Saturday, July 12, 2025

Heroes of the Week: MIT Scientists: high-tech 'bubble wrap' turns air into safe drinking water — even in Death Valley

 This week's heroes are scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They've created something to help create safe drinking water, even in desert areas! Although the yield of water from the atmosphere isn't much in dry areas, it's a start. (Side note: the current Administration SLASHED science funding drastically)  Here's the story about this amazing innovation.

(photo: The hydrogel material absorbs water from the air. (MIT)_)


MIT's high-tech 'bubble wrap' turns air into safe drinking water — even in Death Valley

By Damien Pine, LIVE SCIENCE   June 30, 2205

Researchers at MIT have tested a new technology for turning water vapor in the atmosphere into drinkable water, even in extreme environments.

MIT researchers have created a high-tech "bubble wrap" capable of collecting safe drinking water directly from the air — even in Death Valley, the driest desert in North America.

The new water harvester is a major step towards providing safe, accessible drinking water to people across the globe — and works wherever you may find water vapor in the air, scientists said in a new study published June 11 in the journal Nature Water.

The water harvester is made from hydrogel (a highly water-absorbent material) that is enclosed between two layers of glass — much like a window. At night, the device absorbs water vapor from the atmosphere. During the day, the water condenses on the glass thanks to a coating that keeps the glass cool. The liquid water then drips down the glass and is collected in a system of tubes.

The hydrogel is formed into a special shape, a series of domes resembling a sheet of bubble wrap that swells up when absorbing water vapor. The domes increase the material’s surface area, which increases the amount of water it can hold.

Researchers tested the new device for a week in Death Valley, a unique desert valley spanning across parts of California and Nevada. It’s the hottest place in the world and the driest place in North America.

It produced about a quarter to two-thirds of a cup of water every day (57-161.5 milliliters). In more humid areas, the device should produce even more water. This design is a lot more effective than some previous attempts to collect drinking water from air, all without needing electricity to power it, MIT representatives said in a statement.

Friday, July 11, 2025

NEW PODCAST! Cosmic KC host talks w/Rob about Scotland Ghost!

NEW PODCAST! Cosmic KC host talks w/Rob about Scotland Ghost!

"Cosmic KC" with host KC O'Day talks with Rob Gutro about the Ghosts KC and friends encountered in  Edinburgh,  Scotland!  


Cosmic KC explores the Paranormal, UFOs, cryptids and more. In this episode, Rob Gutro scientist, Pet Medium, Paranormal Investigator, author of many books returns!    

LISTEN:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cosmic-kc-episode-19-ghosts-of-edinburgh-scotland/id1799237310?i=1000714788744 


Check out Rob's Ghosts on a Medium's Vacation series, which includes:

Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation

Ghosts of Ireland on a Medium's Vacation

Ghosts of the Bird Cage Theatre on a Medium's Vacation


Book of the Week: Dog Days by John Leavitt

Every now and then I read fantasy books with magical characters, so I tried the first in the series by John Leavitt, called "Dog Days." The book appealed to me because it was about a kind of entry-level magic practitioner with a mystical dog.


MY THOUGHTS - The book was good, and the main character, Mason was likeable as he dealt with weird things, like man eating sidewalk worms, and other things. He works with elder magic wielders to help solve a mystery of who and why other magic wielder's mystical animal sidekicks are being stolen or never return. Some cases lead to the deaths of the magic wielders, too... but in the beginning that's a little hard to figure. When you get more than half way, you learn what's really going on. The end battle between Mason and the villain was a bit odd, too, as I couldn't figure if it was a mental thing or in another dimension... but overall I enjoyed the book as a 4 of 5 stars. I'm sure the 2nd in the series will make sense sooner!

ABOUT THE BOOK: First in a new urban fantasy series-with a bite as magical as its bark.

Mason used to be an enforcer, ensuring that suspect magic practitioners stayed in line. But now he scrapes out a living playing guitar. Good thing he has Louie, his magical...well, let's call him a dog. But there are some kinds of evil that even Louie can't sniff out. And when Mason is attacked by a supernatural assailant, he'll have to fall back on the one skill he's mastered in music and magic-improvisation

Thursday, July 10, 2025

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY: 14th Amendment Ratified to the US Constitution, granting citizenship to anyone “born or naturalized in U.S.

