Nautical Flags

 

Pickleball Strategies - Doubles

1. Player positioning

• Serving player or team stands behind the baseline to serve and remains there or just inside to hit serve return after it bounces (Double Bounce Rule).
• Receiver typically stands at or near the baseline to return serve; however, be alert for the possible need to move forward to return a shorter serve.
• Receiver’s partner may stand anywhere, but is usually positioned at the NVZ line on his/her side of the court.

2. Getting to the net

• After returning the serve the receiver should quickly move forward to the NVZ line to a position parallel with his/her partner.
• The serving team should both move toward the NVZ line together as soon as possible after the third shot (return of serve return).
• Players should attempt get to the NVZ line in time to be ready to return the next ball hit to them by the opposing team. However, if caught mid court (no man’s land), stop and assume the ready position before hitting the ball (split step). It may take two or three shots to get to the NVZ line safely and in balance.
• Once at the NVZ, stay there. Don’t move back unless it is necessary to return a lob, then return to the NVZ line ASAP.

3. Partners move in unison

• The partner hitting the ball determines when and where the team moves.
• At the baseline, when one partner hits the ball and moves toward the NVZ at the angle he/she hit the ball, the other partner should move forward also, but not before.
• With partners separated – one at the baseline and one at the NVZ -- an inviting gap is created for the opponents to place a winning shot.
• When one partner is pulled to the sideline to return a shot the other partner moves toward the centerline to close the gap in the middle, which is a higher percentage shot for the opponent than trying to pass down the other sideline, which is left open. [Note: Explain the string theory: Imagine you and your partner are tethered by string; if your partner gets pulled wide you can't allow the string to break by staying still. If the string is pulled six feet, you move six feet.]

4. Pickleball is more about placement than power

• Keep the ball in play. The doubles team who makes fewer unforced errors is most likely to win.
• According to an accomplished tournament player and instructor, 75 percent of rallies are won (or lost) because of errors; only 25 percent are actually earned or won by a good shot.
• Rather than trying to hit a winner every shot, it is better to place the ball back over the net in control and let the opponents make the fault, or wait for a chance to hit a sure winner.
• The safest place to hit a ball in doubles it is deep down the middle – this minimizes the chances of hitting wide and may cause confusion over which opponent should return the ball.
• Try to hit to your opponent’s backhand, especially on the serve – most players have less power and are less comfortable hitting with their backhand. However, many top players prefer the backhand for a majority of their shots because this across-the-body shot precludes a significant backswing, which often leads to over-hitting. A well-practiced backhand can create as much or more control as a forehand.

5. Communicate with your partner

• Get in the habit of calling “Mine,” “I Go,” “Yours,” “You” or something similar for every shot, especially if playing with an unfamiliar partner and if one partner is right handed and the other left handed.
• Decide who will take lobs – it may be the faster partner even if the lob is on the other side of the court.
• Call “Switch” if you move to your partner’s side of the court – it is quicker to stay there for the next shot than to run back to your side. But make sure you are in the correct court position before the next rally begins (based on the score).
• Decide who handles shots coming down the middle of the court. How far over the centerline will the partner with the paddle hand in the middle take balls? When partners are left- and right-handed both forehands or both backhands will be in the middle.
• Warn your partner by calling “Bounce it!” if a ball hit high appears as if it may land out. Yell “No!” or “Out!” before the ball strikes the court if you are sure it is going out. (Calling “Out” after the ball strikes the court is a line call and the ball is dead.)
• Bolster team confidence by complimenting your partner on good play – after the rally ends. Never criticize your partner for faults – it just makes matters worse.
• Discussing team strategy, such as which opponent to hit to, before a game starts, between points, or during a timeout gives the team a common goal and demonstrates that the players are united as a team and not playing as two individuals.
• Although the correct player to take a shot is not always the one in the forehand position, if the ball is heading in your partner’s direction, don’t take away his/her forehand shot with your backhand unless he/she is obviously unable to reach the shot or yells “Yours.” Poaching is a more advanced strategy.

WOKE

 

Best Robot Lawn Mowers

Keeping your lawn looking fresh and well-manicured can be tedious, especially if you use a traditional lawn mower. Robot lawn mowers take over the task for you, functioning much like a robot vacuum to automate your grass-trimming experience.

