The post Taking Care of a Picky Cat: How Olga’s Eating Habits Have Changed by Christopher Bays 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. Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga. When Olga was a kitten, she wasn’t as finicky and always ran to the kitchen when she smelled my cooking. I gave her dry food every day and wet food a few times a week, and I made the mistake of replicating my previous cat’s diet. Free feeding isn’t recommended for most pets, but my Siamese cat never became overweight when allowed to graze all day on kibble. Free-Feeding Frenzy I shouldn’t have free-fed Olga; her head was much larger than her body when she was young, and her belly was starting to catch up. When my veterinarian said she was a little heavy for a kitten, I changed her diet and only gave her dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening. It took several months, and by the time she entered adulthood, she no longer had a bulging belly. She loves wet food but only eats formulas with chicken or turkey. I discovered early on that seafood and beef weren’t kind to her gut, and until recently, she liked dry food. Keep your feet away. This ottoman belongs to me! Kibble Conundrum She stopped eating her kibble, and when I tried to introduce new brands gradually, she ate them for a few days until they made her vomit. I’ve tried limited-ingredient diets and too many brands to remember, but nothing seems to agree with her stomach. She only tolerates wet food, and I no longer give her treats. I don’t know why, but she eats more when I’m in the same room. If I go outside to fill up the birdfeeders after leaving a bowl of food for her in the morning, she waits at the window until I return and then runs back to her bowl to eat. She doesn’t like to eat alone, and sometimes, she leaves most of her food uneaten and walks away. If I call her back and tap on her bowl, she returns to her food and devours it. Some dogs and cats become irritated or aggressive if you stand too close to them or pet them on the back when they’re eating, but Olga prefers it. She eats all her food now, but I still have to encourage her. I’ll spot you 10, but you still owe me for losing last week. Picky and Proud Living with a picky cat is annoying, but Olga is healthy. She doesn’t bother me when I’m eating and doesn’t consume foreign objects, plants, or toxic chemicals. Being selective and indecisive may be an advantage for her. Since she has such a sensitive stomach, she may be less likely to eat something harmful. That’s not a statement from someone with veterinary expertise, but it applies to my stubborn cat. Before dinner, she stares at me and whines if I look at her. She acts like a starving animal and tries to intimidate me by slamming the closet door or knocking my pen off my desk. Her begging is relentless, but as hungry as she appears, she doesn’t eat all her food unless I join her in the kitchen. Olga is a freak of nature, but she’s a good cat. The post Taking Care of a Picky Cat: How Olga’s Eating Habits Have Changed by Christopher Bays 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.

The post Unifury Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion by Sara Seitz 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. Click to Skip Ahead About Unifury Overview Key Features Is It A Good Value? FAQ Our Experience  Our Final Verdict We give the Unifury Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Print Quality: 5/5 Options: 5/5 T-Shirt Comfort: 4/5 Value: 4.8/5 Visit Unifury If you’re looking for a special gift for the cat lover in your life, nothing beats a customized creation. One company that offers a host of pet-centric gifts in this category is Unifury. Unifury is most well-known for their hand-drawn family and pet compilations. These unique images can be printed on mugs, t-shirts, posters, pillows, and more. They also have many photo print products to choose from, including the fun, colorful, and stylish Personalized Pet Photo Retro T-Shirt. This customized gift makes for a great way to surprise and celebrate the cat lovers in your life, whether it be for their birthday, Mother’s Day, or Christmas. I had the opportunity to get a retro tee printed with my cat’s image. I thought it would be a fun product to check out and review. I had no idea how much I would love it! To find out more about what makes this product so unique, why I liked it so much, and to see my full Unifury Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt review, keep reading. About Unifury Unifury was started in 2014 by entrepreneur and pet lover, Lya Meyers. After a decade in the IT industry, she set out to find a more fulfilling career path. That’s when she decided to combine her love of creative design with her passion for helping people connect, both with their each other and their pets. Today, Unifury offers dozens of different gift options featuring customized images of people, dogs, and cats. Where Are Unifury Products Produced? Unifury has headquarters in California, Vietnam, and Singapore. Most of the printing for products sold in the US market is done at their US facility. The products themselves are sourced from around the world. The T-shirt I received, for instance, was made in Honduras. Who Is Unifury Best Suited For? Unifury offers a wide variety of products, each of which features a customized print or drawing. These images can be of dogs, cats, or humans. This is to say that products from this company are a great choice for anyone who might enjoy clothing, a mug, a blanket, or similar items with the likeness of their favorite people or pets on them. For cat lovers, Unifury offers many great options, from T-shirts that say “This Human Belongs to (your pet’s name here)” to hand-painted coffee mugs with your cat’s adorable face. Overview Visit Unifury Here is an overview of one of Unifury’s most popular items for cat owners, the Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt. We’ll look at the options available in this product category, the print quality, the T-shirt quality, and the available customizations. Product Options Unifury has a number of different photo print T-shirt options available. I chose the Retro Comfort Colors tee for the bright, fun background image. Other photo print T-shirt options include: Personalized Cat Mom Tee Personalized Memorial Tee Staring at You Ugly Colored Tee for Mom This Human Belongs To Tee Cat Peeking Hiding Custom Embroidered Tee Even Baddies Get Saddies Comfort Colors Tee Custom Cat Portrait with Floral Tee Blank Custom Design Tee And many more! The company also offers many special occasion T-shirts, including eclipse, Christmas, Mother’s Day, anniversaries, and more. Print Quality The print quality of Unifury’s shirts is exceptionally high. The colors are vivid and the details are clear. And, most importantly, the photo prints look exactly like the image you submit. The cropping is also impressively well done. You’d never know the portrait image was pulled from a picture with a background. I also really enjoy that, on the retro shirt, a shadow is inserted behind the image to make it look like the cat is in front of the colorful background. The print section itself is thick and seems like it will last. However, there are careful washing instructions that should be followed to ensure the color and integrity of the image stand the test of time. The shirts need to be washed inside out on cold and dried on low. Shirt Quality I was blown away by the print quality of this product, but less impressed with the quality of the shirt itself. Or, I should say, with the comfort of the shirt. The shirt is thick and certainly well-made, but it’s far from the most comfy shirt I own. The fabric is a little stiff and the collar is pretty narrow. This is true even though the shirt itself is a bit long and wide for me. I think the main issue here is that