Tucker Carlson rejects evolution and believes God created us (creationism)

Tucker Carlson is the American commentator and writer who made a fool of himself when interviewing Putin. He was so obviously sycophantic, looking up to the Almighty Putin, Czar Putin as if he were some sort of God. It was embarrassing but it did show the sort of attitude he has about life generally. He clearly thinks Putin is a wonderful leader and probably doesn't object to Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine.

It's now come to light that Carlson does not believe in the concept of evolution as espoused by Charles Darwin. Darwin's theory of evolution (of natural selection) is almost universally supported by scientists of all colours and persuasions and by the vast majority of educated people who are not religious fundamentalists.

On cell phones click the image to see it larger....

It seems that Tucker Carlson is a kind of religious fundamentalist because he believes that God created animals and humans as per the story in Genesis. No doubt he believes that humans have dominion over animals and can use animals as they wish. This means that they can abuse animals and do whatever they like because animals are there to serve humans. I expect Carson to think those sorts of thoughts.

The man is, in my honest opinion, deluded and needs help. He says there is no fossil evidence that humans have ultimately evolved from single celled protozoans over billions of years.

I think he's correct in that you can't trace a line of fossils all the way from single cell creature to highly complex human. But fossil records provide ample support of evolution. I'm not a specialist about evolution but there is all kinds of scientific evidence which supports the theory.

Here's some evidence summarised:

1. Biogeography: Darwin observed closely related species inhabiting the same or adjacent territories. This distribution pattern suggested that these species likely descended from a common parent species. The geographical distribution of organisms provided crucial evidence for evolution.

2. Paleontology: Fossil records revealed a sequence of life forms over time. Transitional fossils, such as Archaeopteryx (a link between reptiles and birds), demonstrated gradual changes between species. These fossils supported the idea of common ancestry and gradual evolution.

3. Embryology: Comparing the embryonic development of different species revealed similarities. For instance, vertebrate embryos exhibit common features early in development, even if they diverge later. These shared developmental patterns indicated evolutionary relationships.

4. Morphology: Darwin studied anatomical structures across species. Homologous structures (similar features due to shared ancestry) provided evidence for evolution. For example, the pentadactyl limb (with five digits) appears in various vertebrates, including humans, whales, and bats.

5. Molecular Biology: DNA and genetic codes reflect shared ancestry. Comparing DNA sequences among species reveals evolutionary relationships. Similarities in genetic information support the concept of a common ancestor.

In summary, Darwin’s theory of evolution is supported by direct observations, homologies, fossils, biogeographical patterns, and molecular evidence.

Back to Carlson...

Carlson says that because we talk of Darwin's theory of evolution that it still remains a theory meaning not proved but he is wrong because in this instance, using the word 'theory' in a scientific context, means that it is solidly supported by evidence and hard science.

Tucker Carlson.

Image credit: By Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America - Tucker Carlson, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=135028856

Respecting Creationists

Of course, I respect the views of others. I respect the views of religious fundamentalists. They have a right to believe what they want to believe. But they are wrong about evolution and about God creating humankind. Religion is a creation of humankind as it makes life more palatable.

Believing in a God

Believing in a God is very helpful in life. No question about it. My mind immediately turns to the number one golfer in the world currently Scottie Scheffler. He is religious and he firmly believes in God. He uses his religion very productively in his golf. It helps to keep him calm and better cope with the pressures of playing professional golf.

His attitude and mentality when playing golf tournament are second to none. They are underpinned by his religious beliefs. Believing in God takes away a lot of the pressure when playing a tournament because the outcome is taken from the golfer and placed into the hands of your God. 

When you hear Scottie Scheffler talk he does so incredibly calmly as he has handed over his life to God which is very calming. Believing in a God removes a lot of the anxiety that one is bound to experience in our day-to-day lives and more so for a professional sportsman when competing.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

What would be a cat's reaction to changing owners?

