A Pennsylvania dog shocked his parents after eating the $4000 cash that was sitting on the family home's kitchen counter on December 08.

You Won't Believe What They Are Doing in Philadelphia

Obama's Advice to Biden Campaign: Don't Run Everything Through the White House

The city of Lexington‚ Kentucky has sent a message via laser to the TRAPPIST-1 system‚ officially in the hope of attracting tourists from one of the many Earth-like planets there. Some may suspect the real agenda is to attract visitors from closer to home‚ but we’ll let you be the judge of that.There’s plenty of debate as to whether humanity should be trying to make contact with aliens‚ lest alerting them to our presence sparks an invasion. Stephen Hawking was just one of those who considered the risk too great. Others think aliens are unlikely to do anything worse to us than we are doing to ourselves‚ and we should seek their advice on how to build advanced technology that doesn’t make the planet uninhabitable.      In the lead-up to Christmas‚ tourism agency VisitLEX placed a powerful laser beam at the Kentucky Horse Park and pointed it at the TRAPPIST-1 system‚ in the direction of Aquarius. The laser’s pulse converts into a picture that includes some prime numbers‚ perhaps in case they think we invented lasers without knowing primes. Also included are images of the periodic table with the elements most essential for Earth-life marked‚ diagrams of some of our favorite molecules‚ and encouragement to drop in on Lexington. All this is packed into a Bitmap‚ followed by scenes and music from the area.The image resembles (or might be seen as a parody of) one sent out by the Arecibo Telescope in 1974. However‚ the Aricebo message was basically a proof of what humans are capable of. The destination was globular cluster M13. In the unlikely event anyone received‚ decoded‚ and replied to it‚ the round trip would be 42‚000 years – you’d be brave to bet humans would still be around to need to fear the consequences.Lexington showing off its traditional image‚ and aspects of the high-tech hub it wishes to become.Image Credit: VisitLEXTRAPPIST-1‚ on the other hand‚ is only 39 light years away. The VisitLEX website counts down the days‚ and indeed even the minutes‚ until the message reaches its destination. It’s likely anyone (or anything) enticed by the message will take far longer to get here‚ but potentially‚ the first bookings could be made in less than 80 years‚ which Dr Robert Lodder of the University of Kentucky noted would be within “somebody’s lifetime”.No one knows if any of the TRAPPIST-1 planets support life‚ let alone technological civilizations. However‚ there are 3-4 rocky planets in the habitable zone. With the system being at least a billion years older than ours‚ there’s been plenty of time for spaceflight-capable aliens to evolve.SETI scientists and linguists provide their own tongue-in-cheek commentary on why anyone who has voyaged across the vastness of space for decades or centuries should skip more famous cities and make Lexington their first stop.      Lexington Kentucky has styled itself the “Horse Capital of the World”. When seeking to draw in visitors‚ they traditionally rely on equines‚ bourbon‚ and bluegrass. Unsurprisingly‚ these feature prominently on the accompanying website‚ and there’s a nod to each in the message itself. On the other hand‚ the whole event is perhaps a sign that the home to the University of Kentucky is trying to broaden its image‚ featuring the Living Arts and Science Center and the Explorium children’s museum. Curiously‚ being the resting place of the real Cocaine Bear doesn’t figure. Perhaps they think aliens are not up on popular films.A small crowd of Lexington enthusiasts came out to celebrate the sending of the image. They'll be sorry if the aliens decide they like what they see so much they invade‚ but then we all will.Image Credit: VisitLEXVisitLEX got FAA approval for the message‚ presumably because whoever ticked the box figured they would not only be retired but dead before any consequences were experienced. “Lexington would be a great place to make first contact‚" Lodder said on the VisitLEX website. "You can land your spacecraft here. You can see the Bluegrass. You may even be able to ride a horse‚ depending on how big you are.”

