hi y’all i just wanted to put you onto this fundraiser for the buffalo nations grasslands alliance. they’re trying to recoup some of the funds for black-footed ferret conservation on tribal grounds that the trump/musk administration has frozen, which is impacting not only the conservation efforts themselves but the livelihoods of the people working on them. the frozen grant is 1.1 million but this fundraiser has a goal of 50,000.
the fundraiser has 24 days left and has only reached 2% of its goal with 11 donations. black-footed ferrets are an endangered lazarus taxon that was thought to be extinct from 1979-1981 before being rediscovered by accident. they’re a miracle of conservation and it would be horrible to lose them for good, not to mention (again) the impact of people working with these animals losing their jobs which is outlined in the fundraiser link. indigenous-led conservation efforts are extremely important for a wide variety of reasons and as someone in the zoology area i feel obligated to share this fundraiser to contribute to those efforts.
i know that things are hard right now and there’s a lot of people and organizations all across the world that need help, so don’t feel pressured BUT if you have extra money and you can contribute to this fundraiser or share it with people who can that would be great.
"Once thought to be extinct, black-footed ferrets are the only ferret native to North America, and are making a comeback, thanks to the tireless efforts of conservationists.
Captive breeding, habitat restoration, and wildlife reintegration have all played a major role in bringing populations into the hundreds after near total extinction.
Cloning is a tactic to preserve the health of species, as all living black-footed ferrets come from just seven wild-caught descendants. This means their genetic diversity is extremely limited and opens them up to greater risks of disease and genetic abnormalities.
ALT
Now, a new breakthrough has been made.
Antonia, a black-footed ferret cloned from the DNA of a ferret that lived in the 1980s has successfully birthed two healthy kits of her own: Sibert and Red Cloud.
These babies mark the first successful live births from a cloned endangered species — and is a milestone for the country’s ferret recovery program.
The kits are now three months old, and mother Antonia is helping to raise them — and expand their gene pool.
In fact, Antonia’s offspring have three times the genetic diversity of any other living ferrets that have come from the original seven ancestors.
ALT
Researchers believe that expanded genetic diversity could help grow the ferrets’ population and help prime them to recover from ongoing diseases that have been massively detrimental to the species, including sylvatic plague and canine distemper.
“The successful breeding and subsequent birth of Antonia's kits marks a major milestone in endangered species conservation,” said Paul Marinari, senior curator at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
“The many partners in the Black-footed Ferret Recovery Program continue their innovative and inspirational efforts to save this species and be a model for other conservation programs across the globe.”
ALT
Antonia actually gave birth to three kits, after mating with Urchin, a 3-year-old male ferret. One of the three kits passed away shortly after birth, but one male and one female are in good health and meeting developmental milestones, according to the Smithsonian.
Mom and babies will remain at the facility for further research, with no plans to release them into the wild.
According to the Colorado Sun, another cloned ferret, Noreen, is also a potential mom in the cloning-breeding program. The original cloned ferret, Elizabeth Ann, is doing well at the recovery program in Colorado, but does not have the capabilities to breed.
Antonia, who was cloned using the DNA of a black-footed ferret named Willa, has now solidified Willa’s place as the eighth founding ancestor of all current living ferrets.
“By doing this, we’ve actually added an eighth founder,” said Tina Jackson, black-footed ferret recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in an interview with the Colorado Sun.
“And in some ways that may not sound like a lot, but in this genetic world, that is huge.”
ALT
Along with the USFWS and Smithsonian, conservation organization Revive & Restore has also enabled the use of biotechnologies in conservation practice. Co-founder and executive director Ryan Phelan is thrilled to welcome these two new kits to the black-footed ferret family.
“For the first time, we can definitively say that cloning contributed meaningful genetic variation back into a breeding population,” he said in a statement.
“As these kits move forward in the breeding program, the impact of this work will multiply, building a more robust and resilient population over time.”"
