Why does the world put up with Putin?

OPINION: President Putin is, according to me, a bit like a cancerous growth inside someone's body. He is a cancer on the planet. When there is cancer inside the body a surgeon cuts it out. The same sort of thing should happen to Putin. We need to take proactive steps to stop this man.

Everything we do is reactive. We allow him to perpetrate his crimes against humanity. We allow him to kill tens of thousands of people in Ukraine, innocent people, hundreds of thousands of animals and a thousand children. We allow it. This can't be right.

Note: this post is not politically correct (PC).  It is direct. To the point. It needs to be said but PC stuff prevents it. You know AI will not create an image of Putin as the devil incarnate. Refused to do it. AI is too PC.

Putin is an inveterate liar. He is a sociopathic liar. He knows that he is lying but he sees it as normal behaviour. This assessment has been reinforced by his reaction to the recent terrorist attack on the Crocus City Hall concert.

Immediately after the attack, he blamed Ukrainian terrorists. He said that they were seen trying to go across the border into Ukraine. He knew very well that this was all mumbo-jumbo and lies. He wants to find a reason to escalate the bombing of Ukraine.

Now that it's quite clear that it was Islamic terrorists who carried out the attack he has changed his lies.

Apparently, America had intelligence to say that it was going to happen and I believe they warned the Kremlin about this foreseeable Islamic terrorist attack. And since the attack, the Islamic State has stated that they carried out.

Belarus' strongman dictator Alexander Lukashenko said that the terrorists tried to cross into Belarus undermining Putin's earlier statement.

And I'm sure in the videos of the attack made by TikTok influencers who stayed within the auditorium in order to get their video material (quite mad) the terrorist can be seen to be from the Islamic race of people. They look like Pakistanis or people from the East, not Ukrainians.

And immediately Putin changes his lies as mentioned. He has just stated that "This atrocity may be only [another] link in a whole series of attempts by those who have been fighting our country since 2014 through the hands of the neo-Nazi Kiev regime. We know who carried out the attack. We want to know who the mastermind was."

Putin is saying indirectly that the West is to blame for this terror attack. He is always finding reasons to blame the West. He is paranoid about the West wishing to destroy Russia. He firmly believes that he has enemies all around him trying to steal his lands and destroy Russia. Paranoia comes to mind.

If Putin lived in the West, he would be treated for mental illness. It be under the doctor with medication to alter his mental state. He is paranoid as mentioned. He is irrational. He lies sociopathically. He doesn't feel the consequences of his lying and murderous behaviour. These are the marks of a sociopath or psychopath.

He needs to be stopped. I'm not advocating assassination. I'm advocating some way to actually stop him; to take proactive steps because he is destroying the world. He is poisoning the world. Why do we accept it?

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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.

Somebody TOSSED two cats in a box into an animal shelter lobby and RAN

This is another example of how some people surrender their cats and obviously it isn't the best way. Sometimes people surreptitiously arrive at the doors of an animal shelter and leave two or three cats in a cardboard box outside to be collected the next morning which is dangerous for the cat if it's in the middle of winter.

Other times they give up their cats in cruel ways but on this occasion the Brother Wolf Animal Rescue center in Asheville, North Carolina, United States Of America, reported that, "Somebody tossed two cat in our lobby. They opened the door, tossed a box in, sliding it across the floor, then ran out to a car waiting in the road that sped away."

Guilt?

How does that look to you as an outside observer? I'll tell you how it looks to me. It looks like they feel very guilty about what they're doing and they don't want to confront the shelter staff and explain to them why they are surrendering their cats. 

But this is stupid behaviour. No one is going to judge them. No one is going to criticise them. Shelter staff will, I am sure, accept cats surrendered even if the reasons are poor. That's because their primary objective is to care for unwanted cats and find a new home with them.

So it is very stupid to abandon cats in this way. Far better to face up to it and admit that you can no longer care for your cats and hand them over. You don't even have to explain why you are surrendering the cats. You just surrender them. You don't have to justify it.

