London’s Pig-Faced Urban Legend j.hoare Mon‚ 01/08/2024 - 11:15

When this Amazon driver spotted a large dog sitting on the front porch‚ he was hesitant to get close enough to make his delivery. However‚ after speaking gently to the pooch‚ he soon realized she meant no harm. Not only did he drop off the package‚ but he also gave the sweet dog some affectionate head scratches. This encounter was captured by the residents’ doorbell security camera‚ and it’s the cutest thing ever! “Hi‚ pretty‚” said the driver as he nervously approached the dog. “Are you friendly? I feel like you’re not.” Screengrab from YouTube Thankfully‚ the delivery man couldn’t have been more wrong about the adorable pup. When he set the package on the front porch‚ he realized that canine wasn’t interested in attacking him. However‚ the dog was very interested in getting to know the Amazon driver! So‚ he gathered up the courage to introduce himself properly. He was delighted to find out how friendly the pooch really was! A YouTube clip of the Amazon driver talking to the dog has gone viral online. T&;T Creative Media added in their caption that the pup’s name is Grace and she’s about 8 years old. Watch the video below to see this wholesome moment between a sweet-tempered dog and a reluctant Amazon driver. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Amazon Driver Nervously Approaches Dog… Then Has The Cutest Interaction! appeared first on InspireMore.

The post Why Does My Cat Lay on My Stomach? 5 Common Reasons by Catster Editorial Team appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. When you’re sitting still or lying down for long enough‚ it’s perfectly normal for your cat to come around and try to spend a little extra time with you. But why is your cat taking every chance they get to sleep on your stomach? There are a few different reasons your cat might always be seeking out your stomach‚ and the good news is that it’s almost always because they love you and want to spend as much time with you as possible! But just because there’s usually nothing to worry about doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to learn more about this behavior‚ so check out the five most common reasons your cat wants to lay on your stomach down below. The 5 Reasons a Cat Lays on Your Stomach 1. To Stay Warm Likelihood Moderate Signs to Look For Cold temperatures‚ shivering‚ or they feel cold If your cat sleeping on your stomach is a new thing and the winter months just started to hit‚ the change could be because they’re trying to keep warm. By lying on your stomach‚ your cat could be getting comfortable and taking in your extra body heat‚ which is a real win-win for them! If your cat starts the behavior when things get cold and stops when things begin to warm up‚ is almost definitely the reason. Other telltale signs include a cold cat or a cat that’s shivering‚ but if this is the case‚ you need to make things a bit warmer for them. Turn that thermostat up! Image Credit: Veera‚Shutterstock 2. You’re Comfortable Likelihood Moderate Signs to Look For Purring and constantly seeking you out Have you ever enjoyed lying on a partner’s chest or stomach? If so‚ you know just how comforting it can be. Your cat will discover this too‚ and since they can curl up entirely on your stomach‚ it can be even more comfortable for them than you’d think. If your cat is purring and constantly seeking you out to lay on‚ there’s a good chance it’s because your stomach is just a comfortable space to be. 3. You Make Them Feel Safe Likelihood High Signs to Look For Purring‚ anxiety-inducing things are happening‚ they constantly seek you out Cats can take a while to warm up to people‚ but once they do‚ they can feel extremely safe around them. Chances are they’re only seeking you out because you make them feel safe‚ but if they’re only seeking out when something is stressing them out‚ you could be their go-to source for comfort. Things like thunderstorms‚ construction work‚ fireworks‚ and other pets in the home are common causes of stress for them‚ and if they’re climbing on your stomach at these times‚ that could be why. Image Credit: SeventyFour‚ Shutterstock 4. They’re Saying You Belong to Them Likelihood High Signs to Look For Purring and rubbing themselves up against you Cats mark their territory through scent‚ and while they can do this through urine‚ they also do it by spreading pheromones. And what better way to mark their person as theirs than by sleeping on them? Laying on your stomach is a prolonged activity that starts to get you smelling like them‚ and if they’re happy with you as their owner‚ they really want to let everyone know that you’re theirs! 5. They’re Saying They Love You Likelihood High Signs to Look For Purring‚ constantly seeking your attention‚ wanting to play with you You might not think your cat shows a ton of affection towards you‚ but chances are that’s because you’re not quite sure how to recognize their affection. Cats typically love their owners and express their happiness with you in quite a few ways‚ including by wanting to be close to them. If your cat is regularly climbing onto your stomach‚ purring‚ and trying to play with you throughout the day‚ they could be climbing onto your stomach simply because they love you. An Important Note In nearly all cases of your cat laying on your stomach‚ it simply means one of the above. However‚ if your cat is one that has never laid on you since the day you’ve had them‚ this change in behavior could be a cause for concern. Actually‚ any change in their normal behavior warrants a trip to the vet. You’d rather be safe than sorry! Image Credit: Africa Studio‚ Shutterstock Conclusion If your cat is always trying to lay on your stomach and they’re not cold‚ it means you’re doing something right as a cat owner! They want to spend this extra time with you‚ and while it might not always be the most convenient or comfortable way for you‚ it’s a surefire sign that your cat loves you as much as you love them. Featured Image Credit: OKcamera‚ Shutterstock The post Why Does My Cat Lay on My Stomach? 5 Common Reasons by Catster Editorial Team appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it‚ but all of these articles were assigned‚ contracted and paid for‚ so they aren't considered public domain. However‚ we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article‚ then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