"What is hateful to you, do not do to others, the rest is commentary, go and study"
Hillel the Elder
"Then when G-d asks [Cain], ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ he arrogantly responds, ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?' In essence, the entire Bible is written as an affirmative response to this question."
Also ZaKA (זק"א). They are an organization that works to preserve the dignity of the dead by recovering their bodies and ensuring they receive respect and proper treatment according to their religious rites (they have other religious wings aside from Jewish). I don't know what the Palestinian equivalent of this organization is, but if it exists please share it and support it. There's a lot of dead and unfortunately there's probably going to be many more and they all deserve dignity.
The greatest mitzvah is helping a soul along to its burial, because it's the only mitzvah where you cannot be thanked by the person you're helping.
A friend of mine has asked me to specifically mention this project which is near completion.
Sadly it will be sorely needed. The exterior walls are not yet complete and are needed to protect the burials from being disturbed by dogs and other such menaces that may dig into graves.
If you would like to donate directly to the Gazan Orthodox Christian community for humanitarian supports and repair of the damaged St Porphyrios Orthodox Church you can support this campaign by The Holy Orthodox Order of St George the Great Martyr here. Or at the bottom of the page here
Please support the joint Palestinian and Israeli project Bereaved Families For Peace (I set the language to English, hopefully that is carried over to the link.) this is a time of bereavement for everybody in this awful situation.
"Standing Together is a grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in pursuit of peace, equality, and social and climate justice. While the minority who benefit from the status quo of occupation and economic inequality seek to keep us divided, we know that we — the majority — have far more in common than that which sets us apart."
this is a quote from a facebook post of theirs, they provide accessibility for Deaf people in emergencies
"Right now, both Deaf Palestinians and Deaf Israeli families are cut-off from vital information and incredibly frightened. We grieve for the lives lost as loved ones' families from both sides grip with fear.We aim not to support governments, rather we support Deaf people in crisis as a nonpartisan organization responding to Deaf people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and regions of the world.If you know of a Deaf person in crisis please message us with the word“OTGHELP”
Something you can do more locally to yourself around the world, is donate to your local communities to help cover the expense of the unfortunately necessary increase in security.
Especially consider donating to smaller community centres as they likely are having the greatest difficulty covering these expenses. Jewish and Muslim community centres have been the target of violence and threats of violence around the world, but if you have a local Sikh Gurdwara perhaps see if they are accepting donations as in predominantly white countries their community is seeing an increase in violence and threats being misidentified as Muslims.
Finally actual activism on the internet for Israel 🇮🇱 and Palestine 🇵🇸
You want to make a difference with just reblog or posting something? This is the post. Not updates on the carnage. This. The agencies I didn’t even know about doing real tangible work of tikun olam, healing the world, for this situation? I can’t even begin.
The loss of life and impact on the communities in Helene’s path is unfathomable — and both the immediate and long-term needs are vast.
If you’re reading this, it’s likely because you want to help and care about making a difference for those who’ve been impacted by Hurricane Helene.
You’re in the right place. When we see tragedy like this happen in the news, it’s important to not tune it out. Instead, pay attention and truly feel the heartbreak of it — then, look for and be inspired by the people stepping in to help, and use that energy to make a difference ourselves.
Looking for the helpers
Instead of turning away from tragic events like the devastation from Hurricane Helene — we look closer for people stepping in using what they have, where they are, to make a difference for others.
Inspired by Mister Rogers’ famous quote, we call them the “helpers,” — and they’re usually found wherever there’s bad news in the world. Hurricane Helene is no different. Here are some people, businesses, and organizations helping right now:
After we’ve allowed ourselves to feel the weight of the pain and heartbreak associated with bad news, and look for hope and helpers in the midst of it — we always have the opportunity to join in and make a difference, too.
Here are some ways to help — whether you’re local or far away:
Donate to national organizations
Here are just a few large-scale organizations that have helpers on the ground in the region.
