sjastro said:

Flint Dibble sounds like a character from The Flintstones, l bet he is an expert on knapping as well.

Click to expand...

His father was an archeologist as well. Flint debated archeology grifter Graham Hancock on Joe Rogan.

China is about to send humanoid robots to work at a busy border with Vietnam. UBTECH Robotics has won a $37 million contract, to deploy its Walker S2 machines there starting this month.

The assignment is led by UBTECH Robotics Corp., a Shenzhen-based company that builds full-size humanoid robots for industry and public services.

Its engineers focus on embodied intelligence, which is artificial intelligence that controls a physical robot body, so these machines can handle messy, real-world environments.

Continued below.

I heard a horrifying story on the radio today as I was driving out of town. I posted about it here: Female wrestler says male opponent sexually assaulted her, school delayed reporting incident

Car engines, aircraft, drilling machines, and even lawn mowers fill air with constant sound. For birds, sound is not just background. Sound is language, warning system, and guide for survival.

A large global study led by the University of Michigan shows that human noise reaches deep into bird behavior, body function, and breeding success.

Scientists gathered results from 160 studies across six continents. Data included 944 measured effects from 161 bird species. Such a broad review allowed researchers to look for patterns across many habitats and lifestyles.

Noise changes bird behavior​

Continued below.

I've posted some short stories in the past with Adrienna as their protagonist.
This one focuses on a different woman in the same universe.

This story is intended to show the problems with allowing transgender dudes to compete in women's sports.
Part 1 shows the physical problem, and Part 2 shows the emotional problem.

I call this story Woman Versus Man.

Disclaimer: This story contains violence.



Part 1

It was the year 2012. Layla had just arrived at the Rush gymnasium in Walker Springs, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her best friend, Sofia, usually went with her, but today, Sofia was at home because she had not been feeling well. She and Layla figured that it should last within that one day.

Layla was 24 years old. She had been born and raised in America, but was entirely of Filipino descent. Her parents had emigrated to America from the Phillipines. Her hair was long, black, and completely straight. She was very firm and athletic. She was 4 feet and 11 inches tall. She was highly trained in Muay Thai, Wushu, and Taekwondo each. Layla was dressed in a pair of black fitness mini shorts and a black sports bra. On her feet, she was wearing white socks and white fitness shoes.

Layla went into the aerobics training room. There was no one else in the room. Layla began practicing her martial arts skills. Back in 2011, in this very room, Layla, Sofia, and their new friend Adrienna had started an unofficial test of fighting skills competition for women. This was after Layla and Sofia had tested their skills against Adrienna and were easily defeated by her.

Layla heard the door open. She looked and saw a muscular transgender man entering the room. He was 6 feet tall.
"Is this where they have that test of fighting skills thing?" the transgender asked, still having his masculine voice.
"Yes, but it's for women only," said Layla, "Men aren't allowed to participate, except against other men."
"Well, what do you think you're looking at?" the transgender said.
"I know you!" said Layla, "You're that transgender guy who tried to get into women's boxing, ...Leonard!"
"The name's Lena!" the transgender said angrily.
"Did your parents give you that name?" Layla asked.
"What does that matter?!" said Leonard.
"My parents named me Layla," said Layla, "So, that's my name. And, it is written, 'Honor your father and your mother'. Exodus 20:12."
"I'm an atheist," said Leonard, "I'm not bound by what a book says."
"Then, you're bound in sin," said Layla, "And now, you're bound in a body that's been warped into something unnatural."
"This is my true body, my true sex!" said Leonard.
"No," said Layla, "Your true sex depends on which chromosome you inherit from your father when you're conceived. I'm a woman because I inherited my father's X chromosome. You're a man because you inherited your father's Y chromosome. And, the chromosome pair a person inherits from their parents at conception is part of God's plan for that person. God wants me to be a woman and you to be a man."
"I told you I'm an atheist!" said Leonard.
"I know," said Layla, "I heard you the first time."
"Then, why are you bringing up this 'God' of yours again?!" Leonard asked.
"Because, He's real," said Layla, "Atheism doesn't prevent God from existing, just like your beliefs about your gender doesn't affect it. Atheism is false, your gender ideas are false, and you're a man, ...Leonard."
Leonard approached close to Layla with his fists clenched. Layla backed away from him.
"Hey, get away from my personal circle!" said Layla, "You were blocked from women's boxing because you're a man, you have male brute strength, and if you box against a woman, then you're a man who beats up on women. 'Got it?"
"That's it, you pocket-sized Asian," said Leonard, "You and me, right here, right now."
"Forget it," said Layla.
"What's the matter?" Leonard asked, "Are you chicken?"
"No," Layla answered, "But if you fight a woman, then you're a coward whether you win or lose."

