The Theodore Newsletter

March 1, 2023

The United States of America, popularly referred to as America, is a federal republic. The total area of the U.S. is over 4 million square miles and it has an enormous variety and quantity of physical and chemical features plus a wide diversity of animal and plant life.

It is also fair to say that the U.S. is blessed with natural resources. The country’s climate is favorable for a diversity of crops and forest products. The Corn Belt, a region stretching from western Ohio to central Nebraska, is the largest expanse of prime farmland in the world. Significant deposits of many important minerals are also present within the country’s borders.

Let’s start with media bias. Bias? Here’s what Webster has to say about this word: “tendency, prejudice, influence, presupposed…” Elsewhere we have: “prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.” The main function of the media – newspapers, radio television, movies, plays, etc. – is to report the news. It is a significant force throughout the world for informed people in helping mold their opinion. Most of the media compete for advertisement (income and readers / viewers). To cope with the competition associated with “instant” news and information, some of the media, e.g., newspapers, have become more analytical by providing background and analysis material on the news. However, the freedom employed by the media has been attacked in recent years because of concerns associated with the aforementioned bias.

What a great nation for anyone to be born into. At least, I always felt that way. But something very negative has occurred since the turn of this century. Here are the two major concerns that now have me worried:

1. The integrity of elections has now legitimately come into question. But even worse, elected officials have been voting in blocks, not as individuals. This was brought on by Pelosi’s effectively mandating that Democrats ostracize Republicans and vote solely on the Party’s interests (not the electorate’s interests). The Republicans have understandably recently followed suit, producing a polarized state, for which there appears no solution. Thank you, Pelosi. The end result is that the Democrats have put our nation on a very dangerous course.
2. The media has bought into a new liberal progressive policy that in a very real sense violates not only the intent but also the rule of the Constitution. I read the headlines in the New York Times and Newsday every day and it is disgusting; I occasionally watch some of the progressive TV programs, and I find the presentation sickening. But make no mistake, we are a product of the media. I for one believe what is reported on Fox because of the video replays and because they have been proven right time and time again.

What does all of this mean? Our nation cannot survive without fair elections and / or with a biased media. When was the last time the present Administration and the liberal progressive media had a positive thing to say about Trump? About Republicans? About guys like me? I’ve been labelled un-American, a Nazi, a hater, a racist…you name it. Here’s some of the lies we have experienced over the last 6 years because of the media: obstruction of justice, collusion with the Russians, stealing the election, hatred for minorities, hatred for illegal immigrants, hatred for America (!), exploitation of workers, etc., etc. At the time of the preparation of this article, it was the media’s squelching news on the Biden crime family, Hunter Biden, the President’s mental incompetence, Kamala’s incompetence, the Administration’s incompetence, COVID-19, China’s invasion of our air space, etc. etc. 

In the meantime, a spoiled billionaire egomaniac playboy (who some of us–including yours truly–used to laugh at) somehow overcame insurmountable odds to win a primary, win the 2016 election, and deliver on his promises to the electorate – all despite opposition from unions, liberals, the Democratic party, the Republican party, the cesspool in Washington, some truly crazed women, Hollywood, foreign leaders, sports heroes, idols, etc. And further, and still in the meantime, the corrupt media has mounted nonstop attacks (with no credence) on not only the past president regarding his physical health, mental health, adult sons, daughter, in-laws, younger child, wife, associates, appointments, lying, womanizing, etc., but also your favorite author.

Will we follow the same path as so many other great nations in the past? It’s easy to say yes. After all, Biden has eliminated any chance for energy independence, is content to see gas / home heating oil prices soar, and thanks to the media, successfully blame others for what has happened. At this point in time, however, there is a new kid on the block: a Republican House. The question now is whether the Republicans will follow Pelosi’s gameplan. I hope so, at least for the time being. It’s what is called fair play. Let’s get to the bottom of the Biden crime family, Hunter Biden, the Afghanistan debacle, the COVID-19 debacle, the earlier 574 riots, the southern border debacle, the FBI, the Attorney General, key news not reported by the media, the 2-tiered justice system, etc., etc., and put an end to these relentless attacks on Trump, Fox News, … and those of us who came to love and appreciate what a great nation we were prior to this Administration.

Bottom Line: What will come of our once great country?? What about our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren? Do others not see what has happened? Why are responsible individuals catering to illegals, prisoners, murderers, illiterates, rioters, etc., and not to the working class? And then there is the $64,000 questions – who the hell is running our country and transforming the trajectory of our great nation? Help %&$#?@!

