Globally Weak Biden

 

Ever since the world witnessed President Biden's pitiful withdrawal from Afghanistan and subsequent subordination to Vladamir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, he has been given a weakened global status by the world leaders, especially from those who are relying on American support should they be attacked or invaded...  case in point - TAIWAN...

Xi Jinping of China has warned the US not to send Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan or the US will suffer serious consequences and if her aircraft is escorted by fighter jets to Taiwan then China will consider that an act of war...

Conveniently, President Biden's doctors have announced that his COVID symptoms have returned...  so, he will be able to blame COVID if he makes the wrong move...

Sadly last week, the Republicans WERE PLAYED by Manchin and the Democrats and a huge spending bill is about to become passed by the Senate...  Economists say that governments do not spend their way out of inflation...  and since Janet Yellen says we are not in a recession despite to quarters of economic downturns...  then spending will only worsen our already present inflation...  but, I am not an economist...

Back to Taiwan and Biden's approval rating among Americans and the rest of the world...

To say it sucks is an understatement.

Pelosi MUST visit Taiwan, especially after China gave us an ultimatum otherwise Biden will be China's pork belly pig for the next two years...

• Is Biden mentally equipped to handle this kind of stress?
• Is Kamala Harris mentally equipped to handle this kind of stress should Biden crap out physically?
• Is Nancy Pelosi mentally equipped to handle this kind of stress if DO NOTHING HARRIS cannot stop laughing?

This country could be in a world of hurt very shortly if our current administration makes the wrong moves here...

From The Back Porch

 

It has been a while since I had time to sit on my backporch and reflect upon the day in front of me...  and perhaps some of the days behind me are worth mentioning...  who knows?

I am a Tarheel born and raised but am completely partial to east Tennessee after living here for 32 years.  It don't make me a volunteer or nothing but I do like the area.

I am a retired educator who is also a veteran (not that it makes much difference other than having the "balls" to defend this country) and most of my days are spent in the quiet solitude of my own environment trying to pull thoughts out of my head that I use to write novels.

I flip flop on whether or not I should try and have them published but if I did, it would be through Amazon...  I write about 200 pages in MS Word (8X11 format) but I would have to reformat to 6X9 which would make them about 400 pages.  

I have found that it is not that difficult to write as novel... as much as it takes to edit the damn thing.  Editing is necessary but it really is a pain in the ass and seems like it takes more time than it does to write it...   of course, if I had the money I could just pay someone to do it for me.

And, I will do that once I make some money of my first one...   LOL there...

I seem to spend most of my time these days wondering what the hell is going through the minds of the Biden administration as some, if not all of their decisions for that last year and a have been dumb and dumber and whatever word comes after that last one...  dumbest...

While my wife and I have sufficient funds to withstand this inflation, it seems rather stupid to pay $2 more for a meal or a gallon of gasoline when we really did not need to...  just because those democratic assholes want to stop using fossil fuels... for gasoline...

And, I have checked into electric vehicles and you ain't really gonna save any money there because the charging fees are going to be very similar to our current gasoline prices...  plus the cost of the vehicle at $60,000+ is not the kind of money that most of us have lying around the house or under the mattress.

• Does the USA have the electric power grid strong enough to withstand everyone owning electric cars?
• Are there enough charging stations already constructed to meet the charging demand of electric cars?
• When the battery dies, there is no neutral gear to push the car off to the side of the road.

My other rather large concern are these damn ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS...  now, I am not opposed to people wanting to come to this country but if they are going to break the law to get here, how many laws are they going to break after they arrive?

• Illegal immigrants have no jobs
• Where are they going to live?
• How are they going to eat?
• How are they going to buy clothes?
• How are they going to pay for healthcare?
• How do they feed their babies and children?
• Do they even speak English?
• Have they been checked for diseases?
• Will they create slums here?

Inflation and Immigration are two key issues for me and that bother me on a daily basis and while neither of them are hurting my retirement they still are of concern.

America is a strange place...  we don't put up a traffic light at an intersection until several people have been killed.

Being patient does not always have positive results...

Planting Potatoes

 

Monkeypox is a Public Health Concern

(CNN) --  The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

The decision was announced Saturday morning after WHO convened its second emergency committee on the issue on Thursday.

