Saturday, October 7, 2023
https://electrek.co/2023/10/03/worlds-first-artificial-energy-island/?utm_source=tldrnewsletter
The world’s first artificial energy island just got the go-ahead
Michelle Lewis | Oct 3 2023 – 7:58 am PT
*** begin quote ***
The world’s first artificial energy island has secured its environmental permit, so it’s now all systems go in Belgium.
Princess Elisabeth Island is a pioneering electricity grid at sea that’s going to connect offshore wind farms to the Belgian mainland and also serve as a hub for future interconnectors with the UK and Denmark.
Belgian electricity transmission system operator Elia is the project’s developer, and obtaining the permit, which Elia applied for in January 2023, is a key milestone. Construction will take over two years, from March 2024 to August 2026.
*** end quote ***
But what alternatives did its economics crowd out; remember seen and unseen? There are no “shareholders” looking for a profit. Just nameless faceless politicians and bureaucrats with endless supplies of Taxpayer “wealth” to amuse themselves “saving the planet”.
Seriously, how do “we” know that was the best use of resources?
“That Which is Seen, and That Which is Not Seen” Frédéric Bastiat http://bastiat.org/
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Posted by reinkefj
Monday, September 25, 2023
https://theconversation.com/your-unique-body-odor-could-identify-who-you-are-and-provide-insights-into-your-health-all-from-the-touch-of-a-hand-210231
Your unique body odor could identify who you are and provide insights into your health – all from the touch of a hand
Published: September 20, 2023 8.26am EDT
Authors
- Chantrell Frazier Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Food Science, Framingham State University
- Kenneth G. Furton Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University
- Vidia A. Gokool Postdoctoral Researcher, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
*** begin quote ***
Researchers have been studying the discriminating potential of human scent for over three decades. A 1988 experiment demonstrated that a dog could distinguish identical twins living apart and exposed to different environmental conditions by their scent alone. This is a feat that could not be accomplished using DNA evidence, as identical twins share the same genetic code.
*** end quote ***
Wow.
Now all we have to do is have a scent capturing device for crime scenes and we don’t need DNA if it’s not available.
Fascinating stuff, imho.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Saturday, September 23, 2023
https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/new-type-brain-cell-astrocyte/
Scientists discover a new type of brain cell
- There are hints that it could lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other brain disorders.
- An image of a neuron with a blue light coming out of it.
- Most of the cells in the brain are either neurons or glial cells. The former send messages, while the latter protect the former. Astrocytes are a type of glial cell found near synapses. Researchers believe they have discovered a new type of astrocyte that actively participates in neurotransmission, making them a sort of hybrid between neurons and glial cells.
Kristin Houser
*** begin quote ***
A new brain cell: Researchers at the Wyss Center for Bio and Neuroengineering and the University of Lausanne believe they’ve definitively proven that some astrocytes do actively participate in neurotransmission, making them a sort of hybrid of neurons and glial cells.
According to the researchers, this third type of brain cell, which they call a “glutamatergic astrocyte,” could offer a way to treat Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other disorders of the nervous system.
“Its discovery opens up immense research prospects,” said study co-director Andrea Volterra.
*** end quote ***
Once again demonstrating how little we really know about anything.
Hope this research leads to new treatments for brain disorders before I need them.
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Posted by reinkefj
Sunday, August 27, 2023
https://dailycaller.com/2023/08/25/opinion-jd-foster-this-proves-that-trumps-prosecutors-are-playing-politics-and-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-his-charges-jd-foster/
JD FOSTER: This Proves That Trump’s Prosecutors Are Playing Politics, And It Has Nothing To Do With His Charges
- J.D. Foster is the former chief economist at the Office of Management and Budget and former chief economist and senior vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He now resides in relative freedom in the hills of Idaho.
August 25, 2023 12:02 PM ET
*** begin quote ***
Whether you love Donald Trump and are daily festooned with MAGA paraphernalia, or despise everything about him, if you reflect on Trump’s trials you may have a real whiskey, tango, foxtrot moment.
