Keep Afloat

https://linktr.ee/SaltyKelpie Personal Tumblr. ADHD so I only remember it’s here sometimes. Random things, including NSFW. May include: fantasy, MMOs, polyamory, fashion, art, animals, health problems, furry, dolls, etc. Possible triggers for depressed people and victims of abuse.

[artifacts-and-arthropods]

Mirror-Ball Spiders: these spiders are covered in shimmering, mirror-like panels that shift and expand as the muscles of the abdomen contract

Spiders of the genus Thwaitesia are often described as mirror-ball spiders, because their bodies are lined with reflective panels that make them look like tiny disco-balls. These arachnids are also known as dewdrop spiders or sequined spiders.

Above: two different species of mirror-ball spider

The shimmering panels on the abdomen are produced by a digestive secretion known as guanine, which seeps out through the lining of the spider's gut and forms a mosaic of crystalline cells just beneath the surface of the abdomen.

Above: Thwaitesia argentiopunctata and Thwaitesia margaritifera

The crystals shrink and expand as the muscles in the spider's abdomen contract; they often shrink when the spider is agitated, and they expand as it begins to relax.

Above: the panels expanding and contracting

The adaptive purpose of the shimmering effect is unclear, but researchers believe that it mimics the glistening appearance of raindrops or beads of dew, which could allow the spiders to blend in with their environment.

Above: another view of the guanine crystals shifting just below a thin layer of cuticle

The reflective panels may also help to confuse predators, as this article explains:

The spider’s decorative patterning may seem like a dead give-away to predators, but for those looking to feast on this arachnid, the hunt might result in confusion and failure.

“Like a disco ball with lots of different mirrors, the reflective splotches on the spider’s abdomen probably scatter light and make it difficult for predators to see it,” says Robert Whyte, an honorary researcher in arachnology at the Queensland Museum.

Above: Thwaitesia affinis

There are at least 22 known species of mirror-ball spider, and their physical features can vary significantly. In some cases, the silver panels on the abdomen are accompanied by colorful, iridescent spots and scales, and the abdomen itself may have a red, orange, green, yellow, or beige appearance.

Above: spiders of the genus Thwaitesia

These spiders are widely distributed throughout the southern hemisphere. They can be found in the tropical and neotropical rainforests of South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, China, Singapore, and Madagascar.

Above: Thwaitesia nigronodosa

Mirror-ball spiders are not aggressive toward humans, and there are virtually no recorded cases of humans being bitten by the spiders of this genus. They're also tiny, with most individuals measuring just 2-4mm long (roughly 1/10th of an inch), which means that their fangs are often too small to penetrate human skin.

Above: Thwaitesia margaritifera

Sources & More Info:

iNaturalist: Mirror-Ball Spiders

Australian Geographic: This Sequined Spider Glistens in the Light

My Modern Met: The "Mirror Spider" and its Changing Mosaic of Reflective Panels

A Field Guide to the Spiders of Australia: Tiny Forest Jewels: Spectacular Thwaitesia Spiders

Science Friday: How is a Spider Like a Disco Ball?

Land for Wildlife: Spider Sampling Points to a Potential Indicator Genus (PDF)

Royal Society Publishing: The Spider Cuticle

BBC Science Focus: Mobile Disco

[saltykelpie]

New favorite animal!

[wholesome-animal-images]

[saltykelpie]

The foundation books are very different from the TV show and it was like a smack in the face right away when starting to read them, so here’s a warning for anyone else who might be interested!

[elderquintus]

something in foundation that makes me so crazy is that, sometimes, events that seem huge in one season have little to no impact in the next. I expected the mallows in s3 to be the descendants of hober and constant in s2, but uncle randu makes it clear that hober fathered lots of children, and his big climactic love scene with constant might have meant nothing at all to the plot in the long run. same with dawn XVIII running away to cloud dominion - HUGE in the overall arc of season 2 - but we didn't hear a whisper from their descendants (and probably never will now 🥲). dawn XXV mentioned XVIII's escape one time and that was it.

it's such a fun way to invert audience expectations and to reinforce the show's theme of psychohistory - and history itself - often not caring about or even remembering things that seemed absolutely earthshattering at the time. but it mattered! constant, dawn, and sareth's survival meant so much to both us and them, and the details being forgotten to time doesn't make their individual losses and triumphs any less important. incredible tv

[akajustmerry]

all jokes aside I do think the Emperor Cleon clone dynasty concept in Apple's Foundation is a near perfect sci-fi allegory for white supremacist imperial rule. Because white supremacy really is just the same white ruler over and over and any derivative from what's been established by the institution is considered contamination, and this same person who is not a person but an institution and ideology is robbed of their personhood so that they can continuously rob others of personhood.

