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2022 January-March

www.toledotalks.org
Toledo Talks
Low-Vision/Blind Group News!
News Editor, William Brandes Email: williambrandes@gmail.com

Join the Toledo Talks Mail-List. You'll find the link on the Toledo Talks website. The sign-up is easy-peasy. Just requires your email address. Then follow the prompts to complete the process. Stay in the loop.

By News Editor. An Introduction: Hi Veteran! William Brandes here! Putting together the newsletter for TOLEDO TALKS, the Low-Vision/Blind Group that meets at the Toledo VA facility the third Thursday of each month. Visit us online at www.toledotalks.org for each current and archived newsletter!

By News Editor. What's Up. Monthly meetings? With the onset of COVID-19, all meetings are cancelled. Future face-to-face meetings are postponed until further notice per Rich Alden. For the latest news and conversation, I suggest that you, if able, join the mail-list for Toledo Talks. The particulars for signing-up? It is, really, easy-peasy. However, if you have problems signing-up, shoot me an email or call and leave a voice mail. I'll put you on the list personally. All you need is an active email. I guarantee you will receive no junk when on this list!

Contact

The VA has had some difficulty with forwarding &/or retrieving messages on Rich's VA Office number: 734-845-3064. Please DO NOT Leave any messages. Please, call his VA cellphone number instead! Contact him on his VA Cell at: 734-277-2540. For scheduling a VIST Annual Review (VAR) contact Anetria Carter VIST PSA: 734-222-7406. Thank you.

Rich Alden, VIST Coordinator, 2215 Fuller Road (122), Ann Arbor, Michigan. Office: (734) 845.3064, VA Cell: (734) 277.2540, Fax: (734) 845.3234.

William Vrandes, Toledo Talks Editor. Email: williambrandes@gmail.com, Telephone: (419) 455.6484.

Perspective

The Weightlessness of Peace. as heard on NPR's "Weekend Edition Saturday" by reporter SCOTT SIMON. We could learn alot from this long-distance view that few of us have witnessed in the flesh. Timely and provocative! This is an excerpt of the transcript. To listen to this podcast, tap on the link that follows the story.

Astronauts and cosmonauts returned from space and saluted one another, even as the countries that sent them to the International Space Station are in conflict over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

American astronaut Mark Vande Hei landed in a Soyuz spacecraft alongside Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov, with a ker-thunk and a cloud of dust on the soil of Kazakhstan. Vande Hei and Dubrov had been aloft for 355 days.

Both NASA and Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, say they continue to work amicably together.

Before he left orbit, cosmonaut Shkaplerov handed over command of the Space Station to NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn and said, "People have problems on Earth. On orbit, we are one crew. You are like my space brothers and space sister."

Marshburn returned the praise. "I can't thank you enough for your dedication to the safety of the station," he said, "the safety of your crew, your humor, your friendship and your dedication to the flight control teams around the world."

The former astronaut with whom Simon spoke says astronauts and cosmonauts would no more talk politics aboard the International Space Station than they would casually light a match.

They train together, and share risks, stories, and, of course, that otherworldly view they have of our world: fragile, blue and borderless.

Alexei Leonov, one of the first cosmonauts and the first person to walk in space, in 1965, beheld the planet we share and wrote: "The Earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone, our home that must be defended like a holy relic."

Our governments are at odds over the invasion of Ukraine, as Russian forces aim shells at civilians and shatter whole towns. But, we are reminded how good people from all corners of the world can still work together to achieve something extraordinary.

Source URL: www.npr.org/2022/04/02/1090419341/opinion-the-weightlessness-of-peace.

Veteran Shout-Out

Christopher Carver, Purple Heart Veteran, VA hospital's Employee of the Year. Carver talks the talk, with a smile. He also walks the walk, but with a limp, a slight hitch. Still, he doesn't let his disability slow him down. After all, he earned it and is using it to succeed in life. Some 20 years after joining the Army on 9/11, Carver's heart and commitment to serve his fellow Veterans, along with his professional know-how, has earned him the honor of being named 2021 Employee of the Year for Spokane's Mann-Grandstaff VA.

The journey home from combat overseas was anything but easy in 2007. "I went from a patient nobody expected to live to becoming a therapist and now working alongside the very same people who helped motivate and train me to serve my fellow Veterans at VA," Carver said. "In the Army, I was taught to always continue to improve my fighting position. I carry that ideal into all aspects of my life."

Carver is the medical center's Military 2 VA (M2VA) specialist serving hundreds of Veteran patients seeking to navigate the health care system. He also helps them to learn how to fully utilize their earned benefits.

Carver was a recon squad leader for the Army's 25th Infantry Division, and he deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. While on a mission, his vehicle struck an Improvised Explosive Device. The explosion launched the truck and its crew 25-feet in the air, flipping and crashing down on top of Carver and his team. "My gunner lost his arm, another squad member was severely wounded, and another walked away from it all," he said.

Doctors at the Landstuhl Medical Center in Germany called his pregnant wife and parents to fly from Spokane to Europe to say their last good-byes.

Carver would remain in a coma for two months. Later, he was transferred to VA's Poly-Trauma Center in Palo Alto, California. There, the family opted to try a device (not approved in the US) called a Nova-Lung. The device circulates oxygen throughout coma patients' bodies.

"I woke up in July of 2007 at the brain injury center at the VA hospital in Palo Alto," Carver said. "I spent almost a year there. Once, the doctors allowed me the use of a walker to witness the birth of my first daughter." He had to learn to walk, talk, eat, sit up and take care of himself all over again. He credits his wife Laura for her unwavering support, including working full time while he was a stay-at-home dad.

After graduating from Eastern Washington University with grades that placed him on the Dean's list, he worked for the Wounded Warrior Program. Then his dream job came along.

