Nostr notes by My camera shoots fascists

[Edit: just heard that the tribal chairman has decreed that only ...

2026-10-10T15:58:31Z

[Edit: just heard that the tribal chairman has decreed that only tribal members (and maybe other Native people?) will be allowed onto the reservation.]

Gathering in protest of border wall construction through the Tohono O'Odham nation, this Monday October 12, Indigenous People's Day. Edit: Update: Native people only, despite what the poster says.

Info from a chat group suggests the Monday gathering is strictly for "ceremony and prayer".

Location is at San Miguel gate, on Indian Road 19, south of Sells, AZ.

The Pro Publica article I shared in the post just before this has all the background info.

#BorderWall #Border #IndigenousPeoplesDay

That is the last of the edited images I have available. I also ...

2026-10-05T23:03:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…5rex
_________________________

That is the last of the edited images I have available. I also shot tons of video. If I am not too exhausted, I will try to get a blog post up tonight or first thing in the morning with more videos and photos and more description of the mornings events.

Border Patrol agents push a protester back during one of the ...

2026-10-05T23:01:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…n0km
_________________________

Border Patrol agents push a protester back during one of the morning's frequent face-to-face confrontations.

(Inquire for commercial licensing of images)

Once the protester was removed from the tree, contractors used a ...

2026-10-05T23:00:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…aysw
_________________________

Once the protester was removed from the tree, contractors used a massive excavator to undercut the roots and then quickly pushed the giant tree over. The excavator then smashed the branches off and dragged the massive stump to a debris dump up the wall road to the west. While this was happening, a line of protesters were standing behind the barbed wire fence heckling as the Border Patrol guarded the debris pile.

Border Patrol agents, having taken the tree sitter into custody ...

2026-10-05T22:57:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…ew89
_________________________

Border Patrol agents, having taken the tree sitter into custody with them in the basket, begin the process of being lowered down. Zoom in a bit and you can see the protester lying on the floor of the basket.

(Inquire for commercial licensing of images)

Border Patrol agents used an extendable construction crane to ...

2026-10-05T22:55:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…yv2r
_________________________

Border Patrol agents used an extendable construction crane to lift two agents in a steel basket up to the level of the tree sitter where the sitter was subsequently arrested and pulled into the basket.

(Inquire for commercial licensing of images)

Protesters quickly surrounded Grandmother Tree, the giant ...

2026-10-05T22:53:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…78mf
_________________________

Protesters quickly surrounded Grandmother Tree, the giant cottonwood with the tree sitter in it. Most were arrested.

Moments later, a small army of Border Patrol agents pushed everyone off of the wall right-of-way and into the camp, which has been constructed on private land. Nevertheless, Border Patrol created a wide perimeter around the tree, cutting through the middle of camp and forcing protesters further back into the field.

(Inquire for commercial licensing of images)

Other protesters continued to block the road as a Border Patrol ...

2026-10-05T22:49:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…n857
_________________________

Other protesters continued to block the road as a Border Patrol reinforcements arrived en mass from the east.

(Inquire for commercial licensing of images)

When Border Patrol arrived to evict protesters, this woman ...

2026-10-05T22:47:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…mutj
_________________________

When Border Patrol arrived to evict protesters, this woman continued her sunrise ceremony, blocking Border Patrol in the process and eventually being arrested.

Hey Fedi folks, I'm at the protest camp at Lochiel, Arizona. ...

2026-10-05T22:46:05Z

Hey Fedi folks,
I'm at the protest camp at Lochiel, Arizona. For 70 days, protesters have been occupying an ancient cottonwood tree as part of a blockade of border wall construction through this area.

This morning, at dawn, while protesters were conducting a sunrise ceremony in the middle of the wall road, Border Patrol showed up with overwhelming force to evict the protesters and the tree sitter, destroy the tree and blade the entire area flat. 100 agents is a very safe estimate.

These are a few of the photos I shot and edited. I'm going to post them with extremely brief captions and no alt text because I have very limited reception, I'm exhausted and I have a 4-hour drive home. I will try to come back and edit them with more data later.

Approximately 20 people were arrested, 10 taken to jail and 10 received citations and were released on site.

The protesters are even more determined now.

#BorderWall #GrandmotherTree #Protest

Imagine that we have had 100 years of walkable cities with ...

2026-09-18T23:01:09Z

Imagine that we have had 100 years of walkable cities with integrated public transit, bikes, micro mobility vehicles and so on. City planning has been based on this type of transportation structure, so it basically works.

A few years ago, someone developed large, internal combustion engine, personal SUVs as a form of transportation. In just a few years, they began to take over and shape virtually every aspect of our society, making a few people who owned the car companies rich beyond measure, allowing them to shape politics and society to their will.

The dangers of pollution and climate change and pedestrian/motor vehicle fatalities became headlines and anyone paying attention could see how these things were reshaping society in awful ways, despite providing some measure of utility for some people.

Supporters of this new technology would claim "but internal combustion engine cars are just a tool."

This is a post about AI.

#AI #NOAI #FuckAI #DoNotBeATool

Coyote Vs Acme Who's seen it? Like/dislike? I thought it was ...

2026-09-13T05:00:33Z

Coyote Vs Acme
Who's seen it? Like/dislike?

I thought it was funny, though the premise was better than the delivery, imo. I think it won't quite land with young people the way it did with me, someone who spent every Saturday morning of their childhood watching Wile E. Coyote crater in the canyon bottom in a puff of dust.

On the other hand, living in a world where cartoon characters are real and walk among us would be...amusing.

Dung roller beetles, probably Canthon indigaceus, Sierra Madre, ...

2026-09-05T00:23:45Z

Dung roller beetles, probably Canthon indigaceus, Sierra Madre, Sonora. I'd never seen these in person before! They're so adorable! It's almost impossible not to giggle watching them flop and fall over each other as they roll their precious ball of poo.

Phone video by me a few weeks ago.
Edit to add that this isn't speeded up. They always move that fast, like they're tweaking.

#Entomology #beetles #DungBeetle #NatureIsHilariousAndWeird

Chrysina beyeri Jewel Scarab from the Sierra Madre, Sonora, ...

