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Daily Bread for 11.10.24: The Neuroscience Behind… Wet Dog Shakes

Good morning.

Sunday in Whitewater will be partly cloudy, with scattered morning showers, and a high of 58. Sunrise is 6:41, and sunset is 4:36, for 9 hours, 57 minutes of daytime. The moon is a waxing gibbous, with 65.1 percent of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1958, the Hope Diamond is donated to the Smithsonian Institution by New York diamond merchant Harry Winston.


The neuroscience behind wet dog shakes:

When a dog shakes water off its fur, it is not just a random flurry of movements — nor a deliberate effort to drench anyone standing nearby.

This instinctive reflex is shared by many furry mammals including mice, cats, squirrels, lions, tigers and bears. The move helps animals to remove water, insects or other irritants from hard-to-reach places. But underlying the shakes is a complex — and previously mysterious — neurological mechanism.

Now, researchers have identified the neural circuit that triggers characteristic ‘wet dog’ shaking behaviour in mice — which involves a specific class of touch receptors, and neurons that connect the spinal cord to the brain.

November Meteor Showers 2024 (Leonids in Mid-November):

See also Leonid meteor shower: All you need to know in 2024.

Daily Bread for 4.13.24: Puppies Bred and Trained to Be Seeing Eye Dogs

Good morning.

Saturday in Whitewater will be sunny with a high of 68. Sunrise is 6:13 and sunset 7:36 for 13h 22m 11s of daytime. The moon is a waxing crescent with 27.4 percent of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1960, the United States launches Transit 1-B, the world’s first satellite navigation system.


Why Puppies Bred And Trained To Be Seeing Eye Dogs Are So Expensive:

Guide dogs from The Seeing Eye are specially bred, trained, and matched with people with blindness and low vision all over the US and Canada. These dogs are essential to the people that they guide. It costs about $75,000 to prepare each Seeing Eye dog for its career, and only 60% of dogs make it all the way through the training program. So what makes a successful Seeing Eye dog, and why are they so expensive? This video is audio described.


Stunning nebula has ‘violent history’ – Very Large Telescope studies:

Daily Bread for 10.27.23: Wisconsin Life | Flying Dogs

 Good morning.

Friday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of 68. Sunrise is 7:23 and sunset 5:53 for 10h 30m 06s of daytime. The moon is a waxing gibbous with 97.8% of its visible disk illuminated.

  On this day in 1775, King George III expands on his Proclamation of Rebellion in the Thirteen Colonies in his speech from the throne at the opening of Parliament


 Wisconsin Life | Flying Dogs:

David Tan is a Middleton-based pilot who uses his personal aircraft to rescue animals in need of adoption like goats, dogs, cats, pigs and a bat. He does it all for free.

 Lost Your Luggage? It’s Probably Here

When you’re traveling, have you ever wondered what happens if your bag gets lost? Well, it’ll probably end up in Scottsboro, Alabama at the nation’s only store for lost luggage. Unclaimed Baggage opened over 50 years ago, when entrepreneur and radio enthusiast, Doyle Owens, had a bright idea. One day, he was on the phone to a friend working at Trailways Bus Lines and learnt that they had more unclaimed bags than they knew what to do with. Borrowing a pick up truck and $300 from his grandparents, Doyle bought his first load of bags back to Alabama, and the rest is history! In the huge store today, you’ll find both far-flung tourists and regulars who have practically become part of the furniture. However all the shoppers share something in common…a hunger for hidden treasure! Prepare to be amazed, amused, and maybe even a little confused by the astounding array of items you can find at Unclaimed Baggage.

Daily Bread for 6.18.23: Talking Dog

Good morning. Father’s Day in Whitewater will be partly cloudy, with afternoon showers, and a high of 82. Sunrise is 5:16 AM and sunset 8:36 PM for 15h 20m 14s of daytime. The moon is new with 0.1% of its visible disk illuminated. On this day in 1812, the War of 1812 begins when Pres.…

Daily Bread for 2.26.23: The Farmer’s Dog — Forever

Good morning. Sunday in Whitewater will be mostly sunny with a high of 44. Sunrise is 6:34 AM and sunset 5:41 PM for 11h 07m 06s of daytime. The moon is a waxing crescent with 41.8% of its visible disk illuminated.  On this day in 1980, Egypt and Israel establish full diplomatic relations. The Farmer’s Dog — Forever (a…

Dog runs sweet potato stand in Hokkaido

One reads that a Japanese dog has significant managerial responsibilities — SAPPORO — A Shiba Inu dog that “manages” a baked sweet potato store alone in a residential area of this city is building a loyal following that matches the breed’s faithful reputation. Ken, the 4-year-old Japanese hunting dog in Sapporo, the capital of Japan’s…

Record-Breaking Astronaut Reunited with Her Dog

Christina Koch recently returned from 328 days in space, and was reunited with her family, including her dog, LBD (Little Brown Dog). As one can imagine, LBD was faithfully excited — See Dog Could Not Possibly Be Happier About This Astronaut’s Return to Earth After a Year in Space.

The Broad Outlines of 2019

For many years, I would begin the year with predictions for the twelve months ahead.  Events since 2016 have made predictions harder,  but one can still discern some short-term developments for the city.  These prospects, of course, form an online of topics to ponder, and about which to write (often requiring that one return to the…