“I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Saturday morning.

Tedros said while the committee was unable to reach a consensus, he came to the decision after considering the five elements required on deciding whether an outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.

He added that while he was declaring monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern, “For the moment this is an outbreak that’s concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those who have multiple partners, that means that this is an outbreak that can be stopped with the right strategies in the right right groups.”

WHO initially stopped short of declaring the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after its first emergency committee meeting on June 23. At the time, Tedros said the emergency committee advised that at the moment, “the event does not constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern” but acknowledged the “evolving health threat” that WHO would be following extremely closely.  READ MORE...

Classic Sunday Morning Newspaper Cartoons

 

Develop the Growth Mindset

Illustration: Getty Images

Where success is concerned, growth and fixed mindset aren't an either/or proposition. Instead, you need a bit of both.

According to research on achievement and success by Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, most people embrace -- whether consciously or not -- one of two mental perspectives where talent is concerned:

Fixed mindset: The belief that intelligence, ability, and talent are inborn and relatively fixed.

Someone with a fixed mindset might think, "Numbers have never been my thing... so I probably shouldn't try to start a business."

Growth mindset: The belief that intelligence, ability, and talent can be learned and improved with effort.

Someone with a growth mindset might think, you're likely to think things like, "I didn't do well in math in school, but with a little time and effort I can understand the financial side of running a business."

Clearly, embracing a growth mindset is advantageous.

Assume you are what you are, and you can't change what you are -- that you aren't smart, or aren't talented, or aren't a natural leader, etc. -- and when the going gets tough and you start to struggle, you almost immediately feel overwhelmed and even helpless, because what you "are" just isn't good enough.

So you stop trying. (Or you never started trying in the first place, because you assumed that you're just not cut out for whatever you imagined achieving.)

But here's the thing. While fixed and growth mindset are usually considered as opposites -- you possess either one or the other -- fixed and growth mindset are separate mindsets.

You can have both. In fact, you want to have both.  READ MORE...

Science

 

The Wealthy Dump Luxury Properties

The rich are now paying attention to prices and their income, lament high-end agents in hotspots like Miami and San Francisco. "It's pretty sudden," one said.

After a decade of feeling invincible, the tech industry is suddenly facing something new: financial insecurity. Valuations are down, layoffs are up, startup funding no longer feels limitless, and an air of fear has started to permeate the sector, as bosses and workers alike adjust to a harsher version of reality.

In cities like San Francisco, New York, and Miami, luxury real estate agents are starting to notice the effects of the tech downturn on their business, they tell Motherboard, as wealthy tech clients grapple with the fact that raises, bonuses, and job offers no longer seem as inevitable as they did a few months ago.

“The elephant in the room these days is that there's a recession coming,” said Karley Chynces, a blockchain-focused real estate agent at Sotheby's International Realty in Miami.

Nationally, rising interest rates for home loans have combined with record home costs to price out potential homebuyers. But within the pockets of the country where tech workers tend to throw money down on housing, interest rates are less of a concern than the decline of tech stocks and the constant barrage of layoff announcements, according to conversations agents have had with their clients.  READ MORE...

Exercising

 

Observations of a Lesser Kind

 I have lived my entire life in the South except for 4 years when I lived in a foreign country and while I enjoyed living in Cairo, Egypt,  I have always preferred the southern lifestyle even though I have only visited other parts of the US and never lived in those place for longer than a week or two which does not really give you a proper perspective of that lifestyle.  However, I can say without exception that the weather is warmer down south than up north.  As I get older, the colder weather seems to bother me even more than high humidity.

The wages are less down south as is the cost of living.    Depending on one's lifestyle, I doubt that the entire state of Tennessee has fewer bars than New York City but that kind of lifestyle has never been one I cared much for, even though I did my fair share of drinking in college.

One thing that has caught my attention in some southern states is the number of churches that one sees  around the urban areas...  and, most of them are Baptist.  Seems like a waste of money to have so many of these Baptist churches in one area when one or two would suffice.

The other thing that has caught my attention is the number of pickup trucks I see on the road.  Like SUVs, it is difficult to see around pickup truck to get an idea of what is in front of you before it is too late.  What I find rather humorous is that whenever I see the driver get out of their pickup truck that person is always under 6 feet tall.  I have concluded that only short people drive pickup trucks.  I know that is a false conclusion but that is all I have seen.

Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky are the states in which I have lived.  Most of my years have been spent in Tennessee actually 32 in total.  I like Tennessee the best but not because I have lived here the longest but because it fits my lifestyle and mentality.

I live simply with no debt for the last 15 years.  I can walk around the community without the fear of getting harmed.  There is no state income tax.  We have an adequate number of franchised restaurants.  There is minimal traffic except during rush hour in Knoxville.  I can do everything that I want to do.

One thing that I have decided to do which happened recently is I am going to donate my body to the University of Tennessee  Medical Center for research when I die.     Consequently, I will have no funeral expenses.

I turn 75 in 3 months and figure that I have no more than 20 years left to live.  That is not a very pleasant thing to think about but it is a reality for me.  So, sometimes in the morning when I am drinking my coffee, I think about what I would like to do these next 20 years that I have not yet done or accomplished.  And I can think of nothing...

How Do You Take It?

Minute by minute

Hour by hour

Day by day

Week by week

Month by month

Year by year

Decade by decade

Our perception, I am told, changes with age, experiences, influences on and by others, as well as our financial situation...

For me...  I take it day by day...  as the AA programs suggests and one thing is for sure and that is that you never look back...  looking forward is risky unless you are really isolated...  so logically that just leaves us with one day at a time.

I am just finishing up my 14 year of being treated for cancer and the last half of those years, I received treatment for two cancers simultaneously.  Yet, I do no live under the fear of becoming terminal although I am sure that is a possibility and I am not sure how I would initially feel if my Oncologist were to tell me something like that...

But age changes one's outlook on life even if you are perfectly healthy as priorities change and things that were once important don't seem so important anymore.  And, the reverse is true as well...  things that were once not important now take on at least the appearance of being important.

If there is something over which I have NO CONTROL or very little control, then I simply do not worry about it...  then only issue that I can really control are my own choices and thoughts and actions...  and quite possibly reactions.

However, I find myself becoming more impatient as the years pass and I really get angry at INCOMPETENCE and believe me there is a lot of that in our society these days.

The younger generation no longer wants to learn or retain any information and wants everything handed to them on a silver platter and not gold because some one on TV told them that silver was in short supply.

How many push mowers do you see being used to cut grass these days?

I guess these people are getting prepared to have their jobs replaced by robots so they are practicing to become lazy.

I betcha you don't even care or have never thought about how you take life...  you just exist...  and go through your routines without even thinking...  letting your phone do all the thinking for you.

Double Rainbow

 

Best Cities In Which To Retire

Living on a fixed income during retirement doesn’t mean you have to miss out on any opportunities to have a fulfilling retirement. While it might seem difficult to find a place to retire that is affordable and also checks off all your boxes in terms of climate and social life, there are several cities that have it all.

To help you find a place to retire that fits your economic and lifestyle needs, GOBankingRates has created a list of the best places to retire for $2,000 a month that are not only affordable but also feature warm weather and sunny skies.

12. Pittsburgh
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,776.08
Livability score: 75

In Pittsburgh, retirees can rent a one-bedroom apartment for the cost of $990.40 per month. The city features a monthly grocery average of $415.95, and monthly healthcare falls on the lower end at $369.72. Those looking for social opportunities during retirement might want to consider this city, as 20% of the population is 65 and older.

11. Temple, Texas
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,794.41
Livability score: 75

Temple is a great option for retirees looking for a warm and sunny climate, as the average temperature high for the city falls at 78 F and the average low at 55 F. Temple’s monthly rent falls at $971.40 and grocery costs for this city average $401.95 per month.

10. Roanoke, Virginia
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,750.60
Livability score: 75

Roanoke is a great place for social butterflies as 20% of the city’s population is 65 and older. The city’s rent falls at $887 per month and the monthly grocery costs fall in the middle of the pack at $392.07.

9. Longview, Texas
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,684.45
Livability score: 78

In Longview, retirees can expect to save the most on groceries as the average monthly cost falls at $378.89 — the cheapest out of the cities on this list. The rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Longview falls at $877.60 and monthly healthcare falls in the middle at $427.97. The weather is nice too with an average high of 77 F.

