Blog Betty (Thomas Friedman is a Great Man was an online novel): 2025

Thursday, March 13, 2025

Grab bag science post

Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Cheryl Hines Explains Junior"

Science grab bag post. Starting with this from Ben Blanchet (HUFFINGTON POST):

An American social media influencer is facing massive backlash in Australia and may be barred from visiting the country after she bragged about taking a screaming baby wombat away from its mother in a stunt.

Sam Jones — a self-described “outdoor enthusiast” and “wildlife biologist” with 92,000 followers on her now-private Instagram page — shared a clip from the land down under showing her grabbing the wombat cub, or joey, and running away with it as the mama marsupial could initially be seen dashing away.

Jones proceeded to scurry down a road as she held the cub from under its front legs in the clip as a voice off camera laughed and remarked on the mother chasing after her baby as it hissed and shrieked in Jones’ hands.

Jones, who could be seen smiling with the frightened cub in her hands, later brought the baby back to the side of the road after noticing its “pissed” mother.

“My dream of holding a wombat has been realized! Baby and mom slowly waddled back off together into the bush,” Jones reportedly captioned the clip.

Jones’ visa is currently under review by Australia’s Department of Immigration as officials determine whether she violated the law, Australia’s Sky News reported.

WTH?

There are so many problems with that story.

First off, Sam Jones, you were a guest in that country. A guest. She's as stupid as the Syrian-born Palestinian activist. When you are a guest, you conduct yourself like one.

Second, who the heck is this bimbo to think it's funny to traumatize a baby and its mother?

That was funny to her. Them both being traumatized was funny to her. Sam Jones is disgusting. She's human garbage.

It wasn't funny.

How would she have felt, if at four months, she was with her mother and some stranger came up and grabbed her and took off -- as her mother was screaming?

There's no excuse for this.

Australia should permanently ban her from ever entering their country again. If there are any laws on the book that she can be charged with, she should be charged. And she should face the stiffest punishment allowed.

This was not funny. It was mean. And it was never her role to go to a country and traumatize animals. She's just a sick, twisted bully.

She looks blond -- are we surprised. Bimbo is a bully. Here's a video report.

She brought shame to America with her conduct. She should be making public apologies to both Australia and our country.

Sadly, I am never surprised by human beings' ability to be cruel. I am often surprised by science. And Michael Moran (THE MIRROR) surprised me with this news:

A colossal organism, dwarfing all expectations, has been discovered in the Pacific Ocean near Malaulalo, Solomon Islands. It's not a leviathan of the deep or a gargantuan whale, but rather an example of Pavona clavus – a type of stony coral.

Despite its plant-like appearance, coral is actually part of the same group of marine creatures as jellyfish and sea anemones. They group together, forming colonies encased in a rigid, stony shell anchored to the seabed.

This particular coral colony is smashing records at 34 meters (110ft) wide, 32 meters (105ft) long, and approximately 5.5 meters (18ft) high, surpassing the previous record-holder of a singular coral from American Samoa by about 12 meters.

The discovery was made completely by chance by cameraman Manu San Felix while on a shipwreck exploration with National Geographic's Pristine Seas expedition.

I have two more stories to highlight and they'll both keep us under water. First up, Penelope Wilson (THE HEARTY SOUL) notes:

If you think we’ve seen the end of scary-looking marine species, think again. Despite discovering dozens of new marine species every year, scientists are certain that much of the ocean remains a mystery. Seventy percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water and the majority of it is unexplored. In fact, less than five percent of the ocean has been charted, leaving plenty of room for new life to be discovered.

This is exactly what happened in 2015 when researchers with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) made some magnificent discoveries.

Like many things, sometimes their discovery is neither planned or on purpose. In this case, the researchers were actually an area conducting a different mission – searching for nursery grounds of larval lobsters – when they came across an extinct volcanic range teeming with different, scary-looking fish. One of the fish discovered in this volcanic range is a tiny, black, weird-looking, scaleless creature with fangs

And Katie Hunt (CNN) reports:

A guitar-shaped shark, a fan-like coral and a venomous deep-sea snail equipped with harpoon-like teeth are among 866 previously unknown species discovered as part of an ambitious effort to document marine life.

Found by divers, piloted submersibles and remotely operated vehicles during 10 ocean expeditions, the species have all been deemed new to science, according to Ocean Census, a global alliance to protect sea life, which this week released the first major update since its launch in 2023.

The 10-year project aims to plug the huge gaps that exist in scientists’ knowledge of the ocean depths. Michelle Taylor, a coral expert at the University of Essex and a principal investigator at Ocean Census, said the scope for discovery is immense.

“Probably only 10% of marine species have been discovered,” Taylor told CNN from onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Falkor (too) research vessel while on a 35-day expedition to the South Sandwich Islands in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

“And for the species that have been discovered … with Ocean Census, it’s across such a wide variety of taxa; so everything from sharks to pipefish to gastropods (such as snails) to my own beautiful, little corals.”

Scientists found the new species at depths of 3 feet (1 meter) to 3.1 miles (4,990 meters), with analysis conducted by scientists involved in the Ocean Census Science Network, which includes more than 800 scientists from 400 institutions.

Taylor was confident the expedition in which she is participating would add more new species to the list — including what she suspected was a previously unknown coral collected three days earlier. “This is an area of the world that’s very remote,” she said. “It took eight days on the boat from southern Chile to get here. It’s very rarely visited.”

"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Thursday, March 13, 2025. Realities and perception -- touching on hair and make up in your presentation -- the difference between helping someone and making a political point, the danger that Junior has become to our country during the measles outbreak, we note the passing of a nut job, and much more.

