Archaeology: Ancient School where Aristotle taught Alexander the Great has been found in northern Greece.

 If you've ever visited northern Greece, there was an amazing discovery there of a school where Aristotle taught Alexander the Great. If you've visited the modern village of Lefkadia, near the town of Naousa (or Náousa) in the Imathia regional unit of Central Macedonia, Greece, that's where the Ancient Mieza was located and where this archaeological find happened!

 (Image: This aerial image shows part of the ancient school where Alexander was taught. Image credit: Copyright Hellenic Ministry of Culture)

Nearly 2,400-year-old school where Aristotle taught Alexander the Great discovered in Greece

By Owen Jarus Edited by Laura Geggel, Kristina Killgrove

The school where Alexander the Great was educated by Aristotle more than 2,300 years ago has been uncovered in the ancient Macedonian city of Mieza, now in northern Greece, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture said in a translated statement.

Archaeologists unearthed a building complex containing two banquet halls, a sporting arena, a stadium, a roofed porch and a lecture hall with stone desks, according to the statement. Mosaic floors and columns decorated the complex. The banquet halls had raised pedestals where nearly a dozen couches would originally have been placed.

The decoration and architecture of the school is similar to that of the Macedonian royal palace at Aigai (modern Vergina in northern Greece), where Philip II and his son Alexander the Great lived, the statement noted.

Among the building ruins, which date to the fourth century B.C., archaeologists discovered coins, ceramics and four styluses that ancient pupils used for writing, providing clues to who might have been educated there.

(Photo:  Mieza, aka Shrine of the Nymphs was a town in ancient Macedonia, where Aristotle taught young AlexanderTheGreat 343 - 340 B.C. Mieza was also the home of Alexander's companion, Peucestas. Credit: Hellenic History)

Alexander the Great and Aristotle Alexander the Great was educated at a school in Mieza where Aristotle taught, the ancient writer Plutarch (who lived circa A.D. 50 to 120) wrote in his biography "Life of Alexander." Because of this, Angeliki Kottaridi, an archaeologist and director emerita of antiquities with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture who is leading excavations at the site, believes that the building complex is the very school where Alexander the Great studied.

According to Plutarch, Philip II, had this school built "for the education of his son Alexander and the children of the noble Macedonians," Kottaridi told Live Science in an email. Schools in the ancient Greek world, called "gymnasia," taught students a variety of subjects and also trained them physically.

The discovery of the school was a bit indirect, Kottaridi said. "A few years ago, I identified the ancient remains next to the ancient theater of Mieza," she said, and her team began excavating the building complex in 2024. But some excavation of the complex had been done more than 20 years earlier, she explained, when a monument dedicated to the nymphs was found nearby.

Disappointing Conference Experience, but Several Highlights

As an author I attend paranormal conferences to speak about my books and sell them. I recently attended one in that was a total financial disaster, but there were three highlights. That's today's blog.

(Photo: The 1 lone person who showed up for my lecture. We had a one-on-one conversation for an hour). 

The paranormal conference was held in August in southern New Hampshire. There are always fees to save a table (Usually its between $75 and $150) and this one was $230.00. There was also a promise it was going to have large attendance, up to 1,000 people. It did not.  

ADDITIONAL EXPENSE - Because it's a good distance from where I live, and I packed my vehicle the night before, and on the morning of the conference drove from 7 am to arrive and set up. Because It ended at 5pm, I knew it would be a long day and driving back at night would not be safe, so I booked a hotel for another $120.  

WHO CAME? Only about 30 people that showed up. That's all. I sold 6 books, including two to a fellow vendor (for a profit of only $30 (leaving $320 in the red). The vendor next to me sold one item of jewelry and they are also retired, so the financial hit was tough on them, too.

MY 2:15pm PETS AND THE AFTERLIFE LECTURE - One lone woman sat to hear my talk, and it wound up being a one-on-one. It worked out well for her because she was able to acknowledge some signs she had already been receiving, but dismissed. So, fortunately, it was healing for her. 

HIGHLIGHT #1 - I met a cool guy who may develop his psychic gift, and since there was no one attending the event, he sat with me and we talked for about 90 minutes. 

