The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed that a botulism outbreak at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the Klamath Basin killed an estimated 75,000 to 80,000 birds. Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge sits near the California-Oregon border. “A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson confirmed the outbreak, noting that it’s the worst in the refuge’s recorded history and could continue into early October. Botulism is a serious illness caused by a natural toxin that attacks the nervous system, potentially leading to paralysis and death. Shallow, stagnant water creates the ideal conditions for the toxin to spread,” Rawsalerts wrote. “Infected birds often show symptoms such as weakness, lethargy, and an inability to walk, fly, or hold their heads up. While exact numbers are difficult to determine, officials estimate that between 75,000 and 80,000 birds have died from botulism at the refuge. The only thing that will halt the spread is the return of rain and cooler weather, as botulism thrives in warm, stagnant water,” the post added. #BREAKING: Officials estimate that over 75,000 to 80,000 birds have died from a botulism outbreak at the Tule Lake #TuleLake | #California Officials estimate that tens of thousands of birds have recently died from botulism at the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, near the… pic.twitter.com/Y9ELRT0hma — R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) September 21, 2024 Bird Alliance of Oregon wrote: Bird Alliance of Oregon and 15 other conservation groups sounded the alarm in August when the outbreak began, sending a letter to urge the Bureau of Reclamation to release water to the refuge. Early in the outbreak the Tribes, water users, and waterfowl groups also expressed support for water for wetlands on the refuge. The Bureau of Reclamation delivered 5,000-10,000 acre feet of water to Tule Lake and Lower Klamath NWR on August 17, but while it likely improved conditions, it wasn’t enough to stop the catastrophe. “On September 15, I saw approximately 500 dead birds in the water, from waterfowl to shorebirds to gulls to songbirds,” explained Teresa Wicks. “The most common species were Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, and American Coots, but other species are being affected as well, including songbirds and predators who are either eating the carcasses or the insects off the carcasses. It’s likely we won’t ever know the true death toll since not all birds or mammals will die in the water.” Historically, botulism outbreaks would have infected perhaps hundreds of birds. But, as wetlands continue to shrink and dry up across the Intermountain West, birds are forced into smaller bodies of water. This creates larger concentrations of birds than would occur in a more natural system. In the Klamath Basin alone, more than 90% of wetlands have been lost. This packs birds into available wetlands. Combined with longer warm, dry periods in summer and early fall, this creates perfect conditions for massive, non-natural, outbreaks. Bird Ally X’s emergency botulism response team is operating its hospital at the refuge seven days a week, saving as many lives as possible. Over the last 18 days, they have treated 835 waterbirds. With appropriate treatment, rescued birds have an excellent recovery rate. So far 288 migratory waterbirds have been released back out into the wild. 75,000 – 80,000 birds dead from botulism near Oregon-California border https://t.co/wURJxoAdrs — FOX 12 Oregon (@fox12oregon) September 20, 2024 “On September 15, I saw approximately 500 dead birds in the water, from waterfowl to shorebirds to gulls to songbirds,” Teresa Wicks said, according to Bird Alliance of Oregon. “The most common species were Northern Shovelers, Northern Pintails, and American Coots, but other species are being affected as well, including songbirds and predators who are either eating the carcasses or the insects off the carcasses. It’s likely we won’t ever know the true death toll since not all birds or mammals will die in the water,” she added. WATCH: In devastating news, the botulism outbreak at Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the Klamath Basin has now claimed the lives of more than 60,000 birds and counting. For more info and to find out what you can do, click here: https://t.co/VkXmw3h9EI pic.twitter.com/2zQHx8zf6p — Bird Alliance of Oregon (@BirdAllianceOR) September 18, 2024

