Random Posts

[Deleted]

Apr 22, 2021 18:43:01 GMT LFC said:

A bit of perspective in Earth's timeline.

What is the profound perspective? Three random things separated by long periods of time? Someone knows how to use the shape and image objects from the MS-Office suite? Or, those were the most dominant predators from those time periods the story of earth would be incomplete without their mention?

I think it's the middle one.

[andydp]

On more pleasant news:

Our Daughter In Law Stephanie (DiPalma) is running for a seat on the Lansingburgh (Troy NY) Board of Education.

Lansingburgh Board of Education candidates announce their candidacies

LANSINGBURGH, N.Y. — The Lansingburgh Board Election and Budget Vote are taking place on Tuesday, May 18. Running for the two seats opening on the Lansingburgh Board of Education are three candidates, Jillian Manupella, Stephanie DiPalma, and Andrea Fairhurst.



Each seat is for a five-year term commencing on July 1, 2021, and expiring on June 30, 2026.

www.troyrecord.com/news/lansingburgh-board-of-education-candidates-announce-their-candidacies/article_9e5de48c-a39d-11eb-bee8-7b6181b4e4f2.html

[AnBr]

[LFC]

Insider trading? What insider trading?

The stock price of drugmaker Emergent BioSolutions hit the floor after it admitted that some 15 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine were wrecked at one of its plants. But its chief executive, Robert Kramer, seems to have narrowly avoided taking a massive financial hit. According to The Washington Post, Kramer sold off more than $10 million worth of his stock in the company in January and early February— before the Johnson & Johnson debacle was disclosed in late March. If he sold those same stocks now, with Emergent’s slashed market price, the Post estimates that he would only raise around $5.5 million. Kramer’s sales were reportedly made as part of a trading plan agreed to in November. He didn’t comment on the Post’s story, but Emergent spokeswoman Nina DeLorenzo said the sale was planned well in advance of the vaccine production problems and added that “any insinuation of wrongdoing is without evidence or merit.”

[LFC]

In a case of "What could go wrong?" Florida government officials are set to release a billion genetically modified mosquitos because, you know, it's a technique that has a real track record.

Environmentalists and Florida residents voiced concern and outrage Monday as state government officials and the biotechnology giant Oxitec announced plans to move ahead this week with a pilot project that involves releasing up to a billion genetically engineered mosquitoes in Monroe County over a two-year period.

"EPA has set the lowest possible bar for approving genetically engineered insects and has opened Pandora's Box for future experiments that will slide through with little investigation."
—Barry Wray, Florida Keys Environmental Coalition

Presented by local authorities as an effort to control the population of Aedes aegypti—a mosquito species that can carry both the dengue and yellow fever virus—critics warn that the effort's supposed benefits and its potential negative consequences have not been sufficiently studied.

Responding to news that the first boxes of GE mosquitos are set to be placed in six locations in Monroe County this week, Friends of the Earth noted in a press release that "scientists have raised concerns that GE mosquitoes could create hybrid wild mosquitoes which could worsen the spread of mosquito-borne diseases and could be more resistant to insecticides than the original wild mosquitoes."

Dana Perls, food and technology program manager at Friends of the Earth, called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—which approved the project last May—to "halt this live experiment immediately."

"This is a dark moment in history," said Perls. "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes puts Floridians, the environment, and endangered species at risk in the midst of a pandemic. This release is about maximizing Oxitec's profits, not about the pressing need to address mosquito-borne diseases."

[Deleted]

Apr 26, 2021 22:15:27 GMT LFC said:

In a case of "What could go wrong?" Florida government officials are set to release a billion genetically modified mosquitos because, you know, it's a technique that has a real track record.

Environmentalists and Florida residents voiced concern and outrage Monday as state government officials and the biotechnology giant Oxitec announced plans to move ahead this week with a pilot project that involves releasing up to a billion genetically engineered mosquitoes in Monroe County over a two-year period.

"EPA has set the lowest possible bar for approving genetically engineered insects and has opened Pandora's Box for future experiments that will slide through with little investigation."
—Barry Wray, Florida Keys Environmental Coalition

Presented by local authorities as an effort to control the population of Aedes aegypti—a mosquito species that can carry both the dengue and yellow fever virus—critics warn that the effort's supposed benefits and its potential negative consequences have not been sufficiently studied.

Responding to news that the first boxes of GE mosquitos are set to be placed in six locations in Monroe County this week, Friends of the Earth noted in a press release that "scientists have raised concerns that GE mosquitoes could create hybrid wild mosquitoes which could worsen the spread of mosquito-borne diseases and could be more resistant to insecticides than the original wild mosquitoes."

Dana Perls, food and technology program manager at Friends of the Earth, called on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—which approved the project last May—to "halt this live experiment immediately."

"This is a dark moment in history," said Perls. "The release of genetically engineered mosquitoes puts Floridians, the environment, and endangered species at risk in the midst of a pandemic. This release is about maximizing Oxitec's profits, not about the pressing need to address mosquito-borne diseases."

