You know you're a zookeeper when

Welcome to the secret lives of zookeepers. Well, I haven't really done an occupational-hazards group for a while and this one is loads of fun. You can check out the information section to find out just what to expect from this unusual profession. (Perhaps career counselors should start recommending Facebook Groups as additional reading.) Threads on the discussion board include 'Where do you work? What species do you work with?', 'What's the funniest/coolest thing one of your animals has ever done?', 'Things That the Public Throw into the Pens' and 'The Brilliant Public'. There are over 300 zoo images in the gallery.

What's great about this group: it introduces the ups and downs of a zookeeper's day.

Update (24 October 2024)

This Facebook Group still exists, but has opted to go private. It has 20,700 members and still seems fairly active. Go here to request access. 

Bring Romanticism Back!

Maybe it's got something to do with the fact that several lifetimes ago, during one of my ill-fated exploits at art school we did this art theory course on romanticism. Maybe it was reading down the list of Romantic era artists and realizing what a debt we owe them all for the unusual worlds they gifted us through their prose, art, music and poetry. Maybe I just liked that bit in the information section that said 'location: the imagination'. Speaking of which, the information section lists the greats of Romanticism, which includes Lord Byron, P.B. & Mary Shelley, Beethoven, Wordsworth, Goethe, Chopin, Liszt, William Blake and Emily Bronte. Some threads on the discussion board are 'Your Favourite Quote', 'Gothic novels', 'Favorite Romantics', 'Why did Romantisim die?', 'Love vs. Lust' and 'Drug addiction in romantic literature'. Recapture the visual impact of Romanticism by visiting the gallery. Wall posts feature links to videos and other internet resources.

What's great about this group: revisit an important artistic movement.

Update (16 April 2024)

I think this group can now be found here.

The Kempton Park Hospital ~ A Haunting Story

What happens to a collection of bricks and mortar once it ceases to fulfill its purpose, and begins the slow slide into obscurity? This group devotes itself to the legends surrounding a derelict South African hospital that closed down a little over thirteen years ago. Threads on the discussion board include 'Kempton Hospital Born's', 'The last ever patient?', 'who's the little girl and who's the man that jumped...cuz we saw them', 'GHOSTS' and 'Who knows people that worked there?', to name but a few. The topic 'unqualified doctor' concerns the fake Dr Andre Esterhuisen that once wandered its corridors. Although the premises are guarded at state expense, various group members boast of having made illicit nightly expeditions there and some others post their intentions in wall posts. Some photographic evidence of these trips have made its way to the gallery.

What's great about this group: It gives an intriguing glimpse into the past and legend surrounding an institution.

Update (16 April 2024)

There is a private group Kempton Park Hospital ghosthunt (founded June 2009) which most like is the same group. 

World Wildlife Fund

This is the facebook group to promote the activities and concerns of the World Wildlife Fund. The info section gives the basic facts about the organization's history. On the discussion board, you will find threads such as 'Adopting an animal', 'Fuel Efficiency is NOT the Answer', 'Snatching Baby Elephants from Their Mothers Spark Controversy in Sri Lanka', 'Ecotourism -hope and reality' and '8-year-old boy writes book in order to raise money for endangered animals'. On the wall, you will find links to specific causes, links to other wildlife related groups and interests.Images of feline predators such as lions, tigers and leopards predominate in the gallery, but check out the unusual picture of the parachuted llama.

What's great about this group: Wildlife matters.

Update (17 April 2024)

There are numerous small groups with barely any activity called World Wildlife Group. I am wondering whether it might be this group, which goes back to 2007. 

Egyptian Royalty

One of the truly great things about the internet, is how it brings people who share a common interest together. This group is dedicated to the dynasty that ruled Egypt from 1805 to 1952. The information section lists its eleven rulers starting with Muhammad Ali through to the infant King Ahmad Fouad II (son of King Farouk), who was very briefly named king after his father's abdication. There are well over 1,500 images in the gallery, although many are duplicated. There are also links to video clips, ranging from footage from olden days to more recent interviews with surviving members of the royal family. Threads on the discussion board include 'a visit to princess fawzia in semouha in Alexandria...the king's sister', 'interview with last king of egypt', 'Princess Fawzia' birthday' and 'Could it be possible to bring back the monarchy system,do you think it would do some good to this country?Yes or No&why?'

What's great about this group: It shares a recent chapter of Egypt's history.

Ypdate (11 April 2024) - There seems to be no Facebook group with this name anymore. There are several other groups dedicated to various aspects of Egyptian history.

Long hair!

Calling all would-be Rapunzels and their princes. Check out some of the extreme hair growers on Facebook, both male and female. There is not much action on the discussion board, but threads include 'Who can sit on their hair? I nearly can!!!!!', 'views on hair length', 'Can anyone guide me wat to do or use for hair growth?' and 'How long?' The highlight is, of course, the gallery, with over 100 pictures of the crowning glory of group members.

What's great about this group: If long hair is your thing, enjoy.

Update (17 April 2024)

While there are numerous groups dedicated to long hair, it's impossible to tell which has connections to this group.

FREEDOM

Freedom. As far as concepts go, you cannot get much bigger than that. Whether you define freedom in political or personal terms, it means something to everyone. Threads on the discussion board include 'According To You .. wHAT iS fREEDOM ???', 'Let's get started to Fight For Freedom and Save the people of the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!', 'Free SEX, what do you think about it?', '155 Ideas To Freedom' and '"We are far more free than we allow ourselves to be."' In the gallery, you will find various images that portray freedom or illustrate lack thereof.

