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headspace-hotel · 1 year

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so, in regards to your recent posts on kane-tucky and usa food industry, do you / how do you keep active hope and not slip in into apathy and "looking out for my own" get out of dodge mentality? im having a hard time articulating this, but what makes you not curl up into a shaking mess in anger resentment and a deep desire for change that likely, if ever, wont happen in our lifetime.... any advice is appreciated

The short answer is "getting out and doing stuff in the real world, educating, volunteering, whatever is within your ability"

I will add that "looking out for your own" is not...bad. Like I don't know precisely what you mean by this phrase, but it's actually very important to come to terms with the fact that your impact is strongest where your feet touch the ground, and you have a responsibility and relationship to the people immediately around you, the place immediately around you.

This has not been a popular opinion of mine in the past, but...you can't and shouldn't care about literally everything on the planet. There is of course huge global disparity with access to resources and aid networks, and the largest communities we belong to are: all of Earth and the whole human species.

However: your level of agency is so low with issues that are happening on the other side of the world from you, compared with issues that are happening in your home town. And we're seeing people just get completely burned out from compassion fatigue without ever doing shit because the global responsibility is pushed on us and the local responsibility is not.

I hated my hometown for a decade. In high school I wanted so badly to leave. It's one of those desolate-feeling towns that's developed enough for a shopping center and big chain retailers but not enough to have a sense of community or a single bookstore. I've never been able to place myself precisely along the urban-rural spectrum because I feel isolated from even isolation: there's nowhere to go that doesn't feel razed by human development, where you can't hear the noise of traffic on roads, but it's all cattle pastures, sprawling storage facilities, auto parts stores, big, empty churches. One wrong turn will put you in a dark valley where there are rotting, derelict trailers on cinder blocks hidden back in the woods, and this place has that same feeling of "nowhere to go."

And I felt paralyzed by everything bad happening around the world and the fact that I was just one person, and I had gotten the horrible impression that the only thing I could do about anything was vote and donate money to links I saw online. The worst lie the internet taught me was that in saving the world, nothing matters except Power, Money, and an unclear third category that involves throwing bricks at cops.

But I touched grass. And the weeds taught me something. Do you see the parking lots, the harsh pavement and gravel and brick? I saw. I was surrounded by this landscape of brutal, totalitarian surfaces, impermeable concrete locking the soil away. But in the cracks in the surfaces, dandelions, purslane, and spurge were thriving.

I observed that the spurge stretched out like a shaggy rug and padded the concrete surfaces. The old leaves of the dandelions, as they withered, caught bits of dirt as it flowed into drainage ditches after rains. Soil was forming, and the sprawling structure of the early weeds seemed specially adapted for the task. In older cracks, more plants moved in; I found a wild ruellia blooming in a paved road, an evening primrose. And in some places, seedling trees.

Have you seen what happens when a sidewalk is left unmaintained for years? It disappears. The roots slowly buckle and break it into pieces, and it vanishes beneath lush leaves and moss. A tree growing in a crack in concrete will slowly pry the slab apart.

This is how my IRL rewilding project got started—just pulling plants from the pavement cracks, raising them in pots. I was surprised and awed at the resilience of the plants. I found little trees in concrete with at least two years' growth on them, that had survived being mowed down multiple times.

The weeds changed my viewpoint on the world forever. Up until that point, certain facts about power and politics and money had seemed like law, but I'd suddenly seen that there was a deeper magic.

The dandelions' survival made it possible for others to survive, which in turn made even more life flourish. They could not demolish and remove the concrete and pavement, but they could overcome it by refusing to be destroyed, because the power to take care of each other is in their nature.

People have made fun of me for telling others to go plant a tree. I think culturally we have this ingrained dismissal of things like that due to the twee, cutesy associations of "tree hugging" environmentalists, except in this instance it's because planting a tree is pointless in light of something something systemic issues, not because climate change isn't real, or...whatever reason people have for finding environmentalists cringe. (That is kinda sus now that I think about it.)

And I'm not saying planting a tree will fix climate change. I'm saying that something in my brain had broken and planting a tree unbroke it.

Go outside. Touch grass. Do the work in the immediate community you belong to, in the place you are in, where you have the best and most impact. We have the power to take care of each other, and that power grows stronger the more we are cared for.

The internet is a good place to share information, but that's fucking it. The real stuff, the stuff you can touch with your hands, the stuff that will heal despair, is out there in the real, touchable world. You need to see and feel what you are doing. Don't just give help—accept it. The power to take care of each other is in our nature, and by nature we can give more when we thrive as a result of others' care.

I hope this helps.

#plants #gardening #dandelions #rewilding #plantarchy

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avengers-nextgen · 6 years

Text

The Rise Of The Lost VIII

(Warning; this chapter contains some sensitive content. I have made a warning before the sensitive content starts and when it ends. Read at your own discretion.)

— — —

The building was as she remembered it. In ruins of decay and remnants of an old life never lived. Portions of the home still stood as centinals over the wreckage of the rest, like a corner of the wall that was stained with soot, a shuddering doorway, and impressively a portion of the dining table.

A hollow breeze blew across the corpse of a home. It hadn’t been disturbed since the incident occurred, other than the collection of her mother’s remains, and the neighbors had long since left in fright or died in the accident too.

