These small “Skipper” butterflies aren’t particularly rare, but I don’t believe I’ve ever noticed them before this season. On the other hand, I do spend a lot of time working at the table—the end of which is in the photo. And this year, in the bed adjacent, Tracy planted two plants about which all pollinators are passionate. It’s an unending air show of Lepidoptera and Apoidea.
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The aim of fusion research is to develop a climate- and environmentally-friendly power plant. Similar to the sun, it is to generate energy from the fusion of atomic nuclei. Because the fusion fire only ignites at temperatures above 100 million degrees, the fuel—a low-density hydrogen plasma—must not come into contact with cold vessel walls. Held by magnetic fields, it floats almost contact-free inside a vacuum chamber.
~ Max Planck Society, from The Wendelstein 7-X concept proves its efficiency
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I’ve been following the phys.org syndication feed for, like 20 years. It kicks out a lot of posts. (About 840 each month in fact. Which I can tell by looking in my account at feedbin.com.) I’ve been watching from afar for decades as we humans try to figure out nuclear fusion.
The sun fuses light elements—Hydrogen mostly—creating slightly heavier elements—Helium mostly. Our bombs and nuclear reactors go in the other direction: They take very rare, very heavy elements—like Uranium-238 which is even more rare than it’s very rare “normal” Uranium that has 235 protons and neutrons in its nucleus—and break them apart releasing an enormous amount of energy. But breaking them apart is fairly easy. Uranium is such a big fat nucleus that it breaks apart on its own. (That’s what Radon gas comes from in your house.) Fission is pretty easy.
Fusion on the other hand is insanely difficult. You have to push two protons very close together before they decide to stick together. But when they do stick you get energy out. Hydrogen only has one proton in it’s nucleus, and the center of the sun is literally a churning soup of protons and free-roaming electrons. Gravity squeezes it more and more. Millions of degrees. Inconceivable pressures. The material is so dense, so opaque, that the light produced by the little Heliums getting created bounces around inside so much, it helps balance the gravitational crushing. In fact, the light that leaves the sun is only a tiny fraction of the energy being generated. Most of it just fights gravity off. Yes, the solar energy reaching Earth is a tiny fraction, of a tiny fraction of the total energy the sun produces.
Yeah. We humans have figured out how to do that. In fact, we have two very different engineering solutions—the “tokomak” and the “Wendelstein 7-X”. They work. We can put cheap, abundant, harmless Hydrogen in and it creates Helium. Yes, with a net outflow of energy. Years ago, we could do it for fractions of a second, but it consumed more energy than we got back out. But now, today, these two devices literally consume Hydrogen and spit out Helium. Pure, magic. You get so much energy out from Fusion, it’d be trivial to split good old water apart… push that little Oxygen in H2O off using electrolosys and send the Oxygen elsewhere. (It has lots of applications.)
Ever see some sci-fi movie where the people find alien technology? They’re all like, “ooooooh, look at this suitcase sized power supply that runs the whole ship” and “how’s that work” and “alien science.”
Yeah. That shit up top there in that phys.org article. BAM! Human science. Pure magic.
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Characteristics of the rational soul: Self-perception, self-examination, and the power to make of itself whatever it wants. … It surveys the world and the empty space around it, and the way it’s put together. It delves into the endlessness of time to extend its grasp and comprehension of the periodic births and rebirths that the world goes through. It knows that those who came after us will see nothing different, that those who came before us saw no more than we do, and that anyone with forty years behind him and eyes in his head has seen both past and future—both alike.
~ Marcus Aurelius
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An embarrassment of riches swamps me. I have so arranged things that everywhere I turn I find inspiring ideas, growth-catalyzing goals, and outlandish opportunities.
This morning I tenderly cracked open a new-to-me book, (Community: The Structure of Belonging by P Block, 2nd ed., 2018,) and inserted a bright blue, ribbon bookmark. I turned past the first page, then past the second page, and read the dedication:
To Maggie — In appreciation for your commitment, intelligence, love, and integrity that make what I do possible. You are a placeholder for all who give their talents and love in support of others. Your question “Who will do what by when?” changes the world.
~ Peter Block, ibid.
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I have never had that particular formulation in mind. But I’ve had that sentiment as a driving force for decades. Thank you “Maggie” and Peter Block for making something so long fuzzy for me, perfectly clear.
Yes, indeed! Who will do what by when?
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Last weekend, while helping friends pack-house, I found this book:
Wait! Don’t do the math on a book from 1907, and a college student taking Rhetoric in 1924. :)
Instead of packing it, I borrowed the book wondering if this James Sears Baldwin might just be the Baldwin. This is a dry book. But it’s also teaching me a ton about writing. The author hasn’t cracked even the slightest smile in the first 37 pages of this 400+ page tome. But the Baldwin quote I’d love to find within, might just be the sort of pithy thing this author would drop near the end.
Yes, I am willing to read a 400+ page tome on the off chance that I find the quote and get the once-in-a-lifetime thrill of finding an original attribution for a well-known quote. I digress.
By page 30, I had seen a whole bunch these little diagonal marks, but hadn’t really figured out what she was trying to imply.
Then it hit me. Quotes! It’s a diagonal line with a quote on the diagonal line. She’s delineating quotations. I’m guessing that she must have written a paper—who’d expect that in a Rhetoric class, right?—and I bet she came back through and marked the quotation sections. At the same instant that I figured it out, my up-to-then habit of drawing a full line across the page, (often a long line, then up or down a line, and then finish going across, to “cut” in the middle of a line,) seemed dumb.
Thank you Miss Merrill. This looks just way cooler:
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How can parents and younger generations better prepare for an uncertain future shaped by technology, education, and climate change?
