Bayard
Bayard's Journal
Memes That Shed Light On Our Past
More:
https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-uncensored-history-memes/
The Perseid meteor shower is about to peak. Here's when to see the most 'shooting stars'.
Up to 75 'shooting stars' per hour may be visible as the annual Perseid meteor shower peaks on Sunday and Monday (Aug. 11 and Aug. 12). The annual shower is linked to debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle.One of the most prolific annual meteor showers of the year, the Perseids, will peak next weekend, bringing up to 75 "shooting stars" per hour to the sky Sunday night and early Monday (Aug. 11 to Aug. 12). Although bright meteors are expected, the display can be significantly affected by strong moonlight. But this year, the moon will set just as strong activity begins to occur from the Perseids, according to the American Meteor Society. The best time to look will be after 1 a.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 12.
Shooting stars are caused by meteoroids. As these tiny particles enter Earth's atmosphere, they heat up and vaporize, releasing energy visible as streaks of light in the night sky. The Perseids move at a swift 37 miles per second (60 kilometers per second), and there are typically between 50 and 75 visible each hour during the peak night. That’s about one per minute, though you'll need to be as far away from light pollution as possible to see an impressive number of shooting stars.
The Perseid meteor shower is known for its fast and bright meteors, according to NASA. The meteors appear to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which is how they get their name. This constellation will rise high in the northwestern sky in the Northern Hemisphere in the hours after midnight, when the most shooting stars are expected to be seen. Also visible in this region of the sky is the Andromeda Galaxy, above Perseus, and the Pleiades, above Mars and Jupiter.
Although next weekend's peak offers the highest frequency of meteors, the Perseids are active from July 14 to Sept. 1, 2024, and "shooting stars" can be seen every night. The visibility of shooting stars depends a lot on the moon's phases. Luckily, on Monday, Aug. 12, a half-lit moon will set about an hour after midnight local time across the Northern Hemisphere, meaning no strong moonlight will interfere with the peak of the Perseids this year. A clear, dark sky is required to see the meteors.
TAO....The Abandoned Ones
I totally don't understand people that dump animals. Take them to any number of rescue organizations! Where they have a chance for someone to adopt who will love them.
This woman is a hero.
Sea lions, dolphins, crabs, washing up sick on California beaches
OCEANO, Calif. (FOX26) — A single sea lion under the Pismo Pier drew a crowd of onlookers Friday afternoon.
It's not out of the ordinary to see the marine mammal. But this one did not appear to be well-- it looked disoriented, experiencing seizures at times. It's one of 70 sea lions to come on shore exhibiting symptoms of domoic acid poisoning, says Mattie Reddell, an environmental scientist with California State Parks. "This has been the most drastic domoic acid event in the ten years I've been here," Reddell says.
A recent "red tide" event-- or algal bloom-- is to blame, a result of a marine heatwave hanging offshore in the Pacific in mid-July. Fish like sardines and anchovies eat the microscopi algae that produces the toxic domoic acid. Sea lions and other creatures-- including dolphins and crabs-- then eat the fish. The acid then attacks the creature's brain and heart -- making them disoriented and sensitive to disturbance. "You'll see some signs in sea lions such as frothing at the mouth, a head wave back and ford. Some will also have seizures," Reddell says.
The Oceano Dunes Ranger District has been busy since July 19th, responding to calls for sick animals. The Marine Mammal Center's field office in Morro Bay has also been working 24 hours a day, responding to rescues and trying to save the animals. "In the first week of the outbreak, responses were specific to the southern part of the county, notably Oceano Dunes and, Pismo Beach area. In the past week, however, cases have been seen farther north in Morro Bay, Cayucos, Cambria," The Marine Mammal Center told Fox26 News, in a statement. "The intensity is currently at peak.
According to The Marine Mammal Center, the toxin will naturally flush from an animal's system over time. But, more serious cases have required taking the mammals to the center's hospital in Sausalito. It shared video of some with IVs, held by volunteers, to aid in their recovery. "Our experts also provide them with a fish source that is free of domoic acid. To control any seizures, our veterinarians give these patients anti-seizure medications that are also used in humans," the center says. State Parks rangers and personnel have been placing signs along the coast, warning of the animals coming on shore-- and talking with crowds, to make sure they keep their distance from the animals. "These are wild animals. They may look really cute. They may look down. But we want to remember they are dangerous and they’re sick and we need to give them their space," Reddell says. "Once you give them that education, they will usually abide by it."
https://kmph.com/news/local/seals-sea-lions-dolphins-crabs-washing-up-sick-on-ca-beaches-marine-mammal-center-oecano-pismo-dunes
The video is fairly heartbreaking.
So, I was at a plant nursery yesterday
One of my usual hangouts. I've bought some of their concrete animal statues for my garden before, so was looking to see what they had. I see a ton of ugly trump ones! 
The owner said--we've sold a lot of those, when he saw me looking. I asked, where are the Kamala ones? He laughed and said--no one would buy those. "I would!" He got real quiet. At least I made it out with my boxwood shrub.
Hilariously Painful "Toddler Memes" Only Parents Might Be Able To Truly Understand
Okay, I am a childless cat lady, but I thought these were fairly hilarious.
More at:
https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-toddler-memes/
Map Shows Which States Have the Highest IQs
A new map showcases which U.S. states have the highest IQ, offering insight into the intellectual landscape of the nation and the socio-economic factors that play a role in determining intelligence. Measures of IQ – or Intelligence Quotient – assess a range of cognitive abilities and attempt to quantify these into a two-to-three digit score. While these tests have come under scrutiny for their failure to perfectly capture true intelligence – neglecting other metrics such as creativity or social acumen – IQ is still widely viewed as correlating with one's overall brainpower.