It does indicate a cowardice on behalf of the people who tossed this box into the shelter lobby but I don't want to be too critical because we are all human and we are all, in some way, vulnerable and have our own weaknesses.

Still high numbers of cats given up

The cats' names are Juniper and Theodore. They were written on the box. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that annually in America, 6.3 million pets are surrendered which equates to 17,260 per day. Obviously, I'm sure that 99% of them are super surrendered across the counter in the animal shelter and not in the way described.

Stressful experience

We all need to be reminded sometimes that animal shelters are stressful places for cats and dogs to be rehomed. They are strange places. They are noisy places with strange people and strange goings-on. They are confined to cages and it's very difficult for them to behave normally and in an attractive way to do their best to find an adopter.

One caption on the video of the above-mentioned surrender said, "We always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. Not make quick judgments. Check our biases. Not to shame them for needing help. Some days, it is really hard to do that. Today is one of those days."

The video is on Instagram from the above-mentioned shelter. Sometimes these embedded videos stop working so if it has stopped I apologise but I don't control it.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Brother Wolf Animal Rescue (@brotherwolfanimalrescue)

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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.

Are men more likely to be allergic to cats than women?

No, would appear to be the answer based on my research (see below) but a survey in Australia found that about twice as many men compared to women attended hospital for an allergy to the feline allergen Fel D1.

In 2021–22, open wounds were the most common type of injury, accounting for 13,420 (57%) cases, followed by fractures (15%), toxic effects (10%), and superficial (5%) and soft tissue injury (4.5%). The upper limbs (46%) and head and neck (14%) were the body parts most likely to be injured. Allergic reactions to animals sent 1,180 cases to hospital, the majority being males who were twice as likely as females to be hospitalized for this reason (5.9 and 3.2 per 100,000 respectively).

 But my assistant Bing Copilot reports this on whether there is a difference:

The likelihood of cat allergies does not appear to be significantly different between men and women. However, it’s interesting to note that non-neutered male cats produce more Fel d1, which is the protein that causes allergic reactions, compared to other cats. This means that male cats might pose a higher risk of triggering allergies, but this does not necessarily correlate with the gender of the human being allergic.

In general, pet allergies, including those to cats, affect a substantial portion of the population, with estimates suggesting that between 10% and 20% of people globally may suffer from some form of pet allergy. The development of allergies is complex and can be influenced by various factors, including genetics, environment, and early exposure to pets.

Sources: Many including: Springer, Sage and An Allergy.

What is Fel d 1?

Fel d 1 is a protein complex primarily found in cat saliva and sebaceous glands. It’s encoded by the CH1 and CH2 genes in cats and is the major allergen responsible for allergic reactions in humans sensitive to cats. The protein’s function in cats is not fully understood, but in humans, it can trigger an allergic or asthmatic response. Interestingly, Fel d 1 levels vary among cats, with non-neutered male cats producing more of this allergen.

Sources: Four including Allergy UK and Wikipedia.

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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.

Werewolf cat looking for a new home March 2024

This is from the Warrington branch of Cats Protection. News media tells me that they have a Lykoi cat aka werewolf cat for adoption as their caregiver went into a residential care home. This is a very rare cat breed so I am sure someone will snap him/her up. They'd make a great TikTok star attraction 😎. I have checked their website without success. Perhaps they are preparing the cat for adoption.

Lykoi Cat: the “Wolf Cat”

Here is the story in summary as provided by Bing Copilot:

Here’s the latest update on the ‘werewolf’ cat:

Fern, an extremely rare Lykoi cat, is looking for a new home after her previous owner had to go into care. This breed, also known colloquially as ‘werewolf cats’, is believed to be one of only between 100 to 200 left in the world. Fern was taken to Cats Protection in Warrington, Cheshire¹.

The Lykoi is known for its distinctive appearance, being a hybrid between hairless and haired cats. Fern is described as a sweet cat who has come out of her shell while staying with a fosterer. She is looking for a quiet home without other pets or children, where she can receive the attention and calm environment she needs¹.

