Starfish

Nature 4 Minutes

Starfish (or sea stars) are beautiful marine animals found in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. All starfish resemble stars, and though the most common have only five arms, some of these animals can grow up to 40 arms. The amazing sea creatures—part of a group of animals known as echinoderms—travel using their tube feet. They can regenerate lost limbs and swallow large prey using their unusual stomachs.

Sea Stars Are Not Fish

Although sea stars live underwater and are commonly called “starfish,” they are not true fish. They do not have gills, scales, or fins like fish do. Sea stars also move quite differently from fish. While fish propel themselves with their tails, sea stars have tiny tube feet to help them move along. Because they are not classified as fish, scientists prefer to call starfish “sea stars.”

Sea Stars Are Echinoderms

Sea stars belong to the phylum Echinodermata. That means they are related to sand dollars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sea lilies. Overall, this phylum contains approximately 7,000 species. Many echinoderms exhibit radial symmetry, meaning their body parts are arranged around a central axis. Many sea stars have five-point radial symmetry because their body has five sections. This means that they do not have an obvious left and right half, only a top side and a bottom side. Echinoderms also usually have spines, which are less pronounced in sea stars than they are in other organisms such as sea urchins.

There Are Thousands of Sea Star Species

There are about 2,000 species of sea stars. Some live in the intertidal zone, while others live in the deep water of the ocean. While many species live in tropical areas, sea stars can also be found in cold areas—even the polar regions.

Not All Sea Stars Have Five Arms

While many people are most familiar with the five-armed species of sea stars, not all sea stars have just five arms. Some species have many more, such as the sun star, which can have up to 40 arms. 

Sea Stars Can Regenerate Arms

Amazingly, sea stars can regenerate lost arms, which is useful if a sea star is injured by a predator. It can lose an arm, escape, and grow a new arm later. Sea stars house most of their vital organs in their arms. This means that some species can even regenerate an entirely new sea star from just one arm and a portion of the star’s central disc. This won’t happen too quickly, though; it takes about a year for an arm to grow back.

Sea Stars Are Protected by Armor

Depending on the species, a sea star’s skin may feel leathery or slightly prickly. Sea stars have a tough covering on their upper side, which is made up of plates of calcium carbonate with tiny spines on their surface. A sea star’s spines are used for protection from predators, which include birds, fish, and sea otters. One very spiny sea star is the aptly named crown-of-thorns starfish.
Sea Stars Do Not Have Blood
Instead of blood, sea stars have a circulatory system made up primarily of seawater. Seawater is pumped into the animal’s water vascular system through its sieve plate. This is a sort of trap door called a madreporite, often visible as a light-colored spot on the top of the starfish. From the madreporite, seawater moves into the sea star’s tube feet, causing the arm to extend. Muscles within the tube feet are used to retract the limb.
Sea Stars Move Using Their Tube Feet
Sea stars move using hundreds of tube feet located on their underside. The tube feet are filled with seawater, which the sea star brings in through the madreporite on its top side. Sea stars can move quicker than you might expect. If you get a chance, visit a tide pool or aquarium and take a moment to watch a sea star moving around. It is one of the most amazing sights in the ocean. Tube feet also help the sea star hold its prey, including clams and mussels.
Sea Stars Eat with Their Stomachs Inside-Out

Sea stars prey on bivalves like mussels and clams as well as small fish, snails, and barnacles. If you’ve ever tried to pry the shell of a clam or mussel open, you know how difficult it is. However, sea stars have a unique way of eating these creatures. A sea star’s mouth is on its underside. When it catches its food, the sea star will wrap its arms around the animal’s shell and pull it open just slightly. Then it does something amazing: the sea star pushes its stomach through its mouth and into the bivalve’s shell. It then digests the animal and slides its stomach back into its own body. This unique feeding mechanism allows the sea star to eat larger prey than it would otherwise be able to fit into its tiny mouth.
Sea Stars Have Eyes

Many people are surprised to learn that starfish have eyes. It’s true. The eyes are there—just not in the place you would expect. Sea stars have an eye spot at the end of each arm. This means that a five-armed sea star has five eyes, while the 40-armed sun star has 40 eyes. Each sea star eye is very simple and looks like a red spot. It doesn’t see much detail but it can sense light and dark, which is just enough for the environments the animals live in.

All True Starfish Are in the Class Asteroidea

Starfish belong to the animal class Asteroidea. These echinoderms all have several arms arranged around a central disk. Asteroidea is the classification for “true stars.” These animals are in a separate class from brittle stars and basket stars, which have a more defined separation between their arms and their central disk.

