Tom Faranda's Folly

Brigid has a booth at this Saturday's Valentine event in Verplank

Brigid will have light boxes, cards and prints. And there are a total of 24 people with booths and tables displaying.

Tuesday wordle

"In a world of drones and satellites, why use a spy balloon anyway?"

Good question. This from the Washington Post via MSN. Looks like it's carrying a fair bit of equipment.

How do stratospheric balloons work? Here’s a visual guide.

“Balloons offer a few advantages over the use of satellites or drones,” James Rogers, an academic at Cornell and the University of Southern Denmark, who advises the U.N. Security Council on the transnational threat of drones, said in an email.

“Not only are they cheaper than launching satellites into space, but by operating within the bounds of the earth’s atmosphere, closer to the surface, they can obtain better quality images,” he added. The latest generation of balloons are high-tech in their own right, “envisaged as systems that can fly up to 90,000 feet” high, “deploy their own drone systems” and detect incoming missiles.

What to know about the suspected Chinese spy balloon

Balloons can soar above the range of most planes, Clarke said, and their slow speed means they aren’t always picked up by radar. Additional technology or paint can help to conceal them further.

Balloons also have an advantage over satellites because they are more maneuverable, according to Malcolm Macdonald, a professor and space technology engineer from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. “The motion of a satellite is very predictable, a balloon (or other aircraft) offers the chance for an unexpected overflight, to catch those you are observing by surprise,” Macdonald said in an email. “You might hope to get something you might not see, or hear, from space.”

Satellites can provide high-resolution imagery, Clarke said — but balloons can stay over one area for longer periods than satellites, if the weather permits.

There’s also the cost benefit: A satellite may cost up to $300 million over its lifetime, according to an estimate from 2020; even the most high-tech balloon would be cheaper.

 

Monday wordle

Washington Post poll: Majority of Dems don't want Biden to run

And it's a fair bet that a majority of Republicans don't want Trump to run. See below.

Fifty-eight percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents support the idea of nominating someone other than Biden, the poll found. Just 31 percent said they would support Biden, who would be 86 years old at the end of a potential second term.

Sixty-two percent of Americans say they would be “dissatisfied” or “angry” if Biden were reelected. Thirty-six percent said they would be “enthusiastic” or “satisfied but not enthusiastic” if Biden won again in 2024.

Meanwhile, 49 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said they want their nominee to be someone other than the 45th president. Forty-four percent said they would support Trump, who would be 82 years old at the end of a potential second term.

Fifty-six percent of Americans said they would be “dissatisfied” or “angry” if Trump were elected for a second term. Meanwhile, 43 percent said they would be “enthusiastic” or “satisfied but not enthusiastic” about a Trump win in 2024.

I don't believe this part of the poll -

Trump would win 48 percent to 45 percent in a hypothetical rematch against Biden, the poll found. However, the poll has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points. Independents favor Trump to Biden 50 percent to 41 percent.

I won't vote for either of them - will do a write-in. I am hoping Mike Pompeo will be the Republican nominee.

Sunday's wordle

A photo from the Pope's trip to S. Sudan

Ha! Great.

 

"Surprise! Mom of 6 boys gives birth to 1st daughter on the toilet."

Haha. Nice story.

TikTok influencer Ariel Tyson loves to feature her large family of boys on her TikTok account. So when she posted a TikTok showing the birth of her seventh child at home — her very first girl — delivered unexpectedly on the toilet, her followers asked for the full story.

Saturday wordle

Very tough - on the fourth line I used a word with a letter already used (E), just to see where L and I should go.  And that's how I figured it out finally.

 

19 years ago today a guy named Zuckerberg started a thing called "The Facebook"

Interesting little note off Morning Brew here - "The Facebook"?

"He shots, he scores!" In 25 seconds, 12 year old wins $10,000

Love it! And a pretty short fellow - plays on the JV team.

He shoots, he scores ... $10,000! The crowd went wild for seventh-grader JJ Franks after he crushed a basketball shoot-out competition at Bishop Ryan Catholic School in Minot, North Dakota. Watch as skillful baller lands a lay-up, a free throw, a three-pointer and a half-court shot all within 25 seconds.

Friday's wordle - another close call

A nurse and her sign at the March for Life

Well Jeanne P Faranda, BSN, MS would be pleased. My mother had - besides four boys - a fifty year career in nursing.

I stole the picture below off this site. 40 thoughtful signs- many handmade - at the March for Life

Thursday wordle

"Devout Catholic" Joe Biden explains that the Bishops and the Pope don't oppose tax funded abortions.

Best descriptive term could be - perdition.

Joe Biden Lies, Falsely Claims Catholic Bishops Don’t Oppose Tax-Funded Abortions

Biden is apparently such a faithful Catholic he doesn’t even know the position of his own church on an issue that has been a political debate since the 1970s.

During questioning about the federal budget, Biden responded to a question from EWTN White House correspondent Owen Jensen. The pro-life reporter could barely get his question out before Biden cut him off:

Q Catholic bishops are demanding that federal tax dollars not fund abortions.

BIDEN: No, they are not all doing that. Nor is —

Q Catholic bishops are —

BIDEN: Nor is —

Q — demanding that federal tax —

BIDEN: Nor is the Pope doing that.

And here's another commentary from the Catholic League: remark made yesterday by President Biden

Wednesday wordle

Oh dear, another failure. My third miss in about five weeks. Must be losing my touch. The correct answer is SCOLD.

 

 

11 seconds of humor - Chuck Schumer on being most successful Senate leader since great depression

From a week or two ago. Even the CNN people look embarrassed.

 

Tuesday wordle

NYT on exercising in the morning

The idea of getting up at 6 or 7AM to work out makes me gag, but I know some people do - and it is possible.

