Major University Lays Off Dozens Of Diversity‚ Equity And Inclusion Staff To Comply With Red State Crackdown

Winters is a force to be reckoned with...

What a story to put you back in the show

'Full recovery'

Our selection of the top 10 Alison Krauss songs showcases a truly exceptional talent in the music world‚ celebrated for her extensive array of accolades and her significant impact on the bluegrass genre. Born in Illinois‚ Alison Krauss was immersed in a diverse range of musical styles from a young age. At the tender age of five‚ she developed a passion for bluegrass‚ which would set the stage for her illustrious career in the music industry. By the time she was ten‚ Krauss had already started making her mark by winning local fiddle contests. With such an impressive background‚ Alison The post Top 10 Alison Krauss Songs appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Our Top 10 Doobie Brothers albums list takes a look at the catalog of one of the most loved bands in rock and roll history. There are two types of Doobie Brothers fans. There are those that love everything that the Doobie Brothers have done over the years including the lines up that included the original Doobie Brothers and the lineups that included Michael McDonald in the mid to late 1970s. Of course‚ there are fans that never liked the Michael McDonald years as the sound of the Doobie Brothers changed dramatically with the addition of Michael McDonald. It was The post Top 10 Doobie Brothers Albums appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

In a difficult part of Kenya’s sprawling capital city of Nairobi‚ an unlikely sport has taken hold of the passions of young people‚ offering them an alternative to drugs‚ violence‚ or crime. That sport is fencing‚ and despite the fact that the Tsavora Fencing Club sometimes struggles to keep well stocked with the necessary equipment‚ […] The post This Fencing Club Is Giving at-risk Youth in Kenya an Elegant Alternative to Street Violence appeared first on Good News Network.

The post The Cat and the Oven Mitt: Odd Items that Cats Love by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) 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. Hi‚ I’m Dr. Lauren! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my two adventurous cats‚ Pancake and Tiller. The Cat Burglar may indeed be an apt description of certain feline propensities. Their ninja-like abilities to stalk‚ sneak‚ and silently pounce allow cats to get away with all sorts of mischief. Enter today’s topic: the odd things that cats like. Growing up‚ we had a cat named Mr. Kitten. Or Kitten‚ for short. He started life with a much fancier and more creative name‚ but we also thought he started life as a girl. When we found out he was a boy‚ it was obvious he needed a new name‚ but we’d run out of steam‚ and names‚ and nothing stuck‚ so he became Kitten. Kitten was a bit of an oddity‚ even as cats go: he liked to hop into the bathtub with me and walk around in the water‚ he loved pulling toilet paper from the bathroom and trailing it throughout the house‚ but his absolute favorite was the beloved oven mitt. Mr. Kitten &; The Oven Mitt Go to remove something hot from the oven and no oven mitt in sight? Locate the cat‚ and you had better odds at also locating the mitt. Trying to wash an oven mitt was nigh impossible—he’d pull them out of the hamper‚ and burble while carrying them around the house. And if you did manage to successfully clean and dry one‚ chances are that he’d sneak into the basket before it made it back to the kitchen drawer‚ and he’d be off and running‚ oven mitt in tow. But why do cats like these odd items? It’s a mystery. Some suggest that cats may have a certain attachment to such items and that they may experience a mothering instinct‚ treating these random objects like kittens‚ herding them throughout the house‚ and taking care of them. Tiller’s been fishing again! Tiller &; Her Fish Toys Tiller started life with a small slice of stuffed pizza and now has a series of stuffed fish toys that she routinely rounds up every night‚ to leave in various positions: grouped outside the bedroom; clustered at the bottom of the stairs‚ sometimes placed neatly in my shoes. It was a bit disconcerting the first few times‚ as I wondered if they were a vague cat threat (more food or you’ll be sleeping with the fishes!); so far‚ nothing seems to have come of it. Colloquially‚ when Tiller starts rounding up the fish in the house‚ we now say she is off “fishing” and leave it at that! Pancake &; Coins Pancake‚ by contrast‚ used to really like coins. If a penny or a nickel fell on the floor‚ she was on it- batting it around until she could pick it up with her mouth. She’d then run around the house‚ carrying said coinage in her mouth. As a vet‚ all I could think was: foreign body! And quickly‚ that activity was curtailed! Are There Risks Involved With These Behaviors? Which leads to the downsides of this odd behavior: There are some risks. Foreign bodies from ingesting these odd items cats seem to like is a real concern. Some of the more common foreign bodies that fit into this category include: Hair ties Coins Rubber bands Silicone (e.g. bottle tops‚ reusable straws) Pieces of foam shoes (e.g. Crocs‚ flip flops) String/yarn Fishing flies/lures (especially with hooks‚ that represent a new level of danger!) Another negative is a potential behavioral aspect. I remember once a colleague saying that even though her dog loved chasing the laser pointer‚ she refused to use it. Similarly‚ our university course on behavior echoed this concern. The thinking was that if the cat or dog could never actually catch the red dot‚ would that lead to ultimate feelings of unresolved frustration? For me‚ I just always think that the cats enjoy the experience as much as their much more frequent naps‚ but they burn far more calories in the game of chase‚ so I’m in the pro-red-dot camp. Along those lines‚ I have heard discussion that allowing cats to partially act out these supposed mothering instincts (if that’s what they are doing)‚ is similarly damaging to their psyche if the offspring aren’t actually completing their end of the bargain‚ and feeding back appropriate physical and emotional stimuli. Even as a kitten‚ Tiller was always looking for odd things to play with. The Story of the Cat Burglar There’s also the rare risk of reprisal. Enter the discussion I had with a recent law-abiding cat owner‚ who truly had a cat burglar. I was examining her rather lovely short-haired cat‚ and complimenting her on what a great cat she was. Yes‚ said her owner…most of the time! But she’s been stealing things from the neighbors again…. The client went on to explain that her cat had now totaled various food items from the local street‚ including a few bags of microwavable rice‚ a few crusts of pizza‚ and a few days later‚ an entire slice of pizza. Apparently‚ there had even been some neighborhood spousal accusations that some husband was throwing out various food items behind his wife’s back…when really‚ it was a neighbor’s cat thief at work! (Although I cannot condone illegal activities‚ I can certainly condone the cat’s choice in pizza!) You might say that cats are truly odd‚ at heart‚ but isn’t that one of the reasons we love them all the more? Perhaps such odd behavior simply fits like a glove (or oven mitt). For me‚ I let Tiller have her fish‚ and try not to worry too much about the why as long as she seems happy. Pancake‚ however‚ is not allowed her coins. But that’s just my 0.02 on the matter… The post The Cat and the Oven Mitt: Odd Items that Cats Love by Dr. Lauren Demos DVM (Veterinarian) 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.

