Price of Gasoline

 

Basic Info. US Retail Gas Price is at a current level of 3.706, down from 3.731 last week and up from 3.647 one year ago. This is a change of -0.67% from last week and 1.62% from one year ago. The US Retail Gas Price is the average price that retail consumers pay per gallon, for all grades and formulations.

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

The black and white image shows two different images in one

 

Socialism

US Parks

 

TEN Fast Growing Vacation Ideas

No. 1: Maunabo, Puerto Rico

No. 2: Puerto Rico, Spain




No. 3: Playa Avellana, Costa Rica



No. 4: Cusco, Peru



No. 5: Iru-fushi, Maldives



No. 6: St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands



No. 7: Aguas Calientes, Peru



No. 8: Malé, Maldives



No. 9: Fasmendhoo, Maldives



No. 10: Andros, Bahamas

Somewhat Political

 

Ultra Light Particles

Astronomers have a problem. Stars and galaxies dance to an unexpected tune, their motion seemingly governed by six times the matter that can be seen. Scientists believe that the Universe is filled with a form of dark matter that far exceeds the amount of ordinary matter. There’s only one problem: There is no direct evidence for the existence of dark matter.

Over the past 50 years, physicists have tried to detect dark matter, to no avail. Many options have been considered, ranging from subatomic particles to unseen black holes. For the past few decades, the theoretical physics community has favored the idea that dark matter is made of stable particles with a mass somewhere between the mass of a proton and a few thousand times greater.

However, a group of physicists at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the University of Chicago have explored a very different mass range. These scientists are looking for dark matter particles that are trillions or even quadrillion times lighter than the more traditional searches.      READ MORE...

Ghosts

 

Do Overs

 

A family member asked me a few weeks ago, if there is any part of my life that I wish I had a chance to REDO...  my answer was a quick NO!

This family member was hoping that I would have said YES...  I would not have gotten a divorce...  and secondly, I would not have been so hateful towards my siblings...

Of course, this do over was not really for me but for this family member who thought I had made a terrible mistake...

Over the weeks that this question was asked, I continued to think about my response.  The more I thought about it, the more I decided that if I had a chance to do over that part of my life, I would not have gotten married in the first place so there would have been no divorce.

At 76 years of age, I look back and see that my life has been FULL OF MISTAKES, roads not taken, and choices not made.  But to change any of that would be to change who I am today.  I am who I am today BECAUSE of all the things I did not do that maybe I should have done.

This also presupposes that I don't like who I am today and that is wrong because I do like who I am.  While I may not be full of wisdom, I am full of experiences that many people simply did not have.  It does not make me better or worse, just different.

• I am glad I am not poor.
• I am glad I am not wealthy.
• I am glad I am not a billionaire.

Each one of these would have changed who I am today.  I have just enough to live like I want to live.

Dancing Cat

 

Scale Helps Understand Reality

Imagine setting off on a spacecraft that can travel at the speed of light. You won’t get far. Even making it to the other side of the Milky Way would take 100,000 years. It is another 2.5 million years to Andromeda, our nearest galactic neighbor. And there are some 2 trillion galaxies beyond that.

The vastness of the cosmos defies comprehension. And yet, at the fundamental level, it is made of tiny particles.”It is a bit of a foreign country – both the small and the very big,” says particle physicist Alan Barr at the University of Oxford. “I don’t think you ever really understand it, you just get used to it.”

Still, you need to have some grasp of scale to have any chance of
appreciating how reality works.        READ MORE...

Morgan Freeman

 

Types of Government

Authoritarian Governments

Some governments are run by one powerful person or a small group of people in a country. These types of governments are called authoritarian because the people must serve the government. Because of this, authoritarian governments frequently do not respect the rights of individuals. Sometimes, an authoritarian government may give the appearance of being something other than authoritarian. For example, they may hold elections, but those in control of the government will make sure they keep the actual power. Before the United States was founded, most countries were ruled by authoritarian governments.


Nicolae Ceaușescu was the dictator of Romania from 1965–89 (image courtesy Biography).
Democratic Governments

Not all governments are authoritarian. In some countries, the people decided that the government should serve the people instead of the other way around. These governments are called democracies. There are many different kinds of democracies; most are responsible for creating an environment that promotes the common good. The common good is the idea that governments can try to make decisions that help most of the people in the group. Within a democracy, who is authorized to make decisions, in what ways the government is responsible to the people, and the kinds of choices people have vary widely. In most democracies, the ideas of rights and liberties is important. A right is something a person should have access to just because they are human. A liberty is a form of freedom that no government should take from an individual. The rights a person has simply because they are human are called, “natural rights.” Democratic governments tend to respect individual rights and liberties to a greater degree than authoritarian governments. At times, democracies may not respect the rights of a minority group because they are designed to follow the will of the majority.


