fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Fake news - It’s serious. why analysing fake news remains…
By: Gayatri Ilan
Tags: Fake News Ml, Media Influence, Fake News

We see a news, we come across a post in twitter, we surf through the internet more than 4 hours a day, and that is going to influence you in ways you would never expect. Ever wondered how are we manipulated by media, how a news article hits us?

So, yes! the hoax content can intrigue our minds and lead us into different paths. The strange truth is that, we would never be able to recognise that we have been influenced, and continue to belong somewhere in an echo chamber.

Fact-checkers have been kept busy with the blizzard of cries and accusations of fake news.

Here, I am going to analyse the participation of misinformation in media and bring out some novel approaches to highlight them. More than early detection of fake news, analysing the effects after detection remains significant.

Data Collection

We collect the data from twitter, FakeNewsNet which includes tweets, articles, and pictorial news propagating through media.

Phase1: Fake or Not!!

In this phase, we dwell into detecting whether a post or an article is fake or not. We follow a multi-modal approach where the context of the news+ user comments+ pictures are exploited using Graph neural networks.

So, we are here now! We come to know which is a fake content. But what is next? How does detection of a particular news help our objective to eradicate hoax media influence.

Phase2: Intention, propagation, consequence

So, in this phase, we are gonna do some exploration on the post’s root, propagation and network.

Here, we take the base data from twitter which provides a convincing information about the source, and engagements of the author (The master behind posting content that is universally false). The engagements reveal the tweet statistics such as retweets, likes, followers. So, how is this gonna help us? The data provides an excellent feature in tracking the fake news and to know its propagation pattern. Further, the objective and intention of the author towards posting such information can be tracked down by analysing the user’s engagement and aspect based sentiment analysis of the tweets. The objective is again to spot the root cause and predict its behaviour. So, with available data, here we predict the propagation of a fake tweet, how far the news will reach, the kind of echo chamber the tweet would result, the malicious account behind the activity and the density of propagation, i.e how many twitterians will interact with this kind of tweet.

So, yes! I guess analysing the fake tweets to this phase might throw some light in the account of eradication of disinformation campaign. And, the work shall be further enlightened by predicting what kind of industry would be benefitted or impacted from the spread of any misinformation. This would require a lot of deep information but will definitely provide a significant analysis in the field of fake news study.
The woman who cut off her breasts
Tags: Media Hype, India, Propaganda, Fake News, Breasts

The woman who cut off her breasts

Myths around Mulakaram or the breast-tax in India

Photo by Dainis Graveris on Unsplash

The Breast Tax was a tax imposed on the lower caste and untouchable Hindu women by the Kingdom of Tranvancore (former princely state in southwestern India, now part of Kerala state) if they wanted to cover their breasts in public, until 1924.

The lower caste and untouchable women were expected to pay the government a tax on their breasts, as soon as they started developing breasts. The tax was evaluated by the tax collectors depending on the size of their breasts.

The village-legend has that Nangeli was a woman who supposedly, cut off her breasts in an effort to protest against this tax . Nangeli died of excessive blood loss while her husband committed suicide by jumping into her funeral pyre. The couple had no children. Post this, the tax was annulled.

Despite the fact that this outrageous story is not officially recognized in any of India’s historical accounts and its authenticity is debatable, it has been doing several rounds in social media with endless repetition.

History has it that women in Kerala in those times did not normally wear an upper cloth. There was no caste discrimination in this practice. Mostly the upper caste women had a piece of cloth hanging around their upper body. There are photographs from that period that document this practice and this was the same in the case of most men and women.

Hence, this story looks extremely fabricated and just because it is so violent and oppressive , people have been excited to circulate this with their imagination running wild.

This is not to say that there were no violent and outrageous caste practices in those times. Of course there were and we in general should be always ashamed of oppression, discrimination and exploitation that have existed in all societies in one form or the other in varying degrees in every era.

Sensationalizing news like these by media to evoke strong reactions from certain sections of the society, does no good to anyone. Propaganda to influence and manipulate the masses will only break and divide our society further.
“A verdade é que a verdade nunca esteve no topo da agenda do Homo sapiens.”
By: Vitória Alves
Tags: Fake News

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
Washington Monument Mysteriously Disappears Overnight
By: J.W. Parr
Tags: History, Politics, Satire, Humor, Fake News

Washington Monument Mysteriously Disappears Overnight

Photo by Jacob Creswick on Unsplash

WASHINGTON D.C. — People all over the D.C. area were shocked this morning when they woke up to see that the Washington Monument was gone.

The monument honoring the country’s first president had been there since 1884, and has since been an important and historical landmark for tourists and history buffs alike.

This news comes just a couple of weeks after an unknown steel monolith was found in the Utah desert, only to be mysteriously removed in the middle of the night a few short days later.

There’s no word on if these two events could somehow be linked, or what or who could be behind these acts of theft and vandalism.

