Mayim Bialik definitely got everyone’s attention Friday when she announced that she’d been contacted by Sony and informed that her hosting duties at “Jeopardy!” have come to an end. In a post on X‚ the 48-year-old actress/TV host wrote to her hundreds of thousands of followers that the producers of the popular game show‚ Sony Pictures Television‚ informed her that they’ve decided to go with just one host — despite her sharing the job with the game show’s top winner Ken Jennings‚ following Alex Trebek’s death. Jeopardy! announcement. pic.twitter.com/F0RgIWpg0G — Mayim Bialik (@missmayim) December 16‚ 2023 “As the holiday break begins in Hollywood‚ I have some Jeopardy! news‚” Bialik wrote in a statement. “Sony has informed me that I will no longer be hosting the syndicated version of Jeopardy” “I am incredibly honored to have been nominated for a prime time Emmy for hosting this year and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Jeopardy! family‚” she added. “For all of you who have supported me through this incredible journey and to the fans‚ contestants‚ writers‚ staff and crew of America’s Favorite Quiz Show‚ thank you‚” Bialik concluded. An announcement on the “Jeopardy!” social media account said that they “made the decision to have one host for the syndicated show next season to maintain continuity for our viewers‚ and Ken Jennings will be the sole host for syndicated ‘Jeopardy!'” “We are truly grateful for all of Mayim’s contributions to ‘Jeopardy!‚’ and we hope to continue to work with her on primetime specials‚” the statement added. Bialik had stepped back from her hosting duties amid the recent writer and actor’s strike. Jennings has been the sole host since the debut of Season 40 in September‚ Fox News noted. “The Big Bang Theory” star has been very outspoken about the Hamas terrorist attack against Israel in October that left at least 1‚200 people dead. She alsobpreviously spoke out about the anti-Semitism she was witnessing in America‚ especially on college campuses‚ and said there’s “no excuse” for it. The former “Jeopardy!” host more recently blasted the “abhorrent” silence of women’s organizations around the world following the rape and torture of Jewish women by Hamas in the October terrorist attacks. “There has been an abhorrent and conspicuous absence of women’s organizations around the world unequivocally condemning the systematic rape and torture of women on October 7 by Hamas‚” Bialik wrote on X. “Where are the ‘BELIEVE THEM’ voices?” “Brutal gang rapes‚ sexual torture‚ and murder of fetuses happened- period‚” she added. “These crimes against women were in many cases documented by the terrorists themselves and broadcast for the world to see. Those of us who have fought for women’s rights and have sought to shout from the rooftops when women’s bodies are being used in war for the sadistic pleasure of perpetrators are astounded at how the world has been silent surrounding this.”

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) further angered the far-left-wing of the Democrat Party this week after declaring that he was not a progressive Democrat. Democrat activists have largely not been happy with Fetterman over the last two months because of his strong support for Israel following Hamas’ terror attacks on October 7. He has also repeatedly called on Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) to be expelled from the Senate after he was charged in an alleged bribery scheme to act on behalf of Egypt. “I’m not a progressive‚” Fetterman told NBC News. “I just think I’m a Democrat that is very committed to choice and other things. But with Israel‚ I’m going to be on the right side of that. And immigration is something near and dear to me‚ and I think we do have to effectively address it as well.” He said that he was pro-immigration but favored policies that restricted the flow of how many migrants are allowed in the U.S. Speaking about ongoing negotiations to fix the crisis at the U.S. southern border‚ which has been in dire conditions throughout the Biden administration‚ Fetterman said: “It’s a reasonable conversation — until somebody can say there’s an explanation on what we can do when 270‚000 people are being encountered on the border‚ not including the ones‚ of course‚ that we don’t know about.” “To put that in reference‚ that is essentially the size of Pittsburgh‚ the second-largest city in Pennsylvania‚” he said. He said that it was “not ideal” for the border and immigration issue to get attached to aid packages for Ukraine and Israel but said that it needed to happen because Republicans were forcing the issue. “Progressives better do that because we can’t leave Israel — we can’t sell them out‚ and we can’t sell Ukraine out‚ and we have to deliver on this‚” Fetterman said. “I just would very much like to get a deal to deliver this critical aid.” In the interview he kept up his attacks on Menendez‚ saying that “he needs to go.” “I don’t understand why he can be here‚ having expelled Santos‚” he said. “But I’m sure there might be a very innocent explanation of having gold bars in your mattress and overstuffed envelopes of cash.” Some of the responses that Fetterman received online from the far-left included: Fetterman has never been progressive but endorsing talks for tougher immigration laws when he’s married to an incredible woman who was once an illegal immigrant and who