The Durant City Council is a representative democratic government body (image courtesy the City of Durant).

The US Constitution begins with the phrase, “We the People” to make clear that the people of the United States are where the government’s power lies, and that the government exists so that we can govern ourselves.


Students demand equality in Oklahoma, 1963 (20246.38.84.5, John Melton Collection, OHS).

Some governments are organized according to a set of rules that must be followed. The rules explaining how a government must operate are called a constitution. A constitution can also include protections for individual rights and liberties for all people, including minority groups. Governments that follow their constitution and laws closely respect the “rule of law.” Governments that follow the rule of law offer more protection for individuals because the decisions governments make have to be based on the rules. Another thing the rule of law introduces is the idea that there are some areas of life where the government cannot interfere. This idea is called “limited government.”

One way to understand “rule of law” is to think about your favorite sport: it has rules, right? You want to make sure the rules of the games are enforced fairly to all teams. This is also true of governments.

Another idea that some democracies consider important is the idea of equality. Many democracies will include in their constitutions that all people are equal and include rules to ensure that the people that run the government treat each person as having equal worth.
Monarchy

A monarchy is ruled by a hereditary leader, such as a king. Monarchies can be absolute, constitutional, or ceremonial. An absolute monarch controls the entire government; an example of this form of government is Saudi Arabia. A constitutional monarch has power and serves as the executive, but the constitution limits this power; Monaco has a constitutional monarchy. In a ceremonial monarchy, the monarch has very little power and performs ceremonial duties; Great Britain is an example of a ceremonial monarchy.


Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdul-Rahman al Faisal al Saud founded Saudi Arabia in 1932 (image courtesy History Today).
Dictatorship

A dictatorship is ruled by a group of people selected by one person. The people who run the government are responsible to the dictator and no one else. The country of Turkmenistan under Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is a good example of a dictatorship. While the country has a constitution, a parliament, and elections, Berdimuhamedow is able to make changes to the rules as he wishes whenever he wants.


As of 2022, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is the authoritarian leader of Turkmenistan (image courtesy Reuters).
Oligarchy

An oligarchy is ruled by a smaller group. There are many different kinds of oligarchies. In many places, the military holds the power. This type of government is called a stratocracy. Currently, Thailand is a country under military control. Another kind of oligarchy, a plutocracy, is where the wealthy are in control. During the Renaissance, the city-states on the Italian peninsula were often plutocracies. The country of Iran is a theocracy, which means that the country is controlled by a group of religious leaders. Another kind of oligarchy often practiced is rule by one political party, such as the Communist Party in China.


The Communist Party of China is a kind of oligarchy (image courtesy The Diplomat).
Parliamentary Democracy

A parliamentary democracy is a form of democracy in which the people elect a legislative body called Parliament. The executive, usually called a prime minister, is selected from this group. Often, parliamentary democracies will have many different political parties, and the parties will have to cooperate in running the government because no one party has a clear majority in the body. India has a parliamentary system.


The chambers of the British Parliament are well known (image courtesy CNN).
Presidential Democracy

A presidential democracy is where voters select both their representatives in the legislative body and the executive. For example, in the United States, voters choose their representative every two years, electors who select their president through the Electoral College every four years, and their senator every six years.


George Washington served as the United States’ first president (image courtesy of the White House).
Participatory Democracy

A participatory democracy is a form of government in which people have greater responsibilities than voting for representatives. This could include serving on advisory boards, commenting on policy changes, or proposing legislation. A specific kind of participatory democracy is called direct democracy. A direct democracy is a government run by all the people of a place. Most of the time, other types of governments will include elements of participatory democracy rather than organize the entire government around the idea that everyone should be involved in making day-to-day decisions.


A town hall meeting is a kind of direct democracy (mage courtesy New York Times).

How To Grill Hamburgers' Like a Pro

When the weather heats up and the lure of backyard barbecues takes hold, one craving ousts all others: that for a big, juicy burger. But whether you’re new to grilling burgers or you’re a seasoned pro—or you’re cooking for someone who prefers a different level of doneness than you—it’s a good idea to stop and read through our guide to how to grill burgers (and how long to grill burgers) for optimal satisfaction.

