Somewhat Political

 

Meditation and Mindfulness

Since mindfulness is something, you can practice at home for free, it often sounds like the perfect tonic for stress and mental health issues.

Mindfulness is a type of Buddhist-based meditation in which you focus on being aware of what you're sensing, thinking, and feeling in the present moment.


The first recorded evidence for this, found in India, is over 1,500 years old. The Dharmatrāta Meditation Scripture, written by a community of Buddhists, describes various practices and includes reports of symptoms of depression and anxiety that can occur after meditation.


It also details cognitive anomalies associated with episodes of psychosis, dissociation, and depersonalisation (when people feel the world is "unreal").


In the past eight years there has been a surge of scientific research in this area. These studies show that adverse effects are not rare.


A 2022 study, using a sample of 953 people in the US who meditated regularly, showed that over 10 percent of participants experienced adverse effects which had a significant negative impact on their everyday life and lasted for at least one month.


According to a review of over 40 years of research that was published in 2020, the most common adverse effects are anxiety and depression. These are followed by psychotic or delusional symptoms, dissociation or depersonalization, and fear or terror.      READ MORE...

Educational???

"Stewardesses"

is the longest word typed with only the left hand


And "lollipop"
is the longest word typed with your right hand.
(Bet you tried this out mentally, didn't you?)


No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple.




"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
(Are you doubting this?)



Our eyes are always the same size from birth,
but our nose and ears

never stop growing.

The sentence:
"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
uses every letter of the alphabet.
(Now, you KNOW you're going to try this out for accuracy, right?




The words 'racecar,'
'kayak'
and 'level'
are the same whether they are read
left to right or right to left (palindromes).
(Yep, I knew you were going to "do" this one.)

There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
(You're not doubting this, are you?)
There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."
(Yes, admit it, you are going to say, a e i o u)

TYPEWRITER is the longest word
that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
(All you typists are going to test this out)



A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.



A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
(Some days that's about what my memory span is.)



A "jiffy" is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.



A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.



A snail can sleep for three years.
(I know some people that could do this too.!)

Almonds are a member of the peach family.

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that also)


Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.


In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.





If the population of China walked past you, 8 abreast, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.




Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors





Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite!


Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing.


The cruise liner, QE 2

moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.


The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
(Good thing he did that.)


The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.




There are more chickens than people in the world.


Winston Churchill

was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

Women blink nearly twice as much as men.



Bonus!! All the ants in Africa weigh more than ALL the Elephants!!

Now you know (a little) more than you did before!!


The Rain-Thomas Kinkade



This is a Thomas Kinkade painting It's rumored to carry a miracle! They say if you pass this on, you will receive a miracle.

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery to launch standalone sports streamer Venu at $42.99 per month this fall; Venu will include ESPN networks as well as ABC, Fox, TNT, and more (More)

> Universal Pictures acquires rights to Britney Spears biopic film with "Crazy Rich Asians" director Jon M. Chu to direct (More)

> Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck reportedly to divorce after two years of marriage (More) | Cardi B files for divorce from fellow rapper and husband Offset (More)


Science & Technology
> New 3D-printed Band-Aid can be applied inside the body, in areas ranging from the heart to joints; technology may help internal injuries heal faster and improve drug delivery (More)

> Researchers discover the evolution of thorns on plants is controlled by a single gene; feature has developed separately at least 28 known times, a phenomenon known as convergent evolution (More)

> Computer simulations suggest use of self-driving cars could eliminate traffic jams, even if such vehicles were just 5% of traffic; at 60% or higher, flows became more efficient to using traffic lights (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -1.4%, Dow -1.2%, Nasdaq -2.3%) after latest round of economic data—including on jobless claims and factory activity—spurs concerns of a slowing economy (More)

> Intel shares fall over 18% in after-hours trading after chipmaker announces it is cutting more than 15% of workforce, or over 15,000 jobs, and suspending dividends starting in Q4 (More)

> Apple beats revenue and earnings estimates, sees revenue rise 5% in Q3 (More) | Amazon shares fall in after-hours trading after slightly missing revenue estimates; company still saw 10% year-over-year rise in revenue, partly due to a boost in sales from online advertising unit (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Democratic Party kicks off virtual roll call yesterday to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's presumptive presidential nominee; delegates have until Monday to return their ballots (More)

> Israel says Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif was killed last month in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip; Hamas has yet to confirm Deif's death (More)

> US Justice Department alleges Texas Juvenile Justice Department routinely violated constitutional rights of juveniles at five of its detention facilities; finds instances of sexual abuse, discrimination, and use of excessive force (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Lost its INFLUENCE

 Whether you want to admit it or not or you may not even care, but the USA has LOST ITS GLOBAL INFLUENCE...

