No glue required: Wood and metal bonded with sound and 3D printing

This is important folks.  Understand that we have depended on sheet steel or its metallic equivalent for around two centuries and this is because wood demanded real joining tech like screws and nails and craftmanship.

Now we can join 3D metal to really good wood. This knocks weight out and produces a much nicer product.  3D may well have found a natural niche.

It will even be quiet.  I now like 3D metallics.

Now how about 3D printing hardware like hinges onto the wood.  furniture manufacture can go back to craft quality manufactured wood fitted with hardware and no use of glue.

No glue required: Wood and metal bonded with sound and 3D printing

By Michael Franco

August 28, 2024

https://newatlas.com/materials/adhesive-free-bonding-wood-metal/

In Ultrasonic Joining, two materials like wood and metal are joined by heat produced from the friction of sound waves

Manufacturing could be dramatically changed thanks to two new techniques for joining materials created by scientists in Austria. The two methods create super strong bonds at the pore level, eliminating the need for caustic adhesives.

While industrial adhesives are great for joining part A to part B, they're not really very good for the environment, especially those made from petroleum-based chemicals. Not only do these adhesives require a good deal of energy and resources to produce, but their manufacture can produce harmful pollutants; plus, once the items in which they've been used reach the end of their lifecycle, they can contaminate soil and groundwater. Additionally, some of the chemicals used in adhesive production can be harmful to the workers using them.

While there has been quite a push to create more eco-friendly adhesives, from such things as a reusable glue made from plants to an adhesive that biodegrades after use, researchers at the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) in Austria took another approach. Two other approaches, actually, both of which achieved bonds between a variety of wood types and two types of plastics, stainless steel, and a titanium alloy.

In the first, the researchers used a 3D-printing process they termed "Addjoining." They were able to 3D print the various materials directly onto a piece of untreated wood in such a way that they penetrated the pores in the wood, forming a bond in much the same way an adhesive would. The team then snapped the bond apart.

“After the (bond) fractured, we were able to find polymer in the wood pores and broken wood fibers in the polymer, which suggests that the fracture occurred in the wood and polymer, but not at the joint,” explains Gean Marcatto, who worked on this process as a postdoc at TU Graz's Institute of Materials Sciences, Joining and Forming.

The team believes that the 3D-printed bonds could be made even stronger if the wood was etched using lasers to create more complex structures or larger pores for the other material to bond with.

“But we wanted to work with as few steps as possible and, above all, without chemicals,” says Sergio Amancio, who led the research. “We can use this technology particularly well with complicated 3D geometries because the components are printed directly onto the surface – in whatever geometry is required.”

The "Addjoining" technique 3D prints a material like the plastic composite seen here straight into the pores of an untreated piece of lumber

Wolf/TU Graz

A sound approach

The second joining technique the researchers came up with was called "Ultrasonic Joining." It used an instrument called a sonotrode to send high-frequency, low vibration waves through the juncture of the wood and the metal polymers. This created friction, which generated enough heat to bond the two materials together.

“This technique is particularly suitable for large components and 2D structures since we achieve a precisely localized spot joint,” says Awais Awan, a co-author on the study.

The researchers believ chnique is particularly suitable for large components and 2D structures since we achieve a precisely localized spot joint,” says Awais Awan, a co-author on the study.

The researchers believes their new green joining techniques can have applications in the furniture, automotive and airline industries. es their new green joining techniques can have applications in the furniture, automotive and airline industries.

Older Office Towers In Cities Face "Tsunami Of Trouble"

Well folks every tenant has way more space than he needs or can hope to utilize.  And moving uptown to less space in a new building is a real economic choice.  Except you abandon ample space and the Landlord must then attract a tenant.

The real escape is condo conversions for these buildings where possible.

We now know what the final numbers look like and all those AAA buildings are worth a lot less.  Understand most are owned by insurance companies looking for a century return.  They can last thirty years to see all this work through.

It is just that none of us imagined this happening quite like this.

Older Office Towers In Cities Face "Tsunami Of Trouble"

by Tyler Durden

Wednesday, Aug 28, 2024 - 02:45 AM

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/older-office-towers-cities-face-tsunami-trouble

Commercial real estate market challenges are more severe for older office towers in downtown metro areas than those outside city centers. The mismatch between funding needs and available credit in a high-interest-rate environment has also intensified the strain on building owners, as elevated tower vacancy rates persist across many markets due to the ongoing trend of remote work becoming the norm.

Bloomberg penned a CRE note on aging business districts from Los Angeles to Chicago to Boston of zombie towers with high vacancy rates that have no use in today's economy.

Big landlords, including Brookfield, Blackstone, and Starwood Capital Group, have walked away from older downtown towers in recent quarters.

The latest data from MSCI shows office values in metro areas have crashed 52% from their highs. Some of the worst declines have occurred in San Francisco, Manhattan, Washington, and Boston.

Source: Bloomberg

Between 2019 and 2023, about $557 billion of value evaporated from US offices due to a multi-year slide in demand, with older towers quickly falling out of favor with companies, according to an estimate by economists at Columbia and New York universities. CBRE Group noted that only 2% of towers in the US are considered top-tier, with rents 84% higher than the rest of the market.

Data from brokerage Savills shows office rents in business districts have grown slower than rents for similar buildings outside metro areas.

Source: Bloomberg

The move to new towers highlights how, for decades, the bubbles in legacy downtown districts, fueling economies, have ended for now, and older towers will have to be torn down.

According to Ruth Colp-Haber, chief executive officer of Wharton Property Advisors, a New York brokerage, landlords of old towers are falling under severe pressure because finding financing in today's high-rate environment for renovations is extremely tough.

