Always a Lost Cause

She/They. Singaporean. Asexual. My interests are Marvel comics, Digimon anime, animals, trivial knowledge and reference stuff. OxyMitch is no more, now I am the All-New All-Different Mitch...oh heck, I am a Lost Cause and this blog is a back-up. Expect lots of reblogs.

[heckcareoxytwit]

Tags to Navigate through my Blog

You may noticed that my own tumblr blog may be haphazard so...fear not! I have made my own Blog Navigation Guide that links to the reblogged tumblr posts through the Tags in my blog.

Facts

Mythology

Writing Tips

Animals

Worldbuilding

History

Medical

Pet Care

Reference

Places

Politics

Movies , Cartoons and Anime

Picspam of Characters and Icons

Marvel

Digimon

Long Post

Due to the long list of links, Marvel and Digimon are under the Cut. So Click on Keep Reading.

MARVEL:

Avengers

Avengers Academy

Champions

Daredevil

Doctor Strange

Fantastic Four

Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel Profiles

New Mutants

NEW WARRIORS

Pet Avengers

Runaways

Spider-Man

Superior Foes of Spider-Man

Thunderbolts

X-Factor

X-Force

X-Men

Young Avengers

Other

DIGIMON:

Digimon Adventure

Digimon Adventure 02

Digimon Tamers

Digimon Frontier

Digimon Savers/Data Squad

[merrybarkstudio]

Top Ten Dog Training Tips

LISTEN TO YOUR DOG

Learn to listen to your dog. If your dog appears to be uncomfortable meeting another dog, animal or person, don’t insist that he say hello. He’s telling you that he isn’t comfortable for a reason, and you should respect that. Forcing the issue can often result in bigger problems down the line.

BE GENEROUS WITH YOUR AFFECTION

Most people don’t have a problem being very clear about when they are unhappy with their dogs, but, they often ignore the good stuff. Big mistake! Make sure you give your dog lots of attention when he’s doing the right thing. Let him know when he’s been a good boy. That’s the time to be extra generous with your attention and praise. It’s even okay to be a little over the top.

DOES HE REALLY LIKE IT?

Just because the bag says “a treat all dogs love” doesn’t mean your dog will automatically love it. Some dogs are very selective about what they like to eat. Soft and chewy treats are usually more exciting for your dog than hard and crunchy treats. Keep your eyes open for what he enjoys.

TELL HIM WHAT YOU WANT HIM TO DO

There is nothing inherently wrong with telling your dog “no,” except that it doesn’t give him enough information. Instead of telling your dog “no,” tell him what you want him to do. Dogs don’t generalize well, so if your dog jumps up on someone to say hello and you say no, he may jump higher or he may jump to the left side instead of the right. A better alternative would be to ask him to “sit.” Tell him what you want him to do in order to avoid confusion.

BE CONSISTENT

Whenever you’re training your dog, it’s important to get as many family members involved as possible so everyone’s on the same page. If you are telling your dog “off” when he jumps on the couch and someone else is saying “down,” while someone else is letting him hang out up there, how on earth is he ever going to learn what you want? Consistency will be the key to your success.

HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

Changing behavior takes time. You need to have realistic expectations about changing your dog’s behavior as well as how long it will take to change behaviors that you don’t like. Often behaviors which are “normal” doggie behaviors will take the most time such as barking, digging and jumping. You also need to consider how long your dog has rehearsed the behavior. For example, if you didn’t mind that your dog jumped up on people to say hi for the last seven years and now you decide that you don’t want him to do that anymore, that behavior will take a much longer time to undo than if you had addressed it when he was a pup. Remember it’s never too late to change the behavior some will just take longer than others.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE BENEFITS OF FEEDING A HIGH QUALITY FOOD

Feed your dog a high-quality diet with appropriate amounts of protein. If your dog spends most of his days lounging in your condo, don’t feed him food with a protein level that is ideal for dogs who herd sheep all day. The money that you will spend on feeding an appropriate quality food will often be money that you save in vet bills later on. I recommend you always check with your veterinarian for the right diet for your dog.

