Friday, March 13, 2026

AI Data Centers Go Off the Grid

Good news! When will machine learning & AI make superconductivity and nuclear fusion a reality?

"... Behind the news: All the major tech companies have been scrambling to lock down access to electricity sufficient to support a data-center buildout that is projected to cost $5.2 trillion and consume 156 gigawatts by 2030.

  • xAI bypassed the grid to power data centers in 2024, when the company built data centers in Memphis to house its Colossus and Colossus 2 supercomputers. The facilities are powered by a private collection of dozens of temporary, mobile gas turbines despite a ruling by the Environmental Protection Agency that they were being used illegally.
  • Meta, in addition to building private power stations in the short term, is pursuing a long-term strategy to build nuclear power plants, which are scheduled to come online in the early 2030s. The company committed to help build new reactors and to purchase electricity from older reactors. These deals are expected to supply more than 6 gigawatts.
  • Alphabet, Amazon, and Microsoft have entered into smaller agreements to obtain nuclear energy. Alphabet is working to reopen a disused nuclear plant in Iowa, Amazon invested in the reactor developer X-Energy, and Microsoft agreed to buy 10.5 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity between 2026 and 2030 for an estimated $17 billion.
..."

GPT-5.4 Makes A Splash, AI's Growth on Mobile, Data Centers Go Off-Grid, Apple's Diffusion Research

IPCC's Earth Energy Imbalance Assessment is Based on Physically Invalid Argo-Float-Based Estimates of Global Ocean Heat Content

Dedicated to all climate skeptics! More evidence of sloppy science and alarmism and hysteria!

Global warming is a hoax and climate change is a religion and superstition!

Climate on earth is a very complex phenomena that humans still understand very poorly! We still can not even forecast weather accurately for over 48 hours!

"An international team of scientists has published groundbreaking research revealing that the primary measurement used to support claims of planetary “warming” is fundamentally flawed and scientifically invalid. The paper, published in Science of Climate Change, demonstrates that ocean heat content (OHC) estimates, which underpin the IPCC climate assessments, are based on physically meaningless calculations that violate basic 150-year-old principles of thermodynamics and fail to meet the standards of the scientific method.
The research team ... conducted the first comprehensive analysis of how global OHC is actually measured and calculated. Their findings reveal that the widely cited figure in IPCC AR6 showing Earth accumulating energy at a rate of 0.7 ± 0.2 watts per square meter has an actual uncertainty roughly ten times larger than what the IPCC claims, making the central value “statistically indistinguishable from zero.” “The public has been told that the ocean is ‘warming’ and absorbing over 90% of ‘excess’ planetary heat,” explained Cohler. “But when we examined how these numbers are actually calculated, we found they represent computational artifacts rather than measurements of real physical energy rendering the entire process a category error.” The analysis focuses on data from the international Argo float program, a network of approximately 4,000 autonomous floats that drift through the ocean measuring temperature and other data. These measurements form the backbone of modern climate assessments, including those by the IPCC.
Even leaving aside the fundamental category error, for the sake of argument, this research nonetheless reveals multiple fundamental problems with how this data is processed.
The floats measure temperature at specific locations and depths during their 10-day cycles, but their exact underwater positions remain unknown because they lack navigation equipment while submerged. The system assigns all measured values to the location where the float surfaces once every 10 days, potentially mislocating data by tens of kilometers. The floats are typically spaced 200–500 km (120–300 miles) apart. These sparse measurements are spread across vast ocean surface area and volume using mathematical interpolation, essentially filling in unmeasured areas using assumptions rather than observations.
Most critically, the calculations violate a scientific principle established more than a century ago: temperature cannot be meaningfully averaged across systems that are not in equilibrium. “Temperature describes the state of a specific location at a specific moment,” noted co-author Dr. David R. Legates. “Averaging temperatures from different water masses separated by hundreds of kilometers and weeks of time produces a number, but that number doesn’t correspond to any physical reality.” ..."

From the abstract:
"Global ocean heat content (OHC) anomalies and derived Earth Energy Imbalance (EEI) estimates, central to contemporary climate assessments including IPCC AR6, are constructed through processes that violate the scientific method. These metrics rely almost exclusively on temperature
data from the Argo profiling float array. Their validity and reliability hinge on several critical but herein refuted assumptions about measurement representativeness, interpolation/extrapolation methods, the physical meaning of anomalies, and integration conventions. Core Argo and Biogeochemical Argo floats deliver discrete, point measurements of intensive properties like temperature along irregular, untracked three-dimensional trajectories during ascent from 2000 m to the surface. This samples only the upper ocean, excluding roughly 50% of total ocean volume and thermal energy. Horizontal positions are recorded only at surface intervals ~10 days apart, leaving subsurface locations entirely unknown. All data from each ascent are arbitrarily assigned to the
surfacing position, introducing unknown horizontal offsets (up to 50 km) and temporal offsets (up to 10 hours) for the deepest measurements. Anomalies are computed by subtracting values from statistically derived reference climatologies based on sparse historical data over arbitrary
baseline periods. Measured temperatures are then interpolated onto global 3D grids using prescribed covariance functions. These anomalies represent numerical differences without physical meaning as temperature deviations, because temperature, an intensive property, is not additive across non-equilibrium spatial or temporal domains (Essex et al., 2007; Essex & Andresen, 2018). The integrated OHC scalar depends heavily on arbitrary averaging and interpolation rules, producing computational artifacts rather than measures of actual ocean energy uptake or planetary radiative imbalance. Derived EEI values, such as the 0.7 ± 0.2 W m⁻² in IPCC AR6 Figure 7.2, inherit these biases and stem from circular methodology: CERES satellite top-of-atmosphere radiative flux measurements (absolute uncertainties ± 3–5 W m⁻² or higher) are adjusted via least-
squares to match Argo OHC-derived estimates, rather than offering independent validation. We rigorously quantify major uncertainty sources, including unresolved mesoscale variability (± 0.9 W m⁻²), deep ocean ignorance bounds (± 0.35 W m⁻² from sparse Deep Argo), polar under-
sampling (± 0.1 W m⁻²), Nyquist-Shannon aliasing in sparse deep ocean and polar sampling, sealevel budget closure discrepancy between satellite altimetry/gravimetry and Argo OHC (±0.33 Wm-2), arbitrary baseline choices (± 0.2 W m⁻²), Eulerian-Lagrangian discrepancies (± 0.25 W m⁻²),
and untracked trajectories and positional assignments. Although the concepts of OHC and EEI are thermodynamically well-defined physical quantities, the numerical values produced by current Argo-based methodologies are physically meaningless computational constructs that do not validly represent those quantities. We conclude that EEI uncertainties reach >± 1 W m⁻² at 95% confidence, roughly an order of magnitude larger than the uncertainty that IPCC AR6 reports, rendering current OHC change and EEI estimates statistically indistinguishable from zero."

