Life sometimes gets in the way

Nov. 18th, 2025 11:36 am
[syndicated profile] pharyngula_feed

Posted by PZ Myers

I was sorta disconnected yesterday. My router was down for most of the morning, but mainly, my wife had one of her infrequent days off from work. She has an erratic schedule, and seems to work approximately 6 days out of 7, and her days off are unpredictable. Working in elder care is one of those difficult and under-appreciated jobs that should be paid better but never will be.

So we took advantage of the time to get a lot of mundane things done.

  • We reorganized my home office, clearing out a lot of the clutter, moving the futon I never used to a different room. Now I actually have room to move!
  • Our clothes dryer wasn’t working. It turns out the vent was clogged, and we pulled it out of its niche to clear it, which was a revelation. This appliance was here when we moved in almost 25 years ago, and we’d never looked under or behind it until now. We finally discovered what happened to Mary’s favorite gardening hat. To put it in perspective, we found old Howard Dean signs that had fallen behind it.
  • We went shopping for a new bed. Mary has some minor respiratory issues, which means she often has to sit up in bed, so we’re looking for one of those fancy adjustable beds that will let us both be comfortable. I think it might be a Christmas gift to each other. I think we’re also sinking into degenerate decadence here in the waning years of the American empire.
  • It’s not supposed to be bent like that

  • I’m also looking for a bookshelf with doors — the evil cat destroyed a camera lens (an inexpensive one, fortunately) by flicking it off a shelf, so I need a cat-proof way to store electronics and camera gear. I’ve ordered one that will arrive next week. Until then, I’m hovering over my lens collection like a dragon over its hoard, and snarling if the cat approaches.
  • Of course I went into the lab to tend the spiders.
  • Mary restocked her bird feeders. My job was to hold the ladder.
[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Lana DeGaetano

Santa Claws often takes the form of a chubby fella with a long, white beard who wears a red suit and rides in a sleigh. Sometimes, though… Kind strangers take their gift-giving to the next level, making a young child's wish come true. In the video you'll watch below, you'll meet an angelic human who decides to make a little boy's wish come true using Walmart's Angel Gift Tree gift-giving process. His wish? A new calico kitty after losing his emotional support puppy.

Losing an animal is hard, but writing off animals completely is the wrong approach. The little boy featured here didn't need to be told that; He knew his heart was ready to love another animal in need.

Not only did the kind stranger adopt a young adult calico cat from the shelter, but she also bought him litter, food, toys, treats, and even a $200 gift card for additional items he might need! It doesn't take much to change someone's life, and this generous woman decides to give the gift of not only life, but also of love, to both the cat and the little boy. Scroll below to check out some of our favorite snapshots and then the entire video!

AI (Acupunctures Inevitable) Slop

Nov. 18th, 2025 08:07 am
[syndicated profile] sciencebasedmedicine_feed

Posted by Mark Crislip

Years ago, when I was a mere lad using Word Perfect on MS DOS, it was 4 a.m. and I just finished the final draft of a grant proposal that was due to the next day. I spun around in my chair and managed to kick out the power cord. I was a Mac user then, but had to use a PC […]

The post AI (Acupunctures Inevitable) Slop first appeared on Science-Based Medicine.
[syndicated profile] superpunch_feed
It certainly does. When you're done reading.


Some related thoughts:

the item here on "f.o.b. voice" sort of gets at the same dynamic. the big LLMs are very good at producing glib, knowing, smooth prose in the same way that "the magazine industry" was very good at producing glib, knowing, smooth prose. but if there was demand for such prose we'd still have magazines

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— Max Read (@maxread.info) November 17, 2025 at 9:28 AM




(She's a former CNN White House correspondent)





Jewish space lasers are a deal-killer for me. Hard pass.

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— Noah Shachtman (@noahshachtman.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 7:32 AM
Rep from Maryland



Vanity Fair going for the daily double, I see.

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— Joe Adalian (@tvmojoe.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
The author's other articles





SCOOP: CDC officials on Monday linked for the first time the measles outbreak that began in Texas with another in Utah and Arizona, a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles. (Gift link) www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...

