Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Monday, March 30, 2026
Addiction
From AI Gemini:
Ten succinct points on the common behaviors associated with a gambling addiction:
1. Preoccupation: Constantly thinking about gambling, such as planning the next venture or figuring out how to get more gambling money.
2. Tolerance: Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired "high" or excitement.
3. Loss of Control: Making repeated, unsuccessful efforts to cut back, stop, or control the gambling behavior.
4. Withdrawal: Feeling restless, irritable, or anxious when attempting to reduce or stop gambling.
5. Escapism: Using gambling as a way to escape problems or to relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression.
6. Chasing Losses: Returning quickly after losing money to try to "get even" or win back what was lost.
7. Lying: Deceiving family members, therapists, or others to hide the extent of involvement with gambling.
8. Risking Relationships: Jeopardizing or losing significant relationships, jobs, or educational/career opportunities because of gambling.
9. Bailouts: Relying on others to provide money to relieve desperate financial situations caused by gambling.
10. Illegal Acts: In some cases, committing theft or fraud to finance the habit or pay off debts.
Ten succinct points on the common behaviors associated with a gambling addiction:
1. Preoccupation: Constantly thinking about gambling, such as planning the next venture or figuring out how to get more gambling money.
2. Tolerance: Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired "high" or excitement.
3. Loss of Control: Making repeated, unsuccessful efforts to cut back, stop, or control the gambling behavior.
4. Withdrawal: Feeling restless, irritable, or anxious when attempting to reduce or stop gambling.
5. Escapism: Using gambling as a way to escape problems or to relieve feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, or depression.
6. Chasing Losses: Returning quickly after losing money to try to "get even" or win back what was lost.
7. Lying: Deceiving family members, therapists, or others to hide the extent of involvement with gambling.
8. Risking Relationships: Jeopardizing or losing significant relationships, jobs, or educational/career opportunities because of gambling.
9. Bailouts: Relying on others to provide money to relieve desperate financial situations caused by gambling.
10. Illegal Acts: In some cases, committing theft or fraud to finance the habit or pay off debts.
Crapulous
"Crapulous is an adjective describing someone sick, hungover, or suffering from the effects of excessive eating or drinking. It also refers to being intemperate or gluttonous. Often used to describe a rough morning after partying, synonyms include crapulent, intemperate, debauched, and gluttonous."
Friday, March 27, 2026
Onions
Onions by William Matthews
How easily happiness begins by
dicing onions. A lump of sweet butter
slithers and swirls across the floor
of the sauté pan, especially if its
errant path crosses a tiny slick
of olive oil. Then a tumble of onions.
This could mean soup or risotto
or chutney (from the Sanskrit
chatni, to lick). Slowly the onions
go limp and then nacreous
and then what cookbooks call clear,
though if they were eyes you could see
clearly the cataracts in them.
It’s true it can make you weep
to peel them, to unfurl and to tease
from the taut ball first the brittle,
caramel-colored and decrepit
papery outside layer, the least
recent the reticent onion
wrapped around its growing body,
for there’s nothing to an onion
but skin, and it’s true you can go on
weeping as you go on in, through
the moist middle skins, the sweetest
and thickest, and you can go on
in to the core, to the bud-like,
acrid, fibrous skins densely
clustered there, stalky and in-
complete, and these are the most
pungent, like the nuggets of nightmare
and rage and murmury animal
comfort that infant humans secrete.
This is the best domestic perfume.
You sit down to eat with a rumor
of onions still on your twice-washed
hands and lift to your mouth a hint
of a story about loam and usual
endurance. It’s there when you clean up
and rinse the wine glasses and make
a joke, and you leave the minutest
whiff of it on the light switch,
later, when you climb the stairs.
How easily happiness begins by
dicing onions. A lump of sweet butter
slithers and swirls across the floor
of the sauté pan, especially if its
errant path crosses a tiny slick
of olive oil. Then a tumble of onions.
This could mean soup or risotto
or chutney (from the Sanskrit
chatni, to lick). Slowly the onions
go limp and then nacreous
and then what cookbooks call clear,
though if they were eyes you could see
clearly the cataracts in them.
It’s true it can make you weep
to peel them, to unfurl and to tease
from the taut ball first the brittle,
caramel-colored and decrepit
papery outside layer, the least
recent the reticent onion
wrapped around its growing body,
for there’s nothing to an onion
but skin, and it’s true you can go on
weeping as you go on in, through
the moist middle skins, the sweetest
and thickest, and you can go on
in to the core, to the bud-like,
acrid, fibrous skins densely
clustered there, stalky and in-
complete, and these are the most
pungent, like the nuggets of nightmare
and rage and murmury animal
comfort that infant humans secrete.
This is the best domestic perfume.
