Hero of the Week: Teacher Brittany Loubier-Vervisch Helps Fliers Find Luggage

You can easily be a hero of the week. All it takes it to be considerate of others, people you don't know, and help them in some way. That's what this week's hero did during the airline holiday meltdown here in the U.S. This story has made a lot of headlines already, but teacher Brittany Loubier-Vervisch needs to be recognized as a hero of the week. Here's the story.

(photo: Brittany Loubier-Vervisch, A Tampa Teacher) 

Brittany Loubier-Vervisch, A Tampa Teacher, Texted The Phone Numbers On Luggage Tags To Reunite People With Their Lost Bags

ESPN News 12/29/22 

How about a feel good story? She’s not an airport employee, just a kind soul. Above all, an angel. Brittany Loubier-Vervisch, a science teacher from the Tampa area was searching through an “Armageddon of luggage” at Tampa International Airport the day after Christmas, trying to find her luggage. While her husband was at the Southwest Airlines’ customer-service line, Brittany was searching through what appeared to be thousands of bags piled up at the baggage claim at the Tampa airport. It was at that point, she then realized there was something else she could be doing.

She spoke with Business Insider about her kind hearted act: “I was circling through the baggage claims as stuff was coming off the line and being piled up and if there was a tag on it with a number, I sent a text,” Loubier-Vervisch said. “I was like walking through the bags, I was like, ‘Oh, here’s your bags. Is this your name?’ And they were like, ‘Yes,'”, “I’m like, ‘Oh, here’s your other bags.’ And they were like, ‘Do you work here?'”

(Photo: Baggage claims at Tampa International Airport were flooded with luggage on the day after Christmas. Courtesy of Brittany Loubier-Vervisch)

Brittany says she sent out over 50 texts, helping other travelers locate their bags. They may not have been able to get to their luggage right away, but it’s at least reassuring to know where they are. And that someone, even if she doesn’t work for the airline – cares.

As for Brittany Loubier-Vervisch, 4 hours after her flight got cancelled, she and her husband did indeed locate their luggage.

Summary: January 6th committee hearing: 4 Head-Shaking Takeaways: Wrap-up

 If you missed the wrap up of the January 6th committee hearing, or you have not paid attention you should. For the first time in history, a totally corrupt ex-president has been referred to the Dept. of Justice for several crimes (among the many others). Here's a low down:

SUMMARY: 

1) PENTAGON OFFICIALS FEARED TRUMP WOULD TRY TO USE TROOPS IN HIS JAN. 6 COUP ATTEMPT

 Pentagon officials worried Trump would issue an “illegal order” commanding troops to help with his coup attempt to undo the 2020 election, the Jan. 6 committee revealed. The finding comes in the section analyzing why it took hours for National Guard troops to be deployed to the Capitol to counter the mob that Trump had sent there to pressure his own vice president into voiding Trump’s defeat in the race.

2) JAN. 6 COMMITTEE SAYS DONALD TRUMP PALS TRIED TO BRIBE WITNESSES  The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection said former President Donald Trump tried to offer at least one witness a cushy job to prevent her from testifying. “The witness believed this was an effort to affect her testimony, and we are concerned that these efforts may have been a strategy to prevent the committee from finding the truth," Rep. Zoe Lofgren said. [HuffPost] 3) TRUMP SHOULD BE PROSECUTED FOR INSURRECTION, COMMITTEE SAYS  The Jan. 6 panel unanimously voted to refer four criminal charges against Trump to the Department of Justice. While these referrals cannot force prosecutors to charge anyone, they could add pressure to the DOJ to prosecute Trump for his role in the Capitol riot. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and three other GOP lawmakers were referred to the House ethics committee for sanctions for their refusal to comply with subpoenas

4)  HOPE HICKS SAYS TRUMP BELIEVED HIS LEGACY DEPENDED ON REMAINING PRESIDENT 

Trump believed his legacy relied on overturning the 2020 election and staying in office, his former senior adviser Hope Hicks told the Jan. 6 committee. Hicks told the ex-president there was no evidence to support his election fraud allegations and she was concerned about the effect of the lies on his reputation. "You know, nobody will care about my legacy if I lose, so that won’t matter. The only thing that matters is winning," Trump allegedly told her. 

