'The thing that bedevils her'

A couple who quit their jobs and sold all their belongings to travel in a campervan has completed an epic four-year adventure around the world. Along with avoiding their work at Britain’s National Health Service just months before pandemic controls started, they amassed a huge following on social media through their YouTube channel Tread The […] The post English Couple Quit Their Jobs to Travel Four Years Around the World in a Van Becoming Social Media Stars appeared first on Good News Network.

The post Can Cats Get Car Sick? Vet-Verified Facts & Info by Chris Dinesen Rogers 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. Click to Skip Ahead Why Car Rides Are Stressful for Cats Risks of Motion Sickness & Stress Helping Your Cat Remain Calm A car ride often represents three things to your cat: change, a lack of control, and loss of freedom. Felines hate all of them, and this ramped-up anxiety and stress are even able to trigger vomiting or motion sickness in your kitty. It’s easy to see why when you consider it from a feline perspective. Dogs often go for rides for happy reasons, like trips to the dog park. However, the chances are your cat only goes to the vet when they leave their home, which teaches them that the car is a very stressful space over time. Why Car Rides Are Stressful for Cats Remember that cats are both predators and prey. Thus, they exhibit different coping styles when faced with unfamiliar situations, like riding in a car. They may take a proactive approach with a fight-or-flight response. It can include excessive vocalizations, hissing, and spitting. Felines may react passively by remaining motionless and curling up, perhaps to protect themselves. Cats don’t like change because their survival depends on their awareness of their environment, whether hunting or fleeing a predator. Putting them in a carrier takes away their control over their choice of how to react. That leaves them feeling vulnerable, thus causing stress and anxiety. From your pet’s point of view, it’s a big unknown. It can also be the memory of a past adverse experience. Think of how you might feel in such a situation. Your heart may race and you’re on high alert for anything you can detect about what might occur. It’s the same with your cat, especially if you rarely take them on car rides. You add things like sensations of the vehicle moving, and that leaves the makings of the perfect storm for motion sickness. Image Credit: RJ22, Shutterstock The Risks of Motion Sickness and Stress in Cats Motion sickness in itself isn’t harmful to your pet, but it is uncomfortable and incredibly stressful. The signs of motion sickness in cats include the following: Vocalization Panting Immobility or lethargy Pacing or restlessness Excessive drooling Vomiting Defecation The indirect consequences can be more severe. One study found that 28% of cat owners would take their pets to the vet more often if it weren’t such an ordeal. It also showed that 40% of cats hadn’t seen a vet for the past year. That’s especially risky for felines since they often hide signs of a problem until they can’t any longer. It becomes increasingly problematic when an issue occurs. Stress morphs into a safety concern for the vet and their staff handling the agitated animal. It can also hamper treatment efforts if the cat becomes aggressive. Sedation may be your vet’s only choice if they can’t handle your pet. Image Credit: africa_pink, Shutterstock Helping Your Cat Remain Calm Cats react differently to motion sickness. It’s helpful to consider prevention and treatment options on an individual basis. Sometimes the goal is to reduce the stress and anxiety associated with car rides. One effective way to curb stress is by getting your pet used to the carrier. One study found it an excellent way to make vet visits easier and even decrease exam times. A cat that is less anxious is more manageable to handle. You should also make the car ride more comfortable by keeping it at an optimal temperature. Make the trip as quick as possible with any available shortcuts, preferably in light traffic. Research suggests that species-appropriate music may have a calming effect. It includes frequencies within the feline vocal ranges and sounds of real cats. We also recommend withholding food for a few hours before you go. Put the open carrier on the floor to let your pet explore it on their terms. One study found that a feline facial pheromone product is an excellent stress preventive for short trips. You can add a piece of clothing to the carrier for something that smells like home to your cat. Here are some other helpful tips you might consider: Provide access to fresh water Use a carrier your cat is comfortable with Keep the car cool and quiet Offer special toys on trips Slowly start to desensitize your cat to the car Image Credit: Andy Gin, Shutterstock Medications Your vet may recommend medication in some cases. Some over-the-counter products may alleviate the stress that can trigger motion sickness. Prescriptions for anxiety and nausea also exist if these don’t alleviate the problem. The important thing is that you have options so that you needn’t avoid taking your cat to the clinic. However, the treatment plan depends on the individual animal. At the Clinic Making the vet experience pleasant can encourage positive associations with car rides and reduce the risk of motion sickness. High-value treats are a potent persuader for food-motivated felines. Don’t be surprised if your pet refuses the treat. The message is still hitting its mark. We suggest talking softly to your kitty to calm their fears. Cats get attached to their owners, making it an effective method. Final Thoughts Cats can get motion sickness because of the stress car trips cause in our pets. Felines despise change. A ride away from home couldn’t be a greater disruption to your pet’s everyday life. Fortunately, several things exist that can make it easier for your kitty and the vet. Anything you can do to calm your cat will make the examination quicker and less nerve-racking for everyone. Sources https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/motion-sickness-in-cats https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Felis_catus/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31132445/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2469925/   Featured Image Credit: RJ22, Shutterstock The post Can Cats Get Car Sick? Vet-Verified Facts & Info by Chris Dinesen Rogers 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.

