Quick Peek at Indoor Dog Agility!

 Tyler and Dash enjoy doing indoor agility when it's wet outside. They go around obstacles and they go through a tunnel, and they get treats!

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3deID-pGsWI

Legoland UK: London landmarks brought to life in Lego replica!

There's a Legoland in England, and this year, the park just unveiled part of the park filled with Lego reconstructions of many England landmarks! Legoland Windsor UK has a hotel, restaurant, lets you drive a LEGO car at the LEGO City Driving School, ride a Dragon through a medieval castle or discover a lost underwater city in your very own submarine. Today's blog gives a brief glimpse at the new exhibit of some of England's buildings.

(Photo: Lego's mascot, Ollie the Dragon points to the England structures made out of Legos.) 

First look: London landmarks brought to life in Lego replica Legoland Windsor Resort has unveiled seven new Lego skyscrapers made up of two million bricks.

New footage shows workers putting the finishing touches on miniature versions of iconic buildings including the Gherkin, the Cheese Grater, City Hall and One Canada Square.

VIDEO OF VARIOUS STRUCTURES: https://youtu.be/wEyIQ68Yp14?si=FHYE4LBh9Ii0dFvT

The impressive structures form part of Legoland’s revamped Miniland London attraction, which already boasts Lego versions of the Elizabeth Tower, the London Eye and Buckingham Palace.

Miniland London also features 25 Lego boats and 174 buses, taxis and trains. 

LEGOLAND Windsor Resort is located on Winkfield Road, Windsor, Berkshire, England.

 WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO HERE: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/previews/qHqBqRNR 

 MORE INFORMATION: https://www.legoland.co.uk/explore/special-events/easter/

2 Songs That Define Me- What are yours?

 Recently I was interviewed by KC O'Day for her paranormal podcast and a friend of hers wrote, sang and produced a great theme song for her show. That made me wonder about a "Life Theme Song." There are two songs that I think define who I am and how I live (they both happen to be by the same person. I've provided them in today's blog with links to hear (and see the videos) them. What are YOUR 2 songs and WHY?

1) I Can See The Light of a Clear Blue Morning, by Dolly Parton

WHY: I'm an optimist. This song that Dolly wrote is all about looking for the light and positivity in anything. This song continues to empower me as it did in 1976 when it first came out (it was updated in 1992 in Dolly's film "Straight Talk."). If you listen to it, it may empower you, too.  LISTEN: https://youtu.be/hef-Jo2XNRc?si=URVBNUAFXDwbfShc

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

2) Better Get to Livin' by Dolly Parton

WHY: Throughout my life I've met 2 kinds of people. Those who pick themselves up when times are tough and move forward, and those who sit and wallow in misery. I've always been someone to pick myself up. I have given myself a day to be sad or mad, but then put it behind and try to fix whatever's bothering me. This song motivates me to get out of any funk.

For those who choose the other option of self-pity or wallowing in sadness, this song is my message to them. Only YOU can change your life. Don't rely on others to make your life better. You are in charge of your destiny, so as Dolly Parton wrote and sang in this song, "You better stop whinin', pinin', get your dreams in line and you better start livin'."   LISTEN/WATCH: https://youtu.be/MKeulwZ3sGE?si=PI2_rR-2Ezcy2T2W

Idiots of the Week: Medicaid Recipients who voted for Trump, now Panicked

This week's Idiots are 2/3rds of people in California’s 22nd Congressional district, who rely on Medicaid and voted for Trump. Now they're panicked. Watch this video report and you'll be shocked about the reasons why they voted as they did. Now they're paying for it, maybe with their lives, and certainly with their health. 

I have zero sympathy for the idiots of the week.  One of the people interviewed in the video report below was a foolish woman who relies on medicaid for herself, her sister, and her disabled daughter, said she voted for Trump and she won't be able to afford ANY of the medications Medicaid pays for all of them. WHY Did she vote for the Felon? She said, "I voted for trump because I don't believe in abortion." When the hell are these morons going to understand that abortion doesn't run the country? 

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/nGbA1BnMvzk?si=tG2Oq2aAwbbv-vfc *************

ABOUT THE REPORT: Two-thirds of people in California’s 22nd Congressional district rely on Medicaid. But the majority of the district also voted to elect President Trump in 2024. We went to talk to residents to see what they think about Trump’s proposed cuts to Medicaid. One Trump voter told us: “I feel like they're stabbing us in the back, you know?”

