Somewhat Political

 

Life on Earth from one Ancestor

Scientists have rewritten the history of life on Earth with a new estimate for the age of LUCA, or the Last Universal Common Ancestor, who is generally acknowledged as the common ancestor of all living things, thanks to a ground-breaking study.

The study, which was published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, indicates that LUCA lived approximately 4.2 billion years ago, which is significantly closer to Earth's origin than previously thought.

LUCA, a common ancestor to all organisms and not the first life form, has been a controversial topic among scientists for centuries. Life fossil evidence goes back as far as 3.4 billion years, yet this study proposes that LUCA might be close to being the same age as the Earth. The genetic code and DNA replication, which are two of the vital biological processes, might have developed almost immediately after the planet was formed.       READ MORE...

The Kinks "Lola."

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The 2024 college football season kicks off tomorrow with limited slate of Week 0 games, including No. 10 Florida State taking on Georgia Tech (12 pm ET, ESPN) from Dublin, Ireland (More)

> Megan Thee Stallion tapped to host 2024 MTV Video Music Awards (Sept. 11) (More) | Stephen Nedoroscik, two-time Paris Olympics bronze medalist from the US popularly known as "Pommel Horse Guy," to appear on Season 33 of "Dancing with the Stars" (More)

> National Women's Soccer League and the league's players union agree to collective bargaining agreement eliminating players' draft and raising salary cap (More)


Science & Technology
> Elon Musk-owned Neuralink says second implant into a human was successful; spinal cord injury patient can now reportedly play video games and operate a 3D printer (More)

> Researchers find the Alzheimer's drug donepezil can be used to put tadpoles in a hibernation-like state; discovery may lead to ways to put patients into states of suspended animation during emergencies (More)

> Fasting-feasting cycle triggers stem cells to repair intestinal damage but also increases the risk of precancerous growths, dietary study finds (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.9%, Dow -0.4%, Nasdaq -1.7%); investors await Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's remarks today (More) | US existing home sales rise 1.3% month-over-month in July, the first increase in five months; median home price of $422,600 is up 4.2% from a year ago (More)

> Peloton shares close up 35% after beating estimates and reporting year-over-year quarterly sales growth for first time in nine quarters; results come after Peloton cut 15% of staff and its CEO resigned in May (More) | Media veteran Edgar Bronfman Jr. reportedly raises bid for Paramount Global takeover to $6B (More)

> Perplexity to introduce ads to AI-assisted search platform in Q4 (More) | General Motors-owned Cruise to partner with Uber to offer driverless rides in 2025 (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> US Supreme Court partially grants Republican National Committee's request to reinstate Arizona's never-enforced 2022 law requiring proof of citizenship for registering to vote (More)

> Body of British tech mogul Mike Lynch recovered, fifth body found from luxury superyacht that sank earlier this week off the coast of Sicily; Lynch's 18-year-old daughter still missing (More) | See previous write-up (More)

> Venezuela's top court certifies President Nicolás Maduro's disputed election victory amid allegations of voter fraud; court decision cannot be appealed (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Living Healthy

 My father died in 2001 at the age of 88/89 and my mother died in 2016 just shy of her 96th birthday.

My dad was suffering from a rare form of Leukemia but died of natural causes and my mother had been diagnosed with cancer but there was not treatment because of her age; she also died of natural causes.

Neither of them had anything else wrong with them...

At age 60, I was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer, and suffered a triple bypass level heart attack (the two were unrelated).  Five years later, treatment for Lymphoma gave me Melanoma and I have been receiving treatments for both cancers.

I have also had five lower back disks fused and both my left and right shoulders have rotator cuff tears that are complete, and the tendons have withdrawn.  I am not looking at surgery.

Even though there is more wrong with me than either of my parents, I believe very strongly that unless something else dramatically happens to me, I will live until well into my 90s.

Of course, I do not know that for sure...

Aside from all that I just mentioned, I am one healthy SOB with a cholesterol level of 82 this year, 84 last year and 86 the year before.  This includes both good and bad cholesterol.

Since the age of 40 or 36 years ago (almost half my life), I have stopped:

• eating red meat
• smoking
• drinking alcohol
• eating fried foods
• eating sugars

NOTE:  I used to fast walk 1-2 miles a day, 7 days a week, my long-term chemo treatments have left me with so much fatigue, I just don't feel like walking much at all...  and, I don't walk much except for however much walking is done with grocery shopping.

NOT WALKING IS NOT GOOD...

However, I do cheat on my diet...