We're sorry to inform you that you probably have herpes. The good news‚ should you choose to view it that way‚ is that you’re in good company. Well over 3 billion people around the world are thought to be carriers of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)‚ which means that a decent proportion of them will be all too familiar with the dreaded tingling sensation that heralds the onset of a cold sore. We know that this pesky virus is the cause – but can you also blame your genes?What are cold sores?Cold sores are blisters that form on the face‚ often around the lip area. Over the course of about 10 days‚ the blister will form‚ burst‚ and scab over. While not usually dangerous‚ cold sores can be painful and irritating. They’re also highly contagious‚ which is why it’s vital to avoid kissing and performing oral sex until the sore has healed‚ and to wash your hands after touching the area. This is particularly important in the case of newborn babies and young children. If someone with an active cold sore kisses a baby‚ there’s a chance they can pass on the herpes virus to the little one‚ causing what can be a life-threatening infection thanks to their underdeveloped immune systems.But despite people’s best efforts‚ HSV-1 is a tricky customer. It’s become so common within the adult population because a lot of people simply don’t realize they have it and spread it around without knowing. What causes cold sores?Once you have HSV-1 inside your cells‚ there’s no getting rid of it. Much of the time‚ it lies dormant in clusters of nerve cells‚ but various factors can trigger its activation.These factors will be different for different people‚ but common ones include:Another illness‚ injury‚ or undergoing surgeryMedical treatment that weakens the immune system‚ such as cancer chemotherapyExposure to the SunStressMenstruationNot everyone who is a carrier of HSV-1 will experience cold sores. Until quite recently‚ scientists were unsure why this is the case‚ but now research appears to show that it could all be down to your genes.Are cold sores genetic?Cold sores are not genetic in the way we might think of a genetic disease – conditions that are passed from parents to their children via genetic mutations‚ such as cystic fibrosis or hemophilia. But that doesn’t mean that your genes don’t play a role.Research suggests that the unlucky few who go on to develop recurrent cold sores after infection with HSV-1 have genetically predetermined factors that affect how well their immune system can respond to the virus.In a letter published in The Journal Of Infectious Disease in 2008‚ two researchers outlined data they had gathered a decade prior that suggested the gene for a protein called apolipoprotein E-4 – more often associated with Alzheimer’s disease – is linked to cold sore risk.In 2013‚ scientists screened thousands of genes and identified several that help the immune system mount a defense against HSV-1 activation. One of these genes‚ IL28b‚ was found to be mutated in patients who suffer from cold sores. Another study in 2014 described a gene that’s been helpfully named Cold Sore Susceptibility Gene-1‚ which appears to do exactly what it says on the tin. Slight variations in the sequence of this gene can affect whether someone is more or less likely to get frequent cold sores once they’ve been infected with HSV-1. Recent genetic research has also been able to delve into the history of HSV-1 in humans‚ with one study suggesting it probably all kicked off when we started kissing each other. “[S]omething happened around five thousand years ago that allowed one strain of herpes to overtake all others‚ possibly an increase in transmissions‚ which could have been linked to kissing‚” explained co-senior study author Dr Christiana Scheib in a statement at the time. The first recorded kiss in humans can be traced back 4‚500 years‚ but we can’t say for sure that our ancestors weren’t locking lips before that. “In fact‚ research into bonobos and chimpanzees‚ the closest living relatives to humans‚ has shown that both species engage in kissing‚” said Dr Sophie Lund Rasmussen‚ co-author of an article about the history of kissing‚ in a 2023 statement. Rasmussen and first author Troels Pank Arbøll went on to explain in their paper that‚ as neat an explanation as it may be‚ it’s probably a step too far to simply blame an upsurge in ancient tonsil hockey for all of our cold sore misery today. It’s an uncomfortable truth that nearly all of us will be exposed to HSV-1 at some point. For an unlucky subset of people‚ that means a lifetime of dealing with the periodic annoyance of a cold sore – and for most of them‚ as scientists are continuing to explore‚ it’s likely that their genes are to blame. 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. 

There’s a universal truth that both children and animals adore receiving new toys. It’s a crucial aspect of their development‚ offering them innovative ways to engage with their environment. This interaction is not just fun but also instrumental in developing essential life skills. For one baby panda at the San Diego Zoo‚ a large green... The post Caretakers tell baby panda it’s time to ‘put ball away’ and adorable tantrum melts hearts appeared first on Animal Channel.

