My Latest Creation

 As many of you already know, my wife stopped cooking once she retired, so I am responsible for preparing and cooking my own meals.  This does not really bother me and I think she has a right to stop cooking after cooking for so many years.  However, I am not too fond of the cleaning up afterwards so I have tried not just to be careful when I cook but come up with one pan recipes.

Yesterday, was one of those days where I came up with something new.  Not sure what you would call it other than a chicken pasta casserole.

I started with two cans of cream of chicken soup to which I added a can and a half of water.  Hindsight tells me this was a tad too much water, so next time I will just use one can of water.

Next, I cut up a yellow onion.  How you cut it up does not really matter.  I cut it in half, then made several slices on that half, then several slices the opposite way.

Next I cut up fresh broccoli so that the stems were very short to which I added a package of frozen peas.

Next I added about 2 cups of freshly cook spaghetti to which I added about 2 cups of a mixture of yellow and white cheese.  I like the Mexican cheese.

Salt and pepper were added next.  Not sure how much I just poured it into the palm of my hand and when it looked like I had a tablespoon, I stopped.

All of this was put into a big mixing bowl and blended with a wooden spoon thoroughly, adding in 4 chicken breasts.

Finally, I added about a half of a package of hush puppy mix in the hopes that this would bind all of the ingredients together.

A glass, rectangular cooking bowl was selected as they seem to cook better than the metal ones.  I sprayed all around it with PAM and put it into oven at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  I turned up the heat to 400 degrees and cooked it another 30 minutes.

Below is a photo of my creation, minus a little bowl that I had to eat after it cooled down a little...

BTW, the heat completely disintegrated almost all of the spaghetti noodles, so I think I will use rice next time instead.

I also think the hush puppy mixture was a nice touch and I am sure it would taste just as good with almost any kind of grain like cornmeal.

Table Tennis

 

US Citizens are Apathetic

I am not a registered Democrat nor am I a registered Republican...  I suppose that makes me an Independent.

I DON'T TRUST politicians and that goes for both Republicans and Democrats, but also includes Independents, Progressives, and Socialists.

Because of my 75 years of age, I was around in the 1960s and the same issues that we have in 2020/2023 are the same basic issues that we had back then.

NOTHING CHANGES...  regardless of which part controls the Presidency or either house of our Congress.

I am now convinced that politicians don't want anything to change because their main concern is getting re-elected to office.

Our problems would be solved, if we limited the terms of our Congressional members just like we limit the term of our Presidents.

BUT GUESS WHAT?  No Congressional official would ever vote for something like that which would obviously screw all of them and their plans to be in Congress until they die.

The last time I checked, we, the people, elect people to Congress so if they don't want to pass limited terms, then we just vote someone else into office.

Therein lies our problem.  The General Public (that's you and I) don't really want to get involved.  Not sure why we don't want to get involved but we don't.  Therefore, our problem will continue and never be resolved.

Apathy is what happens inside nations that will soon be conquered by other countries.  Not that the USA will ever be conquered by a military, it could easily be conquered by a country with a better economy than ours.    

It could get conquered by a country that has better educational retention than ours.  

It could be conquered by a country that has better political awareness than ours.

Insulted

 

Russian UFO Engagements

Former Navy pilot Ryan Graves, ex-Navy commander David Fravor and former U.S. intelligence officer David Grusch testify before the House of Representatives subcommittee focused on UFOs while (left to right) George Knapp (red tie left of Grusch), Charles McCullough (light blue tie) and Jeremy Corbell sit behind them (House subcommittee on National Security, the Border and Foreign Affairs)




FIRST ON FOX - Russian warplanes engaged UFOs, "chased them and even shot at them" at least 45 times by 1993, according to classified Russian documents that investigative reporter George Knapp obtained and smuggled out of the country.

That's just one snippet of information revealed in letters written by Knapp and investigative journalist Jeremy Corbell to the House's Oversight Committee before Wednesday's UFO hearing.

Both letters, which were first obtained by Fox News Digital and published in their entirety below, were entered into the Congressional record.

"Since 1969, the position of our military has been that UFOs pose no threat to national security and are not worthy of further study," Knapp wrote in his letter. "This dismissive attitude is directly at odds with what was revealed in documents, reports and internal memos."

