Snowflake's Forum

What are YOUR plans? Shop till you drop? Decorate and prepare? Avoid crowds, avoid mention of Christmas (or whatever Holiday you celebrate)? Get the eggnog out and listen to lots of Christmas music? Continue on more or less as you do the rest of the year? Hibernate? Attend pre-Christmas parties or concerts or gatherings? Just curious. 60+ Ideas To Enjoy The Days Before Christmas https://www.stonegableblog.com/60-ideas-to-enjoy-the-days-before-christmas/#google_vignette 60 ?  Forget that!!

  Medical abilities are advancing rapidly.  Soon, may come the day when you can design your body the way you want.  Bunny wouldn’t mind two opposable thumbs on each hand.  What about you?  Eyes on the end of your fingers?  Extra limbs?  Eternal teeth?  What would you 2.0 look like? J. P. Bunny

In 1970 researchers isolated the fungal compound (+)-verticillin A. They tested it and found it to be active against some cancer cell lines in vitro . However, chemists could not figure out a way to synthesize the compound. Chemically, it is a real stinker to synthesize. It was never moved into human clinical trials. There just wasn't enough of the compound to do clinical trials. In mouse cancer testing using nanoparticle-encapsulated verticillin A, tumor burden was significantly reduced in high-grade serous ovarian cancer xenograft models.  As one can easily see from its chemical structure, this beast isn't easy to synthesize.  As we can all imagine, the chemists were stumped for 55 years at how to form that nasty C3-C3' carbon-carbon covalent bond that links the two 4-ring monomers into the dimer. Obviously, the disulfide bonds (-S-S-) are not stable under conditions needed to form the C3-C3' bond. But chemists at MIT finally figured a way to do it. A complicated wa...

  The Xmas season is here.  Nothing before December 1st counts.  Most of us are pretty much over the hill and down the other side.  Our attitudes towards the season may change as we get older.  Bunny has absolutely nothing against it, but now, it just doesn’t mean all that much.  Haven’t done decorating in decades.  Japan does excellent outdoor illumination, but no need to make a special trip. Of course, with the remaining family in the U.S., the looking forward dinner and time together isn’t there.  For Bunny, it is now a time when some presents are given, and not much else. How goes it with you?  Guessing those with family nearby have a different outlook. J. P.  Bunny

Border collie Arya, lives in Italy Owners can't say "pizza" out loud because she  understands the category food, loves pizza and goes nuts A SciAm article discusses the finding that dogs recognize categories of objects, which human toddlers do. These dogs extend words to new objects based on function the way children do in early language learning. In a study published in Current Biology , owners of 10 talented dogs  taught their talented dogs words for objects in two categories: tug toys, called “pulls,” and fetch toys, called “throws.” All toys were different in size, shape and color so appearance could not guide learning. The article comments: After four weeks of training, brand-new toys with a variety of designs were introduced. This time the dogs only experienced each toy’s function, either tugging or fetching, during play; they were not taught words for any of them. After a week of play, when asked to fetch a pull or a throw, the seven dogs that completed all e...

  You have a time machine to play with.  Your mission is to play pranks on the present.  No killing people or altering the timeline, but do something to make the people in the present scratch their heads. Leave some coins with Charles III in a sealed Egyptian tomb?  Have Shakespeare insert the names of Star Wars characters into his plays?  Make sure that Richard III was buried with a book of Garfield comics? What mischievous things can you think of? J. P. Bunny

 I think we lost Susan. Sighs. No, not "lost" in THAT way, just she has decided to forget about us. A lot of our other regulars have similarly either found other interests or have simply tired of our mundane, mostly non-political, boring threads. Still a couple of my other authors - especial thanks to Bunny - have kept busy on here. Even I just peek in now once in a while rather than engage in long conversations. Besides, we all seem to be on different schedules and not on at the same time. I have contemplated moving over to my other forum.......... https://snowflakesplace.boards.net/      ........... as there anyone joining that forum can author a thread and there are more subjects to pick from. But I suspect most of my regulars on here are just comfy with what we have here and would be hesitant to move there. I did mention once that if Disqus ever discontinues that you should all make note of that forum so you can follow me over there. Other than that, any ideas ho...