“This represents the most favorable budget agreement Republicans have achieved in over a decade‚” wrote Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in a “Dear Colleague” letter over the weekend announcing his latest capitulation to Joe Biden.Hmmm … where have we heard that bromide from GOP leaders before? Seven months ago‚ Johnson’s predecessor‚ Kevin McCarthy‚ said his debt ceiling deal was “the largest cut that Congress has ever voted on” — even though it led to a $2.6 trillion increase in debt in a little over six months. Knowing that‚ maybe Johnson’s “best in a decade” hyperbole is an improvement. Sadly‚ no. It’s the same Orwellian spending cut McCarthy forged. Worse‚ it locks in the McCarthy-Biden debt ceiling deal that led to the fastest expansion of the national debt in American history. After refusing to fight on his first budget deadline in November‚ then selling out his conference on the National Defense Authorization Act in December‚ Johnson has one goal in mind heading into the twin January 19 and February 2 funding deadlines: Avoid a government shutdown at all costs. Forget about the shutdown of our border‚ culture‚ economy‚ and liberty. In Johnson’s estimation‚ we must keep every agency of this government funded no matter what. Well‚ when you telegraph the message to Democrats that you will not allow a single budget deadline to lapse — or even an authorization deadline to lapse‚ such as with defense and FISA — not surprisingly‚ Republicans have no leverage. Democrats pretty much get everything they want. Every. Single. Time. Over the weekend‚ Johnson made a deal with the White House to pass a budget for the remainder of fiscal year 2024 along the lines of the 2023 debt ceiling agreement. The deal will allocate $886.3 billion for defense and $772.7 billion for nondefense programs‚ for a total of $1.658 trillion in discretionary spending. The agreement locks in an additional $69 billion in nondefense spending McCarthy accepted in a “side deal” with the White House in May that was not written into the law suspending the debt ceiling. It\xe2\x80\x99s even worse than we thought.\n\nDon\xe2\x80\x99t believe the spin. Once you break through typical Washington math‚ the true total programmatic spending level is $1.658 trillion \xe2\x80\x94 not $1.59 trillion.\n\nThis is total failure. — (@) Johnson is using the oldest trick in the book to sell his conference on the deal by claiming he is cutting spending to offset the agreement top-lines‚ avoiding automatic scheduled cuts. But the trouble is that the spending cuts are actually “rescissions” that claw back $6.1 billion in unspent pandemic aid and $20.2 billion in IRS funding. That’s money that wasn’t needed anyway — and we could have secured those savings for free. Following the principles of “Art of the Deal‚” Democrats appropriated ungodly sums of money for 80‚000 IRS agents in the 2022 Green New Deal bill‚ knowing it would be impossible to hire so many IRS workers even their wildest dreams. This gave them ample negotiating room to “give in” on new spending while still expanding the IRS to alarming levels. Ditto for the original sums of pandemic cash.With interest on the debt now approaching $1.1 trillion a year and the Treasury Department slated to conduct more bond auctions than ever before‚ Johnson’s deal is the debt crisis equivalent of spitting in an ocean. Which is likely why our good friend Mitch McConnell was quick to praise the deal. I\xe2\x80\x99m encouraged that the Speaker and Democratic Leaders have identified a path toward completing FY 2024 appropriations. America faces serious national security challenges‚ and Congress must act quickly to deliver the full-year resources this moment requires. — (@) On paper‚ Johnson’s deal would only commit Republicans to the spending levels‚ not necessarily the funding‚ of various odious policies in contention. Theoretically‚ we could still fight over the border invasion‚ the Green New Deal‚ federal persecutions‚ and transgenderism within the federal government‚ along with funding of the COVID vaccines — just to name a few of the points of consternation on the right.Johnson is making the case to Republicans that forging a spending deal would allow Republicans to “fight for important policy riders included in our House fiscal 2024 bills.” It’s clear‚ however‚ that Johnson fears a government shutdown more than he fears the government shutting down our life‚ liberty‚ culture‚ and sovereignty. He has made it clear he will not allow a deadline to lapse‚ even when it doesn’t result in a full shutdown. Johnson is unwilling to cut anything.The appropriation bills for agriculture‚ energy‚ water‚ military construction‚ veterans‚ transportation‚ and housing and urban development are set to expire on January 19. The rest of the federal government’s appropriations are slated to expire two weeks later.It’s do-or-die time for House Republicans. If they are scared of a shutdown during an invasion‚ inflation‚ and government indoctrination crisis under the stewardship of a half-comatose and unpopular president‚ there is no way they would fight through a shutdown under a Republican chief executive. This is precisely why Republicans gave Democrats everything they wanted in 2017 and 2018 when they controlled the trifecta but lacked 60 votes in the Senate. You can swap out the leadership of the Republican Congress‚ but some things never change. They forge the same deals with the same talking points every single time. Rest assured‚ they will always fight “the next time.” Until we’re ruined.

