Please don’t be a Bystander. If you only do one thing, share the image above as widely as possible.
I am very aware that the timing of these events coincides with the release of certain files relating to Epstein. This is no doubt deliberate.
However my main concern right now, has to be preventing the mistreatment and murder of my fellow human beings.
Be Safe,
Antony
 Did You Know? |
This is the fifth in a series of Did You Know? blog posts. Each blog post will gives fascinating facts on a particular topic. In part 1 the topic was science. In part 2 the topic was history. In part 3 the topic was geography. In part 4 the topics were art & music.
Today, I give you ten facts about Animals: 1. Cats domesticated themselves around 10,000 years ago. Dogs are thought to be the first animal domesticated by humans also around 10,000 years ago. 2. Elephants have the longest gestation period among mammals lasting nearly 2 years. However the spiny dogfish shark gestation period tops the elephant at 3.5 years, as does the black alpine salamander with a gestation period of 2-3 years. |
3. Animals with the shortest gestation period include: koala (34-36 days), squirrel (about 40 days) and a number of animals that have a 60-62 day gestation period.
4. The largest bat colony is believed to have 20m bats and is in Bracken Cave, Texas, USA.
5. Bees taste with their feet.
6. Octopi each have 9 brains, 3 hearts, blue blood and are about 90% muscle.
7. Dolphins can sleep half a brain at a time, meaning they can be active for 15 or more days.
8. Seahorse males carry fertilised eggs and give birth to hundreds of baby seahorses per time.
9. Ants never sleep and don’t have lungs. There are 1 million ants for every 1 human in the world.
10. Flamingos can only eat when their head is upside down.
Write soon,
Antony
References
The Nest – How Long Have Dogs & Cats Been Domesticated?
Mother Nature Network – 12 animals with the longest gestation period
Info.com – Which mammals have the shortest and longest gestation periods?
BuzzFeed – 47 Surprising Facts About Animals
The Daily Catch – An Octopus has 3 Hearts, 9 Brains & Blue Blood
List 25 – 25 Amazing Facts You Didn’t Know About Animals
The Fact Site – 300 Random Animal Facts
Ruth Cocker Burks, image by Brian Chilson (from Out Magazine’s Website)
Ruth is the altruistic woman who cared for gay men dying with AIDS in the 1980s in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. It started when she was at University Hospital visiting a friend who had cancer. At the time she was 25 years old with a young family.
One day she saw a door to a patient’s room with a big red bag over it. Inside was a gay man dying of AIDS. Nobody came to visit him. He was asking for his mother. So Burks called his mother. His mother told Burks that being gay had brought shame on the family. His family didn’t want to know. Even the healthcare staff treated him as cursed. So Burks cared for him. She visited him in hospital and when he finally passed away she buried him.
Burks then went on to give this end-of-life care to hundreds of gay men and to bury at least three dozen herself. Luckily for Burks, her mother had bought 262 plots in a graveyard when she was younger due to a colossal family argument. This meant that Burks has plenty of space for the burials.
From the bottom of my heart and on behalf of those gay men, I just want to say: Thank you Ruth Cocker Burks. Nobody deserves to die alone, afraid and without care or love.
Burks believes that a higher power led her to her destiny of caring for these gay men dying with AIDS. I don’t know if that’s true or not. But what I do know is that Burks’ actions represents the very best aspects of humanity: care, compassion, kindness and love.
Burks is an inspirational woman and I wish we could all be more altruistic, meaning that we care for the well-being of others more.
The blog post above is a shortened paraphrase of Meet the Woman Who Cared for Hundreds of Abandoned Gay Men Dying of AIDS from Out Magazine’s online website.
Blog soon,
Antony
 My Wickedly Wonderful Mystery Packages arrived from the USA a few days before my 30th birthday and were a extra special gift to myself. |
Dorothy Morrison is my all-time favourite Witch. I first discovered her some years ago when I read her book Everyday Magic. I loved the book that much that it made its way on to the top shelf where I put my favourite books. At the time I read the book cover to cover, and still to this day go back for ideas, spells and inspiration.