Ben Taylor, chief executive of the National Park Service, said that, “It is our job to protect this country’s national parks and monuments alike, and we will not idly sit by while some person or group tarnishes the wonders and pieces of history found throughout this nation.”

Taylor also put forth a suggestion of creating a governmental task force with the purpose of locating and retrieving the Washington Monument, along with any other national treasures that could potentially go missing.

Let’s hope Nicolas Cage has an open schedule.
Firehosing: Um grande aliado da desinformação
By: Simony Souza
Tags: Fakenews

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
CON ARTIST OF THE YEAR- GURPATWANT SINGH PANNUN
By: Navdeep Singh
Tags: Politics, Religion, Sikh, Propaganda, Fake News

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun who is a self-proclaimed advocate of Sikhs and pretends to be the savior of Sikh community is instead a US-based swindler who has founded the Sikh diaspora activists organization named Sikhs for Justice. He has been actively motivating Sikh youngsters in his home state Punjab to join militancy.

To lure young Sikhs into his trap he has built a series of fake promises and the same has been happening currently. As thousands of Indian farmers protest against the three contentious agriculture-related Bills passed by Parliament, banned US-based secessionist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) is trying to fish in troubled waters, declaring a grant of $1 million for farmers in Punjab and Haryana in lieu of their support for Khalistan. Capitalizing the ongoing protests the SFJ turned their distress into an opportunity and stoop down so low it is now looking for personal gains rather than standing with the farmers.

“From October 1 to October 8, any farmer — irrespective of his faith — can register 25 votes for the Khalistan Referendum 2020 and get a grant of Rs 5,000 as assistance to repay their agricultural loans,” SJF said. The security agencies have since received inputs on the latest offer by SFJ.

Earlier as well they had promised iPhone 12 for all those who wave the Khalistani flag and make a graffiti of the same on walls of educational institutions on October 31. Their soft target are the poor, young unemployed youth who are in search of livelihood as they fall easy prey to glittery dreamland portrayed by Pannun and his circus. In a viral video that did rounds on the internet, Gurpatwant Singh could be seen promising an iPhone 12 with pre-installed referendum applications and VPN (Virtual private network) for students who would dare to wave the flag or write Khalistani slogans.

Here’s a proof which we have obtained from the website of SFJ

The repercussions of it has to be ultimately borne by the innocent youth who gets easily trapped in bait of even a small amount of money but unfortunately, all they get in return is judicial custody and legal proceedings. Here’s the proof:

It seems that SFJ has completely capitalized the entire process and played well with religious sentiments of Sikh community. But such treacherous deeds won’t go a long way. Their “Mission Brainwash” will not lead them anywhere except to an abysmal. Innocent Sikhs who’re relying upon him for justice and those who treat them as demigod or an advocate are only being be fooled. Khalistan is a gimmick, a money making machine for Pannun and an artifice for Sikhs who in want of their due rights are ready to go to any extent regardless of the consequences. It’s high time they realize the ulterior motives of SFJ and look forth to change their mentor.
FRIDAY REMINISCENCE (The Salt-Water Story)
By: Qosim Suleiman
Tags: Ebola, Fake News, Reminiscence

It was 4am. I couldn’t sleep anymore, not because I don’t want to. My neighbours are awake. Iron buckets are cackling. It’s unusual, but no one is surprised. Iya mufu is dragging Mufu who is yet to be freed from the bondage of sleeping-spirit. Boda Samadi just got out of the bathroom. Baba Sumanu, Boda Lamidi, and Aunti Muraina, are on the queue waiting for their turn to get into the bathroom.

We all, just got an information that the dreaded disease; Ebola, is on its way to Jos. They didn’t tell us if it was coming by road or through an aircraft. Some said it was a revelation made to one ‘prophet’. Our sources do not correlate, the message does; “Drink and Take your Bath with Salt-Water!” that’s the message.

It was some time in 2014.

It didn’t take the whole day before we figured that we’ve been pranked, or we’ve pranked ourselves. We fell for a cock and bull story.

Before the end of that day, it turned into a joke, and a tragedy. While some joked about the fears and the rush-hour bath, JUTH (Jos University Teaching Hospital) was filled. People experienced health complications. (Most of them with underlying illnesses such as High BP). Others Died.

I still don’t know the real source of that ‘Take-Salt-Water’ story. Do you?
Centrality of Trees
By: Aikya Param
Tags: Beauty, Poetry, Food, Inspiration, Trees

Centrality of Trees

Free photo on Pikist.com by Saolw.

One tree delight for me in the West

Are palm trees growing along the way.

I’d never seen them except in a greenhouse.

Date palms grow sprays of flower euphoria,

Yellow bursts before the dates.

Photo on Meir Park by Jonathan Coombes on Pixnio.com

And the other wonder are redwoods,

Communities in tree form. Redwoods

Form a grove: ancestors’ blessing-filled

Circle like a prayer made of trees

Enclosing the grace of nature for our discovery.
The Global Forest by Diana Beresford-Kroeger
By: Chris Jerrey
Tags: Climate Change, Diana Beresford Kroeger, Book Review, Forest, Trees

Diana Beresford-Kroeger is a botanist and medical biochemist, an expert on the medicinal, environmental and nutritional properties of trees. Unsurprisingly, the book is rich in scientific detail about how trees germinate, grow, reproduce and fruit. But this is not just the biology of trees, it is about the life of trees and how they collectively form the Global Forest.

