NBC’s Today anchor Savannah Guthrie traveled to CBS and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday to promote her new book‚ but before that‚ Colbert couldn’t help but ask about Ronna McDaniel-gate.  Guthrie claimed that the NBC brass “acknowledged a mistake” in hiring the former RNC chairwoman because “there’s a line and the line is truth.” A half-sincere‚ half-joking Colbert asked‚ “Well‚ one of the big stories about NBC and about NBC News recently was the hiring of and firing of Ronna McDaniel‚ who used to be head of the RNC‚ and so my question for you is why did you‚ Savannah Guthrie‚ personally make that decision to hire her? I want you to answer for your crimes. Why did you think that was the best idea?”     After some crosstalk and jests where Guthrie insisted she was still employed by NBC and therefore not going to say anything too crazy‚ she recalled‚ “No‚ I mean‚ look‚ it was an unpleasant few days at our network. No question about it.” Colbert followed up by wondering‚ “Did you know this was going to happen?” After Guthrie replied “absolutely not‚” he repeated himself‚ “So‚ there was no‚ like‚ company-wide email saying 'oh‚ heads-up‚ tomorrow we're going to announce this?'” Guthrie recalled‚ “No‚ no‚ no‚ I was not in the know. I knew nothing about it and‚ look‚ the bosses made a decision‚ they reversed that decision‚ they acknowledged a mistake‚ and we moved on‚ and the only thing I'll say about it is number one‚ I didn't have anything to do with it.” Paying lip service to the idea that outlets like NBC should have a variety of voices‚ Guthrie continued‚ “But look‚ I think the instinct to try to have a diversity of opinions and a diversity of perspectives and voices as we cover an election is the right instinct‚ and it's complex‚ and it's made more complex by the politics that we have right now‚ but‚ you know‚ I went to law school. In law school‚ we learned that if you didn't engage the counterargument‚ if you didn't know what all sides were saying‚ your own position was quite weak.” However‚ she was still glad to see that McDaniel was eventually let go‚ “So‚ I feel that particularly in mainstream media‚ we need to include an array of voices. But there's a line‚ and the line is truth. The line is facts and the line is you have to be someone upholding our democracy and that’s to me where the line is.” That would be more credible if NBC/MSNBC followed up by hiring at least one consistent conservative voice or didn't spread false information on a regular basis‚ if the media didn’t routinely freak out about conservative hires‚ or didn’t play nice with Democratic election deniers. The Late Show‚ meanwhile‚ never has any conservative voices unless Colbert ends up getting more than he bargained for when speaking to Liz Cheney. Here is a transcript for the April 2 show: CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 4/3/2024 12:06 AM ET STEPHEN COLBERT: Well‚ one of the big stories about NBC and about NBC News recently was the hiring of and firing of Ronna McDaniel‚ who used to be head of the RNC‚ and so my question for you is why did you‚ Savannah Guthrie‚ personally make that decision to hire her? SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: I’m glad that you— COLBERT: I want you to answer for your crimes. Why did you think that was the best idea?  GUTHRIE: I'm glad you have given me this platform— COLBERT: Thank you. GUTHRIE: Let me see if I can make this as boring as possible‚ this answer and I do still work there‚ you know that‚ right?  COLBERT: Sure‚ yeah. I do. I do. GUTHRIE: Do you have any openings around here? COLBERT: Yeah. So‚ yeah. GUTHRIE: No‚ I mean‚ look‚ it was an unpleasant few days at our network. No question about it. COLBERT: Did you know this was going to happen?  GUTHRIE: Absolutely not.  COLBERT: So‚ there was no‚ like‚ company-wide email saying “oh‚ heads-up‚ tomorrow we're going to announce this?” GUTHRIE: No‚ no‚ no‚ I was not in the know. I knew nothing about it and‚ look‚ the bosses made a decision‚ they reversed that decision‚ they acknowledged a mistake and‚ we moved on‚ and the only thing I'll say about it is number one‚ I didn't have anything to do with it.  But look‚ I think the instinct to try to have a diversity of opinions and a diversity of perspectives and voices as we cover an election is the right instinct‚ and it's complex‚ and it's made more complex by the politics that we have right now‚ but‚ you know‚ I went to law school. In law school‚ we learned that if you didn't engage the counterargument‚ if you didn't know what all sides were saying‚ your own position was quite weak.  So‚ I feel that particularly in mainstream media‚ we need to include an array of voices. But there's a line‚ and the line is truth. The line is facts and the line is you have to be someone upholding our democracy and that’s to me where the line is. 

