#valley verified

[inkcurlsandknives]

"Saints of Storm and Sorrow weaves an unforgettable journey into a world where gods walk among mortals and even the quietest whispers can spark a revolution. The thrilling action and complex characters provide a springboard from which Buba masterfully delves into the nuanced relationship between the colonizers and the colonized. Lush, vibrant, and spellbinding—this folklore-inspired fantasy gripped my imagination (and my heart) from the beginning and never let it go." Kyla Zhao, author of Valley Verified and The Fraud Squad

A great blurb from the lovely @kylajzhao Author of the Fraud Squad and Valley Verified, I couldn’t be happier to have a friend like you in my corner, yelling about each other’s stories at midnight will be something I always cherish. Publishing is such an arduous journey with a dozen ups and downs and I don’t know where I’d be without amazing authors like you always ready to cheer on the successes of others.

Head to gabriellabuba.com to find more fun pride events coming up on the #SaintsOfStormAndSorrowPrideAdventCalendar to celebrate the Launch of my debut novel Saints of Storm and Sorrow coming out June 25th with @titanbooks

Preorder your copy today! Buy link: https://linktr.ee/gabriellabuba

In this an enthralling Filipino-inspired queer epic fantasy, a nun concealing a goddess-given gift is unwillingly transformed into a lightning rod for her people's struggle against colonization. For fans of R.F. Kuang, Tasha Suri, and The Hurricane War.

[lizanneyoung97]

BOOK REVIEW: VALLEY VERIFIED BY KYLA ZHAO

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I love Zoe’s personality and confidence. Even when she feels small, she’s still so sure of herself underneath all the doubt. She’s unashamed to be herself, especially when it comes to her fashion choices, and really strives not to let anyone get her down. Does it always work out that way? No, but she repeatedly bounces back in a way that is encouraging and provides a bit of optimism for anyone.

Her struggles are incredibly realistic. Trying to figure out if friendships were there because of the convenience of working together or because they are all genuinely connected is a struggle I think everyone goes through at some point. Watching Zoe navigate that, in addition to trying to fit into a new group of coworkers that has questionable boundaries at best and making a new friend, is a pleasant change of pace from what I usually read. You want to root for her to find people that she’s on the same page with, but empathize with her struggles in doing so. Her imposter syndrome is real and relatable and it’s great to see how she handles it.

After reading the author’s note, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I pegged pretty quickly how it would drop, it was just a matter of when. I’m really glad it didn’t play out how I expected and that justice was served, in my opinion.

If you spent too much time constantly rewatching Legally Blonde as a child (and maybe still as an adult), you shouldn’t sleep on Valley Verified. It’s the same vibe of a woman who’s a fish out of water, but quickly adapts to her new surroundings and thrives under pressure, despite what she’s put through.

[bookstagramofmine]

Cover Reveal: Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao

Cover Reveal: Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao @kylazhao_ @berkleypub @penguinrandom #UpcomingRelease #BookTwt #BookBlog #CoverReveal #Books #SiliconValley #LegallyBlonde #Bookish #Readers

Valley Verified: From Haute Couture To HTML You guys have definitely seen me post about The Fraud Squad! Kyla Zhao is now back with her second book, Valley Verified, where Legally Blonde meets Silicon Valley! Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao When a fashion writer dives headfirst into the cutthroat Silicon Valley tech world, her future threatens to unravel in this addictive novel by Kyla Zhao,…

[alexsfictionaddiction]

Review: Valley Verified by Kyla Zhao

I love good women's fiction about girl bosses and that's definitely why I picked up this book. I didn't know anything about it beyond that but the cover is also gorgeous, so I was really excited.

Zoe Zeng is an overworked, underappreciated fashion writer in New York, so when she's offered a job as VP of Marketing at an exciting new Silicon Valley fashion app, she jumps at the opportunity -even if it does involve moving across the country. But she soon realises that she is a bit out of her depth at FitPick and she's not sure she's cut out for securing the huge investment that the company needs or fitting in with her new colleagues.

The app itself sounds like it could be a cool idea but having worked in marketing for a tech start-up myself that had a strikingly similar concept, I knew that it was nowhere near unique enough to survive in an extremely saturated market. To be honest, because of that, I was waiting for it to fail, so without a big plot turn, I wasn't expecting a happy ending.