Rich Lowry bestowed on a recent column this provocative title: “Brace Yourselves: The Left Will Roil the Country Again If Donald Trump Beats Joe Biden.” No kidding! For Trump’s enemies on the left‚ Lowry pointed out‚ “saving democracy doesn’t mean upholding the rules no matter what and letting the voters decide the election and the fate of the next president. No‚ it means blocking Trump by any means necessary‚ regardless of the consequences for the rule of law‚ democratic politics‚ or faith in our system of government.”Lowry‚ who has distinguished himself in recent years as an unabashed Trump-basher‚ tried to be evenhanded in expressing his disdain. He let it be known‚ for example‚ that the left is “understandably alarmed by [Trump’s] conduct after the 2020 election and how he’s branded his political comeback as a revenge tour.” Lowry also seemed swayed by Robert Kagan’s accusations in the Washington Post that “Trump has brought the United States to the brink of dictatorship.” Joe Biden’s team is already trying to build the presidential campaign around the “January 6 insurrection” and ranting against the new Hitler who incited this supposed threat to American democracy.Still‚ Lowry advised using “the standard means of political organization and persuasion” to defeat Trump. Doing anything more drastic doesn’t sit well with this critic‚ at least not for the present. Allow me to extract from Lowry’s commentary the part that seems to me true. There is indeed an excellent chance the left will go nuts if Trump squeaks back into the presidency. Lowry is certainly correct that “the reaction will make the pro-Hamas protests that have roiled campuses and disrupted transportation nodes around the country look small by comparison.” Think George Floyd riots but on a scale that dwarfs even those! And the left will also organize throughout other hollowed-out‚ one-time Western constitutional democracies (like Germany and Canada) to drive home their dissatisfaction with the American electorate. I would expect to see our cities set aflame‚ with race-baiting Democratic politicians on hand to incite mob violence. As in the George Floyd riots‚ the corporate press here and among their counterparts in other Western countries will justify the violence as “righteous indignation” and‚ if things really become unruly‚ place the blame on “MAGA Republicans.”This organized violence will be justified on the grounds cited by Kagan‚ namely that a Trump victory will be tantamount to a fascist takeover of “our democracy.” European leaders have been bellyaching about this danger for months as they note with dismay a populist resurgence on the continent. Unfortunately‚ the right here or in Europe cannot match the weapons held by the left‚ particularly its control of education‚ the mass media‚ and the political administration. And the disadvantages besetting our side in this country also bedevil kindred spirits in other Western countries.Most significantly‚ the left can unleash violence and be sure the media will justify their action and blame it on “racists‚” “homophobes‚” and “rightist populists.” During the hardly spontaneous violence of the “Summer of Love” in 2020‚ the continuing Portland riots‚ and then the organized attempts to threaten and bully uncooperative politicians and Supreme Court justices‚ we see the left’s handiwork.Joe Biden’s team is already trying to build the presidential campaign around the “January 6 insurrection” and predictably ranting against the new Hitler who incited this supposed threat to American democracy. Of course‚ the far greater violence unleashed by the Left has been simply whited out by the media and our totally weaponized Department of Justice. In this escalating confrontation‚ the right (or non-left) is perpetually disadvantaged. Only the other side is allowed to exercise physical intimidation and unleash violence on its opponents‚ while any attempt by those targeted to protect themselves in a similar fashion is denounced by the mass media and permanent state as “racist” or “neo-Nazi.” Those police who try to protect the politically incorrect victims know they will not receive the same level of support as those who stand with the left. The border will remain open to allow millions of illegal aliens to come in‚ whom the left will then enlist for its continuing takeover.One can’t describe this subversion of constitutional government by woke globalist capitalists‚ cultural radicals‚ and entrenched political administration bleakly enough. But what seems even more important is looking for those who will resist it. In the United States‚ resistance is still possible because there has been a sizable populist pushback‚ and there is even the possibility of electing a chief executive who Lowry is afraid will engage in a “revenge tour.”Let there be a “revenge tour‚” but it must be systematic and persistent‚ no matter how destructively the left acts and no matter what forms of violence it unleashes. It is ridiculous to believe our problems will be solved by offering another Republican caretaker government that serves out its term before the left comes back (assuming it ever leaves) to wage unholy war on the normies. Vivek Ramaswamy’s suggestion to fire three-quarters of the federal bureaucracy is a good start. But the purges and defunding must go much farther to have any meaning. And if the left predictably takes to the streets‚ there should be dire consequences.