East Tennessee

 I have been living in East TN since 1990 when I relocated here from the piedmont of North Carolina where I was born and went to college.

While East TN has a few disadvantages like education and income, it is still a great place to live for those who simply have a high school education and work in a factory.

Land and building homes was relatively inexpensive until COVID hit the state.  Most everyone who had a high school education owned their own home and quarter acre of land or more.  Most everyone had fairly new vehicles, their own backyard garden, a camper, RV, or boat for recreation and fishing.

Some worked a second job to send their children to college, others sent their children to college expecting them to work as well.  Oftentimes, these children would complete their first two years at a community college, then transfer in their third year to a junior college.

Those who did not go to college were satisfied with their lives, eventually working their way up the ladder in organizations to supervisory positions.

But, East Tennessee offers much more.

• NASCAR
• Dollywood
• Gatlinburg
• Smoky Mountains
• University of TN
• Vanderbilt Healthcare
• Oak Ridge National Labs
• Recreational Lakes
• Camping, Fishing, Hiking
• Nashville - Country Music
• Low cost of living
• Moderate weather

East TN is located in the Tennessee Valley which is protected on one side by the Smoky Mountains and on the other side by the Cumberland Plateau.  Because of those two barriers, the valley experiences mild weather all year long.  Mild weather for senior citizens and retirees is PERFECT.

BY VEHICLE:

45 minutes away from UT Medical Center

50 minutes away from downtown Knoxville

60 minutes away from Dollywood

60 minutes away from Tyson McGhee airport

90 minutes away from the Smokies

90 minutes away from NASCAR

2 hours away from Cherokee gambling

3.5 hours from Nashville

4 hours from Atlanta

Somewhat Political

 

Astronomers Discover a Rare Magnetic White Dwarf System That Could Become a Future Gravitational Wave Source

Astronomers have discovered a highly magnetic white dwarf system with an 81-minute orbit, which could become a future gravitational wave source detectable by the LISA mission.

A team of astronomers has identified a new polar cataclysmic variable, a rare type of binary star system featuring a highly magnetic white dwarf siphoning material from its companion star. The system, designated ZTF J0112+5827, was discovered using data from the ROentgen SATellite (ROSAT) and has an unusually short orbital period of just 81 minutes.

Beyond its extreme magnetism, ZTF J0112+5827 is intriguing for another reason—it has the potential to emit detectable gravitational waves, making it a prime candidate for future observation by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), a space-based gravitational wave detector set to launch in 2035.

READ MORE...

Raspberries 50 - "Go All The Way" HD 2007

 

Judge Moves to Block Trump's Deportations

El Salvador Takes in hundreds of Venezuelan gan members from US even after Judge moves to block deportations

The Amber May Show

 

Robert Reich

Friends,

I cannot say this any other way: We are in deep sh*t. These are truly scary and rough times.

Trump appears at the Justice Department and calls for his opponents to be jailed.

He “detains” students who have committed no crime but peacefully expressed their negative views about Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies in Gaza.

He invokes the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to remove unauthorized immigrants, without evidence or hearing.

Sides with Russia, China, and North Korea against Ukraine.

Purges career officials and installs political hacks more loyal to him than to the United States. Fires inspectors general. Demotes senior prosecutors.

Threatens law firms that represented people he considers his personal enemies.

Pardons the hoodlums who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

He and Musk mow down wide swathes of our government.

Republican lawmakers, fearful or unprincipled, say and do nothing.

Democrats are in disarray. Chuck Schumer green lights a continuing budget resolution that allows Musk and Trump to close down even more of our government.

And on it goes.

You have every right to feel depressed and enervated. You have every reason to despair.

But wait.

It’s possible that future generations will look back on this scourge and see something else — not just what was destroyed but also what was born.

Even prior to Trump, our democracy was deeply flawed. The moneyed interests were drowning out everyone else. Inequality was reaching record levels. Corruption — legalized bribery through campaign contributions — was the political norm (Musk is the logical ending point). The bottom 90 percent were getting nowhere because the system was rigged against them.

It’s entirely possible that future generations will look back on this awful time and see the seeds of fundamental reform.