ABOUT THE REPORTING: More Perfect Union’s mission is to build power for working people. Here’s what that means: We report on the real struggles and challenges of the working class from a working-class perspective, and we attempt to connect those problems to potential solutions. We report on the abuses and wrongdoing of corporate power, and we seek to hold accountable the ultra-rich who have too much power over America’s political and economic systems.We're an independent, nonprofit newsroom. To support our work: Website: https://www.perfectunion.us

Hero of the Week: MD Physician Assistant Delivers Life-Saving Shock To Doctor On Flight From Hawaii

A Howard County, Maryland physician assistant has been credited for saving a doctor's life on their flight from Hawaii to California. 

Photo: Emily Haley (Inset), an emergency room physician assistant saved Dr. Jacquelyn Lacera, 61, from Riverside, California, who fell ill an hour into a flight, (Jenna Fisher/Patch)

MD Physician Assistant Delivers Life-Saving Shock To Doctor On Flight From Hawaii 

 Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch, Apr 9, 2025 

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A physician assistant from Howard County has been credited with saving the life of a fellow medical professional on a flight from Hawaii to California, according to multiple media reports.

Emily Haley, an emergency room physician assistant at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore, was returning from a vacation on the Big Island with her family, according to WBAL. A call for medical assistance was made after Dr. Jacquelyn Lacera, 61, from Riverside, California, fell ill an hour into the flight, becoming nauseous and sweaty.

Lacera began vomiting and had "very bad chest pains," she told WBAL. Haley immediately responded to the call for help and checked Lacera's vital signs, quickly realizing the doctor was experiencing cardiac issues.

The two women worked to save Lacera's life. Haley gave her fluids and oxygen, but Lacera's status was still declining.

The plane didn't have an EKG machine to monitor heart function, and a pulse oximeter didn’t work.

“We got her Apple Watch, attached it to her wrist. It just said her heart rate was over 160. That made my heart rate drop a little bit,” Haley told WMAR.

So, Haley used an automated external defibrillator — typically used to shock a person's heart when they are unconscious or sedated — to help Lacera's heart beat normally again.

“She goes, ‘You wouldn’t believe how much that hurt,’ but I felt relief because she was alive. The fact that she was screaming was a good sign,” Haley told WMAR.

Once the plane landed in Los Angeles, Lacera was rushed to the hospital, where she underwent several procedures and was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.

Lacera later told USA Today the episode reminded her of her sister's early cardiac death at 37.

"It was terrible, like 10 out of 10 chest pain," she told USA TODAY. "I've had a child – and I can take pain – but this was horrible."

Recent Read: Man Without a Face by Isabelle Holland

One of Tom's favorite books is called "Man Without a Face," by Isabelle Holland. I recently read it and enjoyed it. YOU should read this classic, too. Today's blog gives you some of my insight into the book, and my reaction to the book. 

SIDE NOTE: Tom read this book as a kid, and has kept the book with him since the 1970s. He recently told me it was one of his favorites (he's kept it hidden on his bookshelf for the 20 years we've been together... funny how it takes so long to find things out about each other!). 

MY TAKE ON:  "Man Without a Face,"by Isabelle Holland 

It was a very good book! It's about how a 14 year old boy (Chuck) from a totally screwed up family: 1) A mother who has had 3 husbands and working on number 4. 2) An older sister who is an egotistical ass and a spoiled momma's girl. And 3) A younger sister that Chuck tries to work with, who makes a suggestion to Chuck to get tutoring to pass a test to get in a school. The man that tutors Chuck has a past and deep physical scars from an accident and is ignored by the town. In the book, Chuck finds himself through the "Man without a face" and Chuck realizes things about himself, and finally experiences feelings he didn't think he had. READ IT! -

WARNING - DO NOT waste your time seeing the film of the same name made by Mel Gibson. That right wing idiot removed some deep themes between Chuck and the Man Without a Face, and the movie ruined the main theme of the story.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Charles didn't know much about life ... until he met The Man Without a FaceI'd never had a friend, and he was my friend; I'd never really, except for a shadowy memory, had a father, and he was my father. I'd never known an adult I could communicate with or trust, and I communicated with him all the time, whether I was actually talking to him or not. And I trusted him ......Fourteen-year-old Charles desperately wants two things: a father and a way out. Little love has come his way until the summer he befriends a mysterious scarred man named Justin McLeod, nicknamed The Man Without a Face. Charles enlists McLeod's help as tutor for the St. Matthew's school entrance exams, his ticket away from the unpleasant restrictions of his home life. 

