Bear and the Balloon

 

Why? Why Not? Because?

DISCLAMER:  I wrote this article in 2016 and published it on LinkedIn.  It has not been revised or edited since being published.  I decided to share it again to give you, the reader, an opportunity to look at my earlier thoughts...

 I was going to start this article off by drawing the reader's attention to the planting, farming, and harvesting of poppy fields in Afghanistan that eventually lead to the GLOBAL consumption of illegal heroin on which users spend millions of dollars annually; but, that is only a symptom of the real problem which is US (not United States) but you and I in a worldwide sense.

Everyday due to my health, I must walk as fast as I can around the neighborhood for an hour and to take my mind off the boredom of that task and off the pain of what walking up steep inclines does to my body, I think about the content of the articles I want to write. Today, was no exception and as I started my walk, I was focused on the first paragraph and as I ended my walk, I became focused on this second paragraph which leads to all the rest of this article.

So, let's continue with “we” being the problem. Let this roll around in your mind while I take a little detour.

Have you ever wondered why all these Caucasian and African American athletes that have become very wealthy do not contribute hardly any money at all (on average) to eliminating poverty or hunger or all the ghettos in our big cities?

I am not one of these athletes, so all I can do is speculate but I suspect it is because most of them considered themselves to be self-made through discipline and hard work and if they can do it so can everyone else. I have heard other successful people make this comment to me, so perhaps it is applicable here. And, maybe this is true, but...

...there has got to be more, doesn't it? I mean what about natural talent? What about parental guidance and influence? What about the culture in which one was born? What about one's personality or DNA structure where some switches are turned on while others are turned off?

Let's get back to “we” being the problem.

I would suspect on an annual basis that a million or more updates (some of which include images) are posted for the viewer on this forum. I would also suspect that most users on this forum belong to the global middle class within their respective countries and/or locations. Some of us are not doubt upper middle class whereas others of us are lower middle class, again respectively.

I would also suspect that many of us are religious to deeply religious while others of us are spiritual or philosophical but have complete respect for other people's beliefs.

I would also suspect that many of us are politically, socially, and emotionally conservative in our beliefs and values and expect all users and EXPECT those who are liberal in their thinking to acquiesce to the conservative points-of-view.

With that said, let me now explain why I think “we” are the problem.

More often than not, updates on this social media forum are upbeat and positive in nature with inspirational, timeless quotes and comments that leaders and famous people have previously stated. On any given day, I read hundreds of these “uplifting” messages... and, there is nothing wrong with any of these at all but... we are preaching to the choir, aren't we? It is not us who should be or need to be reinforced by these messages but those who are socio economically beneath us.

Once we post these positive messages, we pat ourselves on the back for posting them in the first place which seems rather silly in a way.

We do not tolerate images or thoughts on this forum that are obscene or vulgar and there is nothing wrong with wanting to have that banned but are we not overlooking the problem?

I would bet that 80% of the global population is not like us at all. They have no beliefs, no faith, no hope, no money, no future and no one seems to care about them... for all intents and purposes they are ignored... why?

Because, we are too busy reinforcing our own beliefs and all those others who think like us. It is exactly and precisely for this reason that I think “we” are the problem.

Since we all know the power of positive thinking, why are we not posting photos of the hungry or photos of those in poverty or dead bodies lying around due to some form of uncontrolled violence. Why are we not posting photos of drug addicts and those who are sick and dying of AIDS? Why are we not posting photos of ISIS and all of their atrocities like the beheading of journalists?

If we post enough of these distasteful photographs maybe our global middle class will actually care enough about these people and instead of posting inspirational photos will start posting solutions to these global problems.

I am sure that this post is going to offend some, readers and no doubt, emails will be sent to have my profile deleted, but I call it like it is and let the chips fall where they may. And, it may be a waste of time for me to say these things like spitting into the wind but again that is just who I am.

So, why not?

NOTE: The title for this posting came from a final exam I took in an upper lever Philosophy course in college. The only grade was the final exam and there was one question on the final exam which was why? In the 60's exams had to written in Blue Books and as I looked around the classroom, I saw everyone writing frantically. I thought for a moment and then wrote: Why Not and then because.  I turned in my Blue Book and left the room. I got an “A” for the course.

Somewhat Political

 

Trillion Frames Per Second Camera

A new camera developed at MIT can photograph a trillion frames per second.

Compare that with a traditional movie camera which takes a mere 24. This new advancement in photographic technology has given scientists the ability to photograph the movement of the fastest thing in the Universe, light.

The actual event occurred in a nano second, but the camera has the ability to slow it down to twenty seconds.

For some perspective, according to New York Times writer, John Markoff, "If a bullet were tracked in the same fashion moving through the same fluid, the resulting movie would last three years."  READ MORE...

Louie Louie

 

In the NEWS

Breaking news: At least 111 people were killed and more than 200 injured after a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck northwestern China midnight local time Monday; see updates here. Separately, a volcano eruption has begun in southwestern Iceland, near the town of Grindavik, which evacuated last month; see updates here.