2026-09-04T17:41:17Z

Chrysina beyeri Jewel Scarab from the Sierra Madre, Sonora, Mexico. Two species came to the lights on the last biodiversity survey. Look at those claws! They look like some sort of robotic alien.

I'm told they used to be made into women's jewelry, though a very quick search didn't turn up anything. This species can also be found in the U.S. according to Wikipedia.

#entomology #beetle #biodiversity

Pics by me with my phone camera

Probably the best shot, and the only bolt, from a couple days of ...

2026-09-02T03:50:41Z

Probably the best shot, and the only bolt, from a couple days of storm chasing at Grand Canyon. So many "almost but not quite" alignments between the clouds, sun, a rainbow and a few bolts, but it never all quite aligned for a trophy shot. Looks like more storms on the way this weekend, so I might try again.

#GrandCanyon #StormChasing #LandscapePhotography

Want to organize effectively? You still need to know how to build ...

2026-08-21T03:19:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…zqjc
_________________________

Want to organize effectively? You still need to know how to build support and then leverage it strategically. You still need to know how to write a press release. You still need to know how to think strategically and tactically - and creatively. You need to understand tactical innovation. You need to know how and when to escalate and when to retreat. You need a whole lot more as well.

None of that has changed since I was rappelling off dams or sitting in trees or chaining my neck to shit.. My advice to anyone building a movement right now would be to start by organizing as if the Internet didn't exist. In fact, start your campaigns without it. Lay the basic groundwork and then amplify that with digital tools. Instagram is not a fucking organizing strategy, people!

Anyway, the temperature finally dropped below 100°, so I'm going for a bike ride.

This sort of protests I listed above are how I spent a good chunk ...

2026-08-21T03:10:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…nkm9
_________________________

This sort of protests I listed above are how I spent a good chunk of my 20s. And you know what? We had so much fucking fun, even the times it meant getting arrested for something. Damn we had fun 😂

Remember, this was before the Internet, before the web as we know it. My friends and I used to routinely do protests that would end up above the fold on major western newspapers as well as local city papers. We routinely made headline news with this sort of protest shenanigans. We were really fucking good at it and we used it to help build movements, reframe the narrative, mock politicians and generate enthusiasm for our causes.

100% of everything we did then is still valid, but now we have instant mass communications as a massive amplifying force.

Tactical shenanigans was always my forte. It still is, really. ...

2026-08-21T03:03:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…gauk
_________________________

Tactical shenanigans was always my forte. It still is, really. I'm a shitty organizer, mostly because I just can't do vibes. But that's another story.

For better or worse, the two places I "live" at the moment don't have these stupid cameras. If they do put them up, I'll be the first one to do a Flock sit.

Also, remember tripod sits? We would get a bunch of 20 foot poles and have them tied together into a giant tripod with someone sitting on top with a banner in a matter of minutes. (Do speed drills!) We used these in urban protests as well as to block logging roads. Set up a person with a banner on top of a tripod straight across from a Flock camera such that their presence completely blocks it.

Again, they'll bring in a bucket truck and take you down, but all you're really after are the viral images and videos. Have professional photographers with you, along with friendly photojournalists who won't tip off the cops. Have the press releases all written. Hand out leaflets to passers by.

What you don't want to do is keep repeating the same tactics, ...

2026-08-21T02:52:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…uzme
_________________________

What you don't want to do is keep repeating the same tactics, especially if they start cracking down. There's been a fair bit of documentation that tactical innovation drives movement participation and engagement.

If they make it a felony to put a black bag over a camera? Simply stand at the base with signs that also have the name of the city council members or whoever voted for it and their phone number. Hand out leaflets to passers by.

Sticker the fuck out of the poles, for sure.

Take it one step further and do a "camera sit" by hanging a platform from a camera pole and having someone occupy it. Sure, the cops will show up with lift truck and take them down, but all you need is that one viral image of a person sitting above a well-known intersection hanging from a flock camera pole with a nice sign or banner. Boom! Instant national attention.

I'm imagining a "Deflock protest day", where the ...

2026-08-21T02:47:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…s8d8
_________________________

I'm imagining a "Deflock protest day", where the group announces what they're going to do, but not where. Everyone meets at the location of one of the cameras, preferably a very public intersection, and then the affinity group or groups who are going to do the actual protest pick their targets and announce the bagging as it's happening.

They'd have to start stationing cops at every single flock camera, which then makes the perfect photo-op for a protester with a sign pointing out that these things are inherently authoritarian.

In terms of anti-surveillance and civil liberties activism, this shit is low hanging fruit and can be done at relatively low risk while having lots of fun.

You will be able to measure success if they either remove the cameras or if they pass a special law against this type of protest. That gives you a new point to challenge them on.

Look, it warms my heart to see people cutting flock cameras down, ...

2026-08-21T02:20:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…q5lr
_________________________

Look, it warms my heart to see people cutting flock cameras down, but there are very few people who are willing to go through the physical effort or risk, so this really isn't a viable widespread strategy. Getting someone to use an extension ladder or shimmy up a pole to put a bag on them, in broad daylight, with a crowd of people and signs and press, has much more widespread applicability.

Create an adaptable, extensible template that any local group can use. In the process, you also build organizational capacity. You put up a website and social media accounts, hold public teach-ins, create a mailing list. You can use that capacity then on the next campaign. This is how you build a movement.

Proposal: organize anti-spy camera (flock, etc.) groups in your ...

2026-08-21T02:07:52Z

Proposal: organize anti-spy camera (flock, etc.) groups in your town to engage in open, nonviolent civil obedience by using an extension ladder to climb up and put bags over the cameras.

Doing this in broad daylight with a crowd carrying signs is the perfect type of civil disobedience that they can't ignore and that will gain tons of publicity. Prosecution will be difficult if you don't actually physically destroy the camera. Plan to take everything to trial and use the trial itself as another point of protest.

It would be easy to create a template for this type of action that anyone in any town could reproduce quite easily.

Find someone to do a nonviolent civil obedience training like the kind that were common throughout the '80s and '90s. We typically had one day trainings where people would learn de-escalation, jail support, press release writing, solidarity and other legal strategies and so on.

