Mark Cuban said he was 'embarrassed' to find out some Dallas Mavericks staff needed government benefits

Interesting perspective on how companies can do more - on their own - to solve the problem of people having to go on Medicaid. 

Pay a fair wage out of the ginormous profits. I mean duh. 

Mark Cuban Was 'Embarrassed' to Find Staff Needed Government Benefits - Business Insider


https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-cuban-embarassed-staff-assistance-cut-medicaid-employees-taxpayers-companies-2025-6

3D printing in space

The European Space Agency sent along a 3D printer to the International Space Station, and recently, it was used to create a 3D metal object. As you might expect, in micro gravity, it took a while to calibrate the machines.

But the result is that they now can now print a part that they need for a repair on the station - and it naturally has implications beyond the ISS.  As we move further from Earth, we have to be prepared for many eventualities.  And a 3D printer allows for a wide range of possibilities.

Remember that in Apollo 13, they had to repurpose whatever things they could find on board to ensure that the astronauts could return home.  Imagine how that could have gone if they could have made literally anything out of an idea.

https://www.sustainability-times.com/research/theyre-sure-its-not-from-earth-scientists-analyze-mysterious-metal-object-with-properties-unknown-to-human-technology/

Another whitewashing of history?

This is an interesting long-form piece about how Harvard wanted to know about how the slave trade was handled at the university.  Its worth a read... 

...but for anyone who wants the cliffs notes version, essentially someone was hired to do the research and what he found was that there was a lot of overlooked elements of slavery that helped build the university, and even several prominent people involved with the founding were slave owners.  The researcher was asked to limit his findings because this was a source of shame.  And when he didn't, he was let go, and the university turned the research over to a company doing more genealogy and less shining a light on slavery.

Which is shameful in its own right.  The past happened.  Why can't we just own up to it and move on?

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/jun/21/harvard-slavery-decendants-of-the-enslaved

Relay 2 comes to life to emit a pulse of radio waves

In 1964, NASA launched Relay 2 as an early satellite.  The main objective was to determine the feasibility of launching a satellite that could remain in place and allow for data to be relayed from future manned missions (like the moon shots).  

Having fulfilled its purpose, the satellite was decommissioned in 1967, and just left to sit in a high orbit above the earth.  And then in mid-June of this year, it suddenly came to life and emitted a strong radio pulse - well beyond anything that could be easily explained.

Scientists are trying to understand what happened here, but its a really fun mystery for now.

The original article is behind a paywall: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2485157-dead-nasa-satellite-unexpectedly-emits-powerful-radio-pulse/

Another free source for a related article: https://www.sciencealert.com/mysterious-radio-signal-caught-bursting-from-long-dead-nasa-satellite

Wireless power transmission

I've talked in the past about the possibilities for wireless power transmissions.  DARPA has achieved this - by sending 800 watts of power over a distance of 5 miles!

The pulse was transmitted with an approximate 20% efficiency, and some of the power it transmitted was used to make popcorn. The researchers have bigger ambitions for the system's use in the field, however, suggesting that it could be used to power unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Popcorn.  Seems so innocent, given that this is an advanced research branch of the army.

https://www.livescience.com/technology/darpa-smashes-wireless-power-record-beaming-energy-more-than-5-miles-away-and-uses-it-to-make-popcorn

Removing microplastics from water

Researchers have found a plant-based substance that provides a way to to suck up microplastics.

... researchers found that extracts from okra and fenugreek can remove up to 90 percent of microplastics from ocean water, freshwater, and groundwater. These results were recently published in the journal ACS Omega.

 Its early, but the results are interesting!

https://scitechdaily.com/natural-plant-extract-removes-up-to-90-of-microplastics-from-water/

AI and Disney's sacred IP

Disney is - and always has been - very territorial about their intellectual property.  I mean look at Mickey Mouse, and how the Disney company sought to maintain the copyright over his likeness for as long as they did, going so far as to lobby congress so that they could maintain that copyright for longer than originally intended.

And now along comes AI.  And several companies are using it to generate content that (seemingly obviously) infringe on those copyrights.  Only the courts have been kind of letting a lot of it slide as these new technologies are "training."

But Disney is not taking that lying down and is suing to protect their IP from this type of infringement.  Its worth watching to see how this plays out, and whether the other players with significant works being re-created ultimately join the effort to stop AI companies from using and monetizing on the works of Disney (and others).

Here's an article from June that lays it all out.  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2025-06-22/inside-disney-s-campaign-to-protect-darth-vader-from-ai 

Possible Disney World expansion?

Disney submitted their 20 year plan for land usage to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (the state-run board that replaced the Reedy Creek Improvement District).

Most of it is the pro forma land usage plans.  But there were a couple of interesting items within it.  First was that they set aside property for two "minor theme parks."  These would be things like water parks or amusement park-type areas.   

But, more interestingly is that they left space for a 5th theme park.  Speculation is running wild on the internet on what that means, and when it could happen. But the reality is that there is (to this point) no concrete plan in place.  This is speculative, and leaves room for future growth, should Disney decide to expand like that. 

Still its important to note that Disney is planning for more growth.

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/fifth-theme-park-disney-world-approved-2045-plan/

Trump must be impeached

Senator,

Mr Trump continually ignores the constitution, but this weekend he went farther than he had previously. 

After days of saying "we'll see," he launched a military strike on a sovereign nation, seemingly based on nothing more than "his own gut."  While relations may be strained with Iran, there was no provocation and no reason to take this action. 

And the constitution requires that he get congressional approval to enter into any such conflicts. Which he simply did not do. 

It has been reported that he alerted England's prime minister and several "key Republican lawmakers" just before he launched the effort. But he skipped over people he doesn't like. 

