CNN 10 10/25/21 ~ 10/29/21

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Monday, October 25, 2021

There is violent weather in store this week across the US. On the California coast, heavy rains are expected as an atmospheric river moves in from the Pacific Ocean. This is good news in terms of the fires still raging in the state, but it comes with its own dangers as the ashes that have piled up could turn into dangerous debris slides. In the central US, a cold front from the north will collide with warmer air, turning into a huge severe weather system that will result in hail, rain, and even flooding. This front will carry cold air into New England, which, if the conditions are right, could spark a weather pattern called a nor'easter, bringing coastal flooding along the East Coast. This coincides with the beginning of fall, which is more commonly associated with the fall colors of trees. The phenomenon occurs because the chlorophyll that normally appears as the green pigment in leaves as a result of photosynthesis goes away in the winter when there is no sunlight, allowing the red and yellow pigments underneath to show through. Hundreds of people across the Midwest saw what appeared to be a failed Russian satellite reentering the Earth's atmosphere last Wednesday. It was described as a "long-lasting fireball". COVID-19 has disrupted supply chains around the world, and it isn't going away any time soon. Toy stores are being hit particularly hard by the shortages as they try to stockpile for the holiday season; it's hard to know if and when any orders are coming, and they are telling people to do their holiday shopping early.

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

An apparent military coup has taken place in Sudan. The African country is not a stranger to power struggles, and has seen several in the past. This time, amid rising tensions, the military has dissolved a power sharing government it had with civilian leaders and said that it will maintain power until an election is held in 2023. Many are taking to the streets - some in favor of the coup, others in opposition to it. Several countries including the United States have called for an end to the coup and a return to peace. A cold front has been traveling quickly across the United States. It has hit several states with tornados, storms, and floods. For the state of California, its effects have been two-fold. On the one hand, it has helped firefighters gain full control over the Dixie Fire; on the other hand, it is also causing flooding and mudslides from the dirt loosened by the fires. While only a few types of potatoes can be found in supermarkets, over 4,000 species exist in the wild, many of them cultivated by "potato custodians" in the Peruvian Andes. These custodians have grown potatoes for many generations, and many conservationists believe they are one of the best ways to maintain genetic diversity - they go through the natural cycle over and over and adapt to the changing world.

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

The troubles on the Caribbean Island of Haiti continue. The US government and Haitian authorities have been working to free the American missionaries captured by a Haitian gang for a ransom of $17 million. Another issue in the country is a lack of fuel. There is a law there that restricts the maximum price of gas, and when international prices exceed that, the government has to make up for lost revenue. However, as one of the poorest countries, Haiti doesn't have enough money to buy additional fuel, and when it can buy it, it often can't distribute it effectively, leading to shortages and protests. While we explore space, there is a vast portion of our planet that remains unexplored - the ocean. We have a more complete map of Mars than we do of our oceans, but the Nippon Foundation's GEBCO Seabed 2030 project along with many startups are hoping to change that before the end of the century. Ocean mapping is usually a costly process involving a large crew and countless hours of analysis. New experimental methods involve autonomous mini submarines equipped with sonar that can scan and map the ocean floor.

Thursday, October 28, 2021

The 100 day countdown to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing has begun. Like the 2020 Tokyo games, held just a few months ago after being postponed for a year, this one will be full of restrictions from COVID-19. Japan did show that the Olympics could be held without a massive increase in cases, and China, with its no COVID policy, has increased restrictions over the past week to bring cases back down from below double digits. Outside its ability to hold the games safely, China will also be battling politics. Most of the world views the rising superpower as a dangerous enemy, and the country is taking the opportunity to market themselves as much of a progressive leader as possible. The first nor'easter of the year has ripped across the New England coast, leaving many homes and businesses dark and dumping rain. A nor'easter forms when a low pressure front moves up the coast, causing northeasterly winds. Facial recognition may soon be used for security checks at airports. While there are privacy and security concerns, for those who opt in, the technology may significantly speed up transit through TSA checking lines.

Friday, October 29, 2021

Scientists believe that they have found the first planet outside our own galaxy. What is believed to be a planet was found in the whirlpool galaxy 28 million light years away. A telescope that picks up x-rays "found" the planet when it passed in front of some of the radiation given off by stars in the galaxy, temporarily making it appear as if the signal has gone away. Scientists will attempt to confirm the discovery in 70 years when the planet should pass by the same area again. Mount Etna has released more plumes of ash into the air. The most active volcano in Europe has seen activity some 50 times already this year, but none of them have been harmful to residents. Tons of plastic packaging, often designed for single use, are thrown away every year. The problem is that they take centuries, even millennia to degrade, piling up in our landfills more and more as time goes on. Notpla is one of the companies trying to fix that problem. The new plastic alternative that they have developed is based on seaweed, and it can biodegrade in a matter of weeks. It isn't as strong as traditional plastic, but it can still be used in applications like storing small amounts of liquid or to line take out containers.