The post How to Stop My Cat From Peeing on My Bed: 8 Vet-Verified Tips & Tricks by Misty Layne 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. Click to Skip Ahead Why Do Cats Pee on Beds Problems with the Litter Box Tips & Tricks Picture this scene—you’re home after a long day at work and finally ready to slip into bed and head off to dreamland. You throw the covers back, only to find a large wet spot; your cat has peed on your bed! Felines are usually pretty good about using their litter boxes, but sometimes cats can engage in inappropriate elimination, and it can absolutely put a strain on your relationship with kitty, especially if it’s reoccurring. So, how do you stop your cat from peeing on your bed? Well, the first thing to do is to determine why they’re peeing on your bed in the first place. While they could be doing so because of a behavioral problem, they could also be dealing with a medical issue, so figuring out the reason will help eliminate the behavior. Here’s a look at why cats pee on beds and how you can stop yours from doing so. Why Do Cats Pee on Beds Felines pee on beds (and in other inappropriate places) for a few reasons. Here’s a closer look at what those are. Image Credit: Billion Photos, Shutterstock Problems with the Litter Box Cats spend a fair amount of time in the litter box, so they’re picky about the kind of litter used in the box and where it is placed. If your cat’s litter box isn’t up to their standards, they will find somewhere else to use the bathroom. This will also happen if you aren’t cleaning out the litter box as often or as well as is needed. Anxiety Cats can suffer from anxiety, just like people can, only they have different ways of dealing with it. One of those ways could very well be peeing on the bed. How does that help? When your cat urinates, they leave behind pheromones that they find comforting, which makes the bed a safer place for them. Why would a cat be anxious? A cat can suffer anxiety for any number of reasons, including a move to a new home, a new person or pet in the house, fireworks, loud noises, construction, etc. Image Credit: Elena Rozhenok, Shutterstock Old Age Cats who are older can often suffer from joint issues that make it more difficult for them to get up and down or in and out of things. For some cats, getting up on the bed (especially if there’s a ramp or kitty stairs) could be simpler than getting in and out of the litter box. Older felines may also suffer cognitive decline as they age, which could cause them not to remember where the litter box is, resulting in them locating the next best flat surface, which could be your bed. Health Issues There are a plethora of health conditions or illnesses that could cause a cat to pee on your bed. Some of these include feline idiopathic cystitis, urinary tract infections, diabetes, kidney disease, bladder stones, and incontinence. The 8 Tips and Tricks to Stop Your Cat From Peeing on Your Bed Stopping your cat from peeing on your bed can take some time and patience. Once you have worked out the underlying cause of the behavior, typically changes to several aspects of your cat’s care and home environment are needed. Here are some tips and tricks to help you out! 1. Veterinary Check-Up When dealing with any form of inappropriate elimination, it’s important to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Book a consult with your vet who will examine your cat and may recommend other tests such as bloodwork, urine tests or imaging. If your cat is diagnosed with a medical condition then following your vet’s prescribed treatment plan is essential to stop your cat from peeing on your bed. Speak To a Vet Online From the Comfort of Your Couch! If you need to speak with a vet but can’t get to one, head over to PangoVet. It’s an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the personalized advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price! Click to Speak With a Vet 2. Fix the Litter Box Think your kitty has problems with the location of the litter box, the kind of litter being used, or how it’s being cleaned? Then, fix the issue! There will be some guesswork here, as you’ll likely need to try a few different types of litter to discover which your cat likes best or move the litter box around until you find the perfect place for it. One thing to remember when moving a litter box is that it can’t be too close to your pet’s food and water, and it shouldn’t be in a noisy area. When cleaning the litter box, ensure you scoop it each day and replace the litter fully once a week. If you have multiple cats in your home, you should have one litter box per cat, plus one extra, scattered around your house. Also, if cats with joint issues are having difficulty getting in and out of the litter box, get a lower litter box for them. Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock 3. Stress-Proof Your Home Okay, you probably can’t completely stress-proof your home, but if you know what’s causing your kitty to be anxious, you may be able to remove the stressor. Of course, this won’t work with something like a new baby in the house or a move to a new home; in those cases, it’s a matter of giving your pet time to get used to the changes that have occurred and giving them a safe place they can retreat to if needed. Hopefully once they are used to them, they should return to normal behaviors. If you can remove a stressor, though, the behavior should clear up more quickly. 4. Synthetic Pheromones Synthetic pheromones, like Feliway, are available as diffusers and sprays and mimic the natural pheromones that cat’s produce when they feel safe and secure. After making sure your cat’s toileting areas are up to scratch you can add a Feliway diffuser to the room your cat spends most time in to help them feel calm and reassured. Image Credit: Dr. Karyn Kanowski, Pangolia 5. Interact With Your Cat More Often Make time each day to play with your cat! Playtime helps cats de-stress and feel less anxious. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to bond with your pet, which will also make them happier and more relaxed. 6. Use an Enzymatic Cleaner Chances are you’re throwing your bed linens straight into the wash when your cat pees on your bed. Don’t do that, though! Before you launder anything, spray where your cat peed with an enzymatic cleaner. These kinds of cleaners remove any lingering urine odor, so your pet doesn’t smell the urine later and thinks it’s a great place to pee again. It’s an extra step in the process, but it’ll help in the long run. Did you know there's an enzyme cleaner that does it all? The Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray permanently removes the very worst smells and stains (truly, everything you can imagine!), and they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee! Click here to get yourself a bottle. Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray ADVANCED ENZYMATIC CLEANER - Penetrates the most stubborn smells and stains at the deepest molecular...FOR ANY MESS, ON ANY SURFACE - This pet odor eliminator cleans your carpets, floors, furniture,...FRESH, NATURAL ODOR - Our unique formulation doesn't rely on dangerous or unpleasant chemical... Check Price on Amazon At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool cat company! 7. Spray Your Bed With a Scent Kitty Hates If nothing else seems to be working, you could try deterrents to try and discourage the behavior for example by spraying your comforter with a scent your cat hates to make it less appealing to them. Commercial sprays are available and cats tend to dislike citrus scents. Of course, you’ll need to find a scent you can live with if you take this route! Although using scents that your cat finds unpleasant may help in the short term, if you haven’t addressed the root cause of the inappropriate elimination it’s likely you’ll find the behavior recurs, even if it’s in a different location. 8. Close the Door to Your Bedroom Finally, the simplest way to keep your cat from peeing on your bed is to restrict access and close the bedroom door! While addressing other factors, shut your bedroom door, and don’t let your cat sleep on the bed. They may end up going back to the litter box if you do this or decide to pee on the couch or floor next, but at least your bed will be safe. Image Credit: Lucamato, Shutterstock Conclusion Felines will pee on your bed for a variety of reasons, many of them medical. However, if you can determine the cause of your kitty no longer using the litter box, you should be able to remedy the issue. Start with ruling out health concerns with a trip to your vet and addressing any litter box issues. Solving this problem can take time and patience, but you should avoid any form of punishment which will only make the situation worse and your cat more stressed.  If the problem persists it can also be helpful to seek the help of a veterinary behaviorist. Sources PetMD Cornell Cornell   Featured Image Credit: Creative Cat Studio, Shutterstock The post How to Stop My Cat From Peeing on My Bed: 8 Vet-Verified Tips & Tricks by Misty Layne 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.