That is not how any of this is done. 

Setting aside all the other transgressions, this one is the most severe and significant. He needs to be removed from office for this conduct. 

You need to support and defend the constitution and represent Americans in standing up to him. 

On maintaining friendships

This is a somewhat personal story...

Years ago, I met a guy through some work I was doing on the web and we became friends.  We found out we had a lot in common, and would hang out a few times a year (we lived in different parts of the country so it revolved around common activities).  He appeared on a Dolphins podcast that I had at one point, and on the Disney podcast, too.

He was a good human being. And I was glad to call him a friend.

The pandemic came, and we didn't see each other for a while, and we fell behind on communicating.  Hey.  It happens, that's life.

I saw something that I was pretty sure this friend would enjoy knowing about, so I dropped him an email.  I got a fairly unexpected reply, from his daughter: "sorry to tell you that he passed away after a brief illness, about two months ago"

I was stunned.  I reached out to a few other mutual friends to let them know.  Only to find out that during his illness, he had reached out to them to let them know he was not doing well.  And then a fairly close friend of his let this group know when he passed.

But I was left out of the conversation.  That stung a little more.

We obviously hadn't been that close in the last few years, and I hardly blame him.  But I was mildly surprised that the other folks hadn't mentioned anything to me. 

Again, that is life.  Still, it made me a little sad.  

But then I remembered an interview with former Dolphin player. and hall of famer, Larry Little from a few years back.  

He told a story about how a college teammate was in town, and had reached out and asked him to dinner. He said he was too tired and didn't go.  And the friend wound up having a heart attack and dying a few days later.  He felt great guilt and quietly reflected on that.  His advice to himself - and others - was to always try and see people that you care about when you have the chance.  Don't let being tired or busy be an excuse.  Cherish the people you like, and let them in.

And that's what I was trying to do in reaching out to my friend, and others who I've lost touch with over the years.   My aim is to cultivate better friendships, and try to not let this happen anymore to people I actually like and care about.  It's not so hard to send an email, or a quick text, or even make time to meetup if the person is nearby.

And that's the same advice I pass along to you.  The world is strange a lot of the time, but there are good people in it.  I'd like to encourage anyone reading this to make an effort to not let people just slip out of your life, only to find out that they died unexpectedly. 

Starship woes

SpaceX's large craft - starship - has experienced a series of problems recently. 

They have managed to launch several vehicles, and have returned the booster successfully; and even "caught it" a few times. 

But the upper stage hasn't found any success. The rockets mis-fire. The attitude can't be controlled. The payload doors won't open. 

And now they had a spectacular explosion on the pad while performing a static fire. 

I know that there is a lot of trial and error involved. And space is hard. But it just seems like maybe the spacecraft is too big and powerful and it just can't be harnessed properly. 

Anyway, you can watch the explosion on the attached link:

https://weather.com/science/space/video/spacex-starship-rocket-explodes-in-texas-testing

And one amusing thing. Afterwards, Elon channeled his inner Python fan and said "it's just a scratch" - which is amusing yet stupid (coming from him) 

To the senate: no war with Iran!

Senator, might I remind you that the ongoing discussion by Mr Trump to authorize military action against Iran seems to be entirely motivated by his own hubris rather than by good policy or some rational thought about the future of the Mideast and its stability. 

I also would point out that the majority of Americans - including those who identify as MAGA - are opposed to such action. 

And as you are likely well aware, there is no existing congressional authorization for the use of force against Iran. So there is yet another constitutional showdown looming, should he decide to act. 

You need to take a firm stand and support other options, other than military action. 

To the senate: Elimination of programs to feed people

Senator,

I often volunteer at feeding south Florida. I live here and want to help my community, and can honestly state there is a need. And a growing one at that. With the cost of living compared against the wages, and the rising cost of food, people don't have a lot of options. 

The food bank gives them an option. But through various actions of this administration, I am seeing less food being brought in, and Florida and federal donations are lower. 

Now with the budget that eliminates SNAP and other programs, there will be even less. And our neighbors - your constituents who are legally here - will need to rely on food banks more than ever. But their funding will also go away. 

So essentially in approving this budget, you would be creating more issues than you'd be solving. I would think the proposed tax savings for the ultra wealthy would be insignificant in the big picture. 

People work hard and still can't make ends meet. They need a little help. Don't cut their benefits!

To the senate: Emoluments clause

Mr Trump is promoting some ridiculously overpriced phone that I guess his family is selling (it's confusing but he's definitely involved). 

And that means he stands to profit (again) directly from the office he holds. 

That is a clear violation of the emoluments clause. You need to hold him accountable for (again) not acting constitutionally. 

POV Walkthroughs of Disney attractions

This is pretty cool.  While YouTube has a significant collection of user-created content related to Disney parks - including ride throughs of most attractions - Disney itself has decided to make a series of POV attraction ride throughs.

The major difference is that the Disney versions are flawless.  No ride breakdowns.  Shots that highlight things they want to be sure you see.  No other guests blocking the view. And they take some parts slowly.

You can find the collection on Disney+, beginning with the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland.

https://gizmodo.com/visit-disneyland-from-the-comfort-of-disney-with-more-pov-walkthroughs-2000617143

Hailing frequencies closed

Many years ago, I met Curt at an event hosted by the Miami Dolphins. We had a little fun back-and-forth about who was first with a dolphins website (though I always knew it was him; he beat me by maybe a month or so). 

We became friends and had a some fun bonding over being long-suffering fans, and discovered we also shared a love of Disney. There were other things, too, but those always worked. 

He appeared on both my dolphins and Disney podcasts a few times, and we did the scavenger hunt in 2011. It was an absolute blast. 

Unfortunately, we lost touch shortly before the pandemic, and the emails and calls became more sporadic. 