Local organizations, recovery funds, and mutual aid groups have been deployed across the states impacted by Helene. Find donation links and updates below:
Organizations in the affected area are seeking volunteers to help distribute resources and support crucial aid efforts. While many of us are not local to the region, those who are nearby are encouraged to join in a myriad of volunteer opportunities.
(Note: If you aren't in the area, the best way you can help is by supporting local efforts with a donation. Keeping roads clear for rescue crews and local relief agents is vital in maintaining safety in these already devastated regions).
While we can’t go back in time and burn less fossil fuels — we can make a difference now to secure a safer future and prevent future climate disasters.
We’re making incredible progress in the U.S. and globally in reducing emissions, but we need to work even faster — and incorporate climate mitigation efforts into our plans — to limit the most severe impacts of global warming.
There are lots of ways to help in political crises. Protesting,
voting, joining unions, calling your asshole representatives so they
know their days in office are numbered, making sure people know their
rights, protecting immigrants and minorities-in-general who live in your
neighborhood, etc. are all good,
but in terms of the human rights
violations happening in America right now, here’s something more immediate you can do.
If you’re in a financial place to make donations, check out these links. If not, spreading the word on any tangible way to make a difference will help; if you have a twitter, you could retweet the original thread here: twitter.com/sarahmirk/status/1143201552657575937
I don’t usually make these posts myself, but my influence on Twitter is practically nil, so here I am.
I survived an abusive relationship. At this point I have talked to and worked with hundreds of people in abusive relationships.
Guess what? telling us to leave never works.
ever.
I could write a post about ways to help people leave.
I’ll probably do that one day.
but don’t be that person in the mean time.
selfcareafterrapeselfcareafterrape
This is real quick off the cuff but:
AN ABBREVIATED GUIDE TO ‘holy shit my friend is in an abusive relationshit what do I do’
1. Don’t start shit with the abuser. Your friend? Will pay for it.
I once had a friend slap my abuser.
I am not going to tell you the price I paid b/c I’ve already puked once today and I would like to not do it again.
I once threatened a friend’s abuser.
I almost lost that friend over it.
Don’t do the thing.
2. Understand that the abuser is going to be isolating them.
They may be telling your friend how terrible you are. Any slight- no matter how small will be played up into a big thing. and even if the friend doesn’t hold it against you- it will probably effect how much they reach out to you.
Abusers like to tell their marks things like ‘Oh? A missed your call. Its because they hate you and think you complain too much’
The best way I can tell you to combat that- is just… don’t hold it against them. If they withdraw, don’t be that person like ‘well if you really cared about me you’d have fought for me'
The people who helped the most were those that I felt like.. I could go weeks without talking to and then they’d still listen if I got the courage to come back around.
If you can- work with them to try and schedule things so that they can have support without their abuser getting suspicious. School projects, open places. shit like that.
3. Don’t argue with them that shit is abusive.
Don’t be that person. It will make them feel unsafe with you.
The friends who argued were friends I lost. They were the ones it was easiest for him to make go. Cause here’s the thing… people view isolating as an abuser saying ‘you can’t talk to them!’ and a lot of times its not that.. its an abuser sitting down and saying in a real quiet voice ‘you two argue a lot, and they aren’t respecting you. But I’ll always be here for you okay?’
The most you can do is say “hey.. you know you deserve better than that right?” and if they argue go “I’m not going to argue with you. I don’t want to upset you.
4. If they ask for resources, help them get them.
Don’t offer them unless asked or it will turn into a fight and see above.
5. If they say they’re out of options- help them brain storm ones.
here’s an easy opening to ask if it’s okay to help them find resources.
don’t shove.
6. Be nice to them. consistently.
Too many people were too busy trying to convince me that he was a bad guy- that spending time with them just hurt…
and at least when I was with him it only hurt some of the time.