Choose the best burger meat
Ground chuck is a great all-purpose, buy-it-anywhere choice for burger recipes. Whatever you do, look for beef with a fat content of 20%. That 80/20 ratio is the key to a perfect burger that’s juicy but not greasy. Want to try a custom blend? Go for it. Ask your butcher to grind part chuck with short ribs or brisket and live your most bespoke life.

Not grilling beef patties? The alternatives are endless: chicken burgers, turkey burgers, even salmon burgers! Opt for dark meat poultry, fatty fish, or ground pork or lamb shoulder (or black beans and quinoa if it’s a veggie burger you’re after). Note that the poultry or seafood patties should be cooked through completely. Medium-rare is not a good look on a chicken or fish burger. Otherwise, the rules below should apply to these as with any beef burger.

Shape those burgers right
When forming a burger for the grill, aim for a ¾" to 1" thickness and a 3" to 4" diameter. The burgers will shrink slightly as they cook, so you want the raw patties to skew a little larger than the buns onto which they’ll eventually land. Make a small dimple in the center of the patty—this indentation will prevent your burger from puffing up like a balloon, ensuring an even and picturesque patty. Work quickly but gently, and don’t compress the patty too much: The enemy of any burger is overworked meat.

How to season burgers
A big burger deserves big flavor, but that doesn't mean you need to go bananas with the seasoning. When you're working with high-quality meat, sautéed onions mixed into the patties just aren't necessary—and that goes double for raw onions. Other things to leave behind: egg, bread crumbs, cumin, garlic powder, taco seasoning, etc. It's not a meatloaf, people!

Two seasonings you should incorporate: salt and pepper. Avoid mixing these seasonings into the burger meat, however, since adding salt to ground beef prematurely can toughen it. Instead, season the patties with ample kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper after they’re shaped and right before you plan to take them out to the grill.

How to cook burgers on the grill
Set your gas grill temperature to high heat and give it a few minutes to warm up, or prep a charcoal grill for direct heat. Brush off those grill grates to remove any stuck on bits and use a paper towel, tongs, and neutral oil to slick them up so your burgers don’t stick.

The total time it takes to grill your burger will fluctuate based on your grill temperature and the size of your burger patties. Whatever your idea of a “done burger’ is, use the timing suggestions below as a guideline for your cookout, not a rule.

How long to grill burgers

• Medium-rare: 6–7 minutes total
• Medium: 7–8 minutes total
• Medium-well: 9 minutes total
• Well-done: 10 minutes total

While approximating grill times can definitely help you grill hamburgers to temp, using an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature is the surest way to know that your burgers are cooked to perfection.

Internal temperature for burgers

• Medium-rare: 130°–135°F
• Medium: 140°–145°F
• Medium-well: 150°–155°F
• Well-done: 160°F

Other than occasionally checking the temperature, leave the patties alone once they hit the grill, aiming for one single flip halfway through the cook time. Resist the urge to press on the patties, which can cause flare-ups and lead to dry burgers, and you won't be sorry.

Tips for building better burgers
For perfect cheeseburgers—because who doesn’t want a cheeseburger—slap on a slice of cheese once you flip the burgers and cover the grill for the last minute of cooking. American cheese is classic and is unmatched in meltability, but you can substitute cheddar for something sharper, or go with pepper Jack, Swiss, Muenster, or whatever cheese you love. Keeping the heat trapped in the grill will make the cheese melt quickly and evenly, meaning it’ll be perfectly gooey by the time the burger finishes cooking.

Also important: Don’t leave your hamburger buns in the dust (i.e., in their plastic bag). Show the buns some love by placing them on the hot grill for a few minutes to develop delicious char and toasty texture. Last but not least, dress the buns with a special burger sauce. Our favorite calls for the basics: mayo, ketchup, a bit of relish, and some Worcestershire. Or riff away and choose your own condiment adventures.

TEN Best East Coast Beaches

Allow us to whisk you away to the inviting waters of the Atlantic Ocean with a few summer travel ideas. From Duck, NC, to Hyannis, MA, we picked some of the best beaches in the Northeast. See if you agree with our list.



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Photo: Getty Images

Best Northeast Beaches for Sun, Sand and Fun


Grab your flip-flops, a towel and a bottle of sunscreen that smells like coconut or bananas. You don’t need much more to enjoy the best beaches on the East Coast; they're some of the best beaches in America. Just keep an eye on the kids and let them build sandcastles while you throw out a line to fish or lounge under your hat with the latest bestseller.

While these Atlantic beaches are family-friendly, they also have lots of adult appeal. Provincetown, MA, offers miles of galleries and eateries to explore, while New York’s Southampton is home to high-end shops and fine dining establishments. Read on for more of our favorite East Coast beach vacations.


