Monday, June 30, 2025

Dash's (and Cody's belated, and Tyler, too) Birthday Petsmart Adventure!

Dash's 17th birthday was on June 19th, so as is our tradition, we take the birthday dogs to Petsmart, Petco or Pet Supplies plus to pick out a treat or toy.  Since Cody missed his on April 30th, Cody joined Dash, and of course Tyler had to come, too!       But Dash, Cody or Tyler didn't have a desire for a toy, despite our squeaking them. They know they have two big toy bins full at home, I guess. We were surprised at the serious down-sizing of treats in the store, too...  Here's the story.

REDUCED VARIETY OF TREATS IN STORE - One thing we noticed is that Petsmart only has one quarter of an aisle of treats. We remember when the store would have an entire aisle, both sides, filled with dog treats. Now it's been cut by 75% and they didn't have any of our kids' favorite treats.

(Pic: Cody leads Tyler and Dash searching for something)


THEIR FAVORITE TREATS- Dash, Tyler and Cody love the Full Moon brand of Chicken Jerky treats, and Beggin' Strips and Pupperoni.... but Petsmart didn't have ANY of these!!
SETTLED ON FOOD - They also didn't have Beneful wet food, which they prefer over every other wet food, so we opted for Rachel Ray wet food to top their Rachel Ray DISH dry food (it's all natural). 
   It was a really odd discovery about Petsmart... 
   (Side note: Over the years, we tried them on Blue Buffalo and a bunch of other foods, and they don't like them. )


(Pic: Dash exploring Petsmart for anything good)
MORNING MEALS - On top of their regular food, they get fresh shredded chicken each morning, and we've been doing that for years. They'll also get scrambled eggs, bacon, tuna  (except for Cody who hates it), hamburger or other proteins on their food.






Sunday, June 29, 2025

Idiots of the Week: Dozens of drivers caught speeding over 100 mph on I-93 in NH

There's a dangerous problem in New Hampshire, and it's drivers who decide that driving at excessive and dangerous speeds is something to do. They obviously have no regard for anyone's safety. Memorial Day weekend brought out dozens of insane, selfish drivers on Interstate 93 in NH, which goes through the large cities of Manchester and state capitol of Concord. Here's the story.


‘Reckless driving’: Dozens of drivers clocked at speeding over 100 mph on I-93 in NH

By Maria Papadopoulos, Boston 25 News May 26, 2025 at 8:34 pm EDT

SALEM, N.H. — A Massachusetts man driving a sports car at approximately 140 mph was among dozens of drivers who were stopped for excessive speed on Interstate 93 on Memorial Day, state police said Monday.

Brandon E. Babcock, 22, of Salem, Massachusetts, was arrested on multiple charges, including reckless driving and disobeying an officer, state police said.

Babcock was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in Salem District Court on July 17.

Babcock is among 42 drivers who were clocked traveling at 90 mph or faster, and six drivers who were seen driving recklessly at 100 mph or faster, state police said.

On Monday morning, troopers assigned to the Special Enforcement Unit used the unit’s fixed-wing aircraft to detect dangerous driving behaviors on I-93 northbound in Salem, state police said.

Troopers noted 111 motor vehicle violations, which included excessive speed, cell phone use, following too closely, “Move Over” law violations, and reckless driving, state police said.

At 7:45 a.m. Monday, troopers saw a white 2024 Corvette traveling at 110 mph.

When troopers attempted to stop the Corvette, the driver, later identified as Babcock, “sped up significantly and passed other drivers recklessly, across all other lanes of travel,” state police said.

Trooper Thomas Lombardi monitored the vehicle from the State Police aircraft, noting speeds of approximately 140 mph before the driver of the Corvette got off the interstate at Exit 3 and continued onto side roads in Windham.

Lombardi kept an eye on the Corvette from the sky and guided troopers to its location on the ground, state police said.

Ultimately, Sgt. John LaPointe pulled Babcock over on Johnson Road, and arrested him.

The minimum penalties for reckless driving in New Hampshire include a fine of $620 with an additional mandatory penalty assessment and a 60-day loss of driver’s license, state police said.

The standard fine for traveling 86 mph or greater is $434.

“The members of the State Police extend their gratitude to all drivers who traveled through the state safely during the holiday weekend and encourages residents and visitors to remain alert and responsible during the summer season,” state police said.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Heroes of the Week: MD Police, Public Works Rescue Kittens in 2 Places

It was a busy week in Maryland for rescuing cats! Department of public works employees, residents, volunteers and a police officer were all part rescuing 2 kittens in different places. Those are today's heroes.

(Photo: Two kittens have a second lease on life after being saved by department of public works employees, residents, volunteers and a police officer. Photos courtesy of the Hyattsville Government and Hyattsville Police Department)

Kitten Rescued From Storm Drain, 2nd Kitten Saved In Busy Traffic By Police Officer

Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch Staff, Jun 13, 2025

HYATTSVILLE, MD — Two kittens can count themselves lucky after being rescued recently by Hyattsville city employees.

Two kittens have a second lease on life after being saved by department of public works employees, residents, volunteers and a police officer. One kitten was rescued from a storm drain in Hyattsville Thursday while last week, a police officer scooped up a kitten lost in traffic.

On Thursday, June 19, 2025, residents, the Hyattsville Department of Public Works and A Cat’s Life Rescue teamed up to rescue a kitten from a storm drain near Driskell Park. Neighbors heard the kitten crying, but it was too scared to be lured out. Department of Public Works Director Lesley Riddle helped open the storm drain so a humane trap could be placed, according to the city. The kitten, now named Stormy, has been placed with its foster family.

