@spiritualcuriosities / spiritualcuriosities.tumblr.com
everyone says join your local mutual aid groups and build community, but uh, what do you do if a lot of them seem to have dissolved and the other ones don't have consistent recurring meetings.
this is real, and it's a thing that a lot of people are going to run into in the face of calls to "get involved," especially if they're people who haven't been deeply involved in their communities before. so here's what I can share:
This act would make constitutional amendments to ensure that even sitting presidents are held liable for their actions. That NOBODY is above the law.
Their goal is 150k messages sent and at the time of writing this they're about 2.1k off from that goal!
ACLU gives you a prefilled message that you can edit to send to make the process easier, and will send it out for you.
This only takes a few minutes!
Ok everybody here's the deal.
My science education nonprofit, Skype a Scientist (you might know her, creator of the squid facts hotline and matcher of classrooms + scientists) has secured absolutely no grants to support general operations for 2025. But! We're selling advent calendars to fund our program! They absolutely rule. They can save our nonprofit asses. If we sell 5000, which I realize, is so many, we can fund our program for 2025. Then I can offer a bunch of programming for free. Running a nonprofit is a weird job.
Every day, counting down to frankly whatever you want (it's usually Christmas, but man, maybe you want to count down to Halloween, that's fine by me) scratch off the sparkly sparkly iridescence and reveal a fact about frogs! We have 24 top-notch frog facts here.
You should get one for every kid in your life, then get one for all the adults who still let themselves access joy in critters.
Get 'em here: https://squidfacts.bigcartel.com/
As a rule of thumb, don't reblog donation posts or people asking for donations unless they've been vetted and reblogged by Palestinian bloggers. We usually go to lengths to verify this shit because we know scammers have been faking to get people to send them money, using the urgency of our genocide as bait.
It's disgusting this is what we're dealing with, but people are losing money because of some truly evil people out there.
Accounts don't just randomly spring up on tumblr without gofundmes while asking for someone to help them create a campaign. Fuck out of here with that shit.
I'm also gonna stop listing the reasons why I recognize something is a scam. It's becoming more and more clear there is 1 person behind this STRING of scams and they're leaving less trails behind but it still reeks of them and their MO.
DO NOT TRUST ANY GOFUNDME OR REQUEST FOR CROWDFUNDING THAT PALESTINIAN BLOGGERS HAVEN'T VERIFIED.
At this point I'm fine receiving a bunch of inbox messages asking me to vet x y z so y'all can avoid this shit. But please have some critical thinking!
People are exploiting our situation.
Whether you wanna read the whole thing or not idc.
The person this was about deleted the 4th or 5th scam account they made and are definitely gonna make a new one soon. I don't want anybody falling for this anymore.
every little bit helps.
Hello everyone, as you know, I live in Ukraine. Our war with russia continues. russia kills Ukrainians every day. Yesterday and today there were attacks in Poltava, Kryvyi Rih, and Lviv. Many cities are shelled every day. Kharkiv, Nikopol, Zaporizhzhia.
But now it's not about that. Now, about saving lives. Every Ukrainian must have a tourniquet. These are the realities of our lives. Because the tourniquets can save people! I want people in my town to have these tourniquets. One costs 610 hryvnias = 14,79 USD. Please, help raise funds. I will take the turnstiles to local volunteers to distribute to people. Thank you.
To donate:
! Do not donate to my paypal, please! It's only for animals, thanks!
America has a weird relationship with cults where they’re terrified of small cults (or organizations they think are cults) but completely normalized massive cults that hurt many more people (eg: LDS Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Amish, Scientology, most Megachurches)
To anybody asking if the Amish are a cult, the answer is yes, very much so.
They’re a high control group that isolate you from society. The cult decides how you dress, how you behave, who you marry and how. They control what you know, blocking all information from the outside world. They control how you feel and what you’re allowed to think with threats of both social and supernatural harm. They’re a cult.
The best method to determine if a group is a cult, in my opinion, is Steven Hassan’s (cult expert and former cult member himself) BITE model.
BITE stands for Behavior Control, Information Control, Thought Control, and Emotional Control.
The more points a group “scores” on the model, the more of a cult it is.
I think this model is the best one for several reasons:
This is a great example of Thought Control used by cults whenever they’re confronted with criticism.
The creator of the BITE Model considers abusive relationships to be two-person cults.
It’s important to note that almost every sect of evangelical christianity in the US today fails the BITE Model.
This was the post that lead to breaking my JW mindset. Been a while since I seen it.
I’m glad I could help in your deconstruction, if only a little bit. I wish you all the luck in your journey moving forward.
