Researchers 3D print a miniature vacuum pump

Good news! This appears to be a major advance!

"... But building an inexpensive, portable mass spectrometer that could be deployed in remote locations remains a challenge, partly due to the difficulty of miniaturizing the vacuum pump it needs to operate at a low cost. ..."

From the highlights and abstract:

"Highlights

• Study reports the first 3D-printed peristaltic vacuum pumps.

• Devices create and maintain dry vacuum in compact systems, e.g., mass spectrometers.

• Novel pump design creates and maintains low vacuum at low actuation speed.

• Pumps can attain base pressures as low as 9 Torr and move up to 10 sccm flowrate.

• Pump reduced order model predicts base pressure is linear with pumping period.

Abstract

This study reports the design, fabrication, and characterization of the first 3D-printed peristaltic pumps for creating and maintaining dry vacuum in compact systems. The pumps implement a novel actuator design with a notched cross-section that requires less than half the force to fully seal, making it possible to create and maintain low vacuum at low actuation speed. The devices are made via multi-material extrusion: the rigid parts of the pumps are made in polylactic acid (PLA), while the compliant parts of the pumps are made in FiberFlex 40D—a relatively new flexible material that is easier to print than mainstream Ninjaflex, even though the two materials have similar hardness. A novel, analytical, reduced order model of a peristaltic vacuum pump is also presented to provide insights into its operation, while identifying the key parameters to optimize and improve its performance. Characterization of 3D-printed FiberFlex 40D demonstrates >105 cycles fatigue life, and its hyperelastic behavior is satisfactorily described by the Mooney Rivlin model. Experimental characterization of pump prototypes demonstrates the devices attain an order of magnitude lower base pressure than a state-of-the-art, single-stage, miniaturized diaphragm vacuum pump. The technology is of interest for in-situ, low-waste manufacturing of analytical hardware far from population centers, including in-space manufacturing and space colonization."

Researchers 3D print a miniature vacuum pump | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology The device would be a key component of a portable mass spectrometer that could help monitor pollutants, perform medical diagnoses in remote areas, or test Martian soil.

Compact peristaltic vacuum pumps via multi-material extrusion

Graphical abstract

Israel Aerospace unveils unmanned, autonomous mini submarine

We may have autonomous submarines long before autonomous cars! There are no traffic signs under water! 😊 Plus, the military advantages!

Israel Aerospace unveils unmanned submarine - Globes The unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle capabilities include intelligence-gathering for both maritime and coastal targets, acoustic intelligence, and identifying the presence of naval mines.

The Tragic Mistake that Broke the American Economy (The Smoot-Hawley Tariff) | Arthur Laffer

Recommendable!

Astronomers catch a star swallowing a planet (for the first time) in our galaxy

Recommendable! The earth maybe swallowed by the sun in about 5 billion years.

Suspected female cyanide serial killer charged with 14 counts of premeditated murder over several years

Welcome to the age of gender equality! Another Me Too event!

Picture of the day

What does FBI stand for again? 

US, China Have a New Battleground: the Moon with Palki Sharma

Recommendable!

India, China Rethinking Their Neutrality On Ukraine? with Palki Sharma

Wow! This could be a huge development in the Russo-Ukrainian war!

"India and China supported a key UN resolution on Russia’s war last week. The resolution had a mention of “aggression by the Russian Federation”. Are India and China rethinking their neutrality on Ukraine?"

OECD-Mindestunternehmenssteuer: Selten war eine Schweizer Volksabstimmung von so globaler Wichtigkeit!

Werden die Schweizer Bürger die Welt vor einem großen und gefährlichen Unsinn retten? Beten und Hoffen!

Ich vertraue auf die Besonnenheit der Schweizer Bürger diese Maßnahme abzulehnen! Erinnert euch des Rütlischwur!

Das immer Steuereinnahmen gierige Big Government hasst den Steuerwettbewerb! Wenn die OECD damit durchkommt, war das erst der Anfang! Wehret den Anfängen der Allmacht des Staates!

Wieder so ein Beispiel ätzender Globalisierung durch Zwangsvereinheitlichung!

OECD-Mindeststeuer: Das ändert sich bei einem Ja Rund 140 Länder, einschliesslich der Schweiz, haben sich auf die Einführung einer Mindeststeuer für internationale Grosskonzerne von 15 Prozent des Gewinns geeinigt. Bundesrat und Parlament haben die Schweizer Umsetzung beschlossen. Das Volk stimmt am 18. Juni darüber ab.

Crosslinkers force mixed plastics to blend may e.g. make recycling easier

Could be a promising approach to better plastic recycling!

Alert: Plastophobia is a serious disease. Please seek immediate medical attention! (Caution: satire)

"... Separation takes work, but recycled mixed plastic is weak and often unsuitable for reuse. To get the plastics to mix better, scientists ... incorporated cross-linker molecules as part of the recycling process ... The result is stronger recycled plastic from common polymers, including low-density polyethylene and high-density polyethylene. When combined for recycling, different types of plastic tend to form blobs instead of mixing smoothly ... But adding 5% by weight of bis(diazirine)-based cross-linkers evens out the blobs. ..."

Crosslinkers force mixed plastics to blend Method makes stronger plastics, might mean easier recycling

Dynamic crosslinking compatibilizes immiscible mixed plastics (no public access)

Female lifeguard applicant who identifies as male exposes 'bare breasts' in front of 'several dozen children' at city pool

Shall we presume that most self proclaimed transgender individuals that have not undergone genital mutilation (i.e. castration or double mastectomy + penis attachment) are actually some kind of imposters? Food for thought!