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— Apoorva Mandavilli (@apoorvanyt.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 4:28 PM






I just realized the thing that set back social democracy in America a hundred years was Hunter Biden not inviting media elites on his cocaine benders and sharing his hookers and I will spend the next 48 hours staring at the wall.

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— Starfish Who Can’t Think Something Witty (@irhottakes.bsky.social) November 17, 2025 at 6:04 PM






[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Sarah Brown

When the weather turns cold, cats slip effortlessly into full cozy mode, and nothing completes the scene quite like a kitty settling in beside a warm cup of tea. The moment a mug appears, a cat magically materializes padding over, curling their paws under their chest, and giving slow, content little blinks as if they're ready to share a peaceful winter moment.

They love sitting close enough to feel the warmth, noses twitching at the gentle steam while snow drifts outside. Some perch beside your cup like fuzzy tea companions, others curl into your lap as if they're part of the ritual. And on extra chilly days, they scoot even closer, acting like their presence is essential to keeping both of you warm.

Tea time just feels softer with a cat nearby. The world quiets down, the cold seems less sharp, and every sip feels cozier with a purring friend in the mix. With their snuggles, warmth, and perfectly timed appearances, cats turn even the simplest winter moment into something wonderfully comforting.

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Sarah Brown

When a sweet little cat wandered up during a day of yard work, this couple assumed she belonged to someone nearby. She was friendly, fearless around lawn equipment, and more than happy to curl up in a warm lap. They thought she'd head home eventually. Instead, she spent the entire night outside calling for help, her tiny meows impossible to ignore.

After hours of talking, wondering if they were ready for another cat after losing a beloved senior boy, their hearts made the choice for them. The next morning she got flea treatment, a warm welcome inside, and a brand-new beginning. Despite the fear she'd want to return outdoors, she settled in instantly. One brief step outside was all it took for her to decide indoor life was exactly where she wanted to be.

Their resident cats accepted her surprisingly fast, turning what could've been chaos into a smooth transition. By the end of the month she had her vet care, her microchip, and her forever furmily.

The Prints Of Peace

Nov. 18th, 2025 12:09 am
[syndicated profile] pennyarcade_feed

It's incredibly silly to think that we have been at this - whatever this is - for twenty-seven years. That is a crazy thing to do for as long as we've been doing it. Any rational actor would have boarded the white ships aeons ago, as men reckon time. From this throne in the ATL, Ludacris calls upon all of us to - in his words - "Act A Fool." But he could never have imagined this kind of foolishness extended over such a substantial period of time.

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Briana Viser

It's the worst feeling in the world to feel duped. Tricked, deceived, mislead – it's just horrible. When someone pulls a fast one on you, it's not overreacting to ice them out and remove them from your life. But what about your cat? Would you ignore your cat if he or she pulled a fast one on you? It raises a lot of questions, but we'll get to the bottom line in the story below. 


The protagonist is a woman who just got a female cat. She suddenly has the sensation of blackmail, treachery, and trickery. Her cat starts getting into some naughty behavior, and started chewing on inedible things like cords, plastic, or string. Because the woman doesn't want her cat to be getting into trouble like that, she assumes the cat is hungry so she feeds her. Well, it may all be an intentional ploy, and it may be completely innocent, but either way the owner is left feeling blackmailed by her own cat, and the cat's health declines from overeating. The owner worries about her cat since she's gaining so much weight now. She goes to the anonymous internet for advice on her manipulative, fat little kitty. Read the full story below. 

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Briana Viser

What will make the day better? BOOM, a whopping list of cat memes. There's a certain kind of affect that only cats possess. Why do you think the ancient Egyptians worshipped cats? They weren't basing it on nothing. Cats make your day go from emotionally exhausting and arduous to silly, warm, and snuggly when you get to kiss your cat after a long work day. And if you don't have a furry feline friend waiting for you at home, then these hissterical cat memes will do the trick. 

In a digital world filled with ASMR videos of people doing your hair, or virtual dates where you can control what someone on a screen says to you, cat memes will do all the comforting you need after you don't have the strength for anything else. They're so cute that they're scientifically proven to make you melt into a puddle of cuteness overload. 

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Laurent Shinar

With winter well underway, we can now indulge in those fantastical frost related activities that we have held off from all summer long. Drinking pumpkin spice lattes, dressing your cat child up in coats and hats, and of course getting to use the early nights as an excuse to curl up with your favorite blanket on the couch and fall asleep for the sweetest of naps.