8. Huntsville, Alabama
Total Monthly Expenditures: $1,703.78
Livability score: 79

Retirees in Huntsville can rent a one-bedroom apartment for an average cost of $855 per month. The grocery bill for this city falls in the middle at $395.36, with monthly healthcare costing $453.42. The average low here is only 51 F.   TO DISCOVER THESE OTHER CITIES...  CLICK HERE...

Tiger in the Water

 

Becoming Healthy Easily

Is punching health data into your phone or constantly checking your watch to see how much oxygen your blood has starting to feel like a chore?

We live in a time where the line between our bodies and our data is getting increasingly blurry. With the availability of apps that track our menstrual cycles and watches that can tell how stressed we are, there's pressure to keep tabs on any incremental changes to our health metrics. If we don't, how can we possibly know if we're healthy?

While tracking such metrics can be helpful (or even fun), it's not necessary to live a healthy life. In fact, if you stay tuned in to your body, you'll be able to gauge your well-being through some key patterns.

Here are a few health clues.

You're 'regular'
This applies to both bowel movements and menstrual cycles (for people that have one). Just like the nonexistent hands on our smartwatches, our bodies like to keep a rhythm.

Having at least one bowel movement a day is a good sign that your digestive system is working properly, and anywhere from three a week to three a day is considered normal. (Bonus points if you normally go around the same time each day.) Painful or infrequent bowel movements could be signs of constipation or irritable bowel syndrome -- conditions that flag a reason for a doctor's visit.  READ MORE...

Orange Crab

 

Focusing on Rotten Publishing

When I say that white supremacy makes for terrible readers, I mean that white supremacy is, among its myriad ills, a formative collection of fundamentally shitty reading techniques that impoverishes you as a reader, a thinker, and a feeling person; it’s an education that promises that whole swaths of the world and their liveliness will be diminished in meaning to you. Illegible, intangible, forever unreal as cardboard figures in a diorama.

They don’t know how to read us, I’ve heard fellow writer friends of color complain, usually after a particularly frustrating Q&A in which a white person has either taken offense to something in our books or in the discussion (usually the mention of whiteness at all will be enough to offend these particularly thin-skinned readers), or said something well-meaning but ultimately self-serving, usually about how their story made them feel terrible about your country.

White supremacy is a comprehensive cultural education whose primary function is to prevent people from reading—engaging with, understanding—the lives of people outside its scope. This is even more apparent in the kind of reading most enthusiastically trafficked by the white liberal literary community that has such an outsize influence, intellectually and economically, on the publishing industry today.

The unfortunate influence of this style of reading has dictated that we go to writers of color for the gooey heart-porn of the ethnographic: to learn about forgotten history, harrowing tragedy, community-destroying political upheaval, genocide, trauma; that we expect those writers to provide those intellectual commodities the way their ancestors once provided spices, minerals, precious stones, and unprecious bodies.  READ MORE...

Flying By

 

Democracy Is In Trouble

In 1776 when we declared our independence from Great Britain and formed a Democratic Republic, having a Democratic Government was seen as an EXPERIMENT and many countries simply did not believe that it would work...  having that must trust in people to decide what is best for a country.  And, for 246 years, we have been conducting this experiment quite successfully until recently.

Our experimental government has created the:

• strongest military in the world.
• strongest economy in the world.
• best education programs in the world.
• best healthcare in the world.
• best employment opportunities in the world.

And it is because of this list above that we now have a divided country and that division is getting worse each year.  This division started to manifest itself about 2012 during the second term of Obama.  It worsened in 2015 when Donald Trump campaigned and won the Presidency and escalated into high gear from 2016-2020.  And, even though Trump is no longer President the division in this country is worsening.

It is my belief that Russia, China, and several multi-billionaires are financing and promoting this division through a campaign of misinformation.

According to the Brookings Institute:

Democracy in the United States is in serious trouble. A review of some recent public opinion research shows just how much.

For example, an NPR survey conducted earlier this year found that 64% of the American population believes that U.S. democracy is in crisis and is at risk of failing. A strong indication that the situation is getting worse and not better is that over 70% of respondents in that poll said that democracy is more at risk of failure now than it was a year ago.