YOU GET WHAT YOU REINFORCE – NOT NECESSARILY WHAT YOU WANT

If your dog exhibits a behavior you don’t like, there is a strong likelihood that it’s something that has been reinforced before. A great example is when your dog brings you a toy and barks to entice you to throw it. You throw the toy. Your dog has just learned that barking gets you to do what he wants. You say “no,” and he barks even more. Heaven forbid you give in and throw the toy now! Why? Because you will have taught him persistence pays off. Before you know it you’ll have a dog that barks and barks every time he wants something. The solution? Ignore his barking or ask him to do something for you (like “sit”) before you throw his toy.

BRIBERY VS. REWARD

The idea of using treats to train is often equated with bribery. Truthfully, dogs do what works. If using treats gets them to do what you want, then why not? You can also use the world around you as a reinforcement. Every interaction you have with your dog is a learning opportunity, so when you think about it, you probably don’t use food very often except during active training sessions. So why does your dog continue to hang out? Because you reinforce him with praise, touch, games and walks. Just remember, the behavior should produce the treat; the treat should not produce the behavior.

FREEDOM

Let your new dog gradually earn freedom throughout your home. A common error that many pet parents make is giving their new dog too much freedom too soon. This can easily lead to accidents relating to housetraining and destructive chewing. So, close off doors to unoccupied rooms and use baby gates to section off parts of the house, if necessary. One of the best ways to minimize incidents is to keep your dog tethered to you in the house and by using a crate or doggie safe area when you can’t actively supervise him.

[solarpunk-nightbird]

Heads up from a Southern Californian that it is time to buy any fans and/or KN-95 masks for the summer NOW, before the start of summer and wildfire season!!!

If you wait until your AC goes out to make sure you have enough fans, there will not be fans available for you to buy. If you wait for a wildfire, no one will have KN-95s for you to buy. They will all be sold out, especially as climate change makes summers more and more severe, and fire season longer and longer.

Other tips for keeping cool in extreme heat:

Do not ever leave a child or a pet in the car while it is off. Ever. Not "just for a few minutes," nothing. Kids have died from being trapped in hot cars in temperatures as low as 70 degrees F (21 C)

Especially if you live somewhere that doesn't typically get hot, make sure you own at least 2 tank tops and 2 pairs of shorts if at all possible. Thrift them or search them on Buy Nothing/something similar if you don't have them already. You will want the option

Cotton fabric evaporates moisture quickly and sheds heat fast. Cotton clothes are great for the heat for that reason, and if you're really desperate for relief, get cotton shirts/towels/cloths wet and either wear them or hang them up in front of a fan. The fan will blow the cooler, moist air throughout the room, cooling things down

Open windows and doors on opposite sides of rooms to create airflow

Hydration tablets and electrolyte drinks are magic for dehydration. You need to replace the salts you're sweating out. Salty trail mix is also great for this (you eat it on hiking trails for a reason)

Make sure your pets stay cool! Cold packs inside fabric can be really good for this (and for you!)

Most efficient place for a cold, wet towel to cool you down is the sides of your neck, your hands, and the soles of your feet (but NEVER put ice against your bare skin!)

Don't really expect anything of yourself between 1pm and 4pm - that is the hottest part of the day, and so it's the time you need to be the most chill (ba-dum tss). Movement creates heat (hence why you shiver, hence why exercising warms you up), so try to do as little as possible, and especially try to save errands and exercise until dusk

Many places now have heat shelters. Look them up in your area. The public library is often a spot for these, and if not, still a really good and FREE place to stay all day with AC

Plants cool things down. Standing on the grass will leave you measurably cooler than standing on the asphalt two feet away. Stay on plants, stay in the shade, and do what you can to add plants and green spaces to your area, to help keep it cool

If you live in a wildfire hotspot, try your best to get an air filter or air purifier now, because there will be none left by the time you need one

If you do end up near a wildfire zone: any smoke you can smell is smoke that can affect your lungs. Leave the house as little as possible. Duct tape the seams around windows and exterior doors to help keep out the smoke. And pack a go bag (change of clothes, toiletries, important documents, medications, spare food and water, essentials for pets or kids)

My qualifications: Lived in California their whole life, most of it in Los Angeles, and half my adult life living in buildings without AC. One time I went to a baseball game in 117 degree weather (47 C) and genuinely had a good time. I know things about keeping cool

[asphodelimago]

Heatstroke makes you worse at handling heat. The cells that handle your thermoregulation are literally getting cooked. Do not tough it out. Every time you get heatstroke, it causes damage.