Welcome to the age of gender equality! Another Me Too event!

Hopefully, the celebrity cult of LGBTQ has reached its zenith. Human fads and follies come and go!

Why is she not a lifeguard at a nudist beach? She could then even bare all! Or is she just an old fashioned flasher? 😊

Female lifeguard applicant who identifies as male exposes 'bare breasts' in front of 'several dozen children' at city pool - TheBlaze

Burst of brain activity during dying could explain life passing before your eyes

Amazing stuff! Are we beginning to learn more about our soul?

"... The team identified four patients who passed away due to cardiac arrest in the hospital while under EEG monitoring. All four of the patients were comatose and unresponsive. They were ultimately determined to be beyond medical help and, with their families’ permission, removed from life support.

Upon removal of ventilator support, two of the patients showed an increase in heart rate along with a surge of gamma wave activity, considered the fastest brain activity and associated with consciousness.
Furthermore, the activity was detected in the so-called hot zone of neural correlates of consciousness in the brain, the junction between the temporal, parietal and occipital lobes in the back of the brain. This area has been correlated with dreaming, visual hallucinations in epilepsy, and altered states of consciousness in other brain studies. ...
Because of the small sample size, the authors caution against making any global statements about the implications of the findings. ..."

From the significance and abstract:

"Significance

Is it possible for the human brain to be activated by the dying process? We addressed this issue by analyzing the electroencephalograms (EEG) of four dying patients before and after the clinical withdrawal of their ventilatory support and found that the resultant global hypoxia markedly stimulated gamma activities in two of the patients. The surge of gamma connectivity was both local, within the temporo–parieto–occipital (TPO) junctions, and global between the TPO zones and the contralateral prefrontal areas. While the mechanisms and physiological significance of these findings remain to be fully explored, these data demonstrate that the dying brain can still be active. They also suggest the need to reevaluate role of the brain during cardiac arrest.

Abstract

The brain is assumed to be hypoactive during cardiac arrest. However, animal models of cardiac and respiratory arrest demonstrate a surge of gamma oscillations and functional connectivity. To investigate whether these preclinical findings translate to humans, we analyzed electroencephalogram and electrocardiogram signals in four comatose dying patients before and after the withdrawal of ventilatory support. Two of the four patients exhibited a rapid and marked surge of gamma power, surge of cross-frequency coupling of gamma waves with slower oscillations, and increased interhemispheric functional and directed connectivity in gamma bands. High-frequency oscillations paralleled the activation of beta/gamma cross-frequency coupling within the somatosensory cortices. Importantly, both patients displayed surges of functional and directed connectivity at multiple frequency bands within the posterior cortical “hot zone,” a region postulated to be critical for conscious processing. This gamma activity was stimulated by global hypoxia and surged further as cardiac conditions deteriorated in the dying patients. These data demonstrate that the surge of gamma power and connectivity observed in animal models of cardiac arrest can be observed in select patients during the process of dying."

Evidence of conscious-like activity in the dying brain  A small study finds intriguing brain wave patterns in comatose patients who died following cardiac arrest. Reports of near-death experiences -- with tales of white light, visits from departed loved ones, hearing voices, among other attributes -- capture our imagination and are deeply engrained in our cultural landscape.

Evidence of conscious-like activity in the dying brain A study finds intriguing brain wave patterns in comatose patients who died following cardiac arrest

Surge of neurophysiological coupling and connectivity of gamma oscillations in the dying human brain (open access)

Fig. 1 Global hypoxia-induced surge of high-frequency oscillations in the brain of dying patients.

Indians in top leadership positions

It is absolutely astonishing how many Indians are in top leadership positions in various countries.

India also has the largest diaspora in the world with about 18 million people!

Just a short list (in no particular order and by no means complete):

1. Prime Minister of the UK
2. Mayor of London (slight correction, Pakistani background)
3. CEO of Microsoft
4. CEO of IBM
5. CEO of Google/Alphabet
6. Novartis
7. Adobe
8. Prime Minister of Portugal
9. Minister of Defense, Canada
10. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Singapore

Mistress Kamala (U.S. Vice President) deserves a passing mention here!

Pandemie und Einsamkeit fördern mehr Internet-Sucht auch bei Älteren

Das Internet ist kein Ersatz für zwischenmenschlichen Kontakt! Das wird wohl auch noch in der naher Zukunft zutreffen!

Die Symbiose zwischen Mensch und Technik wird noch viel weiter gehen!

Hinweis: Habe den Artikel nicht gelesen.

Pandemie und Einsamkeit fördern mehr Internet-Sucht bei Älteren Ständig am Handy oder Computer zu hängen, ist nicht nur ein Laster der Jugend. Auch Erwachsene und Senioren sind von Internetsucht gefährdet, warnen Psychologen.

Das Menetekel Viessmann: Jeder zweite Familienunternehmer würde Betrieb heute außerhalb der Bananenrepublik aufbauen

Schlechte Nachrichten! Aber eine im Klimawahn verhaftete Bananenrepublik D. verdient es nicht besser!

"... Doch das Gesamtbild für den Standort Deutschland ist besorgniserregend. Das Stimmungsbild wird jetzt auch mit einer Umfrage des Verbandes Die Familienunternehmer unter 845 seiner Mitglieder deutlich: ..."

