Equinox, new Cree teen superhero, joins DC Comics lineup

CBC News:

Metropolis's Superman and Gotham City's Batman are getting a brand-new colleague from Canada this spring: a teenage Cree superhero hailing from Moose Factory, Ont.
The isolated James Bay communities of Moose Factory and Moosonee take the spotlight in the forthcoming Justice League Canada, a five-issue story arc written by comic artist Jeff Lemire for the comic series Justice League United. The stories, featuring artwork by Mike McKone, debut in April...
...An interest in Canada's First Nations stories and a desire to share a different perspective than typically shared in general society and the media played a major part in Lemire's vision.
The result: along with the Justice League's Canadian relocation comes the brand-new heroine Equinox: a 16-year-old Cree teen from Moose Factory named Miiyahbin, whose power stems from the Earth and changes with the seasons.
"Creating a teenage female superhero was interesting to me because, generally, most superheroes are white males. We need diversity and we need different personalities," Lemire said...Read complete story here...

Sealfie: Northerners respond to Ellen DeGeneres's seal hunt views with fur photos

Buzz60:

Published on 28 Mar 2014

A protest against the funds raised by Ellen Degeneres' now infamous Oscar selfie is sparking a new Twitter photo trend called the 'sealfie.' Jen Markham explains.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBzaTcYKT2c

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Related: Inuit tweet 'sealfies':                                     The Mighty Quinn likes to eat seal.

Viral Video: The science of mudslides

By Rustin Thompson:
This collection of videos from around the world conveys some sense of the power, terror and anatomy of mud on the move.                    The most horrifying aspect of the devastating Oso mudslide is the inexorable upward creep of the death toll. Bodies are being plucked from the becalmed torrent of ooze. Clues found in the muck — a bible, a baby’s blanket — suggest more bodies to come. The raw video and photographs are the afterimages of a catastrophe we can only imagine, since no one was shooting video when the hillside came down. Why should they have been? It was a rainless, peaceful Saturday morning. People were sipping coffee, watching TV, reading the paper, visiting friends, until the thundering sound of that wall of mud shattered their worlds...Continue reading, more videos here...

A Saskatoon mom has filed a human rights complaint over the province's requirement for sex to be listed on birth certificates.

The mother of Renn Forsberg, 6, has filed a human rights complaint over the province’s requirement for sex to be listed on birth certificates.

Photograph by: submitted photo , Fran Forsberg

By Jonathan Charlton and Joe Couture, The Starphoenix:

A Saskatoon mom has filed a human rights complaint over the province's requirement for sex to be listed on birth certificates.
"I think it's premature to identify a gender for someone (in infancy)," Fran Forsberg said in an interview. "Who are we to say what a person's gender is?" Forsberg's six-year old daughter Renn was born male, but around the age of three began to express herself as a girl. Renn had started showing self-destructive behaviour, but that ceased when she began "gravitating to what society says (are) female clothes," Forsberg said.
"As soon as we listened to our child and allowed her to be who she is, then she was a lot happier," she said, noting birth certificates are used for registering for school, library cards and licences.
Renn's birth certificate identifies her as male. Forsberg said she doesn't "feel like that's anyone's business."
That 'M' or 'F' can be changed if a person has sexual reassignment surgery, but "there are trans people who don't want to alter their bodies," Forsberg said.
The discrepancy can cause problems - such as a female adult trying to enter the U.S. when her birth certificate identifies her as male, she said.
While Forsberg acknowledged sex and gender are separate issues, she said she still questions the need to record a newborn's sex.
"Somebody said, 'Well, medical issues.' But if you're going to a doctor, obviously the doctor is going to know," she said.
Provincial Justice Minister Gordon Wyant said the government will wait for the human rights commission to do its work.
"There'll be a process that they'll go through, so we'll wait to see what the results of that process are and then from there, make a decision as to how we proceed," Wyant said.
There have been changes to birth certificates over the years, and he isn't ruling anything out yet, Wyant said. "We know that there's been some things that have been done in others provinces. Certainly that will be something that the commission will look at when they're doing their deliberations," he added.
eHealth Saskatchewan CEO Susan Antosh said she would have to look at the policy implications before supporting or opposing a change.
It's important to be able to quickly identify a person's sex, she said, noting it's used for some medical and statistical purposes. For example, women and men may present different symptoms during a heart attack.
Sex is also a "primary attribute used for identification purposes," Antosh said.
NDP Opposition equality and human rights critic David Forbes said his party is not calling for any changes to birth certificates at this time, instead focusing on the human rights code.
"I've met several times with Fran, and my primary focus is on the human rights code and making sure we get the amendments in terms of identity and expression," Forbes said.
NEED TO KNOW
Ontario became the first jurisdiction in Canada to allow trans people to change their sex designation on a birth certificate without sex reassignment surgery. The change came after a ruling by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal called the surgery requirement "substantively discriminatory."
British Columbia's government has introduced legislation that would make it possible for trans children to have their birth certificates altered to reflect their gender identity. Currently, a change of sex designation on birth registration is limited to trans people undergoing sex reassignment surgery.

