Sunday, August 7
Karahan Tepe
KARAHAN TEPE, KNOWN LOCALLY AS “KEÇILITEPE”, IS A PREHISTORIC SITE IN AN UPLAND AREA OF THE TEKTEK MOUNTAINS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY, KNOWN AS THE TAŞ TEPELER.
Taş Tepeler contains a collection of ancient monuments that includes the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Göbekli Tepe, for which Karahan Tepe is often referred to as its sister site.
Karahan Tepe was first discovered in 1997, but the first systematic survey was carried out in 2000 that revealed basin-like pools carved in bedrock, and a considerable number of chisels and adzes, beads, stone pot fragments, grind stones and pestles.
The discovery of arrowheads, scrapers, perforators, blades, and stone tools made from flint, or obsidian, suggests that the inhabitants mainly survived through hunter-gathering or animal husbandry, unlike most Neolithic settlements which relied on agriculture (evidenced by the lack of farmed vegetation in situ).
The finds also suggest that the site was active during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period (10,000 – 6,500 BC), corresponding with contemporary sites such as Sefer Tepe, 15km north, Sanlıurfa-Yenimahalle, 63km west, and Göbekli Tepe, 40km west. READ MORE...
Pinch Skin to See if Dehydrated
Your body offers all sorts of clues about what’s going on inside it — if you know where to look.
When it comes to being dehydrated, a quick skin pinch can be one way to find out if you’re losing more fluids than you’re taking in.
That's a danger on scorching August days when huge parts of the country are under heat advisories.
The heat index is expected to reach 100 degrees or more in Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma and several other states on Wednesday.
Dehydration means your body doesn’t have enough fluids to work properly, a potentially life-threatening condition, the National Library of Medicine warned.
It can sneak up on you, so a verified TikTok user who identifies himself as Dr. Karan Raj, a surgical doctor with the U.K.'s National Health Service, posted a video pointing to the skin pinch, or skin turgor test, as a way of checking. READ MORE...
Dehydration means your body doesn’t have enough fluids to work properly, a potentially life-threatening condition, the National Library of Medicine warned.
It can sneak up on you, so a verified TikTok user who identifies himself as Dr. Karan Raj, a surgical doctor with the U.K.'s National Health Service, posted a video pointing to the skin pinch, or skin turgor test, as a way of checking. READ MORE...
Giant Dinosaurs Had Tiny Arms
An international team that includes a University of Minnesota Twin Cities researcher has
discovered a new big, meat-eating dinosaur, dubbed Meraxes gigas (illustrated above), that
provides clues about the evolution and anatomy of predatory dinosaurs such as the
Carcharodontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex. Credit: Jorge A Gonzalez
Discovery provides insight into the evolution and anatomy of big, carnivorous dinosaurs.
Researchers discovered a new huge, meat-eating dinosaur, dubbed Meraxes gigas. The new dinosaur provides fascinating clues about the evolution and biology of dinosaurs such as the Carcharodontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus rex—particularly, why these creatures had such large skulls and tiny arms.
The study was co-led by University of Minnesota Twin Cities researcher Peter Makovicky and Argentinean colleagues Juan Canale and Sebastian Apesteguía and was published in Current Biology, a peer-reviewed scientific biology journal.
Initially discovered in Patagonia in 2012, scientists have spent the last several years extracting, preparing, and analyzing the Meraxes specimen. The dinosaur is part of the Carcharodontosauridae family.
This group of giant carnivorous theropods also includes Giganotosaurus, one of the largest known meat-eating dinosaurs and one of the reptilian stars of the recently released “Jurassic World: Dominion” movie.
Though not the largest among carcharodontosaurids, Meraxes was still an imposing animal measuring around 36 feet (11 meters) from snout to tail tip and weighing approximately 9,000 pounds (4,000 kg).
Though not the largest among carcharodontosaurids, Meraxes was still an imposing animal measuring around 36 feet (11 meters) from snout to tail tip and weighing approximately 9,000 pounds (4,000 kg).
