I am guilty
of using cliches. It seems they are an
engrained part of our common speech. ‘I
don’t have a dog in this fight’ is one I have used often and in hindsight that
is regrettable. Any animals barbarically
killed for human entertainment is an atrocity.
That replacement, from now on, will be: It ain’t my circus, it ain’t
my monkey. I
really like that. Along with: What
do you expect? I’m fucking old.
the Ol’Buzzard
I was raised
in the Mississippi Delta. The earth was
too rich and damp to grow potatoes. My
grandmother’s choice for starch in our diet was rice. Rice and gravy, rice with butter, fried rice. Rice
was a staple in our diet. Fried chicken
with milk gravy on rice…
I am married
to a New England girl and we live in Maine, so potatoes form the bulk of the starch
in our diet. But we do have rice.
I have never
been able to cook rice properly. Directions
say: Bring to a boil, cover, simmer for 15 minutes. There is the rub. I have never had a stove with a burner that
would simmer – it always boils even on the lowest setting – often boiling
over. I end up placing the pan
partially on the burner, checking it often, adding hot water if it cooks too
early; and end up with goopy rice.
Finally, I have
relented to technology. I recently purchased
an Aroma Rice Cooker. The Aroma was the
rice cooker of choice on America’s Test Kitchen.
The Aroma only
cost $29.00 and you get what you pay for.
It is rather flimsy but the rice comes out perfect. The instructions are no brainer. You fill the water to the line in the pot and
add the corresponding amount of rice with the measuring cup enclosed, close the
cover, select the rice and press cook. The
rice takes fifteen minutes to cook and the pot switches to ‘keep warm’ when
done. The clean-up is easy.
The rice has
come out perfect every time. Ok,
nothing to do with cosmology, but we will eat more rice as the universe
continues to expand.
the
Ol’Buzzard
THERE’S A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE GALAXY
There’s a
mite on the flee on the hair on the wart on the frog on the bump on the log in
the hole in the middle of the galaxy.
We are that
mite, yet we perceive that all that has gone before is just for our
benefit. After all, we are made in God’s
image – or vice-versa.
Somewhere in
our not-so-distant tenure on this earth (a drop in the ocean in cosmic time)
mankind realized that the length of shadows changed with the seasons, and that
this phenomenon was repeatable. Thus,
man declared himself the master of time.
This time of
year, some of us celebrate equinox as a homage to the natural order of the
universe. For most people, however, it is just another
day in their egocentric world, which must be about them.
We should
take pause today and wonder at the beauty of nature, that the chaos of our existence
is allowing us to experience during our short time on earth.
Einstein is
not the only one to do thought experiments.
The good science fiction writers with a scientific understanding (Michael
Crichton), take today’s science and technology and transpose it into a possible
future. Very often, years later,
science fiction becomes science reality.
Scientific
discoveries are happening all the time but get lost in the noise of politics
and culture. Walter Isaacson’s new book
Code Breakers has now moved to the best sellers list. It brings to light the science of CRISPR; but
is more a biography of one of the discoverers, Jennifer Doudna.
CRISPR is a
technology that allows bio-scientist to edit strings of DNA. It offers the real possibility of genetically
protecting the human race from Alzheimer’s, cancer, leukemia, sickle cell
anemia and other inheritable maladies; along with a cure for many virus
infections like HIV, flue and Covid…
CRISPR has already been used on humans. In China, scientist He Jiankui edited the genes of unborn twins Lulu and Nana, protecting them against HIV which carries
a devastating stigma in China.
There is
also a down side of gene editing that could lead to one of the many science
fiction future. Using CRISPR we can
cut-and-paste genes outside the body and then reintroduce them, as well as modify
genes in-uterus. Once certain
genes are modified, they can become inheritable. We have been modifying genetic traits for
decades through selective breeding. We
have been able to design cattle, dog and cat breeds as well as breeding plants with
specific traits. Now we can do this by DNA
cell manipulation. CRISPR offers the
real possibility of designer human beings.
Using CRISPR
we now have the capability of defining hair color, eye color, height, muscle
mass and resistances to illness; but we may also be able to define intelligence,
life span, skin tone (race?).
Some
biologist believed that certain emotional traits are defined by DNA, such as aggressiveness,
religiousness, ethical behavior… in which case they could also be modified.
We could be
talking about a total redesign of the human race. Designed warriors, designed
workers, a master race? We have been
there before.
And who would control this power? Likely the people rich enough to fund the
research.
Of course,
Christianity wades in immediately claiming scientist are playing God: A God that has given us birth defects, infant
mortality, infant and childhood diseases, retardation….
Science
always drags us forward, while religion attempts to drag us backwards.
CRISPR can’t
be put back in the bottle. CRISPR is
here. We are at the very beginning of
a genetic revolution. Forty years ago,
Apple came up with the personal computer.