Press Release: IPCC's Earth Energy Imbalance Assessment is Based on Physically Invalid Argo-Float-Based Estimates of Global Ocean Heat Content

Watching a lifetime of a small vertebrate reveals the process of aging

Amazing stuff!

"In brief
  • Stanford researchers studied African killifish to explore links between behavior and aging, revealing varied aging paths in similar environments.
  • Findings show early behavioral differences, like sleep patterns, can predict lifespan potential in individuals, suggesting insights for human aging.
  • The study’s implications extend to developing interventions for healthier aging, leveraging technology to track behavioral changes in real-time.
By midlife, an animal’s everyday behaviors can signal how long it is likely to live. ...

One of the team’s most surprising findings was how early individual aging paths begin to diverge. After following each fish through its entire lifespan, the researchers grouped animals based on how long they ultimately lived and then looked back to see when behavioral differences first emerged. They found that by early midlife (70 to 100 days of age), fish that would go on to live shorter or longer lives were already behaving differently. ...

Aging unfolds in steps [stages?]

The team’s observations also revealed that aging – in killifish, at least – does not progress as a smooth, gradual drift. Most of the fish underwent two to six rapid behavioral transitions, each lasting just a few days, followed by longer, stable stages that lasted weeks. Importantly, fish tended to progress through these stages in sequence, rather than switching back and forth between them. ...

The African turquoise killifish made that question experimentally possible. With a typical lifespan of just four to eight months, it is one of the shortest-lived vertebrates studied in the lab, yet it shares key biological features with longer-lived species like humans, including a complex brain. ..."

From the abstract:
"Mapping behavior of individual vertebrate animals across lifespan is challenging, but if achieved, could provide an unprecedented view into the life-long process of aging.
We created the first platform for high-resolution continuous behavioral tracking of a vertebrate animal across natural lifespan from adolescence to death—here, of the African killifish. This behavioral screen revealed that animals follow distinct individual aging trajectories.
The behaviors of long-lived animals differed markedly from those of short-lived animals, even relatively early in life, and were linked to organ-specific transcriptomic shifts.
Machine learning models accurately predicted age and even forecasted an individual’s future lifespan, given only behavior at a young age. Finally, we found that animals progressed through adulthood in a sequence of stable and stereotyped behavioral stages with abrupt transitions suggesting a novel structure for the architecture of vertebrate aging."

Watching a lifetime in motion reveals the architecture of aging | Stanford Report "Scientists tracking the entire life of the African turquoise killifish have discovered that behavior alone can predict whether an animal will live a long or short life."



Fig. 1 System enables continuous behavioral tracking from adolescence to death.


Tree tops sparkle with electricity during thunderstorms

Amazing stuff!

Unfortunately, the source of this article below requires one to login to see the full article! Too bad!

Tree tops sparkle with electricity during thunderstorms "Storm-driven charges ignite tiny flashes across leaves and needles, a new study reports"



Disclaimer

I  am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.

My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

No evidence ADHD is being over-diagnosed in the UK, say experts. Really!

What is ADHD anyway? Is this not a broad spectrum disorder that allows almost any kid to be diagnosed as such?

How much of normal children's behavior is diagnosed as ADHD? I bet, too much!

When is an underdiagnosis an overdiagnosis?

The more patients, the better for the business of doctors!

"In a paper, published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry, a group of experts say there is no robust evidence that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the UK. They refute the view that ‘nowadays everyone has ADHD’, which is gaining traction in public discourse and has been amplified by some leading politicians, as demand rises for NHS assessments and services. ...

“While many more people with ADHD are being recognised and treated, we are failing to support many more. Overdiagnosis is not a problem, but misdiagnosis may be as people are driven into the private sector by long waits; and sadly, missed diagnoses remain common.” ..."

From the abstract:
"When thoroughly assessed, the prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children/adolescents is estimated at 5%.
There is no evidence that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the UK. Indeed, available data point to under-diagnosis, even though rigorous updated post-COVID-19 pandemic data are not available.
Some cases may be misdiagnosed due to low-quality assessment, poor adherence to national guidance or inappropriate differential diagnosis. Beyond the controversy around over- or under-diagnosis and over-medicalisation of ordinary behaviours or emotions, the main issue is that UK clinical services cannot adequately support individuals with ADHD who need help. There is a risk that the narrative claiming ‘ADHD is over-diagnosed’ could be used to deny people with properly-diagnosed ADHD the care they deserve."