But more important than anything he could get out of a book, that summer Charles learns from McLeod a stirring life lesson about the many faces of love.'

REVIEWS

• Not much affection had come Charles's way until the summer he was fourteen, when he met McLeod [a man whose face was deeply scarred] and learned that love has many facets.' --BL. 
• 'A highly moral book, powerfully and sensitively written; a book that never loses sight of the human. --H. 
• 1972 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)Best of the Best Books (YA) 1970-1983 (ALA)Outstanding Children's Books of 1972 (NYT)   

Found: An Ancient Egyptian Dog Sculpture With Moveable Mouth

 I was pleased to learn Ancient Egyptians loved their dogs as well as their cats. Recently there was a discovery of a small, movable dog sculpture carved from ivory, that was made in Egypt around 1390 to 1352 B.C. Today's blog is about that finding and how ancient Egyptians revered their canine children!

(Photo: Howard Carter discovered this carved ivory dog in a New Kingdom tomb in Egypt. (Image credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art / Public Domain))

Mechanical Dog: A 'good boy' from ancient Egypt that has a red tongue and 'barks'

LIVE SCIENCE published March 17, 2025 

A small, carved dog epitomizes ancient Egyptians' love of pets. 

What it tells us about the past:

Posed as if leaping through the air, this carved ivory dog opens its mouth as a lever is pushed up and down, revealing two lower teeth and a red tongue. The dog, which was discovered in an ancient Egyptian tomb, is a reminder that these domesticated canines have been beloved pets for at least 3,400 years.

The small dog sculpture, now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, is made from elephant ivory. It is 7.2 inches (18.2 centimeters) long from nose to toes and shows the very good boy in a flying gallop, legs extended in the air. According to The Met, the lever that works the dog's lower jaw, making it appear to bark, was originally held on by a piece of leather cord looped through small holes. At some point, the cord was replaced with a metal dowel secured in the dog's shoulder.

The Met obtained the dog sculpture from the personal collection of Howard Carter, the Egyptologist who famously discovered King Tut's tomb in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. It is unclear exactly where the dog was found, but The Met suggests it may have been placed in an elite tomb sometime during the reign of Amenhotep III, King Tut's grandfather, in the 14th century B.C. But its purpose is unclear; it may have been a toy or a magical ceremonial object.

Ancient Egyptians were quite fond of their dogs. While some were used for hunting, shepherding or as watchdogs, many were pets. This sculpture definitely represents a domesticated dog because the incised lines around its neck form a collar, Met curator emerita Catharine Roehrig wrote in a publication of the artifact.

During Egypt's New Kingdom (1550 to 1070 B.C.), dog collars became increasingly ornate, often inscribed with the dog's name, such as those found in the Tomb of Maiherpri. This dog sculpture does not have a name attached to its collar, but The Met notes that some common Egyptian dog names translate to Blackie, Son of the Moon and Good-for-Nothing.

The breed of this sculpted dog is also unclear. Ancient Egyptians tended to prefer energetic dog breeds, and the ones often represented in their art include the ancestors of the hunting dog basenji, the Ibizan hound and the pharaoh hound.

Dogs were also linked with the god Anubis and with the afterlife in Egyptian mythology; they were sometimes seen as a kind of intermediary between the worlds of the living and the dead. Killing a dog — particularly a collared one — was a severe crime, and a family would have mourned the death of their dog as they would a human relative: by shaving their eyebrows. However, Egyptians believed that they would meet their dogs again in the afterlife, which is likely the reason they mummified them and buried them in special pet cemeteries.

Fun! People in Inflatable T-Rex costumes Race in Japan

On March 22, 2025, about 60 people dressed as Tyrannosaurus Rexes participated in a race at Funabashi Racecourse in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan! They wore inflatable Tyrannosaurus costumes. This year it was held at a ski resort, but since there's no story about it, Today's blog shares the 2023 story about that crazy race.

