'You really get an appreciation of how my client‚ Daniel Penny‚ handled the situation'

'... we found ourselves nodding in something like violent agreement'

'Next thing you know‚ I'm blacking out'

Our partner Rob Brezsny‚ who has a new book out‚ Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle‚ provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology‚ is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote […] The post Your Horoscope for the Week – ‘Free Will Astrology’ From Rob Brezsny appeared first on Good News Network.

You’re probably familiar with classic sauropod dinosaurs – the four-legged herbivores famous for their long necks and tails. Animals such as Brachiosaurus‚ Apatosaurus‚ and Diplodocus have been standard fixtures in science museums since the 1800s.With their small brains and enormous bodies‚ these creatures have long been the poster children for animals destined to go extinct. But recent discoveries have completely rewritten the doomed sauropod narrative.I study a lesser known group of sauropod dinosaurs – the Titanosauria‚ or “titanic reptiles.” Instead of going extinct‚ titanosaurs flourished long after their more famous cousins vanished. Not only were they large and in charge on all seven continents‚ they held their own amid the newly evolved duck-billed and horned dinosaurs‚ until an asteroid struck Earth and ended the age of dinosaurs.The secret to titanosaurs’ remarkable biological success may be how they merged the best of both reptile and mammal characteristics to form a unique way of life.Moving with the continentsTitanosaurs originated by the Early Cretaceous Period‚ nearly 126 million years ago‚ at a time when many of the Earth’s landmasses were much closer together than they are today.      Starting about 200 million years ago‚ the supercontinent Pangea began to break apart and drift.Over the next 75 million to 80 million years‚ the continents slowly separated‚ and titanosaurs drifted along with the changing formations‚ becoming distributed worldwide.There were nearly 100 species of titanosaurs‚ making up more than 30 percent of known sauropod dinosaurs. They varied greatly in size. From the largest known sauropods ever discovered‚ including Argentinosaurus‚ Patagotitan and Futalognkosaurus‚ whose weight exceeded 60 tons (54.4 metric tons) and were bigger than a semitruck‚ to the smallest known sauropods‚ including Rinconsaurus‚ Saltasaurus and Magyarosaurus‚ which were around only 6 tons (5.4 metric tons) and about the size of an African elephant.Babies to titansLike many reptiles‚ titanosaurs began life comparatively tiny‚ hatching from eggs no bigger than grapefruits.The best data on titanosaur nests and eggs comes from a site in Argentina called Auca Mahuevo‚ featuring 75 million-year-old exposed rocks. The site contains hundreds of fossilized nests containing thousands of eggs‚ some of which are so well preserved‚ scientists recovered skin impressions from ancient embryos.The sheer number of nests found together‚ in multiple geological layers‚ suggests titanosaurs returned to this site repeatedly to lay their eggs. The nests are so closely spaced‚ it’s unlikely an adult titanosaur would have been able to move freely through the nesting ground. Titanosaurs likely had a hands-off parenting style‚ similar to many reptiles that lay numerous eggs and don’t spend much time tending the nest or taking care of hatchlings.A titanosaur hatchling would have been roughly 1 foot (30 centimeters) tall‚ 3 feet (1 meter) long and 5-10 pounds (2.5-5 kg). Recent evidence from a site in Madagascar suggests these tiny titans were born ready to rumble.Fossilized bones from the species Rapetosaurus suggest that by the time they would have been just knee high to a modern human‚ they were likely fending for themselves. Microscopic details recorded deep within the bones indicate baby Rapetosaurus likely foraged independently for plants and moved much more nimbly than their lumbering adult relatives.For the first century of dinosaur science‚ paleontologists imagined titanosaurs as giant‚ overgrown reptiles – and used reptilian growth rates to predict their milestones. In this slow-growth model‚ even the smallest titanosaurs would have taken nearly a century to reach their full size‚ meaning they would have been relatively small for a good chunk of their lives. New evidence suggests this growth pattern is unlikely.Scientists like me study titanosaurs’ bones at high magnification to better understand their growth. We look at the microscopic patterns of bone minerals as well as the density and architecture of the spaces that held blood vessels and cells.A thin slice of a juvenile titanosaur femur bone. The linear and circular structures are the spaces where a dense network of blood vessels supplied this fast-growing animal with plenty of nutrients.Image Credit: Kristi Curry Rogers‚ CC BY-NDThe more dense the blood supply is to a bone‚ the faster that animal grows. These signatures are also present in living animals and can accurately reflect growth rates‚ anomalies‚ and even age.Bone data shows titanosaur growth rates were on par with mammals like whales – much‚ much faster than any living reptile – meaning they would have reached their enormous adult sizes in just a few decades. Scientists can’t know for sure how long titanosaurs lived‚ but based on large land animals living today‚ titanosaurs lived possibly 60 or more years.Fueled by plantsThe rapid growth rates of sauropods was partly due to their body temperatures. By studying the chemistry of fossilized teeth and eggshells‚ scientists have determined titanosaurs had body temperatures ranging from about 95 to 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit (35 to 38 degrees Celsius). That’s higher than that of crocodiles and alligators‚ about the same as modern mammals and a bit lower than most birds‚ whose bodies can regularly get as warm as 104 F (40 C).Titanosaurs’ rapid growth rates were also powered by their prodigious appetites for plants. Microscopic patterns of scratches‚ wear‚ and pits on their teeth indicate titanosaurs in Argentina fed on a diverse diet rich in grit‚ suggesting they were dining on plants found lower to the ground‚ where sediment would be more commonly found.In India‚ chunks of fossilized feces‚ otherwise known as coprolites‚ show titanosaurs there ingested everything from ground-level plants all the way up to the leaves and branches of trees.Like all dinosaurs‚ titanosaurs replaced their teeth throughout life. But data shows they replaced each tooth about every 20 days for maximum efficiency‚ one of the highest tooth-replacement rates known for dinosaurs.Had it not been for the asteroid impact 66 million years ago‚ these long-lived‚ incredibly diverse and wildly successful animals probably would have kept on thriving‚ in places as distant as Madagascar‚ Romania‚ North America and even Antarctica. Instead‚ titanosaurs were among the witnesses to – and victims of – the most recent mass extinction on Earth. Kristi Curry Rogers‚ Professor of Biology and Geology‚ Macalester CollegeThis article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Hair loss is something that many people will experience in their lives‚ and though some might be tempted to say‚ “it’s just hair”‚ it can have a profoundly negative impact on the people affected by it. As a result‚ science has long been searching for a way that hair loss can be treated – so what’s the latest in this area of