Tyler's Birthday Adventure (as written by Tyler himself)

Yesterday, Nov. 29, Tyler, our black and tan Dachshund, turned 10 years old. Well, we think he's 10. Regardless, Tom, Dash and I took him out to celebrate. Today's blog will show you what he did, in his own words! 

A LITTLE BACKGROUND - Tyler came into the family as a foster dog in December 2012 through one of the Dachshund Rescues we work with. We adopted him a couple of months after that. The shelter that we got him from was in North Carolina, and they had no information on him other than he had the (dumb) name "Repo." We  didn't know his age or his birthdate, so we guessed he was around 2 years old, and gave him Dolly's (our Weimaraner who just passed in Oct) birthday since he bonded with her. 

MY BIRTHDAY, BY TYLER

I slept late today, which is always a good thing. After a quick backyard run outside at 7 a.m. I had a tasty breakfast topped with turkey!  YUM!  Daddies Rob and Tom then took me and my brother Dash on a walk soon afterward. I checked out the new smells in the neighborhood. You humans liken it to reading a newspaper. When we came back we got our tasty Dingo dental (non-rawhide) treats. Then a nap.

At lunchtime, we had our peanut butter smartbone digestible treats followed by fun car ride!! Daddies took us to a big outdoor garden shop where we got to walk around and sniff a million new smells and plants. I was a good boy. I didn't pee on any of the plants. Further, despite a whole bunch of people there, I didn't bark at any of them.  It was fun! 

Our afternoon wrapped up with a trip to Petco for me. I decided that I was going to make up for not barking at the garden shop... so I barked from the minute I got out of the truck, all throughout the inside (well, there were other dogs in there) and until I got back to the truck!  When Daddy Rob took me inside he seemed to scramble to get me 4 bags of good-tasting treats and a new toy in the shape of a bone, but stuffed with fuzz (that ( like to tear out). I think he was trying to get me to stop barking at the other dogs (and there were quite a few in there).

We came home and I had big cookie shaped like an ice cream cone. Then I got a bath so I could smell better. That took a lot out of me, so I took a nap. Soon after, Daddy Rob took me for another walk with Dash, and then.... well, another nap. Hey, I'm 10 after all!  Later we had a tasty dinner, followed by our regular 8pm three treats regime. Always a good way to end the day. 

The only thing missing today was my big sister, Dolly. After all, it was really her birthday, I just took it, too. But she's still around me. I feel her around. So, it was a good birthday. Thanks to everyone for the facebook and instagram greetings!! 

Love, Tyler

 

Idiot of the Week: Anti-COVID19 Lawmaker Gets COVID19 and Refuses to Quarantine

This week's idiot is not only an example of karma in action, but is also thoughtless, careless, selfish and ignorant when it comes to the health of anyone else. This moron, who, by wearing a gas mask in Congress, mocked people who are taking COVID19 precautions. Yes, he actually did that. Now, the idiot has tested positive for the virus and told USA Today he was going out paddleboarding (without a mask). Such reckless carelessness, and inconsideration of others is appalling. It's not just this guy either, it's anyone who tests positive for COVID19 and doesn't go into isolation. Why are people so selfish?? It's maddening. I would never do this to anyone. 

 Here's the story from USA Today:

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, a fierce Trump ally, tests positive for COVID-19 antibodies 

 Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz has tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, indicating that he had the coronavirus at one point. News of Gaetz’s results comes a day after White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows confirmed he has the virus. 

The United States has over 10 million cases and 250,000 deaths from the pandemic. The outspoken Trump ally from the Florida Panhandle, who cruised to a third term Tuesday, told USA TODAY Saturday morning that he has tested “positive for antibodies” though not the live virus.In a series of texts, Gaetz wrote that he has “no symptoms.” He said he has no plans to quarantine and does not know where he picked up the antibodies.

“No symptoms. Feel great. Going paddle boarding today,” he texted.

In March, Gaetz was accused of making light of the coronavirus outbreak when he wore a gas mask in Congress after one of his constituents died from the COVID-19 disease.

Don't Know who he is or what he's done?  Here's a rundown from the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper in 2018 (and people STILL voted this idiot back in): Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz is a terrible person

Worst Things To Do While Dining Out During COVID-19, According To Servers

We have dined out once in a while during the pandemic, but in open-air tents. ***And since we're in a Pandemic, DON'T LINGER after your meal. Restaurants can only serve 50% capacity, so they need to turn over their tables. 

FURTHER- Leave a TIP for carry out. They often can't serve tables, and they STILL work hard to get your food together. Be respectful and not cheap. BTW, outdoor tents that are 

totally encased in plastic are no different than eating indoors... That's dumb.  

   Speaking of dumb, here are 12 things that Restaurant customers do that are DUMB and disrespectful to the servers and other patrons.   Here's the list: 

Worst Things To Do While Dining Out During COVID-19, According To Servers 

Waitstaff at restaurants dish on bad customer behavior regarding tips, masks and more during the coronavirus pandemic. 

By Brittany Wong 11/18/2020 05:45am EST Huffington Post

Dealing with inconsiderate and rude customers is par for the course in the restaurant industry. But given the elevated risk for COVID-19 to be transmitted at restaurants, poorly behaved guests have never been more problematic.

As coronavirus cases climb across the country, restaurants are bracing for a new wave of restrictions. But in the meantime, many remain open, with socially distanced tables (inside or outdoors) and new safety guidelines. Still, servers say far too many customers come in expecting pre-pandemic service.

“The list of [bad behavior] is endless,” Rachel Elena Bessman, a writer and server in Annapolis, Maryland, told HuffPost. “The lack of empathy is astounding, and the majority of customers clearly are not concerned with the safety of their server or the other guests.”

The biggest offenders are patrons who refuse to wear masks, Bessman said. Even if masks are worn and social distancing measures are practiced in restaurants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that poor air circulation may affect virus transmission.