Click to Skip Ahead Factors That Affect Litter Usage Frequently Asked Questions Cats are great pets and relatively easy to care for‚ though‚ of course‚ you still need to feed them and provide them with a litter box. Cat food has portions listed on the package‚ which enables you to determine how much you will need each month. The same isn’t usually true for cat litter. While most cat owners will use about 30 pounds of cat litter per month‚ that amount can vary significantly among owners and even monthly. If you want to find out exactly how much litter you will need each month‚ keep reading as we discuss the influencing factors. Factors That Affect Litter Usage Cat’s Personality Cats can be picky about the litter box and often won’t use it if it’s dirty. If you spend a great deal of time at work‚ you might be better off with multiple litter boxes that require you to use more litter‚ at least at first. Most experts recommend having one litter box for each cat‚ plus one. You should also have at least one on each floor to which your cat has access. Image Credit: New Africa‚ Shutterstock Cat’s Age and Size Kittens and small cats use less litter‚ while large cats require more to ensure their comfort. The age and size of your cat play a significant role in determining how much litter you should use. Litter Box Type The type of litter box that you choose can impact litter usage. Open-top‚ covered‚ automatic‚ or self-cleaning litter boxes have unique requirements‚ and some will require more litter. Naturally‚ a larger litter box will also require more litter than a smaller one‚ but it’s important to choose one at least 1.5 times the length of your cat. Number of Cats You’ll need to adjust your litter usage if you have multiple cats‚ as each cat will use some of the litter every time they visit the box. Image Credit: Zoran Photographer‚ Shutterstock Indoor or Outdoor Cat Outdoor cats won’t use the litter box as frequently as indoor cats‚ and you won’t need as much litter. However‚ outdoor cats face many dangers and can also cause a great deal of environmental damage‚ so it’s best to keep your cat inside. Litter Type The type of litter that you use will be one of the biggest factors determining how much you use each month‚ as it can vary in absorbency and clumping abilities‚ which affects how much you will need to replace each time your cat uses the box. Clumping vs. Non-clumping Clay Litter The better the litter clumps‚ the less you will use because the clumping action will keep the cat’s urine in place‚ so it’s easy to scoop out. Non-clumping litter will enable the urine to spread out farther‚ contaminating more litter. The soiled litter will also be harder to scoop out of the box‚ and doing so might contaminate even more litter. Owners typically use 28–40 pounds of clumping cat litter per month‚ while those that use non-clumping clay litter will often use as much as 60 pounds per month. Image Credit: Karnstocks‚ Shutterstock Clay vs. Natural Cat Litter While natural cat litter that uses recycled paper‚ crushed walnut shells‚ or pine can be better for the environment than clay‚ they don’t clump and are usually not that absorbent. You often have to change this litter more frequently than clay‚ and you might use as much as 100 pounds per month. Modern Litter Some newer litter types‚ like silica gel and diatomaceous earth‚ are more absorbent than clay but don’t clump. They will perform better than non-clumping clay litter‚ and some brands claim that they work even better than clumping litter‚ but they can be quite expensive‚ especially if you have several cats. No matter what kind of litter you use‚ bad smells often linger. That's where an effective litter additive like Hepper's Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer can make a big difference. Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer Powder Bio Enzymatic Cat Litter Freshener - Smart formulation uses natural ingredients eliminating cat...Save Money - Stuff for cats isn’t the cheapest. With this litter box odor eliminator‚ you’ll...Every Litter‚ Every Surface - Are you afraid this additive won’t work on your litter? Fear not!... Check Price on Amazon This biodegradable deodorizer is fragrance-free and safe for all ages of cats and types of litter. It uses bio-enzymes to naturally get rid of odors and help your litter last longer.  At Pet Keen‚ we've admired Hepper for many years‚ and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool company! Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) How Much Litter Do Cats Use? Small cats and kittens usually use about 7–10 pounds per week of cat litter‚ equaling 28–40 pounds per month. Large cats will use more litter and can reach 12 pounds per week or 48 pounds per month. Image Credit: Seika Chujo‚ Shutterstock How Much Does Cat Litter Cost Per Month? Most clay litters cost around $1 per pound‚ so you can expect to spend as much as $48 monthly on each of your cats. Natural and silica-based litter will be even more expensive. However‚ most cats will likely use less than 12 pounds per week‚ so this estimate is likely on the higher side. Will Two Cats Use Twice The Litter? Since the litter will absorb the urine and cover the feces‚ each cat will use about 1 pound daily‚ if not a little more. Tips for Efficient Litter Usage Experiment with different litter materials to find the best one for your cat. Scoop the litter box daily to remove waste and maintain a clean environment for your cat‚ which will help keep your pet happy and extend the life of the litter. Choose a high-quality cat litter that offers excellent absorbency and odor control. It may cost more up front‚ but it can save you money in the long run by reducing the need for frequent refills. Any changes in your cat’s litter box behavior can indicate health issues. Monitor your cat’s habits‚ and consult a veterinarian if you notice significant changes. Dispose of used litter in an environmentally friendly way when possible. You can compost certain types of litter or even recycle it‚ reducing your environmental impact. When refilling the litter box‚ measure the litter depth carefully to avoid overfilling. Using too much litter increases usage and makes it less comfortable for your cat. Most experts recommend 2–3 inches for the best results. Summary If you use clay litter like most cat owners‚ you can expect to go through 28–48 pounds of litter each month at approximately $1 per pound for each cat that you own. Other types of cat litter‚ like natural litter and silica-gel-based litter‚ can be better than clay in many ways‚ but you will likely use more of it‚ and it will be more expensive. Clean the litter box frequently to help promote a longer litter life‚ and experiment with different brands to find what you and your cat like best. Featured Image Credit: Oleg Opryshko‚ Shutterstock The post How Much Cat Litter per Month Should I Use? Usage Facts &; FAQ appeared first on Pet Keen.

