#Tasmania Removals

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - June 13, 2023

1. U.S. judge blocks Florida ban on care for trans minors in narrow ruling, says ‘gender identity is real’

A federal judge temporarily blocked portions of a new Florida law that bans transgender minors from receiving puberty blockers, ruling Tuesday that the state has no rational basis for denying patients treatment.

Transgender medical treatment for minors is increasingly under attack in many states and has been subject to restrictions or outright bans. But it has been available in the United States for more than a decade and is endorsed by major medical associations.

2. Eagle Who Thought Rock Was an Egg Finally Gets to Be a Dad

A week after their introduction the cage where the little eaglet was put, was removed so the two could interact more closely. When they were given food, a whole fish for Murphy and bite-sized pieces for his young charge, rather than each eating their separate dish, Murphy took his portion and ripped it up to feed to the baby.

3. Little penguins to reclaim Tasmanian car park as city-based population thrives

Not far from the centre of Tasmania's fourth largest city, a colony of the world's smallest penguins has been thriving, and their habitat is about to expand into an existing car park.

The bright lights and loud noises of Burnie have not been a deterrent for hundreds of penguins who set up home on the foreshore in the north-west Tasmanian city.

4. Latest population survey yields good news for endangered vaquita porpoise

The resilient little vaquita marina appears determined to survive the illegal fishing that has brought it dangerously close to extinction, according to the latest population survey. Despite an estimated annual decline of 45% in 2018, the endangered porpoise appears to be holding steady over the last five years, according to a report published Wednesday by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

5. 'Extinct' butterfly species reappears in UK

The species, previously described as extinct in Britain for nearly 100 years, has suddenly appeared in countryside on the edge of London. Small numbers of black-veined whites have been spotted flying in fields and hedgerows in south-east London. First listed as a British species during the reign of King Charles II, they officially became extinct in Britain in 1925.

This month they have mysteriously appeared among their favourite habitat: hawthorn and blackthorn trees on the edge of London, where I and other naturalists watched them flitting between hedgerows.

6. Colombian is a hero in Peru: he rescued 25 puppies that were about to die in a fire

During a structural fire that occurred in a residential area of ​​Lima in Peru, a young Colombian became a hero. The Colombian, identified as Sebastián Arias, climbed onto the roof where the puppies were and threw them towards the community, that was waiting for them with sheets and mattresses. "I love them, dogs fascinate me," said the young man.

7. World-first trial for pediatric brain cancer

Researchers in Australia are conducting a world-first clinical trial for children diagnosed with ependymoma, a rare and devastating brain cancer. The trial aims to test a new drug called Deflexifol, which combines chemotherapy drugs 5-FU and leucovorin, offering potentially less toxic and more effective treatment compared to current options.

Ependymoma is the third most common brain tumor in children, and current treatments often lead to relapses, with a high fatality rate for those affected. The trial, led by researcher David Ziegler at the Kids Cancer Centre, has received support from the Kids with Cancer Foundation and the Cancer Institute NSW. The goal is to find a cure for every child diagnosed with ependymoma.

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That's it for this week :)

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[you-need-not-apply]

LISTEN UP: A LADIES LOUNGE IS BEING REMOVED DUE TO "SEXISM"

TERFS DNI - I'm trans

The Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) is a popular place in the state with free entry for TAS residents. But the ladies lounge is one of the best places inside. It seeks to highlight historic misogyny by banning male visitors, making men feel the exclusion experienced by women for thousands of years.

However, it is now being removed due to discrimination against "people who do not identify as ladies", and as someone who doesn't ID as a women (most of the time) FINE BY ME! Keep me out when I ID as a man. A New South Wales man (Jason Lau) took legal action against Mona, claiming that being denied entry into the Ladies Lounge when he visited the museum last April due to his gender was against the  Tasmanian Anti Discrimination Act (1998) 

HE DOES NOT EVEN LIVE IN THE SAME STATE

Artist Kirsha Kaechele and MONA director David Walsh

Artist Kirsha Kaechele has said:

"The men are experiencing Ladies Lounge, their experience of rejection is the artwork"

Why is it being banned?

The Tasmanian Anti Discrimination Act (1998) states that you are not allowed to treat someone differently based on an attribute or characteristic like, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability. source1

But there are exceptions to this rule.

"A person may discriminate against another person in any program, plan or arrangement designed to promote equal opportunity for a group of people who are disadvantaged or have a special need because of a prescribed attribute," the Act states.

Things like women-only gyms are for women to feel safe, promoting equal opportunity, and men's sheds are to promote men's mental health. source2

Mona's Ladies Lounge, however, is not a club and has no membership.

The judgment has ordered Mona to allow men to access the installation within 28 days.

[whysperingwoods]

Tasmanian tiger comeback??

From the article:

“It was literally a head in a bucket of ethanol in the back of a cupboard that had just been dumped there with all the skin removed, and been sitting there for about 110 years,” Prof Andrew Pask, the head of the thylacine integrated genetic restoration research (with the acronym Tigrr) lab at the University of Melbourne, says.

[...]

A year on, he says it has advanced the work of the team of Australian and US scientists who are trying to resurrect the species more than expected at this stage. “We are further along than I thought we would be, and we have completed a lot of things that we thought would be very challenging and others said would be impossible,” he says.

The plan to ‘de-extinct’ the thylacine The project to bring back the thylacine is being driven by Colossal, a Texas-based biotechnology “ de-extinction and species preservation” company that is also aiming to recreate the woolly mammoth and the dodo using genetic engineering techniques.

[...]

The thylacine was Australia’s only marsupial apex predator. It once lived across the continent, but was restricted to Tasmania about 3,000 years ago. Dog-like in appearance and with stripes across its back, it was extensively hunted after European colonisation. The last known survivor died in captivity in 1936 and it was officially declared extinct in the 1980s.

Colossal says researchers have made several breakthroughs in its work on the species, putting the company much closer to its goal of returning it to the wild. They include what they say is the highest quality ancient genome ever produced, with just 45 gaps in a genetic blueprint that contains about 3bn pieces of information.

Lamm says it is an “incredible scientific leap” putting the program “on track to de-extinct the thylacine”, while other recent breakthroughs will be useful in protecting critically endangered species. “We are pushing as fast as possible to create the science necessary to make extinction a thing of the past,” he says.