 

1. Acting like putting on a mask for a few minutes is the end of the world “We’re washing our hands upward of 30 times per shift, meticulously sanitizing each table in between guests, regularly checking our temperatures, getting tested at the slightest hint of symptoms, and wearing our masks anywhere from four to 11 hours straight. The least you can do is wear yours for the two minutes I’m at your table.” ― Cambryn Hunter, a server in Louisiana

“I have had an obscene amount of full-grown adults throw tantrums over wearing a mask because ‘they’ll only be indoors for a second.’ Of course, there are also the ones who actually wear the mask ... and pull it down while speaking. WHY?!” ― Mia Mainville, a server in Texas

2. Coming into the restaurant to pick up their takeout without wearing a mask “Everyone knows they’re supposed to wear a mask while dining in but they think it’s all right to ignore it if they’re going to be in the restaurant for ‘only a minute.’ When I’m wearing my mask for five hours straight, glasses fogged up and the elastic cutting into my ears, it’s disrespectful when people waltz in without one. And pulling your shirt up over your mouth or holding your arm in front of your face doesn’t count.” ― Darron Cardosa, a server in New York City and blogger at The Bitchy Waiter

3. Seating themselves “People will walk in and just try to sit themselves at a table when it hasn’t been properly sanitized yet, or it might be not socially distanced from other tables and then they get frustrated at us when we ask them to move or wait for it to be cleaned. Essentially, I just wish people had more patience and compassion during these times in all things, not even just in restaurants. Everyone is having a hard time.” ― Allie, a server in New York

4. Not using an indoor voice inside the restaurant ― and spreading germs in the process. “One of the most annoying things is when guests are being loud since that spreads germs in a bigger radius than it otherwise would. It’s equally annoying when people cough or spit when they’re talking to you or when they hand you their debit card or cash. It makes everything feel really unsafe when it comes to the risk of catching coronavirus.” ― Nicholas Prince, a server in San Antonio

5. Not tipping on carryout orders “My restaurant has only been open for dine-in for about three months and we are still doing over 75% of our sales in carryout orders. Customers will LITERALLY stand there and write $0 on the tip line, citing, ‘It’s ONLY a to-go order.’ Guess what ― we work just as hard to put together your orders as we do to wait on your table!” ― Mainville

6. Tipping poorly in general “Hoping for a decent tip is such a gamble even when things are normal. But now? Here in Maryland, we are at half capacity (and about to drop to a quarter), which means I’m already making half the money I would normally be making. It is completely unacceptable to beg for us to remain open, complain about state restrictions as if we are the ones who created them, and then not tip a minimum of 20%. You should be tipping at least 30%. And if you can afford to, you should be tipping 50%.” ― Bessman

“Bad tippers are the worst. That 20% ensures that I get paid, and so do the bar helpers and/or bussers. And people who say they’ll tip more or that they’re fantastic tippers? Nine times out of 10 they’re the worst tippers.” ― Michelle, a server in Houston

7. Complaining about menu items not being available “You may not be able to get the table you want or the menu may be so limited that the kitchen cannot accommodate your individual requests. This is not due to any maliciousness on the part of the restaurant, it’s a result of trying to juggle state and local laws combined with limited revenue due to the pandemic.” ― Ambrose, a server in Boston

“This one, to me, is truly hilarious. I work in a sushi restaurant. Do people realize how ridiculous they sound, questioning with incredulity how we could possibly be out of a fish we import from Japan? Sir, why would you want us to rush our deliveries on raw animal products? Would that ever make sense? They put the pressure on, roll their eyes and act as if it’s some choice we made. Well yes, Brad, we did make the choice to serve you quality fresh products rather than old crap that was available.” ― Bessman

8. Asking servers to take off their masks for any reason at all “This is actually quite common, and I’ve noticed it happens much more frequently to my female co-workers. Not only are you asking your server to put their health in danger, but this is basically just another iteration of general customer-employee workplace harassment, with a COVID twist. Extremely inappropriate.” ― Ambrose

9. Wearing out your welcome after you’ve finished your meal “We’re thrilled that they decided to support their local restaurant, but with seating capacity at less than 100%, table space is even more valuable than it used to be. When a customer is finished eating, it’d be nice if they recognized that servers and restaurants make money by turning over tables. Sitting at that prime booth for 30 minutes after the check has been paid means it’s costing everyone at the restaurant money. Eat, say thank you, and then let someone else have the table.” ― Cardosa

10. Complaining about the lack of condiments on the table “People come in and complain that we don’t have salt, pepper, ketchup or other condiments already on the table like we used to. At the beginning of reopening we were using single-use products such as salt, pepper, and ketchup packets but now that we’ve switched back to the normal containers, we take them off to sanitize them between uses and limit uses to those who don’t need them.” ― Allie

11. Acting as if the health of the restaurant’s staff doesn’t matter “Some customers treat waitstaff as if they’re not people. ‘We don’t have to wear masks. There’s nobody else in the restaurant’ is a common thing to overhear when employees outnumber the guests.” ― Speed

12. Complaining about constantly evolving COVID-19 rules “Servers have absolutely nothing to do with any of the restrictions, yet servers are the ones who endure the wrath of the angry customer. We don’t want to do temperature checks any more than customers want to have them done, but we do what we’re told in order to keep our jobs. Please don’t yell at us.” ― Cardosa

Things You can (?) Clean in the Dishwasher

Some of the things that WE clean in the dishwasher include the dog bowls and dog bones (the plastic/chew bones). Their saliva leaves behind bacteria that can multiply. - For stuffed dog toys, we put them the Washing Machine every once in a while. Recently, The Huff post published this list of things that can be cleaned in the Dishwasher (although I have reservations about some of them and Cite it! ).:  

1. Children’s toys 

From plastic blocks to bath toys, it’s a good idea to sanitize your kids’ playthings regularly. “Think about all the places your kid’s toys have been: in their mouth, on the floor, in the garden,” said Joanne Archer, an editor at Expert Home Tips. “As long as they don’t have any electrical components or places where water might get stuck, pop those plastic toys in the dishwasher.”