And while that might be something that you cannot quite do at the moment seeing as you are likely at work, we figured we would bring some of that winter wonder your way with this collection of cute cats chilling and napping under their favorite blankets. Because there truly is nothing as purrecious as having a cat who feels comfortable and safe enough in your home to fall asleep under a blanket. Best viewed alongside a comforting cup of tea to mimic the feeling of a cat sitting on your chest.

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Laurent Shinar

Cats are clawminals, we all know that. But each one of them has a distinct approach to their outlaw activities. Some prefer to do their business in the middle of the night when they cannot be chastised for being a menace. Others like to conduct their business outdoors, where they have access to the wider population of hoomans and animals. And then, then there are those who want nothing more than to cause chaos right in front of us, to shove their feisty and frenetic behavior in our faces. And today we have just that kind of cat featuring in our story.

So hold onto your hats and your toothbrushes as we step into this story about the cat child who was so displeased it was denied entry to the bathroom that it went on a vindictive rampage. We can assure you that within the scales of feisty feline behavior, it hardly gets any more spicy or vindictive than this.

Today's news and jokes

Nov. 17th, 2025 05:00 pm
[syndicated profile] superpunch_feed














She's very clearly trying to be the Marine Le Pen to Trump's Jean-Marie, and has made a smart bet on the utter credulity of a large swath of the pundit class.

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— Ned Resnikoff (@resnikoff.bsky.social) November 16, 2025 at 2:00 PM


Marjorie Taylor Greene to Dana Bash: "You should have Nick Fuentes on your show"

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— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) November 16, 2025 at 6:38 AM
(They just find it tittilating to promote her?)







(DA in San Luis Obispo, California)



A brief write-up



I'm seeing people wonder why ICE is going after Charlotte. ICE has been at war with Charlotte's sheriff ever since he won in 2018. We'd covered this at Bolts back in the day; this quote is from that sheriff:

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— Taniel (@taniel.bsky.social) November 15, 2025 at 2:43 PM
(Challenging longtime Republicans, too) ("Church members flee as federal agents arrive at east Charlotte place of worship")







It’s sort of clarifying to see him describe this dynamic so directly www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

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— Quinta Jurecic (@qjurecic.bsky.social) November 16, 2025 at 6:28 PM
(Gave her a racist codename)



You know who from Harvard ISN'T in the Epstein Files? Claudine f'ing Gay isn't.

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— Sushi Umbrella (@sushiumbrella.bsky.social) November 16, 2025 at 11:39 AM






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— Clare Moore (@clarelmoore.bsky.social) November 16, 2025 at 10:39 AM
(I could be misunderstanding how bylines work there, or the article could be by the 2025 winner himself, talking about himself in the third person)















@12newsaz

Arizona schools are facing a teacher shortage, and the problem is only getting worse. More than 1,000 teachers have quit in just four months, according to an Arizona Department of Education study. More at the link in our bio.

♬ original sound - 12newsaz
("Arizona school officials call teacher shortage ‘Catastrophic’")







("President Donald Trump indicated Sunday that he plans to meet with New York City’s mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and said they’ll “work something out,” in what could be a detente for the Republican president and Democratic political star")







"There’s virtually no worse time than the run-up to Thanksgiving to find out that 941,400 bottles of sparkling wine might explode at any moment for any reason" www.fingers.email/p/kirkland-h...

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— Kelsey Atherton (@atherton.bsky.social) November 16, 2025 at 5:20 AM
("Nearly 1M bottles of Costco prosecco recalled for shattering risk")







("spent much of the early portion of his career as a fitness coach working in Spain and then Saudi Arabia. He got sick toward the end of his time in the latter – a stress-induced illness, he said – and nearly walked away from coaching")







This was challenged and upheld as a foul on Donte DiVincenzo

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— CJ Fogler (@cjzero.bsky.social) November 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
















("The upset sent shockwaves far beyond California. With St. John Bosco — ranked No. 1 nationally just two weeks ago and No. 5 this week — eliminated from the national championship race")























"Knight Rider" (1984) s02e17, Garthe Knight (Michael Knight's evil twin) breaks out of prison. Now in glorious HD.