She had discarded her old and tattered green clothes for something more practical: a simple, black cotton shirt with her usual dark trousers. The breeze licked at the nape of her neck drawing a chill to pass down her spine.

With a hesitant stride she passed beneath the shuddering doorway with a limping and wounded heart. Memories of how the home should have looked danced in her head, but the debris crunching beneath the soles of her shoes made it just that-a memory.

With great effort the young girl treaded across the landscape to pause at the fallen table. It lay crippled and tortured with burns across the laminated wood surface. Pale slender fingers hooked along its edge to bring the object to its full height. It would not stand on its own.

Eyes scoured the debris until they located the remnants of an old shelf. Leaving the fallen ally for only a moment the girl returned to prop the table upright with a sturdy piece of salvaged wood.

Gradually it began to take shape. A table now rested in the center of the floor, the discarded and damaged husk of a microwave acted as a seat, a charred candlestick lilted at a slant upon the wooden table top, and two broken spheres of glass sat at each end.

Weeds pushed up from between the debris and cinders searching hungrily for light. Dandelions bloomed in the crevices of the homely skeleton, offering a thin glimpse of prosperous light.

Boots greeting the threshhold’s surface alerted the absorbed child. With an anxious leap she turned to find a dark suited man standing calmly beneath the precarious doorway. “I did not expect to find you here.”

The girl’s eyes scanned for another face, searched the shadows as if it were lurking in them, as if those two odd colored eyes would be mocking her. With a bowed head she sat down once more and turned away from the man.

“Please, don’t be like this.” He pleaded. One foot after another came the hesitant approach of her father. He expected a response but none was given. “I know-Sage, look at me will you?”

There was no inclination that Sage had even heard her father. He sighed longingly before waving his hand so that a new chair was built from the ever present debris. Two strides later and he was perched across from her in a seat of his own- taking solace in completing an examination of the make shift dining room. “Let me explain.”

Loki frowned when she did not move except to rest a pale hand upon the table in a tight knuckled fist. His eyes widened as the crippled home began to glow and take shape into something else.

The walls slowly repaired themselves in a golden light. The table was shining and new, the doorway was sturdy, the seats were real-even a light hung overhead- and the candlestick sat straight on the table. A warm sound similar to that of bells ringing cheerily in the sky filled the empty space.

Loki knew that laugh better than anyone, he had been lucky enough to hear it once upon a time. The god’s throat grew right with emotion as he watched a very young and small image of Sage scamper into the room.

Her tiny frame was adorned in pajamas and dinosaur slippers were nestled snuggly on her feet. Fabric mouths arched up over her ankles making it seem like the T-Rex’s were munching happily on her toes.

“Daddy! Boo!” Her eyes lit up with an intense light. Loki followed the gaze of his young daughter to find himself sitting on the floor with a mask on his face. It resembled a wolf in nature and he gave a deep growl that sent Sage running off again.

“If you scare her and she ends up in my bed I will hunt you down and make you sleep on the hard tile floor of this kitchen.” Loki’s head snapped up eagerly in search of the voices owner. When he did not find her, Sage’s mother, his heart sank in grief.

“Why must you torture me like this?!” Loki demanded with a rising anger in his voice. He no longer looked at the illusion in effect, but at his real daughter who sat only a few feet away. “Show her to me.”

The beautiful illusion crumbled like broken glass until the once beautiful house was again the depressing waste land they both sat in. “Talk to me! Say something damn it.”

For the first time since he arrived Loki saw his daughter’s face. It was gaunt and pale, the skin was stretched too tight over her cheeks, her lips were cracked and dry, her hair was far too long and not at all neat, her collar bones protruded too prominently, and her eyes were full of emotion.

“What did they do to you?” Loki was unable to keep the mounting grief from his voice. His daughter had once been beautiful, but this was not the same girl. “Tell me.”

“You’re no different than they are, Loki.” Her voice hoarse from lack of use and Loki cringed at the sound of his name on her lips. She never called him that.

“How can you say that?”

Suddenly a new illusion took shape beside the god in the form of a thirteen year old boy. “He’s precious isn’t he? Charming? Powerful, young, bright, happy, and he’s yours.”

Loki could not escape the accusation in his daughter’s voice. “You did not let me explain.”

“What is there to explain?” Sage shook her head. “That you’re a liar?”

“I have never lied to you-“

“You said I was the only one!” Loki blinked as his daughter’s calm dementor vanished and was replaced with a brooding rage. “You said mother was the only one for you but-she’d not even died when you were with someone else!”

“That’s not true!” Loki stammered.

“When is his birthday?” Sage spat. She watched her father squirm uncomfortably. The answer was mumbled but it was all she needed to know. “Liar!”

“I’m sorry.” Loki wailed.

“I was right. You bastard.” Sage looked away to conceal the tears brewing in her eyes. “You were supposed to love my mother, to care about us, and all that time you were away it was with some other woman wasn’t it?”

“Sage, I didn’t want you to know. I was worried you would hate me-hate him.” Loki swallowed hard.

“Well I do. Congratulations.”

A long pause passed between them and it wasn’t until Sage spoke again that the silence was broken. “Why?”

“Sage-“

“Weren’t we enough for you?” She demanded and turned her full glare upon him once more.

