Black Cats

Animals 4 Minutes

Black cats are widely known for their connection to Halloween, witchcraft, and misfortune. However, despite their reputation, they are unique felines that are thought to bring good luck in some countries, and they have a rich history dating back to the Middle Ages.  Of course, other than the color of their fur, black cats are no different from any other feline; the difference is in how people think about them.

Here are 13 fascinating facts about black cats.

The Background of Black Cats and Witches

Black cats are quintessential Halloween icons—and the number one costume choice for both elementary-aged children and women in their freshman year of college, oddly enough—but do you know how they got such a spooky rap?

Beginning in the Middle Ages, black cats became associated with Satan, witches, and witchcraft; some people went so far as to believe that black cats were cohorts to witches or even witches who had taken on another form. This widespread superstition resulted in the horrific mass killing of black cats—and sometimes even their owners.

Aside from continuing to represent all things eerie, the fear of black cats still has some influence today. Many animal shelters won’t place black cats in homes during the month of October for fear of them being used sacrificially.

Black Cats Can Help Your Love Life

Forget the stereotypical depiction of the perpetually single cat lady. In some parts of the world, it’s believed that black cats can actually improve your love life.  In Japan, for example, single women who own black cats are believed to attract more suitors. In Great Britain’s English Midlands, a black cat is the ideal wedding gift; they’re believed to bring good luck and happiness to the bride.

Black Cats Have a Sailing History

Ship’s cats were once a common thing; historically, sailors brought cats aboard ships to control rodents that could destroy food stores or damage the ship itself. But British sailors believed a black cat would bring the ship good luck and ensure a safe return home.  It was a little more complicated for pirates, though. They believed a black cat walking toward you was bad luck, a black cat walking away from you was good luck, and if a cat boarded the ship and then jumped off, the ship was going to sink.

Black Cats Can Resist Disease

In the early 2000s, researchers at the National Institutes of Health discovered that the genetic mutations that cause cats to have black coats may offer them some protection from diseases. In fact, the mutations affect the same genes that offer HIV resistance to some humans.  Since cats can experience many of the same health issues as we do—cancer, HIV, and cognitive dysfunction similar to Alzheimer’s, to name a few—they make perfect models for studying human disease. By figuring out how cats have evolved to resist diseases, researchers can, potentially, learn how to prevent disease in humans as well.

Black Cats Can Change Color

If your black cat loves to lounge in the sun—and what feline doesn’t?—the UV rays can break down the black pigment in the cat’s fur, changing it to a rusty color.  The affected fur will remain discolored, but once shed, will be replaced by fresh black fur once again.

In Some Places, Black Cats Mean Good Luck

While black cats are mostly associated with bad luck in North America, that’s not the case around the world. In Scotland, tradition holds that a black cat on the doorstep means money is on the way. The French have a similar association between black cats and financial riches. In Germany, a black cat crossing your path means good luck, not bad, is on the way.

Black Cats are Not a Breed

While many different breeds of cat include solid black as an accepted coat color, simply being a black cat is not a specific breed.  However, one feline breed, the Bombay, was specifically bred to only have solid black fur, along with black foot pads and even black whiskers. These gorgeous kitties resemble little house panthers, but are friendly and affectionate domestic cats.

Black is Genetically Dominant

When it comes to feline coat color, black is genetically dominant, although most black cats are not solid black but have some patches of white, as well. Still, overall, black is the most common color of domesticated cats.

Most Black Cats Have Yellow Eyes

While feline eye color covers a wide range of hues, the vast majority of black cats have yellow or golden eyes. The striking contrast between black fur and yellow eyes adds even more mystique to these fabulous felines.

They Can Have Short or Long Hair

Because black cats are not one breed, they can have either long or short hair, depending on the individual cat breed. Bombays, Oriental shorthairs, American shorthairs, and others will have short black hair. Longhaired breeds like the Maine coon, Persian, and Siberian can have luxurious long black locks. Black cats can even be hairless, like the sphynx.

Black Cats Have Their Own Days

While every cat firmly believes that everyday is devoted entirely to them, black cats have their very own specific day of the year: October 27, four days before Halloween. National Black Cat Day celebrates the black cat in hopes of dispelling myths about their association with bad luck.  Another day dedicated to black cats is August 17, which is Black Cat Appreciation Day. Like October 27, this day also recognizes how wonderful these cats are, contrary to false superstitions.

Patterns Can Be Hidden Underneath Black Fur

Look at a solid black cat in the sunlight, and you may very well see faint stripes within the fur.  That’s because although black is genetically dominant as a fur color, the striped tabby pattern is genetically dominant as a fur pattern, and in cats with genes for both black fur and tabby patterning, the stripes can be “hidden” under the black coloring.