I retired a few months ago, and though I have continued to work part time as a consultant, that work has dropped off as we completed a big project. So I recently had six days completely off, which in the past would have meant taking PTO. But this time, it just sort of happened. OK, the holiday had something to do with it. But still.  I’ve been reflecting on how much easier my life has become since I retired. It’s disorienting!  Compared with most human beings, my life has always been a cakewalk. To give you a little flavor: My parents were loving, were never abusive, and lived well into my adulthood. I have never gone hungry or faced homelessness. I have never personally experienced war or interpersonal violence. And so on. And yet, I have never experienced life as easy. I lived a good portion of my life with depression. With depression, everything is hard. And even with that well managed, there was always work, dealing with people (a constant challenge for an introvert), tryi...

  AI Overview The portrayal of men, particularly white men, as incompetent or foolish has been a recurring and much-discussed theme in television commercials, a phenomenon often referred to as the " moronic male trope ".   It's generally accepted that men and women are, on average, of equal intellect. But there's a trend in advertising toward showing men as idiots. TV ads often portray men as dumb or weak to appeal to women, who drive most household purchases, using humor and stereotypes. This depiction can harm men’s self-esteem, ego, and sense of masculinity, leading to feelings of inadequacy, emasculation, and decision-making doubts. Critics argue it perpetuates harmful stereotypes, while recent trends show a shift toward positive portrayals, which may mitigate these effects. Here comes the stupid husband, boyfriend, tradesman, etc. in a commercial. He is almost always white. Why? 'Dumb men' the latest punching bag in advertising: Ad Guy Men depicted as slo...

  Most of us enjoy our movies and TV programs.  We suspend disbelief for the sake of a good time.  But, some will look for things that are off.  Neil degrasse Tyson complained about the stars being wrong in Titanic.    Bunny always looks at the clocks on screen.  Likes to see if they are actually working, or if the time isn’t following the story.    Cars being able to run at high speed after being hit, or going over steps or other cars….ignored. Do you look for things, or just enjoy it? J. P. Bunny

  Tidings for the Season (2025) There's No Place Like Christmas (2025) Merry Christmas, Ted Cooper! (2025) Three Wisest Men (2025) Melt My Heart This Christmas (2025) Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story (2025) A Royal Montana Christmas (2025) Christmas Above the Clouds (2025) Christmas on Duty (2025) An Alpine Christmas (2025) A Newport Christmas (2025) A Grand Ole Opry Christmas (2025) A Christmas Angel Match (2025) Fake Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (2025) A Keller Christmas Vacation (2025) Bump: A Christmas Film (2025)

 The ones with Kirk, Spock and McCoy? If so, can you twiddle down your five favorite and your five least favorite episodes? I know I know, so hard. The third season was garbage but for a couple of episodes like Spectre of the Gun and The Tholian Web. The first season was my favorite, so corny they were fun, 2nd season got political but still great episodes. Here is my list: Least favorite were the ones that showed planets out in space with American themes, like sure, uhuh: Miri A Private Little War Patterns of Force The Omega Glory The Paradise Syndrome My favorites were hard to come by since there are a good dozen, but since I have to meet my own challenge here are my favorite five: City On The Edge of Forever The Menagerie parts I and II Shore Leave Mirror Mirror Journey to Babel

One in a while, I see echoes of what sprouted and grew from where I did my academic research (not my research per se).  A NYT article  ( not paywalled ) discusses a successful gene therapy treatment for ADA-SCID. That is a genetic  disease that leaves babies without a functioning immune system. Most of those babies die within a year of birth.  The lab I did my dissertation research in was at the NIH, in the institute we called Giblets, the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute. That lab worked a couple of other NIH labs that treated any human genetic disease. The targeted disease was ADA-SCID. The first treatment procedure with human patients was done in 1990.  I was in one of the key labs, but not directly involved in developing and administering the first human gene therapy protocol. I worked on peripheral research developing improved means to transfer genes into sick people.  Cora Oakley, had ADA-SCID,  but now she's cured Here we are 35 years ...

