'Biden just like let the gate open'

'anything but peaceful'

'This is all about ensuring that responsible gun owners can protect themselves'

Breyana Elwell never liked rodents, but after it became clear the neighboring squirrels were suffering from the heat, she began to warm to them. Living in New Braunfels, Texas, she maintains a sort of “squirrel resort” where the arboreal rodents can stop by, cool down, grab a bite, and lounge until the heat of the […] The post Squirrels Were Struggling in a Heat Wave so She Made Them a ‘Squirrel Spa’ appeared first on Good News Network.

The post Please Don’t Put That In Your Mouth! Inappropriate Items Cats Eat 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. Unlike dogs, it’s not all that common for cats to eat things they shouldn’t. But just like one of my friends shoved a Lego up their nose as a child to prove it was possible, and ended up in the ER with some very amused docs, cats, also, sometimes do things they shouldn’t. As a vet, I’ve seen all sorts. A cat that ate a small plastic toy carrot; another that ate the head off a child’s doll (whole), one that swallowed part of a straw, and another that had a small pinecone lodged in his trachea, they can always keep you guessing! But, far and away, there are a few consistent items that Pancake and Tiller either aren’t allowed to be around, or I simply don’t keep them in the house, for the very reason that they commonly show up in clinics as a foreign body. So, let’s look at some of the more popular items cats eat that they shouldn’t. The 6 Inappropriate Things Cats Eat: Thread Thread, sometimes attached to a needle, is very common as a foreign body in cats. It can get wrapped around the tongue, and become anchored, which can cause lots of issues, as the intestines try to digest the thread, becoming bunched. In turn, the thread can more or less saw through the intestines, creating secondary issues such as infection and inflammation in the abdominal cavity, as intestinal contents leak out. As a vet, I saw one poor patient that had eaten thread 3-4 weeks before I met her, and had been suffering for that length of time with something stuck on her tongue, and the thread damaging her intestines. Ouch! Fishing Lures These often include fun feathers, they may seem to the unaware feline to be a perfect toy. But I have seen more cats than I’d care to admit, who have eaten a fish hook as part of the deal, and it’s stuck in their mouth, their tongue, or their cheek. Human Toys Human toys. Squishy things that are small like bouncy balls are a feline favorite, and are nicely sized to get stuck right in the small intestine! Well-designed cat toys are a much safer option. Foam I’ve seen patients chew on foam, including ear plugs, and chewing up bits of a flip-flop. Or maybe some of the scent of these items that spend their time in more unusual places, also adds some irresistibleness? Hair Ties Fun to chase but can be easily ingested! Christmas Tinsel The perfect holiday cat toy, until they eat it! The holidays are especially critical times to monitor cats around unusual items they might like to play with. What To Do About It Obviously, cats can, and do, sometimes eat foreign objects other than the above. But, it’s a common list of items to be wary of, and keep well away from curious cats! So, if your cat does get into any of these, what are the next steps? Well, invariably, they all involve a trip to your cat’s vet! For things like thread, only an anesthetized exam can truly decide if your cat may have string trapped under their tongue. And fishhooks stuck in cats’ mouths also generally need sedation to be properly assessed and removed. A small item may end up passing on its own without intervention, but I still recommend a veterinary checkup, so you can make a plan, together, about any lingering concerns the item may cause. Ultimately, it’s always better to try and prevent any issues far before they occur! Worst case scenario, your cat may require surgery to remove the ingested item. (Have you seen my article on why cats need pet insurance, recently?) At the end of the day, we love these furry creatures. But definitely be on the lookout for any items that your cat might get into, or rather, that could end up getting into your cat! This article is a part of Dr. Lauren, Pancake, and Tiller's series. Read her previous article: Carpet Sharks & Their Shark Bites: Biting Cats The post Please Don’t Put That In Your Mouth! Inappropriate Items Cats Eat 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.

