trueactivist--2020-10-30--Animal Captivity for Theme Parks and Aquariums May Soon End With Realistic Robotic Dolphins Replacin

Animal Captivity for Theme Parks and Aquariums May Soon End With Realistic Robotic Dolphins Replacing Live Ones

Lots of people love to see animals at zoos , parks , and aquariums .
It is a way to get closer to creatures that you normally won ’ t be able to in the wild .
But these captive animals surely would rather be free in their own habitats .
It is unfortunate that we “ imprison ” these animals for our own pleasure .
Except of course for those endangered species that need protecting , or those that would not survive in the wild .
But there is good news for captive animals , a life-sized , realistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end captivity in marine-parks and aquariums for good .
Edge , a US based animatronics company , has designed an amazing mechanical mammal that seems as playful as the real thing , and the company hopes that the robot will soon be used to replace captive dolphins in aquariums , as well as in Hollywood films .
The robot-dolphin can swim , nod , and interact with humans .
The developers claim the mechanical animal is nearly identical to the marine mammal , and can coexist with robotic versions of predators like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robotic reptiles of the Jurassic era millions of years ago .
But , it comes with a steep price tag of $ 26 million .
However , the robot-dolphin is truly an cruelty-free alternative to the capture and confinement of live animals for our entertainment , it does seem worth it though , and may actually prove cheaper than the real thing in the long run .
It weighs about 550 pounds , and has medical-grade silicone skin .
It offers an alternative to the profitable business of capturing , breeding , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and founder Walt Conti said , “ It ’ s surprising there are 3,000 dolphins currently in captivity to generate several billion dollars just for dolphin experiences .
There ’ s obviously an appetite to love and learn about dolphins and so we want to use that appetite and offer different ways to fall in love with the dolphin.
” For some decades now , animal rights activists have lambasted marine parks using dolphins and other intelligent , self-aware creatures for the sake of human amusement .
They consider it as inhumane acts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even Hollywood has had movies like Free Willy ( 1993 ) and the documentary Blackfish ( 2013 ) to help educate people about miserable living conditions faced by orcas and other intelligent marine mammals deprived of their natural habitat and forced to live in small enclosures at marine parks .
There is increased outrage in other countries as well .
Canada and about 20 European countries have enforced a ban on dolphins , porpoises , and whales being bred , imported or exported , captured or held in captivity for entertainment purposes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experience in animatronics , as seen in Hollywood films like Free Willy , The Abyss , Deep Blue Sea , and several other films , will provide for a humane alternative to viewing creatures that should be left to their natural habitats in the wild .
They have worked closely with marine biologists to reproduce the physiology of dolphins and nail their natural behavior and movements .
Roger Holzberg , creative director of animatronics at Edge , said , “ Everyone wants to know if using an animatronic dolphin is different to using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in many ways they are the same .
If you want to design a show that uses real dolphins you have to capture real dolphins , train them and get them to do that show , ” he continued .
“ with creating robots you have to do exactly the same thing .
The difference is you don ’ t have to have breeding programs , worry about safety with human beings.
” However , there is a decrease in demand for Edge Industry creations in Hollywood , as major film studios opted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That is why the company is now focusing on developing attractions for theme parks , and soon , several robot-dolphins will be found in marine parks being constructed in China .
Holzberg said , “ The idea of this pilot is really to create a Sesame Street underwater .
Those characters taught a generation how to feel about different kinds of aspects of human kind in ways that hadn ’ t been imagined before .
And that ’ s what we dream of in this project.
” Needless to say , animal rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end animal captivity at marine theme parks .
PETA ’ s Katherine Sullivan stressed , “ There is an end in sight to cruel ‘ swim with dolphins ’ programs , for which young dolphins are traumatically abducted from their ocean homes and frantic mothers , sometimes illegally .
“ It is definitely a welcome start to end captivity .
Hopefully it will not stop with marine mammals , but continue to land and air animals as well .
We really shouldn ’ t keep animals captive for our own amusement .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they are not captives , but more of lovable companions .
Looks like the future looks bright , at least for dolphins , for now .
What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

Lots of people love to see animals at zoos, parks, and aquariums. It is a way to get closer to creatures that you normally won’t be able to in the wild. But these captive animals surely would rather be free in their own habitats. It is unfortunate that we “imprison” these animals for our own pleasure. Except of course for those endangered species that need protecting, or those that would not survive in the wild.
But there is good news for captive animals, a life-sized, realistic, robot-dolphin could finally signal the start to end captivity in marine-parks and aquariums for good. Edge, a US based animatronics company, has designed an amazing mechanical mammal that seems as playful as the real thing, and the company hopes that the robot will soon be used to replace captive dolphins in aquariums, as well as in Hollywood films.
The robot-dolphin can swim, nod, and interact with humans. The developers claim the mechanical animal is nearly identical to the marine mammal, and can coexist with robotic versions of predators like great white sharks and even with massive robotic reptiles of the Jurassic era millions of years ago.
But, it comes with a steep price tag of $26 million. However, the robot-dolphin is truly an cruelty-free alternative to the capture and confinement of live animals for our entertainment, it does seem worth it though, and may actually prove cheaper than the real thing in the long run. It weighs about 550 pounds, and has medical-grade silicone skin. It offers an alternative to the profitable business of capturing, breeding, and training live animals.
Edge Industry CEO and founder Walt Conti said, “It’s surprising there are 3,000 dolphins currently in captivity to generate several billion dollars just for dolphin experiences. There’s obviously an appetite to love and learn about dolphins and so we want to use that appetite and offer different ways to fall in love with the dolphin.”
For some decades now, animal rights activists have lambasted marine parks using dolphins and other intelligent, self-aware creatures for the sake of human amusement. They consider it as inhumane acts that should not be allowed to continue. Even Hollywood has had movies like Free Willy (1993) and the documentary Blackfish (2013) to help educate people about miserable living conditions faced by orcas and other intelligent marine mammals deprived of their natural habitat and forced to live in small enclosures at marine parks.
There is increased outrage in other countries as well. Canada and about 20 European countries have enforced a ban on dolphins, porpoises, and whales being bred, imported or exported, captured or held in captivity for entertainment purposes. Edge Industry hopes that its extensive experience in animatronics, as seen in Hollywood films like Free Willy, The Abyss, Deep Blue Sea, and several other films, will provide for a humane alternative to viewing creatures that should be left to their natural habitats in the wild. They have worked closely with marine biologists to reproduce the physiology of dolphins and nail their natural behavior and movements.
Roger Holzberg, creative director of animatronics at Edge, said, “Everyone wants to know if using an animatronic dolphin is different to using a real dolphin. The truth is in many ways they are the same. If you want to design a show that uses real dolphins you have to capture real dolphins, train them and get them to do that show,” he continued. “with creating robots you have to do exactly the same thing. The difference is you don’t have to have breeding programs, worry about safety with human beings.”
However, there is a decrease in demand for Edge Industry creations in Hollywood, as major film studios opted for computer-generated images rather than animatronics. That is why the company is now focusing on developing attractions for theme parks, and soon, several robot-dolphins will be found in marine parks being constructed in China.
Holzberg said, “The idea of this pilot is really to create a Sesame Street underwater. Those characters taught a generation how to feel about different kinds of aspects of human kind in ways that hadn’t been imagined before. And that’s what we dream of in this project.”
Needless to say, animal rights activists welcome this scenario and hope to end animal captivity at marine theme parks. PETA’s Katherine Sullivan stressed, “There is an end in sight to cruel ‘swim with dolphins’ programs, for which young dolphins are traumatically abducted from their ocean homes and frantic mothers, sometimes illegally. “
It is definitely a welcome start to end captivity. Hopefully it will not stop with marine mammals, but continue to land and air animals as well. We really shouldn’t keep animals captive for our own amusement. Of course pets are excluded from this, as they are not captives, but more of lovable companions. Looks like the future looks bright, at least for dolphins, for now.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
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trueactivist--2020-11-01--Suicidal Tendencies And Depression Has Caused A Young Woman To Get Kicked Out Of Her Apartment

Failure to pay rent , damage to property and violation of a responsibility imposed by law are the usual valid reasons for evicting a tenant .
However , one young woman has been evicted from her apartment in Orem , Utah because of her depression and suicidal thoughts .
The young woman , who is a college freshman shared her emotional struggles with her three roommates hoping to open a dialogue and seek counsel regarding her mental health issues .
Soon after , she was surprised to find the note below posted on her door : Without her knowledge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through to the apartment ’ s management and used it against her after an argument .
“ They used my mental challenges to their benefit … I was asking for help and that is the opposite of what I got , ” she said .
“ I was completely shocked .
I was crying and shaking and immediately trying to pack , ” she told KSTU .
“ It ’ s so morally wrong for them to be doing this to someone who ’ s been having such a hard time.
” Having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , this really came a shock to her as she was given only 5 days to vacate the premises .
Part of the letter stressed out that a lease can be terminated if a tenant breaches “ the quiet enjoyment of the premises ” or causes “ any nuisance , health or safety hazard.
” based on the signed lease agreement .
Management was also careful not to use the word “ eviction ” .
Current laws prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race , color , national origin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or disability which also applies to perceptions of such characteristics .
Nate Crippes , a staff attorney at the Disability Law Center said “ Frankly , that appears to be blatant discrimination under the Fair Housing Act , ” “ There ’ s a lot of stigma around mental illness….At this point , I think we would hope to see people respond better to someone in this situation.
” He added , “ This appears to be somebody who has vocalized a symptom of a disability , like mental illness… This just seems @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this action against someone.
” As this situation was clearly a violation of this young woman ’ s rights , she may soon be compensated for the ordeal .
Fortunately , she had family to stay with in Utah County while looking for other living arrangements .
Dealing with depression and mental illness is hard enough and being kicked out of your home while going thru makes it even more difficult for those with mental health challenges .
“ The thing that upsets me most about this is that they decided evicting someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would make it easier on them , ” she said .
“ The reason they were kicking me out was because of my depression and my suicidal thoughts , which just only made them worse — and it would make it worse for anyone having to find somewhere else to live.
” What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