"What we have left are older buildings, many in AAA locations, but facing a tsunami of trouble," she said, adding, "It used to be there was plenty of business to go around. Now it's a zero-sum game."

X user Triple Net Investor provided color on an office tower in crime-ridden Baltimore City that sold at auction for only $4.4 million. The tower was built in the 1960s in a business district that has seen tower prices collapse over the last several years.

Following a series of our reports highlighting the crash in tower prices in the Inner Harbor area, under the old leadership of the Baltimore Sun, the paper tried to convince everyone, "Drop in downtown Baltimore real estate values not a crisis."

To be very frank. It's a crisis. Democrats running the crime-ridden metro area are delusional and blinded by their woke religion as the city's population recently crashed to a 100-year low, and violent crime remains a major issue.

We've had conversations with multiple folks at wealth management and investment banking firm Stifel Financial about the latest shift of operations outside the dying business district to a new tower in a much safer and newer district. At first, Stifel contemplated leaving the city for the suburbs because far-left Democrats in City Hall could not enforce law and order.

In a recent note, Goldman's Vinay Viswanathan told clients some welcoming news about where the CRE downcycle could potentially be... "From a macro perspective, we think commercial property valuations are getting closer to their bottom."

Let's not forget the comments from Rebel Cole, a finance professor at Florida Atlantic University who advises Oaktree Capital Management, who warned early last month, "Compared with the Savings & Loans crisis and 2008, we're still in the first or second innings" when it comes to distressed CRE assets.

Come on, Jerome Powell, the CRE market needs some sizeable interest rate cuts.

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Hits Another New Record High

I suppose that i really need to say something about all this. Housing prices are a direct reflection of the bank credit system which must avoid price declines.  Because those prices are exactly what allows credit to be extended in mortgages.

A side benefit of such a system is ongoing stimulus to builders.  they have jobs.

If everyone believes consolidated monkey is worth $ 7.00 per share, then no one will sell even when no one will buy.  In theory, that can last forever.  Of course banks help by fixing deals for their clients to maintain pricing.  The volume is low after all.

Understand that worthless penny dreadful like consolidated monkey can be slowly bid up to 7.00 and kept there if everyone plays ball.  That today is our whole maturing real estate 'market'  It is now waiting for cheap money to generate volume.  Oh well.

Case-Shiller Home Price Index Hits Another New Record High

August 27, 2024

•

9:45 am

People who want a home but cannot afford one keep watching home prices soar out of sight. The Fed says this isn’t inflation.

Measuring Prices

Case-Shiller measures the price of the same home over time.

Median and average prices have no consistency on number of rooms, square footage, location, amenities, lot size, or quality of construction.

Median and average price are also skewed by a slowing number of transactions heavily influenced by price-insensitive buyers.

Although median price is a poor measure, the rising direction is consistent with Case-Shiller reporting.

The problem with Case-Shiller is timeliness. We are heading into September and Case-Shiller is just reporting June data.

And that data represents transactions from a couple months prior.

Year-Over-Year Index Measures

The average person will look at the above charts and see inflation.

Every member of the Fed plus the typical economist will look at those charts and not see inflation because they have been trained not to see it.

In the blind eyes of the Fed and economists in general, home prices are not a consumer expense, nor are property taxes on home prices.

To this group of brainwashed economists only consumer inflation matters, and home prices are a capital expense, not a consumer expense.

Thus, home prices do not count as inflation and the Fed ignores them.

Fed Mess of Its Own Making

Everyone who had a mortgage in 2021, refinanced at 3 percent putting extra money in their pocket monthly for the life of the mortgage.

This adds to price pressure on goods and services.

I have commented several times before that the Fed has no solution to the mess it made other than time. So the Fed doesn’t talk about it.

Fed Does Not Seek or Welcome Further Labor Market Cooling

Meanwhile, please note The Fed Does Not Seek or Welcome Further Labor Market Cooling

On August 23, I noted the market is cheering the Jerome Powell’s self congratulatory and market friendly speech at Jackson Hole.

Powell had praise for how the Fed reduced inflation without bringing too much misery to unemployment.

Instead of blaming monetary and fiscal policy for inflation, Powell blamed supply chains and energy.

“Your mileage may vary,” said Powell. Indeed. Especially those stuck renting and looking to buy a house.

Zuckerberg Is Sorry for Censoring Facebook for the Biden/Harris Administration

Somehow, it appears that the blanket denial approach has ended.  And the conspiracy theory approach has also worn itself out.  When everything said about COVID is becoming true.  The only good news in this global assault on humanity by the globalists is that death rate seems subdued.  Billions may not die, though many still have and possibly will.

This is a major public apology and if confirms election interference by the DEMS.  You can take it to a judge now.

This is obviously not exclusive, but it is likely the most important.

Facebook has two huge opportunities, one commercial and the other influential but obviously does not see them. This at least cleanses the platform.

Zuckerberg Is Sorry for Censoring Facebook for the Biden/Harris Administration

Daisy Luther

August 27, 2024

https://www.theorganicprepper.com/zuckerberg-censored-for-biden-harris/

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Author of The Widow in the Woods

Mark Zuckerberg sent a bombshell letter to Congress proving yet another of our silly little conspiracy theories right. He admitted that the Biden/Harris administration had asked his company to censor posts about the Hunter Biden laptop and Covid-19.

In a letter addressed to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Zuckerberg explained.

He told Jordan that in 2021, “senior officials” from the Biden administration and White House “repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire.”

When Facebook did not agree with the censorship, Zuckerberg said, the Biden administration expressed a lot of frustration.