As the country's eyes and ears were glued to three explosive testimonies, Corbell whispered something to Charles McCullough as George Knapp listened in with a smirk.

McCullough, who was President Barack Obama's former Intelligence Community Inspector General, represented Grusch in his Intelligence Community Inspector General complaint purposefully seated behind him.

These three men sat directly behind David Grusch, who was flanked by Navy pilots Ryan Graves and David Fravor during Wednesday's Congressional hearing about UFOs.f

Grusch's testimony about recovered "biologics" of "non-humans" from alleged UFO crash sites made national - and even international - headlines, while details in Knapp's and Corbell's letters went under the radar.  READ MORE...

Wingsuits

 

Getting Bigger

What We Don't See/Notice

 I watched parts of YELLOWSTONE and as a result I started watching 1883 which is supposed to tell the story of the family gave birth to the Yellowstone family...  whatever their name was...  I am not sure if I like 1883 or not, but after watching several episodes, it does capture your attention where you would like to know what is going to happen next.

With that said, there are parts of the movie that we tend to overlook for one reason or another...  and, those are the points about which I would like to comment.

My first thought is that people in 1883 did not have incredibly white teeth...  but, it seems like all the actors and actresses regardless of how they are dressed or what part they are supposed to play have perfectly white teeth.

Along with white teeth, is the fact that many of the actors and actresses have perfectly washed and parted hair...  except for the cowboys...  and, I just don't see how something like that would be possible back in 1883 even if you were not a cowboy.

Obviously, the people of 1883 took baths in the nearest river, but there is no signs of soap around when they do get into the water to bathe.  And, along with that thought is the fact that all the women (that are shown in a certain light) have no underarm hair.  I'm sure they removed underarm hair back in 1883 but when you are on the trail going from Tennessee to Oregon, I just cannot believe that shaving under one's arms is a priority.

Curiously, toilet paper in America was invented in in 1857 by a man named Joseph Gayetty but it was not until 1883 that toilet paper as we know it today (on the roll) was patented.

Consequently, would the wagon train have stocked up on toilet paper as well as food and clothes to make the journey to Oregon?  Those wagons can only hold so much.

When I was in the Boy Scouts in the 1950s we would go camping in the Appalachian Mountains and we WOULD NOT take toilet paper.  We dug holes in the ground and used leaves or pine needles.

In 1883, the land they were crossing was basically dirt and rock...  so, it is going to be difficult to dig a hole, plus there are no leaves so these pioneers must be using sand to wipe their butts.

I realize that we go to the movies for entertainment not to study history but I always wondered what it would be like to watch a movie that took place in the late 1800s and see it being historically accurate.

Voice Mail

 

How Earth's Atmosphere Changed

A DENSE RAINFOREST or other verdant terrestrial vegetation may be what first comes to mind at the mention of photosynthesis. Yet the clouds of phytoplankton that fill the oceans are the major drivers of that process in nature. 

The plantlike single-celled aquatic microbes generate more than 50 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere, and they absorb nearly half of the carbon dioxide, converting it into the glucose, fats, proteins and other organic molecules that nourish the food web of the oceans.

A recently published study in Current Biology finally pins down the source of this unparalleled photosynthetic efficiency, which has long baffled scientists. The new research found that some phytoplankton are equipped with an extra internal membrane that carries a “proton pump” enzyme that supercharges their ability to convert carbon dioxide into other substances. 

The enhancements due to this one protein modification seem to contribute to the production of nearly 12 percent of the oxygen in the air and as much as 25 percent of all the carbon “fixed” (locked into organic compounds) in the ocean.

Surprisingly, that photosynthetic innovation seems to have evolved by chance from a membrane protein that was originally used for digestion in the ancestor of the phytoplankton. 

In addition to explaining the cells’ prowess at photosynthesis, the new work helps to confirm the theory that those phytoplankton arose through a symbiotic alliance between a protozoan and a resilient red alga.

“I find it staggering that a proton enzyme that we have known for so many decades is responsible for maintaining such a crucial phenomenon on Earth,” said Dennis Brown, a cell biologist at Harvard Medical School who studies the functions of membrane proteins and was not involved in the study.