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— Todd Vaziri (@tvaziri.com) September 30, 2025 at 11:16 AM








So the first Drift-Out had real cars without licenses, so we got such gems as the Subaro Legagy, the Mitsuboshi Galent, and the BWM W3. The later games had licenses and there was no more hilarity. OR SO I THOUGHT! Because this new re-release of the game lost the licenses and we get this gold… (1/)

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— Supcat @ Laperopter Corporation (@supcat.bsky.social) September 29, 2025 at 10:01 PM

Tag yourself, I’m the Bitsumishi Prancer (2/)

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— Supcat @ Laperopter Corporation (@supcat.bsky.social) September 29, 2025 at 10:01 PM










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— Mike D’Angelo (@gemko.bsky.social) October 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM








@mimimeepmeep We just wanted the bathroom aesthetics in Bali 😭… Dw he’s not actually using the toilet 🚽 (This hotel was actually amazing 🤩) #expectationvsreality #bali #bathroom #indonesia ♬ original sound - Music
(My small white dog, who has preferred peeing on concrete for the last week plus, has, since it started raining, decided she likes peeing in the mud.)







@bryten_sta Living the Student Athlete dream #ncaa #d3 #d3athlete #fyp #viral ♬ original sound - brytenstaab








@boytheflipcat He can’t relax until we witness his hop, twirl and flop 🤸🏼 #funnycat #cattok #whitecat ♬ original sound - Boy the Flip Cat 🤸🏼




*More funny posts.
[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Ayala Sorotsky

There's something about an autumn Monday that just hits different - like the world collectively decides to move at half-speed, wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, sipping something warm, and pretending the to-do list doesn't exist yet. And honestly? No creature embodies that soft, sleepy Monday mood better than a cat. Cats are the blueprint for autumn meltiness: loafing in sunbeams, curling into fluffy puddles, and giving us that slow blink of "please, no sudden movements, I'm vibing".

So if you woke up this morning wishing you could burrito yourself in blankets and purr your responsibilities away, congratulations - you're already in perfect alignment with the feline fall lifestyle. And since we can't all spend the day napping like a tiny woodland creature on a pumpkin, the next best thing is… sleepy cat memes. The softest, warmest, coziest ones we could gather.

Think of this as your autumn Monday comfort pack: gentle snoozing kitties, fluffy paws tucked under like warm mittens, cats melting off couches like little floofy lava flows, and those half-asleep, droopy-eyed expressions that say "I nap, therefore I am". It's time to slow down - let these sleepy feline funnies wrap around your soul like a knitted scarf. It's Monday, yes - but it's also autumn, and somewhere out there a cat is snoring softly in a windowsill. And for a moment, you get to melt right along with them.

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Ayala Sorotsky

Every pet parent knows the fear. That icy, stomach-dropping anxiety that hits the moment you realize your fluffy little heart-on-legs might be missing, endangered, or simply… not where they're supposed to be. Because when you love an animal, you don't just love them - you guard them. You build routines, triple-check doors, peek under furniture, and develop a sixth sense for "suspicious silence". It's instinctual, protective, and deeply emotional.

And that's why there's nothing quite as panic-inducing as feeling like the only one in the room who gets it. When you care about your pet with your whole heart, it can be bewildering, even heartbreaking, to be surrounded by people who treat their safety like an afterthought. For many of us, our animals aren't just roommates or companions, they're family. Their wellbeing isn't optional, it's essential.

This is why trust in a cat sitter (or any pet sitter) matters so much. Leaving your pet in someone else's care requires faith, attention to detail, and the shared understanding that "good enough" isn't good enough when another life is involved. A missed door check, a half-hearted search, a shrug - any one of these can be the difference between safety and disaster.

Thankfully, in this case, the beloved kitty is home, safe and sound. But the experience is a powerful reminder: our pets rely entirely on us. Their safety depends on our care, our vigilance, and our willingness to take their lives seriously - even when others don't.

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Blake Seidel

One of the things that makes the cat community so pawesome is its people. Cat lovers will do anything for cats - like caring for a colony of 15 feral cats for 12 years. Every day, rain or shine, this kind woman below went out of her way and spent her hard-earned money to care for the stray cats below out of the kindness of her heart. She didn't even really get anything in return, other than watching the cats go from barely surviving to somewhat social over the years. At least when we care for our cats, we get some kisses and snuggles. She just got the satisfaction of knowing she's doing something good for the world.