They’re Overlooked in Shelters

Unfortunately, black cats (and black dogs) are often overlooked in shelters. “Black Cat Bias” refers to the higher rates of surrenders to shelters, lower adoption rates, and high chance of euthanasia. It’s thought that these rates are due to the continued, but unfounded, superstitions around these cats.  So, if you’re thinking about adopting a shelter cat, consider opening your home to one or more black cats who are more likely to be left behind. You won’t regret bringing these fun and loving kitties into your family.

SOURCE: THESPRUCEPETS.COM

Unknown's avatar

Published by pat frederick

Published

102 thoughts on “Black Cats”

    1. Good morning, Pat. 51 here this morning and it looks cloudy from what I can tell. Still no sign of Wheezer. I’ve never had an all-black cat, just black & white and I’ve never been superstitious about anything, much less black cats!

      Just The News: “Two U.S. Navy aircraft operating from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz were involved in separate crashes over the South China Sea on Sunday. All five crew members aboard the aircraft were rescued and are safe as the Navy launches an investigation into both incidents.

      According to a statement from the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the first accident occurred around 2:54 p.m. local time when an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Battle Cats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73, went down while conducting standard flight operations from the Nimitz (CVN 68).

      Search-and-rescue teams from Carrier Strike Group 11, which operates alongside the Nimitz, responded immediately and saved all three crew members from the water.

      The Navy has not released additional details about the second crash, which involved an F/A-18 Super Hornet, but confirmed that both incidents occurred during unrelated missions and that all personnel involved are safe.

      The U.S. Pacific Fleet said the circumstances surrounding the crashes are under investigation.”

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Morning Filly!

        cats and I don’t mix for the most part–i like petting them–but am very wary of them.

        Are you suspicious at all of those 2 crashes in the Pacific? No one was hurt it seems–just wondering if someone was testing new weapons.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. No, I’m not suspicious – not yet anyway. Sometimes mechanical things fail…..people make mistakes…..🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

          Liked by 1 person

  6. Wall Street Apes
    @WallStreetApes
    Massachusetts Democrats have a new bill that will force taxpayers to fund SNAP Food Stamps and Direct Cash Assistance for noncitizens

    “We have provided state-funded benefits to immigrants. We can do it again”

    Here’s how they’re going to scam taxpayers into paying cash assistance to illegals:

    Democrats are saying in their official documents that there are “Residency Requirements for Cash Assistance in Massachusetts”

    But here’s where the scam comes in, they updated the requirements to read:

    “There is no specific duration of residency required”

    So someone can arrive illegally today and be considered a resident The document proof is shown in the video. This makes all illegals eligible for the payments

    All Democrats do is lie and create loopholes to lie mislead the public about what they’re really doing

    Liked by 1 person

  15. EXCERPT: “What is the state, from whence does it come, and who controls it? One might suppose these questions have obvious answers. In reality the answer is elusive, not easily identified even by those who are part of the system. 

    Trump found this out in his first term. He naturally assumed that the president would be in charge, at least as regards the executive branch. He found out otherwise when the agencies worked closely with the media to undermine him at every step. After a four-year hiatus, he came back with a real determination to be the president. 

    It’s easier said than done. Cabinet-level appointees frequently complain in private that they face intractable bureaucracies with all institutional knowledge. They often feel like stand-ins or mannequins. Trump is the unusual president who has even attempted to be in charge. Most are just happy for the emoluments of office and the plaudits that come with it. 

    In any case, anyone who reaches the heights in any state apparatus discovers that it is something different from anything described in the textbooks. 

    Plato conceived of the state as organic to life itself, mirroring the structure of the human soul. The polity was divided between the rulers (philosopher-kings), the guardians (warriors), and the producers (workers). The state exists to achieve justice, where each class performs its designated role harmoniously.

    Aristotle offered a more realistic view. While the state is organic, it is not soulful. It has definite functions to promote the well-being of all through laws and education, balancing the interests of different classes. Aristotle favored a mixed government to prevent tyranny and promote stability.

    Moving forward to the Enlightenment period, theories of the state in the West evolved with the advance of technology and economics. Thomas Hobbes saw the state as essential for stopping civil war between factions. Without it, life would be solitary, nasty, brutish, and short. To be sure, he was writing in the midst of the English Civil War. 

    John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government also saw the state as essential but extremely limited. Its job was to protect property and essential rights. It could also be overthrown under conditions of tyranny. The issue was personal to him as a victim of the trauma of war, revolution, and censorship.

    Locke was the author of the template of what later became the Declaration of Independence. Here we find the view that the state is the “necessary evil,” a perspective largely accepted as true by the US Founding Fathers…..” 

    https://brownstone.org/articles/what-is-the-state-and-who-controls-it/

    Liked by 1 person

  16. “From ‘Lucky Neighbor’ to Unreliable Witness: Recently released FBI records show numerous inconsistencies by Karlin Younger, the law enforcement-tied individual who allegedly ‘found’ a pipe bomb near the Republican National Committee on January 6”

    Julie Kelly and Haley McLean, Oct 27, 2025

    A photo of the pipe bomb outside the RNC on Jan 6

    EXCERPTS: “A grand jury, according to recent reports, will be empaneled early next year in the southern district of Florida to consider a “grand conspiracy” case against those accused of using government power in a decade-long crusade aimed at destroying Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.

