Somewhat Political

 

Plasma Instabilities Observed

Whether between galaxies or within doughnut-shaped fusion devices known as tokamaks, the electrically charged fourth state of matter known as plasma regularly encounters powerful magnetic fields, changing shape and sloshing in space. 

Now, a new measurement technique using protons, subatomic particles that form the nuclei of atoms, has captured details of this sloshing for the first time, potentially providing insight into the formation of enormous plasma jets that stretch between the stars.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) created detailed pictures of a magnetic field bending outward because of the pressure created by expanding plasma. 

As the plasma pushed on the magnetic field, bubbling and frothing known as magneto-Rayleigh Taylor instabilities arose at the boundaries, creating structures resembling columns and mushrooms.          READ MORE...

Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good (Live Spoken Word Version)

Once Upon a Time

 This photo was taken in the summer of 1972 when I was twenty-five years of age.  I had just gotten an honorable discharge from the US Navy.  I was stationed at the Naval Base in Norfolk, VA and Admiral Zumwalt was CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS (CNO).

I owned a 1967 Plymouth Barracuda convertible, living in the Piedmont of North Carolina, was married and had a 6-month-old daughter.  I was working full time and was getting ready to return to college in the fall, where I attended as a full-time student while continuing to work full-time.  

Being full-time in both these areas was difficult but I managed.  My family and I pretty much lived paycheck to paycheck, did not feel disadvantaged even though we did not generate much revenue with both of us working.

I went to classes in the mornings, worked 8 hours as soon as I arrived at work, and then went home and studied or did homework for several hours.  I went to three classes on M-W-F and two classes on T-TH and got to work by noon.  Home by 8:30 pm and studied until midnight.  I always worked a half day on Saturdays.

Life was simple but good and oftentimes rewarding especially because I was in a position to watch my daughter grow rather than always be on a business trip like my father was when I was growing up.  In the summertime, we always had a vegetable garden of corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, cabbage, and melons.

We were no different than our neighbors...  it was just what everyone did back then.

There were no racial tensions back then, at least where I lived, no worries about drunk drivers, crime and violence, and no problems with migrants who worked in the fields around us.  

• Gas was cheap.
• Food was cheap.
• Clothes were cheap.
• Car maintenance was reasonable.
• Medical issues were non-existent.
• Neighbors helped each other.

WHY DID LIFE HAVE TO CHANGE???

Neighbors

 

Last year, my wife and I downsized our house and yard...  we are now living on one level...

We moved around the corner from where we were living...  so, we are in the same community.

Our neighbors on either side of us and across the street are all retired and while we are not all the same age, we are in our late 60s to mid 70s.  All of us are veterans but not all of us have college degrees and yet, we all pretty much have the same amount of retirement income based upon the way we are living, even though none of our finances have been shared with each other.

We all have medical conditions, some worse than others, but those conditions seem to be the topic of discussion, every time we find ourselves outside at the same time and join together in discussion.

While we talk a little politics, we realize that there is not a damn thing that we can do about what concerns us and we all know that regardless of what happens in Washington DC, our quality of life WILL NOT CHANGE even though we may have to pay a little more for that quality.

We look back on our lives and only seems to talk about the good times, never the bad times, unless they are CURRENT.  The past is always positive.

What have we really learned from our relatively long life so far?

Well, I suppose not much but on the other side of the coin, I suppose a great deal.

First - we are all still alive

Second - we are all retired (with stories)

Third - we all have children and grandchildren

Fourth - we all own our homes and have no debt

Fifth - we all have gratitude for what we have

Sixth - we all have learned patience and tolerance

Seventh - we all have friends

Eighth - we all have pets

Ninth - we all hope for the best but expect the worst

Tenth - we all have contingency plans

Eleventh - we all don't take ourselves too seriously

Twelfth - we all go out for lunch or dinner often

Thirtieth - we all go on multiple vacations

Fourteenth - we all keep ourselves busy

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> NFL teams must cut rosters down to 53 players by 4 pm ET; see latest cuts for all 32 franchises (More) | Dallas Cowboys to sign wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to four-year, $136M deal, the second-largest nonquarterback deal ever (More)

> Oasis to make announcement this morning, rumored to be of a reunion 15 years after the iconic British band broke up (More)