[thedailyplatypics]

COOL PHINEAS AND FERB FACT!:

Based on his size (about 2 ft/61 cm tall according to the Phineas And Ferb Wiki), it’s safe to assume that Perry the Platypus is a Tasmanian Platypus and his ancestors would be from Tasmania where Platypuses are (24.8in/63cm max) about 3x the size of the ones on the Australian mainland.

However, Perry is measured by the Wiki standing upright on his hind legs while Platypuses are typically measured from tail to bill so….

TIME FOR SOME MATH🥲

Of course this is all assuming Perry being 1/3 Doof’s size while Doof is 6 ft tall and Perry is 24.8 inches (2ft) standing upright.

Unfortunately no Platypus hind leg measurements a regularly available so I will be comparing body sizes only (No bills, tails, or legs). Platypus tails being 5 inch max, bill around 2.4 inch max.

So, measuring only the body this leaves the max platypus with 17.4 inches of body. Removing Perry’s approximate leg height (1.5 in) this leaves Perry with 23.27 inches.

Given the body to body proportions this means that Perry is about 1.3x (5.87 inches) larger than the max platypus size!

[louis-sj]

Tasmania Historic Prison Uniform

"Made in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) between 1830 and 1849, the fabric was probably woven and then made into uniforms in the Female Factory in Hobart. Natural dyes were used to colour the cloth. The woollen fabric is heavy and rough, and there are buttons down the side of each leg, allowing a prisoner to remove his trousers while wearing leg-irons. The ‘broad arrow’ indicates that the wearer was government property." From: https://www.nla.gov.au/digital-classroom/year-5/convicts-conflict-and-confrontation/themes/convict-experiences

It looks like the "belt" held the pants up.

A better look at the "belt". Notice the buttons down the right leg so the pants could be removed with leg iron on the ankles.

A picture of the shoulder and collar. (Yes, it is REALLY old.)

The caps that the prisoners would have worn.

See: https://tasmaniantimes.com/2021/01/convict-uniforms/

And: https://www.historynet.com/linus-miller-a-yank-in-van-demons-land/

[mariacallous]

For the past two years, millions of people searching for child abuse videos on Pornhub’s UK website have been interrupted. Each of the 4.4 million times someone has typed in words or phrases linked to abuse, a warning message has blocked the page, saying that kind of content is illegal. And in half the cases, a chatbot has also pointed people to where they can seek help.

The warning message and chatbot were deployed by Pornhub as part of a trial program, conducted with two UK-based child protection organizations, to find out whether people could be nudged away from looking for illegal material with small interventions. A new report analyzing the test, shared exclusively with WIRED, says the pop-ups led to a decrease in the number of searches for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and saw scores of people seek support for their behavior.

“The actual raw numbers of searches, it’s actually quite scary high,” says Joel Scanlan, a senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania, who led the evaluation of the reThink Chatbot. During the multiyear trial, there were 4,400,960 warnings in response to CSAM-linked searches on Pornhub’s UK website—99 percent of all searches during the trial did not trigger a warning. “There’s a significant reduction over the length of the intervention in numbers of searches,” Scanlan says. “So the deterrence messages do work.”

Millions of images and videos of CSAM are found and removed from the web every year. They are shared on social media, traded in private chats, sold on the dark web, or in some cases uploaded to legal pornography websites. Tech companies and porn companies don’t allow illegal content on their platforms, although they remove it with different levels of effectiveness. Pornhub removed around 10 million videos in 2020 in an attempt to eradicate child abuse material and other problematic content from its website following a damning New York Times report.

Pornhub, which is owned by parent company Aylo (formerly MindGeek), uses a list of 34,000 banned terms, across multiple languages and with millions of combinations, to block searches for child abuse material, a spokesperson for the company says. It is one way Pornhub tries to combat illegal material, the spokesperson says, and is part of the company’s efforts aimed at user safety, after years of allegations it has hosted child exploitation and nonconsensual videos. When people in the UK have searched for any of the terms on Pornhub’s list, the warning message and chatbot have appeared.

The chatbot was designed and created by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a nonprofit which removes CSAM from the web, and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a charity which works to precent child sexual abuse. It appeared alongside the warning messages a total of 2.8 million times. The trial counted the number of sessions on Pornhub, which could mean people are counted multiple times, and it did not look to identify individuals. The report says there was a “meaningful decrease” in searches for CSAM on Pornhub and that at least “in part” the chatbot and warning messages appear to have played a role.

The chatbot was relatively simple: It asked people a series of questions, allowing them to click buttons to answer or type out a response. Ultimately, it explained that the material people were searching for may be illegal and pointed them toward the Lucy Faithfull Foundation’s help services. There were 1,656 requests for more information made through the chatbot, while 490 people clicked through to the charity’s Stop It Now website. Around 68 people called or chatted with Lucy Faithfull’s confidential helpline, the report says.

Donald Findlater, the director of the Stop It Now helpline, says that while the numbers are “relatively modest” compared to the overall number of warnings displayed, they are still seen as a “big success” as it’s a sign that people may want to get help. “If people have been doing something dodgy on a site, clicking through is quite a bold step to make,” Findlater says.

The vast majority of people who received the warning message and chatbot did so only once, the report says. Around 1.7 million people saw a warning before leaving Pornhub or making other searches related to legal material. “They didn't just disappear. They typically remained on the site and looked for other stuff,” Findlater says. “The influence for the millions of people that actually did a dubious search and then stopped doing that dubious search is a big win.” Not everyone was deterred, however. In the most persistent cases, around 400 people made 10 searches that triggered the message.

Cynthia Najdowski, an associate professor of psychology at the State University of New York at Albany, who was not involved in the research, says the chatbot appears to show promise for interrupting some people’s efforts to access CSAM. Warning messages and small behavioral nudges have been used in multiple ways to change people’s behavior online, from piracy and copyright infringement to gambling. Google has used some deterrence messages around child abuse searches since 2013, and other studies have found decreases in searches and millions of views or warnings.

