Coconuts have only been in the Caribbean for 500 years. They just….floated on over from Asia and took root. That’s…hilarious.
Wait really? I always thought they were if not native at least brought over on purpose
Right??? I’m watching this nature doc and when the narrator said that I nearly spit my drink giggling. They’re remarkably buoyant and just bob their way to a new shore. So carefree. Truly a fruit destined to be in the Caribbean.
Why aren’t these kitties getting all scratched up? They look like they have their claws out, and it seems like they should be bleeding, hitting each other with claws without any fur in the way. I know I’d be if our cat did that. Is cat skin just tougher than human skin?
I don’t really know what to do with the black fish, sorry! I’d suggest asking fishblr. (@scalestails, @bettablogging).
Catching fish is not my expertise, so defer to fishblr on this, but I would think you could use a larger long net to herd them into one area where they’ll be more likely swim into the smaller net naturally. If they’re in a smaller area, even if you do have to pursue them with the smaller net, it would assume it would be a lot less stressful because you’re not engaging in an entire chase scene.
You’ll probably want a seine net to corral the fish into one area of the pond. Google it and you’ll see what I mean- it’s a long net that you stretch between two poles, and you could try to catch the fish in it, or just use it to herd them into and fence off a small area of the pond to catch them in.
Ask at your local pet store (non-chain ones are best) if they’ll take the fish and re-sell them, ask a local garden center with a koi pond if you can add your goldfish, or see if there’s a local pond+aquarium forum where you could post and see if someone will take them. If all else fails, there’s Craigslist, though do ask potential takers what they plan to do with the fish.
If you just need to take the fish out for a little while to rebuild the pond, some heavily-filtered rubbermaid tubs with established filtration media and a ton of pond plants could work as temporary holding tubs to keep them in until the pond is up and running again.
If they’re the fish-shaped goldfish and not the fancy kind, you have black ones because goldfish are just a type of carp that have been bred to be shiny. Sometimes they regress to not being shiny.
i think what bothers me about the whole trend of “technology is Evil” crowd is that everything i’ve seen focuses on individual and benign use of consumer goods. like i can name at least 20 comics i’ve seen that capitalize on the idea that a person on their phone or who watches tv is somehow brainwashed or empty. that technology is more than just phones – from contact lenses to better pencils – goes unheard. instead backup cameras are going to ruin drivers.
and i think it’s sort of telling that none of these – not from what i’ve seen, at least – talk about how technology is actually used for evil. like we learn to sit in front of televisions because corporations encourage that behavior and also because many of us work so much and so often that getting a moment to “shut off” is bliss. sure, betty should look up from her cell phone, but how about how our information can be taken and stored without our consent to be sold to advertisers? no, don’t rely on that backup camera, always double-check, but also maybe call out the usage of car tracking devices that allow abusers to control the whereabouts of their victims. like, buddy i’m just using this phone on the train instead of talking to people because like, i’m talking to people i like. maybe post a comic about media monopolies or ever-more-aggressive advertising or the throttling of internet for company gains or, hell, about the people who are in the factories making those phones. rather than blaming the consumer – who is probably just using the device the same way i use contact lenses – maybe actually talk about a bigger idea than “boo hoo we use too much internet”
I drew a thing but listen Shockwave would probably groove on having an immortal frankensteined mess around. Waspinator is less groovy about it and keeps trying to eat Shockwave.
Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is an invasive herb in the carrot family which was originally brought to North America from Asia and has since become established in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Northwest regions of the United States. Giant hogweed grows along streams and rivers and in fields, forests, yards and roadsides, and a giant hogweed plant can reach 14 feet or more in height with compound leaves up to 5 feet in width.
Giant Hogweed sap contains toxic chemicals known as Furanocoumarins. When these chemicals come into contact with the skin and are exposed to sunlight, they cause a condition called Phytophotodermatitis, a reddening of the skin often followed by severe blistering and burns. These injuries can last for several months, and even after they have subsided the affected areas of skin can remain sensitive to light for years. Furanocoumarins are also carcinogenic and teratogenic, meaning they can cause cancer and birth defects. The sap can also cause temporary (or even permanent) blindness if introduced into the eyes.
If someone comes into physical contact with Giant Hogweed, the following steps should be taken:
Wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and COLD water as soon as possible.
Keep the exposed area away from sunlight for 48 hours.
If Hogweed sap gets into the eyes, rinse them with water and wear sunglasses.
See a doctor if any sign of reaction sets in.