> Boston Red Sox catcher Danny Jansen becomes first MLB player to play for both teams in a single game after facing the Toronto Blue Jays, resuming a rain-delayed game he started for Toronto in June before being traded to Boston in July (More)


Science & Technology
> Apple announces date for its annual product event Monday, Sept. 9; company is expected to reveal iPhone 16, new Apple Watch and AirPod models (More)

> World's most sensitive particle experiment narrows down candidates of what may make up dark matter, eliminating hypothetical particles known as WIMPs over a certain size (More) | What is dark matter, one of the most significant remaining mysteries in science? (More)

> Brain study reveals different clusters of neurons involved in processing language that operate at different speeds; researchers suggest some regions interpret individual words while others analyze context (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq -0.9%); Dow Jones hits all-time intraday high as S&P 500, Nasdaq fall from broad decline in tech shares (More)

> Uber hit by record $324M fine in Netherlands for sending Dutch user data to the US, breaching European Union's privacy laws (More) | Canada imposes 100% tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, including those made by Tesla, matching US tariffs (More)

> Red Lobster's new owners tap former PF Chang's CEO to lead the world’s largest seafood chain as part of its bankruptcy exit plan (More) | Media veteran Edgar Bronfman Jr. drops bid for Paramount Global (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Russia strikes Ukrainian power grids in barrage of roughly 200 missiles and drones, killing at least seven people and wounding at least 47 others; attack appears to be one of Russia's biggest since the war began (More) | Chinese military aircraft reportedly breaches Japan's airspace in first-known incursion since records began in 1958 (More)

> Judge temporarily halts Biden administration policy offering permanent residency to certain immigrants without legal status in the US who are married to US citizens (More) | Jury selection begins in trial against mass shooting suspect accused of killing 10 people at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket in March 2021 (More)

> Massachusetts towns on high alert over rare eastern equine encephalitis virus; virus is spread to humans from the bite of an infected mosquito, with an average of 11 human cases reported in the US annually (More) | See EEE overview (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Back to School

How does US education rank in the world?
As of now, the United States education ranking is in the 13th place with a score of 0.883, trailing behind countries like Germany (2nd) and New Zealand (3rd). In the QS World University Rankings 2023, 11 out of the top 20 universities are American, including prestigious institutions like MIT, Stanford, and Harvard.   Source:  EssayHub

How about that?

When I was in K-12 (1950/1060), the US educational ranking was NUMBER ONE...

What happened?

More importantly....

How do our universities rank so HIGH if the high school graduates are ranked THIRTEENTH?

Parents don't seem to care about their uneducated children either because THEY DO NOTHING ABOUT IT...

Elementary School prepares students for Junior High and Junior High prepares students for High School and High School prepares students for College and College prepares students for Graduate School, and Graduate School prepares students for their Doctorate degrees.

NOWHERE...

does US education prepares students to go out into the workforce (without college) to work...  interestingly most of the jobs that are available to potential workers do not require college degrees.

We CANNOT have a workforce of all college educated people - there simply are not enough jobs available at that level.

Our educational system is failing our students and we as parents are just allowing it to happen, willing to trust those who are telling us EVERYTHING IS PERFECT TO ALMOST PERFECT.

Is that what you want for your child or children?

Somewhat Political

 

Patient's Progress on Neuralink

"Similar to Noland, Our first participant, Alex broke the previous world record for BCI cursor control with a non-Neurlink device on day one of using Link,” reported Neuralink.

Alex continued testing the capabilities of his Link implant independently by playing the first-person shooter game Counter-Strike 2. He also started learning how to design 3D objects with computer-aided design (CAD) software.

On his second day with Link, Alex used CAD software Fusion 360 to design a custom mount for his Neuralink charger. Alex’s design was 3D-printed and integrated into his setup.

“Taking an idea, putting it as a design, and actually having a physical item as a finished product makes me feel like I’m building things again,” Alex said.

Alex likes building things. He worked as an automotive technician before his spinal injury. Link will enable Alex to continue performing tasks he enjoys.