Paleontology: Nevada fossil site could be ancient Ichthyosaur maternity ward

 In the news last week was a cool fossil find - what appears to be a birthing place for the ocean-dwelling prehistoric Ichthyosaurs (think killer dolphins with killer teeth). Scientists found 37 skeletons from 270 million years ago! Here's the story from the Associated Press:

(Illustration: Gabriel Ugueto/NMNH via AP) 

Mystery Nevada fossil site could be ancient maternity ward

By MADDIE BURAKOFF,, Associated Press Dec. 19, 2022

NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have uncovered new clues about a curious fossil site in Nevada, a graveyard for dozens of giant marine reptiles. Instead of the site of a massive die-off as suspected, it might have been an ancient maternity ward where the creatures came to give birth.

The site is famous for its fossils from giant ichthyosaurs — reptiles that dominated the ancient seas and could grow up to the size of a school bus. The creatures — the name means fish lizard — were underwater predators with large paddle-shaped flippers and long jaws full of teeth.

Since the ichthyosaur bones in Nevada were excavated in the 1950s, many paleontologists have investigated how all these creatures could have died together. Now, researchers have proposed a different theory in a study published Monday in the journal Current Biology.

“Several lines of evidence all kind of point towards one argument here: That this was a place where giant ichthyosaurs came to give birth,” said co-author Nicholas Pyenson, curator of fossil marine mammals at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Once a tropical sea, the site — part of Nevada’s Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park — now sits in a dry, dusty landscape near an abandoned mining town, said lead author Randy Irmis, a paleontologist at the University of Utah.

What is "Lorem Ipsum" and why is it used?

If you've used some on-line Apps where you have to fill something in or on-line forms, you may have seen the words "lorum Ipsum." I noticed it on the Dunkin Donuts App (of course), so I looked it up! Today's blog explains what it is and why its used. Read on!

What is Lorem Ipsum and why is it used?

By Danny Powell Solopress.com-November 2,2020

Lorem Ipsum is a piece of text, used by designers to fill a space where the content will eventually sit. It helps show how text will look once a piece of content is finished, during the planning phase.

Filler text has been widely used for centuries, so most people are familiar with seeing Lorem Ipsum on a mock design. This means, when a designer sends their template to a client, they won’t get distracted by the copy on-page.

What is Lorem Ipsum? Lorem Ipsum, sometimes referred to as ‘lipsum’, is the placeholder text used in design when creating content. It helps designers plan out where the content will sit, without needing to wait for the content to be written and approved.

It originally comes from a Latin text, but to today’s reader, it’s seen as gibberish. This is the clever bit, as it helps show what on-page text will look like – without distracting from the main focus, the overall design.

Where is Lorem Ipsum used? Traditionally, Lorem Ipsum was used for specimen papers in the print industry. Then, as the industry developed, the text began to show up in transfer sheets and on word processors.

Today, the text can be used for any copy, both print and digital. This could include:

• -Letter headings
•  -Product descriptions 
• -Brand bios 
• -Contact details 
• -Websites or link placements 
• -Calls to action
•  -Brochure Design

 What is the Lorem Ipsum translation in English? Lorem Ipsum was originally taken from a Latin text by the Roman philosopher Cicero. But it has gone through significant changes over the centuries, with words being taken out, shortened, and added in. The word ‘lorem’, for example, isn’t a real Latin word, it’s a shortened version of the word ‘dolorem’, meaning pain.

This makes the current dummy text impossible to translate into English. However, the original source was translated in 1914 to mean: “Nor is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.”

A Fun Graphic Novel: DC Goes Ape

 I recently found a graphic novel from 2008 that collected stories about superheroes (DC Comics) battling gorillas. One of the liner notes in the book stated that during the 1960s and 1970s comics readers were fascinated with gorillas, so they wound up appearing in many different comics. This was an enjoyable collection, and has stories that include: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, The Flash, Animal Man, Shazam and others. It's a fun read!  Here are the details of what's in the book:

SUMMARY:  Collection of stories featuring gorillas, monkeys and other primates. All stories were originally published between 1959 and 1999.