Then, today I saw something about the dolphins I thought he'd enjoy seeing, so I thought maybe we could pick up again. 

Only… I learned from his daughter that he passed away in March. That gave me pause. 

Goodbye my friend. May you feast among the dolphins greats, and get an audience with Walt himself. 😁

This is one of those fun human interest stories

TL;DR dad offers his son a chance to take on a challenge that you see on the socials. Kid succeeds. That video goes viral, and ultimately leads to the son getting a chance to go on the field with a baseball player he wanted to meet. 

It's worth a read, and reminds us that there is still good in the world. 

https://people.com/how-a-viral-prank-led-boy-to-meet-his-texas-rangers-idol-exclusive-11740602

When Don Shula almost went to work for Donald Trump

This is a summary of Trump buying the New Jersey Generals and pursing Don Shula. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI4gG_tzVpf/?igsh=eTM4cWZ2Z3ZzaXpy

A little more context: If I remember correctly, T-rump decided he wanted to win at all costs and made a run at Shula. 

Shula was flattered but not really interested. His situation in Miami was good but the money was tempting. And of course he and owner Joe Robbie had clashed a bunch by now.

I don't think they ever got far into negotiations, with Shulas representative doing the talking.

But it did give him more money from the notoriously cheap Robbie.

There are two rumors around this topic. First is that Larry Csonka (who played for Shula, and they remained friendly over the years) told reporters Shula "probably would have taken the money" if that other Donald hadn't gone public.

And the second is that the agent was trying to size up the real interest. Was this a publicity stunt? Would Shula have had control? Was it a legit offer without stupid clauses that would have made life difficult?

Part of how he negotiated was to ask for some ridiculous things, perhaps including the penthouse apartment.

It was to see what kind of a person that Donald was. And we all saw it.

Shula called it all a distraction and just moved on.

Religion meets politics

As I've noted many times before, the founding fathers weren't particularly religious. As the primary religion in the American colonies was Anglican, that meant that the predominant religion accepted the monarchy. Because the monarch is the head of the Anglican Church. 

That certainly didn't fit with the ideals of this fledgling nation, which was trying to free itself from the ties to England. 

And that's an important part of how our nation was founded. The Declaration of Independence speaks of "the creator" as a very ambiguous thing. And they do note that there is "divine providence" in the action, which suggests a higher power. But they don't otherwise mention god, and certainly not Christianity. 

The constitution makes no reference to god. At all. There is a notation in article vii that reads "in the year of our lord" 

done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independance of the United States of America the Twelfth In witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names

But keep in mind that the British had imposed the gregorian calendar on all its territories. It has a "starting point" related to the assumed birthdate of Jesus. Any days before that are "BC," or "Before Christ." And anything after are "AD," or "Anno Domini" which is loosely translated to "after the coming of god."

The plucky americans kept the calendar and the nomenclature for convenience. So "year of our lord" is a holdover from that, specifically. 

And with no other mentions of god, it's a stretch to fit Christianity into that. Though certainly some people try and do so.  

Moreover, it was decided to make the semi-official motto of these new United States e pluribus unum which you may recognize as a Latin phrase (Latin being commonly used in documents pertaining to state, in many British territories). It means "out of many, one."

You may also realize that this is the basic tenet of the declaration that "we the people" are the nation. Not a king. Not a type of tyrant. We. All of us.   

Now a quick aside: The pledge of allegiance that we all know and recite, didn't get written until after the civil war. It was 1892 when we started pledging allegiance to the republic. And it did NOT contain the phrase "under god" in its original form. 

But along came the Cold War in the 1950s. The red scare. There were communists everywhere, according to some. And we couldn't let the Russians take over our nation. So there were a series of witch hunts. 

And a serious discussion about how we could differentiate ourselves from *them* got underway … one way was through religion. The communists didn't believe in god and therefore, if the United States made references to god, we could assure ourselves that the red menace wouldn't affect our way of life. Silly as that sounds. 

So in 1956, the pledge of allegiance was changed to add "under god" to it. It's a small, subtle change. But in context, really relevant. 

They also adopted an official motto that reads "in god we trust," and stopped using "e pluribus unum" in most official capacities. 

Until then, no one much cared about religion in the way we think of it today. Yes, people were religious. And yes there were debates about church and state. But the constitution typically won out because it didn't mention god. 

But, with legislation and the stroke of a pen, we started down a long path of religion infiltrating our system of government. People assume that "under god" refers to Christianity. But of course it does not specifically do that. 

And our founding fathers never intended for this to happen. 

Reference: the constitution 

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#7

Reference: the Declaration of Independence 

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Seaweed packaging

A company called Notpla is working on a seaweed coating to put over a cardboard container.  The result is something that can biodegrade quicky and easily.

They're partnering with some European business, and with some big stadium operators to replace the packaging that's used when serving food at games and events.  

They also toyed wit han idea for seaweed-based cuops to replace single use plastic cups, but post-pandemic, opted to focus on these takeaway containers.

https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/06/07/we-dont-want-to-be-a-niche-brand-seaweed-is-taking-plastic-out-of-stadiums-and-sandwich-bo

Davinci drawings lead to newly discovered tunnels

Leonardo Davinci did some drawings of the Sforza Castle, and included were a series of underground tunnels.

Centuries passed, and the landscape changed.  The tunnels were lost to history.  Except that some archaeologists referred back to these drawings, and used ground penetrating radar.  And found the tunnels.

This is one of those fun stories that makes one marvel at the ability of Davinci to show us the real world.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a64864755/leonardo-da-vinci-castle-sketch/

Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours

It may seem a little far-fetched, but the scientists had in a group of scientists and reporters, and demonstrated the effect: plastic sitting in a salt water tank disintegrated in about an hour.  So if this is scalable, and if the plastic can stand up to regular handling, they may be on to something.