these shirts are unisex. They seem like they would be a much better fit for a man. For women, I recommend sizing down. The shirts themselves are 100% cotton and do have a nice durable feel to them. I’m hopeful that after a few washes, mine will soften up a bit. That said, I will still be wearing this shirt often because it’s just too dang awesome. Customization Options Most T-shirt products from Unifury come with plenty of options in terms of color and size. The retro shirt is no exception. It’s available in 21 different colors including some classics like white, black, and gray. And some more unique hues, including mustard, blossom, and heliconia. I chose the blue spruce color. Each shirt is available in seven sizes from small to 4XL. Unfortunately, there is no extra-small option, which probably would have been the best choice for me. Pros & Cons Pros High-quality prints Dozens of color options 100% cotton shirts Seven sizes to choose from Easy to order Cons Shirts are unisex No extra-small available Fabric is a little stiff Key Features Visit Unifury High-Quality Prints These aren’t the iron-on photo print shirts you used to make yourself in your parents’ basement. Each of Unifury’s custom print shirts features a high-quality digital print taken from the photograph you submit. The colors are vivid and the details are clear. Thanks to the careful cropping, the portrait cutout looks natural against the background and features impressive attention to detail with fur and whiskers sticking out beyond the boundaries of the cat’s body. Easy to Order Unifury makes it super simple to order your custom T-shirt or gift. All you need to do is pick your shirt style, pick your color and size, and upload a photo of your kitty. Orders typically take 8 to 15 business days to arrive. So Many Options With 21 different color options, seven sizes, and an endless list of different T-Shirt products to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect custom gift for you or a loved one. And that’s before you upload the photo of your favorite furry friend to be featured on the shirt. Is Unifury’s Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt a Good Value? There are a lot of companies that offer custom T-shirt printing but the quality can vary greatly as can the price. When comparing Unifury to the most popular photo printing service and their T-shirt options, I found Unifury to be slightly more expensive. However, the more popular print service does not do any cropping of the images you submit. Considering the high print quality and the detail that goes into cropping the picture to put your kitty front and center, I’d say Unifury is a very good value. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Can I see a proof of my order? There is no pre-order proof option available for the Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt, unfortunately. But many of the products do offer a proof image before your order is finalized. For products that don’t have a pre-order proof, you can request a proof be emailed before the item ships by going through the Contact Us tab. How long will it take to receive my order? On average, apparel prints take 3 to 5 days to create and an additional 5 to 10 days to ship, depending on the destination. Can I upload pictures of multiple cats? For the Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt Retro Comfort Colors option, you can only upload one picture as the shirt only features one cat. However, many of Unifury’s shirts are meant to feature multiple cats. Our Experience With Unifury’s Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt Visit Unifury When I learned I’d have the opportunity to get one of Unifury’s shirts for a review, I was excited—who doesn’t want a shirt with their cat’s photo on it!? But I had no idea just how much I would like the final product. The moment I opened the package and laid eyes on the shirt, I was giddy. There’s just something so fun about seeing your cat staring back at you from a piece of clothing. What makes this specific product even more loveable are the bright retro colors in the background and the fun script that spells out the cat’s name along the bottom. It has such a fun look to it. The print quality is exceptionally high and I love that Makoa’s whiskers stick out beyond the edge of his body. This combined with the shadow on the background really makes it look like the picture was taken in front of that fun retro backing. As I mentioned above, this isn’t the most comfortable shirt I own. It has the stiff feel and tight neck of a T-shirt made for men. It’s thick and high quality and 100% cotton, though, which is nice. And given how much I love the print of Makoa, I will still be wearing it quite often. As much as I love this shirt, I can say with confidence that my daughter loves it even more. She cute-rages on it every time I wear it. I only wish Unifury made shirts in kids’ sizes so she could have her own! I’m already planning to gift a Unifury shirt with one of my dogs on it to my husband for his birthday and will definitely be keeping this company in mind for future gift-giving occasions. Conclusion If there’s a cat lover in your life, I highly recommend checking out Unifury’s Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirts as a gift option. These shirts feature high-quality prints with well-cropped portraits that perfectly capture the kitty’s likeness. The shirts are available in over twenty different colors and seven sizes. Plus, Unifury has dozens of different gift options so you can find the perfect one for your friend, loved one, or for yourself. The post Unifury Personalized Pet Photo T-Shirt Review 2024: Our Expert’s Opinion by Sara Seitz 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.

The post When the Wee! Isn’t So Fun: Feline Inappropriate Urination in My Patients by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) 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. Hi, I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats, Pancake and Tiller. Putting aside Pancake and Tiller for this week, one of the most common reasons I see young cats in clinics as a veterinarian is for inappropriate urination. Called by various terms, which makes the issue even more confusing, such as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD), Feline Inappropriate Urination (FIE-U) and various others, it’s a bit of a minefield, at times. Inappropriate urination refers to cats presenting for urination outside of the litter box, either on surfaces that are horizontal such as beds and floors, or for vertical surfaces such as walls. Some owners even see things such as blood or crystals in the urine. Too often, these cats are misdiagnosed, and pet parents and undoubtedly cats themselves, are left frustrated. There are generally a few common reasons that a cat urinates outside the box, including but not limited to their sex and sexual status, medical causes, and behavioral reasons. A quick look at each might give you some better ideas of what is occurring. There are some more uncommon reasons, as well, but we’ll leave those out, for now! Understanding feline inappropriate urination is important (Pancake and Tiller agree!) Common Reasons Cats Present For Inappropriate Urination Sex and sexual status: Intact (unneutered) male cats, and even male cats neutered late in life, are commonly brought into veterinarians for urinating around the house. Medical issues, such as urinary/bladder crystals, bladder stones, and urinary tract infections can cause a cat to urinate outside the litterbox. Sometimes these can be difficult to check for, so even multiple vet visits can miss them! In particular, struvite crystals can be common. In my experience as a vet, often found in young, overweight cats eating predominantly dry food. And diagnosing these is trickier than you’d think; often ultrasound and