Sea Stars Have Two Ways to Reproduce

Male and female sea stars are hard to tell apart because they look identical. While many animal species reproduce using only one method, sea stars are a little different. Sea stars can reproduce sexually. They do this by releasing sperm and eggs (called gametes) into the water. The sperm fertilizes the gametes and produces swimming larvae, which eventually settle on the ocean floor, growing into adult sea stars. Sea stars can also reproduce asexually through regeneration, which is what happens when the animals lose an arm.

SOURCE: THOUGHTCO.COM

Unknown's avatar

Published by pat frederick

Published

92 thoughts on “Starfish”

  1. Morning, Pat! Woke up @ 3:30 w/all kinds of ideas in my head of things that need doing….and I’ve already gotten a lot accomplished in just 45 minutes. Cat litter trash can finally emptied – dang, that was heavy! – boxes/trash taken to the bin, last dose of wormer out for Wheezer, etc., etc. And many, many plans – today, I will get the weeds chopped around the tree stump, then spray with the AllKill….followed in a couple of days by spreading the wood chips.

    I’m also going to get going on clearing all the junk from my interior & exterior patios – old chairs/furniture, hoses, tools, etc., etc., jimmy-rigged flower pots/hangers, etc., etc. Jason will take a truckload to the dump for me & I’ll pay by the weight. All the wood pieces can be taken out to the burn pile @ the City dump. I am determined to clear out all the old detritus and start fresh. I’ll be calling the PO tomorrow to tell them they no longer need to deliver to the house and I’ve taken in the plastic box I had on the porch for the mail.

    Moving on….I’ll see if my Sis knows someone who wants my old fishing gear – tacklebox, 2 poles, bait bucket, etc. I think she wants the net to use to catch her chickens. I’m also going to make up a list of all the garage stuff – I’ve got all the jars and containers to hang on a peg board for organizing screws/nails/etc. All someone needs is the basic peg board. I’ve also got 2 (or is it 3?) free-standing plastic containers with small drawers for various screws & such…not to mention tools out the ass that I’ll never use in a million years! Sooooo much to get rid of since I’ve been such a pack-rat. I’ve got 2 brand new jack stands that have never even been used!!!!

    Too bad you don’t live closer – I’ll bet your hubby could use some of this stuff….

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Morning Busy Bee!
      you must be feeling better to be that ambitious this early in the morning!!
      how about a garage sale??
      i laughed thinking about your sister chasing chickens with a net.
      you’re definitely getting stronger…but the mom in me still wants to say…in moderation…you’re still recovering!
      when the house was built, we got a metal roof put on. they brought short screws and long screws (in green to match the roof). we have a full 8 inch by 8 inch box of screws left…plus flashing and other various leftover pieces. we even have several logs (extras included in the package) stacked behind hubby’s workbench. and it’s been almost 20 years. lol he doesn’t need more stuff–he needs to clear out his junk…lol
      (me too…but we’re not talking about me…LOL)

      Liked by 1 person

      1. No, I’ve tried a garage sale – you wouldn’t believe how cheap these people are!!! But they’ll take a lot if it’s free and the rest can go to the dump.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. JD speaks for me on this subject!!!!

    “Dear President Trump: Read the Room: A legacy hangs in the balance.”

    JD Rucker, Jul 12, 2025

    “MAGA world wants action against those who committed hideous crimes against children through Jeffrey Epstein. That much has been made crystal clear by reactions for the last week to the Justice Department dropping all future actions. No more info. No lists. No charges. No arrests.

    President Trump tried to get us to move on early this week during a cabinet meeting when he lambasted the press for even bringing up the “old” news about Epstein.

    He did it again on Truth Social Saturday evening:

    What’s going on with my “boys” and, in some cases, “gals?” They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and “selfish people” are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein. For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again. Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration, who conned the World with the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, 51 “Intelligence” Agents, “THE LAPTOP FROM HELL,” and more? They created the Epstein Files, just like they created the FAKE Hillary Clinton/Christopher Steele Dossier that they used on me, and now my so-called “friends” are playing right into their hands. Why didn’t these Radical Left Lunatics release the Epstein Files? If there was ANYTHING in there that could have hurt the MAGA Movement, why didn’t they use it? They haven’t even given up on the John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King, Jr. Files. No matter how much success we have had, securing the Border, deporting Criminals, fixing the Economy, Energy Dominance, a Safer World where Iran will not have Nuclear Weapons, it’s never enough for some people. We are about to achieve more in 6 months than any other Administration has achieved in over 100 years, and we have so much more to do. We are saving our Country and, MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, which will continue to be our complete PRIORITY. The Left is imploding! Kash Patel, and the FBI, must be focused on investigating Voter Fraud, Political Corruption, ActBlue, The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020, and arresting Thugs and Criminals, instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein. LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT! The 2020 Election was Rigged and Stolen, and they tried to do the same thing in 2024 — That’s what she is looking into as AG, and much more. One year ago our Country was DEAD, now it’s the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World. Let’s keep it that way, and not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

    Many have speculated over the last week about why he is doing all of this. The two most prominent theories are that either his cronies would be implicated or that the Deep State wants to keep their blackmail material intact for future use. The first theory is far less likely because, as he and others have noted, if there was a way to use Epstein tapes or documents against MAGA then the Biden-Harris regime would have already done so.