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/scientists-japan-develop-plastic-that-dissolves-seawater-within-hours-2025-06-04/

Saturn's moon - Titan - has a tilt that scientists are trying to understand

To this point, scientists can't figure out why Titan is "wobbling."

"We think some event in the past may have knocked the atmosphere off its spin axis, causing it to wobble."

While studying it using telescopes and looking at the data from probes, they noticed that Saturn wasn't impacting the tilt, which made the result curiouser.

"That would've given us clues to the cause," Nick Teanby, co-author of the study and a planetary scientist at the University of Bristol, said in the statement. "Instead, we've got a new mystery on our hands."

Its amazing to me just how much we don't know.  But its also worth noting that this is what's great about scientific curiosity.  We continue to evaluate what we see, and update theories to adapt to that.  And we continue to learn new things.

https://www.space.com/astronomy/solar-system/weve-got-a-new-mystery-on-our-hands-titans-weird-wobble-just-got-even-stranger

Space is hard

Japan's Resilience Lunar Lander apparently crash landed on the moon.  Everything was looking good after its time in space, and the engineers were excited and confident about landing.

But as it was 20m above the surface, and about 2 minutes from landing, the thrusters fired to move it to a vertical position, but it didn't successfully complete the maneuver, and the craft didn't slow down.  

iSpace lost contact with it and later determined that it had crash landed.  And that means its iSpace's second failed attempt to land on the moon,

https://www.reuters.com/science/japans-ispace-tries-lunar-touchdown-again-with-resilience-lander-2025-06-05/

Disney announces Piston Peak

Disney hadn't said much about the Cars themed land slated for the magic kingdom, after their initial announcement. 

The reason for that is: Florida politics. 

Disney proposed filling in the Rivers of America and using that as additional space for their new land. But Disney no longer controls its own waterways. They are now under the purview of the state's water management district. So, when Disney proposed their changes, the state rejected it outright. It's hard to tell what their reasoning was, but presumably it's about their ongoing feud. 

Disney tried negotiating, but they met a lot of resistance. I personally assumed the project died quietly. 

But in the first week of June, they came up with this statement. 

"Since the early days of Magic Kingdom, adventurous guests have traveled across space and time as they pass from Liberty Square to Frontierland.

 

"At the heart of all these stories are heroic characters with a belief in themselves that helped forge a path to their dreams.

 

"To continue this journey in great American storytelling, Piston Peak National Park will be part of the largest expansion in the history of Magic Kingdom.

 

"Visitors will be able to see and explore the visitor lodge, Ranger HQ, trails and more all set within the Disney and Pixar Cars universe.

 

"To make sure these buildings fit naturally within the surrounding majestic landscapes, Imagineers are using a style of architecture called 'Parkitecture,' which was developed by the National Park Service to create structures that harmonize with the natural environment.

 

"From the outside, trees will provide a natural barrier between the off-road rally and other parts of Frontierland and Liberty Square. Rugged mountains with dramatic peaks will be nestled along a calming waterway across from Grizzly Hall, and soaring geysers from the famed Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will stretch into the trails of our off-road rally."

Which means that they found a way to make it work. And if you look at the new rendering, you'll note that the waterway surrounds the land. So in effect, they reshaped the Rivers of America slightly, but left it intact. 

I'm not quite sure who won and lost here. But it seems a reasonable compromise. I think, anyway. 

But my one question is why did they put it there, and not over by the Tomorrowland speedway? That seemed to be a more natural tie-in. 

But what do I know?

Original artist rendering - no waterways shown:

Conceptualization shown in June with the announcement, with the waterway!: 

This is just madness

There's a weird story about Elon Musk, Stephen Miller, and Miller's wife. And honestly, I'm not sure why this is any way "news" or relevant. 

But I think it probably does suggest there are problems with this stupid "in crowd"…

If you're unfamiliar with the story, well, it's that Miller assigned his wife to keep an eye on Musk. Miller referred to it as "handling him," and musk reportedly figured out that he was being manipulated. 

Whatever it was ex actor is unclear … but it sure seems like something is simmering among them. 

And of course, there was some weirdness about their relationship, both professional and personal. And there was some side story about Musk no longer contributing to T-rumps personal account, which seems to have rankled some of the keystone cops. 

You can take “constitutional foundations” online, for free, from Harvard university.

You're welcome. Enjoy. And suck it Donald. 

https://www.harvardonline.harvard.edu/course/american-government-constitutional-foundations

In case you wanted to see the proof…

Here is fact-based-evidence that humans are evolving in real time, right in plain view, and in our lifetime. 

The story is that the people living in the Himalayas have adapted to the lower-oxygen environment in this mountainous region. 

Children are being born with the ability for their blood to carry enough hemoglobin to support their regular function. Whereas those of us who live much closer to sea level can not survive in that environment for long periods. 

Please, tell me again how humans haven't adapted and evolved based on environmental factors. 

Ahem. I'll say it again slowly so mouth breathers can get it. Human evolution has happened. And is happening. Every. Day. 

https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-are-evolving-right-in-front-of-our-eyes-on-the-tibetan-plateau

About air force one.

A few years ago, the pentagon was preparing plans to replace air force one.  This is something that has happened several times in the past; the planes used to ferry the president have a life span and they do get replaced.

So during the Biden administration, the pentagon talked with Boeing about a replacement aircraft.  Boeing, being the only US-based airplane company capable of creating an aircraft of that size, said this was going to be a problem.  As you know, Boeing has been having some quality issues and are waaaay behind on orders. 