kept his campaign alive while he was recovering from a stroke is actually sickening. https://t.co/4jCUyflgiQ — Alexandra M. Hunt (@hunt4change) December 15‚ 2023 Abandoning your base and values to support genocide and attack immigrants. Lowest of the low. https://t.co/Y9gGu0mixV pic.twitter.com/Vn7DBoGWXk — Read Let This Radicalize You (@JoshuaPHilll) December 15‚ 2023 More BS from @SenFettermanPA. The criticism isn't that there's something wrong w/engaging talks on the border‚ it's that he's misleading people about the true nature of those talks‚ what Ds are already offering in them‚ and how GOP solutions won't fix the problem of "encounters." https://t.co/4EaSlkTgmh — Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) December 15‚ 2023 Lol his own wife was undocumented‚ but nope‚ nothing is more important than supporting Israel for this fucking lurch. https://t.co/s9t8nvMCfS — Will 🦥 Menaker (@willmenaker) December 15‚ 2023 John Fetterman has earnestly become one of the most beloved Senators among many Republicans: first due to his pro-Israel fanaticism‚ then his vote for FBI spying‚ now his hard-line border security stance. This one's odd because his wife and her family illegally entered the US: https://t.co/lRvbfx70n7 — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) December 15‚ 2023

Ivy League doctors say that obesity constitutes a new normal for Americans‚ classifying it as a chronic disease that requires perpetual drug intervention. In a six-part series on Medscape‚ “Treating Obesity: Confronting a New Normal‚” doctors from the Harvard‚ Yale‚ and Rutger medical schools made the case that obesity doesn’t stem from behavioral issues. One of the doctors‚ Yale School of Medicine professor Ania Jastreboff‚ said that the traditional understanding of eating less and exercising more had no effect on reversing or preventing obesity.  “Obesity is not a personal choice‚” said Jastreboff. “For years‚ the advice was that our patients needed to ‘eat less and move more.’ That does not work.” Harvard Medical School professor David Ludwig dismissed the “Western” viewpoint of obesity as a consequence of weak character.  “Western culture has considered obesity a character problem. Obesity is simply a matter of eating less and moving more‚ and if you can’t do it‚ it’s a lack of character or discipline. When in reality‚ obesity is more about biology than behavior‚” said Ludwig. “We need to think about nutrition as we think about drugs.” In the latest episode‚ the doctors touted drugs as the cure to obesity. They discussed the injectable appetite suppressant semaglutide‚ the weight loss drug popularized by celebrities under the brands Ozempic and Wegovy‚ as well as a similar drug‚ tirzepatide (Mounjaro). “I think we’re in an incredibly exciting time‚” said Jastreboff. “We had tools previously to treat patients with obesity. But now we have new‚ highly effective and safe medications that target disease pathophysiology.” In order to keep the weight off once lost‚ however‚ the doctors said that individuals have to take the drugs in perpetuity. “One of the most common questions that I get‚ whether it’s from my colleagues or my patients‚ is ‘Well‚ I took this medication‚ I have lost the weight‚ can I stop taking the medicine? Am I all done?’” said Jastreboff. “And the answer is no‚ you have to keep taking the medicine.” Chika Anekwe‚ an obesity medicine doctor with the Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center‚ concurred. “Once you started a medication‚ we expect that you would stay on it long-term in order to both lose and maintain that weight loss over time‚” said Anekwe.  Although the doctors dismissed personal choice as a factor for obesity‚ the doctors blamed obesity on poor food choices.  The doctors classified America as an obesogenic environment: a prevalence of highly-processed and palatable foods‚ sedentary and high stress lifestyles‚ and poor sleep. The doctors indicated that the transition to remote work and education during the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the obesogenic environment.  They linked modern obesity rates to the Nixon administration’s overhaul of agriculture under then-Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz‚ who led the mass industrialization of two key ingredients in highly processed foods: soy and corn. The doctors said Butz’s leadership resulted in the massive proliferation of junk foods: processed foods that are easily digestible and consisting of simple sugars. Rutgers professor Ronald Weiss noted that processed foods hijack “true hunger drives” developed through evolutionary processes: the more junk foods are consumed‚ the greater an individual’s desire for them.  “I think the most dangerous drug on earth is food. Addictive foods are so pervasive — they’re everywhere‚” said Weiss. The doctors blamed highly-processed foods for creating negative peptide hormonal feedback loops‚ as well as disrupting the flow of insulin and glucagon. Ludwig said that these foods cause fat cells to hold onto too many calories while starving the brain and other parts of the body‚ resulting in an individual eating more to feel full; Ludwig said that fasting would be futile in these cases. The American Medical Association (AMA) recognized obesity as a chronic health condition in 2013. Over 40 percent of American adults and 20 percent of children qualify as obese.