research?Hair loss‚ also known as alopecia‚ can have a whole host of causes: genetics‚ hormones‚ age‚ stress‚ chemotherapy‚ and even wearing your hair in a particular way.Losing hair can have all sorts of impacts on a person – it’s far from just a matter of aesthetics. A review from 2021 found that people with hair loss can experience anxiety‚ depression‚ and decreased confidence‚ alongside social withdrawal and a reduction in work. It’s no surprise‚ then‚ that people might seek out treatment in all kinds of places.Home remediesDIY ways to regrow hair aren’t exactly a new thing‚ but the rise of social media platforms has seen all sorts of home remedies pushed into the limelight. But beyond anecdotal evidence given in a 60-second video‚ is there any scientific research that suggests they work?Rosemary oilYou’d be hard-pressed not to come across the “rosemary oil” side of TikTok (and the #ad in the captions) if you spend enough time doomscrolling. Lots of those videos claim that the oil has helped them regrow lost hair‚ but there’s currently not enough research to completely back up those claims.A 2022 study concluded that a gel containing rosemary oil had a hair growth-enhancing effect similar to that of minoxidil (better known as Rogaine)‚ a medication used to treat androgenetic (pattern) hair loss. But here’s the catch – the study was carried out on rats‚ and their fur had been removed using hair removal cream. Such studies help to assess the safety of a possible treatment before it’s used in humans‚ but equally‚ that means scientists can’t make any solid conclusions about rosemary oil’s efficacy in humans either. One widely referenced 2015 paper tested it out on humans in comparison to minoxidil and claims to have found regrowth‚ but the study only investigated 100 people‚ all of whom had androgenetic hair loss‚ so the results can’t justifiably be applied to all types of hair loss. As Dr Michelle Wong of Lab Muffin Beauty Science points out‚ the abstract of the 2015 study appears promising – however‚ there are many issues with the study as a whole. These include what appear to be typos and calculation errors‚ the relatively short length of the study in relation to hair growth cycles‚ the low percentage of minoxidil used‚ and a depression assessment scale being used to assess hair loss.               MicroneedlingSomething that’s also often touted to help with hair loss‚ sometimes alongside rosemary oil‚ is microneedling. Is it worth sticking a bunch of tiny needles in your scalp? Recent review studies suggest that‚ while there appear to be some promising results‚ more (and higher quality) data is needed to support its use for stimulating hair regrowth.For example‚ a 2021 review found that there was limited evidence for the effectiveness of microneedling on its own; most research trials have combined it with other therapies‚ like minoxidil. Another review‚ also published in 2021‚ concluded that though there were “generally favorable results” for using microneedling to treat pattern hair loss and alopecia areata (hair loss with an autoimmune cause)‚ a lot of the data were of low quality.If someone is still interested in microneedling‚ it’s generally recommended as a point of safety to go to a dermatologist if you want to use a medical-grade device; piercing the skin without proper protocols can lead to damage or an infection.Clinical treatmentsThe first US approval of hair growth treatment came back in 1988 for Rogaine‚ aka minoxidil‚ though its recommended use is for hereditary pattern hair loss. Progress towards other treatments for all types of hair loss dwindled in the following years; hair transplants have also been used successfully‚ but they are invasive and can be expensive. However‚ there’s been a recent uptick in additional therapies either being developed or approved.The first treatment for severe alopecia areataFirst approved by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency back in November 2023‚ ritlecitinib‚ aka Litfulo‚ recently became the first treatment for severe alopecia areata recommended for use on the National Health Service (NHS). It was also approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year – though it wasn’t the first treatment to be approved‚ with baricitinib (aka Olumiant) taking that title.The approvals came after clinical trial data showed the drug to be more effective than a placebo at improving hair regrowth‚ and even a continued improved response for up to two years. The treatment is taken as a daily pill and according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence‚ “works by reducing the enzymes that cause inflammation and subsequent hair loss at the follicle.”MicroRNA could be promisingA study published last year identified a small molecule called microRNA-205 (miR-205) that appeared to promote hair regrowth in mice by “softening up” stem cells in their hair follicles. This effect was seen relatively quickly and in both young and old mice. However‚ again‚ it’s important to note that this study wasn’t carried out in humans. A lot more research is required to assess both efficacy and safety and gather data to the point sufficient for clinical approval."Because of the potential to deliver microRNA by nanoparticles directly into the skin‚ next we will test whether topically delivered miR-205 can stimulate hair growth first in mice‚" corresponding author Rui Yi‚ the Paul E. Steiner Research Professor of Pathology and professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine‚ said in a statement. "If successful‚ we will design experiments to test whether this microRNA can promote hair growth potentially in humans.”Cold cappingMany people who go through chemotherapy experience some degree of hair loss. Some healthcare services offer scalp cooling‚ often in the form of “cold capping”‚ to potentially reduce that loss. It doesn’t necessarily work for everyone‚ but a new study has identified some of the factors that could make using a cold cap more or less successful.The study found that cold capping might be more effective than previous literature has indicated‚ with a 92.1 percent success rate. The authors suggest that this could be down to wearing the cold cap properly and for the prescribed amount of time‚ as well as completing the cold capping process.The researchers also found that the type of chemotherapy someone was receiving may make a difference to cold capping effectiveness‚ whilst neither patient race‚ ethnicity‚ or hair characteristics appeared to make a difference.However‚ the authors of the study acknowledge some limitations to their results. Along with having no control group‚ the sample of patients was small; consisted mostly of women undergoing breast cancer treatment; and participants were mostly white. As such‚ the findings might not be generalizable to all.The overall pictureThough there are a multitude of apparent home remedies – and‚ hopefully‚ more clinically approved treatments to come soon – it’s first important to figure out the reasons for hair loss before jumping into a particular treatment.“Hair loss is complex‚” said dermatology specialist Dr Taylor Bullock‚ speaking to the Cleveland Clinic as part of the Health Essentials series. “Your treatment will only work if it’s addressing the root cause. That’s why your first step should be getting a medical diagnosis.”All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current.The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.  