“You were, I made a mistake.” Loki admitted. His heart hammered in his chest far too quickly for his own liking,

“You know...mother said you weren’t like everyone else said you were.” Sage stood from her makeshift seat to glare at the man across from her. “But she was wrong. You are exactly like everyone says you are! I wish Thor would have killed you instead, maybe I’d still be here, and with someone who actually gives a damn!”

“You don’t mean that.” The god’s voice was empty.

The sounding approach of another caught both of their attention.

“Father, you said you were going out for-“ The boy paused immediately upon passing through the door.

Loki’s eyes widened with horror. “Enzo I told you to stay put!”

The god turned towards Sage expecting to see hate. Instead, she stood there with a defeated gaze fixated upon Enzo, her hands shook from adrenaline, and she turned her back to the duo. “Leave.”

“Sage...” Loki started. “Please, I’m your father I want to fix this.”

“You’re no father of mine.” Loki’s gaze fell upon the broken ceramic pieces st her feet. He recognized them with a grieved pain in his chest. It had been a gift from Sage for father’s day. It was a mug now shattered beside her shoe. “I wish I’d died that day. This life you’ve given me isn’t worth living.”

— — —

“Orion, land here.” James spoke through the headset allowing him to communicate with Orion who sat in the pilot’s seat.

The jet’s engine hummed low and deep as the air craft made a slow decent towards the abandoned street. Scout’s expression turned to one of urgency and sadness. “We need to hurry.”

The ramp extended too slowly for Scout and Alex’s liking. Both of them launched out into the open and tucked into a roll before springing to their feet.

“This whole block is ruined.” James observed with awe.

“Well, that’s what happens when a thunder god can’t control his anger, let alone a little kid with magic whose nearly died.” Orion noted. He tucked his helmet beneath one arm and tromped carefully down the ramp.

“Split up.” Scout ordered.

“Can’t you pin point her location?” James frowned.

“There’s too much energy here. It’s all jumbled together and I can’t make sense of it. We need to cover territory fast.” Scout’s voice wavered with urgency.

“You act like it’s a matter of life or death.” Orion frowned.

Scout’s expression darkened. “It is.”

The four heroes dispersed across the charred terrain at an eager pace. James scampered over a collapsed roof that had pooled into a pile of rubble. Scout arched in the air towards the far end of the street. Orion and Alex pursued on foot down the road. Orion halted at one point to investigate the healthiest looking house while Alex continued on. Her eyes flicked from side to side in an attempt to analyze the situation quickly but carefully.

A flash of light caught her peripheral. “James!”

James heard his sister’s call and motioned for the others to head her way. Alex rounded the first corner just in time to see someone disappear from sight. At first she worried that Sage had gotten away again but as she turned sharply around the second corner she spotted the girl.

Scout landed roughly next to James and held a hand to his head. “Ugh.”

“What is it?” James frowned.

“I have to stop looking for the aura. Every time I get close it hurts.” Scout winced. “I don’t feel good.”

“Stay here.” James instructed.

“Yeah, no one need to pass out.” Orion nodded trying to be helpful but failing to do so. Scout gave him a glare of annoyance and James mirrored it.

“Just stay here with him. We can’t be too far away from the jet anyways.” James turned on his heel once more and ran off at a quick clip.

(Sensitive content ahead.)

Alex approached Sage with care but realized very quickly that care wasn’t needed. There was a lot of blood, more than Alex originally perceived. Two pale and skinny arms rested almost lifelessly upon the table top with numerous cuts across the flesh.

The girl’s whole body shook with sobs and all that was repeated was the phrase, “I hate him.”

Alex swallowed tightly and rushed to collect the silver blade that rested on the ground beside the broken pieces of a ceramic mug. She tucked it into her belt with care before giving her attention once more to the crumbling individual seated at the broken table.

“Sage, what did you do?” The words were quiet but exasperated and without asking for permission Alex tugged her away from her seat. The girl put up no resistance for once which only worsened Alex’s anxiety.

“My God.” James froze in place watching with wide eyes.

“Get a first aide kit. Hurry.” Alex motioned for her brother and once he snapped from his daze he ran faster than he ever had before.

“Don’t take me back.” Alex barely heard what Sage said as her voice was strained and quiet. “Please.”

“You need help.” Alex insisted with a firm voice as she awkwardly sat down in the cinders and kept a hold of Sage.

“I don’t care anymore!” Came the protest. “I just want to be left alone.”

“That’s not what you need right now.” Alex looked anxiously at the crumbling doorway wanting her brother to magically appear.

“I have nothing to go back to.”

“Find something.” Alex chewed nervously on her lip. “Find anything even if it seems stupid. Make it seem worth while.”

“Still so optimistic.” There was the slightest hint of amusment to Sage’s voice. “It won’t always last.”

Finally, James came tearing into the room and dropped to his knees. His hands fiddled with bandages but they shook so bad he nearly dropped them more than once.

The two siblings worked with an intense urgency until both arms were covered in a layer of gauze and bandages.

(End)

“Have Orion bring the jet closer.” Alex breathed. James swallowed his fatigue and set off once more. Alex turned to close the first aide kit and collect the discarded bandage rolls. When she turned around once more the landscape was empty.

Sage was no where to be seen.

James arrived moments later and glanced about in disbelief. “Where is she?”

“She disappeared.” Alex frowned. She punched angrily at the ground and let out a yell of frustration. “She can’t be out and about alone!”

“We’ll do our best. Scout can track her.” James promised. “Same with Thalia, she’ll know where her cousin is.”