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www.theodorenewsletter.com

and

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

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APRIL 1:                    On Names and Nicknames II

MAY 1:                      On Its Interview Time

JUNE 1:                      On the Delphi Method

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January 1, 2023

You are asked to provide the correct answer to the following 20 questions. Credit 5 points for each correct answer. A grade of 80 indicates that you are brilliant. There are a couple of tough ones in this quiz.

1. The first game played at Yankee Stadium occurred in what year?
2. What is the age of the Sun?
3. What was the earlier name (before 1846) of the city now called San Francisco?
4. True or false: U.S. ground forces invaded Okinawa on April 1, 1945.
5. True or false:  Elvis Presley recorded his first song in 1963.
6. What was the name of the planet Uranus prior to 100 years ago?
7. John Glenn orbited what planet?
8. The Bay of Pigs invasion occurred in what year?
9. Who played for the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Rangers during the 1950-60 time period?
10. Who played Samson in Samson and Delilah?
11. What two New York baseball teams played their last game in New York City in 1954?
12. Name the author who recently initiated work on a book to be titled Hydrogen Energy.
13. Name the newly elected Supervisor of the Town of North Hempstead.
14. Who was the star of the movie The Wizard of Oz?
15. What is the mathematic relationship between °F and °C?
16. What is thoroughbred horse racing’s showcase race run on the first Saturday in May?
17. Water boils at what temperature?
18. What are the chemical symbols for hydrogen and helium?
19. What Yankee baseballer was called “old reliable?”
20. What two brothers from Rockaway Beach played basketball for the New York Knicks?

Answers:

1. 1923.
2. Approximately 4.5 billion years.
3. Yerba Buena.
4. True.
5. False, it was 1953 and the song was “My Happiness.”
6. George; it was named after King George by a British astronomer.
7. Earth on 1949.
8. 1950.

• A tough one but a great trivia question. The organist Gladys Gooding.
• Victor Mature.
• New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers.
• Yours truly, of course. Naturally, I don’t know anything about the topic.
• Jennifer DeSena. TNH is now home to your favorite author.
• Judy Garland.
• °F = 1.8(°C) + 32
• The Kentucky Derby.
• 100°C or 212°F, but only at 1 atmosphere pressure.
• A Chemistry 101 question. H and He, respectively.
• Tommy Henrich.
• Dick and Al McGuire.

I’ll return with VIII later this year.

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com

or

Basketball Coaching 101 @ Facebook

NEXT POSTINGS

FEBRUARY 1:          On A Hydrogen Energy Economy: An Insane Idea?

MARCH 1:                 ZZZABUU VII

APRIL 1:                    On Great Eats VII

MAY 1:                      On Purely Random, Pristine Thoughts XXVII

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October 1, 2022

This one is not for all of the readers since it is a bit technical.

Water is one of the lightest of those molecules that are most abundant on Earth. In addition, being made of only three atoms, H-O-H or H2O, it has a simple configuration, one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms (at an angle of 104.5° to each other). This simple molecule has several exceptional properties that are all the result of the fact that one large oxygen atom forms a bond with two very small hydrogen atoms, the smallest atom that exists. Oxygen is the dominant partner and attracts the hydrogen electrons, which leads to the unusually strong polarity of the water molecule, which has definite positive and negative poles. The strength of the polarity of a molecule is expressed in the relative dielectric constant. Of all the natural substances, water has the largest dielectric constant. This, together with the small size of the water molecule, is the reason why water is the best known so-called “natural” solvent. It has also been referred to as the “universal” solvent because it is capable of dissolving many substances. This property of water arises from the aforementioned dipolar nature of water molecules. Water molecules effectively surround positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), which serve to prevent them from precipitating as a solid. This means that wherever water goes, either through the ground or through one’s body, it carries with it various solutes such as dissolved minerals, nutrients, organics, and heavy metals.

Interestingly, the aforementioned hydrogen bonds are responsible for an additional physical property of water that is important for the Earth system: water’s extremely high heat capacity and high vaporization and fusion temperatures. Large amounts of heat are needed to melt or vaporize water and are stored in the water molecule. This high capacity for heat storage is important, not just in nature, but it is also used by humans, e.g., to cool machinery. To melt ice, 146 BTU/lb. (340 J/g) are needed and released by condensation or freezing, respectively. (It is this significant difference in energy level during a phase change that provides crystallization with an advantage over evaporation for desalination processes, a topic to be discussed in a later article.)

The story is a little different here at home in the USA. The USEPA (EPA), in partnership with state and local governments, is responsible for improving and maintaining water quality. These efforts are centered around one theme: maintaining the quality of drinking water. This is addressed by monitoring and treating drinking water prior to consumption and by minimizing the contamination of surface waters and protecting against contamination of ground water needed for human consumption.