On July 9, 1868, the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified, granting citizenship and “equal protection under the laws” to anyone “born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved people. Ironically, this is what the current Administration is trying to invalidate.

(Image: https://nccs.net/) 

The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, is a landmark amendment to the U.S. Constitution that addresses citizenship, equal protection, and due process. It is one of the Reconstruction Amendments, passed after the Civil War, and has significantly shaped American law and society. Here's a more detailed look:

Key Provisions: Citizenship Clause: Defines citizenship as birthright for anyone born in the United States, regardless of the parents' citizenship status.

Due Process Clause: Prohibits states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Equal Protection Clause: Requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all persons within their jurisdiction.

Apportionment Clause: Addresses how representatives in the House of Representatives are allocated to states based on population.

Disqualification Clause: Prevents individuals who have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States from holding certain public offices.

Public Debt Clause: Addresses the validity of the public debt of the United States.

Significance and Impact: **Civil Rights: The 14th Amendment has been instrumental in advancing civil rights, particularly for African Americans, and has been the basis for numerous landmark Supreme Court cases related to equality and discrimination.

(This photo made available by the U.S. National Archives shows a portion of the first page of the United States Constitution. (National Archives via AP)

Landmark Cases: The amendment has been cited in cases like Brown v. Board of Education (desegregation of schools), Loving v. Virginia (invalidating bans on interracial marriage), and Obergefell v. Hodges (guaranteeing the right to same-sex marriage).

Evolution of Rights: The 14th Amendment's interpretation has evolved over time, with the Supreme Court expanding its scope to cover various aspects of individual liberties and rights.

Ongoing Relevance: The 14th Amendment continues to be relevant in contemporary legal and political debates, particularly concerning issues of citizenship, immigration, and equal protection.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Don't Hold In a Sneeze- It can puncture your windpipe!

Today's blog is the story of a man in the United Kingdom who learned a hard lesson.  Don't Hold In a Sneeze- It can puncture your windpipe!


(photo: X-ray image of the man's neck and skull with a white and a black arrow pointing to areas of trapped air underneath the skin of his neck An X-ray revealed that the man had pockets of air trapped underneath the skin of his neck, as shown by the arrows above. (Image credit: BMJ Case Reports 2023))

A man held in a sneeze — and it punctured his windpipe

By Nicoletta Lanese , Live Science, May 21, 2025

The patient: A man in his 30s in the U.K.

The symptoms: The patient arrived at the emergency department in severe pain and with a swollen neck that he struggled to move. He reported that the pain had erupted immediately after he'd stifled a sneeze by pinching his nose and closing his mouth at the same time. He was driving and contending with hay fever symptoms when he stifled the sneeze.

Although the man didn't have any trouble breathing, swallowing or talking, his doctors noticed a faint crackling sound during an initial examination of his neck.

What happened next: When the doctors took an X-ray to investigate further, they found signs of surgical emphysema, a condition in which air gets trapped under the deepest tissue layers below the skin.

The diagnosis: A CT scan then showed that a tear had formed between the third and fourth bones in the patient's neck, which enabled air to escape from his windpipe, or trachea, and into tissues of the neck and the space between the lungs. The hole in his trachea measured 0.08 by 0.08 inches (2 by 2 millimeters).

The doctors concluded that the tear likely formed due to a "rapid build-up of pressure in the trachea while sneezing with a pinched nose and closed mouth," according to a report of the case.

The treatment: The patient's medical providers determined that he didn't need surgery to repair the tear. Instead, they monitored him in the hospital for two days, carefully watching his oxygen levels and other vital signs and not providing food by mouth for the first day. He was then discharged with prescriptions for pain-relief and hay fever medications, as well as doctor's orders to avoid strenuous activity for two weeks.

At a checkup five weeks later, a CT scan of the man's neck showed that the tear had completely healed.

What makes the case unique: Spontaneous windpipe tears aren't widely reported in the medical literature, with only a few cases documented prior to this case. Those tears resulted primarily from physical trauma to the windpipe or from complications following medical procedures, such as thyroid removal or the insertion of a tube into the windpipe or esophagus.

