samhexum

A new paper published in the journal Ecology has found that octopuses punch fish — sometimes to ensure collaborative hunting, and sometimes just ’cause. “OCTOPUSES. PUNCH. FISHES!!” study co-author Eduardo Sampaio excitedly tweeted of his research’s publication. “This was probably the most fun I had writing a paper. Ever!” Octopuses and fish are known to hunt together, each benefiting from the other’s strengths — except when the tentacled ocean thugs decide to randomly pop their collaborators right in the scales. An octopus punch looks like “a swift, explosive motion with one arm directed at a specific fish partner,” the paper describes — an act which costs octopuses little of their zeal. “[Actively] punching a fish partner entails a small energetic cost for the actor (i.e. octopus),” the authors explain. Researchers recorded eight octopus-on-fish fight videos between 2018 and 2019 in the Red Sea involving a diversity of victims, including squirrelfish, blacktip, lyretail, groupers, yellow-saddle and goatfishes. While six of the fisticuff outbreaks could be linked to obvious octopus motives — including the wholesome desire to “ensure collaboration” — two appear to be wanton acts of fish violence. The researchers do not fully understand why octopuses sometimes have violent, purposeless episodes but believe it could simply be “spiteful behavior” or a form of “punishment.” How hurt the fish are by such outbursts — physically and emotionally — are also currently beyond the knowledge of science. “We’ve never seen permanent marks or anything like that from getting punched, but can’t say for sure if fish are hurt or not. It’s clear they don’t like it!” Sampaio tweeted. In addition to experiencing apparently unnecessary spurts of aggression, octopuses are also similar to humans in giving hugs, dreaming, being negatively impacted by climate change and preferring feely-touchy group hangs to chilling alone with a Chewbacca action figure when dosed with molly.

Rebecca Luker, the Tony-nominated star of Broadway musicals such as “Show Boat” and “Mary Poppins,” died Wednesday at age 59. Her agent confirmed to the New York Times that the actress lost her yearlong battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Luker, who was born in Birmingham, Alabama, was a mainstay of New York theater for more than 30 years, and her first Broadway show was “The Phantom of the Opera” in 1988. While she was a member of the original ensemble at the Majestic Theatre — playing the Princess in the “Hannibal” ballet — Luker eventually went on to sing “Think of Me” as the leading lady, Christine Daaé. In the ’90s and aughts, Luker was the first choice for iconic roles on Broadway: Maria in “The Sound of Music,” Marian Paroo in “The Music Man” and Magnolia in “Show Boat.” As Marian, said Post critic Clive Barnes, Luker was “entrancing” and “matched up with the original, Barbara Cook.” Luker was nominated for three Tonys in her career, for “Show Boat,” “The Music Man” and “Mary Poppins,” in which she played Winifred Banks. Despite her worsening health in recent months, Luker still determinedly performed three songs this summer in an online concert benefiting ALS research. “[For] the final song, I wanted to do some kind of tribute to New York City, which is such a great city and has sort of shown their mettle these last three months, and it’s an amazing place,” Luker, who has two stepsons with her husband, Broadway actor Danny Burstein, told BroadwayWorld.com. “It’s called ‘Greenwich Time’ and it’s my favorite song about New York and it was written by Sam Davis and Randy Buck. It was hard to sing, but it was fun anyway.”

Washington Football Team quarterback Dwayne Haskins was stripped of his captaincy and fined $40,000 by the team for violating COVID-19 protocol when he partied with strippers without a mask this past weekend, according to multiple reports. This is the largest known fine for a player’s COVID-19 violation, equaling more than half of Haskins’ weekly paycheck, according to NFL Network. Haskins, 23, told reporters Wednesday he was not at a strip club, but rather a private birthday party for his girlfriend. ESPN reported Haskins hired strippers for a party in a hotel suite. He did admit, however, that he “deserved” his punishment for putting the team at risk by not wearing a mask at a large gathering. He said he’s thus far tested negative for COVID-19. Haskins, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, was caught partying maskless following Sunday’s 23-15 loss to the Seahawks, counting as the second time Haskins has violated the league’s coronavirus protocol. Earlier in the season, he made reservations for a family member to stay at the team hotel the night before a road game against the Giants. With the team still waiting for clarity on quarterback Alex Smith’s calf injury, Washington might have to stick with Haskins. He participated in practice Wednesday and with no suspensions as part of his recent punishment, head coach Ron Rivera — who informed Haskins on Monday he’d no longer be a captain — said Haskins would start if Smith can’t play.