It had a blinking cursor on the screen and could do very basic
operations, with a 112 kilobytes memory. Today, forty years later, my Walmart
purchased computer has gigabytes of memory and operating capacity far beyond my
ability. Where will genetics be in forty
years?
If it can be
done someone will do it.
If it can be
done some country, race or religion with the money to finance will use it: Russia,
China, US, Israel, Mormons…
Within the
next forty years we are going to see science fiction evolve to science, and a
human race that will eventually look back on us as primitives.
In a way, I
am glad I won’t be there.
the Ol’Buzzard
I am eighty-plus years old, and in pretty good shape for that age. During this pandemic it has been, and still is, important that my younger wife and I exercise and stay fit. If not, this will be a time of physical decline that we may not be able to make up.
I don't advertise for anybody, but when I buy a product and feel it is valuable I don't mind posting about it.
A couple of weeks ago I bought this GOPRO treadmill. We already have a bike and a Total Gym, but neither give you the same over all workout, and balance that you get from walking. Few people have room for a big treadmill in their home, so small size and foldability was the chief factors in purchasing this treadmill.
I am somewhat disappointed with this machine, but it is what was advertised. I am six foot and 190 pounds, and this machine is too small for me to use comfortably, but I can and will use it. This would be a great machine for a smaller person - say under five feet five. The track is pretty narrow for my size fourteen feet and fairly short for a good stride. But, as I said, it is a convenient size for our room and it folds compactly. It will give us an adequate workout during the winter months and during the time of pandemic.
The treadmill cost under four hundred dollars, was delivered promptly and comes with a good warranty. We try to buy anything of this nature on-lint through Walmart, because if we don't like the quality we can return it locally without dealing with return shipping.
We also have an Exerputic stationary bike, and it is excellent. It cost under two-hundred dollars. We have had it for eight years and it is sturdy and gives a good workout. Probably not what the young and athletic would like, but great machine for legs and stamina; well suited for less active people.
I have the Total Gym 1400. I have had it for about ten years and can't say enough about the workout I am able to get each day. I do three sets of ten exercises. It takes me about fifteen minutes. My arms, shoulders, chest and stomach feel solid. Without the Total Gym routine it would all go to flab. The Total Gym 1400 cost about four hundred dollars, but I don't use all the extra bars and handles and footrest - so the Total Gym APEX G1 at about three hundred dollars would work just as well.
The old saying 'If you don't use it, you lose it.' is so true. Exercise is as important as diet in aging healthily. Fifteen minutes a day is not much to stay heart healthy and physically fit. If you can't go to a gym, if you don't have an active life style, you might consider one of these machines to help you maintain stamina, strength and health.
the Ol'Buzzard
There is a
point in all of us
Somewhere in
our DNA
Where nature
overtakes nurture
And we are
able to hear the cry
From our
long forgotten past.
It is the
wind that speaks to us
Beyond our
cell-phones and I-Pads
Beyond our
tv’s and computers
When
everything that consumes our daily lives
Is shut down
and there is silence.
Then we can
hear the wind.
I have heard
it and felt it before
But each
time in a place of silence
and alone. The wind. More than a whisper:
A cry, a
howl, a roar – a voice
That brings
back a clouded memory
Something through
a glass darkly
Of a time
when I am dressed in skins
Huddled in a
cave or blow down shelter
And the wind
outside is warning me
Don’t come
out. I am strong. I am Nature.
I am god.
the Ol'Buzzard
My wife and I got out corona virus vaccines yesterday. Absolutely painless shot. This morning the arm is a little sore at the injection site, but not a big deal. I've got to admit that we both feel liberated. We still have one more shot to go, and we will still wear mask and observe social distancing; but we are much less fearful of contracting the virus and losing one another.
the Ol'Buzzard
All religions
are based on the Wimpy Principal: I’ll pay you tomorrow for a hamburger today.
We must
respect the other fellow’s religion, but only in the sense and to the extent
that we respect his theory that his wife is beautiful and his children are
smart.
H. L.
Mencken
Why are
people still following a religion that was founded by racist, sexist, superstitious
people who believed that everything they couldn’t understand was magic, from a
time when the wheelbarrow was cutting edge technology?
Why shouldn’t
we be tolerant of people’s religious beliefs?
Many
Catholic bishops are encouraging their congregations not to take the Johnson
and Johnson corona virus vaccine because it was developed using stem cells
cloned from fetal tissue collected in 1985.
Isn’t it
time to move out of the dark ages?
The Ol’Buzzard
I would bet that 100% of ashiest wear mask, social distance and get the Corona Virus vaccine.
the Ol'Buzzard
We are
living in a post truth world. A time
when people will unabashedly declare Alternative Facts. Truth is no longer
accessed by logic, but dictated by emotion.
Saying something with impact is now more important than saying something
true. When truth doesn’t matter, you
declare your truth by yelling the loudest.
I rest my case
the Ol'Buzzard