Prior to the man's case, there had been no reports of a trachea tearing due to stifled sneezing, his doctors reported. Estimates suggest that, when the mouth and nose are closed during a sneeze, the pressure in the upper airways may be more than 20 times the pressure during your average "achoo."

"Everyone should be advised not to stifle sneezes by pinching the nose while keeping the mouth closed as it can result in tracheal perforation," the doctors cautioned in their report.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Reading Confirmations: A Spirit Cat's Number & Cats who greeted him in spirit

In a pet spirit reading I did for 2 cat parents, two things really stood out to them that really surprised them. One was that their male cat in spirit identified three specific cats who passed previously that greeted him on the other side. The other surprise was their spirit cat's Angel number that mysteriously appeared. Today's blog is about that experience (thanks to the mom for allowing me to share it).


My reading:
He tells me that he was greeted in spirit by 4 or 5 other cats. One cat had a white stripe in the middle of his/her face and it looks like areas of light gray around the eyes. Another one is a tiger-striped cat. There's a third cat that's entirely black with just a little patch of white. I can't tell what the other cats look like because they're standing back in shadow.
Now he's telling me about the number 5. That number is his Angel number. That's a number assigned from spirit to let us know they are around. Whenever you see the number repeating, like 55 or 555, that's a sign he is present. 

The Cat Parents' response:
This is making me get tears in my eyes. I read the answers and there are definitely some things that stand out.

The Cats He Met in Spirit:

The other cats he met on the other side, one was a tiger stripe, she was 21 years old and had to be put down, she was in kidney failure, she had a long life with us.

The white stripe on the nose, I have only had one cat with a stripe like that, my very first cat, I was 11 years old, he was gray and white, he had a gray face and a half stripe up his nose/face.

The black with a touch of white might be one that I actually saw on the side of the road, it had been hit by a car. We drove him up to the veterinary school in Raleigh because he was so badly injured, but his pelvis was broken on both sides and they could not save him. They were so moved that we brought this poor guy up there, they sent us a pawprint from him.

The Number 5:
5, I'm not sure but I think he may have been born in May, I was not sure how old he was when I brought him in, he was around 6 months old.

The NEXT DAY, the Mom sent me a follow up email about the number 5:
It's gotten crazy. Just for the heck of it I asked my husband if he has seen a lot of the number 5 lately. He has been working on an old, 1970s pinball machine since last fall. He made headway tonight, when I asked him about 5 he said that when he was playing the machine and testing it the number 5 stayed lit under the "Ball Number" sign. 
He said until tonight he didn't even know it had a 5 on it, because when it is not lit, you can't see or read anything behind the backboard. We only thought it went to 4. So tonight was very strange!

The Second day after the email, the mom wrote:
My husband has been working on that pinball machine every night and the 5 lights up for a second, but it only stayed lit that one night, the day you sent me the email about looking for 5's!
*******************
Learn how to recognize signs from your pets in spirit! Read Rob Gutro's "Pets and the Afterlife" Series of books (1-4) available on Amazon).

Monday, July 7, 2025

Rob's Mom's Musical Sign Took a Lot of Coordination

 Spirits will give us musical signs to let us know they are around. Back on June 19th, I wrote about how my parents managed to make me turn on a radio to hear their anniversary song in the week of their anniversary. But my mom had to work extra hard to ensure I got her message on her birthday, too.



In May of 2025, Tom bought tickets for us to go see a cover band at a theatre in a nearby town. I wrote it down on the calendar, not thinking about the date.
When the date came, it was June 19, 2025. It was not only my parents' wedding anniversary (for which I already received a sign from them), but it was also my Mom's birthday (she passed in 2013).

The band was a Fleetwood Mac tribute band. Once we were in the theatre and we began enjoying some of the songs, it suddenly hit me that my mom in spirit arranged to influence Tom to buy the tickets for THAT particular performance (they were also playing the following 2 nights, but he "chose" the 19th).

Why? Because one of my mom's favorite songs is Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere" which they played. I sat there just awestruck.

