A shiny red and black ladybug

They’re like little spring jewels. ☺️

A vaccine for Lyme disease could be on the horizon The vaccine candidate is the furthest any shot has gotten since the last one was pulled in 2002. Scientists are testing other ways to block infection.

New clinical trial data from vaccine makers show that their Lyme disease vaccine reduced cases by about 70%.
www.sciencenews.org/article/lyme...

Choose wisely.

Now who's building the strawman.

In a nutshell. 😊

The Strait of Hormuz.

The damage that Trump has done to the federal government now has a number: $165.6 BILLION. www.govexec.com/workforce/20...

It’s Alligator Auschwitz

New York City !?!!

Why would you say that? Just take the joy that this brings, and run with it! 😃

Many students who self-identified as conservative said they had found a real home at Yale, both in the classroom and beyond. But they also said there were classes and communities at Yale where they felt their perspectives were not welcomed or respected. We heard similar concerns from alumni.

It's also interesting that the only group of students and alums singled out ideologically are those who "self-identified as conservative."
Why do the concerns of this set of students get pride of place?
Did the panel seek to catalog the views of those who identified in other ways politically?

Update on where things stand on FISA: this deal is a win. We got the House to back down from an 18 month extension, buying us time to negotiate on real reforms. I'll be fighting like hell for reforms that put your privacy first, and will have more to share soon.

Senate Votes to Allow Mining Near Minnesota Wilderness

🚨 The Senate just overturned a ban on toxic mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters, which comprises over 1 million acres of forests, glacial lakes, and streams.

The Trump administration and its allies in Congress continue to mount an all-out assault on American public lands.

We deserve better.

The Arctic Refuge is the crown jewel of the American National Wildlife Refuge System – opening it up to drilling endangers the wildlife and the indigenous communities who have called the refuge their home for thousands of years.

Oh, I hate the booby-squish. 'Panini-ed' -- rotfl !

A tweet from Representative Thomas Massie that reads: I just viewed 2 Top Secret FISA docs. 1) FISA Court opinion that raises serious concerns about FBI implementation of FISA 702. 2) letter by Senator Wyden describing a secret government interpretation of FISA law. The Constitution requires I vote No on FISA 702 reauthorization.

I sent a classified letter to House and Senate colleagues about a secret interpretation of surveillance law that every American should be concerned about.

Representative Massie is right. The Constitution requires EVERY member to vote against a clean reauthorization.

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas blasts progressivism as threat to America He said that the values enshrined in the 1776 Declaration of Independence have “fallen out of favor” among Americans.

Genuinely funny that Sonia Sotomayor issued a public apology today for her mild criticism of a conservative colleague on a specific, substantive issue, and then a few hours later Clarence Thomas picked up a mic and was like ALL LIBERALS ARE AMERICA-HATING COWARDS

They are the nicer alternatives of the Curcubit.

Trump’s Meme Coin Rallies as Investors Chase Mar-a-Lago Invites The price of President Trump’s meme coin surged more than 50% in 24 hours after its official website and X account said the coin’s top 297 holders would be [invited to an exclusive conference and gala...

This isn't being talked about enough:

President Trump is hosting a gala at Mar-a-Lago next week for the top 297 holders of his $TRUMP memecoin.

Not only is this blatantly corrupt, it's a national security threat.

Chinook salmon found naturally hatching in Upper Klamath River for first time in a century The Klamath Tribes are celebrating evidence of Chinook salmon spawning in Klamath River tributary.

After big dams on the upper Klamath River in far northern CA were removed in 2024, Chinook (king) salmon migrated upstream for the first time in 100+ years--and now they have hatched.

Addendum -- upon re-reading the "container-drainage" .pdf from your reference -- it's not that sand is recommended, but that it is less inhibiting than rocks since both soil and sand are closer in structure. Arrgh. It's so hard to change one's ways.

... says that studies have shown that water does not easily move from (relatively) fine soil to course rocks -- it still is hard to fathom the (physics?). Th article further states that if you have SAND for drainage, it will work well because it's fine soil to fine sand! I must repot two pots. (2/2)

THANK YOU for this reference! I found your post while searching BlueSky for "drainage rocks." I could not understand why having rocks in a pot would raise the water level and potentially cause root rot, especially if the pot had drainage holes. The .pdf info on this is that ... (1/2) #gardening

As @robcain.bsky.social says in a reply to @strandjunker.com 's post, RFK, Jr., is a virulent disease vector.