To celebrate Dorothy Morrison’s birthday she has put together Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Packages in two sizes small ($30 about £21) and large ($50 about £35). These packages will be available to order throughout May. In these magical mystery packages Dorothy Morrison is putting some goodies from her own personal stash, as well as some products from her range that are available on her Wicked Witch Studios website. |
Here’s what Dorothy says about these Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Packages:
…I sincerely hope they elicit the response for which I’m hoping: that resounding “WOW!” that warms your heart. I can’t think of any better way to celebrate my birthday!
Since the contents of each package will be different, there’s no way to post photos of assortments. But…possibilities include autographed books, limited edition items, candles, oils, sprays, gris gris bags, and other products found on the Wicked Witch Studios website, as well as goodies from my personal stash. [No one needs as much magical miscellany as I have on hand – so it’s time to pass some of it on!] What I can tell you is this: The packages come in two sizes – small and large – and regardless of which size you choose to purchase, I can personally guarantee the retail value of each package to be higher than the $30.00 or $50.00 price you’ve paid. So the fact of the matter is that you’ll actually be getting your goodies at a discount. And that’s enough to elicit a shout of joy from nearly everybody!
Just one more thing: Even though I’ll be offering the Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Packages for the entire month of May, you’ll probably want to order yours early. That way, you’ll be sure to receive some of the items I only have in limited supply – and you certainly wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity like that!
(From: http://wickedwitchstudios.com/MysteryPackages.html, Last accessed: Monday 26th May 2016.)
When I heard about these packages, I was initially super excited and then remembered that Dorothy Morrison doesn’t ship to the UK. I posted my disappointment on Dorothy Morrison’s Facebook profile and she said that she’s now working with The Angry Cauldron who ship internationally and that I could order from there. The Angry Cauldron stock and sell Dorothy Morrison’s Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Packages, as well as other Dorothy Morrison’s products.
The Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Packages were released in early May on mid-night eastern time, which is 5am here in the UK. I decided to treat myself for my 30th birthday. I was up at 5am and ordered, so I that I would be one of the first to put my order in. I ordered a small and a large Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Package. They arrived in a big box a few days before my 30th birthday. I was so exited that I nearly wee-d.
Here are some photos of the small mystery package:
 I ordered a small (pictured) and large Wickedly Wonderful Mystery Package. |
 All of the items were wrapped in colourful bubblewrap meaning that it felt like opening gifts. |
 First item I opened was a Dorothy Morrison ‘Hot Damn’ candle, which is used for good fortune/good luck. I’ve since burned this and it smells Devine and burns beautifully. |
 Next I opened these two oils one: Wicked Witch and the other: Puttin’ on the Witch. Both smell amazingly magical and are great for anointing candles. Oh I also should point out that these are unique blends made by the fabulous Dorothy Morrison herself. |
 Next was a Dorothy Morrison ‘Ghost Repel’ candle. Will keep hold of this, in case the occasion ever arises that I need to send a ghost or other spirit on its way. |
 Dorothy Morrison’s ‘Wishin’ Mojo’ candle. |
 All the items in the small package together. The price of a small Wickedly Wonderful Mystery Package is $30 (about £21) and the items I received are worth a lot more. |
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Here are some photos of the large mystery package:
 A large Wickedly Wonderful Mystery Package. |
 Items wrapped in colourful bubblewrap meaning that they were packed well and opening them was like opening gifts. |
 Sandalwood is my all-time favourite smell, so it was brilliant to have it in an incense. |
 A Dorothy Morrison ‘Extreme Bad Ass’ Personal Power Accelerator candle. |
 A copy of Dorothy Morrison’s book – Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions. |
 Oh and my copy of Utterly Wicked: Curses, Hexes & Other Unsavory Notions was signed to. |
 A candle that can be used for working with Santisima Muerte (around the topics of: death, healing & protection). |
 A candle that can be used for working with Hekate, Queen of the Witches & Maiden/Mother/Crone (around the topics of: fertility, magic/power & crossroads). |
 All the items in the large package together. The price of a large Wickedly Wonderful Mystery Package is $50 (about £35) and the items I received are worth a lot more. |
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All of the products are of the highest quality and I can confirm that they are well above the retail price I paid. To order your Wickedly Wonderful Magical Mystery Package (either small, large or both), if you are from the USA you can order yours at Dorothy Morrison’s Wicked Witch Studios. If you are from the UK or another country you can order your at The Angry Cauldron.
But remember that you’ve only got till the end of May to order and the sooner you order the better, as some products are limited edition and once they are gone, they are gone.
Blog soon,
Antony