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix http://www.thestarphoenix.com/health/Gender+doesn+belong+birth+certificate+says/9662384/story.html

Eurythmics, " Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)"

https://soundcloud.com/david-fitzpatrick/eurythmics-love-is-a-stranger

Ultimate Eurythmics

'Putin Policies Aim to Defend Christian Beliefs', Guardian Liberty Voice

Added by Robert Pannier :In the past, Russian President Vladimir Putin informed representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church that he would defend and protect Christianity and its followers. According to the representatives, he was concerned about the “urgent situation” facing Christians throughout the world, and vowed to use his power and influence to aid them in their fight against persecution.
According to the Russian Orthodox Church, a Christian is killed or is dying somewhere in the world every five minutes, as a direct result of following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians have been under extreme duress in Afghanistan, Syria, and Egypt, countries where they have had large Christian populations for nearly 2000 years. These attacks have come as a result of extremist groups gaining great authority within the regions, and attempting to push out all “infidels” from the predominantly Muslim nations.
Metropolitan Hilarion, one of the heads of the Russian Orthodox Church presented this information to Putin, and asked for his assistance. Putin declared that he would provide defense of Christians throughout the world, as part of his overall foreign policy. He would defend Christians from persecution wherever they were.
Putin has taken the first steps in making this happen, by denying numerous U.N. resolutions demanding that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad abdicate his position as head of Syria. Al-Assad has a long standing record of supporting Christian churches in Syria, and there is a growing amount of violence against Christians and churches within areas that are now controlled by rebel factions...Continue reading...

Christians should copy Muslims, and shout 'human rights abuse!' at every critic [The Telegraph]

St Paul's Cathedral. (Photo: Alamy)

By Cristina Odone:
A senior judge has urged the Church of England to stop being a push-over: that way lies oblivion, said Baroness Hale. If Christians make no demands of our society, they will receive nothing from it. I would apply her wise warning to all Christians: make like the Muslims, I'd tell them, and shout "bigot!" and "human rights abuse!" at every critic. Christians should shake their fist, and stomp their foot. That way lies respect, and not a little awe.
Instead of turning the other cheek or bleating about "discrimination", Baroness Hale said, Christians should use the nuclear weapon: human rights law. The Christian who, like registrar Lilian Ladele, feel their religious beliefs are being trampled on, should run not walk to the European Court of Human Rights (finally, here's a good use for this Europe-wide small claims court).
Quite right. Christians need to play the game Muslims have mastered [empahis, Sally and Sam]. This is true not only in court, but in the media. A Martian watching the telly, reading the papers and blogs, listening to the radio would presume that Islam was the majority religion in Britain, rather than a minority community of  3 million. The Martian's conclusion would be rooted in the over-representation of Muslims in the media. Whenever religion is discussed, Muslim representatives are visible and voluble...Continue reading...