Das Menetekel Viessmann: Jeder zweite Familienunternehmer würde Betrieb heute anderswo aufbauen - Die Deutsche Wirtschaft Deindustrialisierung – das ist kein anschwellender Bocksgesang mehr. Mehr und mehr Akteure verlassen die Bühne Deutschland, ganz konkret. Stars wie Biontech oder jetzt Viessmann werden besonders wahrgenommen, doch wie eine Studie unter Familienunternehmer jetzt zeigt: Fast jeder zweite Unternehmer denkt an Verkauf.

Can India compete with China and the US as Leading Economic Superpower?

Yes it can! Western countries better get ready to do business!

Caveat: I did not fully read the following article!

"India is very much a country on the up.

Although the South Asian country gained independence from the UK in 1947, its economy only started to make substantial improvements in the 1990s, after a number of economic reforms were introduced. In addition to strengthening the banking sector and modernizing the stock markets, these reforms opened the Indian economy to inordinate amounts of foreign investment.

By 2015, India was home to the most rapidly growing major economy in the world.

By 2075, the Indian economy is expected to outperform the U.S. economy. ..."

Can India Replace China and US as Leading Economic Superpower?

Ukraine starts testing Israeli missile warning system in Kyiv

Celebrate Israel at 75! Will the Russian people finally oust their last czar Putin the Terrible!

The brave Ukrainians deserve nothing but the best weapons systems available to defend against the invasion by Putin the Terrible!

"An Israeli early warning system for missile attacks began operating in Kyiv this week, Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel Yevgen Kornichuk said on Wednesday.

Kornichuk had asked Israel for missile warning systems since Russia invaded Ukraine last year. The previous government promised the system to Ukraine, but the ambassador credited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal involvement in ensuring the project’s quick completion."

Ukraine starts testing Israeli missile warning system in Kyiv - The Jerusalem Post

Black Man who harassed subway passengers dies after former white Marine puts him in a chokehold

Hopefully, this will not become another excuse for nationwide mob violence like after the death of career criminal and drug addict George Floyd!

Caveat: I am not familiar with the details of this case.

Man who harassed subway passengers dies after former Marine puts him in a chokehold, NYPD says - TheBlaze

China attempts to interfere in Taiwan elections in various ways

Is this just Taiwanese paranoia or is it a serious threat to Taiwanese sovereignty by other means than war?

The struggle between David and Goliath goes on! May David win and China to become more like Taiwan!

What other countries are affected by election interference from China? U.S.?

"Taiwan’s Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB)—the principal domestic intelligence agency and the equivalent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States—recently revealed that it has launched an investigation into how China may be attempting to influence Taiwanese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with investments in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), with the apparent goal of laundering money for the purpose of manipulating Taiwan’s upcoming national elections. According to publicly available reporting about the ongoing investigation, China is currently targeting a variety of businesses, and specifically ones located in Taichung and Changhua. Some SMEs are suspected of taking Chinese capital in exchange for funding or assisting specific political candidates from those localities in the upcoming elections. The most recent revelation by the MJIB about the new investigation follows a string of recent reports that indicates how the PRC is ramping up its influence operations on Taiwan to sway the upcoming election in its favor. ..."

PRC Election Interference Targeting Taiwan’s 2024 Elections Tests the Anti-Infiltration Act | Global Taiwan Institute

Wife of Cleveland mass shooting suspect arrested, accused of helping him elude capture for days

Another Me To event! Is not one of the mantras of feminism that behind every famous (or infamous) men is a woman?

Living in the age of gender equality! The darker side of gender equality! Like men, some women make bad choices! In this case, if the suspect is not innocent!

"The wife of Francisco Oropeza, the man accused of killing five people in a mass shooting in San Jacinto County, has been arrested and accused of helping her husband elude capture during a four-day manhunt. She's expected to appear in court this morning."

In other news: "A tip around 5:30 p.m. to the FBI led authorities to Oropeza at his sister’s home in Cut and Shoot, where he was hiding under a pile of laundry in a closet, San Jacinto County officials said." (Source)

Texas shooting suspect's wife charged, DA says second man arrested: Francisco Oropeza, the accused Cleveland shooter, was captured Tuesday in Cut and Shoot, Texas, after a days-long manhunt.

Study finds AI-based approach cuts mosquito population 75% by managing breeding habitats in urban areas

Good news! Can we eradicate bloodsuckers like mosquitos?

There seems to be also a shift in approach: From indoor treatment to larval source management.

This app should definitely help to better manage the many breeding habitats by e.g. recording and keeping track of all activities. 

"... Malaria kills 400,000 people yearly, most of whom are children under the age of five. ...

The pilot, in cooperation with São Tomé and Príncipe’s Health Ministry, was conducted in three of the country’s six districts. Using Zzapp’s technology, 50 field workers located almost 13,000 water bodies that served as mosquito breeding grounds.

The field workers then treated the identified areas to kill mosquito larvae (larvicide) ...

Managing mosquito larvae at the source was once a mainstay of malaria elimination strategy but was abandoned in Africa in favor of insecticidal nets and indoor residual spraying.

However, the study’s authors write, development of new technologies and mosquitoes’ growing resistance to insecticides has renewed interest in larval source management. ...
Zzapp’s technology has already been deployed in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and now São Tomé and Príncipe ..."

From the abstract:

"Background

Once a mainstay of malaria elimination operations, larval source management (LSM)—namely, the treatment of mosquito breeding habitats–has been marginalized in Africa in favour of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS). However, the development of new technologies, and mosquitoes' growing resistance to insecticides used in LLINs and IRS raise renewed interest in LSM.