Know what heat exhaustion and heatstroke look like, and how quickly you are at risk. Particularly if you are chronically ill, have/had long covid, or are taking certain medications, you may get heat exhaustion really fast. (I've gotten it in literally 15 minutes flat. It does not need to take very long - if you're beet red and have a pounding headache, that may be heatstroke, take it fucking seriously.)

If you do have known issues with heat tolerance, consider carrying around a thermometer on hot days. Check your temperature if you start feeling "off", or routinely while in the heat. If you're running a fever, you're either sick or have heat illness, get the fuck out of the heat. (Be aware that for oral temperature, you need to have not eaten/drank anything in the last 15 minutes. Armpit will do in a pinch. I am not sure how well infrared works if you're in the "clammy" stage of heat exhaustion.)

If you already have heat exhaustion or heatstroke, fans and wet towels may not cool you down sufficiently. Cold drinks, icepacks, or a cold shower/bath are faster in an emergency - they cool you directly, rather than using sweat/evaporation to cool your skin. If you have limited resources to cool yourself, focusing on pulse points/big veins can help, like putting an ice pack on your neck or the inside of your wrist. Think like a vampire.

Cotton can be ok, but linen is better if you can get it. Polyester and other synthetics are typically fucking hot, avoid, avoid. Check your clothing labels - even "obviously" cotton things like t-shirts may actually be 50%+ polyester.

An adult human can only absorb about 1L of liquid per hour. Staying hydrated in extreme heat can be very difficult, because you may be losing more than 1L per hour. Using a timer to make sure you remember to drink can help.

If water suddenly tastes disgusting, check your electrolytes. Having emergency Gatorade (or similar) on hand can be helpful, because not only does it have electrolytes, but it tastes gross and sweet and chemical to most people who aren't low on electrolytes. No shade toward people who inexplicably like Gatorade on its own merits - but if it suddenly starts tasting way better than usual, take that as a sign. The rate at which people lose electrolytes through sweat varies wildly by person, even without chronic illness in the mix.

Know what discomfort and heat-related illness look like for your pets. Providing cool water and cool places to lay down is helpful. Panting is bad, but many animals are uncomfortable well before that point. (Mine usually start laying around on the coolest ground available and refusing to play around 80F. They are, however, extremely fluffy cats.)

Know what discomfort and heat-related illness look like for anyone you're responsible for, especially children and elderly people, who are more vulnerable.

Support and patronize your local libraries; they're an invaluable resource for anyone without A/C in this fucking world, in addition to all the other great work they do.

Oh, and if you happen to be in California specifically, there's a web tool to help tell you how worried to be, and lists some resources and local cool centers. Might be handy. https://calheatscore.calepa.ca.gov/

[bluebelly-sun-serpentine]

All signs are pointing to a pretty strong ENSO event this year, which, in combo with the low snowpack this year but decent amount of rain (so decent amount of growth) may make for a bad fire season. Be prepared. All the advice here seems fairly good to me, but I’m going to add that if you’re taping windows and doors exterior doors to keep out smoke you still need to be airing each room out occasionally if you don’t want to have issues with CO2 - the way we managed this in the 2020 fires was to periodically leave a window slightly open in one room (with the rest of the place sealed), then close it back down and turn an air purifier on in that room on the highest setting. If you’re really serious about air quality you ideally want to have more than one air purifier so that you can run stuff simultaneously (something outside the door to room currently being ventilated, for instance). We also had to tape up our fireplace (we used plastic sheeting and masking tape) because like many fireplaces it was not sealed.

