Month: December 2021

Polar glaciers melting very quickly and could raise seal levels by 18 inches or more within months

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/18/scientists-watch-giant-doomsday-glacier-in-antarctica-with-concern Scientists watch giant ‘doomsday’ glacier in Antarctica with concern Cracks and fissures stoke fears of breakup that could lead to half-metre rise in global sea levels – or more Satellite view of Antarctica with the Thwaites glacier marked in red. Photograph: UniversalImagesGroup/UIG/Getty Images John Vidal Sat 18 Dec 2021 03.00 EST Twenty years ago, an … Continue reading Polar glaciers melting very quickly and could raise seal levels by 18 inches or more within months →

Use the Focus feature on your iPhone to reduce your life’s noise

https://www.wsj.com/articles/try-focus-mode-on-your-iphone-to-mute-annoying-notifications-11639317604? [the graphics and large illustrations mostly didn't make it into this post] Focus Mode: How to Mute Annoying iPhone Notifications Apple’s Focus feature, new with iOS 15, lets only allowed contacts and apps ping you. It’s a pain to set up—but you’ll be more productive and less distracted  By Nicole Nguyen FollowDec. 12, 2021 9:00 am … Continue reading Use the Focus feature on your iPhone to reduce your life’s noise →

New life expectancy tables will reduce your IRA minimum required distributions beginning 1/1/2022

New IRS Life Expectancy Tables Will Impact Many Federal Employees and Retirees on Jan. 1, 2022 December 14, 2021 Edward A. Zurndorfer, Certified Financial Planner A little over one year ago in November 2020, the IRS proposed new life expectancy tables for calculating required minimum distributions (RMDs) from IRA and employer -sponsored retirement plans including the … Continue reading New life expectancy tables will reduce your IRA minimum required distributions beginning 1/1/2022 →

The two Spider-Man movies to see again before No Way Home

The essential Marvel and Spider-Man movies you need to watch before No Way Home By Bradley Russell published 1 day ago Before you head to the cinema, watch these Marvel movies (Image credit: Marvel Studios) You need to be fully prepared going into Spider-Man: No Way Home. That means doing some homework and putting in the hours by revisiting … Continue reading The two Spider-Man movies to see again before No Way Home →

Adoptions of cats & dogs is actually going down during the pandemic

Bottom line is that fewer workers and less ability to transport animals to areas with greater demand means more animals are having to be euthanized rather than kept for possible adoptions. What can you do? Adopt an older animal at more risk of being killed. https://www.wsj.com/articles/truth-about-cats-dogs-during-pandemic-11638300368 The Truth About Cats and Dogs During the Pandemic? … Continue reading Adoptions of cats & dogs is actually going down during the pandemic →

Inability to hear conversations in a crowd a special type of hearing loss

Can’t Hear Conversations in a Crowd? It Could Be Hidden Hearing Loss Standard audio tests often miss this common condition that only appears with background noise. By Emma YasinskiDec. 15, 2021Updated 12:38 p.m. ET Until a couple months ago, Lucie Gendreau, 66, had never really worried much about her hearing. She never noticed anything wrong with it … Continue reading Inability to hear conversations in a crowd a special type of hearing loss →

Abortion pill now available by mail for use within 1st 10 weeks without visit to medical office or hospital

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fda-allows-women-to-get-abortion-pill-by-mail-11639698022? FDA Allows Women to Get Abortion Pill by Mail The decision lifted a restriction requiring women to go to a medical office or hospital to pick up the mifepristone pills The Food and Drug Administration action will help lead to the drug being available through online orders and delivery by mail.PHOTO: ILANA PANICH-LINSMAN FOR THE … Continue reading Abortion pill now available by mail for use within 1st 10 weeks without visit to medical office or hospital →

NYT’s WireCutter staff say these are the best things they bought this year (need a gift idea anyone?)

This is such a fun list as it's not what people Think they'd like -- it's what they Know they liked. Moreover, since this is (after all) my blog, I love that several of these are items, or variations of items that I use regularly myself. But I can't help wondering how much these staffers … Continue reading NYT’s WireCutter staff say these are the best things they bought this year (need a gift idea anyone?) →

Film Independent Spirit Awards nominees for 2022

The Film Independent Spirit Awards are normally telecast the early evening before broadcast of the Oscars. BEST FEATURE (Award given to the producer) A CHIARA Producers: Jonas Carpignano, Paolo Carpignano, Jon Coplon, Ryan Zacarias C’MON C’MON Producers: Chelsea Barnard, Andrea Longacre-White, Lila Yacoub THE LOST DAUGHTER Producers: Charles Dorfman, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Osnat Handelsman Keren, Talia Kleinhendler THE NOVICE … Continue reading Film Independent Spirit Awards nominees for 2022 →

News about omicron’s properties and increased positives in NYC

These stories do have to be viewed in context. Omicron can be mistaken for the common cold and appears to have lesser effects than prior versions but IS remarkably contagious. Yes, the positive rates are going up but they don't rival those in prior surges, yet. New Columbia Study Finds Omicron 'Markedly Resistant' To Vaccine … Continue reading News about omicron’s properties and increased positives in NYC →

A idiosyncratic list of 2021’s best books from The New Yorker

The Best Books We Read in 2021 The fiction and nonfiction, old and new, that saw us through the year. By The New Yorker December 13, 2021 “De Gaulle,” by Julian Jackson 2021 in Review New Yorker writers reflect on the year’s highs and lows. This superb biography of the former French leader brilliantly explores how … Continue reading A idiosyncratic list of 2021’s best books from The New Yorker →