Just like human society, the forest is a place of communal life, full of rich interactions. Food is shared, knowledge passed on and sexual relations take place. This book deals with these interactions to a fascinating level of detail. The author is intensely knowledgeable about trees, perhaps as much as anyone on Earth. She is uniquely equipped to explain not only the biochemistry of the forest but how that is expressed as life.

We learn about the role of the oldest Mother trees and how they nurture the next generation. How the forest on land sustains the forest on the sea bed and what happens when that relationship is broken. We learn about how trees produce perfect foods for all the creatures of the forest including ourselves. We are invited to join the author’s indignation at the folly of cutting trees to satisfy our insatiable demand for paper.

Humanity has treated the global forest with utter disrespect. The author never hectors us about our collective behaviour, but she doesn’t need to. She represents the beauty, complexity and necessity of the forest so eloquently and effectively that we are just left to squirm in embarrassment at what we have done.

The book is composed of short four-page chapters, each dealing with an aspect of forest life. Each is a hymn, full of praise for the wonder of the forest. Considering how humanity has ripped through the global forest, the author could be forgiven some bitterness towards this destruction. But this never shows. Like the trees she loves, she stands tall and showers the reader with the blessings of her knowledge.

Website: https://dianaberesford-kroeger.com/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Beresford-Kroeger
Archaic and old
Tags: Love, Poem, Trees, Goodreads, Poetic

Huge and tall she stood there

Spreading her arms for everybody who sought her care;

She never has denied to shower her love

Regardless of ‘you’ or ‘it’ , she always slithers her blooming mauve

When the beautiful blooms fall on your cheeks like suave

You look up with a smile

And nostalgias of walking down the aisle.

You would never know how bravely she stands

And readily takes anything that the heaven grants

Never underestimate her age

She has survived many wars

There she stands archaic and old

Give her little, she will return many-fold.
Why I Write: A Flawed Explanation
By: Marcus Baumgart
Tags: Writing, Reason, Trees

For no discernible reason, here is a photograph of an Oak Tree at a client’s farmhouse. It just felt right for this story.

I write because I love the angle of the wall as it meets the ceiling, just over there near the head of that black timber window. I write because I love the cold, flat grey light of winter, the stillness of those ugly trees in the chilly midday air, and the way Melbourne’s footpaths burn whtie in the summer sun. I write because I love a messy house, because I hate housework, because I hate going to the supermarket on a Saturday and because I want to exist long after I have turned to dust. I write to remember that part of my day is worthwhile, even while some gets wasted; I write to remember to take it easy, to take it long and low and to draw out the strokes of my lazy afternoons.

I write despite having no ideas about what to write. Having an idea for a story is like having an idea for a poem: it doesn’t lead anywhere in itself. It is merely the conscious mind attempting to take control and set the agenda. It is not productive. I seem to get this with poetry more than prose: I begin a poem because I find the fragment of a poem in my mouth and on my tongue, a stray association of words that has sprouted like a seed from my subconscious. I should try this more with prose.

Story ideas are a red herring. They miss the point. They are ‘about’ and not ‘of’. They are desperate attempts to herd fish when the real game is a shotgun blast in a salad bowl. If an idea has value it will emerge from the seeds of free writing. If it does not it will not: something else will emerge instead. Something strange that will take root and grow out of the fertile soil of steady production. And production is everything: to write, and to write and to write.

So I write through interruptions, through rain storms, and through the beats and chimes of this drawn out Saturday Boxing Day afternoon. I write through application and concentration. I write through the eye of a needle, threading each sentence through the eye just one word thick, one word at a time. Sometimes I write through a fine, white gauze I call Mental Muslin.

I write imperfectly and impatiently. I write enough for now, and then some more for later. I write up and I write down, and I am working on writing sideways as well, but I am not there yet.

I am therefore I write, but the am came first.
Happiness Has Left Us
By: Tamjid Hossain
Tags: Poetry, Happiness, Life, Trees, Poetry On Medium

Happiness Has Left Us

Photo by Arnaud Mesureur on Unsplash

Happiness has left us,

In this era of technology

Everything is artificial and robotic,

This modern world is so tiresome and monotonous.

Trees are being cut down everywhere,

Because of technology and urbanization;

Seems like we forgot how trees bring us happiness.

Trees are silent while they are alive,

They are beautiful by nature,

Trees are strong,

Because they can recover even after days without sun.

Trees can inspire us,

Because they live by giving life to others.

We forgot these teachings that trees teach us,

Because we don’t see enough trees in our surroundings anymore.

We are so busy

We don’t plant trees anymore,

Our love for trees is no more

That’s why happiness is nowhere to be found.