Alex turned to look at the scenery. She finally processed the extent of damage done to the house, how violent it all must have been, and how terrifying it must have felt. Her gaze settled on the blood upon the table top and the trail of it across the floor. At last she glanced down to see the red upon her hands and pants and shirt. “All of this is slowly killing her. Soon, there won’t be anything left.”

“It isn’t our fault.” James noted.

“But it is. It’s everyone’s fault James. It’s Thor’s, it’s Loki’s, it’s yours, it’s mine.” Alex shook her head and made her way to her brothers side. “We’re killing our own kind.”

“Alex...”

“Just because we don’t understand them.” James watched his sister shake her head and march off towards the hovering jet. James closed his eyes only to recall Fox’s words.

“It’s the Rise of the Lost.”

To him he did not think this was much of a rise. No, it looked very much like a long and tragic fall.

(As always, thoughts, opinions, ideas, and reactions are always welcome)

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denverwildliferemoval · 2 years

Text

Cool Facts About Rats

Having black rats in your home can be a scary thing. Rats are fascinating creatures that are generally maligned because they contaminate food and spread disease. However, they have some remarkable characteristics as well. Did you know that they are excellent climbers, can laugh, have a large species, and their strong teeth never stop growing?

Let us learn more about rats and what makes them unique. Many people cringe and shudder at the thought of rats anywhere near them. In most cases, rats inhibit office buildings and homes because there are dark places to hide and forage for food scraps.

Rats Can Swim

Can you believe it? Rats are great swimmers and could give Michael Phelps some competition. Sure, rats can hold their breath for up to three minutes and can tread water for up to three days.

Some species can even swim over a mile without getting tired. There are stories of rats ending up in toilets. They can make their way up through the pipes easily.

A Rat’s Teeth Never Stops Growing

Rats gnaw on anything they can get their paws on. They do this because their incisors never stop growing. If they didn’t regularly grind them down, a rats teeth would grow so long that they may become handicapped. Its front teeth can grow up to five inches in a year, and it needs to wear them down somehow. Chewing on things helps rats with problems with their teeth. They love to chew on wood and can bite through aluminum sheeting, scale brick, cinder blocks, brick or cement walls, and even lead.

There Are Many Types of Rats

The Norway rat, roof rat(black rats), white rat, and Rattus Norvegicus are the most commonly known species. However, most people don’t know that over 56 known species of rats exist worldwide.

Some Rats Get Big

There are some giant rats out there. The rats rummaging through garbage cans are the most commonly seen. However, people are unaware of their massive rodent relatives. One called the Sumatran bamboo rat can measure 20 inches and weigh up to 8.8 pounds! That is comparable to a small housecat. The Gambian pouched rats are not as heavy as three pounds but can measure up to three feet long. The total length is determined by measuring from head to tail.

Rats Are Prolific Breeders

Rodents are prolific breeders. That is why they are so commonly found around the world. A female rat can have babies 13 times per year. A typical litter of six to 10 pups is expected when she gives birth. Sexual maturity occurs when these pups are only three to four months old. That means that young rats can start spawning their own broods by the time a human baby is able to hold up its head unsupported!

They Are Social Creatures

Communities are essential for rats. Most of them live in large groups where they play, sleep together, and even groom each other. On the other hand, they can be highly territorial, so an unfamiliar rat might be treated aggressively if they feel threatened. Did you know that a “group” of rats is called a “mischief”?

Rat Can Carry Pathogens That Spread Disease

One of the most well-known facts about rats is an important one. They do indeed carry pathogens that affect humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that rodents can spread over 37 diseases. In 2003 rats were responsible for a monkeypox outbreak. Rodents also played a considerable part in infecting humans during the middle ages of the bubonic plague (black death).

Rats Can Laugh

When rats play, they experience social joy. It is something that researcher Jakk Panksepp studied.

This behavior results in a high-pitched chirping noise. Their laugh is unlike a chuckle you might hear from a human being.

Rats Can Squeeze Through Small Holes

Most rats can fit through a hole the size of a coin. That is thanks to its skeleton, which is collapsible. The ribs can fold down like an umbrella because it is hinged to the spine. Any big hole enough for the rat’s head to fit through should allow the rest of the body to pass.

A Rats Bite is Painful

Rats can bite hard. Very hard. Their jaws are built similarly to an alligator and can exert a massive downward force. Up to 7000 pounds of pressure per square inch can be delivered through their jawbone. That means it can easily tear through human skin and bone. There have been cases of people losing their fingers due to rats biting them. It uses the grinding features of its jaw to tear through bone membranes.

Rats Can Control Their Bladder

This statement holds valid even until today. Most people might assume that rats have no control over where they urinate. Rats can be extremely fussy about where they defecate and pee. A fancy rat typically makes use of particular corners and can be easily toilet trained.

Most people use a ferret size litter tray filled with paper cat litter. There are, however, other options on the market that are more rat-friendly.

When rats pee, it is the way they mark their territory. If you get urinated on by your pet rats, consider yourself owned by them.

Rats are Exceptionally Clean

As animals most often associated with rubbish bins and sewers, people tend to think of rats as dirty animals. They spend several hours each day cleaning themselves and others. Grooming takes place individually or as groups. This provides a sort of social bonding experience among the commensal rodents.

