Playing Dead

 

A Future Without White People

PHOTOGRAPH: LEONARDO CENDAMO/GETTY IMAGES

WHITENESS IS A seduction. Whiteness is also an illusion. These are the twin motifs on which Pakistani writer Mohsin Hamid props up The Last White Man, his new novel about race metamorphosis and human morality. 

Anchored in the bare and elegiac prose Hamid has made his trademark style, the book springboards from a single unexplained incident. Anders, a white man, awakens one morning to a new reality: his skin has “turned a deep and undeniable brown.”

The transformation, of which Anders’ is the first—but not the only, and certainly not the last—elicits worthy exploration. What if whiteness were suddenly gone? Would the social order of life come undone? Would anything change? Where Hamid lands doesn’t exactly persuade.

The sequence of events that follows plays into an ancient fear, that of The Other. (One’s need to estrange, Toni Morrison has said, is “a desperate attempt to confirm one’s own self as normal.”) For Anders, confusion bubbles. Panic swells. 

Initially, he flirts with thoughts of violence after realizing the transformation is irreversible. “He wanted to kill the colored man who confronted him here in his home,” Hamid writes, “to extinguish the life animating this other’s body, to leave nothing standing but himself, as he was before.”

It’s understandable why those who benefit from a particular standing would do anything to preserve it. The conscious seduction of power, of understanding the privileges from which one benefits and the life it affords, is, in part, about the necessity of control. I’d probably be upset and a little sad if I lost all of that, too.  READ MORE...

Underwater Dancing

 

Adjustable Focus Reading Glasses

After the milestone age of 50, even the most perfect vision will start going downhill.  Mine sure did, and I depend on my computer to do my job.

Focusing on close-up objects became increasingly difficult. I felt tired and drowsy all the time. And I didn’t even realize it was a vision problem.

A single pair of prescription glasses was no longer enough. And I had to change my prescriptions every couple of months. It was so frustrating and expensive!

Fortunately, we now have an amazing pair of self-adjusting glasses that promises to fix your vision in seconds! Without breaking the bank.

But is it as good as the manufacturer claims?

We decided to test it ourselves and see first-hand what these affordable glasses can do…

What Is It?
It’s called VisionFocus and it’s a true game-changer!  Let’s face it, most of us don’t change our prescription as often as we should.  With VisionFocus, WE DON’T HAVE TO!  It’s 100% ADJUSTABLE! You can fix your eyesight - WITHOUT visiting your optometrist.

VisionFocus is built to last you a lifetime - scratch-resistant polycarbonate lenses paired with a fashionable rugged frame. It’s basically indestructible!

It works perfectly for both short & farsighted people. I keep a second pair in my glove compartment, so I don’t have to re-adjust my “main” glasses when I’m driving.

How Does It Work?   In order to find out how it works, CLICK HERE...

Norway Roads

 

Things are Getter Better

 

My back surgery was 10 weeks ago tomorrow...  and while I still walk with a walking stick, my walking time to complete a mile has gone from 48 minutes down to 31 minutes...  and now I make no stops whereas when I first started I was stopping twice...   IMPROVEMENT...

But, it took me 10 weeks to get here and believe me those 10 weeks were very stressful on me as I am used to healing quickly...

But, things are getting better...  which is why I thought of the song Getting Better  by the Beatles...

We don't think of The Beatles much anymore but they were popular between 1960 and 2000...  now we have groups whose lyrics are no longer profound...  sadly, music is not getting better...

My life changed moderately after I had my heart attack and again a little more moderately after I was diagnosed with cancer and then another cancer on top of the first one...  but, over time my body adjusted and I was able to do most of those things that a man my age was supposed to be doing...  BUT, this back surgery threw me for a loop and after 10 weeks, I am beginning to feel like I wanted to feel after 2 weeks...

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is not the light of death...  it is the light of recovery...  I will soon be 80% and maybe I will even get back to 90% but it is doubtful that a man who is 75 years old will ever get back to 100%...  too much has happened to my body for that to happen.

The reason why I will return to 80-90% is that I took care of my body all of my life...  eating healthy, exercising regularly, sleeping, no tobacco, no drugs, no alcohol...  my HIGHS came from being HIGH on life...  it is an interesting concept and not one that is often taught to our children...

One Bite of the Apple

According to the story of Adam and Eve, assuming that you believe the story of Adam and Eve, Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden - a utopia - where everything they needed or wanted was provided to them - however, they needed or wanted nothing...  or so the story goes - while living in this Garden, Adam and Eve were mature but innocent and had no knowledge of anything but GOOD - then this talking serpent came to the Garden and offered them food - AN APPLE - and when they took a bite of the apple, they were TRANSFORMED from mature people but innocent to mature people who were now aware of EVIL...  so, because of the FOOD they went from GOOD to GOOD & BAD...

Whatever happened to Adam and Eve was, according Biblical teaching, allowed to happen because God willed it to happen.  God is also seen as the creator of Adam and Eve where he created Adam first, then took a rib from him and created Eve so that he would have a companion.  It was also God's idea to create the serpent and instruct the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve with FOOD...  So, one could say that if God had not of wanted to test Adam and Eve, then Adam and Eve would have never known evil...

