Ladybug and duckling

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Frog Applause

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Friend of Jack

In the US, the coral snake and the milk snake (or one of its mimics) are easily distinguishable by examining the color pattern. A nursery rhyme helps one determine which snake is venomous and which snake is not. 

"RED TOUCHES YELLOW; KILL A FELLOW. 

 RED TOUCHES BLACK; FRIEND OF JACK."

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137 Coins, Greece via Rome to Gaul (4th to 1st Century BCE)

 

https://vimeo.com/416983729/1e706add64?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Filmmaker: Philip Macedon. 7 minute continuous loop, (c) 2020

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Birdie...

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Everyday people...

 

 

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Minor Planet Center

The Minor Planet Center (MPC) is the official body for observing and reporting on minor planets under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Founded in 1947, it operates at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

The MPC runs a number of free online services for observers to assist them in observing minor planets and comets. The complete catalogue of minor planet orbits (sometimes referred to as the "Minor Planet Catalogue") may also be freely downloaded. In addition to astrometric data, the MPC collects light curve photometry of minor planets. A key function of the MPC is helping observers coordinate follow up observations of possible near-Earth objects (NEOs) via its NEO web form and blog. The MPC is also responsible for identifying, and alerting to, new NEOs with a risk of impacting Earth in the few weeks following their discovery.

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26858 Misterrogers

26858 Misterrogers, provisional designation 1993 FR, is a stony asteroid and sizable Mars-crosser on an eccentric orbit from the asteroid belt, approximately 5.1 miles (8.2 kilometers) in diameter. It was discovered on March 21, 1993, by American astronomer Eleanor Helin at the Palomar Observatory in California. The likely S-type asteroid has a rotation period of 8.0 hours. It was named after children's television host Fred Rogers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/26858_Misterrogers

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All mine...

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Meet our tufted competitors...

 Our tufted mat are the best tufted mat key product around! 

The sun rose in our project area before the sun rose in their project area, so that makes our project area a better place for the sun to be rosed!

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Claws

 

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We're experiencing a heat wave where I live...

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How to remove a tick / Tick diseases

The proper steps for removing a tick, according to the CDC:

Using a pair of fine-tipped tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. 

Pull straight up with steady, even pressure. "Press down on the skin on either side of the tick so that the skin doesn’t pull up when you pull the tick off. This lessens any pinching sensation you may feel."

Thoroughly clean the bite (and your hands) with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.

The CDC discourages "folklore remedies" like nail polish, petroleum jelly (Vaseline), and heat that lift the tick away from the skin, since they rely on waiting for a tick to detach, which takes longer. "Anything that delays removing a tick is a bad idea," says Robert B. Kimsey, Ph.D, an entomologist with the University of California, Davis specializing in ticks.

"Suffocating a tick is not very effective," Dr. Kardos says. "Covering a tick with petroleum jelly or nail polish may even cause the tick to become slippery and more difficult to grasp. And don't try to burn a tick off — you’ll just burn your child’s skin."

What happens if you don't remove a tick?
Some species of ticks in certain parts of the country can transmit illnesses like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), and southern-tick associated rash illness (STARI), the CDC states. While not every tick carries pathogens, waiting too long to remove a tick can increase the likelihood of transmission.

"In general, it takes anywhere from a day and half to two days or so for a tick that's attached to you to transmit any pathogens it may have," Dr. Kimsey says. "Once that tick attaches to you, that sets a timer and you're best off getting it off just as quickly as you can."

How do you get a tick to let go?
The short answer: You can't. "Ticks, as an initial process of feeding on you, actually glue themselves in place," Dr. Kimsey explains. "The hard ticks that people are most concerned about can’t back out of their own volition."

So not only is it a bad idea to wait to grab peppermint oil, dish soap, Vaseline, or whatever fix the internet is currently prescribing for tick bites, but these home "remedies" may also not work the way you believe they do.

What happens if you squeeze a tick?
Those worries about whether squeezing a tick may cause it to regurgitate more pathogens into the bite may be misguided.

The redness and swelling you may see a few hours after a tick bite isn't necessarily a cause for concern, though. It shows that your body is recognizing the foreign proteins in the tick saliva and using an immune response to flush them out, just like with a mosquito bite. "In reality, that initial reaction to the tick saliva occurs long before any pathogens get transmitted," Dr. Kimsey says. "It’s just your immune system doing its job."