2. Toothbrushes, holders and soap dishes  (ROB SAYS: Just get a new toothbrush)

Toothbrushes accumulate bacteria, while other bathroom accessories such as toothbrush holders and soap dishes can end up riddled with soap scum and mold. “Luckily, they’re typically made of plastic, porcelain or ceramic, so it’s safe to blast the grime away in the dishwasher,” Archer said.

3. Nail clippers and tools  (ROB SAYS: Just wash these with soap and water in the sink)

Dead skin cells build up on your nail clippers, files and other manicure and pedicure tools, making your personal grooming kit less than sanitary. Archer suggested putting your tools in the cutlery basket, and they’ll be good as new.

4. Dog bowls, toys, leashes and collars  (ROB SAYS: put the leashes and collars in the Washing Machine)

 If you have dogs (or any other pets, for that matter), you should be cleaning their bowls regularly. Washing the bowl thoroughly in the dishwasher will remove any nasty bacteria like E. coli, MRSA, listeria and salmonella ― even mold and yeast.”

In addition to their bowls, you can also clean your pet’s rubber and plastic toys, as well as nonleather leashes and collars in the dishwasher.  

5. Pacifiers and teething rings 

You want to keep your little ones healthy, which means sanitizing their pacifiers, teethers and anything else that goes in their mouths regularly. “Bacteria die in high temperatures, but neither can the tap provide such heat, nor will your hands be able to withstand it,” Fink said. 

6. Keys   (ROB SAYS: Just wash them down with hand sanitzer)

Just think about all the grime and germs your keys probably collect throughout the day ― not to mention how often you touch them. The dishwasher is great for sanitizing keys (plain metal ones, not electronic key fobs), according to Fink. “Don’t be afraid of rust since most keys are made of brass, which means that they will not suffer any corrosion,” he said.

7. Humidifier parts 

Humidifiers need regular maintenance and cleaning to remove the scale and mold that builds up inside the water tank and around the components,  “The conventional way is to soak these components and water tanks in white vinegar or hot water before scrubbing them away. It is time-consuming, takes a lot of effort and just inefficient in general.

Fortunately, some humidifier manufacturers have made their parts and water tank dishwasher-safe to save time and energy cleaning them. Run these parts through a routine wash to rid them of any mold or gunk that has built up. “The hot cycle would also neutralize any bacteria or viruses that may be lurking inside the humidifier,” Lee said. Just keep in mind that not all humidifiers are dishwasher safe, so read the user manual first.

8. Baseball caps  (ROB SAYS: put these in the washing machine) 

Place them in the top rack by themselves without any other dishes and hook the back strap to one of the pegs. You should use only a tiny amount of dish detergent or non-bleach cleaner such as Borax. Depending on the soil level, you can do a normal to heavy wash. “Let them air-dry and you have a fresh, new looking (and smelling) hat,” Jones said.

9. Fridge shelves and bins

The shelves and bins in your fridge can easily come out and the dishwasher can give them a deep clean. The glass shelves, plastic bins on the door and vegetable crispers can usually all fit into the dishwasher in one load, though you may need to remove the top rack to make room.  

10. Small Trash cans   (ROB SAYS: put them in the sink, put in bleach, hot water, and let them soak outside for a while).

Over time, trash cans collect germs, grime and an unpleasant smell that’s difficult to get rid of. Thankfully, the dishwasher can help. 

11. Silicone oven mitts  (ROB SAYS: Put them in the Washing Machine) 

 Oven mitts get a lot of use in the kitchen, which means they collect all types of filth and leftover food. Barrett said the dishwasher is great for getting silicone oven mitts sparkling clean again: “All you have to do is leave them on the top rack and let the magic happen.” 

12. Showerheads 

There are few things as frustrating as trying to clean clogged shower heads. Rather than wasting your time, Barrett suggested unscrewing the shower head and placing it on the top rack of your dishwasher, then running a regular cycle that you would normally use to wash your pots and pans. “There’s no problem to mix showerheads with other dishes as well,” she noted. 

13. Shoes  (ROB SAYS: Ewwwww.  NO WAY. Think about all the things you may have stepped on anywhere. I wouldn't want that residue in my dishwasher!!  - Wash them outside with a hose, or in the sink)  

 Shoes in the dishwasher? As long as they’re the only item being cleaned, the dishwasher is a great method for killing the dirt and bacteria lurking in rubber boots, Crocs and flip flops. “Simply place them on the upper shelf facing downwards to ensure that they remain protected and the water is safely removed from them during the washing,” Barrett said. 

14. Hair brushes and accessories  (ROB SAYS: I think strands of hair would clog up the drainage in a dishwasher)

Considering that combs and brushes regularly touch our heads, Fink said it’s a good idea to put them through the most effective cleaning method: a dishwasher cycle. Strip as much hair from the brush as possible, then place it in the silverware holder. If it’s made of plastic, you can place it in top rack to be safe. Don’t put anything with a wood handle in the dishwasher, however, as the hot water will damage it.  You can clean other hair accessories such as barrettes, headbands and hair ties in the dishwasher as well, as long as they’re made of dishwasher-safe materials. Keep them secure in the utensil holder or another container. 

15. Microwave turntables 

Between bubbling leftovers and the occasional spill, your microwave can get pretty grimy. But at least you don’t need to spend time washing its glass turntable by hand. “Normally, these glass plates are durable enough to be put on the bottom rack of the dishwasher,” Fink said. Go ahead and clean the turntable along with a regular load of dishes

.