Let's deal with some e-mails quickly. I'm awful and I'm a hypocrite over the Syrian-born Palestinian a few of you e-mailing the public account insist.

I may be awful. I've copped to being a bitch and said repeatedly that I'm not a nice person. I've said that here since 2005, check the archives.

As for hypocrisy?

No. That would be the Gaza Freaks.

My take has always been -- go back to 2004 and you'll see it here -- we should welcome everyone to this country . . . except those coming to this country to try to start up conflict with another country. Think some of the Cuban exiles.

If a Cuban wants to come to this country, I will gladly welcome them. Unless they get here and then use our country to try to pimp their war with Cuba. You want to come this country? Great, you're welcome to and I'm glad to have you up until you're pushing actions against whatever country you hate.

Mike's "Those dangerous skies (and I'm not in the mood for our latest flavor of political martyr)" is worth reading and he talks about his anger over this issue.

So the activist who's now facing deportation? I agree with Mike, he should have kept his damn mouth shut. Don't come to the US and start trying to get us involved in your personal war. As Mike said, American students on campuses want to protest the genocide? More power to you. I applauded you and covered you for months and months and months here.

But I never knowingly covered a foreigner on US campuses taking part in the protests.

I've studied abroad and had the good sense and manners to know my place. I was a guest in a country and I acted accordingly.

"His people!"

The wife's emerged finally.

She wants you to know that he was defending "his people."

They are his people? Great. Go there. Go to your people. You're not an American, you're not an American citizen. Those are your people? Well love them and protect them, go there and help. Get the hell out of this country and so he can go work to help "his people."

I have no problem with Americans being vocal and demanding an action on an issue.

I also have no problem with immigrants making demands regarding immigration. I have a huge problem with people coming over here to this country and using it as a base for their petty wars and grievances. Again, that's not new and I've gone over this over and over. I've also opposed anyone having citizenship to more than one country.

You can disagree with those positions and you can think I'm stupid and you can think I'm wrong -- and I'm often wrong --, but there's no hypocrisy there. I am very consistent.

We'll come back to this topic.

Let's move to Gavin. I know Gavin Newsom and have noted that many, many times. He's taken a repugnant stand on transgender people. I have posted many videos here about that. I have not commented which has one person insisting I'm covering up for Gavin.

If I were covering up for him, I wouldn't have posted the videos calling him out. I really liked Gavin up until that moment. I've known him for years and years. I'm enraged by his new position and far too angry to write about it. I know him going back to his first marriage. I do not trust that I would be able to write rationally or fairly about him at present. I am sure I would surface many buried bodies if I wrote about him right now.

B-b-but, you should! He might be president!

He's never going to be president. Never. It's not happening. California is seen as a crisis under his watch outside of our state. That's first of all.

Second of all, he doesn't listen to me. I'm fairly blunt. I've told him for years to lose that ridiculous hairdo -- but women love to run their fingers through it!!! I don't think they do, I've had many conversations with both of his wives over the years and with many women who dated him.

Gavin's really the only one that likes that ridiculous hairdo. I didn't like it on Barbara Bush when she was First Lady and I don't like it on Gavin.

It's a joke and it makes him a joke. And I've not only pointed that out in person, Ava and I covered it when he went on Chelsea Handler's NETFLIX talk show. It's cine worthy and plays into the negative portrayal of him as out of touch and not wanting to be part of regular people.

But he's an idiot and doesn't listen. I see Stephen Jenkins has gone back to normal hair ("Third Eye Blind: Tiny Desk Concert" just went up this morning). Love Stephan but he was an idiot for going with that ridiculous George Washington hair -- not unlike Gavin. Third Eye Blind was riding high of a great album and multiple hits. But then he decided to end the look that the audience lapped up and debut, with BLUE, that awful hairdo. They never recovered their momentum.

Gavin has bad hair and way too much baggage.

My guess is he's trying to reshape himself publicly for a run in 2028. I don't think he'll get the nomination.

And I'll probably work strongly against him if he does try for the nomination. And while my record getting people awards and offices may not be strong, I do know how to organize and kill someone's chances. So I'm not really worried about Gavin and, unless he decides to run for the presidential nomination, that's all I intend to say about him.

I'm mean and I never say anything nice or do anything nice -- argues an e-mail.

Really? I'm not a nice person, I admit that. But never do anything nice?

I'm thinking of a man who passed away. The late John Conyers introduced me to him a little over 20 years ago. His death really wasn't noted. And I was being kind -- or thought I was -- by not noting it here. Maybe I should? Maybe it would teach the Gaza Freaks a lesson about how you run off people from your causes. Because that's what he did. A very intelligent person. Dedicated to so many good causes -- and a few nutty conspiracies.

We highlighted him for years. He'd send something to the public account. Sometimes he'd send it and I wouldn't note it or wouldn't note it fast enough and he'd call me personally to complain.

As the years passed, he got nuttier and nuttier. And I still highlighted him. Even though it resulted in many complaints -- because he was getting so nutty.

We finally did drop him. And he called to gripe and wanted to know why and I told him he was spreading lies. He screamed back over the phone that I was "a gatekeeper!" I was preventing the free flow of information.

No.

I wasn't going to allow your lies up here.

A political opinion that I disagreed with? Sure. No problem.

But lies? Lies about science? Conspiracy theories that were so laughable and so bad.

I'm sorry you went nutty but you did. And you lost the ability to speak with people as a result.