According to the global rankings of Data Pandas, Japan leads the way with an average IQ of 106.48. The rest of the top ten spots are held by other East Asian countries and handful of European nations. America sits in spot 29, with an average IQ of 97.43, slightly below the 100-mark average set in most tests. Drawing on public data from IQ tests, SAT and ACT scores, Data Pandas created a ranking of U.S. states by their average IQ, seen here on a map created by Newsweek.
Topping the list is Massachusetts, with an average IQ of 104.3, six points above the national average of 98. The state is renowned for its academic institutions, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard regularly crowning lists of the top U.S. universities. According to recent analysis by WalletHub, The Bay State also boasts the best public school systems in the U.S., and the country's fourth lowest dropout rate.
(snip)
Intelligence Quotient is a personal favorite metric of Donald Trump, who has frequently espoused his own intelligence - deeming his IQ "one of the highest" - while criticizing his detractors. "Sorry losers and haters, but my I.Q. is one of the highest -and you all know it! Please don't feel so stupid or insecure, it's not your fault." In 2013, Trump corrected a Twitter user who said that his IQ fell "somewhere between Barack Obama and G.W. Bush," responding that it was, in fact, "much higher than both."
(Sorry--I can't get the map to copy.)
https://www.newsweek.com/map-shows-states-average-iq-1932132
Animals Who Came To Say 'Hi'
A Deer Visits This Cat Every Morning In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
My Parents Started Feeding A Stray Kitten A Couple Weeks Ago. This Was Their Front Porch Today
This Little Guy Jumped Onto Our Boat, Strolled Into The Cabin And Made Himself At Home On The Couch
Bear Smells Brownies, Tries To Get Inside
(I do the same thing for brownies!)
This Little Guy Has Been Hanging Out Around My Work
Every Morning My Grandmother Feeds This Squirrel A Peanut, So Every Morning It Shows Up At Her Door. This Was Him Today
These Two Were Born In My Yard Last Spring, They Still Come Home To Visit From Time To Time
This Little Guy Tried To Join Us For Breakfast
This Guy Showed Up At My Back Door Last Night, I Guess I Own A Cat Now
This Little Guy Jumped Onto My Kayak In New Zealand
My Uncle Forgot To Roll Up The Window To His Truck, And We Found This Little Guy Inside
This Little Guy Showed Up At My Home And Wouldn't Leave. Guess He Is Mine
Someone Came To Visit
This Toad Kept Coming To My Porch, So I Started Making Him Tiny Hats
Left The Car Door Open Because My Hands Were Full Of Groceries. Came Back To Aww How Cute
My Girlfriend Put A Bird Feeder On Our Deck. This Bastard Ate Himself To Sleep
I Found This Guy All Alone In The Grass
Heard Some Noise In The Kitchen And To My Surprise, Found This Guy Hopping Around
Fed 2 Ducks Yesterday On The Porch And Woke Up To This Today
There Was A Visitor By My Guest House This Morning
Saw This Frightening Guy In My Garage
In A Cabin In The Mountains And This Guy Walks Up To Me
More at:
https://www.boredpanda.com/animals-visiting-people/?media_id=801718
'Simone is a very, very rare bird': Experts discuss the science behind Simone Biles' gymnastic prowess
Even among the world's most elite gymnasts, American Simone Biles, now competing in her third Olympic Games, is a standout.
With eight Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals under her belt — and potentially more to come soon — U.S. gymnast Simone Biles is considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. So what's the science behind her success? There's a certain "X factor" that Gina Pongetti, a former gymnast and physical therapist who is treating athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics, calls "Simone being Simone." Beyond that, the answer lies in Biles' dedicated training of her neuromuscular system — everything from the ribbon of tissue that traverses the frontal lobe in the brain and controls movement to the sensory receptors that provide feedback to the muscles themselves.
With eight Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals under her belt — and potentially more to come soon — U.S. gymnast Simone Biles is considered one of the greatest gymnasts of all time. So what's the science behind her success? There's a certain "X factor" that Gina Pongetti, a former gymnast and physical therapist who is treating athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics, calls "Simone being Simone." Beyond that, the answer lies in Biles' dedicated training of her neuromuscular system — everything from the ribbon of tissue that traverses the frontal lobe in the brain and controls movement to the sensory receptors that provide feedback to the muscles themselves.
"To be an elite athlete is one level," Pongetti told Live Science. "To step up to Simone's level involves an absolute keen understanding of her body and the input signals that come to it." Biles stands out from other gymnasts both in terms of how she senses her body in space and how she hones her muscle memory, "as well as [her] having one of the most phenomenal bases of strength and conditioning that I've ever seen in an athlete," Pongetti added.
Oprioception to perfection
Biles started gymnastics at 6 years old. A youthful start is common among elite gymnasts; growing brains are adept at taking in information, said Dr. David Neuman, a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery and clinical director NY Sportscare in Manhattan. And that early practice, he told Live Science, often provides a basis for later adeptness. Particularly important to gymnasts is proprioception, the sense of where one's body is in space. The sense depends on signals from specialized cells within muscles, tendons and joints. In muscles, for example, bundles of nerves called muscle spindles tell the brain how stretched or contracted a muscle is. In the skin and joints, receptors known as Pacinian corpuscles react rapidly to sensations of pressure.
https://www.livescience.com/health/exercise/simone-is-a-very-very-rare-bird-experts-discuss-the-science-behind-simone-biles-gymnastic-prowess
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