Click to Skip Ahead Why Are Onions Bad for Dogs? Signs of Toxicity How Much is Toxic to Dogs? Diagnosis Treatment What to Do For many people‚ the aroma of onions or garlic simmering in a pan can be hard to resist. We also know how well they go in burgers‚ soups‚ pasta‚ and other common meals. That aroma is tempting for dogs‚ too‚ whose sense of smell is at least 10‚000 times better than ours. Unfortunately‚ onions and other members of this herb family are very toxic to dogs and cause life-threatening anemia. If your dog has ingested onions (particularly if it’s a large amount)‚ urgent veterinary attention is warranted.  This article will explore onion toxicity in dogs‚ while answering some questions you might have about why it’s so bad and what can be done about it.   Why Are Onions Bad for Dogs? There is a very destructive component of onions (and similar species) that causes red blood cells to burst. This component is an organic sulfide molecule that causes oxidative damage to red blood cells—think of this as the opposite of antioxidants. This results in anemia‚ or a reduced number of red blood cells in the body. Red blood cells are vital for carrying oxygen around the body‚ so when dogs ingest too much onion and become anemic‚ different tissues in the body do not receive enough oxygen. This can be life-threatening.  It is not just onions that can cause anemia in dogs. Onions are part of a family of plants called the Allium species‚ which also includes leeks‚ chives‚ garlic‚ and shallots. All members of the Allium species are toxic to dogs and capable of causing severe anemia.  Image Credit: Bukhta Yurii‚ Shutterstock What Are the Signs of Onion Toxicity? Initially‚ onion ingestion may cause no signs of illness at all. Some dogs will have gastrointestinal inflammation or “gut upset” on the first day following ingestion‚ resulting in vomiting‚ diarrhea‚ and sometimes abdominal pain. Anemia following onion ingestion can take days to develop. Signs to look for: Weakness and lethargy Reluctance to exercise Labored breathing Pale gums Dark/discolored urine How Much Onion is Toxic to Dogs? In general. data suggests that as little as half a percent of a dog’s body weight in onions can cause toxicity. As an example‚ a 20-pound dog would only need to eat 1.5 ounces of onion to suffer its toxic effects.  The amount of onion required to cause toxicity in dogs seems to be variable. While some dogs may tolerate a tiny amount of onion without any issues‚ other dogs appear much more sensitive to its effects. Cooked or rotten onion appears to be just as toxic as fresh onion. Additionally‚ some Japanese breeds of dog such as the Spitz appear to be particularly vulnerable to the effects of onions due to unique genetic factors. How Can Onion Toxicity Be Diagnosed? Onion toxicity can be diagnosed using a combination of history-taking‚ physical examination‚ and several blood tests. This will include a total red blood cell count‚ as well as an examination of red blood cells under the microscope to look for physical (“oxidative”) damage. Sometimes‚ imaging studies such as X-rays and ultrasound may be required to rule out other potential causes of anemia. There is no specific blood test to check for the presence of onion in a dog’s system.  How Is Onion Toxicity Treated? This depends in part on how severe the signs of illness are. If only a small amount of onion was ingested‚ resulting in vomiting and diarrhea‚ but the risk of anemia is deemed low‚ management at home may be warranted. This may involve activated charcoal‚ anti-nausea medications‚ and probiotics. Dogs experiencing anemia due to onion ingestion require more intensive and aggressive treatment. This may include fluids via a drip to correct dehydration‚ blood transfusions‚ oxygen supplementation‚ supportive medications (as above)‚ and monitoring at a vet hospital.  Image Credit: Jeab Ploykrachang‚ Shutterstock My Dog Just Ate Onions – What Should I Do? If your dog has just gotten into some onions‚ or if you’ve fed them to your dog unaware of their potential harm‚ arrange an urgent visit to your veterinarian. Vets will often give dogs medication to make them vomit‚ which should rid the stomach of onions and prevent the risk of anemia developing in a few days.  If your dog ate onions a few days ago and is now showing signs of being unwell‚ you should also arrange an urgent visit to your veterinarian‚ as diagnostics and treatment may be required.  Conclusion Dogs are very susceptible to onion poisoning‚ and the anemia caused by onions can be life-threatening. Thankfully‚ vets can induce vomiting early to get rid of the onions from the stomach; treatment for anemia is also possible and usually gets dogs back into good health. As always‚ early veterinary intervention gives your canine companion the best chance of a positive outcome.  In the meantime‚ keep any onion-containing meals away from your dog‚ and if they like vegetables‚ consider cucumber or carrots instead.  Sources VCA Hospitals DVM 360 MSD Vet Manual VCA Hospitals PetMD PDSA UK Featured Image Credit: Shutterbug75‚ Pixabay The post My Dog Ate Onions – What Should You Do (Vet Answer) appeared first on Pet Keen.

I first encountered the Twitter account “Slime Mold Time Mold” after seeing a viral thread about the chemical causes of the American obesity epidemic. The next thing I knew‚ the people behind the account were running experiments around “all-potato” diets — I even had friends who participated in them. Seriously‚ friends who bought pounds of potatoes a week and even ate them‚ all because of a research project they learned about on Twitter. SMTM is nothing if not a cultic figure in a certain corner of the web. But what exactly are they? Who are they? Is it all a big performance‚ or are they DIY scientists? Or are they institutional scientists hiding behind an anonymous account? I reached out to them to learn more … though‚ you might be left with more questions than answers. Katherine: What is “Slime Mold Time Mold”? Who’s behind it? SMTM: We are mad scientists who are gathering in the spaceship MOLD TIME. We will play freely without fear of risky things. They must create new dreams and findings by breaking traditional styles. Katherine: Very Parliament. You were put on my radar thanks to your viral thread about the mysteries of obesity. For people who aren’t already familiar with that thread‚ what are the eight mysteries? SMTM: The first mystery is the epidemic itself. For most of history‚ the obesity rate was about 1% to 3%‚ even when people had all the food they wanted. Today‚ many countries have a 40% obesity rate or higher. Even in “lean” countries like Italy‚ France‚ and Sweden‚ the obesity rate is around 20%. The second mystery is how quickly the shift occurred. In 1975‚ there wasn’t a single country on earth with an obesity rate higher than 15%. The third mystery is that obesity rates haven’t stopped climbing since 1980 and show no sign of slowing down. Obesity in the U.S. increased