Methods

A digitally managed larviciding (DML) operation in three of the seven districts of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP) was launched by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and ZzappMalaria LTD. The operation was guided by the Zzapp system, consisting of a designated GPS-based mobile application and an online dashboard, which facilitates the detection, sampling and treatment of mosquito breeding sites. During the operation, quality assurance (QA) procedures and field management methods were developed and implemented.

Results

12,788 water bodies were located and treated a total of 128,864 times. The reduction impact on mosquito population and on malaria incidence was 74.90% and 52.5%, respectively. The overall cost per person protected (PPP) was US$ 0.86. The cost varied between areas: US$ 0.44 PPP in the urban area, and US$ 1.41 PPP in the rural area. The main cost drivers were labour, transportation and larvicide material.

Conclusion

DML can yield highly cost-effective results, especially in urban areas. Digital tools facilitate standardization of operations, implementation of QA procedures and monitoring of fieldworkers’ performance. Digitally generated spatial data also have the potential to assist integrated vector management (IVM) operations. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a larger sample is needed to further substantiate findings."

Study finds AI-based approach cuts mosquito population 75% - ISRAEL21c Pilot project in Africa used Zzapp artificial intelligence to identify and help manage mosquito breeding habitats.

Digitally managed larviciding as a cost-effective intervention for urban malaria: operational lessons from a pilot in São Tomé and Príncipe guided by the Zzapp system (open access)

Screenshots from the Zzapp mobile application. Left: Map view during mapping activity showing areas previously visited by the fieldworker highlighted in yellow. The blue circle indicates the current location of the fieldworker, and blue droplet icons indicate water bodies previously reported.

FDA approves novel device measuring pain during surgery

Amazing stuff!

"... Medasense Biometrics ... developed the groundbreaking NOL [Nociception Level] device for monitoring nociception (the physiological response to pain).

NOL’s unique multi-parametric sensor platform and advanced AI algorithms convert complicated data into a patient’s personal “signature of pain.” ..."

FDA approves novel device measuring pain during surgery - ISRAEL21c Clearance paves way for commercialization in US of world’s only system to gauge patients’ pain when they cannot communicate.

A new device in the surgery room!

Biden’s Cold War: New Anti-Air Conditioner Regulations are very costly

I am not familiar with the details, but this seems very concerning!

Is the senile and demented 46th President adopting some of the stupidities of the European Union in the name of the Global Warming hoax and Climate Change religion?

"... new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations are limiting supplies of these refrigerants – the result of a law targeting them as contributors to climate change. The production quotas have driven up their price about three-fold, and a recharge may cost $100 to $500 more than before these provisions took effect, depending on how much replacement refrigerant is needed.
The refrigerant quotas get much tighter next year, so expect repair bills to continue rising. In addition, new EPA rules aimed at those who service air conditioners – such as the one requiring refrigerants to be carried around in heavy refillable cylinders – will also impose costs likely to be passed on.  ...

buying a new system instead, but the news there is even worse. Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency standards add to EPA measures to create an expensive one-two regulatory punch. ...

Central air conditioners are already impacted while a proposed new regulation for window units is in the early stages, and in both cases the claimed climate change benefits are a big part of the agency’s rationale. Installers say central systems jumped by up to $1,000 when the new rule took effect last Jan. 1, and a total cost of $10,000 is no longer a rarity.  

Not to be left out, the EPA has a new proposed regulation that would put additional upward pressure on air conditioner prices by outlawing the most affordable remaining models in 2025. ..."

Biden’s Cold War: Anti-Air Conditioner Regulations Keep Piling Up - Competitive Enterprise Institute If you thought the Biden team had it in for gas stoves, wait until you see their plan for air conditioners

Weltinnenministerin Baerbock will die gescheiterte deutsche Energiewende auf die ganze Welt übertragen

Am deutschen Unwesen wird die Welt nicht genesen!

Kanzler Scholz hat sich mit dem Klimawahn der Bananenrepublik D. glänzend arrangiert!

Grüne Weltinnenpolitik: Was in Deutschland scheitert, ist gerade richtig für die Welt Während die grüne Energiewende-Politik in Deutschland erkennbar zu schwersten Verwerfungen führt, will die Weltinnenpolitikerin Annalena Baerbock diese mit einem globalen Erneuerbaren-Ziel zum Modell für den Rest der Welt machen. Die Grünen offenbaren Größenwahn als ihre Leitstrategie.

Royal Society of Chemistry: Four days’ work for five days’ pay. Really!

Headline of the day! 

No it is four days of work for four days of pay! Nice try Royal Society!

Four days’ work for five days’ pay | Careers | Chemistry World Benefits for employees and employers

World Press Freedom Day 2023

Journalism in Western countries has deteriorated to a degree that is dangerous to the principles of individual freedom and constitutional democracy!

Too many journalists:

1. Are lapdogs to power
2. Glorify and amplify the human fads and follies of our time like LGBTQ, climate change, and skin color ideology/racism 
3. Are more demagogues than truth seekers

Journalisten: Habitus der Arroganz, der Faulheit, und der Kriecherei

Zum Welttag der Pressefreiheit!

Gibt es noch mutige Journalisten, die ständig ihr allerbestes versuchen der Wahrheit auf die Spur zu kommen? Diese Spezies ist viel gesucht, gesellschaftlich extrem notwendig, aber sehr rar!

Hinweis: Habe folgenden Artikel nicht gelesen!

Habitus der Arroganz | Manova-Magazin Journalisten sind nicht mehr neugierig, sondern fragen nur ab, was sie schon zu wissen glauben — eine Dokumentation.

Kenyans plant their age in trees to combat deforestation

Bravo! Good idea! Western countries should take a cue! More trees instead of windmills!