Tick Diseases

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria (Borrelia burgdorferi). Deer ticks need to be attached from 24-48 hours to transmit this disease. Initial symptoms usually begin 3 to 30 days after a person is bitten by an infected deer tick and may include an expanding rash at the site of the bite and/or flu-like symptoms. If left untreated, the bacteria can spread to almost any site in the body and can cause arthritis, neurologic difficulties, and/or heart problems. Cases of Lyme disease occur throughout Massachusetts. This is the most common tick transmitted disease in Massachusetts. Over the last decade, the number of cases has averaged over 3,000.

Anaplasmosis is caused by bacteria (Anaplasma phagocytophilum) that affect certain white blood cells called granulocytes. Deer ticks need to be attached from 12-24 hours to transmit this disease. Symptoms typically appear suddenly 7 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected deer tick and can include fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, sweating, nausea, and vomiting. Because symptoms may become life-threatening, immediate treatment is necessary. The elderly, people with diabetes or collagen vascular disease, and people without a healthy immune system are more likely to develop serious symptoms. In Massachusetts, cases occur most frequently on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and in Berkshire County. The state has tracked this disease since 2008 when there were 41 confirmed cases. The number of human infections in Massachusetts has steadily risen to 677 in 2015.

Babesiosis is caused by a parasite that affects red blood cells. The two most common parasites in humans are Babesia microti and Babesia divergens. Most people who are infected will show no or only very mild signs of illness. Symptoms, when they do occur, begin gradually about 1 to 6 weeks after being bitten by an infected deer tick and can include fever, chills, headache, achy joints and muscles, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dark urine. The elderly and people without a healthy spleen or immune system are more likely to develop serious symptoms. In Massachusetts, cases occur most frequently on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. The state has tracked this disease since 2008 when there were 51 confirmed cases. The number of human infections steadily rose to 535 in 2014. There were 414 cases in Massachusetts in 2015.

Ehrlichiosis is a bacterial disease (Ehrlichia chaffeensis) that causes fever, headache, muscle aches and pain, anorexia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and confusion. Symptoms occur 1-2 weeks after being bitten. Illness may be severe with rare fatalities. Transmitted by the lone star tick which has only been found in southeastern Massachusetts. Recently reported in Massachusetts. There were 20 cases in 2014 and 7 in 2015.

Powassan virus/deer tick virus are two closely related viruses spread by two different ticks. Powassan virus is spread by woodchuck ticks and deer tick virus is spread by deer ticks. Some evidence shows that ticks only need to be attached for 15 minutes to transmit these viruses. Symptoms of these diseases can include but are not limited to fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties, and memory loss. About 10% of infections result in death. People that initially recover from these viruses may experience long term neurological problems. Although rare, these viruses are likely found throughout Massachussetts because their vectors are widespread. From 2013-2015 there have been 5 confirmed and 2 probable cases in the state.

Borrelia miyamotoi is a bacterial disease first identified in Japan in 1995. Onset of disease and symptoms are similar to lyme disease with which it is closely related. However, unlike lyme disease, no rash is associated with Borrelia miyamotoi. Deer ticks, which are common throughout Massachusetts, spread this disease. First reported in New England in 2001. There is evidence to suggest that at least 5% of lyme disease cases are actually Borrelia miyamotoi.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a rare bacterial disease (Rickettsia rickettsii) that usually presents as a high fever with severe headache and fatigue 3 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected dog tick. A rash that spreads to the palms of the hands and soles of the feet often appears 3 to 5 days after the fever begins. In Massachusetts, cases occur most frequently in the southeastern part of the state, on Cape Cod, and on Martha’s Vineyard.

Tularemia is caused by bacteria (Francisella tularensis) that can be spread to people in a number of ways, including through the bite of an infected dog tick. Symptoms vary depending on the way the germs are transmitted and usually begin between 3 to 5 days after an exposure, although it can take as long as 21 days. People infected by a tick bite typically have a slow healing skin sore (ulcer) and swollen glands (lymph nodes). In Massachusetts, cases occur most frequently on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket.

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Mechanitis polymnia chrysalis

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanitis

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Seeing is not always believing

And they're season tickets, too!