You sit down to eat with a rumor
of onions still on your twice-washed
hands and lift to your mouth a hint
of a story about loam and usual
endurance. It’s there when you clean up
and rinse the wine glasses and make
a joke, and you leave the minutest
whiff of it on the light switch,
later, when you climb the stairs.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Gas
A CNN article on someone from the Albany NY area who is feeling the pinch with higher gas prices.
CNN: Fuel vs food: These Americans are cutting back to afford higher gas prices by Tami Luhby
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Beet And Cacao
I asked AI Gemini, what are the health benefits of drinking a glass of water with a teaspoon of beet root powder and a teaspoon of cacao powder mixed in? Gemini replied:
Combining beet root powder and cacao powder creates a potent, nutrient-dense drink that targets cardiovascular health and cognitive function. Here is a breakdown of the primary benefits:
1. Enhanced Blood Flow and Heart Health
Nitric Oxide Production: Beet root is rich in dietary nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. This helps dilate blood vessels, potentially lowering blood pressure and improving circulation.
Flavanol Support: Cacao contains polyphenols (specifically flavanols) that improve the elasticity of arteries and further support healthy blood flow.
2. Physical and Mental Energy
Stamina: The nitrates in beets improve mitochondrial efficiency, which can help the body use oxygen more effectively during physical activity.
Subtle Stimulation: Cacao contains small amounts of caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine provides a longer-lasting, "smoother" energy boost compared to the sharp spike and crash often associated with coffee.
3. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Betalains: These are the pigments that give beets their deep red color. They are powerful antioxidants that help neutralize oxidative stress and may reduce inflammation in the body.
Cellular Protection: Cacao is one of the highest-scoring foods on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
4. Cognitive Function
Neurovascular Coupling: By improving blood flow to the brain, this combination may enhance focus and executive function. Studies suggest that cacao flavanols specifically can improve performance on high-pressure mental tasks.
Tips for Preparation
Clumping: Both powders are fine and can clump in cool water. Using a small handheld milk frother or mixing the powders into a tiny bit of warm water first to create a "slurry" before adding the rest of the cool water can help.
Flavor Balance: Beet root is quite earthy, while pure cacao is bitter. If the taste is too intense, a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of sea salt can help balance the flavors without adding sugar.
A quick note: Because beet root is high in oxalates, if you have a history of kidney stones, you might want to check with a healthcare provider before making this a daily habit.
Combining beet root powder and cacao powder creates a potent, nutrient-dense drink that targets cardiovascular health and cognitive function. Here is a breakdown of the primary benefits:
1. Enhanced Blood Flow and Heart Health
Nitric Oxide Production: Beet root is rich in dietary nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. This helps dilate blood vessels, potentially lowering blood pressure and improving circulation.
Flavanol Support: Cacao contains polyphenols (specifically flavanols) that improve the elasticity of arteries and further support healthy blood flow.
2. Physical and Mental Energy
Stamina: The nitrates in beets improve mitochondrial efficiency, which can help the body use oxygen more effectively during physical activity.
Subtle Stimulation: Cacao contains small amounts of caffeine and theobromine. Theobromine provides a longer-lasting, "smoother" energy boost compared to the sharp spike and crash often associated with coffee.
3. Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Betalains: These are the pigments that give beets their deep red color. They are powerful antioxidants that help neutralize oxidative stress and may reduce inflammation in the body.
Cellular Protection: Cacao is one of the highest-scoring foods on the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale, helping to protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.
4. Cognitive Function
Neurovascular Coupling: By improving blood flow to the brain, this combination may enhance focus and executive function. Studies suggest that cacao flavanols specifically can improve performance on high-pressure mental tasks.
Tips for Preparation
Clumping: Both powders are fine and can clump in cool water. Using a small handheld milk frother or mixing the powders into a tiny bit of warm water first to create a "slurry" before adding the rest of the cool water can help.
Flavor Balance: Beet root is quite earthy, while pure cacao is bitter. If the taste is too intense, a squeeze of lemon or a pinch of sea salt can help balance the flavors without adding sugar.
A quick note: Because beet root is high in oxalates, if you have a history of kidney stones, you might want to check with a healthcare provider before making this a daily habit.
Monday, March 23, 2026
Friday, March 20, 2026
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
California
From AI Gemini:
As of today, March 18, 2026, California remains the state with the highest gas prices in the nation.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in California is $5.56. This is a significant jump from earlier this month, driven by the same global supply pressures affecting the rest of the country.
As of today, March 18, 2026, California remains the state with the highest gas prices in the nation.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in California is $5.56. This is a significant jump from earlier this month, driven by the same global supply pressures affecting the rest of the country.
'Frankenstein 1970' - Trailer
I watched this movie the other night on HBO. The film was made in 1958, shot in eight days on a modest budget. It was one of the worst movies I've ever seen and simultaneously somewhat fascinating.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Autophagy
"Autophagy is a natural process in the body where cells clean out damaged or unnecessary components, essentially recycling them for better function. This process is important for cell health and can be influenced by factors like fasting and calorie restriction."
