The Unlikely Buddha

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,     Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;  Conspiring with him how to load and bless     With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;  To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,     And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;        To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells     With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,  And still more, later flowers for the bees,  Until they think warm days will never cease,        For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.  Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?     Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find  Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,     Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;  Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,     Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook     ...

I wandered lonely through the field, Where sunflowers stood tall and bright, Their golden heads turned towards the sun, A dazzling, joyful sight. Like sentinels they lined the way, Their faces turned towards the sky, A symbol of hope and resilience, As the soft breeze passed them by. I paused to watch their gentle dance, Their petals swaying in the breeze, And felt my heart with joy uplift, At this enchanting scene. For sunflowers are a gift to us, A reminder of the sun's embrace, And of the beauty all around, If only we take the time to see. Unlikely Buddha 2023

Capitalism is an economic system in which private individuals or businesses own capital goods. The production of goods and services is guided by the motive of profit, and the prices are determined by market forces. Capitalism has been the dominant economic system in the United States for centuries, and it has been credited with driving innovation and economic growth. However, capitalism has also been criticized for its tendency to produce inequality and environmental damage. In recent years, there has been a growing chorus of voices calling for reforms to capitalism or even its replacement with a different economic system. History of Capitalism in the United States Capitalism emerged in the United States during the colonial era. The early colonists were entrepreneurs who came to America seeking new opportunities to make a profit. They established businesses such as farming, trading, and manufacturing. After the American Revolution, the United States government adopted a number of polic...

Football is a popular sport that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world. However, it is also a dangerous sport. Players are at risk of a variety of injuries, including concussions, ligament tears, and broken bones. Some of these injuries can be life-threatening, and others can have long-term consequences, such as chronic pain and depression. The average career length in the NFL is 3.3 years. This is relatively short compared to other professional sports leagues, such as the NBA and NHL, where the average career length is around 4.5 years. In the U.S. most (non-athlete)  workers can expect a 20-30 year career before retiring. In the NFL only 1% of all players have retired at or after 20 years. In recent years, there has been growing awareness of the dangers of football, particularly the risk of concussions. Concussions are brain injuries that can occur when the head is suddenly jarred or hit. Concussions can cause a variety of symptoms, including headache, dizziness, naus...

Semaglutide is a drug that belongs to a class of medications called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs). It mimics the GLP-1 hormone, which is released in the gut in response to eating. GLP-1 has several effects that help to control blood sugar, including: Increasing insulin production by the pancreas Reducing glucagon production by the pancreas Slowing the movement of food through the stomach Increasing the feeling of fullness Semaglutide is used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is used together with diet and exercise to help control blood sugar levels. Semaglutide is also used to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart or blood vessel disease. In addition to treating type 2 diabetes, semaglutide is also approved for weight loss. It is currently only available under the brand name Wegovy. The typical dose for weight loss is 2.4 milligrams, administered weekly as subcutaneous (under the skin) self-injections. Semaglutid...

Northwestern Medicine researchers have discovered a new cell type, tissue-resident monocyte-lineage cells (TR-MC), in the joint that contributes to the development of rheumatoid arthritis. TR-MC stands for tissue-resident monocyte-lineage cells. They are a type of immune cell that is found in the joints of people with rheumatoid arthritis. TR-MCs are thought to play a role in the development and progression of the disease. TR-MCs are different from other immune cells in the joint, such as macrophages and dendritic cells. Macrophages and dendritic cells are short-lived cells that come from the blood and travel to the joint. TR-MCs, on the other hand, are long-lived cells that are born and die in the joint. TR-MCs produce a number of inflammatory molecules, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-17 (IL-17). These molecules can damage the joint and contribute to the development of rheumatoid arthritis. The discovery of TR-MCs could lead to new treatments for rheumatoid arth...

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of a bay: Ten thousand saw I at a glance, Tossing their heads in sprightly dance. The waves beside them danced; but they Out-did the sparkling waves in glee: A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company: I gazed—and gazed—but little thought What wealth the show to me had brought: For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils. Williams Wadsworth Longfellow