"I took a job at the Mann-Grandstaff VA where I had spent so much time as a patient," Carver said. "Now I am helping Veterans get VA services. While I did not have the professional knowledge, I had the firsthand experience as a patient. I had been able to go through this huge life event and walk out the other side. Now I had a chance to show others how to do the same thing. I want to give back to the world that has done so much to help me at a time when I was down and needed someone there to help me. This experience has changed my view of the world. My family, my VA care teams, social workers and my fellow Veterans make all the difference, and now I want to give back through VA."

Source URL: blogs.va.gov/VAntage/101446/christopher-carver-purple-heart-veteran-va-hospitals-employee-of-the-year.

Apple iPad and iPhone Security

Why you should want to use automatic iOS updates. Apple's automatic software updates might take up to a month to arrive on your device. The update is staggered to catch any glitches before it's too late. Keeping your devices patched and up to date is essential. Your iPhone or iPad security updates may take weeks to arrive, but you should still keep automatic updates turned on. Without automatic updates, there's a risk people might not opt-in for the updates at all, meaning their personal data (like logins, financial info, etc) is at risk for cybercriminals to snatch up.

However, automatic updates work great, until they don't. In 2019, the iOS 13 release was a disaster, with problems in the camera app, AirDrop, and iMessage, app crashes, cellular data disconnection, and much more. It also felt unfinished and rushed. This put a significant blemish on Apple's otherwise excellent reputation for software updates, most of which go smoothly. It may also have caused many people to hold back on updates and perhaps to turn off automatic updates altogether, which would be a major mistake.

Still, beyond this glitch, software updates are do-or-die for security, they keep our devices up to date and prevent old security vulnerabilities from being used against us.

There are two parts of software updates that interest users. One is security fixes and enhancements; the other is new features. Features are more appealing, for sure, but the security fixes are the most important. And most important of all are the updates that fix zero-day exploits, which is a cool-sounding name for security exploits that have 'zero days' of history. Hackers might save these up and deploy them before platform vendors have a chance to fix them.

It absolutely matters how long you wait to run a security update. Users should immediately patch devices that have updates which address zero-day security vulnerabilities-especially those who are higher risk individuals. Think of it this way. If the front door of your house fell off, how long would you wait to get that fixed?

Source URL: www.lifewire.com/why-you-totally-want-to-use-automatic-ios-updates-5224492.

Voice Commands with Alexa

Have an Amazon Fire tablet or Echo device with Alexa enabled? Might find this of interest. It sure is amazing!

Try these new, convenient ways to shop with Alexa. Alexa can now give you advanced notice on deals and even buy them for you.

Discovering Amazon deals. Since I will drop items into either my Wish List or Shopping Cart, often coming weeks or months later to purchase when on sale, this feature just makes it easier not to miss that sale item if I want to pull the buy trigger. Alexa can now proactively notify you up to 24 hours in advance of a deal becoming available for an eligible item on your wish list, in your shopping cart, or saved for later. So, let's say, you have had your eye on a Fire tablet, just use this new feature to get advanced notice of an upcoming deal on the item from Alexa.

When this feature is enabled, sighted folks will see a Yellow Ring light or a pop-up notification on their Echo device. For us low-vision/blind, ask Alexa "What are my notifications." Just ask daily. In fact, sighted users need to say the same to find out the reason for the notification. Simple really!

You can even go further by asking Alexa to buy it for you automatically when available. If you want Alexa's help making the purchase, you can ask Alexa to remind you about the deal when it goes live. Or, with your permission, Alexa can even order the item on your behalf. Just say, "Alexa, buy it for me," and when the deal is available, Alexa will use the default payment and delivery address in your Amazon account to make the purchase.

You won't be charged until your order is successful. Once the order is placed, you'll receive a notification on your phone via the Amazon app and an email confirmation with the order details. You can track your order status and estimated delivery at any time by asking, "Alexa, where's my stuff?" This feature is available now for Amazon Prime customers in the US.
More ways to use Amazon Alexa with your voice? I came across this wishing to donate to organizations offering humanitarian relief for the crisis in Ukraine. There are multiple organizations you can support. Donate to The Red Cross, Save the Children, UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders, just to name a few.

In general, you start the process by saying, "Alexa, Make a donation." There is a list of nearly 400 charities that have this Alexa by voice option. You can read this list at pay.amazon.com/alexadonations. There is a search function on this website. I did a Search for "Wounded Warrior Project" and they are on the list!

Further along, the Ukraine relief option, with your Amazon account purchase method on record, the process is simple and easy. Just say "donate to Ukraine relief," get prompts (the charity, amount to give and confirmation) to finish. That's it. Painless and quick! Finally, you will get a confirmation email that your donation has completed.

Science and Technology

To help end global plastic pollution, Australian enviro-tech startup Samsara Eco has developed an enzyme-based technology that breaks down plastics (polymers) into their molecular building blocks (monomers) that can be used to recreate brand new plastic again (and again) or can be upcycled to more valuable commodities.

Their long-term vision is to extend their technology capabilities to infinitely recycle other oil-derived plastic products like clothes made from polyester and nylon, so we never use fossil fuels to create new plastic again.

Samsara's technology ensures that plastics no longer need to be made from fossil fuels or plants (both have a significant environmental impact) and won't end up in landfills or our oceans.

Today, Samsara has raised $6 million to build its first recycling plant later this year, with its full-scale production starting in 2023.

The process will save an estimated 3 tons of carbon emissions for every ton of plastic recycled by the process. Since only 9% of "recycled" plastic is currently being actually recycled, we can take plastic that already exists and infinitely recycle it.

The full depolymerization of plastic can be delivered in an hour. Unlike other alternate recycling solutions, Samsara's process is performed at room temperature and is truly carbon neutral.

The startup, launched in 2021, has a team of 13, primarily scientists and engineers, and researchers from the Australian National University in Canberra.

