The post 10 Best Cat Foods for Dandruff in 2024 – Reviews &; Top Picks by Chantelle Fowler appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. Dry skin is one of the most common causes of dandruff in both humans and cats. If you’re noticing your cat sporting more white flakes on their fur than usual‚ they may be dealing with dandruff. Thankfully‚ this is a pretty common skin condition in cats and is usually the result of treatable health issues. If you and your veterinarian believe that skin issues are causing your cat’s dandruff‚ a new fatty acid-rich diet may be necessary. Read on to find our reviews of the ten best cat foods for dandruff‚ as well as our buying guide to help you understand everything you need to know about this skin condition‚ including what causes it and what you can do to help reduce your kitty’s flaky skin. A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024 Image Product Details Best Overall Hill's Prescription Diet z/d Skin/Food Sensitivities May promote immune system health Can help manage dietary sensitivities Can address skin issues that cause dandruff CHECK PRICE Best Value Tiki Cat Special Function Formula Easy to serve Made with non-GMO ingredients Includes skin-boosting ingredients CHECK PRICE Premium Choice Royal Canin Selected Protein PD Can promote cell health Contains omega-3 fatty acids Can support the skin's natural protective barrier CHECK PRICE Best for Kittens Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe Raw on every piece Promotes brain and eye develop Can support skin health to address dandruff CHECK PRICE Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin &; Stomach Contains antioxidants Lamb is the first ingredient High in omega 3-fatty acids CHECK PRICE The 10 Best Cat Foods for Dandruff 1. Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Dry Cat Food – Best Overall Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Brewers Rice‚ Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver‚ Rice Protein Concentrate‚ Powdered Cellulose‚ Soybean Oil Protein content: 29.0% min Fat content: 10.5% min Calories: 408 kcal/cup Our choice for the best overall cat foods for dandruff is Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d Skin/Food Sensitivities Original Flavor Dry Cat Food. This kibble provides complete and balanced nutrition formulated by Hill’s veterinary nutritionists for cats with food sensitivities or intolerances. So‚ if your cat’s dandruff is being caused by skin irritation‚ this food can help address that. Additionally‚ it may improve digestion and your cat’s stool quality‚ too. It is made with highly digestible proteins that work to minimize the chance that your cat will react adversely to their food. It contains antioxidants that can promote better immune system health and skin barrier functioning. Finally‚ it has no potentially irritating ingredients such as artificial colors‚ lactose‚ or soy protein. This food is only available with vet authorization‚ so you’ll need to have your kitty evaluated at your clinic to be able to purchase this food. Pros Can help manage dietary sensitivities May promote immune system health Can address skin issues that cause dandruff Does not contain artificial colors Can improve stool quality Cons Can only be received via prescription 2. Tiki Cat Special Function Formula Salmon Wet Cat Food –              Best Value Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Salmon Broth‚ Salmon‚ Chicken‚ Dried Egg‚ Pumpkin‚ Coconut Oil Protein content: 10.0% min Fat content: 5.0% min Calories: 64 kcal/pouch If you’re looking for the best cat food for dandruff for the money‚ check out Tiki Cat’s Special Function Formula Skin &; Coat Salmon Recipe in Broth Wet Cat Food. This food has a soft mousse texture that’s chock full of flavor and easy to eat. It is made with non-GMO ingredients and features a high protein content thanks to its inclusion of real salmon and chicken. The formula has been supplemented with skin health-boosting ingredients such as coconut and tuna oil to cut back on how much dandruff is present. This food comes in easy-to-serve pouches that provide cats with the high moisture they need to stay hydrated. However‚ this high-fluid formula may not be a hit with cats that prefer a chunkier texture. Pros Affordable price Soft and easy to eat Made with non-GMO ingredients Includes skin-boosting ingredients Easy to serve Cons May not be textured enough for some cats 3. Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Selected Protein PD Cat Food – Premium Choice Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing‚ Duck‚ Duck Liver‚ Pea Flour‚ Duck By-Product Meal Protein content: 9.0% min Fat content: 5.3% min Calories: 160 kcal/can If you don’t have a strict budget to adhere to‚ our premium choice—Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Selected Protein PD Loaf Canned Cat Food—is a great option to consider. Though this formula is pricey‚ it provides high-quality‚ complete‚ and balanced nutrition for your kitty. It contains omega-3 fatty acids to support the skin’s natural protective barrier to promote optimal skin health. The formula contains antioxidants to support overall cell health‚ too. The nutrients present in this wet food can reinforce the skin barrier to help address skin irritation. This is a great formula for cats with certain food sensitivities‚ as the protein present is derived from peas and ducks. This food is only available via prescription from your veterinarian. Pros Can support the skin’s natural protective barrier Contains omega-3 fatty acids Can promote cell health Great for cats with sensitivities Cons Only available via prescription High price tag 4. Instinct Original Kitten Grain-Free Freeze-Dried Raw Cat Food –  Best for Kittens Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Chicken‚ Turkey Meal‚ Menhaden Fish Meal‚ Peas‚ Chicken Fat Protein content: 42.5% min Fat content: 22.5% min Calories: 557 kcal/cup If your kitten is presenting with dandruff issues‚ you need to choose a food that can address the flaky skin and still provide them with the essential nutrients they need to thrive in their kittenhood. Instinct’s Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Coated Dry Cat Food provides the best nutrition for your growing kitty while addressing their dandruff problem. This formula features a balanced mix of protein and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for proper brain and eye development. It contains live probiotics and natural omegas to support digestive‚ skin‚ and coat health. Instinct is known for its “raw on every piece” promise‚ where each piece of kibble is coated with freeze-dried raw nutrition to appeal to the animal’s natural carnivorous diet. This formula has an awful scent that can make serving it rather bothersome for some owners. Pros Raw on every piece Promotes brain and eye develop Can support skin health to address dandruff Designed specifically for kittens Cons Can be very smelly 5. Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin &; Stomach Dry Cat Food Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Lamb‚ Rice‚ Corn Gluten Meal‚ Chicken Meal‚ Soybean Meal Protein content: 40.0% min Fat content: 18.0% min Calories: 539 kcal/cup Purina Pro Plan Adult Sensitive Skin &; Stomach Lamb &; Rice Formula Dry Cat Food is a great formula that can provide the skin-boosting benefits your kitty needs to address their skin problems. This formula features real lamb as the first and most prominent ingredient‚ providing your pet with a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Rice and corn gluten meal are the next ingredients. This formula is also recommended for cats with sensitive stomachs. This formula is higher in calories than the other foods on this list‚ so if your cat is prone to weight gain or is already a bit on the chunky side‚ be careful with the portion size. Pros High in omega 3-fatty acids Lamb is the first ingredient Contains antioxidants Cons High in calories 6. Forza10 Nutraceutic Active Line Dermo Dry Cat Food Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Ground Rice‚ Anchovy Meal‚ Hydrolyzed Fish Protein‚ Fish Oil Protein content: 28.0% min Fat content: 13.0% min Calories: 434 kcal/cup The Forza10 Nutraceutic Active Line Dermo Dry Cat Food is a specially formulated kibble designed to address skin issues such as itching‚ crusting‚ dandruff‚ and fur loss in cats. It provides a limited-ingredient diet to eliminate the most common allergens‚ so it’s a great choice if you and your vet agree that your cat’s diet could be the reason behind their dandruff. This single-source protein food contains omega-3 fatty acids from Iceland-caught wild anchovies and is free of artificial additives and GMOs. This formula includes pomegranate‚ turmeric‚ and papaya to promote shiny coat and skin health. This formula is very pricey‚ especially when compared to other options we’re looking at today. Pros Made without by-products of GMOs Can address common skin problems Made with omega-rich wild-caught anchovies High in omega-3 fatty acids Cons Expensive Protein is not the first ingredient 7. Taste of the Wild Canyon River Grain-Free Dry Cat Food Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Trout‚ Ocean Fish Meal‚ Salmon Meal‚ Sweet Potatoes‚ Lentils Protein content: 32.0% min Fat content: 16.0% min Calories: 424 kcal/cup Taste of the Wild Canyon River Trout &; Smoke-Flavored Salmon Grain-Free Dry Cat Food is a high-protein kibble formulated with vitamins and minerals to support overall health. Because fish is the only protein source‚ it may be a viable option for cats with food-related sensitivities causing their dandruff. This food contains a balanced blend of omega fatty acids to promote skin and coat health and species-specific probiotics to promote healthy digestive and immune systems. It’s formulated to meet the nutritional needs of your cat through every life stage. This food is highly odorous‚ which can be problematic for owners with scent sensitivities. Additionally‚ it can be quite expensive depending on where you buy it. Pros High protein formula Contains omega-3 fatty acids Can promote digestive health Good for all stages of life Cons Stinky food Pricey 8. I and Love and You Savory Salmon Pate Grain-Free Canned Cat Food Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Salmon‚ Chicken‚ Salmon Broth‚ Chicken Liver‚ Natural Flavor‚ Guar Gum Protein content: 10.0% min Fat content: 5.5% min Calories: 93 kcal/can The I and Love and You Savory Salmon Pate Grain-Free Canned Cat Food boasts a silky-smooth pate texture chock full of moisture to boost your kitty’s hydration levels. It features sustainably sourced salmon and is free of unhealthy fillers. It contains omegas 3 and 6 for coat and skin health‚ which may be beneficial in your fight against dandruff. Because this food contains several sources of protein‚ it may not be the best option for owners who believe food allergies cause their cats’ dandruff. Some owners report their cat’s waste smells stronger after switching them to this food. Pros Promotes hydration Contains fatty acids for skin and coat health Made with sustainably sourced salmon Cons Not a great option if food allergies are suspected May affect waste smells 9. Stella &; Chewy’s Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw Check Price on Chewy Check Price on Amazon Main ingredients: Duck With Ground Bone‚ Turkey‚ Turkey Liver‚ Goose Turkey Gizzard‚ Pumpkin Seed Protein content: 40.0% min Fat content: 30.0% min Calories: 224 kcal/cup Stella &; Chewy’s Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw provides your kitty with real raw nutrition in a conveniently freeze-dried formula. You can choose to rehydrate this food with warm water or serve it as is‚ whichever your kitty prefers. This formula is made with 100% certified organic fruits and veggies and farm-raised meat. It can provide skin and coat support thanks to its natural oils and omega fatty acids. The formula features probiotics for digestive health and is designed for all life stages. The food pieces are quite large and hard‚ and if you choose not to rehydrate them‚ they can be difficult for some cats to eat. Additionally‚ this food is very expensive. Pros Can be fed as is or rehydrated Made with organic fruits and vegetables Farm-raised meat Contains omega fatty acids Probiotics for digestive health Cons Pieces may be too hard or big Expensive 10. AvoDerm Grain-Free Salmon