He was nuts at the end. At the end he was Naomi Wolf. Prior to that, he had a strong mind and could make strong political arguments -- some of which I agreed with, some of which I didn't. But I'm not interested in chemtrail conspiracies or lies about vaccinations. I'm not interested in the nutty.

Gaza Freaks, you'll are on the same path. There is not enough support in the US to get what you want. And, what's worse, your behavior in the lead up to the presidential election turned off a large group of people who previously worked to support you.

You are as crazy -- as bats**t crazy -- as Francis A. Boyle was at the end (he's the nut job who recently died that I was referencing above).

Now I don't want to keep writing about the Syrian-born Palestinian. Mainly because I don't like bulls**t. And I'm tired of reading and hearing copy that's coming from the man's attorney. That's not journalism. (Check out WIKIPEDIA's laughable entry where his claims are presented as fact and claims from others are just claims. That's not reality. Both sides are making claims at this point -- his attorney and the government.) And it's going to get so bad that I'll end up making the case for him to be deported and doing so better than Chump's idiotic administration can -- which is why I don't plan on writing about this topic again.

The reason we're starting with this is because when I saw the coverage of the ugly wife yesterday, I again had to ponder: How stupid is this attorney?

Francis Boyle thought he could act the fool and people would support him. That's not reality and that's not the world we live in.

The attorney for the Palestinian doesn't grasp reality. There is no excuse for the malpractice she's carrying out in terms of the court of public opinion.

I don't care how devout the wife is or not. You tell the idiot to change her clothes and to put on some make up.

This is not about how you worship. This is about connecting with Americans and getting attention and support for your husband.

The clothes she wore for the camera? She could have worn the exact same clothes but in an appealing color and fabric instead of looking like she was wearing a feedsack.

Her skin was awful. She needed make up. Men wear make up when on camera. Ronald Regan did -- and I'm talking after he was done acting. The reason is to look natural.

At the very least, someone should have put mascara on her.

This is not where you make the case for 'my religion and I'm devout.' This is where you try to get everyone who catches you to relate to you. You don't put up barriers.

You're pregnant and your husband's being deported? Start reaching for people's emotions. And to do that, you can't put up a wall by looking like some Amish person from the 18th century.

There is no way the wife is as ugly as she photographed yesterday. You're in front of the camera, put some make up on so people watching without any opinion yet are thinking, "That poor woman, she looks so vulnerable and in pain. I can't imagine how I'd get through that." That's what you want and that's the only thing that's going to help your husband. You've got an idiot for an attorney. She should have told you to put on some make up -- even if it was just mascara -- so you would look normal to the people watching. Instead, your bare face looked ugly -- and, again, she's probably not ugly. But when you go in front of the camera, man or woman, for a planned interview, you're generally wearing make up. She didn't have to look like she spent a half hour at the Clinique counter, but she needed some make up.

I've noted before where friends have asked my input on their clients. I've noted before where I've advised on wardrobe in court and on hair and make up. I do know what I'm talking about.

Time and again, freaks -- like Boyle -- want to prove their point.

That's not me. That's not how I handle it. Again, the war resisters that self-checked out and got my help are in Canada and aren't at any threat of being expelled. That's because my goal during the Iraq War was to keep them safe. I wasn't going to -- and didn't -- use them to make points on the Iraq War. I was opposed to the Iraq War and could call it out -- and did day after day both here and on campuses across the country. That didn't mean I was using people who self-checked out to make my point.

This was about their lives and their safety. And so what we focused on was that and how we could get citizenship for them. Too many others wanted to use a Joshua Key or a Darrell Anderson to make a political point That may have helped you feel good about yourself but it didn't help those attempting to live in Canada. No one we helped got deported. No one we helped has ever been threatened with deportation.

Sometimes you get too lost in trying to make a statement that you're really not helping the people who need help.

Francis fell into that trap as did the Gaza Freaks.

I'm not going to doom a person to make a political point. That's not helping them. And pretending the world is at a point it's not yet at is being an idiot and a danger to the people you say you want to help.

Moving on, depending upon the time zone you are in, Isaiah's THE WORLD TODAY JUST NUTS "Cheryl Hines Explains Junior" went up last night or this morning.

Cheryl Hines, the disgusting wife of Junior. Robert Kennedy Junior is a nut job and an embarrassment. So naturally Donald Chump picked him for HHS. First, let me applaud him. Last time we noted him, I pointed out that the Secretary of Health and Human Services should post at the government website his thoughts on immunizations, not take the attitude that writing a column for FOX "NEWS" qualifies for a Cabinet Secretary. Guess what? He has posted the column at HHS finally.

It should have gone up there immediately but maybe this was a wobbly foot taking a first step? I'll be kind and we'll just move on to the larger issues of Junior being unqualified.

David Edwards (RAW STORY) reports:

An unearthed report showed that Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy shared "inaccurate" information about a CDC Advisor Committee on vaccines, as many believe he was laying the groundwork for dismissing its members.

In recent interviews, Kennedy has claimed, "I think 97% of the people on it had conflicts. I think we need to end those conflicts and make sure that scientists are doing unobstructed science."

However, after reviewing the 2009 report and speaking to people involved with the committee, NPR determined that Kennedy's assertion was "inaccurate."

"Right now, what we're getting is a total misrepresentation of a 20-year-old report, about a process that was already being improved before that report was issued," former CDC Director Tom Friedman told NPR.