Plan and get your go bag together before the bad fires start - you can always add to it once things get more critical but there’s some basic shit you can put in there now so you don’t have to think about it when thinking is more stressful. I always have a go bag at least partly packed because we live in a high fire-risk area that’s basically right on top of a fault. If you have an extra supply of your necessary meds, put them in there too. My important docs, extra keys, some key mementos, and a first aid kit live in that fireproof, waterproof bag year round. During red flag warnings or actual nearby fires I put more in the bag or I put the bag in a bigger bag with other necessaries. I have family that lost their homes in previous fire seasons: make dupes of your favorite photos or copies of notes from loved ones now and put them in your bag. If you have one of a kind items you cherish but that aren’t in regular use - heirloom jewelry, handmade gifts, whatever - and they’re small enough, just store them there. If you have important digital files make a backup and put the drive in your bag. People often forget these things in the panic to save themselves, their pets, and the things they use in their day-to-day lives, but some things are not replaceable and you’d be surprised which losses cause the most pain long-term or inflame your grief.

Have a evacuation plan set up before fire season starts. I know exactly where and with whom we’re going to stay if we have to evacuate. If they also have to evacuate (in 2020 we were both under evac warnings because the lightning complex fires hit so many different places over a huge geographical area) we have a backup plan with someone else.

Re masking: not every mask is created equal. Wildfire smoke is really toxic - so is smoke from structure fires - and a surgical mask is not going to protect you. You want a well-fitted N95, and you want to wear it anytime you are outside or in a place without proper filtration. Ear loop masks KN95s tend to be a lot less reliable/less likely to provide a good fit, but if that’s the only thing you can get it’s better than nothing. Do not exercise in wildfire smoke. You should be wearing a mask even if you’re just walking around the block. If the air in your home is appropriately filtered, exercise at home. Otherwise, just wait for the smoke to clear before restarting your routine. Even an AQI of 50-80 (a lot lower than you’d see with wildfires) is not something you should be exercising in without a mask. You do not need to go on that run. You DO need to check the AQI even if it doesn’t look particularly smokey - it can be quite bad even if it doesn’t look it. If you are directly in the path of a nearby plume the AQI is in the 300-600 range just chill out. You shouldn’t really be going out even with a mask if you don’t have a really pressing reason. The ash is toxic and you don’t want that shit on your skin or clothes. I know we all need to get groceries and go to work but it’s all cumulative, so think about the ways you can minimize your exposure.

You may see firefighters going about without appropriate PPE but it’s not because they know something you don’t - they’re just embedded in a culture of terminal machismo and a lot of them die of lung and throat cancer because they don’t want to wear the equipment. My uncle spent just a few years as a volunteer firefighter working on wildfires in his early 20s and those couple of years bought him a lifetime of battling different cancers (starting in his mid-late 20s). A lot of people who stay longer don’t even get that lifetime - they die pretty young because putting the mask on felt to them like some “pussy shit” or an inconvenience on top of all the other gear weighing them down.

Mask up! I mean I’m gonna advise you do that well before fire season to protect yourself and the people around you from viral illness, but definitely mask up when the AQI is high.

[atalana]

also to share, since they were mentioned, the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion for those who may not know (because they're not the same thing)

both might involve nausea or headaches, but the things that differ:

signs of heat exhaustion

dizzy/feeling faint

lots of sweating

skin may feel cold/clammy

weak pulse

possible muscle cramps

if you're getting these, you need to cool down as soon as you can, but you have time to do so yourself - get out of the sun, somewhere air conditioned if you can, do all the things that have already been recommended above

signs of heat stroke

if the dizziness becomes actual fainting/losing consciousness

headache is throbbing and painful

no sweating at all

skin is hot and dry to the touch, paler skin might turn red

strong pulse

confusion, difficulty speaking

if you're experiencing these, or you're with a friend who is, call emergency services, heat stroke can kill you

[alpaca-clouds]

Also, I will this add once more here: a bunch of psychiatric medications (especially antidepressants but others as well) often make you more vulnerable to heat exhaustion and heat stroke, as they affect the part of your brain that regulates your body temperature as well. So if you are on such medications, be extra careful, as it might make you more vulnerable and might drive you faster from heat exhaustion into a heat stroke.

I am saying this, because a lot of psychiatrists somehow do not mention this, and it is actually super dangerous.

[herpsandbirds]

May I request some juncos? The ones with the black heads are some of my favorites to see just out and doing their thing, they're so fun to watch and they're lovely bird neighbors

I love Juncos, they are such charming little birds. Here are two of my favorites...