A Man Called Ove

By Fredrik Backman

    Ove is a different kind of man. He sticks strongly to what he calls "principles" which other people think make him look hard and stubborn. He is also extremely adept at doing various handy jobs and cars. So, he lives in his row house where he has lived since it was just development still surrounded by trees, to now, when it is just another house in rows of houses just like it. In that time, he has grown older and his life has changed, but he has always gone his job every morning after his morning rounds of the neighborhood. Until today. He has been laid off from his job because he has "gotten too old". So he goes around the neighborhood making sure everything is as it should be, then returns to his house to put up a hook.

    The next morning, he does the same thing, then returns to his house and puts a noose on the ceiling around his neck. Right when he is about to end his life, he hears a massive noise outside. New neighbors are moving in next door, and they have backed their trailer into Ove's flower bed. It seems that the man driving cannot back up with a trailer, and Ove has to do it for him, all the while grumbling about how people don't know how to do anything anymore. Then he walks back inside without answering Parvaneh and Patrick's thank yous.

    His wife, Sonja, died a few years ago. She was the only person, the only thing that Ove had ever loved. She was assertive from the very beginning when he met her on a train. He saw her while she was going home and decided to sit down across from her. Luckily for him, he didn't have to say much because she loved to talk, and he loved hearing her talk. He rode the train the wrong way from where he should have been going for weeks, sleeping in the train station so he wouldn't miss his job shift. Then finally, she told him he should ask her out, and he does. She finally gets Ove to talk about his future aspirations as a builder or engineer, and she helps him go through the coursework to get certified. Then they finally get married, move into that housing development along with Anita and Rune, one of the first people to move in. He and Rune become friends and form a Residents' Association. Anita and Sonja get pregnant, and Ove and Rune, being similar types of men, try to help each other through it. Then, disaster strikes.

    Sonja decides that they should go on a vacation to Spain. Sonja sleeps through most of the day, but they have fun nonetheless. While she sleeps, Ove helps the residents of the neighborhood figure out their building projects. Then, on one tour bus, Ove notices that the driver appears drunk. Sonja does not, however, and insists they get on anyway. Sure enough, the bus crashes and Sonja is permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Ove is furious, tries writing to so many different officials, but all of the white-shirt men ignore him until he has no one left to write to. It's just the way it has been his entire life. When his childhood home burned down, the firemen couldn't put it out in time. He was scammed into buying fake home insurance, and now his home is gone forever. The white shirts have ignored him his entire life. And now, Sonja is dead, and he doesn't have a job anymore, and he is ready for it all to be over.

    But Parvaneh and Patrick just can't seem to let him rest. They send over thank you meals, ask him for help, and even force him to take in a street cat that frequents his yard, though he continues to insist that it belongs to no one. He inadvertently saves a man from a subway crash during his own attempt to be part of a crash. He even gives Parvaneh driving lessons when Patrick gets hurt and can't drive anymore.

    Then, of course, there is Rune. In the years since he and Ove began a war over leadership of the Residents' Association, ultimately ending when Rune bought a BMW, much to Ove's horror (either you understand it or you don't: Ove is very loyal to manual, domestic manufacturers), Rune has deteriorated. He hardly remembers anything anymore; in fact, he remembers Ove as a friend. And when men in white shirts come to try to put him in a home against Anita's will, he decides that it is finally time for their ways to stop. He gets the local reporter, who has been following him ever since he saved that man in the subway, to dig up all the information about the man's "home" in return for an interview. They discover that the man has broken all sorts of regulations and laws, taking people away so that his company can make money. And somehow, Ove becomes indispensable to the neighborhood. People come to him to fix all sorts of things, and there is purpose in his life again. He dies, several years later, peacefully in his bed, with instructions for what should be done with his possessions. He asks for a quiet funeral, but hundreds show up to pay their respects anyway. And when Parvaneh sells his house, it is to a couple, not so different from Ove and Sonja - a young, excited woman and a sulky but enterprising man.

I enjoyed reading this book because it transitions from a somewhat dark image at the beginning to a happier note at the end, all mixed in with various chapters from Ove's life. I thought it was interesting that it sent a message that everyone matters, and I wonder if the author as experienced someone die in their life. I especially liked that it came full circle in the end with the selling of Ove's house.

