Santa might not have been prepared for this type of lap-mounting

'Our fight is not over'

'That’s all I have to say about it'

Normally raking the yard is the kind of elbow grease that leaves a sense of accomplishment in its wake‚ but when Michigan resident Joseph Novetske finished raking his yard‚ he was left dispirited. That’s because the 80-year-old realized he lost the wedding ring he had worn for 42 years of graced matrimony with his wife‚ […] The post 6 Strangers Drop Everything to Help Man Find Wedding Ring Lost While Doing Yard Work appeared first on Good News Network.

The post A Vet &; Cat Approved Guide: Why Insurance Is A Necessity for Most Felines by Dr. Lauren Demos (Vet) 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. Have you ever found yourself with a case of indigestion after eating‚ say‚ a foot of Christmas tinsel? Or how about being unable to resist a quick chew or two of that shiny sewing needle with two feet of thread? Yeah‚ me neither. But‚ many of us likely know someone who has. A furry someone. That ate something‚ or sometimes many things. The holidays are a time to be merry‚ after all? When Problems Arise‚ Money Talks Pica (the eating of inappropriate objects) is just one behavior exhibited by furry troublemakers. Cats get into all sorts of mischief! Cat fight abscesses are so popular in vet clinics that they have garnered their own initialism: CFA. In fact‚ vets have these initialisms and acronyms for all sorts of unpleasant situations pets get into: Hit By Car (HBC)‚ Hyperthyroidism (HT4)‚ and Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) just to name a few. In Alaska‚ we had a fairly unique initialism for the sled dogs that found themselves on the wrong end of a moose: KBM (Kicked By Moose). But what do these experiences‚ or rather illnesses‚ have in common? In short‚ they are all rather pricey to diagnose and treat‚ and unfortunately all too common when it comes to our feline friends. (Well‚ maybe not KBM…) Understanding Pet Insurance Image by Rawpixel.com‚ Shutterstock Pet insurance market penetration varies hugely by country. In the US‚ current estimates are that less than half of pets have insurance coverage‚ though when broken down by species‚ it’s estimated that fewer than 25% of pet cats have pet insurance. Arguments certainly exist against pet insurance. Concerns include the ethical implications of potentially guiding treatment based on insurance status‚ as well as the increased cost of care associated with diagnostics that can be afforded with insurance. Others voice similar issues seen in the human healthcare industry‚ which may be attributed to insurance. But in reality‚ veterinary care is no different than human medical care. We have complicated procedures like CT‚ MRI‚ advanced surgical and professional training‚ all done in appropriate conditions with trained medical teams. It takes money to run and maintain these skill sets and facilities. Understanding Veterinary Medicine Yet veterinary care is often underrated or appreciated compared to its bigger brother. While human healthcare workers strive for better pay or favorable working hours‚ veterinarians and vet nurses work similar hours and similarly unsociable schedules for far less. And worse‚ veterinary professionals often are put into situations with no choice but to subsidize the cost of pet care out of their own pockets‚ by charging less or offering discounted services‚ when care is needed but funds are simply not available.. It’s no wonder that with burnout‚ a high rate of suicide‚ and a lack of incoming trained professional staff‚ that the veterinary profession is becoming concerningly unbalanced. While insurance is not an answer for every issue faced by the profession‚ it may offer some small steps in the right direction. Certainly‚ when recommended treatment is not dictated by financial means‚ both owners‚ cats and the people providing their medical care should all see positive outcomes. Case Study: Dougie Dougie outside | Photo Courtesy Kim Sear Going back to foreign bodies‚ I’d like to present Dougie: a lovely‚ impish‚ young dude of a cat. He loves long walks outside with his mom‚ and keeps things entertaining‚ finding various ways to get onto neighbors’ rooftops‚ or more recently attempting to stuff his own Christmas stocking with an entire plastic container of cat treats that he chewed multiple holes into‚ then sprinkled all over his stocking that he tore off a door. So‚ in short‚ he’s a Siamese that seems to have garnered a love of living life on the edge. Dougie is 5. He’s had surgery to remove a foreign body‚ been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease through biopsies‚ had repeated bouts of laryngitis‚ and underwent a 3-month treatment for coronavirus (with weekly medications often costing hundreds of dollars). As his mom says lovingly‚ he might not be here if it wasn’t for insurance. Starting to see the benefit of cat insurance? Why Insurance Is A Necessity for Most Cats Dougie sleeping outside after an adventure | Photo Courtesy Kim Sear Admittedly‚ Dougie is a bit of an extreme example. However‚ if nothing else‚ getting insurance that will cover for something like dental care‚ including extractions‚ is a strong consideration. Many pets will need multiple dental procedures in their life‚ as cavities and calculus lead to common dental issues. Because these procedures require anesthetic to be safe for your pet and medically effective‚ and include a period of hospital stay for the day‚ x-rays the same as you or I would have‚ professional assessment of the dental health‚ IV fluids‚ bloodwork‚ and dental surgery time‚ these procedures can quickly become financially intensive. Things To Consider When Researching Pet Insurance What is the policy excess? Is the policy an annual policy‚ or a lifetime policy? Are there any exclusions for coverage? What do you need to do annually to maintain coverage? What is the amount of coverage you need? Alternatives To Insurance Personal savings: Some people set aside a health savings account for their pet‚ annually or monthly Clinic wellness plans: Insurance doesn’t generally cover wellness care such as vaccines‚ or nail trims‚ or annual exams. Often‚ prescription foods aren’t covered‚ either. Some clinics offer various forms of wellness plans or subscriptions‚ which can offer significant savings on some of these other pet necessities. While not a true replacement for insurance‚ they are a similar topic for consideration Dougie Approves In the end‚ as a veterinarian‚ I can’t recommend a specific insurance company. But I can tell you that most of us who work in clinics‚ have our own pets insured. It helps on those days you can’t find your Apple Airpod‚ only to find that suddenly‚ your cat (or dog) makes a ringing noise when someone calls your mobile… So pet insurance definitely gets Dougie’s stamp of approval. And if you are going to get it‚ don’t wait until after your cat is ill! Of course‚ there are additional barriers when it comes to cats: cats are great at hiding disease‚ and cats are viewed as more challenging to take into the vet clinic‚ and therefore have less visits. (Easy tips and fixes can help address both these topics! Maybe to be covered here in the future!) But we need to start somewhere. And if Dougie approves‚ it’s hard to argue with him. Featured Image Credit: visivastudio‚ Shutterstock The post A Vet &; Cat Approved Guide: Why Insurance Is A Necessity for Most Felines by Dr. Lauren Demos (Vet) 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.

