From The Guardian: “A CBS News poll has found Donald Trump has lost ground to Joe Biden in battleground states that have become Covid-19 hotspots. Biden, the presumptive Democrat nominee for president, has a six-point lead in Florida, is tied in Arizona and trails by one point in Texas. Trump won all three states in the 2016 election.”
Florida Shatters Single-Day Infection Record [Click] Not just its own single day record, but for all the states. And they are planning to open all their schools shortly, Disney World is opening, and the GOP convention is next month..
OHIO: As of Sunday afternoon, there have been at least 65,592 confirmed or probable cases in the state, 3,058 deaths, and 8,842 hospitalizations, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
I stepped outside for a bit and it was hotter than a two-dollar pistol. We don't have an outside thermometer, but the weather report says that the reporting stations in this area range from about 105 to 109 deg. F. So say about 107. But it's Fresno in July. And there are people who have to work outside in this heat. The high temperature has been over 100 degrees for several days now, and it is predicted to go on for at least another nine days. The longest stretch of hundred degree plus weather that I recall around here was sixteen days. This is at the upper limit of the "normal" temperature range.
I was reading about the various Mars missions coming up, which are all focused on detecting life, either current or former. Not that I expect I will live to see the matter settled, I do wonder about something. Say for the sake of argument that they find nucleic acids--RNA and DNA. If it is demonstrably different, that shows independent origination. But what if it is clearly related to Terran DNA/RNA? Would that mean life on Earth was seeded by meteorites from Mars, or would it mean that there is only one way to do it? Well, I won't be solving that problem today... but speculating about it is good fun.
Speaking as a biochemist/cell biologist/molecular biologist, I will say flatly that there is more than one way to do it. Although not as many as some science fiction novels would have us believe. Spread of life throughout the solar system from a single point of origin is entirely believable. There is even a theory (panspermia) that it could have spread throughout the galaxy from a single point of origin, but that strikes me as a bit of a stretch.
Well, it seems my mind hasn't gone completely to rot just yet. I thought I remembered that at the conclusion of "The Martian Chronicles" the protagonists realize *they* are the Martians. Per Wikipedia:
"Later, he offers his sons a gift in the form of their new world. He introduces them to the Martians — their own reflections in a canal. "
Given that I only read the stories once, and that close to sixty years ago, I think that's pretty close. I also remembered the basic structure--short stories strung together. Maybe I should read them again. Chances are I still have the volume in my library.
I probably read it even longer ago. My memory is that I enjoyed some of the stories ore than others (they were very loosely connected, if at all). But I recall the final story, _The Ten Thousand Year Picnic_ as being one of my favorites.
The Role of Cognitive Dissonance in the Pandemic [Click]
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe McGirt Case Is a Historic Win for Tribes [Click]
ReplyDeleteFrom The Guardian: “A CBS News poll has found Donald Trump has lost ground to Joe Biden in battleground states that have become Covid-19 hotspots. Biden, the presumptive Democrat nominee for president, has a six-point lead in Florida, is tied in Arizona and trails by one point in Texas. Trump won all three states in the 2016 election.”
More detail here. [Click]
DeleteWe must have wondered out loud "what would it take?" to get rid of DT.
DeleteWatch out what you ask!
WaPo: A new generation challenges the heartland [Click] Big demographic changes in small towns are fueling a racial justice movement across the Midwest. This *does* look significant.
ReplyDeleteVirus Deaths Take Long-Expected Turn for the Worse [Click]
ReplyDeleteFlorida Shatters Single-Day Infection Record [Click] Not just its own single day record, but for all the states. And they are planning to open all their schools shortly, Disney World is opening, and the GOP convention is next month..
ReplyDeleteTrump Falsely Claims He Plays Less Golf than Obama [Click] Sounds like he is on the defensive about it…
ReplyDeleteOHIO: As of Sunday afternoon, there have been at least 65,592 confirmed or probable cases in the state, 3,058 deaths, and 8,842 hospitalizations, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
ReplyDeleteHere you go, Alan! Out front now is the graph you sent, too.
ReplyDeleteFresno County, California:
Total Cases to Date 8,282
Total Deaths to Date 88
Currently Hospitalized 455
1297 cases (+14😔)
ReplyDeleteStill 56 deaths (None in 25days)
Now 152 active cases
Recovered 1089
In Hospital = 2 ( 0)
Tests 75,851 (+819)
ReplyDeleteOhio's % of deaths from known cases is 4.66%
Vermont's % of deaths from known cases is 4.32%
Fresno County's % of deaths from known cases is 1.06%
National Average is 4.2%
I stepped outside for a bit and it was hotter than a two-dollar pistol. We don't have an outside thermometer, but the weather report says that the reporting stations in this area range from about 105 to 109 deg. F. So say about 107. But it's Fresno in July. And there are people who have to work outside in this heat. The high temperature has been over 100 degrees for several days now, and it is predicted to go on for at least another nine days. The longest stretch of hundred degree plus weather that I recall around here was sixteen days. This is at the upper limit of the "normal" temperature range.
ReplyDeleteCurrent humidity (4PM) is 14%.
DeleteThank goodness the humidity is low!!
DeleteBut WOW that's toasty!!
Via politicalwire.com:
ReplyDeleteSen. John Cornyn (R-TX) said that it’s unclear whether children can get and transmit COVID-19, the Houston Chronicle reports.
That same day, Texas reported more than 550 COVID infections in children 9 and younger.
You can't make this stuff up!
DeleteI was reading about the various Mars missions coming up, which are all focused on detecting life, either current or former. Not that I expect I will live to see the matter settled, I do wonder about something. Say for the sake of argument that they find nucleic acids--RNA and DNA. If it is demonstrably different, that shows independent origination. But what if it is clearly related to Terran DNA/RNA? Would that mean life on Earth was seeded by meteorites from Mars, or would it mean that there is only one way to do it? Well, I won't be solving that problem today... but speculating about it is good fun.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as a biochemist/cell biologist/molecular biologist, I will say flatly that there is more than one way to do it. Although not as many as some science fiction novels would have us believe. Spread of life throughout the solar system from a single point of origin is entirely believable. There is even a theory (panspermia) that it could have spread throughout the galaxy from a single point of origin, but that strikes me as a bit of a stretch.
DeleteWell, it seems my mind hasn't gone completely to rot just yet. I thought I remembered that at the conclusion of "The Martian Chronicles" the protagonists realize *they* are the Martians. Per Wikipedia:
Delete"Later, he offers his sons a gift in the form of their new world. He introduces them to the Martians — their own reflections in a canal. "
Given that I only read the stories once, and that close to sixty years ago, I think that's pretty close. I also remembered the basic structure--short stories strung together. Maybe I should read them again. Chances are I still have the volume in my library.
I probably read it even longer ago. My memory is that I enjoyed some of the stories ore than others (they were very loosely connected, if at all). But I recall the final story, _The Ten Thousand Year Picnic_ as being one of my favorites.
DeleteYes, very tenuous connections among the stories, if any at all. I must root out the book, but first I must finish reading "Narrow Dog to Carcassonne."
Delete