US: International dark web marketplace bust leads to 288 arrests

Wow!

India's domestic air traffic hits RECORD HIGH, over 450,000 Indians flew on April 30

India, a rising and prosperous superpower! 

Mahatma Gandhis 150th Birth Anniversary featuring Chaka Khan & Sonu Nigam

Enjoy! A most unusual music video mixing Chaka Khan and Mahatma Gandhi! What a dedication! A blend of traditional Indian and contemporary Black American music!

Love to Love You, Donna Summer movie trailer

Enjoy!

Will Russia break up into several republics?

A very interesting scenario given the catastrophic miscalculation of the latest czar of Russia Putin the Terrible invading the Ukraine!

China is Weaponising Exit Bans for dissenters and their families as well as foreigners with Palki Sharma

Very recommendable! Very concerning! Always remember China is governed by a brutal totalitarian Communist Party since 1949.

Russia's Changing Narrative on World War II's Katyn Massacre in Poland

Stalin was a mass murderer like Hitler! Stalin and Hitler signed an agreement to to invade and divide Poland, the infamous Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939.

Any questions why Poland so strongly supports the Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian war? Not only would they be the next target of Putin the Terrible!

Ajit Doval Visits Iran: Can India Stem Influence China’s Influence? with Palki Sharma

India, a rising superpower! Both countries are also working on dedollarization!

India's first foreign port will be in Iran! Better access to central Asia by circumventing Pakistan.

India: Is The Dream Run for Start-Ups Over? with Palki Sharma

Recommendable! Bad news!

The Invisible Barrier Keeping Two Worlds Apart in Indonesia

Very recommendable! Amazing stuff!

Picture of the day

Mugshot of The Prince of Wales (at University of Cambridge) releaset at his coronation. British humor, I suppose! 😊

Supreme Court grants review of landmark case that may strip significant power from federal government

This could be huge indeed! It possibly opens the door to return to a more limited and small (federal) government in accordance with the principles established by the Founding Fathers and Mothers!

The federal government's unchecked power to interpret legislation has grown tremendously over the last 100 years or more! Time to roll back this power!

Supreme Court grants review of landmark case that may strip significant power from federal government - TheBlaze

Chinese Censorship Is Quietly Rewriting the Covid-19 Story - The New York Times. Really!

The so called newspaper of record is very late to recognize the role of the Communist Party of China to cover up the origins, and danger of the global Covid-19 pandemic and more!

Since the NYT article is behind a paywall it is not clear they even covered the lab leak hypothesis!

"China’s Stifled COVID Story

The full scope of the Chinese government’s attempts to suppress and manipulate its scientists’ COVID-19 data is becoming clearer. And that’s muddying efforts to understand the virus’ origins. 

The comprehensive censorship campaign has involved: 

1. Scientists withholding data and removing genetic sequences from databases 
2. Researchers altering “crucial details” in international journal submissions 
3. A push for Chinese scientists to publish in tightly controlled domestic journals
4. An altered timeline of the virus’s early days–and a push to look for origins outside of China 

The impact: 

1. Hindered efforts to understand the virus’s early days 
2. Continued spread of misinformation 
3. Shattered international trust that is “shaking the foundations of shared scientific knowledge.” ..."

Chinese Censorship Is Quietly Rewriting the Covid-19 Story - The New York Times

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health: Global Health NOW

Australia to ban recreational vaping in e-cigarette crackdown. Really!

Is the government of Australia absolutely nuts! Absurd!

This is Big Government paternalism run amok! Covid-19 was a prelude! Individual liberty is under attack!

It is well known for a very long time that such draconian government measures to deal with vices etc. are useless! Al Capone is smiling from his grave!

"Australia said on Tuesday it will ban recreational vaping and tighten other aspects of e-cigarette laws in the biggest crackdown on the tobacco industry in more than a decade to try to stop an alarming rise in teenage vaping.

The government aims to ban all disposable vapes, which often comes in fruity flavours, ban the import of non-prescription vapes and limit nicotine levels, aiming for the sale of vapes to be confined to helping smokers quit. ...
Under the new rules, vapes will be sold only in pharmacies and require "pharmaceutical-type" packaging. Disposable vapes popular with young people will also be banned. ..."

Australia to ban recreational vaping in e-cigarette crackdown | Reuters 

The last of the four ex-cops convicted in death of career criminal and drug addict George Floyd

What was the despicable and intolerable mob violence all about that erupted after his death in 2020? How many of the individuals participating in this mob violence have been convicted?

When the moral compass is broken, then this is what you get!

The heavy demagoguery and exploitation that has surrounded and continues to this day about the death of this career criminal and drug addict is awfully shameful and totally unjustified! To stylize this man almost as a saint is way beyond pale!

"On Monday night [5/1/2023], Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill filed a 177-page verdict announcing that he had found former Officer Tou Thao guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. ...
[the ex police officer], 37, will be sentenced in August and likely faces about four years in prison for the state conviction. ..."

Another ex-cop convicted in death of George Floyd - TheBlaze The last of the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the arrest of George Floyd almost three years ago has been convicted in state court.

Disgusting! Bronze statue of the career criminal and drug addict in Newark, NJ unveiled in 2021. Made to look like Benjamin Franklin!

Disgusting: A police officer kneeling before a phony saint! (front mural  outside the Scott Food Mart corner store in Houston's Third Ward. Source)

'Frank discussions' held in White House over Israel's judicial reform. Really!

Joke of the day! I had a good laugh!

Beware of the emerging gerontocracy in Western countries!