Last Friday, June 20, Hyattsville Police Officer Carrillo spied a kitten sprinting across Queens Chapel Road near Belcrest Road, just barely missing cars. Carrillo jumped out of his vehicle and safely scooped up the kitten before anything could happen to it. With help from his squad supervisors, he connected with Last Chance Animal Rescue and now the kitten is safe and sound at their Waldorf, Maryland office.

Friday, June 27, 2025

Book of the Week: LGBTQ Fantasy: Parker's Forbidden Mate by Blake R. Wolfe

I recently read a great book by author Blake R. Wolfe, who writes about werewolves and their relationships with gay men. He has several fantasy series about werewolves, and "Parker's Forbidden Mate" is part of his Ombra Pack Chronicles series. He also writes other series. This one is a 5 Star Book!  It grabs you and keeps you reading. 

This book was engaging from the first chapter. A down on his luck 20 something guy named Aiden, who works in an office and gets in trouble sets the stage for his struggle - that weighs heavily on his new relationship... not to mention Parker, the new boyfriend, is a werewolf. 

There's werewolf family drama, Aiden's distant family and a guy that really pulled a fast one on Aiden. It was a page turner, and I finished the book in 3 days (that's super quick for me). Loved the characters (there were several other important characters but I don't want to give it away). For those who are a little shy when it comes to reading intimacy, be cautioned... it gets steamy a couple of times.... and the cover is also eye-catching!!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Falling for the cute handyman renovating my kitchen probably isn't a good idea. He's human and I'm a werewolf. Not to mention, my parents have already picked out a new boyfriend for me. But those green eyes and strong arms are impossible to resist.


AIDEN

Just when I thought things were looking up, my entire life falls apart, thanks to some 
guy. Now I've sworn off men forever since I can't trust myself to pick the right one. And that's the moment I met him, the tall, dark, and handsome man with golden eyes. But I can't have him.My life is crumbling around my ears, and the last thing I need is to complicate it with a man in the picture.

Now if I could just get him to leave me alone...

PARKER
Begrudgingly I came home for the summer to blow off some steam after another failed relationship, intent on spending the summer alone to recover. But when a storm threatens a man out on the lighthouse pier, I run to save him. 
The moment my hand touches his skin, I hear a single word. Mate. But he's human, and I'm a werewolf. If I pursue him I'll be kicked out of the pack. And if I don't I'll be miserable for the rest of my life.

All I know is that I can't resist him. But can a werewolf and a human really find happiness together? I'm willing to sacrifice my place in the pack for him.

Maybe I'll just create my own pack so we can be together.


Thursday, June 26, 2025

Architecture: What are Witch Windows in New England?

 Some of the architecture in New England is fascinating. A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about the reason for double front doors. Today's blog is about oddly placed windows called "Witch Windows" in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, but known as "Coffin Windows" in Vermont. Those names have different meanings, and you'll learn about them in today's blog.

Architecture: What are Witch Windows in New England?

WHAT ARE THESE WINDOWS? - These "witch" or "coffin" windows are both the same in appearance and location. They are rectangular and they are titled diagonally, located in the gable end of the second or third floor. 

WHY COFFIN WINDOWS? - In Vermont, these tilted windows are called“coffin windows." According to the "Obscure Vermont" blog, the author, Chad Abramovich, said, "Growing up, my mother would always point them out as “coffin windows” whenever we would take a trip out of suburban Chittenden County to more rural parts of the state, where older structures far outnumbered the new." 

 Chad noted, "The reason they are called coffin windows is if a family member died upstairs, it was far easier to maneuver the needed coffin out the window and slide it down the roof as opposed to figuring out just how to haul it down a steep and narrow Vermont farmhouse staircase." 

WHY WITCH WINDOWS? - In Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire, these are rare, but they exist. Folklore says that witches cannot fly their broomsticks through the tilted windows. Although I haven't been able to find a direct tie-in with the 1692 Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts, it would make sense that there's a connection. 

(Photo: Witch Windows. Credit: Window Outfitters, Inc.) 

Obscure Vermont noted an interesting historic reference - A similar superstition that comes to mind is how the ancient Chinese thought bad spirits traveled in straight lines, so their architecture took on steeply peaked rooflines.

Wednesday, June 25, 2025

SCIENCE: Why do elephants have big ears?

If you've ever wondered why elephants have large ears, after reading today's blog, you'll know. But not all elephants have super large ears. Some have smaller ears, and the elephant relative, the Mammoth, had very small ears. You'll learn why in today's blog.

 

(Photo: Asian-Elephants in the Udawalawe National Park, Sri-Lanka.Credit Cory-Brown_USFWS) 

Why do elephants have big ears?

By Sara Hashemi, LIVE SCIENCE, May 17, 2025

Elephants are known for their intelligence, complex social behavior, memory and size, including their giant ears. The ears of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) can grow up to 6.6 feet (2 meters) long and 4 feet (1.2 m) wide, while Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) have slightly smaller and rounder ears.

That’s about 17% of their body length, which means that while they’re the animal with the largest ears, they’re not actually the one with the largest ears relative to the size of their body. That award goes to the long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso), but it's still impressive to have 6-foot-tall ears.

So why are elephants' ears so big? There's a practical reason for their large size, experts told Live Science: It keeps elephants cool.

An animal that big generates a lot of heat, especially in the hot savannas, forests and grasslands where they live. But unlike humans, elephants don't really sweat, William Sanders, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Michigan who specializes in fossil elephants, told Live Science. Instead, they have very little body hair and "spectacular cooling devices" — massive ears filled with large blood vessels that help the giant animals thermoregulate.

