Auto Insurance Increase 2024

     The trickle down theory can touch anything and everything. 

     In this blog entry, we're looking at the average monthly price of car insurance. Some individuals can remember being able to drive our U.S. roads and highways without including a hefty monetary sum for car insurance. Now, the bill is encroaching on "OMG, is this right?"

     Break out with your A.I., and conduct some research, side by side compare companies, and find bargains.  

     U.S. inflation kicked the auto industry in the rump. Hard.

     Reuters.com quote:

          "Consumer prices in December overall rose 3.4% from a year earlier, the Labor Department said on Thursday in the release of the monthly Consumer Price Index, more than the 3.2% economists polled by Reuters had expected and up from 3.1% in November."

     This rise in cost has set a new insurance precedent over the last half a century.  The trend has no predicted end, either.

     The BANKRATE True Cost of Auto Insurance Report determined the annual cost for full coverage car insurance in 2024 to be $2,543, compared to $2,014 in 2023 and $1,771 in 2022. Paying your annual premium can save you money as opposed to paying monthly premiums. An example of the increase, someone earning a median household income of $74,580 will pay  3.41% of their entire income on auto insurance. 

     The Three Largest Auto insurance companies 2024:

          State farm: $46.7 billion

          Progressive: $38.9 billion

          Geico: $38.1 billion

     Recall, in the old days, when ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE was complementary.  Some companies happily gifted out RENTAL CAR costs, too.

     In the red, white, and blue, each state can vary their rates.  Obviously shop around.  All in all, though.  Expect an increase in policy rates that won't fade.

     Long story short, auto insurance companies have been hit in the pocket.  As their costs have increased, so have the consumers costs increased, too.

     Car insurance companies were getting mashed in the last decade. Collision costs boomed, liability costs zoomed, employees pay popped, medications prescription costs sizzled, body shops off the hizzle, pain compensation costs in court rocketed, and thus we can understand the overall policy premium increases looming in the remainder of 2024.

     Side by side rate comparison sites are great.  The detailed questions in rate comparison questions will take time, though.  Have you had any recent tickets? Are you currently insured? How many drivers are there? And, etc.

     "Copy, and paste. Compare. Rate. Discover. Learn. You will. Yes, use the low policy rate force.  Let premiums guide you, you must." A.I. Yoda

     In reality, 2024, there is simply auto insurance rate increase.

     Government agency issues are taking on unfair and deceptive price practices. State by state issues can make policy prices fluctuate. Insurance company representatives state that, insurers raise costs in response to your risk as a driver, such as where you live and whether you have a teenager on the policy. They also raise rates based on risks beyond your control. Inflation for example.

     Bankrate analyst Shannon Martin shares with Kiplinger. 

          "Between 2020 and 2024, inflation increased the cost of vehicle parts and labor, car crash fatalities increased by over 10% and we saw a significant rise in extreme weather and vehicle theft claims. All these factors contribute to the high rates we’re seeing today."

     Life events increase your rates.  Adding teen drivers, DUI convictions, 

credit score changes,  at fault accidents, involved accidents, speeding tickets,  and lapse in auto insurance coverages can boost costs significantly. 

     Environmental influence costs-

          Cities with high costs:

          Detroit, Michigan 

          Hutchins, Texas

          Venice,  California 

          New York City, New York

          Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 

      Insurance pointers:

          Shop around.

          Raise your deductible.

          Bundle policies.

          Boost your credit score.

          Enroll in defensive driving. 

          Pay annually versus monthly.

     Inflation in the United States is decreasing, but this hasn't turned the tides on auto insurance rates.  We can, independently, drive better.  Maybe, future rates will follow suit.

     Good luck on the roads, stay cool, drive safely in 2024.

A.I. based noninvasive THOUGHTS to TEXT technology.

     The development of an AI-based decoder that translates brain activity into coherent text, plots a groundbreaking advancement in non-invasive mind-reading technology. This innovation enables the reconstruction of speech with remarkable precision, leveraging fMRI scans to decode thoughts without the need for surgical implants.

