Friday, January 31
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> FireAid benefit concert for Los Angeles wildfires takes place tonight, featuring Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, and Stevie Wonder (More) | Magic Johnson among business and civic leaders tapped to head wildfire recovery philanthropy LA Rises (More)
> William E. Leuchtenburg, renowned US presidential historian, dies at age 102 (More) | Temple University student, 18, dies after falling from light pole while celebrating Philadelphia Eagles NFC Championship victory (More)
> Harvey Weinstein's New York City retrial on rape charges set for April 15 (More) | Rapper A$AP Rocky's trial on felony assault charges is ongoing in Los Angeles (More)
Science & Technology
> OpenAI accuses Chinese AI startup DeepSeek of using its models to train its own chatbots; recent announcement of DeepSeek's cheap-but-powerful R1 model caused shockwaves in Silicon Valley (More) | See previous write-up (More)
> Lab-grown muscle patch developed from stem cells helps patient with heart failure survive until transplant; roughly 6 million people worldwide currently experience advanced heart failure, with demand outstripping organ supply (More)
> Researchers reveal first map of the ice-free land area of Antarctica, which makes up less than 0.5% of the continent; survey expected to aid in future conservation measures (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.5%, Dow -0.3%, Nasdaq -0.5%); Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady (More) | Global arabica coffee prices reach record high above $3.60 per pound (More)
> IBM shares rise 9% in after-hours trading after topping Wall Street earnings and revenue expectations (More) | Tesla reports lower-than-expected Q4 earnings and revenue (More) | Meta beats Q4 earnings and revenue forecasts (More)
> Frontier Airlines makes second bid for Spirit Airlines three years after first attempt; comes after JetBlue's failed $3.8B bid to buy Spirit (More) | Trump Media to invest up to $250M in financial services venture with Charles Schwab (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Hamas expected to release eight hostages today—three Israelis and five Thai nationals who were abducted in Oct. 7, 2023, attack (More) | Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, is named country’s interim president (More)
> At least 30 people killed, 60 injured from crowd surge at India's Maha Kumbh Mela festival, considered one of the largest religious gatherings in history (More) | See previous write-up (More)
> Average reading scores for both US fourth and eighth graders dropped five points from 2019 to 2024, per results of latest exam known as the nation's report card (More) | See reading scores (More) | See math scores (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
End of January 2025
January marks several items:
- First - the beginning of winter here
- Second - presidential inauguration this year
- Third - the beginning of my 17th being treated for 2 kinds of cancers
- Fourth - beginning 11th year of retirement
- Fifth - the end of the first month of winter
- Sixth - the beginning of a new year
I like seeing the end of January because I mentally feel like there is not much left to winter... maybe 4 weeks...
By the time January ends, most of us pretty much know, if we are going to be serious about any of our news year's resolutions. I have learned not to take on anything that I would like to do, rather take on those things I MUST DO.
Must Do's for me include:
- Watch my diet (<2000 calories/day)
- Be nice to my cats/wife
- Continue blogs/writing
- Enjoy my life/proactive
- Maintain my house/yard
Anything else is just icing on the cake and does not matter if I do or not do.
I would like to have a better relationship with my siblings and daughter, but I know that is a two-way street and is not going to happen.
I also know that making more friends is highly unlikely given the fact that I don't venture out in public much anymore.
The end of January is symbolic for the most part of that winter is almost halfway over... and, as a result is a cause for celebration.
Nuke on Truck
US-based NANO Nuclear Energy has announced an expansion of its microreactor technology portfolio.
It has acquired a significant portfolio of intellectual property related to its transportable, modular microreactor technologies.
“We are pleased to expand our intellectual property portfolio with these recently acquired patents, further strengthening the protections surrounding our proprietary, portable and modular microreactor technologies in development,” said Jay Yu, founder and chairman of NANO Nuclear Energy.
These reactors are designed to provide clean, reliable, and on-demand power for a variety of applications, including remote communities, industrial sites, and, more importantly, military bases. READ MORE...