SHORT VIDEO OF THE SONG

My mom orchestrated this months ago, by influencing Tom, so we could hear one of her favorites on her birthday.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Idiots of the Week: Alabama prisons illegally harvested the organs of dead prisoners

Well, here's a gruesome bunch of idiots. Illegally harvesting organs from prisoners who died in Alabama prisons... I get there's a need for organs to transplant or study, but there's a law that says next of kin need to be asked first. They weren't. Here's the story of these modern-day "grave robbers."


(Photo: An 1887 illustration by British artist Hablot Knight Browne of “resurrectionists” stealing dead bodies from a graveyard. Wikimedia Commons)

Lawsuit alleging Alabama officials illegally harvested inmates’ organs can proceed

 By SAFIYAH RIDDLE, AP, April 11, 2025

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A lawsuit that accuses Alabama prisons of illegally harvesting the organs of people who died while incarcerated will be allowed to proceed, a state judge ruled on Tuesday.

The consolidated lawsuits filed by eight families alleges that the Alabama Department of Corrections illegally allowed the University of Alabama at Birmingham to study the organs of their deceased incarcerated relatives without the consent of the next of kin. The families say that the public entities intentionally hid their misconduct.

Alabama Circuit Court Judge J.R. Gaines denied the defendant’s motion to dismiss the case based on state immunity, which protects state officials from lawsuits if they are acting within their official capacities.

Lawyers for the defense argued that the Alabama Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham had a contract authorizing the autopsies. Because the contract was between two state entities, the defense argued, it was protected by state immunity.

Gaines wrote that immunity doesn’t apply if their actions violate the law or when they act “willfully, maliciously, fraudulently, in bad faith, beyond their authority or under a mistaken interpretation of the law.”

Gaines also said that the statute of limitations doesn’t apply for inmates who died more than two years ago if the defendants attempted to fraudulently conceal the alleged crimes.

Attorneys for the defendants did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Lawyers for the families argued that the contract itself was illegal. They cited a state law that prohibits medical examiners from keeping organs without the consent of the next of kin.

“We are encouraged to see our legal system affirm that no one is above accountability,” said Lauren Faraino, an attorney representing all eight families. “What our clients seek is recognition that harm occurred and a path forward rooted in responsibility and truth.”

After a February hearing, Faraino said the allegedly illegal practice represented a “pattern.” Two more families have also filed separate lawsuits with similar allegations in Jefferson and Barbour counties.

Family members of Kelvin Moore attended a hearing in February about the state’s immunity motion. Moore died in 2023 in Limestone Correctional Facility in northern Alabama.

After Moore’s body was returned without his organs, Moore’s family drove four hours to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and picked up a sealed red bag containing what they were told was their brother’s remains. They buried the bag along with the rest of his body.

“You’re robbing the deceased. We’re responsible for laying them to rest. We probably can never lay Kelvin to rest now,” said Kelvin Moore’s brother Simone Moore.

Between 2006 and 2015, the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Division of Autopsy got 23% of their yearly income from the Department of Corrections autopsies and 29% from the state’s department of forensic sciences, according to a study presented to the Ethics Oversight Committee in 2018 by former medical students. The study was entered as evidence by the lawyers suing the state.

The medical students wrote that the organs of formerly incarcerated people were considered especially useful to study because the diseases were often more severe because of the lack of medical attention in prisons.

In other words, lawyers for the families wrote in a complaint, “it is easier to study a 3 cm tumor than a 3 mm one.”

One of the reports authored by the former students said that a third of the samples in the lab that studied lungs were from dead incarcerated people, the court filing said.

“If this was occurring at a local hospital, if this was occurring at a local funeral home, the AG’s office would be investigating it, not using their lawyers to defend it,” Michael Strickland, an attorney for the families, said in February. 

Saturday, July 5, 2025

Hero of the Week: Rescue dog senses stranger's seizure at pet adoption event

This week's hero is a dog who was seeking a forever home, and was at a rescue event and acted promptly when he sensed a man visiting was going into a seizure. The dog wasn't trained to do that, but dogs can sense when someone is falling ill. The dog was eventually adopted by someone else with medical issues, although not that family.

Rescue dog senses stranger's seizure at pet adoption event: ‘Pure intuition'

By Andrea-Rose Oates • Published June 26, 2025

A routine pet adoption event at a Virginia church took an extraordinary turn when one of the foster dogs instinctively reacted to an oncoming medical crisis in a stranger — and in doing so, rescued him.