Najdowski says there are three things known about deterring people from engaging in criminal behavior: People must know what they’re doing is illegal; they need to apply that “legal knowledge” to their own behavior; and they need to believe the cost of the behavior may outweigh any benefits they expect. “A chatbot that delivers notice of the potential illegality of certain searches can certainly accomplish the first step in the deterrence process, and that alone is a significant contribution,” Najdowski says. It may struggle to help cases where people are more persistent in their behavior or more complex scenarios though.

Scanlan, who conducted the analysis into the chatbot trial, says there were some complexities with the work. The data provided by Pornhub, the IWF, and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation wasn’t always complete, and there weren’t any figures from before the warnings were introduced to compare the results against. However, Scanlan says the results show the method could be one part of broader education and deterrence efforts against people finding CSAM online. “If someone's doing that sort out of curiosity, you want to nudge them away from it before they get involved in it, because we can't arrest our way out of the problem,” Scanlan says.

Scanlan’s findings say that over time, the web traffic being referred to the Stop It Now website appeared to decrease, perhaps as people who continued to search became used to the messaging. However, helpline calls, emails, and online chats showed an increase over the duration of the trial. The report says that in the future, a variety of messages could be used—potentially including existing deterrence videos—and the chatbot could directly connect people to a live chat session with Lucy Faithfull’s helpline.

The chatbot itself could also be improved. Since it was initially designed and created, says Dan Sexton, the chief technology officer at the IWF, generative AI has changed people’s perceptions of what chatbots are and how they interact with people. The reThink Chatbot could respond to only a limited number of queries. Sexton says there may be ways to make the chatbot more approachable and better handle questions it was not programmed to deal with.

While the trial period has ended, the chatbot and warnings are still in place on Pornhub’s UK website. “There's certainly no plans to turn it off. It is in production. It was a pilot project, but it is having an effect right now,” Sexton says. Those involved in the study say that other porn companies could look to introduce similar nudges across their services and deter people from looking for child abuse content. “They all should be doing this; it should become the norm,” Scanlan says. “This report and technology are significant steps forward in identifying, removing, and reporting harmful and illegal content,” a spokesperson for Pornhub says. “We feel all other major tech and social media platforms should explore the implementation of similar deterrence technology to create a safer internet for all.”

Findlater, from the Stop It Now helpline, says he hopes other companies, such as social media websites and file-hosting platforms, can look at the results of the trial and introduce similar nudges where people are seeking CSAM. “The more places you can put it, the greater chance you're going to catch those people that might be at a stage where they can still be helped, or those people that are looking for help but don't know about it,” Sexton says.

[scotianostra]

13th July 1820 saw the commencement of the trial, in Stirling, of the Radicals captured at the Battle of Bonnymuir.

After the Napoleonic War ended many working people were badly affected by the depressed economy, and felt unjustly treated by government and the ruling classes. Artisan workers such as weavers sought reform to bring about a fairer society and better rights for working people. The upper classes and government responded to this by recruiting men to the militia and stamping out all signs of uprising.

The Radicals called for strikes in early April 1820, with action in various towns, including Stirling, Falkirk, Glasgow, Greenock and famously, Bonnymuir where on the 5th of April around 50 radicals were met by a party of militia. The radicals were outflanked and with many wounded, 19 of them were taken prisoner and removed to Stirling Castle. Amongst those seized at Bonnymuir were John Baird and Andrew Hardie.

Across Scotland a total of 88 ‘radicals’ were tried for high treason, with a special Royal Commission Court set up at Stirling and Glasgow. On the 4th of August 1820 in Stirling the judge advised ‘To you Andrew Hardie and John Baird I can hold out little or no hope of mercy…as you were the leaders, I am afraid that example must be given by you’.

Baird and Hardie were hanged in Stirling on the 8th of September 1820.

Another 19 of their fellow accused were transported to the penal colonies of Tasmania or New South Wales.

The document in the pic shows a calendar of the prisoners charged with high treason and to be tried under the special commission to be held at Stirling.

The link below is for a great article from the National Records of Scotland, who marked the 200th anniversary of the events in 1820 by unearthing the very court papers used at the trial and commission, it’s great to see the results of their work in cleaning them up and helping preserve them for future generations, as seen in the third pic.

https://blog.nrscotland.gov.uk/.../the-radical-rising-of.../

[skopostheorie]

Here's my cool geopolitical ideas for countries if we have another world war

Replace Florida with Mexico as the fiftieth state

Remove Tasmania from Australia, then add New Zealand, and call the country "Zeal Trail"

Install new Constitution into China that mandates that at least one politician is bisexual

Shari'a made federal law in Sweden

[bumblebeeappletree]

Hannah visits a small berry farm that has been run by the same family for four generations.

Former presenter Peter Cundall visited with the Gardening Australia team more than 30 years ago!

The farm is now being run by Tom Wolfe and his uncle Tony. The family has German heritage and so has always grown a wide range of heritage European fruits, including gooseberries.

Tony Wolfe explains the colour and taste differences between a few varieties that his grandfather planted: ‘Leatherjacket’ stays yellow, but ‘Crown Bob’ gets a red tinge and becomes a bit sweeter. However, gooseberries have some large thorns, so Tony says to pick towards the middle of the bush to go with the shape of the thorn.

Gooseberries are quite hardy in Tasmania’s cool climate, making them easy to grow. The farm also grows raspberries, red and black currants, loganberries, jostaberries, Kentish cherries, and plums.

Jostaberries are a thornless hybrid that combines the flavour of gooseberries and blackcurrants. Prune them like raspberries, removing old canes, as the new canes will provide the fruit. They can be prolific, so it helps to aim for a vase shape and avoid a thicket that’s too hard to pick from!

Loganberries are another hybrid – a cross between raspberries and blackberries. They are ripe when deep purple. Tony trains canes horizontally to waist height for easier picking.

The Kentish cherry trees are pruned low and small for easier picking and to avoid a lanky, fragile crown that can break in the wind. It’s an heirloom variety from England with bright red skin and pale flesh that is great for jams and cooking.

The raspberries are grown from 100-year-old stock.

Tom took on the partnership with Tony after his father, Tony’s brother, died suddenly, but they are determined to keep the farm in the family. Tom’s young children are now growing up to love the farm.