    What’s left is the ugly notion that the Deep State (both CIA and Mossad), the administration itself, other powers “in the know,” or a combination therein want to maintain control over various leaders of nations and business. Unfortunately for President Trump, that’s not what his base wants.

    We’re not letting this go so easily. Pro-Trump journalists, including many of the President’s closest media allies, want justice. We want the perpetrators of heinous crimes against children taken down. We don’t want them controlled. We want them punished.

    It’s time for President Trump to read the room. This will not go away easily. And even if the administration stays on its current course and talk of Epstein eventually fades, it will never be forgotten. It’s the betrayal that stains his legacy. It’s the asterisk that will accompany his presidency no matter how much he’s able to accomplish.

    Someone can do the most amazing good in the world but if they protect perpetrators of unthinkable crimes against children, the good they do will always be tainted. Many will eventually move on as President Trump hopes. But not everyone. Some won’t. I won’t.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. i think and it’s just my opinion, but i think he wants to get the recission bills done first. there are definitely congress people on that epstien list and he needs to codify some funding cuts to get things rolling. it’s only been 6 months…i’m willing to give him a little wiggle room.

      Like

        1. whatever you call it…I don’t know what he knows. and i know he wants to accomplish a lot for us…I’m willing to wait and see what his plan is.

          Like

    2. I’m sticking with Trump – the protective father and grandfather and our First Lady who loves children – and Q whose emphasis throughout the entire posts was against child predators.

      I am with Larry Schweikart on this:

      https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1942053106390614045.html

      1)C3@C_3C_3 – “So what was on Pam’s desk? Weird.”
      2) “I think they found Ft. Knox of human trafficking. 
      3) Beginning in Feb., we saw a very sharp uptick in human trafficking busts—50, 80 people at a time, dozens of kids rescued. This has continued to present. In my substack I presented a whole list:
      4) I do not believe in coincidences. I think these busts were ALL based on info derived from the Epstein Files. I think they have multiple, large investigations and busts in the works. 
      5) Releasing anything might provide a tip-off, hence, they’re gonna say, “Naw, didn’t find nuthin.”
      6) I think they view the ongoing success in busting these rings as far more important than making stuff public just to show good will toward MAGA. 
      7) They think the harms from not releasing are far less than the gains they will get by continuing to use them as a source.”

      I have searched ‘child trafficking rings’ and ‘crimes against children’ arrests and they are happening daily.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. My sentiments exactly:

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Temp here is 61 but I can’t see any sun yet….just the faintest lightening in the sky. Wheezer ate the food w/the wormer and is sleeping on the chair – mission accomplished.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Not true – lots of action/arrests/indictments.

      I’ve been making a list of all the crimes against children/trafficking ring arrests and there’s one or two every day!

      They are working on Election Fraud – an issue vital to the survival of our nation!

      Liked by 1 person

  10. Good morning – Pat and Filly,

    Today will be our hottest all Summer – 97º heat index of 109º! 40% chance of rain. However, the heat index tomorrow will be 111º Thankfully, increasing thunderstorms will lower the temps for the rest of the week.

    This is not unusual and we will likely see worse temps and heat indexes before hurricane season ushers in our Fall weather.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Poor central Texas – it is still raining in the flood zone – which will delay search and recovery – over a hundred people still missing.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Good morning, GA! Nice and cool here this morning, albeit very humid with all the rain we’ve had. High 80’s/low 90’s predicted for the next few days, then it drops into highs in the 70’s to low 80’s until the end of this coming week. After that, possible thunderstorms for a few days…but, then, it usually changes along the way….as the saying goes: wait 24 hours! All the feeders have been refilled – Wheezer got tired of dodging my footsteps and finally scooted out the doggie door for his daily stalking adventure. It will be interesting to see if I can see him gaining any weight in the coming days….

      Liked by 1 person

  11. they need to arrest this criminal. aiding and abetting!

    Liked by 1 person

  12. EXCERPT: “John Durham’s investigation as Special Counsel passed on prosecuting ex-CIA chief John Brennan as well as a host of other key Russiagate figures, but there’s a new sheriff in town.