HIGHLIGHT #2 AND SIGN FROM MY TYLER - 

The second highlight was meeting little 12 year old Freddy, a long-haired black and tan Dachshund  that his mom brought into the conference in a carry bag. 

I spoke with Freddy's mom for about 30 minutes. Again, no one else was there. 

Immediately he reminded me of our Tyler who passed almost 1 year to the day (July 29, 2025). Freddy was the only dog anyone brought into the event. Now I know that I was supposed to be there at the event, so Tyler would send me a sign around the anniversary of his passing. 

HIGHLIGHT #3 - Old friends are always a highlight, and no matter how grim a situation may be, they always brighten it. That's what Candace and Derick Fedders did. We talked with each other for about an hour (because no one was there).  They are known as the "Paraclauses" because they dress as Santa and Mrs. Claus on paranormal investigations wherever there are children. She's a medium, and he's a tech expert.

WHAT HAPPENED? After promises of a big crowd, it came down to promotions and advertising. There was virtually none except for the vendors promoting it on their own pages- and that only goes so far.  I told a couple of people about it, and they came. I posted it all over my social media book pages, but few people that follow me live in the area. **There was one 12 inch by 8 inch sign at the hotel driveway (easy to miss), which was off the main road. Nothing on the Main road. Nothing on the highway exit.  No ad in a local newspaper. Nothing on the local Patch.com Events page. Zero.   

MEETING 2 MORE OLD FRIENDS - I met 2 friends for dinner at a haunted building. My friend Jim, a fellow scientist, whom I've known for 30 years, and my friend Amy, who manages the Nashua "Hunt Memorial Library" of which I co-authored the book "Haunting of Hunt Memorial Library" with Monique Toosoon, after we had a crazy paranormal investigation there. 

We decided to have dinner at Fody's in the haunted Tavern Building, located across the street from the Hunt Memorial Library. The Hunt Library sits atop the original spot of the Tavern Building. The Tavern building was moved to its present spot in 1901 so the library could be built. Learn MORE in "Haunting of Hunt Memorial Library" by Rob Gutro and Monique Toosoon. 

Idiot of the Week: Former candidate for Maine governor Ben Midgley penalized by Kalshi for betting on his campaign

If you know you're an idiot and you don't stand a chance of being elected, it's not a good idea to bet on it, because you'll get found out. That's what this week's idiot did. He joins idiot ex-Congressman and felon, George Santos (R), North Carolina congressional candidate Laurie Buckhout (R) and California's Stephen Cloobeck (R) that were also banned from the same platform for doing similar things. If you think this post is partisan, it isn't. it's just fact. But I don't understand betting against yourself. That's not healthy. 

Former candidate for Maine governor Ben Midgley penalized by Kalshi for betting on his campaign after 2 others

Ben Midgley, who finished second in the Republican gubernatorial primary, has been banned from the online prediction market platform for three years

WMTW-TV, Aug 31, 2026, Russ Reed

PORTLAND, Maine — Kalshi has banned Ben Midgley, a former candidate for Maine governor, from the online prediction platform for three years after he bet on himself.

Midgley, who finished second in the Republican gubernatorial primary after a ranked choice voting tabulation, bet less than $1,000 on his campaign.

In a statement shared with The Associated Press, Midgley said that he was not aware candidates could not support themselves on Kalshi when he used the platform he viewed as "a novelty and entertainment source."

"The moment I became aware the site preferred not to have candidates supporting themselves, I suspended any involvement," Midgley said in his statement to the AP. "I mean it is hard to take a site seriously which allows bets on virtually anything. Obviously, the novelty has worn off. I had no winnings and made a donation to charity in accordance with Kalshi’s policies."

Midgley was once the president of Planet Fitness before he became a founding partner of Crunch Franchising, LLC.

News of Midgley's three-year ban from Kalshi came on the same day the platform announced that former U.S. Rep. George Santos was permanently banned after its Compliance Department found reasonable cause to believe the former Republican congressman engaged in insider trading, contributing to speculation over whether he would attend the State of the Union address before turning a $17,839 profit on his trading activity when he did not.

Kalshi also levied a three-year ban and a $2,589 fine against North Carolina congressional candidate Laurie Buckhout after the Republican admitted placing bets of less than $1,000 on her campaign.