16. Home decor

Plenty of decor items in your home, such as vases and desk accessories, can go into the dishwasher too. “They gather dust easily, and a regular cycle can give them a good cleaning by removing the dust and any sticky grime,” said David Cusick, chief strategy officer for House Method. Again, stick to plain plastic, glass and metal, and avoid anything that’s delicate or could be harmed by the high heat and harsh detergents.

17. Fans 

Your fans recycle the air around you, collecting dirt and bacteria. You can place any removable, plastic parts of your fans in the dishwasher, according to Owen Mosser, a home repair expert and editor at The Golden. Just be sure not to put any electrical items in the dishwasher, as they will get damaged.

2020: At Thanksgiving Those Who Passed Still Sit at the Table

 

This Thanksgiving will be emotionally challenging for many of us who are staying home and taking precautions to avoid contracting or spreading the COVID19 virus during this pandemic. As such, it can be a more sad time, but it need not be! In today's blog you'll learn about spirits around you. For those who haven't passed, call them on the phone (not just texting), or do a video chat on Facebook messenger, Google hangouts or Facetime. You need not be sitting physically next to someone to enjoy their company - Spirits tell us that every day! 

Thanksgiving is not only a big holiday for the living relatives in families, but it also tends to be one of those times when those who passed come to visit, too. Any holiday, special occasion, birthday or anniversary are typically times that spirits of loved ones (who crossed into the light) come to visit us.

Why do they come on Thanksgiving? Think about it. Spirits are just the souls of
loved ones (friends, family or pets) who have passed. Like living people and pets, they enjoy gathering with family members and what better time to see everyone together than at Thanksgiving? So, this Thanksgiving, if you've lost a loved one, be on the lookout for signs. Whether you find a penny on the kitchen floor, or your electricity does funny things, or you hear a song on the radio that reminds you of your loved one- those are just some signs they can give.

One Thanksgiving some years ago, my friend Lynn's late brother came to me with signs that she was able to confirm. So, enjoy the day knowing that ALL of your relatives are around you. Happy Thanksgiving! Rob

You can find more information about the signs spirits can give in my books  Kindred Spirits, Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead, Ghosts and Spirits, and Pets and the Afterlife 1 and 2.  (Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation doesn't address ghosts on holidays).

A Trip to See Black Lives Matter Plaza and White House Protest Fence

 On Saturday, Nov. 21, we ventured into Washington, DC and met our friend Sai for a very nice  socially distant, outside lunch in the 60 degree sunshine. We were a couple of blocks away from the White House and wanted to walk around and see some of the things that had changed since we last went in town (maybe a couple of years ago). 

(Photo Top right: Rob, Tom and Sai at the Protestor Wall around the north side of the White House) 

(Photo Left: Building sized-banner put up by National Geographic)

 We didn't like going in town during the Trump presidency - I was always wary of the right wing groups there. This time, though, his last rally ended earlier in the week and left the city, so it was safe to go in. We walked through Black Lives Matter Plaza - there on 16th street, north of the White House. It's now a pedestrian street, so you can walk on the bright yellow letters on the street that spell out "Black Lives Matter." 

  Up the street from there, we saw the Headquarters for National Geographic, and they hung a building sized banner on one side of a building facing their headquarters with the "Black Lives Matter" saying. 

  At the White House Fence (put up as a barrier to protestors of Trump), there was a lot of artwork to read. First, know the origin. Here's a summary of it from News.Art.Net: In June, 2020, the fence erected outside the White House by President Donald Trump to keep demonstrators and protestors at least 600 feet away has been transformed into a memorial wall for George Floyd and a protest site demanding racial and social justice.

The wall has been covered in posters commemorating the lives of Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, Emmett Till, and other African Americans killed by the police or in other racially charged murders. Other posters bears slogans criticizing the president, or demanding that police departments be defunded. 

The wall had some amazing signs... and one that resonated with me was "January 20, 2021 can't come fast enough."  This blog contains some of the pictures we took of many other signs. 

Another Must-Read in the "Murder She Wrote" series: The Murder of Twelve by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land

 I recently enjoyed the latest in the paperback "Murder She Wrote" mystery series called "The Murder of Twelve" by Jessica Fletcher and Jon Land. Jon Land has now written several in the series that was started by Author Donald Bain (who passed away a couple of years ago), and Land's writing style is very similar to Bain's, which is awesome. This story was fantastic and kept me hooked. In fact, I finished it in a couple of days (usually I read a book every couple of weeks). It will keep the reader guessing about the many puzzle pieces found before and during a record-setting blizzard in Maine.  5 of 5 stars ! 

ABOUT THE BOOK: In the latest entry in this USA Today bestselling series, Jessica Fletcher takes on an Agatha Christie-style mystery when she finds herself stranded in a hotel during a blizzard with twelve strangers and a killer in their midst....

     Still staying at the Hill House hotel while her beloved home is being rebuilt, Jessica Fletcher finds herself sharing the space for a weekend with a dozen members of a wedding party who have gathered there for a rehearsal dinner. The families of the bride and groom can't stand each other but have agreed to put aside years of long-simmering tension to celebrate the nuptials.

     Unfortunately, weather forecasters underestimated the severity of a storm that turns into a historic blizzard that dumps nearly five feet of snow on Cabot Cove, leaving everyone stranded.

     But the hotel guests have bigger things to worry about than bad weather conditions and potential cold feet, because a murderer has shown up ininvited--one who has vowed to take them down one by one....

New Video! Inspired Ghost Tracking Group Members Talk about 2 IGT Haunted Cases!