Sienna, a 4-year-old labradoodle-pit bull mix and one of the shelter's "sweetest dogs," was found as a stray in a neighboring town, said Barbe Shackelford, vice president and director of Friends of Campbell County Animal Control in Rustburg.

Sienna was among the dozens of pets looking for a forever home at the adoption event earlier this month. She was calmly greeting attendees when, according to the shelter, she abruptly broke away from a group and walked straight to a man she never met before.

"She sat quietly at his feet, refused to budge, and softly placed her paw on his leg," the shelter wrote in a Facebook post detailing the event. "It wasn’t a trick. It wasn’t prompted. It was pure intuition."

Moments later, the man's wife approached and recognized he was having early warning signs of an oncoming myoclonic seizure.

"Sienna knew. Before any human saw the signs, she knew," the shelter wrote.

The man, identified as Josh Davis, told The Washington Post he has epilepsy and had forgotten to take his medication that morning. Thanks to Sienna's intervention, his wife quickly helped him return home, where he was able to rest and recover.

“If he hadn’t calmed down and went home to rest, even with the [vagus nerve stimulator], he was very likely to have a full-on convulsion seizure,” Kristen told the Post.

Neither the shelter nor its volunteers trained Sienna to detect seizures — her actions were purely instinctive.

Shackleford told NBC that Sienna has been house-trained and has raised litters but, otherwise, has no formal service dog training.

"We've always known Sienna is special. But today, she reminded us that sometimes the ones we rescue are the ones who end up rescuing," the shelter wrote.

Kristen David, Josh Davis' wife, commented on the shelter's Facebook post that while the family would have loved to adopt Sienna, they already have three other dogs and lacked the room and resources to house another pup.

However, Sienna wouldn't be homeless for long. As her story went viral, adoption requests poured in to the shelter.

A Forever Home Found!

Sienna was eventually adopted by a Roanoke family who has two sons, including one with epilepsy. Shackelford said Sienna has "chosen her special person and has not left his side."

This is what we want for all of our shelter dogs, but especially for a a pit bull mix who is a fabulous ambassador for her breed and for shelter dogs everywhere," Shackleford told NBC.

Friday, July 4, 2025

Book of the Week: Hangman's Legacy by Frederic Bean - Great western novel!

 Our local libraries were having book sales and there were a bunch of old western novels, so I bought them without knowing most of the authors. One was "Hangman's Legacy" by Frederic Bean, whom I learned has written many westerns!

What a find! Excellent, captivating story and characters!

MY  TAKE ON THIS GREAT BOOK: Hangman's Legacy caught me from the start. Some cattle drivers stumble upon a man (who turned out to be a bank robber) hanged from a tree. In his boot is a letter that reveals where his bank loot is stashed... but it's quite a distance and in dangerous territory. When some of the cattle hands go after it, others stay behind to tend the herd. Mixed up in this pursuit is a bloodthirsty bounty hunter and a lawman, but the cowhands don't know who to trust. The main character, Hob, the cattle foreman feels obligated to go after his men... and things get dangerous. **Great Story!! 5 of 5 stars!!

ABOUT FREDERIC BEAN: Frederic MacArthur Bean was born on May 26, 1944 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The family moved to Waco, Texas in 1948 where Fred attended school. He married and raised two sons. Fred was a successful writer who published many books, both westerns and other historical fiction. He died in Temple, Texas on September 30, 2000. 

WORKS BY FREDERIC BEAN: 

  • Lorena (1996)
  • The Pecos River (1995) 
  • The Red River (1997) 
  •  Murder at the Spirit Cave (1999) 
  •  Pancho and Black Jack: Pancho and Black Jack (1995) 
  •  Hangman's Legacy (1991) 
  •  Tombstone (2001) 
  •  The Hangman's Tree (2000) 
  •  Gunfight at Eagle Springs (1993) 
  •  Tom Spoon (1990) 
  •  Ghost Riders (2000) 
  •  Santa Fe Showdown (Zebra books) (1993) 
  •  Lone Wolf (1997) 
  •  Guns on the Cimarron (1995) 
  •  The Last Warrior (1992)

Thursday, July 3, 2025

SCIENCE: 1 psychedelic psilocybin dose eases depression for years & helps Parkinson's patients

Breakthroughs in medicine are always exciting, and these 2 latest studies reveal something that works for people who suffer from depression and  helped people with Parkinson's disease!  Here are the latest breakthroughs!