CNN 10 10/11/2021 ~ 10/15/2021

Go to cnn.com/cnn10 for the latest video 

Monday, October 11, 2021

The US jobs report that came out last week was disappointing to many. While jobs were gained, it was less than half of what economists had expected. Employers have been blaming a variety of factors, including the increase in coronavirus cases and the emergence of the more infectious Delta variant, as well as government stimulus funding for the unemployed. But the stimulus checks ended in late August and early September, and COVID-19 cases have been going back down over the past few weeks. Analysts say that next month's jobs report, which should see an uptick due to the holiday season and the end of stimulus. Off the coast of the UK, the Royal Mail service is experimenting with drones to deliver mail to the chain of islands known as the Orkney Islands. Delivering mail to its hundred inhabitants has been costly, and they hope that drones will decrease the economic and environmental costs. A Homecoming Queen honored a fellow student and her mom, who had passed away from cancer that morning. She was a vibrant figure at the school, even during her battle with cancer, and everyone felt the loss. Senior Nyla Covington help soften the pain by giving the Brittany Walters the crown.

CNN 10 10/4/2021 ~ 10/8/2021

Go to cnn.com/cnn10 for the latest video 

Monday, October 4th, 2021

There is a new vaccine mandate in California. All children attending school in person will have to be vaccinated. The mandate will go into effect as soon as a vaccine becomes fully approved by the FDA for younger children. If it goes into place, it will be the first and only such law in the US. There will surely be many lawsuits over it; some parents believe that being vaccinated should be a personal medical decision, seeing that children have higher survival rates from the virus. In one of the many impacts of the pandemic, China is seeing energy shortages. As the second-biggest economy in the world bounces back and begins producing goods again, its industries have needed lots of energy. But China is also working to meet its renewable energy goals, which are making it hard to meet the high energy demand.

Thursday, October 7th, 2021

Tensions between China and the island of Taiwan are rising again. China recently flew 150 warplanes into Taiwanese airspace. Taiwan says it has done nothing to provoke an attack. This likely occurred because the US is an ally of Taiwan. Over the past few years, it has given billions in military funding to the country in a show of support. China says that the Taiwanese island should be and is its territory, and that the US has provoked it by sailing warships in the Taiwan Strait. This rivalry has existed since 1949 when the Communist party in China won a civil war and established the People's Republic of China. The previous Democratic government fled to Taiwan and calls itself the People's Republic of China, each claiming to have authority over all Chinese territory. Since then, tensions have cooled and economic and tourist ties have been established, but the government in mainland China still says that it is prepared to take Taiwan by force if necessary. Hovercraft were amphibious vehicles that seemed to float on air across the water and were once heralded as the future of travel. However, high costs and low profits have caused the service to dwindle down to one port on the Isle of Wight, where people use the remaining craft to travel and play. There is even a museum of the boats that once took people across the English Channel, and surprisingly remains the fastest mode of transport across to this day.

Friday, October 8th, 2021

Global supply chain backups are taking a toll on the US and its consumers. Due to a lack of dockworkers to unload ships, ports around the country are seeing back-ups, keeping cargo ships idling for weeks before they can unload. Once the containers are on the ground, the picture isn't much better. Truckers are having to wait long hours to get their trucks loaded, and there is a shortage of them as well. All of this translates to less availability of goods and higher prices, which could have negative impacts on consumers. In China, archaeologists have uncovered a Great Wall fort from the Ming dynasty. It contains well preserved walls, as well as several clay statues.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

By Yuval Noah Harari

    Humans have irreversibly changed the world. This book explores the ways in which we have done so, in ways that many may not even realize, and explains the impacts of these changes on the future.

    The first few chapters discuss how AI and computers have progressed. They are slowly taking over jobs that normally would have required humans, and though they may never gain full "consciousness", which is something that even people don't really understand, they will have significant impacts on humans and the workplace. Because of these rapid changes, the job market will also fluctuate rapidly, which means that the traditional model of education may not work anymore. It might no longer make sense to learn basic skills then train your entire life for one occupation. Instead, dynamic learning, constant retraining for new jobs, might be necessary. Connecting to the idea of AI, the future might also be shaped by computers. Algorithms are already getting better than even humans at detecting user interest - perhaps in the future, Google or Facebook will know you better than you do yourself.

    Part two discusses politics and religion. Nationalism is a big thing these days, and while humans always tend to gather into groups, ultra-nationalism is dangerous. It is what causes war and division, but the world needs to collaborate to succeed.

    Part three is about war and peace (no not the book). It first delves into terrorism, and how it has changed our world. In the past, terrorists would have had no impacts at all. But we have gotten so used to being perfectly safe that even the slightest tremors make us afraid, make us overreact, which is exactly what the terrorists wanted in the first place. As for war, in today's world, war for big countries means mutually assured destruction. But one should never underestimate the stupidity of humankind, when one misstep could cause catastrophe. And that is why a little humility would be good for everyone.

    The final parts discuss how, in the digital age, humanity as a whole has gained massive knowledge but individuals know less and less because so much easy information is at our fingertips. And this is why fake news is so dangerous.

    Many think that life is a story that you are the center of. But it's not. So just take a step back and reflect, observe, and meditate.

Note: I've read so many books by this person and I'm a little bored...