     The technology uses large language model artificial intelligence. OpenAI’s ChatGPT pushed a new way in. These large language models are able to represent, in numbers, the semantic meaning of speech, allowing the scientists to look at which patterns of neuronal activity corresponded to strings of words with a particular meaning rather than attempting to read out activity word by word.

     “For a non-invasive method, this is a real leap forward compared to what’s been done before, which is typically single words or short sentences,” Research Dr. Huth said.  Sometimes the decoder got the wrong end of the stick and it struggled with certain aspects of language, including pronouns. “It doesn’t know if it’s first-person or third-person, male or female,” said Huth. “Why it’s bad at this we don’t know.”  The decoder was personalized. When the model was tested on another person the readout was unintelligible. It was also possible for participants on whom the decoder had been trained to thwart the system.  By thinking of animals or quietly imagining another story, the system was confused.

     Jerry Tang, a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin and a co-author, said: “We take very seriously the concerns that it could be used for bad purposes and have worked to avoid that. We want to make sure people only use these types of technologies when they want to and that it helps them.”  

     Professor Tim Behrens, a computational neuroscientist at the University of Oxford who was not involved in the work, described it as “technically extremely impressive” and said it opened up a host of experimental possibilities, including reading thoughts from someone dreaming or investigating how new ideas spring up from background brain activity. “These generative models are letting you see what’s in the brain at a new level,” he said. “It means you can really read out something deep from the fMRI.”  Prof Shinji Nishimoto, of Osaka University, who has pioneered the reconstruction of visual images from brain activity, described the paper as a “significant advance”. “The research showed that the brain represents continuous language information during perception and imagination in a compatible way,” he said. “This is a non-trivial finding and can be a basis for the development of brain-computerinterfaces.

     The system currently is not practical for use outside of the laboratory because of its reliance on the time need on an fMRI machine. Functional MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, relies on detecting small changes in the signals used to produce magnetic resonance images that are associated with neuronal activity in the brain. Functional magnetic resonance finds functions of the brain. Functions such as speech or memory have general locations in the brain, but the exact location can change slightly between individuals.  The scan is safe. The future tech would resemble a shower cap.  The MRI tech is in a capsuled machine that scans the individual, while laying down.

     Researchers think this work could transfer to other, more portable brain-imaging systems, such as functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).  “fNIRS measures where there’s more or less blood flow in the brain at different points in time, which, it turns out, is exactly the same kind of signal that fMRI is measuring,” Huth said. “So, our exact kind of approach should translate to fNIRS,” although, he noted, the resolution with fNIRS would be lower.

    The technology could aid communication for people who are unable to speak due to illness or injury, including stroke or paralysis. It could also enable seamless communication between humans and machines, such as the operation of a bionic arm or robot.

IRAs 2023

IRAs

     Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).  (IRS)

     The key to IRAs are Start saving as early as possible, and make monthly installments to get compounding effects.  Your IRA is part of the money that you’re setting aside for the future. Pay attention to the taxes on those accounts. Envision your complete portfolio: stocks, bonds, real estate, foreign markets, etc.

     IRAs make your money work for you.  IRAs allow you to make tax-deferred investments to provide financial security when you retire.

     Research different types of retirement accounts.  You can set up an IRA with a bank, or other financial institutions, life insurance company, mutual fund, or a stockbroker.

     Types of IRAs: (CNBC)

     A traditional IRA is a tax-advantaged personal savings plan where contributions may be tax deductible. You must qualify. The 2023 contribution limits are, $6,500, or $7,500 if you’re age 50 or older by the end of the year; or your taxable compensation for the year.

     A Roth IRA is a tax-advantaged personal savings plan where contributions are not deductible but qualified distributions may be tax free. The 2023 contribution limits are the same as traditional. $6,500, or $7,500 if you’re age 50 or older by the end of the year; or your taxable compensation for the year.

     A Payroll Deduction IRA plan is set up by an employer. Employees make contributions by payroll deduction to an IRA (Traditional or a Roth IRA) they establish with a financial institution.  It is probably the simplest retirement arrangement that a business can have. No plan document needs to be adopted under this arrangement. May be eligible for Savers credit. The 2023 contribution limits are, $6,500, or $7,500 if you’re age 50 or older by the end of the year; or your taxable compensation for the year.