We should plant more trees

And feel the happiness of breathing fresh air.

We should be happy

Cause we can still breathe,

Amidst the trees that remain in this beautiful world.

O mankind! Please don’t destroy trees anymore!
Getting Closer to your Mega Project Problem
By: Muhammad Asif
Tags: Plantation, Deforestation, Trees

In Design Thinking model for problem-solving, the first step is the identification of the problem. We have to think about the problem in the perspective of the people who are facing the issue. We have to think by placing ourself in the position of others who are facing the problem. We have to show empathy. Then we have to define the problem.

I am working on the problem correspond to environmental hazards. The problem statement of the issue I am hoping to solve is about the environmental issue.

Problem Statement: “Due to the lack of guidance and information, we have forgotten the responsibility of saving nature reservoir and unaware of the drastic effects it could cause in the future.”

The problem-related to the deforestation. It is one of the biggest problems in the world, especially in Pakistan. The facts are very dreadful about the situation of forestation in Pakistan. According to the report submitted to the Lahore Highcourt, the facts tailored the trend of deforestation Pakistan. The natural forest cover had reduced from 3.59 million hectares to 3.32m hectares at an average rate of 27,000 hectares annually.

The experience of getting closer to the problem was somehow difficult. At the same time, it was interesting. I was talking about the problem which I care. I was thinking about and seeing this problem. I have not taken any step to solve the problem. Talk to the people who are affected. In my case, almost everyone is a stakeholder. The whole of society is facing a problem. I want to say one line. Facing the big issues, small acts are small but their worth nor.
Tree Stump Removal Regina
By: Cypress Wellness Centre
Tags: Stump Removal, Tree, Regina

Get services like Tree Removal Regina, Pruning Service Regina, Tree Emergency Storm Services Regina, Tree Stump Removal Regina, Tree Cabling Regina, Tree Bracing Regina under one roof. Visit us today to learn more!
Happy Christmas 2020
By: Woawomen Urra
Tags: Treats, Christmas, Tales, Tree, Traditions

Last week our alpha sibling sent us a NatGeo article on the history behind the holiday tradition of Christmas trees.

The Rockefeller Tree had a stowaway owl this year

wonder | wander | women agree it’s a strange tradition and we adore it anyway. Every December, people in regions around the world head to the nearest forest, chop down a tree, drag it into their homes, adorn it with lights, baubles, and tinsel — then unceremoniously drag it to the curb in January.

“Evergreens at midwinter festivals were traditional since the ancient world, signifying the victory of life and light over death and darkness.” ~ Carole Cusack , professor of religious studies at the University of Sydney

vintage tree toppers

At last night’s family Zoom call to greet our 87 year old mother a happy birthday, we all had a blast showing each other our different versions from our socially distanced homes.

Little Christmas tree / No one to buy you, give yourself to me / You’re worth your weight / In precious gold, you see / My little Christmas tree

Mom all merry & bright

This year we are missing our holiday trip into New York City to enjoy the lights and celebration that has become our regular treat here in the East Coast.

Through the years the Christmas tree has stood for Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Queen Victoria the trend setter, US Presidents since Coleridge in 1923, Rockefeller Center’s yearly giants felled since 1933, and many more around the world.

A Christmas story about a little fir tree by the MOME2 class

Promise you will be / Nobody else’s little Christmas tree / I’ll make you sparkle / Just you wait and see / My little Christmas tree

Happy Christmas 2020 to all and a prosperous 2021 for us all!
The Cycle Of Life
By: David Milgrim
Tags: Age, Humor, Life, Comics, Trees

Top Writer in Satire & Humor; Trying to Feel Okay, One Comic at a Time; IG: https://www.instagram.com/davidmilgrim; Contact me at sitemail1000@gmail.com
Interesting Tree Facts
By: Ashish Mukherjee
Tags: Life Of Trees, Tree Facts, Trees, Tree Trivia

Trees are essential to our existence and also a source of wonder to us

Trees are a part of our daily existence. However, the biology behind how trees work is rather interesting though lesser known to most of us. Here are some interesting tree facts -
How to Reduce Real and Artificial Tree Issues on a Christmas Eve?
By: Bhavmeet Saluja
Tags: Christmas, Competition, Business, Trees, Rental

Christmas tree rental is a reliable option to minimize the issues figured due to real and artificial trees. This is so because artificial trees increase carbon emissions and resource depletion which is not good for the environment. They are non-recyclable and end up accessing local landfills. This is the reason renting trees are preferred over buying. Launching a P2P Christmas tree rental marketplace is a fundamental step towards ensuring sustainable success.

With this approach, the rental business may turn out to be more efficient and compliant for a competitive market. The peer-to-peer rental business caters to the interest of the majority of users which is crucial for the marketplace’s success.

Also, real tree cutting is a big headache leading to environmental and sustainable growth destruction. There is a requirement of an hour that cuts down the usage of real and artificial trees, thus moving towards the rental sector that might prove out to be more fruitful.

