“It’s easier to run down the mountain than to walk it!” my partner shouted to me as we were descending Humpback Rock. Except, he wasn’t the one carrying the backpack with our waters and half-eaten charcuterie box from the day before (precariously wrapped in a cup and some napkins).
Continue reading Silence of the SwallowtailTag Archives: writing
A Fractured State of Mind
I’ve got a bit of writer’s block this week and it is in no small part a result of a mind swirling with a million racing thoughts about society, none of which have much to do with One Health.
Continue reading A Fractured State of MindTravel: Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia
This past weekend we took a little trip out to the mountains in Virginia. It’s also their wine country, but we never quite made it out to any vineyards. Here is what we DID do and whether I recommend any of it.
Continue reading Travel: Blue Ridge Mountains in VirginiaAfter Virtue, After Invasion
Continue reading After Virtue, After Invasion“Imagine that the natural sciences were to suffer the effects of a catastrophe. A series of environmental disasters are blamed by the general public on the scientists. Widespread riots occur, laboratories are burnt down, physicists are lynched, books and instruments are destroyed. Finally a Know-Nothing political movement takes power and successfully abolishes science teaching in schools and universities, imprisoning and executing the remaining scientists.”
Cheers, to all of the Women Out There (and Piss on the Men Who Wish to Hold us Down)
My right to vote is a spritely gal of 105. August 26, 1920 was sincerely a day to be celebrated, yet often gets overlooked.
In honor of the anniversary of the 19th Amendment, I’d like to note a few things about the women of our past and honor who they were and what they accomplished.
Continue reading Cheers, to all of the Women Out There (and Piss on the Men Who Wish to Hold us Down)The Energy Cost of ‘Doing What’s Right’
TOP FIVE WAYS TO BUILD SUCCESS WITHOUT BURNING OUT! TESTED AND APPROVED BY EXPERTS!!!
Continue reading The Energy Cost of ‘Doing What’s Right’Influenza and Zoonosis
In 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 ZoonosisF*ck. Does This Mean I’m Getting COVID This Year?
Now 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?Eggplant!
- Origin
- Modern Cultivation
- Impact
- Nutritional Profile
- Dietary Concerns
- How to Eat it
- Recipe: Stuffed Eggplant
Origin
This was a little easier to parse out than the broccoli origin story. Turns out, wild type aubergine originated on the eastern parts of Africa1 (notably, from Kenya to South Africa) and spreading outward towards the west. In a single event, however it made its way to India and East Asia where the cultivated strains predominately begin. This certainly explains why there are so many amazing dishes featuring eggplant/aubergine at Ethiopian restaurants, as well as Indian and Chinese restaurants.
Continue reading Eggplant!“Artivism”
UPDATED: 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”