The problem isn’t the indictments and whether they are bogus and political or sound and prudent. The lawyers and the courts will duke it out and someday we’ll know, or at least we’ll have the best answer the system can produce. No, the issue is Trump’s bail.
*** and ***
If Trump were willing (I heard this notion so it’s not original with me), then he should change his mind and tear up the bail agreement. Show up, be arrested, and then be taken to jail. The Secret Service would immediately invoke their federal authority and force the county to empty out the jail to ensure the former President’s safety. Then watch the thousands, then tens of thousands, then more and more come to the jail to protest. Even MSNBC would be forced to cover it.
Or, more likely, watch the Court and Willis squeak like little mice and say, never mind, Mr. Trump. See you in a few weeks. There would be plenty of embarrassment, but not for Trump.
*** end quote ***
I LOVE this idea.
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Posted by reinkefj
Sunday, August 27, 2023
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12412255/The-real-life-Mowglis-Men-women-raised-animals-wolf-pack-troop-monkeys.html
The real-life Mowglis: Men and women who were raised by animals… from a wolf pack to a troop of monkeys
- Men and women claim they were raised by animals in their darkest moments
- They claim animals – from wolves to stray dogs – took them in as one of their own
By Rachael Bunyan
Published: 02:16 EDT, 19 August 2023 | Updated: 04:22 EDT, 19 August 2023
# – # – # – # – #
Fascinating that humans survive against all odds.
Sad that they have such dismal futures.
Interesting what is shows about the need for a human family.
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Posted by reinkefj
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12228753/Underwater-survival-expert-says-materials-used-Titan-sub-tried-simply-didnt-work.html
Underwater survival expert reveals OceanGate’s biggest ‘red flags’ and says the unconventional combination of materials used to build its doomed Titan sub was NOT innovative because ‘it’s been tried and simply didn’t work’
- Rachel Lance, a Duke University biomedical engineer and underwater survival expert, on Thursday said OceanGate was using technology proven not to work
- Lance told CNN that the carbon fiber hull was already widely discredited, despite OceanGate’s CEO hyping it as innovative and safe
- She said some of the vessel’s design materials ‘were already large red flags to people who have worked in this field’
By Harriet Alexander For Dailymail.com
Published: 22:44 EDT, 23 June 2023 | Updated: 03:57 EDT, 24 June 2023
*** begin quote ***
He also said in 2020 that the hull had ‘showed signs of cyclical fatigue’.
Carbon fiber is prone to delamination, the process whereby a material fractures into layers while put under pressure.
Cameron said: ‘The way it fails is it delaminates. You have to have a hull, a pressure hull, made out of a contiguous material like steel, or like titanium, which is the proven standard.’
*** end quote ***
When I first heard about the disastrous failure and that they had been running “tours” since 2021, I immediately wondered how they were dealing with “material fatigue”. Anyone, who has unbent and recent a paperclip know that suddenly the clip just fails breaking apart. When dealing with the tremendous pressure (i.e., the weight of the water above you pressing down), the material must flex every time it goes down and back up.
Surprising it didn’t fail sooner.
Requiescat In Pacem.
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Posted by reinkefj
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
https://builtin.com/data-science/goodharts-law
How to Mind Goodhart’s Law and Avoid Unintended Consequences
- One of the first steps to solving a problem — data science or otherwise — is determining the right metrics to gauge success. Choose wisely.
Written by Will Koehrsen
Published on Oct. 19, 2021
*** begin quote ***
What Is Goodhart’s Law?
Goodhart’s Law is expressed simply as: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” In other words, when we set one specific goal, people will tend to optimize for that objective regardless of the consequences. This leads to problems when we neglect other equally important aspects of a situation.
