Does your dog understand when you say “fetch the ball”? New study in Hungary says yes

Source: SFGate

“Many dog owners believe their pets understand and respond not only to commands such as ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, but also to words referring to their favorite objects. ‘Bring me your ball’ will often result in exactly that. But science has had trouble determining whether dogs and other animals genuinely activate a mental image in their minds when they hear the name of an object, something that would suggest a deeper grasp of language, similar to the kind that humans have. A new study in Hungary has found that beyond being able to respond to commands like ‘roll over’, dogs can learn to associate words with specific objects — a relationship with language called referential understanding that had been unproven in dogs until now.” (03/28/24)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/does-your-dog-understand-when-you-say-fetch-the-19373550.php

Americans aren’t buying Biden’s spin on the economy

Source: Orange County Register
by Veronique de Rugy

“The economy is growing, unemployment is low, wages are up, and inflation is down. However, the American people remain grumpy about the state of the economy. This puzzle was just investigated by four economists. They found that people often know that something is wrong even if statistics don’t reflect the problem. In this case, people are perceiving that inflation is still, in fact, high. For months now, Americans have been told that inflation’s downward trend, from almost 9% annually to around 3%, should make them feel good about the economy. But it isn’t working. A recent Gallup poll found that 63% say the state of the economy is getting worse and 45% think it’s already ‘poor.'” (03/28/24)

https://www.ocregister.com/2024/03/28/americans-arent-buying-bidens-spin-on-the-economy/

How Biden Boxed Himself In on Gaza

Source: The American Prospect
by Jonathan Guyer

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a knack for making world leaders do the jobs of their subordinates. President Joe Biden had to call Netanyahu himself in October—in the first weeks of Israel’s brutal assault on the occupied territory of Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas attacks of October 7—to urge that Israel allow more than 100 trucks of relief aid a day into Gaza. Normally, that’s a task a low-level economic officer at the embassy might handle. Five months later, the situation has only gotten more humiliating, with Palestinians suffering from an Israeli-sponsored famine. In mid-February, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan was expressing desperation that flour paid for by U.S. taxpayers reach Palestinians in Gaza. … the Biden administration floated the idea of air-dropping aid into Gaza, a tactic of colossal expense and little value when Israel could just speed inspections and open up more entry points.” (03/28/24)

https://prospect.org/world/2024-03-28-how-biden-boxed-himself-in-on-gaza/

Federal court rules on black voters’ challenge to Eastern North Carolina districts

Source: Raleigh News & Observer

“A federal appeals court on Thursday refused to block the Republican-crafted North Carolina Senate map from taking effect, which a lawsuit argues will dilute the voting power of Black residents. In a 97-page opinion, a three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the decision of a lower court, which ruled in January against the two Black voters bringing the lawsuit. Judges Allison Rushing and J. Harvie Wilkinson III, both of whom were appointed by Republican presidents, wrote the majority opinion. In it, they note a longstanding legal precedent that ‘cautions courts against enjoining state election laws in the period close to an election.’

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article287000585.html

The Dignity of Work

Source: Freeman’s Perspective
by Paul Rosenberg

“At one time I lived very close to the Field Museum of Chicago; I had a membership and spent a good deal of time there. One evening, about ten minutes before closing, I noticed that workers had begun preparing the first floor for an evening event. I had a panoramic view from where I stood at the second floor balcony, and what I saw has stuck with me ever since. What I saw was a lone man setting up tables and chairs – simple work, the kind that any teenager could do. But what I watched this man do was every bit as beautiful as dance. He moved with integrity, with precision, and with intent.” (03/28/24)

https://freemansperspective.com/the-dignity-of-work/

TN: Thousands form human chain remembering Covenant School shooting in Nashville

Source: BBC News [UK state media]

“Advocates for gun safety gathered to form a human chain in Tennessee to mark one year after an elementary school shooting that left six dead, including three children. Thousands linked arms on Wednesday from the Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University to the Tennessee State Capitol, calling for gun law reform on the anniversary of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville.” (03/28/24)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68688366