The answer to the question in the title depends on the context. At one extreme, sometimes domestic cats voluntarily change owners albeit fairly rarely. They move out of their owner's home, jump over three or four fences and into the home of their new owner where they are well cared for. This might happen if the cat has got used to their owner's neighbour and prefers him or her. The desire to move may be reinforced by the fact that their current owner is not very good. The cat's reaction will be one of pleasure and contentment.

At the other extreme, a domestic at is abandoned to a shelter, suffers a lot of stress inside the shelter and then his adopted perhaps a month or two later into a new home where there are other cats and of course where the owner is a stranger. This will be very stressful all the way for this cat who has changed their owner. The change has been forced on them.

The default reaction by a domestic cat to a change in owner is anxiety because as we all know domestic cat get used to their owner and often domestic cats are fearful of strangers. But that response, too, depends on the cat's character. Some cats are confident and some cats are timid and some cats are in between. Confident cats tend to accept new owners far more easily than timid cats. And they might be the kind of cat who walks into a neighbour's home and learn to like it as does the neighbour!

RELATED: Cat Personality Types.

The picture below was made by AI. It shows a man gifting a cat to his girl. I did not ask the AI computer to do that! 💕🤔. It is still good though and the cat is changing owners! 💕😊

Domestic cats change owners all the time in the general world of cats. That's because there are millions of cats passing through animal shelters in for example America where many of them are rehomed. They have a new owner. Sometimes of the cats are very happy to have a new owner because they have been in a shelter for a long time.

Sometimes shelter management put a notice on the cat's cage to tell adopters that this cat needs to be in a quiet home with no other cats. That, too, would be the default scenario for a cat changing home. I mean the new home should ideally be quiet. The new owner should be very pleasant and loving and ideally should follow a routine and be at home a lot. Result? Happy cat after some initial anxieties perhaps.

As I said at the beginning it depends on the context and the circumstances. The default is anxiety and sometimes it is pure pleasure for a cat learning to live with a new owner. And even when their is anxiety, provided the new owner is good and a good cat caretaker, the cat will get used to their new caregiver quite quickly and all will be well until the end of the cat's life.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Veterinarian struck off for possessing bestiality videos

NEWS AND COMMENT: Bestiality videos are obviously pornographic videos. This 29-year-old veterinarian, Oliver Lown, was found to be in possession of videos and images involving bestiality. The man was trained as a veterinarian in Hungary. He had never practised veterinary medicine in the UK, as I understand it. Police officers seized a number of items including laptops, hard drives and DVDs belonging to Lown containing the pornography.

RELATED: 4 U.S. states where bestiality is not a crime.

The items were analysed and bestiality videos and images found. Oliver Lown first appeared in South-East Suffolk Magistrate's Court (Ipswich) on January 15 where he was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison. The sentence started when he returned to court early in February as reported on 9 February.

On his return to court, his solicitor said that he had committed a possession offence and not a distribution offence and the quantity of material was quite low. The defendant also disclosed to the court that he had been sentenced to a conditional discharge for a previous offence and that he had been struck off by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Lown was given credit for his admission and entering a guilty plea but apparently he lacked remorse according to the reports. The images and videos were classed of extreme pornography by the judge under the law and he was sentenced to 24 weeks for each of the offences.

Comment: it is the first time that I have read a story about a veterinarian in the UK being convicted and punished for the possession of bestiality videos which is why I am reporting the news here.

It was first reported in the news media in early February.

Source: East Anglian Daily Times. Link to article.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Warning about Librela and Solensia. Potential severe side effects.

Recently I wrote a post on another website about these two drugs: Librela and Solensia. They are both used to treat arthritis in pets. I think they are delivered by injection. They received FDA approval in America in January 2022 to relieve pain. The products are manufactured by animal health giant Zoetis.