Failure to pay rent, damage to property and violation of a responsibility imposed by law are the usual valid reasons for evicting a tenant. However, one young woman has been evicted from her apartment in Orem, Utah because of her depression and suicidal thoughts.
The young woman, who is a college freshman shared her emotional struggles with her three roommates hoping to open a dialogue and seek counsel regarding her mental health issues.
Soon after, she was surprised to find the note below posted on her door:
“We have been made aware that you have vocalized suicidal tendencies which has caused undo (sic) stress and alarm to your roommates and violated your lease,” the letter signed by a manager at Ventana Student Housing said.
Without her knowledge, her roommates reported what she was going through to the apartment’s management and used it against her after an argument.
“They used my mental challenges to their benefit … I was asking for help and that is the opposite of what I got,” she said. “I was completely shocked. I was crying and shaking and immediately trying to pack,” she told KSTU. “It’s so morally wrong for them to be doing this to someone who’s been having such a hard time.”
Having lived in the apartment for over a year, this really came a shock to her as she was given only 5 days to vacate the premises. Part of the letter stressed out that a lease can be terminated if a tenant breaches “the quiet enjoyment of the premises” or causes “any nuisance, health or safety hazard.” based on the signed lease agreement. Management was also careful not to use the word “eviction”.
Current laws prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability which also applies to perceptions of such characteristics.
Nate Crippes, a staff attorney at the Disability Law Center said “Frankly, that appears to be blatant discrimination under the Fair Housing Act,”
“There’s a lot of stigma around mental illness….At this point, I think we would hope to see people respond better to someone in this situation.” He added, “This appears to be somebody who has vocalized a symptom of a disability, like mental illness… This just seems particularly heinous for a person to take this action against someone.”
As this situation was clearly a violation of this young woman’s rights, she may soon be compensated for the ordeal. Fortunately, she had family to stay with in Utah County while looking for other living arrangements. Dealing with depression and mental illness is hard enough and being kicked out of your home while going thru makes it even more difficult for those with mental health challenges.
“The thing that upsets me most about this is that they decided evicting someone who was already having a hard time would make it easier on them,” she said. “The reason they were kicking me out was because of my depression and my suicidal thoughts, which just only made them worse — and it would make it worse for anyone having to find somewhere else to live.”
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo


trueactivist--2020-11-03--Pope Francis Is The First Pope To Advocate Same-Sex Civil Unions

In an unprecedented move by none other than the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic church , Pope Francis has become the first Catholic pope to openly endorse same-sex civil unions .
The comments were taken from a new documentary aptly named “ Francesco , ” which was released at the Rome Film Festival .
The film talks about the life and papacy of Jorge Bergoglio , the former Argentinian cardinal turned pope , as well as the many lives he has positively affected in his so far 7-year reign as the head of the Vatican .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the focus of his film , “ I wanted to tell it through the people whose hearts and minds he touched in his actions.
” Throughout his 7-year papacy , Pope Francis , who has been lovingly called “ the people ’ s pope , ” has won the hearts of many of with his forward thinking and personal approach to things , having been named Time magazine ’ s Person of the Year in 2013 .
The film shows a series of interviews with the pope , many of which include talks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and racial and income inequality .
But one comment that has recently become headline news centers around his statements concerning the LGBTQ community .
Pope Francis had shared , “ Homosexual people have the right to be in a family .
They are children of God .
You can ’ t kick someone out of a family , nor make their life miserable for this .
What we have to have is a civil union law ; that way they are legally covered.
” This is also not the first time that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue , but it is the first time he ’ s publicly talked about it since taking his place as the sitting pope .
Back when he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires , he also encouraged civil unions for gay couples rather than actual same-sex marriages .
Reverend James Martin , a Catholic priest who is known to advocate for LGBTQ Catholics considering he was once gay himself , even praised the pope , saying that the move is “ a major step forward in the church ’ s support for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press , Fr .
Martin also said in a statement , “ The pope ’ s speaking positively about civil unions also sends a strong message to places where the church has opposed such laws.
” But according to a number of conservative leaders within the Catholic Church , they don ’ t agree with the pope ’ s statement .
In fact , Director of Public Policy at the Archdiocese of New York , Ed Mechmann , even went on to say that the pope “ made a serious mistake.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s words were taken out of context .
The Vatican explained that a portion of his words stating that “ it is incongruence to speak of homosexual marriage ” was removed from his statement in the documentary .
Moreover , they iterated , “ It is clear that Pope Francis was referring to certain state provisions and certainly not the doctrine of the Church , which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years.
” Notably , it is also important to understand that there is a distinct difference between same-sex marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an institution of the church , although it has been a historical tradition practiced by a number of other religions .
Although there are less people that identify themselves as “ religious ” these days , and even less as catholic , couples still get married in church due to their sense of tradition .
However , a number of conservative churches still refuse to accept and recognize same-sex civil unions to be classified as a “ marriage , ” preferring to keep the two completely separate as two different classifications .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with having gender equality under the law , as well as the legal recognition of same-sex unions , some LGBTQ members that identify as catholic would like to see the recognition of same-sex marriage by the church as well .
For those in the gay community , and especially for those in the LGBTQ Catholic community , the pope ’ s comments are considered “ historic.
” At least that was the word used by the executive director of the LGBT organization New Ways Ministry , Francis DeBernardo .
He also went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , we urge Pope Francis to apply the same kind of reasoning to recognize and bless these same unions of love and support within the Catholic Church , too.
” What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

In an unprecedented move by none other than the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic church, Pope Francis has become the first Catholic pope to openly endorse same-sex civil unions.
The comments were taken from a new documentary aptly named “Francesco,” which was released at the Rome Film Festival. The film talks about the life and papacy of Jorge Bergoglio, the former Argentinian cardinal turned pope, as well as the many lives he has positively affected in his so far 7-year reign as the head of the Vatican.
According to the film’s director Evgeny Afineevsky about the focus of his film, “I wanted to tell it through the people whose hearts and minds he touched in his actions.” Throughout his 7-year papacy, Pope Francis, who has been lovingly called “the people’s pope,” has won the hearts of many of with his forward thinking and personal approach to things, having been named Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2013.
The film shows a series of interviews with the pope, many of which include talks about the environment, discrimination, poverty and racial and income inequality. But one comment that has recently become headline news centers around his statements concerning the LGBTQ community. Pope Francis had shared, “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God. You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”
This is also not the first time that the Argentinian priest has talked about this particular issue, but it is the first time he’s publicly talked about it since taking his place as the sitting pope. Back when he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires, he also encouraged civil unions for gay couples rather than actual same-sex marriages.
Reverend James Martin, a Catholic priest who is known to advocate for LGBTQ Catholics considering he was once gay himself, even praised the pope, saying that the move is “a major step forward in the church’s support for the LGBT people.” As reported by the Associated Press, Fr. Martin also said in a statement, “The pope’s speaking positively about civil unions also sends a strong message to places where the church has opposed such laws.”
But according to a number of conservative leaders within the Catholic Church, they don’t agree with the pope’s statement. In fact, Director of Public Policy at the Archdiocese of New York, Ed Mechmann, even went on to say that the pope “made a serious mistake.”
Yet many others claim that Pope Francis’s words were taken out of context. The Vatican explained that a portion of his words stating that “it is incongruence to speak of homosexual marriage” was removed from his statement in the documentary. Moreover, they iterated, “It is clear that Pope Francis was referring to certain state provisions and certainly not the doctrine of the Church, which he has reaffirmed numerous times over the years.”
Notably, it is also important to understand that there is a distinct difference between same-sex marriage and same-sex civil union. Marriage is an institution of the church, although it has been a historical tradition practiced by a number of other religions. Although there are less people that identify themselves as “religious” these days, and even less as catholic, couples still get married in church due to their sense of tradition. However, a number of conservative churches still refuse to accept and recognize same-sex civil unions to be classified as a “marriage,” preferring to keep the two completely separate as two different classifications.
While a number of people are already satisfied with having gender equality under the law, as well as the legal recognition of same-sex unions, some LGBTQ members that identify as catholic would like to see the recognition of same-sex marriage by the church as well.
For those in the gay community, and especially for those in the LGBTQ Catholic community, the pope’s comments are considered “historic.” At least that was the word used by the executive director of the LGBT organization New Ways Ministry, Francis DeBernardo. He also went on to share, “At the same time, we urge Pope Francis to apply the same kind of reasoning to recognize and bless these same unions of love and support within the Catholic Church, too.”
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo


trueactivist--2020-11-05--Canada Has Banned Dolphin And Whale Captivity Officially