Did he not grasp that there were serious trust issues with regards to him being the head of this cabinet post? Those concerns are not made better when you're caught lying. We have the worst measles outbreak in years and people looking for reassurance that the Secretary of Health and Human Services is (a) on the job and (b) knows what they're doing. When Donna Shalala served in that post, no one questioned her knowledge base, her qualifications or how she did her job. For eight years, she did a solid job, demonstrated real leadership and kept the American people informed. It's too bad Junior's struggling. And that he's struggling at a time when the country especially needs a health czar. Neha Mukherjee (CNN) explains, "At least two pregnant women have been infected in this outbreak, according to officials at Covenant Hospital in Lubbock. Eighty-one measles cases have been reported in children ages 4 and younger across Texas and New Mexico. This is part of the larger outbreak that now spans three states, including Oklahoma, and totals 258 reported cases." The World Health Organization notes:

The virus is so contagious that 90% of people who are not immune and who come into contact with an infected person will become infected and develop the disease.

Measles is normally spread through direct contact and through the air. The virus infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body.

The measles virus can live for up to 2 hours on a surface or in the air. If other people breathe in the contaminated air or touch the infected surface and then their eyes, nose or mouth, they can become infected. An infected person can spread the virus even before they have typical symptoms (e.g. rash).

Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body. Measles is a highly contagious and potentially serious disease.

Most deaths from measles are from complications related to the disease. Complications are most common in children under 5 years and adults over age 30.

One in 5 children infected with the measles virus may develop severe complications.

Complications can include:

blindness

encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage)

severe diarrhoea and related dehydration

ear infections that can lead to permanent deafness

severe breathing problems including pneumonia.

Measles infection has also been shown to weaken a person’s immune system, making it more difficult for them to fight off other diseases for months or even years after being sick with measles.

If a woman catches measles during pregnancy, this can be dangerous for the mother and can result in her baby being born prematurely with a low birth weight.

The only way to stop measles is to prevent it through vaccination. Measles vaccine is safe and effective. Two doses of measles-containing vaccine (MR/measles-rubella) provide 97% protection from infection and the potentially serious consequences of the disease. For most people this protection is lifelong.

Pretty straight and forward, pretty cut and dry -- the same can't be said of Junior or his oversight at present. Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling (THE NEW REPUBLIC) notes:

Health care professionals are torching Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s response to a slew of measles cases popping up across the country.

The health and human services secretary suggested Monday that a poor diet could have been behind the death of a West Texas child who contracted measles.

“It’s very, very difficult for measles to kill a healthy person,” Kennedy told The New York Times, adding that there is “a correlation between people who get hurt by measles and people who don’t have good nutrition or who don’t have a good exercise regimen.”

Kennedy’s comment, however, belied the fact that the most vulnerable populations to die from measles are unvaccinated children.

“To be crystal clear: 1. Measles is a nasty disease,” an epidemiologist under the handle @HealthNerd posted on BlueSky. “2. You cannot treat measles with antibiotics or cod liver oil. 3. The measles vaccine is very safe and highly effective, as shown by the ELIMINATION OF THE DISEASE IN THE US FOR 25 YEARS. 4. RFK Jr. is an ignorant fool.”

Marita Vlachou (HUFFINGTON POST) notes:

In an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity broadcast Tuesday, Kennedy said “natural immunity” after getting a measles infection is more effective at providing lasting protection against the disease. However, Kennedy left out that the dangers of catching the disease outweigh the advantage of immunity, according to doctors.

“It used to be when you and I were kids, everybody got measles,” Kennedy told Hannity. “And measles gave you protection, lifetime protection against measles infection. The vaccine doesn’t do that. The vaccine is effective for some people, for life, but many people it wanes.”

RFK Jr: "It used to be that everybody got measles. And the measles gave you lifetime protection against measles infection. The vaccine doesn't do that ... it used to be that very young kids were protected by breast milk. Women who get vaccinated do not provide that level of immunity."

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com)2025-03-12T01:41:30.330Z

Despite Kennedy’s claims, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the majority of people who have had the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and the measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccines will be protected for life. The CDC also has guidance for people it recommends should be revaccinated.

Dr. Ashish K. Jha (TIME) explains, "Contrary to statements by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., outbreaks of this deadly disease are highly unusual. The U.S. declared measles eliminated more than 20 years ago, thanks to an exceptionally safe and effective vaccine. But efforts to undermine confidence in that vaccine have contributed to these recent outbreaks. There are things we can do, individually and collectively, to protect our most vulnerable and hopefully eliminate measles in this country again."

Did you ever think we'd knowingly put a quack and a nut job in charge of Health and Human Services? Natalie Neysa Alund (USA TODAY) reports:

Two more states are reporting they are now part of the escalating measles outbreaks across the U.S.

Oklahoma health officials on Tuesday reported two cases of the highly contagious infectious disease in the state while health officials more than 1,500 miles northeast in Vermont reported one confirmed case of the virus there.

The two cases in Oklahoma are being reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as probable cases "due to exposure associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreak" and because the victims are experiencing symptoms consistent with measles, the Oklahoma State Department of Health said.

Instead of pulling a Shalala, Junior's off playing nut job again. David Edwards (RAW STORY) explains, "

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly was in contact with a Texas historian who helped support the distribution of unproven measles remedies amid an outbreak in the state.

Texas historian Tina Siemens told Mother Jones that Kennedy contacted her last week to discuss health concerns in the Mennonite community.

"Siemens said she had been working with a clinic called Veritas Wellness in Lubbock, Texas, to distribute medications, including Vitamin C, cod liver oil, and the inhaled steroid budesonide," the magazine reported.

Siemens was connected to an online fundraiser that claimed it would be "used to defray the cost of essential vitamins, supplements, and medicines necessary to treat children enduring complications from the measles virus and other illnesses."