No evidence ADHD is being over-diagnosed, say experts | University of Cambridge "Experts are warning that far from being over-diagnosed, people with ADHD are waiting too long for assessment, support and treatment."

Thursday, March 12, 2026

With declining diversity, the U.S. theatrical film industry faces an uncertain future. Really!

More DEI nonsense!

Diversity by itself does not good or even great movies make! Obsession with DEI may have also contributed, besides making US movies more palatable to international audiences, to the decline of Hollywood great movie making in the past several decades!

"Key takeaways
  • The UCLA team’s latest release on theatrical film finds the industry missing opportunities to support diverse filmmakers and bring audiences back to the theater as Hollywood loses footing to foreign productions. 
  • Horror, the most common genre last year and a favorite of Black and Latino audiences, had the highest median return on investment, and demonstrates a potential place for profit growth.
  • Representation for women onscreen and behind the camera showed volatility, as female employment metrics hit a downward trend after last year’s highs, falling to 2022 and even 2018 levels.
..."

With declining diversity, the U.S. theatrical film industry faces an uncertain future  | UCLA "Studios ignore diversity’s potential for profit, according to the 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report"

Scientists identify regenerative checkpoint that limits muscle repair

Good news!

"Researchers ... have identified a molecular mechanism that constrains skeletal muscle regeneration and myofiber repair, a finding that could lead to improved treatment for conditions like muscular dystrophy and severe injury.

To repair muscle, muscle cells, or myocytes, fuse to one another. But the molecular pathways that signal this cell-to-cell fusion have remained poorly defined. ...

The team ... found that platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRb), a receptor protein located in cell membranes, is a key modulator of myocyte function in adult muscle cells. ...

Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, they found that genetic deletion of PDGFRb enhanced muscle regeneration and increased myofiber size, whereas PDGFRb activation impaired muscle repair. ..."

From the abstract:
"Muscle cell fusion is critical for the formation and maintenance of multinucleated myotubes during skeletal muscle development and regeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms directing cell-cell fusion are not fully understood.
Here, we identified platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (PDGFRβ) signaling as a key modulator of myocyte function in adult muscle cells.
Our findings demonstrated that genetic deletion of Pdgfrb enhanced muscle regeneration and increased myofiber size, whereas Pdgfrb activation impaired muscle repair.
Inhibition of PDGFRβ activity promoted myonuclear accretion in both mouse and human myotubes, whereas PDGFRβ activation stalled myotube development by preventing cell spreading to limit fusion potential.
Furthermore, PDGFRβ activity cooperated with TGF-β signaling to regulate myocyte size and fusion. Mechanistically, PDGFRβ signaling required STAT1 activation, and blocking STAT1 phosphorylation enhanced myofiber repair and size during regeneration. Collectively, PDGFRβ signaling acts as a regenerative checkpoint and represents a potential clinical target to improve skeletal muscle repair."

Scientists identify regenerative checkpoint that limits muscle repair | Cornell Chronicle



Fig. 1 PDGFRβ is induced and activated in stimulated muscle progenitor cells.



Jailed Dictator Nicolás Maduro Spends Nights in Brooklyn Prison Yelling 'I Am the President!'

Headline of the day!

What drug is this dictator on in prison? 😊 Can I try too? Just kidding! 

Report: Jailed Dictator Nicolás Maduro Spends Nights in Brooklyn Prison Yelling 'I Am the President!' "A report published by the Spanish newspaper ABC on Thursday claimed that Venezuela’s deposed socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro spends his nights in prison yelling “I am the president” and claiming that he was “kidnapped” by the U.S."


Nicolás Maduro


Unusual tumor cells may be overlooked factors in advanced breast cancer

Good news! Cancer is history (soon)!

"An enigmatic type of circulating tumor cell called a dual-positive (DP) cell is associated with shorter survival time in patients with advanced breast cancer, according to a study ...

The findings highlight the potential importance of these under-studied cells in breast cancer progression.

Circulating tumors cells are breakaway tumor cells that can seed secondary tumors (metastases) and are commonly detected in the blood of patients with cancer.
Dual-positive cells are circulating cells that bear both tumor-cell and immune-cell markers and are thought to be hybrid cells resulting from rare fusions of tumor cells with immune cells. Recent studies have linked DP cells’ presence in patients’ blood to worse outcomes in melanoma and pancreatic cancer.  ...

researchers linked DP cells to shorter survival times in patients with advanced breast cancer, especially the aggressive “triple-negative” breast cancer subtype. The team also showed with animal models that DP cells can seed breast cancer metastases. ..."

From the editor's summary and abstract:
"Editor’s summary
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that are present in the blood of patients with cancer that rarely express both epithelial and leukocyte markers, termed dual-positive cells (DPcells). Here, Reduzzi et al. evaluate the prognostic ability of these DPcells in patients with breast cancer (BC) to predict prognosis and create a preclinical mouse model of BC to understand their metastatic ability. They show association of DPcells with worse overall survival, and genomic alterations confer increased metastatic ability in mouse models. This suggests the potential of DPcells in guiding patient treatment that warrants further study.  ...

Abstract
Metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with breast cancer (BC), but the mechanisms underlying metastasis formation are still poorly understood. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are considered the main seed of metastasis with demonstrated prognostic impact in patients with BC. They are conventionally identified as cells positive for epithelial markers and lacking leukocyte markers. Nonetheless, circulating cells expressing both markers [dual-positive cells (DPcells)] have been reported but poorly investigated.
Here, we evaluated, in a cohort of 340 patients with advanced BC, the prognostic impact of DPcells, showing their association with worse survival, particularly in patients with less than five CTCs. Their prognostic value varied among BC subtypes, with greater relevance observed in triple-negative and HER2-positive BC. Moreover, by performing single-cell genomic profiling of DPcells isolated from patients, we detected genomic aberrations in 28 and 93% of analyzed DPcells and CTCs, respectively.
In vivo, DPcells were detected only in the blood of immunocompetent but not immunodeficient mice and no differences in the lung metastatic colonization ability of DPcells versus control cancer cells were observed. Our findings highlight the importance of studying this overlooked subpopulation of CTCs as a prognostic biomarker in BC, which might be particularly important in specific BC subtypes. Moreover, our results support the malignancy and metastasis-forming capability of DPcells and underline the need for future studies better defining the origin of these cells."