    The origin of the conspiracy dates back to the days of the Russiagate scandal—but of equal, arguably greater, importance are the events surrounding Jan. 6, 2021. While Russiagate undoubtedly inflicted tremendous damage on the first Trump presidency, it is clear that the purpose of Jan. 6 was to put Trump in prison and use the label “insurrection” as a way to prohibit him from ever again occupying public office.

    The scheme almost succeeded, which is why it remains imperative to expose the full truth about every detail of that day’s events. And as the five-year anniversary of Jan 6 approaches, the window of opportunity to bring charges against many perpetrators before the statute of limitations kicks in is closing.

    Two factors were central to ensuring the intended chaos at the Capitol that day: the delayed deployment of the National Guard and the “discovery” of two pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee. Both devices were found right before (RNC) and right after (DNC) the joint session of Congress convened at 1 p.m. to debate the outcome of the 2020 election and certify Joe Biden as the winner….”

    “…..While much of the attention has focused on the DNC device, the circumstances of the discovery at the RNC are even more suspicious. And documents recently released by the Select Subcommittee on January 6th should be of great interest to Congress and the FBI. These relate to the woman who “found” the pipe bomb at the RNC: Karlin Younger, the self-described “lucky” neighbor heralded as a hero by the media in the weeks following Jan. 6 but then quickly, and inexplicably, disappeared from law enforcement’s radar….”

    “…..But Younger told two different stories as to why she went back to the laundry room shortly before 12:40 p.m.—20 minutes before the historic proceedings at the Capitol just a few blocks away got underway.

    Younger told reporters she returned to the laundry room to put her first load of clothes into the dryer:

    • “When I went downstairs to put the first load into the dryer, that’s when something caught my eye,” Younger told Channel 3000.
    • The Milwaukee Journal reported, “On her way from switching her clothes from the washer to the dryer, she saw something on the ground.”
    • “I was doing a now-infamous load of laundry,” she told WISN, “just changing it over from the washer to the dryer.”

    She also offered a perfect, one might say law enforcement-type, description of the device despite only having seen it for a few seconds:

    But that’s not what she had told FBI investigators about why she returned to the laundry room. “On her way back to the laundry room with a second load of laundry at approximately 12:40 am (sic), [Younger] observed a suspicious device next to the exterior gate,” the FBI’s 302 form of her interview reads.

    CCTV footage, however, appears to contradict what she told authorities about her return trip. Video shows Younger exiting her apartment empty-handed at 12:33 p.m.—the same trip she described to them as beginning “with a second load” in hand. She entered the alley at 12:34 and, minutes later, at 12:38, re-emerged running toward the front of the Capitol Hill Club—apparently after having just discovered the bomb.

    So, why did Younger tell a different story to reporters within hours of her interview with the FBI? The subheadline for the Jan. 12 Madison Magazine piece on Younger noted that, “After the FBI interviewed Madison native Karlin Younger about discovering the pipe bomb, so did [reporter] Doug Moe.” Younger told the reporter that she “went back out to put her clothes in the dryer.”

    One might be inclined to write off these inconsistencies as a minor, fog-of-war oversight, a distraught woman befuddled by being at the center of such a momentous, and potentially deadly, incident. (Younger’s demeanor in interviews, strangely, does not indicate anything like this, however, nor does it suggest the severity of the situation in which she found herself.) But her laundry story is not the only inconsistency in Younger’s account of what happened that day.

    The ‘Suspicious Woman’

    Younger’s interactions with the FBI did more than just describe her role in discovering the device; Younger also attempted to blame a “suspicious” woman—intimating at one point the woman was a Trump supporter—she allegedly encountered in front of the Capitol Hill Club. And she couldn’t keep that story straight, either.

    In her Jan. 8 online tip to the FBI, Younger claimed she was “passed by a woman in front of the Capitol Hill Club who stared at me suspiciously, in such a way that now makes me think maybe she had some knowledge of what was in the alleyway.” She then described the woman in detail: “From what I remember, she was Caucasian, middle-aged (45-55?), of shorter stature (5’4”-5’6”?), heavier set (180-220lbs?), with long dark hair and without a mask. She was wearing a dark or black jacket and jeans.”

    But just like her laundry-trip story, her description of this brief encounter changed a few days later.

    Younger told investigators on Jan. 11 that she had not seen anyone “suspicious” on Jan. 6. She did, however, tell the FBI that she “noticed an unknown woman in front of the CHC who looked like she was from out of town and looking at [Younger] in a way she considered strange.” Younger continued. “The woman appeared to be approximately 40-50 years old, 5’7”, and heavier set; wearing jeans, a motorcycle type jacket, and was not wearing a mask.” (Her description of a woman of “shorter stature” was suddenly gone and coincidentally replaced with the exact height of the hoodie-clad suspect.)