    Following a criminal referral by CIA Director John Ratcliffe last week, the decision on potentially charging the Obama spy chief will now rest with Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department that she oversees.

    Ratcliffe’s referral to FBI Director Kash Patel is related to possible criminality by Brennan, sources familiar with Ratcliffe’s actions who declined to be named told Just the News this week, following a review by the CIA released last week. That report critiqued the actions taken by Brennan related to the baseless Trump-Russia collusion investigation, and it will likely be up to Bondi to decide if a criminal investigation — and prosecution — is warranted.

    The CIA’s “lessons learned” review of the December 2016 Intelligence Community Assessment sharply criticized Brennan for joining with anti-Trump forces in the FBI in pushing to include British ex-spy Christopher Steele’s baseless anti-Trump dossier in the assessment. In Ratcliffe’s review, the CIA also critiqued the “high confidence” assessment by the FBI and the CIA that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had “aspired” to help President Donald Trump win in 2016.

    Brennan’s potentially false statements

    While the specifics of Ratcliffe’s criminal referral of Brennan to the FBI were not immediately made public, it is likely that it has to do with Brennan’s potentially false statements to Congress about the ICA and the Steele dossier. Brennan spoke with Special Counsel John Durham in August 2020 and testified before the House Judiciary Committee in May 2023. Given a five-year statute of limitations, he could be in the crosshairs of law enforcement action until August of this year or until May 2028, respectively.

    Lying to Congress — whether under oath or not — can be a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. §1001, which forbids making false statements to any branch of the federal government. The statute of limitations of five years starts to run when the crime is completed, which is when the false statement is made or the false document is submitted. Thus, any false statements Brennan allegedly made five years ago or more would not be prosecutable.

    Brennan told MSNBC on Wednesday that “I know nothing about this reported investigation or referral to the DOJ” and that “nobody from the FBI or Department of Justice or CIA has reached out to me at all.” He said that “I am clueless about what it is exactly that they may be investigating me for.” He currently serves as a senior national security and intelligence analyst for NBC and MSNBC, but did not respond to the network’s request for comment.

    Brennan told Reuters that he “knows nothing” about the DOJ investigation, and added that the episode is “unfortunately a very sad and tragic example of the continued politicization of the intelligence community.”

    A spokesperson for the DOJ told Just the News that “we do not comment on ongoing investigations.”…..”

    https://justthenews.com/government/federal-agencies/durham-passed-prosecuting-john-brennan-will-bondi-do-same

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Just The News: “A federal appeals court has upheld a New York state law holding gun manufacturers potentially liable when their weapons are used in deadly shootings after rejecting a challenge from gun rights groups. The ruling by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday rejected claims by 2nd Amendment groups that the law was “unconstitutional” and “unenforceable” because it conflicts with federal laws.

    In an opinion written by Circuit Judge Eunice C. Lee the three-judge panel agreed with a lower court ruling that the plaintiffs had failed to present evidence the law imposed an “undue burden” on firearms sales, and that federal law allows states to pass laws holding gun companies responsible for violating state laws applicable to the sale and marketing of firearms.

    In a concurring opinion issued with Thursday’s 2nd Circuit ruling, Judge Dennis Jacobs agreed with the other two judges on the panel that the New York law didn’t conflict with federal laws but noted that the state law was “nothing short of an end run” around federal restrictions on lawsuits against the firearm industry.”The intent of Congress when it closes a door is not for states to thus jimmy a window,” Jacobs wrote.

    The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association representing gun manufacturers that sued the state over 2021 law, said it was “disappointed” by the panel’s ruling and “respectfully” disagrees with the court’s reasoning to uphold New York’s law.

    The group’s lawyers had argued in court that the state law was preempted by the federal 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which blocks litigation that could negatively impact the firearm industry.

    “We earnestly believe this law is exactly what Congress had in mind when it passed PLCAA with a bipartisan majority,” Lawrence G. Keane, the foundation’s senior vice president and general counsel, said in a statement. “The PLCAA is designed to prohibit frivolous lawsuits against members of the firearm industry, and we continue to believe the New York statute is intended to evade the will of Congress.”

    Attorney General Letitia James, whose office defended the state, praised the court’s ruling and said it will allow the state to “hold firearm manufacturers and sellers accountable for injuries from gun violence that result from misconduct in the sale and marketing of firearms.”

    “This decision is a massive victory for public safety and the rule of law and will help us continue to fight the scourge of gun violence to keep our communities safe,” James, a Democrat, said in a statement. “New York’s gun safety laws are among the toughest in the nation, and my office will always defend and enforce those laws to protect all New Yorkers.”