The post Introducing the Wednesday Cats of Catster: Ivy, Milly & Raphael 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. Hey there, Catsters! Today, we’re introducing the new Wednesday Cats of Catster, a rotating series featuring three amazing cat-and-owner pairs. Scroll down to read more about Crystal & Ivy, Isabel & Milly, and Wes & Raphael. And stay tuned next Wednesday for more of their fun adventures! Crystal & Ivy Hi Catsters, I’m Crystal. I work in the marketing department for Catster. You may have seen some of my posts on our social media and listened to some of my tales on our YouTube channel. I’ve always considered myself to be a dog person. However, there is no longer any doubt that I am, in fact, a cat person! Adopting my first cat opened my eyes in so many ways and taught me the true meaning of having a soul connection with an animal. I can‘t imagine my life without my kitty, Ivy, and her daily antics. It’s been a rough ride, but a beautiful one, and she has enriched my life in so many ways. As every cat parent knows, cat ownership doesn’t come without its own set of unique hurdles and challenges… I’ll be sharing some more of my life with Ivy – the good, the bad, and the ugly – on Catster.com in the weeks to come! Isabel & Milly the Tabby Cat Milly helping me study for finals Hey Catsters, Isabel here, you might recognize me from the Catster YouTube channel! I’m the marketing director here at Catster.com and I look forward to writing some fun and interesting cat-human interest stories every month! I will be sharing some of my experiences as a lifelong cat lover and owner and what it’s like to be the cat mom of a sassy little tabby cat called Milly, who you also may have seen on the YouTube channel. Milly is the apple of my eye, the source of my happiness, and even though she can make me very mad sometimes, I love her with all my heart. She’s a 6-year-old white/tabby cat that I rescued as a 4-week-old, unwanted kitten in a very small town where I studied. She was born in a bar of all places! We became best friends the moment we met, even though it took a while for her to trust me because she was feral, she knew I was there to save her. Baby Milly doing yoga with me Since then, we’ve had some wild adventures together. We moved from Johannesburg to Cape Town, she flew in a plane, lived on a golf course, became a YouTube star, and even got her own designer jacket (which she refuses to wear). I look forward to sharing our beautiful little life with all you Catsters! You can read more about how I met and rescued Milly in my full introduction post coming soon! Wes & Raphael the Russian Blue What do you call a cat-obsessive who spends all day working on solutions for cats of the world, and all evening cuddling with a cat of his own? Well, a Catster of course! Howdy reader, my name’s Wes. By day, I’m Director of Hepper (Catster’s sister ecommerce brand). By night (and sometimes by lunch), I am the loving protector of a fierce monster called Raphael the Russian Blue. Ok, fair enough…he’s really MY protector, and truly, the only monster he’d count as is one of the ‘cuddle’ variety. At this early stage, there are two things you need to know about Raphael. First, he is without a doubt, the hungriest cat you’ve ever encountered. There are rumours (as yet unconfirmed) that he entered an eating contest in the summer of ‘23, and bankrupted the company that put it on. When asked for comment on the scandal, he was reported to have responded “meow”. The second thing to know about Raphael is that the only thing he loves as much as a hearty meal is a fulsome cuddle. Raphael will get on board the snuggle train when we’re on the sofa, in bed, working at the desk. In fact, dear reader, I hope it won’t concern you too much to know that toilet time is often intercepted with a cuddle break if the door is left open. All cats have different personalities, of course, but it doesn’t stop me from telling myself during every cuddle that it means I can’t be doing THAT badly at looking after him. I always think the most interesting part of pet ownership is that it is both intensely communal and utterly individual. We all have exactly the same experiences and totally different ones. If you’d like to share your journey with Raphael and me, to laugh at his shenanigans, and smile at how he reminds you of your own loved ones, read and comment along. We’ll be waiting for you! The post Introducing the Wednesday Cats of Catster: Ivy, Milly & Raphael 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.

