#spiritday is around the corner

^^Marcel Neergaard's #spirit day video. Marcel started a successfull petion early this year directed at rescinding an educational "Reformer of the Year" honor bestowed upon John Ragan, author of Tennessee's Don't Say Gay bill. (Marcel's story here)

Started by Canadian teenager Brittany McMillan in 2010, Spirit Day is promoted by GLAAD and is observed by millions. Wear purple on Spirit Day as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying. Observed annually on October 20, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, media professionals and celebrities wear purple, which symbolizes spirit on the rainbow. Go purple on October 20th!

random science 23: Benoit Mandelbrot and the art of roughness

aquarium resources you should know about

Canadian Aquarium Connection announced earlier this month that it would be shutting down after seven years. It's a real loss for both Canadian and international hobbyists; a peaceful, genuinely friendly forum where vastly experienced aquarists mentored fledgling hobbyists. It was the best place to learn about fishkeeping, breeding and lesser known creatures; livebearers, killies, snails.

edit October 15/2013 Canadian Aquarium Connection has reopened as a National auction. Check out the new, upgraded site here.)

Over the next few weeks I'll be removing updating the links to CAC from the pages here. Fortunately, some of the CAC Forum database (and many of the members) is being moved to a brand new forum set up by CAC members, Canadaquaria.

It's turning out to be a great forum. Check it out here.

If you're into shrimp, there's a new Canadian forum, Canadian Shrimp Exchange. Now that the amazing resource CrustaForum has been lost to spam bots, CSE is a good, friendly place to get the information you need.

Lastly, while not new, Happy Turtle Pub is a brilliant resource for turtle keepers, and Canadart is the place to go to get the dirt on dart frogs.

Happy hobbying!

random flowers

Brugmansia, also known as angel trumpets, put on their annual show on the corner of Shaughness and Wilson in Port Coquitlam.

random sounds 61: Steve Grand

Steve Grand on Bandcamp
on iTunes
on Facebook

Russia and the new Dark Age pt.2: Immigrants and Queers

 On July 25, the Daily Caller published an op-ed  titled “Putin is not the gay bogeyman,” written by Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) President Austin Ruse. According to Ruse, international concerns about Putin’s brutal crackdown on LGBT people are wildly exaggerated. In fact, Ruse argues, America should be learning from Russia’s anti-LGBT policies...  (article by Carlos Maza on Equity Matters Blog, July 29, 2013)

 Violence against lgbt people is now a national Russian sport. With the Olympics 

coming up, some athletes are speaking out.

Canadian speed skater Anastasia Bucsis has come out in support of lgbt Russians.

(from: Daniel Carter, Pink News, Sept.3, 2013)

" ... Ms Bucsis has been open to her family for over 2 years but this is the first public statement she has made regarding her sexuality, she went onto say: “I could never promote that message of concealing who you are with all of this going on in Russia..." She added that it was vital that young LGBT people in Russia were sent a clear message that they were not alone.

Ms Bucsis is among a handful of athletes who have now spoken out against the gay propaganda law... Last month Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird slammed Russia’s anti-gay law as “hateful” and promised that the Canadian Government would raise the issue with Russian officials..."

Immigrants and migrant workers are traditional targets

" ...In the past year, “50 coffins of those killed in Russia at the hands of nationalists have come home to Azerbaijan,” Vremya Novostei reported, citing Soyun Sadykov, the leader of an Azeri cultural organization in Moscow. Another 30 coffins have gone to Georgia and over 100 have returned to Central Asian countries like Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Mr. Sadykov said.
Denis Kislov, the editor of the Central Asian news portal Fergana.ru, blamed the Russian government for provoking attacks on foreigners by passing anti-immigrant legislation, which, he said, many Russians have interpreted as “a call for action,” Gazeta reported... )
Michael Schwirtz writing at The Lede, New York Times Blogs

trigger warning: this video depicts extreme ethnic violence


trigger warning: this video depicts extreme ethnic violence



Out4Russia
Pink News: violent crimes against gays
Russia and the new Dark Age pt.1

random sounds 60: Eric Burdon and War

Beat Club 1970 (live)