Month: June 2018

how did you take care of your venus fly trap cause mine died a few days later :( i am very bad

glumshoe:

I just put it in direct sunlight outside and watered it with distilled water by setting it on some gravel in a tray and pouring the water into the tray. It catches its own food.

Venus fly traps need full outdoor sunlight, and they can’t tolerate any minerals. You have to pot them in sphagnum moss or sphagnum peat and water them with distilled water, RO water, or rainwater. The pot needs to be at least 6 inches deep and not made of clay, with drainage holes. Soft drink cups work well. Set the cup in a dish and keep about an inch of water in the bottom. You want the substrate to always be slightly damp, like a wrung-out sponge, but not sopping wet. If you give them that, they’re super easy.

snoopkaneki:

tortle:

badassboner:

derangedhyena-delphinidae:

I did the sketch for this a few days ago and was going to make a more finished version for today, but my week was a little interesting.

So have the quick-colored and cleaned-up sketch.

Happy 50th Sea World. I’m bringing out the reality of that celebration. 50 years of piling up dead Shamus for human amusement.

Such an occasion, right?

You’re an ignorant fool if you believe this picture.

Orcas in the wild average a lifespan of 60 to 70 years. They can and have been recorded living to 100.

All captive orcas have died under the age of 32.
The average death is below the age of 10.
(often below even 3)

As of December 2013 159 orcas have died in captivity since orcas started being captured in th 1960s. The oldest of which was 32, her name was Nootka 5.
(note that these do not include stillborn calves, misscarriages, or other unsuccessful pregnancies. Which are rampant, and many of the listed Orcas died due to pregnancy complications.)

13 of these deaths are Seaworld Japan.
16 are Seaworld of California.
12 are Seaworld of Florida.
10 are Seaworld of Texas.

That means of the 159 Orca deaths in marine parks worldwide, a total 51 are in Seaworld parks.
Not including Seaworld affiliate parks, or parks where Seaworld sent calves/adults.

There are currently 53 living captive Orcas, 19 of them wild captured, 34 captive born.
The majority of them being owned by the Seaworld parks, with 55% being in the U.S.
( 2 in Seaworld Japan, 10 at Seaworld California, 7 at Seaworld Florida, 6 at Seaworld Texas.)

I won’t go into the deplorable living conditions, but if you want hard statistics without opinion, here you go.
Of the 212 killer whales in captivity since the 1960s, 159 are dead. All of them below the age of 32, all due to illness, injury, or complications. The majority of which at Seaworld parks.
This does not include other marine mammal species, such as dolphins, other whales, etc.

If handed any other animal with this statistic would you continue fighting for the practice for the sake of public entertainment?

Source.
Source.
Source.

Further reading:
The wikipedia article on the subject.

The wikipedia list of deceased orcas. It provides the causes of many, which are certainly horrifying. A warning to any who reads it.

Former trainers speak out.

A Cracked article written by a former trainer.

I urge anyone to do their own research on the subject.
Don’t be swayed by just what I have posted, but also do not be swayed b ywhat is being fed to you by the very organizations who use these animals for profit. As we all know, when presented with criticism any company will do their best to downplay it.

justnoodlefishthings:

thecolorsofwater:

ask-ickle-mod:

rasec-wizzlbang:

revereche:

rotifers:

becausebirds:

A conversation between a Raven and a Snowy Owl.

more stuff on becausebirds.com

It looks like the raven really wants the owl to leave and is trying to intimidate it, but the owl doesn’t care because it knows the raven is all bark and no bite. Or all squawk and no peck. Erm…

Actually, it looks more like the raven is curious about the funny bird and wants to sit next to it, and the owl doesn’t wanna be friends :[ The raven’s body language isn’t aggressive at all — it’s backing down appropriately when the owl displays aggression. Notice the way it’s careful to draw back every time it gets too close to the owl. This is an animal that’s trying to establish it isn’t a threat.

Keep in mind there’s a huge intellect disparity here — ravens exhibit novel tool use and complex communication, whereas owls aren’t even as smart as ducks. We’re sort of trained to view crows and ravens as villainous, but really they’re very playful animals.

“HI YOU’RE PRETTY WANNA BE FRIENDS??”

“HISSS”

This is so cute ‘cause I can imagine the crow being the talkative, friendly one and he’s just like “hi gosh wow you’re pretty I’ve never seen a white crow before! How’d ya get your feathers so white? Do you eat a lot of marshmallows? I eat a lot of marshmallows! This human lady feeds me marshmallows–” and on and on and the owl’s probably just like “What no go away”

This is adorable

My whole childhood just got ruined by that “owls aren’t even as smart as ducks”

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

Stop taking people with dementia to the cemetery

dementia-by-day:

“Oh yeah, every time that dad forgets mom is dead, we head to the cemetery so he can see her gravestone.”

WHAT. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some version of this awful story. Stop taking people with dementia to the cemetery. Seriously. I cringe every single time someone tells me about their “plan” to remind a loved one that their loved one is dead.

I also hear this a lot: “I keep reminding mom that her sister is dead, and sometimes she recalls it once I’ve said it.” That’s still not a good thing. Why are we trying to force people to remember that their loved ones have passed away?

If your loved one with dementia has lost track of their timeline, and forgotten that a loved one is dead, don’t remind them. What’s the point of reintroducing that kind of pain? Here’s the thing: they will forget again, and they will ask again. You’re never, ever, ever, going to “convince” them of something permanently. 

Instead, do this:

“Dad, where do you think mom is?”

When he tells you the answer, repeat that answer to him and assert that it sounds correct. For example, if he says, “I think mom is at work,” say, “Yes, that sounds right, I think she must be at work.” If he says, “I think she passed away,” say, “Yes, she passed away.” 

People like the answer that they gave you. Also, it takes you off the hook to “come up with something” that satisfies them. Then, twenty minutes later, when they ask where mom is, repeat what they originally told you.

toadschooled:

Just a little larger than a quarter, the Oak Toad [Anaxyrus quercicus] is the smallest species of toad in North America. The largest of these toads grow no larger than 1.30 inches! They’re a common sight from Louisiana to Virginia. Males are smaller than females, with white bellies as opposed to speckled, and are capable of breeding at just a few months of age.

[x] [x] [x]

A Big Yell Bag.

swingsetindecember:

ok, i’m built like a noble ox. like i am 6′1 and i am sturdy lady. like thighs for days. if you try to move me. you will be moved. body images aside (lol, i am self conscious about my size, yeah it’s life) 

so like, i am very used to girls standing next to me in public places. i end up acquiring a pack of ladies. just because women are like, that lady is a lady men stay away from. i am jerk kryptonite (usually, i get my fair share of creeps, such is life) but most men have self preservation that this 6′1 ox will break them. and i will

so usually i am in my own phone and look up to another lady standing next to me. and i will immediately look up and make eye contact and nod. like, you know, that nod. i see you and you can talk if there is something wrong. i end up on a reg basis being a defacto bodyguard to these young ladies and small women while waiting for buses and in the metro. 

i am a large oak tree. i protect the other birds. 

ladies, we all got roles. find tree in the wild. we’re always happy to provide shelter from the creeps.

i’ve regularly said, “move on, she doesn’t want to be your friend”