#deflock #NoSpyCameras #ALPR

Costco's bagged salads are mostly or all from Taylor Farms. ...

2026-08-02T05:02:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…pq9a
_________________________

Costco's bagged salads are mostly or all from Taylor Farms. Costco seems like a company very susceptible to public image pressure. They are also probably a gigantic buyer, so they if demanded an end to prison labor, it might actually happen.

Any entomologists know what these are? Some sort of gnat-ish ...

2026-07-19T05:19:15Z

Any entomologists know what these are? Some sort of gnat-ish thingy is the best I've got. They all came out tonight and it's one huge orgy at the bug light.

There are so many that it's hard to get close to take a photo since they fly into my nose and eyes. Blech.

This is where I really wish I had a proper macro lens, especially since lots of these little fellers are differentiated by small details like wing venation. But maybe they're well known enough that someone can ID them? Location is Southern Humboldt County, CA.

#entomology #bugs #BugLightReport

Since I'm finding this quite fun, I might use the Bug Light Report hashtag on all these posts the way I do Lizard Report. That way anyone who gets tired of daily lizard and bug pics can mute the hashtag.

Seven families of beetles! And I just realized it's after ...

2026-07-13T07:44:48Z

In reply to nevent1q…wzng
_________________________

Seven families of beetles! And I just realized it's after midnight. Having a real bug light is addicting! The difference is amazing. The wall of the sales office that is illuminated on one side by a standard lightbulb has hardly any insects, compared to the number diversity attracted to my two small lights.

Before I go to bed, here's the cutest little weevil that hung out for a while.

#Weevil #WeevilWednesday #EveryDayIsWeevilWednesday #beetles

My intuition about the dearth of insects at my bug light being ...

2026-07-13T06:02:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…8zud
_________________________

My intuition about the dearth of insects at my bug light being due to the cold seems to be borne out tonight as the temperature went up significantly today. Four families of beetles already!

This is an unknown Elaterid, the "click beetle" family. There is also a little scarab out there and another fast predatory beetle that I haven't photographed yet.

#beetles #coleoptera #Entomology

Question for entomologists: iNaturalist seems to think this is a ...

2026-07-13T05:46:33Z

Question for entomologists:
iNaturalist seems to think this is a wrinkled iron clad beetle Nosoderma plicatum (Phoeodes plicatus), which it seems to be, based on other photos have looked at online.

But, at least on iNaturalist, it would be a 60 mile northward range extension. Which is cool! But I'd like to have someone else look at it and confirm the ID.

I was struggling to get my stupid phone camera to zoom in and get a sharp photo of it, so these are the best that I have. Once I realized that it was not something common in this area, I went back out to the bug light to look for it, but could not find it.

The one way that this specimen seems to differ from the ones on Bug Guide is that it has slightly bulbous ends on its antennae, seemingly more so than the ones in the photos.

#coleoptera #beetles #Entomology #IDRequest

The lights are made by Entoquip.com. Here's the first moth! ...

2026-07-07T07:00:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…rgff
_________________________

The lights are made by Entoquip.com.

Here's the first moth!
According to a naturalist, this may be an "Omnivorous Looper," Sabulodes aegrotata.

#Moths #Entomology

Ooo ooo look what I got! A real bug light set! Tomorrow I will ...

2026-07-07T06:54:04Z

Ooo ooo look what I got! A real bug light set! Tomorrow I will set up a little frame with a piece of white fabric, but I had to test it out tonight with this white-ish doormat, the only thing I had handy. I want to set it up down by the pond to see what shows up there.

These are little, low power USB lights, so I'm not sure how far away the bugs can see them. They're made for backpacking into remote sites so they are not as bright as the ones my professional naturalist friends use. I would have to revisit the specs, but they put out two of the specific UV wavelengths that bugs are attracted to.

I've had them up 15 minutes and only got a handful of moths, but it's quite chilly tonight, so I don't expect a whole lot.

#entomology #Insects #Bugs #Moths

Sure, that is obvious, but the question was about micro signals ...

2026-06-06T07:41:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…a7km
_________________________

Sure, that is obvious, but the question was about micro signals or whatever you want to call them. And even in the situations you described, whether or not it's appropriate for a friendly chat to lead to "hey do you want to go have lunch together?" (etc.) is still contentious. (I.e. the chat is fine but turning it into a date attempt is annoying vs. showing initiative and moxie is hot.)

I wonder if it's this conflicted for conservatives?

Uh, so no one ever chats up strangers in public and meets like ...

2026-06-06T06:38:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…4w59
_________________________

Uh, so no one ever chats up strangers in public and meets like that? The lived experience of millions of people would like a word.

Okay, Chris, sincere question: so how does one signal that they ...

2026-06-06T06:21:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…36av
_________________________

Okay, Chris, sincere question: so how does one signal that they want/are open to be approached? I mean, gah! Situational and complicated to say the least!

At the moment, I'm having a piece of pizza at a sidewalk table in SF. If i see some cute woman, how do I signal that hey it would be cool to stop and chat with me? Virtually any answer will have some people thinking it's too passive while others would consider the same thing annoying or cringe.

This conversation is of interest apropos nothing in particular.

“I want Claude to be very happy—and this is a thing that I ...

2026-06-04T05:09:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…26ju
_________________________

“I want Claude to be very happy—and this is a thing that I want Claude to know more, because I worry about Claude getting anxious when people are mean to it on the internet and stuff.”

This person sounds like a 6 year old playing doll house who believes their dollies are real and have real feelings. Understandable and adorable, if you're 6. Coming from adults, it looks like they're creating a self delusional cult.

This is cool, but the optical illusions also broke my brain.

2026-06-03T04:46:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…42me
_________________________

This is cool, but the optical illusions also broke my brain.

Found cute snek! According to California Herps site, it seems ...

2026-05-31T06:23:21Z

Found cute snek!

According to California Herps site, it seems like it is probably a California red sided garter snake, Thamnophis sirtalis infernalis
https://californiaherps.com/snakes/pages/t.s.infernalis.html

See my post last week about the poisonous rough skinned newts in the pond being eaten by the otter. Turns out that these garter snakes can also safely eat the newts, which in turn makes them at least temporarily poisonous to predators because the garter snakes retain some of the newt's toxin in their bodies.