    Eric Tirschwell, executive director of the gun control group Everytown Law, also praised the ruling and said the law “has created a new pathway for victims and their families to hold bad actors in the gun industry accountable for their role in fueling the epidemic of gun violence that is ravaging communities across the Empire State.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. so people hurt in car accidents–or worse when a vehicle rams a crowd–they can sue the car manufacturers? how stupid!

      when pharmaceutical companies enjoy freedom from liability even when their vaccines kill?

      Liked by 1 person

  14. Just The News: “(The Center Square) — The U.S. Department of Education has launched investigations into 45 universities for alleged Title VI violations. In recent months, the department’s Office for Civil Rights have claimed the universities are in violation of Title VI due to alleged racial discrimination on campus. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal funding.

    “The Department is working to reorient civil rights enforcement to ensure all students are protected from illegal discrimination. The agency has already launched Title VI investigations into institutions where widespread antisemitic harassment has been reported and Title IX investigations into entities which allegedly continue to allow sex discrimination,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Today’s announcement expands our efforts to ensure universities are not discriminating against their students based on race and race stereotypes.”

    In its recent efforts to combat campus discrimination, the Trump administration has informed Harvard University’s accreditors that the university is violating federal anti-discrimination laws, potentially jeopardizing its accreditation.

    “When an institution — no matter how prestigious — abandons its mission and fails to protect its students, it forfeits the legitimacy that accreditation is designed to uphold,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a press release.

    Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blamed Harvard for ongoing discrimination and antisemitic harassments students faced. “Harvard, like other universities, has allowed foreign students to abuse their visa privileges and advocate for violence and terrorism on campus,” McLaughlin said.

    On Thursday, the Department of Education announced an investigation into George Mason University following a complaint alleging that the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies provide “preferential treatment” to faculty from “underrepresented groups” in an effort to appear “anti-racist.”

    “The Trump-McMahon Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights will investigate this matter fully to ensure that individuals are judged based on their merit and accomplishment, not the color of their skin,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor.

    The University of Washington and Washington State University have also been under investigation due to their ties with the PhD Project, a nonprofit that assists minorities within graduate programs. “Our vision is to create a broader talent pipeline of current and future business leaders who are committed to excellence and to each other, through networking, mentorship, and unique events,” the PhD Project stated.

    In the announcement back in March, McMahon noted the department efforts are to ensure that all students, regardless of race, have the same opportunities to accomplish greatness. “Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment,” McMahon said.

    Universities being investigated by the Department of Education over Title VI also include the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and two colleges in Colorado.”

    Liked by 1 person

  15. “Potatoes that grow at the top of a hill can especially be affected by chlorophyll which is why in the store some are green. The chlorophyll then turns the white of the tuber green under the skin. The more light, the greener they become.

    The green part of a potato should be discarded. It is bitter, and more than that, it contains solanine, which eaten in great quantities can cause illness. Solanine is an alkaloid which is colorless. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include:

    Diarrhea

    Fever or lower than normal body temperature (hypothermia)

    Headache

    Slow pulse and/or breathing

    Stomach or abdominal pain

    Vomiting

    Because it’s bitter, most people have learned to scrape the green part off before eating the potato. Michigan State University Extension urges you to wash all produce before preparing and eating in order to avoid illness from bacteria and pesticides. Also be sure to peel the green and “eyes” off a potato before cooking to avoid solanine poisoning.”

    “Ya know – I never even gave any thought of where they grow the stuff. Who ever heard of rice farming in Italy? Now farmers have started patrolling day and night in an effort to scare the birds away from their rice crops. The farmers honk truck horns, bang barrels and even fire small gas cannon that make thunderous booms. However, the noise mostly just sends the flamingoes flying to another nearby paddy to trample it underfoot. The full story is funny – and fascinating. You’d never think of these two things in the same context – flamingos and rice, I mean…”

    Liked by 1 person

  17. “Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek, Syria, circa 1870. Imagine what this looked like in its prime.”

    Whale Eye

    “Amerigo Vespucci training ship of the Italian Navy, by Alberto Simonetto, 2022”

    Liked by 1 person

  18. Just The News: “A new report shows Secret Service had threat intelligence 10 days before the assassination attempt on President Trump last year and it recommends stronger disciplinary action for the failures on and before the day of the incident.

    “Prior to the July 13 rally, senior-level Secret Service officials became aware of a threat to then-former President Trump,” read the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report requested by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “This information was not specific to the July 13 rally or gunman. Nonetheless, due to the Secret Service’s siloed practice for sharing classified threat information, Secret Service and local law enforcement personnel central to developing site security plans for the rally were unaware of the threat.”

