'There are other cautions'

A cat decided to move in through the window one day when he realized joy awaited him on the other side of the wall. ChrisRidgewood RescueA Good Samaritan, who cares for local feral cats, noticed a new kitty on the block who had come to join the others for food.When she realized he was friendly and didn't belong outside, she contacted her local rescue, Ridgewood Rescue (NY), and asked if they could help him. Without hesitation, they agreed, and so began the process of getting the cat, named Chris, into a safe place.When Chris reappeared outside the finder's home, she opened the window and tried to coax him in. Ridgewood RescueThe cat was intrigued, rubbing his face against the window frame as he peeked inside the apartment. He was hungry and seemed eager for a safe haven. With food, treats, and plenty of chin scritches to offer, he took a leap of faith and moved indoors.After exploring the apartment, Chris lay contentedly, feeling completely at home. Ridgewood Rescue"When we came to pick him up, we realized he was a non-microchipped, neutered male who clearly had a home at one time. He was super sweet and friendly," Heather Glassberg of Ridgewood Rescue told Love Meow."We made posters and asked around the area, but no one came forward to claim him, which sadly happens quite often. We decided to place him in foster care while we looked for a permanent home." Ridgewood RescueChris cuddled up to his people, as if trying to make up for lost time. He was delighted to have constant attention and an endless supply of food. However, they soon noticed he was struggling with the litter box.They tried everything under the sun (different kinds of litter, litter attractants, extra boxes, calming pheromones, etc.), but nothing seemed to work. They took him to the vet to rule out anything physical and consulted a cat behaviorist to work on additional steps and tricks, but it was to no avail. Ridgewood RescueDespite the setbacks and frequent accidents, they refused to give up. Then, one of the volunteers recommended looking into barn-cat adoption as a possibility for Chris."We thought maybe he had always been a cat who was let outside to use the bathroom, hence his inability to adjust to the litter box. We didn't expect much but figured it was worth a try." Ridgewood RescueShortly after, a woman from MA reached out to the rescue. "That's when a miracle happened."The woman, who lives in a semi-rural area, had been searching for the perfect feline companion to join her family. Her previous cat, who had passed away, had shared a doggie door to the backyard with the family dog. Ridgewood Rescue"After speaking with her, we knew we had found the best option for Chris. We appreciated her honesty and dedication to making the situation as safe as possible. She was willing to accept that he might have litter box accidents inside.""She and her husband drove over five hours, and we drove almost four hours to meet in CT for the handoff. Tears were flowing on both sides as we said goodbye." Ridgewood RescueThey knew the family was a great match, but they couldn't have anticipated the transformation he would undergo in their care. "Chris has had no accidents after over two weeks and was using the litter box just fine."He has blossomed into a spoiled house cat, but best of all, he has formed an adorable bond with the adopter's granddaughter. Chris, now Felix, has found his forever homeRidgewood Rescue"Last we heard, he had not even gone outside yet. They really love him. His name is now Felix."Perhaps Felix was waiting for the right family with the magic touch, and now he is where he truly belongs. Ridgewood RescueShare this story with your friends. To support Ridgewood Rescue and their rescue efforts on their Instagram, Facebook, and website.Related story: Person Returned to Get Cat and Kittens Out of Shelter After a Month, Giving Them Chance at Better Life