I was really confused how Zoe managed to get herself such an important job during a brief informal conversation with the CEO and no interview. Even at a small start-up, it just didn't seem realistic at all.

It also felt very unrealistic for Zoe to be on a six figure salary at a start-up in an industry she had very little relevant experience in. I know very little about Silicon Valley but I refuse to believe that this is normal.

The whole FitPick workforce looks down on Zoe seemingly just because she has a vibrant, unique style. Considering it's a fashion app, this seemed a bit strange. The only other female employee Lillian later reveals why she doesn't dress similarly to Zoe and it makes sense but I really couldn't understand why any of this small team of people would make a fashion app. There didn't seem to be anyone into fashion before Zoe showed up, so I'm not sure how or why the concept was developed.

There were a few moments where Zoe talked about her parents and how important they were to her. However, she apparently never visited them or really spoke to them for the entire course of the narrative. So, it felt strange to even mention them really, as it didn't feel like they were her motivation.

Valley Verified was an easy read and I liked how Zoe and Lillian's friendship developed over time. However, I didn't really understand how Zoe managed to instantly become close to Bernadette, a random woman she met while shopping. So, several things about the book didn't really make sense to me but I did appreciate the insight into corporate California and the trials of fashion marketing.

[bizarrebirds]

Hello, I am Ahmed. The war destroyed my life. Can you help me?

In the Name of Humanity please Share, repost, and donate if you are able to donate.

Thank you for listening to me🙏 🙏 🙏

My tumblr link:👇

https://www.tumblr.com/ahmadwaleed555/764613869090013184/hello-gys

#167 on the vetted fundraising list created by @/el-shab-hussein and @/nabulsi

.

[syd-beads4evac]

Nausicaa for inktober for Falestine Day 26 prompt: rifle

Thank you everyone who has supported my fundraisers this year - whether you shared my posts, donated, or bought my beadwork, every bit of support went a long way to help my sister and I's friends. Until Falestina is free, I will continue to do everything I can to help.

[swampvoid]

Heloo

Im Mahmoud from Gaza ..i need your help if you can

Please donate to save my life and my family 🍉🇵🇸

My link in bio

Asking for help is not easy .l request a small donation of $ 15 or $25 from each person .$35 will save my family and help me cover travel expenses and rebuild.what's left of my home

you can deliver your regards

throgh link (please see my bio)https://www.gofundme.com/f/helping-gaza-family-to-get-out

My account has been verified by @90-ghost

Hello!

Thank you for reaching out. Sharing for visibility.

I'm at loss of words about what people in Gaza are going through. I wish you peace & health.

[yo9urt]

video games....

[msclaritea]

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

Since it's Laura Nyro's birthday today, I'm just going to put it out there that I don't know what my favorite Laura Nyro album is - Nested or Mother's Spiritual? I like the same amount of songs on both albums, and I can get almost any of those songs stuck in my head at random, and pleasantly so! Technically Eli and the Thirteenth Confession should also be in the running, and though "Poverty Train" is one of my favorite songs of all-time by Laura, I'm not as attached to other songs on that album, whereas I find myself more attached to more songs on Nested and Mother's Spiritual.

P.S. Even though I get the pun or whatever regarding "Nested" and "Mother's" Spiritual, I still find the commentary on Wikipedia about these albums kind of...fucking weird, to be honest. I'm sorry - when was "American Dreamer" about raising children? "Mr. Blue (The Song of Communications)"? I'm not saying you can tell when men are the ones talking about women but who the hell else is going to so blatantly reduce a woman's work to being inspired by being a parent? Holy fucking christ. BARF. Of course, the way anyone will assume that women's work is most significantly inspired by raising children has been seriously poisoned by the sickness of sexism, patriarchy, and reductive gender roles. Anyone can be guilty of assuming it, sure, but what place does it really have when discussing an artist's work? Literally I fear repeating myself about that for the rest of my fucking time on Earth.