When the clearly senile and demented 46th President meets the now also senile Prime Minister of Israel (age 73)! Both men should be playing with their grandchildren while they still can!

'Frank discussions' held in White House over Israel's judicial reform - Israel News - The Jerusalem Post

Not only the UK is celebrating a coronation. Other monarchies do the same!

There is North Korea with Kim Jong Un, Philippines with Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr.!

Cambodia's Hun Sen plans power succession to son, allies' children - Nikkei Asia Strongman prime minister mulling when to hand over to his eldest child, Hun Manet

English for trippers: You are not a gourmet, you are a gourmand!

Oh, the finer things in life!

Gourmets are rare, gourmands are plenty says a glutton!

Israel at 75: Very exciting and very proud

Israel is a historical success story like few others! For a tiny country with under 10 million population this is a gigantic achievement!

Despite the Holocaust and despite being surrounded and frequently attacked by mortal enemies Israel has become one of the most vibrant and dynamic countries in the world!

The diversity of the population thanks to the return of so many Jews of the Jewish Diaspora from all over the world is incredible!

They say faith can move mountains! Well it moved Israel!

As a German born only 16 years after World War II ended, I am very confident that the future of Israel is very bright! 

Israel Aerospace wins €100m Estonian contract to provide advanced long-range loitering munitions

Putin the Terrible has triggered one of the greatest booms in arms buying and military defense building in recent history with his invasion of the Ukraine!

Israel delivers high quality, advanced, and rigorously tested arms! There is certainly demand for it thanks to Putin the Terrible!

"... This is one of the most expensive weapons deals ever signed by the Baltic republic. ..."

Israel Aerospace wins €100m Estonian munitions deal - Globes IAI has won a contract to provide Estonia with advanced long-range loitering munitions.

IAI mini-Harpy system

One of the so called three godfathers of AI Geoffrey Hinton warns of dangers as he quits Google

The 75 year old professor from Toronto got a lot of publicity for his resignation!

It appears, he did not release an official statement about his resignation and his motives (I actually inquired him by email, he confirmed)! Quite regrettable if correct! Or is this his official statement as posted on his Twitter account?

I also suspect, Professor Hinton was perhaps not happy that Google decided to respond to the increasing competitive pressure by more aggressive efforts to commercialize AI research. E.g. the CEO of Google has recently consolidated and streamlined multiple, separate AI research units at Google. Until now, the often exceptional AI research originated at Google was more akin to an academic than commercial endeavor!

The rapid development of machine learning & AI is certainly very challenging going forward. However, if history is any guide, humans were quite capable of dealing with previous very momentous technological revolutions that were also perceived as great risks to society by the people at the time and we mastered them!

P.S. In case you wondered who the other two godfathers of AI are: Yann LeCun (Meta/Facebook) and Yoshua Bengio (University of Montreal). All three received the very prestigious ACM A.M. Turing Award in 2018. 

AI 'godfather' Geoffrey Hinton warns of dangers as he quits Google - BBC News

Kein Benzin für die Parade des 1. Mai: Havanna sagt die Feiern zum Tag der Arbeit ab

Schlagzeile des Tages! Warum die Kubaner nicht endlich diese kommunistische Diktatur seit 1959 abschaffen ist unbegreiflich! Cuba Libre!

Wahrscheinlich sind die meisten mutigen Kubaner längst ausgewandert!

Benzinmangel in Kuba: 1.-Mai-Feier abgesagt Seit Monaten leidet Kuba unter Treibstoffmangel. Selbst die traditionellen Mai-Feiern müssen nun unter «maximaler Austerität» organisiert werden.

Pornhub, the largest porn site in the U.S., blocks Utahns ahead of new age verification law

Who is responsible for preventing minors from accessing porn websites? Foremost parents!

What are the best means to do that? If I am not totally mistaken, there are plenty of ways for parents to effectively block their children from accessing age inappropriate web content!

For lawmakers in Utah to hold porn websites responsible for age verification is  ridiculous! "... legislation, which takes effect Wednesday, requires porn websites to verify the age of visitors to ensure minors don’t get access to adult content and allows parents to sue the companies for damages if they don’t comply. ..."

Why Pornhub is blocked in Utah “Until a real solution is offered, we have made the difficult decision to completely disable access to our website in Utah,” Pornhub says in a statement posted to their adult website.

How higher Canadian Provincial Governments spending results in higher deficits, taxes, and debt servicing costs

What is true for Canadian provincial governments is also true for other Western government entities!

"... Similarly, we find that a $1.00 increase in per-capita provincial program spending, which causes a rise in the budget deficit, results in a $0.71 decline in future program spending, a $0.26 increase in future [taxes], and a $0.10 increase in debt service payments, all measured in present value terms. This means that an increase in provincial program spending in the current period is not entirely offset by future spending reductions and that there will be an associated increase in the future tax burden. Thus, the impacts of fiscal shocks can reverberate for several years.
In Canada, federal cash transfers to the provinces represent a sizable portion of total provincial government revenues, particularly for provinces that receive equalization grants. This study also highlights the importance of federal grants and transfers in provincial governments’ fiscal adjustments. According to the available empirical estimates, a $1.00 permanent increase in equalization grants and other federal transfers such as the Canada Health Transfer (CHT) and Canada Social Transfer (CST) causes provincial program spending to increase by $0.69 and $0.80, respectively, with no significant change in provincial governments’ own-source revenue. ..."