Books Nnedi Okorafor Revealing One Way Witch by Nnedi Okorafor By Reactor | Published on August 21, 2024 Photo credit: Anyaugo Okorafor Comment 0 Share New Share Photo credit: Anyaugo Okorafor We’re thrilled to share the cover of Nnedi Okorafor’s One Way Witch, the second book in the She Who Knows trilogy. Set in the universe first introduced in Who Fears Death, One Way Witch will be available from DAW April 29, 2025. The world has forgotten Onyesonwu.As a teen, Najeeba learned to become the beast of wind, fire and dust: the kponyungo. When that took too much from her, including the life of her father, she let it all go, and for a time, she was happy—until only a few years later, when the small, normal life she’d built was violently destroyed.Now in her forties and years beyond the death of her second husband, Najeeba has just lost her beloved daughter. Onyesonwu saved the world. Najeeba knows this well, but the world does not. This is how the juju her daughter evoked works. One other person who remembers is Onyesonwu’s teacher Aro, a harsh and hard-headed sorcerer. Najeeba has decided to ask him to teach her the Mystic Points, the powerful heart of sorcery. There is something awful Najeeba needs to kill and the Mystic Points are the only way. Najeeba is truly her daughter’s mother.When Aro agrees to help, Najeeba is at last ready to forge her future. But first, she must confront her past—for certain memories cannot lie in unmarked graves. Cover art by Greg Ruth; Design by Jim Tierney Buy the Book One Way Witch Nnedi Okorafor Book 2 of the She Who Knows trilogy Buy Book One Way Witch Nnedi Okorafor Book 2 of the She Who Knows trilogy Book 2 of the She Who Knows trilogy Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Nnedi Okorafor is an international award-winning New York Times–bestselling writer of science fiction and fantasy for adults, young adults, and children. The more specific terms for her works are africanfuturism and africanjujuism. Born in the United States to Nigerian immigrant parents, Nnedi is known for drawing from African cultures to create captivating stories with unforgettable characters and evocative settings. Nnedi’s works have received the World Fantasy, Nebula, Eisner, Lodestar, Nommo, and Hugo Awards, amongst others. Nnedi holds a PhD in Literature and two Master’s Degrees (Journalism and Literature), and lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her daughter Anyaugo. Learn more at nnedi.com. The post Revealing <i>One Way Witch</i> by Nnedi Okorafor appeared first on Reactor.

Books Fairy Tales Five Thorny Retellings That Offer a Twist on “Beauty and the Beast” These stories have a very different take on the classic story, and what makes for a happy ending… By Rachel Ayers | Published on August 21, 2024 Illustration by W. Heath Robinson (From Old-time stories, 1921) Comment 0 Share New Share Illustration by W. Heath Robinson (From Old-time stories, 1921) “Beauty and the Beast” offers a more complex take on romance than many fairy tales: the characters have a chance to get to know each other and gradually fall in love, rather than your standard love at first sight or love at first (questionably consensual) kiss story. As noted in our previous discussion, there’s a lot of love for this particular tale, and many retellings, adaptations, and updates are straightforward and sweet. But there are also plenty of authors willing to dig into the complexities and weirdness underlying an older story and find something new. And there is some serious weirdness to dig into, here, so let’s bring out the shovels! If you think about it, the background of the original story, including the whole arrangement between Beauty’s father and the Beast, doesn’t really mesh comfortably with modern sensibilities, does it? Consider: The merchant is willing to sacrifice his youngest daughter to a monster on his own behalf, and she more or less willingly she accepts the deal and goes to save her father’s life, which is a sticky moral quandary at best. Beauty is either not allowed to leave, or doesn’t know that she can leave. The Beast continues to pressure her to marry him throughout their acquaintance/co-residency, in spite of her repeated refusals. She returns to the palace because it’s the only way to, again, save a man’s life—this time the Beast’s, by declaring her willingness to marry. Finally, he is transformed back into a handsome prince, his curse broken by Beauty’s compliance to a set of rules she’s never been informed of or been allowed to understand. Pretty messed up, right? Right off the bat we’ve got a father trading his daughter’s life for his own, a fairy tale version of Stockholm syndrome, and some pretty manipulative emotional blackmail. When you look at it that way, it’s not at all surprising that some retellings approached the story from a less romantic angle, questioning the more bizarre, bothersome, or just plain beastly aspects of these characters’ lives and some of the assumptions that underlie their “happy ending.” “The Beast” by Tanith Lee, from Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling Lee turns the story inside out in this retelling that skirts the lines between “Beauty and the Beast” and another tale that starts similarly but ends quite differently—“Bluebeard.” Isobel’s father arranges for her to meet Vessavion, a rich lord known for his eccentric collection of beautiful things. The two fall for each other, and Isobel’s father dies shortly thereafter, satisfied that he’s been able to secure his daughter’s future. Vessavion swears that he can’t live without Isobel, but after they have an odd little conversation about beauty, Isobel is gripped by a dark suspicion and searches their home until she finds her husband’s ugly secret. Beastly by Alex Flinn This YA title had a moment in the spotlight when it was made into a movie in 2011, but the movie was not well received by critics and faded into obscurity. I may be showing my hand as a librarian-at-heart but I’ll say it: The Book Is Better. (Though I had forgotten until I looked it up again that Neil Patrick Harris is in the movie, so enjoy that if you do watch it.) Set in modern day (well, 2009) New York City, Kyle Kingsbury has it all: looks, money, friends, and a penchant for breaking young women’s hearts just because he can. But his classmate Kendra curses him, taking away his good looks and giving him just two years to prove he can make a genuine connection with another person. When Lindy stumbles into his life, he has just once change to prove that he may be beastly, but he’s not a monster. “The Merry Spinster” from The Merry Spinster by Daniel M. Lavery Throwing a dash of modernity into this tale as old as time, Beauty’s mother is a rich executive who makes some unfortunate business decisions and loses most of her assets. When she heads to the city to check on a few investments that might make the family more comfortable, she becomes lost while driving in a rainstorm and finds her way to a great house, only to overstep the hospitality by snagging a branch from a rose bush. The beast confronts her and requires her to send a daughter in her place, and Beauty agrees to go. Once she gets to the house, the real horror begins, as Lavery traces uncomfortable lines between agreement and coercion, generosity and ownership, grief and manipulation. “The Tale of the Rose” from Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue Part of Donoghue’s stellar collection of linked tales, this retelling of “Beauty and the Beast” starts out on familiar ground, with Beauty promised to a terrifying beast in exchange for a newly opened red rosebud. Beauty remains frightened of the beast but has everything she could wish for. Eventually, when she learns that her father has fallen ill, she goes to nurse him back to health. Upon returning home, she finds that she sees her family from a new perspective, seeing the toxicity of her shallow sisters and her father’s helpless mildness, and realizes she doesn’t want to stay here, either. But Beauty’s return to the ailing beast reveals not a prince, but a queen who decided not to rule over people who didn’t truly need her or understand her. When they stay together, legend grows of the castle where the Beauty lives with her beast—or is it two beauties, or perhaps two beasts? “Ugly and the Beast” from Feminist Fairy Tales by Barbara G. Walker The eldest sister in this merchant’s family is homely but beloved by her siblings, who recognize her virtues of kindness, cheerfulness, and compassion. When their father has his encounter with the Beast and his palace, and takes a golden rose statue uninvited, it is of course this eldest sibling, known affectionately as Ugly, who takes her father’s place in the Beast’s home. Ugly and the Beast soon come to enjoy each other’s pleasant company, and the Beast admits that he had a Beauty once—since she longed for a handsome prince, he had created an illusion of himself as her prince. But it was exhausting to maintain so he eventually admitted to the deception, and she left him. Ugly and the Beast love each other just as they are, and perhaps are better off for it. What do you think? Are there other interesting twists and reimaginings of the original story that you’d recommend? And are there aspects of “Beauty and the Beast” that seem especially weird or troubling, when you start to dig a little deeper? Sound off in the comments![end-mark] The post Five Thorny Retellings That Offer a Twist on “Beauty and the Beast” appeared first on Reactor.