Senator Ron Wyden's office issued the following statement:

Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today called for immediate action from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr. to stop the spread of measles and save lives after our country experienced the first measles deaths in a decade.

Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S. over two decades ago, has infected at least 223 individuals in 13 U.S. jurisdictions.

“Unfortunately, two of these cases have resulted in the tragic deaths of a child in Texas and a resident in New Mexico. These mark the first U.S. deaths from measles in 10 years. It is imperative that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) act immediately and robustly to stop the spread of this preventable infection and save American lives,” the senators wrote in a letter to Secretary Kennedy.

To prevent further infections and protect vulnerable populations, the lawmakers pressed Kennedy to increase vaccination rates: “More must be done to increase vaccination rates against measles. Clear communication that vaccines work is imperative to build trust and increase uptake of vaccinations, ultimately saving lives. Therefore, it is critical that HHS utilize its authorities to promote vaccination against measles as the most effective way to prevent infection to improve vaccination rates and prevent future outbreaks.”

Stressing the importance of reinstating public health workers indiscriminately fired by the Trump administration, the senators concluded, “We urgently request that you reinstate all fired federal health workers and protect those remaining from termination to help stop the spread of measles and other infectious diseases.”

In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was led by Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and signed by Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Fetterman (D-PA), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

Full text of the letter is here.

The following sites updated:

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Science post -- dogs and wolves

Science post. Jennifer Earl (CBS NEWS) reports:

When a dog showers you with kisses, it's often to show you affection — but there's also a reason that's rooted in their evolutionary history.

To better understand the reasoning behind a dog's licks, Dr. Alexandra Horowitz, a dog cognition researcher and bestselling author of "The Year of the Puppy: How Dogs Become Themselves," told "CBS Mornings Plus" on Thursday that we should look at their ancestors.

Dogs are descended from wolves and when wolves hunt and return to their pack, then all of the other wolves swarm them and lick around their face.

"The reason they do that is they're asking the wolf to regurgitate a little bit of what they just hunted," Horowitz explained. "So, your dog's lick of you when you come home is absolutely a greeting — you know, they're happy to see you. But also, it's a little bit of a request for whatever you just ate."

So it stems from their lineage -- wolves. Let's stay with wolves for two more stories. First, Katarina Sakoschek (ANIMAL PLANET HQ) reports:

The most endangered wolf of America is on the verge of extinction. The red wolf, once inhabiting the southeastern United States, is now only found in only one state. With less than 20 remaining in the wild, every single wolf is important. How did they get here and how can they be helped?

The red wolf is small compared to the gray wolf and is larger than a coyote. It has a reddish brown body, long legs and large paws. At first, experts wondered whether the wolves were hybrid, but they later discovered that red wolves are actually a separate species.

Red wolves were almost driven to extinction, and by 1980 they were considered extinct in the wild. The only remaining population of wild wolves today is found in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina.

Red wolves are social animals and live in small families, with a mating pair being at the center of the pack. They tend to give birth in spring. It’s estimated that only about 50% of pups born in the wild survive, which further complicates the population recovery effort.

From the red wolf to the black wolf, Nicole Jackson (ANIMALKO) reports:

The American Black Wolf is a fascinating creature shrouded in mystery and allure. Known for its striking appearance and elusive nature, this subspecies of the gray wolf captivates both scientists and wildlife enthusiasts alike. Let's check out some intriguing facts about the American Black Wolf, exploring its characteristics, behavior, and the myths that surround it.

The American Black Wolf, with its captivating black coat, commands attention and respect. Its fur is not only a camouflage tool in forested environments but also a symbol of its unique genetic makeup.

The black coloration stems from a genetic mutation, making these wolves stand out among their grey and brown counterparts. Despite their fierce appearance, black wolves are integral members of their packs, known for their loyalty and social structures.

Wolves communicate through a complex system of vocalizations and body language, contributing to their mysterious aura. Observers are often left in awe of the black wolf's intense gaze, which seems to peer into the soul. Interestingly, the black wolf's fur is more than just a visual spectacle; it plays a crucial role in the animal's survival, aiding in temperature regulation and protection.

This blend of beauty and function makes the black wolf an extraordinary subject of study and admiration. The allure of the black wolf is further enhanced by the cultural and mythological significance attributed to it throughout history.

From legends of shape-shifting creatures to depictions as guardians of the wild, the American Black Wolf continues to inspire awe and wonder across cultures and generations.

The American Black Wolf predominantly inhabits the dense forests of North America, thriving in regions where it can leverage its surroundings for hunting and shelter.

These wolves are often found in the northern parts of the United States and Canada, where the expansive wilderness offers ample opportunities for exploration and survival. Their territories can cover hundreds of square miles, showcasing their need for vast spaces to roam and hunt.

Black wolves are highly adaptable, capable of adjusting to various climatic conditions and landscapes. This adaptability is a testament to their resilience and intelligence, traits that are vital for their survival in the wild. In addition to forests, black wolves can sometimes be spotted in grasslands and even mountainous areas, reflecting their versatile nature.

Despite human encroachment and habitat fragmentation, black wolves continue to carve out a niche in the wild, often retreating to more isolated areas to avoid contact with humans. The preservation of their natural habitats is crucial for the survival of these enigmatic creatures.

Efforts to conserve forested regions and protected areas are essential steps in ensuring that the mysterious American Black Wolf continues to thrive in its natural environment.