Books cover reveal Revealing Where the Axe Is Buried by Ray Nayler Leap into a thrilling near-future world of geopolitical espionage! By Reactor | Published on October 9, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share We’re thrilled to share the cover of Ray Nayler’s Where the Axe Is Buried, a near-future thriller publishing April 1, 2025 with MCD. All systems fail. All societies crumble. All worlds end.In the authoritarian Federation, there is a plot to assassinate and replace the President, a man who has downloaded his mind to a succession of new bodies to maintain his grip on power. Meanwhile, on the fringes of a Western Europe that has renounced human governance in favor of ostensibly more efficient, objective, and peaceful AI Prime Ministers, an experimental artificial mind is malfunctioning, threatening to set off a chain of events that may spell the end of the Western world.As the Federation and the West both start to crumble, Lilia, the brilliant scientist whose invention may be central to bringing down the seemingly immortal President, goes on the run, trying to break out from a near-impenetrable web of Federation surveillance. Her fate is bound up with a worldwide group of others fighting against the global status quo: Palmer, the man Lilia left behind in London, desperate to solve the mystery of her disappearance; Zoya, a veteran activist imprisoned in the taiga, whose book has inspired a revolutionary movement; Nikolai, the President’s personal physician, who has been forced into more and more harrowing decisions as he navigates the Federation’s palace politics; and Nurlan, the hapless parliamentary staffer whose attempt to save his Republic goes terribly awry. And then there is Krotov, head of the Federation’s security services, whose plots, agents, and assassins are everywhere.Following the success of his debut novel, The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Nayler launches readers into a thrilling near-future world of geopolitical espionage. A cybernetic novel of political intrigue, Where the Axe Is Buried combines the story of a near-impossible revolutionary operation with a blistering indictment of the many forms of authoritarianism that suffocate human freedom. Cover art by María Jesús Contreras; Design by Alex Merto Buy the Book Where the Axe Is Buried Ray Nayler Buy Book Where the Axe Is Buried Ray Nayler Buy this book from: AmazonBarnes and NobleiBooksIndieBoundTarget Author Ray Nayler on the cover art: “I immediately fell in love with the paperback cover of The Mountain in the Sea and must have received a million compliments on it. So I am absolutely thrilled María Jesús Contreras has returned to illustrate the cover of Where the Axe Is Buried. I couldn’t ask for a more stunning, iconic take on the book’s themes.” Ray Nayler is the author of the novel The Mountain in the Sea, which won the Locus Award for “Best First Novel,” and the novella The Tusks of Extinction. Called “one of the up-and-coming masters of SF short fiction” by Locus, Nayler’s stories have been published in Asimov’s Science Fiction, Clarkesworld, Analog Science Fiction & Fact, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Lightspeed, Vice, and Nightmare, as well as in many “Best Of” anthologies. His stories have won the Clarkesworld Readers’ Poll and the Asimov’s Readers’ Award, and his novelette “Sarcophagus” was a finalist for the Theodore Sturgeon Award. Born in Quebec and raised in California, Nayler lived and worked abroad for two decades in Russia, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, and Kosovo. A Russian speaker, he has also learned Turkmen, Albanian, Azerbaijani, and Vietnamese. He is currently a visiting scholar at the Institute for International Science and Technology Policy at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. He holds an MA in global diplomacy from the Centre for International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London. He lives in Washington, DC. The post Revealing <i>Where the Axe Is Buried</i> by Ray Nayler appeared first on Reactor.