And while that concept sounds logical...  one must remember that God also created Jesus and created a situation where Jesus was not just going to be tempted but he was going to be crucified because of evil.  So, in order for Jesus to be killed by evil, God had to have Adam and Eve become aware of evil.  Hence, did the serpent tempt Adam and Eve into eating FOOD or did God arrange it so that it would happen regardless of what Adam and Eve did or did not do?

Interesting ideas presented right?

Now, what if the story of Adam and Eve along with all the stories in the Bible simply stories that are intended to convey a more subtle message to those who want to see it...  that is to say that God was or is an extraterrestrial from another planet (which aligns with God not being human or from earth) who came to this planet and altered the DNA of the animals that he found on this planet or that he created for this planet.  And, that the apple which is red and blood which is red represents the transformed DNA.

If we look at the Bible from that perspective, we can easily imagine that all the stories in the Bible are describing events that pertain to extraterrestrials interacting with humans, including the stories and Jesus and his death.  Especially since he told Caesar that his kingdom was not of this world...   as Christians we thought he was talking about Heaven...  but, he was not talking about Heaven at all but living and existing in another world, perhaps another dimension.

Why is human DNA so similar to the DNA of CHIMPANZEES?

Is this some sort of mysterious coincidence?  Or, is this the result of DNA manipulation by aliens (extraterrestrials) who visited this planet centuries ago?

Why is it so difficult to believe?  Because of our religious indoctrinations as a child?

Representing The Whole Country

We are a Democratic Republic where the PEOPLE elected their governing officials...  the vote of the people...

In this last election, Joe Biden won the presidency by a slim margin:  51% : 49%

This margin is still a victory no matter which way you look at it...  and yet...  Joe Biden did not receive an overwhelming mandate from the people...   in fact, 51% to 49% is so close (and it was probably even closer as I am rounding) that one could say it was 50/50...  and not be far off.

Still, he got a majority and still he won...

He who wins sets the rules...  so to speak...

But again...  half the country did not want him to be president...  so half the country is relatively PISSED OFF...

The Democrats control the House by just a few votes and the Senate has a 50/50 split, so the TIE IS BROKEN by a Democratic VP...  in essence, the Democrats control CONGRESS...  but do they really have the support of MORE THAN HALF THE COUNTRY?

The answer is NO!

So, is our country really united?  NO...

Is this causing us problems?  YES...

Historically, when the midterms take place, the party that is NOT IN POWER typically wins more than the party that is in power, which means that there is a very good possibility that the House and the Senate will soon be controlled by the Republicans...

Is this good?  NO...

Will Congress represent a majority of the country?  NO...

And yet, this is our form of government...  but, it is only a problem when the country is split in half...  LIKE NOW...

If it were 60/40 or 70/30, one could easily say that the election reflects a majority of the country...  and that makes sense...

This 50/50 division in this country started when Trump was elected President instead of Clinton...  for 4 years the Dems set out to destroy Trump.  And, 2 years after his presidency, the Dems are trying to destroy Trump so he will not run again...  

Does this strategy reflect a majority of the country? NO...

And yet...  here we are...

A 50/50 country only serves our ENEMIES...  like China and Russia because they can take advantage of a country that is not united...

It appears that it is going to be up to the people to bring our country together rather than our leaders...  as our leaders are stuck on BEING RIGHT rather than COMPROMISE.  When we fall from our leadership position in the world, we may understand...  but until then, the USA is pushing a GREEN AGENDA that the other major countries ARE NOT FOLLOWING...  but, we are supposed to be the global leader...

Why are they not following our example?

Up The Mountain

 

Kapilikaya Rock Tomb

The Kapilikaya Rock Tomb. Photo: Savas Bozkaya/Shutterstock

Deep in the mountains of Turkey’s Çorum province, an ancient tomb fades into obscurity. Its past is almost forgotten and its future looks bleak. Details of its construction and the occupant inside are unknown. For thousands of years, the Kapilikaya rock tomb has been both a hidden architectural marvel and an extraordinary puzzle.

Çorum province lies not far from the Black Sea, on the Central Anatolian Plateau near the North Anatolian Fault. Tectonic activity has created diverse rock formations, enhanced by folding and faulting.

According to sources, the word Kapilikaya means precisely what it is: a rock with a door. The Kapilikaya rock tomb dates to the 2nd century BC, during the so-called Hellenistic Period. Some Turks believe that the tomb is Roman, not Greek. Modern Turks and Greeks often don’t get along.

Unknown builders carved the tomb into an outcrop. A trail on the left side leads up to a set of stairs at the base. Unfortunately, the base of this doorway is a canvas for graffiti artists.

From the outside, the tomb’s entrance looks like a massive doorway. In fact, the door doesn’t open, it never did, and there isn’t much space inside. Rather than the giant grotto suggested by the imposing size of this faux-door, it is simply a small crypt with little room for anything except a body.  READ MORE...