Sometimes going into an extreme cleaning mode is considered an act of dominance. It is generally done among family members to establish a pecking order.

Even though rodents are color blind and have poor eyesight, a rat’s sense of touch, smell, and taste are incredible. Their excellent senses have been used to detect landmines since the first World War. Pet rats usually employ water to help with their cleaning regime. By adding a water dish to your rat’s cage, you can observe their washing habits.

Pet Rats Are Just Like Wild Rats

Most people might not like the fact that pet rats are nothing more than domesticated brown rats. They have developed various fur types, color patterns, and a calmer disposition over the years.

However, they are still the same species and can breed with wild cousins.

Initially, rats were domesticated to the blood sport rat baiting. Punters could bet on how many rats a terrier could kill within a particular time limit they gained. Only in the 20th century did they gain popularity as pets.

The Bosavi Woolly Rat

In 2009 the Bosavi woolly rat was discovered in the Papua New Guinea jungle. It can reach a length of 32 inches and is the most enormous rat found today.

The size of this animal is similar to the Gambian pouched rat and other rats in that category.

It was discovered by the team filming a BBC wildlife documentary. The find happened in an extinct volcano crater known as Mount Bosavi. This cater is 3,300 feet above sea level, an area that no one through the rat could exist. These rats also show no fear of humans, but that could be due to their large size.

Female Rat Facts

Within six hours, a doe (female rat) can mate around 500 times. Females are fertile every three weeks and can produce a typical litter size of seven to 20 babies.

While all rats are social creatures, females tend to be more territorial and smaller in size. At the same time, the male rat counterpart is often more playful and snuggly.

Brown Rats

The common brown rat has a pointed nose, large bare ears, scaly tail, and grey-brown fur. Known as the fancy rat, the male rats can grow up to 10 inches.

An undomesticated brown rat can spread diseases through its urine—diseases such as Salmonella, Listeria, Leptospirosis, or Weil’s disease.

These creatures can also cause a significant amount of structural damage to homes and furniture. An infestation can ruin an a businesses reputation.

Conclusion

Many animal deterrent tips can be found online to get rid of your problem as soon as possible. Things like including cats in the household have been found to get rid of rodents.

If you are struggling with a rat problem at home or your workplace, a AAAC Wildlife Removal can assist you with that.

We hope that you learned something from all these interesting facts about rats!

Originally published on https://aaacwildliferemoval.com/blog/rats/cool-facts-about-rats/

from AAAC Wildlife Removal of Denver https://denver.aaacwildliferemoval.com/blog/rats/cool-facts-about-rats/

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aaacphoenix · 2 years

Text

Cool Facts About Rats

Rats Can Swim

Can you believe it? Rats are great swimmers and could give Michael Phelps some competition. Sure, rats can hold their breath for up to three minutes and can tread water for up to three days.

Some species can even swim over a mile without getting tired. There are stories of rats ending up in toilets. They can make their way up through the pipes easily.

A Rat’s Teeth Never Stops Growing

There Are Many Types of Rats

The Norway rat, roof rat(black rats), white rat, and Rattus Norvegicus are the most commonly known species. However, most people don’t know that over 56 known species of rats exist worldwide.

Some Rats Get Big

Rats Are Prolific Breeders

They Are Social Creatures

Rat Can Carry Pathogens That Spread Disease

Rats Can Laugh

When rats play, they experience social joy. It is something that researcher Jakk Panksepp studied.

This behavior results in a high-pitched chirping noise. Their laugh is unlike a chuckle you might hear from a human being.

Rats Can Squeeze Through Small Holes

A Rats Bite is Painful

Rats Can Control Their Bladder

Most people use a ferret size litter tray filled with paper cat litter. There are, however, other options on the market that are more rat-friendly.

When rats pee, it is the way they mark their territory. If you get urinated on by your pet rats, consider yourself owned by them.

Rats are Exceptionally Clean

Sometimes going into an extreme cleaning mode is considered an act of dominance. It is generally done among family members to establish a pecking order.

Pet Rats Are Just Like Wild Rats

Most people might not like the fact that pet rats are nothing more than domesticated brown rats. They have developed various fur types, color patterns, and a calmer disposition over the years.

However, they are still the same species and can breed with wild cousins.

The Bosavi Woolly Rat

In 2009 the Bosavi woolly rat was discovered in the Papua New Guinea jungle. It can reach a length of 32 inches and is the most enormous rat found today.

The size of this animal is similar to the Gambian pouched rat and other rats in that category.

Female Rat Facts

Within six hours, a doe (female rat) can mate around 500 times. Females are fertile every three weeks and can produce a typical litter size of seven to 20 babies.

While all rats are social creatures, females tend to be more territorial and smaller in size. At the same time, the male rat counterpart is often more playful and snuggly.

Brown Rats

The common brown rat has a pointed nose, large bare ears, scaly tail, and grey-brown fur. Known as the fancy rat, the male rats can grow up to 10 inches.

An undomesticated brown rat can spread diseases through its urine—diseases such as Salmonella, Listeria, Leptospirosis, or Weil’s disease.

These creatures can also cause a significant amount of structural damage to homes and furniture. An infestation can ruin an a businesses reputation.

Conclusion

Many animal deterrent tips can be found online to get rid of your problem as soon as possible. Things like including cats in the household have been found to get rid of rodents.