Monday, March 16, 2026
Boredom
From AI Gemini:
It’s funny how we spend so much energy trying to outrun boredom with scrolling and podcasts, when it’s actually one of the most productive "empty" states our brains can enter. Think of it as a biological "reset" button.
Here are three major benefits of letting yourself be bored:
1. It Acts as a Catalyst for Creativity
When you lack external stimulation, your brain doesn't just shut off; it turns inward. This is known as autochthonous thinking. Without a screen to focus on, your mind begins to wander, making "random" connections between unrelated ideas. This "incubation period" is often when the best "Aha!" moments happen—much like how you might find a solution to a problem while staring at a wall or taking a shower.
2. It Improves Mental Health and Focus
We live in a state of constant "attentional capture." Constant notifications and high-speed information keep our nervous systems in a state of low-level stress. Boredom provides a necessary break from the dopamine loop. By sitting with boredom, you:
- Regulate your emotions: You learn to be okay with your own thoughts.
- Restore attention: Just like a muscle, your focus needs rest to perform well later.
3. It Signals a Need for Change
Boredom is an emotional "GPS" system. According to functional accounts of emotion, boredom's primary job is to tell you that what you are currently doing isn't meaningful or satisfying.
"Boredom is the threshold to great deeds." — Walter Benjamin
It’s funny how we spend so much energy trying to outrun boredom with scrolling and podcasts, when it’s actually one of the most productive "empty" states our brains can enter. Think of it as a biological "reset" button.
Here are three major benefits of letting yourself be bored:
1. It Acts as a Catalyst for Creativity
When you lack external stimulation, your brain doesn't just shut off; it turns inward. This is known as autochthonous thinking. Without a screen to focus on, your mind begins to wander, making "random" connections between unrelated ideas. This "incubation period" is often when the best "Aha!" moments happen—much like how you might find a solution to a problem while staring at a wall or taking a shower.
2. It Improves Mental Health and Focus
We live in a state of constant "attentional capture." Constant notifications and high-speed information keep our nervous systems in a state of low-level stress. Boredom provides a necessary break from the dopamine loop. By sitting with boredom, you:
- Regulate your emotions: You learn to be okay with your own thoughts.
- Restore attention: Just like a muscle, your focus needs rest to perform well later.
3. It Signals a Need for Change
Boredom is an emotional "GPS" system. According to functional accounts of emotion, boredom's primary job is to tell you that what you are currently doing isn't meaningful or satisfying.
"Boredom is the threshold to great deeds." — Walter Benjamin
Friday, March 13, 2026
Weekend!
Have an excellent weekend. See you on Monday. Don't forget, March 20th is the first day of Spring. It's coming.
Seba
Albertus Seba 1665-1736, put together these interesting volumes of nature illustrations. He's credited with the volumes but the actual artists were: P. Tanjé, J. Folkema, F. de Bakker, and A. van der Laan, all four rarely get credit.
Thursday, March 12, 2026
Pride
Exceeding Pride - Thinking you are even better than those who are great
Blatant Pride - Thinking you have greater qualities than you actually possess
Unfounded Pride - Taking pride in what is actually a fault
Blatant Pride - Thinking you have greater qualities than you actually possess
Unfounded Pride - Taking pride in what is actually a fault
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Paradox
"A paradox is a statement, proposition, or situation that seems self-contradictory, absurd, or goes against common sense, yet upon investigation may hold a deeper truth or reveal a flaw in reasoning. It involves contradictory elements that exist simultaneously, often challenging accepted logic or intuition."
Retire
Fine Day Radio: Young Chinese Workers Quit Corporate Life to Retire Early in Ghost Town Apartments
"Chen spends only 1,200 RMB monthly – roughly $168 – for her unit in this artificial Venice located in Jiangsu province. The incredibly low cost has enabled Chen to step away from working life entirely at just 28 years old."
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Monday, March 09, 2026
Friday, March 06, 2026
Weekend!
Have an excellent weekend, relax, rest, see you on Monday. Don't forget to set your clocks ahead on Sunday morning.
Arrogance
arrogance - noun
1. The state or quality of being arrogant; overbearing pride.
2. The act or habit of arrogating, or making undue claims in an overbearing manner; that species of pride which consists in exorbitant claims of rank, dignity, estimation, or power, or which exalts the worth or importance of the person to an undue degree; proud contempt of others; lordliness; haughtiness; self-assumption; presumption.
3. Overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors.
1. The state or quality of being arrogant; overbearing pride.
2. The act or habit of arrogating, or making undue claims in an overbearing manner; that species of pride which consists in exorbitant claims of rank, dignity, estimation, or power, or which exalts the worth or importance of the person to an undue degree; proud contempt of others; lordliness; haughtiness; self-assumption; presumption.