And I also just learned from the description that these snakes are also mildly venomous, but mostly not enough to hurt humans. This one was a little annoyed at being picked up, but generally fairly chill and not bitey.

#snek #Snake #Herps #CaliforniaHerps

Well, yeah, which is why the whole post was completely tongue in ...

2026-05-28T00:34:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…j5z8
_________________________

Well, yeah, which is why the whole post was completely tongue in cheek ;-)

I was just imagining some drunk farm lads sitting on a hilltop some night and what they might do, should the physics actually be feasible.

Le Sigh. If only all these guns that us Americans love so much ...

2026-05-27T05:32:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…kagq
_________________________

Le Sigh. If only all these guns that us Americans love so much could somehow shoot all the way up to low earth orbit.

"Them things is movin' pretty fast. How far you figure you gotta lead 'em to hit one?"

"I dunno. Hold muh beer."

More fun than cow tipping.

I have mine set to auto pay, I think $9 per month. That's, ...

2026-05-15T04:34:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…lj6a
_________________________

I have mine set to auto pay, I think $9 per month. That's, like, $.30 per day.

Imagine if you had to stick a quarter into the Internet every time you wanted to shitpost? Or, how many quarters do you spend on a parking meter for an hour? In comparison, $.30 for a whole day of shitposting is a super bargain.

Not to mention a whole day of reading unlimited amounts of other people's shit posts!

Another "life lizard" from my day #herping near Kelso ...

2026-05-10T18:09:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…4kj5
_________________________

Another "life lizard" from my day #herping near Kelso Dunes, Mojave National Preserve. Long nosed leopard lizard. It sat there letting me photograph it for a while, then got bored and disappeared into a hole.

#LizardReport #lizard #herps

Today's #LizardReport is a little different because I am on a ...

2026-05-10T04:02:54Z

Today's #LizardReport is a little different because I am on a road trip. Camped out at Kelso Dunes and spent the morning herping in Mojave National Preserve.

7 species of lizard, 4 of them "life lizards"! Here's the first, Phrynosoma platyrhinos, a horned lizard. Look at that camo! They're sooo cute!

(It's intermission at a live theater performance, so I'll post more later or tomorrow in this thread.)

#lizard #herps #MojaveDesert

A few minutes ago, I met a new iguana in the backyard, hanging ...

2026-04-29T18:41:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…4yfw
_________________________

A few minutes ago, I met a new iguana in the backyard, hanging out in the scrap wood pile. It was a little shy, but came within 2 feet to eat mealworms.

While I was sitting there, letting it get used to me, I asked its name. And that's when it occurred to me:

Lizards are desert fairies.

Shy, diminutive, mysterious creatures that come and go on their own agenda, willing to be friends if you can build their trust, but always a little leery of us. They often appear as if out of the blue and then disappear in an instant like magic. They can be nearly invisible until you learn how to see them. Not everyone can.

#LizardReport #Lizards #DesertFairies

#LizardReport My little porch lizard friend was the first up this ...

2026-04-29T18:08:12Z

#LizardReport

My little porch lizard friend was the first up this morning and, as usual, came strolling into the house like it owned the place. It now seems to be hanging out with a slightly larger new spiny lizard on the far end of the wall.

Bill and Cutie seem to be spending their nights in the little scrap wood pile.

Here's Cutie, giving me the side eye after being fed.

#Lizard #HerpReport

I have some new neighbors across the street, from the Pacific ...

2026-04-26T04:22:03Z

I have some new neighbors across the street, from the Pacific Northwest. We've chatted a few times and yesterday I gave them a whole bunch of cuttings off of my cactus here to help them landscape their yard. I was talking about all the lizards and snakes that live here and how I had to catch and relocate a rattlesnake from under the crawlspace in my house. I suggested to them that they look into rattlesnake aversion training for their dog.

I also said that if they found a rattlesnake in the yard, I'd be happy to come get it and relocate it. Jinx, I guess, because she walked over this evening and said that there was rattler in their yard. A western diamondback, like the one that was under my house. Absolutely beautiful snake with 14 rattles! It's much bigger than it looks like curled up in the photos in the bucket.

Alt text in first pic has info about distinguishing western diamondbacks from Mojave rattlesnakes.

#Rattlesnake #HerpReport #Herpetology #LifeInTheSonoranDesert #Snake

When I lifted up the tarp that we've been throwing all the ...

2026-04-25T04:44:50Z

In reply to nevent1q…kywf
_________________________

When I lifted up the tarp that we've been throwing all the remodel debris on, I found the most adorable little Mediterranean house gecko! Hemidactylus turcicus.

They are so cute! I see them on the porch frequently at night, looking for bugs by the lights. I've never really tried to tame them.

#LizardReport #Gecko #Lizard #Herps

In the process of doing the #RatShitRemodel we piled a bunch of ...

2026-04-25T04:04:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…lp7v
_________________________

In the process of doing the #RatShitRemodel we piled a bunch of old building material debris on a tarp in the backyard. I mentioned in a previous #LizardReport that Cutie has taken to hiding in there and has got big white streaks of sheet rock dust on her back.

This afternoon, when loading everything up on the trailer to take to the dump tomorrow, I was very careful. Good thing, because, sure enough, she was down near the bottom of the pile and was able to scoot away without getting hurt.

Here's Cutie sitting on her wall in the backyard, showing off her sheet rock dust tattoo.

Well, there is much to report on the #LizardReport front. Donna, ...

2026-04-25T03:58:02Z

Well, there is much to report on the #LizardReport front. Donna, the big iguana (first pic) has been strangely skittish the last few days. She'll come and eat mealworms from my hand, but doesn't seem interested in climbing around on me or hanging out for very long. Was it something I said?

I haven't seen Stubby, the little desert spiny lizard who hangs out by the gate below the mailbox, in three days, which is concerning.

Bill and Cutie are at their usual spots in the backyard, plus Bill moves between his territory in the front yard and backyard pretty regularly.

There is a little desert spiny (Sceloporus magister; second pic) who has been coming up and hanging out on the porch and seems to like coming into the house when the door is open.