• I have about 4 pizzas a year
• I used to have a couple of mixed drinks on cruises
• I may eat one hamburger a year
• I eat fried chicken once or twice a year
• I maybe eat one hamburger with cheese a year

Over the last 18 months my weight has dropped from about 250/260 to 210/215 and has been holding steady at that lower amount.

I typically drink about 48 ounces of decaf coffee each day and no more than 18 ounces of SAM's flavored water.  My favorite is Mandarin Orange.

While I am not the poster child for GOOD HEALTH, I am in relatively good health, and it is because of that and modern medicine/treatment that I will live into my 90s.

This is something you should be thinking about rather than let LIFE catch up with you...

Somewhat Political

 

Pyramid Not Made By HUMANS

While Guinness World Records officially lists the Djoser Step pyramid in Egypt as the world’s oldest pyramid (around 2,630 BC), one paper published in October claimed a layer of the Gunung Padang pyramid in Indonesia was constructed as far back as 25,000 BC – though there has since been doubts as to whether the structure was ever man-made at all.

In research led by Danny Hilman Natawidjaja of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, and published in the journal Archaeological Prospection, the academics write that “the pyramid’s core consists
of meticulously sculpted massive andesite lava” and that the “oldest construction” element of the pyramid “likely originated as a natural lava hill before being sculpted and then architecturally enveloped”.

They write: “This study sheds light on advanced masonry skills dating back to the last glacial period. This finding challenges the conventional belief that human civilization and the development of advanced construction techniques emerged only … with the advent of agriculture approximately 11,000 years ago.           READ MORE...

Schools have all Reconvened

 

On the one hand, the fact that students have returned to school and there is less traffic on the roads; on the other hand, students returning to school is an indication that cold weather is right around the corner.

I am the kind of person that dislikes cold weather; however, I am also the kind of person that dislikes high humidity as well.  Both those extremes (although there are not really extremes) bother me the older I get.  BTW, I can sit inside a 102-degree hot tub in July and love it.

With cold weather comes FOOTBALL and that is all anyone will be talking about.  I used to like football but not anymore - maybe it is because of the zealot attitudes of most of its followers.  I supposed they need something to do with their lives beside go to work and mow the lawn.

While East Tennessee is not as cold as NYC, Buffalo, or Chicago, it is still cold.  The only good thing about cold weather is that I sleep better in cold weather than hot.  However, getting out of the warm bed is not that enjoyable either.

The kids love snow because it has the potential of getting them out of school, but for most adults it is a pain in the ass because, we have to shovel the snow off the driveway and sidewalks and we have to drive in the snow, around adult-children who thinks the car is their play toy.

I am also amazed by all the money that is spent by parents on buying clothes for their children so that they will not be bullied by the other students for not wearing the most stylish clothes.  Americans go more into debt for returning school clothes than Christmas purchases.  But the more they go into debt, the better overall our economy is.

I'm just glad that I am retired and don't have to be out there unless I want to be.

Blowing Winds of Change

 

I am not a political expert, nor do I remember any of the facts, data and statistics, associated with previous Presidential elections, so I will try not to talk about that.

What concerns me about this election is that it represents somewhat of a crossroads here in America.  The 2020 election was also a crossroads but certainly not as dramatic as 2024 because a lot of shenanigans have taken place since then.

As far as my mentality is concerned, the DEMOCRATS are seriously attempting and succeeding in changing the political landscape in the USA.

That is to say, they want to take the USA into an arena that was never fathomed by our Founding Fathers when they wrote the US Constitution.

I am not talking about ABORTION - that issue is minor in comparison.

The Democrats are desperately trying to ELIMINATE the TWO-PARTY system in this county.

Trump is the only outspoken Republican that the Democrats seem to fear.

I say FEAR because for the last EIGHT YEARS, the Democrats have tried to DESTROY Trump and so far, every attempt to achieve this goal has FAILED miserably.

My concern here relates to TERRORISM.  It does not matter how many times a terrorist fails; what matter is that they only have to succeed ONCE.

Bear in mind that I don't think the Democrats want to eliminate the Republicans altogether, all they want to do (via the vote) is make sure they never control one or both houses of congress, and do they ever win the presidency again.  

Packing the supreme court to favor a liberal interpretation of the US Constitution would just be icing on the cake.

The Democratic party also wants to turn the USA into a third world country (hence all the illegal immigration) because those types of countries are obvious easier to CONTROL.

The Chinese economy is on the rise.

The economy of India is on the rise.

Those two countries alone could overpower the US economy, especially if we divert a lot of our monies into GOING GREEN.  The rest of the world is not really wanting to move in that direction, until there is no other choice.

Going Green will work to our disadvantage and will not save the planet if a majority of other countries are not helping.