If you are struggling with a rat problem at home or your workplace, a AAAC Wildlife Removal can assist you with that.

We hope that you learned something from all these interesting facts about rats!

Originally published on https://aaacwildliferemoval.com/blog/rats/cool-facts-about-rats/

Originally published here: https://phoenix.aaacwildliferemoval.com/blog/rats/cool-facts-about-rats/

#AAAC Wildlife Removal of Phoenix

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susieatencionjna · 6 years

Text

Sustainable Missoula: Gardens help Missoula’s Native American population get healthy

“Sitting on top of a small asphalt parking lot at 830 W. Central Ave., you can find 12 cedar wood raised garden boxes.

The boxes are surrounded by a wooden post-and-cinder block fence to separate it from the rest of the parking lot.

During the summer, you will see most garden staples that tend to do well in Montana, such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, beets, kale and others, growing vibrantly.

This is the Missoula Urban Indian Health Center (MUIHC) Community Garden.”

View the Original Story at: “MissoulaCurrent.com“

0 notes

scottrennne · 6 years

Text

Sustainable Missoula: Gardens help Missoula’s Native American population get healthy

“Sitting on top of a small asphalt parking lot at 830 W. Central Ave., you can find 12 cedar wood raised garden boxes.

The boxes are surrounded by a wooden post-and-cinder block fence to separate it from the rest of the parking lot.

During the summer, you will see most garden staples that tend to do well in Montana, such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, beets, kale and others, growing vibrantly.

This is the Missoula Urban Indian Health Center (MUIHC) Community Garden.”

View the Original Story at: “MissoulaCurrent.com“

0 notes

xeniawrightne · 6 years

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Sustainable Missoula: Gardens help Missoula’s Native American population get healthy

“Sitting on top of a small asphalt parking lot at 830 W. Central Ave., you can find 12 cedar wood raised garden boxes.

The boxes are surrounded by a wooden post-and-cinder block fence to separate it from the rest of the parking lot.

During the summer, you will see most garden staples that tend to do well in Montana, such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, beets, kale and others, growing vibrantly.

This is the Missoula Urban Indian Health Center (MUIHC) Community Garden.”

View the Original Story at: “MissoulaCurrent.com“

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ivorysandersonmkna · 6 years

Text

Sustainable Missoula: Gardens help Missoula’s Native American population get healthy

“Sitting on top of a small asphalt parking lot at 830 W. Central Ave., you can find 12 cedar wood raised garden boxes.

The boxes are surrounded by a wooden post-and-cinder block fence to separate it from the rest of the parking lot.

During the summer, you will see most garden staples that tend to do well in Montana, such as onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, beets, kale and others, growing vibrantly.

This is the Missoula Urban Indian Health Center (MUIHC) Community Garden.”

View the Original Story at: “MissoulaCurrent.com“

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newstfionline · 6 years

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In South Texas, tens of thousands live in border enclaves without water or power

By Maria Sacchetti, Washington Post, January 30, 2018

LA PRESA, Texas --A ragged American flag flutters outside Rosa Castro’s trailer near the U.S.-Mexico border. She has no electricity, no running water, and little hope that she ever will.

Castro is one of about 500,000 people residing in hundreds of unincorporated towns in south Texas, places with quirky names such as Little Mexico, Radar Base, Betty Acres and Mike’s that were created when developers carved up ranchland that was unprepared for human habitation and sold the parcels at bargain prices, mostly to low-income immigrants and Mexican Americans.

Buyers plunked down double-wide trailers or wood-and-cinder-block houses and waited for the paved roads, electricity, and water and sewer systems to arrive.

For thousands of people, they never did.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas says the enclaves, known in Spanish as colonias, represent one of the largest concentrations of poverty in the United States. Texas outlawed their creation and expansion in 1989. The state and federal government have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to improve some of the outposts, but have done little in others, for reasons that include the high costs and questions about who owns which land.

Critics of colonias say people frustrated by the lack of services should move to established cities and towns, but residents refuse to abandon their land after years of trying to make it work. They are irked that the state government recently cut funding for health care, water and other services for colonias, and that President Trump is pushing a $25 billion border wall and security upgrades at a time when illegal border crossings are low and colonias could use a federal boost.

“We can’t move away from here. We want Washington to do something,” said Castro, a 70-year-old grandmother. “We’re in the United States after all.”

Jesse Gonzalez, an elected commissioner in Webb County, says he has made it his priority to bring a park and a water pump to La Presa. The county has applied for state grants to finance both projects.

“We don’t live in a Third World country,” Gonzalez said.

About 330 colonias--and nearly 38,000 people--are stuck in the most extreme conditions, without clean running water, sewers, or even clear boundaries needed to develop the land, according to the state. Another 115,000 people live in enclaves without paved roads, drainage or solid-waste disposal.

Residents of La Presa, a community of 300 surrounding a bluish lake at the center of town that is hidden by mesquite and sweet acacia trees, buy bottled water for drinking. Two or three times a week, they hitch empty water tanks to pickup trucks and drive about a dozen miles to Laredo to pump water for their washing machines, sinks, toilets and tubs.

The cost is nominal, about $1.25 each filling, but the supply dwindles fast.

Sylvia Zuazua, a flea market cashier, has lived without running water for decades. She and her husband paid $5,200 for an acre of land in the 1970s, dreaming of raising their family on a small farm. They bought chickens, cows and a pony, but they eventually sold them all because they had no water.