"The Last Farewell" Roger Whittaker

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          The Official Roger Whittaker Website

Honey Badger - The meanest animal in the world

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K T Oslin, "Do Ya"

http://americanprofile.com/articles/kt-oslin-country-music/http://www.last.fm/music/K.T.+Oslin

'Slave Labor', From: "To Vanquish The Dragon," by Pearl Benisch, Feldheim Publishers

Hungarian Jews not selected as laborers were murdered in the gas chambers almost immediately after arrival.[111] Photo from the Auschwitz Album (May 1944).                                                                                                 By aish.com staff via aish.com: Upon arrival at the camps, the masses of Jews were immediately sorted for death or slave labor.

Those who survived the transport went to the famous "sorting" platforms. As soon as they disembarked the trains, they were divided up - women to one side, men to the other. One by one. every person passed by a medical doctor.

The doctor made a split-second decision: Can we wring a bit of work out of this wretched body?

There were over 100 of these medical monsters, including some of the finest doctors from the finest German hospitals. One was a professor of medicine from Harvard.
All had sworn a medical oath to uphold medical ethics and to assist humanity.

The doctor would decide: Life or death. If the decision was "death," then within two or three hours the person's ashes went up the chimney.
The alternative - "life" - was actually "slow death."

Slave Labor Camps

Those Jews who were strong enough did not go to their immediate death, but instead to labor camps to serve as slaves for the German "masters."...Continue reading...

Dillie the Deer: Love on Tiny Hooves

By Kathy Antoniotti:
Beacon Journal staff writer:

Dillie, a white-tailed blind female deer, nuzzles her owner veterinarian Melanie Butera in Dillie's bedroom in Canal Fulton. Butera, who is decorating the room for Valentine's Day, has written a book entitled Dillie: Love on the Hooves that will be published this spring. The book is about how Dillie has enriched their lives and those of Dillie's many fans around the world. (Karen Schiely/Akron Beacon Journal) www.ohio.com/news

IDF Northern Command Chief: Situation is Explosive, One Spark Could Ignite Major Confrontation

IDF Soliders along Israel-Syria border. Photo: wiki commons.

By Gidon Ben-Zvi: Recent clashes between Israeli Defense Force soldiers and terrorist groups operating across the border have created a potentially explosive situation for Israel, GOC Northern Command Major General Yair Golan told the French newspaper Le Figaro on Tuesday.
“The situation has become explosive, with one more spark being able to ignite a confrontation,” Golan said in his interview, cited by Israel’s Walla.
Four IDF soldiers were injured on Tuesday, one severely, by an explosive device detonated in the Golan Heights along the Syrian border. The IDF said in a statement that in response it “retaliated towards Syrian military positions.”
The IDF is concerned about the  growing number of Jihadist terrorist cells from around the world that have established footholds just across the Israeli border with Syria, Golan explained.
“After the Assad regime, Israel will be their next target,” he said.
In response to the escalating tension up north, the Israeli military is building a”smart” security fence, replacing reserve forces with army regulars and enhancing its intelligence gathering capabilities, Golan told Le Figaro.
He explained that while to date “there are only 300 fighters and they have been careful to not attack us directly,” the IDF has already developed a plan of action should the security situation intensify.
Regarding terror group Hezbollah’s role in the recent attacks against Israeli soldiers up north, Golan noted that since the end of the Second Lebanon War in 2006, the Shiite Jihadist terrorist organization has been making concerted efforts to obtain weapons from Iran and Russia via Syria...Continue reading...

Mayhew Animal Centre - Unloved [video]

by Unruly: www.marketingmagazine.co.uk

Kawacatoose First Nation Takes Control Of Mineral Rights

Written by Carol Thomson:
A Saskatchewan First Nation is the first in the country to take control of their land and resource moneys.
The Kawacatoose First Nation has opted into the First Nations Oil and Gas and Moneys Management Act which removes Indian Act restrictions and allows for full control of money earned from mineral rights on their land.
The federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Bernard Valcourt, says from now on the First Nation won't have to ask the government for funds when they want to spend their own capital.
He adds Kawacatoose has proven their ability to govern their own resources through transparency and leadership and hopes other First Nations see this as an opportunity.
(CKRM Mar20/14) http://www.saskatoonhomepage.ca/first-nation-takes-control-of-mineral-rights/itemid_21
 Related: Kawacatoose First Nation, History