Leonard suddenly punched Layla in the mouth. Layla staggered backwards, clutching her mouth. No one had ever hit her that hard before, as she had never before been struck by a man. Leonard came at her with his fists raised. Layla quickly raised her fists. Leonard circled three quarters of a circle around Layla and swung his right fist straight towards her. Layla caught it with both hands, but the brute force of his punch rammed her hands against her chest, staggering her backwards. Leonard attacked with a series of punches, which Layla blocked with her hands and her left foot. Layla kicked at Leonard, but he blocked it with both of his wrists, causing Layla to stumble and fall against the stage platform, but she quickly regained her stance. Leonard tried to punch Layla in the face, but she dodged it, swatted his fist away, and chopped him in the right side of his head, but hardly hurt him at all. Leonard attempted to punch Layla in the belly, but she dodged while swatting it and jumped onto the stage platform. Leonard swung his right fist at Layla, but she dodged it by jumping back. Leonard swung his left fist, but Layla blocked it with her right shin. She then attacked with a series of kicks, but Leonard blocked some of them, and what he couldn't block, he could easily endure. Layla thrust her right foot at Leonard, but he caught her leg with both of his arms. He then swung his right fist toward Layla's kneecap with the intention of breaking it, but Layla quickly positioned both of her palms in the path of his fist, cushioning the impact. Layla jumped with her left leg, spun left and wrapped the same leg around the back of Leonard's neck. Leonard threw Layla away from the platform. Layla somersaulted onto her feet and turned to face Leonard, who was already coming at her. He swung his right fist and then left fist at her, but she dodged them both, and at the same time, redirected them into nowhere by punching his wrists. Layla attempted to fight back with punches of her own, but he dodged them all and punched her in the right ribs, and then immediately punched her across the face, staggering her, but before Leonard could make his next move, Layla kicked him in the heart, but again did very little damage.

Leonard strafed left and right with his fists raised, shifting toward Layla. He then attacked with a series of punches, but Layla dodged them all. She then punched the left side of Leonard's face with her right fist, causing him some hurt this time. She then hit him with 2 elbow strikes, but he easily endured them and then rammed his right fist into Layla's belly. Layla staggered backwards as she doubled over while clutching her belly. Layla immediately raised her guard back up. She then crouched down, but kept her fists raised. Leonard then attempted to kick Layla with his left leg, but Layla blocked it. He then swung his right fist at Layla, but she blocked it too and then swept her foot behind his right leg, hooking it. Layla rose to her feet, hitting Leonard with a rapid combination of punches to the left side of his ribcage along the way. She attempted to punch him in the face with her right fist, but he blocked it with his right arm. Leonard swung his left fist at Layla's face, but she ducked and pounded his left oblique with both of her fists. She lifted his left leg up and stomped the back of his right knee, forcing him onto it and his hands. Layla thrust her left fist across Leonard's face, striking his left cheek. Leonard, now heavily enraged, got up and grabbed Layla with both arms, intent on slamming her head-first onto the floor, but Layla raised her right leg high and kicked Leonard in the forehead with her heel, knocking him onto his back. Layla attacked with a volley of punches at Leonard's face, but he kept it shielded with his forearms. Layla swung her right elbow at Leonard's face, but he dodged it, causing Layla's elbow to hit the floor. Leonard then punched Layla hard in the right oblique, knocking her away from him. Layla's back hit a wall, and she lie on the floor, hurting in many places from the hits she had taken from Leonard. Both she and Leonard got back up simultaneously. Both of them raised their fists, and Leonard moved to Layla. He attacked in a frenzy, with a spree of punches. Layla redirected the first 4 away from her, but caught the rest of them with her elbows. Leonard backed away, his fingers now hurting some from repeatedly punching Layla's olecranons, but kept his fists up. Leonard thrust his left fist at Layla, but she caught it with her elbow too. Leonard immediately hit Layla's left humerus with his right fist and then punched her hard in the belly with his left fist, knocking her back against the wall. Leonard moved toward Layla, but she kicked him in the chest with her right foot and then jump kicked his forehead with her left foot, staggering him away from her. She ran at Leonard and kicked him in the chest again. Leonard thrust his right fist forward, but Layla dodged it, jumped up, and punched him across the face with her left fist. Leonard roared with rage. Layla instinctively kicked Leonard in the groin area, but did very little damage due to the complete removal of Leonard's male parts. Leonard angrily punched Layla in the forehead, knocking her onto her back. Leonard stood over Layla, pressed his left hand against her, and mercilessly punched her repeatedly with his right fist while she was down. Layla sweep kicked the bottom ends of Leonard's shins, causing him to fall to the floor. Layla then stomped Leonard's forehead.