I got out because I had 4-5 good friends who I had good times with and I finally…. there was the light of ‘oh god this is what healthy relationships feel like. ’
7. Don’t shove. Don’t pressure.
You can say “I’ll be here for you when you’re ready to leave”
You can remind them of this occasionally.
But don’t be a coercive dick.
Don’t be gross.
Don’t hurt people being abused.
That should not be that hard of a lesson.
Don’t say victim blaming shit to convince them to leave.,
Lay is stunning house panther who prefers a quiet home where she can
take things at her own pace. She is counting on her new family to be
patient while she adjusts to her new life and family as 2021 has been a
little bit of a rough start. She lived with another cat in her previous
home, and they got along great together. Her family will need to
understand that it will take her a while to adjust and feel confident in
her new home. Lay likes supervising all work from home situations
during the day & sleeping at the foot of the bed at night. When she
wants attention, she’ll flop on the floor, roll around & sing - but
don’t be fooled by her cute belly, she only wants her head scratched.
Her favorite things are catnip toys & looking out the window; her
least favorite things are closed doors & being able to see the
bottom of her food dish. She will need to go to an adult only home
without a lot of foot-traffic and noise - a fairly quiet home would be
the best. Once she feels comfortable in her own skin again, she enjoys
relaxing and finding the best sunny spot in the house where she can
enjoy a cat nap. Got an extra spot in your heart for this sweet girl?
I survived an abusive relationship. At this point I have talked to and worked with hundreds of people in abusive relationships.
Guess what? telling us to leave never works.
ever.
I could write a post about ways to help people leave.
I’ll probably do that one day.
but don’t be that person in the mean time.
selfcareafterrapeselfcareafterrape
This is real quick off the cuff but:
AN ABBREVIATED GUIDE TO ‘holy shit my friend is in an abusive relationshit what do I do’
1. Don’t start shit with the abuser. Your friend? Will pay for it.
I once had a friend slap my abuser.
I am not going to tell you the price I paid b/c I’ve already puked once today and I would like to not do it again.
I once threatened a friend’s abuser.
I almost lost that friend over it.
Don’t do the thing.
2. Understand that the abuser is going to be isolating them.
They may be telling your friend how terrible you are. Any slight- no matter how small will be played up into a big thing. and even if the friend doesn’t hold it against you- it will probably effect how much they reach out to you.
Abusers like to tell their marks things like ‘Oh? A missed your call. Its because they hate you and think you complain too much’
The best way I can tell you to combat that- is just… don’t hold it against them. If they withdraw, don’t be that person like ‘well if you really cared about me you’d have fought for me’
The people who helped the most were those that I felt like.. I could go weeks without talking to and then they’d still listen if I got the courage to come back around.
If you can- work with them to try and schedule things so that they can have support without their abuser getting suspicious. School projects, open places. shit like that.
3. Don’t argue with them that shit is abusive.
Don’t be that person. It will make them feel unsafe with you.
The friends who argued were friends I lost. They were the ones it was easiest for him to make go. Cause here’s the thing… people view isolating as an abuser saying ‘you can’t talk to them!’ and a lot of times its not that.. its an abuser sitting down and saying in a real quiet voice ‘you two argue a lot, and they aren’t respecting you. But I’ll always be here for you okay?’
The most you can do is say “hey.. you know you deserve better than that right?” and if they argue go “I’m not going to argue with you. I don’t want to upset you.
4. If they ask for resources, help them get them.
Don’t offer them unless asked or it will turn into a fight and see above.
5. If they say they’re out of options- help them brain storm ones.
here’s an easy opening to ask if it’s okay to help them find resources.
don’t shove.
6. Be nice to them. consistently.
Too many people were too busy trying to convince me that he was a bad guy- that spending time with them just hurt…
and at least when I was with him it only hurt some of the time.
I got out because I had 4-5 good friends who I had good times with and I finally…. there was the light of ‘oh god this is what healthy relationships feel like. ‘
7. Don’t shove. Don’t pressure.
You can say “I’ll be here for you when you’re ready to leave”
You can remind them of this occasionally.