An intense storm system battered the northeast coast of the US yesterday with high winds, heavy rain, and flooding, leaving 59 million people from Virginia to Maine under flood watches and knocking out power for more than 700,000 people. At least four people were killed in the storm.


US Steel Corp. agreed to be purchased by Nippon Steel yesterday in an all-cash $14.9B deal, marking a significant move for the Japanese steel giant in the US. The acquisition is set at $55 per share and will assume US Steel’s debt. The merger, if approved, would retain the US headquarters in Pittsburgh.


Jailed media magnate and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai began his long-delayed trial in Hong Kong yesterday for charges under China's 2020 National Security Law. The founder of the city's long-running "Apple Daily" newspaper—which shut down in 2021—has long criticized Chinese policies and faces a life sentence if found guilty.


Actor Jonathan Majors found guilty of assault and harassment, faces up to a year in prison at Feb. 6 sentencing (More) | Majors dropped by Marvel Studios in wake of guilty verdict (More)


UEFA Champions League round of 16 set; see complete schedule and matchups for the knockout stage (More) | Eric Montross, eight-year NBA veteran and former University of North Carolina star, dies of cancer at 52 (More)


Apple to halt sales of its Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 models in the US this week due to trade commission rule in a patent dispute over the devices' blood oxygen sensor technology (More)

Researchers discover new method Ebola uses to spread inside the body; the deadly virus creates tunnels between cells, evading treatments that may be outside the cell wall (More)

US defense secretary arrives in Israel for talks, including concerns over civilian death toll in Gaza (More) | BP suspends shipments of oil through the Red Sea amid attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels (More) | See updates on Israel-Hamas war (More)


Appeals court rejects former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows' bid to move his Georgia election interference case to federal court (More) | Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signs law allowing state law enforcement to arrest migrants who cross the border from Mexico illegally (More) | Judge temporarily halts removal of Confederate monument in Arlington National Cemetery (More)

SOURCE:  1440 News

Does the Past Still Exist

 

Hybrid Batteries

A worry for many potential buyers of gasoline-stingy hybrid vehicles is how long the hybrid battery will last. In exchange for lower fuel costs than a comparable gas-only vehicle, the hybrid buyer is taking a risk on an expensive added component: the high-voltage battery pack that stores the hybrid system’s electric energy.

Like any other part of the car, the battery pack won’t last forever, and if it fails, the hybrid vehicle won’t operate. But nearly a quarter century of modern hybrids has shown that the risk of battery failure is very low for at least eight years and up to 100,000 miles.  READ MORE...

Global

 

Toyota Venza and Toyota Crown Insignia

My wife and I have been living in East Tennessee since 1990.  In 2016, we were looking for a newer car and were in a Toyota dealership and test drove a Venza for the first time.  It was a perfect car for us, but our local prices were a little high.

We found a top of the line 2015 Venza with a moon roof that had been leased for a year with only 7,500 miles on the odometer that was being sold for several thousands of dollars less than a new one.  We drove to OHIO to pick it up.

Our Venza has been a wonderful car and a complete work horse when we recently downsized and moved.  Our Venza made a dozen trips to the landfill, fully loaded with items we needed to throw away.

Our 2015 Venza now has 88,000 miles on the odometer...  and we know it will last until 200,000 miles but we need a more modern vehicle with side mirror that warn you when a car is in your blind spot.

Newer Venzas are now hybrid and much smaller than our 2015 Venza which is not comfortable for me on long drives.

We don't want a hybrid because of the cost of battery replacement and the low resale value that hybrids now have,  The good news on hybrids is that gas mileage is doubled.

Toyota is now making the Crown Signia to be the replacement for the old style Venza SUV.  And, while we don't want to spend the money for a new car, we are going to have to wait until the 2025 Crown Insignias are a year old.  A brand new one starts at $55,000.

Friendship

 

Record Breaking Free Divers of Egypt

Dahab, Egypt – When the countdown began, Khaled Elgammal took one final, deep breath before descending without any breathing equipment into the ocean. One minute and 29 seconds later, still holding his breath, the Egyptian athlete had free-fallen to 102 metres (335 feet) – a national record.

But for it to count, he had to reach the surface again. He turned at the bottom of the line and began his ascent – focusing on deep relaxation and the feelings of the surrounding water. In all, he had held his breath for two minutes and 50 seconds.

Elgammal is Egypt’s deepest freediver, and his remarkable achievement set a new national record at the Sharm el-Sheikh competition in October 2023.

“When I came to the surface, it was bliss. It felt amazing,” Elgammal recalls.    READ MORE...

US Dominance in the AIR

 

Moody Blues

 

Unlimited Energy from Nuclear Fusion

We go behind the scenes at the world’s largest nuclear fusion device attempting to harness energy from the same reaction that powers the Sun and stars.

In the heart of Provence, some of the brightest scientific minds on the planet are setting the stage for what is being called the world’s largest and most ambitious science experiment.

"We are building arguably the most complex machine ever designed," confides Laban Coblentz.

The task at hand is to demonstrate the feasibility of harnessing nuclear fusion - the same reaction powering our Sun and stars - at an industrial scale.         