more than twice as much between 2010 and 2018 than it did between 2000 and 2008. After 40 years‚ this seems normal‚ but historically it is bizarre. Mystery four is that hunter-gatherers almost never become obese. Different hunter-gatherer groups eat very different diets. Some have diets that are extremely varied. Some survive largely off just two or three foods. But they almost never become obese or even overweight. This can’t be explained by the amount of food available or by physical activity‚ because many groups have more food than they can eat and partake in very little exercise. Mystery five is that zoo animals‚ domestic pets‚ and wild animals are becoming more obese as well. This can’t be the result of changes in their diets‚ because lab animals live in contained environments with highly controlled diets and are also becoming more obese. Even wild deer seem to be getting fatter and fatter. Mystery six is that there seems to be something especially fattening about processed human foods. Animals quickly become overweight on a diet of human snack foods but tend to remain lean on a diet of animal chow‚ even when the chow is also high in fat and nutritionally matched. Mystery seven is that people who live at higher altitudes have lower rates of obesity. Colorado is the highest-altitude U.S. state and has the lowest rate of obesity. Mississippi has the highest rate of obesity and is only a few hundred feet above sea level. This isn’t limited to the U.S. — we see the same altitude-obesity relationship in countries like China‚ Spain‚ Tibet‚ and Iran. Mystery eight is that diets don’t cause reliable weight loss. This has been demonstrated repeatedly in different meta-analyses published over the last decade. On pretty much every diet‚ people lose a little weight at first but gain most of that weight back within a year. Though the jury’s still out on the potato diet; we have to wait another year to see if people keep the weight off since we just got the first results. These are the eight mysteries we described in Part I of our series "A Chemical Hunger‚" and you can check out that post for more detail on all eight. There are also two more mysteries that we would have included if we had written the series today. Mystery nine is that some countries are much more obese than others‚ and no one knows why. The most obese countries in the world are all tiny island nations in the South Pacific‚ some of them with obesity rates of more than 50%. The most obese region in the world isn’t North America; it’s the Middle East‚ where most countries have obesity rates above 30%. Kuwait is more obese than the United States and has been for a long time. There are a lot of weird patterns like this. Finally‚ mystery ten is that different professions have very different rates of obesity. Truck drivers‚ firefighters‚ mechanics‚ and some health care professions are much more obese than average. Surveyors‚ designers‚ researchers‚ and a whole different set of health care professions are much less obese than average. This doesn’t have to do with class or income level — research by the CDC consistently finds little or no relationship between obesity and income. Katherine: What inspired that thread? How did you vet what you found? SMTM: We’re detectives. We noticed a bunch of mysteries and figured we should write about them‚ and then it got a little out of control. Next thing we knew‚ we had several thousand words on the subject. Whoops. We vetted what we found by reading primary sources and using our brains. We also emailed some of the authors of the papers we read to get more detail. And we asked our smart friends what they thought. Then we put it on the internet and saw what people on the internet said. Hey‚ it worked for Linux. Katherine: Why do you think some people aren’t susceptible to obesity? SMTM: It seems clear that the differences are largely genetic. Twin studies‚ for example‚ point clearly to genetic differences. We think this explains most of why some people are susceptible to obesity and others aren’t. Beyond that‚ there are geographic differences — people living in Colorado are going to be less susceptible than people living in Mississippi‚ and people living in Thailand will be less susceptible than people living in Kuwait. So far no one has done an experiment to show that this geographic relationship is causal‚ but there are a lot of anecdotes that suggest it is. It also looks like there are some big by-profession differences. Something about being a truck driver or a mechanic seems to make you much more susceptible to obesity. It might be something about working around vehicles or heavy machinery since transportation workers are also unusually obese. Katherine: What is the least satisfying explanation for obesity? What about the most? SMTM: Willpower is the least satisfying common explanation in our opinion. There are real differences in willpower between individuals‚ but it’s not like everyone’s willpower started suddenly getting worse 50 years ago or that people have astronomically less willpower in Kuwait than they do in Thailand. People in the 1920s had ice cream and “lard-based diets”; there were plenty of calories around‚ but very few people got obese. In the words of Stephen Guyenet‚ “This model seems to exist mostly to make lean people feel smug since it attributes their leanness entirely to wise voluntary decisions and a strong character. I think at this point‚ few people in the research world believe the CICO model.” We think the contamination hypothesis is the most satisfying explanation so far‚ though the jury is still out on what contaminant or contaminants are responsible. Of the contaminants we’ve considered‚ right now we think there’s the most evidence for lithium. But that doesn’t mean we’ve dismissed other contaminants. It really might be more than one — for example‚ we’re currently doing some analysis of publicly available CDC data to see if we can find more evidence for or against PFAS. Katherine: I’ve always thought that the “threat” of body positivity is overblown — it’s for people who are already obese — but many people on the center and rightwards think that it perpetuates obesity‚ as opposed to validating existing life choices. Do you have any strong opinions on the role culture plays? SMTM: Culture is all about signals. When the environment changes‚ things become easier or harder‚ or they take on a new context and new meaning‚ and that changes culture. When being low-class meant working in the field and it was hard to keep your skin fair‚ having fair skin was a good way to convey that you were upper-class. When fabric was expensive‚ styles with pleats‚ trains‚ and many layers were a good way to convey that you were rich. Now that fabric is cheap and poor people work in dimly lit warehouses (to a first approximation)‚ high-class and wealthy people must find new ways to show off. Things that encourage people to move to Kuwait or get jobs as truck drivers may perpetuate obesity. Other