“Ultimately, it was our decision whether or not to take content down, and we own our decisions, including COVID-19-related changes we made to our enforcement in the wake of this pressure,” Zuckerberg wrote. “I believe the government pressure was wrong, and I regret that we were not more outspoken about it. (source)

But it wasn’t only information about Covid that they covered up. Hunter Biden’s laptop story could have changed the outcome of the last election, and mentions of this, too, were erased from Facebook and Instagram.

Zuckerberg also said that Facebook shouldn’t have censored the NY Post‘s Hunter Biden laptop story – and said that the FBI had warned the platform “about a potential Russian disinformation operation about the Biden family and Burisma in the lead up to the 2020 election.”

“That fall, when we saw a New York Post story reporting on corruption allegations involving then-Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s family, we sent that story to fact-checkers for review and temporarily demoted it while waiting for a reply,” reads the letter. “It’s since been made clear that the reporting was not Russian disinformation, and in retrospect, we shouldn’t have demoted the story.” (source)

Why does this matter?

Some of you are thinking, “I don’t use Facebook or Instagram. Why should I care?”

As I’ve written before, the level of influence here is utterly massive.

Consider the fact that the “population” of Facebook is bigger than the populations of the US, China, and Brazil combined.

That’s how many people will now only receive one side of the story on things like war, politics, guns, and current events. People will believe what they’re told because there is no alternative information presented. There are no questions asked. It’s literally the textbook definition of brainwashing.

Social media is a massive source of information and influence today. If the information is rigged by entities that support socialism, gun control, and the end of privacy, we’re doomed. 2.2 billion active users will be bombarded with these messages without any real option for the other side of the story.

So regardless of whether you, personally, participate, this will color popular sentiment to a massive degree. It will grow the cognitive dissonance that assures people of things like “the government is your friend” and that “you don’t need to protect yourself, the police will take care of you.”

People who hate freedom will get unfettered access to the minds of 2 billion people. That should scare the crap out of you.

This isn’t the first illicit action that Facebook has taken to hide information.

In 2018, there was a coordinated social media purge that deleted hundreds of alternative news accounts from both Facebook and Twitter. These small websites, just working to share opinions and facts that differed from what the MSM shared, had their lifes’ work completely eradicated. They lost everything they had built and many sites shut down completely at that time.

At the time, President Trump was in office but that doesn’t mean that his administration was responsible for the actions. In fact, this did more to hurt Trump than help him, because any positive coverage of him was also lost in the algorithm. Many of the websites erased supported (or at least didn’t despise) Trump.

It’s specifically the Biden/Harris administration that Zuckerberg is pointing the finger at here. And we knew it the whole time and we screamed it from the rooftops and anyone who believed the MSM was convinced we were all crazy.

This is some real Chinese firewall BS we have had going on in America. But hey, vote for Shiny New Kamala Harris and “save democracy.”

Here’s Zuckerberg’s letter.

This is an attack on the First Amendment.

Another argument at the time all this was happening was that this was not a First Amendment issue. Detractors said that Facebook was a private company and could do whatever they liked. They said if we didn’t like it, we didn’t have to use it.

And that’s true, if it had been a decision within Facebook without government influence.

But the fact is, the government was responsible for this. 100%. The person that they are currently trying to elect to office was part of the administration who pressured a large company to do it’s bidding and hide facts and opinions that were contrary to their interests.

Two.

Billion.

People.

That’s one heck of a captive audience.

Why is Zuckerberg admitting this now?

It’s difficult to say why Mark Zuckerberg chose this time to come clean. But part of me has to wonder if he knows something about the outcome of the upcoming election the rest of us don’t.

Perhaps he is convinced that Trump will be re-elected and he doesn’t want to be in trouble later for his part in the matter. Maybe he has become a Trump fan – he expressed how impressed he was with Trump’s response when he was shot.

Maybe he sees the writing on the wall and he doesn’t want to face an angry mob with virtual pitchforks.

What are your thoughts?

Were you surprised by this admission? Did you believe at the time that the government was behind the wave of censorship? How influential do you think social media is?

The simplest way to show the COVID shots increase ACM

It has been intuitively obvious from the get go that the JAB was lifting the death rate.  However much the MSM tried to mislead.  Now of course, the science catches up to make it rigorously true.  you cannot really lie anymore.

It was al wrong, and now we try to determine the real level of damage.

As I have kept posting, all the perps who took money need to be banded as an example to future generations.  Prison guards at Nuremburg was never enough.  Banded NAZIS might have cured the world.

The simplest way to show the COVID shots increase ACM

Vaccines are supposed to lower all-cause mortality. The COVID shots don't do that. Here's the clearest evidence I've seen to date.

Steve Kirsch

Aug 27

The vaccines didn’t work. It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

We know from the Czech data that the ACM for those who opt to be vaccinated runs around half of those who stay unvaccinated. This is due to socio-economic status and other factors (such as people in hospice and hospitals normally don’t get vaccinated). Also, the unvaccinated are hard to count because you don’t show up at a clinic to get your placebo shot so the unvaxxed are undercounted and that makes it appear they die at a higher rate. The mortality benefit in the vaccinated is pure selection bias.

The vaccinated should have had a significantly lower ACM even if the vaccine doesn’t work at all.

That’s why I generally refrain from comparing vaccinated with the unvaccinated.

So when I see a post like the one below where the vaccinated have a higher ACM, it’s a showstopper.

The message is very clear: the vaccines were a total failure: they increased all-cause mortality.

Can you spot the error in the graph?

There is an error in the graph that Ben made. The error is very minor and doesn’t affect the conclusion.

I spotted it immediately when I saw the graph and called Ben and he agreed.

Let’s see who is the first person to spot the mistake in the comments!

For some fun, try this on your friends…

Show the chart above to your blue-pilled friends (who are still talking to you), and ask them to explain to you what the chart means.

