tingilinde

katalin karikó and drew weissman

The right people and probably the right timing - Physiology or Medicine.

 

 

by his own words a 'stable genius'

Seriously off the wall 

But he still preaches hate without sacrifice from his supporters and that's what they love about him.

 

climate change and fall colors

A disruption is underway.

 

 

mary trump on belligerence

Some thoughts on what makes Trump so attractive to so many

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I don’t know what it is about the lives of those who continue to champion or at least tolerate Donald and this party, but they are drawn to the loud and the wasteful, the dirty, the dark, and the dangerous as long as they themselves feel safe.

They don’t want a leader to look up to; they want somebody on their level, equal to or (preferably) beneath them. Somebody who doesn’t need to descend into the gutter to “fight for them” (hate for them, threaten for them) because he’s already there—and has been living there for all of his adult life.

Donald’s exaggerated displays of confidence and his refusal to play by the rules, continue to draw some people to him while the Republicans (including those who are allegedly in competition with him) continue to leave the field open for him to dominate.

Recently, “Trump or Death” flags started making an appearance. Now, what? What is the end-point of this kind of display? What will the corporate media do when Donald fails to condemn such sentiments and actually embraces the kind of rhetoric that leads to them?

It turns out we already know the answer—they will do nothing. Because that’s exactly what happened when Donald announced General Mark Milley should be put to death. As far as Donald is concerned, his followers should be willing to die or kill for him— he believes he’s worth that level of devotion. As far as the media are concerned, his latest threat is the logical extension of all of his rhetoric that has come before.

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tire emissions

Dangerous and an increasing problem with heavier vehicles (like most EVs)

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When contemplating the emissions from road vehicles, our first thought is often about the various gases coming out of the tailpipe. However, new research shows that we should be more concerned with the harmful particles that are shed from tires and brakes.

Scientists have a good understanding of engine emissions, which typically consist of unburnt fuel, oxides of carbon and nitrogen, and particulate matter related to combustion. However, new research shared by Yale Environment 360 indicates that there may be a whole host of toxic chemicals being shed from tires and brakes that have been largely ignored until now. Even worse, these emissions may be so significant that they actually exceed those from a typical car's exhaust output.

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child care

Broken in the US..  childcare workers are poorly paid and childcare is expensive.  Through an unusual circumstance the pay part (or at least the expense part) sort of works in part of one city.  It doesn't scale or address the core issue.

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With affordable housing scarce, one Connecticut child care center is providing its staff with rent-free homes designed by Yale architecture students.

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ai and regulation

Two pieces:

An opinion piece by Bruce Schneier and Nathan Sanders 

and how AI was handled in the writer's strike

 

 

dangerous cpap machines

ProPublica on a serious health issue with Philips CPAP machines.

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The first complaints landed at the offices of Philips Respironics in 2010, soon after the company made a fateful decision to redesign its bestselling breathing machines used in homes and hospitals around the world.

To silence the irritating rattle that kept users awake at night, Philips packed the devices with an industrial foam — the same kind used in sofas and mattresses. It quickly became clear that something had gone terribly wrong.

The reports coming into Philips described “black particles” or “dirt and dust” inside machines that pump air to those who struggle to breathe. One noted an “oily-like” substance. Others simply warned of “contamination.”

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"incandescently stupid"

A former DHS Homeland Security Chief describes Trump and his reading ability.

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"And so I had to write this incandescently stupid memo called something like, 'Afghanistan, How to Put America First and Win.' And then bullet by bullet, I summed up this highly classified memo into Trump's sort of bombastic language because it was the only way he was gonna understand," Taylor continued. "I mean, I literally said in there, 'You know, if we leave Afghanistan too fast, the terrorists will call us losers. But if we wanna be seen as winners, we need to make sure the Afghan forces have the strength to push back against these criminals.' I mean, it was that dumb and that's how you had to talk to him."

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a tip of the hat to Jim

 

 

 

very fit at 60

And working on getting better.

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“It does seem like the opposite of normal, but I’m not surprised I’m getting faster in my 60s,” said McDonald. “I spent a few years running marathons and triathlons. I was a high jumper in college. I did a lot of things, and I’m just doing different events than what I did in the past.”

McDonald and Coach Howell recently appeared on The Masters of Running Podcast with Niall Power. “Someone recently asked me: ‘when do people slow down.’ My answer was: I don’t know. I guess it happens when it happens,” said coach Howell.

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a tip of the hat to Jheri

 

 

years expected past 25

Having/not having a BA at 25 is a very loaded shorthand

 

working to heat-proof india

An enormous problem that requires novel work and low-cost solutions.

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In Lal Matti, an informal settlement of tin-roofed homes in this coastal city, summer can be unbearable. Before the monsoon rains arrive, temperatures can top 37°C, with humidity at a sweltering 95%. The hot, muggy afternoons are particularly oppressive, says Tamrunissa, a young woman who lives with her extended family in a large room above a shop, accessed by a ladder. Despite running three small ceiling fans all day—the family can’t afford an air conditioner—she often gets headaches from the heat, and her children fall sick. Her elderly father, who has diabetes and high blood pressure, retreats to an alcove below the apartment to nap. “He can’t handle the heat up here,” she says.

Sometimes, Mumbai’s heat becomes deadly. In April, on a day the temperature reached 36°C, 11 people sitting through an hourslong outdoor ceremony died from heat stroke. At least 20 others were hospitalized.

Indians are increasingly at risk from extreme heat and heat waves that are more frequent and last longer. The country saw a 55% rise in heat-related deaths between 2000–04 and 2017–21, according to research published last year in The Lancet. Global warming will continue to elevate the risks, particularly in India’s fast-growing urban areas, where heat-absorbing tar and concrete boost temperatures. By 2025, cities are expected to house more than half of India’s population, now at 1.7 billion.

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on mask shaming

Mask wearers are often shamed and a sociology professor friend is putting together a project with her grad students after a small trial run.  Early trial results suggest women are shamed and harassed more than men by a nearly five to one margin.  Males under five foot six and females under five foot three are take the majority of shaming.  They're looking at other things, but these stood out.  The surveys are being done in Michigan, Arizona and California.  So far it looks like you don't want to live in Arizona if you choose/need to wear a mask.

 

profitering?

The price of Covid vaccines.

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After Pfizer and Moderna hiked the prices of their Covid-19 vaccines this year, the federal government will now pay nearly three times more than it did previously for each dose. And it’s paying more than countries that did far less to support vaccine development.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra glossed over the dramatic increase in the amount the government is paying for vaccines in a public appearance last week, when he got vaccinated at a CVS pharmacy in D.C.

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the current covid vaccine rollout

There's a good chance you've been greeted with frustration if you've tried to get the current Covid vaccine.  Somehow the wheels have come off what was a well-oiled machine.  YLE notes there's a reason for that.