Source URL: www.techcrunch.com/2022/03/24/samsara-eco-wants-to-help-end-global-plastic-crisis-with-enzyme-based-technology.

Veteran Food Distribution

This notice is for Seneca county, Ohio, however, a heads-up for the same in your county. Save some bucks on your food budget!

The Seneca County Veterans Service Commission will hold a food card distribution for veterans who reside in Seneca county on April 12, 13 and 14, between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30 PM. Veterans may come to the Veterans Service office located at 920 East County Road 20, Tiffin, Ohio, 44883, with proof of veteran's status and residency in Seneca county, during the specified days to obtain the food card. The food card will be worth $30 and is redeemable at IGA. For more information, contact Tara Balliet by phone at 419-447-2885.

Pandemic Health News

Coronavirus FAQ. Question: I live in a place where case counts are dropping. I know they could go back up again, but in the meantime, what COVID precautions are advisable (if any) and what precautions can be put on hold?

First things first. The pandemic isn't over. The current surge in Hong Kong, for instance, has produced the highest reported death rate over the past two-plus years of COVID. And, the US still has 700 COVID deaths a day - far fewer than a couple of weeks ago but still a staggering and tragic count. And, the highly transmissible variant omicron BA.2 that's causing surges in some countries is now the dominant variant in the US and could bring a surge.

But, for the vaccinated and boosted in places where numbers are trending downward, times have changed - at least for the moment. Mandatory and even voluntary mask-wearing is on the wane.

If you're fortunate enough to live and work in a community where numbers are dropping, it is indeed an appropriate moment to assess your own risks and the risks of those in your inner circle. And then perhaps adjust your personal precautions.

you might decide to "dial it down" precaution-wise but also be prepared to "dial it up" if things change.

So, what is a low case count? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as local health departments will provide numbers for your community. Those numbers are probably undercounts because not everyone reports a self-diagnosed case of COVID. And, current numbers may reflect more the reality of a few days before than the present moment. But in general, COVID specialists we surveyed say 10 daily cases or fewer per 100,000 population is pretty darned low.

For example, if you've only been an outdoor diner at restaurants, you might weigh going indoors, keeping in mind that there are ways to minimize any potential COVID exposure.

Maybe go when it's not super-crowded, sit in the corner where fewer people are crowded up against you or at a table where you're not that close to other people and wear a mask when you're not eating. A restaurant with good ventilation matters alot, in terms of disrupting the flow of exhaled pathogens, such as restaurants with high ceilings and open windows, not a cramped basement. You also might avoid indoor settings where people are shouting alot. Sports bars come to mind.

The decision to ease up (or not) is highly personal. That's a key point to remember.

Some people are sticking with their pandemic precautions because they are at high risk of severe disease or have regular contact with others in that category. This would include the over-60 set, the immunocompromised, people who regularly see an elderly relative or babies (who are more vulnerable than toddlers).

It can be hard to give up habits that are two years old. COVID-19 precautions are engrained in your daily behaviors. Lifting mitigation strategies now can be especially difficult for those who work in health-care settings, have lost individuals to COVID-19 or are high-risk of severe disease.

Masks? In staff meetings today? Today, everyone is wearing surgical masks. No outbreaks. Why the blue surgical masks and not the more effective N95s? Those masks were used during meetings in January and February when there were alot of cases. And, there was more concern about possible transmission in staff meetings. That's not the case at this point in time. Also, surgical masks are less expensive.

Another point to keep in mind. Distance also makes a difference in terms of risks of infection. Staying six feet or so from others will reduce your risk. So, it's OK to avoid the main table at a meeting room - or, even ask to use a ZOOM option if that's possible - to reduce chances of infection.

As people assess their degree of caution, they'll also likely weigh what's happening in their life. Going on a trip or special outing? You might ramp up your protective measures say a week or so in advance, so you don't come down with COVID that could result in a positive PCR test.

The other thing that we have to keep in mind is that we all have to respect each other's choices. The big message is that at this point if you live in an area with levels low, everyone has to evaluate their own risk, their own family's risk, and those decisions, should be respected by all.

Source URL: www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/04/01/1089401499/coronavirus-faq-our-mini-zine-has-advice-on-when-how-to-dial-down-covid-precauti.

Bits and Bytes

For ages 55 plus! What about the National Veterans Golden Age Games and upcoming registration? This year's National event will be held in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on July 18-23, 2022. The Registration Opens on April 15, 2022, at 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. The spots will go extremely fast and typically the event is full within 2 hours of registration opening for this event.

