So we come to the end of another Summer week of trash talk and silliness…these are a few things that were not really that important in the MSM….
Locally–This week down here we pushed the 120 mark on heat….after 10 days of no rain we got about an hour’s worth….it cooled off a bit but not enough for me too want to spend much time outside….A/C is a wonderful thing….I shall reemerge into the world in late October…..LOL
Personal–Doctors are still pleased with the progress of my cancer treatments plus all my vitals are looking exceptionally good. Next wee4k will be horrible week….I have lots of doctors, labs and chemo all week….makes life a bit boring.
I am still working on closing out Sue’s estate…..a situation that I am delaying for once it is done it will become more real that she is gone.
Now for the stuff you came to read…..
A few years back I reported on that flesh eating virus….now moree news from Florida…
Four Floridians have died this year after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria in the state’s coastal waters, highlighting a rare but deadly risk for beachgoers and seafood lovers.
- The culprit, Vibrio vulnificus, is a marine microbe that typically thrives in warm, brackish seawater, reports Fox News. It can enter the body through two main avenues: by humans swimming with open cuts or scrapes or consuming raw shellfish—particularly oysters, according to the state Health Department.
- Florida has seen 11 total cases so far this year, per the Washington Post. Nationally, the CDC sees 150 to 200 cases per year.
- Most healthy people experience only mild symptoms, but those with weakened immune systems or chronic liver conditions face heightened danger, say health officials. If the bacteria reach the bloodstream, about half of those infections end in death. Overall, the CDC estimates one in five cases are fatal.
- The bacterium can trigger vibriosis, which brings on stomach troubles like vomiting and diarrhea, or more alarmingly, severe skin infections that may lead to flesh dying around a wound—a condition known as necrotizing fasciitis.
- No evidence exists of the infection spreading from person to person.
Just another reason for me to stay away from Florida.
But as long as we are talking about Florida….there is more….in case you are unaware the state has a real pressing problem with pythons and now a new weapon in the fight….
Among the cypress and saw grass of South Florida, a new weapon in the state’s fight to remove invasive pythons lurks, waiting to entice its prey.
Yes, it’s a mechanical rabbit. Just don’t call it the Energizer bunny.
Researchers at the University of Florida have outfitted 40 furry, fake toy rabbits with motors and tiny heaters that work together to mimic the movements and body temperature of a marsh rabbit ‒ a favorite python meal.
The fluffy army’s mission? Help conservationists remove the highly destructive serpents that have invaded the state’s ecosystem.
The bunnies spin. They shake. They move randomly, and their creation is based on more than a decade of scientific review that began with a 2012 study that transported rabbits into Everglades National Park to see if, and how quickly, they would become python prey.
There is a new chef in town…..Dubai that is….
Dubai is preparing to introduce a new dining concept where artificial intelligence takes center stage, at least behind the scenes. WOOHOO, a restaurant set to open in September near the Burj Khalifa, promises “dining in the future” with the debut of its AI-powered chef, Chef Aiman. Chef Aiman isn’t a robot cooking up dishes tableside. Instead, this bot—its name a blend of “AI” and “man”—operates as a digital culinary architect, reports Reuters. Trained on decades of food science, global recipes, and molecular data, Aiman creates menus, curates the atmosphere, and guides service
While the AI can’t literally taste or smell, it analyzes food on a granular level—factoring in texture, acidity, and flavor nuances—then proposes unexpected ingredient pairings. Humans, led by Dubai-based Singaporean chef Reif Othman, refine these concepts, sampling and adjusting until the results meet the mark. The restaurant will serve Asian-inspired cuisine, and Aiman will also be developing the drinks menu, the New York Post reports.
The partnership is meant to enhance, not take the place of, the human touch in cooking. “Human cooking will not be replaced, but we believe [Aiman] will elevate the ideas, creativity,” says Ahmet Oytun Cakir, a WOOHOO founder and CEO of Gastronaut Hospitality. Aiman’s programming also has a practical side: It’s tasked with developing recipes that use ingredients often considered kitchen scraps, like meat trimmings and fat, to minimize waste. Looking ahead, WOOHOO’s creators hope the technology could be licensed to restaurants worldwide.
Sucks! I prefer the human touch when it comes to food prep.
Is there an alternative for CBD?
In the dense greenery of Brazil’s Atlantic coast, botanists have long walked past a drab shrub called Trema micrantha Blume. Until recently, no one suspected its berries and blossoms contained an active ingredient already worth billions of dollars worldwide.
That compound is cannabidiol (CBD), widely studied for easing seizures, anxiety, and chronic pain without the mind-altering high of marijuana.
The possibility of harvesting CBD from a fast-growing plant that governments do not regulate as tightly as cannabis could reshape both agriculture and medicine.
Hemp farms in the United States, for example, need extensive licensing, testing, and security. Trema micrantha, by contrast, spreads like a roadside weed and grows from seed to flowering in a single tropical season.
I read a fascinating report about cigarette butts….
Cigarette butts create a massive and messy environmental burden. To help address the ongoing issue, engineers recently developed a method to extract something beneficial from the discarded trash. According to their findings, published in the journal Construction and Building Materials, cigarette filters can substantially strengthen recycled asphalt ahead of its reapplication onto roads.
Cigarette butts may be tiny, but they add up. The World Health Organization has estimated smokers throw away around 4.5 trillion filters every year, while recent projections indicate that number may climb as high as 9 trillion by the end of 2025. The waste also decays extremely slowly, presenting major environmental problems across not only populated areas of the world, but in forests, waterways, and oceans. Multiple organizations and advocacy groups have launched projects aimed at curbing the issue, but they face an uphill battle, especially when it comes to the larger filters.
https://www.popsci.com/environment/recycled-cigarette-asphalt-roads/
I see another American corporation succumb to Little Donny’s ‘charm’….this time it is Coke….
Coca-Cola is shaking up its recipe, announcing plans to launch a US version of its iconic soda sweetened with American cane sugar following a push from President Trump. Trump posted on Truth Social last week, claiming he had discussed the idea with Coca-Cola and that the company had agreed to start using “REAL Cane Sugar” in its US products. Initially, Coca-Cola kept quiet on specifics, acknowledging Trump’s interest but offering no confirmation. That changed with the company’s latest earnings report, out Tuesday, which stated that a cane sugar-sweetened Coke will debut in the US later this year as part of Coca-Cola’s broader push for product innovation, per NBC News.
The shift is notable because, in the United States, Coca-Cola’s formula typically relies on corn syrup for sweetness. Meanwhile, cane sugar is the standard in some international markets, such as Mexico and various European countries. As the Washington Post reports, “Mexican Coke” has developed a following among American consumers looking for a different taste. Coca-Cola emphasized that the new cane sugar version will expand—not replace—its existing product lineup. The move coincides with broader calls by Trump and allies to reformulate processed foods, including efforts under the Make America Healthy Again initiative aimed at removing artificial additives from food.
Not to worry Coke will not get rid of their use of HFCS….but my question is why Coke? There are other bottlers in the US why was Coke singled out?
Another Saturday begins with the ‘Dump’…..hopefully everyone has a great day and as always….Be Well and Be Safe….
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”