“Supposedly the United States is the richest country,” she said with a shake of her head. “I tell my husband, he’s going to be buried and we won’t see water.”

The improvements that have trickled into La Presa over the years have made a big difference, residents say. Electrical hookups arrived over a decade ago for residents who could prove they owned the land. Around the same time, the government built an adobe-tinted community center where elderly residents play loteria, the Mexican version of bingo, pick up bags of donated sweet bread and ham sandwiches, and gather for meetings.

But for those, like Castro, who cannot prove they own their land, electricity was not an option. And for county officials, some improvements are simply too expensive--extending water and sewer service to La Presa, for example, would cost more than $120,000 per family, which is more expensive than housing in Laredo.

The rightful homeowners in colonias are often unclear because many paid for their land in cash and did not have the land formally mapped out and deeded with the county government. Others illegally carved up existing plots and sold them. And in other cases, the owners died without having a will that would indicate who owns the property.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) this summer eliminated an $860,000 state ombudsman program for colonias, which allowed them to seek help from an array of state agencies through a single point of entry.

The Associated Press reported that some of those agencies lost funding they had used to provide water and other services to colonias.

State officials say the settlements will continue to receive funding and can seek help directly at each government agency.

But some Texas politicians say the state and federal governments should find a way to bring colonias up to basic standards. Most residents of colonias are U.S. citizens, they note. Many served in the U.S. military.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo), a former secretary of state in Texas who represents La Presa and the surrounding area, has suggested diverting border-wall funding to improve the colonias.

Carlos Cascos, a Republican and another former secretary of state, under Abbott, said the state and federal governments should invest $100 million a year for the next 15 years to modernize colonias.

“These are basic necessities,” said Cascos, who lives in the border city of Brownsville and is running for a judgeship in Cameron County. “They’re not asking for curbs and gutters and sidewalks. They’re asking for water.”

Castro said she moved to La Presa more than a dozen years ago, after she lost her house in Laredo to foreclosure. County officials say they can do little to provide Castro access to utilities for her trailer, because it’s unclear who owns the property where she lives, and only a court can resolve the issue.

Officials tried to help her apply for public housing in Laredo, but Castro says she wants to pay her own way.

She says she also did not want to burden her relatives. But as temperatures sank this winter, she sought refuge with a brother who has heat and hot water.

“They’re going to build a park,” Castro said. “We don’t need a park. We need water.”

#Texas #colonias #U.S.-Mexico border

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joesbrownusa · 7 years

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Houses For Sale in Georgetown, DE

24755 Mill Pond Ln

Price: $344900

Quick Delivery with New Interior Photos Coming Soon. This Home is Ready to Go and Features a Great Open First Floor Plan with an Office and First Floor Master with 2 Walk in Closets and a Second Floor With 3 more Bedrooms and a Large Living Area. Hardwood, Tiling, and Granite Counter Tops Are Included as well as a Full Basement and Many Other Upgrades. This New Georgetown Plan is Sure to Become One of our Most Popular. Make your Call Today to Set Up Your Private Viewing! (The photo of the second floor plan will have a finished living area where it says “open to below”). Make your call t o see this one today before its gone!!

24731 Draper Loop

Price: $229000

Privacy and charm is what this home offers, but still within a community. The lot is almost three acres and mostly wooded. This 5 year young home has a spacious family room, dining room and galley kitchen with three bedrooms with large closets and two full bathrooms. The main bedroom has a full bath with double sinks and a shower. The attic has a floored area for plenty of storage. There is a deck that sits off the back of the home for you to enjoy cool summer nights grilling. Perfect home to start with or downsize too.

44 Cinder Way

Price: $215000

Tired of cutting grass, shoveling snow, taking care of exterior repairs, then you’re ready for Village of Cinderberry. Enjoy the care free lifestyle of this caring community. Beautifully landscaped among pine trees. Tranquil setting as you enjoy the screened porch or waving to neighbors from your front porch. Desirable open floor plan, breakfast bar, island, gas cooking, Fireplace, Plantation shutters, Laundry Rm w/pocket door, comfortably sized 2 bedrooms, walk in seated shower, Jetted Soaking Tub. MORE? Convenient to shopping and beaches. Enjoy the Georgetown community at the festival s, parades, summer concerts, and farmers market.

6 Cranberry Ct

Price: $223900

Located in the stress free, Natural Gas, 50+ Active Adult Community – The Village of Cinderberry. This lifestyle includes exterior home maintenance, lawn care, indoor pool, fitness center, game room and more! The beautiful home is located on a corner lot and also in a cul de sac for perfect serenity. The interior of the home features an open floor plan with gas fireplace, hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and hallway along with all tiled floors in the sunroom, 3 season porch (with EZ up windows) and laundry room/pantry area. There is also a outdoor patio perfect for grilli ng. The kitchen offers a breakfast bar and island with backsplash to match its perfect corian counter tops. Large Master Suite w/walk in closet, full shower and jet tub. This is a must see for anyone wanting everything and being so conveniently located to shopping, restaurants and beaches.