Layla and Leonard both got up. Layla was in pain from being hit in multiple places by a muscular man and also feeling slightly dizzy from being punched so hard in the head. Layla remembered Adrienna advising her and multiple other women that if they were fighting a muscular brute, and the going got tough, to attack the opponent's upper arms and thighs.

Leonard swung his right fist at Layla, but she dodged and sidestepped left. Leonard then thrust his right fist toward Layla's face, but she dodged it and swatted it aside with her left hand. Leonard swung his right fist at Layla, but she caught it with her right hand and punched his left humerus with her left fist. Leonard then swung his right fist at Layla, but she caught it with her left hand and elbowed his right humerus hard. Leonard swung his left fist, but Layla blocked it. She then backhanded his neck and punched him left and right across the face. Leonard swung his right fist, but Layla blocked it. He swung his left fist, but Layla caught it with her right hand and elbowed his left humerus extra hard. Leonard grunted loudly in pain. Layla immediately thrust the bottom of her left foot hard into the front of Leonard's left femur. He attempted to kick Layla with his right leg, but she caught it with her left hand and rammed her right elbow hard into the front of his right femur. Leonard staggered backwards, clearly hurting in the bones of the upper halves of all 4 of his limbs. He was now hobbling and barely keeping his arms in fighting position. Seeing the opportunity to take the offensive, Layla attacked Leonard with a volley of punches. Leonard could barely keep his guard up. He then tried to attack back with his own punches, but Layla blocked them all and grabbed Leonard's neck with her right hand, wrapped her right leg around his, and forced his head down to the level of her belly. She then punched him in the head with a left uppercut. Leonard staggered backwards, but Layla grabbed both of his forearms to stop him. She then threw both of his arms aside and, with both of her fists, punched him in the face and the belly simultaneously, staggering him backwards. Layla then punched him in the left ear hole with her right fist. Leonard screamed in pain, holding his left ear. Layla attacked his face with a rapid combination of punches, beating him closer and closer to senselessness. Layla concluded the attack with a hard punch across his face with her right fist. Layla then grabbed him by the head, forced him onto his butt, and while holding his head with her left hand, hammered his head and face repeatedly with her right fist. She then stopped to avoid the risk of beating him to death and then let go of him. Leonard fell completely to the floor and lie there, defeated.



Part 2

Days later, it was Sunday. Layla and Sophia had just entered the building of the church they regularly attended.

Layla was now dressed in a white button-front business shirt, tight white jeans, and black boots. Her shirt was tucked into the waist of her pants, and the leg sections of her boots were on the outside of her pant legs. Under her boots, she was wearing white socks. Despite the tightness of her jeans, she was wearing a black leather belt as a precaution.