First‚ I should admit that I’m a sucker for a lot of holiday standards‚ from The Grinch and Peanuts to Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman. I adore both White Christmas and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation‚ but there’s also a lot of schmaltzy‚ badly-written nonsense floating around out there like so much stale‚ crusty fruitcake this time of year… and when the usual holiday fare starts wearing thin‚ it’s time to mix things up a bit. The following movies and TV specials are amazing because they find new ways of celebrating the holiday spirit‚ with all its weird traditions and potentially awkward moments and unmeetable expectations. It’s not about irony or snark or subversion—it’s about making your own odd‚ goofy‚ wonderful kind of holiday cheer‚ wherever you can find it…   Scrooged (1988) There are so many ways in which a late-’80s update of A Christmas Carol could have gone horribly wrong‚ and yet Bill Murray is indescribably brilliant as viciously cynical TV exec Frank Cross‚ out to score holiday ratings with his tacky‚ exploitative live production of the Dickens classic (meta!). Murray’s trademark sarcasm and deadpan retorts make him the most entertaining incarnation of Scrooge ever‚ but when his smarmy yuppie facade finally cracks…well‚ let’s just say that the end of this movie gets me every time. By the time Murray and the rest of the cast (including Karen Allen‚ Carol Kane‚ Bobcat Goldthwait‚ David Johansen and Robert Mitchum) start singing along to “Put A Little Love In Your Heart‚” I defy you not to get a little teary (in a good way!) One of the greatest holiday movies of all time‚ in my book.   Christmas At Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (1988) In which Grace Jones arrives in a giant box and performs the only rendition of “The Little Drummer Boy” I’ll ever truly love. Plus‚ Pee-Wee teaches Little Richard how to ice skate‚ Charo performs “Feliz Navidad” with robot accompaniment‚ Zsa Zsa Gabor appears as “Princess Zsa Zsa‚” and SO MUCH MORE. A hyper-affectionate throwback to the campy holiday TV extravaganzas of the ’60s and ’70s‚ Pee-Wee’s Christmas special is a total bizarre‚ sparkly delight with a heart of gold.   The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985) I’ve already written about this amazingly bizarre and wonderful special at length‚ but I really can’t say enough good things about this puppety lovechild of L. Frank Baum and Rankin &; Bass. It’s dark and weird and there are elves‚ wind demons‚ and a battle that involves a Santa-hating dragon…not to mention the fact that the plot centers on a council of immortal beings trying to decide whether to let Santa join them‚ or let him die of old age. (Spoiler: he doesn’t die‚ but it’s not like there aren’t people on the fence‚ for awhile.) In short‚ not your usual‚ relentlessly cheery holiday fare‚ but it’s beautifully made‚ the design is stunning‚ and it’s certainly an original‚ fascinating take on the legend of Santa Claus through the lens of myth and fantasy.   The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974) While there’s nothing else quite as intensely strange as The Life &; Adventures of Santa Claus in the Rankin/Bass holiday canon‚ this little doozy certainly has its moments. You have to love any premise kicked off by a whiny‚ chronically depressed Santa who just doesn’t give a damn about Christmas anymore. Plus‚ the Heat Miser and Snow Miser are the catchiest duo to ever hit holiday animation‚ deep-seated mommy issues and all; if you need a quick fix‚ you can catch their classic‚ campy little number above. In the end‚ though‚ the film delivers a fun twist on the Santa story‚ thanks to the irrepressible Mrs. Claus‚ who helps her husband rediscover the Christmas spirit and saves the day. It’s also a nice change of pace to see Mrs. Claus taking the reins (with an assist from Mother Nature‚ no less!)—she’s a smart‚ sassy holiday heroine‚ and there really aren’t as many of those as there should be.   Community (2009-15) The show had two fantastic Christmas-themed episodes; the first‚ “Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas‚” is a smart‚ warped take on stop-motion animated holiday classics‚ combining group therapy and psychodrama with a fantasy land full of whimsical talking toys. The second is simply one of my favorite TV episodes of all time: “Regional Holiday Music” starts off as a goofy parody of Glee‚ but builds into an exploration of why the holidays are important and meaningful‚ as an opportunity to celebrate with the people you love‚ on your own terms. It comes as close to a cliché sitcom-y resolution as Community is ever likely to get‚ but that happy ending has been more than earned by the fact that the show deals honestly with the reality that the holidays can be a dark time for some people‚ and all the forced holiday cheer in the world can’t compete with a little sincerity between friends. And I haven’t even mentioned the songs‚ which are all glorious and amazing—my favorite is probably Annie’s creepy‚ brilliant pseudo-seduction of Jeff‚ which deconstructs the infantilized Betty Boop-style appeal of a song like “Santa Baby” in the most hilarious way possible….   