I'd Rather Be Near Water

 

All Things Considered...

 

Northwest Turkey

HALFWAY BETWEEN ISTANBUL AND ANKARA, in one of the most historic and beautiful parts of northwest Turkey, is a deep valley covered in dense pine forests and blessed with thermal springs. 

And in this valley is something that seems right out of a Disney movie: row upon row of identical, castle-like, turreted chateaus. When the occasional morning mist enshrouds the blue towers, it’s a dreamy scene, but when you look a little closer, something seems off. The roads between them are unfinished. 

Construction debris litters the ground. And there’s not a soul in sight. It’s a fairy tale ghost town, an ambitious, luxurious development project that fell victim to mismanagement and global financial currents.

Burj Al Babas, as the place is known, is located a few miles from the historic town of Mudurnu, once at the crossroads of the Silk Road and the Crimean Road. 

Over the years it lost its position as a trading hub, was reborn as the center of Turkey’s poultry industry, and most recently has turned to tourism to drive the local economy, partly through the efforts of the Mudurnu Cutural Heritage Site Management Directorate. 

Turkish officials have even proposed making the town a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including its characteristic black-and-white Ottoman mansions.  READ MORE

Sunday Funnies

 

Collogen

When trends emerge, my first look is always a critical one. It's important to question and be skeptical as so much of this industry is about marketing. So when collagen supplements exploded in the market, I raised an eyebrow. As did many people, I might add. All it takes is a quick Google search and you'll see scores of dated articles talking about how "collagen supplements aren't worth the hype" and they're just a passing fad.

Well, with research comes changing opinions. There's robust research that points to many benefits of collagen supplements,* and it's time to put to rest the myth that they're ineffective.

Now that being said—not all collagen supplements are created equal. You can absolutely find a less-than-stellar formula, which can affect the efficacy (perhaps why the myth keeps persisting).

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COLLOGEN, CLICK HERE

Humans & Animal

 

Monarch Butterflies

But just last fall during the 2020 annual Xerces Society Thanksgiving count, fewer than 2,000 butterflies showed up, a 99.9% drop since the 1980s.

A coalition of scientists and conservation experts have joined forces to try to extend a helping hand to these iconic butterflies.

“This is a huge crisis that we’re facing,” explained Xerces Society biologist Angela Laws.

The effort is led by River Partners and funded by California Fish and Wildlife.

“We need to do everything we can to try to save them,” said River Partners biologist Claire Pavelka.

At eight critical sites in California, teams recently finished planting 600 acres of native milkweed and other nectar-rich plants.

The hope is to restore habitat areas to encourage the butterflies to migrate by providing them critical nourishment.

“The landscape is a canvas, and we get to be the artist and we get to bring in what we want to see,” said California Fish and Wildlife Manager AJ Dill.

Monarch butterflies are known as an indicator species. What happens to them could spell trouble for other important pollinators

“It is often said that butterflies are like the famous canary in the coalmine. They’re indicators of a potentially dangerous situation before it’s generally perceived to be dangerous, ” explained Dr. Art Shapiro.  READ MORE

Political Cartoons

 

Artist Luo Li Rong

 

Muscles

 

Persistent Inflation

The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that there is a threat inflation will prove to be extra than simply transitory, pushing central banks to take pre-emptive motion.

The subject is presently dividing the funding neighborhood, which has been busy considering whether or not a current surge in shopper costs is right here to keep. 

In the U.S., the patron worth index got here in at 5.4% in June — the quickest tempo in virtually 13 years. In the U.Ok., the inflation rate reached 2.5% in June — the best stage since August 2018 and above the Bank of England’s goal of two%.

For probably the most half, the Washington-based establishment sees these worth pressures as transitory. 

“Inflation is expected to return to its pre-pandemic ranges in most countries in 2022,” the Fund stated in its newest World Economic Outlook replace launched Tuesday.

However, it warned that “uncertainty remains high.”

“There is however a risk that transitory pressures could become more persistent and central banks may need to take preemptive action,” the IMF stated.  READ MORE

Odds and Ends

 

Housing Boom Over

A crash in the housing market seemed inevitable during the early weeks of the COVID-19 recession. However, that bust didn't come to fruition, in fact, the opposite happened: A combination of government support, recession-induced low interest rates, and eager homebuyers set off a housing boom. 

Since the onset of the crisis, median home prices are up a staggering 24%.

But much of that government aid and support is about to go away. The foreclosure moratorium, which prevents foreclosures of federally-backed mortgages, will come to an end on July 31. 

Then on Sept. 30, the mortgage forbearance program, which allows some borrowers to pause their payments, will lapse. Since the beginning of the pandemic, over 7 million homeowners have been enrolled in the forbearance program. 

However, as the economy has improved that number has fallen. As of July 11, there are still 1.75 million borrowers, or 3.5% of U.S. mortgages, enrolled in the forbearance program.

The foreclosure crisis following the 2008 housing crash was so bad, in part, because tens of millions of financially strained homeowners were underwater (meaning a borrower's remaining mortgage balance is greater than the home's value) and had no choice but foreclosure. 

That's unlikely to be the case for financially strapped homeowners this year. These homeowners are likely sitting on sizable home equity (home value minus the outstanding mortgage), and if they can't repay the mortgage they can simply sell into the currently red-hot housing market.  READ MORE

Dogs and Cats

 

New Species Found

Scientists have confirmed that a species of moss discovered in Antarctica by Indian scientists in 2017 is indeed a new species. Identification is always a time-consuming process. 

It has taken five years to confirm that this species had not been discovered before and that it was unique. Indian scientists spent half a decade sequencing the plant's DNA and comparing it to other known plants.

Indian polar-biologist Professor Felix Bast, working at the Bharati research station, discovered this dark green moss species at Larsemann Hills, overlooking the Southern Ocean. 

Biologists based at the Central University of Punjab have named the species Byrum bharatiensis. The research station and the moss take their name from the Hindu goddess of learning.

The research station Bharati is a permanently staffed station that has been in operation since 2012. This is India's third Antarctic research facility, and one of two still operational along with the Maitri station which was commissioned in 1989. India has had a scientific presence on the continent since 1983-1984. 

But this is the first time that a new plant has been discovered by Indian scientists working in the region.  READ MORE

Being Happy

Riding High

 

Art