The state of Florida is seeking for the first time to use the death penalty against a man accused of sexually abusing a child. A grand jury indicted of Joseph Andrew Giampa on six counts of Sexual Battery Upon a Person Under Twelve Years of Age and three counts of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child. State Attorney William Gladson of the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office said that due to the severity of the alleged crimes‚ his office intends to seek the death penalty pursuant to Florida Statutes 794.011(2)(a) and 921.1425. Giampa was arrested by Lake County sheriff’s deputies on November 2 after they arrived at his home to question him. Giampa showed deputies a video that was on a laptop in his camper that allegedly depicted him “sexually abusing a child while recording the act‚” The Tampa Bay Times reported. During the video‚ the man who was recording it put down the recording device and stepped in front of it‚ at which point deputies identified the man as Giampa. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis threw his support behind seeking the death penalty for Giampa. “Today‚ @flsao5 announced that they will seek the death penalty in a case of sexual battery against a child under age 12‚” DeSantis said. “It will be the first case to challenge SCOTUS since I signed legislation to make pedophiles eligible for the death penalty. @flsao5 has my full support.” Today‚ @flsao5 announced that they will seek the death penalty in a case of sexual battery against a child under age 12. It will be the first case to challenge SCOTUS since I signed legislation to make pedophiles eligible for the death penalty. @flsao5 has my full support. — Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) December 14‚ 2023 DeSantis signed House Bill 1297 into law back in the Spring which imposes the death penalty on pedophiles who “commit sexual battery against children under the age of 12‚” the governor’s office said. The governor said that he was prepared to take the fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court “to overrule judicial precedents which have unjustly shielded child rapists from the death penalty and denied victims and their loved ones the opportunity to pursue ultimate justice against these most heinous criminals.” DeSantis also signed a bill into law that drops the requirement for a death sentence to be handed out to a convicted criminal from a unanimous vote for jurors to only 8 out of 12 jurors.

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A cute kitten missed a few holidays with other cats but survived it all. She's finally doing what she wanted in a sweet home. Ripley the kittenAlyssaRipley‚ the kitten‚ and her littermates wandered into a neighbor's yard. They cried day and night‚ but their mom never returned for them.A volunteer of Puppy Kitty NY City‚ who lives a few blocks away‚ learned about the displaced litter and reached out to a fellow animal rescuer‚ Alyssa‚ for help. The kittens were in terribly rough shape and desperately needed rescue.Without hesitation‚ Alyssa took them in and worked through the night‚ feeding them and providing supportive care. AlyssaDespite her valiant efforts‚ Ripley was the last one standing among all her siblings due to a life-threatening infection‚ feline panleukopenia. She was also battling ringworm‚ among other challenges."This little girl is fighting to be here‚ and we'll fight with her." Ripley is a warrior kittyAlyssaAlyssa and her partner (Foster Dad) took turns with feeding duties to ensure that Ripley received round-the-clock care when Alyssa was away at the office. "Even though we both haven't slept much‚ Ripley has won both of our hearts."For a while‚ it was touch and go as they tried to figure out the right food for Ripley's sensitive tummy. AlyssaJust when she started putting on weight‚ she had another setback. The tabby girl didn't let it stop her and bounced back with fluids and medicine. Her foster parents were there with her every step of the way.Ripley couldn't socialize with other cats during her treatment and recovery. "It probably took a month to know she was going to be okay." AlyssaSlowly but surely‚ Ripley stabilized and began to make steady gains. The lost fur on her face‚ neck‚ and ears started to grow back. "It's a lot of work‚ but it's doable. And this cutie is worth it."Alyssa and Foster Dad showered the kitten with all the attention and love they could supply so she wouldn't feel lonely. AlyssaEach ounce gained added hope to the day when Ripley could run freely with feline friends. After many weeks of painstaking care‚ Ripley graduated from her recovery room and joined the rest of the house recently."This little girl has put us through the wringer‚ but we're so thankful she's here and healthy." Alyssa"She is finally happy to be out and making friends. She had a lot of catching up to do on how to cat with other cats."Everything seemed new to Ripley as she tried to navigate the world around her. "At first‚ she growled at everyone‚ then her food bowl. Now‚ it's her toys getting the wrath." Alyssa"Ripley is a funny‚ curious tabby kitten who is full of energy. She likes sitting on your shoulder and watching you work and finds so much joy in chasing after her toys." Alyssa"She loves being held and kissed‚ and is learning not to nibble fingers (something she picked up from being a solo kitten) and loves keeping you company while cooking or reading."Ripley has transformed into a happy‚ playful‚ boisterous young cat. She has blossomed into a beautiful tabby catAlyssaHer fur is soft and gleaming‚ and she has a purr motor that is constantly running."I can't believe our little bottle baby is finally ready (for adoption). She might look big in the photos‚ but she's still only 3 1/2 pounds." AlyssaShare this story with your friends. More on Ripley and Alyssa's fosters on Instagram and Puppy Kitty NY City on Instagram.Related story: Cat Comes to a Balcony and Decides to Begin New Life‚ He Turns Out to Be the Cutest 'Supervisor'