Stephen Cloobeck, a timeshare mogul who briefly ran for California governor, describing himself as a "Libertarian Republican," was banned for three years after Kalshi said he bought $10,000 worth of contracts on his candidacy.

Heroes of the Week: Young men use frying pan to stop Somersworth, NH garage fire

This week's heroes are two young guys who were driving by an auto repair shop and noticed the outside cigarette receptacle on fire next to the building. If they hadn't stopped to put it out, the building likely would have caught fire. Here's to these two conscientious guys who thought enough to help and make the world a better place.  

(Photo: Preston Horton, left, and Blake Carter of Somersworth, seen Monday, Aug. 25, 2026, worked together using a frying pan to put out a fire at Central Park Garage Aug. 20. Credit: Foster's Daily Democrat)

Young men use frying pan to stop Somersworth garage fire: 'Right thing to do'

Karen Dandurant, Foster's Daily Democrat .Aug. 27, 2026,

SOMERSWORTH — Two young men acted quickly last week, extinguishing a fire at Central Park Garage, potentially preventing a much worse outcome.

Preston Horton and Blake Carter, both 21 and Somersworth residents, were driving around 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20, when they noticed the fire at the auto repair business at 470 High St.

They decided to turn around and go back to help. The garage is open weekdays and closes at 5:30 p.m., according to its listed hours.

"We were leaving Market Basket after getting subs for dinner," Carter said. "We were heading towards Walmart when I saw smoke in the air. Then I saw flames at a garage."

 "We did a U-turn," Carter said. "We saw the receptacle for cigarettes beside the building was on fire."

"At first I didn't really believe Blake, but we turned around anyway," Horton said. "It just seemed like the right thing to do. There was no one else around when we got there."

Horton said he runs a local junk removal business, while Carter works in landscaping, and both feel connected to the community.

"We try to do one thing good a day," Carter said. "Like if we see an older man at the dump, we will unload his truck for him."

A mini fire brigade with a frying pan 

The fire was not large, but it was burning strongly, they said. They called the city Fire Department and then tried to figure out what they could do themselves.

"We tried to find water," Carter said. "Preston found a water bottle. We ran around the building trying to find a spigot, and Preston noticed one on a nearby building. I went into the trunk of Preston's car, saw a frying pan, and grabbed that."

Central Park Garage at 470 High St. in Somersworth, seen Aug. 25, 2026, was the site of a smoking receptacle fire Aug. 20. The fire was prevented from spreading by two young men who put it out before it spread to the building.

The two men ran back and forth between the garage and the spigot until the fire was out.

"I got that pan off the side of road," said Horton. "I was planning on going camping this weekend and it would be useful. I refilled the water bottle for about 15 trips. Luckily the building did not catch on fire. I am not sure how long it had been going by the time we noticed it. The ashtray thing was melted."

The Fire Department responded in about five minutes.

Deputy Fire Chief James Drakopoulos said the department appreciates the quick action taken by the young men.

"They probably did help keep the fire from spreading to other parts of the building," Drakopoulos said. "We want to thank them for doing what they could to protect our citizens."

Because the fire seems to have started in the cigarette receptacle, Drakopoulos said, it's a good reminder to keep smoking containers 25 feet away from buildings.

"We would also remind everyone not to put themselves in danger from a fire," he said. "We appreciate what they did, but do not want to see anyone in harm's way."

A woman who identified herself as a manager at Central Park Garage said the business plans to offer Horton and Carter free oil changes to thank them. She said the owner, who is listed as William (Bill) Stowell, declined to comment for this story.

Book of the Week: Past His Defenses by Andrew Grey (M/M)

I recently enjoyed a gay fiction novel called "Past his Defenses" by Andrew Grey. It's about two men who were in the Marines in Afghanistan and fell for each other, then went their own ways for seven years. When one contacted the other to visit for a vacation, he never expected the other to have adopted a child. It's a great story with no explicit scenes, just a nice romantic novel with a little attempted industrial espionage. 4.5 out of 5 stars!

What I liked about the book: The characters were great, Robert, a former marine turned Detroit police detective was interesting and my favorite character. Dixie (a man), the other former marine working in cyber security adopted a somewhat disabled and smart son named Henri and lived in Paris. Henri was also a great character. The only one I didn't warm up to was Dixie. But there was intrigue as Dixie and Henri were threatened by a rival company who wanted to steal his work. The Cover was HOT. 