The rental marketplace has shifted to an online medium, now is the right time to invest in this industry because global warming and other climatic changes have struck the minds of people globally. Everyone looks out for environmentally friendly products in all niches that are a necessity for the coming future.

Reasons why investing in the rental marketplace is a good idea

The online rental marketplace compared to another popular online niche in marketplaces is a fairly new idea. Why shouldn’t an entrepreneur invest in the same? Here are some statistics and facts that might help you in going ahead with such businesses:-

Around 10 million people in the US go-ahead for buying artificial trees each season. Nearly, 90% of them have been shipped across the globe from China.

Source: Statista.com

Take Away

The rental industry is experiencing an innovative shift to a digitized medium. Christmas rental tree should be a priority and you can look out for this profitable idea here: https://www.upworthy.com/christmas-tree-rental
Haiku Growing Tree
By: Mirela Popoveniuc
Tags: Naive Art, Butts, Growing, Body Positivity, Trees

Haiku Growing Tree by Mirela Popoveniuc, December 2020

Sit on your butt or

stand up and watch it in the

mirror now, yes, you.

The tree rings show the

wisdom you have been working.

This empire is yours.

Growing and shrinking,

living, doing, feeling. Yes,

you, I fancy you!
FLOWER MOUND TREE HEALTH
Tags: Tree Service, Tree Trimming, Tree Removal, Tree Health, Trees

Being proactive is the most ideal approach to maintain healthy trees in Flower Mound. Your ISA Certified Arborist neighbors at TreeNewal are consistently around to assist with keeping steady over everything to keep your healthy trees cheerful and landscape excellent. Tree health begins in the tree’s roots, which can here and there utilize a little assistance in helpless soil. Our Flower Mound tree experts realize how to assist your trees with adjusting to the remarkable North Texas climate. The absolute most normal services we give are tree nutrition and root aeration, which a ton of Flower Mound trees need in poor people or thickly pressed soil of Northern Texas.

ABOUT TREENEWAL

We give proficient tree care services to homeowners and commercial property in Northeastern Texas. With regards to the health of your tree, we put stock in being proactive. That implies ensuring your trees get proficient tree services each season varying, including tree fertilizer, tree trimming, and tree pruning. These deterrent estimates help your trees live more, stay away from the disease, grow straight and tall, and guard your properties!

OUR FLOWER MOUND TREE SERVICES

Our ISA Certified Arborists are pleased to serve Flower Mound homeowners and business properties. Our Flower Mound tree services include:

Flower Mound Tree Services

Tree Doctors

Tree Nutrition

Tree Removal

Emergency Tree Services

WHY CHOOSE US?

We are ISA Certified Arborists; prepared in proactive and deterrent tree rehearses that assist your trees with growing and tall. Healthy trees are our first concern. Regardless of whether we’re mending wiped out trees or dealing with routine tree pruning, we take care of business rapidly and securely. Who realizes local Flower Mound tree species better than the individuals who live and work with them? Call your neighbors at TreeNewal!

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

We are focused on giving Flower Mound homeowners and property proprietors astounding tree services and extraordinary client assistance. We invest wholeheartedly in being essential for the Flower Mound people group, and it means everything to us when you believe you can depend on us to deal with all your tree removal and tree administration requirements.
What the Weeping Willow Tree Symbolizes On a Spiritual and Human Level
By: Nikki Mcmillan
Tags: Spirituality, Letting Go, Flexibility, Self, Trees

What the Weeping Willow Tree Symbolizes On a Spiritual and Human Level

Photo by Andrew Wilus from Pexels

This short story metaphor is a tribute to a fellow Medium writer, Rabia Akram, and her publication.

Although I don’t personally know you, Rabia, I’ve read some of your stories and feel you’re a lovely soul, which is why I wanted to contribute to your new publication, Tree Stories.

The spiritual symbolism behind the weeping willow tree is a profound one that every human can relate to.

I wonder if that’s why maybe I’ve been fascinated with this tree on a soul level ever since I was a little girl.
An old guitar is a tree
By: Jonah Lightwhale
Tags: Poetry, Flamenco, Paco De Lucia, Guitar, Trees

Everyday stories #7

An old guitar is a tree

Photo by Author

An old guitar is a tree

grew up on the bank of a river.

Nothing is foreign to her

she resonates with anger

of the oppressed

heart

delicacy

herons in flight

paths of Cassiopeia

the penultimate note of existence.

An old guitar is a tree

grew up on the bank of a river.

She doesn’t forget to bloom

whenever necessary.

Flowing water is sound

and sound consumes wood

and springs

from wood a calm solar light

that blends with water.

So I,

consumed by time,

I am wood and water and light,

and I have no destiny

if not that of love

that I’m going to embrace.
Reaching
By: Fleur Sauvage
Tags: Nature, Poetry, Inspiration, Climbing, Trees

Poetry

Reaching

Photo by Cristofer Jeschke on Unsplash

Standing on the precipice

from my perch

vantage and advantage gained

Looking out, I see more

I reach for more

Climbed high in these branches — Home

rising sights, raised ever higher.

