James' World 2

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On Thursday, SpaceX pulled off the second consecutive successful test flight of its Starship megarocket. The launch hints at sustained progress after years of botched tests, but there is a caveat.

Just after 6:50 P.M. EDT, Starship lofted into space atop SpaceX’s Super Heavy V3 booster from the company’s Starbase launch complex in Texas. After two and a half minutes, the booster separated from Starship and returned to Earth. SpaceX was aiming for the reusable booster to make a pinpoint landing in the Gulf of Mexico, but that part of the mission didn’t go according to plan. The booster’s landing burn appeared to fail, resulting in a hard crash into the water.

Once in space, however, Starship successfully deployed its payload of 20 Starlink V3 satellites, some of which were armed with cameras to check its heat shield—and offer audiences on the ground in-flight views of the rocket in space.

The Starlink satellites are the same as those SpaceX is planning to use to further build out its orbital broadband Internet constellation. But for the purposes of this test, the Starlink craft merely attempted to establish laser communications with the wider network, before ultimately plummeting to their doom in Earth’s atmosphere.

Eventually, SpaceX wants to use Starship as its workhorse rocket, replacing the smaller Falcon 9. With its ability to carry 100 metric tons of cargo to orbit, Starship will be able to loft many more Starlink satellites at a time than the Falcon 9 rocket.

Alone in space, Starship also showed improvements over its last test flight, successfully reigniting one of its six Raptor engines for a brief burn. The spacecraft didn’t attempt this feat during its previous test flight in May because the Raptor engine shut down prematurely during launch.

The new flight, which was originally slated for last week but was delayed, ended after an hour and five minutes. After deploying its satellites, Starship splashed down successfully north of Australia in the Indian Ocean, although it did briefly catch fire in the water.

The mostly successful test is good news for SpaceX’s ambitions—but it also matters for the future of human space exploration. NASA hopes to use Starship to get humans to and from the moon as part of its Artemis program.

If SpaceX can get a lunar-lander variant of Starship ready on time, NASA could use it to send humans to the surface of the moon for the first time in more than 50 years as soon as 2028.

A watchdog report published in March found SpaceX was lagging in that effort, and NASA is also funding development of a Blue Origin lunar lander for the task.

The clock is ticking for both companies: NASA’s Artemis III, a crewed mission to test key capabilities for both vehicles in low-Earth orbit, is targeted for launch before the end of next year. The current plan is to try to dock NASA’s crew capsule, Orion, with Starship—but SpaceX still needs to show it can get Starship to orbit in the first place. That means many more test flights, if nothing else.

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Key Points

Dietitians recommend water as the top morning beverage for healthy kidneys.

Coffee, green tea, kefir, and cranberry juice may also support kidney health.

Choose unsweetened drinks and stay hydrated to help kidney function.

The kidneys are vital organs that filter out waste products from the blood, regulate blood pressure, and balance fluid, electrolyte, and pH levels in the body. Without healthy kidneys, waste products and excess fluid can build up, leading to serious health complications. Lifestyle habits, like diet, are key to healthy kidney function.

“Diet plays a major role in kidney health because the kidneys help to process and regulate many of the nutrients we eat and drink,” says Lydia Bunszel, M.S., RD. 

The good news? Something as simple as your morning beverage can help support your kidneys. Read on for five kidney-friendly drinks worth adding to your daily routine.

1. Water

By far, experts agree that water is the best beverage for kidney health. Starting your day with water helps rehydrate your body after hours without fluids and supports optimal kidney function. 

Sheila Patterson, M.S., RD, CDCES, notes that water is the best choice to help the kidneys run their essential functions that support the body. This includes filtering waste products, maintaining fluid balance, and lowering the risk of kidney stones.1 “Water helps to dilute minerals in the urine that can form crystals,” adds Amanda Roll, M.S., RD. Inadequate water intake can saturate the urine, making stones more likely to develop.1

Not a big fan of the taste—or lack thereof—of water? Bunszel suggests adding a squeeze of citrus juice, such as lemon, lime or orange, to boost the flavor. 

2. Coffee

“Coffee may come as a surprise, but research suggests that moderate coffee consumption (about 1–2 cups per day) may help to lower the risk of developing chronic kidney disease and slow its progression,” shares Hannah Coven, M.S., RD. Some studies suggest that up to 3 to 4 cups per day may reduce risk, though individual tolerance can vary.23

“Black coffee is filled with antioxidants which may help protect your kidney cells from inflammation and oxidative stress,” explains Bunszel.2 This is important because the kidneys are constantly filtering waste from the blood, making them vulnerable to cellular damage over time. Antioxidant-rich foods and drinks, such as coffee, may help counteract some of that damage.2

That said, Coven highlights a common issue with coffee drinks: sugar. “Loading your coffee with sugar syrups and flavored creamers can offset many of those potential benefits by increasing added sugars and spiking blood sugars.”

