6/7/2023 0 Comments Grumpy faced cats![]() ![]() In addition, the tear fluid cannot drain normally from the eyes, explaining why such cats have permanent eye discharge and tear staining of the face (picture 2). ![]() The revised animal protection law in Switzerland has strengthened regulations against intentional breeding to produce specific traits that compromise the health and wellbeing of an animal.īrachycephalic animals have a shortened muzzle which constricts nasal passages and can result in respiratory and feeding problems. This comes on top of a recent successful prosecution in Switzerland under the Animal Protection Act, brought against two people who bred extreme bracycephalic cats. This includes breathing problems, eye inflammation, skin infections and difficulty eating.Īmongst the latest evidence is a new scientific paper from the University of Edinburgh 1 which concluded that flatter-faced cats were more likely to have breathing problems and that the breathing difficulties were also associated with increased tear staining and a more sedentary lifestyle. ![]() There is growing evidence to show that flat-faced or brachycephalic cats (picture 1), including most modern Persians or Exotic Shorthairs, are suffering from a number of health problems, leading to lifelong suffering as a direct result of being ‘designed’ to have a very flat face. ![]()
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![]() The Jason Bourne books have been hailed as among the best spy novels ever written and were adapted into films, released between 20, starring Matt Damon in the lead role as Jason Bourne.ĭue to the popularity of The Bourne Trilogy (the books and the movies), the book series was continued by author Eric Van Lustbader. Robert Ludlum wrote the first three Bourne books, The Bourne Trilogy, over a 10-year span, the first of which was published in 1980. He’s also being hunted from all sides, with only one course of action: to stay alive long enough to find out who he really is. The Bourne series centers around Jason Bourne – a man who wakes up with bullet wounds, a surgically altered appearance, and no recollection of what happened or who he is. And if you’re new to the world of Jason Bourne, it’s well worth knowing how to read the books in the right order.Īfter all, there are more than a dozen Bourne books in the series. So the books are popular, to say the least. The trilogy spawned three smash-hit blockbuster films, a television series, and even a continuation of the novels after Ludlum’s unfortunate passing in 2001. The Bourne series is, without a doubt, Robert Ludlum’s best-known work. Not many other authors have the same going for them. ![]() ![]() ![]() Part 1, Chapter 5: PolynesiaĮn route to the Stubbins home, Doctor Dolittle describes Polynesia and the role she played in his development as a doctor and his understanding of various animal languages. After dinner, Doctor Dolittle accompanies Stubbins to see the injured squirrel. Having gotten a thorough picture of the inner workings of the Dolittle house, Tommy inquires about some of the various exotic animals that are in the doctor's home. Having been invited into the Dolittle home, Tommy is shocked by what he sees. While attempting to beat the weather, Tommy accidentally runs into Doctor Dolittle. Tommy returns to the doctor's house after making a delivery for his father, the cobbler. Upon arriving at the doctor's house, the visitors encounter the loyal dog Jip, but find that the doctor is no where to be found. Matthew tells Tommy of the good doctors many voyages. ![]() ![]() Having come across an injured squirrel, Tommy is directed to the office of John Dolittle by his friends. Part 1, Chapter 2: I Hear of the Great Naturalist Tommy Stubbins tells about his life in Puddleby-on-the-Marsh and his three friends, Joe, Matthew Mugg, and Luke. ![]() PrologueĪn introduction by the books narrator, Tommy Stubbins. The scope of the novel is vast it is divided into six parts and the illustrations are also more sophisticated. It is nearly four times longer than its predecessor and the writing style is pitched at a more mature audience. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle was the second of Hugh Lofting's Doctor Dolittle books to be published, coming out in 1922. ![]() 6/6/2023 0 Comments Tupac rose in the concrete![]() ![]() One example is Cosmas Maduka of Coscharis Group who started out as an automobile apprentice and now runs one of the most successful luxurious car distribution companies in Nigeria. Nevertheless there are the rare success stories that emerge as roses from the proverbial concrete. MSMEs have an uphill battle navigating the already difficult business environment in Nigeria and are excluded from the few opportunities that exist within it. These businesses are the fabric of Nigeria’s society, and our country’s economic survival is very much dependent on their collective survival. Take Nigeria’s MSME sector, which makes up more than 90 percent of businesses in Nigeria, from hair salons to food vendors, market stalls, corner shops, airtime kiosks, roadside hawkers and beyond. So when something grows from it we can celebrate the anomaly, but we must also ask ourselves what would happen if the environment was fertile, and more enabling? How much more growth would we bear witness to, how much more success? ![]() Concrete is not an enabling environment and in it, nothing can take roots or bear fruit. Very little grows from concrete, a hard structure without soil, nutrients or water. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy - exactly what Rosemary wants. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks, who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. ![]() Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. Clarke Award, the Kitschie, and the Bailey's Women's Prize.