Lowe’s store manager Gary McCoy explains that robot lawn mowers are more environmentally friendly since they are battery operated, and shoppers appreciate how much time it will save them. 

“This also means the consumer experiences less exposure to heat and allergens compared to when they operate a traditional mower,” he says.     READ MORE...

Somewhat Political

 

White Privilege

 

Current US Population Demographics:

• White 58%
• Hispanic 19%
• Blacks 12%
• Asian 6%

Recently, I heard a liberal news media outlet host make the claim that Caitlin Clark only got to where she is in the world of female professional basketball because of WHITE PRIVILEGE...

I suppose all the BLACK FEMALE PLAYERS that played against her in college were not ANY GOOD because of white privilege as well...

One of these days, the general public is going to wake up and realize HOW STUPID THESE PEOPLE ARE WHO MAKE THESE COMMENTS...

At the beginning of this post I inserted current US population demographics for a reason.  These demographics clearly show that there more WHITES in our population than Hispanics, Blacks, and Asians.

THEREFORE, one can only conclude that no matter what we are doing in this great country of ours that there will be MORE WHITES doing it than blacks...

AND...  population demographics has nothing to do with WHITE PRIVILEGE.

If we go to certain parts of AFRICA, there will be different population demographics that favor BLACKS...  does that mean that those countries are examples of BLACK PRIVILEGE???

NO ANSWER because this was a rhetorical question.

We should not give out awards based upon the COLOR OF OUR SKIN...  I believe this thought came from the late MLK Jr. and it seems to me that BLACKS have forgotten many of his words.  No doubt some blacks think that MLK Jr is another example of being an UNCLE TOM...

It is my opinion that MLK Jr was simply an AMERICAN who wanted to best for all Americans, and believed that blacks should at least be given a chance. I AGREE WITH THAT.

Many blacks in a variety of areas are better than whites for a variety of reasons and those reasons have nothing to do with WHITE PRIVILEGE...  It has everything to do with skills and abilities.

British Concord

 

100 Robots Serve Customers

Imagine a unique Starbucks that features about 100 robots serving orders for customers.

This happens for real, day in and day out, at Naver 1784 tower, the world’s largest robotics testbed, and also the headquarters of South Korean technology firm Naver.

The numerical digit 1784 signifies the site’s lot number address, 178-4, and also the year marking the beginning of the first industrial revolution.

The tower is a proving ground for the company’s advancements in robotics, artificial intelligence, and cloud services, showcasing Naver’s dedication to transforming ideas into tangible solutions.

According to Naver, 1784 redesigns how we live and work and claims that its “advanced technologies are embedded into the building to provide a better work environment, bringing us one step closer to the future,” according to the firm’s website.     READ MORE...

Monster

 

Sunday Misc

Joint British-US airstrikes in Yemen kill at least 16 people.

The airstrikes were targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels and wounded at least 42 others. The strikes were carried out in response to attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea by Iran-backed militant groups protesting the Israel-Hamas war. Iran has funded Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and other groups in Iraq and Syria. Separately, President Joe Biden endorsed an Israeli-led cease-fire proposal; Hamas has not responded as of this writing.



Ukraine, Russia exchange 75 soldiers each in prisoner swap.

A total of 150 prisoners of war were exchanged under the deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates. The prisoner swap is the first exchange in nearly four months between the two warring nations. Ukrainian officials said Russia also returned the bodies of 212 Ukrainian military members. See updates on the war here.



Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia leaves Democratic Party.

Manchin officially switched his party affiliation to independent Friday, but will continue to caucus with Democrats. In explaining his decision, Manchin cited partisan rifts. Manchin has said he won't run for reelection in the Senate; however, the latest news raises questions about his next steps. Manchin now joins three other independent senators who caucus with Democrats.



Vermont to require oil companies to pay for climate damage.

The state is the first in the US to enact a law requiring oil companies to contribute to a fund paying for damage from extreme weather fueled by the changing climate. The amount owed would take into account the total emissions of greenhouse gases a company generated between 1995 and 2024. The law is modeled after a federal law requiring companies to clean up pollution or reimburse the government to do so.



Largest-ever known genome discovered inside a tiny plant.

Researchers in Spain have identified a species of fern (T. oblanceolata) that has the largest amount of DNA stored in its nucleus compared to any other living organism on Earth. Each cell of the fern, found in the South Pacific island nation of New Caledonia, has DNA that is over 328 feet long if unraveled. The measurement is 50 times more than the size of the human genome, which is 6 feet long.



