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Friday Cat Blogging – 24 March 2023

Published on 18 Comments on Friday Cat Blogging – 24 March 2023

This is Hilbert roaming around the backyard after the rain finally stopped. He is on our teak bench looking for a place to scratch an itch, and eventually he decided to stick his nose into the camera and give that a try. It didn't work so well for him, but it worked great for me. Just look at those lovely whiskers.

18 thoughts on “Friday Cat Blogging – 24 March 2023”

    1. Eve

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  2. KawSunflower

    None of my black cats - or others - have been endowed with such a magnificent array of so many long, curving whiskers.

  5. cld

    Ah, mon cher, come a little closer, let me whisper in your ear . . .

    Le Petit Machiavellian Prince: Effects of Latent Toxoplasmosis on Political Beliefs and Values,

    https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14747049221112657

    Abstract
    Humans infected by Toxoplasma gondii express no specific symptoms but manifest higher incidence of many diseases, disorders and differences in personality and behavior. The aim of this study was to compare the political beliefs and values of Toxoplasma-infected and Toxoplasma-free participants. We measured beliefs and values of 2315 responders via an online survey (477 Toxoplasma-infected) using the Political Beliefs and Values Inventory (PI34). This study showed Toxoplasma-infected and Toxoplasma-free participants of our cross-sectional study differed in three of four factors of PI34, scoring higher in Tribalism and lower in Cultural liberalism and Anti-Authoritarianism. We found sex differences in political beliefs associated with Toxoplasma infection. Infected women scored higher in tribalism and lower in cultural liberalism, compared with the Toxoplasma-free control group, while infected men scored higher in economic equity. These results fit with sexual differences in behavior and attitude observed after toxoplasmosis infection. Controlling for the effect of worse physical health and mental health had little impact, suggesting that impaired health did not cause these changes. Rather than adaptation to prevalence of parasites, as suggested by parasite-stress theory, the differences might be side-effects of long-term mild inflammatory reaction. However, to get clear picture of the mild inflammation effects, more research focused on different infectious diseases is needed.
    . . . .
    Among the traits affected by toxoplasmosis are also such that could affect the political beliefs of infected subjects. For example, infected men have lower superego strength, i.e., the tendency to disregard the rules of society, while the opposite tendency was observed in infected women (Flegr, 2007). Both infected men and women have lower conscientiousness (Lindová et al., 2012), lower generosity (Lindova et al., 2010) and have lower novelty-seeking (Flegr et al., 2003; Skallová et al., 2005). Men express lower and women higher altruism in the dictatorship game (Lindova et al., 2010). Infected subjects express higher entrepreneurship activity and have a higher tendency for risky behavior (Johnson et al., 2018), which might explain a higher risk of traffic accidents in the infected subjects (Flegr et al., 2002; Kocazeybek et al., 2009). Toxoplasma-infected women have also higher aggression (Cook et al., 2015) and self-aggression (Mathai et al., 2016; Postolache et al., 2021).
    . . . .

    1. KawSunflower

      Having known about the possible effects of toxoplasmosis since my claims & underwriting years long ago, I still can't reconcile those with any people I've known to actually tend litterboxes.

      And when I note those whose behaviors seem to align rather well with those symptoms, they don't seem to be catlovers (or people who love anyone but themselves). Have therefore not known quite what to make of such toxoplasmosis-adjacent characteristics.

      Note to Kevin Drum; perhaps if our comments didn't show as orange on white originally, there would be less need for editing. It's especially difficult on the eyes when using a cellphone.

  8. bebopman

    Does norad contract with The Big H to track ships at sea? Is your TV reception exceptionally clear? (Hold on folks. I got a million of them)

    2. Salamander

      Perhaps you need to move? (Speaking as one who has never seen the northern lights, in spite of living in Wisconsin... clearly, further north would be indicated.)

      1. KawSunflower

        I was just a kid when the Northern Lights reached northeastern Kansas.

        And now they've been seen much further south, including in the Shenandoah Valley, in Virginia.

        But maybe Dilbert will have to settle for some of those recent images posted online by people startled to see those lights in their areas.

  10. Traveller

    Dear CID: You forced me to look up Toxoplasma gondii, very interesting.

    I will never know enough to say anything intelligent back to you on this, but still interesting. Thanks

    Best Wishes, Traveller

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