Rock Pushing

 

Most Common Symptoms of Cardiovascular Diseases

New report outlines the most common symptoms of 6 cardiovascular diseases: heart attack, 

heart failure, valve disease, stroke, heart rhythm disorders, and peripheral artery and vein 

disease (PAD and PVD).

New American Heart Association scientific statement indicates symptoms frequently overlap among conditions and may vary by sex.

• A “state of the science” review details the most reported symptoms of 6 cardiovascular diseases (CVDs): heart attack, heart failure, valve disease, stroke, heart rhythm disorders, and peripheral artery and vein disease (PAD and PVD).
• There are important differences in symptoms between women and men.
• Depression, common across many CVDs, may influence a person’s ability to detect changes in symptoms.
• Effective methods of monitoring and measuring symptoms over time are critical to manage cardiovascular disease well and prevent or delay its progression.

A review of the latest research highlights the most reported symptoms of various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), noting that men and women often experience different symptoms. This is according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement published today (August 18, 2022) in the Association’s flagship peer-reviewed journal, Circulation.

The statement also highlights how symptoms are experienced over time, which may be months or years apart depending on the condition, and on a spectrum of severity or intensity, noting the long-term nature of cardiovascular disease development. The scientific statement writing committee reviewed current research on the symptoms of different cardiovascular diseases. They found that symptoms vary over time and by sex.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and around the world. It comprises several conditions, including 6 reviewed in this scientific statement: heart attack, heart failure, valve disease, stroke, heart rhythm disorders, and peripheral artery and vein disease.  READ MORE...

Cat & Chicks

 

A Drug for Alzheimer's

Rapamycin is also known as sirolimus and is sold under the brand name Rapamune.

An innovative strategy to lessen the plaques was also found in the study.

The oral administration of rapamycin to an Alzheimer’s disease mouse model induces an increase in beta (β)-amyloid protein plaques, according to researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio). β-amyloid buildup is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.



Rapamycin is FDA-approved for the treatment of transplant and cancer patients. The drug is also referred to as sirolimus and is sold under the name Rapamune. Publicly available data suggest that the drug might also improve learning and memory in aged mice. According to publicly accessible evidence, the medication may also boost learning and memory in elderly mice. The UT Health San Antonio researchers, on the other hand, discovered that following rapamycin administration, a protein called Trem2 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2) is drastically reduced. Trem2 is found in microglia, immune cells found in the brain and spinal cord.

“Trem2 is a receptor located on the surface of the microglia, and it enables these cells to engulf and degrade β-amyloid,” said study senior author Manzoor Bhat, Ph.D. “Loss of Trem2 in microglia impairs the vital function of amyloid degradation, which in turn causes a buildup of β-amyloid plaques.” Dr. Bhat is professor and chairman of the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology at UT Health San Antonio and vice dean for research in the university’s Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine.

Drug target
Importantly, the study, recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience, also featured a novel way to increase Trem2 in microglia. When the study lead author, Qian Shi, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, deleted a gene called Tsc1 from the microglia, there was a marked increase in Trem2 levels and a decrease in β-amyloid plaques.

Previous research has shown that loss of Tsc1 leads to activation of the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) signaling pathway. Rapamycin, in contrast, blocks this pathway. “We expected that selective loss of Tsc1, only in microglia and not in neurons or other cells, would have negative consequences because inhibiting mTOR with rapamycin has known therapeutic uses in some disease models,” Dr. Shi said. “But the opposite was occurring.” Thus, repressing Tsc1 solely in microglia to enhance β-amyloid uptake could be a potential drug target, Dr. Shi said.  READ MORE...

Big Load

 

It's A Possibility

 

Absolute Truth Here

Panorama

 

Sleeping Giant in Our Oceans

Red medusa found just off the bottom of the deep sea in Alaska. 

Credit: Hidden Ocean 2005/NOAA

A previously overlooked factor — the position of continents — helps fill Earth’s oceans with life-supporting oxygen. Continental movement could ultimately have the opposite effect, killing the majority of deep ocean creatures.

“Continental drift seems so slow, like nothing drastic could come from it, but when the ocean is primed, even a seemingly tiny event could trigger the widespread death of marine life,” said Andy Ridgwell, University of California, Riverside geologist. Ridgwell is co-author of a new study on forces affecting oceanic oxygen.

As the water at the ocean’s surface approaches the north or south pole, it becomes colder and denser and then sinks. When the water sinks, it transports oxygen pulled from Earth’s atmosphere down to the ocean floor.

Eventually, a return flow brings nutrients released from sunken organic matter back to the ocean’s surface, where it fuels the growth of plankton. Today’s oceans feature an incredible diversity of fish and other animals that are supported by both the uninterrupted supply of oxygen to lower depths and organic matter produced at the surface.

New research has found that this circulation of oxygen and nutrients can end quite suddenly. Using complex computer models, the scientists investigated whether the locations of continental plates affect how the ocean moves oxygen around. They were surprised to find that it does.

This finding led by researchers based at UC Riverside is detailed in the journal Nature. It was published today (August 17, 2022).  READ MORE...

Diving Bird