If a reaction occurs, the early application of topical steroids may lessen the severity of the reaction and ease the discomfort. The affected area of skin may remain sensitive to sunlight for a few years, so applying sun block and keeping the affected area shielded from the sun whenever possible are sensible precautions
PLEASE, DO NOT JUST READ AND SCROLL! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION!!!
Extra note: if you live in Oregon, New Jersey, Michigan or New York and see one of these, call your state’s department of agriculture to report it, and trained professionals will come kill it before it can produce seeds and spread.
Frankly, if you see one in general, probably call your DOA and see if there’s a program in place.
Do not burn it, because the smoke will give you the same reaction.
If for some ungodly reason there isn’t a professional who can handle it for you (and please, please use a professional), the DOA of New York has [this guide] for how to deal with it yourself.
OH MY FUCK I HAVE THESE IN MY BACKYARD.
Fucking invasives. Signal boost.
Re-reblogging because I checked Snopes, and not only is this shit true, but the text on this is pretty much the same as it is there! Stay safe, kiddos.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, these are currently the states and provinces in North America where Giant Hogweed is present. Even if your state/province is “clear” that doesn’t mean that it is not there. If you see Giant Hogweed in your yard or anywhere please call your DOA! This stuff is mad deadly!
Also here is a human for size reference. Since they are huge it should be easy enough to see and spot when fully grown.
The burns can also be very bad, far worse than any poison ivy. Just Google ‘Giant Hogweed Burns’ and you’ll see. It can cause bad blistering, red painful rashes, and more. Please be careful of this plant!
They exist in Austria and Germany too. Please be careful!
Also, if you are in the Iowa/Minnesota area (maybe farther, I don’t exactly know), there is a close relative (also invasive) with yellow flowers called wild parsnip.
It only gets to about half the size of giant hogweed but has all the same toxic effects. The plants in the pictures look small but I’ve seen ones at least 6 feet tall with stems two inches thick.
A lot of pictures available of giant hogweed are fullsized and in bloom. Just because it lacks the flowers doesn’t mean it’s not hogweed! It is dangerous well before that point.
As seen above, another important detail when identifying them can be the stems. They often have this reddish speckling, and are covered in bristly hairs. Like the rest of the plant, you should absolutely not touch them either.
You can see here how the redness is mostly on larger, older portions of the stems.
For those of you in Ontario, here is a link to some more information via Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program . It has details on the plant’s growth, removal methods, and groups you can report sightings to.
Unfortunately I lack information on herbicide use, but if the responsibility of removing giant hogweed somehow falls to the owner, please research local laws/restrictions concerning the use of things such as glyphosate (roundup). It is always possible to make things worse instead of better, so exercise caution in all areas, not just the handling/disposal of the plant.
This is not bullshit. My sister works for the Cooperative Extension in New York and this is a big P.R. focus for them. They have trouble because somebody may spot some of these on a neighbor’s property and call it in, but they can’t get permission to go in and take it out because the neighbors think it’s “pretty” or they “natural” and want it to stay.
Here’s another thing about it that makes it dangerous and maybe might scare some people into doing something about it: this time of year, (winter) the dried stuff is tailor-made for attracting kids: long, light, jointed. It looks like bamboo and they will use it to frame up little huts, make beaded necklaces, use as “sword.”, etc. The worst is it’s hollow which makes it perfect for BLOW GUNS. Imagine getting that stuff on your lips….
I work at an environmental science college and can also confirm this. This stuff is bad bad bad news.
To all you aspiring herbalists and just nature adventurers: please, pelase be careful
Giant Hogweed is very real, just always the note of caution that it resembles a bunch of normal plants, and some of the original scare posts conveniently omit the details like the giant size that are one of the big giveaways. There’s lots of other plants like Queen Anne’s Lace that look the same but are a lot smaller, so keep in mind the “human used for reference” pic above. The link below has full info plus a linked pdf of all the lookalikes.
As an aspiring biologist, especially interested in poisonous plants and the like, DON’T TOUCH THIS PLANT! I often take very small cuttings from common species on hikes to study and classify, but I know which are irritants and which are not. I suggest looking on these websites for a very BASIC knowledge of skin-irritant causing plants. This information is invaluable on hikes, while camping, traveling, gardening, etc. I consider these sources to be useful and very accurate:
Can they not advertise 50 Shades literally everywhere??? The movie is 100% about sex like?? Children exist, Straight People??
Y’all say that the LGBT community pushes agendas everywhere yet so far I’ve seen hetero sex on billboards, ads, commercials, buses, etc.
Because at the end of the day, for some reason straight people genuinely believe that BDSM sex between a white heterosexual couple is more acceptable than a gay couple holding hands in the background of a Disney channel show.
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