Niched in the nook

of tree limb’s crook

I breathe out. She breathes in

She exhales and I, held,

am given breath.

Held

Perched On Old Oak

I am reminded of the truth;
A Forest Sprang
By: D. C. O'Brien
Tags: Poem, Forest, Trees, Poetry

I asked the trees

From whence they came,

They smiled at this and danced again,

Then pointed limbs to moonlit sky,

As if to say ‘Look not at I’.

I asked the moon

What she might know,

Of how such wonder came to grow,

With silent grace her gaze she cast,

Upon the wind now rolling passed.

I asked the wind

The same once more,

His voice from howl to mighty roar,

‘Ask not the wind I only sow,

In Earth alone can giants grow.’.

A mount I climbed

To have her tell,

But on that peak to knees I fell,

For in response she shook the ground,

And seed burst forth with ancient sound.

And as the Earth

Her words she sang,

From tiny seed

A forest sprang,

Though I now know from whence they came,

In trees the magic still remains.
Seasonal Life Among the Branches of a Copper Beech
By: Bridget Webber
Tags: Nature, Poetry, Life, Seasons, Trees

All year long, the tree turns. Not like a wheel, but by showing us the circle of life. The seasons are easy to recognize when you observe a tree.

There is an enormous copper beech outside my window I see as a friend. Not as strange as you might, at first, think because it’s visible throughout the day. What, or who, you encounter most often affects you. They influence the way you think and feel.

The beech tree, so resplendent in a crown of cinnamon much of the year, is bare-branched come December. Its beauty currently stems from how it shelters many wild birds and animals. I watch squirrels scamper along it and note a pair of crows who nested earlier and have made a family. They fly back and forth to rest on the branches.

Here’s my winter poem to the copper beech, since it does such a splendid job.

The Copper Cradle

In spring,

tight buds whisper with copper treasures,

yet to unfold.

By summer those blossoms open to the sun,

and life blooms among the branches with chirps and dashes.

In winter,

the cradle sheds what’s no longer valuable to hold,

recognizing old gems will soon be dust.

Come nightfall,

though, it gives shelter under a wide canopy of stars.
Twelve Trees
By: M. H. Rubin
Tags: Nature, Beauty, Photography, Black And White, Trees

Muir Woods (Rubin, 2015)

Twelve Trees

Jerry’s yard, Gainesville (Rubin, 2018)

When I was 15 years old, a tornado ripped through my hometown of Gainesville, Florida. It just missed our house but still dropped some 100 foot pine trees on us. The largest tree ripped apart the house at a point right where I had been standing a moment earlier. As soon as I got my bearings I picked up my camera and walked into our yard, still in the rain, and began to take photos. As well as galvanizing my new photographic interests, it kicked off a love/hate relationship with living in the woods.

Like cracks, it’s hard to articulate just what makes a great tree. I like the fractal shapes; their parallels to other organic structures at different scales; their role as a transmission agent for moving elements between the air and Earth. But mostly I am enthused by their varied beautiful shapes and relationship to light.

Garden of Eden, Santa Cruz (Rubin, 2020)

San Francisco (Rubin, 2020)

Gainesville (Rubin, 2016)

Central Valley (Rubin, 2015)

Driftwood (Rubin, 2019)

Farm net, Central Valley (Rubin, 2015)

Tree climbing, Turin (Rubin, 2015)

Healdsburg (Rubin, 2015)

National Street (Rubin, 2014)
Be a Willow
By: Jenine Bsharah Baines
Tags: Poetry, Spirituality, Gaia, Trees, Poetry On Medium

Be a Willow

Photo by Martina Picciau on Unsplash

The willow tree is one of the few trees that is capable of bending in outrageous poses without snapping. Dixie Brown, Willow Place for Women

Be a willow

Embrace rather than brace

Drop every leaf of resistance,

allowing the storm to shape you –

the winds and waves, compass

choreographer

Weep when Spirit prompts

Without shame, tears feeding your roots

like robins — arias of wisdom

and renewal — feeding their young.

Even now, you are dancing

your arms

arcs de triomphe, at the ready

to engage in exultant pas de deux

with the world,

sheltering others but first,

the dryad leavening your bark

from the raw, blistering sunburn

of disbelief, despair,

an irreparably broken heart

©Jenine Bsharah Baines 2020

I began this poem after a phone call with my son left me feeling like I’d blown it. Not because of what I said but what I hadn’t. Oh, thank you, Muse, yet again. I wound up ‘sheltering’ not only my baby but my own ‘dryad.’

Thank you, Jean Carfantan, for the prompt “Trim the Sails.” What do we often need to ‘trim’ from our lives? Resistance.