Layla could see everyone that saw her noticing the bruises on her face. As she and Sophia entered the main sanctuary room, they saw the two sisters, Adrienna and Casey, who they were friends with. Layla and Sophia approached Adrienna and Casey. Adrienna and Casey turned toward them.
"Oh hi," said Casey in her usual cheerful voice.
The smiles on Adrienna and Casey instantly vanished as soon as they noticed the bruises on Layla's face.
"Honey!" said Adrienna, "What happened to your face?!"
"I got assaulted by a transgender man in the gymnasium," said Layla, "I was able to defend myself against him, but he still managed to get some nasty hits on me along the way."
"I can see that," said Adrienna, "How are you feeling?"
"Sore," Layla answered, "And, ...a little shaken up."
Adrienna put her arms around Layla's shoulders. "Here," she said, "Let's sit down, and you can tell me all about it."
Layla, Adrienna, Casey, and Sophia sat on the nearest pew, with Layla right next to Adrienna.
"What happened?" Adrienna asked.
Layla answered, "I was in the gymnasium, in the aerobics room, just minding my own business, and this transgender guy, Leonard, that guy that tried to get into women's boxing..."
"Oh, I've heard of him," said Adrienna, "He calls himself Lena."
"Yep, that's the one," said Layla, "He came in and asked about that women's test of fighting skills thing we started, and I told him it's for women only. He claims to be a woman. I recognized him and call him Leonard. He gets offended and says his name's Lena. I argue that his name's Leonard and that your true sex depends on which chromosome you inherit from your father."
"Right," said Adrienna.
Layla continued, "Well, we argue back and forth, I tell him that if he boxes against a woman, then he's a man who beats up on women, and he calls me a pocket-sized Asian and challenges me to a fight. I refused his challenge. He asked if I'm chicken, and I said no and that if he fights a woman, then he's a coward whether he wins or loses. Then, out of nowhere, he suddenly punched me in the mouth. We fought, and I almost lost, but then I remembered that thing you said about attacking a muscular brute's thighs and upper arms. I used that and defeated him. So thank you for teaching me about that."
"Oh, you're most welcome sweetie," said Adrienna holding Layla to console her.
"What happened to Leonard?" Adrienna asked.
Layla said, "A good Samaritan saw the fight and called 911. Leonard was arrested for assault and stripped of his gym membership."
"Good," said Adrienna.
Layla remembered the day she and Sophia saw Adrienna in the hospital, very battered and bruised from a fight with a man that knew Jeet Kune Do. She and Sophia also knew that Adrienna was a war veteran with multiple personal bereavements.
"Who am I to complain about this to you?" said Layla, "You've been through a lot worse."
"Yeah, but I already have experience at it," said Adrienna, "You don't. And, it helps to talk with somebody who does."
"...He could've killed me," said Layla, "Or, he could've permanently disfigured my face. I think that's the stuff that scares me about it all."
"Yeah," said Adrienna, "Who knows what could've happened? Your face will recover. But the emotional effects of a dangerous situation tend to linger. You can talk to me about this stuff anytime. Give this a few days. Talk to me all you need to. Best case scenario, you'll emotionally recover and be able to move on from it entirely. But if it persists, then it might be post-traumatic stress disorder. But I'll be here to help you with that too."
"Thank you," said Layla.
"I was out then because I wasn't feeling well," said Sophia, "If only I was there, I could've backed her up."
"I told you that's not your fault," said Layla, laying her right hand on Sophia's back.
"That's true. It ain't," said Adrienna, "It's all Leonard's fault. I have experience with guilt too, so you can talk to me about that if you need to."
"You girls can talk to me too if you need to," said Casey.
"Yeah," said Adrienna, "Casey helped me out of the emotional pit I was in."
"You girls are so sweet," said Layla.

Antarctica looks like a clean white ice sheet from far away, but the important action happens deep down under the surface. There, the ice meets rock, water, and sediments. That contact zone controls how fast a glacier moves and how easily it can change speed.

Recently, scientists uncovered a big secret that Antarctica has been hiding – a giant granite deposit buried beneath the Pine Island Glacier.

What began as a mystery involving a few strange pink boulders turned into a major geological revelation.

The discovery not only answers old questions but also changes how we see the frozen continent’s past and its future.