What could have been better- wasn't the story- it was the formatting! The font was in 10 point type which got hard to read. It was also single spaced, and the chapters didn't start on the right-facing page. I LOVED the STORY... but the formatting and font size was somewhat off-putting.

ABOUT THE BOOK: When a case reopens old wounds from the kidnapping of his younger sister, police officer Robert Fenner is told in no uncertain terms that he needs a break. And maybe his superiors are right. He books a flight to visit an old friend, who happens to be the one who got away, and hopes for the best.

Electronic security consultant Dixie Halewood works from his home in Paris, where he lives with his adopted son, Henri. Dixie doesn't expect a message from an old flame asking for a place to stay, but he agrees. Their past is just that--the past.

Things between them aren't as settled as they thought--Henri, Paris, and proximity work their magic. The two men are drawn closer and old flames burst back to life, but Dixie's work brings a new threat to their safety and the budding family they missed out on the first time around.

My Experience: I Won't Fly Southwest Anymore: New Boarding Policy

In mid-September I flew from Maine to Maryland on Southwest Airlines, and it was the first time since they changed their boarding policy. It was AWFUL and although I paid for seat, I got text messages saying I was on "standby" which caused anxiety. Today's blog is about that experience.

Southwest was ALWAYS my Go-To airline. It was reasonably priced, there were boarding groups, and one bag was free. When Southwest changed it's format, ALL of that Disappeared. It's now totally Awful. The only good thing are the people who work for the airline. 

MASSIVE PRICE INCREASES - Flying roundtrip from New England to Baltimore used to be about $249 in 2023. Now, that same flight is minimally $555. On top of that, they encourage you to BUY a seat starting from an additional $24 up to about $60. Then, you have to pay a BAG fee, which is also New.  (That means your flight would be about $100 more)

PUTTING ME IN THE LAST BOARDING GROUP UNLIKE OTHERS IN MY ROW - I Paid for seat 6E, and my boarding pass put me in Boarding group 8, the last group, so I realized there would likely be No Bin space for my carryon bag. Here's what Irritated me:  The other 2 people sitting next to me in Row 6 said they were in BOARDING GROUP 2 and they had to get out of their seats for me to get in. WTH?  

SEAT FIASCO AND PUT ON SURPRISE STAND BY- Southwest gives you the "option" of not picking a seat and letting them assign you one if you don't want to pay extra. Well, that didn't work.  Although I paid for a seat going to Baltimore, I opted not to buy one for the return. 

ANXIETY TEXTS! My flight was at 2:10pm. 

TEXT#1 - At 12:06 pm  when I was at the airport,  "Overhead bin space may fill up before groups 6,7,8 board. Lighten your load and check your carryon for free with a Customer Service Agent." OF Course, since I didn't have an assigned seat, I knew I was likely going to be in Boarding Group 8 AGAIN... and I was. I was in the last 5 people to board.    

TEXT #2 - At 12:19pm when I was at the airport, I received the following text: "Standby alert: You have been cleared for flight 294 from BWI to PWM, departing at 2:10 pm. Get your boarding pass(es) here: XXX  ***WHAT??!? - So I was put on Standby because I didn't pay EXTRA for a seat? What if I wasn't cleared and got stranded? I had NO idea. That's pretty awful to do to someone who bought a ticket.*** 

The gate agent explained that people who don't pay for seats are always going to get a "standby" notice. 

BOTTOM LINE - For a flight that I paid over $500 for, to take a 1 hour flight, and get stuck in the last boarding group with no room for 1 small carryon, and face the anxiety of being "On Standby" - I consider myself DONE with Southwest Airlines. It's a shame. I've flown with them for 20 years. They have LOST their way.  

Angel Numbers and Sprite's Sign Going to a Paracon!

One of the signs that people or pets in spirit give us are numbers called "Angel Numbers." An Angel number is a number  that indicates their presence.  Angel numbers have some significance to the person or pet who passed. When I was driving to attend the Maine paranormal and horror conference in mid-September, my spirit dog Sprite let me know he was with me and I took comfort knowing he would help me teach others about how pets communicate from spirit. 