Summary

The graph is based on data in a FOIA response from Health New Zealand.

If the COVID shots did nothing, the ACM would be lower for the vaccinated due to the effects I talked about.

But as you can see, the shots increased all-cause mortality.

This is a disaster.

It means the shots killed people.

How many more people will die before we can have a discussion about the data?

Can Trees Heal You?

 

Nature needs to be readily available and really as readily available as our engineered service spaces in the backs of all our urban structures.

Yet it is an engineering problem to overcome centuries of been driven by other needs  such corridors should be open to critters as well.

Again our whole world is evolving to way superior lifeways.  It just takes time.

The North demands continuous strip housing capturing the sun on its protected south exposure and insulating on its north.  A protected natural grow space is indicated..  yet we rush to set up housing boxes.

Can Trees Heal You?

How walking in the woods changes your brain.

By Caitlin L. Chandler

August 26, 202

https://nautil.us/can-trees-heal-you-809284/

Sonja Sudimac grew up immersed in nature. Belgrade, Serbia, where she is from, is packed with lush forested parks and bordered by the mighty Danube and Sava Rivers. But when Sudimac traveled in Europe and the United States as an adult, she realized many cities lacked the trees and waters of her childhood. Now an environmental neuroscience researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, Sudimac was curious how exposure to nature shapes the brain.

Over the past decade, scientists have published a substantive body of research that suggests nature enhances working memory, regulates our emotions, increases self-reliance, and fosters creativity. Yet most of these studies rely on participants’ subjective reports about their feelings after exposure. Sudimac and fellow researchers Simone Kühn and Vera Scale wanted to see if there was a causal connection between nature and well-being. “You can’t fake the results you get from the brain,” says Sudimac.

In 2022, the trio of researchers published the results of an experiment they ran in Berlin, looking at how a walk alone in the woods versus a stroll in the city affects activity in the amygdala. The part of the brain linked to fear, anxiety, and other emotions, the amygdala is typically monitored with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. A previous study had shown that the amygdala is more activated during a stressful task among city residents than among country residents, but no study had examined the brain before and after a person took a walk in a natural versus urban environment.

Nature could help “restore individuals from stress.”

The researchers first presented 63 study participants with fearful facial images in the lab while performing MRI scans of their brains to measure their baseline amygdala responses. Then the participants were split into two groups and sent on solitary hour-long walks. One group strolled down Schloßstraße (Castle Street), through a bustling urban area. The other was sent into the sprawling Grünewald Forest at Berlin’s western edge, where curving paths branch into miles of woods. Participants were instructed to leave their phones behind, to walk alone, and to avoid speaking with anyone. Afterward, the participants all came straight back to the lab, where the researchers gave them a second stress image test while they underwent MRI scans. They later filled out a questionnaire about their experiences.

When Sudimac and her peers compared the MRI scans, they saw that participants’ who had walked in Grünewald had less active amygdalas than they had in the pre-test. For those who took the walk down a city street, amygdala activity remained the same. The walkers’ self-reported feelings about their experiences correlated with the MRI results—those who strolled among the pine and beech trees said they enjoyed the walk more than those who passed shops and restaurants. So those who walked down a busy city street may have accrued physical fitness benefits, but not measurable mental ones. The nature group also reported feeling more restored. The Max Plank researchers concluded that nature could help “restore individuals from stress.”

Sudimac and her peers point out that these findings line up with psychology-based Stress Recovery Theory, which was developed in the early 1990s. The theory stipulates that nature increases our positive emotions while decreasing negative emotions like fear.

URBAN WILDERNESS: Rudolph Wilde Park in Berlin features a lake, hiking paths, open green space—and a landmark subway station. Berlin public transport connects to many forests and lakes within the city. In some other large cities, access to nature can depend on having a car. Photo by Mo Photography Berlin / Shutterstock.

As people continue to migrate to cities—almost 70 percent of the world’s population will live in an urban area by 2050—Sudimac hopes that environmental neuroscience can help shape urban planning, encouraging the incorporation of easily accessible wild spaces for city residents. Berlin is a city of green spaces, with public transport that connects to forests and lakes, but in other cities, access to nature can depend on having a higher income and a car.

Sudimac tells me a colleague of hers is looking into how natural versus human-made noise impacts humans, and has found that listening to birdsong decreases paranoia and anxiety in healthy participants. Studies have also documented that living in cities is correlated with higher rates of mental illness than living in rural areas, and Sudimac wonders if incorporating nature into urban planning could help mitigate health risks. Doctors in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and other countries have experimented with issuing “green prescriptions,” instructing patients to spend more time outdoors, with positive health benefits reported for mental and cardiovascular measures. If, in the future, more evidence accumulates showing that nature has a positive impact on our neurotransmitters, it could even be prescribed for people at risk of developing mental or physical health conditions.

When I met Sudimac for coffee in March, she was full of questions for further research. Were there woods that could induce fear instead of restoring calm? How important was it to see clouds float across the sky? Would people from different cultural backgrounds have different responses to her walk in the woods experiment? She was immersed in conducting new research looking at how different types of nature impact the brain, such as glimpsing a blue lake or crossing an open space. “We have to be aware as a society that access to nature affects health,” said Sudimac. “Nature shouldn’t be a privilege, it should be accessible to everyone.”

Simple technique removes over 98% of nanoplastic particles from water

This is promising and should end up cleaning up municipal water supplies.

Likely it is add, agitate and then settle and skim.  So at least we can clean up our main water supply and others will likely see Britta adapt their system making it used everywhere.

The problem is real, but this is a real solution.  It does not end the BIG problem as that means changing out plastics.  Then nature will finish the job.