Researchers link genetic mutation to neurodevelopmental disorders.

A range of intellectual disabilities appear to be related to rare mutations in a small noncoding gene called RNU4-2. Noncoding genes, also known as "junk DNA," do not encode proteins but often RNA molecules, which then translate into proteins or stand on their own. See an overview on RNA molecules here. Watch an explainer on junk DNA here. Roughly 6.5 million people in the US have an intellectual disability.

SOURCE:  1440 News

Creation and US

Ipsos
In a 2023 survey of 26 countries, 40% of respondents said they believe in God as described in holy scriptures, 20% believed in a higher spirit but not as described in holy scriptures, 21% believed in neither God nor any higher spirit, and 19% were unsure or would not say. In Brazil, 70% of respondents believed in God as described in holy scriptures, while in South Africa, 73% did. In contrast, less than one in five in Japan and only one in three in South Korea believed in God or some form of spirit or higher power.

Gallup International Association
In a 2023 survey, 72% of respondents said that there is a God, which is a slight increase from 2016 when 71% believed. Other findings from the survey included that 59% of respondents believe in heaven, 53% believe in hell, and 57% think that there is a life after death.

Albert Einstein

In a 1947 letter he stated that "It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously." In a letter to Beatrice Frohlich on 17 December 1952, Einstein stated, "The idea of a personal God is quite alien to me and seems even naïve."

Stephen Hawking

He famously said, “If you believe in science, like I do, you believe that there are certain laws that are always obeyed. If you like, you can say the laws are the work of God, but that is more a definition of God than a proof of his existence”​.

Bayes Probability Theorem

There is an equal probability that God exists as well as that God does not exist.

What do you believe?

Does it really matter if you are right or wrong?

Many scientists, especially theoretical physicists believe that the universe was spontaneously created according to the laws of science that govern that sort of thing.

It is a proven fact that the laws of science govern the universe and it is said that this can be proven mathematically.

I have no doubt that there are elements of truth to this belief.

However, on the other side of the coin, creating something out of nothing does not seem possible to my unscientific mind.  That is not to say that I now believe in God or a Creator but that something had to be here first.

Another obstacle whether creation was spontaneous or not is the fact of what was the universe created into?  For example, the universe is still expanding.  The Hubble Telescope has proven that but what is the universe expanding into?

How can something expand if there is nothing for it to expand into?

Why would a Creator create a universe like that?

What would be the point?

Additionally, why is the universe so frigging large?

What is the point of that?

It seems like to me since the probability is 50/50 that if you want to believe in God you have just as much of a chance being right as you do of being wrong.  Therefore, if it makes you feel good and perhaps justifies your existence, the go for it.

Somewhat Political

 

A Force More Powerful than Gravity

"Today, the Earth's liquid core is still a terpsichorean frenzy of electric currents, which generate a magnetic field." (Image credit: Shutterstock)






The image of an atom, with electrons swarming around a central nucleus bulging with protons and neutrons, is as iconic in our perception of science as the DNA helix or the rings of Saturn. But however much we scratch the surface of these scientific fundamentals, we can go even deeper, focusing that microscope further and discovering even more forces that govern our world.


In his new book "CHARGE: Why Does Gravity Rule?", theoretical physicist Frank Close explores the fundamental forces that govern our world, posing questions along the way that seek to explain how the delicate balance of positive and negative charges paved the way for gravity to shape our universe.


In this except, he explains how magnetism, the most tangible fundamental forces, was discovered, where it comes from and how it got its name.        READ MORE...

The Trump Verdict

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Dallas Mavericks top Minnesota Timberwolves 124-103 to win Western Conference Finals 4-1 and advance to NBA Finals for first time since 2011 (More) | New 3-on-3 women's basketball league, Unrivaled, to launch in January with initial 30 players receiving equity in the league (More)

> Rock band Queen in talks with Sony Music to sell entire music catalog for a reported $1B (More) | TV series based on the video game "Minecraft" in the works at Netflix (More) | Florida 12-year-old Bruhat Soma wins 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee (More)

> The 2024 NCAA baseball tournament kicks off today; see preview for all 16 regional sites (More) | See updated Women's College World Series bracket (More)