įollow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space - and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe - in this lighthearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star. The acclaimed modern science-fiction masterpiece, included on Library Journal 's Best SFF of 2016, the Barnes & Nobles Sci-Fi Fantasy Blog Best Books of 2015, the Tor.com Best Books of 2015, Reader’s Choice, as well as nominated for the Arthur C. Winner of the Hugo Award for Best Series! ![]() ![]() ![]() During this time, Wells joined a debate society which kindled his interests in social reform, and later, socialism. Excelling in academics, Wells won a scholarship and went on to study biology at what is now the Imperial College in London. Wells eventually managed to escape the apprentice’s lot by getting himself into a grammar school, where he studied as a senior student and worked as a mentor to younger students. Wells’s family had always struggled financially, and as a teenager Wells apprenticed in a number of trades, all of which were miserable. To pass the time, his father loaned a stack of novels from the public library which Wells tore through, losing himself in the tales of far-off worlds and beginning his lifelong love of literature. ![]() As a child, Wells suffered a badly broken leg that left him bedridden for several months. Herbert George Wells was born the son of professional cricket player-a low-paying occupation at the time-and a housemaid, the youngest of four children. ![]() 6/6/2023 0 Comments Cloudmaker by Malcolm Brooks![]() ![]() A sexpot star in the mold of Jean Harlow and the studio’s biggest box-office draw, she’s a deeply troubled young woman given to emotional breakdowns, unexplained absences from the set, and time-devouring delays occasioned by her paralyzing insecurities and her insistence on dozens of takes. He’s a fixer who babysits the studio’s stars and covers up their bad behavior.Įverything changes for Jack when Savannah Stevens enters his life. ![]() He jokes that the only thing he knows about publicity is how to suppress it, but that, in fact, is his real job. Jack Shannon, a former actor whose promising career was interrupted by the war and ended by a facial scar sustained in combat, is now a studio publicist. “If Raymond Chandler had turned a steely eye to the notorious Hollywood casting couch, the result might well be called Someone To Watch Over Me.”-Malcolm Brooks, author of Painted Horses and Cloudmaker ![]() ![]() McDermott has no update on that total subscriber tally (or breakout of AMC+ customers, specifically) ahead of the company’s Q2 earnings report in August, but Spade previously said AMC Networks expects to hit the halfway point of its goal of 20 million to 25 million streaming subs in 2025 by the end of this year. Some of those platforms are offered together for $8.99 a month as part of the AMC+ bundle, which includes Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited, as well as live linear ad-supported feeds of cable channels AMC, BBC America, IFC and SundanceTV. ![]() ![]() While still small in comparison to mega streamers like Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max, AMC Networks boasted 9.5 million subscribers across its SVOD services at the end of Q1, which includes not just AMC+, but also targeted platforms Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK and HIDIVE, newly acquired with the purchase of anime content distributor Sentai. “For a company that’s stayed pretty consistent for a long time, there’s been a lot of change and new blood, which has frankly been a real breath of fresh air as we pivot to being a streamer-centric company with a vibrant and meaningful continuation of our linear product,” McDermott says.ĪMC Networks made the importance of its streaming product clear back in February, when the company purchased its first-ever Super Bowl ad and used it to shine a light not just on the final seasons of “The Walking Dead,” “ Better Call Saul” and “Killing Eve” - but the fact you could stream them on AMC+. ![]() ![]() ![]() The receding waters reveal much, including a potential murder scene, with the perfect suspect who denies having anything to do with his wife’s death. With no signs of the pregnant Vivienne Godin, Gamache tries to determine if there may have been foul play, which is exacerbated when a body is discovered amongst some cracked ice close to a bridge. His community of Three Pines is set to flood, which could be devastating if the floodwaters don’t drop soon. ![]() Gamache gets a bad feeling about it all, but is equally distracted when Quebec’s spring thaw begins to cause issues. When Gamache arrives, he meets the woman’s husband, a known abuser, who explains that he has no idea where his wife might be, but could not care less. While many are worried about how it will resolve itself, Gamache wants only to work and agrees to investigate a query of a pregnant woman whose gone missing. After serving his suspension, Armand Gamache is back in his position as Chief Inspector within the Sûreté du Québec, though there is a whispered power struggle within Homicide. ![]() This explosive series, set in rural Quebec, gives not only the feel of a wonderful mystery but also hones in on all things Canadian. After getting my hands on the latest Louise Penny novel, I could not wait to get started. ![]() 6/5/2023 0 Comments Nightfall by isaac asimov 1941![]() ![]() For Kalgash knows only the perpetual light of day to its inhabitants, a gathering twilight portends unspeakable horror. Lurking beneath it all is a collective, instinctual fear of the Darkness. Kalgash is a world on the edge of chaos, torn between the madness of religious fanaticism and the unyielding rationalism of scientists. ![]() Then, one by one the suns start to set, gradually leading into Darkness for the first time ever. ![]() Imagine living on a planet with six suns that never experiences Darkness. Now, the Gran Master of Science Fiction teams with Robert Silverberg, one of the field's top award-winning authors, to explore and expand an apocalyptic tale that is more spellbinding today than ever before - Nightfall: The Novel. The story was called "Nightfall", and many years later it has long been recognized as a classic, its author a legend. In 1941, Astounding Science Fiction magazine published a short story by a little-known writer named Isaac Asimov. ![]() |