Music is also a large part of the family tradition, with members playing in bands and orchestras over many decades. Tom’s father’s band, Midnight Revival, once played backup for AC/DC! Now Tom and brother Nick are often on tour with their country music band, The Wolfe Brothers.

Featured plants:

Gooseberry ‘Leatherjacket’ (Ribes uva-crispa cv.)

Gooseberry ‘Crown Bob’ (Ribes uva-crispa cv.)

Jostaberry (Ribes x nidigrolaria)

Loganberry (Rubus x loganobaccus)

Kentish Cherry (Prunus cerasus)

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus cv.)

Filmed in Neika, Tas

[weirdestbooks]

Confessions (Wattpad | Ao3)

America’s father was strange and persistent. Ever since the end of last year, he had been messaging America and the other so-called “favorites,” asking them to meet him at his house so he could tell them something important. America had asked some of his other siblings and niblings if they had gotten the invitation, but none of them had, which just made America more curious as to why Britain wanted all of them to meet up. 

It had taken a while, but they had finally reached the point where they could all show up at his house at the same time.

“Okay, does anyone have any idea of what is happening?” America asked New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and Australia who had arrived before he had. New South Wales shook his head.

“Nah, mate. None of us Australians know shit. Have you asked the Canadians? Or the Kiwi?” America nodded, and New South Wales sighed. 

“Why is Grandpa so insistent that we have to be here today at the same time? It's not like he invited any of the other favorites. It’s just some Canadians, some Australians, Kiwi, and you.” South Australia commented, crossing his arms.

“Maybe he has something he wants to tell all of you at once?” Caleb suggested for the thousandth time. Normally, America would tell him that they have nothing in common that would require them to be here simultaneously, but he didn't want to look insane in front of his family.

“You told the world you had DID ages ago. Why does it matter?” James asked, his voice gentle like aways.

“Yeah, they already know. They ain’t gonna think you’re crazy,” Conch Republic added.

Ignoring the fact that James was right, America began to start small talk with his Australian family as they waited for the invited Canadians and New Zealand to show up.

“Hey guys! Have you figured out why Dad is so insistent on us showing up today?” British Columbia, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, and Northwest Territories, said as he approached them.

“No, we were waiting for the rest of you since Dad was so insistent that we all show up together,” Western Australia said with a small smile.

“He’s been a nuisance about that,” Tasmania said. Australia wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“The great British Empire, reduced to begging for his former colonies to come and see him, ain't that right, Tassy?” He said.

“What do you mean, ‘former colonies’? If I recall correctly, none of you have left the Commonwealth yet, which means I'm the only true former colony.”

“We get it, America. You have an ego,” New Zealand said from behind them, finally arriving. Some of America’s family members began snickering at that, along with some of the other alters. America rolled his eyes.

“Ha ha, that's so funny. Well, we’re all here now. Let’s see what Dad wants. I hope it’s quick, though, because I have things I need to do,” he said.

“Delly said it's okay if you need to miss his pseudo birthday. He knows you fought to get a different date, and it's not like anyone remembers this is his pseudo birthday anyways.” Molossia commented.

“Like what, inflate your ego some more?” South Australia asked, causing another round of snickering.

“He probably wants to since we are all attacking it. You can’t see how he's trying to say he doesn't have an ego.” Queensland said.

Queensland was, unfortunately, right. America flipped her off and then opened the door to their father’s house. Tasmania had picked the lock while they were making small talk earlier. 

“Grandfather! We are here! Please tell us why you wanted us all here!” New Zealand yelled. 

“In the kitchen! Take off your shoes at the door, especially the Australians!”

“Calling us out specifically, huh, Grandpa?” Queensland asked.

“You are all crazy and spend half your time doing dangerous stunts that will get you killed,” Their father yelled back at her.

“You’re right, but hey!” Australia said, not making any moves to remove his shoes, tracking dirt everywhere. America tried his best to hold down his snickers, as he had also not removed his shoes.

“People said he was basically an American colony during World War Two for a reason,” Caleb commented, prompting a snort of laughter from Eastport. 

Well, pushing aside the fact that America might have semi-adopted his nephew, their group made their way into the kitchen, where England and Britain were arguing in sign language.

“If you guys are going to argue, we can come back later,” Manitoba said, stopping the argument in its tracks.

“Wow, if they had stopped arguing, they must have really wanted us here," Newfoundland and Labrador whispered to Western Australia, who did her best to stifle her giggles.  

“I can hear you,” their father said, his tone lacking amusement.

“Good,” Western Australia shot back. Their father rolled his eyes, and England slunk out of the room, giving their father one last glance.

“What was that about?” Northwest Territories asked. Their father waved his hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about it, Northwest. That’s something me and England have to work out ourselves. Now, for why I called you here.”

“Finally.” South Australia said, straightening up. Their father exhaled once, looking like he was trying to calm his nerves.

“I’ve been lying to you for a long time.” He said. America snorted as James murmured no shit.

“Yeah, we know you are a liar. But you’ve been getting better at that.” America said.

“Yeah, Uncle Ame is right. You’ve been better at that. If that is all you needed to say, Grandfather, I think you might be disappointed to know we already knew that.” New Zealand added.

“Yes, I knew you were aware of that. But this is more of a secret England wanted me to keep. It’s part of why we were arguing when you came in.” Their father said. America could see several members of the group perk up at that. 

“And you are telling us?” Australia asked.

“Yes…all of you were called ‘favorites’ by many of my former colonies. I know not all of the so-called favorites are here right now, but there’s a reason for that. See, you twelve are the colonies I tried to protect by keeping secrets from you. The fact that you had another parent.”

America froze.

“WHAT?” New South Wales exclaimed, baring his teeth. Their father raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“My children, I never wanted to hurt you with this, but I believe you have finally matured into wonderful people who were ready to learn that uncomfortable fact. Rest assured, though, I did this to protect and help you.” His father put a hand on America’s cheek and smiled at him, and America felt sick. He wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn’t. He was frozen in place, shaking legs and a pressure in his throat. He wanted to cry and scream and stop feeling comforted by the hand on his face.

But America just stood there and stared into his father’s eyes, which were empty of regret.

“I did this out of love. It’s what allowed you to be so well-behaved and favorites as well,” he said, pulling his hand back before crossing his arms, looking smug as he did so.

