Generally speaking, thoughts of changing a new husband are disappointed. The current Mrs. Johnson would be well advised to have a very good prenuptial agreement. IMO. As if it were any of my damned business.
There are indications that China’s population has begun to decline; in 10-20 years its industrial productivity will be less than that of the USA, and by the turn of the next century its population is projected to be half what it is today: Economist [Click] Bloomberg [Click]
Minneapolis Star Tribune on China’s population: [Click] “The population of potential workers [and military] aged 15 to 59 will fall from three-quarters of the total in 2011 to just above half by 2050. . . Japan, Germany and some other rich countries face the same challenge of supporting aging populations with fewer workers. But they can draw on investments in factories, technology and foreign assets. By contrast, China still is a middle-income country with labor-intensive farming and manufacturing.” [Some, notably the US, also attract immigrants.]
And Japan is chock-a-block with abandoned houses, because the tax rate on the property goes up if the house is torn down. This made sense after WWII when much of the housing stock lay in ruins, but hasn't been sensible for a long time.
" New research suggests that actively playing music may have a small but positive impact on cognitive function, even in older adults who already show signs of dementia.
Playing music works multiple areas of the brain at the same time.
Other crucial habits, like staying active and being social, can also help mitigate your risk of cognitive decline.
Music does wonders for your mood, but did you know it might give your brain a boost, too? In fact, playing music—not just listening to it—has a positive effect on your cognition, even if you’re already showing signs of dementia, new research suggests."
My hypothesis is that cognitive deficits which were present ab initio merely become obvious as physical abilities decline and individuals become more dependent on others. Fact is that care givers require care takers to do their thing. But, isn't it interesting that care giving and care taking are virtual synonyms? What is indisputably a crock is that independence is possible. Even a hermit depends on others respecting his privacy.
Which reminds me that at one time (as late as the 19th Century, methinks) it was a sign of great wealth to host a hermit on one's estate. Alas, another line of work swept away by the tides of time and social change. . .
Excerpt from a Scientific American article: [Click] A recent analysis carried out for science news service STAT found that tens of thousands of deaths from COVID are going unreported, mostly in counties that supported former president Donald Trump. It also found that counties that use elected coroners had higher rates of uncounted COVID deaths than counties that use appointed medical examiners. “The figures suggest that political leanings have helped suppress the true scale of deaths,” STAT observed.
Recently, thanks to the efforts of my older sister, I was given a copy of the notebook containing the letters home, written by my father and uncles during WWII. It contains copies of their hand-written letters and photos of their medals. My uncle Harold (aka Junior) was a crew member on a plane that went on missions, including several invasions. Their plane was so full of holes he referred to it as Swiss cheese. They were given a new plane, but crashed upon returning to an airport in poor visibility, killing all on board. He was engaged and soon to be married, and about 20 years old.
His younger brother, Walter (aka Wally) was wounded at Iwo Jima, at age 18.
We don’t always recognise how young many of these men were. The older men also took part. My grandfather, their father, served as a store clerk in Hawaii. He was there when word came of his son’s death. Can you imagine what life was like for my grandmother?
Their brother Robert (always called Buddy), who had a twin sister, served in the Navy and became a lifer. He married Anna, whom he met in Italy. She was wonderful and made the best spaghetti I have ever tasted. But, think of it. All the menfolk in the family were serving, excepting only the youngest brother who was too young to enlist. The womenfolk had to hold down the homefront. The story goes that one day their young sister, Mimi, grabbed her arm and started screaming. The doctor found nothing wrong. Legend is that it happened on the same day that Wally was wounded at Iwo Jima...taking shrapnel in his arm. Apparently the Scottish ran high in them.
Flak-Bait, a B-26, flew more than 200 missions over Europe, and survived more than a thousand hits.
Very near the end of WWII, my wife's youngest uncle, a Japanese Navy reconnaissance pilot, was ordered to Okinawa. (I had confused the story with another, but recently was staightened out.) It may or may not have been explicit, but the understanding was that he was not to come back alive. His squadron flew over Hiroshima while it was still burning. They landed at an airfield near Kagoshima, at the south end of Kyushu, the southernmost Japanese main island. It happened that his sister had been regularly praying for his safety at the local fox goddess shrine on the mountain near their home. The airfield near Kagoshima was also near a fox goddess shrine--when my wife mentioned it to a local friend from Kagoshima, she instantly recognized the airbase from its location near the shrine. Well, as he was standing on the tarmac while his plane was being refueled, a white fox (as unnatural a color in Japan as here) walked up and rubbed against his legs. He took off into the clouds, and when he emerged from the clouds he was over the ocean and there were no other members of his squadron to be seen. He kept on flying straight until he ran out of fuel and crashed--off the coast of Korea. He was rescued by a Korean fisherman. The family lived in a fairly remote place, and several strange things happened there over the years that did not conform to modern prejudices. There were other such odd things that happened in the remote hamlet where I was born, and another when my great aunt was evidently dying. I have no difficulty in believing the story about Mimi.