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Photo: Getty Images

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina


As the largest resort along South Carolina's 60-mile Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is the East Coast's ultimate vacation hub. The town teems with summertime action: beaches dotting the Strand, amusement and water parks, restaurants and live entertainment. Myrtle Beach's actual beach is an extensive stretch of silky white sand, with opportunities for fishing, swimming, sunbathing, sailing and surfing.


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Photo: Chris Hackett, Getty Images

Nantucket, Massachusetts


A trip to Nantucket is like visiting a faraway fairytale land — one set against a bright blue backdrop of ocean and bay in a community of weathered grey-shingled houses surrounded by wild roses. This former whaling community has quaint neighborhoods and a beach for everyone, many of which feature calm waters and no shortage of sandcastles.Also See


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Photo: Greg Bethmann, Getty Images

Duck, North Carolina


Stretching for 130 miles along the Atlantic coast, North Carolina's Outer Banks are a skinny strip of barrier islands whose hallmark high, sandy dunes front frothy surf on one side and a gentle sound on the other. Duck, an upscale residential rental community along the northern reaches of the Outer Banks, has rental homes galore and no high-rise hotels making it ideal for an old-school family vacation along the wide swaths of sand.


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Kiawah Island, South Carolina


Kiawah Island is a coastal island off South Carolina, loaded with 10 miles of pristine beaches, approximately 10,000 acres of natural woodlands and every amenity to meet the needs of the entire family. Kiawah offers plenty of sun and sand, And it's just a short drive to Charleston, a city chock-full of Southern charm.


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Photo: Michael Westhoff / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Southampton, New York


Unspoiled beaches, a charming village center, exclusive shops and exquisite dining have made Southampton a perfect blend of sprawling beaches, private estates and just enough places to "be seen" to satisfy the upper crust. Seven-plus miles of unspoiled shoreline, windswept dunes and waving grasses beckon visitors to escape to the Atlantic. The beaches here are perfect and secluded, irresistible to seekers of solace and plenty of art and culture back in town.


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Provincetown, Massachusetts


Provincetown is on the northernmost tip of Cape Cod. The town became a Portuguese whaling and fishing community in the mid-18th century and evolved in the early 1900s into a distinguished art colony, which it remains today with a gay-friendly vibe and miles of galleries, shops and old mansions. There are over 30 miles of beach in Provincetown, all part of the Cape Cod National Seashore (CCNS), including the two main beaches at Herring Cove and Race Point.


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Photo: Andrew F Kazmierski / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts


As summer commences, crowds swarm Martha's Vineyard in droves, but respite can be found in the Vineyard's far eastern reaches — up-island, as it's known locally — at Moshup Beach. Tucked beneath the infamous Gay Head Cliffs, Moshup Beach is an unspoiled paradise of soft, white sand framed by red, brown and tan striated cliffs looming from above.Also See


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East Hampton, New York


Strolling along the broad stretches of white sand, listening to roaring waves and passing the glorious mansions of Lily Pond, it's easy to see why East Hampton is a beloved New York destination any time of year. The picturesque town is a favorite with A-listers, and at the end of Main Street, past sprawling yards and fences surrounding huge homes, is Main Beach, where perfect white beaches and incredibly tasty lobster rolls await.


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Photo: Richard T. Nowitz, Getty Images

Cape May, New Jersey


As the farthest point south on the Shore, Cape May is the crown jewel of the region with gorgeous beaches and a quaint town center filled with gingerbread Victorians and colorful bed and breakfasts. Bring your binoculars to the beach to spy the playful dolphins jumping in the wake.


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Hyannis, Massachusetts


But you don't need political family ties to appreciate what drew this iconic American family to the region. The town of Barnstable — and Hyannis in particular — is beloved by travelers for its laid-back atmosphere, friendly vibe and Kalmus Beach where windsurfers and swimmers enjoy the water.

Heart of Glass

 

Tune Out Your College Major

I’m living proof you don’t need a certain college major to do alright in life.

At Sarah Lawrence College, I didn’t have a major. Nobody did — the school’s undergraduate program doesn’t have them. I have the oft-mocked and statistically underpaid bachelor’s in liberal studies.

And while luck has probably contributed a fair amount to my success — I’ve remained gainfully employed the entire time I’ve been out of school — it’s kind of funny now to think there was a time I was so anxious that my degree wouldn’t get me anywhere.

The question of whether your college major matters (if you even have one) is similar to the question of whether having a degree at all matters in that the answer is yes and no.