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it intends to seek sanctions against Elon Musk after he didn’t appear to testify in court for the agency’s probe into his acquisition of Twitter, now called X. US SEC intends to seek sanctions against Elon Musk in Twitter probe — unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) September 20, 2024 Per Reuters: The SEC is investigating whether Musk violated securities laws in early 2022 when he started accumulating Twitter stock. Musk has been criticized, including by Twitter shareholders, for waiting at least 10 days too long to disclose he was buying Twitter shares. Investors must disclose when they reach 5% ownership of public companies. Musk eventually disclosed a 9.2% Twitter stake, and soon thereafter offered to buy the whole company. In July, Musk said he misunderstood SEC disclosure requirements, and that “all indications” suggested his delay was a “mistake.” The SEC sued last October after he missed a scheduled interview at its San Francisco office. BREAKING: US SEC intends to seek sanctions against Elon Musk in Twitter probe. The Securities & Exchange Commission intends to seek sanctions against Elon Musk after he failed to appear for scheduled testimony for the regulator's probe into his $44 billion takeover of Twitter. pic.twitter.com/OeAYTmPIcK — DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) September 20, 2024 WATCH: NEW: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) intends to seek sanctions against Elon Musk for failing to appear for court-ordered testimony for his Twitter takeover. The Swamp doesn't like it when they can't control what you say. The SEC is investigating whether or not… pic.twitter.com/aNUfXAKdCQ — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 20, 2024 From the New York Post: In a court filing, the SEC said the sanctions motion would seek an order to show cause for why Musk should not be held in civil contempt for waiting until just three hours before the scheduled Sept. 10 testimony to advise he would not appear. Musk, whose businesses include electric car maker Tesla and rocket company SpaceX, went to Florida’s Cape Canaveral that day to oversee the launch of SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn mission. Lawyers for Musk called sanctions “drastic” and unnecessary, saying his testimony has already been rescheduled for Oct. 3. Elon Musk is a free speech warrior. I rarely do this anymore, but… RT if you stand with Elon Musk against the latest SEC harassment for buying Twitter/?!! — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 20, 2024 “Musk has said the SEC was trying to ‘harass’ him through subpoenas,” the New York Post noted.

Jon Anderson says he’s found the Yes he “always wanted” on his new solo album

Sophia John reflects on the rabid gigs Slipknot played as they made themselves known in the mid-to-late 90s

The New York subways are no longer safe. That’s a given, despite Mayor Adams occasionally doing a photo-op on the subway with a lot of security to claim it’s safe. The odds are you will survive riding the subway, but you never know when a maniac will appear. They’re hanging out all over the place, […] The post Radicals Attack All Cops After NYC Police Shooting in the Subway appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Vanna White and Pat Sajak were a staple in American homes on Wheel of Fortune for more than four decades. When Pat signed off for the final spin in June, it was a big goodbye and the end of an era for the dynamic duo. Pat in a suit and Vanna in a ballgown was the backdrop for millions of dinners for decades. When Pat bid Wheel of Fortune goodbye, Vanna decided to stick around. She’s now paired with veteran TV and radio host Ryan Seacrest. But Vanna admits the show could probably go on without her. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vanna White (@officialvannawhite) Vanna White And That Letter Board Are Television Icons Vanna White recently explained to Parade that things are much different now than they were when she started her game show career. “When I first started, I had to physically turn every letter. Then they switched to TV monitors, so I just had to touch the letters and they would light up,” Vanna said. Today, technology has taken over. “Now the board is operated by a laser,” Vanna added. “It’s like a flat screen. And when I go to touch the letter, the laser catches my movement. It’s crazy, right?” Parade asked, “So if the letters can light up automatically…” But Vanna quickly clapped back, “I’m telling you right now, don’t say it. They need me!” Vanna admitted the show could be done without her, but the fans love to follow her incredible outfits. “But people love watching what I’m wearing,” she said. “I’ve worn over 8,000 outfits. So I think the audience likes to see if I’m wearing red today, or blue. Is it going to be elegant or short? My wardrobe is a big part of it.” Vanna’s contract includes two more years with Ryan, but she’s not quite sure what she’ll be up to after that. “We’ll see toward the end of those two years how I feel,” she said. “I thank God after all these years that I still love my job.” This story’s featured image is by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images. The post Vanna White Reveals What She Thinks Saved Her Job On “Wheel Of Fortune” appeared first on InspireMore.

