Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Science post -- dogs and wolves



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.



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.


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.

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