DEAR ABBY: A friend of mine has recently discovered that her husband of 40-plus years has been hiding a decades-long porn addiction. The discovery has caused a problem in their marriage. They have had counseling. He says he wants to save their marriage and has vowed to give up the porn. I was told he told his wife that if she decides to divorce him, he will tell the entire family and their children that SHE was the one addicted to porn, and it is the reason he's divorcing her. My question is, what kind of person would treat his wife this way and think this is an appropriate way to save the marriage? -- TWISTED IN KENTUCKY DEAR TWISTED: Unfortunately, the husband has a problem greater than his porn addiction. It's his lack of character and honesty. His threat is not only inappropriate, but also a valid reason to end the marriage. P.S. I can't imagine why her family would buy that lie. NOSY BITCH: Give the guy a break. He just suffered a devastating trauma. Haven't you heard about Pornhub?

Allison Janney isn’t afraid to mix glam and gritty — who else would show up to an episode of the Property Brothers’ Celebrity I.O.U. in a ballgown and construction boots? The West Wing actress is the latest star to join Drew and Jonathan Scott on their HGTV spinoff show that features celebrities gifting home renovations as a way to give back to people who’ve helped them along the way. While plenty of big names have stopped by the home improvement show in the past, including Brad Pitt and Zooey Deschanel, Janney’s appearance is stirring up renewed appreciation for the actress on Twitter, where some are even calling her a “national treasure” after seeing a clip of her Celebrity I.O.U. cameo. And who could blame them? Janney takes Drew and Jonathan by surprise with an entrance fit for the movie star she is, strolling in wearing a backless gown accessorized by the finest safety equipment and asking the brothers, “Read to bust up some shit?” Picking up a sledgehammer like she’s an old pro, Janney tells them, “I do my best work when I’m dressed to the nines.” Janney then puts her skills to use, smashing down a cabinet door and making sure to “work the angles” while she’s at it. “I’m calling on the federal government to seize The Property Brothers’ show and give it to Allison Janney,” one twitter user wrote. Another added, “Allison Janney really said ‘oh, you thought you were DONE being in love with me after you finished West Wing?????'”

NORMAN, IS THAT YOU? That’s Psycho. An on-duty Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy allegedly had sex with a woman near the Bates Motel section of the Universal Studios lot — and accidentally left his microphone on for a dispatcher to hear a blow-by-blow of the sleazy romp. TMZ obtained a clip of the X-rated encounter between the unnamed deputy and a woman near the section of the lot in Universal City devoted to the Alfred Hitchcock classic. “Oh,” the giggling woman moans at one point. “Oh, my goodness!” A female dispatcher then alerts the deputy that he had an “open mic” as the woman continues to moan and breathe heavily. “95 Ocean, you have an open mic,” the dispatcher implores the deputy to no avail as the woman continues to moan on the clip. “95 Ocean, you have an open mic — take care of mic.” The woman then quiets down as the minute-long clip ends. The deputy does not respond to the dispatcher on the portion obtained by the TMZ — and it’s unclear whether he was inside his patrol cruiser or was outside the vehicle nearby. The deputy — who has not been publicly identified — has been removed from duty as an internal investigation unfolds, department officials said. “The deputy was immediately relieved of duty and an administrative investigation has been opened,” sheriff’s officials told The Post in a statement early Wednesday. “The deputy’s peace officer powers have been suspended and proper administrative action will be taken, based on the outcome of the investigation.” A sheriff’s department spokesman declined to release additional information when reached for comment, including how long the deputy has been employed by the department.

What about your huge ego? ???:eek::rolleyes:

Which leads to the all-important question: Did you get any coupons or free food?

If they're well-hung with good personalities, maybe.

Every time I see your avatar, I want to call you LaRonda, because that's who Peter speaks to on the phone when he has those nails. It always makes me chuckle.

When I was in college and living with my aunt, that poster was on my wall. I never told her I was gay, but she may have figured it out. I found another one in a candy store in the Bronx after he died. I wound up selling both copies online. A friend of mine works as a camera man for CNN. They interviewed my late hubby before COVER UP started. My friend tried to reach me to tell me about it, but this was before cell phones & texting/email, so I had to settle for a bootleg unedited copy of the interview footage. I sold a few copies of it online, and still have a copy of it, in lousy condition.