To learn more about this event tap www.blogs.va.gov/nvspse/national-veterans-golden-age-games. To register for this event, tap www.goldenagegames.fusesport.com.
1992? That would be the year I purchased my first computer loaded with Windows 3.1, about the same price I paid for my first car, a brand new 1972 VW bug. Computer technology has changed and prices too! Good for us! Thirty years past, on April 6, 1992, Microsoft launched Windows 3.1 for a whopping $149. It went on to sell three million copies in the next two months.
Using my Amazon Echo or Fire tablet, I can (for some time now) get Alexa to read any Kindle book that I borrow from the Ohio Online Digital Library connected through my local public library. Alexa reads continuously with a great voice. That book is a free 3 week download. I like free!
The Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired has completely re-invented themselves for the 21st century! Create personalized learning opportunities. Get empowered! To thrive - at home, at work, and in your community. Offers practical help, connection and support free of charge to anyone with a visual impairment, as well as families and professional supporting them. Serves nearly 150,000 individuals each year, reaching all 50 states and 100 countries, through online, large print, braille and audio media. Check them out at www.hadley.edu.
Brings back memories. Christmas morning under the tree, 1959! Schwinn bicycle, single speed "Racer," red, Bendix coaster brake, 26 inch with thin tires. Roade all the way through university, although, in later years I rode sans fenders and in 1968, stripped the metal bare and spray painted the frame gold! Read more? Tap www.bikehistory.org/bikes/racer.
Today? Bicycle? Indoor rollers? Driving blind? Considering I could ride backwards and no hands fifty plus years ago, wonder if I could handle this? Check out this Youtube video atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=Un9CTqmWIVM. What ya think?
Looking for an updated listing of apps to help with navigation and other tasks? For IOS and android? Tap for www.inclusivecitymaker.com/apps-blind-visually-impaired-people.
The song "Don't You Forget About Me," by Simple Minds (1985)? The chord progression found in the basic standard position. Nothing weird here! A very good tutorial by Justin Guitar can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXcZE33-owA. For a backing track to work with, especially, getting the vocal in tune? tap for www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWZzAEQ7EUU. Enjoy!
Setting up your calendar with the Alexa app. The Amazon calendar and Google calendar. It's how I keep on top of events. With my Amazon Echo or Fire tablet, I always know what's on the calendar. Stay on top of your day. "Alexa, what's on my calendar?" "Alexa, add a new event." "Alexa, cancel my appointment tomorrow." Alexa can help with reviewing your upcoming calendar, and can also add, delete, and move events to a new time. Alexa can send you notifications, so you never miss an important event. Love it!
First day of Spring? March 20. Opening day, Major League Baseball? Thursday, April 7. Play ball!
I've heard good things about the navigation app "Good Maps" and the following Youtube video gives a taste of how it works, both outdoor and indoor. For both IOS and android. Requires cellular data outdoors. Check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=auxQeTzy75Y. It would be fantastic if the venue, Riverside Casino and Golf Links, Riverside, Iowa, where the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic (TEE) is held, would have interior mapping. JMHO.
Heads up! Cybercriminals are duplicating real smartphone applications and inserting malware. Android users are most at risk from fake apps. The best way to avoid fake apps is by only downloading applications from approved app stores. When it comes to android, that means the Google Play Store. More? Check out this link www.lifewire.com/beware-that-app-youre-downloading-might-not-be-real-5225136.
What is the Blind Driver Challenge founded by the National Federation of The Blind? Find out at www.nfb.org//sites/default/files/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm09/bm0911/bm091103.htm.
Breaking the Guinness World Record for fastest speed for a car driven blindfolded. Of course, he didn't need that blindfold! Dan Parker is a blind race car driver who achieved the Guinness World Records title for "Fastest Speed for a Car Driven Blindfolded" on Thursday, March 31, 2022. Parker set the record of 211.043 MPH on the runway at Spaceport America in his customized Corvette, which includes an innovative audio guidance system that's specifically designed to his needs.

As noted by Dan: We plot the centerline of the course with gps. My guidance system has a six-axis gyro along with other sensors. The custom software was designed ,wrote and built by a good friend at Boeing Phantom works. As I accelerate, if I go one foot to the right I get a constant tone in my right ear. the further off center I go the tone increases. So, if my tone is constant, I am going straight just maybe a little right or left of center depending which ear it is in. When I am close to the finish, it calls out for me to deploy my drag-chute to slow down. Lastly, it calls out when I cross the finish line. At 200 MPH, I am traveling a football field each second. Our next project? A bicycle driven by a blind individual solo. Dan is hoping the land speed project will help bring funding for it.

Dan designed the racecar himself, excepting the guidance system. It's a 2008 Corvette with a motor developing 800 horsepower before he turns on the nitrous oxide. Dan has been a racer that raced his whole life. He did not let blindness take that away. And, he hopes this project will lead to a bicycle that will help the blind.

Bicycle? Going it alone? WOW! I would be remiss, if I didn't find that bicycle project a heart-stopper! Note also that this guidance system was earlier used to allow a runner to gallop at a course pre-routed just as the track for Dan. The same idea is also used in other projects and navigation apps for the blind. Onward and upward!

You can follow Dan on facebook at "Tragedy to Triumph Racing." Dan is also supported by the NFB (National Federation of The Blind). For more on this story check out www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dan-parker-a-blind-man-breaks-driving-speed-record-301518060.html.
The US Army's Special Forces, better known as Green Berets, have had a deep impact on Ukraine's fight to defend itself from a Russian invasion, despite not being directly involved in the conflict. "Ukraine was taken very seriously by Special Forces," retired Green Beret Sergeant Major Martin Moore told Fox News Digital. After Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, a move that faced minimal resistance, the Ukrainian military began an effort to modernize its forces to prepare for possible further Russian incursions into the country. The US military also quickly stepped in to help, with the Army's Green Berets, taking on a critical role in training Ukrainian forces. Read more at www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-us-army-s-green-berets-quietly-helped-tilt-the-battlefield-a-little-bit-more-toward-ukraine/ar-AAVqQfJ.

Veterans Affairs Disability News

An update. The Department of Veterans Affairs is proposing changes to the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities specifically pertaining to the respiratory, auditory and mental disorders body systems.

The proposed updates to the rating schedule for these conditions will enable VA to incorporate modern medical data and terminology to provide Veterans with more accurate and consistent decisions.

Veterans who currently receive compensation for a service-connected condition in these body systems will not have their disability rating impacted when the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities is updated. Updating the rating schedule allows Veterans to receive decisions based on the most current medical knowledge relating to their condition.

