Massie Votes With Far-Left Democrats Against Condemning Iran's Strike on Israel

Arrested for Being 'Openly Jewish&;#63;'

The Left is Upset that Their Protesters Can't Ignore All the Rules All the Time

Plants don’t generally have a reputation for being badass. Then again‚ not many have people heard of Puya chilensis and the rumors of its &;quot;sheep-eating&;quot; exploits. P. chilensis is native to central Chile‚ typically found on the arid hillsides of the Andes at an altitude of 300 to 1‚000 meters (980 to 3‚280 feet). It’s a member of the bromeliad plant family‚ meaning it’s a close relative of the pineapple.However‚ P. chilensis isn't as friendly as its fruity family members. The plant’s pointed leaves are armed with sharp spines that can snare sheep‚ birds‚ and other passing animals. Eventually‚ the trapped animals starve to death and decompose at the base of the plant‚ releasing nutrients that the roots absorb – or that’s the hypothesis‚ at least. There’s not much scientific literature on the topic‚ although there are very similar accounts about another member of the same plant genus that also features barbed foliage: Puya raimondii‚ better known as the “Queen of the Andes.” A 1980 study explains how dead birds are often found inside the spiny foliage of P. raimondii. In 17 plants they came across‚ the researchers found a total of 44 dead birds that had become trapped inside‚ including a deceased barn owl. “Virtually all the dead birds were firmly wedged by numerous spines between the closely clustered leaves‚ or against the trunk at the base of the leaves‚” the study authors write.“The mechanism for this became obvious when we tried (unsuccessfully) to retrieve cadavers for identification. A clothed arm immediately became hooked on several recurved spines. The only way to release the hoods without damaging flesh or garment was to extend the arm further into the plant‚” they add. This curious observation led the researchers to suggest the plant might be obtaining nutrients from the decaying birds. They conclude: “We further hypothesized that the plants might benefit from their association with birds by taking up dissolved nutrients originating from bird droppings‚ and perhaps from the decomposing bodies of trapped birds.”Other scientists have speculated that at least three other bromeliad species might also use this “unique nutrient acquisition strategy.” If true‚ it would suggest that members of the bromeliad family are “protocarnivorous‚” a trait that may have led to the evolution of true carnivorous plants‚ like Venus flytraps and pitcher plants.Much like P. raimondii‚ the “sheep-eating” P. chilensis can take a very long time to flower – but it puts on quite a spectacle when it does. It takes around 15 years to bloom‚ upon which it produces a large yellow that stands up to 2 meters (6 feet 7 inches) high.

The unfortunate case of a man in The Netherlands who was infected with COVID-19 for more than a year and half is documented in a new report. At 613 days‚ it’s the longest COVID infection we know about so far. So long‚ in fact‚ that the virus had time to evolve into a new variant inside the man’s body.The 72-year-old man had a complex health history. He’d previously received a stem cell transplant to treat a form of blood cancer‚ but had later been diagnosed with another cancer‚ diffuse large B cell lymphoma. As a result of the medication he was taking for that‚ he was severely immunocompromised‚ meaning a serious case of COVID-19 would always have been a risk for him.He caught COVID in February 2022‚ and was treated with a combination of monoclonal antibodies and steroids. Unfortunately‚ the medicines didn’t work‚ and the infection became persistent. Although he had received several COVID vaccines prior to his infection‚ he showed no evidence of an antibody response.For over 600 days‚ the patient remained infected with the virus‚ and had to be hospitalized several times. But it was very early on‚ just 21 days after his first treatment‚ that the signs of the virus mutating began to be seen. First‚ sequencing showed the virus had acquired a mutation known to be associated with resistance to sotrovimab‚ one of the drugs the man was treated with. Further analysis of 27 nasal swabs collected between February 2022 and September 2023 have now revealed over 50 different mutations‚ including some in the spike protein that suggest the virus was adapting to evade the human immune system.In this man’s case‚ his underlying health issues meant his immune system never really stood a chance at clearing the virus. Long stays in hospital‚ coupled with the need to take extra precautions to avoid infecting others‚ took a toll on the man’s quality of life‚ but the medical team say there’s no evidence the highly mutated strain infected anyone else in the community. In October 2023‚ the patient passed away as a result of a relapse of his underlying illness. Although we’ve never seen one that has lasted quite this long‚ persistent infections are a recognized phenomenon with SARS-CoV-2. Some recent research suggested up to three in 100 infections might hang around for more than a month. The problem is‚ the longer a virus is replicating and evolving in the body‚ the more chance it has of picking up immune-escape mutations. That’s one theory for how the Omicron variant originally came about. Not every mutant strain will become a variant of concern‚ but it’s still important to keep an eye on these persistent infections‚ along with offering the best care possible to patients who are likely already dealing with other medical issues.“The duration of SARS-CoV-2 infection in this described case is extreme‚ but prolonged infections in immunocompromised patients are much more common compared to the general community‚” the authors wrote in a statement. “Further work by our team includes describing a cohort of prolonged infections in immunocompromised patients from our hospital with infection durations varying between one month and two years. However‚ from the viewpoint of the general public‚ prolonged infections remain rare as the immunocompromised population is only a very small percentage of the total population.”The case will be presented at the upcoming ESCMID Global conference 2024. 

