Life is awe-inspiring

Today is one of those days where my old personality peeks through. A reminder to myself how precious individual lives are. How awe inspiring that we exist. That I exist. That everyone of us is a descendant of species who survived. The awe I felt in museums as a child and an adult that somehow between magma and various rocks we came to be. As the old saying goes The possibility that life exists on earth is like winning the lottery billions of times. The incredible awe at dinosaurs never left me. How and why did they get so big? How did they exist in a CO2 environment ten times our own?

I need to remind myself every now and again.

Especially when we call ourselves the worst species that ever existed. No. A minority is pure evil but generally we can do and create some amazing things.

A new dinosaur was discovered. I don't know if that is what the animal looked like. But if it did, what was it up against that required such spikes for self-defence? *gulp*

By Matthew Dempsey

This is an excellent article: https://lamont.columbia.edu/news/you-asked-dinosaurs-survived-when-co2-was-extremely-high-why-cant-humans

This is a hostile planet and yet life thrives. 

Life is precious. We exist. We are here. I am here. And life is bigger than a dinosaur.

Stereotypes

 This is not a cat blog, but cats and silly songs bring me joy and there is very little that is particularly joyful at the moment. The post is also not about good ol' Walt and the many problems the earlier cartoons and animated movies had.

But sometimes there is too much left, right, up and down. In 2019, Disney decided to remove this song from Lady and the Tramp in its remake to appease some unknown group because the accented song by two siamese cats was deemed an offensive cultural stereotype.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ly_vxI4nllA&pp=0gcJCRsBo7VqN5tD

I watched it incessantly as a child and sang it to the point of driving my parents crazy. As an adult I did not understand what the fuss was about. I owned a rescue Siamese and that is exactly what they're like in their movement and behavior. They pair up, get into and onto everything because they are vertical, LOUD and demanding. They're also the most loving breed imaginable.

A hilarious video that displays the drama and concern for their favorite human who needs to be rescued from the shower box illustrates what they're like. The comments are also amusing: "Let me sing the song of my people"

https://youtube.com/watch?v=WwSYm1NPHP4&pp=0gcJCRsBo7VqN5tD

I have friends from all over the world. We often laugh at eachother's cultures complete with imitating accents and traditions. Always in good jest. But we have become either indifferent or too sensitive. There is either too much political correctness or too little. So. I salute the world with a catchy tune:

We are Siamese if you please. We are Siamese if you don't please...Badumdumdum.

The pebble cat

 This is a Pebble cat. (Lapillus felis catus) It's ancestry can be traced back to the pet rock. If you pet it it will purr, it can also bark for preferred communication. It's fur is soft and silky. The satire has been removed, this is a real pet that will be with you forever.

This is the future we are heading into where marketing and advertising will convince people to accept any claim from health care to cutlery.

My recycled bamboo fork is now a spoon that broke in half. The break in half pill required a chainsaw and flew off somewhere, my beverage tastes like the cardboard straw it came with and my personal AI tried to replace Felis with Melissa.

The future is stupid. Now let me sell you a watch that can measure your mood.

Circadian rhythm or biorhythm

 

Above is the circadian rhythm in simple terms. The research studies are interesting. When volunteers were put into rooms without any external cues, they automatically went into a 25 hour cycle.

30% of people have a biorythm that starts an average of four hours later. The so called night owls. For whatever reason they are at the most alert in the evening and early morning hours. This remains the case ones whole life. People used to believe that individuals who were not up with the birds were somehow lazy when that is obviously not the case. It's simply a matter of one's individual genetics and can't be changed. The myth persists however.

Marcel Proust was among one of the most famous. He was up all night writing. Many lawyers end up in that profession because they can study and prepare the cases at night. There are employers who are starting to offer later shifts at night because people who have that difference are more productive as a result. There is additional research that they may be more intelligent but that may simply be due to the fact that there are less distractions in the evening.

Health problems occur when people are forced to be up earlier than they can be simply because the majority of society runs nine to five.

Additionally, we do most of our immune system repair while sleeping (neutrophils, lymphocytes) which is why people who get a good night's sleep are healthier.

