Lori

tastefullyoffensive:

[americancarrot]

!!!!!!

loveniaimani:

Your Body Is Beautiful And You Are A G o d d e s s 

Love this.

aunymoons:

jayneausten:

lioar:

hookersorcake:

quiyst:

beefranck:

transgalacticwanderer:

electricalivia:

sageruto:

rabbitsnwolves:

Well, he was sorta asking for it, dressing in such flammable clothing.

if he didnt want to get set on fire, he should have stayed indoors

He was probably drinking that night, alcohol makes you susceptible to fire.

If it’s a legitimate inferno, the male body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.

God I love you, Internet.

Why didn’t he stop, drop, and roll? He should have stopped, dropped, and rolled. He must have secretly wanted it.

If you read the article, eyewitnesses said the man had purchased a lighter earlier that same day. Dude probably set himself on fire and lied about it. Typical.

He should have relaxed and enjoyed it. After all it was just a bit of kindling cuddling

We need to start educating people about wearing fire-safe clothing and carrying extinguishers with them at all times. For their own safety.

Its his parents fault, they should have educated him more about what sort of fireproof clothing is appropiate for young men like himself.

What do you see?

While it hasn’t always been the case, most well-funded zoos today feature pleasant-enough looking habitats for their animals.  They are typically species-appropriate, roomy enough to look less-than-totally miserable, and include trees and shrubs and other such natural features that make them attractive.

How, though, a friend of mine recently asked “does that landscaping stay nice? Why don’t [the animals] eat it, lie down on it, rip it to shreds for fun, or poop all over it?”

Because, she told me, some of it is hot-wired to give them a shock if they touch it. These images are taken from the website Total Habitat, a source of electrified grasses and vines.  

Laurel Braitman writes about these products in her book, Animal Madness.  When she goes to zoos, she says, she doesn’t “marvel at the gorilla… but instead at the mastery of the exhibit itself.”  She writes:

The more naturalistic the cages, the more depressing they can be because they are that much more deceptive. To the mandrill on the other side of the glass, the realistic foliage that frames his favorite perch doesn’t help him one bit if it has been hot-wired so that he doesn’t destroy it… Some of the new natural looking exhibits may be even worse for their inhabitants than the old cement ones, as the new plants and other features can shrink the animals’ usable space.

The take-home message is that these attractive, naturalistic environments are more for us than they are for the animal.  They teach us what the animal’s natural habitat might look like and they soothe us emotionally, reassuring us that the animal must be living a nice life.

I don’t know the extent to which zoos use electrified grasses and vines, but next time you visit one you might be inspired to look a little more closely.

Photo of elephants from wikimedia commons.

Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College and the co-author of Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

(View original at http://thesocietypages.org/socimages)

In the aftermath of the revelation that Facebook has been manipulating our emotions – the one that prompted Jenny Davis to write a post titled Newsflash: Facebook Has Always Been Manipulating Your Emotions – the folks at OkCupid admitted that they been doing it, too.

I’ll let you debate the ethics. Here’s what Christian Rudder and his team found out about attractiveness. Let me warn you, it’s not pretty.

OkCupid originally gave users the opportunity to rate each other twice: once for personality and once for score.  The two were strikingly correlated.

Do better looking people have more fabulous personalities?  No. Here’s a hint: a woman with a personality rating in the 99th percentile whose profile contained no text at all.

Perhaps people were judging both looks and personality by looks alone.  They ran a test. Some people got to see a user’s profile picture and the text and others just saw the picture. Their ratings correlated which means, as Rudder put it: “Your picture is worth that fabled thousand words, but your actual words are worth… almost nothing.”

Their second “experiment” involved removing all of the pictures from the site for one full workday.  In response, users said something to the effect of hell no.  Here’s a graph showing the traffic on that day (in red) compared to a normal Tuesday (the dotted line):

When they put the pictures back up, the conversations that had started petered out much more aggressively than usual. As Rudder put it:  “It was like we’d turned on the bright lights at the bar at midnight.”  This graph shows that conversations started during the blackout had a shorter life expectancy than conversations normally did.

It’s too bad the people are putting such an emphasis on looks, because other data that OkCupid collected suggests that they aren’t as important as we think they are.  This figure shows the odds that a woman reported having a good time with someone she was set up with blind.  The odds are pretty even whether she and the guy are equally good looking, he’s much better looking, or she is.  Rudder says that the results for men are similar.

Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College and the co-author of Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

(View original at http://thesocietypages.org/socimages)

I came across this ad for bathing suits from the 1920s and was struck by how similar the men’s and women’s suits were designed.  Hers might have some extra coverage up top and feature a tight skirt over shorts instead of just shorts but, compared to what you see on beaches today, they are essentially the same bathing suit.

So, why are the designs for men’s and women’s bathing suits so different today? Honestly, either one could be gender-neutral. Male swimmers already wear Speedos; the fact that the man in the ad above is covering his chest is evidence that there is a possible world in which men do so. I can see men in bikinis. Likewise, women go topless on some beaches and in some countries and it can’t be any more ridiculous for them to swim in baggy knee-length shorts than it is for men to do so.