    Younger further claimed the woman “had the same excited energy as some of the other protesters.”

    Surveillance video, however, contradicts her allegations about a “suspicious” woman. At no point—whether walking to or from the alley—did Younger pass anyone matching either description she provided in her written tip on Jan. 8 or her interview on Jan. 11…..”

    https://www.declassified.live/p/from-lucky-neighbor-to-unreliable

    Liked by 1 person

  17. “The Left Would Rather Leave White House Lawn Buried In Rubble Than Allow Trump A Tangible Victory — It didn’t take long for someone to go to court and attempt to seize control of the president’s White House renovation project.”

    The Federalist, By: Beth Brelje, October 27, 2025

    White House Ballroom rendering

    ENTIRE ARTICLE: “The White House — the People’s House — can’t fit many people in its walls for special events, so it must pitch a tent about one football field away from the building for major functions. Event capacity is capped at 200 people in the White House’s East Room. It has been a problem for more than 150 years, according to the Trump administration. Now Trump is using around $300 million in private money to make the White House more welcoming, and the left is pretty mad about it. 

    Why? From the leftists’ perspective, it’s as bad as terrorists murdering 2,977 people on Sept. 11, 2001.

    The entire East Wing of the White House will be modernized and rebuilt to go along with a new ballroom, spanning 90,000 square feet, with capacity for 650 guests.

    If the left could find a legal reason for suing President Donald Trump for breathing, they would already be in court, so of course, a couple surfaced Thursday night, Charles K. Voorhees and Judith A. Voorhees, filing a case at the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia, seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) and “other equitable relief.”

    Yes, they would rather see a pile of the East Wing’s rubble littering the White House lawn than see the successful construction of the beautiful building depicted in the renderings the White House shared before it broke ground. They want the administration to stop the construction process and get approvals from five oversight entities. According to the Voorheeses, the White House must first do the following:

    Provide final plans to the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC); consult with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) to assure the plans are not violating the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA); meet with the D.C. State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) “to mitigate any adverse effects;” and consult with the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), “which reviews and advises on the design and aesthetics of the exterior modifications to the White House and its grounds,” according to the filing.

    This is the stuff of nightmares for anyone who has tried to put a shed in their backyard or paint a front door in a historic district and needed permission from city hall or the architectural review board for the color of paint. There are layers of bureaucracy, restrictions, and opinions enforced by people who are not footing the bill and will not be affected. It can take months or years to ram a project through an unfriendly review process. If we know anything about Trump’s opposition, it is that they love to get in the way of progress.     

    In this case, they want the White House plans to be reviewed and approved or modified by the NCPC, the ACHP,  the SHPO, and the CFA and then to undergo a public review process by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP).

    Where were they months ago when Trump announced this project?  Let them continue to gnash their teeth while one of the preeminent builders of our time uses zero taxpayer dollars to improve the People’s House. He is not slowing down.

    “President Trump has full legal authority to modernize, renovate, and beautify the White House – just like all of his predecessors did,” Davis Ingle, a White House spokesman, told The Federalist in an email — still working while the government is shut down.

    The average American has almost no chance of being invited to Richard Nixon’s 1970 bowling alley, Gerald Ford’s swimming pool, Barack Obama’s basketball court, or the mystery cocaine stash found in Joe Biden’s White House. Those were mostly self-serving pursuits to be enjoyed by a few White House occupants. But unless the left can find a way to stop Trump, some lucky members of the public, along with world leaders, will get more use out of the opulent new ballroom than the previous offices, as the People’s House will finally accommodate more people.”

    Liked by 1 person

  18. It’s nice to be handy at household repairs! Now I don’t have to call a plumber!!! My shower in the MBR had a dual showerhead – a big stationary round one and a hand-held version with a lever to switch between them. The hand-held portion developed a major leak and I was just going to buy a new showerhead, but I realized that it might be possible to separate the 2 versions and just keep the stationary round shower head. I never used the hand-held portion anyway. Yep! It worked!!! I had to get out the vice grip to get it loose but I was able to separate them and re-install the big round one by itself. Whoopee! I also managed to fix the toilet as well. I thought the chain attaching the handle to the innards was broken but it just came loose and I was able to re-connect it.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. I’d rather fix a toilet or shower than clean any day of the week! LOL

        Now that I’m relatively healthy and I’ve got the bathroom functioning again, I can go back to sleeping in my own full-size bed with a more comfortable mattress in the MBR! The single mattress in the small BR is VERY old! My friend, Tom, gave it to me years and years ago in VA and it was already 2nd hand then from his sister! It even has a burn mark where his sister dropped a cigarette on it!