     A SEP is a Simplified Employee Pension plan set up by an employer. Contributions are made by the employer directly to an IRA set up for each employee.  Employee is always 100% vested in (or, has ownership of) all SEP-IRA money.  Contributions an employer can make to an employee's SEP-IRA cannot exceed the lesser of 25% of the employee's compensation, or $66,000 for 2023.

     A SIMPLE IRA plan is a Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees set up by an employer. Under a SIMPLE IRA plan, employees may choose to make salary reduction contributions, and the employer makes matching or nonelective contributions.  Employer is required to contribute each year.  Contribution matching contribution up to 3% of compensation (not limited by the annual compensation limit), or
2% nonelective contribution for each eligible employee.  Inflexible contributions.

     A SARSEP - the Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plan - is a type of SEP set up by an employer before 1997 that includes a salary reduction arrangement.  An eligible employee is an individual (including a self-employed individual) that has reached age 21, worked for the employer in at least 3 of the last 5 years, and received at least $750 in compensation for 2023.

     IRAs offer investment options,  too.  Contributions  to your retirement account are deducted from your taxes.  Although, there are Deduction Limits.  Rollovers have a variety of rates.  Rates also apply to accounts when there isn't a named beneficiary.

     The individual credit offered is the Saver's Credit.  Individuals may be able to take a tax credit of up to $1,000 if they make eligible contributions to an IRA.  Criteria:  Age 18 or older,  not claimed as a dependent on another person’s return, and not a student.

     Saver's Credit amount is 50%, 20% or 10% of account contributions in the year. (Investopedia)

     IRA maximum contributions will allow the most growth in your retirement account.  Investments are smart.  Avoid losses by diversifying, watching fees closely, investing in safe assets and avoiding early withdrawals.  IRAs are FDIC insured with amount limits. Saver's Credit and contributions matching are the standout points in IRAs.

What Are the Side Effects of a Very Low-Calorie Diet? Is it safe?

     Individuals on a very low-calorie diet for 4 to 16 weeks, at 900 - 1,500 calories per day, report minor side effects such as fatigue, constipation, nausea, and diarrhea.  These conditions usually improve within a few weeks. 

     Gallstones are the most common, serious side effects of very low-calorie diets.

          Gallstone mechanism:

     1. Bile supersaturation.

     2. Nucleation and initiation of stone formation.

      3. Enlargement of the gallstone by accretion.

      There is a triangle of cholesterol, phospholipids, and bile salts.  Progressively: micelles, micelles + vesicles, micelles + crystals, and micelles + vesicles + crystals.

     Gallstones, or cholelithiasis, are stones that form in the gallbladder.  These stones are made up of cholesterol, bilirubin, and bile.  Gallstones are more common during rapid weight loss. When the body experiences a calorie deficit, it starts to break down fat for energy.

      During strict calorie defecits, the liver secretes more cholesterol.  When this secretion is combined with bile, gallstones form.

     Gallstones function to cause major problems if they accumulate into a duct blockage. Intense abdominal pain, jaundice, chills, back pain, shoulder pain, nausea and vomiting result. Pain episodes last from minutes to a couple of hours.  

     In order to avoid gallstone formation during a low calorie diet, stay on a scheduled mealtime.  Avoid fasting. Lose weight slowly as opposed to rapid weight loss. 1 - 2 pounds a week is gradual.  Aim towards fruits, vegetables and grains.  Obesity, and  generally being overweight is bad. Instead of rapid weight loss to maintain shape, stay on a healthy diet, and continue to exercise. (pubmed central)

      Low calorie diet vs keto diet is a popular research topic.  They're similar because of their low calorie weight loss basics.  The diets limit intake differently, though. The keto diet is more restrictive. The low calorie diet is a better alternative because of long term sustainability. Staying on the diet is the key to success.

     In conclusion, low calorie diet is safe and the potential side effects are minor.  The side effects are mostly avoidable, too. The body requires a  balance of foods from different food groups. Providing balanced nutrition, meal satisfaction, on a low-calorie diet is difficult. In addition, consuming as few as 800 calories daily may not give you the energy you need for daily living and regular physical activity.  Steer toward variety, steer away from repetition. 