In recent months‚ the United States has become a hotspot for UFO sightings. The latest incident involves a puzzling video captured above Sequoia Park in California‚ further fueling speculation about extraterrestrial activity‚ secret government projects‚ and even religious interpretations. The footage‚ which surfaced on social media‚ shows an unidentified object resembling a human figure floating slowly in the air. While some suggest it could be a person‚ others debate whether it’s a UFO‚ a hologram of Jesus‚ or possibly linked to the controversial Project Blue Beam. Project Blue Beam‚ known for its secretive nature and alleged manipulation of events‚ adds another layer of complexity to the mystery. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Garbaggio Conspiracy (@garbaggio.conspiracy) The individual behind the camera expressed uncertainty‚ stating‚ “It has something on its side‚ it looks like a person with his arms sticking out. It looks like a person almost. It appears like a person but it’s an anomaly.” The video quickly went viral after being shared on Instagram‚ amassing over 50‚000 views and sparking a flurry of reactions from social media users. In the midst of these varied interpretations‚ the mystery of the object above Sequoia Park remains unsolved. The post UFO‚ Cross-Sign or Jesus&;#63; Mysterious object filmed over California’s skies appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Director and producer Steven Spielberg is plotting his next move — a movie about a UFO. There are very few details in a Variety report‚ which serves as a catalog of what directors over 70 are doing with their time‚ but it claims that the movie‚ which is based on an original idea from Spielberg‚ will be written by David Koepp (Jurassic Park)‚ reports comicbook.com. It’s hardly the first time he has tackled the alien genre‚ directing Close Encounters of the Third Kind‚ E.T.‚ War of the Worlds‚ and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial are two of the most influential UFO movies ever made‚ and have helped shape the genre for decades. The filmmaker’s most recent offering was The Fabelmans‚ a quasi-autobiographical movie about a boy who grew up loving movies. In 2023‚ he started developing a documentary about film composer John Williams. “I’ve enjoyed his company and the pleasure and the gift of his inspiration. Can a muse be a man&;#63; He’s certainly been a muse for me‚” Spielberg said at the time. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a disagreement….I mean‚ what am I going to do&;#63; Sit down and write the music myself&;#63;” The director then caused Williams to choke up by saying‚ “In the art form that we’ve both chosen‚ he has been the most steadfast brother and collaborator that I’ve ever had in my life. And that’s how I would sum up how much I love you.” Nick Antosca is developing a new series based on Cape Fear‚ a 1957 John D. MacDonald novel which has previously been adapted into two different feature films — once in 1962‚ and again in 1991. The 1991 version was directed by Martin Scorsese‚ who will serve as an executive producer on the series. It will team Scorsese with another of Hollywood’s most celebrated filmmakers‚ Steven Spielberg‚whose Amblin Television is underwriting the project along with Universal Cable Productions. Antosca is best known for his acclaimed series The Act and Brand New Cherry Flavor. The post Steven Spielberg sets sights on UFOs for his next movie appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Talking head Lawrence O'Donnell spews disinformation to network audience

In a small town‚ a curious sequence of events unfolded at the doorstep of a woman’s house. Mysterious camellia flowers began to appear‚ first on her porch‚ then inside her house‚ and even on her bed. The origin of these floral gifts remained a mystery until a fateful encounter. This inexplicable pattern intrigued the townsfolk... The post Woman sees flowers on back porch every day and then learns she has furry ‘secret admirer’ appeared first on Animal Channel.

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