Many of you are leading this. In hundreds of thousands of ways, you are beacon lights. You are the beginnings of positive change.

Whether it’s your appearances at Republican town halls, or your phone calls that are daily jamming the Capitol and White House switchboards, or your mountains of emails and letters, or your myriad actions protecting the vulnerable in your communities, or your grass-roots activism in Wisconsin and elsewhere: You are the groundswell of America’s new resistance, the green shoots of our future democracy.

The backlash to Trump is growing. His disapproval ratings have jumped nearly 10 points since he was sworn in. People are flooding meetings and rallies, demanding an end to Trump and Musk’s reign. Bernie, AOC, and other progressive politicians are drawing huge crowds.

These are terrible times — the worst I’ve lived through, and I’ve lived through some bad ones. (Remember 1968? Nixon’s enemies list? Anyone old enough to recall Joe McCarthy’s communist witch hunts?)

But as long as we are alive, as long as we are resolved, as long as we are taking action to stop the worst of this, as long as we are trying to make America and the world even a bit better — have no doubt: We will triumph.

At A Glance

Society & Culture
> The surprising affinity between anime and the NBA.
> What is the K-pop hit "Gangnam Style" actually about?
> A look at Emily Dickinson's creative letter sealing.
> The cost of staying at the hotel in "The White Lotus" Season 3.
> Who gets thanked the most in Oscar speeches.

World History
> The US presidents, by generation.
> Stalin's death from a stroke may have been hastened by poison.
> Nine wild details about the Hindenburg disaster.
> Explore Cahokia, ancient Indigenous America's largest megacity.
> How the Panama Canal helped launch the US as a world power.

Business & Finance
> Meet the real Michael Scott, Apple's first CEO.
> Samsung makes more than smartphones—including the world's tallest building.
> What is a monopoly?
> The difference between ethereum and bitcoin.
> How many startups fail?

Health & Medicine
> What happens when a human gets rabies?
> A firsthand account of the founding of the modern hospice movement.
> Your brainwaves during sleep.
> What is postmenopause?
> How endurance athletes build resilience.

Science & Technology
> What is a reply all "email storm"?
> How our view of Saturn and its rings has changed over the centuries.
> The most followed users on X.
> A century of inventions out of Silicon Valley.
> How Tesla goes beyond car manufacturing.

 

5 HEALTHY BREAKFAST IDEAS | easy, high-protein recipes

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

More than 50 US universities face probe over alleged racial discrimination.

The Education Department's investigation is part of the Trump administration's claim that certain programs marginalize white and Asian American students. At least 45 cases focus on universities' partnerships with The PhD Project, a nonprofit that helps underrepresented students pursue business degrees. The department says these programs allegedly violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.



Measles cases reach nearly 300 in Texas and New Mexico.

The measles outbreak in Texas has infected 259 people, while the outbreak in New Mexico has infected 35. Two unvaccinated individuals—a 6-year-old and an adult—succumbed to complications related to the disease. Relatedly, the number of measles cases in 2025, from both active outbreaks and across other jurisdictions, is now the highest since 2019 at 301 confirmed cases. See CDC data here.



Former reality TV star Jessie Holmes wins longest-ever Iditarod.

The former reality TV personality from "Life Below Zero" won the longest Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ever, which spanned 1,129 miles due to route changes caused by lack of snow. Holmes finished the race in 10 days, 14 hours, 55 minutes, and 41 seconds, marking his first Iditarod victory after multiple top 10 finishes.



US consumer sentiment index slumps to lowest level since 2022.

The consumer sentiment index for March dropped to 57.9, marking a 10.5% decline from February and the lowest reading since 2022. Concerns over inflation and economic uncertainty contributed to the drop. On a year-over-year basis, the index is down 27%. Learn more about consumer sentiment and how it's calculated here.



Gene Hackman estate asks court to block release of autopsy records.

The actor's estate is seeking a court order to prevent the public release of photographs, videos, and police body-camera footage related to the deaths of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, citing the family's right to privacy and the potentially distressing nature of the images. The couple were found deceased at their New Mexico home last month (see previous write-up).



USPS to shed 10,000 jobs next month as part of deal with DOGE.

