Bitchin Dave's Newsletter - May 20th
I firmly believe we, as individuals and groups living in his great nation, can be better. We can use reason, think, and to cut though the noise that exists in our lives. Here are five suggested things we can do to "be better": 1. There's nothing wrong with watching entertaining TV & movies, educational programming, or sports. But, reality shows and "news" offend the senses, and encourages one not to think. We should cut those out of our lives as much as possible. 2. Seek to learn if something is true before repeating it online or in person. Be a critical thinker, and don't accept lies, half-truths, or spout nonsense. Personally, If someone gives me the "inflammatory headline," I will ask questions, and ask the person where they heard this information. I will reject what they are saying if it is unsupported. 3. Read more. I set a goal of reading 6 "good books" a year (and I admit that I do often fall short of that, but its still a goal). Go to the library or check out their online resources because they're free and easily accessible. You might even start with a "banned book" to see what that's all about. 4. Stay away from the insanity that is commonly known as "Social media." It's mis-use a part of the bigger problem. 5. And finally, exercise your mind! Try new pursuits, get involved in your community, or generally do some good. And get some exercise too; that always helps clear the mind. We all have things that we are good at and passionate about - I encourage you to pursue them. |
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This is an interesting take on how the policy toward Cuban immigrants is changing - and gets into some detail about how Cubans became such staunch republicans (think Kennedy/Bay of Pigs), and how the republicans are now turning their backs on them. |
Back in 2016, NPR posted this information for how to spot fake news in order to protect yourself. Its still useful today, so I thought I'd share. And because Public Radio is in the cross-hairs as somehow being biased, might I suggest a donation to keep public radio operational? |
Here's a product that is being developed which is based on cellulose and will break down naturally (and relatively quickly) which could upend the single use plastic industry. As one researcher points out, this is a positive step but changing behaviors away from single use materials should be the ultimate goal. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475826-plant-based-waterproof-material-could-replace-single-use-plastics/  |
In 2000 Cordell Hauglie played with photoshop and … well … the results went viral. There was some amount of (tongue-in-cheek) reporting that blamed atomic radiation. It was featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Good Morning America. He said later: "My daughter wanted to send an electronic photo of her cat to her friend. I got a little carried away. "[that's the] the dangers of email … if some dumb guy and his dumb cat can go around the world, you've got to be careful".  Photographer Ken Light had a helpful suggestion when you see a photo that doesn't feel right. "Trust the photographer, know the source. Look closely – if photos seem too fantastic, they probably are." |
The article is short on details, but 8 students from the US Military Academy's Space Engineering and Applied Research (SPEAR) program created a two-stage rocket that was launched at a speed greater than that of sound, to achieve an objective of reaching the highest point ever from a non-commercial rocket. And they successfully recovered it once it returned to earth. Which means that payloads can be sent into high orbits at relatively low cost, and those payloads can be recovered. Think of it as any of the commercial ventures, but with other purposes in mind, as it is a military application after all. |
The article from a paper in Israel (!) takes a fairly in depth look at the $6 billion epic universe park that is set to open next week. It's safe to say that universal - once a relatively minor player with a few rides based on movie franchises - is now a formidable competitor to the mouse. They've poached many imagineers and really thought about how to move the needle in immersive entertainment. https://www.jpost.com/consumerism/article-851086 |
Bonus: Austin Simmons should be a role model. He's a kid who has some athletic prowess - playing basketball, football, and baseball. He went to high school while being dual enrolled in a college program. And graduated college at 17! And now, he is going on to be the starting QB at the University of Mississippi at 19, as a college graduate. That's pretty remarkable. |
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