Thursday, January 30
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The "Mona Lisa" to receive dedicated room inside the Louvre in Paris as the world's most-visited museum undergoes a yearslong renovation; the Louvre received 8.7 million visitors in 2024 (More)
> Dolly Parton's autobiographical stage musical to debut in Nashville before a planned 2026 release on Broadway (More)
> CNN anchor Jim Acosta to depart after nearly 20 years with the cable news network (More) | NFL's AFC Championship Game hauls in a record 58 million viewers (More)
Science & Technology
> US health regulators approve Ozempic to treat chronic kidney disease in diabetic patients; drug is already approved to treat diabetes, with a separate formulation approved for weight loss under the brand name Wegovy (More) | How Ozempic works (More, w/video)
> OpenAI launches ChatGPT Gov, an AI chatbot for government agencies; platform allows use of the company's AI features while still allowing for internal security measures (More)
> Fossil hunter discovers 66-million-year-old vomit; researchers believe the specimen is a regurgitated sea lily, finding sheds light on marine ecosystem during the Cretaceous period (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.0%, Dow +0.3%, Nasdaq +2.0%) in recovery rally a day after China's DeepSeek triggered a tech stock sell-off; Nvidia closes up nearly 9% (More)
> Elon Musk's X partners with Visa to offer real-time payment system on the social media platform later this year; users will be able to transfer money from Visa debit cards or bank accounts to X Money accounts hosted on the platform (More)
> JetBlue shares tumble nearly 26% after reporting downbeat Q1 and full-year outlook (More) | General Motors shares close down 9% amid regulatory volatility despite automaker beating Q4 revenue and earnings expectations (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Sen. Gary Peters (D) won't seek third term in 2026, opening battleground seat in Michigan (More) | Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine win GOP primaries for US House seats of former Reps. Matt Gaetz (FL-1) and Mike Waltz (FL-6), respectively (More) | President Donald Trump signs executive order seeking to ban federal funding for youth gender-affirming care (More)
> Mystery drones spotted last year along US East Coast were authorized by the FAA for research and recreational purposes, White House says (More) | Karoline Leavitt, 27, makes briefing room debut as youngest White House press secretary (More)
> Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigns after monthslong anticorruption protests (More) | Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni under investigation over release of Libyan war crimes suspect (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Equality
Life was never meant to be KIND, FAIR, or EQUAL. In fact, our own US Constitution, got it wrong when they said all men were created equal...
First, they did not recognize females and they damn sure did not understand equality because mankind is the farthest thing from equality as a society can get.
We have different:
- heights
- weights
- eye sight/hearing
- hair/eye colors
- physical abilities
- athletic abilities
- musical abilities
- mental abilities
- predisposition to diseases
- quality of teeth/internal organs
- mechanical skills
- math/science skill
- photographic memories
- game skills like chess
- breasts/phallic sizes
And yet there are people in this country who would have us belief that we ARE IN FACT EQUAL.
- We are all human that is true
- We are all either male or female
- We are all born and we all die
- We must eat, defecate, exercise, and sleep
- We must all have water to survive
- We must all grow
I am sure there are a few others, but you get the point... we are more different than equal.
Shape of Electrons
For the first time, researchers have measured the shape of an electron as it moves through a solid. This achievement could open a new way of looking at how electrons behave inside different materials.
Their discovery highlights many effects that could be relevant to everything from quantum information science to electronics manufacturing.
Those findings come from a team led by physicist Riccardo Comin, MIT’s Class of 1947 Career Development Associate Professor of Physics and leader of the work, in collaboration with other institutions.
“We’ve essentially developed a blueprint for obtaining some completely new information that couldn’t be obtained before,” says Comin. His colleague and co-author, Mingu Kang, performed much of this research at MIT before continuing at Cornell University.
New angles on electron shape
Physicists have examined electrons for decades, but the wave-like aspect of these particles brings extra complexity. Electrons can be described not just as small points, but also as “wave functions.” READ MORE...