Anyway, MOVING ON, I think my other favorite songs by Laura are "The Right to Vote" (her humor and use of heavy irony in this song is FUCKING DELICIOUS AND DELIGHTFUL AND I COULD LISTEN TO IT FOR HOURS AND HOURS ON REPEAT, and I have. Tbh I listen to it every election day) and "American Dreamer" (and technically "Springblown," also, but I find the intro kind of tedious until you get to the "Every time that I see your face/It's like a warm embrace" and then I'm like dEAR GOD OKAY OKAY YEAH THIS COULD BE A FAVE...musically it also reminds me of Joni Mitchell in its willingness to be all over the place musically, stylistically, rhythmically, etc. but in an incredibly interesting and compelling way; Laura Nyro was also a genius, in case I haven't said that before)! So, again, I'm stuck on figuring out which of her albums is my favorite. Maybe I don't need to choose? Maybe I'll just say both.

[arkipelagic]

The Spanish surnames of many Filipinos have often misled foreigners here and abroad, who are unaware of the decree on the adoption of surnames issued by Governor-General Narciso Clavería in 1849. Until quite recently in the United States, the Filipinos were classified in demographic statistics as a “Spanish-speaking minority,” along with Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Mexicans, and other nationals of the Central or South American republics. The Philippines, as is well known, was a Spanish colony when Spain was mistress of empires in the Western Hemisphere; but the Americans were “hispanized” demographically, culturally, and linguistically, in a way the Philippines never was. Yet the Spanish surnames of the Filipinos today—García, Gómez, Gutiérrez, Fernández—seem to confirm the impression of the American statistician, as well as of the American tourist, that the Philippines is just another Mexico in Asia. Nor is this misunderstanding confined to the United States; most Spaniards still tend to think of “las Islas Filipinas” as a country united to them through the language of Cervantes, and they catalogue Philippine studies under “Hispano-America.” The fact is that after nearly three-and-a-half centuries of Spanish rule probably not more than one Filipino in ten spoke Spanish, and today scarcely one in fifty does. Still the illusion lives on, thanks in large part to these surnames, which apparently reflect descent from ancient Peninsular forbears, but in reality often date back no farther than this decree of 1849.

Somehow overlooked, this decree, with the Catálogo Alfabético de Apellidos which accompanied it, accounts for another curiousity which often intrigues both Filipinos and foreign visitors alike, namely, that there are towns in which all the surnames of the people begin with the same letter. This is easily verifiable today in many parts of the country. For example, in the Bikol region, the entire alphabet is laid out like a garland over the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes which in 1849 belonged to the single jurisdiction of Albay. Beginning with A at the provincial capital, the letters B and C mark the towns along the coast beyond Tabaco to Tiwi. We return and trace along the coast of Sorsogon the letters E to L; then starting down the Iraya Valley at Daraga with M, we stop with S to Polangui and Libon, and finish the alphabet with a quick tour around the island of Catan-duanes. Today’s lists of municipal officials, memorials to local heroes, even business or telephone directories, also show that towns where family names begin with a single letter are not uncommon. In as, for example, the letter R is so prevalent that besides the Roas, Reburianos, Rebajantes, etc., some claim with tongue in cheek that the town also produced Romuáldez, Rizal, and Roosevelt!

Excerpt from the 1973 introduction to Catálogo de Alfabético de Apellidos by Domingo Abella

[wiisagi-maiingan]

Tornadoes are becoming more and more common outside of the "tornado valley" area and hitting areas that they used to be much less common in, like mountains.

"Tornado season" has gradually faded away and tornadoes are a deadly threat no matter the month or season.

Tornadoes are becoming stronger in general and doing more damage.

Tornadoes are more likely to form in groups, so instead of one tornado forming, we're seeing multiple form in close proximity to each other.

This is not going to get better any time soon. No matter what we do now, climate change is going to get worse and even deadlier before things get better.

Please, if you live somewhere with ANY significant risk of tornadoes, do research on tornado safety using reputable and reliable sources. Tumblr posts are not reliable sources for emergency protocols and if you cannot verify someone's claims with official and professional sources, do not trust it. There is so much available information from governments and emergency services, you do not need to rely on tumblr posts and you SHOULDN'T be relying on those posts, especially when they strongly contradict things you've been told irl by professionals.