Antarctica’s pink granite mystery​

Continued below.

Felt

Blue.

Tap, Sparkling or Flavored Water?

Self-identified independents drove the erosion in the numbers, the pollster said, illustrated by an 11-point bump since August of independents who said they "strongly disapprove" of Trump's immigration stance.

In all, 60% of those surveyed either somewhat or strongly disapproved of Trump's immigration policies. Another 40% approved. The numbers nearly mirror the president's overall job approval rating from the poll, which stands at a 61% disapproval and a 39% approval.

The poll surveyed 21,995 U.S. adults between Jan. 27 and Feb. 6, 2025. The margin of error estimate is ±2.4 percentage points.

Trump wasn't the only focal point for respondents' disapproval. Nearly three-quarters said they want the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be reformed or abolished: 43% said they want the agency reformed, and 29% want it abolished.

More than two-thirds, 67%, said ICE and Border Patrol agents' tactics have gone "too far," and held similar sentiments toward the federal government. More than a majority, 63%, said the federal government has gone "too far" in its disregard of local and state governments. Conversely, 37% blamed state and local governments for going too far in disregard for federal authority.

They also largely blamed street clashes on the administration (at 57%), over protestors and undocumented immigrants. Additionally, more than half signaled they think immigration officials could pose a threat, as 58% disagreed when they were asked if they thought regular, law-abiding citizens had "nothing to fear" from immigration agents.

Approval of Trump's immigration policies tumbles in new poll

In an NBC News survey taken the week after Alex Pretti's death in Minneapolis, Americans appear to sour on Trump and immigration enforcement tactics.

www.usatoday.com

President Trump stressed after a three-hour meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday that he wants to keep pursuing a deal with Iranrather than moving to military action at this time.

Why it matters: While Trump said his meeting with Netanyahu was "very good," the Israeli prime minister is very skeptical about the prospects for diplomacy with Iran and inclined to support military action.

Yes, but: Trump and Netanyahu also made divergent public statements before Israel attacked Iran in June, before coordinating closely in that operation.

Catch up quick: The U.S. and Iran resumed negotiations last Friday in Oman for the first time since June, but Trump has simultaneously launched a massive military buildup in the Gulf.

Continued below.

Jesus fulfills all the offices of the Old Covenant, and God the Father doesn't mince words about it​

God has a big voice and has lots to say. If he can speak into existence the whole of creation, then his words have immense power. But God is reserved and measured in his words. He doesn’t talk just to hear himself.

God speaks in a calculated manner. God could thunder from heaven, warning people, chastising sinners, and instilling fear, but he doesn’t. God is like a gentleman, reserved in speech and conduct. He wants us to know him and come to a knowledge of the truth, but he doesn’t shout or coerce us.

When God speaks to individuals, it’s usually through visions and dreams. When he speaks to groups, it’s typically through prophets who relay his word. A prophet is someone who speaks God’s word.

The ultimate Word of God is his Son. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1, 14). The Letter to the Hebrews informs us, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (1:1-2).

Continued below.

First the Papal letter and then the furious response from the architect of Traditionis Custodes, Andrea Grillo








LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV TO THE PRESBYTERY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF MADRID ON THE OCCASION OF THE "CONVIVIUM" PRIESTLY ASSEMBLY

[Auditorium Pablo VI, Madrid - February 9-10, 2026]

Dear Children,

I am happy to be able to address this letter to you on the occasion of your presbyteral assembly and to do so with a sincere desire for fraternity and unity. I thank your Archbishop and, from my heart, each of you for your willingness to gather as a presbytery, not only to discuss common issues, but also to support one another in the mission you share.

I appreciate the commitment with which you live and exercise your priesthood in very diverse parishes, services, and realities; I know that this ministry often takes place amid weariness, complex situations, and a silent dedication to which only God is witness. Precisely for this reason, I hope that my words will reach you as a gesture of closeness and encouragement, and that this meeting will foster a climate of sincere listening, true communion, and trusting openness to the action of the Holy Spirit, who never ceases to work in your lives and your mission.