Oregon Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis oreganus), family Passerelidae, order Passeriformes, found int he Western US and Canada.

photographs: Channel City Camera Club 

Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus), family Passerellidae, order Passeriformes, found in SE AZ, SW NM, Mexico, and Guatemala

photographs: Juan Miguel Artigas Azas & Heather Pickard

[all-mammal-creechur]

Northern Pygmy Slow Loris Xanthonycticebus intermedius

It is found in Laos, Vietnam, and southern China. A 2023 study determined it to be a separate species from X. pygmaeus.

image by Thomas Calame

[pamandjapan-blog]

諏訪大社 (Suwa Grand Shrine)

The Suwa Taisha in Chino, Nagano is a Shinto shrine that is over 1,200 years old. It is one of the oldest shrines in existence and is mentioned in the Kojiki. It consists of four building complexes: Maemiya, Honmiya, Harumiya, and Akimiya. Unlike other shrines, it does not have a honden, which is a building that normally enshrines the kami. This is because its object of worship are the mountain it stands on and a divine tree at Shimosha.

[panosatthemovies]

Stillwater is a welcome return to pure cinema. The one that tells a captivating human story, taking audiences to an unknown world while carrying an unexpected message that will surprise, especially those expecting just another action thriller. You see, the film by Tom McCarthy, the Academy award-winner writer & director of Spotlight, isn't just another Jason Bourne nor a thriller in the tradition of Taken. In fact, it's quite the opposite in that it uses the "American abroad" format to highlight how the cowboy behaviour looks to us Europeans and how "action" can have dire consequences that the gung-ho attitude never considers. It's a story clearly written during the Trump era but one that will, unfortunately, remain relevant for years to come. At the same time, the film is an excellent family drama in beautiful France, staring a great cast, and is such a nice cinematic treat after the months of endless TV streaming. Oh, la la!

A-

Trailer: https://youtu.be/9cq1lPPeMUY

[etheringtonbrothers]

HowtodrawHere’s a BRAND NEW TUTORIAL: How to THINK When You Draw CROSS-CONTOURS! And join us on OUR TWITTER TODAY for #SkillUpSunday, as we have TONS more FREE TUTORIALS, REFERENCE SETSand RESOURCES coming for you! GO HERE to see more!

And GO HERE FOR 100 FREE TUTORIALS!!

Lorenzo!

[macgyvermedical]

Okay, this is not about writing. I want to learn basic first aid and how to assemble a first aid kit. I plan to search for some courses too, but I’d like a clear idea before diving in. I’d love to hear your advice on it. Always grateful for your blog— it’s such a valuable resource.

Hi!

First aid kits contain things that would be handy to have for an illness or injury you didn't forsee happening.

Store-bought first aid kits have gotten a little better than they were when I bought my first one in 2015, but they're still a complete crapshoot. Most of them contain the least adhesive bandages known to man, a pair of plastic tweezers, a single packet of gauze, two each of acetaminophen and ibuprofen, and if you're extra lucky, some plastic medical tape.

Which is great for: papercuts in fingers that don't sweat ever, cleaning tiny scrapes that don't need bandages, the perfect size of partially embedded splinters, and one (1) single headache. Maybe.

My advice: make your own.

The following are 2 options for lists of supplies:

The Basic Kit:

3-4 pairs of nitrile gloves that will fit over your sweaty, hand-sanitizer-covered hands (mediums if your hands are really tiny, otherwise larges)

1-2 disposable masks for if you get sick unexpectedly

Your favorite adhesive bandages (at least 20, in different sizes including extra large)

A breathing barrier for CPR

A zipper plastic bag

A small container of hand sanitizer

A small container of petroleum jelly

A small tube of hydrocortisone cream

Metal tweezers (and a few alcohol wipes to clean them)

Like 4 of whatever hard candy you hate the most (or 4-8 glucose tablets)

One of those fold-up pill containers containing at least 10 each of: acetaminophen, ibuprofen, 81mg aspirin, diphenhydramine, your favorite non-drowsy antihistamine, and loperamide (Label these. You're not gonna remember which is which. Promise.)