Book Recommendations short fiction Digging Through the Archives: 8 SFF Short Stories Told Through Notes and Documents These stories come in many forms–fictional obituaries‚ scholarly articles‚ even a grant proposal–offering fascinating glimpses into unexplored realities. By Ratika Deshpande | Published on April 3‚ 2024 Photo by Joanna Kosinska [via Unsplash] Comment 2 Share New Share Photo by Joanna Kosinska [via Unsplash] One of my favorite forms of stories is what some call “found fiction”—diaries‚ documents‚ transcripts‚ excerpts‚ and so on. Reading these kinds of stories feels like coming upon a curious artefact that hints at more than what’s on the page‚ a world that invites us to fill in the gaps. Who left these documents here? Who wrote them? Who’s reading them‚ in the world of the story? How important is this document‚ in the larger scheme of things? There are so many questions—entering into these narratives is an opportunity to interact; you’re getting to play with and explore interesting worlds‚ questions‚ and ideas as if you were sleuth or a journalist. Here’s a selection of some of my favorites… “Excerpts from a Scientist’s Notebook: Ancestral Memory in Europan Pseudocephalopods” by David DeGraff I’m always fascinated by stories of space and of memory‚ and David DeGraff does an excellent job of combining both of these in this flash story constructed out of a series of notes on the memory of creatures found on Europa‚ one of Jupiter’s moons. The happy ending is a bonus.  “A Review: The Reunion of the Survivors of Sigrún 7” by Lars Ahn Written as a review of a documentary‚ this story by Lars Ahn considers the methods filmmaker Manuela Riviera uses to bring together the surviving crew of a failed expedition to Mars and compel them to talk about what happened on board the spaceship. The reviewer takes a look at the lengths the filmmaker went to record the documentary‚ as well as the ethics of forcing people together to make them reveal details they’ve kept secret for decades. It gives you much to think about‚ raising questions about the lengths we’re willing to go to in the name of art‚ and to satisfy our curiosity about the lives of those pushed into the spotlight. “Companion Animals in Mahō Shōjo Kira Kira Sunlight” by Stewart C Baker This in-world essay considers the roles companion animals play in a famous (fictional) animated web series whose creator(s) are unknown and which has garnered a large following online. This is a story about a story that also examines how we interact with media‚ especially stories we are deeply attached to‚ and our desire for answers.  “Some Assembly Required” by Anne E.G. Nydam How do you build a castle in the air‚ literally? Anne Nydam has got the instructions for you‚ along with lovely‚ surreal illustrations to help you put it all together. Do read the warnings carefully‚ though. “Search History for Elspeth Adair‚ Age 11” by Aimee Picchi Search histories are one of the most intriguing aspects of life on the internet—I’ve referred to mine when trying to trace my way back to a particular website or article; it’s quite an experience to see your train of thought mapped out step-by-step. Too bad they’re so easily deleted‚ because as Aimee Picchi shows in this excellent little story‚ our search histories can tell us a lot about how our curiosity can take us to unexpected places‚ both online and in the real world. A delightful little story that always makes me smile. “Rising Star” by Stephen Graham Jones The Meerschon Grant Selection Committee is considering proposals to fund research—research that will make the best use of a new technology that allows for time travel. The possibilities are endless; you could access and study documents that no longer exist‚ observe dinosaurs‚ or “watch the moon coalescing into a sphere.” But bearing witness to these moments‚ and even answering long-standing questions‚ won’t really impact our present. Our narrator has a proposal that trumps everything else‚ a proposal that will take a researcher far back into the distant past‚ on a one-way trip‚ with instructions to find and preserve knowledge that will survive thousands of years and help humanity in the present—unlike observing the moon back when it was young‚ for example.  Reading SFF often leaves me wishing that magic was real‚ but after reading this story all I truly want now is the confidence to write a grant proposal with such absolute conviction.  “In the City of Failing Knives” by Tara Campbell In the City of Failing Knives‚ as the name suggests‚ knives don’t cut—they bind‚ which is why‚ when couples get married‚ they seal the deal with a knife (in some unfortunate cases‚ quite literally). Full of interesting anecdotes and footnotes‚ this curious little article for Popular Sociology makes one think about and reconsider the words we use to signify love and connection‚ and what they can really mean if we delve beyond the surface. A fascinating exploration of possibilities.  “50 Things Every AI Working with Humans Should Know” by Ken Liu Given the torrent of articles we’ve all been reading since ChatGPT come onto the scene and the developments that have followed‚ this fascinating obituary for a famous “AI AI-critic” might as well be an actual article we’ll see in a decade or two. After reading this story‚ I finally understood what older people mean when they talk about stuff from SFF books becoming a part of their daily lives. A piece that starts with familiar concepts and leaves you haunted.  [end-mark] The post Digging Through the Archives: 8 SFF Short Stories Told Through Notes and Documents appeared first on Reactor.

