Church of Whale Fall
for the past two years i have been sponsoring a tuberculosis detection rat in tanzania, her name is carolina. she sniffs sputum samples & alerts her handlers when she detects TB. recently she turned 8 & aged out of the program, so they held a retirement party for her & sent me photos.
while carolina moves on to live a life of rest & luxury in the retirement kennels, her role is being passed on to her successor, tamasha. she is 2 years old & was named after the grandmother of one of her handlers.
(with her handler priscus)
here is a description of tamasha:
"Tamasha is also quite playful! She enjoys jumping, climbing, and sometimes does a joyful little dance when placed in the TB evaluation enclosure – as if celebrating her enthusiasm for the work ahead. She’s also a big fan of avocado, her favorite treat for a job well done."
im not afraid to admit that this email made me cry like a stupid baby. you can sponsor your own big beautiful TB- or landmine-detecting rat through APOPO HeroRATS. they send you an update on how your rat is doing each month, including photos.
Help my family survive and start a new life
I am Hazem Shawish, and I am trying to save my family from this war.
We live in Gaza, where we face significant challenges due to the current situation.
My family consists of 11 members, including my mother, two daughters, four sons, and three children.
In the shadow of conflict, our family has faced unimaginable hardships. The passing of my father, a victim to the cruel grasp of hunger and inadequate healthcare, left a void in our lives, underscoring the fragility of our existence here. My brother, Samer, battles bipolar disorder, a condition exacerbated by the ongoing war and the severe shortage of essential medications. Without access to the necessary treatment, his life is at risk, and we live in constant fear for his well-being amidst the chaos that surrounds us. These personal tragedies have deepened the urgency of our situation.
Every day is a struggle for survival, and each night is filled with prayers for a brighter tomorrow. We hold onto hope, believing that one day the clouds will dissipate, and we will find the peace we long for.
Our home, which was a sanctuary for us, was destroyed, forcing us to live in a state of uncertainty and fear. We have lost the laughter of our children.
Our entire neighborhood In Gaza Before and after
we had a supermarket that helped as to live and earn money, but it was bombed and we have nothing now, pic of our supermarket
We also face psychological challenges, as we have lost our father, and my brother Samer, who needs expensive medical treatment, is facing imminent danger. My mother, who has endured so much, fears losing another child. We are all suffering from malnutrition and contaminated water.
vetted and verified by:
@dlxxv-vetted-donations & @a-shade-of-blue (vet)
@gazavetters , my number the list is (#75)
@paliliberation , my number the list is (#171)
shoutout to the one (1) coherent memory i have from being in psychosis where a nurse told another nurse "shes not retaining anything we're saying-" and i interjected "HE*" and she said "except that."
A Gnome by Tree Roots, 1928 by Arthur Rackham Oil on canvas, 1928 Private Collection
ACT UP, 1990
A keen sense of smell enables the pangolin to detect the presence of ants and termites in their nests beneath the sand. Her sticky tongue, some 30cm long, enables her to collect them from deep underground. David Attenborough | BBC Earth