But, that’s not how it is.  Efforts to differentiate men and women through fashion have varied over time.  It can be a response to a collective desire to emphasize or minimize difference, like these unisex pants marketed in the 1960s and 70s.  It can also be, however, a backlash to those same impulses.  When differences between men and women in education, leisure, and work start to disappear – as they are right now – some might cling even tighter to the few arenas in which men and women can be made to seem very different.

Lisa Wade is a professor of sociology at Occidental College and the co-author of Gender: Ideas, Interactions, Institutions. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

(View original at http://thesocietypages.org/socimages)

optimysticals:

partysoft:

usagov:

Image description: On Saturday, the Navy christened a new research ship the “Sally Ride” after the first U.S. woman and youngest person in space. It is the fifth current ship named for an astronaut. 

Photo from the U.S. Navy

the person doing the christening is dr. tam o’shaughnessy, ride’s partner of 27 yrs. sally ride was not just the first woman and youngest person in space: she was also the first lesbian in space - likely, the first lgbtq person in space.

I know we shared this before but finding out that this ship was christened by Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy was something that required re-sharing.

Satan’s Little Helper [x]

Entertainment Weekly rounded up a bunch of celebrities — from Alyson Hannigan to the cast of Parks and Recreation — for a PSA warning viewers of the dangers of binge-watching. Maybe you're like Adam Scott, who brags, "I don't have a TV. I just read and look out the window." Anyway, the celebs  offer some dos and don'ts for how to binge-watch in a responsible manner. Do: Drink a lot of fluids. Don't: Binge-watch Breaking Bad and then switch to True Detective. Do: Take breaks if you're single. Don't: Binge-watch CNN because it will never end. 

Read more posts by E. Alex Jung

Filed Under: binge-watching ,psa ,chris pratt ,parks and recreaton ,lost ,orange is the new black ,candy

Have you ever wanted to take a trip through time to see what animals looked like millions of years ago? When it comes to cats there is little or no need.  This beautiful specimen is a Manul, otherwise known as Pallas’s Cat.  About twelve million years ago it was one of the first two modern cats to evolve and it hasn’t changed since. The other species, Martelli’s Cat, is extinct so what you are looking at here is a unique window in to the past of modern cats.

Although the Manul is only the size of the domestic cat, reaching about 26 inches in length its appearance makes it appear somewhat larger.  It is stocky and has very lengthy, thick fur, which gives it, perhaps to human eyes, an unintentional appearance of feline rotundity.  Yet although it appears stout and somewhat ungainly it has a natural elegance and poise – exactly what you would expect from the genus Felis in other words.  Plus it can certainly look after itself in a fight!

The main reason for its survival throughout the ages has been its isolation. In the wild it lives on the Asian steppes at substantial heights – up to 13,000 feet.  Based in India, Pakistan, western China and Mongolia as well as Afghanistan and Turkemistan, it has even been discovered recently in the wilds of the Sayan region of Siberia. In these places it prefers rocky areas, semidesert and barren hillsides.  In other words places where we are less likely to live – but even having said that you will no doubt be able to hazard a guess which species is the Manul’s greatest enemy.

Take a close look at the eyes of the Manul.  Do you see a difference between it and the domestic cat? That’s right, the pupils of the Manul are round, not slit-like.  Proportionally too, the legs are smaller than cats we know and they can’t run anywhere near as quickly.  As for the ears, well, when you actually can catch sight of them they are very low and much further apart than you would see in a domestic cat.

It also has a much shorter face than other cats, which makes its face look flattened.  Some people, when they see their first Manus mistakenly believe that it is a monkey because of its facial appearance and bulky looking frame.  It is easier to see why, from some angles.

The Manus has not been studied a great deal in the wild, where it is classified as near threatened.  This is because it is distributed very patchily throughout its territory, not to mention the fact it is still hunted despite protection orders made by the various governments who create human law in its range. Before it was legally protected tens of thousands of Manuls were hunted and killed each year, mostly for their fur.

It is thought that the cat hunts mostly at dawn and dusk where it will feed on small rodents and birds. Ambush and stalking are their favorite methods of conducting a hunt and although they tend to shelter in abandoned burrows in the day they have been seen basking in the sun. In other words, behaviorally they are much like the domesticated moggy that we know and love.

The Manul is a solitary creature and individuals do not tend to meet purposefully when it is outside the breeding season and will avoid the company of others of its kind where possible. When it is threatened it raises and quivers the upper lip, Elvis like, revealing a large canine tooth.

When breeding does happen the male has to get in quickly as oestrus usually only lasts just under two days. It usually births up to six kittens, very rarely a single one, and it is believed that the size of its litters reflect the high rate of mortality the infant cats can expect. Yet they are expected to be able to hunt at sixteen weeks and are very much on their own and independent by six months. Although their life expectancy in the wild is unknown in captivity they have lived to over eleven years.