Thank you for the story and your assertion, Alan. I too have no trouble believing either story. There is more to like than what is written in our "ologies."
Currently (2PM) reported temperature 101F, projected high 103F, said to be a record high. Low 69F. Tomorrow 106F predicted, “near record high.” Winds today 5-10 mph, tomorrow 10-20 mph.
Stepping outside it is certainly hot in the direct sunlight, but inside we have not felt any need to turn on the air conditioner; temp 80F.
“If 10 Republican Senators cannot even vote for a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6th insurrection, 10 Republican Senators will not vote for anything meaningful to improve the lives of the American people. We must abolish the filibuster and act now.”
I remain of the opinion that rather than abolish the filibuster, the Senate should simply restore the previous question motion. (Same thing, but "restore" sounds better tha "abolish.") Could you pass the idea along to Bernie for me, listener?
Texas Democrats’ late-night walkout scuppers Republican efforts to restrict voting rights [Click] “Take your key and leave the chamber discreetly.” Could the GOPers have really thought they could ram such a bill through when they lacked a quorum?
ReplyDeleteCatholics question why Boris Johnson was able to marry in church [Click]
ReplyDeleteJust looking at him I question why any woman would want to marry him *anywhere*!
DeleteHad he not already been baptized for his previous two marriages, they would have counted. But he was, so they weren't. Easy peasy in Catholic land.
ReplyDeleteGenerally speaking, thoughts of changing a new husband are disappointed. The current Mrs. Johnson would be well advised to have a very good prenuptial agreement. IMO. As if it were any of my damned business.
DeleteGOP Burns Their Bridge to Younger Voters [Click]
ReplyDeleteThird wave of Covid may be under way in UK, scientists say [Click]
Vietnam [Covid] Variant Threatens to Disrupt [global] Supply Chains [Click]
West Virginia Governor [personally] Liable for $700 Million In Loans [Click]
More Black Women Making Strong Statewide Bids [Click]
Cruise lines and Florida Gov. DeSantis square off over vaccine passports [Click] Oops!
There are indications that China’s population has begun to decline; in 10-20 years its industrial productivity will be less than that of the USA, and by the turn of the next century its population is projected to be half what it is today:
Economist [Click]
Bloomberg [Click]
by the turn of the next century its population is projected to be half what it is today...
Deletewith a marked shift to retirees.
Minneapolis Star Tribune on China’s population: [Click] “The population of potential workers [and military] aged 15 to 59 will fall from three-quarters of the total in 2011 to just above half by 2050. . . Japan, Germany and some other rich countries face the same challenge of supporting aging populations with fewer workers. But they can draw on investments in factories, technology and foreign assets. By contrast, China still is a middle-income country with labor-intensive farming and manufacturing.” [Some, notably the US, also attract immigrants.]
DeleteAnd Japan, which actively rejects immigration, is becoming the world leader in robotics. Who is to say that China will not join them?
DeleteAnd Japan is chock-a-block with abandoned houses, because the tax rate on the property goes up if the house is torn down. This made sense after WWII when much of the housing stock lay in ruins, but hasn't been sensible for a long time.
Deletehttps://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/creative-habit-might-ward-off-110000125.html
ReplyDelete" New research suggests that actively playing music may have a small but positive impact on cognitive function, even in older adults who already show signs of dementia.
Playing music works multiple areas of the brain at the same time.
Other crucial habits, like staying active and being social, can also help mitigate your risk of cognitive decline.
Music does wonders for your mood, but did you know it might give your brain a boost, too? In fact, playing music—not just listening to it—has a positive effect on your cognition, even if you’re already showing signs of dementia, new research suggests."
Perfectly credible. Now, where did I put my kazoo?
DeleteMy hypothesis is that cognitive deficits which were present ab initio merely become obvious as physical abilities decline and individuals become more dependent on others.
ReplyDeleteFact is that care givers require care takers to do their thing. But, isn't it interesting that care giving and care taking are virtual synonyms?
What is indisputably a crock is that independence is possible. Even a hermit depends on others respecting his privacy.
Which reminds me that at one time (as late as the 19th Century, methinks) it was a sign of great wealth to host a hermit on one's estate. Alas, another line of work swept away by the tides of time and social change. . .
DeleteExcerpt from a Scientific American article: [Click] A recent analysis carried out for science news service STAT found that tens of thousands of deaths from COVID are going unreported, mostly in counties that supported former president Donald Trump. It also found that counties that use elected coroners had higher rates of uncounted COVID deaths than counties that use appointed medical examiners. “The figures suggest that political leanings have helped suppress the true scale of deaths,” STAT observed.
ReplyDeleteQuite the surprise, eh?
Geesh. Is nothing sacred?
DeleteDamned little, it seems.
DeleteInterview with Rev. T.D. Jakes [Click] A worthwhile read, I think; but the title assigned by the editors is very misleading—ignore it.
ReplyDeleteState Data is taking a holiday today.
