Me: *Removes My Cat From My Lap To Do Something Else.*

meempoweringme:

Isn’t this just precious.

Seems like a good first post. I would so watch this Disney movie.

Hey uh I just found this out and I'm FURIOUS but miami zoo has a kiwi bird. Which is fine if they were doing what we do here and keeping it in a darkened enclosure with clear notices to be quiet and not bang on the glass. But instead this shy, solitary nocturnal bird is being kept in broad daylight and people are being allowed to pet it. NZ twitter is out for blood right now. https://twitter.com/zoomiami/status/1637864741954637824

…fucking yikes.

The kiwi I’ve seen in other AZA zoos have been kept according to the practices you describe: dark exhibit on a flipped light cycle, in a signed quiet area. What it looks like Zoo Miami is doing is… not good.

Here’s the link to their tweet with a video about the encounter (so it’ll embed):

Twitter

Zoo Miami on Twitter

“Ready for a one-of-a-kind encounter? Meet the Kiwi, a rare flightless bird from New Zealand, exclusively at #ZooMiami! #Kiwi #LiveZooMiami

The video shows a kiwi out of its exhibit: on a table in what looks like a back room with bright overhead fluorescent lighting. The kiwi has no room to move around and no place to hide as people pet it and reach around it to take selfies.

What do you pay to bother the kiwi four days a week - a species which in NZ is apparently illegal to touch without permission from the Department of Conservation? $25.

Obviously it just started and I don’t know anything more about it than what’s online, but even so, this is such a bad look for an AZA zoo, holy shit. I know a bunch of new ambassador animal rules just got promulgated… I wonder if this meets them. I’ll have to go do some reading. Also, USDA is now promulgating new bird rules (it didn’t regulate birds until just recently, only mammals) so this will also have to pass their muster soon.

The guy who runs Miami’s PR, and manages the animal media like the birth of their first kiwi chick in 2019, is known for big media stunts. I’m not surprised by this but I don’t think it’s going to go over well. There’s a lot of pressure on zoos to offer new encounters and programs to help make up for inflation and pandemic losses but this not how to do it.

I’d honestly suggest New Zealanders who are upset about this contact Zoo Miami formally (more than just on twitter) using the contact form on their website, and maybe even the AZA to express concerns about this program animal’s welfare - as well as the lack of cultural awareness at one of their accredited facilities.

Edited to add: a statement from Zoo Miami is supposed to be forthcoming tomorrow. I’ll update once we have it.

meempoweringme:

So Beautiful.

the only Rule and Regulation

So I attended church yesterday… Well, the High Church of the Holy Dick that is. And the thing is, Dick gave a really good talk.  

Strike that.  This was not a talk in the High Church of Dick.  This was Rich talking to us all after a terrible tragedy, and helping us realize some very important truths.  And I just felt like it needed to be here, to be read, whenever needed, whenever we may need a reminder…

 SPN Phoenix Sunday introduction by Rich

“Today we are going to do a Rules and Regulations, but today we are going to do a variance on it. This is not the Rules and Regulations we normally do. I’m going off script here. And I thought this was worth mentioning. Here’s the Rule. This is the only Rule. The Rule and Regulation that you learn here, that you take out of this room, is Acceptance, is Kindness, is Understanding. We are not different, you and I. You and Jared, you and Jensen. We just simply have a different job. And that is what this is all about. We all know there was a tragedy in Florida last night. And we would be remiss if we did not comment on it, and acknowledge it, and mourn with the nation about what is currently going on. I’m not going to comment on why. We don’t know the why. I’m not going to comment on the how, we don’t know that either. But what I do know is that those acts of violence are driven by a loss of sense of self. A loss of sense of acceptance, a loss of sense of kindness, and as a people it is our job to fix that, by paying it forward, by doing the right thing to each other, all the time, every day, every time. And I don’t care if you are a stranger or a family member. You have to do it the right way every time. So this is the Rule. You are going to take the acceptance that you find in the Supernatural Family, and you are going to push it out into other avenues of your life. You are going to be nicer than you think you should be. You are going to be kinder than you have to be. You are going to be better than anyone thinks you can be because we know you can. We know about you. And that’s how we are going to solve this problem. We can legislate until we’re blue in the face. But if we can’t fix humanity, you can’t make humans choose do the right thing. Let’s do it, starting here <in your heart> and we’ll push it out there. It may sound cheesy, but it’s the right answer.

So that’s what we’re going to do, and it starts with the Supernatural Family. And it goes to the internet, and it goes to the other pages we go to, and it goes to Pinterest and it goes to Instagram, and it goes to twitter; you are not going to be angry, you are not going to be bitching, you are not going to complain, everything you post on social media will be friendly. If you don’t have something nice to say – put the phone down.

We are going to be nice to each other. We are going to be kind, we are going to be supportive, and it doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, who you marry, who you love, what you job is, what your problems are or what your gifts are. We are all the same. And until we realize that, we will never, ever, ever fully be able to heal. And I say the Supernatural family is the exact institution that can start the healing process.

So that is the Rule. And that is the Regulation. And that is what we are going to do.

Thank you.”

Thanks Rich. We’ll try to keep the Rule in mind everyday

Used Steph J’s vid - spnphx Sunday Open periscope via @altsunthinkable​

One: So true.

Two: I'm not allowed to make those comments about people on the news, even if it is a slow news day.

Does anyone else make sarcastic comments out loud when watching a TV show or film even though you’re completely alone?

i have this disease called i will open your message and get distracted and forget to reply and then the notification will be gone so i will not have replied for ages and you will think i am ignoring you but. i am not. it’s incurable

This is awesome

Sherlock - Its all fine, NOH8 by *thenizu

Don't ever hesitate. Reblog this. This should be in the tumblr laws. When you see it, REBLOG IT.

Depression Hotline: 1-630-482-9696

Suicide Hotline: 1-800-784-8433

LifeLine: 1-800-273-8255

Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

Sexuality Support: 1-800-246-7743

Eating Disorders Hotline: 1-847-831-3438

Rape and Sexual Assault: 1-800-656-4673

Grief Support: 1-650-321-5272

Runaway: 1-800-843-5200, 1-800-843-5678, 1-800-621-4000

Exhale: After Abortion Hotline/Pro-Voice: 1-866-4394253

If you ever want to talk: My tumblr ask is always open.