than that‚ we’re not sure culture plays any role at all. If anything‚ obesity perpetuates weird cultural stuff. We’ve tried shaming people about obesity for the last couple of decades and it clearly doesn’t work‚ not to mention that it’s mean. We think it’s most important to be excellent to each other. Katherine: Why do you think obesity is such a sensitive topic these days? SMTM: Is it? People like having control over their health and appearance. Katherine: For people who read your thread and might be scared — how can they protect themselves from contaminants? SMTM: Honestly‚ there's not much you can do. We discuss this at some length in Part X of our series. The best advice we can give is: No grocery store sheet cakes. Seriously‚ who knows what’s in those things? Or we do know‚ and trust us‚ you don’t want to know. Don’t eat them. Besides this‚ there are a few things. You can change professions‚ since some professions are much heavier than others. You can move to a less obese region‚ like Colorado‚ or a less obese country‚ like Thailand. If moving isn’t an option‚ you can spend a long vacation there; that might help. But these would only protect you against the contaminants that cause obesity (assuming contaminants cause obesity). If you move to Thailand‚ you may be getting exposed to more of other things. You could also try eating more potatoes. We don’t know why the potato diet leads to so much weight loss‚ but it clearly does‚ at least in some people. Possibly it does something to clear your system of the contaminants that cause obesity. But if it’s not that‚ it’s something else. Katherine: Are you black-pilled on fixing human food and water sources? SMTM: No‚ we’re pretty optimistic. We fixed lead in our gasoline and figured out how to do public sanitation and stuff. We think that if we can pin down what contaminants are a problem‚ remediation will be pretty straightforward. It's not impossible; the worst part about these things is just that they take time‚ and it’s hard to figure out what’s going on in the first place. The real problem is that there isn’t much effort being put into unknown problems. Water treatment engineers are on top of the known contaminants‚ but there aren’t many people focusing on figuring out if there are unknown contaminants we should be concerned about. When people do focus on unknown contaminants‚ progress seems to be easy. We’ve raised a bit of money to do some larger projects‚ which will be coming out in the next few months‚ but everything you’ve seen from us so far has been on a total budget of zero dollars. It’s kind of like Thomas Kuhn’s distinction between paradigm shifts and what he called “normal science.” If we’re right‚ then this is a minor paradigm shift in obesity research. Paradigm shifts are hard. But once a paradigm shift is complete‚ you can pass the new paradigm off to normal science‚ filled with people who are exceedingly good at what Kuhn calls puzzle-solving — developing new techniques for measuring these compounds in food and water‚ detecting them in the human body‚ and removing them from the environment. This system already exists and is well geared to solve puzzles once people like us discover the right paradigm. Katherine: What’s the potato diet? Why potatoes? What would you say to someone who thought you were crazy after reading that? SMTM: The potato diet is a diet where you get most or even all of your calories from potatoes. Perhaps surprisingly‚ this is easy for many people to stick to‚ and people who stick to it for 28 days lose an average of 10.6 pounds. We decided to study it because there were a few really impressive case studies‚ and we figured it would be nice to have more data. We would say: They’re right; we are crazy. They call it mad science for a reason.

A man living in Ontario‚ Canada‚ who identifies as nonbinary‚ wants to have a vagina without losing his penis — and he believes the public health care system should fund the complicated procedure that will supposedly give him dual external genitalia.The patient‚ identified only as K.S.‚ is a 33-year-old man who has been described by his endocrinologist as "transfeminine‚" a term applied to males who identify more closely with the feminine end of the so-called gender spectrum but who do not want to lose their masculinity entirely. K.S. uses a woman's name and prefers female pronouns. In court documents‚ he seemingly estimates that he is about two-thirds feminine and one-third masculine.In 2022‚ K.S. petitioned Ontario’s Health Insurance Plan to agree to fund surgery that would allow him to have a faux vagina constructed without using tissue from his penis. His endocrinologist endorsed this petition. For the sake of K.S.' "personal interpretation of ... gender expression‚" he should "have a vagina while maintaining a penis‚" the endocrinologist claimed.The surgery is so complicated that no Canadian hospitals perform it. In order to have what the National Post calls a "penile-sparing vaginoplasty‚" K.S. would have to travel all the way to Austin‚ Texas‚ to visit Dr. Curtis Crane‚ who describes himself as "uniquely qualified to treat patients requiring major genitourinary reconstruction."Crane has previously bragged that he can perform nearly any kind of gender-related surgery imaginable. "I can’t think of a time that a patient has come up with a surgical request that I haven’t been able to fulfill‚" he said on a Facebook live session three years ago. Crane also insisted that penile-sparing vaginoplasties are not necessarily "uncommon." "I probably do 10 or so a year‚" he said.Despite Crane's confidence and self-reported experience‚ OHIP ruled that the special vaginoplasty is experimental and denied K.S.' request. K.S. then appealed that ruling with the Ontario’s Health Services Appeal and Review Board‚ which overturned the OHIP ruling and decided in K.S.' favor.OHIP‚ in turn‚ appealed the review board's decision with Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice‚ which heard the case in February. A ruling from the high court is expected in the next few months.K.S. and his attorneys have argued that denying him the chance at both genitalia would be "invalidating" since he considers himself "literally a mix" of both genders. They also say such a denial is a form of conversion therapy‚ which is banned in Canada.Dr. Crane took the attorneys' arguments a step further‚ claiming that "it's kind of assault to make a patient remove an organ that they’re enjoying."But Canadian Gender Report‚ a group concerned about the rise in gender-related medicalization of children‚ believes cases like K.S.' show just how far "off the rails" things have gone. "Our public health-care system is at the breaking point and really needs to focus on procedures that are medically necessary‚" said CGR founder Pamela Buffone."Is this type of surgery health care?" Buffone continued. "The patient will not be physically healthier because of the operation‚ which is likely to result in complications and the need for corrective surgeries and further demands on the health system."Though the case may seem strange‚ it is not entirely unprecedented. Last year‚ OHIP authorized funding for Nathaniel Le May‚ a 41-year-old woman who identifies as a man‚ to undergo a procedure to create a phallus without compromising her vagina and uterus. She had argued that forcing her to destroy her biological reproductive organs in order to gain a synthetic one was akin to forced sterilization.Le May hinted that OHIP had engaged in some kind of discrimination in denying K.S.' claim. "Why is it considered experimental in her case to have a vagina and a penis‚ but not in my case?" Le May said. "Why did OHIP concede that it is an insured service for me but continue to fight that hers is not? OHIP is being inconsistent.""My outcome is the same as K.S. We will both have a penis and a vagina."K.S. declined the National Post's request for comment.