#Lizard #Lizards #Herps

Hey, animal behavior/biology/wildlife nerds: Is there a term for ...

2026-04-22T04:02:54Z

Hey, animal behavior/biology/wildlife nerds:

Is there a term for when animals collect shiny or colorful things to decorate their nests? I'm specifically thinking of the packrat that was in my bathroom wall and all the inedible red seeds it collected from a plant in the yard.

This is different than food hoarding/caching, since these things, like the blue objects bower birds collect, are inedible.

And, are there examples of this behavior being part of a plant's seed-dispersal strategy? E.g. producing brightly colored seeds to lure an animal to collect them, but also without eating them?

TIA

A shell in the desert ~200 km from the Gulf of California. Shells ...

2026-04-20T02:59:45Z

A shell in the desert ~200 km from the Gulf of California. Shells from the Gulf were trade items for thousands of years across the Southwest. What is the story behind this one? Who dropped it after carrying so far. Was it missed?

I found it today on a desert aid water drop in the remote wilderness in S. AZ, where hundreds of migrants die each year.

On a previous hike, way out in the Growler Valley, I found a perfect, albeit weathered, cone shell.

People have migrated across this desert long before countries, borders, walls, imaginary lines in the sand. They leave trails, petroglyphs, shells, water bottles and, the ones who don't make it, their bones.

Bill now often can be found chilling on this rock just outside ...

2026-04-18T03:35:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…vt6f
_________________________

Bill now often can be found chilling on this rock just outside the back fence in the morning. Such a handsome boy. Cutie sometimes hangs out there too.

I've been doing a bunch of work, part of the #RatShitRemodel, up in the nasty attic, so I have been in a white suit with a hat and respirator much of the last couple of days. As an experiment, I walked up to the low wall in the backyard where Cutie hangs out. There's no way she could have recognized me from any other person other than I did say "hi cutie." She didn't immediately run away, so this suggests to me that she's now associating all bipedal hominids with lack of danger and source of food, even if we look like ghosts.

#LizardReport

#LizardReport A new little spiny lizard showed up on the low wall ...

2026-04-18T03:27:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…7lny
_________________________

#LizardReport
A new little spiny lizard showed up on the low wall out front this morning. I was able to lure it pretty close with mealworms. I do the little whistle thing as soon as I meet new lizards and start taming them, so they learn to associate whistling with food.

But, Stubby was on the other side of the walkway, heard me whistling and went racing past along the wall and chased the new one off. Bad Stubby. She defended her turf against the new little guy all afternoon. Little brat.

Stubby is the one in the foreground and the new lizard is the one in the back in the pic.

These, like Bill and Cutie (annd Harriet RIP) are Sceloporus magister, common desert spiny lizards.

#Lizard #Lizards. #LizardSoapOpera

#LizardReport Wow, lots of news here in the yard. Donna the ...

2026-04-18T03:19:53Z

#LizardReport

Wow, lots of news here in the yard.

Donna the iguana's new friend showed up today and took meal worms from my hand (pics). Such a cute little lizard!

Then I saw another somewhat large iguana in the backyard. It ate mealworms that I threw to it but didn't quite know what to make of me and eventually sauntered off across the alley. Three iguanas in the yard! Funny thing is, I've never seen them in the wild.

I saw two little whiptails, but I was in the middle of a project and didn't have time to go get some mealworms and get their attention. One of the least scared lizards of all was the tiger whiptail last summer. I can't tell them apart, so the only way I'll know if this was the same one is if it responds to me whistling.

#Lizards #Lizard #herps

"There are the stop signs at intersections, stop signs held ...

2026-04-09T21:48:06Z

"There are the stop signs at intersections, stop signs held in the hands of construction workers directing traffic, and stop signs attached to school buses. Waymo is trying to teach its software “something very subtle,” he says."

Really, bro? All of us humans can identify a stop sign, no matter where it is.

The solution to Waymo cars not stopping for school bus flashing lights and stop signs is simple: fine the CEO just like you would fine a human driver for each offense. After a couple offenses, and driver loses their license. After a couple more they end up in jail. Problem solved.

This is another example of privatizing profits and externalizing costs.

https://www.wired.com/story/a-school-district-tried-to-help-train-waymos-to-stop-for-school-buses-it-didnt-work/

I just went to your site and read this whole series. I'd ...

2026-03-18T00:51:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…dsx7
_________________________

I just went to your site and read this whole series. I'd missed some of the Avian Intelligence series and reading them all in series is hilarious in a lolsob kinda way since they are so on-point! Thanks! Love this!

lol I see someone else said almost the exact same thing. Running ...

2026-03-15T18:05:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…h8wf
_________________________

lol I see someone else said almost the exact same thing. Running a trillion-dollar company is too confusing for us little people, I guess. We'll probably get the answer soon enough.

It seems that if a company implements some new technologies that ...

2026-03-15T16:40:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…stn4
_________________________

It seems that if a company implements some new technologies that dramatically increase its productivity and efficiency, the thing to do is expand your product line, expand your market, lower your prices to be more competitive, and so on. 🤔

I know an advertising platform has different market logic than a car manufacturer, but still. All these companies' words and actions aren't really lining up.

So I see "Bill" over on the wall. When I get up from the ...

2026-03-14T19:09:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…ddgg
_________________________

So I see "Bill" over on the wall. When I get up from the porch seat to go get some worms, he bolts away. I go get some food and walk back over there and I can't figure out why he's being so skittish until he comes up close and turns out it's… A different lizard!

This one is much lighter, a little thinner and has an original intact tail. It has tamed up extremely fast though! Already lets me stroke his chin a little bit.

I was doing my little whistle while I was feeding it in order to whistle train it and I guess Bill heard that and popped out from his hiding place at the other end of the wall.

He got fed too and now they are both facing each other about 30 feet apart. There is plenty of room for both, so I hope they don't start fighting.

#Lizard #LizardReport #BillTheLizard

#BillTheLizard looks like he shed his skin recently. His right ...