Consomme Canned Cat Food Check Latest Price Main ingredients: Salmon (Source of Omega-3)‚ Salmon Broth‚ Tricalcium Phosphate‚ Sunflower Oil‚ Guar Gum Protein content: 13.0% min Fat content: 2.0% min Calories: 82 kcal/can The AvoDerm Grain-Free Salmon Entree Salmon Consomme Canned Cat Food features salmon and salmon broth as the first two ingredients‚ providing your kitty with the fatty acids they need for better skin health. Additionally‚ the formula contains other fatty acid sources‚ such as avocado oil and sunflower oil‚ to further boost your pet’s skin and coat health. This recipe is designed for cats of all ages and provides a great source of hydration to promote optimal health further. Avocado is a controversial pet food ingredient as it contains a toxin known as persin. According to the Pet Poison Helpline‚ however‚ only certain species can be poisoned by persin. Cats and dogs are “rarely affected.” This food can be difficult to find and may only be available at very high prices. Pros Contains a high dose of omega fatty acids Real salmon is the first ingredient Promotes skin and coat health Designed for cats of all ages Cons High price Controversial ingredient (avocado) Buyer’s Guide: What You Need to Know About Choosing the Best Cat Food for Dandruff Image Credit: Marina Demidiuk‚ Shutterstock What Makes a Cat Food Good for Dandruff? So‚ you’ve just finished reading about our ten food recommendations and may be wondering what it is about these ten products that make them good for cats with dandruff. The key appears to be omega-3 fatty acids. Omega3-s like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are key for proper growth and development. They also have anti-inflammatory properties in many animal species and can be used for inflammatory diseases like skin allergies‚ arthritis‚ and even cancer. Because omega 3s are fat‚ they can help your kitty develop a fuller and shinier coat. Omega-3s can improve the health of the hair follicles‚ decreasing how much hair is shed. This is especially beneficial for high-shedding cats as it means fewer hairs will be shed‚ equating to fewer hairballs. If you need another reason to choose a high omega fatty acid diet for your kitty‚ it’s that studies show cats getting higher doses of fish oil had healthier joints and were able to get around their homes better. What Causes Cat Dandruff? Dandruff occurs in cats as a direct result of dry skin most of the time. Kitties can develop dry skin for a myriad of reasons‚ including their diets‚ environmental factors‚ or dry indoor air. However‚ cats with predominantly oily skin can also get dandruff‚ as excessive oil on the skin can cause skin cells to flake away. However‚ dry skin isn’t the only culprit. Cats with arthritis or obesity may have flaky skin as both conditions can make it difficult for the cat to get rid of the dead skin cells from their fur when they groom themselves. Cats can also develop dandruff from external parasites like ticks or demodectic mange‚ bacterial or fungal infections‚ or malnutrition. So‚ if your cat is suddenly looking flakier than usual‚ you may wish to visit their veterinarian for a wellness exam to rule out any potentially serious causes. Image Credit: Nau Nau‚ Shutterstock Can a New Diet Really Help Control Dandruff? Switching your cat’s diet can help control their dandruff if certain factors are causing it. For example‚ a cat whose flaky skin is being driven by untreated arthritis or obesity likely won’t see much improvement from a change in diet alone. Your vet may recommend pain control or a weight control diet. If a bacterial or fungal infection is to blame for your cat’s dandruff‚ they’ll need treatment from your veterinarian to see improvements. Infections may require antibiotics or antifungals. Additional Tips for Controlling Dandruff Changing your cat’s food can greatly impact how much dandruff they produce. However‚ you can try several other remedies in conjunction with a food change to see if it helps. Brush them daily Brushing your cat with a slicker brush followed by a metal comb daily is an effective method for resolving dry skin problems. Slicker brushes can distribute your cat’s natural oils throughout their coat while releasing the dander and dead hair weighing down their follicles. Following up with the metal comb will remove any matting or clumps the brush can’t get. Increase your home’s humidity Low humidity is one of the most common causes of cat dandruff. If your indoor heating system removes moisture from the air‚ you and your kitty will develop dry skin. Adding a humidifier can restore lost moisture‚ addressing both dry skin issues. Image Credit; Pixel-Shot‚ Shutterstock Increase your cat’s hydration Cats are notorious for not drinking enough water‚ which they require for optimal health. If you know your cat isn’t drinking enough‚ try adding wet food to their diet or switching out your water bowl for an electric fountain‚ which is supposed to help entice cats to drink more. Talk to your vet If your cat’s dandruff is caused by poor grooming due to arthritis or obesity‚ we recommend speaking with your veterinarian. They can provide recommendations on a diet to support their joints or weight loss efforts and may also make recommendations on supplements to try. Conclusion The best overall cat food for dandruff is Hill’s Prescription Diet z/d Skin/Food Sensitivities for its ability to address food sensitivities and promote immune system health. For owners on tight budgets‚ the Tiki Cat Special Function Formula provides an affordable food specially formulated to address skin problems like dandruff. Those without a strict budget to adhere to should look at Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Adult Selected Protein PD Loaf for its ability to support the skin’s natural protective barrier‚ thus reducing dandruff. Finally‚ owners with kittens with dandruff should consider Instinct’s Original Kitten Recipe for its skin-supporting formula and focus on optimal kitten nutrition. Dandruff can be a frustrating part of cat ownership‚ but it doesn’t have to be. Our reviews above should be helpful in addressing your cat’s dandruff if dietary issues cause it. We recommend speaking with your veterinarian before switching your kitty to a new food to ensure this is the right path to address your pet’s dandruff issues. Sources https://vcacanada.com/know-your-pet/fish-oil https://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/ktudor/2013/jan/omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oils-and-arthritis-in-cats-29779 Featured Image Credit: Prystai‚ Shutterstock The post 10 Best Cat Foods for Dandruff in 2024 – Reviews &; Top Picks by Chantelle Fowler appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