"When the animal gets really warm, it can force blood into its ears, and then it'll flap them," said Advait Jukar, an assistant curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History. Elephant ears have thin skin that is only millimeters thick and the blood vessels that pass through them are large, enabling elephants to move about 20% of their blood supply through their ears at any one time.

The larger the ears are, the more surface area they have to release heat into the surrounding air. Because the blood flowing through them is warmer than the air, the heat dissipates into the elephant's surroundings. Cooler blood then circulates back into the body, helping to reduce the animal's overall temperature, Jukar told Live Science. The animals can expand or constrict their blood vessels depending on whether it's cool or hot, which helps regulate their temperature.

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

EDUCATE YOURSELF : Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" Would Destroy Federal Workers

As a retired Federal government employee, I'm FURIOUS about what the Administration has been doing to federal workers and what's in the ridiculous "Big beautiful bill." They've already forced many to QUIT or "retire early" with the FALSE promises of some compensation (that is NOT approved by Congress). These idiots ELIMINATED government agencies, KILLED Science research, and are also closing the NASA Office where I worked and provided valuable science to the public. NOW, his "big beautiful bill" GUTS JOB PROTECTIONS for federal workers and MAKES IT EASY TO FIRE anyone who isn't a Trump loyalist. There's ALSO a provision that would force new federal workers to PAY FOR TRADITIONAL CIVIL SERVICE PROTECTIONS by raising their retirement contributions unless they agreed to be “at-will” employees who could be terminated at any time. How Barbaric. How Hitler-like. How Fascist. Here's the story of how the Senate Parlimentarian said "NO," but Republicans can over-ride her and say "yes."

 

Senate Parliamentarian Kills Civil Service Cut In Continued Scrub Of 'Beautiful Bill' 

 By Arthur Delaney and Dave Jamieson , Jun 23, 2025, 09:24 AM EDT

WASHINGTON — The Senate’s rules referee has thrown a roadblock in front of congressional Republicans’ plan to gut job protections for federal workers through their “big, beautiful bill.”

The Senate’s parliamentarian ruled lawmakers cannot include the proposal under the fast-track procedures they’re using for President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill, Democrats said late Sunday.

It’s the latest in a series of decisions by the parliamentarian dismantling key provisions of the bill, including a major change to federal food benefits and an attempt to stop courts from enforcing injunctions against the Trump administration.

The so-called budget reconciliation process allows Republicans to pass legislation through the Senate with a simple majority vote, which is a huge convenience, but there are rules against provisions deemed “extraneous” to the budget. It’s up to the parliamentarian to decide what counts.

“Democrats are on the side of families and workers and are scrutinizing this bill piece by piece to ensure Republicans can’t use the reconciliation process to force their anti-worker policies on the American people,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Budget Committee, said in a news release Sunday night.

The heart of the legislation is a $4 trillion package of tax cuts, with their cost partly offset by about $1 trillion in spending cuts, though the parliamentarian has been whittling those.

The proposal struck Sunday essentially would have forced new federal workers to pay for traditional civil service protections by raising their retirement contributions unless they agreed to be “at-will” employees who could be terminated at any time.

The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that most new workers would give up their rights rather than pay for them.

Unions have derided the plan as “extortion.” They warned it would turn the civil service into a spoils system wherein the president could reward loyalists and fire whomever he wanted.

Democrats said the parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, also blocked several other GOP provisions meant to undermine federal workers. (MacDonough’s decisions typically aren’t made public.)

One would have created a “filing fee” for workers to challenge what they believe to be illegal terminations, while another would have forced federal unions to pay for the use of government buildings and equipment and other “agency resources.”

Senate Republicans also hoped to give the president greater leeway to pursue “reorganization” plans — that is, lay off federal workers without approval from Congress. But that provision also ran afoul of the rules, the parliamentarian said.

Another proposal MacDonough ruled out of bounds on Sunday would have given Congress more say over regulations promulgated by federal agencies.

Republicans can overrule the parliamentarian, though doing so would be controversial, or they can try to redraft their proposals so they comply with the Byrd Rule disallowing extraneous matter in budget reconciliation. Otherwise, anything deemed ineligible would be subject to a 60-vote threshold, meaning it would have no chance of passing the Senate without help from Democrats.

Discovery: 500-year-old artifacts from a little-known Mexican culture

 Cave explorers in Mexico stumbled upon jewerly from an ancient civilization in Tlayócoc cave, in Mexico.  Today's blog shares that cool story from Livescience.

(Photo: A small phallic stalagmite is encircled by a 500-year-old bracelet carved from shell with Maya-like imagery.  About 500 years ago, someone placed a shell bracelet on a stalagmite in a Mexican cave. (Image credit: Katiya Pavlova)

'Trash' found deep inside a Mexican cave turns out to be 500-year-old artifacts from a little-known culture 
NewsBy Kristina Killgrove, Live Science, May 26, 2025

When two spelunkers investigated what they thought was trash in a cave in Mexico, they discovered more than a dozen artifacts dating back centuries.

 While investigating a cave high in the mountains of Mexico, a spelunker thought she had found a pile of trash from a modern-day litterbug. But upon closer inspection, she discovered that the "trash" was actually a cache of artifacts that may have been used in fertility rituals more than 500 years ago.

"I looked in, and it seemed like the cave continued. You had to hold your breath and dive a little to get through," speleologist Katiya Pavlova said in a translated statement. "That's when we discovered the two rings around the stalagmites."

The cave, called Tlayócoc, is in the Mexican state of Guerrero and about 7,800 feet (2,380 meters) above sea level. Meaning "Cave of Badgers" in the Indigenous Nahuatl language, Tlayócoc is known locally as a source of water and bat guano. In September 2023, Pavlova and local guide Adrián Beltrán Dimas ventured into the cave — possibly the first time anyone has entered it in about five centuries.