“Surrender to what is. Say ‘yes’ to life — and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.” Eckhart Tolle

Thank you, dearest readers, for sailing with me.
Trees, Washington Park
By: Keppie Clarke
Tags: Nature, Beauty, Trees, Poetry

A Poem

Photo by David Bruyndonckx on Unsplash

Yellow and green

Woven,

The world glows

Under their canopy,

The world blooms —

Even the crisp carpet

Supposedly brown

Radiates.

Everything:

Everything is light.
The tallest tree in the world, Amazing Facts About Coast Redwoods
By: Nitish Kumar
Tags: Tallest, World Tallest Tree, Coast Redwoods, Trees, Tallest Tree

Friends, all of you must have heard about trees and plants from childhood, we also know that some tree is very tall, some tree is small and some are huge and dense. But very few people will know that the tallest tree in the world is also present on this earth, but very few people will know about it. In this article of today, I will educate you about the tree which is the tallest on the planet.

Which is the tallest tree on the planet?

world’s tallest tree coast redwood

Interesting facts about the world’s tallest tree — Sequoia Sempervirens (Coast Redwood)

1. The tree was discovered in 2006. This tree gives the most wood in the world.

7. The largest redwood species in the world are in Del Norte Redwood National Park and Humboldt Redwood National Park, California.

8. The species of the redwood tree originated 10,000 years ago i.e. in the Ice Age, although many of these trees have grown in Asia and Europe. It was found at many places, from which scientists estimate that this tree species would have been around 5 million years ago from the Prehistoric period.

10. If such species of trees can be grown in India too, then in our country this tree will provide many kinds of wood, pure air and lots of water every year, which will also reduce the heat.

11. Many species of trees are found in the redwood forest such as deodar, Pacific Madron, Western Hemlock. Apart from this, many species of birds and animals are found here.

12. In California, this tall tree has been pruned for cutting, although this tree still causes a lot of damage due to the attack of the insect, yet it comes in great harm. Black bears and deer eat its leaf and wood.

14. Another interesting thing about this tree is, if the chains of this tree get burnt due to any reason, then it can generate new chains again.

17. Apart from America, this tree species is found in New Zealand, Britain, Italy, Portugal, South Africa, Central Mexico, and South and East America. This tree can be grown in all those places where there is no shortage of water and there are a lot of lands because it is spread for many kilometers inside the original land of the tree.

Hope you have liked The World’s tallest tree coast redwood article.
Thank you. I appreciate what you do.
By: William J Spirdione
Tags: Trees

I will not be told what to think. It can be explained to me.
I love trees 🌳 I would love to be added as a writer.
By: William J Spirdione
Tags: Trees

I will not be told what to think. It can be explained to me.
A list of stories related to the Christmas trees
By: Rabia Akram
Tags: Top 5, Christmas Tree, Trees, Tree Stories

A list of stories related to the Christmas trees

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

As Christmas is here, I don’t want to let go of this opportunity of not sharing anything related to the Christmas tree.

From ancient times, evergreen trees had a symbolic meaning in the lives of people around the world. They decorated their homes with pine, spruce, and fir trees to keep the spirit of gardening alive.

In many countries it was believed that evergreens would keep away witches, ghosts, evil spirits, and illness. Source

Top five great reads about Christmas trees

Here is the compilation of five great reads about these trees that I recently found on Medium. I learned a great deal about the history, tradition, and culture of decorating Christmas trees by reading about them.

1. The Christmas Tree: A time honoured tradition by Shain E. Thomas

2. The fascinating history of the Christmas tree by Charlotte Zobeir Ali

3. Why do we put the Christmas tree? By Michele Caimmi

4. Irish Christmas Trees by Grann Osiris

5. Why I have no Christmas tree by Aimee Dyamond

Thank you for finding some time to read about this article on Christmas trees.
Forget Coffins — Organic Burial Pods Will Turn Your Loved Ones Into Trees
By: Wonder Earth
Tags: Coffin, Style, Death, Future, Trees

Here where you can find a lot of interesting daily videos about: Discovery, Family stories, Facts, Mysterious, Funny and weird things
Top 7 Things to Keep in Mind When Pruning Your Tree
By: Five Star Tree Services
Tags: Tree Pruning, Tree Care, Toronto Tree Care, Tree Service, Trees

Pruning and tree maintenance is important, and there are a few main reasons why. Pruning helps trees to maintain a tree’s overall health as well as shape it into something that is visually appealing to the eyes. If you want to learn about the proper ways to prune your tree(s), be sure to visit our blog post linked below.

Five Star Tree Services stands out from other tree service competitors, because we provide quality, professionalism and efficiency to the highest degree. We have a customer satisfaction guarantee on top of that, to ensure that you get the proper service you were looking for. If you are interested and want to learn more about how we can help you with your Richmond Hill Tree Pruning, be sure to visit our website or contact us with the details below. We look forward to hearing from you!