Simple technique removes over 98% of nanoplastic particles from water

By Joe Salas

August 26, 2024

A new technique can remove nanoplastics from water – and under pretty lights, it sure looks cool

Sam O’Keefe via University of Missouri

https://newatlas.com/science/float-nanoplastics-microplastics-water/

Microplastics. We've found them in the Arctic sea and even frozen into the ice. The Mariana Trench, the deepest part of all our oceans, is polluted with plastic debris. Mount Everest has microplastic contamination. Our drinking water and food, especially processed foods in single-use packaging, are contaminated with microplastics. Recent studies have found microplastics in our blood, lungs, liver, and kidneys ... They've even been found in the placentas of unborn babies.

Studies on the adverse health effects of microplastics in the human body have only recently been done. Respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, developmental and reproductive issues, and even cancers are starting to be linked to the consumption and inhalation of microplastics. Micro and nanoplastics are inescapable. But now researchers from the University of Missouri have developed a relatively simple and safe method of extracting over 98% of nanoplastic particles from water.

Gary Baker inspects a new solution to remove nanoplastics from contaminated water

Sam O’Keefe via University of Missouri

Using non-toxic, hydrophobic natural ingredients, researchers were able to create a liquid solvent that floats atop water like oil. When emulsified into the water and then allowed to reseparate, the solvent will then float back to the surface carrying more than 98% of the nanoplastic contaminants back to the surface with it, where it can simply be skimmed off the water. Given its hydrophobic nature, there's little risk of leaving further contamination from the eutectic solvent behind.

"Our strategy uses a small amount of designer solvent to absorb plastic particles from a large volume of water," says Gary Baker, an associate professor in Mizzou’s Department of Chemistry. "Currently, the capacity of these solvents is not well understood. In future work, we aim to determine the maximum capacity of the solvent. Additionally, we will explore methods to recycle the solvents, enabling their reuse multiple times if necessary."

Decanoic Acid and Tetraalkylammonium Bromide ([N4444]Br). This diagram shows how the solution mixes with water before floating back to the top carrying up all the nanoplastics with it

Sam O’Keefe via University of Missouri

We currently have some ways of removing microplastics from our drinking water, depending on the size. Basic activated carbon filters – like you'd find in a Britta – aren't specifically made to remove them, but are fairly effective at removing anything larger than five microns in size. Multi-stage sediment filters with a one-micron pore size are quite good. Reverse osmosis, which squeezes water through pores as small as one ten thousandth of a micron is one of the very best methods for removing contaminants of any sort from water – however, these become clogged and need to be cleaned regularly. Distilling water is nearly 100% effective, but also strips away any healthy minerals that our bodies need.

NASA just caved to Elon Musk and threw woke Boeing under the bus…

Look. SpaceX has a proven track record for fixing things on the fly.  That takes superb engineering leadership.

At least NASA got it together to make this decision because their failure now could start the process of winding NASA down.

This way the best team comes on board.  While they have struggled SpaceX has stolen march after march.

You know that a county full of farm boys will throw up a kid up for the big jobs every few years or so.  You never parachute in second tier talent for political reasons unless you want failure.  What is wrong with our leadership.

NASA just caved to Elon Musk and threw woke Boeing under the bus…

August 26, 2024 (a day ago)

NASA has become a laughing stock. The once highly respected organization has tumbled off its pedestal, just like so many other so-called “experts” these days. We’ve learned the hard way that the people we were told knew everything are, in reality, mostly politically-driven puppets, taking orders from those with more power. Most of these organizations and companies that are floundering have one thing in common: they’ve embraced the left’s failed progressive and woke culture.

Companies like NASA and Boeing have bought into DEI hiring practices, tossing excellence aside in favor of charity-driven hires who don’t have a clue what they’re doing.

NASA has decided the lives of two astronauts stuck at the International Space Station will be in SpaceX’s hands after weeks of intense deliberation and serious safety concerns.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson made the announcement during a press conference on Saturday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The two astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, have been on the ISS for 11 weeks. Their mission was originally supposed to last eight days.

The ordeal began when five of Starliner’s 28 reaction control system thrusters failed as it traveled to the ISS in June. The spacecraft’s helium system was also leaking.

Mission controllers have been working to resolve the issues and test the spacecraft ever since in the hopes they — and not someone else — could safely bring the astronauts home.

NASA leadership held an internal meeting earlier today to review whether Williams and Wilmore could safely return to Earth on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft or if they should rely on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon instead.

“I want you to know that Boeing has worked very hard with NASA to get the necessary data to make this decision,” Nelson said. “We want to further understand the root causes and understand the design improvements so that the Boeing Starliner will serve as an important part of our assured crew access to the ISS.”

Elon’s SpaceX is being called in to clean up Boeing’s mess, and everyone knows it. Is this the final nail in Boeing’s coffin? Will they finally be forced back to the drawing board to undo the failed and dangerous DEI policies they’ve embraced? The Business Insider piece continues:

During a July press conference, a NASA official acknowledged that relying on SpaceX to retrieve the astronauts was an option but declined to provide details.

NASA confirmed its SpaceX backup plan this month and postponed the company’s next launch to September 24. The delay allows Wilmore and Williams to fly home with the SpaceX crew on its four-person spacecraft in February, about eight months later than their initial schedule.

The SpaceX plan isn’t without risks.

NEW: Boeing & NASA are forced to rely on Elon Musk’s Space X to save the day as two astronauts are stranded on the International Space Station.

The astronauts will *not* return on Boeing’s troubled Starliner & will instead be returning on a SpaceX capsule.

Unfortunately for astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, they may be stuck until 2025.

“This is a real blow to Boeing that has suffered its own woes with the 737. As well as NASA’s reputation at stake,” Fox News reported.