*** end quote ***
Hmmm, I never fell into that trap.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Monday, May 22, 2023
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/7000-year-old-road-uncovered-in-croatia-paved-in-stone-a-sensational-find/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=16-05-2023
7,000-year-old Road Uncovered in Croatia is Paved in Stone–A ‘Sensational Find’
By Andy Corbley – May 12, 2023
*** begin quote ***
But Korcula road, featuring sophisticated stone-stacking and some sort of material to encase the stones in their positions, was made around 1,000 years before Ur and Eridu, to an epoch where agriculture and animal domestication were still developing or state-of-the-art technologies.
*** end quote ***
It really is amazing how little we “know” about “history”. It is almost like routinely “we” find new evidence that proves just how wrong we were.
What can you trust as “facts”?
The answer is “not much”.
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Posted by reinkefj
Sunday, May 21, 2023
https://theconversation.com/you-shed-dna-everywhere-you-go-trace-samples-in-the-water-sand-and-air-are-enough-to-identify-who-you-are-raising-ethical-questions-about-privacy-205557?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter
You shed DNA everywhere you go – trace samples in the water, sand and air are enough to identify who you are, raising ethical questions about privacy
Published: May 15, 2023 11.01am EDT
Jenny Whilde — Adjunct Research Scientist in Marine Bioscience, University of Florida
Jessica Alice Farrell — Postdoctoral associate, University of Florida
*** begin quote ***
Ethical implications of collecting human eDNA
Our team dubs inadvertent retrieval of human DNA from environmental samples “human genetic bycatch.” We’re calling for deeper discussion about how to ethically handle human environmental DNA.
Human eDNA could present significant advances to research in fields as diverse as conservation, epidemiology, forensics and farming. If handled correctly, human eDNA could help archaeologists track down undiscovered ancient human settlements, allow biologists to monitor cancer mutations in a given population or provide law enforcement agencies useful forensic information.
However, there are also myriad ethical implications relating to the inadvertent or deliberate collection and analysis of human genetic bycatch. Identifiable information can be extracted from eDNA, and accessing this level of detail about individuals or populations comes with responsibilities relating to consent and confidentiality.
*** end quote ***
Some one I know LOVES “crime” shows. Often, DNA can “hang” a crime on a criminal several decades after the event. Recently, we have been seeing some “solved” by “forensic genealogy”. The DNA from a crime scene can be linked to a family and, by diligent police work, the criminal is identified, tried, and convicted.
Some SciFi shows have said that forensic evidence can be tampered with — even DNA.
Now with this article, maybe the air, dirt, or whatever at a crime scene can be captured and cataloged.
One of the crime shows had the police trailing a suspect to get his DNA from a discarded cigarette butt or a water bottle. Maybe now, just test the air in the interrogation room might be all that is needed.
Shades of 1984.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
https://www.insidehook.com/daily_brief/sports/nfl-schedule-four-teams-out-primetime
Sports | May 12, 2023 12:12 pm
NFL Schedule Predicts That These Four Teams Will Stink
- Only four of the league’s 32 teams are not scheduled for a primetime game
- The NFL doesn’t think Atlanta QB Desmond Ridder is ready for primetime.
By Evan Bleier @itishowitis
*** begin quote ***
The release of the full NFL schedule on Thursday night revealed that the league is planning to have three editions of Monday Night Football that will feature two games being played simultaneously in primetime. It’s an interesting strategy and will force fans to choose between Saints-Panthers and Browns-Steelers in Week 2, Eagles-Buccaneers and Rams-Bengals in Week 3 and Titans-Dolphins and Packers-Giants in Week 14.
*** end quote ***
As I have said many times, the schedule determines the fates of teams. It’s not a random draw; in a sense, it’s like horse race handicapping. Hard to repeat when the table is tilted against you. That make some teams’ records interesting.