How Provincial Governments Respond to Fiscal Shocks and Federal Transfers | Fraser Institute

Viele Polarlichter durch Sonnenstürme: Die Forscher rätseln über die starke Aktivität der Sonne

Warum wird die Sonne nicht als enormer Klimafaktor begriffen oder geflissentlich übersehen? 

Global Warming is a hoax and Climate Change is a religion!

Die Sonnenaktivität ist nicht nicht konstant! Wir wissen immer noch sehr wenig über die etwaigen Schwankungen der Sonnenaktivität! Diese Schwankungen könnten Jahrzehnte, -hunderte, oder sogar -tausende andauern und das Klima auf der Erde beeinflussen!

Polarlichter: Die Sonne ist überraschend aktiv Die meisten Forscher hatten eine so rasche Zunahme von Sonnenflecken nicht auf der Rechnung. Nur ein Team traf mit seiner Vorhersage ins Schwarze. Das wirft Fragen auf.

Can X-planes solve the sonic boom problem?

Of course, human ingenuity can handle that eventually!

Texas Man Who Murdered 5 Neighbors (including one child) Execution-Style Is an Illegal Immigrant Who Was Deported 5 Times

What! How is this possible! Why was he not jailed! Soft on crime has consequences!

White House: 20,000 Russian soldiers killed and 100,000 Russian casualties in ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war

Why have the Russian people not yet ousted Putin the Terrible! How many of these casualties were prisoners?

India now Europe's largest supplier of refined fossil fuels

What! I almost chocked when I saw this video! So India buys cheap crude oil from Russia to convert it into refined fuels and sells it to Europe! Russian sanctions??? Did anybody say hypocrisy?

Chinese banks help drug cartels in US

Not very long ago this would have been considered a reason for war!

China set to drill Asia's deepest crude-oil well in Xinjiang

While Western countries are obsessed with the Global Warming hoax and Climate Change religion China continues to build lots of coal powered plants and drills for crude oil! What an irony of history!

Why is Laredo, TX at the Center of a China-to-Mexico Manufacturing Shift

Very recommendable! Mind boggling! Near shoring and NAFTA in action!

Prager University: Tyre Nichols and Police Brutality

Very recommendable!

Will You Give Your Child an Injection to Cure Obesity? with Palki Sharma

The increasing number of obese children in Western countries and elsewhere is very concerning! Life style and dietary changes should be tried first!

How Joe Biden is Losing Ground in The Pacific with Palki Sharma

Recommendable! 

Genomes from 240 mammalian species reveal what makes the human genome unique

Amazing stuff!

"Over the past 100 million years, mammals have adapted to nearly every environment on Earth. Scientists with the Zoonomia Project have been cataloging the diversity in mammalian genomes by comparing DNA sequences from 240 species that exist today, from the aardvark and the African savanna elephant to the yellow-spotted rock hyrax and the zebu. 

This week, in several papers in a special issue of Science, the Zoonomia team has demonstrated how comparative genomics can not only shed light on how certain species achieve extraordinary feats, but also help scientists better understand the parts of our genome that are functional and how they might influence health and disease. ...
In the new studies, the researchers identified regions of the genomes, sometimes just single letters of DNA, that are most conserved, or unchanged, across mammalian species and millions of years of evolution — regions that are likely biologically important. They also found part of the genetic basis for uncommon mammalian traits such as the ability to hibernate or sniff out faint scents from miles away. And they pinpointed species that may be particularly susceptible to extinction, as well as genetic variants that are more likely to play causal roles in rare and common human diseases. The findings come from analyses of DNA samples collected by more than 50 different institutions worldwide ...
In one of the studies  ... found that at least 10 percent of the human genome is highly conserved across species, with many of these regions occurring outside of protein-coding genes. More than 4,500 elements are almost perfectly conserved across more than 98 percent of the species studied.
Most of the conserved regions — which have changed more slowly than random fluctuations in the genome — are involved in embryonic development and regulation of RNA expression. Regions that changed more frequently shaped an animal’s interaction with its environment, such as through immune responses or the development of its skin. ...
The researchers also pinpointed parts of the genome linked to a few exceptional traits in the mammalian world, such as extraordinary brain size, superior sense of smell, and the ability to hibernate during the winter.  ...

A world of questions

A third study ... examined more than 10,000 genetic deletions specific to humans using both Zoonomia data and experimental analysis, and linked some of them to the function of neurons. ..."

Genomes from 240 mammalian species reveal what makes the human genome unique | Broad Institute Studies from the Zoonomia Project pinpoint key parts of the human genome that have remained unchanged after millions of years of evolution and may shed light on disease and unusual traits.

Reinventing the air conditioner seems very urgent if you believe in Global Warming

Perhaps, this will be one of the positive side effects of the Global Warming Hoax and Climate Change Religion!

Best of luck and quick success with reinventing the air conditioner! Hopefully, the new air conditioners will also be more energy efficient!

"... His project, “Reinventing Air Conditioning with Chemistry,” uses solid refrigerants to eliminate direct greenhouse gas emissions while making cooling systems smaller and vastly more efficient. ...
Although AC units have become more efficient over the decades, the basic mechanism for cooling has remained more or less the same ever since it was invented around 200 years ago. The problem, in an age of climate change, is that the HFC refrigerant is a major greenhouse gas. ...
has discovered a new class of solids that are extremely soft and behave much like liquids. “The material is a kind of mineral, but it contains both organic and inorganic components,” ... “Its molecular structure reminds you of a cell membrane—long, fluffy, organic chains confined between layers. And the thing about cell membranes is that they’re dynamic. They move around. Depending on the temperature, they can go from a frozen, ordered chain to a disordered, dynamic chain. The same is true for these materials, and we leverage that phase transition for cooling. We still need a liquid like water to move the heat around, but the hard work is done by the solids.”  ... “In contrast to most solids, these materials get very cold when they are compressed and very hot when they are expanded, which makes them extremely effective refrigerants.” ...
Air conditioners that use solid refrigerants could also be quieter than traditional units. Because solids are contained and easier to manage, it might also be possible to recycle them. ..."