Don’t rush to your local pet store, however.  The Manul does not domesticate and even if it did they are incredibly hard to breed in captivity with many kittens dying.  This is thought to be because in the wild, due to its isolation, the cat’s immune system did not have a need to develop and so when they come in contact with us and other species, this under-developed immune system lets them down.

Yet as a living, breathing glimpse in to twelve million years of feline history these amazing animals are irreplaceable. Unique is a word which, in this day and age, is mightily overused. Yet these cats are quite simply just that – unique.

You can order a poster at my shop.

I need this!

jackviolet:

The cop who shot a dog in front of its 6 year old owner was fired after outrage from the community and a “Justice for Apollo” campaign.

The cop who shot an unarmed black teen is on paid leave and remains protected by his department. So far, days of outrage and protest have still not brought any justice to Mike Brown.

In America, in 2014, the life of a black man is valued less than that of a dog.

Literally.

Ridiculous

chescaleigh:

First You See What The Town Looks Like. Then, See What The Cops Look Like. Then It Makes Sense.

this bird has two right wings

i lick your timelapse

marinaabramopug:

Marina engages with a member of her public outside the Serpentine Gallery today.

The Pug is Present.

I love you internet!

Outro dia minha roommate sugeriu que fossemos fazer compras na Zara. Eu peso 150kg.

Nessa hora eu percebi que ela não tem a menor ideia de como é ser gorda. Sim, ela sabe que eu sou gorda, mas não sabe o que isso implica. Então resolvi dar uma explicadinha sobre como é a vida de uma pessoa gorda.

Quando eu morava em Londres, ia sempre num shopping gigantesco perto de casa. Dizem que é o maior da Europa, 334 lojas. Sabe quantas dessas 334 lojas vão até minha numeração? 4. Isso mesmo. No maior shopping da Europa, sou bem-vinda em apenas 4 lojas. Nas outras 330 eu posso tentar me enfiar em uma ou outra peça, mas realmente prontas pra me atender, apenas 4. E não, nenhuma dessas 4 é a Zara.

Não deixo de ir à praia ou usar biquíni, mas sabe por que eu nunca peço cadeira e sempre prefiro sentar na canga? Porque minha bunda não cabe em nenhuma cadeira.

Falando nisso, quando penso em escolher algum bar para tomarmos um chopp, tento lembrar como são as cadeiras do lugar. Cadeiras com braços vão me machucar a noite toda, cadeiras brancas de plástico podem quebrar a qualquer momento. Com o tempo, desenvolvi uma técnica para me sentir mais segura em cadeiras potencialmente perigosas: sento inclinadinha pra frente, jogos as pernas cruzadas pra trás e uso-as como apoio. Caso a cadeira quebre, esse apoio das pernas impede que eu me esborrache no chão. Sim, passo a noite usando as pernas de alavanca. Não, nem quando fico extremamente bêbada esqueço dessa preocupação.

E se enquanto eu estou ali tomando meu choppinho aparece um cara pra puxar papo comigo? Sempre dou uma olhada em volta para conferir se não tem um grupo de amigos dele assistindo de longe e rindo, vendo se ele está mesmo cumprindo a aposta de ir falar com a gorda. Acontece mais do que você imagina.

Daí o cara não veio falar comigo só por uma aposta cruel, tá a fim mesmo. Também acontece. Conversamos, levo ele pra casa, transamos. No dia seguinte, mesmo tendo usado camisinha, acordo com umas coceiras meio estranhas e resolvo ir ao médico. Chegando lá, o médico provavelmente nem vai ouvir o que tenho a dizer e vai apenas me entregar uma folhinha de dieta. Meus sintomas não interessam, a possível gonorreia vai passar se eu apenas emagrecer.

Saio do médico morrendo de fome pois estava em jejum por causa dos exames de sangue. Gostaria de comer alguma coisa antes de voltar para casa, mas preciso avaliar se vale o esforço de comer em público sozinha, porque provavelmente escutarei algum desaforo. Se pedir uma coxinha, alguém vai passar por mim e sussurrar “é por isso que tá desse tamanho”. Se estiver calor e resolver tomar um sorvete, alguém pode me segurar pelo braço e dizer “cuidado, vai ficar ainda mais gorda”. Já ouvi isso mais de uma vez.

Eu poderia continuar, mas acho que está ficando triste, e essa não era minha intenção. Eu não sou uma pessoa triste, eu me amo do jeitinho maravilhoso que sou, mas mesmo que uma gorda seja a ganhadora do Prêmio Nobel da Autoestima, essas coisas continuam sendo uma realidade.

Ah, mas então por que você não emagrece e para de passar por isso?

Meu amigo, porque não há nada de errado comigo. Não tenho que me  encolher para caber no mundo, o mundo que precisa parar de tentar me diminuir.

The salmon send their best assassin. [x]