Comments on: Filler

By: Jezebella

Jezebella — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:26:43 +0000

You’re in for a long wait. What happens, in my experience, is you end up ditching most of the (many) friends who don’t get it, and making (a few) new ones who do. My tip: don’t take shit from anybody for your beliefs. If your friends don’t respect you as a human being and a feminist, they’re not your friends. Act accordingly. This is probably really difficult at your age (I’m assuming you’re young because of the reference to your schoolbag). Don’t beat yourself up about that. It will get easier as you get older.

By: Jess

Jess — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:03:32 +0000

Well, this blog has not *yet* reduced my friends. None of them have been converted to call themselves feminists yet, either, though there’s 2 “not a feminist, but”s. How long will they take? I have badges on my schoolbag, feminist music on my ipod, and I keep arguing about how gender is a social construct. They’re almost past the stage where they ask what patriarchy means, but I think I’m in for a long wait.

Any tips?

By: norbizness

norbizness — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:47:48 +0000

Interesting news from the world of those uppity mockingbirds.

By: Twisty

Twisty — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:20:08 +0000

Holy shit is right. I think I saw some dodder in a field here at the rancho last spring. I didn’t know it was dodder, though. I remember thinking “what a weird orange slitherly plant.” I should’ve known it was some agressive invasive occupying force. I’m going a-dodder-huntin’ tomorrory.

By: PhysioProf

PhysioProf — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:51:18 +0000

Giant Asian Dodder, which can grow over 6? per day, is a major problem in Texas.

6″ per day!? Holy crap!

By: Antoinette Niebieszczanski

Antoinette Niebieszczanski — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:29:37 +0000

Gah, and I thought Virginia Creeper was bad.

By: VibratingLiz

VibratingLiz — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:54:43 +0000

Kudzu is an invasive and often lethal pest, but it’s a climbing vine, not a true parasite. Dodder (Cuscuta spp.) is an invasive and almost always lethal pest that is also a true parasite. It lacks chlorophyll (hence it’s yellow or orange, not green) and relies entirely on the host plant for all nutrients and water. It’s extremely creepy stuff, and very difficult to eradicate. Giant Asian Dodder, which can grow over 6″ per day, is a major problem in Texas. I’m hoping that fibrous orange stuff in the nest is just some kind of lichens or an unraveled sock.

By: Ron Sullivan

Ron Sullivan — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:14:25 +0000

We have native and exotic dodders her in NCal. I can’t tell them apart; they’re orange and feel oddly fleshy-cool when you touch them. Mostly I see them in pickleweed saltmarshes, where they seem to do no harm. Farmers have differing opinions, of course.

But over the last five years or so, there’s a scary new invasive dodder showing up—–”Japanese” dodder——that behaves like kudzu on steroids. It swallows whole trees in a trice, and, like other dodders, it reproduces from any little bit that breaks off and floats downstream or gets carried off on someone’s fur or pants. I’ve seen it on a freewayside tree near Sacramento and a street tree in East Oakland; it’s been showing up on wild trees along streamcourses all over too.

And it’s supposed to be medicinal, and “sterilized” seed is in the alt-med trade, and of course sterilization doesn’t always work. nd, y’know: Grow Your Own. Aaaaarrrrrgh.

Flickr is treating me shabbily just now or I’d include a picture, but googling for an image of Japanese dodder will get you some scary shit.

BTW, I think you can block people from following you on Twitter, or from replying at least.

By: speedbudget

speedbudget — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:23:52 +0000

I use my Facebook to link to feminist screeds and make my friends nervous.

I linked to the BITCH Manifesto and referenced Shulamith Firestone. That went over like a lead balloon. But I keep at it.

By: humanbein

humanbein — Fri, 15 May 2009 22:26:17 +0000

I love those little fluffballs!