The Democratics don't want the USA to fall that far down, but they are willing to accept sharing GLOBAL CONTROL with Russia, China, and India and maybe a few others.

When that happens the domestic side of the USA will resemble what the rest of the world looks like - no one will be able to tell the difference.

The one thing we had over the rest of the world was that we were better than everyone else in ALL RESPECTS...

Kamala's Record

 

Lawsuit

 

Honesty

 

Virtues

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Al Attles, Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA, dies at 87 (More) | Fitness guru Richard Simmons' July death revealed to have been accidental due to complications from "recent falls and heart diseases" (More)

> U2 announces "V-U2," an immersive concert film of the band's recent residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas; it is the first film shot with the Sphere's "Big Sky" high-resolution camera (More)

> Social media influencer Andrew Tate's home in Romania raided amid allegations of human trafficking and money laundering; Tate is already awaiting trial on separate rape and human trafficking charges (More)


Science & Technology
> First direct imaging of valence shell electrons—the outermost electrons circling an atom, responsible for most chemical bonding—made; approach may lead to new pharmaceutical products and consumer goods (More)

> Brazil begins construction on Latin America's first maximum-security bio lab; facility will study some of the world's most dangerous pathogens native to the region (More) | Biosafety levels explained (More)

> Researchers discover new way the body clears dead cells from tissue; study identifies how hair follicle stem cells sense and identify which nearby cells are dying (More) | Stem cells 101 (More, w/video)

Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.4%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq +0.6%) after summary from Federal Reserve's policy meeting last month spurs hope for September rate cut (More)

> Ford Motor to cancel three-row electric SUV, expects to record roughly $1.9B in related expenses; also delays electric version of its bestselling F-150 pickup (More) | Japanese tobacco company JT Group, which also owns Camel outside the US, to buy Vector Group for $2.4B (More)

> Federal judge strikes down Federal Trade Commission rule banning most US employers from using noncompete clauses, concludes agency exceeded its authority; roughly 30 million workers have signed noncompete agreements (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) headlines night three of the Democratic National Convention with Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled to speak tonight; see updates (More) | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly to drop independent presidential campaign, endorse former President Donald Trump in speech tomorrow (More)

> Italian rescuers retrieve five bodies from wreckage of Sicily superyacht (More) | See previous write-up (More) | Houthi attack leaves Greek-flagged ship ablaze and drifting in the Red Sea after being hit by four projectiles, per UK military (More)

> Telecom company Lingo that transmitted AI deepfake of former President Joe Biden's voice to New Hampshire voters earlier this year to pay $1M in settlement with Federal Communications Commission (More) | See previous write-up (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Reality

 

We live in a reality of our senses even though most of us take our five senses for granted.

• We hear
• We see
• We touch
• We feel
• We smell

There is no getting around that.  However, some of us have damaged senses and our perception of reality changes.

• We don't hear as well
• We don't see as well
• We don't have ease of touch
• We don't feel how we used to feel
• We don't smell as well

But when that happens has reality changed?

No, not really.

We just perceive it differently.

Consequently,

we can say that reality is nothing more than our perception of reality that we experience.

What happens when our experiences change?

Does reality change?

Does our perception of reality change?

Experiences we have at a young age are going to differ than those experiences we have/had at an older age...

even though...

reality has changed very little if any at all.

The average person does not think about reality.  The average person just experiences what he or she experiences and thinks nothing about it.  They draw no conclusion, they have no speculations as to why, and they certainly don't care much about reality until it negatively impacts them.

Does that mean they take reality for granted?

No, not really.

They perceive reality for the most part like everyone else, they just don't think about what they are and have just perceived.

Is it necessary that we perceive our reality?

Some would say yes...

Others would say no...

Why does our perception matter at all?

It does not really matter, nor does it change how we perceive reality.  Awareness of perception is just something we do or do not do.

PERSONALLY, I think we should be more aware of our perceptions of reality in case it changes beyond our capability to realize that it has changed.

I suppose though when that happens, we are DEAD.

Somewhat Political

 

Wake Up Calls Everyone Needs

Y

You have come a long way, and you’re still learning and growing. 

Be thankful for the lessons. Take them and make the best of things today.

For my 18th birthday, many moons ago, my grandfather on my mom’s side gave me four lightly used flannel shirts that he no longer needed. The shirts were barely worn and in great shape; my grandfather said he thought they would look great on me. Unfortunately, I thought they were odd gifts at the time and I wasn’t thankful. I looked at him skeptically, gave him a crooked half-smile, and moved on to the other gifts sitting in front of me. My grandfather died two days later from a sudden heart attack. The flannel shirts were the last gifts he ever gave me, and that crooked half-smile was the last time I directly acknowledged him. Today, I still regret the little thing I didn’t say when I had the chance: “Thank you Grandpa. I appreciate you.”

