Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Did you know that Apollo 13 was a nuclear catastrophe waiting to happen?

Good Day World!

As is the case with most history, the public doesn’t always get the full story.

There’s numerous examples of this. Today, I’m sharing one of those stories that I’m betting you never heard about!

The drama surrounding the ill fated Apollo 13 mission was an ideal subject for a series of books and movies.

But the most disturbing aspect of the near disaster has mostly been neglected.

Apollo 13 was a nuclear catastrophe waiting to happen, as aboard the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) was a plutonium power cell.

Called 'Systems for Nuclear Auxiliary Power' (SNAP-27) it contained 3.8 kilograms of plutonium, which is so toxic that less than a millionth of a gram can cause cancer.

Designed to be left behind on the moon, the crippled Apollo 13 was forced to carry it back to Earth. Not only were the three astronauts in danger but millions on the ground unwittingly lived under threat from the toxic space junk.

When the paralyzed Apollo 13 re-entered Earth's orbit, the astronauts transferred back to the command module, and the LEM with its nuclear payload was jettisoned.

It re-entered the atmosphere somewhere over New Zealand and although the LEM burned up, SNAP-27 survived re-entry and plunged intact into the Pacific Ocean off Tonga, where according to NASA it is "isolated from man's environment."

SNAP-27's radioactivity will last 2000+ years and its watery grave comprises some of the world's prime fishing grounds.

NASA successfully concealed the crisis from the world at the time, and continues to power some spacecraft with plutonium, recently launching the Cassini probe with a 33 kilo plutonium cell. (Source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Monday, January 5, 2015

Fighting the Flu: Uninvited Bug Invades My Home

Good Day World!

I hope you’re in good health, and not a victim of the headline-making enterovirus EV-D68.

I haven’t had the flu for over fourteen years, but that changed about a week ago. That nasty virus is still kicking my butt today. My wife and son are also getting their butts kicked.

Editor’s update: the flu that my family and I have is the H3-N2 virus. The enterovirus EV-D68 is the one infecting children, and the symptoms are different.

I’ve been drinking a lot of liquids, sleeping, and dosing with over-the-counter cold medicines. One day I start feeling better, then I suffer a setback the next day. I’m seriously wondering when this stuff will go away.

I’ve noticed on social media that people who have – thus far – stayed healthy during this national outbreak aren’t afraid to give advice. You might want to be wary, because what’s trending doesn’t mean it’s scientific fact.

Take yogurt, “prebiotics” and teas such as kombucha. They all have a dash of science showing that gut bacteria can affect your weight, your risk of cancer and your susceptibility to infectious disease.

That’s nice. However, until scientists are able to show which is the “good” bacteria and the “bad” ones there’s nothing definitive on whether eating or drinking any particular food can change the balance of your gut bacteria.

Probiotics fall squarely into the category of being good in theory, but the jury’s still out on which formula is best.

There’s way more research debunking Echinacea than supporting its use.

Part of the problem is that different commercial products contain different amounts of the plant, and even vary on what plants they contain. Some plants, such as astragalus and licorice root, can be dangerous.

There’s more “testimonials” out there on how to avoid the flu. But, before you place your trust in yogurt to stay healthy, you might want to do a little research on the subject.

I should also point out that flu shots are probably the best way to avoid these nasty bugs. One caveat; this current enterovirus EV-D68 has evolved after the vaccine for it was developed.

So, even the recommended way to avoid the flu is not fool proof.

Time for me to slowly walk on down the road…

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Poem: ‘Sandbox Tree Story’

Good Day World!

I had fun with this poem…hope you enjoy it!

Sandbox Tree Story

the Sandbox Tree is an evergreen tree of the spurge family

found in North and South American tropical regions

it’s nicknamed ‘no climb monkey

a peculiar moniker for any tree

The Sandbox Tree can grow up to 200 feet tall

and has large leaves that grow to two feet wide

but that’s not the strangest thing of all

it’s fruit is an exploding ball!

ripe pods catapult seeds for hundreds of feet

at speeds of up to 160 mph

it’s quit the feat

and a visual treat

Also known as the Dynamite Tree

for the explosive sound of ripe fruit popping

and splitting into segments rapidly

it’s as strange as any tree can be!

 

The end

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Famous Last Words: I hope my last words make a list someday!

Good Day World!