So they suggested around 10 Boeing aircraft that had been sold around the world, with a smaller number of flight hours, that were for sale, and which might serve as a frame that could be built on to make it suitable for Air Force one.

The pentagon investigated that list and narrowed in on one aircraft: the 747 that Qatar owned as a luxury aircraft and were willing to sell to the US government.  

And then T-rump comes along and starts grifting.  He visits Qatar and they show him the aircraft. He proudly announces that it's a gift, and it's luxurious. And he wants it!

The problems with his statements are many.  But there is no evidence to support they were "giving it away"… that's what he said.  And surely they let him think that, in exchange for whatever they want in return. 

…and everyone lost their minds about this airplane.  So many opinions that had no substance. 

And then this week, the pentagon closed a deal to acquire the aircraft. No mention of the cost, whether it's a gift, and so on.  And the media just runs with it, because what do they care? They have a bias and they let that run…

It will take years for this aircraft to be ready to fly as air force one.  And when it does, it will look nothing like it does now.  The luxury part that dingleberry talked about won't exist.

But it was all just a part of the normal activity.  That got blown out of proportion because he said something stupid (I know, par for the course). 

A space elevator to the Moon is now within reach thanks to modern technology

This has been a theoretical dream for as long as man has been trying to reach space.  And now, it come closer to reality with some novel thinking…could a space elevator be anchored to the moon, rather than to earth?

https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/a-space-elevator-to-the-moon-is-now-within-reach-thanks-to-modern-technology/

The Devil they Knew: Chemical Documents Analysis of Industry Influence on PFAS Science

Would you look at that? DuPont and 3M knew that they're were creating dangerous chemicals, documented that, and then hid it from everyone. 

All the while reaping huge profits!

https://annalsofglobalhealth.org/articles/10.5334/aogh.4013

Owners of 'dangerous' dogs will need $100,000 liability insurance under newly signed law • Florida Phoenix

The governor puts on his stupid smile and signs a law about dog owners who need to carry liability insurance. 

But hey, gun owners. You're good. That's just insanity. 

https://floridaphoenix.com/briefs/owners-of-dangerous-dogs-will-need-100000-liability-insurance-under-newly-signed-law/

How is this okay?

The sitting president of the United States held a "private event" - which we know because it was made clear that he was acting as a private citizen and not in an official capacity, so that he would not have to reveal who was in attendance. 

First of all, that's an absurd thing to say. Everything he does is somewhat public. And because there were people from other countries in attendance then this should be classified as a state function. 

Second, the event itself is problematic. It was all about his own crypto currency. The invitees were his "biggest investors."  This raises many questions about them exchanging money for access to him. This violates the emoluments clause, which I remind you says

"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State."

I'm sure that someone - perhaps the DOJ - will try and tell us some loophole. But are we honestly expected to believe that a group of foreign nationals came to this country, invested in his crypto nonsense, and didn't ask - or won't ask in the future - for something in return in his official capacity?

It's another in a long string of him ignoring the constitution, and you turning a blind eye. 

The obvious question that remains is: what are you going to do about it? 

Habeas corpus

The president wants to ignore the writ of habeas corpus. If you're not exactly sure what that means, it's Latin and it translates to "to have the body" and loosely means that you are to be physically present, or more precisely to be in court yourself before a judge. 

This is spelled out in the constitution thusly:

• This legal procedure ensures that individuals are not held in custody without due process of law. It requires that a person be brought before a court to determine the legality of their detention.

  
  

  
  

And then this fun exchange happened in a senate hearing, with the head of DHS - the whackadoodle Kristi Noem being asked about it:

At a Senate hearing, Senator Maggie Hassan, Democrat of New Hampshire, asked Ms. Noem about the issue. "Secretary Noem," she asked, "what is habeas corpus?"

"Well," Ms. Noem said, "habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country and suspend their right to—"

"No," Ms. Hassan interjected. "Let me stop you, ma'am. Excuse me, that's incorrect."

Well, I suppose that's one way to look at it...

I heard an analyst talking about tariffs.  His "take" was that there are some people close to the president who are conducting a complex dance of sorts.  

They do not want to increase taxes on large - to - mid sized corporations; they know that would be a non-starter.  But they also know that they need to increase revenue in some way to fund the government.  So the aim was to increase the tariff rate so that these companies would pay the fee from their outsized profits.

But the companies are greedy, and decided to simply pass that on to the consumer (and in doing so keep their profits ridiculously high).

It would explain all the angst about showing the tariff amount at some retailers.  The administration just wanted the companies to simply suck it up and pay it.

But the companies decided to screw everyone instead.

Like I said, its a perspective that has some merit perhaps.  Its all just so strange.

Environmental impacts from big pharma

Here's a rather odd story about how pharmaceutical companies create enormous amounts of waste, primarily in the disposal of over production.

And that's crazy, when you consider that we have this weird relationship with healthcare in this country.  People seem to think that its okay to not have healthcare or vaccines, but yet will succumb to sexy marketing for a wonder drug.

Such a weird collision of science, health, and the environment.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/experts-raise-red-flag-researching-110005547.html

Its all about data!

Everyone is looking to collect data on everything we do. Its a weird world, where our digital footprint is used for literally everything.  And every big company wants to control that data and profit from it.

Apple has car play, and Google has android auto. These are both nicely coded software built to give a great customer experience - and collect data that Apple and Google can use to their advantage.  And Apple has created the capability to take over most current cars - allowing them to control the interface and obviating the need for the car company's software.

But the auto manufacturers aren't too happy with this arrangement.  I've noted in the past that your car collects all manner of data about you and your car - from driving habits, to location, to speed, to what you say inside the cabin. And they can - and do - sell this to anyone who is interested, including insurance companies, who have started to use this data to individualize your insurance rate.