Roughly 500 feet (150 m) into the cave, the ceiling dipped down. The pair of explorers had to navigate the flooded cave with a gap of just 6 inches (15 centimeters) between the water and the cave ceiling. "Adrián was scared, but the water was deep enough, and I went through first to show him it wasn't that difficult," Pavlova said.

While taking a break to look around, Pavlova and Beltrán were shocked to discover 14 artifacts. "It was very exciting and incredible!" Pavlova said. "We were lucky here."

Archaeologists removed the bracelets from the stalagmites and cleaned them to reveal the design. Among the artifacts were four shell bracelets, a giant decorated snail shell (genus Strombus), two complete stone disks and six disk fragments, and a piece of carbonized wood. Pavlova and Beltrán immediately contacted Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), which sent archaeologists to recover the artifacts in March.

Given the arrangement of the bracelets — which had been looped over small, rounded stalagmites with "phallic connotations" — the archaeologists speculated that fertility rituals were likely performed in Tlayócoc cave, they said in the statement.

"For pre-Hispanic cultures, caves were sacred places associated with the underworld and considered the womb of the Earth," INAH archaeologist Miguel Pérez Negrete said in the statement.

Three of the bracelets have incised decorations. An S-shaped symbol known as "xonecuilli" is associated with the planet Venus and the measurement of time, while the profile of a human-like figure may represent the creator god Quetzalcoatl.

Pérez dated the artifacts to the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican history, between A.D. 950 and 1521, and suggested that they were made by members of the little-known Tlacotepehua culture that inhabited the region.

"It's very likely that, because they were found in a close environment where humidity is fairly stable, the objects were able to survive for so many centuries," Pérez said.

Monday, June 23, 2025

Rob's Fun Visit to SC- HEAVY on the Gaming!

Last week, I flew to South Carolina to visit my mom-in-law, and sister-in-law and her husband for 3 days. Although Tom recently visited, I wasn't able to, so I could care for our three dogs. This time, Tom took care of the kids, and I visited! There was a Game marathon and an exciting BINGO Game with a surprise win!  That's today's blog.

(L to R; Rob, Mom, Lisa) 

SERIOUS  GAMERS - One day we played two different games, and it was about 6 hours of gaming!  The first was Rummikub. I had never heard of the game, but caught on. We played that for about 2/ 1/2-3 hours! The second game was Uno. 

CHEATERS???  Sometimes Mom "innocently" played cards when it wasn't her turn... and Greg seemed to take extra turns, too... but we caught on!  Hahahahaha!!!

(Pic - left : L: to R: Rob, Mom, Greg)
(Pic below:  Greg, Harley and Lisa)

WHAT IS RUMMIKUB? - Rummikub is a tile-based game where players aim to be the first to get rid of all their tiles by forming them into sets and runs. Players start with 14 tiles and take turns placing them on the table. Sets are groups of three or four tiles with the same number but different colors, while runs are three or more consecutive numbers of the same color. Players can also add tiles to existing sets and runs on the table, or rearrange them to create new combinations, provided the resulting sets and runs are valid. 

(pic: all of us playing Uno!) 

 PLAYING UNO FOR 3 HOURS! - After a Pizza dinner, we opted to play Uno! 
WHAT IS UNO? - UNO is a popular card game where the objective is to be the first player to get rid of all the cards in your hand by matching the color or number of the top card on the discard pile. Players can also use special action cards like "Skip," "Reverse," and "Draw Two" to hinder opponents and change the game's flow. The game also includes wild cards that can be played on any card and allow the player to change the color in play. The game is won by the first player to empty their hand and can also be scored based on the cards remaining in opponents' hands.  

BIG NIGHT AT BINGO!!!
(Pic: Rob and Mom)
Lisa found a cash Bingo event about 25 minutes north and we all piled in her SUV. The night was fun, but no one won... until the LAST GAME.. when you had to fill up the entire Bingo card.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING... CORRECT!   Greg got a big kick out of watching my cards usually never get ANY or many numbers, so for the last game he bought everyone 2 extra cards. He said "Statistically, you should win after not getting much of anything all night."  He was right.
   The pot was $150 and I won!!! 2 other people won, so I received $50 like the other two winners.
 I then gave mom, Greg and Lisa $10 each so we all won!   

    


Sunday, June 22, 2025

Idiot of the Week: Ohio Chik-Fil-A Owner Arrested for Sex with a Minor

It's another day of Idiot of the Week, and another conservative republican who claims to be a christian has been arrested for sex with a minor. Seems like there's been a run of these conservatives doing that disgusting crime. Yet, they are the ones who falsely accuse the LGBTQ community and drag queens of that heinous behavior. Obviously, conservatives who are vocal about abusing children do it to hide their own crimes. Sickening.


Chik-Fil-A Owner Charged With Sex Crimes in North Carolina Makes First Court Appearance Community

Mar 8, 2024, the Intelligencer, Wheeling News Register, STACY AUSTIN

The next court date for the St. Clairsville Chick-fil-A owner accused of engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old in North Carolina is June 5, according to the Rowan County Clerk of Courts office. And according to the Rowan County Detention Center database, he remains jailed there.

Stacy Lee Austin made his initial appearance before a Rowan County judge Thursday, March 4, 2025. His next date is June 5 in Rowan County Superior Court. In that hearing, bond was set at $100,000, according to an employee at the Rowan County Detention Center.

Austin is accused of driving from his Belmont, Ohio, home to Rowan County and engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old he was communicating with on social media.