Greener Cooling for a Warmer World | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences: Using a new solid refrigerant rather than hydrofluorocarbons, graduating PhD student Jinyoung Seo hopes to reinvent the air conditioner—and contribute to the effort to fight climate change.

An estimated 13,000 girl students from across 100+ Iranian girls’ schools have been treated for poisoning symptoms

This is insane and unconscionable! If the Iranian theocratic dictatorship is behind this, then this amounts to one of the most serious crimes against humanity in recent times! These mullahs should be ashamed of themselves for attacking children and for not preventing it!

"... 300+ suspected gas attacks have been logged since fall of last year, according to Amnesty International—following large anti-government protests led by women and girls.

The attacks are “very organized and coordinated,” said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights—leading to suspicions that they are a government-sanctioned scare tactic to keep girls from school or to squelch the “woman, life, freedom" movement. ..."

Global Health NOW: The New Threats Facing Iran’s Schoolgirls; Kenya Church Deaths; and Valley Fever Advances

Drinking green tea can have dangerous consequences - study. Really!

Bad news? However, the there is no proper source/citation (e.g. title is missing) provided for this study and I was unable to find the study using the GastroHep journal website, Semantic Scholar, and Google Scholar. Just emailed Jerusalem Post about this!

Well the Chinese have been drinking green tea for thousands of years!

"... In fact, as of today, green tea is the second-most consumed beverage in the world. ...

A new study conducted by Israel's Clalit Health Service and Kaplan Medical Center and published in the international peer-reviewed academic journal GastroHep showed that these products could damage the liver, from causing inflammation of the liver to outright liver failure. ..."

Drinking green tea can have dangerous consequences - Israeli study - The Jerusalem Post Researchers from Israel's Kaplan Medical Center discovered that drinking too much green tea can cause significant damage to the liver.

India's IT giants brace for sharp slowdown as pandemic boom ends

How about this for a business cycle indicator?

"India's top software exporters are bracing for a sharp slowdown in growth this year as clients in the U.S., their biggest market, cut back on technology spending amid economic uncertainties.

Infosys and HCL, India's second- and third-largest information technology companies, respectively, have said in recent weeks that revenue growth will fall to single digits in the fiscal year ending March 2024 from double digits in the previous 12 months. ..."

India's IT giants brace for sharp slowdown as pandemic boom ends - Nikkei Asia Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, HCL hit as U.S. clients scale back spending

AI might enable us to talk to animals soon. Really!

I have my serious doubts! Sounds like hype! 

Perhaps, next months we will see a headline saying something like AI might enable us to speak to God! 😊

AI might enable us to talk to animals soon. Here's how | ZDNET As large language models become experts at human speech, they're now shifting their focus to animal communication.

Dealen, sprengen, töten: Schwedens Banden rekrutieren immer jüngere Kinder

Was ist da los in Schweden? Was für ein Horror!

"Ein Samstag im Januar, 18 Uhr, viele Stockholmer erledigen im Shoppingcenter Skogas im Vorort Huddinge ihre letzten Einkäufe. Im ebenerdig gelegenen Sushi-Restaurant sitzt ein 15-Jähriger. Plötzlich fallen Schüsse, der Junge bricht zusammen und stirbt noch vor Ort. Wenige Tage später nimmt die Polizei drei Tatverdächtige fest – auch sie Teenager: Ein 17-Jähriger soll das spätere Opfer an den Tatort gelockt haben, wo ihn ein Gleichaltriger regelrecht hinrichtete; ein dritter Junge (16) soll vom Verbrechen gewusst, den Täter aber gedeckt haben. ..."

Bandenkrieg in Schweden: Gangs rekrutieren immer jüngere Kinder Kein europäisches Land hat derzeit so grosse Probleme mit Bandenkriminalität wie Schweden. Kürzlich wurde ein 15-Jähriger von einem Gleichaltrigen erschossen. Neue Ansätze sollen verhindern, dass Kinder in die Fänge der Gangs geraten.

English for trippers: A buffoon at the buffet accompanied by a baboon

More fun, more appetite at the all you can eat buffet!

Indiana white Republican councilman identifies as an Indian woman to 'shatter that glass ceiling'

Great idea! I should try that too! 😊

Hopefully, the celebrity cult of LGBTQ has reached its zenith. Human fads come and go!

"An Indiana Republican has enraged leftists and LGBT activists in his community by exposing the arbitrary and absurdist nature of social constructivism, having announced he is now an Indian woman.

Shattering the glass ceiling

Ryan Webb, formerly a councilman, now apparently a councilwoman in Muncie, Delaware County, announced on April 12 that after much consideration, he had "decided to come out" as his "true authentic self." ..."

Leftists fuming after Republican councilman identifies as an Indian woman to 'shatter that glass ceiling' - TheBlaze

English for trippers: Are you a warrior or a worrier?

Make worries not war! Worrymonger meets warmonger!

The Whispers - Lady

Enjoy!

Mtume - would you like to fool around

Enjoy!

The Crusaders: Street Life

Enjoy! With Randy Crawford.

Why Does Every Culture Have Myths About Trees?

Recommendable!