        Liked by 1 person

        1. well i reneged on my promise to myself. I sat down after cleaning the upstairs, satisfied i cleaned enough for today. then the staircase kept calling my name–I’m dirty…I’m dusty…and it wouldn’t shut up! so I washed it down too. Now I’m done. afternoon is mine!

          Liked by 1 person

  19. Wow! Hurricane Melissa is now a Cat 5 storm! Sure hope it doesn’t change direction and head our way!!!

    “KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Hurricane Melissa intensified to Category 5 strength Monday as it neared Jamaica, where forecasters said it would unleash catastrophic flooding, multiple landslides and extensive infrastructure damage. It would be the strongest hurricane to hit the island since record keeping began in 1851.

    Melissa, blamed for six deaths in the northern Caribbean as it headed toward the island, was forecast to make landfall on Jamaica on Tuesday and then Cuba later in the day before heading toward the Bahamas, but it was not expected to affect the United States.

    Hanna Mcleod, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist in the Jamaican capital of Kingston, said she will have to work during the hurricane, but that her husband and brother will be at her house, where they boarded the windows and she left candles and flashlights scattered throughout.

    “I just told them to keep the door closed,” she said. “I am definitely worried. This is actually the first time I’ll be experiencing this type of hurricane.” Mcleod said she bought her favorite canned food, corned beef, but that other members of her family prefer mackerel, “so I got a lot of those.”

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Just The News: “President Trump on Sunday formalized a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia that ends a border dispute. 

    “On behalf of the U.S., I’m proud to help settle this conflict and forge a future for the region,” Trump said in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He blasted the U.N. for a lack of involvement in the process. 

    “Millions of people are alive today because of this peace treaty,” Trump said, “The United Nations should be doing this, but they don’t do it. They don’t do it. They turned off my teleprompter. When I made a speech, I had to make a speech without a teleprompter. They’re good at that. The escalator wasn’t working too well. It came to a complete halt.” 

    Trump also inked trade deals with Cambodia and Thailand. Trump agreed to a framework for reciprocal trade deals with Malaysia and Vietnam.”

    Liked by 1 person

  21. “10 Coolest Features Of Trump’s New White House Ballroom”

    Politics · Oct 23, 2025 · BabylonBee.com

    Image for article: 10 Coolest Features Of Trump's New White House Ballroom

    “President Donald Trump’s project to construct a new grand ballroom at the White House has been grabbing all the headlines, but have you heard about all the amazing features it’s going to include?

    The Babylon Bee has obtained an exclusive list of things being added to the ballroom:

    1. 25-foot ceilings to accommodate Barron: He’ll finally be able to stand up straight.
    2. Diet Coke fountain: A true sign of luxurious opulence.
    3. Ball pit: For the kids, and any administration officials who want to cut loose.
    4. UFC octagon: Nothing caps off a beautiful state dinner like watching two men beat each other bloody.
    5. Trump dance floor: Where only the Trump dance will be allowed.
    6. Full-sized McDonald’s: Preparing the finest Big Macs and Quarter Pounders with Cheese.
    7. Kid Rock: He’ll actually just live there in the corner of the ballroom and perform whenever Trump asks him to.
    8. Mechanical bull: All of the fanciest heads of state have them in their palaces.
    9. Spray-tan booth: Have to reapply after you sweat off your tan on the dance floor.
    10. Gold. Lots of gold: Even the gold will be covered in gold.

    Sounds pretty tremendous. Very beautiful. The greatest ballroom ever, many are saying so. What else should Trump add to the new ballroom? Post your suggestions in the comments below.”

    Liked by 1 person

  22. “Jets Starting To Wonder If They Should Try A Different Sport”

    Sports · Oct 25, 2025 · BabylonBee.com

    Image for article: Jets Starting To Wonder If They Should Try A Different Sport

    NEW YORK CITY — The New York Jets have begun wondering if perhaps they should try some other sport besides football.

    After years of spectacularly failing at football and off to an 0-7 start this year, the Jets finally began considering if maybe they were really better suited for some other sort of competition, such as badminton.

    “Maybe football just isn’t our thing,” said Jets coach Aaron Glenn. “We gave it a good try. Well, we didn’t, but that’s kind of the point. What if we tried hockey? Eh, we probably don’t have enough white guys. I’m sure there’s something we’re good at. We just have to keep searching.”

    The Jets reportedly came to the conclusion that football may not be their lane after realizing they are no good at passing, catching, running, play-calling, blocking, pass-defending, tackling, or kicking. “You know, this might not be our sport,” said quarterback Justin Fields. “We need a sport that doesn’t require any of those things, like bowling.”

    At publishing time, the Jets had posted a winless record through six weeks at a local bowling league.

    Liked by 1 person

        2. Remember these? We used to love ’em as kids and HB loved them, too. I’m pretty sure I have a picture of her wearing them. Candy corn is kind of like that.