And the worst of it is that you can not opt out.

As this continues to evolve, the car manufacturers are hiring some number of people that write software that isn't that great in customer experience, and for which they can charge you more to use, all while selling all the data about you - thus profiting on every part of it.  And the aim is to stop you from using Apple and Android products on their infotainment systems.  Its a strange time isn't it?

Everyone wants to profit off our data. 

https://www.motortrend.com/features/apple-carplay-android-auto-automakers-ditching-them-for-data

A Century Ago, a High School Teacher From a Small Tennessee Town Ignited a National Debate Over Human Evolution

A story about the Scopes ("Monkey") Trial that's worth a read. How much do you know about it?

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-century-ago-a-high-school-teacher-from-a-small-tennessee-town-ignited-a-national-debate-over-human-evolution-180986515/

OMG this is so close to being real. Not.

Watch "WDW Mark IV Monorail Purple Assembly and Beam Mounting" on YouTube

This is a really cool video of them putting monorail purple on the line back in the 1980s. 

https://youtu.be/daMXfiM-fWQ?si=4---BeJCyihmSbEz

Yes. The cost of Disney is increasing constantly. But…

Saw this clip of a guy who dropped $1400 on a day trip to Disney world with his family. It went viral, and he used his 15 minutes of fame to appear on tv. 

And then he went on faux news.  It's all mostly fine, though you might sense a bit of a bias against Disney (that's not a big deal, people have varying opinions about Disney and generally they're not wrong). 

But at about 2:15, the host decides to change the narrative and blames rising prices on "the last administration" and says this guy is making it better. Which….uhhhh…. is disingenuous, and has nothing whatsoever to do with the point of this puff piece.

And once again, this is how the media that wants to curry favor with dear leader can subtly manipulate people into believing something that isn't accurate and changes the conversation into something else entirely. 

https://youtu.be/dvBGOWeyuiY?si=nNi6IdKh6tfy2gHF

Watch "You need to remember this #supremecourt #algore #trump #georgewbush" on YouTube

Good perspective on how rational people who are good leaders react to things. 

We would be wise to remember this going forward. Just sayin' 

https://youtube.com/shorts/QGxcdlP_f78?si=WIbyXNG4wRe-xesb

Oh it’s very clear…

Scientists Have Been Studying Remote Work For Four Years And Have Reached A Very Clear Conclusion: "Working From Home Makes Us Happier."

Which is why companies and wealthy executives hate it. You have to be miserable in order for them to have power over you. 

https://farmingdale-observer.com/2025/05/16/scientists-have-been-studying-remote-work-for-four-years-and-have-reached-a-very-clear-conclusion-working-from-home-makes-us-happier/

Original magna carta copy discovered in archives

This is a ridiculous story. Harvard paid under $30 for it some years ago, and just put it away. 

Wow. 

https://abcnews.go.com/US/original-magna-carta-copy-discovered-harvard-university-archieves/story?id=121830353

#OnlyInFlorida

It’s a lady holding a car seat while on a scooter. 

I can't believe I'm saying this...but...

I have to agree with Senator Thillis on this one.  Someone will need to be held accountable, come Groundhog Day next year.

Its interesting to see him wiggle around and talk about how he thinks (knows?) its a bad idea, but is willing to give Trump the benefit of the doubt.  

And his comment that the president and vice president would never be held accountable speaks volumes.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6rT7WvbiXQQ?si=jObg_p0fusRnlIG0

Air Force one.

It's 100% absurd that T-rump wants to accept the gift of a jet from a foreign country. I guess he got a tour of it and said it was luxurious and thinks it would be great for his ego or some such nonsense. 

Nevermind that this violates several specific federal laws, and of course goes right into emoluments, which is noted in the constitution.  There's the problem of the procurement process and Congress having to approve a plane. And of course he will be beholden to Qatar should he accept such "a gift"… they can literally ask for anything and he'll be obligated to give it to them.

The GOP, the attorney general, the mouth breathers who enable him, they all come up with excuses for why this is okay.  Any rational person can see how they have to tie themselves into knots to get there. 

But to me, the funniest part of all of this is that this is a conveyance for the president, whether it's him or anyone.  The secret service, the air force, and certain groups have to make it appropriately safe and ensure that it has the necessary equipment, defensive capabilities, crew space, passenger space (for staff and selected others), and avionics to fly as a part of the air force. 

And that means that once the plane is received, it can't simply be painted and put into service.  Nope, it has to be taken to an airbase, be stripped down, and refitted with everything that's needed.

By one estimate I've seen, this process could take anywhere from. 3-5 years, and the interior would look nothing like he's raved about.  And it would cost around a billion dollars to make it happen; and yes purchasing a new aircraft and having certain specific things built in would be cheaper. 

So in the end, he may not even get a chance to fly in it…

But people are stupid and believe what they want to believe. 

Photographs of atoms

Some researchers at MIT came up with a means to capture images of atoms with detail we've never seen. You can see how bosons bunch up while fermions stay apart, illustrating how the electrons and positive/negative attraction works.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/mit-physicists-snap-the-first-images-of-atoms-in-their-free-range-states/

Two types of atoms, bosons on the left exhibit bunching while the fermions on the right display anti-bunching – Credit: Sampson Wilcox / MIT

NYC business owner erects 50-foot steel fence on his property — cutting off the sidewalk and 10 parking spots

#ThatsSoNY

This is so stupid it's comical. Why can't more stories be like *this* rather than always about the orange man and his cult and their stupidity. 

This guy is a nuisance, but it doesn't appear to be politically motivated. Just saying. 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nyc-business-owner-erects-50-110900263.html

ESPN's new streaming app could replace cable for some but may end up costing them more

There's some greed in here…

ESPN is launching a direct-to-consumer service of their networks, including all live sports they offer for the low, low price of $30 per month.