ReplyDeleteRecently, thanks to the efforts of my older sister, I was given a copy of the notebook containing the letters home, written by my father and uncles during WWII. It contains copies of their hand-written letters and photos of their medals.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle Harold (aka Junior) was a crew member on a plane that went on missions, including several invasions. Their plane was so full of holes he referred to it as Swiss cheese. They were given a new plane, but crashed upon returning to an airport in poor visibility, killing all on board. He was engaged and soon to be married, and about 20 years old.
His younger brother, Walter (aka Wally) was wounded at Iwo Jima, at age 18.
We don’t always recognise how young many of these men were. The older men also took part. My grandfather, their father, served as a store clerk in Hawaii. He was there when word came of his son’s death.
Can you imagine what life was like for my grandmother?
Their brother Robert (always called Buddy), who had a twin sister, served in the Navy and became a lifer. He married Anna, whom he met in Italy. She was wonderful and made the best spaghetti I have ever tasted. But, think of it. All the menfolk in the family were serving, excepting only the youngest brother who was too young to enlist. The womenfolk had to hold down the homefront. The story goes that one day their young sister, Mimi, grabbed her arm and started screaming. The doctor found nothing wrong. Legend is that it happened on the same day that Wally was wounded at Iwo Jima...taking shrapnel in his arm. Apparently the Scottish ran high in them.
Flak-Bait, a B-26, flew more than 200 missions over Europe, and survived more than a thousand hits.
DeleteVery near the end of WWII, my wife's youngest uncle, a Japanese Navy reconnaissance pilot, was ordered to Okinawa. (I had confused the story with another, but recently was staightened out.) It may or may not have been explicit, but the understanding was that he was not to come back alive. His squadron flew over Hiroshima while it was still burning. They landed at an airfield near Kagoshima, at the south end of Kyushu, the southernmost Japanese main island. It happened that his sister had been regularly praying for his safety at the local fox goddess shrine on the mountain near their home. The airfield near Kagoshima was also near a fox goddess shrine--when my wife mentioned it to a local friend from Kagoshima, she instantly recognized the airbase from its location near the shrine. Well, as he was standing on the tarmac while his plane was being refueled, a white fox (as unnatural a color in Japan as here) walked up and rubbed against his legs. He took off into the clouds, and when he emerged from the clouds he was over the ocean and there were no other members of his squadron to be seen. He kept on flying straight until he ran out of fuel and crashed--off the coast of Korea. He was rescued by a Korean fisherman. The family lived in a fairly remote place, and several strange things happened there over the years that did not conform to modern prejudices. There were other such odd things that happened in the remote hamlet where I was born, and another when my great aunt was evidently dying. I have no difficulty in believing the story about Mimi.
I am a very modern, scientific sort of fellow, but I think anyone who would dismiss the story about Mimi as impossible would be a damned fool.
DeleteSpeaking of Scottish, Prehistoric carvings of red deer found in Scottish neolithic tomb [Click]
DeleteThank you for the story and your assertion, Alan. I too have no trouble believing either story. There is more to like than what is written in our "ologies."
DeleteCurrently (2PM) reported temperature 101F, projected high 103F, said to be a record high. Low 69F. Tomorrow 106F predicted, “near record high.” Winds today 5-10 mph, tomorrow 10-20 mph.
ReplyDeleteStepping outside it is certainly hot in the direct sunlight, but inside we have not felt any need to turn on the air conditioner; temp 80F.
Humidity 20%; predicted to fall to 13% by 5PM.
Record high temperature for this area and date: 110F. That 80F is inside our well-insulated house.
DeleteWSJ: Job Openings Aren’t Where The Workers Are [Click] Anybody interested in moving to Idaho for a minimum wage job? Didn’t think so.
ReplyDeleteAbbott Will Veto Funding for Texas Legislature [Click] Seems to me that might put a damper on his idea for a special session. . .
ReplyDeleteWSJ: Trump-Era Tariffs May Be Contributing to Inflation [Click] You don’t say.
ReplyDelete“If 10 Republican Senators cannot even vote for a bipartisan commission to investigate the January 6th insurrection, 10 Republican Senators will not vote for anything meaningful to improve the lives of the American people. We must abolish the filibuster and act now.”
ReplyDelete— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on Twitter.
I remain of the opinion that rather than abolish the filibuster, the Senate should simply restore the previous question motion. (Same thing, but "restore" sounds better tha "abolish.") Could you pass the idea along to Bernie for me, listener?
DeleteIllinois has become the first state to pass a bill to ban police from lying or tricking juveniles during questioning, Fox Chicago reports.
ReplyDeleteMinors are considered especially vulnerable, and have a much higher rate of confessions to crimes they did not commit.
GOOD FOR ILLINOIS!
Democracy vouchers play crucial role as candidates compete for cash in Seattle mayoral race [Click] Sounds like something worth emulating!
ReplyDeleteFour more Oath Keepers indicted for participating in Capitol attack [Click] “New indictment is part of a larger criminal conspiracy case that now includes 19 members of the far-right group.”
ReplyDelete