This loss has been gradual and taken place over decades starting in the 1960s.

The only thing that the USA leads the world in is the amount and number of nuclear weapons that we have and our rapidly declining FREEDOMS...

In the 1960s, the USA led the world in:

1. Military Strength
2. Political Freedom
3. Judicial Equity
4. K-12 Education
5. Employment Opportunities
6. Manufacturing
7. Growing Economy
8. Amateur Athletes
9. Agricultural Production
10. College and Universities
11. Patents & Trademarks
12. Inventions & Technology

In the 1980s, Japan was manufacturing better- and high-quality products than the USA and began taking away market share in:

• Electronics
• Automotive

In the 1990s, we lost our number one global ranking in education K-12 and we are currently ranked as #15 when compared to the rest of the world.  

The India Institute of Technology is considered to be better education than what is being offered at MIT.

In 2000s, China has been pumping money into its military and now has a larger military force than the USA and many military strategists are now saying that the USA would have a hard time defeating China if there was a war between the two countries.

Between 1960 and 2000, the USA was engaged in some OFF THE BOOKS black operations in South America, Central America, and Africa in the hopes of using military and economic influence to force them to accept and support our brand of Democracy.

As a result, there is a huge amount of animosity built up AGAINST THE USA as a result of that pressure.

Most of the Muslims in the Middle East want to destroy the USA because of their support of Israel and our previous bad actions.  Terrorist organization have targeted the USA for ongoing terrorist activities and are using our OPEN BORDERS to send terrorists into this country for future activities.

BRICS is an organization composed of:  Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa who have vowed to DESTROY THE US DOLLAR when it comes to international trade.

BECAUSE OF OUR NUCLEAR ARSENAL THE USA DOES NOT GIVE A SHIT HOW THE REST OF THE WORLD FEELS TOWARDS THEM...

Somewhat Political

 

Iran's Nuclear Growth

The head of Iran's atomic energy department, Mohammad Eslami, speaks during the International Conference on Nuclear Science and Technology in Isfahan in on May 6, 2024. UN atomic watchdog chief Rafael Grossi arrived on May... More ATTA KENARE/Getty

Iran has successfully penetrated global markets with its nuclear products and services, according to an announcement made by the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI).

The development marks a significant milestone in Iran's nuclear technology capabilities despite ongoing international sanctions.

Context
The announcement, made during an interview with Khamenei.ir, highlights Iran's efforts to break the monopoly in nuclear technology. Eslami emphasized the country's progress in producing and exporting nuclear goods, including heavy water and radiopharmaceuticals, which are now available on the global market.

The move comes amid continuing tensions surrounding the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and international scrutiny of Iran's nuclear program.           READ MORE...

Smoke on the Water with Queen, Pink Floyd, Rush, Black Sabbath, Deep Pur...

Wars and Rumors of WARS

My photograph was taken by my cousin, a week after I was released from the US Navy in the summer of 1972 to return to college.

I am considered a VIETNAM ERA VETERAN and used the GI Bill to pay for my last two years of college and the two years I attended graduate school.

Consequently, I have NO STUDENT LOAN DEBT...

Am I a Warhawk?

Do I believe in war?

The answer to both of those questions is NO...

I served my country, and I am glad that I did but only in retrospect because I enlisted in US Navy to avoid being drafted into the Army or Marines.

TODAY, we are on the verge of a global war even though many people firmly believe that the world is smart enough not to jump into a global war.

HOWEVER...

• Russia has invaded Ukraine and the war there is over a year old
• NATO countries are supporting Ukraine
• China, Iran, and North Korea are supporting Russia
• Hamas has invaded Israel and the war is over 6 months old
• Iran, Syria, and Lebanon are supporting Hamas and was to destroy all Jews
• China is about to invade Taiwan
• China/Russia war planes and navy have been seen around Alaska

HERE'S WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN

1. A global war would disrupt the global economy
2. A global war would cause global inflation
3. A global war would disrupt the flow of gasoline
4. A global war will destroy an enormous amount of global cities
5. A global war would substantially increase the use of military drones
6. A global war will kill thousands of lives
7. A global war would postpone going green
8. A global war would increase division in America
9. A global war would increase taxes to pay for the war machine
10. A global war would force the USA to refurbish its military

PROBLEM AREAS:

• Iran and North Korea are close to having nuclear weapons
• China has a bigger overall military than the USA
• The USA has the MOST nuclear weapons
• Will nuclear weapons be used?
• The USA may have to reinstate the DRAFT
• What about all the illegal immigrants in the USA?
• Education, Healthcare, & Employment will be disrupted
• Americans will begin to face shortages and rationing

 

At 76 years of age, a war will not affect me outside of not being able to get the cancer drugs that I need to postpone my death - some may think that I have lived long enough.