10 Fairway East Dr

Price: $329900

Beautifully maintained 3 bedroom 3 bath home in Golf Village adjacent to Sussex Pines Country Club. This southern colonial style has the best of always popular colonial style with all the modern amenities. A large downstairs master with two closets, shower, whirlpool tub and double vanities. It has a living room, foyer , and dining area with hardwood floors. The kitchen is modern with hardwood cabinets, stainless steel appliances and island. There is a large utility room as you enter from the garage.There is family room with a brick gas fireplace with storage and shelving. Just adjacent is a 3 season room with real windows providing and additional 220 square feet of living space not included in the total. Upstairs are two large bedrooms a bathroom and a 400 sq. foot heated and air-conditioned area with lots of light that has many uses. Walk down the back stairs to the garage and go out to the fenced in back yard with storage shed. Call to view this home today.

24615 Hollytree Cir

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Under Construction Now With Time to Pick all Your Colors!! This Lewes Floor Plan is Quickly becoming one of our Most Popular Models. Its Open and Split Floor Plan with Additional Office Appeals to a Wide Variety of Buyers. Photos are of the same model that has already been completed but new photos are coming soon. The Home Features a Full Basement, Fireplace, Concrete Patio, 10′ Ceilings, Granite Counter Tops, Tile, & Hardwood Floors, a Large Lot, and Many other Upgrades. Make your call today for an appointment to see one we already have constructed!!

237 Bedford St

Price: $119180

Welcome home! This adorable 4 bedroom, 1 bath rancher is full of potential and is located in town limits of Georgetown! Enjoy the convenience of being within walking distance to the town circle as well as less than 25 minutes away from the beaches! The large pole building with concrete floors is perfect for those looking for a garage and/or workshop or even just looking for extra storage space! A side deck, large fenced in yard, spacious eat in kitchen, large pantry and more! Schedule a showing today, this one won’t last long!

28 W North St

Price: $105545

Investor opportunity! This property was recently foreclosed by a bank or financial institution and is now available to purchase online at Auction.com ending 02-28-2017. Visit Auction.com now to view additional photos, Property Reports with title information, Plat maps with property lines and Interior Property Inspection Reports when available. Auction.com sells properties across the country online for financial institutions and government agencies who are very motivated to sell to investors. Don’t miss this special opportunity to buy homes at wholesale prices! In our online auctions and live Foreclosure Sales, Auction.com currently has 12 properties scheduled for sale in Sussex County and 38 throughout Delaware. All properties and sale details can be found with a simple search at Auction.com. Create a FREE account today to find more properties like this one, save searches of properties that meet your investment criteria and have the properties you’re looking for emailed directly to you when posted in an upcoming sale event. To view the complete details of this exact property, click the Auction.com link below or paste the Property ID 2340416 into the search bar at Auction.com

Wilson Rd

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This Property is Secluded and is Approx. 1900 Ft. from Wilson Road and is Surrounded Mostly by State Forest Land. There is an Easement Provided for Access to the Property. Perfect for Hunting, Camping or a Secluded Home Site.

24569 Beaver Way

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Excellent condition! Enjoy the serenity in this 5 bedroom, loft, and 3 full bath home, featuring a first floor Master Suite,GRANITE countertops, STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES, open floor plan, in a quiet neighborhood. Elegant features such as crown molding. Ashburn built home that is turn key.

22075 Breasure Rd

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Move-In Ready!!! This 4 bedroom, 3 bath Cape Cod has been freshly painted and has new carpet, vinyl, new appliances, heat pumps and more! Enjoy all the space this home has to offer as well as the large amount of space you’ll have outdoors as well! Home is located on over an acre of land and is on a back road but is also conveniently located close to the town of Georgetown and Millsboro! A 2 car attached garage, a shed in the backyard, a 1st floor master bedroom with a full master bath and more are waiting for you to see! Schedule a showing today, this one won’t last long!!! This is a Fa nnie Mae HomePath Property.

21460 Park Ave

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211 Old Laurel Rd

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32 Clover Dr

Price: $259900

SPARKLING HOME. Feel the warmth of this mint condition home with major upgrades and improvements throughout! Gorgeous, light-filled home with open floor plan features a welcoming foyer open to the second story, spacious living room with gas fireplace, upgraded country kitchen with walk-in pantry, large first floor master suite, oak staircase, huge 2-car attached garage with built in shelving and attached garden shed with ramp for ample, easy storage, a worry-free conditioned crawl space, and so much more! Enjoy warmer weather from either the wrap-around front porch or from the multi-lev el rear deck with awning situated in the generously-sized and private fenced backyard. Located in a tranquil in-town community, only a few blocks away from the Circle, and only a short drive to Route 1 and the beaches.

6 Patterson Dr

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309 Sussex Central Dr

Price: $199900

Impeccably maintained 3 bdrm, 2ba home on corner lot just outside of Cinderberry in Georgetown. Open floor plan has gorgeous natural light flowing throughout the open floor plan. New fridge, deep closets, generous sized bdrms, remodeled master bath. Mature landscaping, adorable shed with electric, and Azek deck outside. Energy efficient heat pump with gas backup. Schedule your showing today before its gone!

26416 Fells St

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GREAT STARTER HOME! This 3 bedroom, 2 bath home situated on a large lot is a perfect first home. Home features spacious, single level living, split bedroom floor plan, rear deck and huge back yard great for summer entertaining. Call today!

from Houses For Sale – The OC Home Search http://www.theochomesearch.com/houses-for-sale-in-georgetown-de/ from OC Home Search https://theochomesearch.tumblr.com/post/157997636735

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