[anastasiaoftheironwood]

California Voters—What to Do If Your Ballot is Rejected

From the San Francisco Chronicle: https://bit.ly/4fexCEC

"Whether you forgot to sign your ballot return envelope or signed it in a way that doesn’t match previous signatures, your ballot can be fixed in the weeks after the election. Every election cycle, a portion of ballots across California are rejected. Most of them were turned in late — which cannot be remedied — or had an issue with the signature on the envelope containing the ballot. Luckily for voters, signature problems can be “cured” by submitting a form sent by their county elections office by Dec. 3. The quickest way to know if your ballot has a problem is to sign up for ballot tracking through the California Secretary of State’s website at https://wheresmyballot.sos.ca.gov. Voters will be able to see if their ballot has been accepted and counted or if there is a problem that can be addressed. Voters whose ballots need fixing will also receive a letter from their county elections office, as well as a phone call and email if that information is on file. John Arntz, director of the San Francisco Department of Elections, said that the notification should come to voters in English and Chinese, unless they have selected a different secondary language for voting. Arntz said that the notification includes a form for voters to complete to verify their signature. They can either return it by mail, email or in person to have their vote counted. Alexander said that signature problems — which affected 394 San Francisco ballots in the March primary election — can affect first-time and younger voters who have not yet developed a regular signature or are unaware that the signature on their ballots will be compared to the signature on file with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Older voters are also impacted more often by signature problems as their dexterity and handwriting changes with age, making it more difficult to match their previous signatures. Alexander said that voters have 28 days — based on a new state law implemented this election — to get ballot curing forms back to their county elections office to have their votes counted. Counties will not be able to certify their votes until that deadline passes, Alexander said. In San Francisco, with ranked-choice voting for mayoral candidates, the cured ballots could end up impacting the final results if the election is neck and neck. Arntz said that the reports put out before he certifies the election are just a snapshot of the votes counted by that moment, but that cured votes submitted by the deadline could change the trajectory of the instant runoff election. In this year’s primary election, nearly 1,200 Alameda County voters had fixable signature problems. San Mateo County had over 400, Contra Costa County had over 1,000 and Santa Clara County had nearly 500. Alexander estimates that only about 50% of those ballots end up being cured and counted, based on a study her organization did of a handful of California counties. Recently, campaigns have realized in races with razor-thin margins that ballot curing can make a difference, Alexander said. For tight House races in the Central Valley and Southern California, volunteers could be working for weeks after Election Day to get signatures fixed."

[todaysbat]

Zoos you can see bats at:

last updated: september 29, 2024

Have a zoo to add? Please send an ask, submissions in replies and reblogs get lost amid the numerous notes this blog gets.

-This blog is not affiliated with any zoos listed here

-A question mark next to information indicates missing or unverified information (and send an ask if you can fill in or verify information, please)

-Please send an ask if there are broken links.

**Guide to Accreditation Organization abbreviations**

AZA: Association of Zoos and Aquariums

APGA: American Public Gardens Association

WAZA: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

IMATA: International Marine Animal Trainers Association

HC: Humane Conservation

ZAA: either the Zoological Association of America or the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association

BIAZA: British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums

AMMPA: Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums

EAZA: European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

CAZA: Canadian Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (AZAC in French)

BGCI: Botanic Gardens Conservation International

AAM: American Alliance of Museums

**

**

Arizona (US)

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (AZA) - Tucson - Pallid Bat? - https://www.desertmuseum.org/

**

Colorado (US)

Denver Zoo (AZA, WAZA, HC) - Denver - Common Vampire Bat - https://denverzoo.org/

**

California (US)

San Diego Zoo (AZA) - San Diego - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/

Oakland Zoo (AZA) - Oakland - Island Flying Fox, Malayan Flying Fox - https://www.oaklandzoo.org/

**

Florida (US)

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (WAZA, AZA) - Jacksonville - Seba's short-tailed bat, Straw-colored fruit bat, Common Vampire Bat - https://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/

Lubee Bat Conservancy (AZA) - Gainesville - Malayan Flying Fox, Variable Flying Fox, African Straw-colored Fruit Bat, Rodrigues Flying Fox, Evening Bat, Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox, Indian Flying Fox, Gray-headed Fruit Bat - https://www.lubee.org/

Animal Kingdom at Disney World (AZA) - Orlando - Malayan Flying Fox - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/animal-kingdom/

Zoo Tampa/Lowry Park Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Tampa - Malayan Flying Fox, Straw-colored fruit bat - https://zootampa.org/

**

Idaho (US)

Zoo Boise (AZA) - Boise - Indian Flying Fox, Ruwenzori Long-haired Fruit Bat - https://zooboise.org/

