recommend individually wrapping cooled slices. Then, when you’re ready to enjoy, either let them thaw overnight in the fridge or heat in the microwave. Commonly Asked Questions Can I use an 8″ pan for this dish instead? Yes! You could definitely make raspberry cake with an 8″ pan as well. Just note that the baking time will be slightly longer. Can I use frozen raspberries for Easy Raspberry Cake? Absolutely! Frozen raspberries work just fine with this recipe. Treat them just like you would the fresh raspberries. Just note, the cooking time may be a few minutes longer. What exactly does cottage cheese do for this recipe? Not only does cottage cheese pack a punch of protein (helping to make this cake a filling breakfast), it also does an expert job at creating a cake with an ultra-tender crumb. The saltiness also helps balance the sweetness of the cake. What can I use as a replacement for cottage cheese? Both sour cream and Greek yogurt make excellent replacements for cottage cheese in Easy Raspberry Cake. Just check out our recipe for Blueberry Sour Cream Cake. Is there a good dairy-free replacement for cottage cheese in this recipe? Although, we haven’t experimented with a dairy free version of this recipe, we think your best bet for a dairy-free replacement would be full-fat canned coconut milk. If you try it, let us know how it turns out! Print Easy Raspberry Cake This Easy Raspberry Cake is simply irresistible. It's simple enough for a Tuesday night dessert and perfect for weekend brunch. The surprise ingredient makes this cake extra tender! Course Breakfast, DessertCuisine AmericanDiet VegetarianMethod baking Prep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 55 minutes minutesTotal Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes Servings 8 Calories 355kcal Author Amy Dong Ingredients1 ½ cups all purpose flour1 cup granulated sugar2 tsp baking powder¼ tsp table salt3 large eggs1 ½ cups cottage cheese1 tsp vanilla extract½ cup salted butter melted1 cup fresh raspberries divided InstructionsPreheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease the paper and set aside.In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, and vanilla – this is easier to do in a stand mixer, if you have one. The cottage cheese will remain lumpy, which is fine. Use a rubber spatula to fold dry flour mixture into the wet egg mixture. Fold in the melted butter. Gently fold in most of the raspberries, reserving 1/4 cup.Use rubber spatula to carefully spread batter into the greased/lined cake pan evenly. Place the remaining 1/4 cup raspberries over the top and lightly press them in just a bit.Bake 55-60 minutes or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few tender crumbs attached – not completely clean. Let cake cool at room temp 30-60 minutes before removing from pan. Video Notes Cake is delicious when made ahead. If you bake it a day ahead of time, simply wrap airtight and store at moderate room temp. Can also be frozen in airtight container for a couple of weeks. Make sure not to skip the parchment paper in your cake pan. It makes all the difference when getting your cake out of the pan. Be sure not to overmix ingredients. The cottage cheese will still be lumpy which is totally fine. You won’t even be able to tell it’s in there when it bakes. If you really want to splurge, serve Easy Raspberry Cake with a scoop of Easy Vanilla Ice Cream and a generous spoonful of Stabilized Whipped Cream.   NutritionCalories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 504IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 2mg More To Bake And Eat White Chocolate Raspberry Scones – These raspberry scones are the perfect treat to kick off the day. There’s no worries about these scones being dry. Raspberry Cheesecake – A creamy cheesecake filling swirled with a colorful raspberry sauce sits on a buttery, chocolate crust. Yogurt Cranberry Poppyseed Cake – This festive cranberry cake is perfect for a holiday dessert, breakfast, or snack. The yogurt makes it extra moist. Blueberry Coffee Cake – Bursting with juicy blueberries and warm spices, this coffee cake is a morning favorite in our house. The post Easy Raspberry Cake appeared first on Chew Out Loud.