Wednesday, January 29
Democrats
I have noticed, ever since Donald Trump won the Presidency, that Democrats are trying to do everything they can think of to destroy his plans and ruin his presidency, with the idea in mind that will improve their political chances in 2026 and 2028.
Maybe it will, maybe it won't. History says that two years after an election, Congress, either one or both houses, change to the other party.
If that happens in 2028, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Democrats will try to IMPEACH President Trump for the third and final time.
The Democrats since Bill Clinton have always played dirty and it is for that reason that I have stopped voting for them. My one vote does not really count, and I don't really care they win or lose; it's just how they go about doing it that bothers me.
Meanwhile, the residents of the USA seem to always lose because our two political parties are fighting.
One day I hope there will be someone who has the guts to put politics aside and do whatever it takes to unite us again as a country.
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Top execs at Fuji TV, one of Japan's biggest networks, resign over handling of sexual assault allegations against one of Fuji TV's hosts (More)
> "The Lost Boys" musical, based on the 1987 cult horror-comedy film, set for 2026 opening on Broadway (More) | Lady Gaga's new album "Mayhem" to be released March 7 (More)
> Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter to step down after more than a decade leading the performing arts institution (More)
Science & Technology
> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ordered to suspend collaboration on World Health Organization projects following last week's executive order from President Donald Trump (More)
> Astronomers discover 74 nearby stars surrounded by small comet-like objects, similar to the Kuiper Belt in our solar system (More) | Where did the Kuiper Belt come from? (More)
> Genetic analysis reveals how giant clams evolved to harness certain species of algae to provide nutrition; study sheds light on the evolution of symbiotic relationships in the ocean (More)
Business & Markets
> Scott Bessent secures Senate confirmation for treasury secretary role by a vote of 68-29, becoming fifth official member of President Donald Trump's Cabinet (More) | See running list of confirmed Cabinet nominees (More)
> Startup Manas AI, co-led by LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, raises nearly $25M for developing new treatments for cancer and other autoimmune diseases using artificial intelligence (More)
> China Vanke, one of China's largest property developers, replaces top executives and warns of record $6.2B loss for 2024; China Vanke is latest firm to feel ripple effects from China's real estate slump (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> President Donald Trump signs executive orders to reshape the military, including reinstating service members discharged for declining the COVID-19 vaccine (More)
> At least eight hostages of 26 due to be released by Hamas in coming weeks are deceased, Israel says; announcement comes as more than 200,000 Palestinians return to northern Gaza (More) | See war updates (More)
> Duck DNA found in both engines of South Korea's Jeju Air commercial plane that crashed on landing in December, killing 179 of 181 people on board (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Coffee
Over the years there is one thing that I can never get enough of and that is Vanilla Cappuccino. It all started when my brother introduced me to it, when our father was in the hospital and there was a Starbucks in the lobby. I thought $4 coffee was way expensive and was glad that he decided to pay.
Over the years, Starbucks has increased its price and I think I am paying over $6 for a Venti Vanilla Cappuccino. I only buy Starbucks if I have a gift card, otherwise my coffee comes from a fast food or a convenience store.
I have also discovered online that I can order a sugar free vanilla cappuccino mix and have been buying that since 2015 when my wife and I retired. Three tablespoons in a 12 oz glass of McCafe Keurig coffee pods which I have found to be the best after Dunkin Doughnuts and Green Mountain coffee.
My coffee is decaf starting in 2015 and it took me awhile to get used to that change from regular but after 10 years, I am kinda liking the taste. It really impacts me when we got out to breakfast and I get regular coffee instead of decaf.
We go to Perkins Restaurant about 8 miles from where we live and the coffee, they serve is delicious. I asked and all they would tell me is that it is mixture of coffee blends and that Kona coffee from Hawaii is one of the blends
Ancient Genomes
An international team of geneticists, led by those from Trinity College Dublin, has joined forces with archaeologists from Bournemouth University to decipher the structure of British Iron Age society, finding evidence of female political and social empowerment.