In Florida‚ both Gov. Ron DeSantis and leftist gay activist groups touted a settlement over the Parental Rights in Education Act as a win for their side. On the PBS NewsHour on Thursday night‚ they turned to Danielle Prieur‚ a reporter for NPR station WMFE in Orlando. She couldn’t make up her mind on what had happened: The law was both “gutted” and “very much in effect” at the same time. Co-host Stephanie Sy nudged Prieur to explain what happened. She said this first: DANIELLE PRIEUR: So it actually clarified the language of the law. The law was quite vague. And moving forward‚ as we heard in your clip‚ parents and teachers and students will be able to speak freely and write freely about gender identity and sexuality in classroom discussions‚ on essays‚ on projects. Kids can read books again with gay characters. Teachers can put safe space stickers up and also have gay-straight alliances and other kind of LGBTQ clubs at schools. So it really gutted large parts of the law and clarified it. Then Sy sought to clarify on that: “But‚ Danielle‚ the law does still remain in effect. What restrictions are still in place?” Then she fell back to “very much in effect: PRIEUR: Yes‚ so the law still bans outright instruction about gender identity and sexuality here in Florida. So that would include like a class or a book or even a unit in a section of a textbook that would instruct people in any way about gender identity and sexuality. So the law is still in effect‚ as well as a lot of the policies that were kind of inspired by the law‚ things like banning AP African American history because there was a queer-theory unit‚ or making it so that sociology is no longer a core curriculum course for undergrads here because it talked about human sexuality. So a lot of the law and the policies around the law still are very much in effect here in Florida. Sy contended that both sides can't really claim victory here‚ but Prieur stuck to believing two things at once:  PRIEUR: So that's a win for the governor and for his party. This was a big win for his conservative base in 2022‚ when it was passed. But it's also a big win for LGBTQ advocates‚ folks who have lived under this law for two years and were afraid to be out publicly in the school system‚ fearing what might happen if you said the wrong thing or as a teacher maybe have the wrong book in their classroom. Notice how PBS‚ like other liberal outlets‚ breaks down the two sides as "conservatives" vs. "LGBTQ advocates."  The DeSantis team strongly protested the liberals calling this the "Don't Say Gay" law‚ which doesn't match the language of the legislation. So now the lefties are proclaiming victory when they feel you can "say gay" in schools‚ which was also true after the law was signed. You're just not supposed to indoctrinate students with gender ideology or "queer theory."

‘The only conclusion that one can reach is that Mr. Biden knows his public testimony would not withstand scrutiny.’

This man shouldn’t be president right now‚ much less for the next five years.

This political season‚ we should demand that our leaders recall anew — in word and deed — this fundamental fact: Free-market capitalism is good for America.