Whale and dolphin lovers unite !
Animal rights advocates have major reason to celebrate since Canada finally passed the “ Free Willy Bill , ” as the media called it .
The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act was actually introduced in 2015 but only passed in June of 2019 .
Yet despite the fact that it ’ s been more than a year that has gone by since , it doesn ’ t mean the celebration needs to stop .
This is a huge win for both animals and humanity alike .
The act is meant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being bred and held in captivity for entertainment purposes .
The act also ensures that cetaceans , or aquatic mammals , will not be forced to remain in aquatic entertainment parks where they reportedly suffer from trauma in confinement , as iterated by a number of animal rights groups .
Aside from that , this bill also prevents these marine animals from being forced into captive breeding , as well as protecting them from live captures , being used in the import-export market , as well as banning the keeping of any reproductive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some exceptions to the bill .
Marine mammals that are already in custody can be kept in captivity , including those that have been rescued or are in the process of rehabilitation due to the injuries , as well as those that are the subject of limited scientific research .
While the parks , zoos and aquariums are allowed to keep the animals that they already have in captivity , they can not replace them .
The bill was originally shelved back in 2010 by former Sen. Wilfred Moore of Nova Scotia .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ law , he made a statement saying “ We have a moral obligation to phase out the capture and retention of animals for profit and entertainment .
Canadians are calling upon us to do better – and we have listened.
” The historic event had marine scientists and animal rights defenders coming out to celebrate the news , tweeting their joy with hashtags like # FreeWilly and # EmptyTheTanks .
For years , animal experts and animal humane groups have fought for this type of change in animal welfare because they share that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical suffering when forced into captivity .
Some of these health issues include abnormal behavior , chronic health problems , extreme boredom and high infant mortality , especially when they are in prolonged isolation .
Canada isn ’ t the only country that bans cetacean captivity either .
They are now on the list , alongside other countries like Costa Rica , Switzerland and certain US states like New York and California that have strict laws on dolphin , whale and orca captivity .
And when Canada finally made it on the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Humane Society International / Canada , Rebecca Adlworth , shared in a statement , “ The passage of Bill S-203 is a watershed moment in the protection of marine animals and a victory for all Canadians .
Whales and dolphins don ’ t belong in tanks , and the inherent suffering these highly social and intelligent animals endure in intensive confinement can no longer be tolerated.
” When the law was passed , there were two particular facilities that were hugely impacted by it , namely the Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , back when the law was passed , Marineland owned at least 61 of these types of animals .
They also cited that they were “ 55 beluga whales , five bottlenose dolphins and one orca , or “ killer whale.
” ” Thankfully , Marineland released a statement explaining that they would comply with the new legislation , eventually choosing to evolve from their former ways and legislation that had been put in place back in the 60s when the park was first founded .
Meanwhile , the Vancouver Aquarium only had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bill ’ s passing .
Then also released a statement from Vancouver Park Board Chair , Stuart Mackinnon , saying “ The public told us they believed the continuing importation and display of these intelligent and sociable mammals was unethical and incompatible with evolving public opinion and we amended our bylaws accordingly.
” Another supposed win occurred back in 2016 when the U.S. based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment made an announcement that they would end breeding killer whales in captivity while guaranteeing to shift gears into marine mammal rescue operations .
Their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Florida .
Notably , a National Geographic report claimed that there were around 60 orcas that were in captivity being held in aquariums and parks worldwide at the time that the bill was passed .
And astonishingly , one third of that number were all within the United States .
And from that third , all of the orcas except for one , were being held in San Antonio and Orlando ’ s SeaWorld Parks .
Although the company claimed that they were going to end their dolphin and orca shows , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sadly , have not been stopped since .
In fact , Hendrik Nollens , who works as SeaWorld ’ s Vice President of Animal Health and Welfare , reportedly defended this , saying about the dolphins , “ They ’ re treated like royalty.
” And when asked about whether these mammals suffered discomfort , he claimed “ they wouldn ’ t come right back and do it again ” if they did .
But not everyone agrees of course .
Canadian Hal Whitehead , who happens to be a marine scientist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The living conditions for captive marine mammals can not compare to their natural ocean environments in size , nor in quality.
” And until this bill is passed all throughout the globe , there will surely be people fighting for the rights of these beautiful and incredibly intelligent creatures , and rightly so .
What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

Whale and dolphin lovers unite! Animal rights advocates have major reason to celebrate since Canada finally passed the “Free Willy Bill,” as the media called it.
The Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act was actually introduced in 2015 but only passed in June of 2019. Yet despite the fact that it’s been more than a year that has gone by since, it doesn’t mean the celebration needs to stop. This is a huge win for both animals and humanity alike. The act is meant to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises from being bred and held in captivity for entertainment purposes.
The act also ensures that cetaceans, or aquatic mammals, will not be forced to remain in aquatic entertainment parks where they reportedly suffer from trauma in confinement, as iterated by a number of animal rights groups.
Aside from that, this bill also prevents these marine animals from being forced into captive breeding, as well as protecting them from live captures, being used in the import-export market, as well as banning the keeping of any reproductive matter.
Unfortunately, there are still some exceptions to the bill. Marine mammals that are already in custody can be kept in captivity, including those that have been rescued or are in the process of rehabilitation due to the injuries, as well as those that are the subject of limited scientific research. While the parks, zoos and aquariums are allowed to keep the animals that they already have in captivity, they cannot replace them.
The bill was originally shelved back in 2010 by former Sen. Wilfred Moore of Nova Scotia. But when it was finally passed into law, he made a statement saying “We have a moral obligation to phase out the capture and retention of animals for profit and entertainment. Canadians are calling upon us to do better – and we have listened.”
The historic event had marine scientists and animal rights defenders coming out to celebrate the news, tweeting their joy with hashtags like #FreeWilly and #EmptyTheTanks.
#Breaking: When we work together, good things happen. This is a combined effort from @ElizabethMay, Senators Moore and Sinclaire, key Liberal and NDP MPs, NGOs, marine scientists and everyday people across Canada.#FreeWilly pic.twitter.com/RRPB91tT9y — Green Party of Canada (@CanadianGreens) June 10, 2019
For years, animal experts and animal humane groups have fought for this type of change in animal welfare because they share that dolphins and whales suffer horrible psychological and physical suffering when forced into captivity. Some of these health issues include abnormal behavior, chronic health problems, extreme boredom and high infant mortality, especially when they are in prolonged isolation.
Canada isn’t the only country that bans cetacean captivity either. They are now on the list, alongside other countries like Costa Rica, Switzerland and certain US states like New York and California that have strict laws on dolphin, whale and orca captivity.
And when Canada finally made it on the list, Canada’s Executive Director of the Humane Society International / Canada, Rebecca Adlworth, shared in a statement, “The passage of Bill S-203 is a watershed moment in the protection of marine animals and a victory for all Canadians. Whales and dolphins don’t belong in tanks, and the inherent suffering these highly social and intelligent animals endure in intensive confinement can no longer be tolerated.”
When the law was passed, there were two particular facilities that were hugely impacted by it, namely the Vancouver Aquarium and Marineland in Niagara Falls.
As shared by CBC, back when the law was passed, Marineland owned at least 61 of these types of animals. They also cited that they were “55 beluga whales, five bottlenose dolphins and one orca, or “killer whale.””
Thankfully, Marineland released a statement explaining that they would comply with the new legislation, eventually choosing to evolve from their former ways and legislation that had been put in place back in the 60s when the park was first founded.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Aquarium only had one dolphin left at the time of the bill’s passing. Then also released a statement from Vancouver Park Board Chair, Stuart Mackinnon, saying “The public told us they believed the continuing importation and display of these intelligent and sociable mammals was unethical and incompatible with evolving public opinion and we amended our bylaws accordingly.”
Another supposed win occurred back in 2016 when the U.S. based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment made an announcement that they would end breeding killer whales in captivity while guaranteeing to shift gears into marine mammal rescue operations. Their parks are located in Texas, California and Florida.
Notably, a National Geographic report claimed that there were around 60 orcas that were in captivity being held in aquariums and parks worldwide at the time that the bill was passed. And astonishingly, one third of that number were all within the United States. And from that third, all of the orcas except for one, were being held in San Antonio and Orlando’s SeaWorld Parks.
https://twitter.com/Dolphin_Project/status/1137903470093189122
Although the company claimed that they were going to end their dolphin and orca shows, their main attractions involve the dolphins, and sadly, have not been stopped since. In fact, Hendrik Nollens, who works as SeaWorld’s Vice President of Animal Health and Welfare, reportedly defended this, saying about the dolphins, “They’re treated like royalty.” And when asked about whether these mammals suffered discomfort, he claimed “they wouldn’t come right back and do it again” if they did.
“They are faster than us, they are stronger than us. They are in charge. They choose. They decide whether to do the interaction or not,” he added.
But not everyone agrees of course. Canadian Hal Whitehead, who happens to be a marine scientist, advocated the new law explaining, “The living conditions for captive marine mammals cannot compare to their natural ocean environments in size, nor in quality.”
And until this bill is passed all throughout the globe, there will surely be people fighting for the rights of these beautiful and incredibly intelligent creatures, and rightly so.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
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trueactivist--2020-11-04--9-Year Old Walks to School To Do His Work Because His Family Can’t Afford Internet