Toyota Joins Ford and Other Major Companies Scaling Back DEI Commitments

The best season of a TV show is frequently the first season, and as true "SpongeBob SquarePants" lovers know, there’s no substitute for Season One. Before the lunch boxes, before the movies, before the relentless IP exploitation, there was a simple cartoon, and in its simplicity was often to be found the simple yet expansive wisdom of the timeless fable. Of course, in times like these, the timeless is especially timely. Technology has thoroughly warped our experience of our given chronology, scrambling and blurring legacy expectations around life span, generations, family formation, commutes, seasons, and so much more. But as SpongeBob reminds us, instead of becoming gods, we’ll be freakish mutants unfit for either world, mortal or godly. The task falls to us mere mortals to have another idea … one far more humble than the posthuman temptation allows: Carry on with our human lives, but in ways that ensure the heavenly Spirit may, and does, move within and among us. Nostalgia, futurism, and “the moment” compete for our loyalty and our attention, and our imaginations groan with mingled hope and fear toward the prospect of our collective techno-transformation into something that seems at once more and less than human. So — "SpongeBob," Season One, Episode 19b, affectionately known as “Neptune’s Spatula.” For the uninitiated, the Fandom site Encyclopedia SpongeBobia provides a background synopsis. Visiting the Fry Cook Museum, SpongeBob and trusty starfish sidekick Patrick discover an Excalibur of exhibits: "Many have tried to pull this spatula out of this ancient grease, but all have failed. Only a fry cook who's worthy of King Neptune himself can wield the golden spatula.” Naturally, SpongeBob accidentally extracts the spatula, and Neptune promptly appears, challenging our hapless hero to the ultimate burger competition. Victory spells divinity for SpongeBob; defeat, the surrender of his beloved fry cook vocation forever. “King Neptune makes 1,000 Krabby Patties, in the time it takes SpongeBob to make just one, winning the challenge,” the synopsis retells. “However, when Neptune shares his patties with the audience, they express that they taste awful. Neptune is angered by this and asks why they would think that SpongeBob's would be any better. He tastes SpongeBob's Krabby Patty and finds it delicious. … SpongeBob is declared the winner, but when he finds out that his friends cannot come with him to Atlantis, he tearfully refuses to go to Atlantis, and instead arranges for King Neptune to be a trainee under SpongeBob at the Krusty Krab, teaching him that ‘perfect Patties are made with love, not magic.’” And as Arthur C. Clarke posited as his Third Law in "Profiles of the Future: An Inquiry into the Limits of the Possible," “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Or, as Joseph Heller famously wrote in "Catch-22," “the spirit gone, man is garbage.” All the tech in the world can’t substitute for love — not in the making of burgers, not in the feeding of others, and not in the living of life. Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images But wait, there’s more. The fan site synopsis leaves out the most important part — the drama of SpongeBob’s confrontation with the prospect of his transformation into a god. For that, we can helpfully resort to the episode transcript. SpongeBob: So, uhh, what do you think? King Neptune: Yours is superior. Therefore, [bows to SpongeBob] ... I concede to you, SpongeBob SquarePants, you win. [The crowd cheers] SpongeBob and Patrick: Yeah! [both dancing] We're going to Atlantis! We're going to Atlantis! King Neptune: [laughs] SpongeBob: What's so funny? King Neptune: You, SpongeBob. That repulsive thing in my palace? SpongeBob: You mean, Patrick can't come? King Neptune: [laughs] No, of course not. SpongeBob: And my friends? King Neptune: Ah, the only friend you need, my dear boy, is the royal grill. Patrick: [crying and wiping his tears with a tissue] It was nice knowing you, buddy! […] King Neptune: [luggage appears next to SpongeBob] Come, SpongeBob, grab your things! It's time to depart ... [a two-seater bike appears] ... to Atlantis! [rings bell and pats SpongeBob's seat] SpongeBob: I ... I ... [cries] I don't wanna go! King Neptune: It's too late now. I can't live without your burgers! [grows giant] You're going to be a god and like it! [King Neptune zaps SpongeBob and he becomes a muscular god. But being the same size, he looks a little strange] King Neptune: Maybe we do have a problem. SpongeBob: [in a booming voice] Wait, Neptune! I have another idea! Ah, there it is. It’s too late … I can’t live without your burgers. … You’re going to be a god and like it! Little else captures with such economy the technological devil’s — I mean, uh, “Neptune’s” — bargain of a compulsory divinization. There’s no time left to escape. In 2009, posting on the website of the agent who plugged Jeffrey Epstein into the tech community, legendary futurist Stewart Brand reflected that “40 years ago, I could say in the 'Whole Earth Catalog,' ‘we are as gods, we might as well get good at it.’ Photographs of Earth from space had that god-like perspective. What I'm saying now is we are as gods and have to get good at it.” Now, 15 years later, the propaganda pressuring us to believe it’s too late not to become posthuman divinities is harder than ever to escape or even ignore. But as SpongeBob reminds us, instead of becoming gods, we’ll, let’s say, look a little strange — that is, we’ll be freakish mutants unfit for either world, mortal or godly, enough to make any partial observer conclude we do have a problem. The task falls to us mere mortals to have another idea … one far more humble than the posthuman temptation allows: Carry on with our human lives, but in ways that ensure the heavenly Spirit may, and does, move within and among us. Lose that, and we lose everything — except responsibility for the monstrosities we will become. Thanks, SpongeBob!

