Pustka

And then … then I remembered why the statement made me pause. I remembered where I’ve heard those dehumanizing, “they’re no angels,” kind of sentiments before: used against victims and underdogs, against people like Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Tamir Rice and others. And I’ve seen this reasoning used against rape victims too: “no angels,” not a saint,” “not pure,” etc, etc, etc. It’s victim blaming. It’s a subtle kind of social judo flip, used by aggressors to hold the victimized to a higher standard than the victimizer.

Repeated character assassination can also be considered propaganda.

“Your honor, the rapist can’t be guilty because his victim has a history of having sex,” or, “Your honor, the officer can’t possibly be guilty because the Black person he shot once stole a pencil when he was 10yrs old.”

Look, obviously I know that most Ukrainians are caucasian, not Black, okay? But being mostly caucasian applies to Russia as well, which brings me back to my point—anything bad you can say about Ukraine, you can equally apply to Russia. Except! …except for the fact that Putin is the aggressor here. You cannot say that about Ukraine. Ukraine didn’t invade Russia, Russia invaded Ukraine. I’m not sorry that I feel more empathetic to the country that was peacefully minding its own fucking business until one of the world’s largest superpowers started rolling tanks across their borders. If you can just poof away that fact, then Idk what to tell you ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And you don’t get to tell us to ‘take a joke’ about a war that is happening few km from our borders (for non Ukrainians balkans).

informations about Polish border guards not letting non-caucasian refugees into Poland are NOT true:

to enter Poland, it's good to have a valid ID but you do not need a visa,

according to Polish lawyers who are on the site, the best choice for non-Ukrainians is to head to crossing points in Bytomierz and Dołhobyczów (easier procedures),

any problems with letting non-Ukrainians in are probably caused by Ukrainian side (not blaming them, of course, I assume things can get complicated when your country's at war).

please remember that borders have two sides. and both Poles and Ukrainians are trying their best but with that much procedural turmoil, there may be mistakes - remember that in just 3 days, Poland accepted over 200.000 refugees. the information about terms of crossing the border may be vital for potential refugees - please don't spread misinformation.

edit (27.02.): just in case you need some more proof, see below what some Poles who are on the site helping refugees are saying (it's all written in Polish so you'll have to rely on my translation):

"a group of African students from Ukraine and currently on the way to my parents' house"

"today me and my friends picked up a group from Cameroon, a girl from Algieria and from Iraq"

"my friend from Lebanon who studied in Kyiv said he had no trouble getting to Poland, he's already in Warsaw"

"there are a lot of non-white refugees in reception center [on Polish site], we can see Pakistani flag and group of Nigerians"

"family of my gf's friend took in a non-Ukrainian student, there's place for everyone"

one person tagged their friend who drove 4 female African students when they reached Poland (they don't state where but i'd assume some larger city than the ones by the border)

"this morning i helped a group of female students from Nigeria"

Unfortunately, redbubble does delay payment until the end of the month, so it’s doubling as awareness.

All proceeds from this piece will be donated to Ukrainian relief funds, but due to the delay on Redbubble’s end, please consider donating directly to these relief funds directly. You are welcome to print off this image and use it to for charitable purposes. Feel free to add reputable charities to this post as well.

https://ukrainewar.carrd.co/

https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/countries/ukraine

https://novaukraine.org/donate/

https://www.rsukraine.org/

https://voices.org.ua/en/

https://www.patreon.com/kyivindependent

https://t.co/6fDUg9YbaN

My maiden name is Ukrainian- we had family there prior to the Holocaust. Violence ripped that culture from us, but I have memories of beautiful embroidery and delicate lacquer on precious items that had been brought over with the older generations. I hope to capture those memories and the current heroism here.

May the bravery and fierceness maintain independence. 💙💛

This blog is a safe space.

I feel like it’s necessary to make this post as someone who had no idea what they were doing when they got their first bird. This isn’t intended to shame Petco employees, who are just doing their jobs, or people who have taken advice from Petco in the past. This is just observations from someone who hates to see birds kept in subpar conditions.

First off, let’s look at the way Petco treats their pet birds - and implies through doing so that it’s an acceptable standard of care for bird owners. These were all taken today at my local Petco.

Cages this small are not acceptable for any bird. It’s more important for a cage to be wide than tall; birds need to fly and this provides them the space to do so. This is suitable as maybe a quarantine cage at best. There definitely needs to be more toys as well, especially considering these birds stay in the cage all day and do not come out for interaction.