I’ve always been fascinated with people’s last words. It probably comes from watching too many dramatic movies.

Whatever the reason, I think those final parting shots make a good read.

For example: 

Marilyn Monroe allegedly said,Say goodbye to Pat, say goodbye to Jack and say goodbye to yourself, because you're a nice guy” to actor Peter Lawford, president John F. Kennedy’s brother-in-law, over the telephone the night she died.

AND

One of the most mysterious last words I’ve ever read came from Boris Karloff, best known for his portrayal of Frankenstein’s monster.

He simply said, “Walter Pidgeon.” Everyone was puzzled. Why would the last words from his lips be the name of a Canadian actor? Now that’s strange.

The following list of links will give you a plethora of famous last words. Enjoy!

Famous Last Words: Criminals
Famous Last Words: Fictional Characters, Books and Plays
Famous Last Words: Ironic Comments
Famous Last Words: Movie Characters
Famous Last Words: Musicians
Famous Last Words: Religious Figures
Famous Last Words: U.S. Presidents
Famous Last Words: Writers/Authors

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Friday, January 2, 2015

NASA’s Plans for Spotting Space Aliens in 2015

Good Day World!

Well, here we are…2015.

The earth continues to turn on its axis, and babies are born every moment. Scientific research has reached out to the stars with startling results:

We can now land on moving asteroids and send space research vehicles to other galaxies far, far, away. Private companies on earth are vying to be the first to offer space travel to the general public.

Other worlds draw nearer all the time. The Mars Exploration Program is a science-driven program that seeks to understand whether Mars was, is, or can be, a habitable world.

The number one goal is to see if there’s life on Mars.

Current Missions to Mars:

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) will seek to find out about the history of water on Mars with its science instruments. They will zoom in for extreme close-up photography of the martian surface to analyze minerals, look for subsurface water.

Mars Science Laboratory

NASA proposes to develop and to launch a roving long-range, long-duration science laboratory that will be a major leap in surface measurements and pave the way for a future sample return mission.

MAVEN

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN), set to launch in 2013, will explore the planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere and interactions with the sun and solar wind.

HOW WILL WE DETECT ALIEN LIFE?

Swiss researchers have tested a new kind of life-detection device that's sensitive to motion rather than organic chemistry — and they say it could be used on future space missions to look for alien life.

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy New Year! History and Traditions Through the Ages

new-years-day-2013 (5)

                                      Good Day World!

Happy New Year!

Civilizations around the world have been celebrating the start of each new year for at least four millennia.

Ancient Babylonians first celebrated the new year over 4,000 years ago. Check out this video history of New Year's Eve.

Today, most New Year’s festivities begin on December 31 (New Year’s Eve), the last day of the Gregorian calendar, and continue into the early hours of January 1 (New Year’s Day).

Common traditions include attending parties, eating special New Year’s foods, making resolutions for the new year and watching fireworks displays.

In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31—New Year’s Eve—and continue into the early hours of January 1.

Revelers often enjoy meals and snacks thought to bestow good luck for the coming year. In Spain and several other Spanish-speaking countries, people bolt down a dozen grapes-symbolizing their hopes for the months ahead-right before midnight.

In many parts of the world, traditional New Year’s dishes feature legumes, which are thought to resemble coins and herald future financial success; examples include lentils in Italy and black-eyed peas in the southern United States.

Because pigs represent progress and prosperity in some cultures, pork appears on the New Year’s Eve table in Cuba, Austria, Hungary, Portugal and other countries. Ring-shaped cakes and pastries, a sign that the year has come full circle, round out the feast in the Netherlands, Mexico, Greece and elsewhere.

In Sweden and Norway, meanwhile, rice pudding with an almond hidden inside is served on New Year’s Eve; it is said that whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune. (source)

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

 

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

The Man Behind the Mask Used in Modern Day Protests

The mask popping up in protests around the world

Good Day World!

Have you ever wondered why so many protestors worldwide are all wearing the same mask?

You know the one I mean.

A stylized portrayal of a face with an over-sized smile and red cheeks, a wide moustache upturned at both ends, and a thin vertical pointed beard.

The man behind the mask is a terrorist named Guy Fawkes.

The Guy Fawkes mask is a modern depiction of Guy Fawkes, the best-known member of the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to blow up the House of Lords in London in 1605.