To Purchase an EV, or to not Purchase an EV, 2023.

     An EV is defined as a vehicle that can be powered by an electric motor that draws electricity from a battery and is capable of being charged from an external source. (IEA.org)

     The choices are extensive in 2023.  Choose wisely.

     Some newer, up to date models have long waiting lists. You can buy a used EV right off the lot, right now, though.

     EVs are the right choice if you want to help the environment by cutting emissions.

     In comparison, combustion engines have more repair costs than EVs. Although, the EV trade off in repair costs hasn't completely been charted, yet.  Mechanics for combustion vehicles are everywhere.  You might go to an EV station to get it repaired and there might be only one EV mechanic.

     EVs began with a bad wrap.  To be nice, the original Prius was very ugly.  Current EVs are more normal and brand worthy.

     The ranked Best Used Electric Cars 2023:
1. Nissan Leaf
2. Tesla Model S
3. Tesla Model 3

     Other EVs 2023:
BMW i3
Chevrolet Bolt EV
Kia Niro EV
Hyundai Kona Electric
Volkswagen e-Golf
Kia Soul EV
Jaguar I-Pace
Ford Mustang Mach-E

     In general, the more range on a single full charge, the bigger the battery, and the higher the price of the car.  The average price, right now, for an electric vehicle is more than $60,000. That’s before incentives, rebates, and tax credits from the state, federal and local government. Tax credits can add up to a $10,000 savings per car, depending on the vehicle and in many cases, a buyer’s income.

     The key to not spending so much money when going used is to make sure the original seller is giving you all of the original charging equipment. It becomes extremely costly to have to purchase new EV charging equipment.  In a sample EV search, the battery specifications weren't listed online. Make sure it is an asking point, and possibly a bargaining point at the dealership. (Consumer reports)

     The range on older EVs tends to be fairly low.

     Ask the sales people if the battery is new. Obtain battery maintenance paperwork. New EV battery replacement is expensive. Basic battery warranties on EVs are more or less than 8 years or 100,000 miles.

     Estimate your needed charge range. As previously, the newer the EV, the longer the range. Is the vehicle for business use?  Is the vehicle for personal use?   Think about the convenience of your access to charging stations. You should have one charging station at home, and you should have other charging stations on your daily route. Charging stations have different levels: one, two, and three. Also, consider the charging speed of your charge station. Are you ready to spend all day sitting there, or would you rather charge your car, all night, at home? You won't miss the ease of access to gas stations until they're no longer an option. Metropolitan cities have a variety of charging stations while some cities don't have any at all.

     EVs are available with top ranges from about 100 miles to more than 500 miles.

     Although the warranty is 8 years/ 100,000 miles, the first 5 years are the best miles in a new EV.  After 5 years, or so, the mileage per charge reduces drastically.

     Area electric charging compatibility inconveniences can become a problem.  Charger locations can be unsuitable. It takes a long time to charge a car.  Depending on the vehicle and the charger, it can take from half an hour to several hours for a full charge. Public chargers don't always work perfectly, the same as gas station pumps.

     Tax credits are available for EV drivers.  Yes, there are nice tax incentives for EV owners. Research state tax credits details.  Make sure that the Make, and Model of your EV dwells underneath the requirements to receive a tax break.

     Some researchers say an EV costs more to use and fill up than it does to fill up a gas powered car.  The cost for a new EV battery can be upwards of $15,000. These statistics can change based on the economy.

     Noticeably, how fun is it to sit for 35 minutes to recharge your car versus 3 minutes to fuel up a combustion car?  Take a guess.