“NASA and Boeing were doing this Starliner [but] they’re now having to call Elon Musk to save the day.”

The New York Post is reporting that Boeing’s employees are now “humiliated.” Given that those two astronauts are still stuck in outer space, perhaps they should feel humiliated.

Boeing employees are “humiliated” after NASA announced that two astronauts who have been stranded on the International Space Station by the company’s troubled Starliner space capsule will have to be rescued by Elon Musk’s upstart rival SpaceX, one worker told The Post.

[…]

The Florida-based staffer with Boeing’s space program said the decision was the latest blow for the aerospace giant, which is already suffering backlash from a slew of commercial flight incidents earlier this year.

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“We have had so many embarrassments lately, we’re under a microscope. This just made it, like, 100 times worse,” one worker, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said.

“We hate SpaceX,” he added. “We talk s–t about them all the time, and now they’re bailing us out.”

“It’s shameful. I’m embarrassed, I’m horrified,” the employee said.

With morale “in the toilet,” the worker claimed that many in Boeing are blaming NASA for the humiliation.

Boeing maintains its Starliner craft could safely get the astronauts back to Earth after putting them on the ISS during its maiden crewed flight on June 5.

However, NASA decided to turn to SpaceX for help after more than two months of testing the craft, which is still docked at the ISS.

Recently, Revolver covered this incredible story—the ultimate failure of both NASA and Boeing—two companies that have fallen so far from grace that they’re basically unrecognizable at this point.

Boeing’s ill-fated Starliner program has been in the works since 2010, making the project nearly 15 years old. The idea of the Starliner was to develop a spacecraft and space capsule capable of taking astronauts and space tourists alike to the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit. The first Orbital Test Flight did not take place until 2019, almost 10 years later, and it was a spectacular failure as a “software error” forced the test launch to abort prematurely. Numerous failures, billions of dollars, and years later, the Starliner managed to dock successfully in an unmanned mission to the International Space Station in May 2022. After multiple delays, Starliner’s third manned flight to the space station took off on June 5th of this year and was scheduled to return on June 14th, barely more than a week later. As of the time of this writing, it is August 6th, and the Starliner has still not returned, leaving two astronauts effectively stranded on the International Space Station on account of thruster problems, helium leakages, and a whole host of other difficulties. How embarrassing!

As mentioned above, there is a decent chance that Boeing will have to have their competitor, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, rescue the stranded astronauts with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. NASA’s Associate Administrator William Gerstenmeier gushed about how excellent Boeing’s Starliner proposal was, enthusiastically approving Starliner’s $4.2 billion contract compared to SpaceX’s $2.6 billion contract. Ironically, Gerstenmeier currently works at SpaceX as Vice President of Build and Reliability. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon has had multiple successful crewed missions (including return trips) spanning all the way back to May of 2020.

It is worth taking a step back and noting how pathetic this situation is. On Boeing’s side, we have a decade-long multibillion-dollar failure to even accomplish a successful crewed round trip to the International Space Station in low-earth orbit. Think about that in relation to the fact that over half a century ago, NASA accomplished multiple manned missions to the moon using slide-rule technology.

There is perhaps no better symbol for the decline of America than the failure of our once great space program, which is why we at Revolver have followed these failures quite closely.

There was the James Webb Telescope, designed to replace the legendary Cold War-era Hubble telescope. While the James Webb Telescope is successfully launched in space, the saga leading up to this launch is instructive. Indeed, the James Webb Telescope was 14 years late and a whopping 20 times the original budget!

Our fascinating piece dives deep into the downfall of Boeing and, by extension, NASA. Click here to read the full article:

Boeing and NASA have both strayed to the dark side, where failed progressive ideas and policies go to die, dragging these two major US companies down with them. The question now is whether they can save themselves by making an about-face and returning to traditional business values—or is it already too late? Time will tell, and we’ll be watching closely.

Sauna Therapy to Reduce Menopause-Related Weight Gain

This is actually a wake up call.  we all need to do a daily heat treatment that allows our body to actually rise to its optimal temperature.

This is not obvious, but our surface temperature must be lower than our internal temperature which typically is notch lower anyway.  So application of a sauna bath able to lift your surface temperature to full internal temperature has to be excellent for healthy functioning.

We do not seem to have science of times, but I do think spending a good thirty minutes should do it. At least try to break a sweat and then get ready for the shower.  A sweat tells you that optimal temperature has been reached..

Sauna Therapy to Reduce Menopause-Related Weight Gain

Findings from a new study suggest daily saunas can combat menopause-related weight gain and insulin resistance.

By Emma Suttie, D.Ac, AP

7/2/2024Updated:7/7/2024

https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/breaking-a-sweat-sauna-therapy-to-reduce-menopause-related-weight-gain-5678395?

New research suggests that daily saunas could help women control their blood sugar better and combat post-menopausal weight gain.

The findings suggest that daily heat therapy, such as time spent in a sauna, might help prevent menopause-related weight gain and improve metabolic health in older adults—especially women.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that older female mice receiving daily 30-minute whole-body heat treatments gained less weight and had better insulin sensitivity than those that didn’t receive treatment.

The findings are noteworthy because menopause increases the risk of obesity and insulin resistance due to lower estrogen levels. The researchers also discovered how the heat therapy works to provide these benefits.

“Compared to men, women have a higher likelihood of being obese or overweight,” Soonkyu Chung, associate professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and research team leader, said in a news release.

“This is especially true after menopause, due to the loss of estrogen in the body. Our study suggests that whole-body heat therapy could serve as an effective, non-invasive solution for managing weight gain and insulin resistance associated with menopause.”