Word to the wise, don’t bet against the handicapper or on anything that talks.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Monday, April 10, 2023
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11939177/I-married-cousin-jaw-dropping-family-secrets-exposed-DNA-tests.html
The most JAW-DROPPING family secrets exposed by at-home DNA tests – from an only child who discovered he had 30 siblings to woman whose dad was swapped a birth
- Two in ten Americans have taken mail-order DNA tests, according to YouGov
- Many are taking to social media to reveal their jaw-dropping family secrets such as that they have 30 siblings or even married a cousin
- Here Dailymail.com takes a look at the dark side of the trend as millions of Americans discover they’re not quite who they thought they were
By Helena Kelly For Dailymail.Com
Published: 12:49 EDT, 9 April 2023 | Updated: 12:53 EDT, 9 April 2023
*** begin quote ***
‘Rare condition meant I wasn’t related to the children I birthed’
Single mother Lydia Fairchild was 26, unemployed and looking for state support in 2002 when she was asked to take a DNA test to prove her family was all related.
But the results suggested Fairchild had no genetic link to the two children she had birthed – prompting alarm from social services.
‘I knew that I carried them, and I knew that I delivered them. There was no doubt in my mind,’ Fairchild, from Washington, said at the time.
She gave birth for a third time and again DNA tests said she was not related to the newborn – despite carrying it for nine months.
It later transpired the mismatch was due to an ultra-rare condition called ‘chimerism.’
It meant she had technically been a twin in the womb but the other embryo died early on meaning she ‘absorbed’ her sibling’s cells.
The condition meant she had two cell lines – with only one matching that of her children.
Her case was relayed in the 2006 documentary ‘The twin inside me.’
*** end quote ***
Why would this poor woman have to “prove” that her children were “hers” to the Gooferment?
This sounds like the identical twins dilemma that TV and Movies like to dramatize.
Makes these DNA “quite revealing”; not always for the better.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Tuesday, February 28, 2023
https://bullionmax.com/blog/news/gold-past-present-future?&utm_campaign=campaign%3A+2023-02-26-weeklybulletin+%2863f52e64bdd59f001de41acb%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=omnisend&omnisendContactID=63557c12377bc800196f0944
bullionmax.com
The Past, Present and Future of Gold
Posted on February 16, 2023
*** begin quote ***
A few things about history have to be said before delving deep into it. We’ll avoid Napoleon’s quote and instead say that history should be taken with a grain of salt. And we generally have a worse idea of what transpired the further we go back, especially when talking centuries.
*** end quote ***
This really casts doubt on everything we think we “know” as history. What is a metric for the degradation in “history”? Is it 1% per year or 5%? Or does it vary with the topic being remembered?
Argh!
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Saturday, February 18, 2023
Grazing Cows Naturally Align Themselves With?
The North Star, The Wind, The Sun, The Magnetic Poles
Correct!
Cows grazing, oriented North along the Earth’s North/South magnetic axis.
Answer: The Magnetic Poles
They might not be known the world over as the brightest creatures, but cows sure know how to keep an organized herd. Whether you’re watching a grazing herd in North Dakota or New Zealand, there’s one thing cows excel at: orienting themselves, en masse, along the axis of magnetic North/South.
Although scientists don’t have a definitive answer as to why cows align themselves with the magnetosphere, there are several theories: it coordinates movement among herd members, facilitates escape from a predator, ensures herd members are grazing the land efficiently by moving in the same direction together, and it may help the cows better map out their physical environment if they consistently orient themselves in the same direction.
# – # – # – # – #
How little we understand the physical world we live in. “Grazing efficiently” seems correct but it’s by no means factual.
I continue to be amazed at “factoids” that have no explanations.
We know so little.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Friday, February 10, 2023
#47 Lufthansa Serving Pork And Draft Beer On Planes In The 1960s
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Wednesday, February 8, 2023
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/sensational-runestone-discovered-in-norway-with-mysterious-inscription-may-be-worlds-oldest/?utm_campaign=newsletters&utm_medium=weekly_mailout&utm_source=02-02-2023
‘Sensational’ Runestone Discovered in Norway With Mysterious Inscription–May Be World’s Oldest
By Andy Corbley – Jan 31, 2023
*** begin quote ***
A runestone was discovered in Norway recently that jumps back the origin date of runic writing by hundreds of years to a time before the fall of Rome.