There’s plenty of data to support the idea that more education will help you earn more money. But there is also not quite a shortage of success stories of people who didn’t get a degree. Billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Oprah Winfrey are among many who famously dropped out of college.

The same goes for majors. Plenty of statistics can show you which degrees tend to correlate with higher earnings. Meanwhile, some hugely successful names in various industries studied something completely different than what would define their careers.  READ MORE...

Somewhat Political

 

East TN Retirement

 

In a few months, I will be in my tenth year of retirement and as a result I will be 77 years of age.  My wife retired with me at the age of 62, so she will be 72.  Neither one of us miss working.

Fortunately, my wife and I are in relatively good health even though we are not completely free of health concerns.  We both know retirees worse off than us as well as in better health than us.

We have been debt free for TWENTY YEARS or more but clearly remember those days when our movements were controlled by debt.  Using debt to enjoy yourself, will one day bite you in the ass.

My wife and I have a simple lifestyle and enjoy of way of life, even though we ARE NOT POOR nor do we live HIGH ON THE HOG.  We have managed our expectations and pretty much do what we want, go where we want, buy what we need, while appreciating each day that we have together.

Our finances do not just pay our bills but allow us plenty of freedom as to how we want to express our lifestyle.  

• We use frequent flyer points on Delta to fly long distances like to California, Hawaii, Alaska, and Europe.
• We buy year old cars that have been leased with low mileage.
• We go on vacation between weekends when the rates are lower.
• We don't spend money on alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs.

The odds are that we will live another 10-20 years depending upon when our bodies have had enough of living on this earth.  That would put us both in our late 80s or early 90s and by then the quality of our life will have substantially deteriorated.

We both figure that we have another GOOD TEN YEARS to continue doing what we want to do, when we want to do it.

In a few days we will be driving to Florida for a few days and are not worried about leaving our house un-occupied as our neighbors are very protective of us and others.  We are surrounded by couples younger than us, also retired, who are part of a neighborhood watch group.

We mow each other's lawn if we need too, water the plants, and take care of any animals that needed to be left behind.

East TN is an excellent place to retire as it is a combination of both country and city life at bargain basement prices.  The weather is very accommodating as well.

Sometimes I wonder why the younger generation is more like us but then after a second or two, I decided that their loss is our gain.  Either people wise up or they don't - the choice is theirs...  but I doubt too many want to live like us because they might perceive they are missing something.

Let me tell you...  they ain't missing nothing...

Great Advice

This is great advice for everyone whether you are 60+ or not. 

By: Arnaldo Liechtenstein, physician

Whenever I teach clinical medicine to students in the fourth year of medicine, I ask the following question:

What are the causes of mental confusion in the elderly?

Some offer: "Tumors in the head". I answer: No!

Others suggest: "Early symptoms of Alzheimer's". I answer No!

With each rejection of their answers, their responses dry up.

And they are even more open-mouthed when I list the three most common causes:

- uncontrolled diabetes

- urinary infection

- dehydration

It may sound like a joke, but it isn't. People over 60 generally stop feeling thirsty and consequently, stop drinking fluids.

When no one is around to remind them to drink fluids, they quickly dehydrate.

Dehydration is severe and affects the entire body It may cause abrupt mental confusion, a drop in blood pressure, increased heart palpitations, angina (chest pain), coma and even death.

*This habit of forgetting to drink fluids begins at age 60, when we have just over 50%of the water we should have in our bodies.

People over 60 have a lower water reserve.

This is part of the natural aging process.*

But there are more complications. Although they are dehydrated, they don't feel like drinking water, because their internal balance mechanisms don't work very well.

*Conclusion:*

People over 60 years old dehydrate easily, not only because they have a smaller water supply, but also, because they do not feel the lack of water in the body.

Although people over 60 may look healthy, the performance of reactions and chemical functions can damage their entire body.ty

So here are two alerts:

1) *Get into the habit of drinking liquids*. Liquids include water, juices, teas, coconut water, milk, soups, and water-rich fruits, such as watermelon, melon, peaches and pineapple, orange and tangerine also work.

*The important thing is that, every two hours, you must drink some liquid. Remember this!*

2) Alert for family members: constantly offer fluids to people over age 60.

At the same time, observe them.

If you realize that they are rejecting liquids and, from one day to the next, they are irritable, breathless or display a lack of attention, these are almost certainly recurrent symptoms of dehydration

Inspired to drink more water now? Send this information out to others!

Your friends and family need to know for themselves and help you to be healthier and happier.

It's good to share!