Quick example Used EV Search comparison:

(Google search conducted 9/2023) 

1) used EV highest price: CarMax.com: 2022 TESLA X $90,998, 8K mi, $799 shipping, (battery specifications not mentioned), red/white

2) used EV highest price: CarMax.com: 2022 TESLA X $89,998, 52K mi, $1,899 shipping, (battery specifications not mentioned), white/grey

3) used EV highest price: CarMax.com: 2021 TESLA S Plaid $87,998, 52K mi, $1,099 shipping, (battery specifications not mentioned), red/white

---
1) used EV lowest price: CarMax.com: 2014 SPARK EV LT $11,599, 52K mi, $799 shipping, (battery specifications not mentioned), white/black

2) used EV lowest price: CarMax.com: 2015 FORD FOCUS ELECTRIC $11,998, 15K mi, $1,099 shipping, (battery specifications not mentioned), white/black

3) used EV lowest price: CarMax.com: 2014 BMW I3 $15,998, 17K mi, $1,099 shipping, (battery specifications not mentioned), red/white

---
1) used EV highest price: Carvana.com: 2020 PORSCHE TAYCAN $91,990, 5K mi, $990 shipping, AC electric motor, grey

2) used EV lowest price: Carvana.com: 2023 BMW iX $86,990, 52K mi, $1,490 shipping, AC electric motor, grey

3) used EV highest price: Carvana.com: 2022 RIVIAN R1T $72,990, 18K mi, $0 shipping, AC electric motor, green

---
1) used EV lowest price: Carvana.com: 2012 NISSAN LEAF $10,990, 32K mi, $1,490 shipping, AC electric motor, white

2) used EV lowest price: Carvana.com: 2014 MITSUBISHI iMiEVi $11,990, 59K mi, $0 shipping, AC electric battery, grey

3)used EV lowest price: CarMax.com: FORD FOCUS $11,990, 28K mi, $1,190 shipping, AC electric motor, white 

     

     In conclusion, an electric vehicle is a nice choice if you have the available funds. Money is always an issue, but in this case, it seems to be the only deciding issue.  Convenience is a heavy trade-off. EVs are quiet and very modern. If you have the money you don't really need the tax credits.  Always research customer comments.  Dealing with climate change, in 2023, is a really good argument in favor of an EV. 

     Test drive at least 3 different EVs.  Check out some comparison videos, too.

     To buy or not to buy an EV, 2023.

The Zombie Leaf Blower, by Swegi Gonbup, Gonbup Productions©2023, Chapter 3: G-mo at T-mo.

Chapter 3: G-mo at T-mo.

     It could be considered telekinesis. That power he harnessed will show up again. J-rod peers in the reflective surface of the van in the back of the alleyway.  

     His ANSI/ISEA high vis, standard compliant uniform is beyond superior. Jose has mangled his victims repeatedly with out ever moving the suit beyond a brand new, out of the plastic, immaculate, florescent appearance. It seemed like the reflective stripes were electric, autonomously powered on with no off switch. He was preparing himself. J-rod had found G-mo.

     Some prostitutes talk to anybody. In full uniform, J-rod was able to get the lead he required to get Guillermo. The ladies had J. following a trail of breadcrumb that wound through shadowy archways and clandestine shops. He peers in windows. A fight gym on the edge off the strip. A hushed conversation, overheard through cracked windows, provides a tantalizing hint that points back to the arena. J-rod is racing with anticipation mounting. He finds a bench at the street corner and slumps in thought. 

     He remembers the scene at the Vegas Arena. G-mo had gotten away that time. Guillermo sent him from his harmonious Jalisco upbrought surroundings to Estados Unidos to face muerte segura. Bastardo sin espinas. J-rod planned to leave him without a spine, this time. He caught up to Guillermo where he'd found him before , almost the exact location. The Vegas Arena parking lot. A leaf blower in uniform, working around an Arena was easy to blend into. The big marquee scrolled, welcome to T-mobile Arena. J-rod blew some garbage through the parking lot. He made his way to the employee/ back entrance. His zombie moan gives off with, "I see you G-mo, motherfucker."

     G-mo approached his 2024 Caviar Black 3.5 L V6 dual electric motor 354 hp Lexus LS 500 hybrid. He has a smug swag to match his smirk. His Zombie senses heightened, J. hears foot steps. He pauses.

     A raucous crowd of partygoers saunters by, their laughter and banter punctuating the night air. Not far from them, in the parking lot, J-rod, the Zombie Leaf Blower, stands off to the side, his presence an eerie anomaly amidst the revelry. The backpack leaf blower, Pb 9010t, rests on his gym toned zombie back, silent.