Rowan County deputies responded to a home in the county on Tuesday for a reported breaking and entering in progress. When they arrived, the resident informed them that when he arrived home, he allegedly found an adult male, identified as Austin, inside with the resident’s 15-year-old child.

During the conversations on social media, Austin allegedly tried to arrange to pick up the child and, while he was in the victim’s home, performed sexual acts with them.

Investigators allegedly found Austin’s underwear in a bathroom trash can in the home, along with some of the child’s clothing. When questioned by investigators, Austin allegedly admitted to the sexual acts and expressed concern that he would lose his job as a Chick-fil-A owner.

According to information found online, Austin grew up in North Carolina, was chosen as a Chick-fil-A owner/operator in 2019 and opened the St. Clairsville Chick-fil-A in 2020.

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Heroes of the Week: Michigan Couple Saves Kitten trapped in plastic wrap

Today's heroes are a Michigan couple who recently rescued a kitten trapped inside a plastic-wrapped pallet at a home improvement store. Here's the story and video.


Heroes of the Week: Michigan Couple Saves Kitten trapped in plastic wrap

A couple shopping at their local home-improvement store heard noises from inside a pallet wrapped in plastic – before opening it and discovering a kitten trapped inside.

Shelby Elko, 29, and husband Alex, 32, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, were browsing the garden section of the local store on April 26 when they heard a noise, which they both thought could be a bird. Having heard the noise again, the couple started looking for where the sound was coming from, tracing it to a plastic wrapped pallet of lava rock bags.

Shelby tried her best to reach the noise, but after failing to get high enough, she called on Alex to jump up while she captured the moment on video. In the stunning footage, Alex can be seen ripping a hole in the plastic wrap, which then caused a kitten to fall out onto a sack below.

The kitten, now named Oscar, was taken to a local rescue for socialization and care.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/yVCa3Zn0XYE?si=MSKoU4kVLT8kxrtD

Friday, June 20, 2025

Books of the Week: Wow-- 1,000 + Pgs DC Showcase: Metal Men Vol 1 and 2

 Over the last couple of years, I bought many DC Comics 500 page black and white collections of classic comics and most recently, finally read "DC Showcase Presents: The Metal Men" Volumes 1 and 2.  I love the characters and had never read their debut comics run until now. The stories were good, but there was otwo repetitive themes throughout all of them that became tiresome... Today's blog is about those trade paperbacks.


MY TAKE - The metal man had been around since 1962 and it's a great concept. It's about a scientist named Doc Magnus who created robots who were extremely malleable and made out of different medals like lead, gold, platinum, tin, iron, and mercury. All of them are in the likeness of men except for platinum who is in the likeness of a woman. 

THEME 1:  Although I liked the early issues, one theme that ran through all of them that got to be really annoying was that platinum, the female robot, pined over her creator and was "in love with him." In Every single issue including the four debut issues in showcase magazine and the 35 issues of the metal men series itself platinum, known as Tina, cried over Doc Magnus not returning her affections. It got to be extremely tiresome. 

THEME 2: In the first 20 stories of the Metal Men, it seemed like they were always getting totally destroyed and were rebuilt relatively quickly. That also became tiresome!

ODD NOTE:  The creators did develop and conceive a villain known as Chemo, an animated chemical villain who is still popular 62 years later (although "chemo" is known today as a cancer treatment- but they would never have known that). 

 DC Showcase Presents: The Metal Men V1 & 2 B&W Archive 1962-1969

ABOUT THE BOOKS: DC's showcase vol 1 and 2 of the classic Metal Men contains the complete early run beginning with four issues of showcase before the Metal Men got into their own series! Plus, these two volumes also contain metal numbers 1 through 35. Presented in black and white , this is an archive of DC Showcase Comics Volumes 1 and 2. Spanning the years 1962 to 1969, this also includes the classic Brave and the Bold issue #55 with guest the Atom!! Artists and writers include: Robert Kanigher, Bob Haney, and Mike Esposito. **these are long out of print!**

Thursday, June 19, 2025

JetBlue Debuts a Dunkin’® Plane!

I run on Dunkin's black coffee (about 8-12 cups daily), so the story of a plane being painted with the Dunkin' colors and logo made me smile. I've GOT to fly on it!!  It's a JetBlue plane because they're a leading Boston airline, they serve Dunkin' coffee, and Dunkin' was founded in the 1950s in Quincy, Massachusetts (12 miles south of Boston). Today's blog shares the Dunkin' company press release.

JetBlue Debuts a Dunkin’® Plane!

“Brewing Altitude” celebrates nearly two decades of partnership between JetBlue and Dunkin’ serving travelers together

Dunkin News, May 12, 2025 

BOSTON (May 12, 2025) – JetBlue (Nasdaq: JBLU) and Dunkin’, America’s largest coffee and donuts brand, today unveiled a new Dunkin’-themed livery in honor of their longstanding partnership. The vibrant design of the freshly painted Airbus A320 aircraft, appropriately named Brewing Altitude, features Dunkin’s iconic pink and orange branding, brought to life with a playful donut and coffee motif. The aircraft’s new look was revealed at a celebratory event in Boston where both brands have deep roots and a loyal following.

The JetBlue and Dunkin’ partnership started in 2006 when JetBlue began fueling its customers with Dunkin’s Original Blend coffee at 35,000 feet. In 2011, Dunkin’ became the airline’s exclusive onboard coffee provider. Now, the two iconic brands are taking their partnership to new heights as the aircraft makes its way across JetBlue’s network.