Issues

• Superboy #76 - "The Super-Monkey from Krypton!" (starring Superboy)
• Superman #138 - "Titano the Super-Ape!" (starring Superman)
• The Flash #127 - "The Reign of the Super-Gorilla!" (starring the Flash (Barry Allen))
• Detective Comics #339 - "Batman Battles the Living Beast-Bomb!" (starring Batman)
• Hawkman #16 - "Lord of the Flying Gorillas!" (starring Hawkman)
• Wonder Woman #170 - "Wonder Woman -- Gorilla!" (starring Wonder Woman)
• Strange Adventures #201 - "The Mod Gorilla Boss!" (starring Animal Man)
• Shazam! #9 - "The Day Captain Marvel Went Ape!" (starring Captain Marvel)
• Detective Comics #482 - "The Night of the Body Snatcher!" (starring Batman)
• Super Friends #30 - "Gorilla Warfare Against the Humans!" (starring the Super Friends)
• The Flash (Volume 2) #151 - "Territorialis" (starring Kid Flash (Wally West); minus framing sequence by Mark Waid, Paul Pelletier and Jose Marzan, Jr.)

Idiots of the Week: 5 Stooges Block Bill to Give Pregnant Workers Basic Accomodations

I moved the Idiot of the week to Monday this week because of Christmas. This week's idiots are of course, White, Straight, Christian men who obviously think women are nothing more than property. They are: Republican Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) Sen. James Lankford (Okla.),Sen. Steve Daines (Mont.), Mike Braun (Ind.) and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.) Why any woman would vote for Republicans is a mystery. They treat women like second class citizens, and enjoy denying women rights. Women in this country and around the world deserve better. Here's the story of the "5 Stooges" denying pregnant women basic accommodations and an EXAMPLE OF WHY THE BILL IS NEEDED FOR WOMEN.

ANTI-CHOICE REPUBLICANS BLOCK BILL TO GIVE PREGNANT WORKERS BASIC ACCOMMODATIONS

Dec 14,
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and two fellow Republicans blocked a vote on the bipartisan bill, falsely claiming it would support “abortions on demand.” The bill does no such thing.Instead, it offers basic protections for pregnant workers, including reasonable accommodations often not afforded to pregnant women who continue working throughout their pregnancies.

Three Senate Republicans who oppose abortion blocked a bipartisan bill that would afford pregnant people basic workplace accommodations, such as a water bottle, a stool or extra bathroom breaks.

THIS STOOGE CAN'T READ - Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) opposed a vote on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act late last week, inaccurately claiming that it would force employers to “provide accommodations such as leave to obtain abortions on demand under the guise of pregnancy-related condition.” Tillis, a vocal abortion opponent, spoke on the Senate floor on Thursday on behalf of himself and two of his Republican colleagues, Sens. James Lankford (Okla.) and Steve Daines (Mont.).

THE PROBLEM WITH THESE STOOGES: “I and a number of other people do not believe that abortion is health care. I believe it’s a brutal procedure that destroys an innocent child,” Tillis said. “The federal government should not be promoting abortion, let alone mandating that pro-life employers and employers in states that protect life facilitate abortion on demand.” Tillis, Lankford and Daines did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s requests for comment.

But the bill would do no such thing. Instead, it offers basic protections for pregnant workers, including reasonable accommodations often not afforded to pregnant women who continue working throughout their pregnancies. And most other Republicans are on board with the legislation.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act has received an overwhelming amount of bipartisan support. Anti-abortion Republicans are hoping to support fetuses and mothers, while Democrats are looking to support pregnant people in a post-Roe v. Wade landscape.

The bill passed out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) with a 19-2 vote and cleared the House with massive bipartisan support. Republican Sens. Mike Braun (Ind.) and Tommy Tuberville (Ala.) were the only members of the Health and Education committee to vote against the legislation, though neither opposed unanimous consent in the Senate.

EXAMPLE OF WHY THE BILL IS NEEDED-

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a co-sponsor of the bill, related an anecdote from a pregnant Louisville, Kentucky, police officer who could not receive accommodations because her employer offered them only for injury-related issues. If she tried to use the injury-related accommodation during her pregnancy, she would lose her insurance at five months pregnant.

Merry Christmas from our House to Yours!

Our dogs Cody, Dash and Tyler got in the spirit to wish you a Merry Christmas! Here's our holiday card, followed by a special holiday animation a friend put together for us. Enjoy your day! 

 - A big thanks to our friend Ferchi for animating the scene! 