Similarly, a Quinnipiac University survey reveals that 76% of respondents think political instability within the country is a bigger danger to the United States than external adversaries. Amazingly, this suggests that Americans recognize that we are a bigger threat to our own democracy than any other potential external threat. Sadly, according to this poll, over half of Americans (53%) expect political divisions in the country to worsen over their lifetime rather than get better.

One of the drivers of decreased confidence in the political system has been the explosion of misinformation deliberately aimed at disrupting the democratic process. This confuses and overwhelms voters. Throughout the 2020 election cycle, Russia’s cyber efforts and online actors were able to influence public perceptions and sought to amplify mistrust in the electoral process by denigrating mail-in voting, highlighting alleged irregularities, and accusing the Democratic Party of engaging in voter fraud. The “big lie” reinforced by President Trump about the 2020 election results amplified the Russian efforts and has lasting implications on voters’ trust in election outcomes.

Democracy is the heart and soul of the United States and the ONLY REASON that we are and continue to be the most successful country in the world.

Yes, we have Democratic Progressives here and yes we have Socialists here who want the government to pay for everything while requiring that the wealthy foot the bill...  and while that sounds a lot like being taken care of by our parents, it is not going to be healthy for our economy...  unless the wealthy volunteer to do this on their own.

Moving fast in having only a GREEN economy, is foolish, childish, economically unsound, and illogical.  Transitions like this must be gradual and to say we are going to stop using petroleum crude oil, is just blatantly IGNORANT.

Over 6,000 items are made from petroleum waste by-products, including: fertilizer, flooring (floor covering), perfume, insecticide, petroleum jelly, soap, vitamins and some essential amino acids.  SOURCE:  Google Search

Shoreline

 

Plant Based Diet

A plant-based diet could be helpful if you want to lose weight, avoid diabetes, or reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s.


New study argues that all doctors should be aware of the benefits of plant-based diets for these six health conditions.


According to a recent commentary in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, all doctors should be aware of the advantages of a plant-based diet for six different health conditions, including COVID-19, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and weight loss.


“The field of medicine, despite its prominent influence in society, has invested little to promote healthy lifestyle choices,” says the commentary co-authored by Saray Stancic, MD, FACLM, director of medical education for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 

“The consequence of this is reflected in our ever-rising chronic disease statistics, most notably obesity and diabetes rates.  READ MORE...

Friends

 

Pest Working Its Way Across the Country

“It was like it was raining lanternflies when you walk outside,” Gavyn Essner told FOX 29 Philadelphia of the sheer number of bugs in his yard.

The spotted lanternfly is not only pervasive and invasive but deadly to plants. The plant-hopping bug pierces plants with their mouth and sucks sugary sap out of the stems, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.

“Our yard – this was the worst year so far,” said Essner about the insects. He started noticing lanternflies three to four years ago in his Williamstown, New Jersey yard. “The previous years we have seen them here and there, nothing major, but this is by far the worst. I had to wrap tape around the trees this year.”

The lanternfly is even more destructive to hardwood forests, orchards and vineyards. It deprives plants of sap, causes wilting, dieback and makes plants more susceptible to other diseases and pests.

“Some vineyards have seen a 100% crop loss,” Sharon Powers of Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture told FOX Weather’s Katie Byrne. “They are a threat to our economy as well as our quality of life.”

In addition to sucking sap, the fly that travels in swarms and covers plants also produces honeydew.

“The honeydew that the insects squirt out covers the plants, blocks photosynthesis, so the plant doesn’t get the sunlight it needs,” explained Powers. “And the plant is basically smothered, but it’s also covered with a black, sooty mold that destroys the plant.”

Honeydew is a sugary substance that promotes mold growth. The mold is not harmful to humans but can be a mess when it covers decks, play sets and outdoor furniture.

“Stop, scrape and squash!” says a yard sign the Pennsylvania Ag Department distributes to remind residents to eradicate the bug that is not harmful to humans or pets.  READ MORE...

Alaskan Waterfall

 

Chocolate Vessel Found in Cave

Archaeologists have recovered a Maya chocolate-type vessel from the Cueva de la Cruz, near the coastal resort of Playa del Carmen, in Mexico’s Yucatán.