“Dunkin’ has been part of the JetBlue journey for nearly two decades, and we’re proud to showcase this partnership with a livery that’s as fun and bold as the brands behind it,” said Marty St. George, president, JetBlue. “With our shared Boston heritage and focus on delighting loyal customers, this collaboration brings together two fan-favorite brands in a way only JetBlue and Dunkin’ can.”

“This is about more than coffee in the sky; it’s about two beloved brands coming together through a shared passion for meeting people where they are and fueling them on their journey,” said Scott Murphy, president of Dunkin’. “From Boston to beyond, we’re proud to see our iconic pink and orange take flight with JetBlue and celebrate the fans who’ve made Dunkin’ part of their everyday ritual, even at 35,000 feet.”

SIDE NOTE: WATCH THE NEW DUNKIN COMMERCIAL WITH FAMOUS ACTORS- What do you do when society reduces you to a snack? You order the Dunkin’ $6 Meal Deal and reclaim your narrative. Featuring James Marsden, Charles Melton, Tramell Tillman, Dylan Efron, Gavin Casalegno, and Zarna Garg in their most emotionally available roles yet. Bacon Egg & Cheese. Hash Browns. Medium Iced Coffee. $6. That’s it.  Link: https://youtu.be/AgrsHl40T6I

Monday Pick-Me-Up: Sip and Soar to Rewards

To bring a little joy to the start of the week and celebrate the livery, JetBlue and Dunkin’ are offering status for customers who fly on Brewing Altitude on Mondays beginning May 19 through September 1. TrueBlue members who fly on eligible routes on the aircraft will receive Mosaic 1 status and Dunkin’ Rewards® members will earn Boosted status for three months. Current Mosaic members will receive 20 bonus tiles, applied to their 2025 tile tracker. Existing Boosted Status members will earn two times the number of points on top of the base points earned for all qualifying purchases for three months.

With this, JetBlue and Dunkin’ are rewarding loyal customers with a chance to elevate their status while fueling their Monday travel. Terms and conditions apply. For full terms and to view the routes that Brewing Altitude will fly each Monday of the promotion, visit jetblue.com/sale/jetblue-dunkin-monday-pick-me-up.

Brewed in Boston, Soaring Beyond

A pillar of the Boston community for 75 years, Dunkin' is the go-to coffee brand in the City of Champions, making this pairing with JetBlue a natural fit as Boston’s biggest leisure airline. JetBlue proudly leads the way in both Boston and New England, boasting the most mainline service from Boston with approximately 30 percent more mainline seats than the next largest carrier. As part of JetBlue’s expansive presence at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), the airline offers the most flights from Boston and New England to California, Florida and the Caribbean than any other carrier. The new special livery underscores JetBlue’s investment in New England where both brands are deeply rooted.

JetBlue and Dunkin’ have even more in store beyond the skies as customers can expect more special moments and promotions in the future. To learn more about JetBlue's special liveries, visit http://www.jetblue.com/flying-with-us/our-planes/special-liveries

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JetBlue is New York's Hometown Airline®, and a leading carrier in Boston, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Juan. JetBlue carries customers to more than 100 destinations throughout the United States, Latin America, Caribbean, Canada and Europe. For more information and the best fares, visit jetblue.com. 

Dunkin’, founded in 1950, is the largest coffee and donuts brand in the United States, with more than 14,000 restaurants in nearly 40 global markets. Dunkin’ is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit DunkinDonuts.com and InspireBrands.com. a. Brewing Altitude is scheduled for routine maintenance on Monday, June 30 and Monday, July 7 and will not be eligible for the Monday Pick-Me-Up promotion. Dates are subject to change.

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

SCIENCE: Oceans are heating faster in 2 bands stretching around globe - U.S. Affected

Greenhouse gases continue to play a part in warming our oceans, affecting sea life, changing weather patterns and more. New research from the University of Auckland, New Zealand shows that ocean waters along the 40th parallel south and north have warmed. Here's the story from the press release.  

(Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Joshua Scott.) 

Oceans are heating faster in two bands stretching around globe

Countries affected include the US, Japan, Argentina, New Zealand 

University of Auckland,April 30, 2025

The world’s oceans are heating faster in two bands stretching around the globe, one in the southern hemisphere and one in the north, according to new research led by climate scientist Dr Kevin Trenberth.

In both hemispheres, the areas are near 40 degrees latitude.

The first band at 40 to 45 degrees south is heating at the world’s fastest pace, with the effect especially pronounced around New Zealand, Tasmania, and Atlantic waters east of Argentina.

The second band is around 40 degrees north, with the biggest effects in waters east of the United States in the North Atlantic and east of Japan in the North Pacific.

EDITOR'S NOTE: WHERE THE OCEAN IS WARMING MOST NEAR U.S. - The official name for the line is the “40th parallel north.“ It runs through coastal California on the Pacific side and New Jersey on the Atlantic side.

“This is very striking,” says Trenberth, of the University of Auckland and the National Center of Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. “It’s unusual to discover such a distinctive pattern jumping out from climate data,” he says.

WHY IT MATTERS: Ocean heating upsets marine ecosystems, increases atmospheric levels of water vapour, which is a powerful greenhouse gas, and fuels rain-storms and extreme weather.

The heat bands have developed since 2005 in tandem with poleward shifts in the jet stream, the powerful winds above the Earth’s surface that blow from west to east, and corresponding shifts in ocean currents, according to Trenberth and his co-authors in the Journal of Climate.

The scientists processed an “unprecedented” volume of atmospheric and ocean data to assess 1 degree latitude strips of ocean to a depth of 2000m for the period from 2000 to 2023, Trenberth says. Changes in heat content, measured in zettajoules, were compared with a 2000-04 baseline.