**

Illinois (US)

Brookfield Zoo (HC, AZA) - Brookfield - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://www.czs.org/Brookfield-ZOO/Home.aspx

Lincoln Park Zoo (AZA) - Chicago - Egyptian Fruit Bat - https://www.lpzoo.org/

**

Kansas (US)

Sedgwick County Zoo (WAZA, AZA) - Wichita - Indian Flying Fox - https://scz.org/

Topeka Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Topeka - Indian Flying Fox - https://topekazoo.org/

**

Kentucky (US)

Louisville Zoo (AZA) - Louisville - Common Vampire Bat, Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://louisvillezoo.org/

**

Louisiana (US)

Audubon Zoo (AZA) - New Orleans - Seba's short-tailed bat, Common vampire bat - https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/zoo

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo (AZA?) - Baton Rouge - Indian Flying Fox - Currently in the process of regaining AZA accrediation, expecting an update in Spring 2024 - https://brzoo.org/

**

Massachusetts (US)

Capron Park Zoo (AZA) - Attleboro - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Indian Flying Fox - https://capronparkzoo.com/

Franklin Park Zoo (AZA) - Boston - Straw-colored Fruit Bat - https://www.zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo/

Stone Zoo (AZA) - Stoneham - Seba's short-tailed bat - https://www.zoonewengland.org/stone-zoo/

**

Michigan (US)

Detroit Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Royal Oak - Straw-colored fruit Bat - https://detroitzoo.org/

**

Maryland (US)

Maryland Zoo (AZA) - Baltimore - Seba's Short-tailed Bat - https://www.marylandzoo.org/

**

Minnesota (US)

Minnesota Zoo (AZA, WAZA, IMATA) - Apple Valley - Egyptian Fruit bat, Straw-colored fruit bat, Long-haired fruit bat - https://mnzoo.org/

**

Nebraska (US)

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (AZA, WAZA) - Omaha - Short-tailed Fruit Bat, Common Vampire Bat, Egyptian Flying Fox - https://www.omahazoo.com/

**

New York (US)

Bronx Zoo (AZA) - Bronx - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://bronxzoo.com/

Prospect Park Zoo (AZA) - Brooklyn - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://prospectparkzoo.com/

Central Park Zoo (AZA) - New York City - Short-tailed Fruit Bat, Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://centralparkzoo.com/

**

North Carolina (US)

North Carolina Zoo (AZA) - Asheboro - Common Vampire Bat - https://www.nczoo.org/

**

Ohio (US)

Akron Zoo (AZA, APGA) - Akron - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Seba's Short-tailed Bat, Straw-colored fruit bat - https://www.akronzoo.org/

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (AZA, BGCI) - Cincinnati - Indian Flying Fox, Common Vampire Bat - https://cincinnatizoo.org/

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (AZA, ZAA, AMMPA) - Powell - Large Flying Fox - https://www.columbuszoo.org/

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (AZA) - Cleveland - Straw-colored Fruit bat, Egyptian Fruit Bat - https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo

**

Oklahoma (US)

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens (AZA, BGCI, AAM) - Oklahoma City - Seba’s Short-tailed Bat - https://www.okczoo.org/

**

Oregon (US)

Oregon Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Portland - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Straw-colored Fruit bat - https://www.oregonzoo.org/

**

Pennsylvania (US)

National Aviary (AZA) - Pittsburgh - Malayan Flying Fox - https://www.aviary.org/

Philadelphia Zoo (AZA) - Philadelphia - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Common Vampire Bat - https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/

Pittsburgh Zoo (ZAA, HC, AMMPA) - Pittsburgh - Jamaican Fruit Bat - https://www.pittsburghzoo.org/

**

Texas (US)

Cameron Park Zoo (AZA) - Waco - Jamaican Fruit Bat - https://www.cameronparkzoo.com/

Dallas World Aquarium (AZA, WAZA) - Dallas - Common Vampire bat, Seba's Short-tailed bat - https://dwazoo.com/

Houston Zoo (AZA) - Houston - Seba's Short-tailed Bat - https://www.houstonzoo.org/

San Antonio Zoo (AZA, ZAA) - San Antonio - Large Flying Fox, Seba's Short-tailed Bat - https://sazoo.org/