William the Conqueror was the Duke of Normandy‚ and the first Norman monarch of England‚ reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087. In October 1066‚ following the death of Edward the Confessor and believing he had claim to the throne‚ William invaded England‚ leading an army of Normans to victory at the Battle of Hastings‚ defeating the Anglo-Saxon forces of Harold Godwinson. William’s coronation was monumental for England‚ ending more than 600 years of Anglo-Saxon rule and seeing its first Norman king. Norman rule in England would continue until 1154. It was also monumental for Normandy. From that point on‚ the duchy of Normandy was mostly held by kings of England until 1204 when it was captured by France. Here are 5 of our top podcasts about William the Conqueror and the impact of the Norman Conquest. 1. William: Conqueror‚ Bastard‚ Both? Dr Marc Morris is an historian and broadcaster‚ specialising in the Middle Ages. He is the author of ‘William I: England’s Conqueror’. 2. How &; Why History: William the Conqueror On 14 October 1066‚ Norman invaders led by Duke William of Normandy won a decisive victory over the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson. But why did William have a claim on the English throne? How did the Battle of Hastings unfold? And how did William the Conqueror change England forever? To answer the big questions about this decisive battle‚ Rob Weinberg talks to Professor Virginia Davis‚ of Queen Mary University of London. 3. 1066: Battle of Hastings with Marc Morris The Battle of Hastings was fought on 14 October 1066 between the Norman-French army of William‚ the Duke of Normandy‚ and an English army under the Anglo-Saxon King Harold Godwinson‚ beginning the Norman conquest of England. It took place approximately 7 miles northwest of Hastings‚ close to the present-day town of Battle‚ East Sussex‚ and was a decisive Norman victory. 4. The Normans The Norman conquest of England in 1066 was one of the great milestones of English history but there were in fact many Norman invasions and their influence reached from Northern Europe through the Mediterranean and into the Middle East and North Africa. They were a phenomenon emerging in the 10th century but had disappeared by the middle of the 13th century. In this brief period though‚ their influence was massive – creating new kingdoms‚ re-shaping societies and leaving behind impressive architectural‚ linguistic and cultural influences. In this episode‚ Dan speaks to historian Trevor Rowley author of The Normans: The Conquest of Christendom about their origins‚ how and why they spread so far‚ what their legacy is and why their influence was so short-lived. 5. Gone Medieval: The Bayeux Tapestry The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the world’s most prominent pieces of medieval art. Depicting the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England‚ the tapestry tells a story through detailed embroidery. But what can we learn about the Norman Conquest and the people being it through this skilful art? In this episode‚ Matt is joined by David Musgrove‚ who helps us explore the lavish narrative behind the embroidery and the circumstances behind it. David Musgrove is the co-author of The Story of The Bayeux Tapestry: Unravelling the Norman Conquest‚ published by Thames and Hudson Ltd.

Long COVID is perhaps most famous for the “brain fog” it can cause in those who have it‚ but that’s far from the only symptom. The physical symptoms can be equally debilitating‚ including long-lasting and extreme fatigue‚ especially after exercise – and thanks to a new study out of Amsterdam‚ now we know what causes it.“We're seeing clear changes in the muscles in these patients‚” Michèle van Vugt‚ Professor of Internal Medicine at Amsterdam UMC and co-author of the study‚ said in a statement. “The cause of the fatigue is really biological.”“This discovery means we can now start to research an appropriate treatment for those with long COVID‚” she added.To investigate what was going on‚ the researchers asked 46 participants – 25 long COVID patients and 21 control subjects without it – to cycle for 15 minutes. That shouldn’t be a huge ordeal for most of us‚ but for the long COVID patients it was clearly taxing: the group “displayed a markedly lower exercise capacity‚” the study reports‚ including some pretty severe impacts afterward.“We saw various abnormalities in the muscle tissue of the patients‚” explained Rob Wüst‚ Assistant Professor at the Department of Human Movement Sciences at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and a study co-author. “At the cellular level‚ we saw that the mitochondria of the muscle‚ also known as the energy factories of the cell‚ function less well and that they produce less energy.”It wasn’t only after exercise that this difference was apparent. Biopsies of skeletal muscle in the participants taken a week before the exercise showed that the long COVID patients’ muscles had a higher proportion of glycolytic fibers as compared to the control group – that is‚ more of their muscles were reliant on sugar and not oxygen to create energy‚ and were therefore quicker to fatigue.But biopsies taken after the exercise session confirmed that the situation for long COVID patients is actually even worse than that. Not only were their mitochondria functioning worse than before‚ but their muscles were showing signs of more severe tissue damage that their bodies were struggling to repair.Even more worrying‚ especially for those thinking they can rely on their current good health to see them through any potential consequences of contracting COVID-19‚ is the fact that all participants were of working age‚ fit‚ and healthy before catching the disease. None had become sick enough to be hospitalized‚ and all had healthy hearts and lungs‚ even after the exercise.“It’s really confirming that there is something inside the body going wrong with the disease‚” Wüst told The Guardian.“[Long COVID] damages your muscles‚ it worsens your metabolism‚ and it can explain why you feel muscle pain and fatigue up to weeks after the exercise‚” he said.There were some surprises‚ too. Contrary to what some have suggested‚ long COVID does not appear to be caused by lingering coronavirus particles in the body: “We don't see any indications of this in the muscles at the moment‚” noted van Vugt. While the team did find accumulations of amyloid protein in the patients’ skeletal muscle‚ they found no evidence that these deposits were clogging up capillaries and immune cells in long COVID patients‚ as some scientists have theorized.“Post-exertional malaise cannot be explained by the hypothesis that these deposits block vessel perfusion‚ causing local tissue hypoxia‚” the paper concludes. “The underlying reason for the increased intramuscular accumulation of amyloid-containing deposits during post-exertional malaise remains elusive.”So‚ for those stuck with the aftereffects of a COVID-19 infection months after the virus has left their system‚ what’s the advice? Unfortunately‚ not a lot: “in concrete terms‚ we advise these patients to guard their physical limits and not to exceed them‚” said Brent Appelman‚ researcher at Amsterdam UMC and co-author of the study. “Think of light exertion that does not lead to worsening of the complaints‚” he added. “Walking is good‚ or riding an electric bike‚ to maintain some physical condition. Keep in mind that every patient has a different limit.”The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

