List with links to 14 diseases inherited by the Peke-face Persian (infographic)

The list is pretty comprehensive. It may not be entirely complete but there are enough inherited diseases listed in this infographic to put the wind up anyone who is considering buying one of these cats. 

14 inherited diseases/conditions affecting the Peke-face Persian by Michael Broad

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I know that I am going on about this, perhaps for too long, but it is important that everybody is clear that the Peke-face Persian cat inherits these diseases because of decades of extreme breeding to create this abnormally flat face. The extreme breeding even feeds back into a disease called lordosis which is not to do with the face by the way! And it effects giving birth. Yes, the whole cat's being is affected and always negatively.

This extreme breeding affects the cat of course because they are likely to be much less happy than they would have been if they were blessed with normal anatomy. And it affects the caregiver because there's a lot more work to do in maintenance and it is likely that they will be obliged to take out a pet health insurance policy which in the modern era are quite expensive. 

And also at the moment there are a lot of people who are concerned about their financial affairs because there's been inflation and we are still, if we are honest, coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic. It's impact is still felt.

And the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine is still being felt in Europe because of the need to source oil and gas from places other than Russia. I won't go on anymore but I hope people click on the links in this Infographic which go to more infographics for easy reading explaining these diseases.

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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. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.

Rescue cat, Marley, wins top prize as a women's safe-house cat

Marley, is a rescue cat who works his magic at a safe house for women who have been enslaved, exploited or trafficked. He has won a national award. Marley, who is black-and-white, beat thousands of other entries to be named Cats Protection cat of the year in recognition of the way he offers comfort to people at Caritas Bakhita House in London.

Marley in the garden. I think he has a good life too. Great story of positives. Image: Ciaran McCrickard/PA Wire.

He's been named Cats Protection's National Cat of the Year 2024. He is seven years old. He has the "gift of empathy". The head of the house, Karen Anstiss, 59, said "I'm so proud Marley has won National Cat of the Year - he's a wonderful example of the power of love. Often Marley placing a paw on our guests' legs is the first kindness they've experienced in years. He has this incredible gift of empathy and has assisted many, many women along the road to recovery."

"Before he went into rescue, I think he had a hard time. So, he recognises our guests' trauma because he has suffered too," Ms Anstiss added.

"Initially he sits really close, to see how the women respond. Then he gently puts a paw on their leg letting them know they're not alone.

"We had one guest who was so traumatised she didn't speak to us - only to Marley - and because she trusted him, over time we were able to reach her."

She added that, "nobody is allowed to touch his patch of daisies" in the garden. Marley often joins the staff and guests at a dinner and one guest has even composed a song for him. Marley was selected as overall winner by a panel of celebrity judges.

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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. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.

American politics has descended into funny cat memes

We can thank the great man himself, Donald Trump, for the dumbing down of American politics into cat memes (see below for definition). Political discourse is now a social media fun activity. Where's the serious debate about serious stuff that affects us all? I say 'us all' because the decisions of the president of the United States affects the world.

I am referring to the latest debacle over the much-reported Haitian migrant cat eating rumours. And they are all rumours. Check out the post below for more on that:

Story about Haitians eating cats was third or fourth hand and unsubstantiated

Trump made a meal out of the rumour and stated it as fact in that criticial debate with Kamala Harris. He got egg on his face and he can't get it off thanks to the avalanche of memes 😱😃!

Here is a comment by a Guardian journalist with whom I agree:

"The debate over Springfield also illustrates the continuing “memeification” of politics – the turning of politics more into a collection of signals and symbols than discussions of content or policy. Trump has always insisted on dragging politics into the gutter. He is only able to do so, though, because the desire to feed the outrage machine rather than engage in nuanced discussion has become such an integral feature of politics."

And here are just two examples of what has happened in terms of meme imagery:

And another!

Both were created by AI, probably DALL E3. Bing Copilot uses DALLE.

What is a meme? Answer: 

A meme is a piece of content, typically in the form of an image, video, or text, that spreads rapidly across the internet, often with humorous or satirical intent. Memes are usually simple, easily recognizable, and can evolve over time as they are adapted by different people to reflect various situations, ideas, or emotions.

They often rely on shared cultural references, making them relatable to specific groups. For instance, a meme might use a popular image or phrase to comment on everyday experiences or current events in a light-hearted way.

In essence, memes are a form of digital cultural shorthand, using humor to connect people through shared understanding or collective experiences.

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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. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.

Are the exploding pager attacks killing 9 including a girl and boy state-sponsored murder or an act of war?

Image: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters

I asked AI the above question. Note: for me this alleged Israeli attack on Hezbollah is very close (or is) state-sponsored murder as a boy and girl were killed and of course non-Hezbollah members might have been killed or badly injured. It was reckless. How could Israel (if they did it) guarantee that only Hezbollah members would be carrying the pagers? There was a real risk of killing and injuring innocent civilians which is what has happened. Update: latest count is 12 dead with thousands injured some very seriously. Further update: Hezbollah say that 300 have been injured and 9 dead so far.

Further update, next day: 'New phase' in conflict as walkie-talkie blasts kill 20. Same sort of thing. In this case 20 killed and 450 injured by booby-trapped walkie-talkie devices that blow up in your hands. This is certainly the work of sophisticated Mossad, Israel's spy service. This is a different kind of warfare but is it cold-blooded murder?

Further update: Also hand-held radios used by Hezbollah have exploded across the country's south, and in the southern suburbs of the capital. And solar energy systems have exploded in several areas as well. This is an incredible example of underhand warfare which I have suggested might be state sponsored murder and mayhem. But if it is Israel, they won't give a damn. They've killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians including children and babies in Gaza, by recklessly shelling and firing rockets into civilian buildings.

