Popula

Animals in a Bad Situation

How deep is your love?

Lydia Conklin

Lydia Conklin is a Fulbright Scholar in Poland and a Rona Jaffe Writer's Award recipient. lydia-conklin.com

See more
Support Us

Popula is 100% ad-free, reader-supported journalism accountable only to you. Every dollar of your subscription goes straight to our work. Thank you for supporting Popula.

Lydia Conklin, Animals in a Bad Situation, comics, badgers, validation

Comments on Animals in a Bad Situation
Want to leave a comment? Commenting is available to Popula subscribers only. for unlimited access to Popula—and join our conversations—starting at just $4/month.

Each comment or response costs a tiny ETH fee of 0.0002 (about 5¢ in Ethereum cryptocurrency), payable from your Metamask.io wallet (the wallet is free, and takes just a moment to add to your browser). This system helps protect Popula conversations from trolls, fakers, Cambridges Analytica and other malign influences.

If you haven’t got any ETH yet and you’re a Popula subscriber, please write to hey@popula.com with your subscriber email address and MetaMask wallet address, and we’ll send you a little bit to get started! It’s pretty easy and a lot of fun to use, Yay.

If you’d like to learn more about cryptocurrency, Ethereum, and how Popula is using these new technologies to help protect speech rights and the free press, please visit our FAQ page.

I’m already a subscriber and logged in! OMG, try again please.
Hmm, you don’t seem to be subscribed or logged in. Click the ‘Subscribe Now or Log In’ button.
Hmmm, something’s up.

We’re having trouble checking your subscriber status. Try refreshing the page.

Click here to refresh the page!
Want to leave a comment?

Welcome, Popula subscriber! Please open your commenting privileges here.

I’m already logged in. Check again!
Hmm, you’re still not logged in. Click the ‘Log In’ button.
Want to leave a comment?

Thank you for being a Popula subscriber! As a subscriber, you may leave comments, but you have to be logged in as commenter here first. This is an additional login—the login for your commenting privileges—and you’ll stay logged in after you log in the first time.

I’m already registered and logged in. Check again!
Hmm, you’re still not registered here. Click the ‘Register Me’ button.
Yay, you’ve been registered!

We’ve sent an email to your registered address at … with your commenting details. Please follow the directions in the email to open your commenting privileges and then come back here to leave your first comment!

OK, I logged in. Load the comments!
Hmm, you’re still not logged in. Click the ‘Log In’ button.
You’re already registered.

Thanks for registering! Please log in and you can get started commenting.

I’m already logged in. Check again!
Hmm, you’re still not logged in. Click the ‘Log In’ button.
You need to activate MetaMask to leave a comment!

You’re logged in and ready to leave comments! All you need is a MetaMask wallet and a little ETH cryptocurrency, just like with our microtipping system.

If you know what MetaMask is and have it installed, activate MetaMask and refresh:

Please grant us access

The MetaMask window should have popped up and asked if you want Popula to have access to your MetaMask. Click the ‘CONFIRM’ button.

Don’t see the MetaMask window? Click here to request it again:

Leave a Comment

Thank you for subscribing to Popula and getting your MetaMask wallet ready! As a Popula subscriber, you can leave comments for a small ETH fee of 0.0002 (about 5¢ in Ethereum cryptocurrency) using ETH. Enter your comment below and then click the ‘Pay to Post Comment’ button.

Commenting as … (Change your display name)
Pay 5¢ to Post Comment

Alas! commenting is not yet available on your mobile device. Each comment costs a little ETH cryptocurrency to post, and for now that requires a regular computer.

So please go to your laptop, install the MetaMask browser plugin, and hold forth!

Tempo: May 19, 2019

J. Matt on the heart-stopping scale of the Camp Fire cleanup; Molly Fisk, who lives nearby, visited the scene of the fire; Trevor Alixopulos examines damage control from within, rather than without.

Your basic California spring gorgeousness

Sandy drove us past the Safeway, which only looks like a grocery store because there's a line of carts out front all melted together.

What remains of Paradise

The environmental consequences of today’s massive fires don’t end when the fire is out and the smoke clears.

What is Popula?
Popula is a journalist-owned, journalist-run, ad-free publication with stories sourced from writers all over the world.
Tell Me More!
Keep Me Posted!
Receive word of new stories, comics and happenings at Popula.
Sign Me Up
I Love It!
Your Galaxy Brain subscription includes a free Popula Mug! and so much more!
Did you like this?
OK, let’s activate MetaMask!

Hmm, looks like you don’t have MetaMask activated!

If you know what MetaMask is and have it installed, activate MetaMask and refresh:

If that doesn’t make sense to you, click here:

Please grant us access

The MetaMask window should have popped up and asked if you want Popula to have access to your MetaMask. Click the ‘CONFIRM’ button.

Don’t see the MetaMask window? Click here to request it again:

Your MetaMask may be out of date

You have an old version of the MetaMask extension installed. Before we can continue, you must install the latest version.

Here’s how:

  • Uninstall (don’t just disable) the existing extension from your browser.
  • Restart your browser.
  • Go to metamask.io and re-install the extension.
  • Come back here and try again!

We know this step is inconvenient, but it’s necessary to make sure this all goes smoothly!

Oops, we need access!

Your MetaMask extension is running, but for privacy purposes you have to allow us to connect to your MetaMask wallet.

Looks like you’re on the test network!

You need to connect to the Main Net before you can continue. Click on your MetaMask icon so the window pops up, then select ‘Main Ethereum Network’ from the dropdown.

Ready to Tip!

How much do you want to tip?