3. Overbearing pride evidenced by a superior manner toward inferiors.
Rauschenberg
Robert Rauschenberg 1925–2008 - 'Untitled' 1953 - gold leaf on fabric and glue on Masonite
Thursday, March 05, 2026
Youtube
Greetings. If you are unable to view Youtube videos on this blog, it could be for one of several reasons.
1. Blocking "Cross-Site Tracking": YouTube wants to see a Google cookie in the visitor's browser to prove they are a real person. If your blog visitors (or you) have "Block third-party cookies" enabled in browser settings, YouTube can't "see" that they are logged into Google, so it assumes they are a bot.
2. VPNs & Cloud Privacy: If you or your readers use a VPN or Apple’s "iCloud Private Relay," YouTube often flags those IP addresses as "suspicious" and blocks the embedded player.
Basically, Youtube is at war with AI and bots. They want to make sure that a real person is viewing their videos. If you have an ad blocker or one of the above settings, you're not going to be able to see the Youtube videos here. I can't view these videos on my Firefox browser for these reasons, but I can see them on my Chrome browser. I'm sorry about that.
1. Blocking "Cross-Site Tracking": YouTube wants to see a Google cookie in the visitor's browser to prove they are a real person. If your blog visitors (or you) have "Block third-party cookies" enabled in browser settings, YouTube can't "see" that they are logged into Google, so it assumes they are a bot.
2. VPNs & Cloud Privacy: If you or your readers use a VPN or Apple’s "iCloud Private Relay," YouTube often flags those IP addresses as "suspicious" and blocks the embedded player.
Basically, Youtube is at war with AI and bots. They want to make sure that a real person is viewing their videos. If you have an ad blocker or one of the above settings, you're not going to be able to see the Youtube videos here. I can't view these videos on my Firefox browser for these reasons, but I can see them on my Chrome browser. I'm sorry about that.
Oliver
'White-Eyes' by Mary Oliver
In winter
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees
where the wind-bird
with its white eyes
shoves and pushes
among the branches.
Like any of us
he wants to go to sleep,
but he's restless—
he has an idea,
and slowly it unfolds
from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake.
But his big, round music, after all,
is too breathy to last.
So, it's over.
In the pine-crown
he makes his nest,
he's done all he can.
I don't know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—
which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—
thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird
that loves us,
that is asleep now, and silent—
that has turned itself
into snow.
In winter
all the singing is in
the tops of the trees
where the wind-bird
with its white eyes
shoves and pushes
among the branches.
Like any of us
he wants to go to sleep,
but he's restless—
he has an idea,
and slowly it unfolds
from under his beating wings
as long as he stays awake.
But his big, round music, after all,
is too breathy to last.
So, it's over.
In the pine-crown
he makes his nest,
he's done all he can.
I don't know the name of this bird,
I only imagine his glittering beak
tucked in a white wing
while the clouds—
which he has summoned
from the north—
which he has taught
to be mild, and silent—
thicken, and begin to fall
into the world below
like stars, or the feathers
of some unimaginable bird
that loves us,
that is asleep now, and silent—
that has turned itself
into snow.
Wednesday, March 04, 2026
Rumi
'Time’s Knife' by Rumi
Time’s knife slides from the sheath, as a fish from where it swims.
Being closer and closer is the desire of the body.
Don’t wish for union.
There’s a closeness beyond that.
Fall in love in such a way that it frees you from any connecting.
Fall in love in such a way that it frees you from any connecting.
Love is the soul’s light, the taste of morning.
No me, no we, no claim of being.
These words are the smoke the fire gives off as it absolves its defects.
As eyes in silence, tears face.
Love cannot be said.”
Time’s knife slides from the sheath, as a fish from where it swims.
Being closer and closer is the desire of the body.
Don’t wish for union.
There’s a closeness beyond that.
Fall in love in such a way that it frees you from any connecting.
Fall in love in such a way that it frees you from any connecting.
Love is the soul’s light, the taste of morning.
No me, no we, no claim of being.
These words are the smoke the fire gives off as it absolves its defects.
As eyes in silence, tears face.
Love cannot be said.”
Tuesday, March 03, 2026
Shark
From AI Gemini:
Tiger sharks are famous for having the most diverse diet of any shark species. While they typically hunt fish, seals, and turtles, they are also notorious scavengers. Their stomachs have revealed a bizarre array of man-made objects, including:
- License plates and tires
- Suit armor and fur coats
- Drums and even unexploded munitions
Because of their incredibly strong stomach acid, they can digest things that would be fatal to almost any other marine creature.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
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Cave
from Rabih Alameddine - "Bison cave painting, La grotte de Marsoulas, Haute-Garonne, Pyrénées, France possibly 20,000 years old. Discovered in 1897"
Monday, March 02, 2026
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