By incorporating modern medical data in the assessment of disabilities and how they impact earning capacity, Veterans will receive evaluations which more accurately compensate them for their service-connected disabilities. Proposed updates include:

Modernizing the evaluative rating criteria for sleep apnea, using developments in medical knowledge to evaluate it based on its responsiveness to treatment, bringing the rating criteria for sleep apnea more closely in line with the stated purpose of the rating schedule.
Evaluating tinnitus (ringing in the ears) as a symptom of the underlying disease which causes it, rather than as a stand-alone disability.
Evaluating mental health conditions based on a more robust and holistic approach that assesses how impactful the disability is to cognition, interpersonal relationships, task completion, life activities and self-care. Additionally, the proposed evaluation criteria include a 10% minimum evaluation for having one or more service-connected mental health conditions and will no longer require "total occupational and social impairment" to attain a 100% evaluation.
No change to a Veteran's current rating would occur due to these proposed changes. If the proposed changes are finalized, Veterans who currently receive compensation for a service-connected condition can apply for increased compensation, but no reductions shall be made unless an improvement in the Veteran's disability is shown to have occurred.

Medicine and Technology

What if there was a magical robot that could cure any disease? Don't answer that. It's a stupid question. Everyone knows there's no one machine that could do that. But maybe a swarm made up of tens of thousands of tiny autonomous micro-bots could? Well, that's the new reality! You'll be injecting robots into your bloodstream to fight disease soon and I can't wait to see what the antivaxxers think of this. LOL!

That's the premise laid out by proponents of nanobot medical technology. In science fiction, the big idea usually involves creating tiny metal robots via some sort of magic-adjacent miniaturization technology. Luckily for us, the reality of nanobot tech is infinitely cooler. A team of researchers from Australia have developed a mind-blowing prototype that could work as a proof-of-concept for the future of medicine.

Called "autonomous molecular machines," the new nanotechnology eschews the traditional visage of microscopic metal automatons in favor of a more natural approach. DNA nanobots are synthetic nanometer-sized machines made of DNA and proteins. They're autonomous because DNA itself is a self-assembling machine.

Previous work in the field of DNA nanotechnology has demonstrated self-assembling machines capable of transferring DNA code, much like their natural counterparts. But the new tech out of Australia is unlike anything seen before. These particular nanobots can transfer more than just DNA information. Theoretically speaking, they could deliver any conceivable combination of proteins throughout a given biological system.

To put that in simpler terms, we should be able to eventually program swarms of these nanobots to hunt down bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells inside of our bodies. Each member of the swarm could carry a specific protein and, when they've found a bad cell, they could assemble their proteins into a formation designed to eliminate the threat.

If you like the idea of having an army of overpowered killer robots floating through your bloodstream looking for monsters to destroy, we're a long ways away from that, but this research represents a giant-sized leap in the right direction.

Source URL: www.thenextweb.com/news/youll-injecting-robots-your-bloodstream-fight-disease-soon.

Advanced Military Technology

The Boeing "Loyal Wingman" drone. Considering how much we spend on defense and research, why haven't we deployed (if only for real world testing), in Ukraine, drones capable of engaging enemy fighter aircraft? After reading this story, like me, you might say, good question!

Check out the Youtube video which follows this story for total impact. Not only does the video creator speak to the issue thoroughly, there is also a written transcript as well. I have only provided highlights in this story.

Robot Fighter Jets Are Here - Meet Boeing's Loyal Wingman Drone. Drone capabilities have become increasingly sophisticated. Drones are being developed to be used in lock-step with manned aircraft, such as fighter jets. The emerging class of super-smart drones known as the 'Loyal Wingman' are already being tested and their role with sixth-generation fighter jets is of particular interest.

Over time, UAVs or drones have evolved to include missions such as manned-unmanned teaming, aerial refueling, electronic warfare, and other modes of military-related functionality.

The Boeing ATS, also referred to as Loyal Wingman, is the epitome of a modern UAV, which means it's all about stealth and being multi-functional. It serves the role of what is known as a force multiplier aircraft that can fly alongside manned aircraft. It can also be used for autonomous missions. Artificial intelligence or AI is integral to the central design philosophy and various capabilities of Boeing's Loyal Wingman.

A key technical feature of this military drone is its modular mission package system, whereby its AI is located in its nose. The craft's nose can be quickly and easily removed and replaced with another nose having a completely different set of equipment or armament guidance systems, while the spy tech or weapons are loaded in the internal bay. This means the Loyal Wingman can be quickly deployed for a variety of different and very specific missions, which can include combat, reconnaissance and, most specifically to this class of UAV, electronic warfare. The nose, by the way, is 8.2 feet long and offers a storage volume of 5 feet cubed.

But what weapons will it carry? Sorry to disappoint, but so far Boeing has been tight-lipped leaving us only speculation. We know that air to air missions might be equipped with Aim-9s for bomber escorts and inceptions, and we wouldn't rule out tactical ground strikes.

Furthermore, another plus is that its fuselage is made of composite materials that use an advanced resin-infusion process, which results in a lighter and more durable craft.

The drone has an integrated on-board sensor package that should more than ably support its three core functions, namely intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, as well as tactical early warning missions. Besides allowing the drone to fly independently or support a manned aircraft it accompanies, its in-built AI also ensures that it maintains a safe distance between itself and other aircraft at all times.

The specifications of the Loyal Wingman include the following? Crew: None - well, that should be obvious! Length from tail-end to nose tip: 38 feet and 5 inches. Wingspan: 24 feet across. Range: 2,300 miles, which equates to 2,000 nautical miles.

Boeing claims that its Loyal Wingman will ultimately have performance comparable to that of a conventional fighter jet. In the words of Boeing, "It will provide fighter-like performance." I'd say, step on it, Boeing, we're not the only nation traveling down this advanced mission highway!

Source URL: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjVuliSr648.

Pandemic, Health and Technology

A new federal website aims to solve a key COVID problem: where to get antiviral pills. The search for COVID vaccines, tests and treatments could get easier Wednesday, March 30, with the White House launch of COVID dot gov, a website meant to be a one-stop shop for everything from free high quality masks to antiviral pills. "We could not have done this six or eight months ago because we didn't have all the tools we have now," said White House COVID response coordinator Jeff Zients in an interview with NPR.