Which is quite the change from their original business model (still in effect, to this day, with cable) at about $4 per month, per subscriber. 

Now I know costs have gone up.  And I know that the promise of $4 from every cable tv consumer was a move to ensure they had operating capital, and they will have a smaller base….but wow $30 a month seems like a huuuuge increase. 

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/13/nx-s1-5396864/espn-streaming-app-cost

Walt Disney comes to life ... as an audio animatronic

Last year, the Walt Disney company announced at their fan expo that they were working on creating an animatronic version of the man, the myth, the legend, to give fans a first hand glimpse of what the man was actually like.

We didn't hear much for a while after, but now, we're getting additional details. "He" (is it right to use a pronoun here?) will be featured in a new show called "Walt Disney - a Magical Life" at Disneyland, beginning in July.

The LA Times article below pretty much covers the hype and reality of what this actually means.  I called him man, myth, legend in an earlier sentence.  He's achieved a larger than life "hero status." But... he was still a human and as I understand it, never wanted to be placed on a pedestal.  So striking the balance on a show will be quite the undertaking.

https://www.latimes.com/travel/story/2025-05-02/disneyland-walt-disney-a-magical-life-animatronic 

Disney's new theme park

The official press release reads:

The Walt Disney Company and Miral, Abu Dhabi's leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, announced an agreement to create a landmark Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The waterfront resort will be located on Yas Island, a world-class destination for entertainment and leisure, connecting travelers from the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe, and beyond. This seventh Disney theme park resort will combine Disney's iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi's vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture.

Which is certainly intriguing.  I didn't have a new theme park in the middle east on my bingo card.  Still, I'm intrigued by their growth and think its a good thing in the long run.

But as several market analysts warn: don't get too excited about Disney stock just yet, as it will take several years for the park to be built.

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-announces-abu-dhabi-theme-park/

The wisdom of the crowd as it applies to space

NASA and the ESA are working with something called the Zooniverse (see what they did there?) to help identify galaxies and other objects that the JWST has seen through its optics and recorded.

They say anyone can contribute, and no experience is necessary.  That's pretty cool and you, too, can help contribute to better understanding our universe.

Link to site:

https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo/

Short video overview:

https://youtu.be/F-B8gXJyMHc

On Walt Disney and Bob Iger

Recently, comedian Nate Bargatze was asked some questions about his idea to build a sort of a Disney-like themepark.

He said that "[Walt] Disney cared about his customers... Now Disney is run by a guy that's just a businessman. Well, that guy doesn't care about the audience."

That's an interesting perspective.

Zuckerberg on trial

Well, technically its his company, Meta.

The acquisitions to kill competition have drawn the attention of the feds, and there's an effort to dismantle his monopoly over parts of social media,

Stay tuned to see what happens in the coming months.  But as the article notes, its not about Facebook connecting people anymore

https://unionrayo.com/en/zuckerberg-facebook-meta-ftc/

Clemson president knocked down at graduation

Clemson University President Jim Clements witnessed the graduation of a lifetime when his youngest daughter gleefully (and accidentally) knocked him down while accepting her diploma.

On Thursday, May 8, the school saw students enrolled in the ClemsonLIFE program — a program for students with intellectual disabilities — walk the stage.  "It was pure joy" was what he said

Video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJag7t4ubdu/

Austin Simmons should be a role model for all of us

Here's a kid who has some athletic prowess - playing basketball, football, and baseball.  He went to high school while being dual enrolled in a college program.  And graduated college at 17!

And now, he is going on to be the starting QB at the University of Mississippi at 19, and a college graduate.

That's pretty remarkable.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/the-19-year-old-graduating-college-before-starting-at-qb-for-ole-miss-meet-austin-simmons/#

Resilience lunar lander ready for tochdown!

You may recall that a few months ago, two lunar landers headed off planet.  Blue Ghost took a direct oath to the moon, and landed within a few weeks of launch.  

Resilience took a longer route and circled the moon for a bit, and has a planned touchdown of June 5 near the moon's north pole.

Japan's space agency has high hopes for the future.  Its an exciting time!

https://www.space.com/astronomy/moon/japans-resilience-moon-lander-arrives-in-lunar-orbit-ahead-of-historic-touchdown-try

Oh the irony

I've been meaning to post about this for quite some time, but hey nothing like the present.  It came into focus as DOGE (Douche Out to Get Everyone) shone a light on how taxes, and distribution of wealth works.

This post is about Florida, specifically, but could likely be happening in other GOP-led states, too. Remember that the Florida GOP is trying to tout Florida as being all about Free-dumb! Its about how the individual can do what they want, without any government action.  And of course there's an element of "Socialism is bad" mixed in.

And yet....the way taxes work in Florida is interesting.  There is no state income tax, so the state relies on sales tax for running everything, from social services, to schools, to infrastructure, to garbage.

There are 67 counties in the state.  8 of them are very populated, and would mostly be considered "blue."  And of course, they have most of the industry in the state.  The other 59 counties you might think of (mostly) as being in the deep-red south.  Not much happening, fairly rural.  

And yet, when that sales tax is collected, it all gets fed into the state, where it is redistributed (based on a formula, but its somewhat evenly) to all of the counties.  

These 8 counties also have a fraction of a penny, up to a whole cent, of additional tax that is kept in that county.  And of course property taxes are mostly (its never as simple as that) left in the counties too.

So, in effect, these red counties have services and available funds because of the larger counties.  

Which is socialism.  Exactly what they rail against.  And if they stopped, then there would be a whole new conversation.  

It just strikes me that the  maga-aligned crowd really don't understand how the economy works - and more importantly WHY it works.