Musical Interlude: Shrimps on a Rock

Blue Dragon

We used to call this music new age ambient or chillout. The millenials have renamed it Lofi; music to relax, study or fall asleep to. They also self-diagnose as suffering from ADHD when in fact it's just background white noise music that helps one focus.

BBC Earth and the Monteray Bay Aquarium have produced a few videos where you can also watch Nudibranchs, Jelly fish and Shrimps on a rock while listening to ambient sounds. Great idea and the pun force is strong in this one. Here's the MBA Krill waves radio station with Nudibranchs:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FOeQVbL0Dgc

and crustaceans on a rock doing their thing:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=UXWckTAw3JY

Enjoy.

Microclimate and climate change

 I watched a report that illustrated how difficult doing the right thing can be. As soon as I find the link I'll post it. What impressed me was how journalists presented it in a very objective way. I will briefly summarize:

Small adjoining villages in Portugal are having a drought problem. Local farmers are blaming the tourists of the "big resort, who are stealing their water".

The big resort is relatively small with a big pool for the tourists. In an effort to conserve water, they stopped watering the grounds, which are yellow and dry. 

Many locals have a backyard mini farm where they grow their own veggies and have some livestock for their own consumption but can no longer do so due to drought.

Another smaller resort has chosen to go the recycled eco self-sustaining way. They offer small apartments, a rainwater pond, all timber was recycled and it's self sustained.

Then came an increasing number of wildfires which are blamed on a eucalyptus plantation up the mountain (highly flammable), which almost destroyed the village. The timber used to build the ecofriendly apartments scorched from the heat.

But the income from the resorts allowed the village to hire two full time staff to work on fire prevention in the forests. The pools became an evacuation point during the worst of it.

Find the problem. Implement the solution. Create another problem. Start all over.

It is circular and ironic that the income from these hated tourists allowed these villages to survive. It also showed how complicated this type of problem solving can be, as well as showing that even self-sustaining villages will need assistance from the government after all in order to thrive despite climate change.

Seesaws, Bullies and a question

 

As predicted the Alaska meeting went nowhere. When I tried to watch the facts, journalists were interviewing a body language expert in lieu of any factual discussion. This is one of the many problems; a constant relentless seesaw of emotions, between hope and fear, without anything constructive.

The reason that I am no longer talking about it, much less write about it is because it's pointless and aggravating and unhealthy. Everyone needs to vent about this every now and again and I am not minimizing what is going on, far from it, but even if we were dealing with the greatest government of all time I do not want to discuss it every day on every platform.

There are other reasons as well.

I have also seen people immediately react with conspiracy theories without any understanding of what any of this is about. The old saying of knowledge is power is much better than the constant doom and gloom.

While thinking of seesaws, I also thought of bullies. The kid in the playground who is ruining fun play for other kids. They've always been with us. Seesaws require cooperation, I don't think there's a single child that hasn't made the experience of being stuck at the top, only for the other kid to jump down, roaring with laughter. There are simple solutions: yell at the other kid, only get on seesaws with bouncy tires and refuse to play their game.

I'm curious; if I were to objectively explain the geopolitics behind all of this is anyone interested?

Women's Intelligence

A few days ago the UK released statistics that once again girls were outperforming boys in high school to which a Financial Times female journalist quipped: "Whenever women outperform men it's a problem that requires national attention. The other way around, no one cares."

This has been going on for decades; girls outperform boys in school and the numbers decline as they enter graduate schools particularly in the STEM sector. The reasons in conducted research is always the same socialization, better behavior, more discipline, more risk adverse behavior etc.

IQ tests are not an exact science. They are standardized tests that provide a range within which intelligence falls. Nor is intelligence a sign of success.

Recently I came across an article in which a 17 year old Hannah Cairo had disproven a math theorem. It reminded me of the fact that DNA was not discovered by Watson and Crick, but their graduate student Rosalind Franklin. Recent groundbreakers include physicist Lisa Randall (superstrings and hyperspace/extra dimensions), Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna (Nobel prize for CRISPR) and Ilaria Capua (Virologist). All of whom encountered misogyny and discussed in interviews how it slowed down their careers. Randall was already famous, invited as keynote speaker to a conference in Italy where someone assumed she was "Professor Lisa's assistant."