Editor’s note: This is a lightly edited transcript of the accompanying video from professor Peter St. Onge. Are we bleeding Russia out in Ukraine, or are we the ones bleeding out? The Ukraine war has shown us that the economics of war has changed, perhaps forever. The original premise of our involvement in Ukraine was that we had to bleed out Russia. It was never clear to me why, exactly, we’re bleeding out Russia. Near I can tell, they’ve been useful partners in the fight against, for example, Islamic extremism. True, Russia invaded Ukraine to save ethnic Russians being shelled by their government, much like we invaded Mexico to save ethnic Americans being shelled by their government. But I’m not sure why the average American family much cares who runs Donetsk, especially with existential security issues on our wide-open southern border. Still, just for argument, let’s accept that, for some reason, it’s worth $300 billion to bleed out Russia. The question is: Is that actually happening? The other day I shared footage of $35,000 Russian Lancet drones taking out $4 million Abrams tanks and $5 million HIMARS rocket launchers. Even worse are the Houthi drones in Yemen being launched against western shipping in protest of our involvement in the war. There, it’s $20,000 drones against $2 million surface-to-air missiles. Keep in mind it’s fantastically expensive to get all this stuff over there to get blown up; the cost of transporting a tank to Ukraine is at least several hundred thousand dollars, and the cost of sending a missile frigate to meander around the Red Sea lobbing $2 million missiles is about $70 million per year—missiles not included. Note all those million-dollar missiles on million-dollar frigates aren’t making a dent, with insurance costs for Red Sea transit barely moved since the first days of the attacks, at almost a full percent of the ship’s value. It’s also worth noting American ships don’t actually use the Red Sea—we use the Pacific and Atlantic. So we’re spending all that for Europe and China. Heaven help you if you send a carrier battle group in a show of force, as we’re currently doing in the Mediterranean. That cost comes to roughly $7 million per day—about $2 billion per year. You could house 100,000 homeless veterans for $2 billion a year. Forget show of force, it’s a show of bankruptcy. Tallying everything up, we’re looking at a ratio of 100 to 1: It costs them a dollar to take a hundred from us. That suggests that we are the ones bleeding out. So what’s next? The new realities of drone warfare raise two very uncomfortable truths: First, that we can no longer afford to jump into every war in every backwater republic on earth. But, worse, it raises the question of whether our massive military, built with tens of trillions of dollars over decades, is in the process of going obsolete. Has it become not a tool for world control but an iron chain dragging us under the water. In theory, the U.S. could spend yet more trillions to mothball our legacy military and replace it with hundreds of thousands of drones. But maybe the unplanned obsolescence of our imperial star cruisers is a golden opportunity to quit the world policeman game. Maybe it’s time for our military to come home and actually protect our own country instead. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal. The post Is Ukraine Bleeding Out the US? appeared first on The Daily Signal.

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