(Photo: People in colorful Tyrannosaurus costumes dash in a fierce competition for the top spot in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, on Jan. 29, 2023. (Mainichi/Shigeharu Asami))

Dino-mite dash! 60 people in T-rex costumes race at east Japan park

FUTTSU, Chiba -- Some 60 people in colorful Tyrannosaurus costumes recently gathered in this eastern Japan city to race against the clock, drawing cheers from spectators braving a cold northerly wind.

The "Tyrannosaurus Race," an event in which participants from in and out of Chiba Prefecture in dinosaur costumes vied for the best times, was held at Chiba Prefectural Futtsu Park on Jan. 29.

The race is said to have originated in the United States, and the only rule is that runners wear a dinosaur costume that can be purchased online. The park held the event for the first time to relieve people's stress amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic while enlivening the local community.

(Photo: Families welcome participants in dinosaur costumes after a "Tyrannosaurus Race" in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, on Jan. 29, 2023. (Mainichi/Shigeharu Asami)) 

Participants were divided into three divisions: juvenile dinosaurs (elementary school students and younger), adult female dinosaurs (junior high school students and older) and adult male dinosaurs. Some ran with unique names such as "Futtsu-saurus" and "Macho-saurus." Some of the runners stumbled in the middle of the race and fell down, and the competition for the top position was fierce, with cheering and applause from family members who came to support the runners.

The director of the park's management office said, "The race has become popular on video-sharing websites, and we held this event for the first time in the prefecture. We hope to continue it in the future."

(photo: Participants run as fast as they can in their Tyrannosaurus costumes in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture, on Jan. 29, 2023. (Mainichi/Shigeharu Asami))

(Japanese original by Shigeharu Asami, Kisarazu Local Bureau)

Boston's Infamous Gardner Museum heist, 35 years later

 Back in 1990, valuable paintings were stolen from Bsoton's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and they have never been found. Today's blog is from the Boston Globe and provides a background into the investigation. This is a fascinating article!  Many of the suspects are now dead... 

PHOTO: Empty frames from which thieves took "Storm on the Sea of Galilee," left rear, by Rembrandt and "The Concert," right foreground, by Vermeer. Josh Reyndolds / AP 

What to know about the Gardner Museum heist, 35 years later

“We know what a special place they hold in our society, and we are very eager to get them back.” 

Gardner Museum Art Heist Mystery

   Dialynn Dwyer, March 18, 2025, Boston Com

Thirty-five years ago, the world’s largest art heist took place when 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.

Decades later, the theft of the works, worth $500 million, remains unsolved. The thieves made off with several Rembrandt paintings, including the artist’s only seascape, Vermeer’s “The Concert,” Manet’s “Chez Tortoni,” and five Degas sketches, among other works.

The museum continues to offer a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen art, while the empty frames remain hanging in the institution as a reminder of their absence and “as symbols of hope awaiting their return.”

Below, a refresher on what to know about the infamous heist as authorities continue to search for the stolen artwork.

PHOTO: An undated photo of “The Storm on the Sea of Galilee,” by Rembrandt, one of more than a dozen works of art stolen by burglars in the early hours of March 18, 1990. – Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum / AP

What happened during the museum heist?

As revelers continued their St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around Boston during the early hours of March 18, 1990, a vehicle pulled up near the side entrance of the Gardner, according to the museum. Two men dressed in police uniforms pushed the museum’s buzzer, claiming they were responding to a disturbance and requesting entrance.

They were let in by a guard. Then the men posing as officers handcuffed the guard who let them in, as well as a second security officer, tying them up in the basement.

Motion detectors recorded the thieves’ movements, according to the museum. Six works were taken from the museum’s Dutch Room, six removed from the Short Gallery, and one work — Manet’s “Chez Tortoni” — was taken from the Blue Room.

Some of the paintings were cut from their frames.

The thieves left the museum at 2:45 a.m., 81 minutes after they arrived, making two separate trips to their car with the artwork:

• “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee” by Rembrandt
• “A Lady and Gentleman in Black” by Rembrandt
• “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” by Rembrandt
• “The Concert” by Vermeer
• “Landscape with an Obelisk” by Govaert Flinck
• “Chez Tortoni” by Manet
• “Leaving the Paddock” by Degas
• “Procession on a Road near Florence” by Degas
• “Three Mounted Jockeys” by Degas
• “Study for the Programme” by Degas “Study for the Programme” by Degas
• A gilded bronze eagle finial from the top of a Napoleonic flag
• A Chinese gu vase

The guards remained handcuffed until police arrived at the museum at 8:15 a.m., the start of an investigation into the heist that continues to this day.

