Not Just a Funny Name

Another ex Jezzie. Expect: cooking, ranting, dogs and nerdiness with occasional thinking thrown in.

[aquilegiaisaflower]

Sometimes you can tell just from how they close a door that it's going to be bad

[aquilegiaisaflower]

It happened

The first pregnancy announcement has appeared on my Facebook feed... It was only a matter of time after all the weddings last year but still.

[aquilegiaisaflower]

Tubbs I swear to god

That sushi is for actually rare cats not arseholes who turn up 5 times a day then tip badly

[aquilegiaisaflower]

I think I might have just have won the prize for most middle class Google search ever:

“How to get red wine stains out of a pashmina”

[aquilegiaisaflower]

Back at my parents’ for Christmas

I forgot how uncomfortable it is to try and fit two dogs and a human into a single bed

[aquilegiaisaflower]

This week's Facebook adverts:

- Pregnancy tests

- Fertility clinics

- First time buyer mortgages

- 50% off your first monthly doggy gift box 

Guess which one of these I actually looked at...

[aquilegiaisaflower]

I think I might have flailed a little too much today

My phone now autocorrects Steve to STEVE...

[aquilegiaisaflower]

Action movie AU idea

(So I know this is totally off the wall and maybe just too implausible but go with me on this:)

An action movie where all the women get to wear sensible fucking footwear...

[mindblowingscience]

Bring on the gluten

All Hoon Sunwoo wanted was to drink a beer with his friend. But his friend has celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which a person generates an immune response to gluten, a mix of proteins found in anything from pasta to soy sauce. The resulting inflammation limits that person’s ability to digest and absorb key nutrients from food. Luckily for his friend, Hoon Sunwoo is a professor of pharmacology at the University of Alberta, and he’s spent the last 10 years developing a pill that his friend could take before drinking a beer so that he wouldn’t feel sick afterward.

When a person with celiac disease takes the pill, antibodies found in egg yolk coat the gluten as it passes through the digestive tract. That way, it doesn’t stimulate the sensitive gluten receptors in the small intestine. The pill has to be taken five minutes before eating, and works for a maximum of two hours, during which the person could chug beer or chow down on pizza worry-free.

The pill isn’t a treatment or a cure for celiac, Sunwoo tells the CBC—it’s just a way to improve a patient’s quality of life.

Through a partnership between the University of Alberta and biotech company IGY Incorporated, the pill completed its first phase of clinical trials two months ago in Canada showing that it’s safe. Its developers plan to start the next phase showing the pill’s efficacy next year. If all goes well, the pill could be available commercially in just two to three years, according to some reports.

[repair-bear]

PSA - PLEASE READ AND SPREAD HE WORD!!!

IF YOU SEE THIS PLANT AT ALL, DO NOT TOUCH IT!!!

Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is an invasive herb in the carrot family which was originally brought to North America from Asia and has since become established in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Northwest regions of the United States. Giant hogweed grows along streams and rivers and in fields, forests, yards and roadsides, and a giant hogweed plant can reach 14 feet or more in height with compound leaves up to 5 feet in width.

Giant Hogweed sap contains toxic chemicals known as Furanocoumarins. When these chemicals come into contact with the skin and are exposed to sunlight, they cause a condition called Phytophotodermatitis, a reddening of the skin often followed by severe blistering and burns. These injuries can last for several months, and even after they have subsided the affected areas of skin can remain sensitive to light for years. Furanocoumarins are also carcinogenic and teratogenic, meaning they can cause cancer and birth defects. The sap can also cause temporary (or even permanent) blindness if introduced into the eyes.

If someone comes into physical contact with Giant Hogweed, the following steps should be taken:

Wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and COLD water as soon as possible.

Keep the exposed area away from sunlight for 48 hours.

If Hogweed sap gets into the eyes, rinse them with water and wear sunglasses.

See a doctor if any sign of reaction sets in.

