posty

Kentucky Fried Movie Blazing Saddles Young Frankenstein

Caddyshack has two Ds, not one…

So is it safe to take them off my ignore list?

https://wtop.com/local/2024/05/giant-pandas-are-coming-back-to-the-smithsonian-national-zoo/ After a long and bittersweet farewell last November when D.C.’s giant pandas embarked to China on a FedEx plane, giant pandas are coming back to the nation’s capital. The Smithsonian National Zoo announced Wednesday that two new pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, will be transported to the zoo by the end of the year. Brandie Smith, the zoo’s John and Adrienne Mars director, said resuming the giant panda conservation program partnership with China proves that the institution’s “collaboration with Chinese colleagues has made an irrefutable impact.” Bao Li is a descendant of the Smithsonian’s former “panda family.” The two-year-old male panda is the son of Bao Bao, who was born at the D.C. zoo in 2013. “Through this partnership, we have grown the panda population, advanced our shared understanding of how to care for this beloved bear and learned what’s needed to protect wild pandas and preserve native habitat,” Smith said. The zoo signed a new research and breeding agreement with the Chinese that runs through April 2034. According to a release, similar to previous agreements, any cubs born at the zoo will move to China by age 4. The zoo will pay a $1 million annual fee to the China Wildlife Conservation Association to support research and conservation efforts in China. The FedEx “Panda Express” will be called into service again to transport the giant pandas from China to the D.C. zoo. The pandas will then be placed in quarantine and settle into their habitat for a few weeks before the institution’s animal care team decides that the pandas are ready for their public debut. The zoo has taken advantage of the pandas’ time away, working to upgrade their exhibit with a variety of renovations. Smith, first lady Jill Biden and Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch announced the imminent arrival of new giant pandas in a video Wednesday morning. During a press conference, Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng said that the next 10 years of the cooperative research and breeding agreement will focus on “prevention and treatment of major diseases, and protection of habitats and wild giant panda populations.” The ambassador also highlighted how D.C.-area residents were saddened by the departure of Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji last November. “Many American friends, especially children, were reluctant to say goodbye,” Feng said. “A few days later, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco that China is ready to continue its cooperation with the United States on panda conservation, so as to deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples.” That announcement came after Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden held their first face-to-face meeting in a year. Feng also highlighted China and U.S. diplomatic ties during the Wednesday announcement. “If there should be any protectionism, then let us protect biodiversity, protect the only home for the entire humanity. Protect a stable, sound and sustainable Sino-U.S. relations and protect a better future for the younger generations,” he said. “I encourage everyone to care for China-U.S. relations, just as you care for pandas, and jointly ushering in a peaceful and prosperous future.” The panda program from China has long been used for diplomacy. In recent years, China has lent out pandas to Russia and Qatar. But diplomatic relations with the U.S. have been a little rockier, and China has begun gradually withdrawing its giant pandas from zoos in the U.S. and Europe. According to The Associated Press, the Chinese Embassy held an event for a video series about friendship between people in China and the U.S. two weeks ago. Smith gave an emotional speech recounting her experience with giant pandas. They were a gift after a historic trip to China In 1972, 25 years of isolation between the U.S. and the People’s Republic of China came to an end when President Richard Nixon paid a visit to China that established diplomatic relations between the two countries. While at a dinner in February 1972 during the seminal trip, first lady Pat Nixon mentioned her fondness for the giant pandas to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. After, the premier gifted two giant pandas to the American people as “gesture of good will,” according to the National Zoo’s website. Ling-Ling (a female) and Hsing-Hsing (a male) arrived at the National Zoo later that year in April, drawing millions of fans from around the world to the zoo. The pair spent 20 years together, giving birth to five cubs. Unfortunately, none survived. Ling-Ling died in 1992 from heart failure. She was 23. Due to age-related illnesses and a terminal kidney disease, Hsing-Hsing was euthanized in 1999 at age 28. More than a year after the death of the zoo’s first panda pair, Mei Xiang (female) and Tian Tian (male) arrived at the zoo. Unlike Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, the couple were on loan following an agreement wherein the two would live at the zoo for 10 years in exchange for $10 million and the sharing of conservation effort expertise with China. The zoo renewed its Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association three times since 2000. What Smithsonian scientists learned about panda behavior and breeding Smithsonian scientists and animal care staff learned a great deal about panda breeding, cub development and panda native habitats, leading to valuable insights about how to care for them and conserve wild panda populations. After several natural and artificial breeding attempts, Mei Xiang give birth to Tai Shan in 2005. Tai Shan left the zoo for the Wolong Nature Reserve in China in 2010. Mei Xiang gave birth to Bao Bao in 2013 and to Bei Bei in 2015. Bao Bao left for China in 2017. Bei Bei left in 2019. In August 2020, Mei Xiang give birth to a male cub, Xiao Qi Ji. Later in December, the zoo announced another three-year extension with the China Wildlife and Conservation Association. In September 2023, as the latest agreement drew to a close, the National Zoo held “Panda Palooza: A Giant Farewell” about a month before Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub left for China.