Israel strikes Syrian army targets after border blast

By Haaretz and Reuters

Illustration: An IAF drill, December 26, 2013 Photo by Reuters            IDF forces struck a number of Syrian military and security targets connected to the blast that injured four Israeli soldiers on Tuesday, the IDF Spokesman said early on Wednesday.
The attack killed one person and wounded seven others, Syria's armed forces said, warning that the attacks endangered stability in the region.
          The targets, which included military headquarters, artillery batteries and a training base belonging to the Syrian military, "enabled and aided in the carrying out of [Tuesday's] terror attacks," the statement read. "The IDF retains the right to act in any way and at any time it sees fit to protect the citizens of Israel."...Continue reading...

Breathtaking Photography By Photojournalist Sebastião Salgado

 by on: The Nenet people, living deep within the Yamal peninsula in Siberia, inside the Arctic Circle (2011)

Brazil-born Sebastião Salgado is probably one the most well-known photojournalist working today. He has been creating his spectacular works for almost four decades and has been awarded with many major photographic prizes. Salgado is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and an honorary member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in USA.

“I hope that the person who visits my exhibitions, and the person who comes out, are not quite the same, I believe that the average person can help a lot, not by giving material goods but by participating, by being part of the discussion, by being truly concerned about what is going on in the world,” says Salgado.

Take a look at this collection of just a few of Sebastião Salgado’s many incredible photographs.

Source: amazonasimages.com
http://www.demilked.com/sebastiao-salgado-photography/

NASA study: Over-population, depleting resources and wealth distribution

[image]

by James Billington: LOVING life? Well, lap it up because the days of driving around in comfy cars, feasting on fancy food and enjoying an aircon-cooled civilised existence could be numbered.
With rising population, depleting natural resources and stretching social divide, civilisation could be facing collapse within the next few decades according to a scientific study funded by NASA. And if you think this is a load of scaremongering tosh, it’s happened before. Remember the Roman Empire?
In the report conducted by applied mathematician, Safa Motesharri, his ‘Human And Nature Dynamical’ (Handy) model claims “the process of rise-and-collapse is actually a recurrent cycle found throughout history”.
“The fall of the Roman Empire, and the equally (if not more) advanced Han, Mauryan, and Gupta Empires, as well as so many advanced Mesopotamian Empires, are all testimony to the fact that advanced, sophisticated, complex, and creative civilisations can be both fragile and impermanent.”...Continue reading, video...

24 Mind-Blowing Facts About Marijuana Production in America. Pot Smokers Causing Global Warming…

This is an article coming from Mother Jones?

                                                                                                                                                     The only thing green about that bud is its chlorophyll. By Josh Harkinson and Brett Brownell

You thought your pot came from environmentally conscious hippies? Think again. The way marijuana is grown in America, it turns out, is anything but sustainable and organic. Check out these mind-blowing stats, and while you're at it, read Josh Harkinson's feature story, "The Landscape-Scarring, Energy-Sucking, Wildlife-Killing Reality of Pot Farming."...Continue reading...

Related: 20 legal medical marijuana states

Canada wins Paralympic curling gold after defeating Russia 8-3

PHOTO: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

by Gary Kingston: 

SOCHI – The Ice Cube turned ice cold for a noisy Russian curling crowd today.
Jim Armstrong’s Canadian rink stole seven consecutive points, including a game-clinching three in the sixth end, to beat Russia 8-3 to win the 2014 Paralympics gold medal...Continue reading...

Sonny & Cher "I Got You Babe"

[photo]

last.fm/music/Sonny+&+Cher

Radical Islam is ‘a risk,’ Marois says in radio interview

Photographed by: Dave Sidaway, The Gazette                 By Monique Muise, The Gazette
QUEBEC — Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois tackled the issue of radical Islam in Quebec during a radio interview Friday morning, telling Radio-Canada’s Marie-France Bazzo that the phenomenon is “not a very major threat” but that she believes “there is a risk” involved.
Marois was responding to a CROP poll commissioned by Radio-Canada and published earlier this week which showed that 53 per cent of respondents believe Islamic fundamentalism threatens Quebec.
Marois’ comments on Friday morning echoed those she made when asked about the same poll earlier this week during a campaign stop in Lévis. At the time, the PQ leader said:
“I have not seen the poll, but don’t think we should exaggerate this phenomenon. However, there is a risk of infiltration which we have seen.”...Continue reading...