The researchers seized upon a rare opportunity to sequence DNA from many members of a single community. They retrieved over 50 ancient genomes from a set of burial grounds in Dorset, southern England, in use before and after the Roman Conquest of AD 43. The results revealed that this community was centered around bonds of female-line descent.
Dr. Lara Cassidy, Assistant Professor in Trinity's Department of Genetics, led the study that has been published in Nature. READ MORE...
Tuesday, January 28
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> American Madison Keys upsets top seed Aryna Sabalenka to win her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open (More) | World No. 1 Jannik Sinner beats Alexander Zverev to win his second straight Aussie Open title (More)
> DJ Unk, rapper best known for "Walk It Out" and "2 Step," dies at age 43 (More) | Rocker Marilyn Manson won't be charged with sexual assault following four-year investigation (More)
> Spotify signs multiyear deal with Universal Music Group to provide direct licenses for Spotify to stream UMG artists (More)
Science & Technology
> Researchers discover new way the microbiome of expecting mothers impacts their offspring's health; gut produces metabolites that help program stem cells during fetal development (More)
> Astronauts' eyesight weakens during long stays in microgravity environments, study finds; effect is temporary upon return to Earth but may have implications for eventual trips to Mars (More)
> Engineers develop 3D-printed ultralight material roughly five times stronger than titanium; process uses machine learning to produce strength-enhancing micro- and nanostructures (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets drop Friday (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow -0.3%, Nasdaq -0.5%), but all three indexes post second straight week of gains (More) | Bank of Japan raises interest rates to highest level in 17 years (More)
> Sales of previously owned homes in the US fall to lowest level in nearly three decades; roughly 4.1 million such homes were sold last year, the lowest since 1995 (More)
> Trump administration reportedly negotiating TikTok deal that would give Oracle and a group of US investors control of the platform, with ByteDance retaining a minority stake (More) | Banks to sell up to $13B in debt from 2022 loan to Elon Musk to purchase Twitter (now X) (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Senate confirms Army veteran, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth as defense secretary in 51-50 vote; Vice President JD Vance casts tiebreaking vote, three Republicans vote no (More) | Confirmation tracker (More) | More than a dozen inspectors general fired across major federal agencies (More)
> Hamas frees four female Israeli soldiers, Israel releases 200 Palestinian prisoners in second swap under negotiated ceasefire (More) | See updates on the war (More)
> Supreme Court agrees to hear arguments over whether a religious charter school in Oklahoma can receive public funding (More) | CIA releases assessment finding COVID-19 more likely to have originated from a Chinese lab; conclusion made with "low confidence" (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Winter
We are now well into winter in most places and East TN is no exception... We have already had our first snow that stayed on the ground a few days and in a couple of days, we will jump up into the 50s and 60s for a couple of weeks before returning back down to the 30s and 40s.
East TN is great place to live because of the weather and it being mild during the winter months which last Jan-Feb-Mar. Not all of March is cold as it starts warming up half way through the month. And just when you think warm weather is back, April comes in being colder than normal.
We are protected by the Cumberland Plateau to our west and the Smoky Mountains to our east.
So, now that we are in our last few days our January, it is easy to smell warm weather coming in about 6 weeks, but if the 50s/60s hold true for two weeks, then we only have 30 more days of winter which is fine with me.
Other places are warmer and other places are colder most of the time which is why I like East TN as it is right in the middle and we get all four seasons but mainly spring, summer, and fall.
MIT Sets World Record
Researchers at MIT have developed two new control techniques that have enabled them to achieve a world-record single-qubit fidelity of 99.998 percent using a superconducting qubit called fluxonium.
This breakthrough marks a significant step towards the realization of practical quantum computing. Qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers, are highly susceptible to noise and control imperfections.
“This introduces errors into the quantum operations and ultimately limits the complexity and duration of a quantum algorithm,” said the researchers.
To overcome this challenge, the MIT team focused on improving qubit performance by mitigating counter-rotating errors that arise during fast quantum operations.
“Getting rid of these errors was a fun challenge for us,” said David Rower, PhD ’24, a recent physics postdoc at MIT. READ MORE...
Monday, January 27
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