Wicked Blue
Wicked Blue's JournalFlorida Woman Survives Being Hit By Flying Turtle
Huffington Post
04/22/2021 11:33 am ET
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It’s not unusual for rocks and other debris to crash through a windshield and injure a driver or passenger — but a turtle?
A 71-year-old woman riding with her daughter on Florida’s Interstate 95 suffered a gashed forehead Wednesday when a turtle smashed through the windshield of their car, striking her, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports.
The daughter pulled over and got help from another motorist. According to a 911 recording, both were surprised by what they found.
“There is a turtle in there,” the man can be overheard saying.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/flying-turtle-hits-florida-woman_n_608194c0e4b0e7cb020bfbcf
Turtle was apparently unharmed.
Scientists create 'whitest paint ever' to help reduce reliance on air conditioning
Independent
Liam James
Scientists have developed what they claim is the whitest ever paint as a way to tackle global warming by reducing the need for air conditioning.
Engineers at Purdue University say said it reflects up to 98.1 per cent of sunlight – up from 95.5 per cent on their last attempt from six months ago – and can cool surfaces by as much as 19F or 10.5C.
Ordinary white paints that are designed to reject heat reflect only 80-90 per cent of sunlight and cannot make surfaces cooler than their surroundings, according to researchers.
...
The paint is so white due to a high concentration of barium sulphate, which is used to make photo paper and cosmetics white.
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/whitest-paint-air-conditioning-purdue-b1831972.html
I am really excited about the possibilities for this paint. More than a decade ago I wrote articles about using white roofs to cool buildings for a small magazine about energy solutions.
When we replaced our roof several years ago, we opted for a type of shingle that was the most reflective we could find at the time. We also had the roofers install a ridge vent and soffit vents. Before doing this, our ceilings were hot to touch during the summer. Now they no longer get hot, which likely reduces our cooling bill.
With the addition of solar panels. our electric bill in summer is usually $8.50, which PEPCO lists as a "customer charge," whatever that is. Now and then they also send us a small check for supplying them with the excess power from our solar panels.
Union to file charges against Amazon over 'blatantly illegal conduct' in Bessemer election
Source: Raw Story/Common Dreams
Jake Johnson, Common Dreams
April 09, 2021
As Amazon on Friday received the votes needed to defeat a unionization effort at its Bessemer, Alabama warehouse, the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union announced that it intends to formally object to the election results and file unfair labor practice charges against the tech behemoth for "unlawfully interfering" with employees' right to organize.
"We won't let Amazon's lies, deception, and illegal activities go unchallenged, which is why we are formally filing charges against all of the egregious and blatantly illegal actions taken by Amazon during the union vote," said Stuart Appelbaum, president of RWDSU, the union that attempted to organize the roughly 6,000 Bessemer warehouse workers.
"Amazon knew full well that unless they did everything they possibly could, even illegal activity, their workers would have continued supporting the union," Appelbaum said. "That's why they required all their employees to attend lecture after lecture, filled with mistruths and lies, where workers had to listen to the company demand they oppose the union. That's why they flooded the internet, the airwaves, and social media with ads spreading misinformation. That's why they brought in dozens of outsiders and union-busters to walk the floor of the warehouse."
"Amazon's conduct has been despicable," added Appelbaum. "We demand a comprehensive investigation over Amazon's behavior in corrupting this election."
Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/union-to-file-charges-against-amazon-over-blatantly-illegal-conduct-in-bessemer-election/
A 3,000-year-old 'lost golden city' has been unearthed in Egypt
By Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post
April 8, 2021 at 10:22 a.m. EDT
CAIRO — A 3,000-year-old “lost golden city” has been unearthed in the southern city of Luxor, a discovery that could be the most significant find in Egypt since the tomb of the boy king Tutankhamun, the archaeological mission said Thursday in a statement.
The lost city, known as Aten, is believed to have been founded by King Amenhotep III, the ninth king of ancient Egypt’s 18th dynasty who ruled the country from 1391 to 1352 B.C., the mission’s statement said. It is believed to be the largest administrative and industrial settlement in that era, nestled on the western bank of Luxor.
“The discovery of this lost city is the second most important archaeological discovery since the tomb of Tutankhamun,” Betsy Bryan, an Egyptology professor at Johns Hopkins University and member of the mission, said in the statement.
Its discovery, she added, “will give us a rare glimpse into the life of the ancient Egyptians” at a time when the empire was at its wealthiest.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/luxor-lost-city-tutankhamun-archaeology/2021/04/08/4d9577d0-9863-11eb-8f0a-3384cf4fb399_story.html
All adults in Montgomery County MD can now pre-register for Covid-19 vaccination
E-mail announcement this morning by County Executive Marc Elrich
Montgomery County has opened preregistration at County-operated COVID-19 vaccine centers to all County residents 16-and-over.
To register for a County-operated center, go to https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/vaccine/
As more vaccines come into Maryland, residents also can continue to preregister for State mass vaccination clinics online or by calling 1-855-MDGOVAX (1-855-634-6829). Residents are encouraged to preregister with the State and with the County—and advised to take the first vaccination appointment they are offered at any clinic.
A new vaccine center is now open on the campus of Montgomery College in Germantown. The County is operating the vaccine center through Wednesday, April 7. It is expected that the State will convert the site to a Maryland mass vaccination center beyond that date. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced last week that a State mass vaccination site will open at the Germantown campus starting next week. He did not establish a date that will happen. The site will be managed by the State and vaccinations will be available to all Marylanders.
Free Ride-On bus shuttle service is operating from the Shady Grove Metro station to the vaccination site at Montgomery College in Germantown. Buses will run every 15 minutes from 8:30 a.m. until 30 minutes after the last vaccination (approximately 5 p.m.). Pick up the shuttle on the east side of the Shady Grove Metro. Buses will be marked “Vaccination Shuttle.”
As of Thursday morning, approximately one-third of all County residents have received at least one vaccine. State statistic shows more than 340,700 County residents (32.5 percent) have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. There are more than 185,700 fully vaccinated County residents (17.7 percent).