 I prefer Knorr if I need a quick fix. Mostly make my own soup. But peeps love their Campbell's soups.  When the going gets tough, the tough get “Cream of Mushroom” soup. Sales for Campbells  jumped  nearly 5% last quarter, led by 15%  growth in the meals division that sells canned soups and sauces. Well, in that case we need a bit of soup controversy: Campbell Soup executive called its products food for "poor people," lawsuit claims A lawsuit filed in Michigan last week alleges that a Campbell Soup Company executive made offensive comments about Indian workers and said the company's products were for "poor people" during a conversation with a former employee. The suit was filed by Robert Garza, who was hired by Campbell's as a cybersecurity analyst in September 2024.  Garza alleges that Campbell's executive Martin Bally made the offensive remarks during a meeting in November 2024, which was intended to discuss his salary. According to the lawsuit, B...

  As the title says.  Which ones were good and which ones were bad?  Shawshank Redemption was a great adaptation.  I Robot was a horrid adaptation of Little Lost Robot. Which ones were good or bad for you? J. P. Bunny

 YES!! I should know.  BTW, had the flu shot a week ago, so prove positive, VACCINES DON'T WORK!! Nuff said? 

A Science article describes a Stirling engine that is powered by an energy-creating contraption with the engine mounted on it. The contraption, which is super simple in design, emits energy at Earth's surface warmth to the super cold of low-energy space. It has two layers, a top and a bottom layer. Energy at the Earth's surface is transmitted to space by the contraption's top surface, which is painted with a coating that efficiently emits infrared light (heat) into space. The emitted light has a wavelength range of 8–13 μm, which is in the “atmospheric window”. Light in that wavelength range can escape through the atmosphere to outer space rather instead of being re‑absorbed.   In other words, the contraption passively sends Earth heat directly into space cold by sending out heat energy in the form of light. As heat is emitted from the top plate, it cools down. That creates a temperature difference between the cool top and warm bottom plates. The Earth keeps the bottom pla...

  This one inspired by the not caring post.  If you have a job you don’t like, do you still take pride in your work?  Bunny has had positions where he dreaded going in, but always early and did good work.  “You may want me out because of my attitude, but you can’t get me on my work.” What sayeþ þou? J. P. Bunny

Have YOU reached that point yet? Do YOU even care enough to discuss if you have reached that point yet? And how does it feel being free of THAT care? Or do you still care enough not to let it completely go?

 Shower, shave, brush teeth.  When do you do such?  TV and movies have people taking a morning shower.   Bleh.  Needs to be before bed, so nice and clean in bed.      Same shows people waking up, brushing their teeth, then breakfast.  Pretty much a wasted effort.   Shaving before the evening shower. Howe about you?   For New Yorkers, how about youse guys?

  Musical instruments.  Did you play one?  Play one now?  Want to play one?  Bunny played the clarinet back in school.  Would like to learn the bagpipes, but no one gives lessons here? What about you? J. P. Bunny

 Had both the flu and the covid shot over the last week. Besides my arms aching a bit, I felt a slight buzzing in my ears. I also was having more vivid than usual dreams over the last week. I won't say what the dreams were about though. Just vivid.  BUT now I am wondering if I fell victim to massive waves of energy passing thru the Earth. Consider: Sci-fi, right? Conspiracy theory, right? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I wonder................... Yes, there are anecdotal reports from individuals who believe a recent massive wave of energy passing through Earth has caused physical symptoms like ringing in the ears and vivid dreams. While the existence of these energy waves and their effects are not scientifically proven, people who believe they are sensitive to these events have reported experiencing various symptoms, including ringing ears, headaches, sleep disturbances, and vivid dreams during periods of heightened solar activity or  Schumann Resonance  spikes.   A "whiteout...

  We all have our vices.  Must be careful with money now, but there is a small bakery, run by one woman, who makes great goodies.  Only open three days a week and not much put out, just muffins, cookies, and scones.  Not the basic ones that are mass produced, but original creations.  Marshmallow Rice Crispy cookies, banana crumble muffins….   Cost way more than regular store bought goodies, but Bunny needs them.  A necessary vice. What vices hath you? J. P. Bunn

 Sure, some politics with a twist and a laugh, why not? Nation's leader gets pranked by website designed to mock gullible people The President of the United States just got punk'd by a website that literally tells people they need a psychiatric evaluation if they believe its content. Our nation's Commander-in-Chief fell for satire so obvious it might as well have been wearing a neon sign reading "NOT REAL NEWS." Donald Trump on Sunday shared a fabricated claim about Barack Obama, amplifying a debunked conspiracy that the former president has received "royalties" from the Affordable Care Act. On Truth Social, Trump posted a screenshot claiming Obama collected $40 million in taxpayer dollars, complete with his signature one-word analysis: "WOW!" The source of the satirical news?  America's Last Line of Defense , which publishes fabricated political stories and describes them as satirical. ALLOD says, "Everything on this website is fictio...