The times the Church is experiencing invite us to pause together for serene and honest reflection. Not so much to limit ourselves to immediate diagnoses or the management of emergencies, but to learn to deeply interpret the moment we are living, recognizing, in the light of faith, the challenges and also the possibilities that the Lord opens before us. On this journey, it becomes increasingly necessary to educate our gaze and practice discernment, so that we can perceive more clearly what God is already working, often silently and discreetly, among us and in our communities.

This reading of the present cannot ignore the cultural and social context in which faith is lived and expressed today. In many environments, we observe advanced processes of secularization, a growing polarization in public discourse, and a tendency to reduce the complexity of the human person, interpreting it based on partial and insufficient ideologies or categories. In this context, faith runs the risk of being exploited, trivialized, or relegated to the realm of irrelevance, while forms of coexistence that ignore any transcendent reference are gaining strength.

Continued below.

Let me see if I can find an emoticon to describe my mood...

Ah...here it is:



Because it is my bedtime now, so I am going to bed. Goodnight.

HARK! said:

(CLV) Ro 6:13
Nor yet be presenting your members, as implements of injustice, to Sin, but present yourselves to God as if alive from among the dead, and your members as implements of righteousness to God.

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Hmm...

I didn't see this before.


righteousness to God

Righteous - ישר Yashar

God - אל Al

Israel - ישראל Yasharal

I sure love it when God interrupts a church service. As to protesters I think a dialogue is better than arrest. A felony seems a bit harsh too. If they are asked to leave ad don't I would think trespassing charges would apply.

​

Synopsis

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured its clearest image yet of the Egg Nebula, a pre-planetary nebula situated almost 1,000 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation. The nebula’s central star is hidden behind a dense dust cloud, with twin beams of light escaping through polar openings to illuminate concentric arcs of gas and dust. As a rare example of a late-stage Sun-like star nearing the planetary nebula phase, the Egg Nebula offers astronomers a unique opportunity to study stellar evolution, mass ejection, and the processes that seed dust for planet formation across the galaxy.​

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured its sharpest and most comprehended view of the Egg Nebula, offering astronomers a rare opportunity into the late evolutionary phases of its central star.

Named for its oval, egg-like appearance, the central star is concealed behind a vast dust cloud, offering the nebula a yellowish core amid otherwise white surrounding dust. While the James Webb Space Telescope has dominated global attention since its launch, Hubble remains to offer significant observations that deepen scientists’ knowledge of stellar evolution.

What Is the Egg Nebula?​

Continued below.

I was responding in that segment to the truck thread; I do believe that God has not and will not fail me when I'm in need of him. Just because he's "omnipresence" doesn't mean, he can't or won't. Sometimes all we can do is pray it gets better, at the same time we realize this world is a failing project, and that God is in control, yes, but if God solved every problem positively and every time, you may not see that there is a job in need of God's attention. Keep praying. At 41 I think I've seen many of them answered in His timing...

Our lady of China, pray for us!

I'm thinking of ones from this year, but you can post commercials from any Super Bowl.


My favorites from this year:

1. Ben Stiller Instacart. Apparently I didn't see this entire thing when the game was on. Just the tail end of it (the best part).

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2. Chris Hemsworth (the Thor guy) Alexa commercial. Seemed funnier during the game.

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Michie said:

From New Guinea's poisonous hooded pitohui to the spine-snapping beak of the African shoebill, hope you never cross paths with these birds.​

Birds are commonly associated with tranquility and freedom. But for every singing cockatiel with a cute Instagram, there’s a terrifying pelican that can crush a baby crocodile in one bite.

While the dangerous traits of these scary birds evolved to ensure their survival, some species give us a good reason to be afraid. Don’t forget that even musical legend Johnny Cash was once nearly killed by an ostrich.

Let’s take a look at nine scary birds you’d never want to encounter in the wild.

The Deadly Beak Of The Shoebill​

Continued below.

9 Horrifying Birds You Wouldn't Want To Encounter In The Wild

From the jungles of New Guinea to Sub Saharan Africa, the world is full of terrifying birds.

allthatsinteresting.com

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Yikes. Having had an encounter with a Canada Goose was bad enough.