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Boxing legend Mike Tyson is turning up the heat on critics ahead of his fight with infamous boxing phenom Jake Paul.Tyson and Paul will participate in Netflix's first live boxing event on July 20‚ 2024‚ with the pair taking criticism for their age difference. Tyson is 58 while Paul is 27‚ leaving critics to question why the fight is even taking place.In response‚ "Iron Mike" has sounded like his younger‚ ferocious self as rumors have circulated online about the possibility of the combatants using headgear and bigger gloves."Not true‚" Tyson told Fox News' Sean Hannity. "This is called an exhibition‚ but if you look up exhibition you will not see any of those. ... This is a fight."Tyson also gave fiery responses about his ability to draw fans and took shots at naysayers in an interview with Reuters."I'm 58 and what? I'm getting billions of views from just talking to somebody about fighting‚" he stated. "Everybody‚ even most of the athletes‚ they're jealous‚ that's wack. ... I say 'in your prime you couldn't draw a million people‚ man. What are you talking about‚ you couldn't sell out [an] arena.' Who at 58 could sell out an 80‚000-seat arena?"The boxer was referring to the 80‚000-seat AT&;T Stadium in Arlington‚ Texas‚ where the fight will take place."Everybody wants to fight him; all the boxers want to fight him‚" Tyson said of his opponent. "But if he fought them‚ the only people that will come are the people that like him. The other guys‚ their parents might not even come watch them. That's just keeping it real. They're too boring for their children to watch; it's like watching grass grow‚" he told the news outlet.'In reality I'm invincible.'Tyson's fervent comments about the fight have only multiplied in recent interviews‚ as he increasingly has seemed to shift his mindset. In 2019‚ Tyson told Joe Rogan that even working out could "reactivate" his old ego. The former heavyweight champion described that any recognition of "greatness" in himself would make him yearn for competition.This became apparent in his interview with Hannity."I don't think he's faster than me‚" the 58-year-old said of Paul. "I train every day. I take it seriously. The process goes through the whole day‚ I go to the gym and go to the strength and conditioning guy‚ and I start all over again."When asked what his motivation to fight was‚ Tyson explained that it was about fear and glory and never about money."You know‚ Sean‚ I have a weird personality‚ but I don't think it's weird‚ though. Whatever I'm afraid to do‚ I do it‚ and that's how it is. I was a hundred pounds overweight and I was 53 years old‚ and I said 'let's do it‚'" Tyson said about his last fight. "Anything I'm afraid of‚ I confront. Nuts‚ my personality.""Right now I'm scared to death‚ but as the fight gets closer‚ the less nervous I become‚ because it's reality‚ and in reality I'm invincible‚" he declared. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike Tyson (@miketyson) 'Hotboxin''The fighter predicted that he would be "irritable and nasty" leading into his fight with Paul but admitted he didn't have any ill will toward the younger man. "I don't dislike him‚ and I don't have no grudges against him‚ and it's not from that perspective. But this is from my point of view of grabbing glory. Never for money‚ only glory‚ and I would never risk my health for money."Tyson told Hannity he would forgo smoking marijuana ahead of the fight‚ which he typically has admitted makes him a more calm and rational person. The fighter even sells marijuana products and had a podcast called "Hotboxin'."However‚ since the fight's announcement Tyson has told fans that he has closed the chapter on the podcasting portion of his life. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mike Tyson (@miketyson) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Participants in an annual Easter Sunday drag queen event in San Francisco mocked Jesus Christ‚ the Virgin Mary‚ and a number of values many Christians and conservatives share.What are the details?Readers of Blaze News should recall the antics of notorious drag group the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Well‚ the Sisters have been putting on the Easter event in San Francisco for decades‚ and this year a crowd of about 10‚000 gathered in Dolores Park for the 45th annual "party‚" according to SFist.Finalists for the "Hunky Jesus 2024" costume contest included Disco Ball Jesus‚ Golden Shower Jesus‚ Trailer Trash Jesus‚ and the eventual winner‚ Jesus Ken‚ who dressed up in a a Barbie toy box with his arms outstretched on a makeshift cross.One drag queen‚ Sister Roma‚ asked‚ ”Is it wrong that I’m attracted to Trailer Trash Jesus?” SFist reported.More from the outlet:The Sisters did a nice turn where they brought last year’s Hunky Jesus and Foxy Mary contest winners back onstage. The ensemble group and 2023 Hunky Jesus champions Haus of Jesus did a political “From the River to the Sea” dance protest (one of a few pro-Palestine messages that came up over the course of the day). Last year’s Foxy Mary winner‚ Free Choice Mary‚ announced her new pro-choice political project.“I was really inspired to do this when the Sisters were under fire for what happened with the L.A. Dodgers‚” Free Choice Mary noted to SFist. Last June hundreds of protesters of various religions demonstrated against the Los Angeles Dodgers for honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with a Community Heroes award on the team's Pride Night.Free Choice Mary added to SFist that “my photo was actually being used on conservative websites as ‘trans man winning an abortion award.’ I want to spread the word that religion and abortion actually do intersect in a beautiful and compassionate way.”More from the outlet:Other Marys in the Foxy Mary contests included Make Love Not War Mary‚ Extra Virgin Mary‚ and a Miscarriage Mary (“I’m rewriting history so that Jesus never existed‚” she told the crowd). The finals came down to the very sweet Maria de Confecciones Immaculada‚ and Puta Mary‚ who won thanks to a raucous cheering section from St. James Infirmary.But your Easter Bonnet Contest winner was Miguel Gutierrez‚ seen above with his bear-y good Statue of Liberty bonnet. Gutierrez told us that part of his inspiration was that “Today is Transgender Day of Visibility.”