Latest news with #Bonnet
Time of India
30-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kerala plans ABC programme for ‘vulnerable' Bonnet macaque to address conflict issues
Kochi: The Kerala forest department is set to implement an Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme for Bonnet macaque primates, which are classified as 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List, to address conflicts with humans. As part of it, a consultation meeting of experts was held in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. In conjunction with the ABC programme, the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has started a study to assess the population of Bonnet macaque primates in forest fringes and human habitats in Kerala. The study is part of one of the 10 missions conceived by the forest department to address human-animal conflicts, specifically focusing on human-monkey conflicts. The forest department notes that more primates are found in markets based in towns, tourism spots and agricultural fields. "We have raised the primate issue and the need to conduct the ABC programme with the ministry of environment and forests and climate change. They have asked us to come up with a consultation report. In many parts of Kerala, especially in Wayanad, conflicts with primates are reported in large numbers. The issue in tourism spots is due to tourists feeding the primates. Despite the fault lying with humans, people don't understand it," said a department source. Studies have shown that feeding wildlife, including primates, exacerbates conflict incidents, behavioural issues, disease transmission, health issues for the animals and other adverse implications like road kills. Bonnet macaque was classified as 'vulnerable' by the IUCN in 2015 due to its population decline. "As per old Tamil literature, which is over 3,000 years old, Bonnet macaque used to live in human landscapes. In some places, their concentration is high, while in others, there is occasional crop raiding. The question is whether these primates are typical forest species or not. Their population is less in forests and they are not seen in deep forests. They are mostly seen in forest fringes and human habitats. Capture, sterilisation and translocation of the primates are not possible since a study found that they return to their old location," said KFRI wildlife biology department head Peroth Balakrishnan. A study carried out in Wayanad recommended that authorities impose a legal ban on public feeding of the Bonnet macaque and implement proper waste management. Since the species has been included in the vulnerable classification based on a study conducted in Karnataka, the govt will need to consider conservation aspects when taking up the ABC programme.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Surgeon Jim Bonnet remembered for impact on medicine and the community
May 28—Described as "brilliant," "compassionate," and "generous," Dr. Jim Bonnet was a shining light in the Flathead Valley. From bringing vascular surgery to the valley to opening the hospital's first dedicated breast center to serving on the founding board of the Glacier Symphony, Bonnett's reach ranged and helped to grow Flathead County's medical capacity and cultural opportunities. Bonnet died May 6 of cancer in Kalispell, leaving behind a legacy that will be etched into the Flathead Valley. He was 78. His light will never dim, said longtime friend Gayle Vidal. "He was more than a blessing, he was such a credit, such a force in the community without really letting people know about it. He just did it quietly because it was the right thing to do," Vidal said. Now 77 years old, Vidal reflected on the first time she met Jim Bonnet. Gary Robbins, a surgeon and friend of Vidal's, invited her and her husband to a house party on Flathead Lake in their early 20s. Bonnet was Robbin's new surgical partner. The way Vidal explains it, Bonnet immediately drew people in. The first time she saw him, he was standing in a doorway, wearing an emerald green robe. The first thing he said, Vidal laughed, was "bless you, my friends." A man from Louisiana, with Cajun roots and a Catholic background, Vidal said it just made perfect sense. "I looked at my [husband] and said, we have got to get to know this guy better, and we did," she laughed. From that point on until the day he died, the Vidals and Bonnet talked nearly every day. When Vidal got sick in 2020 and was bound to a wheelchair, she remembers hearing a surprise knock at the door, after they had moved out of Kalispell. "Who was it but Jim Bonnet," she said. Bonnet stayed for three days, assisting with daily tasks and helping with medicine. If it reveals anything, Vidal said, it was that Bonnet was an incredible man. An incredible friend. "I don't know another person like him, a person with that sort of capacity, medical expertise and devotion. The work he did overseas, the work he did here. He truly was amazing," Vidal said. Born in 1946 in Lafayette, Louisiana, Bonnet's interest in medicine began at an early age. He graduated from the Tulane School of Medicine in 1971 before completing a five-year residency at the University of Southern California. He