If a reaction occurs, the early application of topical steroids may lessen the severity of the reaction and ease the discomfort. The affected area of skin may remain sensitive to sunlight for a few years, so applying sun block and keeping the affected area shielded from the sun whenever possible are sensible precautions PLEASE, DO NOT JUST READ AND SCROLL! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND POTENTIALLY LIFE-SAVING INFORMATION!!!

[vergess]

Extra note: if you live in Oregon, New Jersey, Michigan or New York and see one of these, call your state’s department of agriculture to report it, and trained professionals will come kill it before it can produce seeds and spread.

Frankly, if you see one in general, probably call your DOA and see if there’s a program in place.

Do not burn it, because the smoke will give you the same reaction.

If for some ungodly reason there isn’t a professional who can handle it for you (and please, please use a professional), the DOA of New York has [this guide] for how to deal with it yourself.

[frenchie-fries-deactivated20140]

OH MY FUCK I HAVE THESE IN MY BACKYARD.

[cosmictuesdays]

Fucking invasives. Signal boost.

[littlebluecaboose]

Re-reblogging because I checked Snopes, and not only is this shit true, but the text on this is pretty much the same as it is there! Stay safe, kiddos.

[burntcandycorn]

According to the US Department of Agriculture, these are currently the states and provinces in North America where Giant Hogweed is present. Even if your state/province is “clear” that doesn’t mean that it is not there. If you see Giant Hogweed in your yard or anywhere please call your DOA! This stuff is mad deadly!

[Image Source]

[ellensama]

Also here is a human for size reference. Since they are huge it should be easy enough to see and spot when fully grown.

The burns can also be very bad, far worse than any poison ivy. Just Google ‘Giant Hogweed Burns’ and you’ll see. It can cause bad blistering, red painful rashes, and more. Please be careful of this plant!

[thegrimshapeofyoursmile]

They exist in Austria and Germany too. Please be careful!

[aquilegiaisaflower]

Seriously, stay well clear of this stuff. I've got a scar just from its less evil cousin Common Hogweed.

[poisononsunday]

If Vanessa (Ives) basically tells you she loves you, you stay and love the shit out of her goddamnit

reddit.com/r/PennyDreadful (via curiousgeorgiana)

[ludovichgone-deactivated2023021]

psa because i’m still hearing people in hot countries make fun of the uk for the ‘heat wave’

the uk is a very mild, humid place

sweat does not evaporate well in humid heat; the uk has very, very humid heat

meaning british people cannot cool down efficiently

also british people are adapted for cooler temperatures

people are literally expected to die in the next couple of days because of the heat wave

the news has put out health warnings because people will literally die because of the heat

shut up

[ludovichgone-deactivated2023021]

oh yeah it’s also been pointed out in comments - we have no AC. no houses have AC. most buildings don’t have AC. most cars don’t have AC. 

[laughswiththethunder]

As an American southerner from a humid climate, here are some tips. ( many of these especially apply to the elderly, infirm, or children)

1) drink lots of water. Like, holy hell, so much water.

2)Stay indoors as much as possible. If you must go outside, limit your direct sun exposure and rest often.

3) invest in a motorized fan of you can. They are worth their weight in gold when there’s no AC.

4) if your windows are double sashed (meaning that they open at the top and the bottom) you can encourage air circulation by taking advantage of the fact that heat rises. Open the top and bottom of your windows a crack and the change in pressure as the hot air leaves through the top will draw in cooler air from the bottom.

5) wear loose fitting clothing made of light materials and of a light color.

6) I already said this, but rest often. Moving around too much raises your heart rate and thus your overall temperature. Take things slow and easy as much as possible.

7) if you fear that someone is overheating, draw a cool bath for them (not cold, as that can cause shock) or place cool cloths at vital areas such as the back of the neck, the forehead, top of the head, underarms, or inner thighs.

If anyone else has anything to add or corrections to make, please do!

[cg-is-lying-in-wait-blog]

8) Freeze water bottles. Don’t leave home without one. 

9) Freeze wet washcloths. See above for the most vital areas for cooling (especially back of the neck). Wiping down with one and sitting in front of a fan is bliss. Also portable if you have to leave the house. 