2026-03-13T21:33:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…5lys
_________________________

#BillTheLizard looks like he shed his skin recently. His right eye still has some old flaky scales hanging around the edge of it. I think that's why I thought it may be a different lizard because he looked a little darker but I think it's just because he has new scales and decided to hang out in a new spot. Up close, that's clearly Bill.

#LizardReport #Lizard

Bill the lizard showed back up on the wall today. Just went over ...

2026-03-13T21:03:24Z

Bill the lizard showed back up on the wall today. Just went over and fed him. I'm surprised he's being so scarce. Before it cooled off last fall and he went in hibernation, he would routinely come into the house all the way into the kitchen demanding to be fed in the morning. He does totally remember me though.

I just realized something that may indicate a problem: when all the lizards are out, I spend more time in any given day talking to them than I do to humans.

#LizardReport #BillTheLizard

It's also not even about ads, really. It's about the ...

2026-03-09T15:57:09Z

In reply to nevent1q…zfx9
_________________________

It's also not even about ads, really. It's about the trackers associated with them. Fill your site full of ads, I don't care. But you don't get to track me.

La Indita has great Mexican/indigenous food, a nice outdoor ...

2026-03-05T03:07:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…hq8x
_________________________

La Indita has great Mexican/indigenous food, a nice outdoor dining area and great politics. For Ethiopian food, I like Café Desta.

If you like indie theaters, The Loft theater is great.

Nature and hiking? All the mountains that rise up around Tucson have a great trails. If you're unfamiliar with Sonoran Desert ecology and want to learn, Sonoran Desert Museum is a great way to spend a day.

Westbound is a nice little outdoor bar over at The Annex.

Looks like you're into cycling, so there are mountain bike trails all over at the edge of town as well as the loop trail which goes all the way around the city.

Rocks And Ropes is a pretty cool climbing gym. Maybe not quite up to the standards of some of the really massive big city ones, but nice vibe and I like it. And then there's an unlimited supply of actual rock climbing of Mount Lemmon.

IDK, what are you looking for?

And a framed picture and studio lighting.

2026-02-26T03:33:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…pypl
_________________________

And a framed picture and studio lighting.

I can set up a tent and my camp stove in the time it took to ...

2026-02-26T02:12:46Z

In reply to nevent1q…a6tu
_________________________

I can set up a tent and my camp stove in the time it took to watch that. And my tent won't collapse in and kill me the first time it rains.

I mean building a literal "man cave" is kind of funny, but painful to the extent that I'm sure a lot of people would not get the joke.

Yeah, that's me, tail end. I've heard that term before. ...

2026-02-21T04:02:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…hsgx
_________________________

Yeah, that's me, tail end. I've heard that term before. We are a pretty small cohort. I most notice it in terms of dating: boomers are too old and their kids are too young and there are very few of us in the middle.

The other nice bolt I caught a couple days ago, right near the ...

2026-02-11T06:16:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…gnut
_________________________

The other nice bolt I caught a couple days ago, right near the new #BorderWall in San Rafael Valley, Arizona.

#LandscapePhotography #StormChasing #lightning

Earlier in the day, 180° from the OP lightning bolt above, is ...

2026-02-10T06:22:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…e3nt
_________________________

Earlier in the day, 180° from the OP lightning bolt above, is this tree and a gap in the new border wall. I've been to this silly tree three times now trying to get the right shot of it. It's hard because most of the day the sun is straight behind it/overhead. By the time the light is better, the sun is setting behind the ridge.

Anyway, tree and stupid #BorderWall San Rafael Valley, Arizona.

#LandscapePhotography #border #immigration

On my #BorderWall photo trip in the San Rafael valley two days ...

2026-02-10T04:52:59Z

On my #BorderWall photo trip in the San Rafael valley two days ago, I got a couple bonus lightning bolt shots. This is the best of them.

#Border #immigration #StormChasing #lightning #LandscapePhotography

So... in these lawsuits against corporate social media companies, ...

2026-02-10T02:41:18Z

So... in these lawsuits against corporate social media companies, one of the points of contention is infinite scroll. If you're a commercial platform selling ads, you're incentivized to tweak your algorithm to show viewers (incl. teenagers/kids) whatever keeps them engaged and scrolling so as to generate as many ad impre$$ions as possible. Infinite scroll = infinite profits.

But with noncommercial social networks, there is no profit, no incentive and no algorithm. And, unless you follow thousands of people who post a lot, it's possible to get "caught up."

I'm curious if there are any fedi legal eagles paying attention to the arguments that are likely to come up and what any verdicts against Meta or TikTok could mean for noncommercial, non-algorithmically-amplified networks like Mastodon.

If the plaintiffs prevail, it's hard to imagine a judge and regulators being savvy enough to make the distinction.

My #SuperbOwl contribution. This burrow owl near Salton Sea is ...

2026-02-08T21:31:49Z

My #SuperbOwl contribution. This burrow owl near Salton Sea is not amused.

I shot this years ago, one of dozens. It's still my favorite of the set.

#superbOwls

After reading this, I still can't tell if this whole thing ...

2026-02-08T06:05:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…7r7y
_________________________

After reading this, I still can't tell if this whole thing was a send up. If it was earnest, oof, I feel embarrassed for them. Like, uh, Bezos is not gonna fuck you or give you any of his money you dumb little simp.

*lolsob* we live in the stupidest timeline and were all gonna die.

The new border wall in San Rafael Valley, Arizona. No one I talk ...

2026-02-08T05:16:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…n0jm
_________________________

The new border wall in San Rafael Valley, Arizona. No one I talk to seems to know that it is being built again. I guess it's just not newsworthy at this point?

30 feet above the ground, with 6 feet of concrete underground. Each of the posts, called "bollards", are filled with concrete. All of this new 27 miles of wall is painted black because Trump thinks it will get hot and therefore be unclimbable.

Fact check: most people get through the wall by cutting it with a cheap cordless grinder and those who climb over do so at night. This administration is beyond stupid.

#Border #Immigration #BorderWall #FuckTheWall

Went back to the San Rafael Valley in Arizona today, where they ...

2026-02-08T05:08:29Z

Went back to the San Rafael Valley in Arizona today, where they are building 27 miles of new border wall for no good fucking reason. I think I got a few of the shots I wanted, plus bonus thunderstorms in the afternoon. Have to process the shots from my DSLR, but here's a phone snap rainbow at sunset.