To do this, the world’s largest magnetic confinement chamber, or tokamak, is under construction in the south of France to generate net energy.

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project agreement was formally signed in 2006 by the US, EU, Russia, China, India, and South Korea at the Elysée Palace in Paris.         READ MORE...

Friendship

 

In The NEWS

Senate negotiators reportedly made progress over the weekend on a suite of border security measures, working under a self-imposed Sunday deadline to reach an agreement. Lawmakers have tied the package to a larger $110B deal that includes support for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

Roman Catholic Cardinal Angelo Becciu was found guilty of three counts of embezzlement and sentenced to five and a half years in prison Saturday, the result of a two-year trial into his and nine others' financial crimes within the Vatican City state. The 75-year-old Italian is the first cardinal to be tried criminally by Vatican courts since the Vatican became an independent state in 1929.

The head of Israel's Mossad spy agency reportedly met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani over the weekend, looking to renew a cease-fire deal that would see hostages held by Hamas in Gaza released. The talks came a day after the Israeli military killed three hostages after misidentifying them as Hamas militants.


Texas tops Nebraska to win back-to-back NCAA women's volleyball national championships (More) | South Dakota State set to take on Montana for NCAA football championship series national title (More)


"General Hospital" and "The Kelly Clarkson Show" are top winners at the 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards; see complete winners list (More)


NASA's Cassini spacecraft detects the presence of hydrogen cyanide on Saturn's moon Enceladus; the molecule, lethal to humans, is thought to be a key chemical in the origin of organic life (More)


Study suggests North America's first humans may have arrived 23,000 years ago via sea ice floating across the Bering Strait; timeframe is roughly 10,000 years earlier than current estimates (More)


Dow Jones, Nasdaq end up Friday (S&P 500 -0.01%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +0.4%); Nasdaq closes at highest level since November 2021, all three indexes extend weekly winning streak to seven (More)


Biotech giant Illumina to divest cancer diagnostics startup Grail after two-year antitrust battle with federal regulators (More)


At least 61 migrants, including women and children, drown after their ship sank off the coast of Libya reportedly en route to Europe (More) | See numbers of missing and dead in the region (More) | Kuwaiti leader Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Sabah dies at 86 (More)


Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley narrows gap with frontrunner former President Donald Trump in New Hampshire presidential primary polls, trails by 15%; GOP state primary to be held Jan. 23 (More) | See nationwide polls (More)

Lumbar Vertebrae Fusion - 18 months Ago

Two years ago, I got out of bed one morning and my legs collapsed under me.  I grabbed the bed, to keep myself from falling to the floor.  From that moment on, it was difficult for me to walk and when I did, I walked with a limp.    A few weeks later I went to a Orthopedic Back Surgeon who wanted me to have an MRI but he suspected that I had a problem with L4/L5 disks.

I cannot have an MRI without being sedated.  My wife tells me I'm pussy but those comments don't bother me anymore.

My MRI revealed that my spinal stenosis was more advanced than first suspect and I agreed to spinal fusion surgery that fused L2-L3-L4-L5-S1 disks together.  It is considered the granddaddy of all fusion surgeries.

Many are opposed to a five level back fusion.

In 6 months, I was able to walk a mile in about 20-25 minutes.  My normal speed was 12-15 minutes.  I was able to walk without a cane but it took 6 more months of walking to eliminate the limp.

December 20 (tomorrow) marks 18 months since the surgery and I would assume that all 5 disks have finally fused together.  

• I can bend over and touch the floor with my
  
  fingers. 
• I can bend over and pick up stuff off the floor. 
• I still have a hard time stepping into my underwear.  
• I still have a hard time putting on socks.  
• My walking seems forced instead of natural.
• I can drive a car for 4 hours straight without back pain
• I have some difficulty stand up straight talking for over 30 minutes before needing to lean against something or sit down
• I still have no strength in my right leg to pull myself up steps - can descend fine.

Right after my back surgery, I was never in any pain which pisses my wife off whenever she thinks about it.  The day after the surgery I slept flat on my back in bed to sleep.

All in all, I would say I came out pretty good because if I had not had this surgery, then there was a high degree of certainty that I would have ended up in a wheelchair in the next few months for the rest of my life.

Therapy and injections would have postponed the surgery for a while, but surgery was the only permanent solution which is why I went with the surgery.

This is all part of growing old.

Quiet Lives

 

Time Travel Theoretically Possible

No one has yet managed to travel through time – at least to our knowledge – but the question of whether or not such a feat would be theoretically possible continues to fascinate scientists.

As movies such as The Terminator, Donnie Darko, Back to the Future and many others show, moving around in time creates a lot of problems for the fundamental rules of the Universe: if you go back in time and stop your parents from meeting, for instance, how can you possibly exist in order to go back in time in the first place?

It's a monumental head-scratcher known as the 'grandfather paradox', but a few years ago physics student Germain Tobar, from the University of Queensland in Australia, worked out how to "square the numbers" to make time travel viable without the paradoxes.

"Classical dynamics says if you know the state of a system at a particular time, this can tell us the entire history of the system," Tobar explained back in 2020.                 READ MORE...