Here are some things I captured this week
First, Butterflies and bees have serious substance abuse issues, just like humans. These butterfly bushes (not planted by me) are sugary sweet and boy do they love it! [Research: substance abuse in non-human animals]
Continue reading A Bit of Whimsy for the WeekIn my last post I used a photo of an old (positive) test result for COVID (this is also an old photo of my sweet baby, hence the grainy appearance) and I noticed it included Influenza A and B as possible results as well, which got me thinking about the flu and wondering how much people know what the flu even is. The question also ties into vaccines and how experts decide on which “strain” to use – and do people even know what they mean by strain?!
Ok, that’s a LOT to cover, so I’ll try to keep it all simple. First, let’s define what zoonosis is – this is a hot topic for One Health.
Continue reading Influenza and ZoonosisNow that our Department of Health and Human Services (D-HHS) is being run by someone with no scientific background or training and touts pseudoscience and fringe ideas, we are facing a potential health crisis.
Continue reading F*ck. Does This Mean I’m Getting COVID This Year?This is a bit of a deviation from One Health and my usual posts, but I just wanted to confess something. I’m a podcast junkie.
I love learning about new stuff and topical formats have always been my favourite. Also, lately, I can’t take another second of news and current events. It’s nauseating and my brain needs a detox. I actually feel that political current events might be rotting my brain.
So, whenever I need a break, these are my go-to podcasts!
Continue reading My Favourite PodcastsUPDATED: I was floundering in one of my unfocussed days, typing a million disparate thoughts, unable to make them meld properly. This is, perhaps, partly to do with the inherent abstract nature of art and the subjectivity surrounding it. I want to say something, but I am unable to find the right words in the right order. I’ve not rewritten, but I’ve tweeked a few lines to make them more cohesive.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how we use art in activism lately. We create signs for protests, write songs and stories, make documentaries…. City streets are littered with graffiti – everything from murals depicting a civil rights event to simple written messages.
Continue reading “Artivism”I thought I knew – but it seems I’ve opened up a can of worms that is taking way more effort to digest and understand. I thought “hey, let’s help spread the word about the importance of public broadcasting!” Now I need to figure out how we communicate across the nation. Either way, let’s also see if we can figure out what this administration just cut funding for, shall we?
Continue reading What is Public Broadcasting?Hi, everyone! How have you been?
I just returned from my vacation in the UK (all around Scotland and then a stint to London) and decided to disconnect while I was gone, hence my silence over the past two weeks..
Can’t say I’m super thrilled to be back – the second we touched down in D.C., reality pelted us hard, right upside the head like a noxious smell you weren’t expecting. One sad or embarrassing story after another about the happenings in the grand U.S. of A. came flooding into our phones and I realized coming back was a terrible idea.
Sigh.
Continue reading A Haggis HiatusFirst there was one pile. Then a second. A third, fourth, fifth….I’ve lost count. I’ve stopped paying attention to how many piles I am finding, and have grown more interested in the color changes this life form is experiencing. From yellow to orangish to white. This extra terrestrial looking creature seems to bleach in the sun like coral in the reefs. It even looks like coral – well, up close it does. When you see it splattered about in a pile when it first appears, it definitely brings to mind the look of bile and foam that’s just been hacked up by your canine companion. The species: colloquially known as Dog Vomit Slime Mold.
Continue reading I Think We Are Being Invaded by AliensAnd I wasn’t even near it!
The air quality where I live has been generally poor, as of late. Not from one wildfire, but from two, plus a Haboob from the Middle East that blew sand halfway around the world to settle on the East Coast of the U.S.. It was the fire in New Jersey, however, that left a film in my mouth and throat and a grimy feel on my skin this past Saturday.
Continue reading Today I Tasted the Devastation of a WildfireThere’s not mu[c]h-room in this backyard for a beast like this one! But it looks like such a fun-g[uy]! No? Fine – I’ll stop, but I’m sure it’ll disappoint all the dads out there.
Continue reading Mushroom: My Latest Side Quest
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