The Greenland ice sheet holds a planet-changing amount of ice that's accelerating its conversion to water that will raise sea levels around the world. Definitely a story to watch and make plans for. Netflix new series "Our Planet" discusses this major issue and many more, including mankind's complicity in this already occurring planetary disaster. https://www.inverse.com/article/55134-greenland-ice-sheet-climate-change … Continue reading Netflix series “Our Planet” shows us what’s happening now
Month: April 2019
Will anyone be able to retire if they don’t have a private pension? It’ll be tough
A devastating portrait of the new reality for the elderly who have insufficient income to retire is in the book "Nomadland: Surviving America in the 21st Century" by Jessica Bruder which describes the flotillas of RVs and cars following seasonal jobs across the US out of necessity. So many incorrectly thought they would be able … Continue reading Will anyone be able to retire if they don’t have a private pension? It’ll be tough
Another tout for “Sapiens,” a thoroughly thought provoking book
I kept having ah-ha! moments while reading this book. His later books don't quite hit the same mark, but are still worthwhile. One of the few that I recommend often. https://www.businessinsider.com/silicon-valley-loves-sapiens-2019-2 I finally read 'Sapiens,' the book that Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg both recommend to everyone — and I get why Silicon Valley loves … Continue reading Another tout for “Sapiens,” a thoroughly thought provoking book
A tip for Google’s Gmail
https://www.howtogeek.com/411611/how-to-enable-gmails-hidden-email-preview-pane/ How to Enable Gmail’s Hidden Email Preview Pane ROB WOODGATE @agiledoc APRIL 19, 2019, 8:00AM EDT Gmail has a hidden preview panel that gives you a dual-pane view of your emails—just like in Outlook and other desktop email clients. Here’s how to enable it on the web and choose a horizontal or vertical split. First, head … Continue reading A tip for Google’s Gmail
Climate change opponents’ confidence doesn’t make them right
As usual, 538 digs down into the details to distinguish between climate science and good politics. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/good-climate-science-is-all-about-nuance-good-politics-is-not/ MAR. 4, 2019, AT 10:58 AM Why Good Politics And Good Climate Science Don’t Mix By Maggie Koerth-Baker Filed under Climate Change Climate protesters marched in Washington in 2017 to protest President Trump’s environmental policies. ASTRID RIECKEN / GETTY IMAGES Imagine … Continue reading Climate change opponents’ confidence doesn’t make them right
Social Security needs to access trust fund and will run out of money about 2035
There are several fairly easy steps to take to make this story no longer true. The easiest is to remove the cap on the amount of income subject to the Social Security tax. https://www.wsj.com/articles/social-security-trust-fund-to-be-depleted-in-2035-trustees-say-11555946113 Social Security Costs to Exceed Income in 2020, Trustees Say The trust fund to be depleted by 2035, they add Medical … Continue reading Social Security needs to access trust fund and will run out of money about 2035
Hygienic use of a public bathroom
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/17/smarter-living/using-public-bathrooms.html The Right Way to Use a Public Bathroom (to Avoid Getting Sick) The odds of becoming ill from using a public bathroom are slim. But there are a few things you can do to minimize your risk even more. Here’s what to keep in mind. Image CreditCreditiStock By Melinda Wenner Moyer April 17, 2019 There are a … Continue reading Hygienic use of a public bathroom
Oceans having increasing effect on severe weather and should be monitored more closely
With more extreme weather, we're going to have expand our ability to forecast and monitor -- true. But as a detail person, we're also going to have to develop new scales against which to measure the severity of storm. When the storm surge and day after day of heavy rain are more important than the … Continue reading Oceans having increasing effect on severe weather and should be monitored more closely
May 4th events at 60th anniversary bash at Lincoln Center
https://www.westsiderag.com/2019/04/23/lincoln-center-releases-schedule-for-next-months-free-60th-anniversary-bash Lincoln Center Releases Schedule for Next Month’s Free 60th Anniversary Bash Posted on April 23, 2019 at 8:46 am by West Sider Lincoln Center broke ground on its campus 60 years ago, and it’s celebrating the anniversary with a block party on Saturday May 4, from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The schedule is below. See … Continue reading May 4th events at 60th anniversary bash at Lincoln Center
Earth could take 10 million years to recover from the sixth mass extinction
https://www.newsweek.com/earth-could-take-10-million-years-recover-mass-extinction-caused-humans-1388781 EARTH COULD TAKE 10 MILLION YEARS TO RECOVER FROM MASS EXTINCTION CAUSED BY HUMANS BY KASHMIRA GANDER ON 4/8/19 AT 11:15 AM EDT Scientists investigating the possible effects of climate change have predicted it would take 10 million years for the diversity of species on our planet to recover after a mass extinction event. The authors … Continue reading Earth could take 10 million years to recover from the sixth mass extinction
Ian McEwan continues to experiment — now a robot/man/woman novel
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/04/22/man-woman-and-robot-in-ian-mcewans-new-novel Man, Woman, and Robot in Ian McEwan’s New Novel “Machines Like Me” is a retrofuturist drama that takes on the ethics of both artificial intelligence and all-too-human intimacy. By Julian Lucas April 15, 2019 McEwan’s latest novel is a cautionary fable about A.I., consent, and justice. Illustration by Ana Galvañ Charlie Friend is thirty-two. A … Continue reading Ian McEwan continues to experiment — now a robot/man/woman novel
White male viewpoints prevail in yet another tech area
The prevalence of males, particularly white males, in the tech business generally is also true within the subset of those researching artificial intelligence. Like all of us, those men tend to assume that everyone is like them, and those biases show up in their work product. I disagree with the closing assumption that modern culture … Continue reading White male viewpoints prevail in yet another tech area
Abycats' Thoughts 