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A Victorian-era acquaintance card

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Names of (Old) Golf Clubs

• Play Club (grass club, long club): The historical equivalent of the driver. Golfers used the "play club" to "play away" from the teeing ground.
• Brassie: The closest equivalent in use to modern 2- or 3-woods. It had that name because of a brass plate on the sole.
• Wooden Cleek: Used in the manner of a modern 4-wood.
• Spoon: Used as one would use a modern 5-wood. When spoons first appeared (going back to the 18th century, perhaps earlier), some had concave faces. Shaped like a spoon, in other words, giving them their name.
• Baffie (baffing spoon): Equivalent to a higher-lofted wood (such as a 7-wood) or even a hybrid. In fact, some modern golf manufacturers have used the "baffie" name on hybrid clubs. It's sometimes spelled "baffy."

The preceding clubs all had wood clubheads; the following antique clubs had iron clubheads.

• Cleek (driving iron): With blade-like iron heads, it is most closely associated to modern 1-irons and 2-irons in use. Could also be used for putting, but see the last club listed below.
• Mid Iron: Equivalent in use to a modern 2-iron.
• Mid Mashie: Used in a manner of a modern 3-iron, and occupying that space in the golfer's bag. One of the several lower-lofted irons.
• Mashie Iron: Used like a 4-iron.
• Mashie: One of the better-known of the old golf club names, the mashie most closely resembled today's 5-iron in its function.
• Spade Mashie: Equivalent in use to a 6-iron.
• Mashie Niblick: Had the role of the 7-iron among antique golf clubs.
• Pitching Niblick (lofting iron): Comparable to an 8-iron in use.
• Niblick: Along with the mashie (and mashie-niblick), the best-known among the old clubs because of its distinctive name. It was a higher-lofted iron such as a modern 9-iron. Some golf manufacturers still break out the "niblick" name for wedges and chippers, when they want to try to capitalize on club nostalgia.
• Jigger: You can think of the jigger as an old name for what today we call a chipper. The jigger typically had a short shaft but not a lot of loft, and golfers used it for chip shots and other short shots around the green that did not require high loft.
• Putting Cleek: Used for — you guessed it — putting. It had a narrow, flat or very low-lofted club face, shaped more like a long iron blade than like modern putter faces.

Some of the Replacements of Antique Clubs are Themselves Now Obsolete 

Golf clubs keep developing. Hybrids, for example, are (comparatively) recent developments in the history of golf equipment.

So some of the modern, numbered golf clubs that replaced the named, antique clubs are, themselves, now obsolete, or at least headed that way.

The 1-iron is virtually gone from golf, and 2-woods are rare. The 2-iron is sometimes used by the best golfers, but almost never seen in the bags of recreational golfers (nor offered for sale by that many golf manufacturers anymore).

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This blog post inspired by the much-loved Woffington.

Pulitzer Board

NCS RESPONSE TO PULITZER BOARD DISSOLVING EDITORIAL CARTOONING DIVISION

JUNE 10, 2022

Since 1946, the National Cartoonists Society has existed to advance the ideals and standards of professional cartooning in its many forms. To this end, the NCS board of directors hopes you will consider the following request.

As an organization representing cartoonists, we are deeply concerned about the decision to retire the “Editorial Cartooning” category for the Pulitzer prizes. We appreciate that the Pulitzers are expanding the types of cartooning and art that are award-worthy. We have done the same with our own awards. However, just as “News Photography” and “Feature Photography” are different, “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary” and “Editorial Cartooning” are two distinct genres of work and should be separate categories.

We ask that the Pulitzer Board officially retain “Editorial Cartooning” as its own category in addition to recognizing the category of “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary.” 

The skillset of each form of cartooning is distinct: illustrated stories select a topic and are produced over an extended period of time, requiring a level of cohesion, research, and development unique to this craft. 

Editorial cartooning demands an immediate interpretation and reaction to events in real-time, necessitating an ongoing awareness of complex and often unpredictable contexts. At a time when news cycles are smaller and smaller, this skill has become even more crucial.

Combining editorial cartooning and illustrated reportage together into one category does a disservice to both genres. To us, the situation is like having a sprinter and a long-distance runner competing for a single gold medal because they’re both track and field athletes.

We do not want to undermine the importance and skill of graphic reporting, comics journalism, or long-form reportage, nor take anything away from that category’s deserving winners and nominees. Additionally, we are not suggesting that you remove the category of “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary”; We ask that a category for “Illustrated Reporting and Commentary” exists alongside a separate category for “Editorial Cartooning.” We believe both skillsets deserve to be recognized. 