Unusual tumor cells may be overlooked factors in advanced breast cancer | Cornell Chronicle

High resolution mouse study shows a gut microbe can promote memory loss

Amazing stuff!

"... In a study published today in Nature, scientists show how a bacterium that is particularly common in older animals can drive memory loss. This microbe makes compounds that impair signaling along neurons connecting the gut with the brain, dampening activity in brain regions associated with learning and memory, the team found. ...

Research on the so-called gut-brain axis has exploded in recent decades. Multiple studies have identified differences in microbiome composition between healthy people and those with cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. This kind of research can’t establish cause and effect, though, and the literature is rife with conflicting results. ..."

From the abstract:
"Ageing is accompanied by declining memory function, with extremely heterogeneous manifestation in the human population.
Brain-extrinsic factors influencing cognitive decline, such as gastrointestinal signals, have emerged as attractive targets for peripheral interventions, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear.
Here, by charting a high-resolution map of microbiome ageing and its functional consequences throughout the lifespan of mice, we identify a mechanism by which inhibition of gut–brain signalling during ageing results in impaired neuronal activation in the hippocampus and loss of memory encoding. Specifically, accumulation of gut bacteria that produce medium-chain fatty acids, such as Parabacteroides goldsteinii, can drive peripheral myeloid cell inflammation through GPR84 signalling. As a result, the function of vagal afferent neurons is impaired, the interoceptive signal received by the brain is weakened and hippocampal function declines.
We leverage this pathway to define interventions that enhance memory in aged mice, such as phage targeting of Parabacteroides, GPR84 inhibition and restoration of vagal activity. These findings indicate a key role for interoceptive dysfunction in brain ageing and suggest that interoceptomimetics that stimulate gut–brain communication may counteract age-associated cognitive decline."

‘Tour de force’ mouse study shows a gut microbe can promote memory loss | Science | AAAS "Research suggests the microbiome may contribute to cognitive decline—but its relevance in humans is unclear"


Fig. 1: Microbiome impact on age-associated cognitive decline.


Price tag for Epic Fury (war on Iran) tops $11 billion in first six days, Pentagon tells Congress

And the war on Iran is not over yet! Making war is expensive! Make love not war (as the war protesters used to say in the 1960s)! :-)

"Pentagon officials told senators in a classified briefing this week that the first six days of Operation Epic Fury cost American taxpayers an estimated $11.3 billion, according to a person familiar with the session.

The figure, however, omitted a range of war-related expenses, indicating the overall total is likely to rise. ..."

Price tag for Epic Fury tops $11 billion in first six days, Pentagon tells Congress

Ukrainian advisors to teach German army how to win a modern war by 2029

Good news! Just what the German army needs!

"Ukrainian military instructors will deploy to German army schools to help the Bundeswehr meet a readiness target against a hypothetical Russian attack on NATO by 2029, the head of the German army said Wednesday.

The announcement, reported by Reuters, marks a striking role reversal from years of Western forces training Ukrainian troops and underscores the value of lessons learned on the increasingly drone-dominated battlefield of the Russian invasion. ...

Their expertise will span artillery, engineering, armored operations, drone employment, and command and control − precisely the capability types where the Ukraine war has produced the most rapidly evolving battlefield lessons. The move reflects growing recognition across NATO that European armies have more to learn from Kyiv than they can offer in return.​ ..."

Ukrainian advisors to teach German army how to win a modern war by 2029

Bilder aus der Bananenrepublik D

Ohne Worte!

 "Ein Bild mit Symbolkraft: Das AfD-Bürgerbüro in Ludwigshafen ist mit PKK-Schriftzügen beschmiert."

Nius



Strom aus dem Fluss: Erstes Schwarmkraftwerk startet am Rhein

Die spinnen, die Deutschen! Was für eine Umweltverschandelung!

Strom aus dem Fluss: Erstes Schwarmkraftwerk startet am Rhein "Neue Wasserkraft: Ein Schwarm aus Mini-Turbinen soll im Rhein Strom für hunderte Haushalte liefern. Wie das Strömungskraftwerk funktioniert."

Drei Energyfische schwimmen bereits auf dem Rhein bei St. Goar. Es sollen über 100 werden, die Strom für einige hundert Haushalte liefern.


English for trippers: Improve to improvise

 Make it up as you go along! Prove it!

Chart of the day

Welch ein Gefälle! 

Quelle



Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Iranian attacks U.S. data centers in two Gulf states, a first in war

 Bad news!

"Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched coordinated drone attacks on Amazon Web Services data centers across the UAE and Bahrain early Sunday morning, striking what appears to be the first deliberate military targeting of commercial datacenter infrastructure. An Iranian Shahed 136 drone hit an AWS facility in the UAE, triggering a devastating fire and power shutdown; follow-up strikes hit additional datacenters. The attacks disrupted services for millions of residents—payment apps, food delivery, and banking systems failed across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, although the military impact remains unclear. Iranian state media claimed the strikes targeted facilities supporting US military and intelligence operations. ..."