1 psychedelic psilocybin dose eases depression for years, study reveals 

Half a decade after receiving a psychedelic treatment for depression, two-thirds of patients in a new study remained in remission.

 Jane Palmer LIVE SCIENCE, June 18, 2025

DENVER—Psilocybin, the main psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, can alleviate depression for at least five years after a single dose, a new study finds.

The research, presented June 18 at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, focused on patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), which is often called clinical depression. The serious mood disorder causes a persistent feeling of sadness and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable. The most common treatments for MDD include talk therapy and medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and both can take a long time to show any benefits.

When early studies hinted at psilocybin's potential as an antidepressant, a team of researchers undertook the first-ever randomized clinical trial to explore the use of the psychedelic for treating severe depression. The trial included 24 patients, half of whom received psilocybin at the very start of the trial and half of whom received the same dose eight weeks later—the "waitlist" group. Each patient also received 11 hours of psychotherapy.

Even in that short time frame, "there was a significant reduction in depression in the immediate-treatment group compared to those on the waitlist," study co-author Alan Davis, director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University, told Live Science.

Once all of the patients had completed the four-week study, the psilocybin appeared to be four times more effective than traditional antidepressant medications, based on previous research data. One month after the treatment, 17 patients had relieved symptoms, including 14 who were in full remission from depression. Patients also responded much faster to psilocybin than is typical for conventional antidepressants.

************************** 

How ‘Magic Mushrooms’ Could Help Parkinson’s Disease Patients

A UCSF pilot study finds psilocybin therapy surprises, showing meaningful improvements in mood, cognition, and motor symptoms.

By Victoria Colliver, Univ. of California, San Francisco, April 29, 2025

Psilocybin, a natural compound found in certain mushrooms, has shown promise in treating depression and anxiety.

UC San Francisco researchers wanted to know if it could be used to help Parkinson’s patients who often experience debilitating mood dysfunction in addition to their motor symptoms and don’t respond well to antidepressants or other medications.

The results were surprising.

These results raise the exciting possibility that psilocybin may help the brain repair itself.” Joshua Woolley, MD, PhD

Not only did participants tolerate the drug without serious side effects or worsening symptoms, which is what the pilot study was designed to test, they also experienced clinically significant improvements in mood, cognition, and motor function that lasted for weeks after the drug was out of their systems.

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

SpaceX's Starship explodes on Texas launch pad in 'catastrophic failure'

As someone who retired from NASA, I'm happy I did before the felon took office and gutted the agency of all science research in favor of human spaceflight for Musk's SpaceX. It's going to take decades for NASA to recover and return to giving us amazing science again. Meanwhile, SpaceX continues to rake in billions, and their latest rocket Exploded. Here's the story.


SpaceX's Starship explodes on Texas launch pad in 'catastrophic failure' during routine test
LIVE SCIENCE, June 20, 2025

SpaceX's Starship 36 underwent a "catastrophic failure" on the stand at its Texas launch site, but the latest setback is unlikely to dent the company's ambitions.

SpaceX's Starship has exploded once again — adding to a growing list of setbacks for the company's rocket.

The upper stage of the rocket, the largest ever built, was undergoing routine testing to prepare for its 10th test flight at SpaceX's South Texas Starbase site on Wednesday night (June 18) when it "suffered a catastrophic failure and exploded," local authorities wrote on Facebook.

The gigantic fireball adds to a string of recent headaches for the rocket's upper stages. The ship exploded mid-flight during two previous test flights in January and March, and fell to pieces during an earlier-than-planned reentry in May.

WATCH THE EXPLOSION VIDEO: https://youtu.be/71AwkBt3_ts?si=-pcbV5ObI9xqkqcQ

In a post on X, SpaceX has attributed the latest explosion to "a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase," yet the exact cause of the malfunction is unclear.

"A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for," SpaceX added in the post. "Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing [sic] operations continue."