A 9-year old boy from Roswell , New Mexico has been spending his days outside of his school in order to do his school work .
This is because his family can ’ t afford to pay for Internet at home .
Like many other families affected by the coronavirus pandemic , this boy ’ s family sadly lost their ability to pay for their WiFi connection .
But the boy , Jonathan Endecott , who happens to be turning 10 next month , isn ’ t letting that stop him from learning !
A fourth grader in the Roswell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to stay home because of the pandemic like all the other kids in his area , as well as many others throughout America and really , the world .
Just like many other parents around the globe , Jonathan ’ s mom Angel , who works in home health , sadly lost both of her jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic .
And even though she eventually got one of her jobs back , she wasn ’ t earning enough to reinstate their internet connection .
Apparently Jonathan really enjoys school , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to Angel , he ’ s also quite independent , and since his house is situated right across the school field , she suggested that the boy walk to the school in order to get access to their internet so that he could still do his classes online .
In fact , his mom explains that he was quite happy when she suggested that he spend his class time on the school campus , even if it meant sitting outside the school doors rather than inside an actual classroom .
Angel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Yeah , I need to be back on the school property , and I could be like a normal kid again.
’ ” “ Him just being outside of the building gives him that , ‘ Hey , I ’ m at school ’ feeling even though he ’ s not around other classmates or teachers , ” she added .
And since their home is located directly across the way , Angel and her husband felt that it was safe for Jonathan to not only walk to school like he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day there as he does his work .
She also explained , “ The principal , the secretary and a few teachers , they do come outside to check up on him and see if he needs anything.
” After one of the teachers saw Jonathan lying down on the concrete ground while on the school grounds holding his laptop , she found the sight of the young boy so heartbreaking that she took a photo and went on to ask permission from his mom to share his photo on Facebook .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote as the caption , “ This young boy has no internet at his home .
He has been getting up and walking to school every day to connect to the school WiFi from outside the school .
He sits there every day from 8:00 – 2:45.
” The photo garnered so much attention that eventually , a kind-hearted citizen reached out and offered to pay for the family ’ s internet service in Jonathan ’ s home for an entire year so that he wouldn ’ t have to sit outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Then another kind-hearted person that saw his photo , Shelby Dutton , also decided to put up a GoFundMe page in order to help other children suffering the same fate as Jonathan , knowing that he couldn ’ t be the only one whose family and schooling have been affected by the ongoing pandemic .
Initially , the initiative was to raise $ 2,500 in total , but it has since surpassed their goal immensely , already reaching up to $ 19,405 so far .
Ms. Dutton updated the page by sharing “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still counting !
Thank you everyone for your love and support .
Our organizations website is up and running !
Go to kidsorganization.org to donate !
!
Our mission is to help as many students we can !
!
!
” However , Angel shared that Jonathan likes getting up and going to the school , even if he ’ s not inside the actual building while he ’ s learning .
According to her , it also gives him a bit of a reprieve from his family too , sharing that even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , he ’ d still like to work outside the school .
The school district was quick to tell Angel though that if he does decide to remain on the school premises , he ’ ll need to have a parent with him .
Meanwhile , Angel eventually created her own GoFundMe page to ask for financial help as well , calling it “ family in need of help.
” She explained on her page that while most people have heard about part of their story , that while she ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she ’ s decided to do it anyway because they really need it .
She wrote , “ We have always lived paycheck to paycheck .
With God ’ s help we have always managed to get just enough to live with what we had to pay for .
Then my husband ’ s diabetes started to impact everyday life .
I got 2 jobs to cover the loss of income .
When covid hit .
At first it didn ’ t effect my employment .
About 2 months ago that changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Aside from that , Angel also shared that their toilet got clogged up after her 4-year old decided to flush a cologne bottle down it , which in turn created an entire slew of issues .
And sadly the list of problems grew from there .
Angel had put $ 2,500 as her fund raising goal , but the family has since received up to $ 19,430 so far , all out of the goodness of people ’ s hearts .
Aside from both fundraisers exceeding their limits and being a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others like them , it ’ s proof that when a community comes together for the greater good , amazing things can happen !
What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

A 9-year old boy from Roswell, New Mexico has been spending his days outside of his school in order to do his school work. This is because his family can’t afford to pay for Internet at home. Like many other families affected by the coronavirus pandemic, this boy’s family sadly lost their ability to pay for their WiFi connection.
But the boy, Jonathan Endecott, who happens to be turning 10 next month, isn’t letting that stop him from learning! A fourth grader in the Roswell Independent School District, Jonathan has been forced to stay home because of the pandemic like all the other kids in his area, as well as many others throughout America and really, the world.
Just like many other parents around the globe, Jonathan’s mom Angel, who works in home health, sadly lost both of her jobs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. And even though she eventually got one of her jobs back, she wasn’t earning enough to reinstate their internet connection.
Apparently Jonathan really enjoys school, with Science class being a personal favorite. According to Angel, he’s also quite independent, and since his house is situated right across the school field, she suggested that the boy walk to the school in order to get access to their internet so that he could still do his classes online.
In fact, his mom explains that he was quite happy when she suggested that he spend his class time on the school campus, even if it meant sitting outside the school doors rather than inside an actual classroom. Angel also shared, “He was like, ‘Yeah, I need to be back on the school property, and I could be like a normal kid again.’” “Him just being outside of the building gives him that, ‘Hey, I’m at school’ feeling even though he’s not around other classmates or teachers,” she added.
And since their home is located directly across the way, Angel and her husband felt that it was safe for Jonathan to not only walk to school like he normally does, but to spend the day there as he does his work. She also explained, “The principal, the secretary and a few teachers, they do come outside to check up on him and see if he needs anything.”
After one of the teachers saw Jonathan lying down on the concrete ground while on the school grounds holding his laptop, she found the sight of the young boy so heartbreaking that she took a photo and went on to ask permission from his mom to share his photo on Facebook.
That teacher, Sabrina Talbott Harbour, then wrote as the caption, “This young boy has no internet at his home. He has been getting up and walking to school every day to connect to the school WiFi from outside the school. He sits there every day from 8:00 – 2:45.”
The photo garnered so much attention that eventually, a kind-hearted citizen reached out and offered to pay for the family’s internet service in Jonathan’s home for an entire year so that he wouldn’t have to sit outside of the school just to get access.
Then another kind-hearted person that saw his photo, Shelby Dutton, also decided to put up a GoFundMe page in order to help other children suffering the same fate as Jonathan, knowing that he couldn’t be the only one whose family and schooling have been affected by the ongoing pandemic.
Initially, the initiative was to raise $2,500 in total, but it has since surpassed their goal immensely, already reaching up to $19,405 so far. Ms. Dutton updated the page by sharing “We have helped over 28 students and still counting! Thank you everyone for your love and support. Our organizations website is up and running! Go to kidsorganization.org to donate!! Our mission is to help as many students we can!!!”
However, Angel shared that Jonathan likes getting up and going to the school, even if he’s not inside the actual building while he’s learning. According to her, it also gives him a bit of a reprieve from his family too, sharing that even if they already have WiFi connection at home, he’d still like to work outside the school. The school district was quick to tell Angel though that if he does decide to remain on the school premises, he’ll need to have a parent with him.
Meanwhile, Angel eventually created her own GoFundMe page to ask for financial help as well, calling it “family in need of help.” She explained on her page that while most people have heard about part of their story, that while she’s not very good at asking for help, she’s decided to do it anyway because they really need it. She wrote, “We have always lived paycheck to paycheck. With God’s help we have always managed to get just enough to live with what we had to pay for. Then my husband’s diabetes started to impact everyday life. I got 2 jobs to cover the loss of income. When covid hit. At first it didn’t effect my employment. About 2 months ago that changed. I lost my weekly paying job.”
Aside from that, Angel also shared that their toilet got clogged up after her 4-year old decided to flush a cologne bottle down it, which in turn created an entire slew of issues. And sadly the list of problems grew from there. Angel had put $2,500 as her fund raising goal, but the family has since received up to $19,430 so far, all out of the goodness of people’s hearts.
Aside from both fundraisers exceeding their limits and being a major blessing to the Endecott family and many others like them, it’s proof that when a community comes together for the greater good, amazing things can happen!
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo


trueactivist--2020-11-06--“Elves,” “Sprites,” And Electrical Bursts In Jupiter’s Sky Seen For The First Time By NASA Spacecraf

“Elves,” “Sprites,” And Electrical Bursts In Jupiter’s Sky Seen For The First Time By NASA Spacecraft