'Whoever wins Pennsylvania wins the presidency'

Do you remember the first time you heard that certain rock song that completely blew your mind and you couldn’t stop playing it? If you grew up in the 1970s as a teenager, that situation happened over and over again, as we were the lucky ones who grew up in the greatest decade of rock and roll music. Of course, those who were teens in the ’60s will argue that it was their decade, and they have a very good point. However, the decade when I went to high school was the 1970s, and that’s what I know the most. The post Ten 1970s Rock Songs Played The Most On Our Turntables appeared first on ClassicRockHistory.com.

Author of The Widow in the Woods When I first learned that I might not ever regain my mobility, I wanted to be dead. Bear with me – I know this isn’t starting out as an entertaining piece of Saturday Shenanigans, but I promise – it gets better. I touched on some of this before, but with a different focus and far less gritty. For a while, I thought that I had nothing left to live for. Despondent would have been an upgrade to describe how I was feeling. Everything I always did required mobility – wandering around a maze of foreign cities, hiking in the woods, trying to beat yesterday’s step count on my Fitbit. But not just that – standing up and cooking elaborate meals for my family, decorating my home, going out to dinner – it felt like all that was over, forever. I would now be a burden on my children and I didn’t want to do that. I was, in my state of mind then, no longer of use and no longer worthwhile. Overnight, it felt like I had gone from middle-aged to elderly. I spent about two weeks in the depths of despair, actively considering whether or not I should end it. I decided that I had to wrap up some loose ends – things to make it easier for my daughters. I also thought that Grace’s story in  The Widow in the Woods deserved to be finished. I hid my severe depression from most of my friends and family because that’s a lot to put on someone you love. I put my head down, and I wrote. I couldn’t leave this undone. Grace deserved better. My readers deserved better. That was the only thing during that time that I could see as a worthwhile thing I could accomplish. But that’s when the magic happened. By focusing on something outside of myself, something I could completely control, I could step out of the deep grief I was feeling. When I wasn’t writing, it was still there, as heavy a weight as ever. But when I was creating Grace’s world and solving Grace’s problems, I felt lighter. I published the book and then thought more about how I was feeling and the world looked a little different. A bit brighter. A bit lighter. Not as heavy. The book got really good reviews, and that made me feel like I’d accomplished something while stuck in bed for a year, trying in vain not to damage my already deeply impaired ankle. It was something I’d always wanted to do – write fiction – ever since I was a little girl. Now when I thought about the decision I’d made a few weeks prior, all I could think about was the things I would miss out on if I went through with it. That’s when everything changed. All of this took place in my head. The despair, the writing, the decisions, the negative belief system. Nobody had really known what I was going through because I thought it was too great a hardship to share. But now, I began to think about things like how much my family loved me. After all, I talk to both of my girls nearly every single day. They share everything with me, from new loves to broken hearts to goals and dreams. I am so fortunate to have that love and trust – our mother-daughter relationship is quite unique, I’m told. We’re extremely close, and though we are separated by distance, we’re always together through communication. They always turned to me for advice and unconditional love, and I wanted to be there when they needed it in the future.  I wanted to see them get married, have babies if that’s what they wanted, tell stories to my grandchildren about the adventures I’d had, and show them the photographs I had taken of faraway lands. I have incredible friends. Some, I’m in touch with daily. Others, I speak to more sporadically. But they’re all a source of support and love and compassion, as long as I allow them to be. I wanted to write more stories. I loved writing Grace’s story. It felt like an incredible accomplishment, a lifelong goal turned into a reality. Suddenly, I wanted to get all my beautiful things out of storage and use them every day. Why had I waited to use the nice china? The heavy crystal? Why didn’t I have my lovely items around me? What on earth was I waiting for? Slowing down. At the urging of people who love me, I got the help I needed for my mental health. And when the fog of despondency receded, then I realized something. I had misread the message. I was so busy despairing over the things that I could no longer do I almost missed my opportunity to move forward. The message wasn’t, “You’re done.” The message was, “Slow down and see how beautiful everything is.” My whole life before this had been spent on a treadmill of hard work, anxiety, pushing through, and being