Finally got my weld test piece to pass the bend test after three tries

My first two attempts on the 3/8 inch plate had porosity that showed up as little cracks. I was rushing the root pass, honestly. Slowed way down on the third go, kept my arc tight and my travel speed steady, and let each pass cool a bit more. The inspector cut the coupons yesterday and all four bends were clean, no tears bigger than an eighth of an inch. It's a small thing, but it feels good to see the direct result of fixing a bad habit. Anyone have a different trick for keeping that root pass clean on thick plate?

PSA: Propagating that pothos vine in water felt like it took ages to see any progress, lol.

Stuck on a moral call for a corporate gala arrangement

A big company hired me for their event and requested a specific flower that's often grown with poor labor conditions. I found out their usual supplier has bad practices, but switching might cost me the job. Have you ever turned down work over ethics?