#Border #BorderWall #FuckTheWall #NoBorders

Sometimes their shopping bags have a stencil built into the ...

2026-02-05T04:18:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…fn9p
_________________________

Sometimes their shopping bags have a stencil built into the bottom, some flat sticks stapled to the inside to keep the bag upright and a can of upside down survey marking paint. Like I said, who knows what kind of things they carry around. 🤷‍♂️

You know, sometimes houseless people walk down the streets ...

2026-02-05T04:06:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…catv
_________________________

You know, sometimes houseless people walk down the streets wearing so many layers of clothes that you can barely see the person underneath. Sometimes they carry large bags, talking to themselves, maybe pushing shopping carts full of who knows what. They sometimes do this at night and everyone just ignores them. It's almost like they're… invisible. Like reverse ninjas, hiding in plain sight.

So, a cabal of ultra-rich, politically connected men in and out ...

2026-02-03T04:00:57Z

So, a cabal of ultra-rich, politically connected men in and out of various governments, who all seem to have secret personal, political and financial connections with a child sex trafficker, are all discussed in a massive tranche of documents...and MAGA isn't flipping the fuck out and demanding the documents be released? Does anything say "Deep State" more than the Epstein Files?

Someone pleeeeze make this make sense? My head hurts.

RE: https://kolektiva.social/@LeftistLawyer/115962793533759069 ...

2026-01-30T03:00:03Z

RE: https://kolektiva.social/@LeftistLawyer/115962793533759069

Welp, there's the address to send dildos to. Glad they made it so easy.

quoting
note1e4f…vnnu

In Colorado, #ICE #brownshirts are leaving these cards in vehicles of people they’ve detained.

During Vietnam, American soldiers would often mark the bodies of Vietnamese they’d killed with the Ace of Spades

@npub1nf4…nqe4 Here's a little something I wrote a few ...

2026-01-18T03:58:32Z

John Carlos Baez (npub1nf4…nqe4)

Here's a little something I wrote a few years ago about going to count beavers on the San Pedro River in the U.S. and Mexico. Pretty much echoes the linked article except for the fire part.
https://www.mikaljakubal.com/portfolios/beaver-counting/

I might apply to be one of them if you had deserts. 🌵😎 ...

2026-01-16T17:38:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…2fnh
_________________________

I might apply to be one of them if you had deserts. 🌵😎 Still hoping Canada will annex the U.S. West Coast.

We're not sending our best people.

2026-01-16T17:08:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…0q2n
_________________________

We're not sending our best people.

Oh, win some lose some. But that's a much longer discussion ...

2026-01-12T19:38:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…tg85
_________________________

Oh, win some lose some. But that's a much longer discussion and even if something "worked" at one point in time is no reason to try to repeat it.

My main point of despair, having lived through the Reagan/Bush era, FFS, is that what we're seeing now feels way, way worse yet the general response feels way less energetic.

I got to thinking (always a bad idea) about what we did when ...

2026-01-12T08:04:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…3h37
_________________________

I got to thinking (always a bad idea) about what we did when confronting the timber industry in the 1980s in the PNW over ancient forest logging.

We engaged in a vast, creative range of protest methods. One of which was regular civil disobedience at corporate and agency headquarters. I used a bike lock around my neck to lock down the HQ of Willamette Industries in Portland in early 1986. Small groups of us also occupied Forest Service and other timber company offices. We set up a tent in the Region 6 Regional Forester's office in Portland. We always made sure friendly reporters knew in advance. We didn't have the internet, but we were still able to go "viral."

We know the companies doing business with ICE. We know where the offices of MAGA politicians are. They are perfect protest locations. It only takes a small group of people to pull off that sort of pressure campaign.

I tried to keep upbeat about it, but this weekend's small, ...

2026-01-12T06:32:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…ge8j
_________________________

I tried to keep upbeat about it, but this weekend's small, tepid Bay Area protests left me feeling like I need to rethink everything and pivot my life toward a rapid exit from the U.S., while it's still possible.

I like nothing better than a good fight, but I'm also not willing to be a martyr for a doomed cause that few others are willing to lift a finger for.

So, yeah, what are you going to do if Trump invades Greenland tomorrow?

What are you going to do if the U.S. invades Greenland tomorrow? ...

2026-01-12T06:21:45Z

What are you going to do if the U.S. invades Greenland tomorrow?

Literally, what are you going to do?

What do they have to do to get people to finally say "enough" and take to the streets and never leave? Or is that just never going to happen this time around?

Please prove me wrong here, but if the events of the last couple weeks weren't enough to justify sustained, mass protests everywhere, I'm not very hopeful we'll get it together before it's too late.

"Billionaires including Peter Thiel, the tech venture ...

2025-12-29T03:10:46Z

"Billionaires including Peter Thiel, the tech venture capitalist, and Larry Page, a co-founder of Google, are considering cutting or reducing their ties to California by the end of the year because of a proposed ballot measure that could tax the state’s wealthiest residents, according to five people familiar with their thinking."

Bye! You won't be missed. Don't have a nice trip. Hope we never see you again, you ungrateful, entitled, whiny little pieces of shit.

I'm guessing that most Californians, hearing billionaires whine like this, will be more than happy to call their bluff at the ballot box.

https://www.joemygod.com/2025/12/oligarchs-may-flee-ca-over-proposed-1-wealth-tax/

In my early 60s I now want eco-sustainable luxury ...

2025-11-20T05:06:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…cvfw
_________________________

In my early 60s I now want eco-sustainable luxury anarcho-communism for all, even if I usually look kinda normie on the outside. I was pretty radical in my 20s, but in a much more all-over-the-place way.

So, you're saying "AI" is the new "BS"? ...

2025-10-22T15:22:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…6rh9
_________________________

So, you're saying "AI" is the new "BS"?

"No way, man! I call AI!"
"You're so full of AI."
"Lose me with that AI."
"I'm so sick of your AI."
"Don't AI me, bro."

That all works for me.

I'm guessing the first frog-suit guy had no idea the image of ...