 In this 50 minute video, medium Rob Gutro and Margaret Ehrlich, paranormal investigator and founder of Maryland’s Inspired Ghost Tracking team  discuss several of their most unusual Maryland investigations, including the case of the Burned Ghost and spirit dog. They also explain what it’s like to be a paranormal investigator. They close out the event with a look at some of the hauntings at the historic home of Dr. Samuel Mudd, the doctor who treated John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated President Lincoln. Learn why ghosts stay behind and how the IGT team works with them to bring them solutions and peace. October 31, 2020

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/t6t0P0N2Vgc

Idiot of the Week: 15 Year Senator Doesn't Understand Puerto Rico and Elections (I Bet a 5th Grader Does!)

 Last week's idiot of the week was newly elected to the U.S. Senate from Alabama, and he didn't know history or politics. This week's idiot is a U.S. Senator who has been in office for the last 15 years (elected from Texas) doesn't know about and he doesn't know that residents of Puerto Rico don't have the ability to vote for the U.S. President (because it's a territory).  I bet your 5th grader would know that! 

FACT: Residents of Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories do not have voting representation in the United States Congress, and are not entitled to electoral votes for president. ... Like other territories, Puerto Rico can participate in the presidential primary process.

Senator John Cornyn roasted over Puerto Rico election tweet 

 ABC-TV Channel 13- Friday, November 13, 2020 12:02PM 

Newly re-elected U.S. Senator John Cornyn faced swift criticism Thursday (Nov. 12) over a tweet he shared about claims of uncounted votes a week after the election in Puerto Rico.

"Another example of why it is prudent to let the process run its course: Thousands of Uncounted Votes Found a Week After Election in Puerto Rico," Cornyn wrote. 

 Puerto Ricans don't get to vote for president, and the territory doesn't send members to Congress. Reaction from Twitter users was swift and pointed. 

 "OK I'm missing something here. You do know Puerto Rico doesn't vote in presidential elections?" one user wrote. 

 "HELLO SENATOR, Google is a great tool. You should use it," another tweeted. Cornyn wrote the tweet in response to a New York Times story on local elections in the United States territory. Cornyn later tweeted a clarification. "Neither the story or my comments are limited to presidential elections," the Senator wrote, but didn't explain what he meant.

Research News: Bat-winged dinosaurs were clumsy fliers

Here's the latest in the world of dinosaur discoveries. It appears that Bat-winged dinosaurs weren't thebest in the air. This is from Science News. >>>

 Bat-winged dinosaurs were clumsy fliers 

CAPTION:   Ambopteryx longibrachium Even though it had batlike wings, Ambopteryx longibrachium (illustrated) was more of a short-distance glider than an active flier.  Credit: CHUNG-TAT CHEUNG

 By Carolyn Gramling 

 OCTOBER 22, 2020 AT 12:02 PM 

 Only two dinosaur species are known to have had wings made out of stretched skin, like bats. But unlike bats, these dinos were capable of only limited gliding between trees, a new anatomical analysis suggests. That bat-winged gliding turned out to be a dead end along the path to the evolution of flight, researchers say. 

 “They are a failed experiment,” says Alexander Dececchi, a paleontologist at Mount Marty University in Sioux Falls, S.D. 

 Fliers with feathered wings, rather than membranous wings, begin to appear in the fossil record just a few million years after the bat-winged dinosaurs. Those feathered fliers may have outcompeted the gliders in their evolutionary niche, Dececchi and colleagues suggest October 22 in iScience. 

 Yi qi and Ambopteryx longibrachium were crow-sized dinosaurs that lived about 160 million years ago. They were distant cousins, both belonging to a bizarre group of dinosaurs known as scansoriopterygids. Unlike other scansoriopterygids, however, these two species sported large wings with membranes, thin skin stretched between elongated arm bones. 

 Scansoriopterygids were a branch of theropod dinosaurs, the same group that includes giants like Tyrannosaurus rex as well as the ancestors of birds. So the recent discoveries of two different bat-winged theropod dinosaurs shook up long-standing ideas about the evolution of flight in birds. Scientists had thought that path, while a bit circuitous, centered around variations of just one basic, birdlike body plan. 

 But whether Yi and Ambopteryx were actually adept at flying, such as being able to launch from the ground or flap their wings, wasn’t clear. To assess the dinos’ flight capability, Dececchi and colleagues used laser-stimulated fluorescence imaging, which can pick up details of soft tissues such as membranes or cartilage in fossils, to reanalyze the anatomy of Yi and Ambopteryx. 

The team made new estimations of the reptiles’ weight, wing shape and wingspan, and then simulated how those features might translate into flapping, gliding or launching. The new analyses confirm that these two dinosaurs had vastly different wing structures from the feathered-wing fliers — proving that these two flight strategies evolved independently of one another. 

Yi and Ambopteryx, for example, had elongated forelimb bones between their membranous wings, as well as a special wrist bone to help support the membrane. The skeletons of the wings of birds, on the other hand, consist of elongated metacarpals, similar to finger bones. This evolutionary branching out was ultimately a failure, Dececchi says. 

Yi and Ambopteryx were capable only of gliding short distances from tree to tree, the team found. Their body mass-to-wing ratio was a bit too high for them to stay aloft to glide longer distances. As for active flight, the dinosaurs lacked other attributes possessed by powerful fliers, whether feather-winged like birds or membrane-winged like pterosaurs and bats. For example, the orientation of the dinosaurs’ wings suggests that they weren’t designed for rotational flapping. And the dinos’ breastbones show no evidence of places where key flight muscles attach in modern birds. 

 Just a few million years after Yi and Ambopteryx, about 150 million years ago, the ancient bird Archaeopteryx appears in the fossil record. Although Archaeopteryx wasn’t a particularly great flier either, Dececchi says, it was a stronger glider and possibly could flap its wings a bit. Later variations on its body theme continued to improve dinosaurs’ flight ability, he says. That the bat-winged dinosaurs weren’t great fliers isn’t a surprise, says paleontologist Jingmai O’Connor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, who with her colleagues described Ambopteryx in a 2019 study in Nature. 