The NCS urges the Pulitzer board to adopt this change or consider opening the discussion with us to explore further.

 

The Board of Directors
National Cartoonists Society (Est 1946)

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Unusual deaths

Unusual deaths

Gregory Biggs

A homeless man in Fort Worth, Texas, was struck by a car being driven by Chante Jawan Mallard, who had been drinking and taking drugs that night. Biggs's torso became lodged in Mallard's windshield with severe but not immediately fatal injuries. Mallard drove home and left the car in her garage with Biggs still lodged in her car's windshield. She repeatedly visited Biggs and even apologized for hitting him.

Biggs passed several hours later. Chante Mallard was tried and convicted of slaying Biggs and received a 50-year prison sentence. The film Stuck is loosely based on this incident.

Bizarre deaths of the 21st century

Twenty-one people were killed and 150 injured in the Great Molasses Flood, when a large tank of molasses burst in Boston's North End.

List of unusual deaths

1982: David Grundman was killed near Lake Pleasant, Arizona while shooting at cacti with his shotgun. After he fired several shots at a 26 ft (8 m) tall Saguaro Cactus from extremely close range, a 4 ft (1.2 m) limb of the cactus detached and fell on him, crushing him.

Strange Deaths: Stories and Stats That Are Bizarre, but True

While the odds aren't in your favor of dying by these strange methods, it isn't impossible that you or someone you know might be one of the 'lucky' ones to die by such things as lightening or coconuts.

• Lightening: According to the National Safety Council, you have a 1 in 138,849 chance of dying by lightening in the United States. 
• Storms: According to the National Safety Council, you have a 1 in 58,669 chance of dying by cataclysmic storms in the United States. 
• Hornet, Wasps, and Bees: According to the National Safety Council, you have a 1 in 59,507 chance of dying by bee, hornet, or wasp sting in the United States. 
• Mosquitoes: According to a global study conducted in 2018, the animal you're most likely to die from is the mosquito. 
• Falling coconuts: According to a study conducted in the early 2000s, about 150 people around the world die from falling coconuts each year.

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Overtoot your own horn?

Artist Unknown

Your Self-Promoting Is More Annoying Than You Think

Some guy on Twitter recently started following me. 

I didn't follow him back because my guess is that he just wanted me to follow him in return. (I wonder how many follow-me Tweets he sends out each day.)

Had he written a sentence or two about how he was awed by my standing in the bathmat industry, I might have been tempted to return his follow.

Another reason I won't follow this guy is his annoying self-adulations. There's such a thing as overtooting (and from two different orifices, too.) This guy clearly has no idea how annoying he is. 

I'd rather not reprint his Tweet or copy-and-paste excerpts from his website. You can do that yourself, if you're tempted.

https://twitter.com/burritt_teresa

https://twitter.com/burritt_teresa/followers

_________________________________

Please impress your fellow Froglandians by posting your own maddening piece of pomposity. Post it on the FA-commenting page or email it to me directly.

Write about your current or retired profession. Write about your prowess at the bathmat factory. Make up an attribute, talent (trebuchet loading, etc), or overpraise a professed gift (intelligence, appearance). Anytime goes... just be full of yourself. Are you a "Frog Applause" Superfan (or SuperLawyer like Rotifer)?

I will copy and post your writings here. If you write to me directly, let me know the name you want me to publish.

I can't wait to read your mockworthy drivel!

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Goat coat

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Following the rules...

Peanut sale

"Don't step even one foot outside, mister!"

"No eating in the living room. I mean it."

Men not allowed inside the women's dorms...

DOGS ALLOWED

"I hate washing the dishes!"

No painting apartment walls! (No one said anything about paint sample cards)

NO SHORTS ALLOWED!

"Only one-page formula sheet allowed for exam."

BUT UNICYCLES ARE OKAY...

SCHOOL UNIFORM REQUIRES A BELT DAILY
(even when you have to make one)

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Rotator cuff tendonitis

I've been doing exercises to try and mend my rotator cuff. Very painful. I might have a tear instead, but I'm going to approach this as less serious. 

My primary care physician diagnosed my problem, but it's important that I follow through with the exercises, otherwise I'll end up with a ill-functioning shoulder that freezes up when I need it to do everyday tasks.

I ordered some resistance cords to help... Any advise, anyone?

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Red flour beetle vs confused flour beetle

(Left) The red flour beetle is of Indo-Australian origin and is found in temperate areas, but will survive the winter in protected places, especially where there is central heat. In the United States, it is found primarily in the southern states. 