“Dad…please tell me you’re lying…” Manitoba said

“He has to be! My kids are here! If they had other parents, we would know!” New South Wales insisted.

“Hey, yeah, Dad’s right. If we had other parents, we would know. After all, Northwest's kids knew!” Tasmania said. 

“Well, he did. Once upon a time. But he planned to tell you before you were mature enough to understand that. I tried to convince him to back down, but he refused. So I fixed that. As for Northwest, well they chose to stay silent. It was a smart choice on their part. After all, they were always mature.” Britain said. New South Wales collapsed as Queensland and South Australia rushed to catch him, chest heaving as he fought off what looked like a panic attack.

“And yet I wasn’t told about my other parent.” Northwest Territories said quietly. Britain shot him a small smile.

“Well, you didn't need to know that. You just needed to know your place, lest you end up like him,” Britain said, gesturing to New South Wales.

“What did you do to me?” Said the state in a broken tone, clearly hurt by the betrayal. America was too and was half convinced James and Caleb were the only reason they were still standing. As they slowly began fronting, the Conch Republic threatened murder against Britain.

“I just fixed your problems and removed some corruption. I know this might hurt to hear, but I do love you, NSW. That's why I had to hurt you, even though I didn’t want to,” Britain said, his words sounding like empty promises.

But you could hear it in his voice.

“He is actually serious about what he’s saying! He actually believes that what was most likely torture was for some bullshit greater good and actually thinks it helped his son. He’s delusional! I know he abused you despite you being a favorite, but I didn't realize that other favorites were treated worse!” Molossia ranted, anger in his voice.

“I wasn’t abused,” Ameriac said softly, not knowing if it was him trying to convince the clothes or him trying to convince him. America lowered his head to make eye contact with his father. “I wasn’t abused, right?”

“America…” James murmured.

America hated how small and weak his voice sounded. Britain looked offended at America, even suggesting that.

“Of course not!” He said, causing relief to fill America’s body, relief that was quickly replaced by horror as he continued his statement, “I mean, even though you might have known, England used your martial law to fix that, so we wouldn’t have to hurt you, and that way you wouldn’t go running off with the natives and get yourself killed.” 

America’s knees finally gave out, and Australia scrambled to catch them, tears rolling down the Australian’s face. Was he crying for America or his father? America didn’t know. But did he really ever know anything?

Tears were appearing in his eyes, and his breath began to get more and more uneven and shaky.

“America breathe. You have to breathe.” James said.

America…he didn’t think the marital law had affected him that badly. What else did England force him to believe…and to forget?

“What else?” America asked shakily, in a small moment where his breathing evened out.

“What else what?” his father asked, the same fucking smile on his face as if he hadn’t just told America that England mind-controlled him into forgetting he had a mother, mind-controlled him into forgetting so much about himself.

“What else did England do to me?” America snarled out as someone else began co-fronting, helping them stay standing as fury pumped through their veins.

“He just ensured you’d be loyal to the church and the government. It’s no big deal. Honestly, you twelve are being so dramatic. It’s not like you can even talk to your other parents. They’re most likely dead. And if they aren’t, well, I don’t remember who they were. It was useless information. You can find out on your own.”

“But what if they're dead?” Newfoundland and Labrador asked, her arms wrapped tightly across her body.

“Well, I think that’s more your fault than mine. Canada and America were always better at hurting the natives than I was. If you North Americans need someone to blame for the deaths of your family, blame them.” Their father said casually. A loud ringing began in America's ears, and he pulled away, letting whoever was co-fronting take charge.

He had to get away. America needed to get away.

—————————

America was in his bedroom now, in his apartment in Washington. He had left the country world. The ringing in his ears was still present but quieter than it had been before.

“Guys.” America asked softly, “What happened?"

“You started having a panic attack. I know you don’t like anyone seeing them, so James began co-fronting and left the group. You’ve been asleep for a little while since then.” Unorganized Territory explained.

“You also missed Northwest Territories decking Britain!” Molossia exclaimed.

America exhaled a little sigh of relief before smiling slightly at Molossia’s comments, although the smile quickly faded.

“Thanks, James. You’re a lifesaver.” America said before curling up in the fetal position.

“He knows…but are you alright, America?” Caleb asked, his voice gentle

“No. I feel sick and betrayed and…and…I can’t believe…England fucking took advantage of the martial law to like…fucking brainwash me or some shit. Is this even my real personality? How much of me did he change? Why didn’t I fucking notice something was wrong?” America stood up and left the bedroom, pacing around the room as he tried to control his growing anxiety. 

“He couldn't have changed everything. Besides, you’ve grown a lot since then. Any of your real self that was buried can and probably has come back.” Conch Republic pointed out.

“You aren’t as changed as he wants you to think, either. I knew you then, and I know you now. Not everything gone is dead. Besides, we have Yapam still, so it’s still there somewhere,” James added, and America could tell from his tone of voice that he was smiling gently.

America passed by the open door to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He paused and then walked into the room, flicking on the lights as he did so. America was still in his country form, his stars moving around frantically, a sign of his anxiety.

America dropped his country form, letting his human form appear. America looked at himself in the mirror and burst into tears.

How was America so fucking stupid as to not see it before?

Did England use the martial law to ensure that America wouldn't see it until he and Britain wanted him to?             

How did America not see how non-white he was?

And what Britain had said before James began fronting.

America killed his mother.

“He’s a manipulative liar! Why are you trusting him? Why are you blaming England and yourself but not him?” Molossia ranted.

“Because he’s right. I killed my mother. I…I…this is my fault.” America said panic swelling. He couldn’t be here. He couldn’t—

America brought himself back to the country world, in his house, trying his best to block out the others' attempts to make him think he wasn't at fault when he so clearly was.

They were wrong. America was a monster.