And to highlight a key aspect of the “two-person cult” dynamic:
I’d strongly recommend reading this brief bio of Janja Lalich. She’s a deprogramming therapist, but she’s also a cult survivor from a political cult.
i don't usually make posts like this, but this is a truly upsetting topic to me as a lifelong cat owner, so i feel i have a duty to share my knowledge with others.
there is a type of automatic litterbox for cats being sold that is EXTREMELY dangerous and has killed numerous cats through blunt force trauma, suffocation, etc. this litterbox is being sold under different brand names and logos, so i will include the picture of the model and two links to informational videos with more evidence and eloquence than i am able to provide.
please consider not having this type of litterbox in your home for your furry friends. me and my 16 year old tortie, puddy, want the best for all your kitty friends
image of litterbox below:
here are my two video links that provide proof and testimonials of this harmful product:
i dont think any jews or israelis are that surprised that the world is so antisemitic but at the same time i had no idea how deep antisemitism can be ingrained in people. most people literally do not know or even have a brief thought that maybe they are antisemitic
If you've never critically asked yourself "hm, am I antisemitic" and taken a few minutes to look into that and unpack it, you are almost certainly perpetuating the problem on accident. Pleassseeee take a moment to reflect and if a Jewish person says you're being antisemitic hit the breaks and reassess instead of doubling down.
i am trying so hard to shut the fuck up about politics because i hate the type of people it attracts to my blog but if you guys want to combat the assault on kamala's campaign, it's not "trump will make the genocide worse" its "trump is responsible for the escalation of this genocide because he got rid of obama era policies and has stated that he wants them to finish the job if re-elected"
stop giving people the impression biden's administration is responsible for this escalation because he's not.
i need you to remind people that politics is a show game and laws TAKE YEARS TO FEEL THE AFFECT OF and the current administration always has to deal with the consequences of the last administration's fuck-ups. this is why it is important to show up and vote blue every single time in every election up and down the ballots because its how we prevent from having people take us backwards every couple of years.
it's just feeding into the republican propaganda. i am begging yall to look into what the right is talking about on fox news because some of yall sound exactly the same!!!! please educate yourself on what the other side's talking points are or else you run the risk of falling into the same mental traps as them.
Pls do not reblog anything with the old disability pride flag, it does cause seizure and migraines, please use the new one which was created by the same person with the feedbacks of many other disabled people.
This is the safe one:
Dont use the zigzag one, your making disabled space inaccessible for a part of the community.
[Image ID: tumblr tags reading “I appreciate the fact that it’s by the same person” and “like a quality of life softwar[e] update but for a flag”. End ID]
patch notes 1.0.1: visual contrast no longer causes strobe effect when scrolling. Zigzag design was difficult to visually process and anxiety inducing, and was removed. Colors have been lightened and desaturated. For the safety of all users, please make sure you are up to date.
I’m honestly fucking appalled that the greater LGBT community is dead silent on the fact that the Indian Child Welfare Act is going under review which means that white people are finalizing their steps at complete genocide against us (Native peoples). They will sterilize all Natives and steal our babies to be raised by you demons (white people). I’m sure the gays are silent though because how many white gays adopt children not of their own race. Fucking baby stealers.
As a white gay person currently going through the fostering program to be a potential foster parent this is so fucking important. I know it hurts when it's difficult to raise children by yourself but stealing children from their culture is an evil act.
To look away from this is despicable. Our culture is under attack, yes, as is our way of life and our ability to raise a family. But the further subjugation of the native people of this land and the further theft of their culture can never be the answer.
Here's where to donate to the NICWA:
And I'll be searching for further resources to fight this monstrous consideration in policy change to update. I rarely engage in internet activism because I often simply do not have the energy after direct action community work but again as a gay potential parent this is so fucking important
here you can sign a petition in support of the ICWA!
Friendly reminder that forcibly removing children from their culture of origin and transferring them to another group is explicitly listed in article II of the Geneva Convention of 1948
And people still think cops are the good guys.
If anyone can find a good donation link for Oregon maybe post here? I can't really find one I'm sure about.
To the best of my knowledge these are all at least pretty good places to donate to if you can.
i have never made a post like this before but i haven’t seen anyone here talk about it yet so i want to at least provide some links because this is extremely important for disabled people with or without benefits in the USA.
she doesn’t name the bill in the video but in the comments it’s clarified that the act referred to is the SSI Restoration Act of 2021.
“The Supplementary Security Income (SSI) Restoration Act of 2021 has been introduced in both the House and the Senate. The bill would improve the lives of millions of SSI beneficiaries around the country, including over 2 million older adults who are living below the federal poverty level due to inadequate benefit levels, and often lose or are denied benefits due to outdated eligibility rules.” (link) - summary from Justice In Aging, an organization dedicated to fighting senior poverty
“This bill restores a program that plays a key role in the security of millions of Americans. Specifically, it modernizes and improves SSI by streamlining and simplifying the claiming process, expanding the resources and income limits, and eliminating punitive reductions in benefits.” (link) - summary from the SSI Restoration Act Section by Section, linked on Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva’s website, in the social security tab
below is taken from the issue brief on justiceinaging.org regarding what the bill entails
• The SSI benefit rate will be increased to at least 100% of the Federal Poverty Level, adjusted annually, so that no one receiving SSI will be left to live below the poverty line.
• Couples will receive their full SSI benefit, totaling twice the individual rate, rather than a reduced marriage penalty rate.