Usually, it's easier to recognize an Angel number when the number repeats. Like 11,111,1111. It can be seen on anything (time, street signs, price tags, gas station signs...).   Every day one or more of my 7 dogs in spirit send me an Angel number, which means I just happen to look at something with a number (and I don't wait for the time or temperature to change, or stare for license plates!) and it's in front of me.  Although they are known to be associated with different meanings, they can use a specific number or any repeating number to indicate they are around us, like 1111, 555, 222, etc.

OUR DOGS' ANGEL NUMBERS

Our Weimaraner Dolly's number is 1, because she is an old soul and my heart dog. My spirit dog Buzz's number is 222 because he passed on February 22. Franklin's number is 3 because he was born in March. My spirit dog Sprite's number is 4 or 444 because he was the fourth dog we adopted. Tyler is 5, Dash is 6, and Cody is 7. 

SPRITE'S SIGN!   While going to the Maine paranormal and horror convention today, I saw Sprite's Angel number 4 repeating in the gas prices, so I know he is with me today as I talk about how pets communicate from the afterlife (based on my "Pets and the Afterlife" series of books, which features his butterfly sign and many more

EXAMPLE OF DOLLY AND TYLER'S ANGEL NUMBERS IN 2025 -  Every day, Dolly (the
Weimaraner) in spirit, has sent me signs since she passed. Her Angel number is 1, or 11, 111,1111. After realizing that Buzz's number is 2, Franklin's is 3, and Sprite's is 4, Tyler's number is 5. Whenever any of the numbers are repeating or together, it represents one or several together. 

   On Monday, August 11th, there was a "Dolly/Tyler" combination of 11 and 55, when I happened to pick up the phone! (I don't wait for time to change, it's always 'accidental.'). This tells me they are together on the other side.

EXAMPLE OF BUZZ'S ANGEL NUMBER IN 2025   

On May 17, 2025, at the Pennhurst Paracon, I was trying to secure a time for my talk, I got a sign from my late dog, Buzz that it would happen. Buzz is a Weimaraner who passed tragically as a 7 month old puppy when his leash opened and a car struck him. Buzz re-awakened my medium abilities and taught me how pets communicate from the afterlife. It's because of Buzz's mission that my journey began in 2005.

Buzz passed on February 22, 2005, so I realized that his Angel number is 222 (as in Feb 22nd).

On May 17th, after talking with visitors to my tent and vendor table, I happened to pick up my phone, and it was 2:22 p.m. ET. That was a sign from Buzz that everything would be okay, and that he was working from spirit to make the talk happen. He did.

Watch for your signs, and read the "Pets and the Afterlife" series of books by Rob Gutro to recognize more signs from your spirit pets!

Stunning Roman-era Dog and Cat mosaic discovered!

 Ancient Romans knew how important dogs and cats are, and recently in Turkey a mosaic was unearthed depicting both!

(Image: One panel of the mosaic depicts a light-colored cat named Emerald resting on a blue-green cushion. Image credit: H. M. Özgen/Adramytteion Research Archive)

Stunning Roman-era mosaic discovered in Turkey features 'Emerald' the cat and 'Ocean' the dog

LiveScience, By Kristina Killgrove Edited by Laura Geggel, Laura Mondragón, SAept 6, 2026

Nearly two millennia ago, a wealthy Roman commissioned an intricate, multicolored floor mosaic that depicted two beloved household animals: a cat named Emerald and a dog named Ocean. The mosaic was a key feature of a villa, which archaeologists recently unearthed from beneath the ancient city of Adramytteion on Turkey's Aegean coast.

Within the Roman villa, which has been dated to the late second to third centuries A.D., archaeologists discovered three halls surrounding a central atrium. In one room, which likely functioned as the villa's main reception hall, archaeologists found a colorful mosaic with 15 separate panels depicting living and mythological creatures.

In a study forthcoming in the Journal of Mosaic Research, archaeologist Hüseyin Özgen, head of the Adramytteion research team at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, wrote that the 15 panels are centered around what appears to be a depiction of Medusa, while the named cat and dog may preserve the memory of household creatures.