Uncovered in Jerusalem, 9 tiny unopened Dead Sea Scrolls

Researcher finds tantalizing tefillin parchments from Second Temple era, overlooked for decades and unread for 2,000 years

By Ilan Ben Zion: They’re not much larger than lentils, but size doesn’t minimize the potential significance of nine newfound Dead Sea Scrolls that have lain unopened for the better part of six decades...Read here.. 

Kitten that sounds like a turkey gets adopted

[photo]

Couple Attacked By Cat Will Get Help For Pet

[photo]
ABC Entertainment News | ABC Business News

: 

The Oregon owners of a 22-pound housecat that trapped them in their bedroom after attacking their baby say they're not giving up on their pet and are getting it medical attention and therapy.

Two days after police arrived to subdue the 4-year-old part-Himalayan cat, owner Lee Palmer of Portland said he's taking the feline to a veterinarian. A pet psychologist also is due at the house to see the cat, named Lux.

"We're not getting rid of him right now," Palmer said. "He's been part of our family for a long time."

Palmer says the animal attacked his 7-month-old child after the baby pulled its tail. The child suffered a few scratches on the forehead.

On the 911 call, Palmer tells the dispatcher he kicked the cat "in the rear" to protect his child. Palmer says the animal then "just went off over the edge" — leading Palmer and his girlfriend to barricade themselves, their baby and the family dog in the bedroom for safety.

The cat can be heard screeching in the background of the call as Palmer says in a panicked voice: "He's charging us. He's at our bedroom door." Palmer also tells the dispatcher the cat has been violent in the past.

Officers used a dog snare to capture the animal, and placed it in a crate.

The cat attack story gained national attention after police put out a news release about it Monday. Palmer says the family has had proposals from people wanting to adopt Lux, but the family is not taking them up on it. Read here.

The Shocking Truth About Calcium & Your Health

Recent studies have found that calcium supplements can play a role in heart disease and other illnesses. Learn if they're safe and what you should do.

By Sheryl Kraft:

Some things are a given when it comes to your health: fruit and vegetables are linked to healthy aging; a good night’s sleep goes a long way to making you happy and productive; and calcium is key for healthy bones. 

But while there’s no arguing with the first two, there’s been quite a bit of confusion lately when it comes to calcium. Are calcium supplements dangerous to the heart? Are we getting enough calcium—or too much? And is dairy the best source?... Continue reading...

Identical triplet girls born in Saskatoon

By Janet French, The Starphoenix:

Identical triplets Audrey Pocha, Madeline Pocha, and Sophie Pocha

Photograph by: Supplied photo, courtesy Pocha family http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Identical+triplet+girls+born+city/9607479/story.html

Heidi The Rabbit Goes Swimming In A Lifejacket To Help With Her Arthritis

Summer Anne Burton BuzzFeed Staff:
Vet-recommended hydrotherapy is “working incredibly well” for Heidi’s hip and knee arthritis and has also proven to be therapeutic for humans who look at these photos.

Photos here

Teenage advocate of native education in Canada becomes comics superhero

VITAMIN W Staff

VITAMIN W Staff

[photo]                                                                                                                                                                                                          Shannen Koostachin, a teenage activist in Canada who died before ever seeing the results of her work, has inspired a new hero in the DC Universe.