Starship is key to SpaceX majority shareholder Elon Musk's ambitions to transport spacecraft, crew members, satellites and cargo into orbit around Earth and to the moon and Mars.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Rob's SC Visit- A Quick Tour of Greenville and a Haunting

 When I visited my mother-in-law in June, I took a drive north to briefly walk around downtown Greenville, South Carolina and experience the city.  Today provides a quick look at some of the limited number of things I got to see., and a haunted hotel that I didn't get to go in... but good stories! 

UNDERGROUND COFFEE- I stopped in for a coffee in this place off Main Street. It actually IS underground!!  You have to go down a stairway and the shop is in a basement. It's dark inside, and has a darkly painted wooden ceiling and walls. The coffee was pretty good, although a bit strong for me. I recommend the Chocolate Chip cookies- loaded with chocolate. My mother-in-law loved them!  





CANDY STORES- There are two stores that specialize in candy sales- Rocket Fizz and Mast General Store. Despite the tons of candy, neither had grape licorice, which is what my sister-in-law Lisa has been looking for. 

PARKING ON MAIN STREET - You can find on street parking for 2 hours, free... but you have to get their early! 

THE WHISKEY HOTEL-  This business looked cool and old, but it wasn't open. It is a proposed restaurant and bar concept located at 724 S. Main St. It will feature a rooftop bar and terrace, a main floor with a bar, wine cellar, and stage, plus a signature Whiskey Hotel ribeye. In 2025, the project was under review by the Greenville Design Review Board. That's too bad, because it gave a "haunted" feeling.  

COOL DOG STORE! - I was pleased to see that a store that sells dog-related products, "Paw Paws" had a little Pride flag up. That was welcoming. They sell handcrafted collars, harnesses and leashes,made in SC, and they can embroider your dog's name on them. It's located at 816 South Maine Street, Greenville, SC.  Visit them at: https://pawpawsusa.com/ 

HOTEL WITH A HAUNTED HISTORY -
The Westin Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, SC, is rumored to be haunted. There have been sightings of ghostly apparitions, strange noises, and objects moving on their own. Guests have reported seeing apparitions, including an elderly man disappearing around a corner. Some guests have reported lights turning on and off on their own, or sounds coming from areas where no one should be. Another guest encountered a ghostly man in a black coat, a figure often associated with the hotel's history and lore.

Monday, June 30, 2025

Dash's (and Cody's belated, and Tyler, too) Birthday Petsmart Adventure!

Dash's 17th birthday was on June 19th, so as is our tradition, we take the birthday dogs to Petsmart, Petco or Pet Supplies plus to pick out a treat or toy.  Since Cody missed his on April 30th, Cody joined Dash, and of course Tyler had to come, too!       But Dash, Cody or Tyler didn't have a desire for a toy, despite our squeaking them. They know they have two big toy bins full at home, I guess. We were surprised at the serious down-sizing of treats in the store, too...  Here's the story.

REDUCED VARIETY OF TREATS IN STORE - One thing we noticed is that Petsmart only has one quarter of an aisle of treats. We remember when the store would have an entire aisle, both sides, filled with dog treats. Now it's been cut by 75% and they didn't have any of our kids' favorite treats.

(Pic: Cody leads Tyler and Dash searching for something)


THEIR FAVORITE TREATS- Dash, Tyler and Cody love the Full Moon brand of Chicken Jerky treats, and Beggin' Strips and Pupperoni.... but Petsmart didn't have ANY of these!!
SETTLED ON FOOD - They also didn't have Beneful wet food, which they prefer over every other wet food, so we opted for Rachel Ray wet food to top their Rachel Ray DISH dry food (it's all natural). 
   It was a really odd discovery about Petsmart... 
   (Side note: Over the years, we tried them on Blue Buffalo and a bunch of other foods, and they don't like them. )


(Pic: Dash exploring Petsmart for anything good)
MORNING MEALS - On top of their regular food, they get fresh shredded chicken each morning, and we've been doing that for years. They'll also get scrambled eggs, bacon, tuna  (except for Cody who hates it), hamburger or other proteins on their food.






