My Desultory Blog

Posted By RichC on March 30, 2025

Over the weekend, a friend of mine sent me a link and asked for my thoughts on an article in the New Atlas, titled “Alien life might glow in the dark on infrared waterworld planets, says James Webb study” (published March 19, 2025). Perhaps even those of us who question the existence of “extraterrestrial life,” are still intrigued when unknown or new scientific discoveries come to light.

The quest to find life beyond Earth has long captivated humanity, driving us to scan the cosmos for telltale signs of biology. Traditionally, this search has focused on biosignatures like oxygen, methane, or water vapor—chemical fingerprints familiar from our own planet. But a new study leveraging data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) suggests we might need to broaden our perspective. According to researchers, alien life on water-rich exoplanets could emit a faint infrared glow, a phenomenon tied to bioluminescence. This intriguing possibility not only challenges our assumptions about what life looks like but also underscores the importance of embracing the unknown in our cosmic explorations.

Shortly before I was married, I took a bachelor camping trip with college friends to a less travelled shoreline area of North Carolina (photos from 1982 below). While sitting quietly on the beach at night, we were amazed at the beautiful glow of bioluminescence in the waves. Those who focus on ocean life know that many organisms, particularly those in the ocean’s depths, glow. From jellyfish to deep-sea fish, bioluminescence is a widespread survival strategy, used for communication, predation, or camouflage. The James Webb study posits that on exoplanets dominated by water—lacking the landmasses that shape Earth’s ecosystems—this trait could be even more prevalent. With no continents to break up their oceans, these “waterworlds” might host life that relies heavily on light to thrive in perpetual aquatic darkness. Crucially, the JWST’s infrared capabilities could detect this glow, offering a novel way to spot life where traditional biosignatures fall short. (more…)

Category: Memories, Science, Space | 0 Comments
Tags: article, bachelor, bioluminescence, camping, extraterrestrial, glow, james webb, jwst, life, new atlas, north carolina, ocean, planets, space, study, trip

Posted By RichC on March 29, 2025

The talk from most in the media this past week as been about several in the Trump administration’s team discussing plans to strike Houthi targets in Yemen … and that they used the encrypted app Signal to communicate with each other on a group chat titled “Houthi PC small group.” The Atlantic published a story after Jeffery Goldberg was added to a secure chat. That chat was initiated by National Security Adviser Michael Waltz, included senior officials like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. On March 15, Hegseth shared detailed operational updates, including timing, weather conditions, and specific weapons like F-18 jets and Tomahawk missiles, just hours before the attack commenced.

We still don’t know how or why Goldberg was added (assumed accidentally … although questions still abound). 

• Did someone working for Waltz want to embarrass the Trump administration?
• Was someone paid or promised something to add Goldberg?
• Or (the most likely) someone assembling the team, Waltz or an assistant, made a mistake and add JG – see below the break.
• Does some at Signal have the ability to insert a name?

We can only speculate but this smells:
In January 2024, Katherine Maher became the CEO of NPR. She also serves as the chair of the board of directors for the Signal Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the encrypted messaging app Signal.

— Rich Corbett (@RichC)

March 27, 2025

(more…)

Category: Blogs, News, Politics, Technology | 0 Comments
Tags: associated press, hegseth, houthi, jeffery goldberg, signalapp, theatlantic, trump, waltz, yemen

Posted By RichC on March 28, 2025

An interesting map on BrilliantMaps.com (from a Reddit post), highlights Canada’s January temperature patterns, showing where average highs and lows rise above freezing. The West Coast, particularly around Vancouver and Victoria, and parts of Nova Scotia, like Halifax, are marked in purple, indicating January average highs above 0°C (32°F). These areas, influenced by the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, enjoy milder winters with highs of 6-8°C in Vancouver and 0-2°C in Halifax, often seeing rain rather than snow. Light blue spots in these regions also show average lows above freezing, making winter more manageable compared to the rest of the country.

The unshaded majority of Canada, however, experiences a true deep freeze (image left created by Grok AI), with both average highs and lows below 0°C. In places like Winnipeg, January highs average -13°C (9°F), while lows can drop to -23°C (-10°F) or colder in the northern territories. This map underscores Canada’s climatic diversity—whether you’re in a milder coastal city or the frigid interior, winter shapes life differently.

Category: AI, Blogs, Weather | 0 Comments
Tags: brilliantmaps.com, canada, grok, maps, reddit, weather

Posted By RichC on March 27, 2025

It is not hard to suck me in to having an opinion … and politics is one of those topics that I fortunately or unfortunately have formed semi-strong politically opinions over the years. I probably share/debate/argue them too often with my son Taylor (and he usually counters them) or in the past couple of years, have opined by request on TheHustings.news. 