Doing the Right Thing: Returning National Treasures from Museums

Recently in the news, the University College Cork, Ireland and the Vatican decided to give back artifacts to the countries from which they were taken. The Irish college is returning artifacts to Egypt, while the Vatican is returning artifacts to Greece (that were removed from the Parthenon. I think its a good thing. I can understand exhibits on loan or traveling exhibits, but these don't appear to be those. As someone who visited the Partnenon a couple of years ago, it would have been better to see more of what used to be there (there's a museum nearby). Here are the stories from Archaeology Org: 

(Caption: DENIS MORTELL PHOTOGRAPHY / BBC NEWSImage caption,

This wooden sarcophagus is thought to have belonged to a man called Hor)

Ireland Will Repatriate Artifacts to Egypt

CORK, IRELAND—Next year, University College Cork will return mummified human remains, a wooden sarcophagus excavated by Ernesto Schiaparelli in the early twentieth century, four canopic jars, cartonnage, and other ancient artifacts to Egypt, according to a BBC News report. The sarcophagus, thought to have belonged to a man named Hor, and the mummy, also thought to belong to a man, were donated to the school. The canopic jars, dated to between 945 and 700 B.C., are thought to be the oldest objects in the collection.

They were purchased by the university from an antiquities dealer. No records of how the cartonnage was acquired have been found. To read about the virtual unwrapping of the mummy of Amenhotep I, go to "Inside a Pharaoh's Coffin," one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2022.

(Photo from our visit to the Parthenon 2 years ago)

Vatican Will Return Parthenon Sculptures to Greece

VATICAN CITY—The Associated Press reports that three fragments of the Parthenon marbles currently held in the Vatican Museums will be repatriated to Greece following a request for their return made by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. The return is described by the Vatican as a donation from Roman Catholic leader Pope Francis to His Beatitude Ieronymos II, the Orthodox Christian archbishop of Athens, and all of Greece.

The fragments include the head of a horse, the head of a boy, and a bearded male head from the 520-foot frieze depicting a procession in honor of the goddess Athena that surrounded the Parthenon, which was built on the Athenian Acropolis in the fifth century B.C. The sculpture fragments will be reunited with others now on display in the Acropolis Museum, according to a statement from the Greek Ministry of Culture. To read about ongoing work to document other marble fragments on the Acropolis, go to "The Acropolis of Athens: Scattered Architecture."

Science: Why do Evergreen Trees Grow in a Pyramid Shape?

If you ever stopped to think why evergreens have a pyramid-shape while many other trees have a large mushroom-shaped canopy,, thanks to EarthSky Org, you'll find out in today's blog. Of course, our dogs, Tyler, Dash and Cody only wonder who was recently at the trunk of the tree... Read on!

(Photo: Tyler and Dash pose in front of a fake evergreen Christmas tree in 2020. Cr: R.G)

Evergreen trees are pyramidal. Why?

  EARTHSKY, Dec. 23, 2022 (click for link to story)

Those who admire the shape of a Christmas tree might enjoy knowing that its shape has evolved in response to wind, snow, and light.

Evergreen trees – such as spruces, pines and firs – are collectively known as conifers. The world’s smallest and tallest trees are members of this family, and there are more than 550 species of conifers in all. Instead of having broad, flat leaves, conifers usually have needle-shaped or scale-like leaves. The shape of their leaves is an advantage, because they often grow in climates that sometimes feature abrasive, blowing ice crystals.

But why are they shaped like pyramids? Although conifers grow across the globe (except in Antarctica), they’re often found in places that have severe winters. So an evergreen tree’s shape helps keep wet, heavy snow off its upper branches.

(Photo: Ponderosa Pine trees in Colorado. Credit: USDA Forest Service. 2007. Forest Service Research Image Library. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive)

Because conifers tend to have shallow roots they lack long, sturdy tap roots. So wind can sometimes knock them down. Their pyramidal shape reduces wind resistance and helps keep the trees standing upright.

And, finally, a conifer’s shape helps it get more light, in places where daytime can be short. That’s because the top branches of a pyramid-shaped tree don’t shade the bottom branches. Conifers have layered branches, with an open area between the layers. This helps wind pass through, and it helps the tree get enough light, especially when sunlight comes in at a low angle, as it does during the winter months. 

Bottom line: The pyramid shape of an evergreen tree helps the tree thrive in windy, snowy conditions. It also helps the tree’s lower branches receive more light.

Archaeology: Did the Aztecs Use Mountains to Track the Sun?

Several civilizations have used cues on the horizon to mark how the Sun moves through the sky. Today's blog is from Archaeological News based on a published paper that reveals how Aztecs used mountains to track the sunrise throughout the year. For instance, the oldest solar observatory in the world is composed of a line of 13 stone towers, which were built by an unknown civilization in Peru more than 2,300 years ago. Here's the story:

Did the Aztecs Use Mountains to Track the Sun?

