Delaware has become a top destination for retirees, and for good reason.  The state offers significant financial benefits, including some of the most retiree-friendly tax policies in the country.  According to the Delaware Division of Revenue, the state has:

No sales tax

No tax on Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits

Retirement income exclusion

Low property taxes

No inheritance tax

https://www.actsretirement.org/resources-advice/finance-saving-money/tax  Thank you, Muse reader!   

The Pontifical Swiss Guard, also known as the Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard, is an armed forces, guard of honour, and protective security unit, maintained by the Holy See to protect the Pope and the Apostolic Palace within the territory of the Vatican City State.   Established in 1506 under Pope Julius II, it is among the oldest military units in continuous operation and is sometimes called "the world's smallest army".   The Swiss Guard is recognised by its Renaissance-era dress uniform, consisting of a tunic striped in red, dark blue, and yellow; high plumed helmet; and traditional weapons such as the halberd.  Guardsmen perform their protective duties in functional attire and with modern firearms.  Since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, the Guard has placed greater emphasis on its nonceremonial roles and has sought more training in anti-irregular military, commando style raids counterintelligence, counter-sniper tactics, counterterrorism, close-quarters battle, defusing and disposal of bombs, executive protection, hostage rescue, human intelligence, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, tactical driving, tactical medical services, and tactical fast shooting by small arms.  The Swiss Guard is considered an elite military unit. It is highly selective in its recruitment:  candidates must be unmarried Swiss Catholic males between 19 and 30 years of age, and at least 5 feet 8.5 inches (1.74 meters), who have completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces and hold a professional diploma or high school degree.  As of 2024, there were 135 members.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_Guard   

A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit Southern California on April 15, 2025, humans followed the usual drill: drop, cover and hold on.  But one herd of elephants at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, Calif., had their own plan—circle up and stand together.   Security footage from the park shows the moment clearly.  One minute the elephants were basking in the sun; the next, they were reacting as the ground began to shake.  The three adult females scanned their surroundings and quickly banded together, forming a tight circle around two 7-year-old calves named Zuli and Mkhaya, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.  Experts call this behavior an "alert circle," a response matriarch elephants display when they perceive a threat.  "Elephants are highly social, they take care of each other," says Joshua Plotnik, an associate professor of psychology at Hunter College in New York who studies elephant behavior.  Plotnik says this instinct to protect one another is at the core of the alert circle, a strategy for banding together when danger is near.  https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/animals-earthquake-prediction  Thank you, Muse reader! 

Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is one of the longest words in the dictionary—and, in an ironic twist, is the name for a fear of long words. Sesquipedalophobia is another term for the phobia.  The American Psychiatric Association doesn’t officially recognize this phobia.  Instead, hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is considered a social phobia.  The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) outlines a very specific definition for social phobias.  Medical professionals use the DSM-5 to help them make diagnoses.  According to the DSM-5, criteria for social phobias include:  a fear or anxiety about social situations where a person may be examined, like meeting new people or having a conversation:  The fear or anxiety is disproportionate to the social situation, the fear or anxiety is persistent and the social situation is excessively avoided, the fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinical distress  Hippopotomonstroses-quippedaliophobia: What Is It?  Thank you, Muse reader!   

http://librariansmuseblogspot.com  Issue 2939  May 7, 2025