Researchers knew that certain classes of phytoplankton—diatoms, dinoflagellates, and coccolithophores—stand out for their exceptional photosynthetic abilities. 

Those cells are extremely proficient at absorbing carbon dioxide from their environment and directing it to their chloroplasts for photosynthesis, but the details of why they are so good at it haven’t been very clear. A feature unique to those three groups of phytoplankton, however, is that they have an extra membrane around their chloroplasts.  READ MORE...

Explained

 

Nashville Guitar

 

Houses

Reverse Aging Process

Behind Bryan Johnson’s (pictured) $2 million anti-aging regimen is 29-year-old doctor Oliver Zolman.



Tech CEO Bryan Johnson’s rigid routine of 1,977 vegan-based calories a day, a couple dozen morning supplements, and consistent organ testing caught the attention of the masses ever since he first shared his reverse-aging protocol with Bloomberg in January. 

The 45-year-old’s quest for immortality has garnered massive criticism from longevity experts and doctors who question whether his dedication will prove anything long term, not to mention the impact it may have on his quality of life.

Pulling the strings behind Johnson’s reportedly $2 million longevity craze is a team of 30-plus doctors and health experts, led by 29-year-old Oliver Zolman—a millennial doctor obsessed with turning back the clock.

“I’m going for results that have never been achieved ever,” Zolman tells Fortune. “My bar is very high.” Zolman juggles about 10 clients at a time and reportedly charges upwards of $1,000 an hour for intensive age-related testing, according to Bloomberg’s profile. 

Zolman did not share his current rate with Fortune, but says he charges people based on their net worth.  “If they have no money, then I just don’t charge,” he says. “If they’re a billionaire, then it’s like, ‘Okay, thousands of dollars is nothing to them.’” 

Still, Zolman says most of his clients are similar to “Bryan’s demographic,” with some exceptions. But in a follow-up email, Zolman said he does not charge anyone except for Johnson and “never actually charged $1,000 an hour.”

Zolman, who lives in Cambridge, England (but also spends time in Spain and hopes to open a clinic there), introduced himself as a “professional evidence-based rejuvenation coach and clinician trainer” at a lecture during the Longevity Summit Dublin last year.

“Rejuvenation just means getting younger, or making it younger so obviously to prove that, in an evidence-based way, you have to measure the age of something,” he says, adding that he measures individual ages of organs to determine protocols for clients. “You can’t just randomly say I feel younger. That’s completely ridiculous.”

Zolman has been fascinated with longevity and regenerative medicine—modalities that aim to combat age-related changes—since he was young.  READ MORE...

First Day of Class for Business Majors

When I was teaching business classes in college, it did not matter if this was your first year in college or your fourth or fifth year in college, I would always ask my students the same two questions on the first day of class.

WHO ARE YOU?

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

These two questions had to be answered in narrative form without relying on bullet points.  I wanted a response that was at least 500 words for each question.

BOY...  did they get pissed off at me!!!

Why do you suppose that I did this for BUSINESS MAJORS?

First - it told me how well they communicate, especially in writing.

Second - it told me how well they follow instructions without asking questions - Thinking for themselves.

Third - it told me how deep they are willing to drill down on a subject.

Fourth - it told me how well they understand themselves.

Fifth - it told me how well they perceive themselves.

Sixth - it told me how they may respond to unexpected situations.

Seventh - it provided me with a SWAT analysis of themselves.

Eighth - it told me how creative they could be.

Ninth - it gave me some insight as to their self-esteem and personalities.

Tenth - it told me if they had taken the assignment seriously.

Supposedly, a BA degree does not just teach you about business, but it teaches you about business leadership, values, integrity, and how to follow.  Yes...  a good leader, knows how to follow.  How can you expect others to follow you, if you yourself have no clues about following a leader?

Most college classes are either 50 minutes in length or 80 minutes in length.  Before, the class ended, I told the students that the in class assignment was now homework and due a week later at the beginning of class.  I gave them no further instructions, nor would I answer any of their questions about the assignment.  It was up to them to decide how they thought I might want it turned into me.

Obviously, this made them feel very uncomfortable because they were used to professors telling them exactly what to do and how to do it...   and, therein lies the problem of college...  professors thinking for the students so that they will get good evaluations at the end of the semester.