constantly stressed. I missed out on a lot of beautiful things because I had the pedal to the floor, and I was speeding through life with the scenery a blur. I was easily angered. I was exhausted. I was constantly thinking about everyone but myself, to my own detriment. I was trying to do everything, all at once, all by myself, and was furious that the task was impossible. But now, I have been forced to slow down. There is simply no other option. My body has given out on me, at least for now. So, where does that leave me? I’ve realized that this incident – this lack of mobility – isn’t the lesson. It’s the way I’m being forced to learn the lesson. I’ve spent a lot of time on a mental archaeology dig, sifting through events and seeing them through different eyes. I know now that I was often in insurmountable situations, but I did the very best I could. I see that my daughters know this and they love me for doing all that I could to provide for them. I can’t undo the past impatiences, but I can do better in the future. I know how precious every remaining moment is. Whether I’m experiencing those moments from a mobility device or my own two feet, they are no less beautiful. I want to surround myself with the books and art and lovely items I have collected over a lifetime. I want to make my life easier – more gentle – in the future. Every time I speak to my family or my friends now, I let myself sink into the conversation and really feel it – the love, the acceptance, the time I am spending. I give people my undivided attention now, because that is something I’ve never been very good at – I was always racing pell-mell toward something else at the same time I was talking to someone I loved. I don’t multitask anymore because every moment feels so much more valuable than it did when I wasn’t thinking about it. I’m notably more patient than I’ve ever been in my life. Making my latte in the morning with steamed milk, hearing the musical noises of the coffee brewing, smelling the rich beans, stirring it with a heavy silver spoon that has been used for more than a century, taking that first delicious sip – it’s a ritual that I no longer rush, but savor with every sense. I treat myself kindly. I buy high-quality food that I can assemble with limited mobility. I put it on a plate with a little garnish and a lovely presentation. I curated a social media feed that is kittens, puppies, and small children being adorable. I read books I haven’t had time for in years. I get dressed even if I’m going nowhere and seeing no one. I do little things that make my life feel special. Because it is. What do you pay the most attention to? How you think your life is determines how you perceive it. If you see it as difficult, strenuous, and burdensome, it will be. If you see the little interruptions and missteps as reminders to pause, savor your surroundings, feel loved, and love others, your life will be filled with small joys. You can make the ordinary extraordinary just by choosing what you will pay the most attention to. Will you pay more attention to the stress and inconveniences, or will you pay more attention to the sights, sounds, and feelings that make life so rich? I read Ryan Holiday’s book The Obstacle Is the Way earlier in my journey, and I’ve read it a couple of times since then. It’s based on a quote from Marcus Aurelius that says,  “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” This was certainly true for me. The loss of mobility, whether permanent or temporary, has caused me to slow down and see everything around me differently. Once I stopped fighting against this loss and thought about what I can still do, I realized that this, although difficult, has been a gift. None of us knows how long we have on this earth. But we can stuff so much into each moment by slowing down, using all our senses, and truly experiencing it like it could be the very last one. A meal we eat slowly and savor is so much tastier than one that we gulp down so fast we hardly even know what we’ve eaten. Every blade of grass is a work of art if you have your mental camera set on “macro” to see the details. Life is that way, too. If you are struggling and it’s within your ability to talk to a mental health professional, please do so. The right one can help you change your life. There are now many online therapy centers that take insurance, so it’s far easier than it used to be to get this kind of assistance. You can find someone who aligns with your personal belief system – there are professionals who help based on Christian values. Whatever direction you need to go, it’s out there. There’s certainly nothing shameful about getting help – it is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Here’s one more quote from Marcus Aurelius. “Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly. What doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness.” I feel happier and more content than I’ve ever been now that I’m slowing down and immersing myself fully in every moment. You don’t have to have a devastating injury to do this. You just have to decide to do it. The post Slow Down and See How Beautiful Everything Is appeared first on The Organic Prepper.