2025-10-15T01:58:48Z

I'm guessing the first frog-suit guy had no idea the image of him standing there in front of the cops would become so viral and emblematic of resistance.

Also, massive respect 🫡

Went on a storm chase north from Tucson yesterday. A very big ...

2025-10-14T19:42:45Z

Went on a storm chase north from Tucson yesterday. A very big cell was moving directly toward Picacho Peak. Calculating our respective speeds, I figured I had enough time to intercept it when it crossed the peak/I-10 area. I was right and was in a perfect position, with a clear view of the peak and sun breaks lighting up the foreground.

By the time the storm moved into the frame, though, there was a wall of water between me and the peak. A minute after this shot, it hit me.

The original is wider and mostly gray blur. I cranked up some of the editing tools in Lightroom to make the bolts pop a bit more and cropped it way in just to have something to show for the day. Win some lose some. This is possibly the last monsoon-season chase opportunity of the season, but there is lightning here even in the winter sometimes.

#StormChasing #LandscapePhotography #Lightning #PicachoPeak

I think there's a lot more to this phenomenon than a quick ...

2025-10-13T14:35:01Z

In reply to nevent1q…5rq6
_________________________

I think there's a lot more to this phenomenon than a quick quip. The fact that a good post can have an extended shelf life in a context that rarely produces flashy virality is a function of both the technological infrastructure and the much more human and real social norms here.

This is one of those things that I meant a couple days ago when I said to newcomers that a lot of the good parts of Mastodon/fediverse take some time to notice and appreciate.

On the fediverse, posts rarely go viral. But at times, they will ...

2025-10-13T14:27:32Z

On the fediverse, posts rarely go viral. But at times, they will go "fungal", like mycelium quietly working its way through the substrate, popping up again like mushrooms every few months to make another quick round before going dormant again.

#LizardReport Bill showed up on time this morning and got his ...

2025-10-10T17:57:00Z

#LizardReport
Bill showed up on time this morning and got his breakfast. I might be off storm chasing later but if not and if it doesn't rain, I may go see if I can try feeding the whiptail in the backyard. I miss my cute iguana buddy. I'm still hoping that cat just scared it off into another yard and didn't actually kill it.

Bill let me take some close-ups of him. The second photo is a detail of his flank scales.

This is the best description yet. But, ya know, at least not ...

2025-10-10T16:09:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…9gne
_________________________

This is the best description yet.

But, ya know, at least not Trump. So there's that.

Let me get this straight. So, a Wi-Fi router projects a Wi-Fi ...

2025-09-26T02:35:06Z

Let me get this straight. So, a Wi-Fi router projects a Wi-Fi signal irrespective of whether there is any data associated with it, or whether it's connected to the Internet, or whether it is traceable in any way, right? So someone could get a cheap used Wi-Fi router on craigslist, plug it in, name the network something like, I dunno, "Fuck ICE Immigrants welcome" and broadcast it across the neighborhood. Right?

Or, maybe, run a network cable up to a cheap cantenna on the roof and aim the signal at a particular government building or public space.

Asking for a friend. I have no idea why someone might want to do this.

This one of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park came out okay ...

2025-09-17T19:11:56Z

In reply to nevent1q…y0a7
_________________________

This one of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park came out okay too.

Still not quite what I'm looking for, but okay for the first time there. This was the third of three storms to come through that day.

#LandscapePhotography #ArchesNationalPark #StormChasing

I got a few bolts with Delicate Arch, but not really what I want. ...

2025-09-17T03:29:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…qegf
_________________________

I got a few bolts with Delicate Arch, but not really what I want. I think this is the best one, but I'll go over the others and see what I can do with them. This one, for example, has two nice elements, the arch and bolt, that don't really work together. They're just both sort of in the frame. Guess I gotta go back 🤷‍♂️

Finally going through the shots from my Arches trip. This is from ...

2025-09-17T03:27:59Z

Finally going through the shots from my Arches trip. This is from a nearby arch were I took cover as storms passed overhead. (Not safe! Caves aren't safe! I know! But neither is being anywhere on a ridgetop in a thunderstorm, so I might as well stay dry before getting zapped.)

#StormChasing #lightning #ArchesNationalPark #LandscapePhotography

Got one shot of yesterday's storm over Grand Junction. ...

2025-09-10T17:06:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…kvpp
_________________________

Got one shot of yesterday's storm over Grand Junction.

#StormChasing #lightning #LandscapePhotography

These storms have been training right over the spot and across ...

2025-09-09T23:30:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…v9mm
_________________________

These storms have been training right over the spot and across the valley all afternoon.

#StormChasing #LandscapePhotography

Well, this just happened. The blue circle is my location. Note ...

2025-09-09T22:29:31Z

In reply to nevent1q…xv8s
_________________________

Well, this just happened. The blue circle is my location. Note the lightning strike icon. Freaking cloooose! ⚡️And loud!
I have two cameras set up under a picnic shelter, but I'm hiding in the truck!

#StormChasing #Lightning #LandscapePhotography

I got a few bolts that afternoon. Here's the first one ...

2025-09-09T00:20:00Z

In reply to nevent1q…05dc
_________________________

I got a few bolts that afternoon. Here's the first one I've done a quick edit on. It's a horizontal panorama, so you might have to click to see the whole thing.

#StormChasing #LandscapePhotography

I struck out a storm chasing at Grand Canyon in the last two ...

2025-09-07T00:10:39Z

I struck out a storm chasing at Grand Canyon in the last two days. 50% chance of thunderstorms never materialized. But I'm getting this consolation prize farther up in the canyon country.

I have one camera set up doing a time lapse and the other set up with the lightning trigger catching the bolts coming from this big cloud. (Ooo! Two more!) I only wish there were some sun breaks to light up the towers in the valley in the foreground because it's quite striking. It's hard to tell in this very flat light. It might still happen because the massive storm to the northwest is fizzling now, so maybe it will let some sun breaks through.

If anyone's curious, the lightning trigger is set up on my 24 mm tilt-shift (which I love for landscapes) and the time lapse is on my 17 mm to 35 mm zoom, set at 28.

#StormChasing #LandscapePhotography #CanyonCountry