Based on carbon-dated organic remains, the reddish-brown sandstone block may have been carved as far back as 250 to 1 CE—making it the oldest ever found.
Most runestones are named based on the location they were discovered, and this one is called the “Svingerudsteinen,” or “the Svingerud Stone.”
*** and ***
Runologists like Zilmer don’t have a large body of reference, as only 30 or so stones have been found with inscriptions dating from the 6th century or earlier.
*** end quote ***
Amazing about how little we know about human history. Here’s some messages from the past (obits) that are cryptic bits.
What all did these people know that is lost in “history”.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Tuesday, January 17, 2023
https://nypost.com/2023/01/12/bryan-kohbergers-amateur-mistakes-which-led-to-his-arrest/
News: university of idaho murders
Idaho murders: All the ‘amateur’ mistakes that led cops to arrest Bryan Kohberger
By Olivia Land
January 12, 2023 7:17am Updated
*** begin quote ***
Cellphone records
According to an arrest affidavit released Jan. 9, Kohberger’s many mistakes began months before the killings, when he failed to turn his cellphone off while allegedly surveilling the victims’ King Road home.
*** end quote ***
It’s interesting how many crimes are being solved with cell phone records.
Throw in some DNA and genealogy to sew things up.
If this fellow is a “genius”, then we need smarter ones.
I still haven’t heard the motive and look forward to an insanity defense where he claims schizophrenia and “voices”.
Lock him up and throw away the key.
Argh!
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Posted by reinkefj
Saturday, December 24, 2022
https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/4-meanings-nothing/
Starts With A Bang — December 22, 2022
The 4 fundamental meanings of “nothing” in science
- All the things that surround and compose us didn’t always exist. But describing their origin depends on what ‘nothing’ means.
- Most of us, when we talk about nothing, refer to a state where the thing we’re referring to doesn’t yet exist.
- But absolute nothingness, where space, time, and/or the laws of physics don’t exist, is only a philosophical construct, without physical meaning. Does the Universe truly create something from nothing?
- That depends on what your definition of nothing is, and which of the four definitions you’re using.
Ethan Siegel
*** begin quote ***
In the context of physics, this creates a problem: we cannot make any sense of this sort of nothingness. We’d be compelled to assume that there is such a thing as a state that can exist outside of space and time, and that spacetime itself, as well as the rules that govern all of the physical entities we know of, can then emerge from this hypothesized, idealized state.
*** end quote ***
Here’s a head scratcher. If it doesn’t give you pause, then I guess I am just going down the rabbit hole.
Four different definitions of “nothingness” are puzzling.
At best, we’ll never know “the answer”.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Monday, December 5, 2022
The German View of Patton
Henrik Bering on Fighting Patton: George S. Patton Jr. Through the Eyes of His Enemies by Harry Yeide
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
https://www.hoover.org/research/german-view-patton
*** begin quote ***
On Patton’s performance in Lorraine, Ellis gets caustic:
“Here is the story of the Normandy campaign in a nutshell. Acute German shortages on the one hand, and on the other an Allied cornucopia which could provide an overwhelming level of firepower and a remorseless stream of replacements that could compensate for the grossest tactical bêtise. Add skilled public relations and a press hungry for heroes, and you had the circumstance so propitious that even Montgomery and Patton could seem like great commanders.”
*** end quote ***
Found this interesting since most of my old relatives thought highly of him,
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Sunday, November 6, 2022
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11371617/Red-Crabs-migrate-Christmas-Island-millions-rainforests-ocean.html
Incredible moment tens of MILLIONS of red crabs march across a remote island – in annual migration that sparks traffic jams every year
- Millions of red crabs have begun their annual migration across Christmas Island
- More then 65 million crabs will trek 20km from the forests to the ocean to breed
- The population has grown substantially due to the suppression of invasive ants
By Jesse Hyland and Olivia Day For Daily Mail Australia
Published: 20:25 EDT, 30 October 2022 | Updated: 21:56 EDT, 30 October 2022
*** begin quote ***
A sea of red has washed over picturesque Christmas Island – as tens of millions of red crabs march from the rainforests to the coast to breed.