Yeah, that has always bugged me as well...

Doesn't really matter...

Three-fifths..

That is true for sure about trivia... The talent was probably just as good, but the overall was probably not as good... I mean, look at Gibson's career stats: 653 games played and only 11 career strikeouts? That just doesn't seem logical or possible...

Saw this yesterday... I am not sure how to react to this yet...

Making history... Against the Sparks, Clark finished with 30 points, five rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks in the game, becoming the first rookie – and fourth player overall – in WNBA history to record a 30-5-5-3-3 stat line. She is now also the fastest rookie in WNBA history to record 100 points and 50 assists. She did have seven turnovers but stated: “The biggest thing for me is, when I get in there, I still get a little indecisive – and that’s honestly where a lot of my turnovers are still coming from,” Clark explained. “Just a little indecision when I do get my feet in the paint, but I think I’ve done a better job of probing and finding people open or finishing at the rim. I think I’ve done a better job as well of understanding who’s guarding me. “That will continue to get a lot better, [I’ll] continue to take care of the ball a little bit better and find people, not be a little indecisive – I’ve got to make decisions a little bit faster once I do get my feet in the paint.”

And HT sobs...

TV dictates...

I have them on ignore… Praise Jesus!! Amen… Thanks…

Or my kitchen...

So that leaves just Roger Murdock, err, Kareem, alive...

Paul Hardcastle's biggest hit...

LOL…. Robin Williams is hardly the most beloved…

So all people like to make things up? I guess that confirms that the bible is also made up and a book of fiction…. Thanks for the confirmation, though it was a given anyway…

He tore his first one in 2021, the Braves won the championship…. Yes it is a blow, but most people thought they were done then…

Pittsburgh Steelers fans... They have never lost a game, it is always someone else's fault...

He also moved the goal posts after the initial post...

Last time I checked, 2.13m > 2m

Definitely no loss... I haven't watched it since the fifth episode of the first season, but I couldn't imagine her being any better... https://tvline.com/casting-news/night-court-india-de-beaufort-leaving-olivia-season-3-cast-nbc-1235244737/ Night Court: India de Beaufort Not Returning as Olivia in Season 3 The verdict is in: Another Night Court cast member is heading for the exits. India de Beaufort, who played prosecutor Olivia on the NBC sitcom, is leaving after two seasons and won’t return for the upcoming Season 3, TVLine has confirmed. de Beaufort broke the news herself in an Instagram post earlier this month, the same day Night Court was renewed for a third season at NBC: “For the last two years, I have had the immense privilege of driving onto the WB lot and walking onto a stage filled with the most hard working, loving and talented cast and crew that comedy has to offer. Today they received a [Season 3] pick up. Knowing and loving them as I do, I am beyond overjoyed for the most deserving people I know. I will miss the honor of being in their brilliant company, but my god. That was fun. My time at Night Court has come to an end.” She added: “I owe a great thanks to NBC, WB, After January Productions and our Writers / Producers / Directors / Cast and Crew for two incredible years. My favorite thing about this business is how often old friends appear in new places; that’ll be a day I look forward to greatly.” de Beaufort co-starred as Olivia Moore, the tightly wound prosecuting attorney who reluctantly struck up a friendship with Melissa Rauch’s Judge Abby Stone and with bailiff Gurgs, played by Lacretta. The cast also includes John Larroquette, reprising his role as Dan Fielding from Night Court’s original NBC run. This marks the second original cast member to leave Night Court: Kapil Talwalkar exited the series ahead of its second season as court clerk Neil, with Nyambi Nyambi joining the Season 2 cast as new court clerk Wyatt.