That was a huge wake-up call for me — one that has served me well for over two decades now.

And here are eight wake-up calls for you to reflect on today — some important lessons worth learning and living by, before it’s too late:

1. You might not have tomorrow to say, “I love you.”
About 15 years ago a coworker of mine died in a car accident on the way to work. During his funeral several people from the office were in tears, saying kind things like: “I loved him. We all loved him so much. He was such a wonderful person.” I started crying too, and I wondered if these people had told him that they loved him while he was alive, or whether it was only with death that this powerful word, love, had been used without question or hesitation.

I vowed to myself then and there that I would never again hesitate to speak up to the people I love and remind them of how much I appreciate them. They deserve to know they give meaning to my life. They deserve to know I think the world of them.         READ MORE...

THE HOLLIES - LONG COOL WOMEN

Personalities

 

We stand before ourselves in some kind of ceremonial posture, hoping it will not be noticed.

We spend our time carefully hoping to hide it from view as long as we can before becoming impossible.

What is "IT" that we are so desperately trying to hide from others?

OUR PERSONALITY...

• It is our personality that attracts people to us or that repels people from us.
• It is our personality to prevents or accepts our employment.
• It is our personality that keeps us in the family or pushes us to the curb, never to return again.
• It is our personality that makes us a good lover, a good husband, and/or a good father.

YET...

most people try to shield their personality from scrutiny in the hopes of being accepted at home, at school, at work, or at play.

When you are with family or friends, do you really think people tell you the TRUTH...  or do they tell you WHAT THEY THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR?

I believe the latter is true.

If and when you tell people the truth, it is typically the last time they want to talk with you.

I tested this theory out on my nephew and as soon as I told him the truth, he ceased communications with me and told everyone that he no longer liked talking with me about anything.

Telling people the truth is called BURNING ONE'S BRIDGES...  which actually makes sense because if you burn the bridge no one can cross over... hence no communications. 

I find this disturbingly interesting because when I was a young lad, it was almost beat into my head the story about George Washington and the apple tree.  He told the truth and suffered the consequences, and everyone admired him for it.

This kind of shit does happen and is true and works perfectly as long as you are not George Washington.

A Step by Step Guide

Whether you’re a medical user or just fancy trying your hand at cannabis cultivation, this guide’s got you covered. We’ll take you through the ABCs of selecting strains, nailing the perfect growing conditions, and reaping a harvest you’ll be proud of. 

Start with the best cannabis seeds from reputable banks like Seed Supreme, and follow the steps we’ve outlined later to ensure maximum yields. 

So, kick back, relax, and let’s roll into this journey of green-thumb wisdom. 

HOW TO GROW MARIJUANA: GETTING STARTED 

First things first – knowing what you need will prepare you for the game. 

• Grow medium - organic soil isn’t your only choice 
• Grow Light - brightness has an effect on yields 
• Water - the right (water) PH matters 
• Air - consider fresh air (with a slight breeze) 
• Temperature - not too hot, and not too cold 
• Nutrients - like other plants, cannabis plants need to eat. 

These points are just a summary of the important things you’ll need to grow marijuana – we’ll discuss it in detail in the subsequent sections. 

The easiest way to get started with your cannabis growing journey is to purchase a grow kit. Homegrown Cannabis Co offers beginner grow kits that supply seeds, vital nutrients, and growing guides to make the process as easy as possible for you. 

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO GROWING MARIJUANA We’ll take you through the marijuana growing process below. 

STEP 1: DECIDE WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO GROW YOUR CANNABIS PLANT 

Should you grow indoors or outdoors? Well, each comes with its pros and cons. Growing cannabis outdoors is cheaper. When you grow outdoors, you don’t have to provide most of the supplies as mother nature and direct sunlight will take care of that. 

However, your plants are likely to be stolen, pollinated, infested by bugs, eaten by deer, etc. Privacy isn’t also guaranteed – judgmental neighbors around could initiate the finger-pointing game. You get the point. Planting marijuana indoors, meanwhile, might come with a higher price tag (truth be told). 

You’ll need to pick an ideal grow space, install a reliable lighting system, control temperature and humidity, etc. Yet, the benefits far outweigh the costs if you know what you’re doing. You have total control over your cannabis plants – you can “tell” them to flower whenever by altering the lighting cycle, among other things. Just ensure you’re providing everything your plants need to grow – nutrients, water, temperature, humidity, etc. Otherwise, you might compromise a luxuriant growth.                 READ MORE...