News Immaculate A Pregnant Nun Has a Very Bad Time in the Trailer for Immaculate Sydney Sweeney stars in a religious horror film from director Michael Mohan By Molly Templeton | Published on January 25‚ 2024 icon-comment 0 Share New Share Twitter Facebook Pinterest RSS Feed Pause Play More From Immaculate See All Posts News Molli and Max in the Future Molli and Max in the Future Aspires to Shoot the Rom-Com Into Space By Molly Templeton January 25‚ 2024 News Stopmotion Stopmotion Trailer Gives You Your Daily Dose of Terrifying‚ Murderous Puppets By Vanessa Armstrong January 24‚ 2024 News Eternal Eternal Trailer Gives Us A Climate Change-Infused Sliding Doors Story By Vanessa Armstrong January 24‚ 2024 News Avatar: The Last Airbender Hold On to Your Cabbages! Netflix Released an Avatar: The Last Airbender Trailer By Vanessa Armstrong January 24‚ 2024 icon-left-caret Caret See All Posts It’s not all rom-coms and teen dramas for Sydney Sweeney‚ who is probably best known for starring in Euphoria. She’s one of the spider-teens in the upcoming Madame Web‚ and she also stars in Immaculate‚ a religious horror film that finds her playing a young woman who’s both mysteriously pregnant and extremely terrorized. And none of it seems the least bit normal—though it remains to be seen how much of her suffering is supernatural wackiness and how much is human beings being awful. The synopsis is less than forthcoming about the things that go bump in the night at the convent: Sydney Sweeney (Anyone But You‚ Euphoria‚ The White Lotus) stars as Cecilia‚ an American nun of devout faith‚ embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors. As if a freak pregnancy isn’t scary enough! We must make sure she suffers thoroughly‚ I guess. “How can we trust what’s inside you?” asks a fellow nun. Could her sisters not be a little more supportive? Immaculate comes from writer Andrew Lobel‚ in his feature debut‚ and director Michael Mohan‚ creator of the Netflix series Everything Sucks‚ which featured Sweeney. The film also features Àlvaro Morte‚ Dora Romano‚ Giorgio Colangeli‚ Simona Tabasco‚ Benedetta Porcaroli and Giampiero Judica. Immaculate is in theaters March 22nd. The post A Pregnant Nun Has a Very Bad Time in the Trailer for <;i>;Immaculate<;/i>; appeared first on Reactor.

Teen horror is filled with stories of joy rides and road trips gone wrong: there’s the real life danger of R.L. Stine’s The Hitchhiker (1993) and the liminal hallucination of Christopher Pike’s Road to Nowhere (1993). More than one Fear Street party has been centered on getting revenge for fatal car accidents from decades past‚ with Halloween Party (1990) and The New Year’s Party (1995). Even without ghostly vengeance or rampaging murderers on the loose‚ however‚ there is plenty of horror to be had when teens get behind the wheel. They’re new and inexperienced drivers‚ many of whom are prone to risk taking. They may drive too fast‚ go places they’re not supposed to go‚ or take the car out when they don’t have permission. When faced with a crisis‚ these drivers often don’t have the most logical thought processes‚ may not have the best judgment‚ and are likely to make bad decisions based on sheer panic or peer pressure. R.L. Stine’s Hit and Run (1992) and Peter Lerangis’ Driver’s Dead (1994) each take a different approach to exploring these teen driving horrors‚ from realistic to supernatural.  Stine’s standalone book Hit and Run is realistic and gruesome‚ with no supernatural scares needed to facilitate the horror. Cassie Martin‚ Scott Baldwin‚ Bruce Winkleman (who everyone calls Winks)‚ and Eddie Katz are friends who are all about to get their driver’s licenses. They’ve been friends since they were kids‚ and while there are some tensions and dramatic intrigue within their friend group—Cassie has a crush on Scott but doesn’t know if he likes her the same way‚ Eddie is grumpy that everyone’s always pranking him and calling him “Scaredly Katz”—they seem to all get along and take one another’s teasing in good fun. They don’t take anything too seriously‚ including the things that they probably should. For example‚ in the book’s opening chapter‚ Winks shows up at Scott’s house where Scott and Cassie are getting ready to study and says he has a great prank to pull on Eddie‚ which involves grossing him out with an eyeball in a box. And while most teen horror novels would go with a bait-and-switch gross out (it’s not actually an eyeball‚ or at least not a human eyeball)‚ Stine is all in. Winks is just wandering around with a real human eyeball that he got from Eddie’s cousin Jerry‚ who works at the morgue. Cassie and Scott are appropriately horrified about this whole transaction—that Winks would wander into the morgue asking for body parts and that Jerry‚ apparently‚ is all too happy to just hand them over—but Winks is dismissive‚ saying the dead man “was being cremated‚ so he didn’t need it” (6). Cassie and Scott quickly move past their horror at corpse desecration and Jerry’s lack of professional ethics‚ and the trio start planning their prank on Eddie‚ who faints when he sees the eyeball and then gets heckled by his friends for being a wuss.  