O’Connor notes that no bat-winged dinosaurs appear in the fossil record after the Jurassic Period, so it already seemed likely that they weren’t a successful group of dinosaurs.

Fun Mystery: Hope Rides Again by Andrew Shaffer

 I recently enjoyed reading the second in the series of the "Obama Biden Mysteries" by

Andrew Shaffer. "Hope Rides Again" was a fun read using the personas of President Barack Obama and now President-Elect Joe Biden. It's told from the perspective of Joe Biden's character and the author really has some good insight into both men, their habits, sayings, etc.

   This really is a fun read, and like the first novel in the series, Joe's character smells a mystery and gets the urge to solve it. President Obama comes along throughout the story. It involves helping a teenager who may be involved with a gang, and have may have taken the President's blackberry during an event the teen was working.  

  Given the recent election, and my admiration for both men, this was doubly fun to read. I highly recommend it.

ABOUT THE BOOK:  In the sequel to the New York Times best-selling novel Hope Never Dies, Obama and Biden reprise their roles as BFFs-turned-detectives as they chase Obama's stolen cell phone through the streets of Chicago--and right into a vast conspiracy.

Following a long but successful book tour, Joe Biden has one more stop before he can return home: Chicago. His old pal Barack Obama has invited him to meet a wealthy benefactor whose endorsement could turn the tide for Joe if he decides to run for president.

The two friends barely have time to catch up before another mystery lands in their laps: Obama’s prized Blackberry is stolen. When their number-one suspect winds up full of lead on the South Side, the police are content to write it off as just another gangland shooting. But Joe and Obama smell a rat...

Set against the backdrop of a raucous city on St. Patrick’s Day, Joe and Obama race to find the shooter, only to uncover a vast conspiracy that goes deeper than the waters of Lake Michigan—which is exactly where they’ll spend the rest of their retirement if they’re not careful.

Fascinating U.K. Video about how Brexit works with Some Products (Like a Coffee Cup)

Britain is left the European Union  on January 31, 2020, but there are many more things that are still being worked out. Here's a really interesting video about how Brexit works with some products. Remember, that The U.K. consists of Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England (Ireland is not part of the United Kingdom). This video explains how products are handled that may be banned from one component of the U.K. and allowed in another. 

Also, the deadline is fast approaching to agree the rules for the new UK-EU relationship. The changes will affect many areas of life - including trade and immigration - and will start on 1 January 2021. 

VIDEO:  Brexit: Coffee cup confusion - the Internal Market Bill explained  

Brexit: Coffee cup confusion - the Internal Market Bill explained. A row is - ahem - threatening to boil over about what can and cannot be sold in Wales in future.  

STORY:

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-wales-54753855

In the News: Ancient Dog DNA Shows They were Mankind's Companions in the Ice Age

 As a dog dad and a scientist, I'm always fascinated with scientific studies about dogs, and here's the latest findings of ancient dogs that prove they were domesticated all the way back to the Ice Age and there were at least 5 different breeds. Here's the story>

Ancient Dog DNA Traces Canine Diversity to the Ice Age and Spread Across the Globe 

By THE FRANCIS CRICK INSTITUTE OCTOBER 30, 2020

A global study of ancient dog DNA, led by scientists at the Francis Crick Institute, University of Oxford, University of Vienna and archaeologists from more than 10 countries, presents evidence that there were different types of dogs more than 11,000 years ago in the period immediately following the Ice Age.

In their study, published in Science today (October 30, 2020), the research team sequenced ancient DNA from 27 dogs, some of which lived up to nearly 11,000 years ago, across Europe, the Near East, and Siberia.* They found that by this point in history, just after the Ice Age and before any other animal had been domesticated, there were already at least five different types of dog with distinct genetic ancestries.

This finding reveals that the diversity observed between dogs in different parts of the world today originated when all humans were still hunters and gatherers.  The study also shows that the genetic patterns of dogs often mirror that of humans because ancient man took their animal companions with them when they moved.

Pontus Skoglund, author and group leader of the Crick’s Ancient Genomics laboratory, says: “Some of the variation you see between dogs walking down the street today originated in the Ice Age. By the end of this period, dogs were already widespread across the northern hemisphere.”

This study of ancient genomics involves extracting and analyzing DNA from skeletal material. It provides a window into the past, allowing researchers to uncover evolutionary changes that occurred many thousands of years ago.

Veretye dog. Credit: E.E. Antipina

The team showed that over the last 10,000 years, these early dog lineages mixed and moved to give rise to the dogs we know today. For example, early European dogs were initially diverse, appearing to originate from two highly distinct populations, one related to Near Eastern dogs and another to Siberian dogs. However, at some point this diversity was lost, as it is not present in European dogs today.

Anders Bergström, lead author and post-doctoral researcher in the Ancient Genomics laboratory at the Crick, says: “If we look back more than four or five thousand years ago, we can see that Europe was a very diverse place when it came to dogs. Although the European dogs we see today come in such an extraordinary array of shapes and forms, genetically they derive from only a very narrow subset of the diversity that used to exist.”

The researchers also compared the evolution in dog history to changes in human evolution, lifestyles and migrations. In many cases comparable changes took place, likely reflecting how humans would bring their dogs with them as they migrated across the world.

  The study noted cats weren’t domesticated until roughly 6,000 years ago, during the Holocene era, when early farmers began to settle. 

Coming to Netflix Nov 22: Movie: Dolly Parton Gets Angel Wings In ‘Christmas On The Square'

 My favorite entertainer, Dolly Parton, is back with a new holiday movie and I can't wait! Due out Nov. 22, the Netflix musical stars Christine Baranski as a Scrooge-like woman and Parton as a celestial being sent to change her mind.