The use of a mask on an effigy has long roots as part of Guy Fawkes Night celebrations.

The modern mask was designed by illustrator David Lloyd, and it came to represent broader protests after it was used as a major plot element in V for Vendetta, published in 1982, and its 2006 film adaptation.

After appearing in Internet forums, the mask became a well-known symbol for the online hacktivist The mask popping up in protests around the worldgroup Anonymous, used in Project Chanology, the Occupy movement, and other anti-government and anti-establishment protests around the world.

The mask has turned up in new venues, like Ferguson, Mo., and New York City – both locations where black men were killed by police officers in the line of duty, sparking protests.

The Guy Fawkes mask has become a worldwide symbol of grass roots protests against government actions.

But, it also doubles as a symbol for cyber terrorism - via Anonymous - and other secret groups with their own agendas.

Check out all the mask photos in this article/photo essay:

The mask popping up in protests around the world

Guy Fawkes is probably smiling somewhere, knowing he’s a star in the 21st century!

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Why Is It That When One War Ends, Another Always Looms?

Good Day World!

Another war has been declared over.

America officially left Afghanistan after 13 years. Our longest war has quietly slipped into history along with 2,200 trooper’s lives.

On December 28th, the war in Afghanistan came to an end at the cost of one-trillion dollars. President Obama told the nation it was the "responsible conclusion."

In other words, it had to end someday.

Just like the war in Iraq, right? Or, the war in Vietnam. They had to come to a conclusion too. In all three cases, our legacy was, and is, chaos. Democracy no longer even a memory in Vietnam. 

Iraq is under siege from ISIS because their army the one trained by the US has already fallen apart after we left. Over 50,000 of their military is a “ghost army.” Men who bribe there way out of serving through a scam.

So we are back in Iraq…helping militarily. Unwilling to watch the country fall to terrorists.

Meanwhile, the truth is Afghans hate Americans and are glad to see us leave their country. The pretense of Democracy will wither as warlords once again gain control. The country will convulse in continued agonies as the Taliban seek to reestablish themselves.

The real unavoidable truth is our wars will never end as long as the US military industrial complex – and the other industries that benefit from providing supplies for our war machine – control the Pentagon and Congress.

Hints of war. We’re in an undeclared war with ISIS now. Who will be next?

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

 

Monday, December 29, 2014

Six 2014 Research Stories That’ll Leave You Shaking Your Head in Wonder

New Year 2014 Photos

Good Day World!

Here’s my contributions to the madness that was the Year 2014:

1) Study: Marijuana use has increased in Colorado – I’d like to nominate this article for the “Most Obvious Result” as Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational sales of the drug. Duh.

2) Proved at last: Men really are idiots – The most insulting thing about this so-called research paper is someone actually paid grant monies to those idiots who call themselves researchers!

3) Top IBM Research Stories of 2014 - A Guinness World Record. A new kind of plastic. Oh, and a chip modeled after the human brain!

4) University of Wisconsin to reprise controversial monkey studies - This study really sickened me. The researchers intentionally deprived newborn monkeys of their mothers, a practice designed to impact a primate’s psychological well-being.

5) Controversial Study Photographed 29 Courses in Total - The purpose of the study, according to preliminary findings, came from the fact that undergraduate attendance had not been “comprehensively or rigorously or measured.” Really? How earth-shattering!

6) Why Men Love Lingerie: Rat Study Offers Hints A new study has concluded male rats are turned on by female rats with tiny jackets on. The researchers gleefully declared those jackets work just like lingerie which (as we all know) makes human males horny. Sigh…

Time for me to walk on down the road…

 

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Poem: ‘We are all Travelers in This World’

Good Day World!

Here’s a short poem I wrote just for you.

Just because:

we are all travelers in this world

passing though time and space

our years full of lessons learned

as members of the human race

we all are so unique

each road we take in our life

offers challenges

and sometimes strife

In the end

we leave behind a legacy

a roadmap of personal events

describing who we use to be

our paths are paved with our deeds

roads followed over the years

milestones dotted with family and friends

and laughter and tears

we are just travelers in this world

so tread softly and love along the way

live to learn

and to make the most of your day 

 

The end

Time for me to walk on down the road…

Trump's Lowest Grift Ever Saved for Holy Week

This is a story about how the devil's puppet, aka Donald Trump, mocked Christianity by selling a book combining the Bible, the Constitu...