Rong Fan, a doctoral student advised by Ms. Chung, presented the findings on July 1 at NUTRITION 2024, the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting—held in Chicago.

“Heat therapy could be a practical option for those with increased abdominal fat and a higher risk of metabolic diseases triggered by menopausal hormonal changes,” Ms. Fan said in the news release. “It could be easily integrated into routine healthcare practices through regular sessions in saunas, heated baths or with specialized heat wraps.”

Study DetailsResearchers removed the ovaries of older female mice to mimic menopause. The mice were then fed a high-fat diet that included 45 percent of calories from fat to promote weight gain—to imitate the Western diet. One group of mice was exposed to 30 minutes of heat therapy daily in an enclosure at 40 C (104 F) for 12 weeks, while another group received no heat treatment.

The mice who underwent heat therapy had “significantly reduced lactate dehydrogenase levels, indicating less age-related tissue damage.” The treatment also helped reduce weight gain from the high-fat diet.

Compared to the untreated mice, those who underwent heat therapy had better insulin sensitivity and signaling and less fat buildup in areas like the liver and brown fat. Brown fat is a unique type of fat that enables the body to use more energy.

Studies indicate that as people get older, and when women enter menopause they tend to lose brown fat. This loss of brown fat leads to a slower metabolism.

Mechanism of Action

The researchers looked into how heat therapy works at a molecular level. They discovered that heat activates several processes in the body that help burn fat and use energy more efficiently. A protein called TRPV1 plays a significant role.

When TRPV1 is activated by heat, it begins a process where the body uses energy to move calcium ions across cell membranes. This process, called futile calcium cycling, boosts the body’s energy expenditure.

Activating TRPV1 and the calcium cycling also helps burn and break down fats, reducing fat buildup in places like the liver. It also improves how the body uses insulin, which is critical for good metabolic health.

“This series of events suggests that regular application of heat can mimic the effects of calorie burning and fat loss,” Ms. Fan said. “It could be particularly advantageous for individuals who find physical activities challenging, providing a relaxing way to improve metabolic health.”

Final Thoughts

The study’s findings suggest that daily time in a sauna or other heated environment may help reduce menopause-related weight gain and improve metabolic health. However, the researchers emphasized that further studies are needed to determine the best duration and heat intensity for different populations.

Health Benefits of Sponge Gourd

At best, we know it exists and then understanding the mature version gives us the Loofah is a real surprise.

Preparation is also odd and looks challenging.  Yet that steamed dish with clams looks sound.

And it also clears uric acid and we need that.  Then we see ginseng added and this is the first such app that i have seen and i have been on top of ginseng since the mid eighties.

To consume, chop some up and poach  to see if it works.  Butter is your friend.  Readily available in Chinese grocers

Health Benefits of Sponge Gourd: Lowers Blood Pressure, Improves Lipid Profile, and Prevents Gout

Mr.Anuwat Rumrod/Shutterstock

JoJo Novaes

By JoJo Novaes

8/20/2024

https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/health-benefits-of-sponge-gourd-lowers-blood-pressure-improves-lipid-profile-and-prevents-gout-5706249

Sponge gourd, a seasonal summer vegetable, may lower blood pressure, reduce blood lipids, and alleviate constipation. It may also help reduce swelling, prevent gout, and has potential antiviral and anticancer properties. Sponge gourd is rich in vitamin C and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron, and zinc. It is also a good source of plant protein.

On the “Health 1+1” program, Zhang Weijun, the fifth-generation successor of Huai Sheng Tang, a privately run clinic, and the director of Ji-Sheng Traditional Chinese Medical Clinic in Taiwan, talks about the medicinal benefits and dietary uses of sponge gourd, as well as how to make homemade sponge gourd water for skincare.

Health Benefits of Sponge Gourd

1. Lower Blood Pressure

Regular consumption of sponge gourd helps lower blood pressure. The vegetable contains L-citrulline, which converts to L-arginine in the body. L-arginine helps dilate blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure and promoting blood circulation. Additionally, sponge gourd can eliminate excess salt and urea, a chemical waste product, from the body, further contributing to lower blood pressure. People with particularly strong-smelling urine, which may indicate high urea levels, can benefit from eating more sponge gourd.

2. A Natural Diuretic

Sponge gourd has diuretic properties that help the kidneys filter and eliminate toxins. Unlike other diuretic foods, sponge gourd has low potassium content, making it safe for individuals with kidney conditions. It can also help reduce swelling caused by kidney issues.

Due to its diuretic effects and ability to expel uric acid, sponge gourd can be boiled with Herba Lophatheri (Dan Zhu Ye) to help reduce the frequency of gout attacks.

Drinking sponge gourd water can help improve high blood lipids, Zhang said. For people who are physically frail or susceptible to illness and have high blood lipids, simmering sponge gourd with ginseng is beneficial.

Here’s how to prepare it:

Place one sponge gourd and 20 grams (0.71 ounces) of ginseng in a clay pot.

Steam them without adding water.

Collect and consume the liquid produced by the steam daily.

Drinking this mixture once a day for a week may improve symptoms of high blood lipids and could lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides.

A study on rats showed that sponge gourd extract reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels by approximately 38 percent, 80 percent, and 86 percent, respectively.

4. Calming the Nerves and Improving Sleep

Sponge gourd contains gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a compound known for helping reduce stress, alleviate anxiety, and improve insomnia. Zhang recommends eating steamed sponge gourd with clams, a dish that helps soothe irritability, induce calmness, and promote relaxation, thereby enhancing mood.

Steamed sponge gourd with clams. (YamisHandmade/Shutterstock)

Steamed sponge gourd with clams. YamisHandmade/Shutterstock

5. Improving Allergy Coughs

While we often associate allergies with skin reactions like itching or nasal symptoms like sneezing, they can also manifest in other ways, Zhang said. For instance, coughing at night may indicate an allergy reaction, similar to asthma, he added.

