The Cat's Out of the Bag

For once, it’s a good thing the cat’s out of the bag. When a New York traveler unknowingly packed a cat into his checked luggage, the feline would have made it onto the flight to Florida if not for the x-ray machine and security agents at New York’s JFK International Airport. The stowaway was discovered when an alarm went off at the checked baggage screening point. Agents looked at the x-ray image and saw the clear outline of an animal. The bag was opened by a TSA officer, who was shocked to see a live orange tabby inside. TSA agents contacted Delta, the passenger’s airline, who then paged the Orlando-bound passenger. The passenger said the cat wasn’t his, but belonged to another member of his family. The cat was safely returned home, but as a result of the feline fiasco, the passenger missed his flight. He was, however, able to book a flight for the following day……minus the cat.

 

 

Continue Reading...

What Happened to the White Dog Poop That Used to Be Everywhere?

Although a good many things have been phased out by technology, white dog poop isn’t one of them. Chalky, white dog poop was everywhere in the 1970s and 1980s, but now it’s practically nonexistent. Dogs are still doing their business, so why has the white dog poop vanished? It turns out that the culprit behind the white dog waste of the past was a surplus of calcium. Dog food used to contain an overabundance of meat and bone meal, both of which are high in mineral. Whatever the dog couldn’t process ended up in its feces, and as the wet matter dried out in the sun, the hard calcium stuck around. This led to crumbly, mummified turds littering our sidewalks and green spaces. Today, commercial dog food brands are less likely to rely on bone meal for cheap filler. They’ve added more fiber to their products and lowered the calcium content. The result is a higher, more natural-looking waste from the general dog population. Because it’s rare to see white dog poop these days, you should notify your vet if you see discoloration in your pet’s stool. White specks in dog poop could be a sign of a more serious problem like worms.

Continue Reading...

The Queen of the Hollywood Extras

From the beginning of the film industry, background talent has been referred to as “extras.” They are the people who merge into the background and either say and word or two, or have no lines at all. Bess Flowers is one of those extras. Known as the "Queen of the Hollywood Extras,” she appeared in more than 350 feature films and numerous comedy shorts in her 41-year career. Born in Sherman, Texas, Flowers made her film debut in 1923 when she appeared in the silent comedy film Hollywood. She made 3 films that year, and then began working extensively. Many of her appearances were uncredited and she generally played non-speaking roles. By the 1930s, she was in constant demand and her appearances ranged from Alfred Hitchcock thrillers to comedic roles alongside the Three Stooges and Laurel and Hardy. She appeared in 5 films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture: It Happened One Night, You Can't Take it with You, All About Eve, The Greatest Show on Earth, and Around the World in Eighty Days. In each of the movies, Flowers was uncredited. Her last movie was Good Neighbor Sam in 1964. Her acting career wasn’t confined to feature films. She also appeared in many TV series, including I Love Lucy, The Jerry Lewis Show, Perry Mason and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Flowers died on July 28, 1984 at the age of 85 in the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, Calif.

 

 

Continue Reading...

The Only U.S. Territory Without U.S. Birthright Citizenship

The Constitution seems straightforward when it says, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” Generally, it’s accurate — but not if you’re born in American Samoa. The territory, which has been held by the United States for more than 120 years and is some 2,600 miles southwest of Hawaii, celebrates “Flag Day” every April. It’s the most important holiday of the year, commemorating its 5 islands and 2 coastal atolls becoming part of the United States. If they choose to leave their homeland, they can live anywhere they choose in the United States and can even hold American passports. They aren’t, however, considered American citizens. Instead, American Samoans are U.S. “nationals” — a small but significant distinction that precludes them from voting, running for office, and holding jobs in a selection of fields, including law enforcement. They can become citizens after moving to the mainland, but the process is long, requires passing a history test, and costs at least $725 (before legal fees) without any guarantee of success. A handful of American Samoans living in the United States have attempted to challenge the status quo, but with no success.

Continue Reading...