This is a macabre “what are they capable of?” spot from which to start and it really only gets worse from there. The four teens decide to take Scott’s parents’ car out to practice driving on their own. They drive too fast‚ goof around‚ and play hilarious “we’re all going to crash and die” pranks on each other. But despite it all‚ they make it home safely and don’t get caught‚ which of course emboldens them to keep sneaking their parents’ cars out so they can practice for their driving tests. This is absolutely a disaster waiting to happen‚ so it’s not really surprising when one does‚ and Eddie hits a guy while driving on the dark highway one night. The man—whose ID identifies him as Brandt Tinkers—is clearly dead‚ the four of them panic‚ and when Winks says the best thing they can do is flee the scene‚ it doesn’t take long for the others to agree. Scott argues “he’s right … We don’t have driver’s licenses. The police will fry our butts. Our lives will be ruined. Everyone will know what we did. We could even go to jail or something” (45). Cassie holds on as the empathetic voice of reason for another couple of minutes‚ but in the end‚ she concedes as well‚ reassuring Eddie that “there were no witnesses. What happened is terrible. But it was an accident” (47-8). They didn’t mean to do it and they don’t want to get in trouble‚ so they decide to just pretend it never happened. Cassie and Scott roll the man’s body off to the side of the road‚ they all pile back in the car‚ and they drive away‚ swearing to take the secret to their graves. It’s a good thing they have an inside man at the morgue‚ because when the hit and run doesn’t make the news‚ they’re able to call Jerry and find out that the body of the man they hit has indeed been brought in … and then mysteriously disappears. They soon start receiving threatening messages and Polaroid pictures of Tinkers’ body sitting in their parents’ cars. Someone mows down Winks in a hit and run accident that he barely survives‚ followed up by messages that the rest of them are next. Stine gives enough gruesome details about the condition of Tinkers’ body that “maybe he isn’t actually dead” doesn’t hold up as a viable theory‚ which opens all kinds of doors as readers are briefly left wondering just what kind of horror we’re dealing with. Winks’ eyeball joke really told us all we need to know‚ though it is still horrifying to discover that Eddie “borrowed” a corpse from the morgue to fake the hit and run and has been driving around with Tinkers’ body in his trunk ever since in order to terrorize his friends. He’s tired of people always making fun of him and since the corpse was that of “some homeless guy” (154)‚ Eddie doesn’t see anything wrong with using this man’s body as part of this disgusting practical joke to turn the tables on his friends and show them “what it’s like to be scared. Really scared” (152).  This is absolutely unconscionable‚ and one of the most unsettling parts of the whole book is that no one ever actually learns a lesson: Eddie is taken away to get psychiatric treatment and Cassie blames him for the guilt and nightmares she suffered‚ almost immediately forgetting that they thought they had killed a man and still made the choices they made‚ and deciding in the aftermath that it doesn’t really matter because it wasn’t really real‚ so there’s no need for her to take any responsibility or give it another thought. Jerry sneaks in one more prank on Winks‚ Scott‚ and Cassie with the dead body before returning it to the morgue and when he leaves it propped up on Winks’ front porch‚ and Winks pays the joke forward‚ calling for his parents and telling them “there’s someone at the door who wants to see you!” (164). Cassie‚ Scott‚ and Winks don’t learn anything–hey don’t ever come to the realization that they’ve done anything wrong. They don’t make any attempt to find out who Tinkers’ was‚ how he ended up where he did‚ or to locate or reunite him with anyone who may be missing him. The man whose corpse has provided them with so much horror and entertainment is completely dehumanized and while readers can hope Tinkers gets respectfully treated and is given a decent burial at some point after these final lines‚ I don’t know that we can be terribly optimistic.  Driver’s Dead has a stronger element of mystery than Hit and Run‚ as new girl Kirsten Wilkes tries to solve the mystery of a deadly car accident that happened before she moved to town and the dark repercussions that still echo through the community. The commonly accepted story is that Nguyen Trang died by suicide after stealing a car and driving it into a ravine because he was rejected by Gwen‚ a girl he liked. However‚ Lerangis immediately reveals the incomplete nature of this narrative in the book’s opening pages with a prologue that captures Nguyen’s final moments‚ when he went out to meet Rob Maxson and Virgil Garth‚ two classmates who told him they found a cool car in the woods and who both incidentally have romantic attachments to Gwen. Rob is Gwen’s ex-boyfriend and Virgil likes Gwen‚ so Rob’s plan is to basically kidnap Nguyen‚ give him a good scare‚ and convince him to leave Gwen alone so that Virgil can go out with her. This is far from a foolproof plan‚ and the car spins out of control on the wet road and plunges over the side. Rob and Virgil somehow survive‚ Nguyen is killed‚ and the other two boys have no interest in telling anyone what actually happened‚ letting the story of Nguyen’s suicide stand.  Like Stine’s Hit and Run‚ there are plenty of examples in Driver’s Dead of teens making really terrible and dehumanizing choices. Rob and Virgil cover up Nguyen’s death and have no empathy for the suffering of his aunt and uncle‚ who have raised Nguyen since he was separated from his parents in Vietnam and came to the United States as a refugee. Community members’ perceptions of and memories of Nguyen are overshadowed by their exclusionary thoughts about whether or not he should have been there in the first place‚ and when Kirsten goes to speak with Olaf‚ the old man who says he saw Nguyen steal his car‚ Olaf says “Vietnamese‚ Japanese‚ who the hell can tell the difference? ‘Specially at night” (126). When Kirsten asks him follow up questions about exactly what he saw and how he was able well enough at night to identify Nguyen‚ particularly with his poor eyesight‚ Olaf gets angry‚ saying “I know‚ you’re one of them liberals. Let ‘em all in this country‚ that’s what you think. Well‚ see what happened? They think they can get something for nothing! We should force ‘em back to their own country—” (127)‚ before he is interrupted and shushed by his horrified son. Olaf’s statements are the most overtly racist of the responses in Driver’s Dead‚ but while others won’t say things quite as bluntly as Olaf does‚ there is a definite sense that Nguyen’s death isn’t all that big of a tragedy because he didn’t really “belong.” The driver’s ed teacher at the high school‚ Mr. Busk‚ shares Olaf’s beliefs but is much more covert in expressing them‚ and Mr. Busk’s sister is a nurse at the local hospital who helps cover up what happened the night Nguyen was killed. Rob and Virgil don’t desecrate Nguyen’s corpse to the extent that Eddie does Brandt Tinkers’ in Hit and Run‚ but they do manipulate his dead body‚ shifting him to the driver’s seat following the car accident and letting people construct whatever narrative they see fit‚ as long as it gets Rob and Virgil off the hook.  