This past week, left-leaning friend of a sailing friend, posted: “Defending Democracy is Not a Partisan Issue” for the left-column of TheHustings. His commentary highlighted the need to prioritize democratic principles over divisive partisanship in order to safeguard our system of government. As with all noble points-of-view, there can be a bit more pushback from others when getting into the actual subject matter — and so as a counter point-of-view (for the right-column of course), my commentary zeroed in on the overused “grandma off the cliff” fear tactic used by Democrats when it comes to the Republicans wanting to “shut down Social Security.” Read on if you dare …  

A Partisan Weapon in Disguise

Commentary by Rich Corbett

The pitch that defending democracy is a noble, non-partisan cause is a comforting tale, but it’s not the last word on the matter. Instead of uniting us, this slogan has become a partisan bludgeon, swung by one side to hammer the other. Look at the hysteria over Social Security: warnings of an “assault” on this retiree lifeline get paraded as evidence of democracy in peril. It’s a scare tactic, not a shared mission, showing how the concept gets twisted into a political weapon.

Take that claim head-on. Proposals to tweak Social Security—like adjusting eligibility or benefits—are spun as full-scale attacks, proof of democratic sabotage. Yet these ideas often aim to keep the program viable amid real pressures, like an aging workforce. If defending democracy were truly bipartisan, wouldn’t we debate fixes instead of shouting betrayal? The one-sided outrage betrays the game: it’s a rallying cry to energize one faction while branding opponents as threats, not a call for common ground.

The hypocrisy stretches further. When one camp decries election security laws as voter suppression, it’s a crisis of democratic values. When the other side calls out Big Tech censorship or executive overreach—like rules shoved through without Congress—the same voices shrug. If this were a neutral fight, both concerns would matter. Instead, “defending democracy” amplifies selective fears—Social Security today, something else tomorrow—to let one side play savior while painting rivals as villains.

The bias runs deep. The argument props up a “free” press and “independent” judiciary as democratic cornerstones, but a press skewed one way, as bias studies show, isn’t free—it’s a mouthpiece. A judiciary’s independence is a partisan tug-of-war, too, with every appointment a battle. When these institutions echo certain alarms, they’re not safeguarding democracy—they’re picking winners.

The “defend democracy” line assumes we all see it the same way. We don’t. Some view entitlements like Social Security as untouchable; others see reform as survival. Some push majority rule; others guard minority rights. These gaps don’t unite us—they fuel the fight. Democracy isn’t a holy grail to protect; it’s a ring where partisan armies, armed with overblown claims, slug it out.

This vision of a bipartisan defense of democracy is a delusion. It’s a catchphrase hijacked by those who gain from fearmongering, whether over cherished programs or other hot buttons. Unity starts with owning the messiness of democracy—not pretending it’s a saintly ideal we all agree to save.

Corbett writes on a variety of subjects at My Desultory Blog.

Category: Archive, Blogs, Politics | 0 Comments
Tags: commentary, counterpoint, point-of-view, political, richc, right-column, social security, thehustings

Posted By RichC on March 26, 2025

Since 1970, the cost of K-12 education in the U.S. has skyrocketed, yet student performance has remained disappointingly flat. Data from the Cato Institute and the U.S. Department of Education highlight a troubling trend—while inflation-adjusted per-student spending has more than tripled, reading, math, and science scores have barely budged.

As of 2024, the average per-student expenditure in public schools has reached nearly $17,000, a dramatic increase from previous decades. Federal funding surged even further during and after COVID-19, with nearly $190 billion allocated to K-12 schools for pandemic-related challenges. Despite these record-high investments, academic achievement has struggled to recover, with standardized test scores in reading and math showing declines or stagnation.

Beyond costs, the pandemic underscored deep inefficiencies within the education system. Chronic absenteeism doubled, learning gaps widened, and bureaucratic hurdles slowed the effective use of federal relief funds. However, these issues existed long before COVID-19—the pandemic merely exposed and exacerbated them.

The real question remains: Why hasn’t increased spending translated into better results? Administrative and staffing expansions have far outpaced student growth, raising concerns about resource allocation. While funding is essential, throwing more money at the problem without structural reform has not produced the desired outcomes.

With education spending at historic highs but performance stagnating, it may be time to rethink our approach, or perhaps way past time!

• Should more decision-making power return to local communities?
• Should school choice and competition play a larger role?

One thing is clear: the current system needs more than just money—it needs accountability and innovation.

Category: Education, News, Politics | No Comments »
Tags: costs, Education, failure, graphs, opinion, schools, students

Posted By RichC on March 25, 2025

While I love eating most berries, I will admit to not knowing all of these — do you? 

Category: Food, Misc, Tidbits | 0 Comments
Tags: berries, berry, fruit, garden

Posted By RichC on March 24, 2025

Last week a post on X.com regarding “best jam song for a long drive” triggered other longer driving songs in my mind. I chimed in on the “car guy” thread and picked one out of the list of 4 songs … my vote was “Band on the Run” from the list, but it could have been any of them.  

I shared an Allman Brothers song — “Ramblin’ Man” —  mentioned with the video on Music Monday once before … but I realized that the post only included the 1972 live performance at Hofstra University  (worth watching and listening to) … so today will share the audio version.
    

Category: Music | No Comments »
Tags: allman brothers, music monday, musicmonday, ramblin man, wikipedia