a trained eye is key to making the diagnosis! (Google twinkle artefact for fun info about the possible findings) Behavioral causes: We don’t fully understand how these develop, but believe that long standing medical issues, even once resolved, or other factors, can lead cats to urinate outside of appropriate spots in the house. The longer a behavior has been occuring, the more difficult it can be to change. Husbandry issues: Cats might not use the litter box if they don’t like the style of the box, or the litter, or the location, etc. As all cat owners know, their behavior can sometimes be a mystery. What to Do If Your Cat is Urinating Outside the Litterbox As you probably already know, the first step is a vet visit. Even if your cat has been previously, or even multiple times previously! As a vet, I certainly understand that it can be very frustrating to not get answers, and to have to bring your cat in for multiple visits. However, just as different people might fix cars in different ways, or cook lasagna with very different recipes, veterinary medicine can sometimes be as much of an art as a science! How you were trained, what school you went to, your veterinary mentors, and the equipment you have at your practice may all potentially influence how you approach any case. So, if as a cat owner, you are frustrated and feeling like answers should exist when they don’t, it never hurts to request or seek a second opinion from a fresh set of eyes. As a vet, I promise that we don’t mind, and are happy to support your search for answers! What to Ask Your Vet In cases of inappropriate urination, useful things to ask for include an ultrasound of the bladder, and sterile urine sampling for culture and microscopic exam, if your vet thinks it may be medical in origin. (The microscopic exam ideally should be a dried and stained sample, if looking for bacteria, which is bacteria in the urine, in case the urine culture is a false negative). Crystals can be easily missed if only a sterile urine sample is performed, so multiple sampling and imaging techniques of the bladder can be very important for some cats! Providing your cat’s history including the results of all testing prior to the appointment can make it a more productive visit, and ultimately, more likely to get a resolution. Also, book the appointment as a second opinion for inappropriate urination, so that appropriate time can be scheduled for the exam. Diagnostics might need to happen at a separate visit, however. If you can, find a vet that is cat-oriented, which can help! This can mean a feline specialist, or a feline-only clinic, or even a vet that simply has additional certifications in feline medicine. Especially as feline-only clinics are used to working with cats, they will have higher case numbers of similar issues, and this familiarity can sometimes help getting to the bottom of an issue! Googling “feline vets near me” is often a good starting point. Other Things to Look For Other considerations for inappropriate urination in cats and things you can look for at home: Whether your cat is urinating on horizontal or vertical surfaces can be important. Horizontal surfaces more often mean underlying medical issues, whereas vertical surfaces can indicate territorial marking or behavioral intent. Does the urine smell stronger or foul? This can be important, potentially indicating infections, dehydration, or other issues Is observed urine bloody, or does it feel or look gritty? Bringing a diagram of your house and litter boxes, or even better photos, may help detect any husbandry issues at play. Be aware too of pseudo spraying or phantom spraying. This can look like true spraying, where a cat (male or female) backs up to a vertical surface, holds their tail upright, and essentially wiggles their tail. These cats are not actually spraying or urinating, but rather expressing pleasure, and happiness, often associated with you, their owner, being fed, or other pleasant experiences. Pseudo spraying can appear like a cat backing up to a wall or door, with a tail held high, that is shaking, but no urine is released. Final Thoughts Hopefully, this gives you some more ideas about what might be occurring, and some options to pursue in getting some answers to the question of why a cat might be urinating outside the litterbox. It can be frustrating, but also rewarding once answers are forthcoming. In my experience, most of these feline patients have a medical reason for doing so, therefore getting them seen by a veterinary professional is key; finding one that enjoys these types of issues in cats can also be important, as it can be a very subtle workup. You’re not alone, as it is a relatively common complaint for many cat owners. But, with proper help, it is often resolved. The post When the Wee! Isn’t So Fun: Feline Inappropriate Urination in My Patients by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) 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.

The post AI & Pet Care According to Vets by Misty Layne 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. Click to Skip Ahead AI in Pet Care Today How Our Vets Feel Pros Cons AI in the Future As AI continues to evolve and become more integrated with the pet health and care industry, we decided to put this new technology under the microscope and investigate. Can AI be a helping hand in the veterinary field and improve the lives of vets, pets, and pet parents, or are storm clouds of misuse, misinformation, and misdiagnosis brewing?  We spoke with several of the veterinarians on the Catster team about their insights into the opportunities, challenges, and ethical considerations linked with the integration of AI in veterinary practice. We also consulted different reports and studies on its current uses in the industry to get a better understanding of its impact on the future of animal care.  Where Is Artificial Intelligence Being Used in the Pet Care Industry Today? Artificial intelligence is used across the pet care industry, with home pet care and veterinary care being the two primary drivers of the greater industry. AI in the Home Pet Care Industry AI is currently used in most areas of the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of pet care products and services, with pet wearable technology being the fastest-growing AI niche in the industry. Pet Wearable Technologies Pet wearable technology includes GPS collars, RFID tags, and various sensors that track a pet’s whereabouts, level of activity, vital signs, hydration, bathroom habits, how they’re feeling, and more. How popular are tech wearables with pet owners?  In 2022, the pet wearable market in the United States was valued at USD $800 million. (Grandview Research) By 2030, the pet wearable market in the United States is estimated to grow by 12.9%. (Grandview Research) Part of the reason the demand for pet wearables has grown is people have more disposable income. In 2021, pet parents spent approximately USD $123.6 billion on pet products. (American Pets Products Association) Demand for pet wearables that track a pet’s activity and health is increasing and is expected to have a compound annual growth of 15%. (Grandview Research) Pet wearable technology gives the user more control and greater flexibility, allowing them to make smarter, quicker decisions when problems arise and provide peace of mind that a pet is safe and happy. They can alert potential health issues, and changes in pet behavior and normal routine, which gives pet parents the heads up early, so they can get veterinary care sooner, with higher chances of recovery. Related Read: Tractive GPS Tracker for Cats Review AI in the Veterinary Industry You are free to use this image, but please link back to Catster.com for attribution Veterinarians are using artificial intelligence in hospitals, clinics, and research in various ways. Here are some recent statistics:  In 2023, the largest regional market, when it came to AI in the veterinary industry, was North America, at 37.8%. (Market.us) The companion animals segment makes up almost 74% of automated technology use. (Market.us)  As of 2020, over 97% of vet professionals are using AI-based applications, products or services (Gitnux) The number of pet owners who use AI-powered veterinary care has increased by 63% from 2019 to 2021 (Gitnux) At this time, 39.2% of vets are using AI technologies in some way in their practices. (Digitail) 26.5% of vets use artificial intelligence weekly or daily. (Digitail) Data Management segment had the largest share of the AI in Veterinary market in 2020 at 40% (Gitnux) In 2020, Image Scanning held the second-largest share in AI in veterinary market (Gitnux) Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, particularly when aiding in diagnosis and treatment. However, most veterinarians (ours unanimously) agree that it cannot replace human veterinary care.  “AI has its place [in veterinary care]; analyzing data sets, pattern recognition, and looking for potential drug applications are appropriate ways for it to be used. It may be useful as an additional resource for vets working up a case, but it should not be diagnosing or making treatment plans for pets. It should not become the sole source of information and decision-making for vets, and it should not be doing our thinking for us.” –Dr. Karyn Kanowski, BVSc MRCVS Electronic communication and automated algorithms can be used by vets to assist in diagnosing and treating pet illnesses and injuries more swiftly and accurately than before.  For instance, automated algorithms excel at analyzing medical images like CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs, aiding in the early detection of conditions such as canine hip dysplasia and cancerous tumors.  Vets from UC Davis have developed an AI algorithm that analyzes blood work, accurately identifying complex patterns to detect diseases like leptospirosis and Addison’s in canines.  AI microscopy, such as Heska’s Element AIM, automates disease detection in urine and fecal samples, making rapid diagnosis possible and facilitating informed treatment decisions.  While AI enhances veterinary care by enabling faster disease detection, it is most effective when used as a supportive tool by human veterinarians, allowing pet parents to make timely decisions for their pets’ well-being. Drug Discovery and Development Artificial intelligence has become crucial in the discovery and development of medications for our pets.  “One ability of AI that’s often overlooked, in my opinion, is that it makes traceability much easier. AI is an amazing tool for any part of veterinary medicine that does not involve analyzing a biological system but rather involves quick calculations.”  –Dr. Luqman Javed, DVM AI’s ability to quickly sort and analyze large datasets from clinical trials, scientific literature, and health records has proven to be more efficient and accurate in identifying correlations, patterns, and potential therapeutic targets.  In the past, researchers had to sort through vast datasets themselves. These traditional methods were prone to oversight and human error, but AI minimizes these and speeds up the screening process, leading to both cost and time savings. Once data has been analyzed, this technology can help researchers develop predictive models and hold virtual screenings of drug compounds to identify potential drug candidates more efficiently. This brings veterinary medicine one step closer to finding the best treatments for pet illness and disease. How Do Our Veterinarians Feel About AI in Pet Care? We surveyed several vets on Catster’s team about their views on artificial intelligence in veterinary practice. Opinions varied on many questions we asked, but six key points were unanimously agreed upon: Replacing humans with AI in medicine is dangerous, ineffective, and not possible. AI is extremely beneficial as veterinary support. It lacks the tailored vet care that humans provide. AI simplifies time-consuming or tedious tasks. AI lacks human empathy and reasoning skills. Vets support using AI in the pet care industry, but stress tech limitations and precautions. Our veterinarians vary in their views on AI applications in vet practice, but most vets agree AI will play a part in pet care and is beneficial if used correctly. “Resisting will only prove useless, and it’s best to figure out the ways we can use it to improve our current capacity.” –Dr. Paola Cuevas, MVZ, Behaviorist In general, our vets see AI aiding in tasks like drug research and pattern recognition. While recognizing AI’s limitations, they emphasize its clear benefits. Vets stress that AI can’t replace humans entirely in diagnosis due to lacking essential human qualities. Despite potential challenges, they embrace AI’s role in improving patient care with more tools at their disposal. You are free to use this image, but please link back to Catster.com for attribution Do Vets Think AI Could Ever Replace Them? All the vets we spoke to said artificial intelligence could not replace actual veterinarians (so you don’t need to worry about your cat or dog being seen and handled by a robot any time soon!).  “Medicine is not an exact science. Each clinical case is different, each patient and each family has their own particularities, and all these variables are taken into account by the veterinarian in order to treat and improve the patients’ lives. There is no way AI could ever replace this. Studies have shown how empathy is essential to having a trusting relationship with the patient/pet parents and thus improving clinical outcomes.” – Dr. Marta Vidal-Abarca, BVSC GPCERT (OPHTHAL) MRCVS Essentially, veterinarians agreed that people and animals cannot be entirely reduced to algorithms and data, and replacing vets with robotization would be detrimental to patients. However, Dr. Kanowski said, “My concern is that, with large corporations buying veterinary practices and making decisions about how those practices are run, we will see more and more decisions based on profits rather than on patient care or staff development and well-being.” Pros of AI in Pet Care According to Vets AI brings significant advantages to veterinary care, like improving diagnostic accuracy through image analysis and enabling continuous patient monitoring. It also simplifies tasks such as checking drug databases and monitoring illnesses, contributing to better patient outcomes. Pros of AI in veterinary medicine: Providing tools for labs, pharmaceuticals, food formulation, etc. Enhancing surgeons’ control, visibility, and precision, reducing complications 24/7 patient monitoring Aiding vets in identifying environmental management, prevention, diet, etc. Rapidly checking drug databases and identifying interactions Monitoring illnesses like diabetes Creating personalized pet meal plans Providing detailed sample and result analysis Tracking subtle changes in farm animal behavior and performance Offering accessible healthcare information for pet owners Enhancing communication between veterinarians and pet parents One widely agreed-upon benefit amongst our veterinarians is its ability to analyze large amounts of data and recognize patterns.  “Analyzing large data sets to find solutions, patterns, and side effects, bringing together written resources, removing bias from decision making, and so on, will be an incredible research tool and will speed up tasks, reports, and analysis.” –Dr. Lorna Whittemore,  MRCVS The sky’s the limit when it comes to the ways AI can benefit the veterinary field. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t potential downsides to veterinarians using this advanced technology. Image Credit: NMStudio789, Shutterstock Cons of AI in Pet Care According to Vets When considering the drawbacks of AI in veterinary medicine, several concerns arise. Cons of AI in veterinary medicine: Dependence on technology may reduce a vet’s clinical skills and judgment Data bias and quality issues can lead to inaccurate predictions Ethical concerns arise regarding accountability for errors Privacy and security risks accompany access to sensitive data Implementation costs may limit access to AI-driven care Loss of personal connection between veterinarians and clients is possible Robotization in veterinary care can create mistrust among pet parents One con mentioned several times was the use of robotization, which could lead to mistrust from pet parents, especially those unfamiliar with AI. Relying on automation too much during diagnosis and treatment can make pet parents lose confidence in vets. If vets solely depend on the technology without double-checking, it could lead to significant errors, further eroding the trust. Similar to human medicine, where humans prefer human doctors, pet owners may doubt AI’s ability to understand their pet’s unique needs. Depending too heavily on the technology, like strictly following a textbook for diagnosing and treating pets, may not recognize the nuances and subtleties of a pet’s condition, affecting the care. Excessive reliance on AI may lead to vets losing certain skills, as some tasks become automated, potentially impacting overall care quality. “We used to have a laboratory machine software that allowed automatic analysis and interpretation of urine sediment slides by recognizing various cell types and urinary crystals, and it allowed us to save some time not looking at the slides manually. As much as this helped manage our time more effectively, by just providing us with the printout of the final results, it has also led to the loss of a particular skill set and confidence when interpreting slides manually. Being able to recognize cell types, the presence of bacteria, crystals, or even artifacts, is crucial in establishing an accurate diagnosis, as sometimes machines break or are not available.” –Dr. Maja Platisa, DVM, MRCVS Finally, AI in the pet care industry may discourage pet parents from seeing a vet until it’s too late. With more of this type of technology around, pet owners may think they can diagnose their pets on their own and treat them accordingly, and that would be disastrous.  Dr. Whittemore says, “It may be that animal guardians delay seeking advice and hands-on care as they would rather follow advice from AI in the comfort of their home. Only to reach out for veterinarian help when the situation worsens.” Where Will AI Be Used in the Pet Care Industry in the Future? As you can see, AI is already prevalent in a few areas of the pet care industry, so you can imagine it will only be more so in the future. But what areas of the pet care industry will most likely see an influx of automatic technology? Well, here’s what we know about it in the current market: In 2022, machine-learning hardware (such as pet wearables) accounted for 63.40% of the revenue share for the market. (Grandview Research) Artificial intelligence software (such as services and deep learning devices) is expected to grow the quickest, at 20% by 2030. (Grandview Research) AI diagnostics in 2022 accounted for 50% of revenue share. (Grandview Research) In 2023, pets accounted for 73.9% of the market share when it came to using AI. (Market.Us) It seems that the software and diagnostics portions of the AI market will continue to grow rapidly, even as the hardware segment grows.  Image Credit: NMStudio789, Shutterstock How Are Vets Currently Making Use of AI in Their Clinics? When asked about their current or prospective use of AI in veterinary practice, only Dr. Javed indicated he is currently using AI; his practice has incorporated it to help design custom meal plans for cats and dogs based on their needs. Some vets had prior experience with advanced technologies, such as a veterinary radiology service with AI assistance with human oversight, and Dr. Platisa utilized AI for automated urine sediment analysis. The veterinarians not currently using AI said they see its potential applications for research, data processing, analysis, or booking. While AI appears limited among our surveyed vets, its presence in veterinary clinics, as attested by the 39.2% of vets utilizing it (Digitail), suggests diverse applications within the industry. Final Thoughts Our veterinary experts offer diverse perspectives on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in pet care. While some anticipate its potential to enhance veterinary practice and healthcare, others harbor concerns.  Dr. Vidal-Abarca says, “AI is here to stay, but I hope it is regulated properly and does not flood our lives and jobs,” and emphasizes that the regulation should prevent AI from overshadowing the vital role of veterinary professionals. Our veterinarians unanimously agree that AI should complement rather than replace human expertise, recognizing that biological systems are nuanced, highly individual, and complicated, which makes humans more capable of understanding them than artificial intelligence.  Dr. Javed sums up, “Remember that veterinarians are not anti-AI. We are pro-animal care and welfare. When AI is used in an attempt to replace us, it tends to become anti-animal care and welfare. When it helps us, though, we, in turn, provide better care for all animals and people as well; after all, public health is a huge part of veterinary care as well.”  Some vets worry that AI integration in vet clinics could accelerate corporatization, potentially diminishing empathy and personalized care. They fear that prioritizing profitability may lead to reduced staffing, as technology doesn’t require salaries.  As Dr. Platisa says, “Like anything in life, it’s important to gather enough information and verified facts, and understand why and when certain technologies can be good in particular situations and what their limitations are, while understanding the importance of a human in the process.”  Balancing the ethical considerations and practical implications of AI in pet care is crucial. While the future remains uncertain, ensuring artificial intelligence is used appropriately in the pet care industry will go a long way in boosting its usefulness Sources Grandview Research American Pet Products Association Market.us  Digitail Linkedin UC Davis Nova Vet Equipment NCBI Grandview Market.Us Oro Dog Companion Robot Tably Scientific American The Guardian Zoolingua Forbes HBR Gitnux   The post AI & Pet Care According to Vets by Misty Layne appeared first on Catster. 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Column SFF Bestiary MonsterQuest Hunts the Chupacabra With the Chupacabra, cryptid hunters finally have some physical evidence to analyze… By Judith Tarr | Published on May 6, 2024 Comment 1 Share New Share Late in its second season, in an episode aired in 2008, our old friends at MonsterQuest tackled the tale of the Chupacabra. They examined the sightings in Puerto Rico in the mid-1990s, and not only looked at actual physical evidence found both there and in Texas from 2005 through 2007, but subjected it to scientific analysis. This is prime cryptozoology. Cryptids like Bigfoot are an article of faith. There is no physical evidence to support their existence. No bodies, no bones. Plenty of casts of large, broad feet, but no one has captured or killed the animal that supposedly made the tracks, blurry videos notwithstanding. The Chupacabra is a rarity. It has not been caught alive, but witnesses have preserved bodies of a creature that they claim is the cryptid. MonsterQuest applies actual science to the evidence, backed up by the prestige of university laboratories. New York University and Texas A&M are the real deal. The episode does a good job of summing up what’s there. It covers the sightings in Puerto Rico, with