Archaeological Headlines By JESSICA E. SARACENI Monday, Dec 19, 2022

RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA—According to a statement released by University of California, Riverside, the Aztecs used the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, along the eastern edge of the Basin of Mexico in which Mexico City is located, as a solar observatory to track the sunrise.

Detailed knowledge of the movement of the sun and the timing of the dry and monsoon seasons would have been required in order to grow enough food to feed the three million people thought to have lived in the region before the arrival of Europeans in 1519.

The scientists, led by ecologist Exequiel Ezcurra, began the search for a possible observation spot in ancient Aztec texts. References to Mount Tlaloc led them to the site of a temple on the summit of Mount Tlaloc. Then, using a computer model, the researchers determined that a causeway structure at the temple aligns with the rising sun on February 24, the first day of the Aztec year.

“When the sun rose at a landmark point behind the Sierras, they knew it was time to start planting,” Ezcurra explained. “The Aztecs were just as good or better as the Europeans at keeping time, using their own methods.”

FROM THE VANTAGE POINT OF MEXICO CITY - (Sciencealert.com)

Standing on the top of Templo Mayor on the winter solstice, an observer would see the Sun rise just behind the tip of Mount Tehuicocone. On the summer solstice from this same viewpoint, they would see the Sun rise right behind the present-day archeological site of Tepetlaoxtoc, which sits 2,300 meters (about 7,500 feet) above sea level in the foothills of a mountain chain called Sierra de Patlachique.

Solstices would also be marked by a pause in the Sun's progress along the horizon, rising and setting behind the same landmarks for a period of around 10 days.

Equinoxes were probably also observed from the top of Templo Mayor. The March and September equinoxes, for instance, are marked by the Sun rising behind the peak of Mount Tlaloc.

(Caption: Three fixed perspectives of the Sun as it rises in the Basin of Mexico. Viewed from: (A) Mount Tepeyac, (B) Templo Mayor, and (C) the pyramid of Cuicuilco. Tlamacas (Tm), Mount Tlaloc (Tl), Telapon (Te), Papayo (Pa), Iztaccihuatl (Iz), and Popocatepetl (Po) (Ezcurra et al., PNAS, 2022)

Ezcurra and his team calculated there is only one day in spring and one day in fall when the Sun rises directly behind this mountain, making it a highly accurate form of timekeeping.

Taken together, the alignments – along with illustrations and texts found in ancient Mexica codices – imply Mount Tlaloc served as a fundamental tool for marking important times of the year and for calendric adjustments. With this approach, the Sun would rise directly behind Mount Tlaloc every 365 days, and every four years, an extra day would have to be accounted for to keep the calendar on track.

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

 Read the original scholarly article about this research in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

A Great Hardcover Collection of 1950s horror comics!

Before comic books got subjected to right-wing censorship, there were some great horror comics. I recently read a cool collection of horror stories from the 1950s, reproduced completely from the issues in which they appeared, including the ads from 1953. It is: Out of the Night Vol.2, ACW, PS ARTBOOKS.  These were printed before the Comics Code Authority banned horror comics, and this series had a huge following. These were great horror stories and this collection has over 200 Pages! 

About the ridiculous "Comics Code" - The Comics Code Authority (CCA) began in 1954 to make comics "safe for young readers." It was a self-regulating program by comic book publishers to govern content in comic books. The stamp for the CCA appears on the cover of comic issues that have been approved by the authority. Fortunately, the McCarthy Era stupidity has been largely been phased out. t

The code meant no sex, no drugs, no cursing, no rock n' roll (SERIOUSLY) , no nudity. The words “terror” and “weird” were banned from comic book titles. Additionally, cops had to always be right and correct, while villains always had to lose.

My Take as Part of the LGBTQ community: Biden signs gay marriage law,

As a gay married guy, I was very relieved to see that President Biden signed the law protecting LBGTQ marriages.  But WHY did he have to do that? As horrible as it is, the Republican Party is out to Eradicate gay marriage now that they've eradicated the right to have an abortion. Supreme Court Justice (and Insurrection co-conspirator  with his wife Ginnie Thomas)  Clarence Thomas even said "We're coming after gay marriage next."   They will.   