Space used to feel like it was part of the great unknown , but these days , it doesn ’ t quite feel that way anymore .
Just recently , NASA ’ s Juno spacecraft managed to capture some incredibly high-definition images that show a bunch of vibrant lightning-like bursts of energy floating in the atmosphere of Jupiter , which is the largest planet in our solar system .
Looking at the images , the subjects in the photos look like jellyfish hanging in the sky which have been aptly called “ sprites ” along with glowing disks that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may seem like brand new phenomena , they were actually discovered back in 1989 , and are considered to be quite common , occurring in the upper portions of the Earth ’ s atmosphere during thunderstorms .
And since being discovered over 30 years ago , they have actually been spotted in every single continent around the globe except for Antarctica .
According to the scientists and experts , they theorize that all planets with lightning should probably produce these super-fast electrical bursts that happen 60-miles up in the atmosphere .
In fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bursts that reach toward space were probably already appearing in Jupiter ’ s colossal atmosphere .
But they only got the evidence they needed to support these claims recently , all due to Juno .
In fact , before these images were captured , no one had actually seen these luminous “ dancing sprites ” before .
It was only in 2016 when Juno was cast into space in order to orbit Jupiter , where the spacecraft managed to take an abundance of images of the planet ’ s aurorae using the spacecraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the ultraviolet spectrograph instrument ( UVS ) .
When the scientists began looking through the images and eventually processed them , that ’ s when they noticed the incredibly incandescent streaks of ultraviolent emissions that were making sensational flashes of light before hastily vanishing out of sight .
According to the publication Business Insider , while speaking at a press conference during the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society ’ s Division for Planetary Sciences , Juno scientist Rohini Giles explained “ In the process of putting together those images , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these surprising , short-lived , bright flashes.
” She went on to say , “ We then went and searched through all of the data that we ’ ve taken over four years of the mission and we found a total of 11 flashes all with very similar properties.
” Notably , the outbursts were said to have lasted for a few milliseconds only in the footage .
Then on October 27 , Giles ’ s team also went on to publish a study on these new phenomena in the Journal of Geophysical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Events Observed in Jupiter ’ s Atmosphere .
On earth , these sprites are said to resemble alienlike jellyfish-style creatures that happen to dangle from the ionosphere , which is the layer found right on top of the dense lower atmosphere .
But in other cases , they can appear like standing pillars of light with narrow looking tentacles that dangle below them , which are often dubbed “ carrot curls ” because of their stark resemblance to the actual root vegetable .
The name “ sprites ” was chosen by the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Alaska .
He chose the moniker because according to him , they were “ well suited to describe their appearance ” considering their “ fleeing , fairy-like nature , ” much like the impish folklore creatures the name comes from .
These actual scientific phenomena occur ‘ when lightning strikes the ground , releasing positive electrical energy that requires balancing by an equal and oppositely charged electrical discharge into the sky.
’ These sprites also happen much higher in the sky , more so than regular lightning which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ electronically charged air , clouds and the surface of the planet .
But there are some cases where lightning strikes can also force electromagnetic pulses upward rather than downward , which then make “ elves ” which are otherwise described as glowing disks .
Giles also shared , “ On Earth , sprites and elves appear reddish in color due their interaction with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere .
But on Jupiter , the upper atmosphere mostly consists of hydrogen , so they would likely appear either blue or pink.
” Yet despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they can not confirm if the events were due to lightning strikes or not .
The main reason why they can ’ t establish this is because the probe ’ s lightning detecting device happens to be on the opposite side of the spacecraft from the UVS .
Secondly , the images that were captured by these two devices were taken 10 seconds apart , a period which is considered way too long for both devices to be able to analyze the same flash of light as they happen .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all of the 11 detected outbursts ‘ were transient luminous events.
’ The scientists explained that there were many similar characteristics in every single one of them .
These included emitting major bouts of hydrogen , disappearing quickly , and occurring 186 miles above Jupiter ’ s water clouds , which meant that they were way too high to be regular lightning .
Giles iterated , “ We ’ re continuing to look for more telltale signs of elves and sprites every time Juno does a science pass.
” She added , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for , it will be easier to find them at Jupiter and on other planets .
And comparing sprites and elves from Jupiter with those here on Earth will help us better understand electrical activity in planetary atmospheres.
” In the meantime , people can admire them for the luminescent beauty that they all hold .
What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

Space used to feel like it was part of the great unknown, but these days, it doesn’t quite feel that way anymore. Just recently, NASA’s Juno spacecraft managed to capture some incredibly high-definition images that show a bunch of vibrant lightning-like bursts of energy floating in the atmosphere of Jupiter, which is the largest planet in our solar system.
Looking at the images, the subjects in the photos look like jellyfish hanging in the sky which have been aptly called “sprites” along with glowing disks that have been named “elves.”
Although they may seem like brand new phenomena, they were actually discovered back in 1989, and are considered to be quite common, occurring in the upper portions of the Earth’s atmosphere during thunderstorms. And since being discovered over 30 years ago, they have actually been spotted in every single continent around the globe except for Antarctica.
According to the scientists and experts, they theorize that all planets with lightning should probably produce these super-fast electrical bursts that happen 60-miles up in the atmosphere. In fact, researchers even ascertained that these lightning-like bursts that reach toward space were probably already appearing in Jupiter’s colossal atmosphere. But they only got the evidence they needed to support these claims recently, all due to Juno. In fact, before these images were captured, no one had actually seen these luminous “dancing sprites” before.
It was only in 2016 when Juno was cast into space in order to orbit Jupiter, where the spacecraft managed to take an abundance of images of the planet’s aurorae using the spacecraft’s ultraviolet light, otherwise known as the ultraviolet spectrograph instrument (UVS). When the scientists began looking through the images and eventually processed them, that’s when they noticed the incredibly incandescent streaks of ultraviolent emissions that were making sensational flashes of light before hastily vanishing out of sight.
According to the publication Business Insider, while speaking at a press conference during the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences, Juno scientist Rohini Giles explained “In the process of putting together those images, we noticed that very occasionally we saw these surprising, short-lived, bright flashes.”
She went on to say, “We then went and searched through all of the data that we’ve taken over four years of the mission and we found a total of 11 flashes all with very similar properties.” Notably, the outbursts were said to have lasted for a few milliseconds only in the footage.
Then on October 27, Giles’s team also went on to publish a study on these new phenomena in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets entitled Possible Transient Luminous Events Observed in Jupiter’s Atmosphere.
Elves and sprites on Jupiter? It’s not those mythical creatures, but rather brief flashes of light in the gas giant’s upper atmosphere. Data from our #JunoMission indicate these transient luminous events could happen high above Jupiter’s water cloud layer. https://t.co/EXvNbnUc9d pic.twitter.com/sCw8XdAVGM — NASA JPL (@NASAJPL) October 27, 2020
On earth, these sprites are said to resemble alienlike jellyfish-style creatures that happen to dangle from the ionosphere, which is the layer found right on top of the dense lower atmosphere. But in other cases, they can appear like standing pillars of light with narrow looking tentacles that dangle below them, which are often dubbed “carrot curls” because of their stark resemblance to the actual root vegetable.
The name “sprites” was chosen by the late Davis Sentman, a former physics professor at the University of Alaska. He chose the moniker because according to him, they were “well suited to describe their appearance” considering their “fleeing, fairy-like nature,” much like the impish folklore creatures the name comes from.
These actual scientific phenomena occur ‘when lightning strikes the ground, releasing positive electrical energy that requires balancing by an equal and oppositely charged electrical discharge into the sky.’ These sprites also happen much higher in the sky, more so than regular lightning which is said to occur in the middle of electronically charged air, clouds and the surface of the planet. But there are some cases where lightning strikes can also force electromagnetic pulses upward rather than downward, which then make “elves” which are otherwise described as glowing disks.
Giles also shared, “On Earth, sprites and elves appear reddish in color due their interaction with nitrogen in the upper atmosphere. But on Jupiter, the upper atmosphere mostly consists of hydrogen, so they would likely appear either blue or pink.”
Yet despite the discovery, the Juno team shares that they cannot confirm if the events were due to lightning strikes or not. The main reason why they can’t establish this is because the probe’s lightning detecting device happens to be on the opposite side of the spacecraft from the UVS. Secondly, the images that were captured by these two devices were taken 10 seconds apart, a period which is considered way too long for both devices to be able to analyze the same flash of light as they happen.
However, the research team is still convinced that all of the 11 detected outbursts ‘were transient luminous events.’ The scientists explained that there were many similar characteristics in every single one of them. These included emitting major bouts of hydrogen, disappearing quickly, and occurring 186 miles above Jupiter’s water clouds, which meant that they were way too high to be regular lightning. Giles iterated, “We’re continuing to look for more telltale signs of elves and sprites every time Juno does a science pass.”
She added, “Now that we know what we are looking for, it will be easier to find them at Jupiter and on other planets. And comparing sprites and elves from Jupiter with those here on Earth will help us better understand electrical activity in planetary atmospheres.” In the meantime, people can admire them for the luminescent beauty that they all hold.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo


trueactivist--2020-11-09--Scientists Have Discovered a New Organ In The Center Of The Human Head