Back to dogs, Chris at CATS AND DOGS TODAY writes:

Dogs are incredibly intelligent animals, capable of understanding hundreds of words, gestures, and tones. While they may not process language the way humans do, they can recognize words through repetition and association, responding to certain cues instinctively. However, there are also some words that no dog can truly grasp, no matter how often you say them. So, which words make the cut? Here are 7 words that dogs can understand—and 4 that no dog can. Starting with the words that it can understand:

A dog’s own name is one of the first words they learn. They associate it with attention, interaction, and commands, making it one of the most important words they understand. Saying their name before giving a command helps them focus and prepares them to respond. However, if their name is overused (especially in a negative tone), they might start ignoring it instead.

“Sit” is one of the easiest and most effective commands a dog can learn. It is often one of the first commands taught, as it helps with discipline, patience, and obedience. Dogs understand this word when paired with hand signals and treats, making it a useful tool for training and control.

The word “stay” teaches a dog self-control and is crucial for their safety, especially in situations where they might be tempted to run off. Dogs associate this word with remaining still until released, though some may struggle with impulse control at first.

Few words excite a dog more than “walk.” Over time, dogs learn to associate the word with the action, often reacting with wagging tails and eager anticipation. Some owners even have to spell it out (“W-A-L-K”) to avoid their dog getting too excited before they’re ready to go.

So there's our science post. I'll try to do at least one a week. We used to do them three to four times a week. Donald Chump is a threat and I will cover him as needed. I will also cover children's issues -- God bless C.I. for the snapshot today and covering what's happening to school meal programs -- since I raised three. I will also cover LGBTQ+ issues because my brother -- my hero -- is gay. And, of course, being Black, I will cover Black issues. On schools, please note we need more science in school. I've said that for nearly two decades here.

And nothing Chump is doing makes us smarter or our children smarter. His attacks on schools are an attack on our future.

"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Wednesday, March 12, 2025. Msuk loses money, Chump attacks school kids and much more.

Let's start with this:

For a week and a half, Kayla Somarriba and her husband Jeison Ruiz Rodriguez noticed suspicious vehicles circling their Spokane Valley block. Some were marked as federal law enforcement vehicles, others were clandestine. The couple was getting nervous.

“With everything going on, we’re gonna be paranoid,” Somarriba said. “You see this serious car, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, what’s going on?’ But it was way too much. It’s one thing to see it once or twice, but it was just something that we would see almost daily.”

But she did not expect that federal agents would soon pull them over, break through the windows of their white Chevy Silverado, drag Ruiz Rodriguez and his brother Cesar from the vehicle and sweep them to a federal immigration jail in Tacoma after injuring the brothers with a Taser and a rifle.

The Ruiz Rodriguezes are migrants from Nicaragua; Somarriba was born in Miami.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents have been working in the Inland Northwest — as they have across the country — with agencies as far-flung as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to detain and deport migrants. It’s part of President Donald Trump’s chaotic effort to rid the country of immigrants the administration says are here illegally.

Hey, if we spread a rumor that they're Palestinian, you think they'd get media coverage and protests. Or does the White student getting all the attention just prove to be the 1% himself? I guess he'd have to be, right? He went to Columbia, after all. Not an easy school to get into or to afford. But let's drop everything and pretend like we're not being fed by his attorney -- which we are even when they say things like "we came across e-mails . . ." No, you were fed them by his attorney.

And I can't figure out if that woman's inept or not? She certainly created a media storm -- RAH RAH RAH -- but she can't get wifey on camera. Wifey, when she speaks to the press, won't even give her name.

Does no one understand perception management?

You're trying to get attention for your client and his pregnant wife won't reveal her name?

They're may not be anything wrong there but it doesn't look right and it doesn't play right.

What it does do is foster doubt among people following the story as they wonder, "What's this American hiding?"

I have no idea. Maybe it's not really a marriage or it's a common-law marriage? Maybe another man got her pregnant and she's afraid he'll step forward and say this was a green card scam? Maybe the attorney's incompetent? Or maybe the wife or 'wife' is just really dumb and can't get it through her head that if she's trying to help her husband, she needs to be an open book including her name.

What we know at present and she'll speak to sympathetic, pre-selected journalists who agree not to name her.

As a general rule when your clients is attempting to sway in the court of public opinion, you don't let the spouse dictate ground rules for the press.

But, again, the average immigrant that is being harassed and terrorized was not someone wealthy enough to go an ivy league school -- let alone one with a tuition cost where four years undergrad could buy two nice houses in most states.

But keep marching and rallying for your 1%-er while you ignore the actual immigrants in need.

It's no different, this glorification and rally of support around one person, than the same instinct which apparently led US military veteran Ty Vaughn to Google whether or not you can get away with killing an immigrant before shooting Luis Banos Norberto in the head. Ty got the message of hate from Donald Chump and he gets the message tat Latino immigrants don't matter from Gaza Freaks who can't be bothered to protest or speak out unless it's someone that they deem one of their own. That's the message being sent and it's the message that's responsible for Luis Banos Norberto's murder at the age of 27.

But ignore that, ignore New Jersey's Emine Emanet and Celal Emanet.as well as so many others. And then wonder, Gaza Freaks, why you're seen as single-issue voters and no one outside of your bubble has any respect for you at all. With you, as with Chump, it's all transactional.

And, ZETEO and others, stop e-mailing your garbage coverage of the 1% to me. Looking at your own stats for streaming doesn't appear you have an audience for the story either. Twelve hours later and you've only got 13,000 streams? But your stuff from yesterday and the day before is all over 150,000 streams -- one over 250,000 streams?