Dolly Parton Gets Angel Wings In ‘Christmas On The Square' Thank heaven for Dolly Parton, who is ready to fill what’s left of a bizarre year with an abundance of holiday cheer. The country superstar is a celestial being in the trailer for Netflix’s “Christmas on the Square,” which puts a female-centric twist on such holiday classics as “A Christmas Carol” and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” 

Due out Nov. 22, the musical stars Christine Baranski as Regina Fuller, who returns to her hometown after her father’s death. The miserly Regina plans on evicting all of the town’s residents by Christmas Eve to sell the land off to a developer. Thanks to some divine intervention by way of angel Dolly, however, she experiences a change of heart. Yuletide merriment — punctuated by 14 original songs written by Parton — ensues. Directed by Debbie Allen, “Christmas on the Square” is one of several new projects unveiled by Parton this fall. 

The film’s title is taken from a track that first appeared on her new holiday album, “A Holly Dolly Christmas,” featuring collaborations with Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon and released earlier this month. 

 Netflix's "Christmas on the Square" stars Christine Baranski (left) and Dolly Parton.  COURTESY OF NETFLIX Netflix’s “Christmas on the Square” stars Christine Baranski (left) and Dolly Parton. 

 In November, she’ll publish the book “Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics,” highlighting 175 of the more than 3,000 songs she’s written. Appearing on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” earlier this week, Parton suggested she has turned to music even more than usual to stay grounded amid the tumult of 2020. “I just feel like I can express myself in ways that I don’t need a doctor for,” she told Colbert. “I don’t have to have therapy. I just sing it all out, write it all out. I can write for other people, too, like you said, because I see things happen to other people, and I think, ‘They don’t know how to express how they feel.’ They’re depressed, or they’re sad, so I write songs for them as well.” 

 Watch the full trailer for Dolly Parton’s “Christmas on the Square” below:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5anWrBFPmY&feature=emb_title

My Review on the Book: "Being a Dog"... about a dog's sense of smell

Recently I read "Being a Dog: Following a Dog into the World of Smell" by Alexandra
Horowitz. I enjoy books about dogs, and as a scientist, I enjoy science books.

I did learn a number of things about a dog's olfactory processes, and how much it drastically differs from a humans (and that they rely much more on smell than sight). However, it got a bit tedious even for me. I found this interesting, but after the first 100 pages, once the author got into human trials and trying to improve her sense of smell, I got lost in the book. 

So, although I read half of it, I honestly couldn't finish it. (I did finish the author's previous book about dogs, though and enjoyed it). 

Publisher's Summary

Alexandra Horowitz, the author of the lively, highly informative New York Times best-selling blockbuster Inside of a Dog, explains how dogs perceive the world through their most spectacular organ - the nose - and how we humans can put our underused sense of smell to work in surprising ways.

What the dog sees and knows comes mostly through his nose, and the information that every dog takes in about the world just based on smell is unthinkably rich. To a dog there is no such thing as "fresh air". Every gulp of air is full of information.

In Being a Dog, Alexandra Horowitz, an eminent research scientist in the field of dog cognition, explores what the nose knows by taking an imaginative leap into what it is like to be a dog. Inspired by her own family dogs, Finnegan and Upton, Horowitz sets off on a quest to make sense of scents. In addition to speaking to experts across the country, Horowitz visits the California Narcotic Canine Association Training Institute and the Stapleton Group's Vapor Wake explosives dog training team; she meets vets and researchers working with dogs to detect cancerous cells and anticipate epileptic seizures or diabetic shock; and she travels with Finnegan to the West Coast, where he learns how to find truffles. Horowitz even attempts to smell-train her own nose.

Being a Dog is a scientifically rigorous book that presents cutting-edge research with literary flair. Revealing such surprising facts as panting dogs cannot smell to explaining how dogs tell time by detecting lingering smells, Horowitz covers the topic of noses - both canine and human - from curious and always fascinating angles. As we come to understand how rich, complex, and exciting the world around us appears to a dog's sense of smell, we can begin to better appreciate it through our own.

©2016 Alexandra Horowitz. All rights reserved. (P)2016 Simon & Schuster

Idiot of the Week: Test Your 5th Grader: A Football Coach Elected Politician Who FAILED History

OH. MY. GOSH. Alabamans just tossed the educated Doug Jones out of the Senate and instead voted in a moron named Tommy Tuberville (a former Football coach) who apparently knows nothing about history or politics. If you have a 5th grader at home, ask them these questions and then watch this idiot on video.

1) Tuberville (R-AL) incorrectly identified the three branches of the U.S. government  were: "The House," The Senate" and "The Executive."

THE CORRECT ANSWER: "Executive," "Judicial," and "Legislative" (the latter makes up the House and Senate)

2) He also incorrectly said the U.S. fought "socialism" and "communism" in World War II - 

THE CORRECT ANSWER:  The Allies (U.S., Russia, Britain, and other European nations) fought against the Nazis of Germany. NOT "socialists" and NOT "communists." 

3) Said he couldn't wait to move into the Dirksen Senate Building so he could fundraise

THAT'S ILLEGAL - It is Illegal to fundraise for political office on Federal Property- and is a violation of the Hatch Act. 

Way to go, Alabama. Elect people who don't even know 5th grade level questions about our government.