video and photographic evidence and an interview with an eyewitness who claims to have encountered one on the balcony of his apartment. It was his height, he says, standing on two legs, with oval red eyes and four long fangs. Farmers claim that this creature or creatures slaughtered hundreds of livestock, including goats and chickens, draining them of blood but leaving the bodies. The Latin American Chupacabra looks like a cross between a kangaroo and a gargoyle. The one sighted in the United States is quite different: a smallish quadruped with grey, hairless skin and—one trait it shares with the other variety—prominent fangs. One was shot and killed by a farmer in Elmendorf, Texas, and another by a man in Pollok; a farmer in Cuero found the carcass of yet another. Both farmers had had extensive predation among their livestock, with the animals drained of blood but not otherwise consumed. Cryptozoologist Ken Gerhard and wildlife expert Lee Hales mount an expedition in Texas to trap one of these creatures, using camera traps, a cage, and a chicken for bait. (Poor chicken.) I think that’s mostly for show: as usual in these hunts, they don’t find what they’re looking for. The point is to make a display of trying. They do manage to trap a possum and a rather ticked off armadillo. The main event is their examination of the bones of the animal killed in Elmendorf, and lab analysis, including DNA, of the various specimens. They even manage to sample a hair from a supposed nest of Chupacabras in Puerto Rico. Much is made of the fact that all of the Texas specimens are nearly or completely hairless, and that their skin is peculiarly tough, “like an elephant’s.” Consensus is that the animal is some form of canine. There’s some fuss over the size of the fangs and the lack of hair, and some attempt to determine whether the hairlessness is due to disease, most likely mange. The kicker is the DNA. In every case but one, the genetic material is that of a domestic dog. That includes the sample from Puerto Rico. The exception, the Cuero specimen, is a hybrid of coyote and Mexican wolf. When I saw the photos back when the story was new, I figured it was either a dog or a coyote with severe mange. I have seen coyotes in Arizona with the disease, and that’s what they look like. Weird leathery skin and all. What’s interesting about the episode is how determined the witnesses are to believe that what they saw was a cryptid. Even the DNA evidence doesn’t convince them. In Puerto Rico, they speculate that a dog was out stealing chickens and ended up in a Chupacabra nest. In Texas, same story. That couldn’t have been a dog or a coyote/wolf hybrid. It couldn’t have had mange. Nobody has ever seen mange that severe. It must be some sort of mutant. It has to be something unique and different. And then there’s the question of why the Latin American version is so different from the one in the United States. The episode makes a point of talking to an expert in popular delusions. Benjamin Radford, author of Hoaxes, Myths and Manias, describes the way in which the media spread myths and fear. People tell stories, stories travel, people see what they want or expect to see. A shadow in the night becomes a creature out of legend—even if that legend is as recent as last year. The legend that spread from Puerto Rico described a vaguely reptilian biped. In the United States, people shot animals that were supposedly preying on livestock, and those animals turned out to be hairless canines. Not naturally hairless—none of them tested out as the Mexican breed, the Xolo. According to the labs that examined the specimens, the animals had at some point had a full hair coat. I.e., mange or something similar. The last question, which the episode never manages to answer, is how or why the supposed Chupacabra’s victims were drained of blood. It doesn’t explain the odd puncture wounds on the dead animals, either. Dogs and wolf hybrids don’t drink blood, and they eat their kills. One possibility is vampire bats. They’re native to Mexico and South America and have been sighted in Southwest Texas. They are not found in Puerto Rico, though they have been seen in the far western Caribbean. But they’re quite small and they don’t drain their victims of blood. So that remains a mystery. Maybe Princeton’s Chupacabra site is right in connecting it with cattle mutilations in North America outside of Texas, but that gets us into UFOs and aliens and various paranormal speculations. In short, nobody knows.[end-mark] The post <i>MonsterQuest</i> Hunts the Chupacabra appeared first on Reactor.

News Tomorrow And Tomorrow And Tomorrow CODA’s Siân Heder Will Direct the Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow Movie Can they really fit this book in one film? By Molly Templeton | Published on May 6, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Back in 2021, Paramount Pictures bought the rights to Gabrielle Zevin’s then-upcoming novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow—long before it sold almost 3 million copies worldwide, became a staple of book clubs, and was a Goodreads Choice winner and Amazon’s Best Book of 2022. Zevin wrote a draft of the script, which then went to Mark Bomback (who has some experience with adaptations, writing 2019’s The Art of Racing in the Rain). And now, Deadline reports, the film has a director: Siân Heder, whose CODA (pictured above) won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay in 2022. She has also directed episodes of GLOW and Orange is the New Black. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is about two childhood friends, Sam and Sadie, who find each other again in college, and begin to collaborate on the creation of video games—games in which they express everything they can’t say to each other face to face. Since it was first announced, the adaptation has been described as “a modern love story about two friends,” which is true but not quite sufficient. The novel covers decades and is as smart about deep friendship as it is about creation and loss and failure. It’s going to be quite a challenge to put on screen. And a challenge to cast, too. It will be very interesting to see who plays Sam and Sadie. No production timeline or premiere date have been announced.[end-mark] The post CODA’s Siân Heder Will Direct the <i>Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow</i> Movie appeared first on Reactor.

News The Boys The New Season of The Boys Promises Milkshakes, Wrathful Gods Billy Butcher says you’re all fucking welcome. By Molly Templeton | Published on May 6, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Is there a single good idea in this entire trailer? We’ve got supe-killing viruses. We’ve got wrathful gods. We’ve got Homelander (Antony Starr) bearing milkshakes. We’ve also got gallons and gallons and gallons of blood, and also some murderous farm animals. In season four, as Prime Video’s official summary says, “the world is on the brink”: Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late. Oh, wait, maybe there’s one reasonable concept in the mix: As one character says, “If we’re ever going to win against monsters, we need to start acting human.” Surely this statement has no real-world relevance whatsoever. For this go-round, The Boys’ cast includes Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Susan Heyward (as Sister Sage) and Valorie Curry (as Firecracker). The inevitable Gen V crossover also comes to pass this season, with Asa Germann and Maddie Phillips making appearances. The Boys, which is based on the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, was developed by showrunner Eric Kripke. The fourth season premieres on Prime Video with three episodes on June 13th, with weekly episodes to follow.[end-mark] The post The New Season of <i>The Boys</i> Promises Milkshakes, Wrathful Gods appeared first on Reactor.