Books Horror Five Horror Books About Obsession Scary stories about unhealthy fixations on body parts, fictional characters, creepy houses, and more! By Lorna Wallace | Published on October 9, 2024 Comment 0 Share New Share Stories of obsession are often about one person being fixated on another person—or, in the case of Captain Ahab, on a whale called Moby Dick—but creepy stalkers and monomaniacal whale-hunters don’t have a monopoly on obsession. People can develop an unhealthy fixation on a huge variety of things, so here are five horror books, including a novella and a manga, that explore obsessions with eyeballs, spirals, horror movies, and more. The Eyes Are the Best Part (2024) by Monika Kim The Eyes Are the Best Part opens with Ji-won and Ji-hyun’s Umma deboning a fish for dinner. Once she’s done, she offers up the fish eyes to her daughters, both of whom are repulsed by the idea of eating the slimy orbs. But it isn’t long before Ji-won finds herself becoming obsessed with eyeballs—particularly with the blue irises of her Umma’s new boyfriend, George. Ji-won’s infatuation with George’s eyes doesn’t come from a place of romantic desire. She utterly despises the man (for good reason—he’s obnoxious, arrogant, and creepy), but he isn’t her only problem. She’s also struggling to deal with her family’s new dynamic in the wake of her Appa taking off, with being a college freshman, and with trying to forge new friendships. In the midst of all this change and chaos, Ji-won’s mind keeps turning to eyeballs.   The Eyes Are the Best Part builds slowly, becoming progressively more unhinged as the plot unfolds. Threaded through this wild narrative are gory descriptions of eyes that are squirm-inducing, along with some razor-sharp commentary on Asian fetishization. Misery (1987) by Stephen King Fictional author Paul Sheldon made his name thanks to his series of historical romance books revolving around Misery Chastain. Although the Misery books are a hit, Paul decides to kill off the heroine so that he can move on to less swoonworthy pastures in his career. But just after completing his new crime novel, a drunken Paul crashes his car in the mountains of Colorado during a snowstorm. Thankfully, he’s rescued; not so thankfully, his rescuer is Annie Wilkes, an intense and dangerous woman who just so happens to be his “number one fan.” But it turns out that Annie is really less a fan of Paul and more a fan of the Misery books, and she’s distraught that the series has come to an end. With the injured author now under her care, she brutally forces him to continue writing the story. Annie—who I can’t help but picture as Kathy Bates thanks to her Oscar-winning portrayal of the character in the 1990 movie—is utterly terrifying, and not afraid to resort to torture in order to satisfy her bookish obsession.  My Heart is a Chainsaw (2021) by Stephen Graham Jones Jade Daniels is an outcast not only at her high school, but also in general in her rural mountain hometown of Proofrock, Idaho. She fills the hole in her heart and social calendar with horror movies—specifically slasher films—and while these gory flicks provide her with a soft place to land, her fanaticism has developed into a full-blown obsession. Jade views the real world through a slasher filter (which isn’t always the best thing) and she’s become convinced that a killer is picking off people around Proofrock. With no one else taking the slasher signs seriously, Jade thinks it’s up to her—with her encyclopedic knowledge of the tropes and patterns of slasher movies—to stop the killer. A lot of the story is spent in Jade’s head, which may put some readers off, but those who click with Jones’ writing style will not only get to know the mind and heart of this damaged but fierce girl, they’ll also be treated to a mayhem-filled and blood-splattered finale. Uzumaki (1998-1999) by Junji Ito Obsession is often a solo affair, but in Uzumaki, numerous residents in Kurôzu-cho, a little town on Japan’s coast, become obsessed with spirals. High schooler Kirie Goshima first notices this spiral obsession when she sees the father of her boyfriend, Shuichi Saito, transfixed by the shell of a snail on a wall. She soon realizes that his entire life has been consumed by the shape, leading to horrifyingly body-twisting consequences. Although the chapters are linked, they often read like short stories, with Kirie witnessing—and herself experiencing—the creative ways in which the people of Kurôzu-cho are infected by the inescapable spirals. Although the idea of supernatural spirals might seem silly to some (I personally love a weird concept!), Junji Ito’s art is grotesquely mesmerizing. I’m pretty sure that many of the imaginative and mind-bending body horror images in Uzumaki are now seared into my mind forever… A House at the Bottom of a Lake (2016) by Josh Malerman Seventeen-year-olds James and Amelia are going on their first date, but instead of doing something typical like dinner or a movie, James takes Amelia canoeing on a semi-secret lake he happens to know. While paddling around, the duo spot a tunnel that’s mostly covered over with vegetation and they decide to squeeze the boat through to see what’s on the other side. They discover that lurking below the water line of this hidden lake is a creepy two-story house. James and Amelia are captivated by the mysterious submerged building. The house soon consumes their thoughts, so they return to the lake whenever they can and even go scuba diving to investigate its interior. Malerman’s novella doesn’t really offer in-your-face horror; instead, it builds a uniquely eerie atmosphere as the two teens indulge their strange obsession. Have you got any recommendations for books about frightening or disturbing obsessions? Whether the object of attention is animal, mineral, or vegetable, share your favorite examples in the comments below![end-mark] The post Five Horror Books About Obsession appeared first on Reactor.