then went on to complete a fellowship in peripheral vascular surgery in Australia before joining various medical missions in need of a surgeon, traveling to Nepal, India, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Bonnet connected with Dr. Gary Robbins while living in California, and, upon his return from overseas, the pair started what turned out to be a 30-year partnership in general and vascular surgery in Kalispell. "I feel privileged and fortunate to have known him in my life," said Michael Barth, president of the Logan Health Foundation. In 2002, Bonnet opened an office dedicated to solely breast-related health care after watching his sister Carol's struggle in negotiating her state's medical system for the treatment of breast cancer. In 2009, the endeavor turned into the Bass Breast Center, a coordinated care center on the Logan Health campus. "We have a breast center at Logan Health because he was a leader," Barth reflected. Just last year, Bonnet honored his sister's legacy further with a donation to the Logan Health Foundation to start Carol's Fund, an endowment providing essential resources and assistance for breast cancer patients. For Judy Cowan, one of Bonnet's longtime surgical nurses, his medical expertise and awareness was one of a kind. "He was an excellent doctor and a great surgeon," Cowan said. "What stands out most to me was his ability to take wonderful care of his patients. He had great hands; he was as talented as the first day he operated with me to the day he retired." While expanding Kalispell's medical capabilities, Bonnet was also a generous patron of the arts. He served on the board of what is now the Glacier Art Museum and served on the founding board of the Glacier Symphony. Many remember him for his love of music. Bonnet retired from surgery in 2007. After 14 years of remission from a previous cancer diagnosis in 2009, cancer was found in his throat and was treated aggressively without success. He was preceded in death by his sister, Carol, and his parents. He is survived by his partner of many years, Patrice LaTourelle. "We all have an opportunity to be more like Dr. Jim Bonnett, to follow his example, to follow his lead, to find opportunities to quietly give back and make our community stronger in however we see fit," Barth said. "We all have an opportunity to do our part to make this world a better place like he did." On Thursday, May 29 there will be "A Gathering of Friends to Pay Tribute to Jim Bonnet, the Man, Medicine and His Music" at 3 p.m. in Room 139 in the Arts & Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College. Reporter Kate Heston may be reached at 758-4459 or kheston@
Forbes
24-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Moonlight And Sage: How TikTok's Witchy Intervention Built A 6-Figure Business
Moonlight And Sage Store Many people would change their fate if they could. Whether it's seeking insight from a psychic or tarot card reader (the readings popping up on your TikTok FYP aren't always for you, on the contrary), visiting a healer, manifesting, or even casting a spell — we've all considered in the idea of a little witchy intervention. For Anastasia Bonnet, that curiosity became life-changing. Before opening a six-figure business, revealing two storefronts, and establishing one of the most famed spiritual shops, Moonlight And Sage — she would go on to change her fate, too, through TikTok. "So I just lost my job," she sets up a camera on her balcony, during Covid, when businesses and companies were shutting down and furloughing employees. "If you need a reading, they're $5 on my Instagram," and while this video isn't what went viral and shot Bonnet off into fame, it was the plethora of videos that followed, leading to the invention of her famed "love oil" that would go viral over the app. "I was posting on TikTok, sharing tips and tricks, and teaching people about herbs and crystals. People kept saying, 'You teach us how to make oils, why don't you just sell them?'" she says over Zoom. Her first spiritual products, which were shown on TikTok, initially centered around love, protection, and beauty. From there, her collection expanded into a range of oils, fueling even more growth for her name and what later went on to be a business. For the rootworker and Aphrodite-devotee, it took months before she showed her face on the app. "I was scared to show my face with spiritualism. I wasn't sure if people were going to accept it." But when it came to choosing TikTok, a personality-forward app, over other platforms, the decision felt natural. "People are nicer on the app," she says. "You can share freely, and back then, the algorithm would just pick videos and send them out." That's exactly what happened with a faceless video of her shaking a jar of her love oil. "Love oil is used to attract sexual, platonic love, or opportunities," she described in said video. The 15-second clip quickly garnered nearly 600,000 views. And it makes sense, love can be messy and complicated, so if an oil claims to help narrow it down, why wouldn't people be intrigued? Especially when the reviews speak for themselves. "I've been on a couple of dates and even gotten asked out more since wearing this oil," writes Kaleigh in a review on the site. Even Tefi, a popular influencer with 1.9 million TikTok followers, vets for her Carnelian rings from Moonlight and Sage in a Tiktok video. 