The researchers recovered the Meraxes, alongside other dinosaurs including several long-necked sauropod specimens, from rocks that are around 90-95 million years old. READ MORE...
Saturday, August 6
A Successful Life
- a 12,000 square ft home
- a Lexus or a Porsche
- having over a million dollars
- having over a billion dollars
- not getting fired several times
- owning your own business
- living to age 100
- living without disease
- living without broken bones
- living with good hearing & eyesight
- living without a handicap
- being married for 50 years
- having tons of grandchildren
- living debt free
- having a ton of friends
- having power and influence over others
- holding a political office
- leaving a legacy that people cannot forget or ignore
- being faithful to your faith and religion
- becoming a recognized celebrity
Personally,
- I am living with heart disease
- I am living with 2 different cancers
- I am living with lumbar fusion surgery
- I am living with failing eyes and hearing
- I am retired, living on social security
- I have been married twice
- I have no grandchildren
- I do have a strong faith
- I have no friends
- I am not close to my brother, sister, or daughter
- I was never financially wealthy
- I never really excelled at anything
- I do not have a great second marriage
But... I consider myself SUCCESSFUL... in that, I lived my life as I wanted to live my life and I accomplished stuff that many have not accomplished, and I spent my entire working career NEVER KiSSING ASS.
I consider myself SUCCESSFUL because:
- I am alive
- I exercise
- I eat healthily
- I appreciate nature
- I love all kinds of animals
- I have no lofty goals except continuing to continue
- I have enough money to live my desired lifestyle
- I am debt free
- I like to write & maintain blogs
- I like to think and drill down on topics
- I am learning about physics, theoretical physics, astronomy, astrology, cosmology, multiple dimensions, and string theory
- I have no trouble sleeping
I considered myself SUCCESSFUL because:
- I don't take illegal drugs
- I don't smoke cigarettes
- I don't drink alcohol
- I don't live a depressing life
- I am not suicidal
- I don't break the law
- I obey the speed limits 90% of the time
- I trust in my faith
- I am different from most people not better
I guess the biggest success fact is that I have everything I want or need. I don't wish I had this or that... of course, I need to lose about 8-10 more pounds...
Russia & China
Now, lets take a looksee at the BULLY CHINA...
- China steals our copyrights and patents because they do not have the intelligence to develop shit on their own.
- China steals the intellectual property from our businesses because again they do not have the intelligence to develop it on their own.
However, the Xi Jinping would argue that they have the intelligence but that it is just easier to steal it from a country that has "no balls".
And... as long as President Biden is in the Whitehouse, I would tend to agree with Jinping's assessment.
No matter what you think "airhead" Pelosi, she used female stubbornness to fly into Taiwan despite Xi Jinping's anger over it along with his threats if she did...
Now... to show the rest of the world how pissed off he is, he fired missiles over the island of Taiwan, letting them know as well as the rest of the world know that, he is going to be just like his fellow comrade in arms Putin and invade Taiwan.
What Xi Jinping is not thinking clearly about is that while we are actively recruiting gays and transgendered into our military ranks we still have about 95% of our military in the RAMBO and Seal Team Six mentality about KICKING SOME ASS...
Going to war with the United States would be costly and extremely economically counterproductive... but, if going to war is what this new game is going to be about... then, Xi Jinping will experience our SECOND AMENDMENT FURY... and, whoever comes out as the victory will have very little of anything to control and influence with their power.
And, one would think that the oriental from China would see that as clearly as one can see the sand through the Caribbean waters.
We all die sometimes... sooner or later... we all die... if we were to die in the next few years due to radiation poisoning,
we would no longer have to pay our income taxes
- we would not longer get sick from COVID
- we would no longer be victims of cancer or other serious illnesses
- we would no longer have to worry about having sex
- we would no longer have to put up with inlaws
- we would no longer have to put up with bitchy wives
I believe Russia and China have miscalculated that a weak Biden is not really reflective of the American First Blood Mentality nor in our desire to seek out revenge and payback...