The pagers where were made under licence in Budapest by a firm called BAC Consulting, using the Gold Apollo name.

 Here is AI's response (ChatGPT).

The incident you’re referring to involving exploding pagers killing nine people, including a girl and boy, sounds like a targeted or violent attack, but without additional details about the specific case, it's difficult to categorize it definitively as state-sponsored murder or an act of war. The distinction depends on several factors:

1. State-Sponsored Murder: This occurs when a government or a state-backed entity carries out or orders the assassination or killing of individuals. Examples include targeted assassinations, politically motivated killings, or extrajudicial killings that a government either directs or endorses. These are typically covert operations intended to silence or eliminate threats or opposition.
2. Act of War: An act of war refers to aggressive actions between states or factions engaged in armed conflict. If the attack was carried out by one state or an armed group as part of a larger military campaign against another state, then it could be seen as an act of war. In this context, civilian casualties can occur as a result of broader hostilities.

To determine whether this particular attack was state-sponsored or an act of war, you'd need to consider:

• The perpetrator: Was it a state or state-backed group that carried out the attack, or was it a non-state actor, such as a terrorist organization or criminal group?
• The motive: Was the attack politically motivated, part of a conflict, or related to some other cause like terrorism or organized crime?
• The context: Was the attack part of a larger military conflict, or was it a targeted strike on individuals?

If this attack was part of a broader conflict between states, it could be considered an act of war. If it was a targeted killing carried out by or on behalf of a government, it could fall under the category of state-sponsored murder. If more context can be provided, a more specific classification could be offered.

When an innocent boy and girl are killed and possibly non-Hezbollah individuals too this is very close to murder isn't it?

Yes, when innocent civilians, including children, are killed in an attack—especially if they are not involved in any armed conflict or militant activities—it is generally viewed as a grave injustice and could be described as murder. Whether or not the attack was carried out by a state or a non-state actor, the intentional or reckless killing of non-combatants, especially children, is often considered a violation of international humanitarian law and human rights.

Here’s how different perspectives might frame such an event:

1. Murder: From a moral and legal perspective, the killing of innocent civilians, particularly children, could be considered murder if it was intentional or if the attackers acted with reckless disregard for human life. Murder implies an unlawful, unjustified, and deliberate act of killing. Even in conflict zones, the deliberate targeting of civilians is a criminal act.
2. War Crime: In the context of armed conflict, if the attack violated the rules of war, such as the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit attacks on civilians, it could be considered a war crime. Targeting civilians, including children, is explicitly forbidden, regardless of the attackers' affiliation.
3. State-Sponsored Assassination vs. Collateral Damage: If a government or state-backed entity carried out the attack, and it was aimed at specific targets but resulted in civilian deaths, it could be categorized as state-sponsored murder or extrajudicial killings. Even if the target was not civilians (but militants, for example), the killing of innocent bystanders, especially when children are involved, could be interpreted as a failure to observe the principle of proportionality and distinction in warfare, potentially leading to criminal liability.

Innocent lives lost in such a situation, especially if the victims were not involved in any hostile activities, reflect the devastating human cost of violence. Even when not labeled outright murder, the attack would likely be condemned as reckless, unjustified, and deeply tragic.

If this incident occurred in the context of a military operation or state-sponsored attack, international law, ethics, and public opinion would view the loss of innocent lives as highly problematic and likely demand accountability.

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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. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.

Story about Haitians eating cats was third or fourth hand and unsubstantiated

Note: see update at end of article. The Daily Mail tells us that Erika Lee is the person who posted information/rumours about Haitian migrants in Springfield Ohio killing and eating cats. But she got the information according to this paper through a neighbour who told her daughter about the rumour. The neighbour's name is Kimberly Newton. Kimberly Newton heard the rumour through a friend. And her friend heard the rumour from the alleged cat owner!

So I make that three stages through which the story passed i.e. through three different people, may be four if you count her daughter.

It's the kind of rumour that carries zero weight in terms of evidence in a court. It's third or fourth hand, a rumour or anecdote, there's no first hand evidence here. It's just highly speculative and Erika Lee regrets what happened.

She has posted to Facebook about this and about how the evidence is so weak that it has to be ignored.

Lee's initial Facebook post sparked panic across social media after screenshots were circulated around X in which she warned Haitian migrants were hanging cats from a branch like you do a deer for butchering.

And she went on to talk about dogs suffering the same fate and ducks and geese. And she said that people should keep a close eye on their animals.

As the entire world now knows, Donald Trump and J.D. Vance picked up on this and made complete fools of themselves with Trump raising it during that critical debate with Kamala Harris. Since then both Trump and Vance have tried to row back from that egg-on-the-face moment.

But Vance has dug a bigger hole for himself by saying that all along he spewed out the story to make a point about illegal immigrants and the reason for their existence in America namely Kamala Harris's policies. But that ridiculous claim has also backfired because it looks transparently fictitious. He's making it up as he goes along.

But this post is about one thing: the fourth hand rumour mill which ended up a hard fact in Trump's mind much to his ultimate chagrin.

'It just exploded into something I didn't mean to happen,' Erika Lee told NBC News.

Update 18-9-2024:  Huff Post reports the following:

An Ohio woman whose police report was used to power racist rumors about Haitian immigrants stealing and eating neighborhood cats has admitted her pet was found in her home, just days after she reported her Haitian neighbors to local police.

It appears that the cat owner is Anna Kilgore who filed the report but who she "told the paper that her pet, Miss Sassy, was found in her basement days after she contacted the police."

There you go. Another nail in the coffin of this silly story and another dollop of egg on Donald Trump's face. 😎

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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. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.