News The Big Door Prize The Big Door Prize Will Take Things to the Next Stage in Season Two What mysterious pronouncements will the Morpho make next? By Molly Templeton | Published on April 3‚ 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Apple’s underrated‚ extremely endearing The Big Door Prize asks one big‚ not at all simple question: What would happen if you knew the potential of your life? In order to learn this info‚ you have to put all your personal details into a weird machine (the minute it asks for Social Security Numbers‚ I’d be done). The answer comes in the form of a little blue card with a single word on it. Maybe two or three words‚ max. Then what? That’s basically the premise of the show‚ which follows an excellent ensemble cast as their lives are upended by the Morpho machine and its little blue cards of destiny. Some people chase their Morpho-assigned destiny hard; some sort of sit back and go‚ “Huh.” As one does. Here’s the synopsis for season two: Based on M.O. Walsh’s novel‚ The Big Door Prize season two follows the residents of Deerfield as the Morpho machine readies them for the mysterious “next stage.” As everyone’s potentials are exchanged for visions‚ new relationships form and new questions are asked. Dusty (Chris O’Dowd) and Cass (Gabrielle Dennis) decide to take time apart while Trina (Djouliet Amara) and Jacob (Sammy Fourlas) learn that they can shed their old labels. Giorgio (Josh Segarra) and Izzy (Crystal Fox) each find romance while Hana (Ally Maki) and Father Reuben (Damon Gupton) attempt to discover the purpose of the machine. The small town is once again left questioning what they thought they knew about their lives‚ relationships‚ potentials‚ and about the Morpho itself. The Morpho itself is a pretty sci-fi premise‚ but things got even further from ordinary reality at the end of the first season‚ when it turned out that Dusty is not the only person with a mysterious little blue mole. This teaser hints at maybe more surreal‚ or supernatural‚ or plain old inexplicable happenings—and whatever is coming in “the next stage.” The Big Door Prize returns to Apple TV+ on April 24th. [end-mark] The post <;i>;The Big Door Prize<;/i>; Will Take Things to the Next Stage in Season Two appeared first on Reactor.