[ms-hells-bells]

Those moids celebrating the death of cats to own women and libtards but im prtty sure the same moids would lose their minds if ppl were hunting dogs and posting pics of it

which is ironic considering it has been found that dogs contribute far more to native species deaths than initially though; they eat eggs and destroy nests and catch small animals. and that's even WITH the amount of lead wearing and fencing (in fact, fencing is a largely american and some other western nations thing. a lot of people, particularly in rural areas, let their dogs free roam. an estimated 75% of global dog owners do NOT fence their dogs). at least, that's the case in nz and aus, with our unique amounts of birds and lizards. south america is especially vulnerable to wild dogs as well. in some cases, dogs kill MORE native species than cats, despite the number of feral cats far outweighing the amount of feral dogs.

people don't want to hear the REAL first step to this all, which is to completely ban animal breeding (or at least cat and dog breeding). ferals get captured, desexed, and adopted out if they are young or sociable enough, and the ones that aren't get released sterilised. and we keep doing this. there's no such thing as an instant or quick solution to the feral cat and dog problem, not even the many mass exterminations entire governments have done have worked. the closest is in nz has multiple islands and fenced native sanctuaries that are pest free, but not only did it cost many millions and years of effort for even just a couple square acres of pest free land, they are having to constantly keep it up 24/7 to make sure those areas STAY pest free, and some occasionally still get in even with all that. not to mention that it would cause havoc on the already havocked ecosystem, as the second you remove a mass amount of cats and dogs, you'd have a rodent explosion, which would b far more dangerous than a bunch of feral cats or dogs, due to disease risks (i love rats and mice, but the wild ones are toxic little things).

tldr; moid response of 'every problem can be solved with violence'

[mangedog]

gender transition: hysterectomy in Tas, AUS

It's rare to see any experiences of gender transition outside of the US, and when I do find Australian experiences there's none from my state, Tasmania. So I thought I'd share my experience in getting a hysterectomy. I won't go over the Australian medical system, google that if you need to (it's pretty similar to the UK system if you're familiar with that). Long post with surgery details ahead!

On the 17th of January 2023 I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy. I had everything removed (uterus, Fallopian tubes, ovaries, and cervix - so a hysterectomy with bilateral salipingo-oophorectomy) with a cystoscopy (micro-camera examination of bladder to make sure ureters are intact) at the end of surgery.

Pre-Surgery Consults

First step was going to my GP to ask for a referral. I was referred to the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH)'s gynaecology department on the 10th of March 2022.

I had my first consult with Dr. Irena Nikakis on the 14th of July 2022, in which she said she was happy to do a hysto but didn't want to take my ovaries. We "compromised" and she said she would do the hysto in one operation, and then remove the ovaries at a later date. I wasn't happy with this - it seemed like a weird way to go about it, and I didn't want to have 2 major surgeries when I could have just 1 for the same effect - but I agreed anyway. I left the consult glad that she agreed to the hysto, but annoyed at that she didn't want to take the ovaries at the same time (and also because I'd gotten there 15 minutes early but she was an hour late with no explanation).

She wanted me to have a psychiatric consult before booking the surgery in, which I had with the sexual health clinic (Clinic 60 in Hobart). Pretty standard stuff, just went over if I was able to consent to surgery and meet the WPATH criteria and so on.

I had my second consult with Dr. Nikakis on the 13th September 2022, when I was put on the public hospital general priority waitlist (meaning the wait time would be within a year / 365 days). She said if I hadn't had the operation within 6 months I would get a phone call to see if I still wanted it.

Some weeks later I got a phone call asking if I wanted to be under a contract the RHH has with Hobart Private Hospital, where public patients are processed through the private system at no cost to them (in order to try and get through the backlog of patients they have on public waitlists). Since it wouldn't make a difference to me I said yes.

I then had a consult with Dr Tim Hasted on the 13th of December 2022, at Calvary St. John's Private Hospital where his office was. I asked him if he could take my ovaries at the same time and he was fine with that. I also asked if we could forgo the speculum at the 8 week post-op check up, which he was also fine with as long as there was no bleeding by then. My surgery was booked at this consult, for the 17th of January 2023.

Surgery

The day of operation, I arrived at Hobart Private Hospital at my instructed admission time of 1pm. I had been told to fast from food from 7am and water from 9am, but I woke up late and had a sip of water at around 10am for my medication (and therefore didn't have any food at all). They were fine with that. I waited for about 20 minutes in the waiting room, when they did the admission forms. Then I waited for another 20 minutes or so, when they did more paperwork. Then after another 20 minutes or so I was taken to my private room which had its own bathroom (I wish I could be a private patient all the time, it was way nicer than a shared ward!).

I waited in the room for about two hours (my mum came to visit me so we just chatted, and then once she left I read a book). Then the nurse came at 4:15pm and told me they were getting ready for me, so I put on the hospital gown (naked underneath) and sat on the bed. The nurse and someone who I think was an orderly wheeled my bed to a pre-op room where they put the blood clot prevention stockings on and went over the paperwork about three more times (asking what operation I was having and if I had any allergies or reactions to anaesthetic, etc). The anesthesiologist and her assistant both visited me to introduce themselves, and Dr. Hasted popped in as well. After 10-15 minutes of waiting they wheeled me in to the theatre.

My surgery was at about 4:30pm. They warned me that the operating room would be cold (and it was), so they put a heated blanket in my bed. They lined the bed up with the operating table and got me to shuffle over onto it (it was a bit awkward and I was trying not to let my gown slide up so I wouldn't flash them all with my naked ass lol...). They undid the knots of the gown so they could take it off when I was asleep. They put the cannula in the crook of my left elbow (since I'm right handed). The nurse said she was going to put some "relaxing medicine" in the cannula, and then the anaesthetic. I felt her putting it in, it was cold, but for about 30 seconds I didn't feel any different. Then suddenly I was hit with this wave of dizziness and felt really out of it. That's the last thing I remember.

After Surgery

I woke up in the pre-op room I was in before they took me to surgery, they were asking me to rate my pain out of 10. I couldn't speak (because of the intubation and also I was still really out of it) so I held up my fingers to say 7. I felt vaguely nauseous but I didn't need any anti-nausea medication. I think they gave me some pain medication but I don't remember. Then I woke up again in my room, where I think they were asking me again about the pain. I slept on and off for about 4 hours I think. I remember asking for some painkillers and the nurse said I couldn't have more because it was 8:45pm (?) and I had to wait 6 hours between the strong medication. I think I had some Panadol (paracetamol) instead. The nurses had to come in every 30 minutes for the 4 hours post-op to check on me and take my blood pressure and temperature.