(IMAGE: Another panel of the mosaic depicts a dog named Ocean. Image credit: H. M. Özgen/Adramytteion Research Archive)

Özgen began excavating at Adramytteion in 2012, but he and his team discovered the Roman villa only recently and excavated it in 2025 and early 2026. In the Roman period, Adramytteion was a provincial capital within Asia Minor and a prime trading spot due to its location at the head of a gulf on the Aegean Sea. The impressive villa included three mosaic-paved halls, a number of secondary rooms, and a network of pipes and drains that may have connected to a latrine.

Visitors approaching from the courtyard of the villa would have been greeted by the largest, most elaborate mosaic in the residence, according to Özgen. Located in the middle of the room, the mosaic measures about 16.4 by 11.8 feet (5 by 3.6 meters) and contains 15 panels arranged in three rows. Most of the panels depict birds, fish and felines, but two mythologically inspired panels include a gorgon (possibly Medusa) and a winged horse (possibly Pegasus). Ancient artists used white, black, red, orange, yellow, pink, burgundy, blue, turquoise and green tiles to create the intricate design.

Only two of the animals depicted in the mosaic are named. As someone entered the room, the first mosaic panel they would have seen to their left was a pale cat seated on a blue-green cushion, Özgen wrote in the study. Above the cat are the Greek letters ΖΜΑΡΑΓΔΙΝ (Zmaragdin), meaning emerald. The relaxed cat sitting on a cushion suggests that Emerald may have been a pet rather than a stray.

On the right side as someone entered the room was a mosaic panel depicting a running or leaping dog. This animal is labeled with the Greek letters ΩΚΕΑΝΟΣ (Okeanos), meaning ocean. Adramytteion was a harbor city, so Ocean's name may have been bestowed due to his surroundings, according to Özgen.

Emerald and Ocean were likely familiar to the villa's residents, even if they weren't specifically pets, Özgen wrote, and their depictions in the mosaic may have functioned as familiar signs of ownership and household identity.

Research at Adramytteion by Özgen and the project team is ongoing.

A Moving Memorial for our friend Chris

 Earlier this month, I attended a beautiful memorial service for our friend Chris. He passed on July 31st of this year, and it was devastating loss. The service and the setting were beautiful. I also had a chance to speak about our friend, and today's blog will include my speech and reflections of Chris.

(Photo: Rob, Connor, Megan and Katie)

Back on August 4th, I wrote a blog about our good friend, and you can read it, here: LINK TO Chris' story.

(Photo left: Our friend Chris doing what he loved- biking cross country.) 

THE MEMORIAL - The setting was at an outdoor venue next to a beautiful greenhouse and garden complex in Maryland. There was an outside trellis with a podium and folding chairs were set in front of it. The memorial featured wonderful and emotional eulogies by Chris' two daughters, a reading of a Psalm from his friend and neighbor, Rocky and a garden ritual. It was beautifully narrated by a friend of one of Chris' daughters.

There were several tables with photos of Chris and his family, a book for guests to write their names and a memory, flowers, and some special things, like small cards with wildflower seeds that could be planted in Chris' memory, and two recipes that Chris loved to make. Such a wonderful way to remember him.

(Photo left: The tent for food and mingling)

CELEBRATING CHRIS- There was a large tent with round tables for friends and family to enjoy some food, and share stories. Several family members, friends and work colleagues told funny stories that really highlighted Chris' great sense of humor.

MY STORIES - Although I was a bit hesitant, I thought it was important to share some of my memories because Chris was such a close friend. I choked up twice, because it was really hard to believe I wouldn't see him or hear his voice anymore. Today, I can still hear his voice and laughter in my head.

    I told how we met in Dunkin' Donuts while standing in line, and I think we both commented on a customer who had an attitude, and wound up laughing over it. We decided to meet for coffee another time, and that's how our friendship began.  

    When we met I told him he resembled Indiana Jones, and he rolled his eyes and sarcastically said, "I've never heard that." He had heard it from countless people, because he did. In fact, he told me he even went to a Halloween party dressed up in Indy's outfit complete with hat, boots and whip. 

   Tom and I joined Chris at Dunkin' many times for coffee or lunch, and we introduced him to what became his favorite Mexican restaurant, "Mucho Gusto" (although it was a different name when we first went there). 