'I put them on, and the next day, I got an email from a magazine asking me to host their TikTok.' From there, Bonnet began gaining traction with orders, fulfilling them from her California apartment until "the orders just became too much — there was no room in my house." During that time, like many first-time small business owners, she made common mistakes, such as producing oils in tiny bottles instead of larger gallon-sized batches. When her advent calendars went viral on TikTok, it became clear it was time to uproot elsewhere — a small e-commerce space. "People were asking for more nuanced spiritual items, and we just reached a point where we were boxed out of our room," she says. "It just came down to production." Two years later, she opened her first brick-and-mortar store in downtown Oceanside, California. Tarot Cards As a first-time business owner, she says the challenges don't stem from navigating wholesale buying or projecting margins. Since she handmakes 85% of her products, she lets her pricing be guided by intuition, saying, 'Spirit tells me.' Her oils initially sold for $12 but as the business has grown so have the prices. And even more recently, with rising gas prices, shipping costs, and the impact of Trump's tariffs — particularly on imported herbs and crystals — she's had to adjust. Still, she often chooses to 'just eat the cost.' And that's not the only unorthodox business practice she follows. She's also one of the rare business owners who chooses not to pocket any of the company's revenue. "I don't cut a check. From the time I opened my business, I had $50 in my bank account. I've always put it back into my business." That commitment has come in handy when facing the unfortunate downsides of running an occult store: "restraining orders, lawyers, and years of litigation." Despite these challenges, she continues to pay her 16 employees and pays herself through the members-only monetized platform, Patreon. Adding to her unconventional and a somewhat ironic approach for a TikTok creator who built her business on the app, Bonnet chooses not to sell her spelled products on TikTok Shop. "TikTok Shop would be for me if I didn't sell witchcraft," she explains. "If I could put my oils on there, I would." It's a frustrating limitation, especially since adding more products to TikTok Shop often leads to increased visibility and sales. Yet Bonnet remains committed to using her own domain and website as the sole platform for her products. Many business owners who launch on TikTok lean heavily on the shop feature, but their reliance was shaken when the app faced a brief, nationwide ban in the U.S. for less than 24 hours — a wake-up call for creators and entrepreneurs across the country. Still, Bonnet isn't even a recipient of the TikTok Creator Fund. Instead, she hosts live sales every Friday, timing the release of her newly launched products with "Venus days" — a strategy that has been a game-changer not only for her business but also for cultivating a community of over 1,000,000 followers across her two accounts. Uncrossing Moonlight And Sage Oil "I'll show them [the products], and they can go to the website. I can do a cute theme," Bonnet thought in the moment of its' inception. She often introduces 'mystery bags' and 'exclusive to the live' items, decorating her setup with themed adornments. The result: "It sold out in 10 minutes." Spirituality on social media has long been a contentious space, rife with fake psychics and spiritualists preying on vulnerable people. Bonnet is actively working to combat that. "I open up about everything I go through — it's just not fair for me to show up on camera perfect and poised. That's not realistic," she says. She adds, "When it comes to spirituality, people often target those who are insecure, need money, think their husbands are cheating, or struggle with their weight. There are just certain conversations I won't even entertain or allow in my space." It's likely you've been there, down and depressed and scrolling on TikTok, and you see the perfect video that's describing your situation, "and then here comes a tarot reader like '555, 444 — stop scrolling.' Like of course you're going to stop and pay $55, the predation is crazy [on TikTok]." For her, the biggest way to keep people safe is "when they ask for spells that we don't think is safe, we tell them." Bonnet's success has taken her online fame into in-real life with a larger second space just two blocks down the street. This time, she's combined her e-commerce and retail operations conjoined. "I like having my crew under the same roof," she says. The new space, replacing the old one, officially opened on "Venus Day," March 21, with a line wrapped around the block — some shoppers even camped out overnight in anticipation. The next day, Bonnet returned to TikTok with a familiar, faceless video reminiscent of her early days. "It's the morning after my opening, and I am very tired," she said. "But I just really want to quickly come on here to say thank you."