*** end quote ***
How do the crabs know the calendar, phase of the moon, and high tide?
I love the “flyover bridge” that was constructed for their use.
And the signboard that tells drivers what roads are closed do to the migration.
Amazing that humans would allow themselves to be inconvenienced by nature.
Demonstrates how little we know and how out of tune we are with the world.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Friday, November 4, 2022
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1e7f582d478a4b99bd0c70fffeac4c8b?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email&utm_placement=newsletter
Misconceptions
Some common geographic mental misplacements
John Nelson
*** begin quote ***
So what are some tantalizing locational mistakes that seemingly come pre-installed in American students’ minds that geography teachers wrestle to overcome?
So glad you asked! Here is a cherry-picked handful of examples that we’ll dive into…
- The northiness of Africa
- The northiness of Europe
- The eastiness of South America
*** end quote ***
I think I knew these but it was good to get a feel for EXACTLY where these places are.
How does your mental map square with reality?
—30—
Leave a Comment » | INTERESTING | Tagged: Africa, Europe, South America | Permalink
Posted by reinkefj
Friday, October 28, 2022
https://bigthink.com/hard-science/speed-of-gravity/
Hard Science — October 24, 2022
How fast is gravity, exactly?
- Thanks to observations of gravitational waves, scientists were able to settle a longstanding debate over the speed of gravity.
Key Takeaways
- Throughout history, scientists have proposed many answers for the exact speed of gravity.
- Broadly speaking, the two main propositions have been that gravity is either infinitely fast or as fast as the speed of the light.
- Thanks to observations of gravitational waves recorded in 2017, we now know that gravity and light travel at the same speed.
Don Lincoln
*** begin quote ***
While gravitational radiation was predicted back in 1916, it took scientists nearly a century to develop the technology to detect it. To detect these distortions, scientists take two tubes, each about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long, and orient them at 90 degrees, so they form an “L.” They then use a combination of mirrors and lasers to measure the length of both of the legs. Gravitational radiation will change the length of the two tubes differently, and if they see the right pattern of changes of length, they have observed gravitational waves.
*** and ***
So, that’s the answer. Gravity and light travel at the same speed, determined by a precise measurement. It validates Einstein once again, and it hints at something profound about the nature of space. Scientists hope one day to fully understand why these two very different phenomena have identical speeds.
*** end quote ***
Not only do I NOT understand the point that they are making. It gives me a headache to read about it. YMMV, but all the same very interesting.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Friday, July 8, 2022
https://www.cnet.com/science/biology/features/chasing-ghosts-unlocking-the-mysteries-of-human-hibernation/#ftag=CAD590a51e
Chasing Ghosts: Unlocking the Mysteries of Human Hibernation
A multiyear search attempts to explain one of the most extreme, and baffling, cases of human survival.
Jackson Ryan
July 5 2022 at 5:00 a.m. PT
*** begin quote ***
Mount Rokkō towers over the Japanese city of Kobe, a landscape of rolling hills complete with hiking trails and an unparalleled view of Osaka Bay. Every year, the 3,000-foot-high peak becomes awash with the red, yellow and orange leaves of fall, making it a popular destination for barbecues and youthful revelry.
In October 2006, Rokkō provided the perfect place for Mitsutaka Uchikoshi, a 35-year-old civil servant, to go picnicking with a group of friends. After a day spent sharing food and stories near the peak, Uchikoshi’s friends decided to take the cable car back to Rokkō’s base and head home. Uchikoshi chose to hike down one of the mountain paths alone.
Then he disappeared.
On his way down, Uchikoshi lost his footing, causing him to slip, knock his head and break his pelvis. Unable to move or call for help, he lay wounded on the side of the mountain. At night the autumn cold, dropping as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit, crept into his bones. He passed out.