The United States Postal Service will lay off 10,000 people over the next month through a voluntary early retirement program and find ways to cut billions of dollars from its budget. The move is part of an agreement that seeks assistance from the Department of Government Efficiency.

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Spring

 

Yesterday, my wife and I got out our deck furniture that was stored in the crawl space beneath the house.  A rug, table & chairs, large umbrella, several smaller table, and  another chair that did not fold up that is better to sit in for those with back problems.  We left the chairs and table for the front porch for some reason that I chose not to inquire about.

Of course, as soon as we got it all set up, we heard the sound of thunder and not too much later, a downpour of rain that last the rest of the afternoon.

Spring is just around the corner but I can already see that my first task will be to weedeat before I mow.  Once I start the mowing process, I will be mowing once a week for the next seven months (April to October).

After the rain we should throw out some fertilizer and grass seed and see what happens.  Lots of times, the grass does better if you just let it the hell alone, but like most people who are obsessed with lawn care, you do what you need to do to have your grass the greenest on the block.

I am not that kind of person but my wife sorta is which means I am.

We trimmed up our bushes and trees last fall, so we do not need to do that this spring although there is a tree in the back yard that needs to be taken down...  that will need to be done by professionals.

While it is nice to have the warm days, obviously more work needs to be done which is not easy to adjust to after being lazy for the last five months.

Somewhat Poitical

 

Supersolid: Scientists turn light into a solid that flows like liquid for first time

In a remarkable development, researchers have successfully turned light into a supersolid for the first time, paving the way for new insights into the unusual quantum states of matter.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the field of condensed matter physics.

Dimitrios Trypogeorgos from Italy's National Research Council (CNR) reportedly said, “We actually made light into a solid. That’s pretty awesome.”

This feat builds on earlier work by fellow CNR scientist Danielle Sanvitto, who demonstrated over a decade ago that light could behave like a fluid.

However, Trypogeorgos, Sanvitto, and their team have taken it further by creating what they call a quantum “supersolid.”

READ MORE...

Olly Pearson 11 Year Old Guitarist Golden Buzzer Full Performance | Brit...

 

The Big Think: Martha Beck

Anxiety always lies: Martha Beck on overcoming fear and finding purpose

Lara Logan

 

Dabn Bongino

 

Robert Reich

Who will Trump disappear next? | The Coffee Klatch, Saturday, March 15, 2025     

With Heather Lofthouse and yours truly, Robert Reich

Friends,

Today Heather and I take a deep dive into the Trump regime’s efforts to suppress free speech on university campuses in America, starting with the detention of a Columbia University graduate student for no reason other than his beliefs and his participation in peaceful demonstrations that the regime disapproves of.

We then zoom out to the larger story of the Trump-Musk attack on American  universities, and the simultaneous crackdown on dissent by the American oligarchy with power over social and mainstream media (Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Rupert Murdoch, and others).

Where is the opposition? Heather and I then assess why the Democratic Party is so supine — and why Chuck Schumer in particular is so willing to surrender to Trump and Musk — even in light of Trump and Musk’s wanton destruction of the government and the devastating economic consequences of Trump’s tariffs.

Please grab a cuppa, pull up a chair, take our poll, and join the conversation.

Brookings Brief

Growth and affordability trends in US metro areas over the past decade

Can U.S. metro areas achieve economic growth and prosperity while preserving affordability? Examining economic performance and cost-of-living trends at the regional scale may help policymakers understand how their actions can better balance wages and prices for workers and families.

The 2025 update to Brookings Metro Monitor uses 15 indicators to measure economic performance and affordability over the past decade across the nation’s 195 largest metro areas.

READ MORE...

At A Glance

Bookkeeping
> 13 and 4: The number of drinks Starbucks cut from its US menu, and the goal in minutes for completing a Starbucks order.
> 128: The number of new moons discovered around Saturn, bringing the planet's total to 274—the most of any planet in the Milky Way.
> 57%: The percentage of Americans who aren't honest with their dentist.


Browse
> Ranking America's happiest cities.
> The best photos of a blood worm moon.
> An illustrative guide to playing poker.
> Medieval bishop's ring heads to auction.
> The US states hurt by EU tariffs on American liquor.
> International flight forced to return due to clogged toilets.