A few each of all the medications you take, just in case you forget them (especially emergency medications)

The Adventure Kit:

Everything in the Basic Kit, plus:

Like as many packets as you can fit of 4x4 sterile gauze

A way to clean water (purification tablets take up the least space)

More of your own medications

More zipper bags

Silk medical tape

Scissors

A bandanna or other medium-large square of fabric

3-4 of your least favorite high-calorie food bars

A waterproof sheet ("space blankets" are small and great at being waterproof, if nothing else (Though I do have a personal vendetta against space blankets. Ask me why sometime))

An elastic bandage

A fold-up splint if you're gonna be in an area that doesn't have sticks laying all over the ground

As for how to use this stuff- get a few friends together and get in touch with me. We can set something up via zoom.

[panels-of-interest]

Penance vs. Taskmaster.

[from The Initiative (2007) #31]

[arcanebeastsandcritters]

Daily Monster 269: Melusine

Region of origin: Northern France

One of three daughters of a Scottish king and the faerie Pressyne, Melusine was raised on Avalon away from her father because he had broken one of the taboo of the fae folk. Learning this on her fifteenth birthday, Melusine sought out to punish her father for his behavior but learning of her daughter’s attempts at revenge, Pressyne put a stop to it and instead cursed her daughter to take on a demi-serpentine form every Saturday. Years passed and eventually Melusine was married (to whom varies with the telling, but often a nobleman from Poitou) but forbade her husband from viewing her on Saturdays, locking herself away in a bath for the day. One day the husband’s curiosity got the better of him and he spied on her in her chambers, and, either through the terms of the curse or fueled by her own rage, Melusine’s serpentine form consumed her, turning fully into a dragon and flying away. Never able to return to a human form, she is said to live on, acting as a guardian of her descendants.

[andreviernes]

Getting Ideas for Fiction Writing

[digi-lov]

Sangloupmon BT9-073 by Hisashi Fujiwara from BT-09 Booster X Record

[the-fact-site]

Unlike most drinks, the bubbles in Guinness sink rather than rise. #FACT

[pamandjapan-blog]

温泉卵 (Hotspring Egg)

Onsen Tamago are eggs hard-boiled or boiled using the onsen’s hot water or “yu”. It is said that the temperature of onsen water is the perfect one when it comes to boiling eggs.

[marvelguide-blog]

Stingray

Doctor Walter Newell is an oceanographer. He created his stingray costume when the government forced him to capture the Sub-Mariner, who was thought to be aiding aliens. Stingray succeeded, but released the Sub-Mariner after becoming convinced of his innocence. He later came into contact with the Avengers when the team moved its base to the seacraft/island Hydrobase, where Newell has his lab. He joined the Avengers on several missions and is currently a member of the Initiative.

STATISTICS: Name: Doctor Walter Newell Occupation: Oceanographer Base: Mobile Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m) Weight: 200 lbs (90.75 kg) Eyes: Hazel Hair: Brown Powers: Stingray’s armored suit allows him to survive in the deepest oceans. It enabled underwater breathing while also providing super strength, and super speed. The armor can also produce electrical blasts. Allies: Sub-Mariner, the Thing, Avengers Foes: Master of the World, Kang, Lava Men, Tiger Shark

[whattolearntoday]

A bit of July 30th history…

101 BC - Battle of Vercellae: Roman army under Gaius Marius defeats the Cimbri in Cisalpine Gaul, ending the Celto-Germanic threat on Italy’s border with over 100,000 Cimbri killed

1619 - House of Burgesses form in Virginia - 1st elective American body

1863 - President Lincoln issues “eye-for-eye” order - to shoot a rebel prisoner for every black prisoner shot

1928 - George Eastman shows 1st amateur color motion picture to guests at his NY house including Thomas Edison

1932 - Walt Disney’s “Flowers and Trees” premiers; 1st academy award winning cartoon and 1st cartoon short to use Technicolor (pictured)

1935 - 1st penguin book is published, starting the paperback revolution

1945 - After delivering the Atomic Bomb across the Pacific, the cruiser USS Indianapolis is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine; only 316 out of 1196 survived, most were attacked by sharks (see Jaws) 

1965 - US President Johnson signed into law Social Security Act that established Medicare and Medicaid; went into effect following year

1974 - US House of Reps Judiciary Committee voted to impeach Nixon for blocking Watergate investigation and for abuse of power

2006 - World’s longest running music show “Top of the Pops” is broadcast for the last time - aired for 42 years