While the real-world actions of the humans involved in this accident and its cover up are awful enough‚ there are also supernatural horrors to contend with‚ particularly for Kirsten‚ whose family now lives in the Trangs’ former home. She can sense Nguyen’s unsettled presence in the house and these encounters quickly become terrifying‚ as she sees blood leaking from underneath her closet door and Nguyen’s burned corpse looming over her bed as he struggles to communicate with her. A car on a contest flier seems to inexplicably move‚ changing position on the page and threatening to drive right out of the illustration‚ which Kirsten justifies as her own overactive imagination until Rob is run over and she finds a car-less flier near his body. Lerangis suggests that Nguyen has telekinetic abilities in the prologue section‚ when a photograph of Gwen moves before Nguyen heads out for his ill-fated meeting with Rob and Virgil‚ adding another layer of supernatural power to the equation. Nguyen was a real car guy and between that passion and his desire to see those who murdered him pay‚ this car flier is oddly effective‚ if difficult to define‚ with a panicked Virgil asking the big questions like whether the power can be “activated if the flyer’s inside an envelope” (198) and “If we’re in a car‚ can another car materialize inside it? (199‚ emphasis original). Nguyen is clearly trying to communicate something from beyond the grave and when Kirsten finds his diary on a floppy disk hidden behind some paneling in her bedroom wall‚ she’s one step closer to solving the mystery.  When Kirsten figures it out‚ there’s plenty of blame to go around‚ with several people either conspiring in the cover up or remaining complicit: Rob was driving the car when it went off the road‚ though the accident was at least partially due to Mr. Busk‚ who was driving drunk and met Rob’s car coming from the other direction. Rob‚ Virgil‚ and Mr. Busk work together to make it look like Nguyen was driving. Mr. Busk’s sister falsifies hospital records when the three of them come in to have their injuries treated. Gwen wasn’t that into Nguyen and was only seeing him to try to make Rob jealous‚ but she did accept his gift of a family heirloom locket with photographs of his parents inside it. (Of all of these people‚ Gwen’s true feelings remain the most elusive: while Nguyen doesn’t seem to have meant all that much to her‚ she keeps wearing the locket after he dies. Then‚ either worried about being seen with it–or having had a few unpleasant encounters of her own with Nguyen’s unhappy ghost‚ she takes it to the pawn shop with all the other gifts he had given her).  Kirsten determines that Nguyen’s spirit has two desires: to reclaim the locket he gave to Gwen‚ and to have people know the truth about what happened the night he was killed. Kirsten is a terrible driver‚ and driving ends up being at the center of a lot of the conflicts and confrontations throughout the book: Mr. Busk is her driver’s ed teacher and is (unsurprisingly) a real jerk. When she pulls the driver’s ed car back into its spot in the school parking lot at the end of class one day‚ Rob pretends she hit him with the car and falls to the ground “dead.” Rob gives Kirsten driving lessons and is actually a really good teacher‚ though he also uses this opportunity to get her alone and force himself on her. He talks her into taking a walk in the dark park—a reputed makeout spot—and then pushes her down on a park bench and kisses her. When Kirsten bites Rob to get away from him‚ he is furious‚ telling her “I was doing what you wanted … I sat here‚ and what did you do? You didn’t keep walking. You sat next to me” (57‚ emphasis original)‚ conveniently forgetting that she suggested they start walking back to the car before he invited her to sit next to him‚ with a manipulative “Okay‚ if you don’t trust me” (52) when she hesitated. Kirsten is equally furious and storms off to walk home alone. Unfortunately‚ she does doubt herself‚ wondering “Had she been too severe? Too judgemental? Too violent?” (58)‚ but in the end she keeps walking and doesn’t go back. The next she sees of him‚ his dead body is being loaded into an ambulance when she gets to school in the morning—and Gwen is threatening to tell the police Kirsten killed him‚ because Gwen found Kirsten’s keys by Rob’s body. When Mr. Busk realizes that Kirsten is on to the truth‚ he traps her in a car and sets her up to get hit by a train‚ though she is able to break out one of the windows and scramble to safety moments before the impact. Kirsten’s driving experiences are an unruly combination of good‚ bad‚ and ugly‚ and when she sets out to reclaim the locket and reveal the truth‚ she does so by driving recklessly through town without a license and in a stolen car. She breaks the window of the pawn shop with the car’s anti-theft Club‚ takes the locket‚ and returns to the scene of the accident‚ where Nguyen’s aunt and uncle later scattered his ashes‚ to reunite the young man with this symbolic connection to his parents. There she has an encounter with Nguyen’s spirit‚ as a whirling vortex of dust becomes “recognizable now. It had taken on a human form—head‚ torso‚ arms‚ legs—all composed of swirling ashes” (212)‚ which reaches out and reclaims the locket before “a flash of light obliterated everything around her‚ and she fell to the ground” (212). In the end‚ comeuppances are fairly roundly distributed for those who were there the night of the accident: Rob and Mr. Busk are killed by the supernaturally rampaging car from the flier and Virgil‚ whose actions the night of Nguyen’s death were passive and complacent‚ though still misguided‚ has made amends by helping Kirsten clear Nguyen’s name and lay his spirit to rest.  