A Muppet Family Christmas (1987) Not to knock the outstanding Muppet Christmas Carol‚ but this has always been my favorite Muppet holiday special‚ bringing together all of the characters from Sesame Street‚ The Muppet Show‚ and Fraggle Rock for some loosely plotted‚ rollicking Christmas merrymaking. The basic premise starts off with Fozzy invading his mother’s farm with the rest of the Muppet Show crew‚ just as she’s trying to leave for a vacation in Malibu. Meanwhile‚ Miss Piggy is stuck at a photo shoot and spends most of the special running late for various reasons‚ while the house fills up with unexpected guests‚ carolers‚ and assorted monsters. In the midst of all the chaos and singing and mild dysfunction‚ of course‚ a wonderful time is had by all‚ and we even get a cameo of Jim Henson himself at the very end‚ as all the Muppets sing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” It’s really not to be missed.   Phineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation! (2009) Even if you’ve never seen the show‚ I’d still highly recommend this special‚ which manages to showcase the writers’ trademark ingenuity in terms of plotting‚ ridiculously clever dialogue and references and all the show’s usual features and in-jokes while creating a truly delightful‚ heartwarming celebration of the holidays. The plot’s a little too complicated to sum up here‚ but it’s silly and light‚ and yet somehow manages to be more touching than it has any right to be. Also‚ the special guest star who voices Santa? Clancy Brown. Not a bad starting point if you’ve heard good things about the series‚ and a seasonal must-see if you’re already a fan (or if you just love ridiculously clever‚ warm holiday entertainment).   The Venture Bros. (2004) The season one episode “A Very Venture Christmas” starts off with a brilliant pastiche of every Christmas special cliché ever and ends with a visit from the Krampus. There’s also a bomb planted in a miniature Nativity scene. I don’t even want to say anything more. It’s just ridiculous‚ and amazing. Krampus!   Futurama (1999-2013) Even casual Futurama fans will probably already be familiar with the fact that a psychotic Robot Santa terrorizes the Planet Express gang every Xmas (in the future‚ of course‚ the holiday is pronounced “eks-mas”). The character was introduced in the first season’s “Xmas Story” (which ends with a rousing rendition of “Santa Claus Is Gunning You Down”)‚ and returns in the third season episode “A Tale of Two Santas‚” which also features Kwanzaabot‚ mistaken robo-idenitity‚ and Dr. Zoidberg pretending to be Jesus. Robot Santa also features in the fifth season’s “Futurama Holiday Spectacular” and Bender’s Big Score. Sure‚ in the future‚ Santa might be feared across the galaxy as a soulless killing machine—but nothing brings people closer than huddling indoors to escape his holiday wrath‚ so at least there’s something to look forward to….   Will Vinton’s Claymation Christmas Celebration (1987) This slice of strange but enjoyable holiday cheer features an odd array of claymation characters‚ from the California Raisins to a snarky duo of comic-relief dinosaurs. Admittedly‚ it’s kind of trippy‚ in that Very Special ’80s way. Say what you want about the 1980s—it was a strange decade‚ especially on the television front—but knock back a few glasses of eggnog and see if you can turn your back on the spectacle of talking dinosaurs and giant anthropomorphized raisins soulfully singing Christmas carols. Not a full-on classic‚ but call it a fruity palate cleanser between marathon reruns of A Christmas Story and It’s A Wonderful Life.   The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978) Of course this makes the list‚ every year‚ forever. In terms of sheer campy absurdity‚ the notoriously ridiculous Star Wars Holiday Special is a perennial contender for the What. The Hell. Were They Thinking? Award. From the Boba Fett cartoon to the sight of an elderly Wookiee visibly aroused by the disco stylings of Diahann Carroll to Bea Arthur serenading the Mos Eisley cantina‚ the Special is a tragic experiment in messy kitsch which continues to wreak havoc in the back alleys of our pop culture consciousness. While it has never been released—in fact‚ George Lucas has famously stated‚ “If I had the time and a sledgehammer‚ I would track down every copy of that show and smash it”—the SWHS is surprisingly easy to hunt down if you use The Force. And know how to perform a Google search. It should be noted (as a public service) that the gang from RiffTrax provide the kind of snarky commentary that might be the only way to make it through all two hours with your sanity intact. However you want to go about it‚ if it’s weirdness you’re after‚ you won’t be disappointed. Scarred‚ possibly. Deeply traumatized? Most definitely. But not disappointed. ***   So‚ those are my oddball recommendations—if the Island of Misfit Toys had its own cable channel‚ I imagine it would have a lot in common with this particular lineup… maybe with some bonus Gremlins and Blackadder’s Christmas Carol (or even Santa Claus: The Movie) thrown in for good (?) measure. However you end up spending the holidays this year‚ I hope they’re warm‚ wonderful‚ and highly entertaining! Originally published in December 2012. Bridget McGovern is the managing editor of Tor.com. She can’t believe she missed out on Pee Wee’s Christmas Special for so many years‚ and is making up for lost time. You can never have enough wigs and glitter around‚ this time of year…