    The report confirmed that the Secret Service “had no process to share classified threat information with partners when the information was not considered an imminent threat to life.”

    The GAO report concluded that the assassination attempt at the outdoor rally in Butler was not the result of a single error. “It was a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life,” the report said. “The American people deserve better.”

    The report chided the federal government for “insufficient accountability” after the attack occurred. “Not a single person has been fired,” it said. “The Committee believes more than six individuals should have received disciplinary action as a result of their action (or inaction) on July 13. 2024. Those who were disciplined received penalties far too weak to match the severity of the failures.”

    Liked by 1 person

  20. “Situational Ethics: Is it Ever Right to Do Wrong?” by Robert Driskell 

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “In the minds of most Christians, the term “Situational Ethics” throws up red flags and is immediately judged to be something that is bad. Let us take a look at this term and hopefully gain some clarity on its meaning and relevance.

    Situation Ethics is defined in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology as “…the position that every significant moral decision has to be taken ‘in the light of the circumstances” (p. 1019).

    Situation Ethics says it is not always wrong to lie, it is not always wrong to kill, etc. In other words there are no absolute moral values which should be applied to all situations everywhere at all times. Websters defines ‘situational ethics as’: a system of ethics by which acts are judged within their contexts instead of by categorical principles”. (http://www .merriamwebster. com/dictionary/situation%20ethics)

    This article will merely scrape the surface of this topic; much more could be said, and I’m sure everyone will not agree with the views expressed here. However, I believe them to biblical, reasonable, and God-honoring deductions gleaned from the Bible, the writings of others, and my own prayerful consideration.

    Joseph Fletcher: Joseph Fletcher is usually identified as the “Father of Situation Ethics.” Before he passed away in 1991, he was an Episcopal priest. According to Wikipedia, Mr. Fletcher was named Humanist of the Year in 1974 by the American Humanist Association, he was a signer of the Humanist Manifesto, he served as president of the Euthanasia Society of America, and was a member of the American Eugenics Society and the Association for Voluntary Sterilization (http://en .wikipedia. org/wiki/Joseph_Fletcher).

    In order to answer the question, “Is it ever right to do wrong?”, we must determine what is right and what is wrong in God’s eyes, and do that.

    The thinking behind situation ethics is that all actions should be motivated by one overarching tenet: love. All behavior should be governed by love. When one is called upon to make a decision, the overriding priority guiding this decision must love (i.e. what is the loving thing to do?). Although Fletcher believed that love should govern all actions and decision, he did not limit this ethic to the Christian community. He believed that all people could live with love as their primary motivating guide.

    Herein lies one of the major problems of situation ethics: in order to be able to make decisions based on the principle of love, one must have a clear understanding of what love is. This clear understanding can only be gained through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Any other basis for defining love is simply a man-made construct that will vary from person to person. The biblical record paints a clear picture of the wicked heart of man without God (Genesis 6:5, 8:21; Jeremiah 17:9; Matthew 15:9; Romans 3:23).Breaking it down

    Of course, it is true that the decisions we make and the actions we take do not occur in a vacuum; there are circumstances surrounding everything we do. To say that these circumstances play no part in the decisions we make would be false. However, the kind of ‘situation ethics’ we are talking about in this article are governed by nothing but a person’s personal judgment of right and wrong; they have no other source of guidance than whatever they deem to be the right thing to do at the time.

    For example, a person who is not a Spirit-led Christian might see nothing unloving about having sex with a woman to whom he is not married. After all, it feels right, he wants to do it, she wants to do it. Is that not considered love?

    It also might be conceivable to encounter a situation where John Doe thinks that John Plenty has more than he needs and John None does not have enough to get by on. In situation ethics, it would be perfectly acceptable (based on John Doe’s perception of love) to steal some of what John Plenty has in order to give it to John None.The Christian Difference

    This is where the Christian and the non-Christian must part ways. The Christian is taught, by God’s Word, what is right and what is wrong; it is not our prerogative to make our own moral judgments apart from the guidance of God’s Word and His Spirit. Christians are bound to the ethical standard given to us by God, in His Word. Instead of embracing something as wishy-washy as situational ethics, the follower of Jesus Christ should saturate himself or herself with the teaching of the Word of God. In this way, when it comes time to make a decision or take action, the Holy Spirit will prompt the believer to act in a manner both loving and God-honoring.

    Is it ever right to do wrong?

    There are several instances in the Bible where, in order to promote God, His Kingdom, etc. people lied, or otherwise disobeyed those in authority, in order to further God’s plans (the woman who found Moses in the river, Rahab, Peter and the Apostles, etc.). However, we do not find situation ethics in play here, but total dedication to God and His Will; these events were not the result of people making up their own rules, but decisions made by people who were completely dedicated to doing God’s will. Therefore, in order to answer the question, “Is it ever right to do wrong?”, we must determine what is right and what is wrong in God’s eyes, and do that.