In both Hit and Run and Driver’s Dead‚ teens behind the wheel make some terrible choices‚ endangering the lives of themselves and others. But the real horror comes from their dehumanization of people who are different from them‚ people who they decide don’t really “count” in the same way that they themselves do. In Hit and Run‚ Eddie doesn’t see anything wrong with his use and abuse of Tinkers’ corpse because Tinkers was homeless and his body remained unclaimed‚ with no one to advocate for him or ensure his body is treated with dignity and respect. In Driver’s Dead‚ racism‚ xenophobia‚ and exclusion set Nguyen and his family apart from their larger community‚ isolating them both in their lived experiences and in their grief following Nguyen’s death‚ when the people who killed him are able to construct their own self-serving story‚ knowing that no one will care enough about Nguyen to question it. From the real to the supernatural‚ there’s plenty of horror to go around‚ and in both books‚ it all falls on those whose otherness seems to make them expendable to those who exploit them.  The post Buckle Up: <;em>;Hit and Run<;/em>; and <;em>;Driver’s Dead<;/em>; appeared first on Reactor.

Charter schools‚ which are public schools authorized by state laws‚ differ from traditional public schools‚ primarily because they enjoy exemptions from most of the state’s educational bureaucracy and regulations in exchange for accountability to parents and authorizers. The authorizers negotiate the charter contract‚ under which the school promises to operate in certain ways‚ and those authorizers can withdraw the contract under certain circumstances. Authorizers also can help charter schools innovate and learn from one another. But what if the national association of authorizers‚ as it develops “best practices‚” encourages members to replace one bureaucracy with another? Or issues ideological pressure? Or uses its assessment of the regulatory regime as its test of quality‚ rather than innovation or the number of charter schools in a state or actual student outcomes? That’s the situation we are in today under the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA). Authorizers need a new association‚ one focused on innovation and student outcomes. As Heritage Foundation research fellow Jason Bedrick has demonstrated‚ NACSA has pushed “diversity‚ equity and inclusion‚” substituting its own ideological judgment for that of state and local authorizers and parents themselves. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) Meanwhile‚ NACSA’s push for a laundry list of authorization requirements has‚ perversely‚ made it harder for minority identity groups to succeed. Bedrick notes academic research supporting that conclusion: NACSA’s policy recommendations disproportionately prevent black aspiring school leaders from receiving authorization to operate charter schools. The recommendations also disproportionately result in the closure of charter schools that serve a higher proportion of black students. Furthermore‚ NACSA ranks states’ regulatory regimes more in terms of bureaucratic hurdles than in terms of quality or quantity of outcomes. As another Heritage Foundation research fellow‚ Jay P. Greene‚  noted in 2021: NACSA rankings seem to prefer approaches that lead to few or no charter schools actually opening. And those NACSA rankings bear no relationship to test-score measures of school performance or later life outcomes. This approach to ranking simply does not make sense. Rankings can inspire states to compete and do better‚ so some good news is that the Education Freedom Institute has offered an outcomes-oriented approach to replace NACSA’s. But that still leaves NACSA as an authorizer association focused on the wrong things. Instead‚ this being National School Choice Week 2024‚ we propose a new association of charter school authorizers that focuses on best practices for innovation and student-centered outcomes. Here are some principles and ideas that the new association would promote: An authorizer should interpret ambiguities in state law liberally—on the side of permission and innovation. The role of an authorizer is to be ideologically neutral. An authorizer should not pressure schools‚ their governing boards‚ or itself to create identity-group “diversity.” At the same time‚ an authorizer should not pressure schools or governing boards that choose liberal policies (or any other ideology) to change its values or policies. An authorizer should strive to enforce no more and no less than the state law describes. An authorizer should stay in its lane and leave rulemaking up to the legislature. An authorizer should work to protect charter schools from state agencies that seek to interfere with the schools’ autonomy. For example‚ in West Virginia‚ a charter school was told by one agency that its after-school programs had to be regulated like a day care site. In response‚ the state authorizer successfully advocated for a change in state law to make it clear that a charter school is not subject to the dozens (if not hundreds) of pages of rules that this agency was saying were required. Parents tend to be the best source of accountability for charter schools (while‚ of course‚ an authorizer also considers financial audits and other technicalities that parents often cannot access). Parents often see a charter school as the best option compared with the alternatives‚ so they enroll their children there and decide whether to keep them there. Parents who like or dislike standardized tests can use test scores or ignore them as they make their choices. Parents who prefer workforce or college-going outcomes or a variety of other values also make their own choices. Ultimately‚ while a school should adhere to any outcome metrics it has promised in its contract‚ enrollment and retention are excellent proxies for the relative quality of a school. The new association also should provide guidance on evaluating applications; on how to help struggling schools; on which policies and provisions of law can increase innovation and student service‚ and on which provisions unduly interfere; on where to find government funding; on how to help schools find and engage private donors; on how to promote funding equity between charter schools and non-charter public schools; and on how to assess whether it’s time to withdraw a charter. NACSA’s analysis shows there are about 20 states with independent authorizing boards‚ whether governmental or nonprofit. These are the authorizers most likely to want to join the new association. (Where a state department of education is the authorizer‚ we are not optimistic that most departments can see the value of a minimalist regulatory approach.) Stay tuned as this idea gets closer to reality. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the url or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Charter School Authorizers Need a New Association Focused More on Students‚ Innovation appeared first on The Daily Signal.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties‚ subscribe to Reclaim The Net. During the Covid-19 pandemic‚ data protection and privacy concerns took center stage as governments and organizations worldwide implemented various overreaching measures to control the spread of the virus. One of the most significant and controversial of these measures was the introduction of vaccine passports and health passes. These digital certificates indicated an individual’s vaccination status and‚ in many cases‚ were required for access to public spaces‚ travel‚ and certain services. This move marked a drastic shift in the way personal health information was used and shared‚ raising serious concerns about data privacy and surveillance. But aside from that‚ constant mandatory testing opened up new ways that people’s data could be collected and shared. CoronaLab‚ one of the largest Dutch COVID-19 test providers‚ seemingly exposed a password-less database to the internet. A total of 1.3 million sets of coronavirus testing records were potentially compromised‚ but thus far‚ no party has claimed responsibility for the oversight. This database contained an alarming variety of vital personal information including patient names‚ passport numbers‚ email addresses‚ and other data. According to The Register‚ the disappointing discovery of the data leak was made by Jeremiah Fowler‚ a credible source known for detecting breaches. Fowler found 118‚441 test certificates‚ 660‚173 testing samples‚ 506‚663 appointment logs‚ and several internal files on the open internet‚ which‚ if sourced by a nefarious actor‚ could lead to significant privacy infringement. “Criminal[s] could potentially reference test dates‚ locations‚ or other insider information that only the patient and the laboratory would know‚” Fowler commented. Believed to be linked to CoronaLab‚ a subsidiary of the Amsterdam-based Microbe &; Lab‚ the exposed database paints a troubling picture of negligence. CoronaLab is listed by the US Embassy in the Netherlands as a recommended commercial COVID-19 test provider. The post COVID-19 Testing Firm Exposed 1.3 Million Records Including Patient Names‚ Email Addresses‚ Dates of Birth‚ and Passport Numbers appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

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Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully soft-landed on the Moon on Friday‚ January 19‚ and was able to deploy two small rovers to explore the lunar surface. But from the get-go researchers suspected that there was something odd – the solar panels were not catching sunlight and charging the lander. Images from one of the rovers have solved the mystery. The lander is on its nose‚ and that’s why it’s not harvesting sunlight.The lander has been placed in sleep mode for now while the two little robots rove around. The communication between them is strong and they can communicate directly with Earth. The team hopes that as the Moon goes around the Earth‚ the change in inclination of sunlight will reach the solar panels even in this position‚ and start charging the batteries again. The solar panels are currently facing west.Estimation of the landing site and the preliminary data from the obstacle detection camera.Image credit: Chandrayaan-2:ISRO/SLIM:JAXAWhile the configuration was not the ideal scenario for this mission‚ the main goal for SLIM was achieved. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) set out to demonstrate that a space mission can land on another world with incredible precision. The goal was to soft-land within just 100 meters (330 feet) of a specific target area. Based on the current dataset‚ it appears to have landed just 55 meters (180 feet) from the target area.This is an incredible feat. Just for comparison‚ the expected landing site for Apollo 11 was an ellipse 20 kilometers by 5 kilometers (12 by 3.1 miles). The landing ellipse for Perseverance on Mars was 7.7 kilometers by 6.6 kilometers (4.8 miles by 4.1 miles). Achieving such precision is a major leap forward. Initial data suggested that it might have been just meters away but follow-up analysis doesn’t seem to confirm that. More work is needed to establish the exact distance.While the rovers will continue to work‚ SLIM was supposed to operate for a few days on the surface. The way forward is currently unclear‚ and it is very much dependent on how much power SLIM can get before the long lunar night.On the Moon‚ the night lasts a little over 14 days followed by an equal amount of daylight. At night the temperature plummets well below freezing‚ which is often deadly for landers and rovers alike. JAXA will continue to monitor the situation and update the world in the coming days.

Welcome to the thrilling world of dog agility sports‚ where Woody-Wolf‚ a lively Pomeranian‚ recently stole the show at the 145th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Woody-Wolf‚ handled by Renee Marley from Blue Springs‚ Missouri‚ turned heads in the 8-inch class with a performance that was more than just athletic—it was a heartwarming display of... The post Tiny Pomeranian gives the big dogs a run for their money in ‘memorable’ agility course run appeared first on Animal Channel.