**

Tennessee (US)

Memphis Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Memphis - Common Vampire Bat, Seba's Short-tailed Bat, Egyptian Fruit Bat, Bulldog Bat - https://www.memphiszoo.org/

**

Utah (US)

Hogle Zoo (WAZA, AZA) - Salt Lake City - Species? - https://www.hoglezoo.org/

**

Virginia (US)

Metro Richmond Zoo (ZAA) - Moseley - Straw-colored Fruit bat, Indian flying fox - https://metrorichmondzoo.com/

**

Wisconsin (US)

Henry Vilas Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Madison - Seba's Short tailed bat - https://www.henryvilaszoo.gov/

Milwaukee County Zoo (AZA) - Milwaukee - Common Vampire Bat, Straw-colored Fruit Bat - https://milwaukeezoo.org/

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay - Not a zoo, included here because they are open to the public; it is the largest park in the Green Bay Park System and the home of the second largest wildlife rehabilitation program in the state; Accreditation unclear, Sanctuary is run by the city government - Various species native to the area - https://greenbaywi.gov/1418/Bay-Beach-Wildlife-Sanctuary

**

Washington (US)

NO LONGER ANY BATS ON EXHIBIT IN ANY ZOOS IN THIS STATE

**

United Kingdom

Northumberland Zoo (BIAZA) - Morpeth, Northumberland - Livingstone’s Fruit Bat - https://www.northumberlandzoo.co.uk/

Chester Zoo (BIAZA, WAZA, EAZA) - Upton-by-Chester, Cheshire - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://www.chesterzoo.org/

West Midland Safari and Leisure Park (BIAZA, EAZA) - Bewdley, Worchestershire - Rodrigues fruit bat, Seba's short-tailed bat - https://www.wmsp.co.uk/

Jersey Zoo (BIAZA) - Jersey - Livingstone's Fruit Bat - https://www.durrell.org/visit-jersey-zoo/

ZSL London Zoo (EAZA, BIAZA) - London, England - Rodrigues fruit bat - https://www.londonzoo.org/

**

Australia

Taronga Zoo (ZAA) - Sydney, New South Wales - Ghost Bat - https://taronga.org.au/sydney-zoo

Perth Zoo (ZAA, WAZA) - Perth, Western Australia - Ghost Bat - https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/

Tolga Bat Hospital - Atherton, Queensland - Not a zoo, they are included here because they do tours of their facilities; They are accredited by different organizations than zoos. - Various species native to Australia - https://tolgabathospital.org/

**

Czechia

Prague Zoo (EAZA) - Prague, Czechia - Straw colored fruit bat - https://www.zoopraha.cz/en

**

Canada

Toronto Zoo (AZA) - Toronto, Ontario - Straw-colored fruit bat - https://www.torontozoo.com/

Biodôme (CAZA, WAZA, AZA) - Montreal, Quebec - Jamaican Fruit bat, Seba's Short-tailed bat, Pallas's Long-tongued bat - https://espacepourlavie.ca/en/biodome

Vancouver Aquarium (AZA, CAZA, AMMPA, HC) - Vancouver, British Columbia - Jamaican Fruit Bat - https://www.vanaqua.org/

Assiniboine Park Zoo (AZA, WAZA, CAZA) - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Seba's Short-tailed Bat, Indian Flying Fox - https://www.assiniboinepark.ca/zoo/visit/hours-and-rates

**

Croatia

Zoo Zagreb (EAZA?) - Zagreb - Egyptian Fruit Bat - https://zoo.hr/english/

**

[blueiscoool]

Rare Roman Pottery Uncovered Beneath Sicilian Waters

The vessels could help elucidate ancient trade routes.

A shipwreck carrying rare Roman pottery has surfaced three miles off the coast of Syracuse, Sicily—among the Vendicari Wildlife Oasis Orientata Nature Reserve. Two fishermen initially noticed strange objects poking up from the seafloor around this area back in January 2022. They promptly reported their discovery to Italian authorities. Now, the Superintendence of the Sea of Sicily has partnered with the Capo Murro Diving Center, directed by Fabio Portella, to take a closer look.

Nearly 230 feet beneath the water’s surface, divers came upon and documented in three-dimensional photogrammetric relief 40 ceramic vessels. Some have since become part of the marine ecosystem, scattered about and half-buried, but most are still lined up in their original, neat cargo rows. The ship which once carried them is buried in the sand beneath, authorities said.