This is the budgie cage. This many birds should absolutely not be kept in a cage this small. Some of the birds were visibly stressed out, and got scared and upset when people walked by. There’s very few toys in here as well (though at least they have each other’s company). Millet is a treat; offering this much millet at a time is pretty unhealthy and shouldn’t be done. If you look closely, you can see the perches do not vary in texture or size and are all smooth. This is pretty awful for a bird’s feet. Birds need perches of varying texture, preferably 3-4 different kinds, or they can have conditions such as bumblefoot or problems gripping.

The birds are only fed pellets and seed (mainly seed). Even considering that budgies are grainivores, this is a pretty awful diet. They need plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit in their diet, and this is the kind of diet that leads to health problems over time.

There’s a buildup of droppings and debris in the cages - even on easily wipeable surfaces.

Now let’s take a look at the bird care brochures available near the bird section and at the register. Maybe they will advocate better birdkeeping practices?

Conures don’t give a high pitched screech when startled. Conures scream whenever they want. It’s kind of cruel, honestly, to market them as a first-time, easy bird for someone who may be bringing them home to an apartment or noise-sensitive household. Conures are loud, and loud very, very frequently. Even green cheeked conures, which were sold in this Petco, aren’t great first time birds. They are loud, are known for being ‘beaky’, and are overall a handful. Are they awesome birds? Yeah! But you need to know what you’re getting into before purchasing them.

Let’s look at the “general bird checklist”. Pretty decent at first glance, even if they haven’t fulfilled many of the requirements for their own birds. But there are a few issues you should be aware of.

Vitamins and supplements are not necessary if your bird is eating a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean your bird will get sick if you DO give them, but it’s overall kind of a scam. Of course, Petco wants to max out the money they make off of your new buddy, but if you are feeding your bird well, this is absolutely not necessary.

Millet spray/Millet holder. “All birds need these items” being applied to this is absolutely bizarre. Many bigger bird species will not even touch millet due to how small it is. It’s a great treat, but is in no way crucial to your bird’s care, even if they do like it. It has very little nutritional content and should only be a treat, not a diet staple.

Styptic powder is something you should ABSOLUTELY have on hand!! If you nick the quick of a bird’s toenail while clipping nails, or they have issues with breaking feathers or blood feathers, you will need styptic powder. Your bird’s blood will not clot and they can lose a significant amount of blood from minor injuries.

There’s nothing much wrong with the ‘individualized’ care guides - other than the big, glaring issue of cage sizes. All of these ‘minimum’ cage sizes are way, way too small. For reference, here is an 18 x 18 x 24 cage:

when a person is allergic to an animal, they are not allergic to the fur. they are allergic to a protein that's in the animal's spit and skin. the amount of protein shed varies by individual animal, but all animals in that species have that protein (in cats, it's called Fel d 1; dogs have four allergenic proteins called Can f 1/2/3/4; rats have a rat version; rabbits have a rabbit version, etc.).

so, things that I, a person who is allergic to basically all mammals, am sick and tired of hearing:

"have you tried a hypoallergenic pet?" there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic animal. you might have, say, a single cat that produces less Fel d 1 than a different cat, but it's extremely difficult to predict or control and impossible to eliminate the protein entirely, at least with our current technology.

"have you tried a short-haired pet instead of a long-haired pet?" the fur is irrelevant to the protein other than it being what the protein gets stuck to (either because it's attached to dead skin or because it's coated in saliva from the animal licking itself). does the pet have spit and/or skin? it has allergens.

"have you tried a hairless cat?" hairless cats still have skin and spit.

"don't worry about the pet, I'll keep it out of the room while you're here!" allergen proteins are "sticky" - they are easily spread even to places where an animal hasn't gone by attaching to an owner's clothing or other objects and then being deposited somewhere else. they are also hard to get rid of, especially cat dander, which can last for six months even after the cat is no longer in the house to produce more protein. basically, if a pet is anywhere in a home, the best you can say is that a particular room has less allergen in it than other rooms, not that it's completely free.

"I know someone with pet allergies, and they have a pet!" they may have a mild allergy. they may have basically DIY'd allergy shots through constant exposure to the animal. they may be miserable the entire time and not care.

An Article from Neena Susan Thomas

“Through a rapist’s eyes. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interview…ed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and armpit or in the upper inner thigh – HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .

b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

If u have compassion reblog this post. ‘Helping hands are better than Praying Lips’ – give us your helping hand.

REBLOG THIS AND LET EVERY GIRL KNOW AT LEAST PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHATS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD. So please reblog this….Your one reblog can Help to spread this information.

Seizure First Aid.