Here's the VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/SNZPLeCqlU0

Climate Change Has Affected Seasons Worldwide

The world's climate has been warming steadily over the last century, and although it may natural warm
and cool, the amount of pollution we humans have pumped into the atmosphere have created a greenhouse effect, warmed oceans, triggered weather extremes (colder, shorter winters, longer, hotter summers and the like); stronger storms (hurricanes/typhoons, tornadoes, flooding rainmakers) and research has shown there are also drastic Seasonal Changes around the world. Here's the latest study:

                                                                        (Image: https://medialibrary.climatecentral.org/resources/warming-winter-2017)

Climate Change Has Affected Seasons Worldwide

Oct. 29,2020 Huff. post

In January, even before the coronavirus pandemic put the world askew, Jan Tore Jensen noticed some disturbing changes to the rhythms of life in his home city of Oslo, Norway. “The botanical garden in Oslo was opening up. Flowers were blooming, and something was kind of off,” recalls Jensen, head of Norwegian outdoor-gear company Bergans. The normally wintry city was free of snow until the last day of January, and for the first time ever, Oslo ― along with fellow Scandinavian cities Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki ― witnessed temperatures above freezing every day of the month, the warmest European January on record.

While the past year has brought dramatic manifestations of a warming planet — Cyclone Amphan killed more than 100 people in India and Bangladesh and Hurricane Laura caused widespread damage to the Caribbean and the U.S. — such catastrophes have a specific geography and time span. 

Those who live in the American West couldn’t easily escape the climate implications of this fall’s massive wildfires, but for people elsewhere in the country, this unprecedented disaster was often painted as just a California problem. People often fail to understand climate change because it can feel either too doom-ridden or too distant from their personal lives, research has found.

Climate change is wreaking havoc on both seasonal patterns and the cultures and histories that are connected to them. 

 In the U.S., the first frost of the year arrives one month later than it did a century ago, according to an analysis by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. North American summer has also stretched about a week longer over the past few decades, while winter in some areas of the U.S. has grown shorter by two weeks to nearly two months. And as the seasons shift, the changes ripple through people’s lives and livelihoods. 

 In Arctic Europe, erratic winter weather has made it increasingly difficult for the indigenous Sami to continue traditional reindeer-grazing practices that go back generations. For the Viliui Sakha community in Siberia, whose way of life relies on horse- and cattle-breeding, erratic freezing and thawing patterns mean livestock often find their fodder not blanketed by snow but trapped under ice, impossible to access. 

 In northeast North America, the shortening of winter is hurting the process of maple syrup production, which is important economically in the U.S. and Canada and also culturally, especially among Native American tribes and First Nations. (And of course, as cuisine goes, pancakes and maple syrup are practically as American as apple pie.) 

 In the tropics, climate change could prompt a later arrival of rainy seasons, which could have a domino effect: A delay in the opening of flowers could be a potential problem for bees and hummingbirds that depend on nectar, which in turn could interfere with pollination. If the timing of pollination starts to fail, there may be less fruit for animals like monkeys and parrots.

Rest of the story: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-slow-death-of-seasons_n_5f903d32c5b61c185f460273?ri18n=true&ncid=newsltushpmgnews

Dolly's Memorial Acknowledgement

Since our Weimaraner, Dolly passed on Oct. 22, she's been really active in letting us know
she's still very much around. She came through again, with my mom's help. 

On Nov. 10, I sat at the computer to order a granite memorial marker for Dolly and opened the website the Comfort Company. It is the same website where we ordered granite memorials for Franklin, Sprite and Buzz. The company takes a photo and etches it into the granite using laser, and incorporates brief text you provide.

Right after I opened the website, I brought up a country music station on-line. The song that played immediately was Dolly Parton's "Here You Come Again." Dolly was acknowledging her memorial and sending thanks. The song was also an indication my mom was here with her (because it was my mom's favorite Dolly Parton song). The same thing happened in October.

Wonderful Netflix Documentary: Dolly Parton, Here I Am

We finally got a chance to watch the Netflix Documentary, Dolly Parton: Here I Am. As one of the biggest Dolly Parton fans, I really enjoyed it, as did Tom. It was a well-done and it was about 90 minutes long. You'll laugh, cry and sit an awe of this amazing woman who transformed my life when I was a teenager and made me appreciate the simple things in life, taught me how to care for others, and be optimistic. The final song of the film brought me to tears because it was clearly a message from my Dolly (the Weimaraner) who passed on Oct. 22. 

So many of her songs are my favorites, from 9 to 5, to Better Get to Livin', to Jolene, Here You Come Again, Two Doors Down, and I Will Always Love You. Yes, all are favorites. 

ABOUT: Dolly Parton leads a moving, musical journey in this documentary that details the people and places who have helped shape her iconic career.

WATCH IT ON NETFLIX: https://www.netflix.com/title/81204624

LISTEN- "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton - Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jClgVP6_NLY

In the News: 33-year-old fitness influencer dies of COVID after denying it exists

 It's pretty scary when a muscle-bound, young 33 year old fitness buff can contract and die of COVID19. That happened recently. It certainly doesn't make me feel safe from the pandemic. Here's the article.

  

33-year-old fitness influencer dies of COVID after denying it exists

By David Grant 3 hours ago · 16 comments

Dimitriy Stuzhuk, a popular fitness Instagrammer with over one million followers, has died of COVID-19 following months of denying the virus’ very existence.

The 33-year-old appeared to be the very definition of physical health before he announced he’d contracted the virus while traveling in Turkey.

His symptoms included a cough, body aches, and swelling in his neck. Stuzhuk returned home to Ukraine where doctors told him he’d contracted the novel coronavirus.

When he was discharged from the hospital after eight days of treatment, he told his followers, “I was one who thought that Covid does not exist…until I got sick.”

“COVID IS NOT A SHORT-LIVED DISEASE! And it is heavy,” he added, reports Sky News.

Stuzhuk also detailed the subpar conditions of the hospital he was treated in, promising to share future thoughts about the state of healthcare in Ukraine.

That post never arrived, however, as he was rushed back to the hospital after experiencing cardiovascular complications due to COVID.

His ex-wife, Sofia, announced his death not long after, writing, “Only warm memories remain, three beautiful kids and valuable experience.”

Ukraine has reported 316K cases of the virus, and nearly 6K deaths.