According to a recent Vanity Fair piece, “Megalopolis has been taking shape inside Francis Ford Coppola’s mind for nearly half of his life.” The famed director made the movie entirely out of his own pocket, meaning he also had full creative control—no studio to answer to. The film makes its premiere later this month at Cannes, and a short peek has been released ahead of that premiere. And it’s very short, focusing only on Adam Driver’s unfortunately coiffed character, Caesar Catilina, who can stop time—by yelling, “Time, stop!” which is perhaps not the most artful way to do things, but sure. After saving himself from hurtling over the lip of a building (sir, put on some better shoes for this moment!), he snaps his fingers, and time resumes. It is a little confusing that time stops but Caesar doesn’t fall, given that the time stoppage appears not to affect him; one can only assume that his time-stopping somehow stops the… air? from moving? I’m probably not supposed to ask this many questions. Coppola posted the clip to YouTube will the following text: Here is an a clear, concise analysis of Megalopolis:“A man balances precariously on a ledge high above a once-grand city in the opening scene of Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, and the movie that follows is – at least in part – about an entire civilization teetering on a similarly precarious ledge, devouring itself in a whirl of unchecked greed, self-absorption, and political propaganda, while a few bold dreamers push against the tide, striving to usher in a new dawn. The man is called Caesar (Adam Driver), like the Roman general who gave rise to the Roman Empire, Cesar the labor leader who organized California’s farm workers in the 1960s, and a few other notably great men of history. But he is also clearly an avatar of Coppola himself – a grand visionary witnessing a once-great thing (call it cinema if you must) withering before his very eyes and determined to revivify it. And, after decades of planning, Megalopolis the movie is the powerful elixir he has produced: a sweeping, big-canvas movie of provocative ideas and relentless cinematic invention that belies its maker’s 84 years of age. Coppola seems to have been born-again by a strike of filmic lightning, and the movie – no, the experience (complete with in-theater “live cinema”) – that has emerged feels at once the work of a film-school wunderkind unbowed by notions of convention, but also the work of a wizened master who knows much about life and the ways of the world. To paraphrase Coppola himself speaking decades ago about his Apocalypse Now, Megalopolis isn’t a movie about the end of the world as we know it, it is the end of the world as we know it. Only, where Apocalypse left us in a napalm-bombed fever-dream haze, Megalopolis, surprisingly and movingly, bestows on us a final image glowing with hope for the future.” Do you want to know who wrote this “clear, concise analysis,” as presumably it wasn’t Coppola, unless he’s writing about himself in the third person? I kinda do. The film also stars Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones) as the socialite daughter of a powerful and, inevitably, corrupt mayor played by Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian). The cast also includes Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, Grace VanderWaal, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman. It seems that Coppola has pulled from everything he’s ever read about or experienced in order to make this film—a list of influences he gave to Vanity Fair includes everyone from Shakespeare to Hitchcock to Moses to H.G. Wells, along with 9/11 and Roman history. It does not yet have U.S. distribution.[end-mark] The post Adam Driver Yells at Time in the First Look at Francis Ford Coppola’s <i>Megalopolis</i> appeared first on Reactor.

Movies & TV Babylon 5 Rewatch Babylon 5 Rewatch: “Mind War” In which Babylon 5 introduces one of its best recurring villains… By Keith R.A. DeCandido | Published on May 6, 2024 Comment 99 Share New Share “Mind War”Written by J. Michael StraczynskiDirected by Bruce Seth GreenSeason 1, Episode 6Production episode 110Original air date: March 2, 1994 It was the dawn of the third age… A Starfury wing tries to stop an unidentified ship. The ship doesn’t return the hail, but then energy waves come out from the ship and destroy all the Starfuries. That same ship then winds up at B5. Its occupant, Jason Ironheart, rents a room on the station and when he’s alone, suffers a bad headache that also shakes his cabin up. Sakai exits the shower in Sinclair’s quarters and informs him that she has a meeting with Universal Terraform. She goes to the meeting—which Winters is hired to telepathically audit—and agrees to go to Sigma 957, which has indications of Quantium 40, which is used in jump gate construction (and of which there’s also a shortage). But they’re not sure, and they need a detailed survey, which is where Sakai comes in. However, there’s a wrinkle: Sigma 957 is in territory that is disputed, and they need the permission of the Narn Regime to do it. G’Kar and Sakai discuss the matter, with G’Kar urging Sakai not to go. She, however, goes anyway, and G’Kar contacts the Narn homeworld to request a couple of ships pop over to Sigma 957. Two Psi Cops arrive, Bester and Kelsey. They are searching for Ironheart, who was one of Winters’ instructors at the Psi Corps Academy. Winters has not seen him, but Bester and Kelsey insist on a mind probe—which is invasive and painful—to verify. Sinclair and Ivanova observe the probe—though the cops give them the option to depart, which they decline—and are completely disgusted. They’re equally disgusted with Bester’s dismissal of why they’re seeking out Ironheart: it’s need-to-know, and Sinclair doesn’t need to know. After Winters is excused, Ironheart approaches her. He knew the cops were on him, and he waited until after they probed her to make contact. Ironheart volunteered for an experiment to increase psi-rating. There are a very rare few who are powerful enough to not only be telepathic, but also telekinetic, but most of those are also batshit insane. They succeeded in increasing Ironheart’s psi-rating to the point where he’s a telekinetic and also a much more powerful telepath. So much so that he knows that the intent is to use him as a weapon. He expresses concern to Winters that Psi Corps is becoming far more influential with EarthGov. His conversation with Winters is cut short when he gets another headache, and this time the entire station feels the vibrations of what Kelsey refers to as a “mind quake.” Garibaldi traces the source of the quake to Blue 16—which is now surrounded by some kind of energy field they can’t get through. Sinclair angrily tells Bester that he really needs to fucking know now, and Bester relents, telling Sinclair the same thing Ironheart told Winters. Bester fears that Ironheart is no longer truly human. Bester also mentions something Ironheart left out of his explanation to Winters: he’s a killer—not just of the Starfury crews we saw at the top of the episode, but also of the head researcher of the procedure. The cops also can telepathically insert a safeword into Ironheart’s mind, which will shut him down. Winters—who was able to get out of Blue 16 before Ironheart sealed it off—approaches Sinclair and drops the other shoe: Ironheart wasn’t just her instructor, they were also lovers. Sakai arrives at Sigma 957. While she’s scanning from orbit, a ship appears briefly with her in orbit. Its very presence disrupts every system on her ship, and she loses power and her orbit is decaying. However, the ships G’Kar sent show up and rescue her before she crashes. Ironheart meets with Sinclair, who reluctantly agrees to let him go before he completely transforms into another state of being. (His reluctance is borne of Ironheart’s murder of the chief researcher, which Ironheart insists was only because he wanted to make sure nobody else was experiment upon. I guess this guy didn’t take notes? And anyhow, what about those poor Starfury pilots?) Bester and Kelsey intercept them, and try to telepathically insert the safeword, but it doesn’t shut him down. It does weaken him enough that Kelsey pulls a weapon on him. In