With the website launch, the White House is following through on a promise President Biden made in his State of the Union address. In that speech he announced a test-to-treat program "so people can get tested at a pharmacy, and if they're positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot at no cost."

Lifesaving COVID drugs are sitting unused on pharmacy shelves, HHS data shows. The antiviral pills, especially Paxlovid from Pfizer, are highly effective at preventing hospitalization and death among people who are at high risk of severe disease from COVID infection. But they have to be taken within the first five days of the onset of symptoms. There's been a disconnect between people getting diagnosed and actually getting these life-saving medications.

Up until this point, actually finding participating clinics and pharmacies wasn't simple. According to the White House, there are now more than 2,000 test-to-treat locations around the country where people can get tested for COVID-19 and, if a prescriber says they need it, immediately get antiviral pills. COVID dot gov has a new locator tool, making it easier to find these services quickly.

In addition, the site offers the following:

A vaccine/booster locator.
A form to order free at-home COVID tests (currently 8 maximum per household).
A CDC community risk level lookup.
A testing locator.
Information about where to get free high quality masks.
Information on COVID symptoms, treatment, testing and travel.
All found at www.covid.gov.

But, there are detractors. "The new website is a great idea in theory," said Jerome Adams, who served as surgeon general in the Trump administration. He said he has often been supportive of Biden administration initiatives but says they've always been reactive rather than proactive. So, Adams said a website is wonderful if you have the tools to utilize it like internet access and a computer. The test-to-treat locator can be more challenging to navigate on a mobile device than a desktop, for instance. "The communities statistically most likely to need the services that are to be offered on the website are also the communities that are statistically most unlikely to be able to access it," Adams added. "In other words, this could actually increase inequity."

More from the Biden administration. Many of the items on this new website have been available elsewhere, like information from the CDC about levels of COVID spread in your community or the form to order free at-home rapid COVID tests. But this puts them all in one place at a time when the White House is trying to move from the crisis phase of the pandemic to a time when it is manageable and not as disruptive as it has been.

"The nation's medicine cabinet is full of effective treatments, we have free at-home tests, high quality masks, vaccines and boosters all available, so the website brings all these tools together and makes it convenient," said Zients, who is leaving his role at the White House soon. But, Zients added that if Congress doesn't come through with the additional COVID relief funds the White House has been asking for, these tools may not be there when people really need them. At the moment, with COVID case numbers, hospitalizations and deaths are all on the decline, there are plenty of rapid tests. And antiviral pills, which had been scarce, are plentiful now, too. But that's largely thanks to government purchasing contracts.

What about the future? Already the White House has had to forgo a new contract for monoclonal antibody treatments and a program to reimburse providers for testing and treating people who are uninsured is winding down. The concern is less about today. There's plenty of supply. It's about what happens six months from now if there is another COVID surge, like is happening now in Asia and Western Europe. "We need to continue to protect the American people and prepare for any scenario," Zients said. "I think it's clear that the virus is unpredictable and moves fast and is not going to wait for Congress, so Congress needs to act urgently."

Lastly, the COVID dot gov website was designed to be as accessible and easy to use as possible. The writing is purposely simple so the largest possible audience can understand and use the site. There is also a phone number for people who aren't comfortable with the web.

Source URL: www.npr.org/2022/03/30/1089608854/covid-gov-new-website-offers-a-single-stop-for-covid-info-tests-and-treatment.

When I read something, I don't very often just say OK, and, be done with it. So, I did a little experiment and some searching as well. As far as the number of households that own a computer? What about internet access? What I learned is that 78% of households own a computer. That is a 2018 figure. With the pandemic? My hunch even higher today. Phones? Even higher at 84%. Again, a 2018 figure. Plus, 87% of households have internet access. That is a 2019 figure. Could we be doing better when it comes to digital access, especially in poorer, rural areas? I concur. However, that is a different animal altogether. In that case, show me the money!

Since it was said it was a no-go by Jerome Adams, what about accessibility of the website on mobile? Note that if there is any website that meets accessible standards, it is websites hosted by the federal government. Or should be. It's the gold standard. Did I have any problems navigating the website either with my computer or by mobile phone? Not by computer running Windows 10 and Firefox browser. With my iPhone 8? No. However, there are problems. It took me a couple attempts to figure it out. In this case, more poor instruction/directions on what to expect than non-operational technology.

Here is a rundown of what I experienced.

You first begin the interactive part of the website by searching by county. I came up with two possibilities, Seneca county, New York and Ohio. I tapped on Ohio. This provided me with the COVID alert for the county. Seneca county, Ohio was low.
The Test to Treat program is the part of the website that got the most attention and rightly so. Here you find a center most close to you, to get tested for COVID and, if positive, right there you will get the supply of anti-COVID pills to take when you return home. At least that's the idea and good intention.
Using my laptop with Windows 10 installed, I was able to find the closest center, however, the process isn't intuitive. It uses a scheme requiring, if you get no results, to move a mileage marker. Personally, I can think of better and older-standardized ways to accomplish this, such as several check-boxes.
Switching to my mobile phone (iPhone 8) I was able to input the county and note that my county was on low alert. However, the Test to Treat part of the website was a bit tricky. You input your zip-code. Since the focus is on a ten mile radius, I got no results. Going back to that mileage indicator, using a single-finger upward swipe gesture, I was able to change the 10 miles to 15. Then, you need to tap search again. I got the results as I got using my computer.

Remember, I am using an audio screenreader. This lack of good descriptive instructions is a huge problem. I took the time to send an email to the particulars involved including the website developer. There is alot of good information on this website that is highly accessible. However, this problem shouldn't be tolerated. JMHO.

Veteran Sports

The National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic (formally the TEE Tournament)at Riverside, Iowa? The 2021 event was cancelled for the second year in a row due to COVID-19. So, it would be a no-brainer to say that, in 2022, I'm juiced!