A conservative Christian mother of five who narrowly lost a contentious school board election in Virginia that involved transgender issues nonetheless decided she would apply to be a substitute teacher. After the school district ran a background check, approved her, and assigned her to a class, the school board denied her employment, and she suspects it did so for ideological and religious reasons. “I was absolutely shocked when the school board violated its own policy by taking action in closed session to strike my name from the personnel list before coming out in open session to vote,” Lindsay Rich, the former candidate, told The Daily Signal on Monday. Rich, 40, has three daughters currently in southwestern Virginia’s Montgomery County Public Schools in the area around Blacksburg, the city where Virginia Polytechnic and State University (commonly known as Virginia Tech) is located. Last November, she lost the Montgomery County School Board race to represent District E by a narrow margin. Derek Rountree, her former opponent, now sits on the school board. “I believe the school board members removed me [as a substitute teacher] for the same reason many attacked me during my campaign,” Rich said. During Rich’s campaign, a Virginia Tech official responsible for DEI—diversity, equity, and inclusion—attacked her and a fellow school board candidate for supporting “Model Policies on Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students” championed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican. These policies require parental involvement in any school encouragement of a child’s transgender identity and designate bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams by biological sex rather than claimed gender identity. Montgomery County’s school board previously adopted pro-transgender standards developed under Youngkin’s Democratic predecessor, Gov. Ralph Northam. “I support Governor Youngkin’s commonsense policies that base bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports on biological sex—not gender identity—which is also tied to my religious beliefs that God created male and female,” Rich told The Daily Signal. “I have sat at the last two [school board] meetings until close to midnight waiting on an explanation and will continue to do so until I get answers,” Rich added in a text. “I won’t be pushed out of my children’s schools; they say there is room for ALL in MCPS, which includes conservative Christians like me.” Lindsay Rich’s Approval Rich said she took a training course Sept. 11 and received an assignment to teach Sept. 19. She forwarded emails to The Daily Signal showing that Montgomery County Public Schools had given her access to the online portal and had put her on the schedule to teach. Email showing Lindsay Rich’s substitute teaching assignment. On Sept. 11, after Rich had taken the substitute teacher training, Dawn LaPuasa, MCPS supervisor of personnel, sent an email to Superintendent Bernard Bragen with a list of substitute teachers for the school board to approve. The list, intended for a Sept. 17 board meeting, gave Rich and the other substitutes an “effective date” that coincided with their training. List of substitute teachers sent to Montgomery County School Superintendent Bernard Bragen. Yet on Sept. 17, the school board approved a list of substitute teachers that did not include Rich’s name. 09.17.2024. Personnel Report – Total – 5 pagesDownload Rich and her supporters say that the school board altered the list during a closed session to discuss personnel, part of the board meeting that is not public. Daniel Rich, the would-be substitute teacher’s husband, filed a request for information under Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act and obtained an email that shows Bragen, the superintendent of schools, tool a personal interest in Rich’s employment. On Sunday, Sept. 15, two days before the meeting, Bragen reached out to Amanda Weidner, director of human resources at MCPS. “Is the Lindsay Rich on the personnel agenda for a substitute the same person who ran for the school board?” Bragen asked. Weidner confirmed that it was indeed her. “Let’s review it tomorrow,” Bragen responded. “That is presenting a problem that we may need the attorney to discuss.” Emails between Amanda Weidner and Superintendent Bernard Bragen. The school board members didn’t respond to The Daily Signal’s request for comment by publication time. MCPS declined to comment on the situation, saying that it is a personnel matter. The Public Speaks Out Rich’s family and many others attended the school board’s Oct. 1 meeting to voice their support for the former candidate and their opposition to the board’s move. Susanna Rich, a sixth grader at Blacksburg Middle School, accused the school board of violating the First Amendment. “You guys went against