A personal journey reveals the link between decision-making and courageous parenting.
I realized that the future that I thought—as a parent, who grew up as somebody else’s child—I was parenting as I was parented, not as my intellect was telling me I should parent.
~ Karena de Souza (8:23)
This conversation explores the intersection of futurism, parenting, and the challenges of preparing for an unpredictable world. Karena discusses her journey into podcasting and book writing, driven by a desire to engage younger generations and their parents in critical discussions about technology, education, and societal shifts. She emphasizes the importance of equipping children with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in a future dominated by uncertainty and rapid change.
Key themes include the evolving nature of work and the need for parents to adapt their approaches to align with new realities. Karena shares her insights into how decision-making skills can be cultivated and applied, using anecdotes from her life and travels. Climate change is highlighted as a significant focus, with an emphasis on fostering hope and resilience while addressing the challenges it presents to future generations.
Takeaways
Futurism as a mindset — Imagining both positive and negative scenarios to prepare for an uncertain future.
Parenting challenges — Encouraging parents to reconsider traditional advice to better align with technological and societal changes.
Generational shifts — Exploring how Generation Z’s unique position as digital natives influences their approach to work and life.
Decision-making skills — Using real-life examples to illustrate how structured decision-making can improve adaptability.
Climate change and hope — Addressing the intersection of environmental issues and the future of work while fostering optimism.
Effective communication — Tailoring messages for diverse audiences, such as parents and younger generations.
Bookwriting journey — Sharing the creative process of connecting futurist themes with personal experiences.
Resources
Contours of Courageous Parenting — Karena’s book focused on helping parents equip their children with skills to navigate an uncertain future.
Akimbo Podcasting Fellowship — A program that introduces participants to the world of podcasting.
Rules for Radicals — A book by Saul Alinsky mentioned in the discussion for its insights into effecting change.
Generational Z Research — Research on the unique traits and challenges facing Generation Z.
Future of Work Studies — Studies examining how technology and societal changes shape work environments.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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Dreams come true. You just have to be willing to work for them.
~ Annie Mist Þórisdóttir
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Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.
~ Bertrand Russell
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Dreams come true. You just have to be willing to work for them.
~ Annie Mist Þórisdóttir
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Apparently, these two-fer posts aren’t as rare as I thought.
Without thinking, as I transcribed that quote, I used their preferred way of writing their name—at least, that’s how they are attributed in the source I had at hand. (Every web site I find romanizes it to Thorisdottir, offensively—in my opinion—sterilizing the family name to simple roman letters.) I was feeling all proud about even being able to write that character.
And then I went to file the quote in the slipbox. Uh… “Houston, we have a problem here.”
Step one: What is it? It’s a Thorn. Wikipedia helpfully, (that’s sarcasm,) explains:
[…] in modern Icelandic, it is pronounced as a laminalvoiceless alveolar non-sibilant fricative [θ̠],[1][2] similar to th as in the English word thick, or a (usually apical) voiced alveolar non-sibilant fricative [ð̠],[1][2] similar to th as in the English word the. Modern Icelandic usage generally excludes the latter, which is instead represented with the letter ðæt ⟨Ð, ð⟩; however, [ð̠] may occur as an allophone of /θ̠/, and written ⟨þ⟩, when it appears in an unstressed pronoun or adverb after a voiced sound.[3]
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorn_(letter)
I didn’t quote the part where they say, it’s not actually related to the letter P, which we get from Greek.
Well it looks like a P. That suggests filing this person under “PO”.
Iceland is the only place that has not, long ago, replaced it with “th”, and it’s pronounced like “th”ick. So I’m going to treat it like “TH,” and then Þórisdóttir gets filed under “TO”. (Wait, why not under, “TH”. Because my index of people is arranged by first-letter, plus next-vowel—not by the first two letters.)
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How has podcasting impacted Anette Carlisle’s life, goals, and creative journey?
Creative fulfillment emerges as a significant benefit of building a body of podcasting work.
It’s been a way to share some really relevant information around the issues happening right now you know not just in Texas or Amarillo. But across the nation when it was important to do that.
~ Anette Carlisle (1:36)
The conversation explores the transformative power of podcasting in the speaker’s life, emphasizing its role as a creative outlet and a platform for sharing meaningful stories. Topics include the logistical and emotional shifts caused by the pandemic, leading to a more focused approach to podcasting. Anette discusses the transition from in-person interviews to remote ones and highlights the adaptability needed to address contemporary issues effectively through the medium.
The dialogue also addresses Anette’s evolution in communication styles, transitioning from data-heavy presentations to more engaging narrative storytelling. Insights into goal setting and creative fulfillment emerge as central themes, with reflections on how podcasting has influenced personal and professional growth. She values the permanence of podcast episodes as a body of work and appreciates the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations that align with their broader goals.
Takeaways
Podcasting as a creative outlet — It fulfills creative needs and provides a sense of pride in building a body of work.
Adaptability in podcasting — The pandemic brought shifts in interview methods and focus, emphasizing flexibility.
Value of storytelling — Narrative storytelling becomes a central skill, moving away from data-driven methods.
Impact on personal growth — Podcasting encourages reflection, goal setting, and professional development.
Connection through podcasting — The medium allows for meaningful sharing of community stories and knowledge.
Resources
Annette on Education podcast — A podcast focused on education and related issues, hosted by Annette.
Podcasting Fellowship — A program that supports podcasters in their creative and technical journeys.
Seth Godin’s blog — Inspiration for creating impactful projects, mentioned as a key influence.
Zencastr — A remote recording tool used for high-quality podcast interviews.
(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)
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