Sunday Morning

This is the first Sunday in August and we have 3 more of them just like this one...  but is Sunday the beginning or the ending of the week?  I guess it depends on one's upbringing...  my upbringing had Sundays ending the week but most of the Baptists here in East TN, see Sunday as the beginning of the week...  All in all, I am not sure if it really makes any difference at all, especially if you are retired like I am.

June and July went by really quickly so I am assuming August will follow suit and before long we'll be shoveling snow instead of shit like most of us do at work.

I know that Sundays should not be a day of worry especially since some of us have already turned over that task to God...  but, God cannot help us with China and China has got me really worried.

Their army is bigger than our army and they do not accept trans into the army.  Their navy is bigger than our navy and they are trying to build up their air force and supply of nuclear weapons...  however, I really don't think any leader is really going to use nuclear weapons unless it is Kim Jong Un in North Korea or what's his name in Iran.

Despite what you have heard or perhaps not heard, there are people in this country who believe that some of us can survive a nuclear attack.  That ability to survive will take place underground, and our government has already decided that only the ELITE AND SMART will be saved.

What that means is...  if you ever hear on the news that a nuclear bomb is headed towards the USA, then you better smoke your last joint because very shortly your ass and others are going to be blown to hell...  if you are not in that zone, then you have a few weeks before the radiation kills you...  and that death will not be pleasant.

But yes...  China worries me...  I guess that began when I heard that Xi Jinping wants to conquer the world before he dies...  He wants to conquer all the militaries and all the economies...  but, I think that first, he is going to dick around with Taiwan...  and, he will do this before the election in 2024 while Joe Biden is still President...  

I believe that Xi Jinping believes that Biden won't do shit if he starts dicking around with Taiwan.  I am not sure if its because Biden has connections with businesses in China...  but, I am sure it's because Biden is perceived as being a weak leader.

I am too old to learn Mandarin Chinese but I believe that you better look into it because if Xi Jinping takes over the USA, he ain't gonna want to speak English...

Incoming Wave

 

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...

Classic Sunday Morning Newspaper Cartoons

 

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...

Making Art

 

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). 

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...

Table Making

 

A Successful Life

What are justifications for a successful life?

1. a 12,000 square ft home
2. a Lexus or a Porsche
3. having over a million dollars
4. having over a billion dollars
5. not getting fired several times
6. owning your own business
7. living to age 100
8. living without disease
9. living without broken bones
10. living with good hearing & eyesight
11. living without a handicap
12. being married for 50 years
13. having tons of grandchildren
14. living debt free
15. having a ton of friends
16. having power and influence over others
17. holding a political office
18. leaving a legacy that people cannot forget or ignore
19. being faithful to your faith and religion
20. 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

 

A few years ago, I would have been worried about the Russian Military Threat to the USA and Global Democracies...  BUT...  after they invaded Ukraine and after numerous weeks, still have not been able to conquer without the use of nuclear weapons, leaves me seriously wondering what kind of frigging military does Russia have???  It damn sure ain't very good...  and, I would think that with each passing day, Valdimir Putin is weakened in the eyes of his fellow comrades in communism and should be feeling the heat of global embarrassment...

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...

Pets Door

 

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...

Gay Pride

 

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...

Owlevator

 

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...

Spray Painting

 

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

 

Thank God It's Friday...  some people might say but what about those people who do not believe in God?  Are they allowed to use the same expression?  It would not have the same meaning to them...  but then who would they thank?

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.

Wants to be Petted