Science & Technology
> Leaked Google documents reveal details on data the company collects to inform search engine results; critics argue company's algorithm has outsized influence on the internet landscape (More) | See original report (More)

> Michigan farmworker tests positive for H5N1 avian influenza; marks the third human patient and first to experience respiratory symptoms, no sign of person-to-person transmission (More) | See current stats on bird flu outbreak here (More)

> Scientists fully map both sex chromosomes for five great ape species and the siamang (a lesser ape species); study sheds light on the genetic evolution of reproduction, cognition, and more in humans and primates (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.6%, Dow -0.9%, Nasdaq -1.1%); markets dragged down by Salesforce, which closed down nearly 20% and logged its worst day since 2004 after missing revenue expectations a day earlier (More)

> Saudi Arabia's government to sell new shares in state oil giant Aramco to domestic and international investors, could raise up to $13B from the sale (More) | Skydance Media submits revised offer to buy Paramount Global; terms appear to be more favorable to nonvoting shareholders (More)

> Gap shares rise over 20% in after-hours trading after reporting better-than-expected earnings and revenue (More) | Kohl's shares close down 23% after retailer posts surprise loss per share and lower-than-expected revenue (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz’s centrist party submits bill to dissolve parliament, could force early elections and potentially oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; unclear if bill will garner enough support (More) | Israel lifts ban on food sales to Gaza for first time since Oct. 7 (More) | See war updates (More)

> Biden administration reportedly allowing Ukraine to use some US-supplied weapons for defense inside Russian borders near the Kharkiv region; move partially lifts ban on Ukraine's use of US-supplied weapons (More) | See war updates (More)

> South Africa's early election results show current ruling party African National Congress leading with 43% of the votes, followed by Democratic Alliance with 24% of the votes; results come from 43% of voting districts counted so far (More)

SOURCE:  1440 News

Humanoid Robots with AI

I recently hear a tech expert say or perhaps it was something he wrote which does not really matter, but his thoughts were that ROBOTS with AI will not take away your jobs...  what will take away your jobs are people who know how to use AI...

Perhaps in the short term, he is correct because it is LOGICAL to think that people using AI will be in more demand than those who do not know how to use AI.

But don't let his WEALTH STATUS or KNOWLEDGE ARROGANCE fool you because Robots will replace human jobs.  

Some tech experts say that we will need people to build, fix, and program robots but unless you were born yesterday, ROBOTS can perform those three functions better and faster than humans can WITHOUT the need for different shifts, breaks, vacations, or health insurance.  Companies will not have to pay their share of FDIC either.

Robots can work 24/7...  so, your knowledge of how to use AI will become as useless as teats on a boar hog.

What amazes me more is that these tech experts believe that the worker is STUPID and will not see that this is going to happen to them.

Humanoid Robots with AI are going to take over all aspects of the workforce  in ALL AREAS:

• Education
• Healthcare
• Retail
• Manufacturing
• Hospitality
• Entertainment
• Awerospace
• Military
• Service
• Mining
• Transportation
• Farming
• Research
• Finance/Banking
• Law Enforcement
• Fire Protection

It is building up as I write this posting and it will gradually start to escalate -  80% of the jobs will be replaced by robots by 2030 -  that is only 6 years in the future.

Don't be fooled by what the TECH EXPERTS SAY...

Somewhat Political

 

Microbe Fingerprints

When you think of a criminal investigation, you might picture detectives meticulously collecting and analyzing evidence found at the scene: weapons, biological fluids, footprints and fingerprints. However, this is just the beginning of an attempt to reconstruct the events and individuals involved in the crime.


At the heart of the process lies the "principle of exchange" formulated by the French criminologist Edmond Locard in the early 1900s, which states that "every contact leaves a trace." The transfer of materials between the parties involved in a crime (the victim, the perpetrator, objects, the environment) forms the basis for reconstructing the events.

In Locard's time, these traces were typically things you could see with a magnifying glass or microscope, such as pollen, sand and fibers. However, such evidence is limited because much of it is not directly associated with a specific individual.     READ MORE...

Highway to Hell

 

Greatest Percussionist Ever

Gene Krupa (born January 15, 1909, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died October 16, 1973, Yonkers, New York) was an American jazz drummer who was perhaps the most popular percussionist of the swing era.