No, it's just foreplay.

http://synd.imgsrv.uclick.com/comics/cl/2020/cl201223.gif

And if the guy has a fetish, maybe he'll pay you to let him do it.

DAMN! I thought you were going to regale us with tales of your hot sexual encounters with Judy Carne. BUMMER! ?

For a brief moment I thought this thread was about me, then I realized I'd misread the title as Smoking pot? Well, I guess the actual title refers to me, too. ? ? ? ?

Charges upped to capital murder for veteran who shot 11-year-old boy in Alabama turkey-hunting accident A grand jury has upgraded charges against an Alabama veteran and former middle school teacher whose bullet fatally pierced an 11-year-old boy last May during a turkey hunt. Joshua Stewart Burks, 36, of Mobile, ,had initially been charged with reckless manslaughter, but the charge was upgraded to capital murder of a person under the age of 14 in the death of Troy Ellis. Burks was rearrested and posted $60,000 bond for his release on Friday, WPMI said. He had been out on $15,000 bond from the earlier charge, Al.com reported. The Cahaba Elementary School fifth grader died on May 1 in the shooting, and his father, high school football coach Obed Ellis, was wounded. The two were with Burks, who had served in the Marines, and another man during an event put on by a group, America’s Heroes Enjoying Recreation Outdoors, that organizes hunts for wounded veterans like Burks, who had never before hunted. The shooting occurred at around 9:30 a.m., Al.com reported at the time. A lawsuit filed by the family against Burks, the group and hunting guide Kyle Eugene Henley had alleged that Burks had taken numerous pain pills the night before the hunt, Al.com reported. This rendered him “likely not capable of safely handling a firearm, and [he] certainly was not capable of making appropriate decisions with regard to handling a weapon,” said the suit, which was settled in October, according to Al.com. “We are disappointed the grand jury saw the case differently than the magistrate and the district attorney’s office that originally charged the case as manslaughter,” Tommy Spina, Burks' attorney, told Al.com about the new charges. “The events that occurred that day were devastating on many levels, and our sympathies are with the family of the young man that lost his life in what we believe was a tragic hunting accident.” Alabama poultry worker dies after coworker shoots at chickens A man was shot and killed at a southern Alabama chicken house on Sunday after one of his coworkers fired at stray birds, according to a local report. The Covington County Sheriff’s Department identified the victim as Robin Early Phillips the Alabama Media Group reported. Phillips, 51, was working to remove dead chickens beneath the poultry house’s subfloor at the time of the shooting, the news outlet reported. No charges were filed, according to the Alabama Media Group.

Was it William M's, Marylander1940's, or one of the other fossils members of a certain age around here? ?? A mummified baby wolf is drawing oohs and aahs from researchers. The nearly perfectly intact creature, believed to be a staggering 57,000 years old, was discovered by a gold prospector in the Yukon Territory, noted the Dec. 21 issue of Current Biology. The animal was named Zhur, meaning “wolf” in the indigenous Hän language. “She’s the most complete wolf mummy that has ever been found,” explained Julie Meachen, a paleontology professor at Des Moines University. “The animal has to die in a permafrost location, where the ground is frozen all the time, and they have to get buried very quickly, like any other fossilization process.” Based on a detailed forensic analysis, Zhur was approximately 7 weeks old at the time of her death. Since modern wolves in the area often bear cubs in early summer, the pup likely died in late July. During Zhur’s brief lifespan in the later stages of the Pleistocene epoch, which was marked by a lengthy ice age, sea levels were markedly lower than today. A region of dry land connected Canada to Siberia which allowed animals to roam between continents, according to Current Biology. Zhur’s breed is the likely ancestor of nearly every wolf species, with the probable exception of the Himalayan wolf, noted Ars Technica. That conclusion was reached by Meachen and her team which noted that Zhur wasn’t a direct ancestor of present-day Klondike wolves. At some point during the past 56,000 years, the Klondike wolf population either died out or abandoned the area and was replaced by a species less closely related to Zhur. Another remarkable discovery of the specimen was that the baby wolf seemingly enjoyed a fish-rich diet. Modern wolf puppies start eating solid foods near the 6-week-old mark. It is believed that Zhur’s mother had probably weaned her pups from milk and started bringing them solid food. “Normally, when you think of wolves in the Ice Age, you think of them eating bison or musk oxen or other large animals on land,” explained Meachen. “One thing that surprised us was that she was eating aquatic resources, particularly salmon.”