Not many people would do such a thing. Caring for feral cats is pawsitively exhausting. They don't have the same tendency for affection that house cats do, and most aren't accustomed to hooman attention. But she gradually earned their trust and became a respected member of their little feline family. After 12 years, though, her fateful watch has come to an end, as all the kitties have either left or been adopted. 

Her days will never be the same, but she can sleep easily at night knowing that she gave these cats a better life than they ever could have hoped for. They knew kindness thanks to her.

[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Mariel Ruvinsky

Happy meowrning, cat people! It's finally Sunday, and that means that it's time to relax, chill, procrastinate. Doing the things that we love doing - that is what matters on a Funday like this one. And if, for us, that means spending this chilly day cuddled up under our blankets with our cats as we scroll through endless funny cat memes, then we are going to embrace that and not judge ourselves for it. And the same goes for you guys. 

Hissterical cat memes are good for the soul, that is a fact. And the cat memes that we bring you each and every Sunday morning are not just any cat memes. They are the best of the best that cat twitter has to offer. The funny memes, the silly pictures, the wholesome sprinkles of cat goodness that cat twitter blesses us with. We have it all for you today. It's the best way to start Sunday morning, at least for us. Helps us start the day with a smile and a whole lot of pawsitivity. 

Showdown, p17

Nov. 17th, 2025 08:00 am
[syndicated profile] ctrl_alt_del_feed

Posted by Tim

I’ve held off for as long as I could, but I am declaring advertising as a means of supporting this website to be beyond saving. I can no longer rely on it, so I have to adjust the way I do things in order to hopefully keep being able to do it for another decade […]

The post Showdown, p17 appeared first on Ctrl+Alt+Del Comic.

New Update Schedule

Nov. 17th, 2025 07:39 am
[syndicated profile] ctrl_alt_del_feed

Posted by Tim

I’ve held off for as long as I could, but I am declaring advertising as a means of supporting this website to be beyond saving. I can no longer rely on it, so I have to adjust the way I do things in order to hopefully keep being able to do it for another decade […]

The post New Update Schedule appeared first on Ctrl+Alt+Del Comic.

[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax

After her mother-in-law learned they weren’t having kids, she complained of helping them buy their house “under false pretenses.”
[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax

Pregnancy made her "vomitty" around her mother-in-law's scented products. How can she tell her?
[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax

Her newly engaged sister booked a wedding date before them, and her fiancé of two years is upset now that she’s in the way.
[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax, Haben Kelati

Letter writer’s community celebrations “used to fill me with such joy,” but they’re gone now and proving tough to replace.
[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax

He postponed their wedding over concerns for their short engagement, but when his fiancée walked, he got zero support.
[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax

Letter writer feels “numb” about husband after his lies and affairs but worries about the impact of divorce on the kids.
[syndicated profile] carolyn_hax_feed

Posted by Carolyn Hax

Sister married into a large family that drowns out the writer’s own small family — including, it seems, their entire holiday calendar.
[syndicated profile] icanhascheezburger_feed

Posted by Jesse Kessenheimer

WARNING. WARNING. WARNING. 

The Snuggler 3000 is on the loose and has been fully activated. Any and all cat-loving personnel must report immediately to their cozy couches to accommodate the meownster's cuddling requests or else the catpocalypse will be triggered. All cats must be loved to the full extent of the law; additional petting will be requested as needed. 

Say sorry to your employer because you need to clock out early today. Your cat needs you! When a kitten has decided it's cuddling time, all other human activities come to a screeching halt. If your alarm is ringing for work and you're already a little behind schedule, it doesn't matter anymore because your kitty is planted firmly on your chest, purring, closing their eyes, and making biscuits on your tummy. How important is your job compared to the love of your cat, your feline, and your best friend? Exactly. Purrhaps the office can wait a few minutes while you absorb every wonderful meowment with your adorable kitty. You must pay your dues. If your cat wants affection, you must grant them their every wish. 

I don't make the rules; the Cat Cuddling Confederation does.

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