Shit! Allow me to rephrase ..... effing shit!! The rest of the planet thanks all those involved as the mozzies spread up north and become hazardous to the new Tropics of Nunavut

[LFC]

Apr 27, 2021 10:11:12 GMT @islander said:

Shit! Allow me to rephrase ..... effing shit!! The rest of the planet thanks all those involved as the mozzies spread up north and become hazardous to the new Tropics of Nunavut

Yeah, I can hardly wait to find out that they become both non-sterile and provide the genetics that allow them to overwinter in most of the U.S.

[Deleted]

Updating my devices to iOS 14.5. Anything that systematically fucks with Facebook is worth my while..

[goldenvalley]

How would you like to see baseball sized hail?

One hailstorm is bad enough, but a trio of hailstorms striking three metropolitan areas in one night is almost unheard of. Baseball- to softball-size hail pummeled parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Wednesday night, slamming places around Fort Worth, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, including Norman.

The damage will almost certainly exceed $1 billion. Hail has historically been the most costly severe weather hazard in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and Wednesday night’s storms illustrate why.

“It quickly became clear that we were almost certainly facing a billion-dollar event,” wrote Steve Bowen, head of catastrophe insight at Aon Insurance. “Unfortunately, we saw significant hail swaths impact highly exposed areas around San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Norman.”

Norman OK is the home of the National Weather Center.  The scientists won't have to go far to study this event.

[LFC]

Total creeper Josh Duggar of "19 Kids and Counting" was arrested for child porn. Show of hands: Who's shocked? Anybody? Hello? Is this thing on?

Disturbing details have emerged about Josh Duggar's arrest. The former 19 Kids and Counting star was charged with receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children. If convicted on the child pornography charges, Josh faces up to 20 years in prison.

According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office of Arkansas, Josh allegedly downloaded the illegal material, some of which involves children under the age of 12, from the internet in May 2019. He was taken into federal custody Thursday.

During Friday's Zoom hearing, Josh pleaded not guilty to both counts via his attorney. His lawyer requested he be released on bond and a hearing was set for May 5. According to Fox News, the judge said the former TLC star will need to live in a home without minors if a bond is granted. Josh has six children — and one on the way — ages 11 and under. His youngest turned 1 in November.

Josh's parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, issued a statement after news broke Friday.

"We appreciate your continued prayers for our family at this time," they told Us Weekly. "The accusations brought against Joshua today are very serious. It is our prayer that the truth, no matter what it is, will come to light, and that this will all be resolved in a timely manner. We love Josh and Anna and continue to pray for their family."

This isn't the first time Josh has been accused of inappropriate behavior involving minors. In 2015, TLC axed19 Kids and Counting after was made public he allegedly molested underage girls, including some of his sisters, when he was a teenager.

[goldenvalley]

Whoa! LFC is now Assistant Professor!

[andydp]

Apr 30, 2021 18:56:18 GMT goldenvalley said:

Whoa! LFC is now Assistant Professor!

WHen does he get tenure ?

[pnwguy]

Apr 30, 2021 18:56:18 GMT goldenvalley said:

Whoa! LFC is now Assistant Professor!

And here I can't even get past these sophomore classes...

[LFC]

Apr 30, 2021 18:56:18 GMT goldenvalley said:

Whoa! LFC is now Assistant Professor!

I'm glad it's not abbreviated like Post-Doc. I don't want to be labeled as an Ass Pro. Of course that might be more fitting when you realize how many things I post about Republicans.

[RichTBikkies]

Apr 30, 2021 18:56:18 GMT goldenvalley said:

Whoa! LFC is now Assistant Professor!

I'll always be an Undergraduate. I don't post enough.

[goldenvalley]

Apr 30, 2021 20:18:10 GMT RichTBikkies said:

Apr 30, 2021 18:56:18 GMT goldenvalley said:

Whoa! LFC is now Assistant Professor!

I'll always be an Undergraduate. I don't post enough.

If you apply yourself and work hard, you too, can graduate.  That's what I told my children, one of whom took 8 years to finish the undergraduate degree.

[LFC]

Apr 30, 2021 21:06:43 GMT goldenvalley said:

Apr 30, 2021 20:18:10 GMT RichTBikkies said:

I'll always be an Undergraduate. I don't post enough.

If you apply yourself and work hard, you too, can graduate.  That's what I told my children, one of whom took 8 years to finish the undergraduate degree.

[Bact PhD]

Apr 30, 2021 21:06:43 GMT goldenvalley said:

If you apply yourself and work hard, you too, can graduate.  That's what I told my children, one of whom took 8 years to finish the undergraduate degree.

Dear Daughter took five to complete the B.A. Math kept biting her in the rear. Not long ago, she was tallying up how many math courses she took to get the six credit hours she needed to graduate. I think it was five courses altogether: Two successes, one withdrawal, one taken here over the summer with the idea of transferring back to her home institution, and one that was so far over her head that it mystifies me to this day what the advisor was thinking when that got approved.