The Cleons are so intentionally isolated, even from physical touch, by those they rule over with only one another to learn from. Their staff isn't even permitted to keep memories of interactions with them. Perpetrating an infinite loop, a never-ending echo chamber of their right to rule that all but guarantees their total de-personing of anyone who isn't them. a cycle that can only decay. their only point of meaningful contact outside of one another is literally a non-person.

also, Lady Demerzel is a robot, belonging to a group Empire genocided to preserve their rule. But she was spared and reprogrammed to serve the Cleons and only them as a slave. this also strengthens the allegory of the Cleons as white supremacy. Supramicist empires will designate a group as a subclass to genocide them, but ultimately still rely on that subclass's labour for their rule. After all, the word robot shares an etymology with the czech word for slave. Demerzel is both, meaning their main point of contact outside of one another is literally a being programmed to be their slave. even the most basic element of personhood, interacting with other people, is not possible for the Cleons.

And in living this way on purpose, they can only dehumanise and de-person. it is all they know how to do, and all they allow themselves to do. If one of them fails or deviates, the other 2 police the rebel. Killing one is not enough. Changing one is not enough. There are always 3: dawn, day, and dusk. the past, the present, and the future. all of it colonised and controlled, so there is no point to anyone imagining a different future, not even the Cleons themselves. And even if by some miracle all 3 falter, then Lady Demerzel annihilates them, because she is programmed to protect the established institution, and deviations cannot be allowed.

Truly, a near-perfect allegory for how white imperial rule operates by inflicting mass depersonification for the purposes of exploitation that can only be achieved through a de-personing of the institution itself, taking the form of one man. The Cleons are such a genius addition to Foundation on so many levels. Not just because Lee Pace is evil and hot, but because it conveys all the ways colonial Empires are simultaneously all-powerful and vulnerable to decay. I love it so much!!

[maxdibert]

A 25.000 years old former robot general turned shadow empress trapped in a constant existential dilemma of not knowing whether she truly feels affection for others or if it’s only what her programming dictates condemned by that programming to be the mother and lover of multiple generations of clones of the guy who trapped her and at the same time so needy to believe in something so she secretly embraces a religion based on reincarnation which she herself can never have because she cannot die. And you’re telling me there are people who hate this character? Are we insane? Demerzel, my love, no one could ever, not even in hell itself, do me anything but adore you.

[lestatfag]

one of the most insanely frustrating things about apple’s foundation is how poorly it is marketed. this is a landmark sci-fi show adapting some of the most famous sci-fi books, it has extremely breathtaking graphics and cinematography, a deeply complex and fascinating storyline (that like all good sci-fi) that mirrors and comments on today’s political and economic climate, a stacked and enormously talented cast, and a budget that only makes sense for something as popular and huge as the current star trek or star wars reboots. AND it has lee pace’s tits. like come on.

it’s genuinely insane that foundation has such a massive budget, yet it’s marketed as if it’s a little niche indie scifi series. it doesn’t even have any modern advertising presences on twitter or tiktok!! the person doing the most advertising for it is lee himself ffs hell, i’ve seen better promotion for originals from the syfy channel. no commercials, no big time late night shows, no presence at conventions or anything like that. there are much smaller budget shows that have incredible marketing (amc’s new interview with the vampire comes to mind). i realize that the cast is not full of THEE most famous actors, but like… lee pace?? jared harris?? what about the amazing character actors in secondary roles??

yes, foundation does require people to pay more attention and isn’t as flashy as other shows, but severance became a massive hit and it requires a TON of attention and thinking. it’s like apple doesn’t care about the show’s success because they’re busy promoting their big swingers. i really do believe that a better marketing job would have way more viewers and way more funds. maybe it would have even enough for goyer to stay.

so, what gives? i truly can’t figure it out. marketing costs money, but it helps make more money. why wouldn’t they promote something so grand and expensive? so many people are missing out because of apple’s incompetence. if the show has any hope of continuing, marketing needs to step the fuck up.