the freedom of religion by saying that because of my mom’s political and Christian beliefs, you will not approve her to be a sub,” Susanna said. “My mom would never try to push her religion on others.” “At school, there is a policy against bullying,” she added. “Well, you’re bullying my mom.” Rich and her supporters repeatedly mentioned the shortage of teachers across Virginia, and the fact that the MCPS website appears to show many open teaching positions. According to the Virginia Legislature’s Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, school districts reported having 4,104 vacant teaching positions at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. MCPS’ website lists 33 open teaching positions on its job application portal. “If we have a shortage of substitute teachers, I would like the county to put out a statement and say which qualifications Miss Rich did not meet,” resident Zachary Kemp said at the Oct. 1 school board meeting. Carola Haas, a professor at Virginia Tech’s Department of Fish & Wildlife Conservation, accused Rich of propping up a “stunt.” “Several friends of a political candidate claim to have personal knowledge of events at a closed meeting, and spread the rumor that they and their friend are being persecuted for their religious beliefs,” Haas said. “Because a certain party is trying to defund public education and send our tax dollars to private interests, they seem to need to dramatize stories of their personal employment issues in order to motivate their base to the polls.” Others vouched for Rich, calling her desire to teach in the schools genuine. “I have known Lindsay for about 16 years. She not only meets your current certification requirements, but is an excellent mother of five children; along with her many volunteer efforts to engage as a parent in MCPS, she would be an excellent substitute teacher choice,” resident Kimberly Williamson said. “I think the way this board handled Lindsay’s application was quite cowardly.” The post TRANSGENDER CANCEL CULTURE? Christian Mom Says She Was Blocked From Substitute Teaching Because of Her Faith appeared first on The Daily Signal.

A dog leads a deputy to a wooded area in Stevens County, Washington to ask him to rescue his hurt 84-year-old owner on Wednesday, September 25. “Deputy Wright was patrolling a rural wooded area of Stevens County when he came upon a dog sitting in the roadway,” the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office shares on their Facebook page on Tuesday, October 01. “No residences were visible nearby. Wright tried to get the dog into his vehicle so he could attempt to find the owner, but the dog would not get in his vehicle,” the Sheriff’s Office added. They also shared that the deputy proceeded to check the surrounding residences in the area within a mile to find the dog’s owner, but didn’t find him to no avail. The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office explains that when Deputy Wright went back to the dog’s location, the dog was laying on the centerline. The deputy tried to get the dog off the roadway, but instead took off up on a “slightly travelled, unmarked roadway.” Deputy Wright then followed the dog, who led him to a small summer cabin. He then began checking around the area and discovered an elderly male laying on the ground, calling for help just a short distance outside the cabin. The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office reveals, “The 84-year-old-male, who also had other medical conditions needing regular medications, had fallen and injured his leg.” “He had laid there for hours and may have had serious consequences if he had not been found,” they added. The Sheriff’s Office then found out that the dog that led the deputy to the area is the 84-year-old male’s dog, named Gita, a 13-year-old rescue dog. Time and time again, our furry friends remind us that they will go to great lengths to show us their unconditional love and loyalty for us. And the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office witnessed it that day Gita saved his owner. They wrote, “We credit Gita for saving his life that day. The loyalty and heroism of our furry friends never cease to amaze us.” The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office also added, “Thank you, Deputy Wright, for going to the extra effort and thank you Gita for being a good girl and true hero!” Online users are applauding both Gita and Deputy Wright for a job well done. A user related to the rescued man thanked Deputy Wright and wrote, “The man you saved is my 91yo mom’s cousin. We are very grateful you followed your instincts, experience, and Gita!” “Great work to the pup and my hat off to the deputy who trusted his gut. Could have been a very different outcome,” another user wrote.

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