I have money saved which is a good thing and I carry NO DEBT which is also a good thing.  My lifestyle is simple so that will benefit me, and I am used to eating a simple diet of beans and veges, chicken and fish with no alcohol or cigarettes.  All of this will help.

BUT I KNOW, there are thousands of people who do not live like me and they will have a hard time adjusting.

I SHARE THIS WITH YOU SO THAT YOU MIGHT START THINKING ABOUT A PLAN SHOULD MY FEARS TURN INTO REALITY

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Katie Ledecky wins women's 1500-meter freestyle, her eighth Olympic gold medal and 12th medal overall (More) | Spanish men's tennis doubles team of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz defeated by Team USA duo, likely ending Nadal's Olympic tennis career (More) | See latest medal standings (More)

> Longtime BBC presenter Huw Edwards pleads guilty to three counts of "making indecent images of children" (More)

> Lollapalooza 2024, headlined by Megan Thee Stallion, SZA, The Killers, and Blink-182, kicks off today from Chicago; see full lineup and streaming schedule (More)


Science & Technology
> OpenAI rolls out hyper-realistic ChatGPT voice generator to select users (More) | Engineers develop "confidence thermometer" to measure how much users should trust different large language models (More)

> The nose and nasal pathways are home to long-lived immune system B and T cells that learn from incoming pathogens, and act as the body's first line of defense against viruses, study finds (More) | The different types of immune cells (More)

> Preliminary data suggest GLP-1 agonists—drugs to treat diabetes and obesity, like WeGovy and Ozempic—reduce brain shrinkage in Alzheimer's patients by 50% (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.6%, Dow +0.2%, Nasdaq +2.6%); S&P 500 and Nasdaq record best single-day gain since February as Federal Reserve holds interest rates steady, signals possibility of September rate cut (More)

> Meta shares rise in after-hours trading on better-than-expected Q2 revenue and earnings (More) | Etsy to begin testing first-ever loyalty program in September as part of effort to boost sales (More) | StubHub sued by Washington, DC, attorney general over allegations it tricked consumers into overpaying for tickets (More)

> Boar's Head recalls 7 million pounds of meat over listeria risk; at least 34 people have become sick across 13 states, including two people who died (More) | See map of outbreak (More) | What is listeria? (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> The Pentagon reaches a plea deal arrangement with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two others accused of planning the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks; deal would reportedly involve life sentences for all three and avoid a death-penalty trial (More)

> Ukraine receives F-16 jets after monthslong delay; aircraft delivered via the Netherlands and Denmark (More) | ... and repels largest drone attack by Russia since January (More) | See war updates (More)

> Former President Donald Trump attends National Association of Black Journalists conference, claims Vice President Kamala Harris did not always identify as Black (More) | Watch full appearance (More, w/video) | Experts say polling data still early for Trump versus Harris; see current data (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Comforts of Home

 

I sit inside the comforts of my home and watch the rain blasting down the tree limbs it is falling so hard - a fierce wind pushes the tree limbs back and forth like a cliched rag doll.  A summer storm anticipated since early morning finally made its way through the valley in two assaults.

Outside animals must be seeking protective cover in this storm or huddled up hoping it will end soon so they can get back to scurrying around.

Inside animals, afraid of the lightning, thunder, and sounds of wind, hide underneath beds, not really knowing what is happening other than it is happening outside where they are.

We are lucky to be living where we are I think to myself and not in some dilapidated farmhouse or mobile home.  Although, I am sure there are plenty in this area of East TN that continue to live like that.

FORTUNATE...

I think of myself and then I understand that my fortunate circumstances were by design and not the result of some random occurrence.  I paid my dues to have the things that I have today and very little was given to me by my parents...  I have earned my way through life and while I may not be wealthy, I am better off than most.  I also have exactly what I need, nothing more and certainly nothing less.

It bothers me (to some degree but I am not going to lose sleep over the concern) that young people today either want their parents or the government to take care of them.  And, with that said, it appears that they do not care what kind of government it is, as long as it provides for them.

That is a scary thought and one that opens the door for foreign governments to come in and provide the support that these people crave.  Maybe it is time for Americans to learn what it is going to be like to lose their freedoms that they so innocently TAKE FOR GRANTED.

Wed Pic

Somewhat Political