Influencers MrBeast, Logan Paul, and KSI aim to dominate the lunchroom with their new brand, Lunchly — which they say offers “healthier” fare than Oscar Mayer’s snack-time superstar Lunchables.Some nutrition experts, however, say they’re full of it.'This crap is not what kids need. The ingredients are nothing but sugar, seed oils, processed grains, and chemicals.'Lunchly’s lunch kits combine MrBeast’s Feastables chocolate bars and Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime hydration drink along with pizza, nachos, or turkey and cheese cracker stacks for what the brand describes as “reimagined lunchtime fuel.”Dubious claimsA visit to the Lunchly website shows a side-by-side comparison of the Lunchly products with the Lunchables version. Each Lunchly product contains less sugar, fewer calories, and additional electrolytes when measured against the competitor, seemingly supporting claims that the lunches are a healthier option for kids.But according to health and nutrition advocate Calley Means, these numbers just mean Lunchly is pushing a smaller dose of poison.“This crap is not what kids need,” the author and speaker posted on X. “The ingredients are nothing but sugar, seed oils, processed grains, and chemicals. There's a childhood chronic disease crisis. We have allies ready to work with you at any time on healthier options.”Fellow wellness influencer Christopher McIlvaine, better known on social media as Cooking with Chris, was even more blunt: “Please don’t let your kids eat this,” he posted.Sugar bombAlign asked leading childhood nutrition researcher Dr. Michael Goran to give his take on the Lunchly lunches.“I’m not going to have great things to say about this,” said Goran immediately after looking at the ingredients and nutrition label for “The Pizza” Lunchly. “It’s not something I would give my kids.”Goran’s first critique was the added sugar in almost every component of the meal. He said items like pizza sauce did not need added sugar, and there are plenty of pizza sauces without them on the market. In place of a chocolate bar with added sugars, Goran recommends a whole fruit or unsweetened yogurt.Moving to the Prime electrolyte drink, Goran called it "a bit of a mess,” noting that he advises against kids consuming alternative sweeteners such as the sucralose found in Prime. Instead, he offers water or sparkling water as a healthier option.Brain drain“Kids are particularly susceptible to added sugars, not just for the obvious effects like body weight or long-term risk for diabetes, but also for memory, concentration, ability to learn,” said Goran.He elaborated that studies show energy spikes and dips from added sugars, making it difficult for kids to make it through the school day without feeling exhausted. Alternative sweeteners like sucralose show similar impacts on energy. Goran also noted that some oils in the ingredient list cause inflammation.“I don't think there'd be many moms out there who would want to give these products to their kids,” concluded Goran, while acknowledging that many parents could be deceived by Lunchly’s dubious health claims.“I think there's a problem because kids generally aren't taught nutrition in school. So there's this big mismatch,” said Dr. Goran.Nutrition 101This information gap is one of the reasons Dr. Goran wrote the book “Sugarproof,” which reveals the dangers of sugar to children’s health and teaches parents what to do about it. He hopes the book helps bridge the gap between nutrition research and parents’ understanding.To make the information in his book more available, Dr. Goran has started hosting workshops and giving presentations at parent meetings. He is also looking into making a school-based program to teach about sugar consumption and nutrition.As for influencers like the Lunchly trio, Goran said he’d like to see them use their reach more thoughtfully. “[They have the] potential to have a huge positive influence on future health and nutritional development and nutritional IQ of kids. Marketing these kinds of products is only going to make that worse.”He also proposed “more guidelines and regulations on what can be marketed to kids nutritionally” as in other countries.While Goran’s resident state of California will soon require school lunches to limit added sugars and other additives, products outside of school remain unregulated. Adding that Lunchly kits did not look any better than school cafeteria meals, Dr. Goran said he would be happy to talk to the creators and help them with a redesign.Ultimately, said Goran, parents rather than influencers and nutritionists have the final say. If you don’t think these lunches are healthy for your kids, don’t buy them, even if they ask. Your dollars influence the product marketplace. If creators keep expecting to profit off ultra-processed food like Lunchly, it’s only because consumers have yet to prove them wrong.

On October 7, Reuters Posts Photo of Gaza Woman 'Haunted by Memories'

The Treasury Department on Monday imposed sanctions on an international Hamas fundraising network, accusing it of playing a critical role in external fundraising for the Palestinian militant group, an action marking the first anniversary of the Gaza war.

Vice President Kamala Harris' speech Monday at her Naval Observatory residence marking the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas in Israel was met with loud protests, reports the Hill.

Former Florida Rep. Peter Deutsch (D) announced on Monday that he is endorsing Donald Trump for president, saying that "world peace" is the reason behind his support.

The largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States announced Monday that it was the victim of a cyberattack, prompting the firm to pause billing to customers.