Doctors , scientists and researchers have been studying the human anatomy for hundreds of centuries , but very recently , a group of medical researchers have made an astonishing discovery .
Apparently there ’ s a new organ that happens to be located in the center of the human head , one that ’ s been there the whole time just waiting to be found .
The discovery was reported in Radiotherapy and Oncology , where researchers reported that doctors in the Netherlands accidentally encountered the organ .
They were examining 100 patients for prostate cancer using a progressive type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
When this scan is used alongside radioactive glucose injections , tumors within the body are highlighted .
It was during these scans when the researchers would find something else burrowed within the rear of the nasopharynx .
The nasopharynx is described as the upper portion of the throat behind the nose .
It is also one part of three within the pharynx , and it works as an airway in the respiratory system .
The nasopharynx also contains the adenoids , also known as pharyngeal tonsils .
According to researchers , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of salivary glands hidden within the human head .
It ’ s shocking to most that this mysterious body part was only discovered in 2020 , having been missed for hundreds of years .
Before this new organ was discovered , there were only three known major salivary glands , namely the parotid , submandibular , and sublingual glands .
According to Wouter Vogel , a radiation oncologist from the Netherlands Cancer Institute where the organ was discovered , explained , “ People have three sets of large salivary glands , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the only salivary or mucous glands in the nasopharynx are microscopically small , and up to 1,000 are evenly spread out throughout the mucosa .
So , imagine our surprise when we found these.
” But since the discovery , a fourth gland can now be added to the list , which is located behind the nose and above the palate .
Notably , the location is also close to the center of the human head .
First author of the study , oral surgeon Matthijs Valstar from the University of Amsterdam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that lit up turned out to have other characteristics of salivary glands as well .
We call them tubarial glands , referring to their anatomical location [ above the torus tubarius ] .
” Incredibly , these tubarial glands were seen in every single one of the 100 PSMA PET/CT scans done on the patients , which revealed the ‘ visible draining duct openings towards the nasopharyngeal wall.
’ The researchers also wrote in the paper , “ To our knowledge , this structure did not fit prior anatomical descriptions.
” The researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are approximately 1,000 additional minor salivary glands that sit all throughout the oral cavity and digestive tract .
But according to Scientific Alert , these can not be seen though without a microscope .
According to researchers , this newly detected organ was probably missed all these years due to its incredibly poor anatomical location , being quite inaccessible since it ’ s under the base of the skull .
Medical professionals also note that they may have noticed the duct openings before without realizing that the structures were actually a part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only due to modern technology that allows advanced PSMA-PET/CT imaging techniques , granting researchers the chance to finally see the macroscopical organ .
Although the study will still need to be repeated and validated , one pathologist explains that if it ’ s authenticated , it could completely change the way the medical world sees diseases in that portion of the skull .
While she wasn ’ t part of the original study , pathologist Valeria Fitzhugh from Rutgers University told the New York Times , “ It seems like they may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real , it could change the way we look at disease in this region.
” And at the same time , the study also shares that sparing these glands during radiotherapy could even improve quality of life .
What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

Doctors, scientists and researchers have been studying the human anatomy for hundreds of centuries, but very recently, a group of medical researchers have made an astonishing discovery. Apparently there’s a new organ that happens to be located in the center of the human head, one that’s been there the whole time just waiting to be found.
The discovery was reported in Radiotherapy and Oncology, where researchers reported that doctors in the Netherlands accidentally encountered the organ. They were examining 100 patients for prostate cancer using a progressive type of scan known as the PSMA PET/CT. When this scan is used alongside radioactive glucose injections, tumors within the body are highlighted.
It was during these scans when the researchers would find something else burrowed within the rear of the nasopharynx. The nasopharynx is described as the upper portion of the throat behind the nose. It is also one part of three within the pharynx, and it works as an airway in the respiratory system. The nasopharynx also contains the adenoids, also known as pharyngeal tonsils.
According to researchers, the new organ looks like a baffling set of salivary glands hidden within the human head. It’s shocking to most that this mysterious body part was only discovered in 2020, having been missed for hundreds of years. Before this new organ was discovered, there were only three known major salivary glands, namely the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands.
According to Wouter Vogel, a radiation oncologist from the Netherlands Cancer Institute where the organ was discovered, explained, “People have three sets of large salivary glands, but not there. As far as we knew, the only salivary or mucous glands in the nasopharynx are microscopically small, and up to 1,000 are evenly spread out throughout the mucosa. So, imagine our surprise when we found these.”
But since the discovery, a fourth gland can now be added to the list, which is located behind the nose and above the palate. Notably, the location is also close to the center of the human head.
First author of the study, oral surgeon Matthijs Valstar from the University of Amsterdam said, “The two new areas that lit up turned out to have other characteristics of salivary glands as well. We call them tubarial glands, referring to their anatomical location [above the torus tubarius].”
Incredibly, these tubarial glands were seen in every single one of the 100 PSMA PET/CT scans done on the patients, which revealed the ‘visible draining duct openings towards the nasopharyngeal wall.’
The researchers also wrote in the paper, “To our knowledge, this structure did not fit prior anatomical descriptions.”
The researchers also felt compelled to note that there are approximately 1,000 additional minor salivary glands that sit all throughout the oral cavity and digestive tract. But according to Scientific Alert, these cannot be seen though without a microscope.
According to researchers, this newly detected organ was probably missed all these years due to its incredibly poor anatomical location, being quite inaccessible since it’s under the base of the skull. Medical professionals also note that they may have noticed the duct openings before without realizing that the structures were actually a part of a bigger gland system. It was only due to modern technology that allows advanced PSMA-PET/CT imaging techniques, granting researchers the chance to finally see the macroscopical organ.
Although the study will still need to be repeated and validated, one pathologist explains that if it’s authenticated, it could completely change the way the medical world sees diseases in that portion of the skull.
While she wasn’t part of the original study, pathologist Valeria Fitzhugh from Rutgers University told the New York Times, “It seems like they may be onto something. If it’s real, it could change the way we look at disease in this region.” And at the same time, the study also shares that sparing these glands during radiotherapy could even improve quality of life.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo


trueactivist--2020-11-10--An Accidental Discovery Finds a Skyscraper-Sized Coral Reef on Great Barrier Reef

Scientists in Australia made an amazing yet unexpected discovery in the Great Barrier Reef when they chanced upon a humongous , detached coral reef .
The underwater structure stands 1,600-feet tall , making it taller than England ’ s The Shard , New York City ’ s Empire State Building , and even France ’ s beloved Eiffel Tower .
Researchers announced this astonishing discovery on October 20 , explaining that they found a “ blade-like ” vertical coral reef around 80-miles off Cape York , which is located on Australia ’ s north-eastern tip .
The team of Australian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belonging to the Schmidt Ocean Institute when they came across the massive reef , the first in 120 years .
They happened to be on a 12-month expedition exploring and mapping the northern seafloor of the Great Barrier Reef when they saw the structure .
They explained that it was around a mile-wide at its base while the tallest point reaches to around 130-feet from the water ’ s surface .
About five days after they first saw it , the team utilized the institute ’ s underwater robot , otherwise known as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ named SuBastian , and went on a live stream dive in order to allow viewers to see it for themselves .
Principal investigator on the expedition , who is from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University , Tom Bridge , explained , “ It ’ s a big reef not to have known about .
What it highlights is how little we know about a lot of the ocean , even the Great Barrier Reef .
The marine park is 344,000 square kilometers – bigger than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6 or 7 % of that is typical shallow-water reefs.
” Notably , this newly discovered reef now joins the other seven detached reefs that have been found in that region off the coast of North Queensland , all of which were mapped back in the late 1800s .
Of the earlier seven , one is the reef at Raine Island , which is said to be ‘ the most important green sea turtle nesting area.
’ Meanwhile , co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute , Wendy Schmidt , also shared in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we continue to find unknown structures and new species in our ocean .
The state of our knowledge about what ’ s in the ocean has long been so limited .
Thanks to new technologies that work as our eyes , ears and hands in the deep ocean , we have the capacity to explore like never before .
New oceanscapes are opening to us , revealing the ecosystems and diverse life forms that share the planet with us.
” Paper author and marine geologist at James Cook University , Dr. Robin Beaman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to say , “ We are surprised and elated by what we have found .
To not only 3D map the reef in detail , but also visually see this discovery with SuBastian is incredible.
” Executive Director of Schmidt Ocean Institute , Jyotika Virmani , iterated , “ To find a new half-a-kilometer tall reef in the offshore Cape York are of the well-recognized Great Barrier Reef shows how mysterious the world is just beyond our coastline .
This powerful combination of mapping data and underwater imagery will be used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the incredible Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.
” The Great Barrier Reef , which is the world ’ s largest reef system , is comprised of more than 2,900 individual reefs with over 900 islands that stretch over an expanse of 1,615 miles .
It is also home to over 1,500 fish species , as well as sea turtles , sea snakes , whales , dolphins and even birds that visit the reef .
Sadly , it has suffered tons of damage from human activities like overfishing and pollution , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warming , like the rise of ocean temperatures , marine pests and rising sea levels , all of which has caused the corals to bleach out .
Despite the devastation to vast portions of the Great Barrier Reef , this newly discovered reef seems to be intact for the most part .
It also sits completely separately from the main shelf edge , and since it ’ s so new , there is still so much to be learned about this detached reef .
In fact , from what the researchers have seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ an incredible abundance ” of sea fans , sponges and soft corals , as well as reef fish and grey reef sharks .
According to scientists , this suggests that the area must be rich in nutrients coming from the ‘ strong currents and upwellings of deep waters.
’ Dr. Beaman and his colleagues will continue to investigate the northern area of the Great Barrier Reef until November 17 .
After which , the data from their research will be available to the public through the national Australian sea-bed mapping program , @ @