Besides the two key zones, sizeable increases in heat took place in the area from 10 degrees north to 20 degrees south, which includes much of the tropics. However, the effect was less distinct because of variations caused by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation climate pattern, Trenberth says.

“What is unusual is the absence of warming in the subtropics, near 20 degrees latitude, in both hemispheres,” he says.

Co-authors of the paper were Lijing Cheng and Yuying Pan, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, John Fasullo of NCAR, and Michael Mayer of the University of Vienna and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

“Despite what Donald Trump thinks, the climate is changing because of the build-up of greenhouse gases, and most of the extra heat ends up in the ocean,” says Trenberth. “However, the results are by no means uniform, as this research shows. Natural variability is likely also at play."

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JOURNAL REFERENCE: Oceans are heating faster in two bands stretching around globe University of Auckland Journal of Climate DOI 10.1175/JCLI-D-24-0609.1 

 Media Contact Paul Panckhurst University of Auckland paul.panckhurst@auckland.ac.nz Cell: 0220328475

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

A newly discovered T. rex relative! Khankhuuluu mongoliensis

I loved dinosaurs and new discoveries are always fascinating. The latest is from Mongolia and it's a relative to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. That's today's blog.

(Image: An artist impression of Khankhuuluu mongoliensis that roamed what is now Mongolia around 86 million years ago. (Image credit: Julius Csotonyi)

 

Meet 'Dragon prince' — the newly discovered T. rex relative that roamed Mongolia 86 million years ago

By Chris Simms Live Science, June 12, 2025

A new species of dinosaur that was probably a princely ancestor of T. rex, the king of the dinosaurs, has been identified from fossils excavated in Mongolia.

Scientists have identified a never-before-seen species of dinosaur called the dragon prince — a prehistoric predator that set tyrannosaurs on the path to ruling Earth. This newly discovered relative of Tyrannosaurus rex came to light after researchers re-examined fossils found in Mongolia.

Its existence sheds light on the story of tyrannosaur dinosaurs and how they evolved and spread.

The scientists named the dinosaur the dragon prince of Mongolia (Khankhuuluu mongoliensis), with the genus name based on the Latinization of the Mongolian words for prince and dragon. Their findings were published Wednesday (June 11) in the journal Nature.

"They [tyrannosauroids] were the princes before they took the mantle of kingship," study co-author Jared Voris, a researcher at the University of Calgary in Canada, told Live Science.

Tyrannosauroids were giant apex predators that walked on two legs, had huge heads with sharp teeth and tiny arms. They are part of the larger tyrannosauroid family and were thought to have evolved from smaller species — but until now there has been little fossil evidence to support this idea.

So, Voris set out for Mongolia to examine partial tyrannosauroid skeletons that had been excavated decades ago but not yet fully examined. The specimens that really caught Voris' eye were found in Mongolia in 1972 and 1973 and described in a scientific paper in 1977, when the individuals were identified as the already known genus Alectrosaurus.

But after being reexamined, "I realized it was something completely different than anything we'd ever seen," Voris said. "And it actually represented the ancestor of all of our big apex predatory tyrannosaurs that we find both here in Alberta and in Mongolia and China."

K. mongoliensis was far smaller than T. rex   

The dragon prince lived 86 million years ago and looked much like a tyrannosaur, but it was only about 13 feet (4 meters) long, weighing in at 1,650 pounds (750 kilograms). Many later tyrannosaurs were much bigger, with T. rex reaching 41 feet (12.5 m) long and weighing up to about 23,000 pounds (10,400 kg). The dragon prince also had a smaller head and longer arms compared to later tyrannosaurs.

"It's a nice new discovery giving us a better sense of what this intermediate phase of tyrannosaur history is like," Thomas Holtz, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Maryland, who wasn't part of the team, told Live Science.

SCIENCE: Bird feeders have caused a dramatic evolution of California hummingbirds

 If you have a hummingbird feeder, here's a story you'll find interesting. Since their introduction, the feeders have been affecting the evolution in California hummingbirds. 

(Photo: Anna’s Hummingbird. Credit: USDA) 

Bird feeders have caused a dramatic evolution of California hummingbirds

Beaks have grown longer and larger, and ranges have expanded to follow the feeders 

21 May 2025 ByRachel Nuwer, SCIENCE 

Hummingbird feeders are a beloved pastime for millions of backyard birders and a convenient dining spot for the birds. But for the Anna’s hummingbird, a common species in the western United States, feeders have become a major evolutionary force. 

According to research published this week in Global Change Biology, artificial feeders have allowed the birds to expand their range out of Southern California up to the state’s northern end. They have also driven a transformation of the birds themselves. Over just a few generations, their beaks have dramatically changed in size and shape.

“They seem to be moving where we go and changing quite rapidly to succeed in their new environments,” says co–lead author Nicolas Alexandre, who conducted the work when he was a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley and is now a geneticist at Colossal Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Dallas. “We can think of Anna’s hummingbird as a commensal species, similar to pigeons.”

Carleton University animal behaviorist Roslyn Dakin, who wasn’t involved with the study, adds that the new paper beautifully shows “evolution in action.”

It’s unclear when the earliest hummingbird feeders appeared. A 1928 National Geographic article provided instructions for DIY feeders to observe hummingbirds, but the technology likely existed earlier. What is clear, though, is that hummingbird feeders took off after World War II. When Alexandre and his colleagues mined the text of newspaper archives dating back to 1880, they found that ads for feeders proliferated after the first patented one appeared in 1947.