(Right) The confused flour beetle, originally of African origin, has a different distribution in that it occurs worldwide in cooler climates. In the United States it is more abundant in the northern states.

Comparison of adults of the red flour beetle (left), Tribolium castaneum and the confused flour beetle (right), Tribolium confusum. The antenna of the red flour beetle ends in a 3-segmented club and the sides of the thorax are slightly curved. The confused flour beetle has no apparent club on the antennae and the sides of the thorax are straighter. Graphics by USDA.

The red and confused flour beetles may be present in large numbers in infested grain, but are unable to attack sound or undamaged grain (Walter). The adults are attracted to light, but will go towards cover when disturbed. Typically, these beetles can be found not only inside infested grain products, but in cracks and crevices where grain may have spilled. They are attracted to grain with high moisture content and can cause a grey tint to the grain they are infesting. The beetles give off a displeasing odor, and their presence encourages mold growth in grain.

Keep in mind that these beetles may infest areas other than the pantry. Be sure to inspect spices, pet food, and flower arrangements. Also keep in mind that some stuffing in furniture or stuffed animals may have natural products that these beetles could feed on. Also be aware of areas in which any of these products may have spilled, like under the refrigerator or stove. These beetles are able to locate very small bits of food. Once all of the infested material has been removed, be sure to vacuum and clean up the area around the infestation. If you have shelf paper, it would be wise to remove it, thoroughly clean under it with soap and hot water, and replace it with new paper. Be sure to pay close attention to the cracks and crevices of any cabinets. To prevent re-infestation, all grain products should be stored in containers with tight fitting lids, or stored in the freezer. Also consider where the infestation came from. It is likely that you could have a re-infestation by purchasing infested grain products from the same business. When shopping, look for "leaky packages" before buying a product.

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camel Case

Camel case (sometimes stylized as camelCase or CamelCase, also known as camel caps or more formally as medial capitals) is the practice of writing phrases without spaces or punctuation. It indicates the separation of words with a single capitalized letter, and the first word starting with either case. Common examples include "iPhone" and "eBay". It is also sometimes used in online usernames such as "johnSmith", and to make multi-word domain names more legible, for example in promoting "EasyWidgetCompany.com".

Camel case is often used as a naming convention in computer programming, but is an ambiguous definition due to the optional capitalization of the first letter. Some programming styles prefer camel case with the first letter capitalized, others do not.  For clarity, this article calls the two alternatives upper camel case (initial uppercase letter, also known as Pascal case or bumpy case) and lower camel case (initial lowercase letter, also known as dromedary case). Some people and organizations, notably Microsoft, use the term camel case only for lower camel case, designating Pascal case for the upper camel case.

Camel case is distinct from title case, which capitalizes all words but retains the spaces between them, and from Tall Man lettering, which uses capitals to emphasize the differences between similar-looking product names such as "predniSONE" and "predniSOLONE". Camel case is also distinct from snake case, which uses underscores interspersed with lowercase letters (sometimes with the first letter capitalized). A combination of snake and camel case (identifiers Written_Like_This).

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Who reads "Frog Applause"?

I've often wondered where my "Frog Applause" readers live.  I've seen my FA demographics a few times (the same ones that GoComics sees and not the pared-down demographics given to creators). Anyway, I know from seeing the big picture that FA has readers from around the world... and not just a few countries, but dozens. Something else I've wondered is... who reads FA?

I'm lucky that I know my core readership; people who read and comment on GoComics every day or most days. I'm okay with lurkers, too. I know they're out there, even if they prefer not to comment. 

Last month, I found out that Diana Gabaldon, author of the "Outlander" series reads "Frog Applause." Imagine... someone who has a blue checkmark after their name reading my little lame comic. Should I be flattered or wonder about Diana's sanity? If someone like Diana Gabaldon reads FA, who else does? Contact me if you do, otherwise I'll consider this a big fluke!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Gabaldon

https://www.dianagabaldon.com/about-diana/

Something I found out that we have in common-- I have a lot of parakeets, too. For those who remember my aviary disaster from last year, my flock is slowly coming back. I just introduced two of my four "newborns" (parakeets can fly at 6 weeks) to my free-flying, uncaged birds and I have eight eggs currently being sat on in several nesting boxes in various stages of hatching. Don't get me started... I can talk endlessly about my birds.

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