“Since our first appearance in San Francisco on Easter Sunday‚ 1979‚ the Sisters have devoted ourselves to community service‚ ministry and outreach to those on the edges‚ and to promoting human rights‚ respect for diversity and spiritual enlightenment‚” the group says on its website‚ the San Francisco Chronicle reported. “We use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry‚ complacency‚ and guilt that chain the human spirit.” Hunky Jesus Contest 2024 youtu.be (H/T: The Christian Post)Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The trans-identifying high school athlete who caused multiple injuries during a February girls’ basketball game was previously suspended from a rowing team after the male was “caught staring” at a topless female changing in the locker room‚ the Daily Mail reported.What’s the background?The Collegiate Charter School of Lowell in Massachusetts opted to forfeit a basketball game against KIPP Academy Lynn on February 8 after three of its players were benched due to injuries‚ Blaze News previously reported.According to the charter school‚ the remaining players on the team “expressed concern” to their coach that they may also sustain injuries if they continued.“The players feared getting injured and not being able to compete in the playoffs‚” the charter school stated. A male‚ trans-identifying KIPP Academy Lynn player‚ who is reportedly over six feet tall and has facial hair‚ was allegedly responsible for causing multiple injuries throughout the game.A video of one of the game’s plays showed the KIPP Academy Lynn athlete ripping the basketball away from a female opponent‚ causing her to fall to the ground. She then appears to fail to stand up as she clutches her back in pain‚ according to the video.Following the incident‚ the charter school released a statement supporting its coach’s decision to forfeit the game‚ noting the “roughness of [the] play” that was caught on video. KIPP Academy “condemn[ed] harmful comments being made online toward members of our community.” The male player‚ believed to be 17 or 18 years old‚ is reportedly on the school’s girls’ volleyball team and track team.Athlete booted from rowing teamA March 20‚ 2024‚ report sent to the United States Senate Health‚ Education‚ Labor‚ and Pensions Committee by Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy from Louisiana revealed that the trans-identifying male athlete was previously suspended from a “private‚ free-standing rowing league” in Massachusetts governed by the United States Rowing Association‚ according to a parent. The parent told the committee that the male athlete was permitted to join the women’s varsity crew team but was removed after “caus[ing] many issues for the female athletes.”“The male athlete was also allowed to use the women’s locker room in accordance with USA Rowing [USRowing] policy‚” the report read. “The female athletes avoided using the locker room‚ but nonetheless a few months later‚ the male athlete was caught staring openly at one of the female athletes while she changed her clothes in the women’s locker room and remarked‚ ‘oooh t*****s!’ When a female athlete nearby asked if it was the first time he had seen female breasts‚ the male responded‚ ‘uhh yeah’ with a laugh. The male athlete was suspended for this incident.”The report called the incident a “direct case of harassment.”Fifteen parents penned a letter to USRowing in October 2022 claiming their children were “intimidated” into silence‚ the Quillette reported. According to the parents‚ the male athlete joined the female rowing team after placing “near the bottom” on the club’s male team. Parents claimed that the athlete did not shave or make any other attempts to appear more feminine‚ noting he also continued to wear the male club’s uniform.“Our daughters have stayed quiet because they are afraid‚” parents wrote‚ according to Quillette. “Name-calling and the threat of mental health is being used as emotional blackmail to keep us all quiet while women are harmed and devalued. ... Our daughters also faced a locker room situation where they were uncomfortable. ... They stopped changing in the locker room and began to hide away. These young girls should never have been put through being told they had to face a male body everyday as they undressed.”“The rowing team also required the male athlete to room with them on trips. The girls spoke to us about quitting rowing because of the intimidation of being forced to be in a hotel room alone with a male‚” the parents added.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Two relatively healthy autistic women are set to be executed by their respective governments — one in the Netherlands‚ the first country to legalize so-called euthanasia‚ and the other in Canada‚ another northern nation where more than 4% of all annual deaths are now the result of state-facilitated suicides. Zoraya ter Beek‚ a 28-year-old Dutch woman‚ and a 27-year-old Canadian woman identified as M.V. in court documents have both applied for state-facilitated suicide despite neither of them suffering a terminal or debilitating physical illness. Ter Beek's boyfriend is apparently willing to hold her hand as she jumps into an early grave. M.V.'s father‚ alternatively‚ is desperately fighting to pull her away from the grips of Canada's suicide regime‚ which was originally scheduled to kill her on Feb. 1. Both cases highlight the increasing willingness of the liberal-run countries to expand their state-facilitated suicide offerings to those who may be unable to provide informed consent along with the remainder of society's most vulnerable members. Calling it quits on the couch Ter Beek‚ set to be executed in May‚ told the Free Press that she wanted to become a psychiatrist but failed to see it through. The ill-fated Netherlander attributed her abortive attempts at a career to depression‚ autism‚ and an alleged borderline personality disorder. Despite having a nice house‚ pets‚ and a supposedly loving 40-year-old boyfriend‚ ter Beek desperately wants her government to snuff her out while sitting on her couch at home. She apparently made the decision when her psychiatrist indicated they had tried everything‚ and it's "never gonna get any better." "I was always very clear that if it doesn't get better‚ I can't do this anymore‚" ter Beek told the Free Press in a text message. "Where the tree of life stands for growth and new beginnings‚" wrote ter Beek‚ "my tree is the opposite. It is losing its leaves‚ it is dying. And once the tree died‚ the bird flew out of it. I don't see it as my soul leaving‚ but more as myself being freed from life." Ter Beek set the scene for how she was going to slough off this mortal coil. "The doctor really takes her time. It is not that they walk in and say: lay down please! Most of the time it is first a cup of coffee to settle the nerves and create a soft atmosphere‚" wrote ter Beek. "Then she asks if I am ready. I will take my place on the couch. She will once again ask if I am sure‚ and she will start up the procedure and wish me a good journey. Or‚ in my case‚ a nice nap‚ because I hate it if people say‚ 'Safe journey.' I'm not going anywhere." Ter Beek's boyfriend‚ who evidently has failed to dissuade his lover‚ will apparently wait around while a government official kills her. Afterward‚ he will find "a nice spot in the woods" to dump ter Beek's ashes. "I'm a little afraid of dying‚ because it's the ultimate unknown‚" said ter Beek. "We don't really know what's next — or is there nothing? That's the scary part." Fighting to save the vulnerable from the regime M.V.'s father‚ identified as W.V.