After 24 days, he was found by a passing climber and transferred to Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital. He was extremely hypothermic and cold to the touch. Many of his organs were failing. According to news reports at the time, Uchikoshi’s doctors reasoned he had fallen into a state “similar to hibernation,” just like a groundhog might.
*** and ***
Uchikoshi’s hibernation had become a holy grail, but it seemed like he’d become a ghost. Chasing that ghost first led me to zombies.
*** end quote ***
Fascinating article about what might be possible.
—30—
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Posted by reinkefj
Saturday, July 2, 2022
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/06/couple-bought-home-in-seattle-then-learned-comcast-internet-would-cost-27000/#p3
Comcast-less in Seattle —
Jon Brodkin – 6/29/2022, 7:30 AM
Couple bought home in Seattle, then learned Comcast Internet would cost $27,000
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When Zachary Cohn and his wife bought a house in the Northgate neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, they didn’t expect any trouble getting home Internet service. It was only after closing on the house in July 2019 that they learned the bad news. “All six neighbors I share a property line with are wired for Comcast, but our house never was,” Cohn told Ars.
Comcast’s predecessor company had wired up the neighborhood with cable decades earlier and the ISP provides high-speed broadband to the abutting properties. But the cable TV and Internet service provider never extended a line to the house purchased by Cohn and his wife, Lauryl Zenobi.
Cohn spent many months trying to get answers from Comcast on how he and Zenobi could get Internet service. Eventually, he contacted his City Councillor’s office, which was able to get a real response from Comcast.
Comcast ultimately said it would require installing 181 feet of underground cable to connect the house and that the couple would have to pay Comcast over $27,000 to make that happen. Cohn and Zenobi did not pay the $27,000, and they’ve been relying on a 4G hotspot ever since.
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Not our first Comcast horror story
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Maybe the Comcast web site should not have said “available”?
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Posted by reinkefj
Monday, May 23, 2022
https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/uqsnxy/lpt_have_two_checking_accounts/
LPT: Have two Checking Accounts
Miscellaneous
I recommend this to all my friends for it has saved me from A LOT of fraudulent activities. Open two bank accounts within the same bank. One account you can link to others to pay bills, transfer funds, etc. The other one should be set up with your Direct Deposit. The sole purpose of this account is to receive funds and send it to the other checking account for bills. Essentially think about it as one way in, one way out. Put that debit card in a safe or shred it. You’ll use this account for internal transfers only. Only put what your expenses are going to be in that account. If your card gets stolen, fine, they just stole $20. etc.
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I really like this idea.
I’m not sure if you can two free accounts but it is absolutely a great idea for inbound money.
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Posted by reinkefj
Saturday, March 19, 2022
https://news.byu.edu/intellect/state-funded-byu-study-finds-elk-are-too-smart-for-their-own-good-and-the-good-of-the-state
State-funded BYU study finds elk move when hunting season starts — and it’s causing problems
By Todd Hollingshead, February 16, 2022
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Utah’s DWR was hearing that hunters weren’t finding elk during hunting season. They also heard from private landowners that elk were eating them out of house and home. So they commissioned a study. Turns out the elk were leaving public lands when hunting season started and hiding on private land.
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This is pretty funny.
It’s like elephants evolving to have shorter tusks in response to poachers.
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Posted by reinkefj
Friday, March 11, 2022
https://whatnerd.com/best-modern-disaster-movies/?utm_source=pocket_mylist
The 8 Best Modern Disaster Movies That’ll Have You on Edge
Most disaster movies have a bad rap for excessively mindless action. These modern disaster movies show that they can be incredible.
BYMATT O’NEILL
FEB 9, 2022
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Nothing thrills in quite the same way as a good disaster film, able to keep you on edge for the entire runtime as it ratchets up your anxiety and fear and tension to levels that get your palms drenched.
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I’ve only seen “The Martian”. It was good but I wasn’t scared or really involved.
Have to see the others on the list.
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Posted by reinkefj
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