csziggy
csziggy's JournalMy sister's cat
No, I'm not lost from the Pets Group. I've posted before about the species for which my sister found the paratype fossil and which was named for her. Now the University of Florida Natural History Museum has a page about it:
UF 124634, holotype right mandible
Quick Facts
Common Name: Fite’s saber-tooth cat
Rhizosmilodon fiteae is a small-sized, saber-toothed cat known only from Florida; but most species of felids have large geographic ranges, so it would not be surprising to find its fossils in other areas of North America.
Rhizosmilodon fitae weighed about 165 lbs., the same as a medium-sized, modern jaguar (Panthera onca) or slightly larger than an average modern cougar (Puma concolor).
It was most likely primarily an ambush predator, and probably preferred prey such as deer, peccaries, small tapirs, and small horses.
Age Range
Early Pliocene Epoch; late Hemphillian land mammal age
About 4.5 to 5 million years ago
Scientific Name and Classification
Rhizosmilodon fiteae Wallace & Hulbert, 2013
Source of Species Name: named for Barbara Fite of Lutz, Florida, who donated the paratype specimen to the Florida Museum of Natural History.
Classification: Mammalia, Eutheria, Laurasiatheria, Carnivora, Feliformia, Aeluroidea, Felidae, Machairodontinae, Smilodontini
Alternate Species Names: Megantereon hesperus sensu Berta and Galiano (1983)
More: https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/florida-vertebrate-fossils/species/rhizosmilodon-fiteae/
Dolphins and Stress
I’m not sure exactly how it works, but this is amazingly accurate.
Read the full description before looking at the picture.
The photo below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress level at St. Mary’s Hospital.
Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical.
A closely monitored, scientific study of a group revealed that in spite of the fact that t the dolphins are identical; a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins.
If there are many differences found between both dolphins, it means that the person is experiencing a great amount of stress.
Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may want to take a vacation.
Note: I found this in a file from 2004. I suspect stress levels are much higher than back then so the differences perceived are much higher now! 
This is interesting - the totals of electors certified so far
Using the chart in this thread: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100214706912
I put together a rough estimate of the number of electors that should be certified at the times provided:
10 AM - Trump 22, Biden 3
11 AM - Trump 50, Biden 23
11:30 AM - Trump 56, Biden 32
11:45 AM - Trump 64, Biden 32
12 Noon - Trump 97, Biden 146
12:30 PM - Trump 105, Biden 146
1 PM - Trump 123, Biden 171
2 PM - Trump 174, Biden 202
3 PM - Trump 229, Biden 240
4 PM - 232, Biden 240
4:30 PM - Trump 232, Biden 247
5 PM - Trump 232, Biden 302
7 PM - Trump 232, Biden 306
Of course the chart does not include snags and delays in the counting and certification. But I find it curious that CNN is showing right now that Trump has 56, while Biden has 125.
It's official - my cousin's son's wife is part of the Biden economic team!
Heather Boushey!
https://twitter.com/politico/status/1333451441198014466
Damn - broke my toe Tuesday
Stubbed the next to my little toe really bad. Now, I've broken the little toe on that right foot about a dozen times, with horses stepping on it, but this is the first time I've really damaged this toe.
At first I didn't think it was too bad but later in the day it hurt a lot to walk so I had my husband tape it to the next bigger toe. Now the bruising extends well into the foot and when I took the tape off a while ago the end of the toe is deep purple while the rest of the toe matches the foot.
I can't wear shoes so I guess I will dig out the sandals I bought to wear after I got my ingrown toe fixed. I hate sandals. At home I go barefoot and when around people I'd rather have full shoes - that dates from a traumatic event when I was a kid.
After some research I decided to not go to the doctor. All he would do is to tape the toes together - we can keep doing that. I'd forgotten how much a broken toe hurts. 
Biden's economic team looks interesting
First off, I have to admit that I am not into economics, but I did just find out this week that a relative by marriage is one of the top people! I have never actually met the relative this person is married to, but they are themselves well known in economic circles. Pretty interesting how families go in completely different directions, given what the grandfather of this relative was like.
Anyway, my not so close relative by marriage is highlighted in this article:
By Nicole Goodkind
November 7, 2020 2:28 PM EST
Jared Bernstein
Bernstein served as Biden’s chief economist and economic adviser under the Obama administration, and it’s expected that he’ll take on a similar role now that his former boss has the top job. A progressive and advocate for laborers’ rights, Bernstein is currently serving as a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Heather Boushey
Boushey has served the Biden campaign as an unofficial top economic adviser to the President-elect. She currently works as the president and CEO of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, which seeks to diminish inequality by creating economic growth, and she was tapped to serve as the chief economist of Hillary Clinton's would-be presidential transition team in 2016.
Ben Harris
Harris is another economist with deep ties to Biden. He replaced Bernstein as the chief economist and chief economic adviser to the vice president from 2014 until the Obama administration ended.
Harris, who currently sits on Chicago’s COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, will likely be responsible for crafting immediate COVID-19 economic recovery policy. He has been advising Biden through the campaign and is a core member of the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force, which is intended to bridge the gap between progressives and the more moderate wing of the Democratic party.
More: https://fortune.com/2020/11/07/biden-economic-advisors-recession-unemployment-coronavirus/
Isn't there someone here into model airplanes?
I'm asking because the friend of my husband who he found dead last week used to be a model builder. My husband's brother who is an experienced eBay seller might be putting up the collection for sale. My husband said if I know anyone who is interested we can send him a list of what the guy had and let them have first refusal.
I have no idea what period or types of planes he was interested in but as I said we can send a list and maybe photos.
PM me if you are interested. All profits will go to the man's daughter.
I missed this in May! The Mitch Gets Sacked - by Founders Sing with Mutant Ninja Turtles
Finally pictures of all three cats!
Good news is they are all getting along. Maya and Lucas love to play chase. Sometimes Maya, Queen of the House, is chasing Lucas, and sometimes Lucas, the Prodigal Cat, is chasing Maya. Maya and Sabra tend to hang out in the bedroom in the sun, and today I found Lucas and Sabra in the two cat trees side by side.
I didn't get a shot of Maya who was intensely jealous - we only have two of that type of cat tree and she usually gets to smaller one so Maya found just the right sized box:
And Lucas was taking a break on the kitchen floor:
Oh - a third cat tree is on order and should be picked up tomorrow. Plus their catio - our screened porch - is almost finished and they get to check out the new floor treatment tomorrow!
It's great to see all the cats getting along and to see Sabra spending more and more of her time out from under the bed and in other parts of the house. She's still spooky, but not as frightened, especially when it is just my husband and me in the house.
Profile Information
Gender: Do not displayHometown: Leon County, Florida
Member since: Tue Feb 12, 2008, 10:18 PM
Number of posts: 34,133