(for your consideration)

[saltykelpie]

This is Grace, she just woke up as a ghost as is taking it really well.

[saltykelpie]

Some idiot once incorrectly summarized “caffeine can effect people with adhd differently” as “caffeine doesn’t effect anyone with adhd” and now every time I tell people how even a little caffeine can give me jitters I get told I must not have a diagnosis I take prescribed medication for. 🤦‍♀️😭

[saltykelpie]

When trying to combat negative self talk, I don’t tell myself “that’s not true” but rather use a statement I know I believe such as “that’s not helping anyone” or “people who love me would be insulted if anyone believed that.” These also help shift my focus outward, towards my support system.

[timefordolls]

Poppy tends to offer messages of gentle strength; Jack is a little more blunt.

They're both good advice.

[stareysugr]

my default settings are horny and depressed

[saltykelpie]

Someone please hypnotize me into no longer fearing to finish things!

[nothorses]

Seattle Central College is trying to close the only public wood tech college in the state of Washington, which is one of if not the only avenue into woodworking trades for people who usually aren't hired to be trained on-site: queer, trans, neurodivergent and disabled students, and women. Which is exactly what most of the students in the program are.

The reason according to the college is that they want to sell the building to fix the school's budget; they also claim the wood tech college has a severe budget deficit, but they've failed to follow through on any promises to try to fix that (including hiring a permanent dean, so the school has someone to advocate for them... which they haven't had in at least a decade).

The reason according to some students & staff is that Seattle College's VP has a grudge against the lead carpentry instructor & has been trying to get her program shut down for years to get rid of her.

Students are trying to make some noise about it, in hopes that the college backs down and they can work towards the long-term fixes Seattle College keeps failing to follow through on.

Why the future of a popular Seattle carpentry program is under threat

The future is unclear for one of the Puget Sound region’s only comprehensive training programs for carpentry and boatbuilding.

If you can sign this little petition & share this around, it'd help the school out a ton!

It shows the school they're going to get pushback, which has changed their mind about this in the past.

Sign the Petition

Save Wood Technology Center's 90 year Legacy

[saltykelpie]

Every night I drown, every morning I swim again.

[mysharona1987]

[ghost-mantis]

There’s actually a few things here that majorly dropped childhood mortality. In no particular order these include…

Vaccines (yay!)

Pasteurization

Implementing and enforcing food quality and sanitation standards. Did you know White Castle was called as such because their gimmic was that they continually cleaned and bleached their stores inside and out to prevent food poisoning.

The invention of antibiotics! The first sulfa drugs dropped in the 1930s-40s

Widespread access and distribution of enriched food products! Enriched flour did a lot to prevent malnutrition, and it’s how Wonderbread got its name!

We got a hell of a lot better with medical care for sick and premature infants. The first incubators for premature babies were actually used as something of a sideshow attraction at Coney Island! It was the only way the doctor who invented them could get funding to keep them running because no one thought it would work. It showed a lot of people that really premature babies could survive with the right treatment and eventually was adopted by hospitals.

The green revolution in agriculture that prevented around a billion people from starving to death

More recently it’s been widespread access to mosquito nets and medication to poorer and rural areas

[saltykelpie]

I’m working on a world that exists in my head (I didn’t create it, it just appeared there one day). I think it’s called Kobazul and it’s inhabited by a lot of characters, many of whom I have dolls for (mostly Monster High). It has humans, fae/fey, monsters (maybe just different fae?), witches, curses, gods, etc. It’s a fantasy world so the technology and styles are very mixed, a lot changing based on region. I really want to be able to create pictures and stories to show everyone some of what’s trying to get out, lol.

All the worlds in my head are part of a greater multiverse (I know this is popular now but it’s how it’s always been for me). The real world is just another one of those worlds, where all the rest exist as my thoughts or whatever. I find this is an awesome way to have my dolls be dolls, and take pics of them as such, but also characters I can use in scenes from their world.

I’ve been trying to get as much down as possible, this kind of inspiration usually comes and goes before I can do anything about it but thankfully the notes app has been helping!