     The partygoers' curious gazes lock onto the incongruous sight of the idle leaf blower. Their conversation takes a mocking tone, rife with disrespectful, drug induced defiance.

     "Yo, check that out," one of them says, his p.o.v. laced with a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Look at Mr. Leaf Blower over there, ain't he supposed to be doin' some serious sanitation shit?"

     Laughter erupts, punctuated by the exaggerated fake hacking motions one of the guys makes. "Hate, seriously, bro, he's just standing like an N.P.C., totally glitched out."

     "Must be a noob, can't even handle the basic leaf-blowing mission," another partygoer chimes in, chuckling.

     A girl with brightly colored hair, almost a perfect pink, joins in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe he's waiting for a quest from the Maintenance Hunch-ho. Gotta level up those leaf-blowing skills, you know?"

     Their laughter reverberates through the night, a chorus of mockery aimed at J-rod's silent presence. Unaware of the impending terror that lurks within him, they continue their banter, their voices fade into the distance as they move further down the neon-lit street. The cool guy slips his hand into the butt crack of Pinky's gothic skirt. She walks on awkwardly. Little do they know that the Leaf Blower they've just mocked harbors an evil that defies their understanding, a force that is about to be unleashed in a torrent of violence and gore.

     In the twisted dance of fate, J-rod, a hybrid zombie with an enigmatic past, enlists himself at the end of Guillermo's trail. The labyrinthine streets of Las Vegas had led him on an invisible path, loop-to-loop that had brought him face-to-face with his next meal. A destiny, marked by an evening sky painted with ominous hues, bore the weight of a coup de grace.

     With undead strength coursing through his decaying muscles, J-rod's voice, a chilling whisper of malice, shattered the stillness. "Head charge, bro.?" Guillermo's world splintered as he stumbled, the faultless concrete offering no reprieve for his scuffling dress shoes. The metallic clink of keys against unforgiving ground underscored his vulnerability, a symphony of fate's cruel irony. G-mo countered, "What the ...?!"

     J-rod's eyes flickered with an otherworldly intensity as his peripheral gaze shifted to his trusty companion, the backpack leaf blower adorning his glowing, reflective form. The Echo x series Pb 9010t resonated with an eerie energy, an extension of his malevolent will. Vroom. The gas burning fumes wreaked, although there was no gas in it. Ether realm science.

     Guillermo was quick on his toes. Not quick enough. Not this go-round. The Pb 9010t exploded in his fucking face! The fat pipe forced heated air that pushed the vic into the Lexus car door. Blam! Shoom. Grunts, and pummeled struggling were unheard. No witnesses. No referrees to save your crusty ass, my friend.

     In J-rod's mind a fuzzy television screen plays a familiar episode of his beloved Nat-geo. "In the shadowy depths of the wilderness, a sinister dance of nature unfolds. A snake, its sleek and sinuous form coiled in predatory readiness, approaches a motionless marsupial. The air is thick with tension, a palpable energy that crackles like electricity as the snake's predatory instincts take center stage."

     With stealth born of millennia of evolution, the zombie inches closer, its dusty skin glinting dully in the muted light. Its movements are deliberate, each sinuous undulation a calculated step towards its target. That motherfucker looks tasty, a defenseless creature of the city, squirming, his fate sealed by the cruel whims of his own nature.

     As the undead head draws nearer, the Zombie Leaf Blower lashes out his abnormal tongue. It flickers out, tasting the air with a predatory precision. The scent of its prey is intoxicating, a potent cocktail of fear and vulnerability that feeds the senseless voracious hunger. With a sudden burst of speed, the zombie strikes, its fangs sinking into the soft flesh. It's hard to differentiate from where the gasps were originating. Those were final breaths.

     Zombie powerful jaws engulf the fighting body, the predator's neck elongating with an almost grotesque fluidity. Guillermo's limbs twitch reflexively, a final gasp of life extinguished by the executioner's relentless grip. The zombie jaws flex, a horrible ballet of biology as it maneuvers its prey into its insatiable piehole.

     The dry throat has undead rhythmic contractions that serve as a grim symphony, a prequel to the unstoppable force of an unnatural cycle. The marsupialish body disappears within the sewer, hole, food drain, mouth opening that blurs the lines between predator and prey. The once-vibrant bad actor is reduced to a formless mass, its essence becoming one with the serpentish insides.