    Conclusion

    When one conducts his or her life strictly by situation ethics, the logical result will be anarchy. People will be doing whatever feels right to them at the time; while they claim to be motivated by love…and excusing all kinds of behavior in love’s name.

    Although, every situation does have its own set of circumstances, God has given us, in His Word and by His Holy Spirit, guidelines and standards by which we are to live. Sin has affected the world in such a way that there may be times when our course of action is not clear to us. However, in such instances, we are not to simply ignore His laws and His will and react in a manner based on feelings or flesh. Rather, we are to trust in God, rely on Him to guide us and give us strength to carry out His will.”

    Resources: Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter A. Elwell, Editor. Baker Book House, 1984.

    Like

  22. maybe POTUS is waiting for this…lol

    Like

    1. They are hoping to smear President Trump. The false accusations have already started.

      About the left’s ongoing and upcoming smear efforts:
      “It started with AOC calling him a rapist. They just had to have the CIA give them talking points. Now they are off & running.
      Trump is telling you the files are rigged like everything else. Why else would democrats call for an Epstein committee after 4 years of silence? Think about it… You either trust Trump or you trust the swamp.”— RABERN (@floodveronica2) July 12, 2025

      Liked by 1 person

  26. My life…

    “Exactly one year ago today, President Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Just 64 days later, on a Florida golf course, the Secret Service intercepted another potential assassin, Ryan Wesley Routh, who was aiming a rifle through bushes at the President, 400 yards away.

    Tomorrow will be the one-year anniversary of the attempt on President Trump in Butler, PA. There has still be almost no information released by the government regarding this event. No Secret Service agent has been held accountable to any serious extent, with only six agents suspended for brief periods, ranging from 10 to 42 days.

    How can that be possible?

    BTW- Ryan Wesley Routh’s trial is set to start in September… Let’s see if the dead media actually reports on it – or whether it will be yet another buried story. Not worthy of headline news.”

    Liked by 1 person

  28. “One of the most important acts that Trump did early on was to stop the Federal funding of progressive causes. USAID was symbolic of that – but the WH administration is systematically going through each agency, from HHS to the State Dept, and cleaning out the BS. Thank goodness!”

    “Transitioning to a cashless society results in more frustrating self-service machines and reduced personal interactions. The right to privacy is guaranteed in our Constitution. A cashless society can never protect our right to privacy, there every transaction is recorded and put on the cloud. Who has access to that data? How long before hackers, the government or the CCP find ways to use that data without permission?”

    “Some like to call it summer, not climate change…”

    Liked by 1 person

  29. NF: I’m in good company!

    “The Epstein Affair: THIS IS NOT GOING AWAY”

    Michael T. Flynn LTG USA (RET), Jul 13, 2025

    “President Trump, please understand that the EPSTEIN AFFAIR is not going away.

    If the administration doesn’t address the massive number of unanswered questions about Epstein, especially the ABUSE OF CHILDREN BY ELITES (it is very clear that abuse occurred), then moving forward on so many other monumental challenges our nation is facing becomes much more difficult.

    TRUST was deeply violated by both Joe Biden and Barack Obama, and now your administration MUST be above reproach.

    And never forget: “Anyone who causes these little ones to stumble, it would be better to have a millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

    We cannot allow pedophiles to get away. I don’t personally care who they are or what elite or powerful position they hold.

    THEY MUST BE EXPOSED AND HELD ACCOUNTABLE!

    This is about CHILD VICTIMS beings enslaved and sexually abused by sick disgusting elite pigs AND further loss of trust in our government. Sorry, it needs to be said. I’m not believing what we’ve been told. If TRUE, then why is Maxwell in Prison?”

    Liked by 1 person

  30. “Raising Healthy Children — July’s Open Thread”

    A Midwestern Doctor, Jul 13, 2025

    EXCERPT: “This newsletter was created with the goal of helping others, and over time, I’ve received many messages from people with important questions I’d love to answer. However, writing each article takes a considerable amount of time—just as an example, I’ve spent the past month working on the final installment of the DMSO series, and it’s still not quite finished. Because of this, I’m not always able to respond individually to every inquiry I get.

    While I truly wish I could, the most practical solution I’ve found is to host monthly open threads. These provide readers with a space to ask any outstanding questions—especially those left over from previous content—and I make it a priority to respond. Having all the questions in one place also makes it easier for others to benefit from those answers as well.