Now-retired lead investigator has a theory for who’s responsible

Geoffrey Kelly stands next to a replica of “The Concert,” by Johannes Vermeer, which was given to him by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on his retirement in 2024. – David L. Ryan / The Boston Globe Since the heist, theories about who was responsible and where the artwork ended up have abounded. Books, podcasts, and documentaries have delved into the mystery.

Retired FBI agent Geoffrey Kelly, who led the investigation into the thefts for more than two decades, recently told The Boston Globe he suspects the initial plan for the heist was to make quick money stealing the Rembrandts.

“Then they wake up on March 19 to realize that they’ve committed the heist of the century,” he told the newspaper.

Kelly said his theory is Carmello Merlino, a mob associate who ran a repair shop in Dorchester, likely sent George Reissfelder — a petty thief — and Leonard DiMuzio — who had been implicated in home invasions — into the museum to steal the paintings, according to the Globe.

While the guard who let the thieves into the museum, Rick Abath, maintained he had nothing to do with the heist until he died in 2024, Kelly told the Globe he believes Abath was involved.

Reissfelder’s relatives reportedly told authorities a painting of a man in a top hat — similar to the stolen “Chez Tortoni” — was on the wall in the man’s apartment after the heist, according to the Globe. The artwork was gone by the time the 51-year-old was found dead of an intravenous overdose in March 1991, in what Kelly told the newspaper he considered a “suspicious death.”

Two weeks later, DiMuzio disappeared; his body was found in June 1991 in the trunk of a car in East Boston, according to the Globe.

Kelly told the newspaper he believes the two men were killed “for the paintings or to keep them quiet.”

Merlino, on whom the FBI focused as part of the investigation, was arrested in 1991 as part of a sting operation and convicted on charges of attempting to rob an armored car depot, according to the Globe. He died in prison in 2005.

According to the Globe, two other mob associates, James Marks and Robert Donati, were linked to the heist over the years.

Both men met untimely deaths.

Marks was shot to death outside his home in 1991, and Donati was stabbed outside his own residence later the same year, according to the Globe.

Kelly told the newspaper all the deaths within 18 months of the heist had “a chilling effect” on the investigation.

According to the Globe, investigators believe some of the artwork ended up first with another man with mob ties, Robert Guarente, and then with Connecticut mobster Robert “The Cook” Gentile.”

A search of Gentile’s home in 2013 resulted in his conviction for illegally selling prescription drugs and possessing guns, silencers, and ammunition. The search also turned up a handwritten list of the stolen Gardner paintings and their estimated worth, along with a newspaper article about the museum heist a day after it happened.

Gentile, who died in 2021, denied ever having anything to do with the paintings.

Kelly told the Globe that over the years, investigators have doggedly pursued leads across the country and overseas. But, he noted, stolen artwork is usually not found again until generations have passed.

“Someone is going to be looking in an attic and find these pieces,” he said. “There’s always hope.”

PHOTO: Museum staff rehang the empty frame for Rembrandt’s stolen seascape after it underwent restoration. – John Tlumacki / The Boston Globe

What authorities are saying on the heist’s 35th anniversary

In a statement marking the 35th anniversary of the thefts, FBI Boston’s Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen said the agency remains focused on recovering the stolen artwork and returning them to their “rightful places at the museum.”

“We know what a special place they hold in our society, and we are very eager to get them back,” she said. “The FBI’s investigation continues to be very active, and all leads are thoroughly vetted and run to ground.”

Investigators are still asking for the public’s help locating the artwork and asked that given how much time has passed, people refamiliarize themselves with what the stolen pieces look like.

The missing 13 works could be anywhere in the world, though the FBI said it believes the artwork was separated after the theft, with some moved along the Eastern seaboard through the Mid-Atlantic region down south.

“Anyone with information about the location of the stolen art is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), the museum, or a third party if you wish to remain anonymous,” the FBI said. “Tips can also be submitted at tips.fbi.gov.”

In a post on Facebook Tuesday, the Gardner Museum staff wrote they “remain hopeful that these stolen masterpieces will one day return.”