What's great about this group: To greater or lesser degree, most of us strive towards what we define as freedom.

Update (18 April 2024)

This could be one of several groups, that are mostly inactive.

Deep Thoughts by Jack Handy

Who is the Jack Handy of this group? Does he exist? Even his website does not quite answer the question, but do check out his group out for dark humor and twisted logic that makes sense in a weird sort of way. Threads on the discussion board include 'Here are some originals I came up with, feedback is welcomed......', 'Your Favorite Deep Thoughts', 'His Name is Jack "Handey"' and 'Non-Deep thought Jack Handy related humor'.

What's great about this group: The off-beat quotes.

Update (29 October 2023)

Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey is now a Facebook page with 13,000 followers and can be found here. The current (private) Facebook group And now, Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey is too recent (2021) an invention to be linked to the group profiled here. 

1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die

It's been a while since I've featured a reading related group. Having painstakingly gone through the list, I've decided I am not going to own up to how little of its contents I have actually read in the good old-fashioned book form. What I can say, is that I did not regret reading a single one of those, so if that is anything to go by, the list definitely has merit. A few writers seem over-represented. Threads on the discussion board include 'Which one are you reading right now?', 'books that affected you deeply but aren't in the lise', 'How many have you read so far?' and 'Is your favorite book missing from this list?' There are also several links to sites that offer free e-books.

What's great about this group: It inspires you to expand your reading horizons.

Update (29 October 2023)

There is a Facebook page with the same name, which has 1,200 followers and can be found here. Also check out the page 1001 African Books to Read before you die. 

James Randi Educational Foundation

Looking back, I have often tackled groups with the esoteric or the metaphysical as an underlying theme, so, today, just to be impartial, I have decided to give the grand daddy of all sceptics an airing. James Randi has been around for a long time and as a former stage magician, is well equipped to debunk and expose paranormal charlatans. Is he just a voice of reason or has he himself become a zealot opposed to anything out of the ordinary? That is not at issue. Psychic phenomena should be investigated and frauds should be exposed. Threads on the discussion board include 'Intelligence vs. Stubborn insistance', 'The Mask of Nostradamus', 'Debunking NLP', 'Ghosts', 'The Problem With Atheism' and 'Is Science Philosophy?' In a particularly interesting thread, posters speculate whether it is appropriate to pray for Robert Lancaster, an agnostic and a leading critic of the psychic Sylvia Browne.

What's great about this group: The group aspires to being rational about the irrational.

Update ( 24 October 2023)

Following the death of James Randi in 2020, the group seems mainly focused around the person and legacy of James Randi and his work in the pursuit of scientific scepticism. Currently, the group has 66,000 members. The updated link is here, if you want to visit or join.

Waterfall Survivors

Normally I try to avoid groups that are tied to a specific geographic location, but when I happened to discover 'Waterfall Survivors', they seemed like a great exception to make to my general rule. The group, which has over 4,000 members, connects waterfall enthusiasts in Malaysia. Seemingly well-organized, they offer a number of events per month. There are over 1500 images in the gallery, mostly chronicling group events, but also a few beautiful nature shots. Threads on the discussion board include 'Beware the bugs' which gives specific advice about various creepy crawlies, 'Your Testimonial about your experience with Waterfall Survivors', 'Day trip charges', 'Tips when organizing/following trips to waterfall' and 'How shall we do it that more people can join in for the trips and make it adventurous and fun??' Included in fees for activities is one day insurance coverage for the event. Investigate the group, if you are looking for adventure in Malaysia or if you want hints on how to start up something similar in your region.

What's great about this group: They seem to form a fun community.

Update (25 October 2023)

This community does not seem to have a presence on Facebook anymore, but they still have a blogspot website, which can be found here. 

Psychic

Many people have had the experience of perceiving something beyond the five senses at least once in their lives. Some are regularly assaulted by impressions, predictions and hunches. A rare few manage to tame and master such abilities to the greater benefit of those around them. This group forms a kind of platform for information sharing among those who believe themselves to possess psychic abilities. Interestingly, at least one member has the habit to regularly jump in with free readings on questions other members has wrestled with. On the discussion board, you will find threads such as 'Are demons real?', 'Ask a psychic/medium', 'Do We Choose, Where We Go, After Death?', 'Children And Predictions', 'Orbs', 'Mystical Travelers' and 'free readings done here'.

What's great about this group: It lets psychics connect... with each other.

Update (18 April 2024)

There are numerous psychic themed groups, but this one doesn't seem to exist anymore. 

Victorian fairies

Someone once said that the Victorian era invented childhood. No surprise then, that the era was characterized by an explosion of fairy pictures from a variety of artists. In this group, you can feast your eyes on the creative output of illustrators such as Arthur Rackham, Warwick Goble, Richard Doyle and artists such as Henry Meynell Rheam, Joseph Noel Paton, John Anster Fitzgerald and the unfortunate Richard Dadd, who produced most of his art while in jail. Also included are Polish Witold Pruszkowski, Spanish Luis Ricardo Falero, Austrian Zatzka and even a non-Victorian Sulamith Wulfing. On the wall, you will find links to other fairy art fan pages.

What's great about this group: Admire art from a specific period and genre.

Update (25 October 2023)

This group does not seem to exist anymore.