The Batch, Data Points


Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Friedrich Merz verweigert jede Reform der Energiepolitik. Er muss gehen von Roland Tichy

Neues aus der Bananenrepublik D! Ist Friedrich Merz auch so ein Volldepp von lebenslangen Berufspolitiker, von denen es leider viel zu viele gibt?

"Deutschland stürzt in eine Wirtschafts-, Gesellschafts- und Versorgungskrise. Beispiel Energiepolitik: Wir alle wissen, dass Merkels „Energiewende“ in das Geschichtsbuch als einer der größten Irrtümer, ja Dummheiten der Menschheit eingehen wird. Nun hat selbst die EU in Person der CDU-Kommissionspräsidentin den Atomaussteig als „strategischen Fehler“ bezeichnet. Wie reagiert Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz darauf?

Fehler sind irreversibel

„Der Beschluss [zum Atomausstieg] ist irreversibel. Ich bedauere das, aber es ist so – und wir konzentrieren uns nun auf die Energiepolitik, die wir haben.“ ..."

Friedrich Merz verweigert jede Reform. Er muss gehen "Dieser Bundeskanzler verdankt sein Amt der SPD und den Linken, im Gegenzug verweigert er jede Reform. Er ist der Kanzler der krepierenden SPD und der SED-„Die Linke“. Er muss gehen, ehe das Land vollständig in einer Staats- und Wirtschaftskrise versinkt."

Friedrich Merz


Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Ukraine is slashing its reliance on Chinese components in drone production

How much are other, Western countries dependent on Chinese components for drones?

"Ukraine is slashing its reliance on Chinese components in drone production, boosting domestic manufacturing as drones dominate the battlefield. Ukrainian-made drones now account for more than 90% of Russian battlefield losses, with Chinese parts dropping to just 38% of components, down from near-total dependence in 2022." (Kyiv Post)

Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

U.N. Secretary-General Guterres again to Fast with Muslims in Strict Ramadan Observance in Turkey

Proves again what an utter fool this man is!

Does Guterres do similar things for other major religions? The lazy journalist of this article below did not tell, perhaps not even investigate!

U.N. Chief Guterres to Fast with Muslims in Strict Ramadan Observance "U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Turkey on Wednesday as part of what his office calls an “annual Ramadan solidarity visit,” where he is joining fasting Muslims while calling for the world to “eradicate the scourge of Islamophobia from every country and community.”"


U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres


Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Chart of the day

What stunning turnaround since about 2005! Drill, baby drill (or renewed domestic production)! Note, the chart show net imports (exports - imports)! 

Thanks to President Trump's two terms the trend continues!


Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.


US Defense Department eyes cheap commercial satellites that can spy on other satellites

Amazing stuff! A spy to spy on other spies!

"The Pentagon is looking for cheap commercial satellites that can maintain surveillance on other satellites in orbit, including close-range inspections, according to a Defense Innovation Unit solicitation published Tuesday.

The Geosynchronous High-Resolution Optical Space-Based Tactical Reconnaissance project — also referred to as “Ghost Recon” (as in the Tom Clancy novels and video games) — is intended to address a vulnerability in America’s space-monitoring capabilities. ..."

DOD eyes commercial satellites that can spy on other satellites


Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Damalige Verteidigungsministerin von der Leyen (CDU) liess 25 Kitas auf Kasernengeländen bauen

Flintenuschi hat es möglich gemacht! War das nicht schon damals sehr naiv?

Hätte ein anderer Verteidigungsminister denselben Fehler begangen? Wahrscheinlich ja!

War es damals unbekannt, dass Kasernen militärische Ziele darstellen? 

"Exklusiv: Unterschätztes Risiko im Kriegsfall: 25 Kitas liegen in Deutschland auf militärischem Gelände

Als Verteidigungsministerin trieb Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) den systematischen Ausbau der Kinderbetreuung auf Kasernengeländen in Deutschland voran. Heute befinden sich nach Angaben des Verteidigungsministeriums 25 solcher Einrichtungen auf militärischen Liegenschaften.

Spätestens seit dem Angriff auf eine Mädchenschule im Iran stellt sich eine heikle politische Frage: Ist es verantwortbar, Kinder ausgerechnet dort betreuen zu lassen, wo im Ernstfall wohl priorisiert angegriffen würde? ..."

Kanzler Friedrich Merz vs. Vizekanzler Lars Klingbeil: Einer wird bei der Wahl in Rheinland-Pfalz verlieren


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I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Nutrition policy scholar Nestle to speak on food and politics

Headline of the day! Nestle is one of the largest food companies in the world!

Nutrition policy scholar Marion Nestle to speak March 19 | Cornell Chronicle

Marion Nestle


Trump announces first US oil refinery in 50 years to open in Texas with investment from an Indian company, a $300 billion project

Good news!

"Key Points

Trump announced a $300 billion refinery project backed by Reliance Industries.

The plant was planned for Brownsville, Texas, processing U.S. shale oil.

Trump said it would be the first new U.S. refinery in 50 years. ...

The refinery will process 1.2 billion barrels of U.S. light shale oil, valued at $125 billion, and produce 50 billion gallons of refined products worth $175 billion. ..."

Breaking News!

Trump says U.S. will build first refinery in 50 years with investment from India’s Reliance Industries


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I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

International Energy Agency announces release of crude oil from global strategic reserves

Wow!

"The act will be the largest release of crude from global strategic reserves in history."

''International Energy Agency’s announcement that its member countries would release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves." (WSJ)

Breaking News!

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I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Google Scholar Annoyances

Update: As of late afternoon 2026-03-11, I can not even use Chrome browser incognito window anymore to avoid being blocked! Grrrr! The Mozilla browser did not help either!