[goldenvalley]

Apr 30, 2021 22:36:08 GMT Bact PhD said:

Apr 30, 2021 21:06:43 GMT goldenvalley said:

If you apply yourself and work hard, you too, can graduate.  That's what I told my children, one of whom took 8 years to finish the undergraduate degree.

Dear Daughter took five to complete the B.A. Math kept biting her in the rear. Not long ago, she was tallying up how many math courses she took to get the six credit hours she needed to graduate. I think it was five courses altogether: Two successes, one withdrawal, one taken here over the summer with the idea of transferring back to her home institution, and one that was so far over her head that it mystifies me to this day what the advisor was thinking when that got approved.

My DearDaughter and math is the reason for one full year of the eight. Her university insisted that all rising juniors, all majors, take and pass a computer generated math test.  The passing grade varied depending on the student's major, but they all saw the same test.  The inclusion of advanced calc questions along with trig and the more usual algebra stuff completely psyched her out.  Her final two semesters consisted of one math class each. I wanted to shoot her but she was employed 30 hours a week so I couldn't do it in good conscience.

[pg]

Apr 30, 2021 16:07:04 GMT goldenvalley said:

How would you like to see baseball sized hail?

One hailstorm is bad enough, but a trio of hailstorms striking three metropolitan areas in one night is almost unheard of. Baseball- to softball-size hail pummeled parts of Texas and Oklahoma on Wednesday night, slamming places around Fort Worth, San Antonio and Oklahoma City, including Norman.

The damage will almost certainly exceed $1 billion. Hail has historically been the most costly severe weather hazard in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and Wednesday night’s storms illustrate why.

“It quickly became clear that we were almost certainly facing a billion-dollar event,” wrote Steve Bowen, head of catastrophe insight at Aon Insurance. “Unfortunately, we saw significant hail swaths impact highly exposed areas around San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Norman.”

Norman OK is the home of the National Weather Center.  The scientists won't have to go far to study this event.

[pg]

We in Central TX (Austin and out) didn't get baseball sized, but golf ball coming down at speed is bad enough. Even though the companies make enough, I die a little death thinking about how homeowner's/car insurance could rise. I've done my time with insurance claims from the Texas Deep Freeze, and my insurer has been fabulous to really fair. But this coupled with that, YIKES. Oh, add on top of it, this is the time of year where we get the Texas sized storms, which I'm a nut but do love to watch. PROBLEM. Heavy flooding. Careful where you drive.

And yes- even some of the more right-wingers that I've ever met are starting to wake the "f" up. Climate change is actually man-made. What did we ACTUALLY learn, within our pandemic shut down? Man, if I can sway them to this side, I can forgive their other extremism. For a moment, then I sway them to the rest

[pg]

Apr 30, 2021 23:01:46 GMT goldenvalley said:

Apr 30, 2021 22:36:08 GMT Bact PhD said:

Dear Daughter took five to complete the B.A. Math kept biting her in the rear. Not long ago, she was tallying up how many math courses she took to get the six credit hours she needed to graduate. I think it was five courses altogether: Two successes, one withdrawal, one taken here over the summer with the idea of transferring back to her home institution, and one that was so far over her head that it mystifies me to this day what the advisor was thinking when that got approved.

My DearDaughter and math is the reason for one full year of the eight. Her university insisted that all rising juniors, all majors, take and pass a computer generated math test.  The passing grade varied depending on the student's major, but they all saw the same test.  The inclusion of advanced calc questions along with trig and the more usual algebra stuff completely psyched her out.  Her final two semesters consisted of one math class each. I wanted to shoot her but she was employed 30 hours a week so I couldn't do it in good conscience.

[goldenvalley]

May 1, 2021 22:57:31 GMT pg said:

We in Central TX (Austin and out) didn't get baseball sized, but golf ball coming down at speed is bad enough. Even though the companies make enough, I die a little death thinking about how homeowner's/car insurance could rise. I've done my time with insurance claims from the Texas Deep Freeze, and my insurer has been fabulous to really fair. But this coupled with that, YIKES. Oh, add on top of it, this is the time of year where we get the Texas sized storms, which I'm a nut but do love to watch. PROBLEM. Heavy flooding. Careful where you drive.

And yes- even some of the more right-wingers that I've ever met are starting to wake the "f" up. Climate change is actually man-made. What did we ACTUALLY learn, within our pandemic shut down? Man, if I can sway them to this side, I can forgive their other extremism. For a moment, then I sway them to the rest

My brother lived in Colorado Springs for a couple of years. He noted that auto comprehensive insurance rates were high compared to his last residence.  Then he found out why...baseball sized hail that dented his 1968 vintage pick up and cracked the windshield. A skylight in his roof was knocked loose along with a lot of shingles letting rain in.  The only good thing from his point of view was that he got awesome video of the storm from his covered patio. You can hear my sister-in-law in the video saying things like "are you crazy? get inside!"

[andydp]

More informaton on our Daughter in Law's race for the local school board


www.dipalmaforschoolboard.com/

[AnBr]