🌍 Read More: https://www.fivestartreecare.ca/blog/things-to-know-when-pruning-tree/

📞 Phone: (416) 990–3355

📬 Email: info@fivestartreecare.ca

📍 Location: 156 Duncan Rd, Richmond Hill, ON L4C 6J8
weightless
By: Coleen Douglas
Tags: Nature, Poetry, Spirituality, Interconnectedness, Trees

the veil is slowly fluttering

ancestors are connecting with me

looking out the front window

five tiny warblers alight on thin stalks

feasting on the velvet purple sage blossoms

they are weightless

the stems barely move

spirit beings dressed in tiny feathers of green and yellow

I want to touch their feathers

so gently

the veil is slowly fluttering

laying down on the dry leaves of

redwoods and bay laurel

the forest is alive with ancestors

each of these redwood trees is my ancestor

standing tall and strong in full health

leaning against a neighbor since

fire scars have weakened her

the massive mother tree cut to a stump

after a thousand years of life

burst forth new children

circled around her

Photo by Coleen Douglas

I breathe them in

they are so present within me

I let the love flow

into the air above me

into the earth below me

and receive a message in return

announcing the power of community

ancestor trees standing

because they are connected to each other

root by root

trunk by trunk

branch by branch

leaf by leaf

the veil is slowly fluttering

closing my eyes I feel a soft breeze

fragrance of redwood needles fills me

my fingers dig into the soil

below the redwood duff

feeling the thin rootlets

energy flows back and forth

invisible as air

weightless
ARGYLE TREE HEALTH SERVICES
Tags: Tree Care, Tree Service, Tree Trimming, Tree Removal, Trees

Being proactive is the key to having solid trees in Argyle. Our ISA Certified Arborists at TreeNewal will keep your solid trees glad and landscape wonderful. Tree health begins in the roots, the base of the tree. Our Argyle tree specialists realize how to assist your trees with adjusting to the remarkable North Texas atmosphere. Probably the most widely recognized services we give are tree nourishment and root air circulation, which a ton of Argyle trees need in poor people or thickly stuffed soil of Northern Texas.

ABOUT TREENEWAL

We furnish property holders and business properties with proficient tree care services in Northeastern Texas. We trust in being proactive, particularly with regards to the strength of your tree. That implies ensuring your trees get proficient tree services, for example, fertilizer, tree trimming, and tree pruning each season and varying. These protection estimates help your trees live more, maintain a strategic distance from illness, develop straight and tall, and guard your properties!

OUR ARGYLE TREE SERVICES

Our ISA Certified Arborists are pleased to serve Argyle mortgage holders and business properties. Our Argyle tree services include:

Argyle Tree Services

Emergency Tree Services

Tree Doctors

Tree Nutrition

Tree Removal

WHY CHOOSE US?

We ensure more than your landscape–it’s imperative to work to the greatest advantage of our locale. That is the reason we offer eco-accommodating pest control arrangements that don’t hurt the climate, your landscape, or your trees. We are ISA Certified Arborists; prepared in proactive and protection tree rehearses that assist your trees with developing and tall.

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

We’re glad to secure Argyle trees for mortgage holders and commercial property owners in North Texas. Our obligation to quality goes past how we care for tree health we additionally develop great associations with our clients. Our neighbors in Argyle can generally feel certain depending on us for all Argyle tree services needs
SOUTHLAKE TREE HEALTH
Tags: Tree Care, Tree Service, Tree Trimming, Tree Removal, Trees

The most ideal approach to care for the health of your trees in Southlake is to be proactive. Our ISA Certified Arborists at TreeNewal are only a call away to help you keep your trees healthy and landscape excellent. Tree health begins in the roots, the base of the tree. Our Southlake tree specialists realize how to assist your trees with adjusting to the remarkable North Texas atmosphere. The absolute most basic services we give are tree sustenance and root air circulation, which a great deal of Southlake trees need in poor people or thickly pressed soil of Northern Texas.

ABOUT TREENEWAL

We furnish homeowners and commercial properties with proficient tree care services in Northeastern Texas. We have confidence in being proactive, particularly with regard to the health of your tree. That implies ensuring your trees get proficient tree services, for example, fertilizer, tree trimming, and tree pruning each season and varying. These precaution estimates help your trees live more, maintain a strategic distance from sickness, develop straight and tall, and protect your properties!

OUR SOUTHLAKE TREE SERVICES

Our ISA Certified Arborists are pleased to serve Southlake homeowners and commercial properties. Our Southlake tree services include:

Southlake Tree Services

Tree Doctors

Tree Nutrition

Tree Removal

Emergency Tree Services

WHY CHOOSE US?

We are ISA Certified Arborists; prepared in proactive and protection tree rehearses that assist your trees with developing and tall. Healthy trees are our first concern. Regardless of whether we’re recuperating wiped out trees or dealing with routine tree pruning, we take care of business rapidly and securely. Who knows local Southlake tree species better than the individuals who live and work with them? Call your neighbors at TreeNewal!

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY

We are focused on furnishing Southlake homeowners and landowners with phenomenal tree services and incredible client care. We invest wholeheartedly in being important for the Southlake people group, and it means everything to us when you believe you can depend on us to deal with all your tree evacuation and tree services requirements.