Acclimation [Author's Notes]
anonymous
February 1 2010, 07:43:52 UTC
-Pommie: a pejorative term for a Brit used by Australians
-Australia and New Zealand fought in World War I, most famously as part of ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Corps) which participated in the very bloody Battle of Gallipolli. These two nations maintain something of a friendly rivalry, mostly over rugby (Note that “friendly” is a term that can be stretched rather far…).
-The indigenous population of New Zealand, the Maori, had an incredibly fascinating culture, particularly in their customs of intertribal warfare. The influx of Europeans to New Zealand and the introduction of firearms led to incredibly bloody conflicts between tribes, which, along with disease, decimated much of the native Maori population. Sadly, there are no more pure blooded Maori left in New Zealand and even finding someone a quarter Maori is incredibly rare. On the other hand, many of the citizens of New Zealand have some Maori blood in them; a man who the author met looked as white as the driven snow and was about 1/16 or 1/32 Maori. The author really recommends the film “Whale Rider” as an excellent view of Maori culture.
-Yes, it is possible to build a resistance to venom and toxins; some snake handlers and “snake milkers” (handlers who obtain venom from snakes to create anti-venin) have claimed to have built immunity to various snake venoms. But it’s difficult and dangerous and will only offer partial protection. The author is a biology major and actually thought about what kind of venom Australia would secrete. It is likely a neurotoxin, like that sported by the box jellyfish (or more specifically, Chironex fleckeri). For the morbidly curious, the particular venom sported by that jellyfish is so potent that one animal contains enough poison to kill sixty people and can kill a person within three minutes, generally by cardiac arrest. There is an antivenin but it must be administered swiftly.
-Oh, and another poisonous animal factoid… the male platypus sports venomous spurs on his hind feet. The venom is non-lethal but causes excruciating pain that can last anywhere from 3 to 12 months. No antidote has been found. To quote another site: “The platypus is Mother Nature’s way of saying, ‘I made this thing out of parts I found on the workshop floor and it can still end you.’”
On a personal note… It’s so good to write something that’s finally so uplifting! Lately all of the author’s pieces have been dark or at least, rather heavy in content.
Re: Acclimation [Author's Notes]
anonymous
February 1 2010, 10:25:35 UTC
Why have you made me ship my country? :sobs:
Seriously tho, that was hot. Really, really, really hot. Poor Australia.
Tho the opening bit made me laugh like no body's business. We make so many NZ jokes over here but the instant someone else makes them it's all 'bitch, what the fuck do you think that you're doing to my little brother.'
IT'S NOT OUR FAULT THAT THEY HAVE, LIKE, 10 SHEEP PER PERSON. The jokes practically write themselves!
And excellent fill for a confunding situation. Mmmm, off to find me some more NZ/Aus smut.
-Australia and New Zealand fought in World War I, most famously as part of ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Corps) which participated in the very bloody Battle of Gallipolli. These two nations maintain something of a friendly rivalry, mostly over rugby (Note that “friendly” is a term that can be stretched rather far…).
-The indigenous population of New Zealand, the Maori, had an incredibly fascinating culture, particularly in their customs of intertribal warfare. The influx of Europeans to New Zealand and the introduction of firearms led to incredibly bloody conflicts between tribes, which, along with disease, decimated much of the native Maori population. Sadly, there are no more pure blooded Maori left in New Zealand and even finding someone a quarter Maori is incredibly rare. On the other hand, many of the citizens of New Zealand have some Maori blood in them; a man who the author met looked as white as the driven snow and was about 1/16 or 1/32 Maori. The author really recommends the film “Whale Rider” as an excellent view of Maori culture.
-Yes, it is possible to build a resistance to venom and toxins; some snake handlers and “snake milkers” (handlers who obtain venom from snakes to create anti-venin) have claimed to have built immunity to various snake venoms. But it’s difficult and dangerous and will only offer partial protection. The author is a biology major and actually thought about what kind of venom Australia would secrete. It is likely a neurotoxin, like that sported by the box jellyfish (or more specifically, Chironex fleckeri). For the morbidly curious, the particular venom sported by that jellyfish is so potent that one animal contains enough poison to kill sixty people and can kill a person within three minutes, generally by cardiac arrest. There is an antivenin but it must be administered swiftly.
-Oh, and another poisonous animal factoid… the male platypus sports venomous spurs on his hind feet. The venom is non-lethal but causes excruciating pain that can last anywhere from 3 to 12 months. No antidote has been found. To quote another site: “The platypus is Mother Nature’s way of saying, ‘I made this thing out of parts I found on the workshop floor and it can still end you.’”
On a personal note… It’s so good to write something that’s finally so uplifting! Lately all of the author’s pieces have been dark or at least, rather heavy in content.
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Seriously tho, that was hot. Really, really, really hot. Poor Australia.
Tho the opening bit made me laugh like no body's business. We make so many NZ jokes over here but the instant someone else makes them it's all 'bitch, what the fuck do you think that you're doing to my little brother.'
IT'S NOT OUR FAULT THAT THEY HAVE, LIKE, 10 SHEEP PER PERSON. The jokes practically write themselves!
And excellent fill for a confunding situation. Mmmm, off to find me some more NZ/Aus smut.
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Thank you for this original fill. 8)
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Thank you thank you thank you
And I especially love you for coming up with the sort of venom :D I was thinking of frogs but that's the wrong continent, huh?
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