    This Bill doesn't make Gay Marriage the Law throughout the U.S., Only protects them. SO if the Supreme court wipes out that right, gay couples will have to go to states that allow /recognize Gay marriage to marry. Then, their state would HAVE to recognize it. 

Here's the Associated Press story about the signing:

Biden signs gay marriage law, calls it ‘a blow against hate’ 

By CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press Nov. 14, 02022

WASHINGTON (AP) — A celebratory crowd of thousands bundled up on a chilly Tuesday afternoon to watch President Joe Biden sign gay marriage legislation into law, a joyful ceremony that was tempered by the backdrop of an ongoing conservative backlash over gender issues.

“This law and the love it defends strike a blow against hate in all its forms,” Biden said on the South Lawn of the White House. “And that’s why this law matters to every single American.”

Singers Sam Smith and Cyndi Lauper performed. Vice President Kamala Harris recalled officiating at a lesbian wedding in San Francisco. And the White House played a recording of Biden’s television interview from a decade ago, when he caused a political furor by unexpectedly disclosing his support for gay marriage. Biden was vice president at the time, and President Barack Obama had not yet endorsed the idea.

“I got in trouble,” Biden joked of that moment. Three days later, Obama himself publicly endorsed gay marriage.

Lawmakers from both parties attended Tuesday’s ceremony, reflecting the growing acceptance of same-sex unions, once among the country’s most contentious issues.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wore the same purple tie to the ceremony that he wore to his daughter Alison’s wedding. She and her wife are expecting their first child in the spring.

Despite Tuesday’s excitement, there was concern about the nationwide proliferation of conservative policies on gender issues at the state level.

Biden criticized the “callous, cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who give children the care they need.”

“Racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, they’re all connected,” Biden said. “But the antidote to hate is love.”

Our Visit to the Historic Liriodendron mansion

We recently went to the Christmas-themed event at the historic Liriodendron mansion in Belair, Maryland. The mansion was beautiful, but there were not a lot of Christmas lights (we expected more), instead, we had to pay to get in and learned that it was an event for vendors of all kinds. There were jewelry makers and potters, rug makers, florists, ornament makers, and other things. 

   We were hoping to learn about the history, but there was no information. We only learned about the history when Tom read the info at the bottom of a portrait of the original owner. - Although it wasn't what we expected, we did get a nice lunch at Dunkin' Donuts later. The setting is beautiful - and would make a great place for a wedding or event.  Today's blog has photos of the mansion and you'll learn about it, too. Read on >>>

(Photo: Rob and Tom on the Mansion's back porch - YES, Rob still has shingles on his face)

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE? The mansion was built in 1898 as the summer residence of Dr. Howard A. Kelly, one of the four founding physicians of Johns Hopkins Hospital.

(Photo: Front of the mansion. Cr: Rob G)

WHAT HAPPENED TO IT? Sold to Harford County in the late 1970s, the mansion now operates as a historic, cultural, educational, and recreational facility, managed by the nonprofit Liriodendron Foundation, Inc. The mansion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is open to the public, free-of-charge, every Wednesday and Sunday.

MANSION NOW AN EVENT LOCATION - The Liriodendron hosts a variety of events and activities, including weddings, private parties, corporate meetings, music concerts, and free community events.

HAS AN ART GALLERY AND EXHIBIT - The 2nd floor of the Palladian mansion houses a free Art Gallery, and the Ice House on the property is home to a Prehistoric Native American exhibit. The 108 acres of grounds, part of Heavenly Waters Park, are open for public use from sun-up to sundown.

FOR INFORMATION: 

OPEN HOUSE HOURS Wednesday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Winter Hours) 2nd Sunday of Each Month 11:00 am – 3:00 p.m No appointment necessary and no admission fees 

WEBSITE: https://liriodendron.com/

Idiot of the Week: Trump Refused a Deal in 2018 to Free Paul Whelan from Russia

This week's Idiot is a returning champion, Donald Trump. It has now been learned that during his presidency he "wasn't interested" in freeing former Marine Paul Whelan from a Russian prison, according to the National Security Council Russia specialist who worked under Trump. Now, Trump is criticizing President Biden for not yet being able to free him. WTH?  Here's the story and a link to the video interview with the specialist. 

(Photo: Left, former Marine Paul Whelan, Right, The idiot of the week)

Trump Claims He Turned Down Deal To Free Paul Whelan Former White House

National security official Fiona Hill said Trump "was not particularly interested in Paul’s case."