• Low-income seniors and people with disabilities who can’t work enough to meet all their basic needs will be able to save up to $10,000 and couples will be able to save up to $20,000 for emergencies such as car repairs, new roofs, and other unexpected expenses, without losing benefits.
• Individuals will be able to receive up to $128 monthly from other sources, such as Social Security benefits or pension payments, without a corresponding loss in benefits.
• Individuals who are able to work will be able to earn up to $416 a month without being penalized.
• Individuals who live in households with others, including family members, will no longer be penalized with lower benefits through the in-kind support and maintenance provision.
• Individuals who transfer assets (even small amounts of money to a family member) will no longer suffer harsh penalties.
• Eliminate installment payment requirements and extend the time to spend down resources so that SSI recipients who have been waiting for months or years to obtain their benefits can receive the full overdue amount.
• Exclude retirement accounts from countable resources to allow people with disabilities to build up their savings for retirement and use those resources to pay for expenses in later life.
• State and local earned income tax credits and child tax credits will be excluded from income calculations in the same manner as general tax payments.”
here is the FAQ (also justiceinaging.org)
please reblog
[Disclaimer: These aren't actual legal rules, but important knowledge to avoid, you know, dying.]
Foraging herbs is an extremely good way to get both food and magik supplies on a budget, but mistakes can be dangerous and even deadly. These are some of the most important rules to follow if you want to be safe.
1. If you aren't entirely sure what a plant is, treat it like it's toxic. Even if you're mostly confident, you need to be absolutely certain before you put anything in your mouth, and ideally before you touch it. 2. Never assume plants away from home are the same as the ones where you usually forage. Generally speaking, once you change climate and/or time zones, at least some plants will change and lookalikes will appear. Also, some plants become more or less toxic with temperature and location changes--white clover is a good example of this. 3. Don't guess the safety of a plant you can't identify. Many extremely dangerous plants look unassuming and pleasant, and a lot of plants that look like murder in a leaf are totally harmless. Also, never consume a herb if you don't know its medicinal properties or if it'll interact with your medication or a health condition. If the name ends in -wort, it probably interacts with anti inflammatory meds, SSRIs, and/or heart medication, but other plants can, too. 4. When you learn a new plant's identification, learn its lookalikes, too. This is especially important for leafy plants, which are more likely to have dangerous lookalikes, but goes for all plants. This helps you know if it's safe to make a mistake (for example, wild blackberries have lookalikes, but they're all nearly identical edible berries), when you can't risk it, and what to compare. 5. Know what parts of a plant are safe, and know if its age affects its use or edibility. Some plants are edible when young, but extremely toxic when mature, or have edible roots but emetic flowers. 6. Know what assumptions you can make. Generally, if you can cook it or breathe it, you can burn it, if you can eat it, you can touch it, etc. 7. Remember that medicine is preferable to herbs for a reason. Herbs produce chemicals in different amounts, can be misidentified, and are generally unreliable. Pills are significantly less likely to accidentally give you an overdose. If you have access to working medication, that's always the first.
Additional rules!
8. Do not forage where there is a lot of vehicle traffic, a history of or current industry, near v polluted water, downhill from similar mentioned areas, etc. Plants can and do absorb heavy metals (like lead) and other harmful compounds.
9. Do not forage where you know there's a lot of dog walking. Same goes for outdoor cats, etc. Fecal matter is nothing to shrug off. You can get extremely sick from contaminated plants even if you can't see the contamination.
This is generally common sense but the things I've seen make me feel it's necessary to add this.
“join mutual aid groups in your area! mutual aid is the voluntary exchange of resources and services for mutual benefit. help your neighbors today, so they can help you tomorrow.
so
we have this app called toogoodtogo where restaurants/cafes/bakeries/hotels and so on sell their leftovers for really cheap to reduce foodwaste
i got all of this for €4 from starbucks
bless
The America version is called FoodForAll
I love TooGoodToGo all of this sushi cost me £3.50 (the chinese food cost me £3.59)
YOOOOOOO, they’re formalizing this?!?!
I used to do community service at a community breakfast, we’d go to the local Safeway and get all their stale bread, the local bakery for their stale baked goods and whatnot.
They throw away so much food it’s ridiculous, I’m glad someone finally created a program like this!
The American app isn’t available everywhere but if you’re broke in NY or Boston, check it out!
The US app logo currently looks like this and was last updated 3 weeks ago (as of January 25th 2020)
TooGoodToGo is available in many European countries, including the UK, much of Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy and the Iberian peninsula.
In Canada we have flash food, I dont know if it’s just confined to loblaw stores but you can get food that stores have to throw out for dirt cheap
I know I reblogged this once already but I’m back to say there’s an Australian version!
YWaste has been around since 2017 apparently, so they’re quite well established if you’re Australian and in need of options
I used to be broke and knowing about this app would have been extremely helpful. Hope it helps some of you folks out there ❤️
I use flashfood and it’s literally what enabled me to pay off my student debt and start saving