It's really more than, as the headline is titled, "SPORTS." However, I would be remiss if I didn't say that I attend this event to have a great week hitting that little round ball! Nevertheless, I'm reminded each year I go, that the friendship, super welcome by the VA and support staff including the staff at Riverside is super. And, the food? Never ate better!

2022? So far, it's on! The event, a week long event will be Sunday, September 11 thru Friday, September 16. I saw my primary physician at the Toledo CBOC in February, turned in my registration and received a confirmation that I am registered. It's not too late to register. The last day to get that registration in is May 1. But, the clock is running.

The registration form was alot shorter and easier to fill out. Appreciated. Let's hope that continues! There is also no registration fee to mail in this year. Need a registration form? Tap the link following this story.

Looking for a free ride? Have I got a deal for you! I recently spoke with Beth Levine, the VIST in Youngstown, Ohio. Told me that she will be again leasing a bus for travel to the TEE in Iowa City in 2022. Transportation is free including a lodging stop in Indiana the way out. This isn't a military-issue bus. This transportation provides electric and wifi just as you would expect with Greyhound! Traveling in style! The bus will leave/return, the parking lot of the Forbes VA hospital in Cleveland. For me, it's about 85 miles. My wife will drive me there and pick-up. Thanks Pam!

If you register, but, open to this form of transportation, shoot me an email and I'll hook you up with Beth. Here's hoping that we don't have a third pandemic cancellation of the TEE. Hit them straight. Hit them long. LOL!

Source URL: www.veteransgolfclinic.org.

Veteran Shout-Out

The man behind "Feel of Vision." Lonnie Bedwell was raised in the small town of Dugger, Indiana. It's where he learned to hunt and fish with his brother, where he signed up for the US Navy, where he raised his three daughters and where his life changed forever. In 1997, Lonnie, a US Navy Veteran, was shot in a hunting accident. Lonnie survived, but his world would remain forever dark.

Over time, fighting depression with determination, will and the help of his family, Lonnie has become an inspirational speaker, extreme sports enthusiast and rock/mountain climber.

One job at a time Lonnie relearned carpentry, fishing and hunting. But there were more new challenges and the resultant obstacles to overcome, including, kayaking/whitewater.

The rest is history as Lonnie set off for the west and became the first blind man to conquer the 226 miles of the Colorado River.

Today, Lonnie spends time engaging fellow blind paddlers in the spray and white foam of the Ohioplye and Yellowstone wilderness. He's driven to lead more men and women to the doorway so that they can create their own vision of the life ahead.

A book? You bet! Titled, "How I Became the First Blind Person to Kayak the Grand Canyon" by Lonnie Bedwell, Joel Canfeld, et al available in Amazon accessible Kindle book format) priced at $2.99. Available in paperback and Hard cover as well. additionally, a short film (26 minutes) has captured his remarkable journey, titled "Feel of Vision."

The book can be found at www.amazon.com/Books-Lonnie-Bedwell/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ALonnie+Bedwell.

Watch the film on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2yzVT-FxHo.

Film website: www.feelofvision.com.

You can learn more at Lonnie's website: .

Lastly, Lonnie is a Hines Blind Center graduate!

Chuckle Time

Why don't they play poker in the jungle? Too many cheetahs.

What do you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft? A flat minor.

Why are frogs so happy? They eat whatever bugs them.

What did one hat say to the other? You stay here. I'll go on ahead.

Why did the picture go to jail? Because it was framed.

Why did the robber jump in the shower? He wanted to make a clean getaway.

Why did the bicycle collapse? It was two tired.

What does corn say when you give it a compliment? Aw shucks!

Why wouldn't the sesame seed leave the casino? She was on a roll.

What kind of shoes do burglars wear? Sneakers.

Did you hear about the restaurant on the moon? Great food, no atmosphere.

Why did the invisible man turn down the job offer? He couldn't see himself doing it.

What do lawyers wear to work? Lawsuits.

I told my doctor I broke my arm in two places and she told me to stop going to those places.

What has more lives than a cat? A frog, because it croaks every night.

What do you call a priest that becomes a lawyer? A father-in-law.

If a parsley farmer is sued, can they garnish his wages?

This is my step ladder. I never knew my real ladder.

Why did the witch buy a computer? Because she needed a spell check!

Did I read that sign right?

In an office: TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW.
In a Laundromat: AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES. PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT.
In a London department store: BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS.
In an office: WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN.
In an office: AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD.
Outside a secondhand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?
Notice in health food shop window: CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS.
Spotted in a safari park: ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR.
Seen during a conference: FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR.
Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.
On a repair shop door: WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK).

Musical Notes

I'm pretty sure you have heard of "Highway to Hell" by the band AC/DC. The tune is catchy! Well, I tapped out lyrics to a song called "Highway to Hines" as a tribute to that great resource in Chicago. The original song is basically a three chord affair and here are a bit of the lyrics. The tune follows the original.

I got a date
I got a time
Not gonna yield
To any sign

My bags are packed
I got my cane
On the bus
ridin' the go lane

I'm on the highway to Hines
On the highway to Hines
Highway to Hines
I'm on the highway to Hines

You can read the complete lyrics on my blog at www.wbrandes.com/blog/music/index.php.

On another note, perhaps you or someone else you know is suffering from PTSD and interested in taking up guitar. There is a resource called "Guitars for Vets." Check out their website at www.guitars4vets.org. You might be able to hook up with an instructor. It's freely offered. In the end (graduation) you are presented with your very own (free) guitar. Such a deal. Check it out!

Veterans Affairs News

A White House proposal would push the Department of Veterans Affairs budget to more than $300 billion for the first time, with much of the increase going toward veterans' medical care.