          Liked by 1 person

            1. You put them in your mouth and run around looking silly, then when they start to soften up, you eat ’em! LOL

              Like

  24. EXCERPT: “…..Furthermore, a simple Google search can produce a wealth of articles about the high rates of family inbreeding among Muslims across the world.

    “In 2011, it was estimated that intra-familial unions made up to 20-50 percent of all marriages in North Africa, the Middle East and West Asia. Besides Muslims, some Jews and Arab Christians in the Middle East have a history of cousin marriage,” reads the top search result from Wikipedia.

    Furthermore, Arab countries have had “some of the highest rates of consanguineous marriages in the world,” according to the journal Reproductive Health, which is archived in the National Library of Medicine, run by the NIH. In Saudi Arabia, the rates of cousin marriage are estimated to be a high as 58 percent.

    The data is shocking in part because the age-old stereotype, shared by many liberal White people in the West, is that American southern Whites are the ones who are “inbred,” but this is actually a distorted stereotype countered by hard data. Not only is cousin marriage illegal in many southern states, but the practice is not widespread even where it is still legal. An estimated 0.2 percent of all marriages in the U.S. are between second cousins or closer, showing that Hollywood and liberal stereotypes, once again, are completely divorced from reality…..”

    “…..While her words may appear crude, the perils of inbreeding after centuries of the practice in the Middle East have been known for decades, to the point that many North African and Middle Eastern countries are actively warning against the deeply rooted tradition.

    A report from the New York Times details the risks prevalent in Saudi Arabia, which has seen a number of recessive genetic disorders increasingly presenting medical problems amongst the general population.

    The Times report details the devastating health consequences, especially when so many inbred people are having many children, and many of those children are born with disorders: “The couple had two healthy boys, now 22 and 20, but their third child, a girl, was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a crippling and usually fatal disease that was carried in the genes of both parents. Their fourth, sixth and seventh children were also born with the disorder.

    Spinal muscular atrophy and the gene that causes it, along with several other serious genetic disorders, are common in Saudi Arabia, where women have an average of six children and where in some regions more than half of the marriages are between close relatives. 

    Across the Arab world today an average of 45 percent of married couples are related, according to Dr. Nadia Sakati, a pediatrician and senior consultant for the genetics research center at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh.

    In some parts of Saudi Arabia, particularly in the south, where Mrs. Hefthi was raised, the rate of marriage among blood relatives ranges from 55 to 70 percent, among the highest rates in the world, according to the Saudi government.”

    Europe, on the other hand, has already faced strict prohibitions against marriage to close family members for centuries, in large part due to prohibitions issued by the Catholic Church, which banned cousin marriage. The ban was issued in 1091, nearly a thousand years ago, in the Code of Canon Law, which was used to reduce nepotism and family-based clan alliances within Europe…..”

    https://rmx.news/article/french-activist-mila-prosecuted-for-racist-insult-for-saying-many-north-africans-are-inbred-with-quite-ugly-faces-and-very-small-foreheads/

    Liked by 1 person

  31. just got off the phone with Mom. She sounds a little better but my brother was supposed to come in last evening and bring her some otc stuff for her cough and stuffy head. they never came. (she’d have to see the doctor there for the center to be able to give her something and that would cost $$.

    BUT brother was supposed to come in Friday, (thursday they go out to eat), then Saturday, then yesterday and Mom is still waiting for something to take. SMH

    Liked by 1 person

    1. What a self-centered ass!!! That’s terrible! I just got off the phone with my Mom. I thought of her when I saw that Food Stamps would not go out on the 1st – she depends on them. But Norfolk thinks they have enough to carry over. I told her if she doesn’t get them, I’ll help her out. She also asked me to come down for Thanksgiving – as long as the roads are clear w/o snow or ice…..I told her I’d bring the sweet potatoes, my specialty.

      She’s 94 and still going strong, always baking something and getting ready to start her Christmas baking. She makes something special for each of us, according to our tastes. I always get banana nut bread, my one brother, Jeff in KY gets divinity, altho he has developed diabetes so she’s going to try the artificial sugar – it remains to be seen if it will set up properly. Jerry in NC gets cookies and candy. IDK what she makes for David but she has to do it early since she sends it in the mail.

      Like

  33. last time i was at walmart, i bought 3 decent zucchini–not big by any stretch of the imagination–but bigger than the ones they’d been having. Those looked like ridiculously long dill pickles. these were thicker and I got them peeled and grated and in the freezer. Hope they have more this week!