On The NPR Politics Podcast on Friday‚ a trio of NPR reporters expressed alarm that Joe Biden’s so-called “better angel speech” at Valley Forge wasn’t winning the day‚ that opinion polls show backsliding on January 6 and Republican “disinformation” is taking over. Congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales brought up a Washington Post poll that found the percentage of Americans who say Trump played a role in the riot has dropped seven points to 53 percent. GRISALES: So this is clearly on the mind of the president and the Biden-Harris campaign because they're trying to fight that narrative back. The House select January 6 committee is no longer out there telling their part of the story in terms of what they found in their bipartisan investigation‚ and Republicans have been able to fill in that gap with more disinformation. Stop right there. The first disinformation here is that the Pelosi-Picked Panel was a "bipartisan investigation." Pro-Biden journalists are concerned the Pelosi narrative is fading away. They always avoid any questioning of Democrat failure on January 6‚ any questioning of Pelosi or D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser performed.  ASHLEY LOPEZ: As I was watching Biden's speech‚ I was -- like‚ my inbox was getting a lot of Trump -- you know‚ the Democrats are a threat to democracy. You know‚ he's also making the case that his campaign is about protecting democracy from the threat they see from Biden and Democrats‚ mostly on issues of‚ like‚ free speech and stuff like that. SUSAN DAVIS: That is true. From a conservative standpoint‚ you could argue that they don't like the direction that liberals and Democrats are taking the country in. But I also think‚ when we talk about this‚ we have to make clear that a lot of Republicans' views are predicated on false information. Sure‚ you might think democracy is at stake if you think that Joe Biden stole an election‚ right? There was no acknowledgement of the campaign to remove Trump from the ballot‚ unlike the "free speech and stuff like that." Davis turned to the main Washington Post poll result‚ that 34 percent of Republicans said FBI operatives organized the riot at the Capitol. DAVIS: The politics of it are much harder for Republicans. Democrats' position on January 6 is very clear. President Biden‚ as he articulated it today -- it's the unified party position about how to frame January 6 and what happened and what's at stake. For Republicans‚ it's more complicated because‚ as Claudia noted‚ today‚ Republicans either don't want to talk about it at all. Or they kind of want to muddy the waters. Well‚ release the tapes. We'll find out the real truth. The idea that there's still a real truth to be found out there. But there's no oxygen to run in a Republican primary as a Republican saying Joe Biden is the legitimately elected president of the United States. These NPR reporters don't seem to care that the FBI director wouldn't answer questions from Congress on how many undercover FBI agents were on site on January 6. They also didn't discuss a different result of that poll‚ that 77 percent of Democrats said those who entered the Capitol were "mostly violent‚" compared with 18 percent of Republicans. Democrats think their 2020 riots were "mostly peaceful‚" but that most people protesting on January 6 were violent‚ not just "parading" on the site. PS: Davis caused wincing among Christians later in the show‚ as they discussed how it doesn't look great for Democrats keeping the Senate majority. "I will say that I do think Democrats have a Hail Mary‚ and I think that a lot of them believe it's the issue of abortion."

Six decades after LBJ declared ‘war‚’ objectives remain unfulfilled.

Cystic fibrosis and many other sufferings kept Emily DeArdo focused on love on earth and the promise of more.

The health of Americans and others around the world will not benefit from standardless edicts by unpredictable NIH officials.