But what if that repetitive research is partially wrong? If no one is researching IQ in longterm studies between men and women, how could we prove that the IQ of women remains high? What if millenia of resourcefulness and finding solutions actually changed brain development? What if and this is what I'm getting at, women arent just as intelligent as men but more intelligent and, therefore, make smarter choices early on?

Something to think about.

Science facts about cats

Here are a few interesting science facts about our domesticated cats:

1. Cats are obligate carnivores. They must eat meat because they require two amino acids to be presynthesized by grain feeding prey. They cannot convert it themselves. Any cat food that has vegetables or grain in it is practically useless for them.

2. They have a spine that is flexible in more than one direction.

3. They have a second layer called tapetum lucidum that lows them to see in the dark by reflecting available light onto their retina. It's mostly grey tones and they don't have night vision if there's no light source.

4. Their tongue has tiny hooks that bend backwards so anything they lick or groom goes down. One way only.

5. They can't spit.

6. They can breathe and swallow at almost the same time. Humans cannot. (When humans swallow they stop breathing for a few seconds).

7. They slice/saw their food like a shark and don't chew since they have no molars.

8. Their communication is nonverbal body language. The "talking" is learned behavior for us.

9. They heal much faster than most mammals.

10. They purr when they're content or distressed. Lots of theories about that.

11. They form colonies when feral, but don't have a hierarchy.

12. They can't sweat. They cool off through panting and their fur traps cool air in the summer.

13. If they consider you part of the family, some will share their prey with you. One of mine would bring me my socks, meow loudly and leave it in front of the bedroom door. It's a gift of a shared meal.

14. Unlike dogs who show their bellies as a sign of submission, cats will often lie down to get their claws in position.

15. Some are peacemakers. There is a great video called cat playing peacemaker between two cats. (The one I found doesn't want reposts). You should be able to find it. Yes. They do break up eachother's fights.

Incredible amazing creatures.

I will add some more facts as I think of them

Celebrity Acquaintance

 

This certainly became the case across various platforms which at times push me to watch millennials and very young influencers with no talent, desperately trying to become famous for the sake of becoming rich and famous. A trend that is getting progressively worse.

Some years ago through a friend who manages celebs, I went to watch a famous Comedian perform. (No. I will not identify him). Opportunity happened and I carpe diem; I was invited to hang out with his "Entourage" and watch his radio show.

He was highly accomplished; movies, scripts, Broadway shows, tours, Emmies and so on. After the show, I stood next to him waiting for his limo that his manager was driving.

"Did you ever think you'd be standing next to [insert celeb name] and invited to listen to my radio show?" he asked. "I'm in the medical field, I have seen what happens to all of us in the end. Very few people impress me." I replied.

Then I looked at him: "Did YOU ever think you would meet and stand next to someone like Meeee?", I quipped and smiled at him. 

This would be the time to uninvite me and I would simply take a cab home after laughing for two hours at his cerebral and political humor. I wanted to ensure that he would not expect to be worshipped.

It surprised him and he laughed. We all drove to the venue where he did his radio show, which initially had some technical difficulties because someone had gotten the time zone wrong. He was off air while he thought he was on air and just as he yelled: " IMBECILES!!! How hard can this be?" he was on air. We provided the laughing track.

Afterwards, I was invited any time he performed in town and participated in his routine. After the show he invited a group of young professionals to high end restaurants so that he could unwind. No drugs and a minimum of alcohol. We conversed for hours. Then we would take long walks because he enjoyed architecture and sightseeing at 2am.

The dinners kept him connected to the "real world," and all of us had the same thing in common; funny, intellectual, intelligent mostly younger professionals and able to hold conversations that ranged from architecture to pharma. We provided him with material and acted as his audience. On one occasion he liked one of my jokes, wrote it down on a napkin, and asked if he could use it.

I always looked forward to this and the random seeming groups he selected from all types of backgrounds. We entertained each other, laughed a lot, he would invite us and connect beyond touring cities and lavish hotels.