Small Beer Press closed to submissions in March 2023‚ and it looks likely that they won’t open for more submissions‚ at least in the near future‚ due to publisher health complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “In 2022 we only managed to publish two books. This year we published four and here at the end of the year I see how much these books missed the old me‚” publisher Gavin Grant wrote when asked for comment. “Sarah Pinsker’s second collection was selected for Slate’s Best Books of the Year which is something to celebrate. It’s always hard for small or indie presses to get coverage and no one expects to be on Best of the Year lists but I always hope our books will at least be considered for lists and awards. This year that was more difficult as I wasn’t able to send books out as widely or follow up. Publicity is part of my job and following up takes a fair amount of energy which I don’t have. So unless we want to change our habits and start being unfair to authors‚ we have to stop.” In September‚ Small Beer put out Anya Johanna DeNiro’s sci-fi novel‚ OKPsyche‚ and their final book is Kij Johnson’s second short story collection‚ The Privilege of the Happy Ending. “I’d thought there was a chance I could keep Small Beer going but it is too much for me‚” Grant added. “As long as the authors are happy‚ we’ll keep the books in print—or sell them on where there’s interest: Random House just released the cover for their new 2024 edition of Karen Lord’s debut novel Redemption in Indigo.” And while no new books will be going into publication‚ Grant did say that Small Beer will publish a limited edition of Kelly Link’s The Book of Love next year. They might do more of that‚ depending on how things go‚ or also continue their zine‚ LCRW. You can see and purchase from Small Beer’s catalog by clicking here.