    Liked by 1 person

  34. 🌀 Melissa Becomes a Category 5 Hurricane Near Jamaica

    Forty. Inches. Of. Rain.
    That’s more than the shallow end of your pool. Jesus. This thing’s crawling toward Jamaica like a snail dragging a tsunami. Someone cue the ark music…

    👟 Nike Unveils ‘Powered Footwear’ — Like an E-Bike for Your Feet

    Introducing Project Amplify. It’s a robotic ankle brace that “boosts” your walking speed. Because what’s better than spraining your ankle at 20 km/h?

    https://www.theverge.com/news/805664/nike-powered-show-project-amplify

    🌎 Arizona Desert Is Cracking Open

    Massive fissures are splitting open the desert floor — deep, growing, unexplained. New rivers may soon emerge from below…

    https://strangesounds.org/2019/08/arizona-giant-cracks-unexplained-ground-fissures-swallow-earth-arizona-videos.html

    Liked by 1 person

  35. Engraved and gold inlaid North American Big Game Special Smith & Wesson .357 magnum double action revolver

    Amy Brier’s limestone carvings. Cool, but Amy has too much time on her hands.

    Liked by 1 person

  36. “About the best re-do of an old Studebaker I’ve seen”

    “Hunny + Big Black Bear. Look how broad the top of that bear’s head is.”

    Wing Flex

    Liked by 1 person

  37. “He’s fallen in love and just walked home the girl of his dreams. Now, there’s nothing left for him to do but walk the rainy streets of Los Angeles, and do a time-step or two. Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor starred in what many consider to be one of the greatest musicals of all time, Singin’ in the Rain. 

    Released in 1952, it has stood the test of time and is celebrated for its elaborate sets, incredibly staged musical productions, and satirical depiction of show business. Kelly not only starred in the film, but he also co-directed with Stanley Donen and choreographed alongside assistant choreographer, Carol Haney. This massive undertaking provided a challenge Kelly couldn’t have foreseen heading into the film’s most iconic dance number.

    When the musical Singin’ in the Rain is brought up, most people’s first thoughts are of the titular song, which Kelly performs after falling in love with rising starlet, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). Singin’ in the Rain is an ode to the silent picture era in Hollywood.”

    Liked by 1 person

  38. “In another example of the Trump effect, money transfer giant Western Union is reporting that its revenue from cash transfers to locations outside the U.S. has seen a 12 percent decline this year.

    Migrants living in the U.S. both legally and illegally have traditionally been the greatest source of U.S. dollars flowing out of America and into foreign nations, even dwarfing the amount of foreign aid lavished on the world by the U.S. government. But with Donald Trump’s focus on immigration, Western Union is seeing far fewer customers needing their services. Last week, Western Union CEO Devin McGranahan told investors that the company had seen a huge decline in cash transfers to Mexico, El Salvador, Peru, and Ecuador.”

    Liked by 1 person

  39. “The US military produced an estimated 1.5 million Purple Hearts during World War II, with a significant portion — around half a million — reserved for the anticipated casualties of the invasion, code-named Operation Downfall. The war ended before the invasion took place, and a large surplus of medals was left over. 

    Anticipated casualties: American military planners anticipated the invasion of Japan would be a costly and bloody conflict, leading to a massive number of potential casualties.

    Large-scale production: In preparation for this, the military ordered an unprecedented number of Purple Heart medals, with production peaking in 1945.

    Operation Downfall: The planned invasion, the largest amphibious assault in history, was divided into two phases: “Olympic” and “Coronet.”

    Overstock: The war ended in August 1945 before the invasion could be launched, leaving a massive surplus of approximately 500,000 Purple Heart medals.

    Continued use: These surplus medals were used to award service members for wounds and deaths in subsequent conflicts, and some are still in stock decades after World War II – and still being issued to this day.” 

    Liked by 1 person

  41. The Daily Signal: President Donald Trump named two members of his Cabinet as an unbeatable duo in the 2028 presidential election. When asked by a reporter on Air Force One Monday morning if he would run in 2028, Trump said, “We have great people.”

    “One of them is standing right here,” he said, referring to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We have JD [Vance], obviously. The Vice President is great. Marco is great, I think. I’m not sure if anybody would run against those. I think if they ever formed a group, it would be unstoppable.”

    Trump said he “hasn’t really thought about” running again. “We have some really good people,” he said.

    The remarks came amid claims from MAGA podcaster and former Trump strategist Steve Bannon that “there is a plan” for Trump to run for a third term. (Even though the 22nd Amendment blocks a president from running for a third term.)

    “I would love to do it—I have the best numbers ever,” Trump said in response to Bannon. But the president ruled out the idea of running as Vance’s vice president. “You’d be allowed to do that, but I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “I think it’s too cute.”

    Liked by 1 person

  42. National Pulse: “The East Wing of the White House has been demolished to create space for a grand ballroom to host state functions, with the resulting debris—including soil and various materials—hauled off to multiple sites across Washington, D.C., and its environs. Reports indicate the dirt has been dumped at East Potomac Park, close to the Jefferson Memorial.

    Trucks hauling construction materials have been observed pulling into the East Potomac Golf Links, where they unload the dirt at a fenced-off zone. An employee told reporter Nancy Walecky that “they’re gonna turn it into another hole.” President Trump is reportedly eyeing a rebrand and overhaul of the East Potomac Golf Links as the Washington National Golf Course.