By Christopher Zumski Finke, YES! Magazine / March 11, 2014: This week, we got our first glimpse of DC Comics' newest character: a teenage girl from James Bay, Canada—and a member of the Cree, one of the largest First Nations in North America.
    Created by writer Jeff Lemire, this character is inspired by real-life teenager Shannen Koostachin, a youth activist who died tragically in 2010.
The Daily Globe and Mail summed Koostachin up simply: "She had moxie." After learning about her life—how she inspired kids and changed her community—the sentiment seems an understatement.
    A Cree member from the Attawapiskat First Nation in the remote James Bay in Ontario, Koostachin was an activist for native education in Canada.
     At 13, she organized a campaign to get the temporary school in her community replaced with a permanent and safe school that offered high-quality and culturally relevant education for First Nations students.
      Her persistent engagement led to rallies and online campaigns, and drew media attention from around Canada. When the federal government claimed they didn't have the funds to build a new school, her class canceled their annual field trip to send Shannen to meet with the Minister of Indian Affairs.
It would be another year before the government promised to build a new school for the Attawapiskat children. That same year Koostachin was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize.
     Then, in 2010, when she was 15, Koostachin was killed in a car accident. She never saw the school that was built as a result of her passion and advocacy.
    Her activism on behalf of education for First Nations kids continues in the youth movement that bears her name, Shannen's Dream. The movement, according to its website, seeks to educate and engage "Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples to better understand the education inequities" that exist in Canadian education system for First Nation children...Continue reading...

Canadian military involvement in Afghanistan formally ends

The Canadian Press:

The army takes down the Canadian flag for the last time in Afghanistan on Wednesday, bringing an end to 12 years of military involvement. (The Canadian Press)

         Canadian troops capped a deadly and dangerous 12-year mission in Afghanistan on Wednesday, hauling down the Canadian flag at NATO headquarters in Kabul during a ceremony that was held under heavy guard.
        "We were quite explicitly told today in Kabul that we could not even report on this ceremony until after it was done because of security concerns," CBC correspondent Paul Hunter said from Kabul on Wednesday.
        "After all this time, they are still worried about security here in Kabul, and I'll tell you, the streets are filled with checkpoints and barbed wire and giant concrete blocks."
         The ceremony, held under sunny skies, ended with Canadians involved in the NATO training mission leaving aboard a U.S. Chinook helicopter. The remaining Canadian personnel will leave by the end of the week...Continue reading...

"Everything That Glitters Is Not Gold" Sung by Dan Seals

last.fm.music. Dan Seals

Pyrite, aka "Fools Gold"

It Looks Like A Stuffed Animal, But Nope...This Adorable Bird is 100% Real (photos)

By Olivia Brindley: The long-tailed tit (named because its tail is longer than its
body) is a tiny little bird found throughout the USA, United Kingdom, and Asia. Their name might be a bit strange, but there's no denying that this is the cutest species of bird you will ever see in your life...Photos here...

Michael Bublé "Close Your Eyes"

Michael Buble - Official Site
Michael Buble on Twitter

Netanyahu Slams International ‘Hypocrisy’ Over Iran Arms Ship

http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/netanyahu-slams-international-hypocrisy-over-iran-arms-ship?                                   

Louisville's Schimmels inspire Native Americans

By DOUG FEINBERG (AP Basketball Writer):

UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) -- Whenever Shoni Schimmel's career ends at Louisville, she'll not only have left her mark at the school on the court, but also off it.

Schimmel did her best to try to beat UConn on Monday night in the American Athletic Conference championship game. She scored 20 points, but had little help as no other Cardinals player reached double figures in the 72-52 defeat.

While the loss stung, Schimmel and her sister Jude know that they've done so much to help inspire Native Americans across the country.

Nearly everywhere the two have gone this season they've been treated like rock stars. Native Americans have traveled from near and far to watch them play. It culminated last Monday night in Shoni's last regular season home game when Louisville had a packed house against Connecticut in what the school billed Native American Appreciation Night. Native Americans from nearly 40 different states were part of the 22,000 fans that packed the arena...Continue reading...

First spring tick bite registered in Latvia

"The only effective way to protect oneself from tick-borne encephalitis is vaccination".  Did not know you could be vaccinated for tick borne encephalitis? BNN:      This year’s tick season started earlier than usual – Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital’s Infectology Centre removed this year’s first tick of a person’s body on March 8th.