   I told of how in his retirement, Chris became an expert at refinishing furniture. Because we have a pickup truck, Tom and I would sometimes either pick something up for Chris or on rare occasion, deliver something. But he had a way of making everything look new.  Another friend told of how he would always find amazing things of great value in thrift stores, and I remember him telling me about a few of them. 

(Photos: Speakers at the memorial service) 

  One of my favorite funny stories was when Chris told me about a neighbor who would always bring her dog over to his lawn at night, to have her dog do his business on the lawn. He said he knew generally when she would walk her dog over to his front yard. So, he waited in the dark in his front spare bedroom until she showed up. His car was always parked in front of his townhouse and when she and the dog came to his lawn he hit the alarm button and scared the heck out of her!  Tom and I remember laughing so hard we almost spit out our drinks at Dunkin' the day he told us. 

   

(Image: Tropical Storm Cristobal at peak intensity shortly after being named on August 12, 2026. This was taken using the VIIRS imaging instrument onboard the NOAA-21 polar orbiting satellite. Credit: NOAA) 

A Weather Sign from Chris - I mentioned that I'm also a medium and that I've learned how to recognize signs from loved ones who passed. For me, because I was a meteorologist who specialized in the tropics- tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones- spirits have given me signs through those to let me know they are around and are okay on the other side. My dad did with Tropical Storm Eduard in 2008 when he passed. My dog, Dolly did in 2020 when she passed and Tropical Storm Dolly formed. And less than two weeks after Chris passed, Tropical Storm Cristobal (Spanish for "Christopher") formed in the Gulf of Mexico. 

  When it comes to spirits and signs from them, there is no such thing as a coincidence. (I've written 15 books about that). So Chris let me know he's doing okay, so I could share that with everyone else. 

(Photos: A walkway in the garden area and small cards with wildflower seeds that could be planted in Chris' memory)

Idiot of the Week: Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Cycle of Child Sexual Abuse

This week's idiot is yet another Conservative, who was convicted of child sexual abuse. This is the posting from the Office Of The State Attorney R.J. Larizza, 7th Judicial Circuit court of Florida.

State of Florida v. Trent Adam Prather Press Release | August 20, 2026

Case Number: 2026 105098 CFDL

Prather Sentenced to Life in Prison for Cycle of Child Sexual Abuse

DELAND – During a hearing on Wednesday, Volusia County, Florida defendant Trent Prather entered guilty pleas to 15 counts of Sexual Battery on victim less than 12 years of age, two counts of Lewd/Lascivious Molestation on victim less than 12 years of age, Lewd/Lascivious Exhibition on victim less than 16 years of age and 18 counts of Promoting Sexual Performance by a Child. Prather was then sentenced to life in prison for the convictions.

Between May 2025 and March 2026, the defendant recorded himself sexually abusing a nine-year-old victim.

“There are few things in this world that are worse than repeatedly raping a small child,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said about the case. “Especially when the pedophile videos the rapes for future viewing and trade. It defies explanation.”

The case was investigated by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorney Nicholas Kramperth prosecuted the case for the State of Florida. The Honorable Karen Foxman heard the case and imposed sentence. 

 *********************************************

BACKGROUND: This wasn’t his first time. Prather was convicted in Utah in 2011 on 10 counts of exploiting a minor — and got probation. Utah investigated him again in 2018 after another CyberTip but didn’t prosecute. He then relocated to Florida without registering as a s*x offender.

CHARACTER Facebook history: 

—Proud “TRUMP 2020” supporter 

—Mocked George Floyd’s murder with pillows shaped like his face, joking they made “awesome knee pads” 

 —Posted a cotton field photo captioned “FREE BLM SHIRTS,” joking it needed “some assembly required”

— a slavery “joke” at black people’s expense 

—Shared an Islamophobic, vulgar joke about Obama’s beard and his marriage and called Michele Obama—former First Lady and athletic black woman—a man

 —Called Kyle Rittenhouse — the teen who shot protesters with a rifle — a hero who “doesn’t wear a cape”

Heroes of the Week: Tacoma Police Department’s Marine Services Unit Rescues Boatload of 31 cats

This week's heroes is the Tacoma Police Department’s Marine Services Unit who responded to a call that many cats were living on an anchored sailboat

(Photo: Overhead view of the interior of a boat with wooden compartments containing approximately 20 cats, mostly black and black-and-white, sitting on top of and inside divided wooden structures with visible gauges and controls on the top panel. Courtesy of Tacoma Police Department)

Rescue effort underway to re-home 40 cats found on abandoned sailboat 

 Aug 10, 2026, Good News by Meghan Cook

On August 6, the Tacoma Police Department’s Marine Services Unit responded to reports of an abandoned sailboat anchored off the shores of Tacoma, Washington.