The most severe and acute public health effects from contaminated drinking water, such as cholera and typhoid, have been eliminated in America. However, some less acute and immediate hazards remain in the nation’s tap water. These hazards are associated with a number of specific contaminants in drinking water. Contaminants of special concern to the EPA are lead, radionuclides, microbiological contaminants, and disinfection byproducts. These are detailed below.

The primary source of lead in drinking water is corrosion of plumbing materials, such as lead service lines and lead solders, in water distribution systems, and in houses and larger buildings. Virtually all public water systems serve households with lead solders of varying ages; and most faucets are made of materials that can contribute some lead to drinking water.

Radionuclides are radioactive isotopes that emit radiation as they decay. The most significant radionuclides in drinking water are radium, uranium, and radon, all of which occur naturally in nature. While radium and uranium enter the body by ingestion, radon is usually inhaled after being released into the air during showers, baths, and other activities such as washing clothes or dishes. Radionuclides in drinking water occur primarily in those systems that use ground water. Naturally occurring radionuclides seldom are found in surface waters (such as rivers, lakes, and streams). Water contains also many microbes – bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Although some organisms are harmless, others can cause disease. Contamination continues to be a national concern because contaminated drinking water systems can rapidly spread disease.

Half of all Americans and 95 percent of rural Americans use ground water for drinking water This includes residents of Long Island; in effect, this includes the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn plus the counties of Nassau and Suffolk. Pollutants were found in drinking water through testing water in different locations at different times.  Several public water supplies using ground water exceeded EPA’s drinking water standards for inorganic substances (fluorides and nitrates). Major problems were reported from toxic organics in some wells in almost all states east of the Mississippi River. Trichloroethylene, a suspected carcinogen, was the most frequent contaminant found. The .EPA’s Ground Water .Supply Survey showed that 20 percent of all public water supply wells (29 percent in urban areas) had detectable levels of at least one volatile organic. Furthermore, at least thirteen organic chemicals that are confirmed animal or human carcinogens have been detected in drinking water wells.

The reader should also note that water is the original renewable resource. Although the total amount of water on the surface of the Earth remains fairly constant over time, individual water molecules carry with them a rich history. The water molecules contained in the fruit one ate yesterday may have fallen as rain last year in a distant place or could have been used decades, centuries, or even millennia ago by one’s ancestors.

Water is always in motion, and the hydrologic cycle describes this movement from place to place. The vast majority of solar energy heats water at the surface of the ocean, and some of it evaporates to form water vapor. Air currents take the vapor up into the atmosphere along with water transpired from plants and evaporated from the soil. The cooler temperatures in the atmosphere cause the vapor to condense into clouds. Clouds move around the world until the moisture capacity of the cloud is exceeded, and the water falls as precipitation. Most precipitation in warm climates falls back into the oceans or onto land where the water flows over the ground as surface runoff. Runoff can enter rivers and streams, which transport the water to the oceans, accumulate and be stored as freshwater in lakes, or soak into the ground as infiltration. Some of this water may infiltrate deep into the ground and replenish aquifers which store huge amounts of freshwater for long periods of time. In cold climates, precipitation falls as snow and can accumulate as ice caps and glaciers which can store water for thousands of years. Throughout this cycle, water picks up contaminants originating from both naturally occurring and anthropogenic sources. Depending upon the type and amount of contaminant present, water present in rivers, lakes, and streams or beneath the ground may become unsafe for use.

The reality is that our nation really does not have a water problem at this time. However, the world needs to prepare for an insufficient and potentially depleted water supply. In terms of conservation, one method of reducing a building’s water consumption is through the use of low volume toilets. The standard toilet uses as much as 5 gallons of water per flush, whereas some water-saving models use as little as 2 quarts. This can lead to substantial water savings, especially in public and commercial buildings. Another major source of water consumption is the irrigation of landscaped areas. This consumption may be reduced through the careful selection of landscape materials. Although conservation is here for the present, desalination (a topic to be addressed two months from now), disinfection, and nanoparticle-related treatment appear to be the major growth areas for the future. In any event, water will achieve a greater significance in the coming years and probably impact society in ways not presently imagined.

I close with a quote from my memoirs. “Water has always fascinated me; where it comes from, how we use it, … etc. I recently convinced myself that there is a viscous water cycle on planet Earth. What an unbelievable resource that – get this – is automatically recycled. It’s a shame nature didn’t bother to do the same with our other resources.”

Visit the author at:

www.theodorenewsletter.com or on his Facebook page at Basketball Coaching 101

NEXT POSTINGS

NOVEMBER 1:         On the OHI Day V

DECEMBER 1:          On My Two Patents

JANUARY 1:             On the Ultimate Quiz V

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