  I was wondering what all the rage is about, but she seems to fit the MAGA look........... Uncanny!! BUT........................... how well does she do at the boxoffice? MAGA favorite  Sydney Sweeney  had a feeble opening weekend at the box office for her inspirational boxing film, “Christy.” The film was released in just over 2,000 theaters nationwide,  according to   The Wrap , and grossed only $1.3 million “for a per-theater average of just $649.” That puts it among the top 10 worst openings for a new release,  Box Office Mojo  reported, adding that “three of the films below it” were “released during the pandemic period from April 2020 to May 2021.” https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/maga-favorite-sydney-sweeneys-new-movie-absolutely-bombs-at-the-box-office/ She might have a future on Fox News.

Materials engineers at Australia's University of Sydney have produced a white paint-like coating that reflects ~97% of the sun's light. Under desert conditions indoors temperature could be kept up to about 6 ° C (~11 ° F) cooler due to reflected sun energy. In high humidity tropical conditions, the coating could keep indoor air about 3 °  C cooler.  Because the coating is cooler than surrounding air, water condenses as dew, allowing small amounts of fresh water to be passively collected, 390 mL of water per square meter/day (~13 fluid ounces per 10.8 square feet). If scaled up to the size of a whole roof, passive water recovery could supply most of a person's daily water use. Not a lot but also not trivial. Water production is best in humid conditions, but also works in most desert conditions. The coating is applied to a surface and it dries into a micro foam surface instead of a smooth surface.  Microscope image of the foam-like surface The coating looks like flat...

 Now, we could get cute and talk about the mini cups........ But let's keep it real. We are asking about regular size Reese's peanut butter cups. So, ONE bite, TWO bites, Four Bites, more?  In case you need some help on this question: https://hersheyschocolateworldlasvegas.com/2014/12/right-ways-eat-reeses/ BUT we would rather you give us your honest assessment on how many bites are normal or preferable to eat ONE regular size Reese's peanut butter cup. 

  Farmers' Almanac says it will cease publication after 208 years, citing financial challenges Readers, saddened to hear the news, posted online about how they used it in their families for generations as a guide to help them plant gardens and follow the weather. Farmers’ Almanac  said Thursday that its 2026 edition will be its last, citing the growing financial challenges of producing and distributing the book in today’s “chaotic media environment.” Access to the online version will cease next month. https://www.courthousenews.com/farmers-almanac-says-it-will-cease-publication-after-208-years-citing-financial-challenges/ Just another nail in the coffin for magazines we have long cherished and grown up with? Readers Digest no longer published in several countries like Canada and the UK. Mad Mag stopped publishing new material in 2019, National Geographic is no longer sold other than through subscription.  Even Automobile magazine is no longer. Questions: Which magazines h...

  Student government.  Did your school have such?  The elections, promises, and pretending it really mattered?  Were you involved in such?  Ambivalent?  Thought it a waste of time? We can guess how curmudgeon Bunny felt about it.  How about you?

  In the summer of 2025, we launched a survey of Canadian attitudes regarding paranormal beliefs in which participation was confidential. And for the  first time  in decades, we have nationally representative data on paranormal beliefs and encounters in Canada. Although news outlets regularly publish stories about paranormal beliefs on Halloween, the results they discuss are usually based on convenience samples. Ours is the first study in 20 years to use  randomly selected people  from the Canadian population to ask these questions — meaning the results are representative. And it turns out that almost one in two Canadians believe in at least one paranormal phenomenon, and one-quarter report encounters with spirits. https://theconversation.com/new-research-reveals-that-almost-half-of-canadians-believe-in-the-paranormal-ghosts-and-all-267912