After the death of his father, Krupa went to work at age 11 as an errand boy for a music company. He soon earned enough money to purchase a musical instrument and decided upon a drum set because it was the least expensive instrument in a wholesale catalog. In the early 1920s, Krupa learned from and sometimes jammed with many of the great jazz performers who were then in Chicago, receiving his greatest inspiration from New Orleans drummer Baby Dodds. Immersing himself in the study of jazz, Krupa began to play in several Chicago-area jazz groups with musicians such as Frank Teschmacher, Bix Beiderbecke, and his future employer Benny Goodman.

In 1927, during a recording session with the McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans, Krupa became the first drummer to use a full kit on a recording, a significant technological accomplishment during a time when the pounding of a bass drum could easily dislocate the stylus on the recording equipment. Recordings from this session are regarded as the first aural example of authentic Chicago-style jazz.

Krupa worked for several bands during the early 1930s and was a drummer in the pit orchestras for two Broadway musicals by George Gershwin. By 1934 Krupa was the most sought-after drummer in the business. He was persuaded by the record producer John Hammond to join Goodman’s band, with the assurance that the band would prominently showcase his drumming talents. Krupa stayed with Goodman until 1938 and played on many of the band’s best-known recordings (such as the classic drum workout “Sing, Sing, Sing”); he was also a fixture in the Benny Goodman Trio (featuring Goodman and pianist Teddy Wilson) and subsequent Quartet (adding vibraphonist Lionel Hampton). With his movie-star good looks and tousle-haired, gum-chewing “hot jazzman” persona, Krupa attracted many female fans and provided the Goodman band with much of its visual appeal, elevating the role of the drummer from mere timekeeper to front-line performer. To many swing fans, Krupa epitomized jazz drumming; he went on to become perhaps the most famous drummer in jazz history.

Krupa had a tendency to grandstand during his tenure with Goodman, yet his infectious energy propelled the band. His flamboyance and popularity led to personality clashes with Goodman, who thought that Krupa’s showmanship often overshadowed the music. Less than two months after the Goodman band’s historic performance at Carnegie Hall in January 1938, Krupa left to form his own band.

Initially Krupa’s band followed in the style of Goodman’s. Many of its early recordings are fine examples of swing and commercial pop, and many feature well-performed drum solos. The band’s jazz credentials were significantly enhanced in 1941 with the addition of trumpeter Roy Eldridge and singer Anita O’Day. One of jazz’s most influential players, Eldridge was the stylistic link between the traditional jazz of Louis Armstrong and the wailing bebop of Dizzy Gillespie. O’Day, whose style was cool and detached, was one of the most renowned band vocalists. The Krupa-Eldridge-O’Day triumvirate combined to produce some of the band’s best-known recordings, including “Boogie Blues,” “Just a Little Bit South of North Carolina,” and, especially, “Let Me Off Uptown,” the Krupa band’s biggest hit.

In 1943 Krupa served a three-month jail term for marijuana possession; for a time after his release, he drummed with the Goodman and Tommy Dorsey orchestras before re-forming his own band in 1944. His new band, which incorporated a string section, played in a more modern style and featured several talented young players who were influenced by the bebop movement. Hits such as “Leave Us Leap,” “Disc Jockey Jump,” and “Lemon Drop” showcased the new sound in arrangements by George Williams and Gerry Mulligan. By embracing modern jazz, Krupa was able to keep his band going during the late 1940s, but by 1951 he too had succumbed to the decline in popularity of big bands.

During the 1950s, Krupa led a few small groups and toured with Norman Granz’s Jazz at the Philharmonic, for which he often participated in staged drum battles with Buddy Rich. Always a serious student of jazz and percussion techniques, Krupa and fellow drummer Cozy Cole in 1954 established a drum school, and Krupa taught there for the rest of his life. He also portrayed himself in the films The Glenn Miller Story (1953) and The Benny Goodman Story (1955) and was the subject of a fictionalized Hollywood biography, The Gene Krupa Story (1959), which featured Sal Mineo as Krupa and Krupa’s own drumming on the sound track.

Ill health forced Krupa to curtail his activities during the 1960s and early ’70s, but he still made occasional appearances and recordings, most notably an outstanding album that reunited the members of the original Benny Goodman Quartet (Together Again!, 1963) and a well-regarded album (The Great New Gene Krupa Quartet, 1964) that marked Krupa’s last session as a leader.