Earth is Suddenly Spinning Faster
Our planet set a record for completing one rotation faster than scientists had ever previously recorded, according to TimeAndDate.com. Earth rotated once around its axis on Wednesday, June 29, in 1.59 milliseconds less than 24 hours.
Hang on! Earth takes exactly 24 hours to rotate once on its axis, right? Almost, yes, but not exactly.
The International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) had even begun adding leap seconds every now and again to make up for the slower spin (it last happened on December 31, 2016).
Over a longer time period that may still be the case—Earth’s rotation may, in general, still be slowing down.
After all, the Moon is gradually slowing down the Earth’s rotation. Its gravitational pull causes tides and makes the Earth’s orbital path around the Sun slightly elliptical. READ MORE...
Mr. Clean to the Metaverse
While the world debates exactly what the metaverse will and ought to be, two multinationals made a game out of cleaning it up as they seek to determine their place in the internet of the future.
Retail giant Carrefour and consumer-products behemoth Procter & GamblePG -1.2% (P&G) invited wannabe metazens to a virtual party chez Mr. Clean (M. Propre in French) last week. The three-day experiment saw users log into P&G’s LifeLab, where they could help the bald-headed mascot tidy various parts of his home while exploring different P&G products. The goal? Clean as much as you can in two minutes. Users were then also entered in a giveaway with the chance to win a €40 coupon for use on the companies’ websites.
The house looks spotless upon entrance, yet each room has a special task: surf through kitchen counters on a sponge and clean up food splatters or dance while sweeping the bedroom floor.
While retail metaverse initiatives have largely come from the luxury and fashion industries, with Gucci, Prada and NikeNKE -0.4% taking the lead, the more prosaic pairing last week showed the technology could be used for immersive marketing to audiences beyond crypto fanatics and the ultra rich.
“We think that the metaverse is not only for a few people or for luxury brands, it can enter our everyday life and be accessible to all,” says Denise Rodrigues-Vielliard, press manager at Carrefour. READ MORE...
Three Forms of Long COVID
There are three different kinds of long COVID, and all have their own set of symptoms, according to researchers.
In a new preprint study — which means it has yet to be peer reviewed — on MedRxiv, a site that distributes unpublished research in the health sciences, scientists from King’s College in London analyzed the experiences of thousands of people across the U.K that were infected with the virus.
Researchers focused on 1,459 people living with post-COVID syndrome — which study crafters defined as having symptoms for at least 12 weeks after being infected with the virus — and were able to place patients into three main “symptom profiles.”
PCS patients — which are also referred to colloquially as long COVID patients — placed in the first group suffered from respiratory symptoms like chest pain and shortness of breath or palpitations.
The second group was made up of long COVID patients who experienced neurological symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, poor memory and headaches, which researchers said was experienced most commonly among those that had been infected with the alpha or delta variants, according to the study. READ MORE...
Friday, August 5
Our Climate Change Agenda
- We want all of our cars electric
- We want all of our homes and buildings to use solar panels
- We want windmills to be used
- We want hydropower to be used
NO MORE GASOLINE unless it is commercial aircraft, military aircraft, or a celebrity's private jet.
We want everyone to own an electric vehicle regardless of income and social status, and/or public transportation if you don't have the income. SOL if you live in an area with no public transportation.
And... we don't give a shit how long it takes to charge the vehicle because you should have thought about that before you left the house.
We will find substitutes for the 6000 products that are made from petroleum crude oil... like plastics and fertilizers... so you don't have to worry about that bros and sistas.
We also don't really give a shit if Russia or China or India do anything about climate change because the USA will do enough for them... While we spend our money on climate and going green, Russia and China can spend their money taking over the world... so that will fix our political problems as well including racism and equality.
If my comments have a tone of sarcasm to them, then you are paying attention because this whole essay was to be sarcastic. We are moving into an area that we need to be moving into, but the speed at which we are moving is beyond our ability to adapt and adjust.
Going green in 2050 is a good goal but going green by 2030 is a foolish endeavor that will leave this country in economic disaster as it tries to deal with both gas and electric vehicles and not really be in a position to service either adequately.