     As the poltergeist continues its feast, the event is etched into the fabric of the city. The human life is erased, absorbed into the belly instantaneously, a mark on the grip of some unknown grand design.

     J-rod made G-mo spill his last shot. The concrete was tarnished, blackened, befouled, tainted with blood. A crime scene. Evidence that zombies exist.

     Security personnel descended upon the scene, their flashlights casting disjointed shadows against the gruesome tableau before them. J-rod's form melted into the shadows once more, leaving behind a trail of stunned witnesses. There was a vile funk in the air. It's sour. You can taste a new crime scene. It has a puckering affect. It will make you throw up, vomit, caste out the darkness.

     The Las Vegas Arena security squad, driven by a mix of awe and terror, gave chase to the elusive specter that had torn through their midst. Parkour, but why? J-rod's supernatural abilities, an unexplained zombie hybrid-smooth limp rendered their pursuit futile. Through a maze of corridors and stairwells, J. moved with an uncanny stealth, a whisper in the night that defied their every effort.

     And so, as the final echoes of the night's horrors faded into obscurity, J-rod, the Zombie Leaf Blower, slipped through the grasp of the Las Vegas Arena security squad. J-rod got it done.

. 

Heat Waves 2023, and Global Climate Change.

As a concerned citizen living in Texas,

understanding the ramifications of heat waves assumes paramount importance. Defined as prolonged periods of abnormally hot weather lasting more than two days, heat waves can occur with or without high humidity, affecting vast geographical areas and exposing a substantial number of people to hazardous heat conditions.weather.gov

Emerging scientific analyses posit that heat waves might potentially become the new normal due to the overall global increase of one to two degrees Celsius. Evidently, certain locales have endured a full month of scorching temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while water temperatures have escalated to the point of simulating a warm bath. Areas such as Florida, grappling with these circumstances, are witnessing an escalation in perilous weather conditions, including thunderstorms that give rise to dangerous hazards like lightning, tornadoes, hail, strong winds, and heavy rainfall that can lead to flooding. cdc.gov

The widespread outbreak of wildfires has emerged as a distressing global phenomenon, occurring simultaneously in multiple regions. These extreme conditions have proved perilous, resulting in several deaths. For instance, two airmen tragically lost their lives while attempting to combat a wildfire by deploying water. As a consequence, numerous houses and neighborhoods have fallen victim to the ravaging infernos. npr.org

Regrettably, the impact of heat waves is not limited to humans and property. Animals, including pets taken on walks, have endured suffering due to paw burns caused by scorching surfaces. In certain areas, concrete burns have also been documented. Hospitals have reported an increase in cases of heat exhaustion, necessitating more proactive measures to address these health concerns. humanesociety.org

During periods of extreme heat and humidity, the human body's thermoregulatory capacity is challenged, leading to potential heat-related illnesses. Recognizing the symptoms and knowing appropriate responses becomes imperative. Heat cramps, characterized by painful muscle cramps and spasms, may serve as an early warning sign, potentially leading to heat exhaustion or stroke. Addressing the symptoms promptly and seeking medical attention when necessary is crucial.

Heat stroke, as the most severe heat-related illness, demands immediate attention, with symptoms such as throbbing headache, confusion, high body temperature, and loss of consciousness. Employing suitable first aid measures, such as moving the individual to a cooler environment, reducing body temperature, and avoiding fluid intake, is vital.

In conclusion, as extreme climate conditions, particularly heat waves, continue to manifest, vigilance and preparedness are paramount for communities across various regions, including Texas and Florida, to minimize the adverse impacts on human lives, the environment, and infrastructure. Embracing a scientifically informed perspective and taking proactive measures can contribute significantly to mitigating the challenges posed by the evolving climate landscape. 

People experiencing heat stroke often begin acting strangely, like they are “drunk with heat,” as a doctor said. A person who is dangerously overheating may seem confused or agitated.  Help them.  Help yourself, too.

Be careful. Stay cool, literally.

(Sources: CDC, NPR, AP News, The Guardian, Humane Society, CNN)