You can adjust either amount to see how much ETH or USD you’ll be sending.

USD ≈ ETH

You can adjust the tip amount in the MetaMask popup window before confirming the transaction.

Author participation in the Popula tipping system is optional; if an author declines to participate in the tipping system, your tip will be refunded to you in full within 60 days.

Confirm Your Tip!

Your MetaMask window has popped up now, and you need to confirm the transaction.

Hit that ‘CONFIRM’ button to make it happen!

Decided not to tip?

Did you reject the transaction by accident? Want to adjust your tip amount? Click here:

Maybe you’re not quite comfortable with this yet?

Hmm, something went wrong.

That transaction didn’t go through for some reason.

Try clicking on the MetaMask button in your browser bar (looks like this: the MetaMask icon; a geometric fox mask) and see if you have any transactions listed at the bottom of the popup. If you don’t see the tip you just tried to leave, then try again:

Or just want to ask us about it? We’ll look into it personally for you.

WOW! THANK YOU!

Thank you so much for your tip, and for your direct support of journalism. The author will appreciate it a lot, and so do all of us at Popula.

Want a receipt?

To see your transaction logged in MetaMask, click the MetaMask button in your browser toolbar—this one: the MetaMask icon; a geometric fox mask—and your transaction will be listed in the popup.

You can also track the transaction on the Etherscan website. It usually takes under a minute to process, and you’ll get a notification from MetaMask when it’s done.

the Etherscan icon; a bar graph on top of a blue and gray circle Track on Etherscan

If you have any questions at all, please let us know!

the Popula logo; a globe with 'POPULA' written diagonally over it Home to Popula, please!
Contact Us

Questions? Problems?

We know this cryptocurrency stuff is new and weird. We’re here to help you understand. Ask us anything!

a line drawing of an envelope with motion lines hey@popula.com
Help: What is ETH?

ETH is Ether, a popular cryptocurrency generated on the Ethereum blockchain.

You’ll need some Ethereum cryptocurrency (ETH) in a MetaMask wallet in order to continue. Currently it’s not possible to use other cryptocurrencies, or in dollars or other fiat currencies.

For a comprehensive FAQ to help get you started, please visit our help page, “How to Tip Your Favorite Authors with Cryptocurrency on Popula!”

If you have any questions at all, please let us know!

OK, let’s activate MetaMask!

Hmm, looks like you don’t have MetaMask activated!

If you know what MetaMask is and have it installed, activate MetaMask and refresh:

If that doesn’t make sense to you, click here:

Please grant us access

The MetaMask window will pop up and ask if you want Popula to have access to your MetaMask. Click the ‘CONFIRM’ button.

Don’t see the MetaMask window? Click here to try again:

If you don’t see the MetaMask plugin popup, you may need to click the MetaMask icon in your browser toolbar (looks like this: the MetaMask icon; a geometric fox mask) and enter your password to unlock MetaMask.

Your MetaMask may be out of date

You have an old version of the MetaMask extension installed. Before we can continue, you must install the latest version.

Here’s how:

  • Uninstall (don’t just disable) the existing extension from your browser.
  • Restart your browser.
  • Go to metamask.io and re-install the extension.
  • Come back here and try again!

We know this step is inconvenient, but it’s necessary to make sure this all goes smoothly!

Oops, we need access!

Your MetaMask extension is running, but for privacy purposes you have to allow us to connect to your MetaMask wallet.

Looks like you’re on the test network!

You need to connect to the Main Net before you can continue. Click on your MetaMask icon so the window pops up, then select ‘Main Ethereum Network’ from the dropdown.

Confirm Your Comment!

Your MetaMask window will pop up in a few seconds, and you need to confirm the transaction to pay for your comment to be posted.

Hit that ‘CONFIRM’ button to make it happen!

Hmm, that comment couldn’t be posted.

Your comment was rejected! Here’s what the computer had to say:

You can try again if you want:

Want to fix that comment?

Maybe you’re not quite comfortable with this yet?

Decided not to comment?

Did you reject the transaction by accident? Click here:

Want to edit your comment first?

Maybe you’re not quite comfortable with this yet?

Hmm, something went wrong.

That transaction didn’t go through for some reason.

Try clicking on the MetaMask button in your browser bar (looks like this: the MetaMask icon; a geometric fox mask) and see if you have any transactions listed at the bottom of the popup. If you don’t see one for the comment you just tried to post, then try again:

Or just want to ask us about it? We’ll look into it personally for you.

COMMENT POSTED!

Comment posted successfully! Refresh the page to see the comment you just made. You’ll also receive an email notification of your transaction.

To see your transaction logged in MetaMask, click the MetaMask button in your browser toolbar—this one: the MetaMask icon; a geometric fox mask—and your transaction will be listed in the popup.

You can also track the transaction on the Etherscan website. It usually takes under a minute to process, and you’ll get a notification from MetaMask when it’s done.

the Etherscan icon; a bar graph on top of a blue and gray circle Track on Etherscan

If you have any questions at all, please let us know!

Contact Us

Questions? Problems?

We know this cryptocurrency stuff is new and weird. We’re here to help you understand. Ask us anything!

a line drawing of an envelope with motion lines hey@popula.com
Help: What is ETH?

ETH is Ether, a popular cryptocurrency generated on the Ethereum blockchain.

You’ll need some Ethereum cryptocurrency (ETH) in a MetaMask wallet in order to continue. Currently it’s not possible to use other cryptocurrencies, or in dollars or other fiat currencies.

For a comprehensive FAQ to help get you started, please visit our FAQ page.

If you have any questions at all, please let us know!