10) Sit with your feet in a bowl/bucket/tub of water. It doesn’t even have to be ice water–it will keep you remarkably cooler. 

11) Hydrate. Just reiterating the above because it is the most important. Hydrate more than you think you need to. Sports drinks, water, fresh fruit if you can. Avoid alcohol.

[aquilegiaisaflower]

If anyone is wondering just how badly we’re set up for the heat: I just got back from a salad and ice lolly buying trip to my local Tesco and their EINTIRE chilled and frozen sections are both out. The refrigeration systems just are not set up to cope with 30+ degree weather. Especially as we've had a run of terrible summers recently where the the average temperature was 15 degrees and the main concern was trying not to flood, preparing for a heatwave was the last thing on everyone's minds.

[historieofbeafts]

Since it’s Mary Anning’s birthday, it seems like a good time to talk about some of the reasons she’s awesome:

Survived a lightning strike that killed 3 other people when she was a baby. This is a superhero origin story.  (Every account I’ve ever read talks about how dull she was before, and how bright she seemed after.)

Started helping her father hunt fossils when she was 5 or 6. Some sources say he even made special child-sized tools for her.

Helped find the first ichthyosaur skeleton recognized by European scientists at 12.  Found the first plesiosaur skeleton ever recorded when she was 24 and the first complete English pterosaur when she was 29.  Also discovered dozens of other ichthyosaurs, a variety of fossil fish that inspired Louis Agassiz, and worked with William Buckland to identify coprolites.

Self taught. Dissected squid and cuttlefish on her kitchen table when books weren’t enough. It’s impossible to stress how impressive this is in a time where women were not supposed to go to school, and definitely couldn’t join any scientific organizations.

Was extremely poor. Her family was on parish welfare and could not always afford food. They lived close enough to the water that their home flooded during storms, and they were deep in debt when she made her first ichthyosaur find. But by the time Mary was 27 she’d saved up enough to move to one of the better parts of town and open a fossil shop.

Once sold an ichthyosaur to the King of Saxony and straight up told his servant she was “known throughout the whole of Europe.”  Mic drop from MC Anning.

Had a dog named Tray that went everywhere with her. Can’t say for sure that she was referencing this line from King Lear: “The little dogs and all, Tray, Blanch, and Sweetheart“, but it’s still A+ pet naming.

“[Mary] glories in being afraid of no one, and in saying everything she pleases […] she would offend all the world were she not considered a privileged person.” (From the diary of her friend Anna Marie Pinney. I may swoon.)

[It’s hard to find sources on Mary Anning that aren’t a) terrible or b) for kids (and also terrible), but  I’m drawing from these biographies: 1 2 3 ]

[mrsweasley]

I am crying

[saygoodbyetothese-deactivated20]

Goddamn though. Goddamn.

[billiethepoet]

I will not be averting my eyes.

[someauthorgirl]

THIS FEELS VERY WRONG AND YET I CANNOT, NAY, SHAN’T AVERT MY EYES

[aquilegiaisaflower]

rawwwdragon carrying on from our earlier conversation...

[aquilegiaisaflower]

I don't think tumblr has really thought this advertising thing through, the two ads I keep getting are for nappies (diapers) and developments of family homes... I am soooo not the target market they're looking for here.

[littlez13]

I always struggled drawing hands before anyone told me what to do. So here is a HANDy dandy drawing reference to see the steps on an actual hand. There are three big muscles in the palm. The thumb lump is most important because without it you’ll never even get the shape right. Circle up the knuckles and draw bendy lines (red) to connect them. Make sure the fingers go from medium-tall-short-shortest just slightly (index=>pinky finger). Notice the big red squareish shape around the palm-that’s the first thing I do. Note: every infer has 2 knuckles don’t forget the thumb does too…just in a weird way.

[aquilegiaisaflower]

eartheal:

HOLY SHIT

rawwwdragon

[overjoyed-one-twenty-three-deac]

No society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of a lack of means.

Aneurin Bevan, Founder of the National Health Service (via bisexualantihero)