This really stinks! Since about yesterday I have been locked out of Google Scholar. I have tried many times since yesterday, but it will always show this! Unfortunately, I am a heavy user of Google Scholar!!!

Unfortunately, the usual test to show I am not robot does not pop up!

Plus, I am a paying customer of Google, I have a subscription for my Google account. I was logged into the Browser with my main Google email address! How stupid is Google????

P.S. Yesterday, I was able to get around this annoyance by using a Chrome browser incognito window.



Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China. My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

The timing of rewards plays a key role in learning, identifying a new biological principle governing learning

When scientific research confirms the obvious! Of course, besides size/value and frequency of rewards, timing of rewards matters too!

"... Researchers ... recently carried out a mouse study challenging this assumption, suggesting that the strength of reward-based learning also depends on the timing between rewards and not just on how many times a mouse is rewarded after the same stimulus. Their paper, published in Nature Neuroscience, could reshape existing models of learning, decision-making and potentially even addiction. ..."

From the abstract:
"Learning the causes of rewards is crucial for survival. Cue–reward associative learning is controlled in the brain by mesolimbic dopamine. It is widely believed that dopamine drives learning by conveying a reward prediction error. Dopamine-based learning algorithms are generally ‘trial-based’: learning progresses sequentially across individual cue–outcome experiences. A foundational assumption of these models is that the more cue–reward pairings one experiences over a fixed duration, the more one learns this association.
By identifying a new biological principle governing learning, we disprove this assumption. Specifically, across many conditions in mice, we show that behavioral and dopaminergic learning rates are proportional to the duration between rewards (or punishments). Due to this rule, the overall learning over a fixed duration is independent of the number of cue–outcome experiences. A dopamine-based model of retrospective learning explains these findings, thereby providing a unified account of the biological mechanisms of learning."

The timing of rewards plays a key role in learning, study finds



Fig. 3: Learning rate scales proportionally with reward frequency across a range of trial spacing intervals.




Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Google rolls out new Gemini capabilities to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive

Good news! As a heavy user of the Google Office & Drive apps I am delighted. However behind the Great Firewall of China, I have some access problems!

"Google announced on Tuesday that it’s bringing a slew of new Gemini-powered AI capabilities to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive. The new features let users do things like quickly generate fully formatted first drafts, slides, and sheets based on information from their Gmail, Chat, and Drive. ..."

Google rolls out new Gemini capabilities to Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive | TechCrunch

Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Uzbekistan's Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in 7 months to $2.3B

Good news!

"Uzbekistan fintech Uzum has reached a $2.3 billion valuation — about 53% higher than just seven months ago — as investors place growing bets on the country’s emerging digital economy.

The valuation stems from a $131.5 million investment led by sovereign wealth funds from Oman, with participation from existing investors, including Tencent, VR Capital, and FinSight Ventures. ...

Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous country, emerges as one of the region’s fastest-growing digital economies, driven by a young population, rapid smartphone adoption, and low [fast] penetration of online retail and banking services. ..."

Uzbekistan's Uzum valuation leaps over 50% in 7 months to $2.3B | TechCrunch



Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

YouTube surpasses Disney, Paramount, WBD in 2025 ad revenue

 Good news! YouTube is now among the largest media companies by revenue!

"... YouTube pulled in $40.4 billion in ad revenue last year, which is more than Disney, NBC, Paramount, and Warner Bros. Discovery combined. ...

Last month, parent company Alphabet reported that YouTube’s total revenue in 2025 soared to $60 billion. A big portion of YouTube’s revenue now comes from subscriptions, which include services like YouTube TV, YouTube Premium, YouTube Music, and NFL Sunday Ticket. (For context, that’s well above Netflix’s reported $45.2 billion for the full year.) ..."

YouTube surpasses Disney, Paramount, WBD in 2025 ad revenue

Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Is Russia perhaps one of the biggest winners of the war against Iran?

Quite possible! Putin the Terrible may want to thank President Trump for that!

Russian oil is in higher demand again and sanctions are ignored!

US support and arms exports to Ukraine may suffer!

However, the war on Iran will most likely be short. Hopefully, the people of Iran will finally get rid of the theocratic dictatorship to form a better government and Peace in the Middle East will become a reality!

Disclaimer
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China. My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.


What’s the science behind acupuncture?

This is still a question today? Acupuncture has become a recognized treatment option some 50 years ago in Western countries.

Is it not still a fringe form of treatment?

"... Although the picture remains incomplete, several lines of research are elucidating the biological underpinnings of acupuncture. They include the involvement of endogenous opioids and the role of loose connective tissue—including fascia, a body-wide network of collagen fibers embedded in an extracellular matrix rich in hyaluronic acid and other proteins. This tissue could be the medium that transmits the effects of local needling to distant systems, echoing the TCM concept of meridians.

By giving ancient ideas a modern scientific footing, recent discoveries are bolstering Western acceptance and strengthening the case that acupuncture’s benefits are not just a placebo effect. ..."

What’s the science behind acupuncture? | PNAS "Recent studies offer insights into how the ancient technique works, while newer approaches are bolstering acupuncture with insights from Western medicine."

Disclaimer
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

EU Von der Leyen nennt Atom-Ausstieg strategischen Fehler. Wirklich!

Der wahnsinnige Atomausstieg Deutschlands war einer der Gründe warum D zu einer Bananenrepublik verkommen ist! Wenn zu viele Gartenzwerge regieren und zu viele Wähler grün hinter den Ohren und geistig unbedarft sind!

Wieviele Kernkraftwerke werden im Nachbarland Frankreich betrieben? Mehrere Dutzend!

Wieviele Kohlekraftwerke hat China in den vergangenen zwei Jahrzehnten oder so gebaut? Hunderte! Nur die dummen Deutschen haben ihre funktionierenden Atomkraftwerke mutwillig abgeschaltet!
 