These jugs’ distinctive shape and features match the traits of Richborough 527 jars, a type of horizontally ribbed amphora. Although these vessels are named for the town in Kent County, England, where they were first classified, they have popped up throughout the former Roman Empire—predominantly in Southern Britain, though fragments have also appeared in Spain, Croatia, and beyond.

Richborough 527 jars are believed to have originated, however, in Lipari, Italy, one of the Aeolian Islands, situated 25 miles off of Sicily’s northern coast. If it turns out that these vessels are the same variety manufactured and found amongst Lipari, that would render them roughly 1,900 to 2,100 years old.

Similar amphora turned up in Lipari alongside evidence of alum during the 1990s, “during excavations in the Portinenti Valley,” Italian authorities noted. Richborough 527 jars were often used to transport alum, a compound of double-hydrated aluminum and potassium sulfate. The chemical was a known specialist product frequently traded around the Roman Empire. Alum served multiple purposes, but was most often used to affix dye to fabric. What’s more, it ranks amongst the major volcanic products of Lipari, as documented by the likes of famed ancient Greek historian Diodoro Siculo.

Based on their announcement, it doesn’t seem like the Superintendence has any intention of bringing these amphorae ashore—or digging up the rest of the ship itself. Instead, it’s more interested in verifying whether the newly discovered amphorae are actually Richborough 527 jars. If so, finding them over here, off of Sicily’s southern shores, would help historians understand more about ancient Mediterranean trade routes, in a manner that only such lucky underwater finds make possible.

By Vittoria Benzine.

[midnightmah07]

THE NAME CHANGE IS SO RANDOM. ITS BAUR ALL OVER AGAIN, BUT WORSE

I ACTUALLY NEED TO VENT ABOUT IT BC IM ACTUALLY PISSED SO IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE IT JUST DON'T READ WHAT'S UNDER THE CUT

Ok for those who don't know apparently (I think it's not 100% verified source so I'm HOPING it's mistaken) Fellow Honest and Gidel had their names changed, so now Fellow Honest is named Ernesto Foulworth in twsten and Gidel is named Gino

*Breathes in* ok. Lemme just get this out of the gate before I start venting and screaming about how much I hate this. I find Gino a very cute name and it fits Gidel very well, it's adorable and I can 100% see it and even accept it. Foulworth is a really cool surname, although I wouldn't accept it as a name. I don't like Ernesto because it doesn't fit Fellow's face to me, he died look like an Ernesto + it's a common-ish name in Brazil so I don't like it.

With that off the way...

I HATE THIS CHANGE WAY TOO MUCH.

I was ok with them changing Baul's name to Baur and Farena to Falena because these names could be written both ways given the Japanese language because of the fact that certain sounds don't exist in Japanese (if I'm not mistaken), I was fine with them changing Briar Valley to Briarland because it doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, same thing with mandol to thaumarks and magift to spelldrive. I have a very big problem however when twsten suddenly decide to change names of important characters and these changes are very big and make absolutely no sense at all, and this is what happened to both Kifaji (from Sunset Savannah event) and Fellow + Gidel

There's absolutely no freaking reason to change Kifaji's name to Neji, his name is actually 100% well written and obvious in Japanese, there's no room for interpretation because all the sounds for Kifaji's name exist, there's no way they could've interpreted that ad Neji. Fellow and Gidel's names aren't like that but there's NO WAY you can go from their katakana name pronunciation to Ernesto Foulworth and Gino. It just doesn't make sense.

They just made this change to??? Change it???? Some people are saying they like it and appreciate it because it's tying with the Italian roots to Pinocchio and listen, I do like that too, but I don't like the fact that they did that through changing important characters names. I don't like it. It's unnecessary. I'm all for putting more cool references about the movies/stories' origins but without changing things so important like a character name. If Yana wanted to name these characters Neji, Ernesto and Gino she would've done so. But no. She decided on Kifaji, Fellow and Gidel. What's the freaking issue with translating that names as they are.

I'm just. Sorry I'm just so angry I wish I was optimistic and laughing about this situation as anyone else but I actually hate this new trend twsten is doing sm I can't even laugh at it.