The museum is undertaking a multi-year restoration of the Dutch Room, where six of the works were displayed. “However, the Dutch Room can never be fully restored until the missing works are returned to their rightful home, displayed for everyone to enjoy as Isabella intended,” the museum wrote.

NEW Podcast!! Afraid of Nothing discusses "Afraid of Haunting of Emery Estate"

 Brand NEW Podcast!! Afraid of Nothing discusses "Afraid of Haunting of Emery Estate" with Drag Paranormal Investigator Monique Toosoon and Rob Gutro about their crazy 5-hour investigation in a haunted mansion in Massachusetts. They encountered 3 ghosts and one with a chilling personality...

LISTEN:

https://www.afraidofnothingpodcast.com/afraid-of-haunting-of-emery-estate/

Tragic Idiots of the Week: 2 Men Caught Deadly Infections Using Bat Poop for Weed

This week's idiots are a tragic pair. They decided to use guano, known as bat poop, to fertlize their homegrown Marijuana plants without knowing the danger of using it. Oddly, it's sold online as a fertilizer. Both men died from a rare fungal lung infection called histoplasmosis. What they apparently didn't realize is that there are severe dangers of using bat guano as fertilizer. 

ABOUT BAT GUANO - According to Planet Natural. Com, Bat guano, in particular, is highly sought after as it is believed to be superior to other types of guano. The bats’ diet of insects and small creatures results in guano that is exceptionally rich in nutrients. Moreover, it is a sustainable resource, as bats produce it continuously. However, while guano is beneficial for plants, it can pose a risk to humans and pets if not handled properly. It can harbor disease-causing fungi and bacteria.

Diagnostic dilemma: Growing weed with bat poop left 2 men with deadly infections

By Emily Cooke Live Science, March 12, 2025

Using bat poop to fertilize plants like cannabis can sometimes have deadly consequences. A report highlights two fatal cases that affected men in New York.

Two men in New York developed a severe fungal infection as a result of their efforts to grow their own bat-poop-fertilized cannabis.

The patients: A 59-year-old man (patient one) and a 64-year-old man (patient two) in Rochester, New York

The symptoms: Patient one was initially admitted to the hospital for respiratory failure after experiencing various symptoms, including a sore throat, difficulty swallowing and extensive weight loss for about six weeks. At the hospital, doctors ordered a computed tomography (CT) scan of the patient's neck, which revealed that he had mucus clogging his upper voice box and right-side vocal cord.

Patient two, meanwhile, was initially hospitalized for having low salt levels in his blood, which caused tissue swelling. His teeth were also in poor condition, which made it harder for him to eat or drink, leading to weight loss, and he had a chronic cough.

What happened next: When he was admitted to hospital, patient one seemed to be wasting away and had signs of bacterial blood poisoning. An additional CT scan, this time of his chest, showed that he had a buildup of fluid in his lungs. Doctors treated him with antibiotics and briefly put him on ventilation to support his breathing. The medical team later identified traces of fungi in the patient's urine and in coughed-up mucus from his respiratory tract.

In the hospital, patient two had a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius). A CT scan revealed multiple lesions in his chest and abdomen. In addition, traces of fungi were detected in his urine.

The diagnosis: Both patients — who were not affiliated in any way but were from the same area — were diagnosed with a rare fungal lung infection called histoplasmosis.

This condition occurs when people inhale spores of a harmful fungus named Histoplasma capsulatum, which usually grows in soil and the poop of birds and bats. Approximately 1 to 2 people per 100,000 in the United States are infected with histoplasmosis each year. However, most people exposed to the fungus don't develop any symptoms. Symptoms are more likely to emerge in people with lung conditions or weakened immune systems, compared to the general population.

In these two cases, the patients' symptoms may have been exacerbated by other diseases that they had before they developed histoplasmosis. For example, patient one had emphysema, a common type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in which air sacs in the lungs are damaged, which constrains breathing.

The treatment: Following their diagnoses, the patients were prescribed antifungal drugs to combat their infections. However, despite this treatment, both died. Between 5% and 7% of patients who are hospitalized with histoplasmosis die of their infection.

What makes the case unique: Both patients in these cases were already using or planning to use bat poop as fertilizer to grow cannabis for personal use. Patient one had ordered bat poop — or guano — online, while patient two intended to use guano he'd found in his attic following a bat infestation.