Von der Leyen nennt Atom-Ausstieg strategischen Fehler "Erst trieb Europas Sackgassen-Politik durch grüne Ideologie Strompreise und Deindustrialisierung, jetzt entdeckt Ursula von der Leyen die Kernkraft neu. Die angeschlagene Frau an der Spitze der EU erklärt die Abkehr von Atomkraft als strategischen Fehler. Es ist das zu späte Eingeständnis des eigenen Versagens."

Disclaimer:
I am currently blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China.
My Internet service in China is very spotty. Thus, I am not able to blog as usual.

Monday, March 09, 2026

US & Israel continue to strike Law Enforcement Command centers in Iran

Good news! Yesterday, it was reported that paramilitary units (associated with suppressing unrest) in Iran were attacked.

What are the Iranian people waiting for? I have not seen any recent reports that the Iranian people are staging any insurrection/revolution to topple the theocracy/dictatorship (Caveat: Behind the Great Firewall of China my access to current news is limited).

"The combined force also continued to strike Law Enforcement Command (LEC) institutions in central and western Iran. The IDF confirmed on March 9 that it struck the Esfahan City LEC Headquarters. The combined force previously struck the Esfahan Province LEC Headquarters." (Iran Update Morning Special Report, March 9, 2026)

FDP – Aus und vorbei!

Die FDP hat es nicht besser verdient! 

Warum hat die FDP z.B. an solchen Deppen wie Christian Lindner so lange festgehalten!

Mein verstorbener Vater und ich haben die FDP in der Vergangenheit über viele Jahre unterstützt.

"... Der historisch erste Rauswurf durch die Wähler im liberalen Stammland Baden-Württemberg, wo die FDP einst auch als Demokratische Volkspartei (DVP) firmierte, ist das Signal für den wohl endgültigen Untergang einer seit 77 Jahren traditionsreichen liberalen Partei. ..."

FDP – Aus und vorbei! "Mit der deftigen Wahlniederlage in Baden-Württemberg sind die Freidemokraten inzwischen aus zehn Parlamenten von Bund und Ländern herausgeflogen. Weitere Existenzverluste in Rheinland-Pfalz, Sachsen-Anhalt und Mecklenburg-Vorpommern folgen. Die traditionsreiche FDP gibt es dann praktisch nicht mehr."

Trump's sons want to buy Ukrainian drone companies via a publicly traded golf-course holding company

 Amazing stuff! Anything goes! The drone rush is on! :-)

"Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are backing a new drone company that’s vying to meet Pentagon demand and fill a hole left by the administration’s ban on new Chinese drones in the U.S.

Powerus is merging with a publicly traded golf-course holding company backed by the Trumps, drone-company executives said. The reverse merger will result in Powerus trading on the Nasdaq in the coming months. The company’s co-founder said it’s working on deals to acquire Ukrainian drone companies or license their technology and build and white-label it in the U.S. He declined to share details." (Source)

Anthropic sued the Trump administration for designating it a security threat. Really!

Is this a frivolous lawsuit by Anthropic? Quite possibly!

It is probably well within the discretion and authority of the US President to designate a US company as such a threat.

".. The DOD and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are among the defendants. “President Trump will never allow a radical-left, woke company to jeopardize our national security by dictating how the greatest and most powerful military in the world operates,” the White House said. ..." (Source)

Ukraine will send drone specialists to the Middle East

 Good news! 

"But President Zelensky said Ukraine will send drone specialists to the Middle East this week as Kyiv seeks to trade its expertise in countering Iranian-designed drones for additional US-made air defense missiles."

Kyiv to Deploy Drone Specialists to Middle East as Zelensky Floats Missile Trade "Kyiv to Deploy Drone Specialists to Middle East as Zelensky Floats Missile Trade"

Sunday, March 08, 2026

Croatia is officially free of landmines

Good news! Unexploded landmines and ordnance are horrible reminders long after a war has ended. How many children have been maimed in the past? 

"Croatia is officially free of landmines set during its 1990s war of independence."

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup

New gene-sequencing system can read an entire human genome for about $100.

 Good news!

"A San Diego biotech startup claims its new gene-sequencing system can read an entire human genome for about $100."

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup


Aurora Innovation, a self-driving truck company, has expanded its network to 10 routes in Texas and Arizona

 Good news!

"Aurora Innovation, a self-driving truck company, has expanded its network to 10 routes, including a 1,000-mile circuit between Fort Worth, Texas, and Phoenix, Arizona. On such long routes, the company says its trucks can cut transit times in half by avoiding regulations that limit the number of hours a human trucker can drive continuously."

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup

Remote work by couples may help boost fertility

Closeness makes a difference! Just one touch away! :-)

Governments of so many countries around the world are struggling to get the birth rate up of their population to counteract e.g. aging populations. How about tax incentives for couples to work from home and their employers? :-)

"A new working paper suggests that remote work may help boost fertility. Using survey data from 38 high- and middle-income countries, the researchers found that couples who work from home at least one day a week have about 0.32 more children on average than those who don’t."

Doomslayer: Progress Roundup

Amygdala volume linked to increased social tolerance in macaques

Amazing stuff! A very interesting study!

"Researchers have found that the size of the amygdala—a region of the brain involved in processing emotions—could be linked to social tolerance in macaque monkeys. Their research ... is described by the editors as important work with a convincing methodological approach, offering new insights into the neural basis of social and emotional processing. ..."