Researchers from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) recovered the 13cm tall vessel after being notified by the Cenotes Urbanos project.

The vessel was partially submerged and buried in soft sediment, deposited by the rainy season that tends to flood the entire cave.

“It has a reddish colour on the outside and a black slip on the inside, partially covered by calcium carbonates. The decoration seems to provide a phytomorphic image, similar to a pumpkin”, said archaeologist Antonio Reyes abounds.

The vessel dates from the Late Preclassic period (300 BC to AD 250), and although lacking a spout, archaeologists suggest that the vessel was used for drinking chocolate.

Maya chocolate was consumed as a hot liquid beverage, seasoned by mixing the roasted cacao seed paste into a drink with water, chilli peppers and cornmeal, and then transferring the mixture repeatedly between pots until the top was covered with a thick foam.

The drink was used in official ceremonies and religious rituals, as funerary offerings, as a tribute, and for medicinal purposes.  READ MORE...

Cats Watching

 

Some of Us are Caught Between Floors

 

I saw the headline for an article (that I did not read) which stated that Dem Candidates Refuse To Say If Males Can Get Pregnant and Define a Woman...

Right before that article there was another article that stated VP Kamala Harris introduced herself as the woman who was wearing a blue outfit and shared her pronouns...

As a retired American who is also a Vietnam Veteran, this garbage does not shock me, it just makes me feel that the people promoting this kind of shit are setting the stage for their own downfall as a majority of the people, especially all the illegal immigrants that are coming across the border are going to identify as either male, female, drug dealer, drug addict, or terrorist...  lol

A male can cut off his penis if he so desires that is fine by me and he can swallow female hormones to grow titties...  but that joker is still going to be a male and the only pronoun I am going to use will be IT.

The same hold true for a female who wants to have a penis attached in her crotch and pretend that she can impregnant another female...  She too can do whatever she pleases but as far as I am concerned she will also be referred to as IT.

I also read the other day that our once glorious military is actively trying to recruit people from the LGBQT+ community...  and, all I can say there is that I am glad that I did not have to go into battle with people like that.

Can you imagine a GAY Rambo or James Bond?

And yes I do understand that many bodybuilders both male and female are gay but I doubt any of them want to switch their gender.

On the bright side...  if there are more and more gender switches and if there are more and more gay males and lesbian females...  then there is a good possibility that our population will begin to decrease...

If latinos, hispanics, Mexicans, and Asians do not have the same gender curious desires, then there is a good possibility that their populations will increase.   And, in time, the demographics of the US will change and the two largest populations will be Hispanics and Asians with Caucasian and Blacks being on the bottom.

If I were one of these groups, I would want to be financing the LGBQT+ movement in the hopes that it grows uncontrollably large...

He is has the last laugh will laugh the hardest...

Kitten & Big Dog

 

A Semiconductor Better Than Silicon

MIT researchers say cubic boron arsenide is the best semiconductor material ever found, and 

maybe the best possible one. Credit: Christine Daniloff, MIT

Researchers from MIT and elsewhere have found a material that can perform much better than silicon. The next step is finding practical and economic ways to manufacture it.

Silicon is one of the most plentiful elements on Earth, and in its pure form, the semiconductor material has become the foundation of much of modern technology, including microelectronic computer chips and solar cells. However, silicon’s properties as a semiconductor are actually far from ideal.

One reason is that although silicon allows electrons to readily flow through its structure, it is much less accommodating to “holes” — electrons’ positively charged counterparts —and harnessing both is crucial for particular types of devices. 

Furthermore, silicon does a poor job of transporting heat, which contributes to the frequent overheating problems and pricey cooling systems in computers.

Now, a team of scientists from MIT, the University of Houston, and other institutions has carried out experiments showing that a material called cubic boron arsenide overcomes both of these limitations. 

In addition to providing high mobility to both electrons and holes, it has excellent thermal conductivity. It is the best semiconductor material ever found, and maybe the best possible one, according to the researchers.

Cubic boron arsenide has so far only been made and tested in small, lab-scale batches that are not uniform. In fact, in order to test small regions within the material, the scientists had to use special methods originally developed by former MIT postdoc Bai Song. 