If you don't get it, we believe in equality in this country. That's what fed Occupy Wall Street. So you ignore all the other deportation efforts at your own peril while you rush to pimp the 1% who went to Columbia. It's hypocrisy and people don't generally embrace it. Contact his attorney and let her know she needs to work harder and come up with a different strategy (and a spouse that doesn't have demands from the media before she grants access).

Let's move on.

All are invited. Because that's how it's supposed to be. Elected officials have constituents. Those are their bosses and their party i.d. does not matter. This isn't a campaign stop, this is about members of Congress doing their job. While Jasmine Crockett and others are more than prepared to do their job, the MAGA members of Congress are hiding and scared. See Ava and my "Media: Some returns work better than others" from Monday for more on that. Hiding away from your constituents doesn't spell re-election. And the all powerful Alien Musk who had MAGA members of Congress so worried because he was going to spend millions and millions in district after district, in state after state, funding challengers? He's still sitting pretty but the big money that he had keeps shrinking and who knows how much he's prepared to lose? Musk isn't very smart but I believe he's smarter than Mike Lindell.

Big news that so many outlets seem to be ignoring? Elizabeth Dwoskin, Faiz Siddiqui and Emily Davies (WASHINGTON POST) report:

Facing weeks of negative headlines and growing pressure from within the Trump administration, the U.S. DOGE Service is racing to finish the first phase of its assignment — slashing the federal bureaucracy — and move on to what the team hopes will be seen as more constructive work: creating sleek tools for navigating government services.

Throughout DOGE, the need to find and champion positive achievements is seen as urgent, according to two people familiar with the group’s internal workings. One key ally, General Services Administration official and former Tesla employee Thomas Shedd, told his staff during a meeting last week that “I need wins to defend,” according to audio obtained by The Washington Post.

Using a Silicon Valley phrase for putting new products in the hands of users, Shedd urged staff to “remain focused on the reason you came to the government and this team to begin with, which is to deliver value and ship.”

The effort comes as backstage turmoil over DOGE has begun to spill into public view: Only two days after praising billionaire Elon Musk, who oversees the DOGE team, in an address to Congress, President Donald Trump sided last week with frustrated agency heads, saying they -- not Musk -- are in charge of making cuts in their departments. On Truth Social, Trump called for more precision, writing: “We say the ‘scalpel’ rather than the ‘hatchet.’” And in pro-Trump districts, voters have stormed town halls to protest DOGE cuts to government services and firings of thousands of civil servants.

Chump's people think they can crisis manage this. They're that stupid. An unpopular program of questionable legality was always going to be a hard sale. Though Chump's been unable to fill any post with someone qualified, let's pretend for a moment that the person heading DOGE was qualified. That still wouldn't have helped Alien Musk. The alien is not an American. As Lawrence O'Donnell observed Monday night when Alien was attacking a US citizen -- Senator Mark Kelly -- Alien doesn't know this country.

He was born and raised in South Africa. Scared of life there after apartheid was due to fall, Alien ran to Canada. He doesn't know the US. He is not part of the US. Alien is an alien to Americans and that's before you get into his creepy parentage (14 children), before you get into that weird voice (he speaks as though he has a hot potato on his tongue), that weird face, etc, etc.

Chump could have put Peyton Manning in charge and Americans would still have problems with their sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, fathers and mothers being fired. The Social Security office in Shreveport? When those people are threatened with job losses (and they are across the US), Chump and Alien's pretense that this is about DC and cleaning the sewer just don't fly. But when you put Alien in charge, you've got an even bigger problem and, no, this really is beyond crisis management.

DOGE would be a hard sell with anyone but with Alien? It's even worse. He can't even seem to help Tesla these days. Kelsey Vlamis (BUSINESS INSIDER) notes:

Elon Musk said Monday running his businesses, like Tesla and SpaceX, while also taking on a major government overhaul effort has not been easy.

[. . .]

His comment came as Tesla stock declined 15% on Monday, its largest single-day drop since 2020. The stock is down 55% from a high in December, causing concern among investors.

Sonam Sheth (NEWSWEEK) adds:

Tesla's stock fell by 15 percent on Monday, losing $16 billion in one day and becoming the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 this year.

Musk shrugged off the loss, as well as a slew of other negative news reports, in a Fox Business Network interview.

Musk is a failure. But let's go back to our Shreveport example for a moment. You're killing jobs in cities around the country. Shreveport isn't even the capital of the state of Louisiana -- Baton Rouge is. But in those areas, people are feeling the panic and the worry and some have already lost jobs. Now that's widespread in cities in every state -- cities plural. And now things are about to get worse -- we're going to see people in cities and in towns suffering because of Chump and that Musky alien. Kelly Rissman (INDEPENDENT) reports:

The Department of Agriculture has slashed over $1 billion in funding aimed at helping schools and food banks purchase from local farmers, according to a nonprofit.

“Multiple states” were recently notified of these cuts, the nonprofit School Nutrition Association said in a statement Tuesday.

“With research showing school meals are the healthiest meals Americans eat, Congress needs to invest in underfunded school meal programs rather than cut services critical to student achievement and health,” said the group’s president Shannon Gleave. “These proposals would cause millions of children to lose access to free school meals at a time when working families are struggling with rising food costs. Meanwhile, short-staffed school nutrition teams, striving to improve menus and expand scratch-cooking, would be saddled with time-consuming and costly paperwork created by new government inefficiencies.”

An estimated $660 million in funds through the Local Food for Schools program for 2025 will no longer be available to support childcare institutions and schools, the group added.

Covering the same development, Kate Nalepinski (NEWSWEEK) notes:

The impact of these cuts will vary by state, depending on their reliance on the LFS program. States that had integrated these funds into their operational plans for school meal programs and food banks will face significant challenges.