The Hill.com 12-12-22

Former President Donald Trump claimed he turned down a deal to free former Marine Paul Whelan from a Russian prison while he was in office after a former White House national security official said Trump was “not particularly interested” in the case.

Trump also said Sunday he would have gotten Whelan out, but did not explain how. The comments on his social media platform follow his incendiary complaints that the Biden administration hasn’t done more for Whelan, who is still in Russia after WNBA star Brittney Griner was freed in a prisoner swap for Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout.

“I also have to say here that President Trump wasn’t especially interested in engaging in that swap for also Paul Whelan,” Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council Russia specialist, said in an interview with CBS News’ “Face the Nation.” “He was not particularly interested in Paul’s case in the way that one would have thought he would be.”

Hill said that a prisoner swap was raised several times by Russian officials who “had every intent” on trading Americans wrongfully detained overseas for individuals in U.S. custody.

These individuals “were there for pretty good reasons.” They included Russian arms dealer Bout, who last week was traded for Griner, and drug smuggler Konstantin Yaroshenko, who was swapped in April for Marine Trevor Reed, she said.

Whelan, who the U.S. says has been wrongfully imprisoned in Russia since 2018 on espionage charges, was notably not included in last week’s prisoner swap

Trump, responding to news of Whelan’s ongoing incarceration, called the swap “a stupid and unpatriotic embarrassment for the USA!”

“Why wasn’t former Marine Paul Whelan included in this totally one-sided transaction?” he said in an online statement that criticized Griner’s release, citing her past advocacy against police brutality and racial injustice. “He would have been let out for the asking.”

Whelan’s brother, David Whelan, fired back at Trump

, saying Trump didn’t care about his brother’s wrongful detention in the least bit while in office.

Trump “appears to have mentioned my brother #PaulWhelan’s wrongful detention more in the last 24 hours than he did in the 2 years of his presidency in which Paul was held hostage by #Russia (zero). I don’t suggest he cares now any more than he did then (zero),” he tweeted Friday.

Reed, who spent nearly three years in a Russian prison, has also previously said that Trump did nothing to help secure his release or Whelan’s.

“Whelan went to prison when Trump was president and his administration did nothing. I also went to prison when Trump was president and he also did nothing,” Reed wrote on Facebook this past summer. He posted similar comments on Twitter. He did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.

President Joe Biden said Thursday that securing Whelan’s release remains a priority and that the swap for Griner “was not a choice about which American to bring home.”

Good News of the Week: UK couple reunited with missing cat after two years

 Here's a good news story to end your week - a missing cat has come home after being gone for 2 years!  Here's the story from BBC News, and it should give hope to other pet parents of missing pets.

RSPCA

Image caption,

Harriet and Michael Tarbatt were reunited with Lupin on 10 December

Leeds couple reunited with missing cat after two years

BBC NEWS Nov 14, 2022 

A couple have been reunited with their pet cat nearly two years after it went missing.

Lupin disappeared from Harriet and Michael Tarbatt's home in Meanwood, Leeds, in February 2021 when he was just a kitten.

The couple said they had combed the streets looking for the feline and had all but given up hope when they took a call from the RSPCA earlier this month.

Ms Tarbatt said: "It's so amazing we've got him back."

Lupin was found living five miles away from his home in the Bramley area of the city after a member of the public reported seeing a stray cat to the RSPCA.

After being caught by the animal welfare charity Lupin was traced back to his owners by way of his microchip.

Ms Tarbatt said: "We looked for him up and down the streets and we put down biscuits and put up posters everywhere.

"We thought he was in someone's home, but he never returned and there were no sightings."

'Amazing story'

The couple were reunited with Lupin on 10 December and said he was slowly settling back into family life.

"He's a bit scrawny, but he's not underweight, so he has been looked after somewhere and been fed," Ms Tarbatt said.

"We can't thank the RSPCA enough for getting him back to us."

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "It is so important that cat owners get their pets microchipped and make sure the registered details are up to date - and this amazing story reminds us why."

FOUND: Foot floating in a Yellowstone hot spring leaves questions

Always put your best foot forward, but make sure it's attached to the rest of you. Note: Today's blog is a bit gross... If you visit Yellowstone National Park, you'll see the hot springs and there are signs posted all around them that warns people NOT to go near them. Why? Because if you fall in, the water is so hot it can dissolve a body. Apparently, there have been quite a few people who have ignored the signs and for the most part, disappeared/dissolved. EEEWWWW. So, don't be a Darwin Award Winner and stay away from the Hot Springs. Here's the story from Live Science. 