Fern had been treated for an ear infection which has since cleared up, and she also has a small cyst on her head that is not a concern according to the vet. The adoption centre is hopeful that Fern will find a loving companion who appreciates her unique qualities.

For those interested in adopting Fern or learning more about her, they can get in touch with Cats Protection in Warrington.

8 month old male Lykoi. This is not the cat in the story. Image credit: Wikipedia.

How can I adopt a cat from Cats Protection in Warrington?

To adopt a cat from Cats Protection in Warrington, you can follow these steps:

1. Visit the Website: Check out the Cats Protection Warrington Adoption Centre website to view cats available for adoption.
2. Choose a Cat: Select a cat you are interested in and read about their personality and needs.
3. Express Interest: Enquire via the cat’s listing on the website or contact the centre directly.
4. Visit the Centre: Arrange a visit to meet the cat at the centre located at 14 Elizabeth Drive, Padgate, Warrington WA1 4JQ.
5. Adoption Process: Discuss with the staff to ensure a good match and understand the cat’s history and health.
6. Home Visit: In some cases, a home visit might be arranged to ensure your home is suitable for the cat.
7. Complete the Adoption: If all goes well, you can complete the adoption process, which includes paying an adoption fee. The fee for adult cats is £85, and for kittens (8 weeks - 6 months), it’s £105.
8. Aftercare: The centre will provide aftercare advice and support as you welcome your new pet into your home.

For any general enquiries about your suitability or the adoption process, you can call the centre on 0300 012 0612 during their open hours: Monday to Sunday, 11:00 - 15:00.

It’s wonderful that you’re considering adopting a cat. Wishing you the best in finding a new furry companion! 🐾

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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.

Will they change three lions on England badge to three domestic cats!?

There is a bit (big 🙄) of a furore about the Football Association (FA) deciding to alter the flag of England which is the St George's Cross by changing the red cross against a white background to a purple and blue cross against a dark blue background on the back of the collar of the new football shirt for England players.

High profile football professionals have criticised the move. A former British goalkeeper, the very well known David Seaman, asks "will they change three lions to three cats?" See below for the story behind the three lions on the badge.

Furore over change to St George's Cross on football shirts. Image: Nike/X.

He is very critical of the change to the England flag albeit for a bit of fun. It seems to be a reflection of woke Britain because the colours appear to be the usual colours of the LBGT movement.

The reference to the three lions being changed to three cats is a way of sarcastically belittling the change in the colours of the cross.

It's been revealed that Nike altered the St George's Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripes in a playful update to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.

A lot of people don't see it as playful but as disrespectful. I don't think you would see Nike changing the American flag which is afforded a lot of respect in the United States for playful fun reasons. 

We should have the same respect for the England flag in England. It's a very well-known flag which goes back probably thousands of years.

England fans have decided to boycott Nike. And another thing: the shirt costs a rip-off £125! For a polyester shirt for Christ's sake. The fans are consistently ripped off in the UK where prices are known to be too high. We are sick of being ripped off by big business. And often it is foreign countries which think the UK is 'Treasure Island'! 😒

Below is a section about England's three lions and how they became part of the badge worn by sportsmen and sportswomen playing for England.

Keir Starmer, the opposition leader, said the same thing by the way. That's the mood in the country.

The Three Lions

The three lions on the England badge have a historical significance that dates back almost a thousand years. The symbol originated with King Henry I, known as the Lion of England, who had a lion on his coat of arms. When he married Adeliza of Louvain, he added a second lion to honor her father, Godfrey I, Count of Louvain. The third lion was added by Henry II after marrying Eleanor of Aquitaine, as her family also had a lion on their crest.

Image in public domain.

The three lions became associated with the English monarchy and were later adopted by the Football Association when it was formed in 1863. The badge has been a symbol of the national side ever since and is even referenced in the famous song by Baddiel, Skinner, and the Lightning Seeds.

Additionally, the England badge features ten roses, which are Tudor roses representing the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England. These were introduced to the badge in 1948-49 to represent the ten divisions of Football Association members at the time

What is the meaning of the three lions on the England badge?

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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.