Through a satellite telescope, astronomers have discovered an exo-planet (named TOI-715b) that “may be” habitable! TOI-715b is 137 light years away (give or take), which equals 805-trillion miles. I’m sure housing options will soon be discussed. So close, yet so far. I love scientific discoveries and the search for what “may be” out there. But if you hitched a ride today on NASA’s Juno spacecraft, which speeds along at a brisk 165,000 MPH, you’d arrive at TOI-715b in 405,246 years, unless you were held up at a TSA checkpoint. I am getting excited about what one should wear for this excursion. It’s important to dream…
On a more earth-bound topic, every 40-sconds, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. If you have an episode at home, it doesn’t make the nightly local news. So why must we still see/read news coverage of yet one more anonymous hiker or swimmer having a cardiac episode on a trek or in the ocean? Because a helicopter or four rescue vehicles showed up?
Over 800,000 Americans have heart attacks annually. Redundant cardiac news stories might subtly remind us to take better care of ourselves, except that we might mindlessly watch such stories while reclining on a couch with chips, dip, and an adult beverage after a grueling day at work. Are these stories noteworthy?
It’s all about perspective, but regularly occurring, anonymous people having medical emergencies seems non-newsworthy. 2.5% of adults locally suffer from coronary heart disease annually; more than 18,000 heart attacks and strokes (cardiovascular disease) annually require hospitalization in Hawai`i. While a visibly stricken individual in public surely provides traumatic moments for witnesses, passersby and family, perhaps we can stop the presses when it comes to reporting these semi-regular incidents…
Finally, do you believe artificial intelligence (A.I.) 2.0 is an overblown media hype? Enjoy the great Billy Joel video for “Turn The Lights Back On”- his first, new pop song in 30-years- and witness how AI transposes Billy Joel (2024) singing the new tune as it morphs with old Joel video footage- when he was simply the “piano man”- 50-years ago, yet with new song being mouthed Thrilling, yet chilling. Talk about putting words in someone’s mouth. As this un-regulated, geometrically-expanding, digital tool becomes a bigger issue every single day for nefarious abusers, geopolitical pawns, social losers, deepfakers, spammers, trolls, troublemakers, pseudo-media sites, and unfriendly saboteurs- watch out.
Think about it…