Scientists in Australia made an amazing yet unexpected discovery in the Great Barrier Reef when they chanced upon a humongous, detached coral reef. The underwater structure stands 1,600-feet tall, making it taller than England’s The Shard, New York City’s Empire State Building, and even France’s beloved Eiffel Tower.
Researchers announced this astonishing discovery on October 20, explaining that they found a “blade-like” vertical coral reef around 80-miles off Cape York, which is located on Australia’s north-eastern tip. The team of Australian scientists were on the Falkor research vessel belonging to the Schmidt Ocean Institute when they came across the massive reef, the first in 120 years.
They happened to be on a 12-month expedition exploring and mapping the northern seafloor of the Great Barrier Reef when they saw the structure. They explained that it was around a mile-wide at its base while the tallest point reaches to around 130-feet from the water’s surface. About five days after they first saw it, the team utilized the institute’s underwater robot, otherwise known as a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named SuBastian, and went on a live stream dive in order to allow viewers to see it for themselves.
Principal investigator on the expedition, who is from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University, Tom Bridge, explained, “It’s a big reef not to have known about. What it highlights is how little we know about a lot of the ocean, even the Great Barrier Reef. The marine park is 344,000 square kilometers – bigger than many European countries – and only about 6 or 7% of that is typical shallow-water reefs.”
“We know more about the surface of the moon than we know about what lies in the depths beyond our coastlines,” he added.
Notably, this newly discovered reef now joins the other seven detached reefs that have been found in that region off the coast of North Queensland, all of which were mapped back in the late 1800s. Of the earlier seven, one is the reef at Raine Island, which is said to be ‘the most important green sea turtle nesting area.’
Meanwhile, co-founder of Schmidt Ocean Institute, Wendy Schmidt, also shared in a statement, “This unexpected discovery affirms that we continue to find unknown structures and new species in our ocean. The state of our knowledge about what’s in the ocean has long been so limited. Thanks to new technologies that work as our eyes, ears and hands in the deep ocean, we have the capacity to explore like never before. New oceanscapes are opening to us, revealing the ecosystems and diverse life forms that share the planet with us.”
Paper author and marine geologist at James Cook University, Dr. Robin Beaman, who also led the expedition went on to say, “We are surprised and elated by what we have found. To not only 3D map the reef in detail, but also visually see this discovery with SuBastian is incredible.”
Executive Director of Schmidt Ocean Institute, Jyotika Virmani, iterated, “To find a new half-a-kilometer tall reef in the offshore Cape York are of the well-recognized Great Barrier Reef shows how mysterious the world is just beyond our coastline. This powerful combination of mapping data and underwater imagery will be used to understand this new reef and its role within the incredible Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.”
The Great Barrier Reef, which is the world’s largest reef system, is comprised of more than 2,900 individual reefs with over 900 islands that stretch over an expanse of 1,615 miles. It is also home to over 1,500 fish species, as well as sea turtles, sea snakes, whales, dolphins and even birds that visit the reef.
Sadly, it has suffered tons of damage from human activities like overfishing and pollution, as well as from the impact of global warming, like the rise of ocean temperatures, marine pests and rising sea levels, all of which has caused the corals to bleach out.
Despite the devastation to vast portions of the Great Barrier Reef, this newly discovered reef seems to be intact for the most part. It also sits completely separately from the main shelf edge, and since it’s so new, there is still so much to be learned about this detached reef.
In fact, from what the researchers have seen so far, this new reef has “an incredible abundance” of sea fans, sponges and soft corals, as well as reef fish and grey reef sharks. According to scientists, this suggests that the area must be rich in nutrients coming from the ‘strong currents and upwellings of deep waters.’
Dr. Beaman and his colleagues will continue to investigate the northern area of the Great Barrier Reef until November 17. After which, the data from their research will be available to the public through the national Australian sea-bed mapping program, AusSeabed.


trueactivist--2020-11-10--Scientists Warn Of Escalating Climate Change Due To “Sleeping Giant” Methane Found In Artic Ocean

A team of scientists have gathered evidence that large amounts of ancient frozen methane deposits and other gases have been trapped in ice in the Arctic Ocean , and are being released into the atmosphere .
They have also been dubbed as the “ sleeping giant ” as these gases are considered dangerous to all of the quickly escalating global climate issues .
The international team of scientists aboard the Russian ship saw bubbles of gas at the surface of the ocean .
The discovery was made over a 580-square mile portion of the Laptev Sea , which is over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ methane deposits and other types of gas – known as hydrates – are worse than carbon dioxide , with a ‘ warming effect that is 80 times greater than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
’ The International Siberian Study ( ISSS-2020 ) shared that the methane levels found on the ocean ’ s surface are four to eight times higher than normal at the moment .
And there is even more frozen methane hydrates within the other slope sediments that extend across the continental shelf .
These deposits are said to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” precisely because when these greenhouse gasses are released , they can accelerate climate change due to their warming effects .
In fact , many believe that it ’ s the release of methane gas into the air that ’ s the major contributor to global warming .
Leader of the ISSS-2020 expedition and Stockholm University Professor , Örjan Gustafsson , said in a statement , “ Climate warming is awakening the ‘ sleeping giants ’ of the carbon cycle , namely permafrost and methane hydrates.
” With this recent discovery , scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ climate feedback loop has just begun .
As explained in the ISSS-2020 , “ One of the greatest uncertainties surrounding climate warming [ concerns ] the emission of naturally occurring greenhouse gases , such as methane , carbon dioxide , and nitrous oxide ( N2O ) from Artic thawing permafrost , and collapsing methane hydrates – crystals made of methane gas molecules ‘ caged ’ between solid water molecules – in the seabed north of Siberia will increase in the future.
” Chief scientist on the expedition , Professor Igor Semiletov of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the methane discharges are “ significantly larger ” in comparison to any others seen before .
The lead researcher of the ISSS-2020 team explained that their findings are still early in nature , and that the actual amount of gas released still needs to be further analyzed .
Prof. Semiletov iterated , “ The discovery of actively releasing shelf slope hydrates is very important and unknown until now .
This is a new page .
Potentially they can have serious climate consequences , but we need more study before we can confirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this recently released gas on the climate still won ’ t be felt in the near future , eventually these large amounts of methane could truly advance the effects of climate change and global warming .
As explained by Prof. Gustasfsson , “ At this moment , there is unlikely to be any major impact on global warming , but the point is that this process has now been triggered .
This East Siberian slope methane hydrate system has been perturbed and the process with be ongoing.
” What are your thoughts ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ !

A team of scientists have gathered evidence that large amounts of ancient frozen methane deposits and other gases have been trapped in ice in the Arctic Ocean, and are being released into the atmosphere. They have also been dubbed as the “sleeping giant” as these gases are considered dangerous to all of the quickly escalating global climate issues.
The international team of scientists aboard the Russian ship saw bubbles of gas at the surface of the ocean. The discovery was made over a 580-square mile portion of the Laptev Sea, which is over 370 miles from the shore. These methane deposits and other types of gas – known as hydrates – are worse than carbon dioxide, with a ‘warming effect that is 80 times greater than carbon dioxide over 20 years.’
The International Siberian Study (ISSS-2020) shared that the methane levels found on the ocean’s surface are four to eight times higher than normal at the moment. And there is even more frozen methane hydrates within the other slope sediments that extend across the continental shelf.
These deposits are said to be the “sleeping giants of the carbon cycle” precisely because when these greenhouse gasses are released, they can accelerate climate change due to their warming effects. In fact, many believe that it’s the release of methane gas into the air that’s the major contributor to global warming.
Leader of the ISSS-2020 expedition and Stockholm University Professor, Örjan Gustafsson, said in a statement, “Climate warming is awakening the ‘sleeping giants’ of the carbon cycle, namely permafrost and methane hydrates.”
“How much this will lead to added emissions of the strong greenhouse gas methane is poorly understood. This is one of the grand challenges in current climate change research and a central goal of the expedition to address,” he added.
With this recent discovery, scientists and researchers are concerned that a new climate feedback loop has just begun.
As explained in the ISSS-2020, “One of the greatest uncertainties surrounding climate warming [concerns] the emission of naturally occurring greenhouse gases, such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide (N2O) from Artic thawing permafrost, and collapsing methane hydrates – crystals made of methane gas molecules ‘caged’ between solid water molecules – in the seabed north of Siberia will increase in the future.”
Chief scientist on the expedition, Professor Igor Semiletov of the Russian Academy of Sciences, also shared that the methane discharges are “significantly larger” in comparison to any others seen before. The lead researcher of the ISSS-2020 team explained that their findings are still early in nature, and that the actual amount of gas released still needs to be further analyzed.
Prof. Semiletov iterated, “The discovery of actively releasing shelf slope hydrates is very important and unknown until now. This is a new page. Potentially they can have serious climate consequences, but we need more study before we can confirm that.”
While the actual impact of this recently released gas on the climate still won’t be felt in the near future, eventually these large amounts of methane could truly advance the effects of climate change and global warming.
As explained by Prof. Gustasfsson, “At this moment, there is unlikely to be any major impact on global warming, but the point is that this process has now been triggered. This East Siberian slope methane hydrate system has been perturbed and the process with be ongoing.”
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo


trueactivist--2020-11-11--Man Gives His Whole 25,000 Baseball Card Collection To 9-Year Old Who Lost Hers In A Fire