"How to Become a Morning Exercise Person. Yes, it can be done."

Like many Americans, “I have faced the same challenges of getting up in the morning or finding time to exercise,” Dr. Friel said.

It’s not clear when the ideal time of day to exercise is. Studies have suggested that the weight loss benefits are highest in the morning, but improvements in blood sugar and cholesterol may be best in the afternoon. Realistically, it’s most effective whenever you can do it consistently.

*******************

Almost every cell in the body functions on a daily rhythm that lasts approximately 24 hours. This cycle determines not just when we fall asleep and wake up, but also our body temperature, our hunger pangs, our hormones and more.

To wake up earlier and start a morning exercise routine, “what we’re trying to do is not just shift your bedtime, but actually shift your entire circadian clock to be earlier,” said Kimberly Fenn, a cognitive neuroscientist who studies sleep and learning at Michigan State University. “That’s the ultimate goal.”

In the morning, we get a flood of the hormone cortisol, which is thought to help wake us up, among other things, Dr. Fenn said. But if you suddenly switch your alarm clock from 8 a.m. to 6 a.m., your cortisol levels won’t be high enough when it rings and you may struggle more than usual to get out of bed. Instead, she recommended gradually going to sleep at an earlier time.

YIKES! There's more if you hit the link.

monday wordle

Despite getting three greens on the 1st line, I just made the cut.

We are our own worst enemies department: Despite ban China nuke weapons development uses our computer chips

This is from the Wall Street Journal this past weekend.

China’s top nuclear-weapons research institute has bought sophisticated U.S. computer chips at least a dozen times in the past two and a half years, circumventing decades-old American export restrictions meant to curb such sales.

A Wall Street Journal review of procurement documents found that the state-run China Academy of Engineering Physics has managed to obtain the semiconductors made by U.S. companies such as Intel Corp. and Nvidia Corp. since 2020 despite its placement on a U.S. export blacklist in 1997.

********************

Such purchases defy longstanding restrictions imposed by the U.S. that aim to prevent the use of any U.S. products for atomic-weapons research by foreign powers. The academy, known as CAEP, was one of the first Chinese institutions put on the U.S. blacklist, known as the entity list, because of its nuclear work.

A Journal review of research papers published by CAEP found that at least 34 over the past decade referenced using American semiconductors in the research. They were used in a range of ways, including analyzing data and generating algorithms. Nuclear experts said that in at least seven of them, the research can have applications to maintaining nuclear stockpiles. CAEP didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The findings underline the challenge facing the Biden administration as it seeks to more aggressively counter the use of American technology by China’s military. In October, the U.S. expanded the scope of export regulations to prevent China from obtaining the most advanced American chips and chip-manufacturing tools that power artificial intelligence and supercomputers, which are increasingly important to modern warfare.

Most of the chips procured by the academy ranged in size from 7 nanometers to 14 nanometers, many of which are difficult for China to mass produce. They are widely available on the open market: Versions of Intel’s Xeon Gold and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX chips purchased by CAEP can be bought off Taobao, one of China’s largest e-commerce marketplaces. The purchases didn’t include the latest generation of chips launched within the last two years.

*********************

China has been accelerating the expansion of its nuclear force and delivery capabilities in recent years, the Department of Defense said in an annual report to Congress released in November. The People’s Liberation Army could stockpile about 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if it continues at its current pace, up from more than 400 now, the department estimated.

From Brigid's niece June in Australia: Seagull v. rabbit

This was in response to this video I posted yesterday  Rare video: In Canada, a moose shedding his antlers .

Brigid said "Thanks June. I think I prefer the moose."

 

Sunday's wordle

Rare video: In Canada, a moose shedding his antlers

Video captured on the young guy's drone. Fun!

Saturday wordle

Pfizer: Doesn't do "gain of function"; rather "directed evolution"

Pretty amazing sting video from Project Veritas. Yes, yes Tucker can be pretty insufferable. Worth putting up with him for what this guy says. And then a near riot at the end when the guy realizes eh's been nailed.

Friday wordle

FOX host suggests Biden highlight the economic numbers of USA v. everyone else

That's fair. We are doing better than most countries. The website is Mediaite, a site that normally bashes FOX. Not mentioned  -the fact that Trump's economic initiatives (lower individual & corporate taxes, reduced regulations) are what gave the USA it's momentum.

Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade offered up a stunning defense of President Joe Biden’s economic record on the eve of the president’s first major address of 2023 on the issue.

On Thursday morning’s edition of Fox & Friends, the president got an unexpected assist from Kilmeade, who urged Biden to brag about in his speech instead of attacking Republicans:

BRIAN KILMEADE: To me, this would be the perfect time to say, listen, our numbers aren’t perfect, but we have better numbers than any other country in the world. And compare yourself to China, compared to Russia, compared to any European nation… You know, Japan’s got this low inflation and people have certain areas. Our numbers look good. And this way you could actually pretend, at least for a few months, that you’re a unifying president.

AINSLEY EARHARDT: But do you know what Americans would think if they heard that? We don’t care about comparing ourselves to other countries, we just want it to be better.

BRIAN KILMEADE: That’s a good point. That’s a that’s a good point. But I’m saying you have the, his choice is attack Republicans and how bad their ideas are. I’d say, hey, listen, look at me. I know countries. We have some challenges, but compared to everybody else, we’ve worked our way out of it.

Thursday wordle

Artificial intelligence (AI) part 2 - how chatgpt (that's the real spelling) actually works

I posted part 1 yesterday. Right here -  Artificial intelligence (AI), brilliant and here to stay - white collar workers beware! Part 1

Important.

Wednesday wordle

Ugh - another miss. Should have gotten MAIZE