June 21, 2018

Indian Country remembers the trauma of children taken from their parents

Indian Country remembers. This is not the first administration to order the forced separation of families. “The act of ripping children away from their parents is nothing new for the United States. Separating children and their families to ‘kill the Indian to save the man’ by sending Native children to boarding schools, and doing it in the name of religion, is one generation removed from my family,” wrote Peggy Flanagan on Twitter. Flanagan, an Indigenous member of the White Earth Nation of Ojibwe, is a candidate for lieutenant governor in Minnesota. “Trump’s ‘zero tolerance policy’ is nothing more than a clear violation of human rights. We must learn from history. We must stand with immigrants and refugees.”

https://www.pri.org/stories/2018-06-19/indian-country-remembers-trauma-children-taken-their-parents

An article cited there is also pretty grim:

Tiny Horrors: A Chilling Reminder of How Cruel Assimilation Was—And Is

https://newsmaven.io/indiancountrytoday/archive/tiny-horrors-a-chilling-reminder-of-how-cruel-assimilation-was-and-is-VLKL7I26wUSj4LmZL_YDvw/

June 20, 2018

Do Not Touch This Plant: Officials Warn of Burn, Blindness Threat from Giant Hogweed After New Sight

https://weather.com/science/nature/news/2018-06-19-invasive-plant-species-giant-hogweed-burns-blindness

When sap from the giant hogweed combines with moisture and sunlight, it can cause severe skin and eye irritation.
Sightings of the plant have been reported in Virginia, Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and parts of the Pacific Northwest.

The plant is a member of the carrot family and can grow to more than 14 feet tall, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

The plant's watery sap contains photosensitizing agents. When the sap combines with moisture and is exposed to sunlight, it can cause severe skin and eye irritation, painful blistering, permanent scarring and even blindness. "Contact between the skin and the sap of this plant occurs either through brushing against the bristles on the stem or breaking the stem or leaves," the agency notes.

If contact is made with the plant, immediately wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and keep the area away from sunlight for 48 hours, the agency recommends. "This plant poses a serious health threat," the agency notes. "See your physician if you think you have been burned by giant hogweed. If you think you have giant hogweed on your property, do NOT touch it."

The plant is not only harmful to humans. Its large size can block sunlight, killing off smaller native plants that grow at ground level, according to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

The plant was first introduced to the United States in the early 20th century via Europe as an ornamental garden plant. It is native to the Caucasus Mountain region between the Black and Caspian Seas and grows along streams and rivers, and in fields, forests, yards and along roadsides.


There are pictures at site. Kind of looks like giant Queen Anne's Lace.

June 8, 2018

What's your favorite old joke?

Its Friday! What's your favorite stupid old joke?

This cowboy rides up to the saloon and thinks he might stop in for a drink. He gets off his horse, walks around to the back of the horse, lifts up the tail and then kisses the horse right on the ass. The cowboy then heads into the saloon to get himself a drink. The Bartender says, "I know it’s none of my business, but did you just kiss your horses rear end???" "Sure did", says the cowboy. "I've got chapped lips." The Bartender asks, "Does that get rid of them?" "I don't know", replies the cowboy, "But it sure stops me from licking them!"

June 2, 2018

Japanese Whalers Killed 122 Pregnant Minke Whales. When Will the Slaughter End?

A new report finds that Japanese whalers, on one of their “scientific” investigations, killed 122 pregnant minke whales, sparking fury among campaigners and national governments alike. How can we stop this kind of senseless slaughter from happening again?

According to a technical report submitted to the International Whaling Commission that uses Japan’s own data, Japan actually caught 333 minke whales during its last 12-week summer expedition season. Those figures show that 128 of those whales were female, and 122 were carrying calves.

While it is true that minke whale are classed as of “Least Concern” under the Endangered Red List, the Whaling Commission does hold concerns that populations have declined since the 1980s. The reasons for this have not been established, but climate factors and prey competition are among the most likely causes.

Japan knows this, and knows that it is forbidden from commercial whaling. Since the whaling moratorium was brought into effect around 30 years ago, though, Japan has systematically exploited an exemption for scientific exploration in order to continue to supply its whale meat trade.

https://www.care2.com/causes/japanese-whalers-killed-122-pregnant-whales-when-will-this-end.html