But don’t be a coercive dick.
Don’t be gross.
Don’t hurt people being abused.
That should not be that hard of a lesson.
Don’t say victim blaming shit to convince them to leave.,
To understand what's going on here, know these things:
OpenAI is the company that makes ChatGPT
A spider is a kind of bot that autonomously crawls the web and sucks up web pages
robots.txt is a standard text file that most web sites use to inform spiders whether or not they have permission to crawl the site; basically a No Trespassing sign for robots
OpenAI's spider is ignoring robots.txt (very rude!)
the web.sp.am site is a research honeypot created to trap ill-behaved spiders, consisting of billions of nonsense garbage pages that look like real content to a dumb robot
OpenAI is training its newest ChatGPT model using this incredibly lame content, having consumed over 3 million pages and counting...
Yeahh I’m pretty sure that his left wing is deformed. It hasn’t straightened out and his Chrysalis was a little whack
I’m worried. He flies like a dork- a little frantic and uneven, but he can still fly. I don’t have any means of keeping him though so I’m not sure what to do
Any suggestions for a handicapped yet handsome butterfly?
hi, i think chicken nugget might be a chimera! a chimera is an organism with cells from two different zygotes, usually a result of a merging of sibling zygotes during gestation. anyway this can result in organisms with both male and female cells, and in animals with sexual dimorphism like many butterflies, having a “split” like chicken nugget is common!
here’s an example of a butterfly chimera with a split:
and here is the sexual dimorphism of spicebush swallowtails, with the male on the left and the female on the right:
male spicebush swallowtails are also smaller than the female, which would account for the size difference of chicken nuggets…chicken wings
as far as flight ability and care goes, i have no clue, but congrats on your beautiful new child!!
CHICKEN WING IS BREAKING THE BINARY oh my god oh my god thank you for this info my bro is a fucking hella rad chimera non fuckig binary,, oh my god We’re nb bros I can’t believe this
He’s not a boy or a girl folks He’s chicken nugget
one time i meant to send my qpp a hashtag millennial joke txt about my ptsd but i accidentally sent it to my manager and i died that day n never recovered its arguably the most mortifying thing ive ever done bc hes a war veteran of 26 years in the military
one time i told him that i hadnt eaten in a couple days bc i was stressed out n he was like “yeah i know that feeling, i didnt eat for two weeks once” and i was like oh no why were you sick? and he goes “well i was in the cafeteria and a bomb flew over my head and blew up our kitchen and bathrooms and so i just didnt leave my room for a couple weeks lmao yeah it really fucked me up” AND I WAS KUST LIKE OH OK JOHN HOLY SHIT???
i told him that i went shark diving a few years ago and evenTHEN HE WAS LIKE “oh yeah i remember scuba diving in like shark infested waters for training it was really cold” JOHN PLEASE
hes a super chill dude tho who just wants hugs and hes always rly respectful n is asking ppl about their boundaries so he doesnt cross over any lines and like one time we were talking and i confided in him abt my mental issues n i was like “i know it probably sounds stupid to hear from me like oh haha yeah sure dave youve got ptsd ok stop being dramatic ur like three years old” but he immediately was like “anybody can have ptsd, its post-TRAUMATIC and what causes that is something BAD, you dont have to b in a war for bad things to happen to you” and i was like How Are You So Nice Thank You John Thats So Sweet WTF
gonna wrap up this post set with one more quality john moment: he was frumping around the back of the store and was like “i dont understand why customers r intimidated by me? i guess im scary” n i was like
john ur not scary you are like a tiny delicate flower
AND HE JUST GETS ALL BASHFUL AND SMILES N LOOKS DOWN N GOES “aaawe, thanks,,” LIKE GAAAHHHH
i highly recommended ppl finding more johns in their lives