From the editor's summary:
"This important work compares the size of two brain areas, the amygdala and the hippocampus, across 12 species belonging to the Macaca genus. The authors find, using a convincing methodological approach, that amygdala - but not hippocampal - volume varies with social tolerance grade, with high tolerance species showing larger amygdala than low tolerance species of macaques. Interestingly, their findings also suggest an inverted developmental effect, with intolerant species showing an increase in amygdala volume across the lifespan, compared to tolerant species exhibiting the opposite trend. Overall, this paper offers new insights into the neural basis of social and emotional processing."

From the abstract:
"The macaque genus includes 25 species with diverse social systems, ranging from low to high social tolerance grades. Such interspecific behavioral variability provides a unique model to tackle the evolutionary foundation of primate social brain. Yet, the neuroanatomical correlates of these social tolerance grades remain unknown.
To address this question, we expressed social tolerance grades within a novel cognitive framework and analyzed post-mortem structural scans from 12 macaque species. Our results show that amygdala volume is a subcortical predictor of macaques’ social tolerance, with high tolerance species exhibiting larger amygdala than low tolerance ones.
We further investigated the developmental trajectory of amygdala across social grades and found that intolerant species showed a gradual increase in relative amygdala volume across the lifespan. Unexpectedly, tolerant species exhibited a decrease in relative amygdala volume across the lifespan, contrasting with the age-related increase observed in intolerant species—a developmental pattern previously undescribed in primates. Taken together, these findings provide valuable insights into the cognitive, neuroanatomical, and evolutionary basis of primates’ social behaviors."

Brain structure volume linked to increased social tolerance in macaques


Saturday, March 07, 2026

Blogging from behind the Great Firewall of China

Since I arrived in China on 2/26/2026, I have only a very spotty Internet access. Some webpages are not rendered properly in the Chrome browser etc.

Thus, I have a hard time to write my usual blog posts. A lot of my sources etc. are censored and not accessible.

My sincere apologies!

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

In loving memory of those whose lives were stolen by illegal alien crime - White House

A very long list of names! Count not provided! No background on circumstances etc!

A very poorly/lousily done video President Trump! E.g. it does not explain how these names were selected!

In loving memory of those whose lives were stolen by illegal alien crime - YouTube

Budget 2026-27: Hong Kong operating surplus of HK$51.3 billion forecast

How many Western countries can claim a significant government budget surplus?

Budget 2026-27: Hong Kong operating surplus of HK$51.3 billion forecast | South China Morning Post "Financial secretary will lead tax policy review and seek HK$20 billion in funding for cross-border I&T hub and tech zone"

The Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian (1987) • TopPop - YouTube

Enjoy! 

(247) The Bangles - Walk Like An Egyptian (1987) • TopPop - YouTube

Trinidad and Tobago warms up to Washington instead of Venezuela

Recommendable! More steel drums for Trump!

(247) Trinidad and Tobago warms up to WashingtonーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS - YouTube

'You should be ashamed': Trump shuts down heckling Ilhan Omar

Recommendable! Trump is blunt and to the point!

(247) 'You should be ashamed': Trump shuts down heckling Ilhan Omar - YouTube

How Russia has finetuned its disinformation campaign in 4 years of Ukraine war

Recommendable! Amazing how much disinformation to discredit the Ukraine or its president the propaganda machine of Putin the Terrible produces! Don't be fooled!

(247) How Russia has finetuned its disinformation campaign in 4 years of Ukraine war • FRANCE 24 English - YouTube

Did El Mencho's Girlfriend Lead Mexico's Forces to Him? with Palki Sharma

Recommendable! Palki provides some historical background on organized crime in Mexico!

(241) Did El Mencho's Girlfriend Lead Mexico's Forces to Him? | Vantage with Palki Sharma - YouTube

India Unveils First-ever Counter-terrorism Policy with Palki Sharma

Good news! Recommendable!

(241) India Unveils First-ever Counter-terrorism Policy | Vantage with Palki Sharma - YouTube

It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids

What a waste of taxpayers' money given the e.g. $7,500 federal tax subsidy [credits] for the purchase of such vehicles!

Apparently, these plug-in hybrids also do not meet reductions in CO2 emissions as expected!

"Plug-in hybrid vehicles are often touted as a bridge to battery-electric vehicles, promising to slash emissions by operating as EVs for short trips while relying on fossil fuels for longer ones. ...

They only deliver on that promise if they’re regularly charged. Real-world data drawn from the vehicles’ onboard computers shows that’s often not the case.

Using that data, the Fraunhofer Institute could determine how much of that energy came from charging when plugged in. It found that less than a third of 1 million PHEVs in Germany plugged in either occasionally or not at all. ...

Studies have previously shown that PHEVs produce about 3.5 times more emissions than their official ratings would suggest. This new study explains why since it directly assesses how much electricity the vehicles gained from charging. (PHEVs, like all hybrids, can operate in a mixed mode, using both gas and electricity. The study used data straight off the vehicles to disentangle the two.)

One of PHEV’s many shortcomings are their anemic batteries, capable of powering the vehicle for short distances. Some can only traverse a handful of miles, while many sold in recent years can operate on battery power for about 20 to 30 miles. ..."

From the abstract:
"The energy consumption of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) is significantly higher in real-world driving than in type approval procedures. An evaluation of one million vehicles highlights this major difference and points to the need for action in EU emissions regulation."

"... Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are sometimes treated as a bridging technology and benefit from favorable credits toward CO₂ fleet targets in European regulations. Type-approval is based on assumptions about high electric driving shares, which are not confirmed in practice. Current OBFCM data show that the real fuel consumption of PHEVs averages around 5.8–6.1 l/100 km, which corresponds to CO₂ emissions of around 140 g CO2/km. Even under optimal charging conditions (= driving exclusively in charge-depleting mode), today's PHEVs do not achieve truly low emission ..."

It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids | TechCrunch