Listen
> Dropping the Mask: What happens when we soften or edit our true selves?


Watch
> The most common way to get head lice.
> How do we know the Earth isn't flat?
> Orangutan learns how to saw.


Long Read
> The $1M cactus heist that led to a smuggler's downfall.
> It began with a rabbit: unraveling the mystery of memory.
> Telehealth companies are marketing hair-loss medication finasteride to young men—but the drug comes with potentially serious side effects.

Most Clicked This Week: Visualizing the best age to take Social Security.

Good Morning

Most Nutrient-Dense Foods (Superfoods) On The Planet |Most Nutritious Foods

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Donatella Versace steps down as creative director at Versace after 28 years leading the luxury fashion house (More) | Oasis movie to be filmed during the band's summer 2025 reunion tour (More)

> National Women's Soccer League season kicks off today; see season preview and storylines (More) | NBC signs $3B deal for US rights to broadcast the 2034 and 2036 Olympic Games (More)

> NCAA basketball conference championships wrap up this weekend; see latest March Madness bracket predictions for the women's tournament (More) | ... and the men's tourney (More)


Science & Technology
> OpenAI calls for protecting the training of AI models on copyrighted work as fair use; comments were submitted to the White House's AI Action Plan, due out in July (More) | The history of OpenAI (1440 Topics)

> Engineers turn skin cells directly into neurons, skipping the traditional step of using stem cells; breakthrough may lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases (More) | What are stem cells? (1440 Topics)

> Scientists develop genetic technology preventing mosquitoes from transmitting the parasite that causes malaria; technology could save thousands of lives annually in lower-income countries (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -1.4%, Dow -1.3%, Nasdaq -2.0%); S&P 500 enters correction territory, falling more than 10% from all-time high in February as President Donald Trump threatens tariffs on European wine and spirits (More)

> Spirit Airlines exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy after four-month restructuring (More) | See previous write-up (More)

> US average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rises to 6.65%, ending seven-week slide (More) | US weekly jobless claims drop to 220,000 for week ending March 8 (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> White House withdraws nomination of Dave Weldon to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (More) | Trump administration asks Supreme Court to narrow nationwide injunctions that have blocked a plan to end birthright citizenship (More) | Johns Hopkins University to eliminate 2,000 positions following federal budget cuts (More)

> Russia claims it has retaken Sudzha, the biggest town in the Kursk border region controlled by Ukraine, as Russian President Vladimir Putin signals openness to temporary ceasefire but not an immediate end to the war (More)

> Pentagon leaker Jack Teixeira pleads guilty to obstructing justice in a military court-martial; Teixeira receives dishonorable discharge sentence on top of existing 15-year prison sentence for federal charges related to the leak (More)

SOURCWE:  1440 NEWS

Cancer Update

For those of you who have been following my opinions, you will already be aware of my cancer condition.  For those of you who are new, I have been undergoing treatments for Lymphoma (in my 17th year) and Melanoma (in my 13th year).  

I receive two monthly inclusions (Opdivo for the Melanoma and IVIG to boost my anemia).  I take daily Venclexta pills for my Lymphoma at a cost of $12-$15,000/month.  I have a grant that pays for this.

Today, when I went for my month Opdivo infusion, my Oncologist felt a bunch of lymph nodes in my left arm pit and 2 in my right arm pit that had never been felt before.  While he appeared not to be worried, he ordered a PET scan.

A PET scan is a step up from a CT scan.  The CT shows location, the PET gives a 3D image for depth.  By ordering the PET scan he is more concerned than he would be had he ordered the CT scan. I have typically been getting a CT scan every 3-4 months.  So, I was due for one.

My monthly blood work, my physical condition, no weight loss yields the picture that it is probably nothing about which to worry and could just be from a recent infection that I was too healthy to notice.

But, there is also the possibility that my small scale Lymphoma will/could turn into large scale Lymphoma and become very aggressive.  In that case, I will undergo the wicked chemo and quite possibly radiation.

There also has been the possibility that my Melanoma will resist the treatment and begin to grow as well.

Consequently, I try to appreciate every single day even though even single day is not always filled with wonderous stuff going on.

Somewhat Poiitical