To test how Anna’s hummingbirds responded to the uptick in feeders, the researchers turned to the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, an annual birding survey. Data from the survey showed which of California’s 58 counties the bird inhabited from 1938 to 2019. U.S. Census records indicated human population density in these same areas, while newspaper ads for feeders served as a proxy for feeder density. In addition, the team analyzed hummingbird museum specimens in 2D and 3D to quantify changes to their beaks over time. Finally, they built a model for predicting hummingbird range expansion that incorporated not just artificial feeders, but also other factors, including the locations of introduced eucalyptus trees, which can provide nectar throughout the year.

The researchers’ findings suggest eucalyptus trees—which were planted en masse in California in the late 1800s—might have served as the first steppingstone for some populations of Anna’s hummingbirds to expand their ranges. But hummingbird feeders played the biggest role in driving the hummingbird’s northward population growth. “The feeders are what really make the difference here,” says senior author Alejandro Rico-Guevara, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Washington. 

The researchers also found that as feeders proliferated, Anna’s hummingbird beaks got longer and larger, which may reflect an adaptation to slurp up far more nectar than flowers can naturally provide. Developing a bigger beak to access feeders “is like having a large spoon to eat with,” Rico-Guevara says.

This change was more pronounced in areas where feeders were dense

But in birds that lived in colder regions north of the species’ historical range, the researchers spotted the opposite trend: Their beaks became shorter and smaller. This finding also makes sense: The researchers used an infrared camera to show for the first time that hummingbirds use their beaks to thermoregulate, by dissipating heat while they are perched. A smaller beak has less surface area—and would therefore help conserve heat.

It wasn’t just the size and shape of beaks that changed. In areas where feeders are dense, male hummingbirds have also developed beaks that are pointier and sharper than usual. Pointy beaks in hummingbird species often indicate aggressiveness, and the researchers think male skirmishes over feeder control may have made these birds feistier. “Anyone who has a feeder knows that hummingbirds fight like crazy,” Rico-Guevara says.

The most surprising finding, though, was how quickly these changes took place. By the 1950s, hummingbirds were noticeably different from those of the 1930s: a time span of only about 10 generations of birds, Alexandre says.

Dakin says the study adds nuance to our conception of humans as an evolutionary force. Often, researchers think of humans as exerting selective pressures through environmental damage or deliberate domestication. But as with Anna’s hummingbird, “I think we’re going to find more and more examples of contemporary and subtle changes,” she says, “that we’re shaping, indirectly, in many more species.”

Monday, June 16, 2025

A New Ad for my latest #1 books in Muscle Sport Magazine

 Here's a new Ad that will be running for my Five #1 books. It will appear in the upcoming issue of Muscle Sport Magazine at www.musclesportmag.com - The folks there did a great job putting the ad together. I was contacted by them after my Pennhurst Paracon appearance, and given that I work out daily and strongly support fitness, this was a perfect fit.



Sunday, June 15, 2025

Idiot of the Week: Man accused of embezzling more than $300K from elderly family member

 This week's idiot is a relative of a senior who bilked him out of $300,000! It is absolutely appalling what some family members do to their senior relatives. This guy was actually released on his own personal recognizance on the condition that he not travel outside New England. In that time, he can get rid of the cash he stole. Hopefully the authorities are watching. 

Mass. man accused of embezzling more than $300K from elderly family member 


“This case illustrates one of the most common forms of elder abuse, the financial exploitation by a trusted family member.”

 By Dialynn Dwyer, April 1, 2025, Boston

A Chelmsford man was arraigned Monday on charges he embezzled more than $300,000 from an elderly family member, authorities announced.

Eric Borghetti, 51, pleaded not guilty to five counts of embezzlement by a fiduciary, the Middlesex County District Attorney’s office said in a statement.

Prosecutors allege that in September 2019, Borghetti was living with the elderly woman at her Chelmsford home when a fire destroyed the house and injured the victim. Shortly afterward, she allegedly appointed Borghetti to serve as her fiduciary, acting in her best interests, with a Durable Power of Attorney.

“The language of the DPOA did not authorize Mr. Borghetti to receive compensation or gifts in connection with his duties under the DPOA,” the DA’s office said.

Shortly after the appointment, Borghetti allegedly added himself to the victim’s bank account. Prosecutors allege that after the woman’s insurance company deposited $175,750 to her account, Borghetti used transfers, deposits, and withdrawals to embezzle the woman’s money from four different accounts, including one single alleged withdrawal of $84,000.

Borghetti is accused of embezzling $328,500 before his family member realized what he was allegedly doing and reported it, officials said.

“This case illustrates one of the most common forms of elder abuse, the financial exploitation by a trusted family member,” Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said in a statement. “While these violations of trust may not initially be suspected among family members, this case shows the importance of acting quickly if you are concerned.

Here, this defendant seized an opportunity following a large insurance settlement and was able to embezzle a huge amount of money in a matter of a few months.” 

Following his arraignment, Borghetti was released on his own personal recognizance on the condition that he not travel outside New England, surrender existing passports, and not apply for any new passports. He will return to court on April 24.

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Good News: Mom and Dad send a Musical Sign on their Anniversary

Today's blog is about how on Anniversaries and Birthdays, you shoudld watch for signs from spirits.

My parents, pictured, have often given signs around those times. My dad passed in 2008, and mom passed in 2013. Their wedding anniversary is June 19th, the same day as my mom’s Birthday. They will often give me signs in various ways. Signs can come within 2 weeks on either side of a birthday or anniversary.
This year, they sent me the musical sign of their Anniversary song, “Through the Years” By Kenny Rogers! (Click the link to hear it). I was working out with a classic country music station playing in the background, and right when I started, the song came on. It's not a coincidence. Spirits of loved ones will inspire us to turn on a radio station or music channel at the right moment to hear their musical sign.

Who I am

I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

A Classic Country Music Station to Enjoy