Sunday, June 29, 2025

Idiots of the Week: Dozens of drivers caught speeding over 100 mph on I-93 in NH

There's a dangerous problem in New Hampshire, and it's drivers who decide that driving at excessive and dangerous speeds is something to do. They obviously have no regard for anyone's safety. Memorial Day weekend brought out dozens of insane, selfish drivers on Interstate 93 in NH, which goes through the large cities of Manchester and state capitol of Concord. Here's the story.


‘Reckless driving’: Dozens of drivers clocked at speeding over 100 mph on I-93 in NH

By Maria Papadopoulos, Boston 25 News May 26, 2025 at 8:34 pm EDT

SALEM, N.H. — A Massachusetts man driving a sports car at approximately 140 mph was among dozens of drivers who were stopped for excessive speed on Interstate 93 on Memorial Day, state police said Monday.

Brandon E. Babcock, 22, of Salem, Massachusetts, was arrested on multiple charges, including reckless driving and disobeying an officer, state police said.

Babcock was released on personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in Salem District Court on July 17.

Babcock is among 42 drivers who were clocked traveling at 90 mph or faster, and six drivers who were seen driving recklessly at 100 mph or faster, state police said.

On Monday morning, troopers assigned to the Special Enforcement Unit used the unit’s fixed-wing aircraft to detect dangerous driving behaviors on I-93 northbound in Salem, state police said.

Troopers noted 111 motor vehicle violations, which included excessive speed, cell phone use, following too closely, “Move Over” law violations, and reckless driving, state police said.

At 7:45 a.m. Monday, troopers saw a white 2024 Corvette traveling at 110 mph.

When troopers attempted to stop the Corvette, the driver, later identified as Babcock, “sped up significantly and passed other drivers recklessly, across all other lanes of travel,” state police said.

Trooper Thomas Lombardi monitored the vehicle from the State Police aircraft, noting speeds of approximately 140 mph before the driver of the Corvette got off the interstate at Exit 3 and continued onto side roads in Windham.

Lombardi kept an eye on the Corvette from the sky and guided troopers to its location on the ground, state police said.

Ultimately, Sgt. John LaPointe pulled Babcock over on Johnson Road, and arrested him.

The minimum penalties for reckless driving in New Hampshire include a fine of $620 with an additional mandatory penalty assessment and a 60-day loss of driver’s license, state police said.

The standard fine for traveling 86 mph or greater is $434.

“The members of the State Police extend their gratitude to all drivers who traveled through the state safely during the holiday weekend and encourages residents and visitors to remain alert and responsible during the summer season,” state police said.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Heroes of the Week: MD Police, Public Works Rescue Kittens in 2 Places

It was a busy week in Maryland for rescuing cats! Department of public works employees, residents, volunteers and a police officer were all part rescuing 2 kittens in different places. Those are today's heroes.

(Photo: Two kittens have a second lease on life after being saved by department of public works employees, residents, volunteers and a police officer. Photos courtesy of the Hyattsville Government and Hyattsville Police Department)

Kitten Rescued From Storm Drain, 2nd Kitten Saved In Busy Traffic By Police Officer

Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch Staff, Jun 13, 2025

HYATTSVILLE, MD — Two kittens can count themselves lucky after being rescued recently by Hyattsville city employees.

Two kittens have a second lease on life after being saved by department of public works employees, residents, volunteers and a police officer. One kitten was rescued from a storm drain in Hyattsville Thursday while last week, a police officer scooped up a kitten lost in traffic.

On Thursday, June 19, 2025, residents, the Hyattsville Department of Public Works and A Cat’s Life Rescue teamed up to rescue a kitten from a storm drain near Driskell Park. Neighbors heard the kitten crying, but it was too scared to be lured out. Department of Public Works Director Lesley Riddle helped open the storm drain so a humane trap could be placed, according to the city. The kitten, now named Stormy, has been placed with its foster family.

Last Friday, June 20, Hyattsville Police Officer Carrillo spied a kitten sprinting across Queens Chapel Road near Belcrest Road, just barely missing cars. Carrillo jumped out of his vehicle and safely scooped up the kitten before anything could happen to it. With help from his squad supervisors, he connected with Last Chance Animal Rescue and now the kitten is safe and sound at their Waldorf, Maryland office.

Who I am

I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

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