The tick season in Latvia usually begins in April and lasts until the end of October. Good weather may last longer than that, doctors say.
If a person has been infected with tick-borne encephalitis, the average incubation period is 7-14 days since the bite. Sometimes the incubation period lasts two days, sometimes it is 30 days. The illness usually begins with increased body temperature, general weakness, headaches, aches in bones and muscles and general dizziness. Symptoms may back off after 3-5 days, and the patient may feel better. However, the illness picks up after a while and becomes stronger. One-third of all patients infected with tick-borne encephalitis are cured. In all other cases this dangerous disease seriously damages the person’s nervous system.
There are no specific medications that affect the tick-borne encephalitis virus. Antibiotics have no effect as well. If a patient has any suspicions of having encephalitis, he or she should immediately go to the nearest hospital for medical examination.
The only effective way to protect oneself from tick-borne encephalitis is vaccination.
Even though this can be done throughout the year, it is advised to receive shots during months when ticks are not active.
Infectologists remind – if a tick has bitten you, it needs to be removed as soon as possible. It is best to use cotton tippet in spirit, vodka or other substance with strong smell. This weakens the tick’s defensive mechanisms. Under no circumstances should oil or butter be used – these substances cause vomiting in ticks, which increases the spread of the virus in the body. After a few minutes of smearing vodka over the tick, it should be held using pincers as close as possible to its sucker. The removal process should be done slowly and smoothly, so that the tick is undamaged. Disinfectant should then be applied to the bite area. Hands should be washed clean as well after the whole operation, doctors say.
Ref: 102.109.109.4462 http://bnn-news.com/spring-tick-bite-registered-latvia-111242 Related: Tick-borne encephalitis - Government of Canada

Man's History With Cats Even Older Than Thought

Shutterstock

By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff

(Newser) – Humans have been in a relationship with cats for far longer than previously known—some 5,700 years in fact, according to new research that predates the oldest feline finds in China. Most evidence has pointed to cat domestication in Egypt circa 1950 BC, but excavations at an ancient Egyptian city turned up the remains of a young adult jungle cat that "had been tended to for several weeks prior to its sacrifice," as evidenced by a bone fracture that had healed. That burial dates to 3700 BC, and the cat-related evidence doesn't stop there, reports Pacific Standard...Continue reading...                                                                                                          Related: Cats in Ancient Egypt

The Swingles "Couldn't Love You More"

http://www.swinglesingers.com/last.fm/music/The+Swingle+Singers

Muslim Prof. Says Islamic Immigration 'Threatens West'

Muslim prayer (illustration)

Flash 90

By Dalit Halevi, Tova Dvorin:
The MacDonald-Laurier Institute and the Globe and Mail held a public conference recently on the phenomenon of Muslim immigration to the West, which debated whether or not the influx is bringing a culture of violence to Canada and other Western countries.
The debate was conducted between Doug Saunders, journalist for Foreign Affairs for the Globe and Mail, and Salim Mansur, a Political Science professor at the University of Western Ontario, reports Shalom Toronto.
The two addressed the following questions: Are immigrants from Muslim countries bringing violence and values ​​that are inconsistent with Western values​​? Are Muslim immigrants integrating into Western society in the same ways that other ethnic minorities do? And, is Muslim immigration a threat to Canada or West?
Interestingly, it was the political science professor - who is, himself, Muslim - who maintained that Islam remains a threat to Canadian society...Continue reading...

Blue Jay Brett Lawrie tweets behind the wheel

Sally and Sam are Blue Jay fans. We are Brett Lawrie fans. Go Jays!! [link]     Toronto Blue Jays' Brett Lawrie adjusts his hat
(Matt Slocum/AP) [photo]

How many hands are on the wheel? Lawrie's holding a phone and a can of Red Bull. (Brett Lawrie/Twitter)

CBC News: Ontario's campaign to get motorists to pay attention to driving rather than using mobile phone has not reached the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse in southern Florida, apparently.
On Monday, the Ontario Provincial Police called distracted driving the "number one killer on roads," warning motorists to not use phones behind the wheel.
For both of the next two days, Toronto Blue Jays’ Brett Lawrie tweeted photos of himself holding a can of an energy drink. The photos show one hand holding the can, and presumably the other hand is taking the photo from a mobile phone, leaving no hands for the wheel...Continue reading...