The VA uses modeling similar to what's used by insurance companies to estimate demands for health care. Based on the agency's projections, veterans will rely more on the VA for their medical care in 2023, said Laura Duke, chief financial officer of the Veterans Health Administration.

"Increased costs are driven by the pandemic, people who have waited on health care, or may come back sicker," she said. "And honestly, the model is just leading us to believe that we are looking at a fairly expensive year in 2023."

In addition to more money for medical care, the proposal increases funding for veteran caregivers by $433 million, and it includes $410 million more for veteran homelessness programs.

The proposal is part of a federal budget blueprint for fiscal 2023 that President Joe Biden unveiled. Biden's budget totals $5.8 trillion and calls for increased military spending. He's also urging Congress to approve a new minimum tax on billionaires.

The blueprint will be debated and negotiated by Congress, which is responsible for approving federal budgets. While Congress doesn't typically approve presidential budgets as proposed, lawmakers have historically given the VA more money than presidents have requested for the department.

"This budget delivers critical resources to help VA serve veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors as well as they have served our country," VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement earlier. "It will allow VA to continue providing more care, more services and more benefits to more veterans than any time in its history."

The VA is experiencing a surge in backlogged claims for benefits. To address the backlog, the White House proposed funding to hire 795 more claims processors in 2023 and expand a pilot program that would automate part of the process for reviewing benefits claims.

"We're putting additional resources into hiring more people, more technology, more automation substantial investments," said Jon Rychalski, assistant secretary for management at the VA.

In addition, the proposal would fund pay raises and other incentives for VA health care workers and boost recruiting initiatives. VA officials testified to lawmakers earlier that the VA health care system has 50,000 vacancies.

The budget proposal would also earmark $805 million for three major construction projects at medical campuses in Portland, Oregon, Canandaigua, New York and Fort Harrison, Montana, as well as $163 million for minor construction projects in 10 different locations.

Source URL: www.stripes.com/veterans/2022-03-28/veterans-affairs-white-house-biden-unity-agenda-budget-5505262.html.

Perspective

When we hear or use the expression “first world problem” it is meant to suggest that our problems aren’t very significant compared to other people in other parts of the world. But according to the physician who is the medical director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine program, Anna Lembke, there is a very real — non trivial — problem in the first world: overconsumption. Overconsumption is harming us, damaging our relationships and our capacity to live well. It's also threatening the environment.

One example that seems illustrative: the “Cinnabon” baking stands front and center at a number of larger freeway gas stations, now called “plazas,” and in airports. Man, is that smell of butter, dough, cinnamon and sugar hitting you as soon as you open the door seductive. And of course in terms of what's on offer at such a place, that's only the beginning! There was a time when stopping at a service station meant someone pumping your gas, maybe checking your oil, and washing your windshield. Now it means pumping your own gas, and if you want to use the restroom, running the gauntlet of a carbohydrate/ sugar extravaganza.

In her provocative new book. "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence" by Anna Lemke, there are many nuggets to rummage upon.

"we’ve transformed the world from a place of scarcity to a place of overwhelming abundance: Drugs, food, news, gambling, shopping, gaming, texting, sexting, Facebooking, Instagramming, You Tubing, tweeting.

The increased numbers, variety and potency of highly rewarding stimuli today is staggering. The smartphone is the modern day hypodermic needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation.

Dopamine is the brain chemical stimulated by pleasure. Scientists measure dopamine in your brain’s reward pathway to determine the addictive potential of a substance or experience.

You keep stopping at the the Cinnabon stand or the casino or the brew-pub because it stimulates the release of dopamine, flooding you with the sensation of pleasure. The problem is that if you keep hitting the pleasure button too often, everything goes to shit. Not only that, but you need more of whatever it is you are pleasured by to get that sensation.

For most of human history the problem was scarcity. Scarcity of calories, of comfort and ease. But now our success at overcoming scarcity has created a new set of challenges that call to us as powerfully, and as potentially fatally, as the Sirens called to Odysseus on his return trip from the Trojan War. Remember what Ody did? He had his crew lash him to the boat’s mast to keep him from caving in.

But these days the possibilities for pleasure and overconsumption have become so many and varied that we're all at serious risk, if not for the most standard addictions, such as, alcohol, drugs, gambling, then to over-eating, shopping, buying stuff on the internet, gaming or binging on Netflix. Because of our success in overcoming scarcity and creating at least a sort of abundance, we are facing a new world of high risk with the risk factors hidden in the guise of pleasure.

Lemke notes the way that other forces conspire to heighten the challenge. Parents today want to protect their children from anything that might be painful or difficult, while maximizing pleasure and fun. The practice of modern medicine strives for a pain-free world. Self-help material offers dozens of tips and techniques for happiness. If your life is hard, or hard at times, you must not be paying attention to the happiness manual. All the while Americans report being more unhappy, more anxious, more lonely and more depressed.

In a healthy life there is, according to Lembke, a balance of pleasure and pain. You may enjoy a wonderful dinner. But you endure the pain, so to speak, of not snacking between and after meals. You may enjoy a “runner’s high” at the end of your 10K, but that follows on all the training (pain) that led to being in a good enough run it at all. In case you are wondering, this is called “The Science of Hormesis,” the use of painful stimuli to rebalance our adaptive systems and brain chemistry.

The problem of overconsumption is not just individual, it is systemic. Consumer capitalism wants and needs us to consume. And it is very savvy (see "Cinnabon" above) about getting us to do what it wants.

Years ago in his classic study "The Triumph of the Therapeutic," psychologist Phillip Rieff, observed, "Religious man was born to be saved; psychological man is born to be pleased." It is beginning to look as if we will need to "saved" once again, but now we need to be saved from what pleasures and what pleases us.

Source URL: www.anthonybrobinson.com/there-really-is-a-first-world-problem.

That's the news for now. Coming to your web-browser again as well! Until then, stay well --- William