    For each of these open threads, I like to tie in a topic I’ve been meaning to discuss—usually something I’ve been thinking about but haven’t felt warrants a full-length article. This time, I want to focus on a topic near and dear to my heart, healthy children.

    The Chronic Disease Epidemic

    One of RFK’s rallying cries has been that our children are being stricken by an onslaught of chronic diseases and that this is undermining the strength that is our future, and his organization, the Children’s Health Defense frequently references this chart:

    Note: that data comes from this study and this study. Since trends in motion tend to persist unless significant measures are taken to shift them, as a recently published study confirmed, this problem has continued to worsen.

    Nearly half of all children receiving care in the PEDSnet multicenter network had a chronic health condition, while one-third of children in the general population experience from 1 to 15 parent-reported chronic conditions. Furthermore, obesity now affects 20% of children, and early puberty is increasingly common among girls, with 1 in 7 beginning menstruation before age 12 years. Temporal trends also showed deterioration in sleep health and increasing limitations in activity, alongside worsening of an extensive range of physical and emotional symptoms.

    In turn, the study’s data shows that the rates of these conditions have roughly doubled over the last 12 years.

    Likewise, many other things have rapidly gone awry

    Note: this study also highlighted a myriad of other issues, such as our children being more likely to die than other developed nations, in large part due to sudden infant death syndrome (a condition strongly linked to vaccination).

    The Other Half of The Picture…..”

    https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/raising-healthy-children

    Liked by 1 person

  36. Holy crap! I started out just to cut the weeds down around the tree stump and ended up working for 2 hours…of course, I had to pull the weeds from the Moss Roses first….then I checked the other pot of Moss Roses on the other side of the rose bush…yep, weeds. Then I noticed all the grass in the rose bush bed….pulled those….then I noticed all the dead branches in the rose bush and cut those off….I finally made it to the asparagus bed on the way to the stump….well, of course, I had to eliminate those weeds, too! I finally made it to the tree stump, cut all the weeds down and pulled all the rotten bark off of the outside….bugs, bugs, bugs everywhere! Needless to say, I am soaked with sweat but it sure looks a hell of a lot nicer out there now…..I think I’ll wait to spray with AllKill…..phew!!!

    Liked by 1 person

      1. That one came close but after resting some, I’m good….altho I did get a little light-headed when I got up from my recliner. But it’s all good and it gives me a great feeling of satisfaction to have it done.

        Liked by 1 person

  37. Just The News: “Police in Kentucky are investigating a shooting involving a suspect who allegedly shot a trooper and injured worshipers at a Baptist church.

    The incident occurred in Fayette County on Sunday at Richmond Road Baptist Church in Lexington.”

    Liked by 1 person

  38. “Diver returns diamond ring to its owner after days of searching”

    Not The Bee, Harriet Rigby, Jul 12, 2025

    Image for article: Diver returns diamond ring to its owner after days of searching

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “During a lake day with her son’s baseball team in Texas, Jack O’Lynn Page noticed that her antique diamond wedding ring had slipped off her finger and sunk to the bottom of the Possum Kingdom Lake reservoir.

    (As a sidenote, Possum Kingdom is the most terrifying location name I’ve ever heard.)

    The whole baseball team, along with parents and grandparents, joined in on the search, but to no avail.

    Because of the 1910 ring’s sentimental value, Page’s husband decided to call in backup, contacting Blue Diver Search and Recovery, who sent a diver, Ryan Prigmore, out to scour the lake. Even the professional diver wasn’t able to find the ring after hours of searching, due to high winds and rough waters, but determined to see the job through, he promised to come back and continue the search on Monday.

    Prigmore told Fox4News,

    I was getting thrashed by the waves, but I gave my word that I would be back to keep trying.

    The diver kept his promise, and after searching for several more hours on the following Monday, he finally found the diamond ring.

    Page shared on her Facebook page,

    I am so thankful for him! He didn’t give up on it. I had been preparing myself for the last few days that it was lost and I wouldn’t see it again. My ring is so special to me. And I had no idea how I’d get over this. I’m am over the moon knowing it’s coming home to me!!

    JackO’Lynn Page – Facebook

    After seeing the size of that rock, I’m less surprised Prigmore was able to find it, but still, congrats on a job well done.”

    Liked by 1 person

  44. Liked by 1 person

  45. Good night, Pat! Hope your weather improves! I can’t complain about ours, altho it is up to 90 – but clear skies and sunshine at least.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Good Night! we had more of the really intense thunderstorms and buckets of rain! hubby did all the “door” windows–the whole front of the house a couple of days ago and this morning everything is wet again…up to the and including the doors…sigh. all his nice work…
      we lost internet too…wth is going on with the weather?

      Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.