A 9-year old girl was heartbroken after she lost her beloved baseball card collection in a fire that ravaged her house and many other homes in her neighborhood .
Reese Osterberg had been collecting her cards since she was just 6-years old , and over three years she was able to amass at least 100 cards in total .
It was a number that she was incredibly proud of too .
According to her mom , whenever Reese was watching a game on television , especially if it was a game where her favorite baseball team , the SF Giants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out her cards and put the corresponding players in position alongside the game .
And even when there ’ s no game showing , Reese spends her time sharing her baseball love with her good friends and fellow baseball lovers Grayson and Emmett , or with her sister Rylee .
Her mom Amy even shared , “ She loves learning about the players .
She loves talking about the players.
” Even Reese herself said , “ I like baseball cards because they are pictures of people doing happy stuff .
Doing what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” So when the California ’ s forest fires reached her hometown of County Creek in Fresno , and moreover the Osterberg home in Pine Ridge , the family was forced to evacuate their home , leaving most of their possessions behind .
Reese only managed to bring her baseball mitt with her , probably not believing that they would lose their house .
But when that went up in flames , so did her precious card collection , and along with it , a piece of little Reese ’ s heart .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , Reese asked her mother , “ Mom , did Dad get my baseball cards ?
” When Amy told her “ no , ” she was devastated .
Her uncle , knowing how much those cards meant to Reese , headed straight to the hobby store to pick her up a new pack of cards and a binder to put them in , a little something to help soothe the pain of losing her prized collection for the time being .
Reese even shared with media , “ I was sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
My favorite was Buster Posey .
I like him because he ’ s the catcher.
” Unfortunately for the young athlete , she was helpless to the loss of her collection .
She even decided to write Posey a letter , telling him what had happened to her cards in the Creek fire , as well as sharing with him that she ’ s his biggest fan .
Her mom didn ’ t know how to get the letter to either Posey or the Giants , so she decided to send it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this is when the story went viral .
The CAL FIRE / Fresno County Fire Facebook page put out a post sharing that Reese and her two friends Grayson and Emmett had lost all of her baseball cards in the fires when her dad forgot to save them , calling it the “ Step Up To The Plate ” Baseball Card Drive .
In fact , the post even wrote , “ We can ’ t wait to see who will ‘ step up to the plate ’ and donate baseball cards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ word reached the radio stations , soon enough , donations began pouring in , but one was going to be way more generous than the others .
When Kevin Ashford from San Jose heard about what had happened , and the drive to collect baseball cards for the kids , he knew exactly how he could help .
Incredibly , Ashford had over 25,000 cards that he had stored and organized in his home garage .
And it wasn ’ t just any baseball card collection , it was one that he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also claimed that his collection is probably worth somewhere between $ 35,000 to $ 50,000 .
Ashford told the media , “ I got to thinking about what I have out here in the garage .
I thought , you know what , rather than sell these on eBay , I ’ m just going to donate them .
I ’ m gon na donate with all and put a smile on a little girl ’ s face.
” When the Osterberg family found out about the donation , they couldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know how to give their thanks either .
When Amy told Reese about Mr. Ashford ’ s stunning donation , she said “ Mom , my mind just exploded.
” To which Ashford eventually explained , “ My intention is just to make a little girl happy , ” which he obviously did .
And to make matters even sweeter , Reese even got to speak to her baseball hero Posey via Zoom .
By the time Mr. Ashton and Reese finally spoke on the phone , Reese told him something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to give her all his cards was the right one .
He shared , “ When she told me that she used to sit with her binder of baseball cards in front of the TV watching baseball , I knew I had made the right decision .
Because that ’ s exactly what I used to do as a kid.
” Considering that 25,000 is a crazy amount of cards to keep , Reese and her mom Amy decided to give away some of them to Reese ’ s friends and teammates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to send with notes of encouragement to kids in the Children ’ s Hospital of Central California .
Reese explained , “ When someone does something nice for you , it ’ s important to do nice things for other people , too.
” Also , Reese and Mr. Ashford have already made plans to attend a Giants game together after the pandemic when things are safer in order to watch Reese ’ s favorite player , Posey .
Amy also shares that the family is hoping to share more of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community that have lost their jobs and worse , their homes , in the Creek Fire .
They intend to have a socially distanced pizza and baseball card party at the Sierra Junior and Senior High School where Reese ’ s dad , Sean , happens to be the principal .
Amy shared , “ It would be fun for them to do after everything that ’ s happened .
I know for Reese , she ’ s super excited about sharing all of them.
” Meanwhile , the Osterbergs are currently living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , attempting to build their lives again after losing almost all of their belongings .
But what this extensive baseball card collection has brought their family is more than a compilation of cards , it ’ s a sense of normalcy for a family that has been so devastated from the fires .
According to Amy , seeing Reese checking out her cards means so much more though .
In fact she shares , “ that ’ s just her way to say , ‘ Doesn ’ t matter what ’ s happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit and study my cards.
” And it ’ s really a way to help her know that her family is going to be alright .
What are your thoughts ?
Please comment below and share this news !

A 9-year old girl was heartbroken after she lost her beloved baseball card collection in a fire that ravaged her house and many other homes in her neighborhood. Reese Osterberg had been collecting her cards since she was just 6-years old, and over three years she was able to amass at least 100 cards in total. It was a number that she was incredibly proud of too.
According to her mom, whenever Reese was watching a game on television, especially if it was a game where her favorite baseball team, the SF Giants, were playing, she would pull out her cards and put the corresponding players in position alongside the game. And even when there’s no game showing, Reese spends her time sharing her baseball love with her good friends and fellow baseball lovers Grayson and Emmett, or with her sister Rylee.
Her mom Amy even shared, “She loves learning about the players. She loves talking about the players.” Even Reese herself said, “I like baseball cards because they are pictures of people doing happy stuff. Doing what they love. And what I love.”
So when the California’s forest fires reached her hometown of County Creek in Fresno, and moreover the Osterberg home in Pine Ridge, the family was forced to evacuate their home, leaving most of their possessions behind. Reese only managed to bring her baseball mitt with her, probably not believing that they would lose their house. But when that went up in flames, so did her precious card collection, and along with it, a piece of little Reese’s heart.
After hearing about the devastation to their home, Reese asked her mother, “Mom, did Dad get my baseball cards?” When Amy told her “no,” she was devastated. Her uncle, knowing how much those cards meant to Reese, headed straight to the hobby store to pick her up a new pack of cards and a binder to put them in, a little something to help soothe the pain of losing her prized collection for the time being.
Reese even shared with media, “I was sad because I’m a huge fan. My favorite was Buster Posey. I like him because he’s the catcher.”
Unfortunately for the young athlete, she was helpless to the loss of her collection. She even decided to write Posey a letter, telling him what had happened to her cards in the Creek fire, as well as sharing with him that she’s his biggest fan.
Her mom didn’t know how to get the letter to either Posey or the Giants, so she decided to send it to a friend in law enforcement, and this is when the story went viral. The CAL FIRE / Fresno County Fire Facebook page put out a post sharing that Reese and her two friends Grayson and Emmett had lost all of her baseball cards in the fires when her dad forgot to save them, calling it the “Step Up To The Plate” Baseball Card Drive.
In fact, the post even wrote, “We can’t wait to see who will ‘step up to the plate’ and donate baseball cards to these fantastic children.” And after word reached the radio stations, soon enough, donations began pouring in, but one was going to be way more generous than the others.
When Kevin Ashford from San Jose heard about what had happened, and the drive to collect baseball cards for the kids, he knew exactly how he could help. Incredibly, Ashford had over 25,000 cards that he had stored and organized in his home garage. And it wasn’t just any baseball card collection, it was one that he had been collecting since the 90s. He also claimed that his collection is probably worth somewhere between $35,000 to $50,000.
Ashford told the media, “I got to thinking about what I have out here in the garage. I thought, you know what, rather than sell these on eBay, I’m just going to donate them. I’m gonna donate with all and put a smile on a little girl’s face.”
When the Osterberg family found out about the donation, they couldn’t’ believe it! They also didn’t know how to give their thanks either. When Amy told Reese about Mr. Ashford’s stunning donation, she said “Mom, my mind just exploded.” To which Ashford eventually explained, “My intention is just to make a little girl happy,” which he obviously did. And to make matters even sweeter, Reese even got to speak to her baseball hero Posey via Zoom.
By the time Mr. Ashton and Reese finally spoke on the phone, Reese told him something that made him feel like his decision to give her all his cards was the right one. He shared, “When she told me that she used to sit with her binder of baseball cards in front of the TV watching baseball, I knew I had made the right decision. Because that’s exactly what I used to do as a kid.”
Considering that 25,000 is a crazy amount of cards to keep, Reese and her mom Amy decided to give away some of them to Reese’s friends and teammates. They also decided to use some of them to send with notes of encouragement to kids in the Children’s Hospital of Central California. Reese explained, “When someone does something nice for you, it’s important to do nice things for other people, too.”
Also, Reese and Mr. Ashford have already made plans to attend a Giants game together after the pandemic when things are safer in order to watch Reese’s favorite player, Posey.
Amy also shares that the family is hoping to share more of their happiness with the other families in the community that have lost their jobs and worse, their homes, in the Creek Fire. They intend to have a socially distanced pizza and baseball card party at the Sierra Junior and Senior High School where Reese’s dad, Sean, happens to be the principal.
Amy shared, “It would be fun for them to do after everything that’s happened. I know for Reese, she’s super excited about sharing all of them.”
Meanwhile, the Osterbergs are currently living in the grandparents’ home in Clovis, attempting to build their lives again after losing almost all of their belongings. But what this extensive baseball card collection has brought their family is more than a compilation of cards, it’s a sense of normalcy for a family that has been so devastated from the fires.
According to Amy, seeing Reese checking out her cards means so much more though. In fact she shares, “that’s just her way to say, ‘Doesn’t matter what’s happening – this is normal for me to sit and study my cards.” And it’s really a way to help her know that her family is going to be alright.
What are your thoughts? Please comment below and share this news!
True Activist / Report a typo