Sponge gourd contains an anti-allergic compound called bryonolic acid. Stewing sponge gourd with red dates can help treat allergy coughs.

6. Alleviate Constipation

Sponge gourd contains fiber, which helps promote bowel movements and alleviate constipation symptoms.

The Cooling and Detoxifying Effects of Sponge Gourd

Research has shown that compounds found in sponge gourd exhibit immunomodulatory activity. The fruit, leaves, and seeds of sponge gourd have been used to treat diarrhea, viral infections, and inflammatory diseases, demonstrating significant medicinal value. Zhang outlined four specific uses of sponge gourd:

At the onset of a cold with a sore throat, sucking on a small piece of sponge gourd and slowly swallowing the juice can help alleviate symptoms.

For conditions like furuncles or pustules, eating sponge gourd can aid in eliminating the infection. Rubbing a small piece of sponge gourd and applying it to the affected area can speed up healing.

For urethritis with burning pain, drinking a decoction made from sponge gourd and white rice can help improve symptoms.

When hemorrhoid bleeding is severe and difficult to stop, slice the sponge gourd, roast it until charred, then grind it into a powder and consume it to help stop the bleeding.

The Versatile Sponge Gourd Loofah

Sponge gourd loofah. (Nuttapong/Shutterstock)

Sponge gourd loofah. Nuttapong/Shutterstock

The fibers of mature sponge gourd are particularly coarse. After removing the flesh and seeds, the remaining mesh-like fibers dry out and become loofah.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), consuming foods and herbs that resemble the appearance of specific organs or tissues in the body can have a beneficial and nourishing effect on those organs and tissues, Zhang said.

The structure of loofah closely resembles that of the human lungs. In TCM, loofah is valued for its ability to treat coughs; it helps soothe the respiratory system, relieve coughing, and expel phlegm.

The shape of loofah also resembles the network of blood vessels and meridians in the body. According to TCM, meridians are the channels through which energy flows in the human body. They are responsible for transporting qi, energy that exists in all living things, and blood throughout the body. In TCM, all nutrients that supplement the body are collectively referred to as blood. The circulation of qi and blood maintains the balance and stability of various tissues and organs.

Blocked meridians can disrupt the flow of qi and blood, leading to bodily pain. The loofah can promote blood circulation and unblock meridians, making it effective for treating muscle and joint pain, as well as lower back pain, Zhang said. To prepare, boil a few slices of loofah in 16.91 fluid ounces (500 milliliters) of water, let the mixture cool, and drink it throughout the day.

For delayed menstruation with lower abdominal bloating and discomfort, boiling 0.53 ounces (15 grams) of loofah in rice wine and drinking it can help alleviate symptoms and induce menstruation.

Sponge Gourd Water for Natural Skincare

Research has found that sponge gourd contains various antioxidant constituents. Sponge gourd water can nourish the skin, enhance elasticity, reduce wrinkles, provide moisture, and delay skin aging, Zhang said.

Zhang shared a method for making sponge gourd water at home. First, peel and cut the sponge gourd into pieces. Steam the pieces for 20 minutes. The juice released from the sponge gourd can be collected and filtered to obtain sponge gourd water.

Uses of Sponge Gourd Water:

Natural Makeup Remover: Effectively cleanses deep-seated impurities, restoring skin vitality.

Skin Protection: Apply before using facial care products to reduce potential harmful effects of chemicals or preservatives.

Skin Whitening: Rich in amino acids and natural vitamin C. For enhanced whitening and rejuvenation, soak a face mask in sponge gourd water and apply for 15 minutes, Zhang said.

Moisturizer: Carry in a small spray bottle for dry skin or as a moisturizing sunscreen.

Sunburn Relief: Regular application can accelerate the healing of sunburned areas.

Additional Benefits of Sponge Gourd

Drinking tea made by boiling dried sponge gourd leaves can combat free radicals, slow aging, and even provide anti-cancer benefits, Zhang said. Research has shown that both sponge gourd and its leaves possess anti-cancer activity.

A study on sponge gourd found that applying crushed sponge gourd leaves topically can effectively treat fungal infections. This method is often effective within three days, according to Zhang.

Sponge gourd seeds can help alleviate excessive menstrual bleeding. Also, sponge gourd roots can be used to treat sciatica and relieve frequent headaches.

Children often experience nosebleeds while growing up. Zhang’s family uses a special remedy of stewing sponge gourd with brown sugar to help alleviate this issue. While adults can benefit from this remedy as well, it is particularly effective for children. He shared how it’s made:

Preparation:

Wash and peel half a sponge gourd. Cut it into chunks.

Place the chunks in a steamer and add 0.71 ounces (20 grams) of brown sugar.

Steam for 15 minutes once the water starts to produce steam.

Cool to a safe temperature before consumption.

Consume once daily for three consecutive days to improve nosebleed symptoms.

Consumption Precautions

While sponge gourd offers numerous health benefits, the following groups of people should limit its consumption, according to Zhang.

People who have cold hands and feet, along with frequent lower back pain and fatigue, should avoid consuming too much sponge gourd, as it can cause diarrhea.

Excessive consumption of sponge gourd may lead to erectile dysfunction, but this can be countered by cooking it with ginger.

Pregnant women and those with a history of recurrent miscarriages should avoid sponge gourd due to the abortifacient properties of its seeds.

Some herbs mentioned in this article may be unfamiliar, but they are generally available in health food stores and Asian grocery stores. It is important to note that treatment methods may vary depending on the individual. Please consult with a health care professional for a specific treatment plan.