Eventually I woke up properly at around 10pm. I was alone in the room and in a lot of pain so I pressed the call button for the nurse. I kept forgetting and moving my arm that had the cannula in which was attached to the IV drip, which made the IV machine go off because the line wasn't straight. My throat wasn't sore but I couldn't really speak. I drank a lot of water. At one point I woke up and there was a food tray with sandwiches, two small bottles of orange juice and apple juice, a container with some crackers, cheese and grapes in it, and a little tub of ice cream on my bedside tray. I had the ice cream which had melted by then but I couldn't swallow the cheese or bread properly so I just left it since I wasn't hungry anyway.

I slept some more until around 3am. I was in a lot of pain (around 6 or 7/10) so I asked for some medication when the nurse came in. I think I got some of the strong pain meds (I don't remember what they were called, Duodene or something?) three times over the night and some Panadol as well. I had pain in my abdomen but also in my back at one point (I think because of the gas but also because I hadn't moved for hours). I became aware that I had a catheter in, and it was really weird not being able to tell if I was peeing or not. I would feel a vague need to pee but then it would go away and I couldn't tell if it was because I had actually peed into the catheter or if I just didn't need to go anymore. I couldn't sleep for more than half an hour at a time, and as it got closer to sunrise I slept less and less. My pain by this point was about 4/10 so it was uncomfortable but manageable. I was pretty thirsty, but I'd run out of water, and it was also hot in the room but I couldn't get up to turn the thermostat down.

At 5:30am the nurse came in to tell me that they would take the catheter out at 6am. She helped me out of bed and got me to walk around a bit. I was shaky and weak but I could walk ok. Then when she took out the catheter I was nervous (didn't want anyone poking about down there!) but she explained what she was doing and it was pretty quick. She un-inflated a little balloon in the tube and then pulled it out, which stung but was over quickly. She took the bags (2 of them, both completely full, I had apparently peed a LOT during the hours I had it in lol) and I managed to go to the toilet by myself. It stung like hell and I only managed a little bit, and it was extremely bloody. Over the next few hours I had to keep peeing and they had to measure my pee and do a bladder scan to make sure I was emptying my bladder. It took a long time, but by 10am or so I didn't have to have any more scans.

At around 8 or 9am I had breakfast, which was scrambled eggs so it went down easily. I still wasn't feeling hungry but I felt better after eating so I guess I was. At some point Dr. Hasted came in and talked to me about the surgery. He said it all went well, except it took longer than expected because I had a "very small" cervix which made it trickier for them (since they were removing the organs by pulling them through the cervix, then removing the cervix itself and sewing the leftover hold shut - a vaginal cuff). I was able to have a shower, but I hadn't brought any shampoo or soap because I thought I wouldn't be allowed to shower for a few days.

I was discharged at around 1pm, after lunch (which I managed to eat all of despite not really wanting to after half of it). I had a painkiller before I left since I live an hour away from the hospital. It was the same kind I got a prescription of from the hospital pharmacy (Palexia IR 50mg, which is tapentadol). Made me feel a bit drowsy. The carpark was across the street, and I was feeling fine so figured I would have no problem walking there. But a few times I felt a bit lightheaded, and I waited at the exit of the carpark for my dad to drive down and pick me up instead of me going up to where the car was. I had to lean against the wall so that was a good idea. I didn't put my binder back on when I got dressed so I was standing awkwardly with my arms crossed to hide my boobs, but that was ok because it gave my abdomen support as well.

It hurt when we went over any bumps on the ride home, but it was ok. I surprisingly didn't go to sleep until 8pm, which since I'd been up since 3am was weird, but I guess I'd slept a lot the afternoon of surgery. I had some pain in the night and took a Palexia, but since I can only have either 1 every 4 hours or 2 every 6 hours, I have to space them out more than I'd like.

Post-Op

I feel surprisingly good. I was worried that I'd regret it - I knew I didn't want kids but I was worried I'd regret removing the option to have biological kids. But I don't regret it now and I didn't then either. I was (and am) so relieved that no matter what, I will never have a period again and there's no risk of ovarian cysts (I have PCOS - yes, weirdly enough, I still have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome despite no longer having ovaries, since it's an (not very well named) endocrine disorder as well as reproductive), no risk of cancer on any of those parts… such a freeing feeling. Unfortunately, it feels like I'm having a really bad period (abdominal pain, bleeding, fatigue etc.) which is dysphoric but knowing why this is happening and knowing it can never happen again is really helpful. It's kinda weird having such a major surgery but no outward differences except for a few incisions (one in my bellybutton, one on either side, and one underneath, and there's one internal one at the top of the vagina where the cervix was). As happy as I am to have it, I kinda wish it had been top surgery since that's my number 1 source of dysphoria (reproductive organs were the lowest priority in terms of transition for me, but just happened to be the easiest to get done and therefore came first).

I'm writing this almost exactly 72 hours after surgery. Still some pain, getting in and out of bed is a bit painful, and I don't have much of an appetite. I have a heating pad on my abdomen at the moment which is nice (and a cat on my lap, even better!). I might try and have a nap soon. All in all, it was easier than I expected, I wasn't misgendered (even had my gender marked as male on my wristband) except for one time indirectly when Dr. Hasted said "women who have this - oh sorry, people who have this...". And because it was through the public health system, it was completely free!

I'm not allowed to drive for a month (because if I crash my car insurance won't cover anything), the estimated recovery time is 6 weeks, and I have a post-op check up with Dr. Hasted in 8 weeks. I'm told that bowel function will take a while to return, but if I haven't had a movement by Friday (tomorrow) to take some laxatives. (I have been farting passing wind though which is a good sign - it means the gas they pump into your abdomen so they can see is moving out).

Feel free to ask any questions (or just say hi, especially if you're a trans Tasmanian)!

Here's @transgenderteensurvivalguide's hysterectomy info page, and here's hysto.net, which is a hysterectomy info site for trans people.

[drhoz]

#2014 - Cormocephalus aurantiipes - Orange-footed Centipede

Photo by Patrick Wake,

A medium-sized Scolopendrid centipede, up to 14cm long, found in most parts of Australia with the exception of the Northern Territory and Tasmania. Easily confused with C. westwoodi. The most common colour form has brownish-grey tergites on the body, and orange legs.