I view this experience differently now, but it also confirms what I already knew. There is no overnight success. During those walks he sometimes shared a little about his failures. He worked incredibly hard, encountered frustration and controversy. When I watch some of the young wannabes and their entitlement, who watch social media and think that wealth should simply drop into their laps because that is what inspires them, I know it's an illusion. That attitude among some has always existed. (They usually turned into losers). But when I occasionally overhear todays youth, they are not passionately talking about their craft, their passion, their business idea or planned path. All they talk about is wealth, because that is what social media is teaching them.

Life is short, opportunities are rare and random, I seized them when they felt right. Living a great life is like that.

Coincidence Journal

I have always had a journal addiction. More is more. Many of them are waiting to be filled according to topic. At times, when I find a great bargain, I buy a number of them and have found that Moleskine and Leuchturm no longer offer the quality that I like. 

I had found a delightful Harry Potter themed journal that held up to ink and made my inner child smile. By the time I went back for more they were sold out. Regrettable. I thought about the restructuring of world maps and new boundaries (where did all the Stans come from?). I thought of journals and that I'd filled the HP one and needed a new one. And then as I popped into a store, I was surprised to find an entire section of discounted, guilt free Harry Potter stationery. 

Paulo Coehlo once stated that when you really want something the entire universe conspires to make it happen. The sentence stuck with me eventhough I consider Coehlo an overly melodramatic spirituality writer, who believes in serendipity.

Maybe what we wish for is too big, but then again maybe a Harry Potter journal that fills a need isn't as small as we think it is.

About My Father And The Senior Care Industry

Peacock Butterfly

I am an intensely private person and I've been wondering whether to post about this. Many go through a similar experience so maybe it will help me or someone else.

I meant to write a tribute to my father, but events surrounding his 'passing away by other people' are still present and the logistics prevent me from moving on. 

I am well aware of the cutthroat practices of the elder care industry. I've never known it to be different and my father being my father made all the necessary preparations. We couldn't have prepared for the psychopaths in this industry. They've gotten worse over time. Experienced staff is being let go, replaced by people who have none, especially when it comes to seniors.

My father had arranged for someone to shop for him. On one occasion he yelled "I do not have a coffee machine!" I couldn't figure out what he meant until my suspicion about the shopper made me hide while he came to shop. Mr. Scam  would purchase coffee cartridges and other products for himself, tell my father that that's all they had, pretend to return them and expect my father to forget the return by next week. My father ended up low on groceries and scammed out of about 50 dollars a week.

I expected compassion and gerontologists, I ended up with a commission based "consultant to seniors" (wtf is that?) and aggressive psychological support offers, which made me snap "are you trying to talk him out of being old?" Then someone had claimed that he was 'bedridden and suffered from dementia' (he wasn't). The harassment (see below) was relentless until we got a lawyer and court order to desist. It worked until the next fiscal quarter when they revisited and ran off after I waved the court order at them.

By the time I had arranged the home care assessment, I had wasted more time fending off vultures and harpies then actually finding anyone to help. I was exhausted doing most of it myself and burnt out.

How a butterfly saved a human life:

In the middle of the world turning upside down, I was also fending off predatory nursing homes that wanted my father's finances, going so far that behind my back they had approached him, taken him on a trip to show him the facilities and tried to FORCE him to sign on the dotted line. Going even further by sending him flowers and meals as incentives. I had promised him that he'll never end up there.
I had arranged for a house visit assessment for home care. The night before I had prepped the medical records in a nice folder: "Age related cognitive decline. No dementia." The morning of this assessment my father had found and misplaced the folder. F..k! The report would have helped him and fended off greedy vultures.
Assessor came with his laptop, refused coffee and cookies. The questions started. Went well. After 90 minutes the difficult questions started, my proud father in his suit and tie started to shake like a leaf, angry and scared. I was fearing an outburst. A colorful butterfly flew in that I had not seen since childhood. We all watched, relaxed chatted about butterflies. As a result of engaging conversation about butterflies, he passed his cognitive part. Approved. Disaster averted. I kept my promise and a butterfly saved his life.

Time will heal. I am aware of that. But time will not heal the cruelty that I was forced to witness. It remains simmering below the surface.

The acute stage of grieving is behind me, however I cannot grieve properly because I'm not grieving him, but what was done to him.

I miss you dad. I gave more than my best.