response, Ironheart vaporizes her. Then Bester fires on him, and Ironheart retaliates, but since he’s played by a more famous actor, he’s only knocked out. Ironheart escapes to his ship, which then explodes in a plume of light. Ironheart telepathically tells the B5 crew that he’s going off to become one with the universe or whatever, tells Sinclair that he’ll see him in a million years, and tells Winters he’s giving her a gift. Later in her quarters, Winters is able to move a penny with her mind. Bester agrees to a cover story that keeps the truth of what happened to Ironheart out of the record—it’ll just be that his ship blew up—and Sinclair won’t report Bester’s incompetence in letting the station be endangered and Kelsey killed. It’ll all be on Ironheart. Bester agrees, and apes the salute from the Village in The Prisoner and says, “Be seeing you” like they did in that show for no compellingly good reason. Sakai confronts G’Kar, who explains (a) that no one on B5 is what they appear to be, including G’Kar himself, and (b) there are beings in the universe who are to hominid sentient life like humans and Narn as hominid sentient life is to an ant. They can no more know what those beings at Sigma 957 are than the ant they see on a flower knows what Sakai and G’Kar are. Nothing’s the same anymore. The cops communicate silently with telepathy right up until they arrive in Sinclair’s office, at which point the commander very angrily tells them to use their voices, please, and to stay the hell out of his head. Ivanova is God. Ivanova’s disdain for the Psi Corps is, if anything, reinforced by the behavior of the Psi Cops. She’s sufficiently revolted by the probe of Winters that she offers the telepath a glass of water afterward, despite her disdain for telepaths in general and Winters in particular. The household god of frustration. In the department of, “I’ll take Things That Have Aged Embarrassingly Poorly for $100, Alex,” Garibaldi is on an elevator with Winters and the Universal Terraform dude, and he thinks spectacularly inappropriate thoughts about (based on where he’s staring) Winters’ ass. Winters elbows him in the nether regions, prompting Garibaldi to declare that he’s in love. Though it take a thousand years, we will be free. G’Kar tries to warn Sakai, and does send help for her, which can be viewed as him being compassionate, or him making sure that the commander of the station’s girlfriend doesn’t get hurt, which would make G’Kar’s life more difficult. The Corps is mother, the Corps is father. We meet our first Psi Cops, and also get a notion of the telepathic ranking system. Most commercial telepaths (like Winters) are P5s. All Psi Corps instructors are P10s, and all Psi Cops are P12s. Psi Cops have much more latitude than other telepaths, and are in charge of maintaining the rules within the Corps. Looking ahead. The beings Sakai encounters will later be revealed to be one of the older species in the galaxy known as the First Ones, who will play a large role in the overarching plotline. (The Vorlons, we will eventually learn, are also among the First Ones.) The Sigma 957 aliens will next be seen in “Voices of Authority” in season three. G’Kar’s comment that not everyone it what they seem is meant to be prophetic, and he singles out Mollari, Delenn, Sinclair, and himself. Mollari’s persona as a clown will eventually be revealed to hide a certain viciousness, as well as a certain nobility, both of which are well buried at this point. Delenn’s being a secret member of the Grey Council has already been exposed to the viewer three times, in “The Gathering,” “Soul Hunter,” and “The Parliament of Dreams.” Sinclair’s missing twenty-four hours will expose what he hides even from himself, and this very episode begins the process of showing that there’s more to G’Kar than the mustache-twirling villain he’s been portrayed as to date. No sex, please, we’re EarthForce. Winters explains to Sinclair how much more immersive sex between telepaths is, way way way beyond the physical. The echoes of all of our conversations. “I am both terrified and reassured to know there are still wonders in the universe—that we have not yet explained everything.” —G’Kar waxing philosophical to Sakai. Welcome aboard. Julia Nickson officially makes Sakai recurring with her return appearance from last week’s “The Parliament of Dreams”; she’ll be back for her third and final appearance at the end of the season in “Chrysalis.” William Allen Young, Felicity Waterman, Don Dowe, and Michael McKenzie all compete for who can be more wooden and boring as, respectively, Ironheart, Kelsey, the Starfury leader, and the Narn captain. (Dowe wins by a nose.) But the big guest is the debut of Walter Koenig as Bester. Obviously best known for his role as Chekov on the original Star Trek, the role of Bester will continue to recur throughout all five seasons of the show. Trivial matters. Bester is named for Alfred Bester—and will later be revealed to have that same first name as well—the author of The Demolished Man. The first book to win the Best Novel Hugo Award when the awards were created in 1953, it’s one of the definitive science fiction novels dealing with telepathy. While J. Michael Straczynski has said that it was just a tribute to Bester—who, among other things, was friends with B5’s creative consultant Harlan Ellison—and there was no other connection, the Psi Cops as established here and seen throughout the show are pretty much exactly like the telepathic police force in The Demolished Man. At one point, Ivanova asks of the cops, “who watches the watchmen?” which is one translation of the phrase from Juvenal’s Satires, “Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?” It’s more commonly translated as “who guards the guardians?” but the one Ivanova used is the one Alan Moore used for the seminal comic book miniseries Watchmen. Straczynski would later write two of the Before Watchmen prequel miniseries in 2012 for DC. Winters will later be revealed to be a sleeper agent, with another personality buried inside her mind, which will be brought to the fore in “Divided Loyalties.” How Ironheart, with his suuuuuuper telepathy, managed to miss this is left as an exercise for the viewer. The name of the place is Babylon 5. “I give you a gift.” This introduces two very important parts of the B5 storyline, to wit, the Psi Cops and the First Ones (who don’t have that name yet). In particular, we’re introduced to Bester, who will go on to appear in a dozen more episodes (and was scheduled to appear in a Crusade episode, but the series was cancelled before it was filmed), and become a very important recurring character. He creates quite a strong impression here, though a big part of it is seeing a very familiar actor in a most unfamiliar role, as Bester is absolutely nothing like Chekov. Which is fabulous, as he’s a very effective villain. Certainly more so than his sidekick, as Felicity Waterman is dreadful as Kelsey. In that, she’s matched by the episode’s primary focus, which is Jason Ironheart—a dopey name for an awful character. William Allen Young plays him with all the charisma of a dead fish, utterly failing to convey the anguish and torment the script calls for, which takes the episode out at the knees, sadly. Not that the script helps overmuch, trying to make Ironheart out to be a tragic figure and a victim, hoping we won’t notice that (a) he slept with one of his students, and (b) he committed several murders, only one of which he was able to even remotely justify. Indeed, the glossing over of the death of the Starfury group at the top of the episode is galling. And having Bester imitate the denizens of the Village in The Prisoner was a little too cutesy. (I remember one friend saying after this episode aired in 1994 that it’s never a good idea to reference a show that’s better than yours.) The B-plot does, at least, have better acting in it, as G’Kar finally gets a bit more depth, and we’re introduced to the rather important notion that there are much older, much more powerful species floating around the galaxy that are a fair piece farther along on the evolutionary road than we are. Next week: “The War Prayer.”[end-mark] The post <i>Babylon 5</i> Rewatch: “Mind War” appeared first on Reactor.