First of all, we don't have the charging stations that will be needed if we go totally electric.
Second of all, we don't have the power capabilities to support all those electric vehicles as well as provide electricity to homes and businesses.
Third, how will electric vehicles be recharged if we start having brownouts?
Fourth, what will we do will all our gasoline cars?
Fifth, do we have all the raw materials that we need to make electric cars and solar panels? Where are those raw materials located? In the US or overseas?
Sixth, what will we do with all our private jets? Will congress give us their jets? Will millionaires and billionaires give up their jets? Will celebrities give up their jets? Will corporations give up their jets?
Seventh, will exhaust from private jets counterbalance what we save with electric vehicles and solar panels?
HOW CAN WE TAKE GOING GREEN SERIOUSLY?
End of the Week
Being retired... every day is not just like it is Friday... but, every day is like collecting unemployment insurance and pretending that you are really looking for a job... you don't really get serious about looking until you only have a couple of weeks left.
Being retired... is like being on vacation every day at the beach without salt spray getting into your food and sand into your clothes and bed... no matter how hard you try to keep that shit off... it finds a way to hang on anyway.
Being retired... is like not having to work unless you want to or unless your wife tells you that you have to or else??? No male has the "balls" to find out what or else really means.
Being retired... is like reaching an age when you no longer pay any attention to what your wife says no matter what her level of threats might be.
But none of those really apply to me THANK GOD... because being retired for me is having cooking to cook my own meals because my wife has retired from cooking... and that really is ok with me because it actually gives me something to do and once you get into it, cooking is rather enjoyable... once you get past having to eat the shit you cooked while you were still learning.
My days are spent drinking coffee, walking around the community, cooking meals just for me as my wife cooks her own, publishing stuff on my blogs, and writing novels. However, much of that stuff is always interrupted because I have to go to these damn medical appointments about my heart, my back surgery, my teeth, my eyes, my hearing, my cancer treatments, my cancer tests, and follow-ups after being hospitalized due to a staph infection.
It sounds worse than it really is because it is only like once or twice a week... but then there might be 2-3 weeks where I go nowhere... and, then it starts again.
Being retired is being old and not really giving a shit when the end of the week arrives.
Ultrasound Stickers See Inside the Body
MIT engineers designed an adhesive patch that produces ultrasound images of the body. The stamp-sized device sticks to skin and can provide continuous ultrasound imaging of internal organs for 48 hours. Credit: Felice Frankel
New stamp-sized ultrasound adhesives deliver clear images of the heart, lungs, and other internal organs.
When clinicians need live images of a patient’s internal organs, they often turn to ultrasound imaging for a safe and noninvasive window into the body’s workings. In order to capture these insightful images, trained technicians manipulate ultrasound wands and probes to direct sound waves into the body. These waves reflect back out and are used to produce high-resolution images of a patient’s heart, lungs, and other deep organs.
Ultrasound imaging currently requires bulky and specialized equipment available only in hospitals and doctor’s offices. However, a new design developed by MIT engineers might make the technology as wearable and accessible as buying Band-Aids at the drugstore.
The engineers presented the design for the new ultrasound sticker in a paper published on July 28 in the journal Science. The stamp-sized device sticks to skin and can provide continuous ultrasound imaging of internal organs for 48 hours.
To demonstrate the invention, the researchers applied the stickers to volunteers. They showed the devices produced live, high-resolution images of major blood vessels and deeper organs such as the heart, lungs, and stomach. As the volunteers performed various activities, including sitting, standing, jogging, and biking, the stickers maintained a strong adhesion and continued to capture changes in underlying organs.
In the current design, the stickers must be connected to instruments that translate the reflected sound waves into images. According to the researchers, the stickers could have immediate applications even in their current form.
For example, the devices could be applied to patients in the hospital, similar to heart-monitoring EKG stickers, and could continuously image internal organs without requiring a technician to hold a probe in place for long periods of time. READ MORE...
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