What I was looking for was a well thought through paper.  I did not care about the length as long as it was all inclusive.  How do you take 18-22 years of knowledge and boil it down into a condensed concept of thought?  It needed to be well written with no more than 3 grammatical errors.  Yes...  business majors needed to know proper grammar.

AND ABOVE ALL ELSE IT NEEDED TO BE TYPED and if it had a cover page and was in a folder, then the student got extra credit.

Students that worked while attending college, turned in better assignments than those that did not work...  does that really make sense?

Fake Chick

 

Floating Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

SOURCE: THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE


A consortium of Japanese companies is working to develop a new concept in floating offshore wind turbines that they report will be easier to manufacture while also costing less to build and maintain. 

Known as a vertical axis wind turbine, they believe it will be the next generation technology that will also be well suited to the challenges of floating turbines and resilient to harsh weather conditions.

Conventional horizontal axis floating wind turbines have a high center of gravity which requires a large and expensive to build floating structure to maintain the stability of the turbines, especially in harsh conditions such as a typhoon. The towers stand as high as nearly 500 feet, which the Japanese group highlights increases the maintenance costs. 

They also point to installation challenges including specialized vessels, and costly port infrastructure for the construction. In addition, the nature of the wind farm makes it difficult to enlarge.

With the vertical axis wind turbine, they report it is possible to increase the power generation to achieve a cost reduction for the overall installation and ongoing operation and maintenance expenses. 

The concept uses a series of smaller paddles, a maximum height of approximately 360 feet that are closer to the surface and critically have the ability to tilt up to 20 degrees while maintaining output. It uses a rotating cylindrical floating foundation.

The blades would be produced through a continuous pultrusion method using a molding process to form composite materials with carbon-reinforced plastics. The blades are produced in lengthwise sections with the same cross-sectional shape, eliminating the need for large manufacturing facilities. They would also be easier to transport than the traditional large wind turbine blades. READ MORE...

Did You Know?

 

Pyramid Building

 

Nuclear Powered Spaceships

The space race has been revived, but this time, the goal post has been shifted much further – to Mars. As recent technological advancements promise to open new horizons of exploration, NASA plans to cut the travel time to Mars with a nuclear powered spacecraft.

A trip to Mars currently takes approximately seven months, covering a staggering 300-million-mile journey. NASA, in collaboration with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), now proposes an ambitious plan that hinges on the promise of nuclear thermal propulsion technology to reduce this duration significantly.

DRACO spacecraft is nuclear powered
NASA aims to launch a nuclear-powered spacecraft, known as DRACO (Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations), into Earth’s orbit either by late 2025 or early 2026. The spacecraft, under construction by Lockheed Martin, a leading aerospace and defense company, will serve as a testbed for this groundbreaking technology.

NASA administrator Bill Nelson said that this technology “would allow humans to travel in deep space at record speed.” However, it remains unclear by how much the nuclear thermal propulsion technology can decrease the travel time.

DRACO is expected to provide a treasure trove of critical data that will usher in a new age of space exploration.

“We’re going to put this together, we’re going to fly this demonstration, gather a bunch of great data and really, we believe, usher in a new age for the United States [and] for humankind, to support our space exploration mission,” said Kirk Shireman, vice president of Lockheed Martin Lunar Exploration Campaigns.
Groundbreaking technology

A nuclear thermal rocket (NTR), the underpinning technology of the DRACO, boasts a thrust-to-weight ratio approximately 10,000 times greater than electric propulsion and two-to-five times more efficiency than in-space chemical propulsion.

The technology utilizes heat from a nuclear powered fission reactor to heat a hydrogen propellant, which then expands through a nozzle to provide thrust, propelling the spacecraft forward.

Increased safety needed to put humans on Mars
Apart from speeding up transit, the NTR propulsion system also promises increased safety for astronauts. Reduced travel duration translates into a decreased risk of exposure to deep-space radiation and a smaller logistical footprint due to the lesser quantity of supplies required for the trip. “If we have swifter trips for humans, they are safer trips,” said NASA deputy administrator and former astronaut Pam Melroy.  READ MORE...