Paul Simon - The Boy In The Bubble (from The African Concert, 1987)

Cher

 

Slaps

 

Peter Fonda

 

IDIOT

 

Common Sense

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The 2024 US Open tennis championships kick off today in New York City (More) | See complete women's bracket (More) | ... and men's bracket (More)

> "Inside Out 2" becomes first animated film to top $1B at international box office; the film is the highest-grossing film of the year (More)

> Florida tops Chinese Taipei 2-1 in extra innings to win 2024 Little League Baseball World Series title (More) | Babe Ruth's "called shot" jersey from the 1932 World Series sells for $24.1M at auction, a record price for a piece of sports memorabilia (More)


Science & Technology
> Researchers identify mutations in the spike protein helping the SARS-CoV-2 virus infect the brain; discovery may shed light on the link between coronaviruses and neurological symptoms (More)

> Europeans used coca leaves—the source of modern cocaine—as a stimulant as early as the 17th century; discovery was made from analysis of remains buried in a Milanese crypt (More)

> Study finds tarantulas may have evolved their trademark hairiness as a defense against predatory army ants (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher Friday (S&P 500 +1.2%, Dow +1.1%, Nasdaq +1.5%) after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments raise hopes of an interest rate cut next month (More)

> Canada labor board orders 9,000 rail workers to return to work, engage in binding arbitration with country's two main railways; Teamsters union to appeal (More) | See previous write-up (More)

> Grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons head to court to defend planned $24.6B merger from antitrust allegations, say merger will help better compete against Costco and Walmart (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> ISIS-linked assailant who killed three people at festival in Solingen, Germany, surrenders to police (More) | French police arrest arsonist for targeting synagogue in southern France in terrorism-related investigation (More)

> Sudan peace talks end without breakthrough in 16-month civil war; obstacles remain in efforts to reopen humanitarian aid corridors (More)

> Hurricane Hone, a Category 1 storm, passes by Hawaii, bringing tropical storm conditions and up to 10 inches of rainfall; Hurricane Glima, a Category 3 storm, could impact Hawaii in the coming week (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Changing Perspectives

 

Age has a tendency to change our perspectives...  if and only if, we are open to that change.

For example, when we are young, we are, for the most part, liberal in our way of thinking because we do not want to be defined by RULES.

As we get older, we typically change that perspective because we realize how important it is to be defined by rules.

However, some of us, even though we have changed will continue to think the old way because that is how our minds have been conditioned to think for many years.

Therefore, once a liberal always a liberal.

Our prior conditioning butts' heads with reality often as we age, and we are too stubborn to realize it and modified our behavior consciously.

For example, when we were young, we drove like a bat out of hell, but age causes us to drive slowly.

OR,

when we were young, we could drink alcohol as if it were water, but age causes us to change that behavior.

OR,

when we were young, we could have sex all night long and still want more in the morning but age causes us to lose our excitement and/or our erections.

However...

our political views don't always change like that unless we are consciously aware that being liberal is not just irresponsible but financially not practical.

Why we don't see that normally, I could not say...  but it is the reason why the Democratic Party continues to have a lot of members.

My parents were Democrats regardless of the party's beliefs because that is just who they wanted to be.  However, I wonder if my Kennedy Democratic parents would still be willing to support the party now that they are leaning so far left and progressive.

I will not vote for Trump simply because I do not want the LIBERALS to be in power any longer...

Somewhat Political

 

NASA Launces Time Machine

The James Webb Space Telescope, also commonly called Webb, is the most significant advancement in human endeavor toward unraveling the mystery of the cosmos. This infrared observatory started in space with the support of NASA, ESA, and CSA; it can give a new perception of the evolution of the cosmos in the tendency to provide a glimpse of the Big Bang and its effect.

Webb is more than just a telescope – it is humanity’s most potent eye in the sky – providing the ability to observe the universe billions of years back and, hopefully, unlock the key to the cosmos’ evolution and provide answers to some of the most fundamental questions asked by humanity.

A mirror like no other: how Webb’s unprecedented design changes our understanding of the cosmos
Webb’s instrument, called the Mid-Infrared Instrument or MIRI, is designed to collect energy even from behind dust clouds and reveal the objects behind them. It has a mirror that is almost three times the size of the first space telescope, the Hubble, and is made of 18 hexagonal segments, collecting much more light than the earlier telescope, hence capturing the faint lights from the young universe.               READ MORE...

GEORGE THOROGOOD "Bad To The Bone"