A letter to senators: preserve, protect, and defend the constitution

The White House is actively talking about "suspending habeas corpus" to detain people without due process, indefinitely. 

In short, this is yet another discussion wherein Mr trump is attempting to openly subvert the constitution.  The writ of habeas corpus is specifically cited in the constitution in Article I, section 9, clause 2.  

But this is nothing new. He has actively violated is oath of office - specifically to "preserve, protect, and defend the constitution" multiple times during his first few months in office, while you sit idly by.

At what point do you decide it's enough and actually DO SOMETHING about this?  You, too, have a duty to defend the constitution in the oath you took.  By choosing to quietly watch, one could assume that you are violating your oath of office as well.

You can't simply allow Mr. Trump to just do as he pleases to further a decidedly UNconstitutional agenda. 

T-rump commenting on TV?!

This is hilariously absurd. The local PBS affiliate aired "Escape from Alcatraz" and right after it ended, T-rump went on his tirades about tariffs on movies and reopening the prison. 

Let me re-iterate. He was watching PBS. The very thing he called out earlier in the week as bad, and wants to defund. 

And then created public policy based on that movie. 

Quick! Can someone air a story about a guy who's "very popular" who ascends to the highest office and then realizes that he would be even MORE beloved if he stepped down, and then proceeds to do so.  Maybe there could be a riding off into the sunset moment with a young model. 

And perhaps he'll emulate that too. "Great film. The best"

https://deadline.com/2025/05/trumps-escape-from-alcatraz-on-tv-1236386328/

Oh how I long for simpler times.

Like when the tan suit was the biggest issue of the day. "Such an offensive thing the president did."

Unlike today where the president wants to fuck everyone over for his own benefit. 

Hey great jobs are coming.... #AmIRight ?

The commerce secretary sat down for a TV interview.  And it was filled with so much fluff, so much gaslighting, and just utter nonsense.  

Sure why not "make the permitting process easier" so that you can avoid any unnecessary complications like worker protections?  Why does anyone need a college education to get a "good job?"  (even if they video they show depicts automation) Generations can work at the factory!  And pay no attention to the fact that many companies can't get up and running anytime soon - even if they want to.

My gawd.  This is what we are.  And his smug smile just this so much worse.

 

Violation after violation

Mr Trump continues to effectively act as a dictator and do as he pleases. 

He posted to social media that "we're taking away Harvard's tax exempt status. It's what they deserve!" 

That is a direction violation of 26 US Code, 7217, specifically "prohibition on executive branch influence over tax payer audits and other investigations"

And worse than that, he was asked by a reporter over the weekend if he will uphold the constitution. And whether he supported due process (which is enshrined in the constitution). 

His answer to both was "I don't know." 

These statements are a violation of his oath of office. 

This is simply unacceptable and you need to hold him accountable or work to ensure his removal from office. 

Full stop. 

Tell me again how there was no Russian interference in 2016?!

This is on display currently at the Seattle museum of art. 

It's a blown up version of part of the Mueller report that quite clearly spells it out

Man are people stupid. And they were duped- by Russian operatives and the Orange menace acting on their behalf. 

H5N1, the North American strain of the avian flu

The Global Virus Network, which is a consortium of researchers in 40 countries warns of the dangers of this strain of the avian flu and what we can and should do to prevent it from becoming the next pandemic, now that it has mutated and can spread to humans. 

"A robust nationwide monitoring system is essential to quickly detect, and quarantine affected animals and implement preventive measures to curb further spread and human infections. Further, we believe it is crucial to maintain trust and stakeholder buy-in for monitoring programs, particularly from farm workers."

There are many questions, but the two biggest ones are whether farmers would be willing to cooperate, given that it certainly will impact their bottom line and whether the federal government will take this seriously and fund any sort of effort to prevent the spread. 

Good luck to us all. 

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250429/Global-Virus-Network-urges-action-to-prevent-H5N1-pandemic.aspx

Advancements in battery tech

A team of engineers found a way to prevent a chemical layer from forming on Li-ion batteries. This layer prevents fast charging in cold climates. 

What they did was to coat the batteries with a lithium borate-carbonate material about 20 nanometers thick. 

And in tests, batteries can charge up to 5x faster. That's cool. 


https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/fast-charging-ev-batteries-cold-weather/

Here’s a peek at what Disneys chief rival is up to

The article from a paper in Israel (!) takes a fairly in depth look at the $6 billion epic universe park that is set to open in a few weeks. 

It's safe to say that universal - once a relatively minor player with a few rides based on movie franchises - is now a formidable competitor to the mouse. 

They've poached many imagineers and really thought about how to move the needle in immersive entertainment. 

https://www.jpost.com/consumerism/article-851086

Miami Gardens’ Black residents grapple with F1’s effects

This is an interesting perspective on how the race that takes place the dolphins stadium in Miami Gardens adversely impacts local residents. 

And as the article notes, originally the race was planned for downtown Miami. But locals were opposed to it, and they happen to be wealthy and majority white. 

Just something to think about in context. 

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/may/04/miami-grand-prix-gardens-neighborhood-black-residents

Taking action can come in many shapes and sizes

This is a story about how an individual wanted to know more about school lunches and the debt that accrues in school districts. 

And then in a moment of great humanity, did something simple about it in their community. 

We can take a lesson in how we can be better people in small ways. 

"Why don't they just let them eat?"

Why indeed. The answer involves federal policies and budget constraints, as well as the peculiar American mythology surrounding self-reliance, which somehow extends even to second-graders. But there's a piercing truth in her question that cuts through all the adult rationalization: Why don't we just let them eat?

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/utah-school-lunch-debt-relief-free-student-meals_n_681258fbe4b03207b5ba49fa