    Notably, the East Wing is not part of the iconic White House Executive Residence, but a fairly unremarkable outbuilding, dating in its current form to the 1940s, when it was rebuilt to hide the parallel construction of a bunker for the late President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

    Nevertheless, the Democrats have exploited the East Wing’s replacement to smear President Donald J. Trump—who is funding the new ballroom at his own expense alongside private donors—as destroying America’s heritage, and exaggerated the building’s historical importance, at one point mistakenly sharing a picture of the East Wing of Buckingham Palace in London, England, in a social media post bemoaning the demolition.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. This is ridiculous! IMO, foreigners should NOT be allowed to buy property in the US, whether business OR personal!!! US citizenship should be required and IMO, they should outlaw dual citizenship!!!

      Liked by 1 person

  44. Just The News: “The stock market on Monday closed at record highs, one day after the Trump administration announced that the United States and China have agreed to a “substantial framework” in trade talks.

    The framework comes as Chinese leader Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump are set to meet in South Korea on Thursday.

    The S&P 500 climbed 1.23% to 6,875.16, marking the first time it’s ever closed above 6,800 points, according to CNBC. The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.86% to 23,637.46, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 337.47 points to 47,544.59. 

    “I think we’ve reached a substantial framework for the two leaders who will meet in Korea next Thursday,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told ABC News from the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. “The president had given me maximum leverage when he threatened 100% tariffs if the Chinese imposed their rare earth global export controls, so I think we have averted that.”

    Bessent also said there is a potential deal on U.S. soybeans after China stopped purchasing them amid the ongoing trade war. China is the largest purchaser of U.S. soybeans, buying more than 50% of American exports in 2023 and 2024, according to the American Soybean Association.

    “I believe, when the announcement of the deal with China is made public, that our soybean farmers will feel very good about what’s going on, both for this season and the coming seasons, for several years,” Bessent said.”

    Liked by 1 person

  45. Fox just showed a chart of states’ food stamp participation – NE is one of the lowest, while PA is one notch down from the highest, as is NY and WV.

    Liked by 1 person

  46. Just The News: “Spanish police seized 6.5 tons of cocaine from a boat off the Canary Islands, which are near Africa, and arrested nine people after a U.S. tip-off.

    The police announced on Sunday that the boat, which was flying a Tanzanian flag and had departed from Panama en route to Vigo, Spain, was intercepted 600 miles off the Canary Islands on Wednesday, CBS News reported. The narcotics were hidden in the hold of the boat, which had unusual structures on board that concealed the narcotics, police said.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration provided key “information” that aided the successful operation, according to Spanish police. Spain is a main gateway for cocaine to enter Europe, because of its ties with Latin America, where the drug is produced, and its location on the European continent.”

    Liked by 1 person

  47. EXCERPT: “Reporting highlights

    • Hidden drug names: For decades, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has blacked out the names of generic drugs on inspection reports for foreign factories that were found to have safety and quality violations.
    • Patients in the dark: The practice has prevented patients, doctors and pharmacists from knowing whether manufacturing failures have made medications ineffective or unsafe.
    • Pill bottle mysteries: Consumers are limited in what they can learn about the quality of their drugs because labels on pill bottles often don’t list the manufacturer or the factory’s address.

    They were the sort of disturbing discoveries that anyone taking generic medication would want to know.

    At one Indian factory manufacturing drugs for the U.S., pigeons infested a storage room and defecated on boxes of sterilized equipment. At another, pathogens contaminated purified water used to produce drugs. At a third, stagnant urine pooled on a bathroom floor not far from where injectable medication was made.

    But when the FDA released the grim inspection reports and hundreds of others like them, the agency made a decision that undermined its mission to protect Americans from dangerous drugs. Instead of sharing the names of the medications coming from the errant foreign factories, the FDA routinely blacked them out, keeping the information secret from the public.

    That decision prevented doctors, pharmacists and patients from knowing whether the drugs they counted on were tainted by manufacturing failures — and potentially ineffective or unsafe.

    “Is there some quality issue? Is there a greater difference in potency than expected? Is there a contaminant? I don’t know,” said Dr. Donna Kirchoff, a pediatrician in Oregon who has spent hours trying to find out where certain drugs were made for patients reporting unexplained reactions.

    There’s no specific requirement that the FDA block out drug names on inspection reports about foreign facilities. Still, the agency preemptively kept that information hidden, invoking a cautious interpretation of a law that requires the government to protect trade secrets.

    It’s part of a decades-long pattern of discounting the interests of consumers who want to make informed choices about the drugs they take — even as 9 out of 10 prescriptions in the U.S. are filled with generics, many from India and China…..”

    https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/fda-hides-generic-drug-manufacturing-failures-public-safety/

    Liked by 1 person

Comments are closed.