Foot floating in a Yellowstone hot spring leaves more questions than answers

By Stephanie Pappas  LIVE SCIENCE  August 19, 2022

Authorities say they don't suspect foul play, but have linked the foot to a July 31 death.

A foot found floating in a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park has been linked to a July 31 death.

On Aug. 16, a park employee found the foot, still encased in a shoe, in Abyss Pool, one of the deepest hot springs in Yellowstone. In a statement today (Aug. 19), authorities said that the foot is linked to an incident involving a single individual on the morning of July 31 and that they do not suspect foul play. They did not elaborate on why they do not suspect foul play, nor did they identify the person who died. An investigation is ongoing.

Yellowstone is dotted with geothermal springs, many of which are hot enough to scald a person. Mineral crusts around the springs can appear solid but crack under the weight of someone stepping on them. In 2016, a 23-year-old Oregon man died after slipping into a scalding pool at the Norris Geyser Basin while attempting to take a dip in a closed location. The pool was over 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) and highly acidic, according to USA Today. Park officials saw the man's body floating in the hot spring the day he died but were unable to immediately retrieve it. When they returned the next day, they could not find the remains.

"Evidence suggests that the extreme heat and the acidity of the water quickly dissolved his body in the hot spring," according to a park report released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by KULR-TV in Billings, Montana.

A map of Yellowstone's hot springs by type. (Image credit: USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2017–5022–P)

The pool where the Oregon man died is an acid-sulfate hot spring. These hot springs, which are found most commonly in the northeastern part of the park, are heated by acidic steam so strong that it can eat away rocks and minerals around the springs, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Mud Volcano and Artists Paint Pots, two popular tourist sites in the park, are both acid-sulfate features.

Many of Yellowstone's pools, however, are alkaline, or basic. The pH scale runs from zero to 14, with zero being the most acidic, 7 being neutral, and 14 being the most basic. Abyss Pool is one of the park's alkaline pools, with a pH of 8.65, according to a paper published in the book "Mechanisms and Phylogeny of Mineralization in Biological Systems: Biomineralization '90". A pH of 8.6 is more basic than most seawater, but less basic than baking soda. Pools like Abyss Pool get their alkalinity from fluids that carry chloride from deep below the surface.

Abyss Pool is situated in the West Thumb Geyser Basin near Yellowstone Lake. It's up to 53 feet (16 meters) deep and is about 140 F (60 C), according to the National Park Service.

It is not clear whether the person in the spring became incapacitated by the heat of the water or died in some other way. It is not surprising, however, that it was a foot inside a shoe that revealed the occurrence of a death. Bodies left in water over time naturally decompose, and it's common for feet to detach as the soft tissues of the feet and ankles deteriorate. Most modern shoes are buoyant, so they'll float once set free. This phenomenon was deemed responsible for the discovery of 21 human feet(opens in new tab) that have washed ashore since 2007 in the Pacific Northwest.

Originally published on Live Science.\

In the News: New Banksy Works Emerge Among the Destruction in Ukraine

Banksy went to Ukraine last month and provided some pretty amazing works. Here's the story.

New Banksy Works Emerge Among the Destruction in Ukraine 

NOVEMBER 14, 2022GRACE EBERT

Banksy (previously) has been traveling through the battle-scarred streets of Ukraine, producing a slew of works directly confronting Russia’s unwarranted and unjust aggression. The elusive street artist’s signature stencils have been spotted among the rubble of bombed buildings and barricades in Borodyanka and Gorenka, both in the Bucha Region, while others are just outside the capital city of Kyiv. Each centers on the strength and resiliency of the Ukrainian people.

The works broadly criticize the ongoing war and its disastrous effects on the everyday lives of citizens, depicting a woman outfitted with hair rollers, a bathrobe, and a gas mask grasping a fire extinguisher, a bearded man scrubbing his back in an open-air bathtub, and silhouettes of young children teeter-tottering on a left-behind hunk of steel. Perhaps the most pointed piece is that of a young boy slamming Russian President Vladimir Putin to the ground during a judo match—according to the BBC, Putin has projected an interest in the sport.

Watch Banksy at work on these pieces in a recent YouTube video, and find more on Instagram. This is the first time the artist has emerged since the Spraycation series 15 months ago.