In The Indigo Disk‚ the second of two DLC adventures for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‚ you can find a variety of new monsters. One of the new monsters‚ Cranidos‚ has proven difficult for some players to find. Here is our guide telling you the location where you can find Cranidos. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The Indigo Disk – Location where you can find Cranidos Cranidos is actually pretty easy to spot once you look in the right location‚ but you have to know where that is. To find Cranidos‚ look in the Canyon Biome‚ within the Terarium. Screenshot: PC Invasion When you enter the Terarium from the main tunnel to Blueberry Academy‚ you’ll arrive in the wrong biome. Simply turn and head due west until you pass the wall and enter the Canyon Biome. There‚ look north. You should see a high plateau‚ with a long bridge leading across to it. There are waterfalls‚ and platforms extending from its south side like steps. You can approach however you ...

The Holiday Season is upon us‚ and what’s more festive than cookies? That’s right‚ adorable fighting cookies‚ thanks to Cookie Run Kingdom! The latest themed story event is Holiday Express‚ and we’ve got the answers for Chapter 1 in Cookie Run Kingdom! All Chapter 1 Holiday Express Answers in Cookie Run Kingdom (CRK) There are 2 questions asked in Chapter 1 Scene 4 for Cookie Run Kingdom (CRK) Chapter 1‚ with the answers below. This scene‚ “After the Supper”‚ features an investigation of Linzer Cookie’s suite after she swaps with Creme Brulee Cookie on the train! Holiday Express Chapter 1 SceneQuestionAnswer1-4Where is Linzer Cookie right now?Suite Nine1-4When is the special ceremony? 00:00-01:00: Tree-Lighting Ceremony Related: All answers for Holiday Express Chapter 2 in Cookie Run Kingdom (CRK) Screenshot: PC InvasionScreenshot: PC Invasion Not only are these questions in the same scene‚ but...

Embark Studios finally released patch notes 1.4.0 and it includes a substantial nerf to Heavys that I was praying for. Lights kind of got away scot-free in this one (which I’m happy about)‚ but here’s what The Finals patch notes 1.4.0 include. All balance changes in The Finals patch notes 1.4.0 In The Finals patch notes 1.4.0‚ Heavy’s Mesh Shield‚ C4‚ Dome Shield‚ and RPG got nerfed which I and the community were pleading for. The Explosive Mine got a nerf‚ and all other mines got a slight nerf. In general‚ nothing got completly nerfed to the ground — these patch note balance changes are extremely generous while also being fair. ?️ Alongside our Holiday update‚ we also shipped our 1.4.0 patch‚ that comes with lots of balance‚ and quality-of-life improvements across the entire game — along with general crash fixes and improvements to anti-cheat detection. Full patch notes here! ?️ pic.twitter.com/5fpjFY7EDq— THE FINALS (@r...