But the boat was far from empty. When they climbed aboard, the officers found upwards of forty cats and kittens.

“Many of the cats were frightened and malnourished, requiring patience, care, and a tremendous amount of teamwork from our members,” the police department shared on Facebook.

“They will be out there for most of the day continuing their mission, but we wanted to ensure we share this with our community as many have seen our members out on the water this morning,” the post continued.

“We’re proud of our Marine Services officers, Animal Control officers, and Forensic Technicians for their compassion and dedication — not only to the people they serve, but to every member of our community who needs a helping hand.”

By the following afternoon, 31 of the cats had been gently corralled into cat carriers and transported by boat to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.

“Unlike a normal case, we do need assistance with getting out there [by boat],” Cheri Page of the Tacoma Animal Control told KOMO News, a Washington outlet. “And then there’s the challenge of the boat itself, pretty close quarters, and because it is a sailboat there’s a lot of nooks and crannies for cats to hide in.”

Although many of the cats had fleas and lacked sanitary conditions, Page said that there were signs that a potential owner had been attempting to care for them.

“They have been clearly fed and watered, but they’ve been on that boat for some time,” she explained, noting that the cats had likely been living on the sailboat for months, if not longer.

One of the responding officers, John Correa, informed The News Tribune that the discovery had been quite the shock.

“The best way I can describe it is it looked like a Studio Ghibli movie,” Correa explained. “It was their boat, and they were all out and about roaming around on it.”

As of August 10, an investigation was still ongoing, and no arrests had yet been made. Correa told The News Tribune that their primary goal was to take care of the cats and ensure they were safe.

“People start with just a few cats, and they’re not spayed or neutered, and unfortunately they do what cats do — and make more cats,” Page said. “That’s why at Tacoma Animal Control, we really emphasize that you spay and neuter your cats and dogs.”

Book of the Week: Death Most Definite (Paranormal fiction)

This week's book of the week is a paranormal fiction novel from an Australian author. "Death Most Definite" by Trent Jamieson is a story about a man named Steve, who is tasked with easing spirits from this dimension to the next after death. The premise sounded interesting. But halfway through, it got really weird. Today's blog is my take on it.

MY TAKE:  The main character, Steven de Selby was likeable and his presence through the book made you want to find out what happened to him. I also liked the "ghost girlfriend" character. Those 2 characters made me want to finish the book.

   The acronym "RM" was used throughout, but unless I missed it earlier, it wasn't identified as "Regional Manager" until after page 275 (out of 332). It applied to people who manage a "business" that had regional offices of death where people called "Pomps" who help people cross over. One weird thing was that the dead are all crossed over into the underworld... so it seems there is no good place for them to go. There are also "Stirrers" which are vengeful dead entities' consciousness' who take over and re-animate dead bodies (like zombies) and seek to harm others.

  Spoiler alert- when Steven's dog was killed, that soured me.  Another thing that didn't sit well with me were the mass killings of the lead characters friends and family. I found the last third of the book hard to follow with the character's journey to the underworld, and a supernatural place called the "Big Tree."   So 2.5 of 5 stars for me on this one.  

ABOUT THE BOOK: Steve knew something was wrong as soon as he saw the dead girl in the Wintergarden food court. Nothing new - he saw dead people all the time - but this one was about to save his life.'

Steven works in the family firm. He's a Pomp, tasked with easing spirits from this dimension to the next after death. And he's kind of okay with that, until someone high up the corporate hierarchy makes a bid to be Australia's new Regional Death. This means killing all of the current Death's staff. After his parents, relatives and pretty much every other Pomp he's ever known has been killed, Steve is left to make a reluctant stand.

But to do this he must stay alive. Threatened at every turn, Steve and the perilously attractive (and dead) Lissa go on the run to save what's left of their world in DEATH MOST DEFINITE the dark, funny, fast-paced first book in the Death Works trilogy.