‚ has long cared for his daughter with whom he lives in Calgary‚ Alberta. Despite being relatively healthy and certainly not dying‚ M.V. was approved in December for what is euphemistically referred to in Canada as "medical assistance in dying‚" or MAID. Canadian state media reported that by law‚ two doctors or two nurses have to approve a patient for MAID. M.V. managed to get one doctor's approval but was turned down by a second doctor. M.V. was offered a so-called "tie-breaker" physician‚ who then cleared her for execution on Feb. 1. The day before M.V.'s scheduled execution‚ her father successfully obtained a temporary injunction. The Calgary Herald reported that Sarah Miller‚ a lawyer for the father‚ stressed in her written brief for Justice Colin Feasby of the Court of King's Bench Alberta that M.V. "suffers from autism and possible other undiagnosed maladies that do not satisfy the credibility for MAID." W.V. has indicated that his daughter "is generally healthy and believes that her physical symptoms‚ to the extent that she has any‚ result from undiagnosed psychological conditions." Moreover‚ W.V. believes his daughter is "vulnerable and is not competent to make the decision to take her own life‚" according to Feasby's summary. Miller further indicated that there "are genuine concerns with respect to impartiality" with regards to the tie-breaker physician who effectively signed the autistic woman's death warrant. "There's no evidence before this court that she has an irremediable condition‚" added Miller. Feasby ruled late last month that preventing the woman's execution would cause her irreparable harm. "M.V.'s dignity and right to self-determination outweighs the important matters raised by W.V. and the harm that he will suffer in losing M.V.‚" wrote Feasby. "Though I find that W.V. has raised serious issues‚ I conclude that M.V.'s autonomy and dignity interests outweigh competing considerations." While Feasby cleared the way for M.V.'s state-facilitated suicide‚ he nevertheless granted W.V. 30 days to appeal to the Alberta Court of Appeal. W.V. has seized upon this last opportunity to protect his vulnerable daughter from the state. Miller filed the appeal Tuesday on W.V.'s behalf‚ asking the province's top court to reinstate the injunction and compel the prospective victim to answer critical questions about her MAID application‚ reported state media. Alex Schadenberg‚ executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition‚ noted‚ "Canada's euthanasia law was not designed to protect vulnerable people. The law is designed to protect the doctors who are willing to kill." Culture of death Blaze News previously detailed the findings of a report released last year by the Trudeau government‚ which indicated that in 2022‚ 4.1% of all deaths across the country were the result of state-facilitated suicide. The federal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau passed the Medical Assistance in Dying Act in 2016‚ legalizing euthanasia nationwide. Originally‚ applicants had to be 18 or older and suffering from a "grievous and irremediable medical condition" causing "enduring physical or psychological suffering that is intolerable" to them. The rules have clearly been loosened since‚ allowing the country's eugenicist-founded health care system to execute those with PTSD‚ depression‚ anxiety‚ economic woes‚ and other survivable issues. Whereas in its first year‚ MAID claimed the lives of 1‚108 Canadians‚ that number spiked to 13‚241 in 2022. In a country with socialized health care‚ more deaths apparently are beneficial for the regime's bottom line. Canada's Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer noted in an October 2020 report that "expanding access to MAID will result in a net reduction in health care costs for the provincial governments" — saving them hundreds of millions of dollars that would otherwise be spent on saving lives and providing human beings with they treatment they paid for as taxpayers. The Netherlands has reportedly also seen a spike in euthanasia cases. As a proportion of all deaths in Holland‚ doctor-assisted suicides increased from under 2% in 2002 to over 4% in 2019. The number of euthanasia deaths have continued to climb in recent years — from 6‚361 reported cases in 2019 to 8‚720 cases in 2022. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Because the mainstream media is owned and controlled by the left‚ the media won’t reveal what should be one of the biggest stories in regard to the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore‚ Maryland. Investigative journalist Lara Logan‚ however‚ is more than happy to shed light on a glaring issue: Back in 2020‚ in the wake of the BLM riots‚ Baltimore City Council cut a portion of its police budget as part of the “defund the police” movement. However‚ it was a very specific unit that was axed. “The people I spoke to were like‚ ‘Can you believe that the most important port for the Eastern seaboard has no marine unit anymore?’” Lara tells Pat Gray and Keith Malinak. That’s right – Baltimore cut its marine policing unit‚ despite the fact that one of the most vital ports in the country resides there. “Baltimore has no divers of their own? No [marine] unit of their own anymore?” asks Pat in shock. “They have to rely on the Coast Guard‚” confirms Lara‚ adding that “that's why you saw the Coast Guard immediately being referenced when [the event] happened.” Apparently‚ appeasing the woke crowd trumped “decades of marine knowledge” and “boats that were specially equipped” to handle aquatic disasters. “They love to say that this is conspiracy when it doesn’t fit the narrative‚” says Lara‚ but make no mistake – “They dumped that unit. If you go back to 2020‚ this was documented.” To learn more‚ watch the clip below. Want more from Pat Gray?To enjoy more of Pat's biting analysis and signature wit as he restores common sense to a senseless world‚ subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America‚ defend the Constitution‚ and live the American dream.