There are over 100 species in the genus.

Scolopendrids prefer moist conditions such as soil and leaf litter, and their spiracles have a three-flapped valve and muscles that open and close the holes, making the centipedes less susceptible to drying out than many invertebrates. When not hunting or resting, these centipedes spend a lot of time grooming to remove moulds and parasites.

Scolopendrid centipedes bite with their modified forelegs if disturbed or handled, and some species are very dangerous, although Australian species don't seem to be that venomous. Bites may cause severe pain and associated swelling. An ice pack may relieve the pain, but medical attention if symptoms persist, and anti-tetanus shorts highly advisable.

[iamonlyhereforthefood]

This is cute on its own, but you know what was my first thought, right?

After struggling to bond with members of their own flock, a matte black cockatoo and bright green lorikeet have become unexpected friends.

Greg Iron, director of Bonorong wildlife sanctuary in Tasmania, described their relationship as being “love at first sight” for Raphael, a musk lorikeet who was previously kept without a permit.

“He’s just obsessed,” he said, adding that George – the much bigger red-tailed black cockatoo – was “probably a bit bewildered” at first.

“The second Raphael was in the enclosure … it was like ‘you’re the one’,” he said.

It didn’t take long for the relationship to be reciprocated, with the pair spending, at most, five minutes apart.

“Ninety per cent of the time they’re very close to each other … quite often Raphael will be tucked under George’s wing, particularly when it’s cold … like a mother chicken with its young.

“I always have to stop and look at them when they’re snuggled up together because they’re just so happy.”

Iron said staff were initially wary of potential aggression due to the difference in the birds’ sizes, but there’s been nothing but affection between the two.

Iron said the relationship between the birds was “unique”, as different species tended to be ambivalent about each other. The pair hadn’t formed meaningful relationships with the other animals, he said, and George had interacted less with the female red-tailed black cockatoo than he did with Raphael.

“We wouldn’t separate them now,” Iron said.

“George is probably the best-looking boyfriend in all of Bonorong. The other [musk cockatoos] must be a bit jealous.”

Iron said that while he had “no idea” why their relationship was so strong, the two were probably “entertainment for each other”. Birds were social animals and being removed from the care of their past owners was probably traumatic, he said.

Both Raphael and George experienced difficulties bonding with musk lorikeets and red-tailed black cockatoos. Raphael was separated from other lorikeets due to squabbling.

“George had only really connected with people … I think he thought he was a person.”

Iron said the pair had generated “lots of questions” among visitors, who were often surprised to see Raphael emerge from under George’s wings.

“I think people get a bit of a fright … there’s this moment of complete inability to process what’s going on … this tiny little bright green thing is suddenly popping out against this beautiful matte black.”

[sheepon]

So, I'm pretty sure these are Prunus domestica. The flesh tastes quite nice and sweet, but the skin is sour and the longer it stays in your mouth, the more bitter and unpleasant it becomes. They have green flesh and a pit that doesn't easily remove.

So I made my plum torte and promptly burned the top a bit. But! It came out alright. It's definitely tart, but not in a bad way. The recipe called for 6-12 plums and I think I used 24. Very tempted to pit the remainder and freeze them, maybe make an autumn foraging pie? Plum, blackberries, and apple? Definitely would be good for any literal tart though.

I'm somewhat sad that I'm only just now getting fully into foraging all the trees people have planted in the area over the years, since I won't be hear next fall. I wonder if there are escaped apple, pear, plum, etc in Tasmania too?

[cooganbegs-blog]

The Long Wait in Melbourne Leg

Well, not sure if I’m surprised or disappointed by the Amex lounge! After selling it for so long, I feel I may have hyped up my expectations. It’s just another lounge with sad looking food in the bain marie and bored looking employees! But I am absolutely not complaining. I have a little booth all to myself and have just had a small breaky of muesli, fruit and yoghurt and finally have a coffee to hand. And some small part of me feels special, how sad is that. What’s even sadder is I did a few circuits of the airport before I worked up the courage to even get in here! I thought they would take one look at me and declare I was not worthy to be in the Amex lounge!!

Anyway, I’m here and tucked away from the hoards to try and do some work and reassure myself I am not one massive phoney that is about to be caught out. I think the biggest thing is that I think they are just wanting for me to hand them what to build. And when I explain that it’s the job of the team to work out what to build once they have been given the problem to solve. What am I scared of? I haven’t implemented this before? This is all theory to date, I’ve never been a Head of Product, I’m running a huge experiment based on zero experience, and there is the fear. What if they agree and then it all falls down and is a failure, what if I can’t help the teams solve the problems, what if they don’t want to? What if they don’t want to be autonomous?

I’m going to start a tally of the rudeness and bad manners encountered while flying.

First cab off the rank was a middle-aged woman, well dressed, clearly not from Tasmania. The flight to Melbourne was packed thanks to Dark Mofo, so space in the overhead locker was at a premium. The hostie pulled out said middle aged women jacket and asked her to hold it as someone needed the space for their luggage. Well, she may as well have asked her to remove a limb … quelle horreur …. the hostie remained calm and thanked her profusely!

Second cab off the rank was the bloke in the seat next to me! I had the window and he had the middle seat, tough gig I get it. Why do some men absolutely feel the need to spread their legs as wide as possible to impinge on everyone else’s space, or more specifically, women (I assume the “I’m not gay and the thought of my leg touching another mans leg, will make me gay” sentiment keeps their legs away from other blokes??). Not only were legs spreadeagled, he also spreadeagled arms across both armrests. FFS.

Then, he did have the good grace to ask if he could take a photo of the dawn sky. I agreed …. to one photo, not him taking the piss for the next 15 minutes, constantly reaching across me (while I shrank in the corner of my seat to avoid contact with any part of him!) and taking repeated photos.

Well, the Amex lounge has disappointed. The coffee is undrinkable, they made it with LONG-LIFE MILK!!!What in actual mother fuck.

Plus …. there is fucking spawn in here. It’s going to be a looooooong day. I’m actually going to to have to leave and go and find a decent coffee to stem the rage!

I am grateful ….. I’m just a coffee snob and I don’t do children!