My initial article was about warning pet owners about the potential dangers of this drug in terms of the severe potential side effects. But when I search the Internet for information about these drugs the predominant information is about how good they are. There is some references to side effects but I don't think the warnings have been sufficiently publicised.

That is why I am doing this cross post. As I said, these drugs were regarded as being significant advancements in treating osteoarthritis in pets. They target a protein called nerve growth factor. The vets are saying that this could exacerbate underlying nerve conditions and other medical problems.

Although Zoetis says that the side effects represent a fraction of the more than 18 million shots of this drug given in the US and internationally, there has been a plethora of complaints.

It appears that health regulators in America and in Europe have received thousands of complaints from dog and cat owners saying that their pets have developed serious or severe side effects. Sometimes the side-effects were so bad that they had to euthanise their companion animals.

Zoetis stock tumbled by 7% on these reports. Side-effects are normal in all medication as all medications are potentially poisons. But the issue here appears to be that some of these companion animals, as mentioned, have been euthanised because of the side-effects.

Like any reasonable person I am not saying that cat and dog owners should tell their veterinarians not to use these drugs. I'm just saying that companion animal owners should be aware of the potential - albeit a small potential - for severe side effects. They can then discussed the matter with their veterinarian with knowledge. They can ask their veterinarian what they think and ask him or her whether there are alternatives which are as effective with lesser side-effects.

It's about options and being aware of those options. I've always believed that cat and dog owner should go to the veterinarian armed with some knowledge about cat and dog health and the drugs that might be prescribed as it allows a proper discussion. It allows for informed consent on behalf of their companion animal.

A companion animal caregiver cannot give informed consent without knowledge. They act as trustees and the highest level of trust and responsibility towards their companion animals. To discharge that responsibility they need to have knowledge to discuss matters with their veterinarian in a meaningful way.

This page is an attempt to help provide that the necessary knowledge.

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.

Almost 50% of cats and dogs have their own dedicated room

Cat caregiver enjoying the company of their cat. Image believed to be in the public domain.

A survey commissioned by Homesense, part of the TK Maxx family in the UK, found the following facts about cat and dog ownership which may interest people:

• 48% of cat and dog owners allocate a certain space in their home, a dedicated room often or a space in the garden for their pets.
• Just over half, 55%, wanted their cats and dogs to have their own area where they can chill out.
• 34% of the respondents of which there were 2000, wanted to ensure maximum comfort for their companion animal.
• 30% wanted all their possessions kept in one place. By this I mean cat and dog products of various sorts.
• 80% of the respondents dedicated a certain space in their home so that their companion animal's things and toys et cetera don't take up space in the rest of the home.
• 46% of respondents designed a home around their cat or dog.
• 21% admitted they were unlikely to buy items just to please their companion animal if those items didn't match with the interior of their home.

The study was in partnership with Kelly Brook to launch a pet an interiors content series “Barkitectural Digest”.

Kelly Brook said that certain parts of our home are designed around her dog, Teddy. Through the study she found that she was not the only one. She is pleased to help others.

The top changes made to dog and cat caregivers' homes included moving delicate things higher up (29% of the respondents) and adding a cat flap (in 21% of the respondents) and installing a garden fence (20%). Also:

• 16% of the respondents replaced carpets with hard floors.
• 11% bought scratch-proof furniture.
• 9% chose dark furnishings to disguise cat and dog fur.
• 17% installed baby gates to stop wondering cats and dogs.
• 19% used blankets to cover up damage to furniture and household items.
• 75% of respondents struggled to find pet products that were of good enough quality and reasonably priced.

The research was carried out by OnePoll.

• They also found that 41% of the respondents had discovered that owning a companion animal is more expensive than expected. The cost of food and insurers being the expenses that surprised them the most.
• 15% claimed that they spent more on their cat or dog than they do on their children. The same percentage said that they spent more on their cat and dog than their car or holidays.
• The average cat and dog owner spent £708 annually.
• 59% said that they compromised on buying pet products because of the expense.

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.