According to USDA, the following states have signed with USDA on the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program:

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Check my math, but I'm counting forty-two states. Co-presidents Chump and Musk are cutting off food to children. How do you think that plays with parents and grandparents. Musk doesn't know anything, he's an idiot from another country. But Chump doesn't even grasp how this hurts him?

Louisiana is one of the most poverty stricken states in the country. Three years ago, official state records showed the poverty rate to be 18.6% with 829,565 people living in or below poverty and 255,159 of those were children. USAID cuts are awful. But Chump could hope there that most people wouldn't realize what was going on since it impacted populations outside of America -- largely outside of America, when you're attacking USAID, you're also attacking Americans working with USAID. But this is Chump preparing to starve children in this country -- children of voters.

BLUESKY users are covering the topic.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

“As Secretary of the Navy, you could make programmatic decisions that would increase DoD’s reliance on companies in which you are invested. To mitigate that conflict, you should divest your holdings in defense contractors.”

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to Mr. John Phelan, nominee to be Secretary of the Navy, with concerns regarding his “serious conflicts of interest,” given his financial investments in defense contractors. To address her concerns, Senator Warren asked Mr. Phelan to make a number of commitments related to his conflicts of interest ahead of the committee vote on his nomination.

As Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Phelan could make programmatic decisions that would increase the Department of Defense’s (DoD) reliance on companies in which he is invested or with which he has close relationships. These ties to various defense contractors, including Dell Technologies, Palantir, and Red Call Partners, raise serious concerns about his potential biases in making programmatic decisions for the military.

Mr. Phelan has investments worth over $50 million in Dell Technologies, which has a $2.5 billion contract to provide software services to the U.S. Navy, alongside other lucrative DoD contracts. Since January 2024 alone, he has earned over $5 million in capital gains and dividends from that investment. Mr. Phelan also has investments in other defense contractors, like National Resilience, a biomanufacturing company that has a $410 million DoD contract, and Woolpert, which provides school construction services for DoD.

The nominee also founded MSD Acquisition Corp., which has promoted Phelan’s “extensive and deep relationships” with Palantir and other companies in which he has invested. From his Palantir stock alone, Mr. Phelan recently earned over $5 million in capital gains.

“Even if you have sold your Palantir investments, your relationship with the company could still bias your decision-making toward assisting Palantir in its current push for more DoD contracts,” said Senator Warren.

Mr. Phelan also holds a multi-million-dollar stake in Red Cell Partners, a venture capital firm that is heavily invested in defense technology, has contracts with DoD, and has a history of hiring former senior defense officials, including former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Red Cell aims to increase DoD’s reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), and Phelan’s Red Cell assets include investments in multiple defense-tech AI companies.

Senator Warren urged the nominee to divest any remaining defense contractor investments before taking office and not repurchase stock in these contractors while serving as the Secretary of the Navy. She also asked him to recuse himself from particular matters involving his former clients and employers for four years after serving in the Navy role, as many Biden appointees did. Lastly, Senator Warren asked Mr. Phelan to commit not to lobby DoD or work for companies that do business with DoD for four years after leaving office.

“The rampant revolving door of former government leaders lobbying the agencies they once led, while their government relationships remain fresh, erodes Americans’ faith in the federal government…By making these commitments, you would increase Americans’ trust in your ability to serve the public interest during your time at DoD — rather than the special interests of political allies and private sector companies,” concluded Senator Warren.

Senator Warren has sought to protect servicemembers and national security by pushing defense nominees to resolve their conflicts of interest:

In March 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Deputy Defense Secretary Nominee Stephen Feinberg, urging him to recuse himself from all matters related to Ligado Networks, which has a pending $39 billion lawsuit against the Department of Defense (DoD) over highly sought-after telecommunications spectrum space that the military has said is “essential for its various satellite communications, radars and navigation systems” usage.
In March 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Mr. Emil Michael, nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, with concern over his history of inappropriate behavior at work, his attacks on journalists and public accountability, and his ties to technology companies that may seek contracts with the Department of Defense.
In February 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Mr. Stephen Feinberg, nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Department of Defense, ahead of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, pressing him to explain his “serious conflicts of interest” and his track record of mismanagement.
In January 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Mr. Michael Duffey, nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment of the Department of Defense, ahead of his confirmation hearing, with serious concerns about his record, which include violating the law, disregarding congressional authority, and his involvement in Project 2025.
In January 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Mr. Pete Hegseth, nominee for Secretary of the Department of Defense, regarding his ethics conflicts ahead of the Senate’s consideration of his nomination. Mr. Hegseth’s household’s ownership of stock in several defense contractors and his unwillingness to commit to post-employment restrictions he previously advocated for at his confirmation hearing were particularly troubling for the role of Secretary of Defense.
In March 2024, Senator Elizabeth Warren secured ethics commitments from Douglas Schmidt, ahead of his confirmation to be the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) for the Department of Defense.
In June 2023, Senator Elizabeth Warren and representative Andy Kim reintroduced the Department of Defense Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, to limit the influence of contractors on the military, constrain foreign influence on retired senior military officers, and assert greater transparency over contractors and their interaction with DoD.
In July 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren secured agreements to four-year recusals from former clients’ and employers’ party matters from then-Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and then-USD(R&E) Heidi Shyu.
In January 2021, Senator Elizabeth Warren secured a commitment from General Lloyd Austin III, then-nominee for Secretary of Defense, to extend his recusal from Raytheon Technologies for four years and to not seek a position on the board of a defense contractor or become a lobbyist after his government service.