In a report describing the cases, doctors noted that various online sources claim that bat guano is a "natural superfood" for cannabis plants because it contains lots of nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Meanwhile, numerous U.S. states have recently legalized the recreational use of cannabis — including Arizona in 2020, New York in 2022 and Ohio in 2023 — which may be encouraging more people to grow their own cannabis, the report authors noted.

The dangers of using bat guano as fertilizer aren't unique to cannabis — the product would be risky for any gardening, the authors emphasized. But given guano is being marketed for cannabis specifically, there is a need to raise public awareness around the potential risks associated with using the poop in this way, they warned.

Hero of the week: Zen the Border collie teaches other dogs how to rescue people

 This week's hero is a Border Collie named Zen who teaches other dogs in Italy how to rescue people from avalanches!

(Photo:  Zen, an avalanche Border Collie, attends a training with the Italian National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps in Col Gallina, near Cortina D’Ampezzo, northern Italy, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno))

Zen the Border collie teaches other dogs how to rescue people in Italy’s avalanche-prone Dolomites

By COLLEEN BARRY and ANDREA ROSA , Associated Press, April 7, 2025

Zen, a 5-year-old Border collie, circled friskily around a mound of snow as he picked up a scent, his quick movements signaling to his handler that someone was buried deep below.

Zen has been a rescue dog for three years, and on this day, he was setting an example for 20 others dogs being certified for avalanche rescue in the heart of the Italian Dolomites, whose breathtaking jagged peaks have long enchanted writers, painters and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

The role of dogs in Italian alpine rescues is becoming more important as the number of people caught by avalanches increases — up by 50% over the past 25 years.

Climate change has made heavy, wet snow more common in mid-elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters (5,000-8,000 feet) where most excursionists venture, which makes avalanche survival less likely by compressing air pockets that would allow a trapped alpine or off-piste skier to breathe.

A trained avalanche rescue dog’s nose can locate someone buried deep in the snow more accurately than any transponder, making their role fundamental in reaching victims “in the shortest possible time,’' said Adriano Favre, who ran the canine training camp in the mountains above Cortina D’Ampezzo, a chic ski resort and a venue of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

After picking up the scent, Zen energetically emerged with a sign of life — a rope tug toy — from the manmade snow den masquerading, for the purposes of the training exercise, as an avalanche. Shortly after, his handler digs a volunteer victim out of the snow, and showers Zen with praise and affection.

“All of our dogs need to have an intense relationship with the handler. If not, we can’t read what he is trying to tell us,’’ said Zen’s handler, Paolo Sbisa, who has raised him from puppyhood. “Once the relationship is built, they will do anything to make us happy.’’

Dogs sniff out avalanche survivors, and bodies

Nine days earlier, on a nearby pass just 3 miles (two kilometers) away as the crow flies, Zen’s mission was deadly serious.

Three backcountry skiers were buried by an avalanche on Giau Pass at 2,300 meters — normally a route for beginners amid scenic rugged rockfaces near a mountain road that turned deadly the day after a heavy snowfall.

Zen and his handler were on the first helicopter leaving base 10 minutes away. By the time they arrived, witnesses had pulled a 51-year-old man from the snow. Rescuers located the second victim with a transponder, a 38-year-old man buried 2 meters (6 feet) deep.

Zen’s nose was key to locating the third skier, a 40-year-old woman buried in 3 to 4 meters (9 to 12 feet) of snow — deeper than the usual, according to Sbisa, making the role of a rescue dog critical in determining where to dig.

Despite their efforts, both she and the second victim died — revealing a disheartening truth: If you need a dog to find you, it’s probably too late. For this reason, Sbisa and other rescuers say it is critical for backcountry excursionists to have and know how to use transponders, foldable probes and shovels, as the best chance of survival is self-rescue by companions or witnesses. Dogs, more often than not, locate bodies.

“If something goes wrong though, the only weapon Alpine rescuers have to search is dogs,” Sbisa said. “We have no other chance.″

Italian avalanches rise 50% in 25 years

Avalanches involving people who need rescue in Italy have doubled since the turn of the century from a rolling average of 30 a year to 60, according to the AINEVA snow and avalanche monitoring service. During the same period, the number of excursionists struck on average also increased significantly, from 65 a year to 110 a year, based on rolling averages.