DERIK LATTIG - Award Winning Network TV Producer and Author

The American workforce is getting older, forcing new discussions on how to get these workers educated in skills needed for high-paying jobs. Older workers, aged 55 and over, represent the fastest growing labor group in the US. By 2024, nearly 1 in 4 people in the labor force will be age 55 or over, according to the  US Department of Labor . The increased workforce participation from older workers results from both  increased lifespans , and financial constraints: nearly half of households headed by someone 55 or older  has nothing saved for retirement . Currently, 3 million older adults are looking for full-time employment, Emily Allen, senior vice president for programs at AARP, told Business Insider . Many individuals seeking full-time might be part-time, or in low-wage jobs with limited growth opportunities. The biggest barrier to entry for older workers isn't a lack of skills: it's ageism. "The pickings are slim, the competition is fierce," Alice Fisher

Basepaws, the first company to offer at-home feline DNA testing (think 23andMeow), today announced that it received  $250,000  in investment on ABC's "Shark Tank" reality show. The claws came out (just a little) as the show's wealthy investor Sharks vied for a piece of the enormously promising biotech company. Investors  Robert Herjavec  and  Kevin O'Leary  ultimately agreed to a joint investment, with each contributing  $125,000  in exchange for a 5% ownership share each. The lively show aired Sunday night,  April 28 . Basepaws, the first company to offer at-home feline DNA The Cat is Out of the Bag! Feline DNA Company Basepaws Lands Investments From Top Sharks Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjavec Basepaws CatKits offer cat lovers a fascinating window into their cats' origins and breed makeup. Even more important are the implications for cat health and the knowledge base of veterinary science. The reports are specifically designed to prov

Is a yell that came from someone who stole my dog, but luckily due to DNA Testing and Microchip I was able to recover him. But what about your kitty? Don't fret #DerikLattigCats has something for you! Modern  DNA testing kits  can reveal a lot of information about you just by sending your spit off to a lab for analysis. As a result, it's easier than ever to learn about your personal ancestry and health risks. And now, the same goes for your cat, too. Basepaws  is now offering what it calls the "world's first DNA test for cats," which can tell you which breeds your beloved fur baby likely descended from, in addition to other information about their characteristics. The CatKit will reveal whether your little Simba is more similar to an American Shorthair, Abyssinian, or one of the other 30 breeds on record, as well as determining which of the "big cats" (think lions) your kitty has the most in common with. RELATED: HUGE REWARD OFFERED FOR STOLE

Cat lovers know when kitties groom, their tongues are pretty scratchy. Using high-tech scans and some other tricks, scientists are learning how those sandpapery tongues help cats get clean and stay cool.  The secret: Tiny hooks that spring up on the tongue — with scoops built in to carry saliva deep into all that fur. A team of mechanical engineers reported the findings Monday, and say they’re more than a curiosity. They could lead to inventions for pets and people. “Their tongue could help us apply fluids, or clean carpets, or apply medicine” to hairy skin, said Georgia Tech lead researcher Alexis Noel, who is seeking a patent for a 3D-printed, tongue-inspired brush. Cats are fastidious, spending up to a quarter of their waking hours grooming. Noel’s interest was piqued when her cat, Murphy, got his tongue stuck in a fuzzy blanket. Scientists had long thought cat tongues were studded with tiny cone-shaped bumps. Noel, working in a lab known for animal-inspired engineering,

The National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA) applauds the  Washington Post exposé by Kim Kavin  (April 11, 2018) detailing the corrupt practices of rescues and shelters buying dogs at auction from the same breeders they disparage as puppy mills, then transporting them cross-country where they market these same dogs as “rescues.” Sadly, these deceitful practices are hallmarks of today’s so-called “humane movement,” which at best is well-intentioned but reckless, and at worst, shows an inhumane and potentially lethal combination of misanthropy and greed. The push by BIG HUMANE (large, wealthy animal rights groups and shelters), to promote rescue dogs as the humane alternative to pet stores and other sources of dogs is a strategic and cynical campaign to eliminate marketplace competitors. While the majority of pet stores are regulated by local and state law, rescues and shelters operate largely without regulation or government oversight. If the dishonesty, hypocrisy and the inheren

Movement and sales of dogs through “rescue channels” continues to explode.  While more and more cities and states are restricting sales of dogs/cats in pet stores to those obtained from animal shelters and rescue groups, the actual source of these dogs remains obscure.  Yet, there is mounting evidence that movement through “rescue channels” includes individuals or organizations involved merely for the profit, hence the name “Retail Rescue.”   The dogs and cats may be coming from the very same unscrupulous dog breeders and rescues these laws are intended to put out of business. Not many states track the importation of dogs/cats for adoption into their states, but those that do, shed some light on the enormity of this issue. In 2012 7,450 rescue dogs were imported into New Hampshire 15,000 dogs were imported into Connecticut through “rescue channels” 90,000 dogs were received in Colorado 130,000 dogs were received in Virginia The numbers from New Hampshire and Connecticut

GILLIGAN'S ISLAND "Ghost a GO GO" By Ronald Maclane March 24, 1966 TEASER FADE IN EXT - SKIPPER AND GILLIGAN'S HUT - NIGHT - CREDITS OVERLAY SLOW ZOOM IN ON HUT - MEDIUM SHOT FADE TO: INT - SKIPPER AND GILLIGAN'S HUT - NIGHT The skipper is in the lower hammock sleeping while Gilligan is in the upper. Out of nowhere comes an eerie ghostly wail, which wakes up Gilligan. The skipper is unaffected and is seen yawning. http://centjhonjoseph.blogspot.com/2018/06/derik-lattig.html GILLIGAN Skipper? Is that you? Gilligan looks over the side of the hammock and down at the skipper. The skipper is fast asleep. Gilligan tries to go back to sleep. Once again the ghostly wail penetrates the silence of the jungle night. This time prompting Gilligan into action. https://deriklattigtx.wordpress.com/2018/08/27/derik-lattig-2/ GILLIGAN No, it wasn't you skipper. Gilligan gets out of his hammock to s