More work will be needed to determine whether cubic boron arsenide can be made in a practical, economical form, much less replace the ubiquitous silicon. But even in the near future, the researchers say, the material could find some uses where its unique properties would make a significant difference.  READ MORE...

The Caribbean

 

Air Conditioning Will Not Save Us

It keeps happening. Every summer, unprecedented heat surges through cities across the United States—in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio; and in Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey. Last week, a heat wave melted records in Texas with unrelenting highs well into the 100s for days. 

And just when residents need it most, the electrical grid fails. Every year, hundreds die from heat-related illness in the U.S., and thousands more end up in emergency rooms from heat stress. Compared to other weather-related disasters, the emergency response to extreme heat from U.S. leaders has been minimal. As a result, many places remain unprepared. How, then, do we make our cities more resilient?

The urban heat crisis is not confined to North America, of course. Extreme heat kills more people than any other climate disaster on the planet, including hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. In the U.K., temperatures are reaching 104ºF for the first time in recorded history, and the heat is stoking wildfires across Europe. 

In India, cities inhabited for centuries are now unlivable with highs of 123ºF. And, driven largely by carbon emissions from the developed world, climate change is making it worse. 

Heat waves are getting hotter, they’re happening more often, and they’re lasting longer. Currently, 2.2 billion people—that’s 30% of the world’s population—now experience life-threatening heat during at least 20 days of the year, and scientists predict that heat could threaten as many as 66% of human lives by the end of the century. 

Unlike more cinematic violence, heat is invisible, even as it’s more immediate and widespread. That also makes it more dangerous. Nothing but the massive reduction of fossil fuels will slow this trend.  READ MORE...

Truck Backs Into Tight Space

 

Phantom Galarxy Looks Like A Wormhole

The James Webb Space Telescope's imagery of NGC 628 (the "Phantom Galaxy") shows glowing 

dust in this citizen science image. (Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/Judy Schmidt)

A fresh image based on brand-new deep-space data appears to show a wormhole spinning before our very eyes.

The appropriately named "Phantom Galaxy" glows eerily in a new image by Judy Schmidt based on James Webb Space Telescope data collected nearly a million miles away from our planet using the observatory's mid-infrared instrument (MIRI).

"I've been doing this for 10 years now, and [Webb] data is new, different, and exciting," Schmidt told Space.com. "Of course I'm going to make something with it."

The image highlights the dust lanes in the galaxy, which is more properly known as NGC 628 or Messier 74. Dubbed the "perfect spiral" by some astronomers because the galaxy is so symmetrical, the Phantom Galaxy is scientifically interesting because of the intermediate-mass black hole scientists believe is embedded at its heart.

The galaxy has been imaged professionally many times before, including by space observatories such as the Hubble Space Telescope and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). 

What makes Webb imagery stand apart from these past efforts is the mid-infrared range that highlights cosmic dust, along with the power of its unique 18-segment hexagonal mirror and deep-space location.

Webb observed M74 earlier this week. The data was also shared on Twitter(opens in new tab) (with different filtration) by Gabriel Brammer, an astronomer at the Cosmic Dawn Center in the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Denmark.  READ MORE...

Hero

 

A Business Philosophy

Throughout my business career of 45 years, one of my responsibilities was the hiring, training, mentoring, and firing of employees.

My hands were tied by the fact that I had to hire college graduates for certain positions but after I knew that they for certain had a degree, I could care less about their grades or what clubs they might have belonged to or if they worked while attending college...

What I cared about was threefold:

• Would they fit in with the rest of the team?
• What value could they add?
• Did I believe they would achieve the results I needed them to achieve?

It was not the best two out of three but it had to be all three...  otherwise, it was pointless to hire them.

HOWEVER, out of those 3 identifiers, only one was certain in an interview and that was could they add value...  the other two were always yet to be seen or determined.

But, the value could the ascertained right there in the interview by what the potential employee said or did not say about his/her abilities and what they could do.

On the other side of the coin, whenever I found myself in an interview seeking possible employment from an employer, my strategy was always to explain the value I could add to the company.

And, when you think about it, adding value is all you have to give an employer...  it is the value you add that helps you fit in and it is the value you add that helps you achieve results...

Why on earth would you ever hire someone that you did not think would achieve the results that you needed them to achieve?