While individual tolerance varies, sticking to less than 4 cups of coffee per day is recommended for most people. 

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Credit: Getty Images. EatingWell design.

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President Trump told a crowd of supporters in Michigan on Monday that the affordability problems they were experiencing were vestiges of the Biden administration, and spent the better part of an hourlong speech painting a dystopian picture of what the United States could look like if Democrats won competitive elections this fall.

“We had the single greatest year we’ve ever had as a country,” Mr. Trump said. “We’re not going to let these people destroy it.” The president added that “in 18 months, we’ve turned this country completely around.”

The president also assured supporters that negotiations over ending the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, a conflict that has sent fuel and energy prices soaring, were continuing in a “friendly” fashion. Iran has not confirmed such talks with the United States.

Mr. Trump’s decision to head to Michigan, a purple Midwestern state that has been economically pummeled by his tariff policies, is part of a plan to travel the United States and defend his choices as the midterm elections draw closer. The president’s advisers say he will be ramping up such trips over the next few months.

Visiting a General Motors proving facility in Milford, where vehicles are pressure-tested before they hit the market, Mr. Trump accepted some gifts (car sculptures) and road-tested his latest insult for the Democratic Party — “Dumocrats” or “Dumbocrats”; he is apparently still mulling the spelling — as he attacked several presidential predecessors. And, aside from a moment when people waving signs that said “STOP DATA CENTERS” interrupted Mr. Trump’s speech, the crowd cheered along.

Before he spoke, Mr. Trump watched a crew of professional drivers drag-race several luxury vehicles, including a race between a black 2027 Corvette ZR1X, a car that starts at $227,000, and a silver Corvette ZR1 convertible, which costs around $207,195. Later, he told hundreds of supporters, many of them dressed in Trump regalia, that the economic pressures they were experiencing were problems inherited from the Biden administration.

“I’m one day in office, and the fake news goes ‘affordability, affordability,’” he complained.

Part of Milford is in Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District, where Representative Tom Barrett is fighting to hold onto a seat he narrowly won in 2024. Mr. Barrett, an Army veteran, was already one of the most vulnerable Republicans in the House. He has twice broken with his party and voted to rein in the president’s war powers, which appeared to have earned Mr. Barrett a smattering of boos when he took the stage earlier.

Later, speaking in front of Mr. Trump, Mr. Barrett praised the president’s policies and said he was “stepping up every single day to make sure that we bring more manufacturing jobs back to America.”

Other candidates who took the mic included Mike Rogers, a former Republican congressman running for a Senate seat this fall. Mr. Rogers told the president that if he wins, he would work to pass the SAVE Act, which would require voters to prove their citizenship, ban IDs without a photo at polling places and severely restrict voting by mail. Democrats have argued that the legislation would make it more difficult for eligible voters to make it to the polls.

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President Trump’s decision to head to Michigan is part of a plan to travel the United States and defend his choices before the midterms. Credit…Doug Mills/The New York Times

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Millions of people will take to the roads this holiday season, only to end up spending frustrating hours sitting in traffic jams. Congestion costs drivers time, fuel and patience – while also increasing pollution and placing huge pressure on transport networks.

If you’ve ever found yourself staring enviously at the lane next to you, convinced it’s moving faster, you’re not alone. Most of us instinctively believe that changing lanes will get us home sooner. But mathematics suggests this intuition is usually wrong.

As an applied mathematician, much of my research is driven by one question: how can we predict and control the behaviour of complex systems operating under uncertainty? And this can apply as much to holiday traffic as it does to emerging quantum technologies.

We tend to think traffic jams need a trigger: an accident, roadworks or a lane closure. Yet some of the most frustrating queues have no obvious cause at all. These are known as phantom traffic jams—stop-start waves that travel backwards through traffic even though every vehicle is moving forwards.

In 2008, Japanese researchers asked 22 drivers to drive around a circular track while maintaining a constant speed and safe distance from the vehicle in front. Within minutes, tiny and unavoidable differences in braking and reaction times grew into a stop-start wave that travelled continuously around the circuit, despite there being no obstacle anywhere on the road.

The explanation is surprisingly simple. One driver brakes slightly more than necessary. The driver behind reacts a little later and brakes a little harder. The next driver does the same.

In this way, the initial tiny disturbance grows as it travels backwards until drivers hundreds of metres behind are forced to stop completely, even though nobody can identify what caused the queue in the first place.

The mathematics behind traffic

Rather than modelling every driver individually, mathematicians treat traffic as a continuous flow – borrowing ideas from fluid dynamics, where the movement of vehicles is analysed much like the flow of water through a pipe.

One of the simplest relationships in traffic flow theory is q = ρv, where q is the traffic flow (the number of vehicles passing a point each hour), ρ is the traffic density (amount of cars on the road), and v is their average speed.

This deceptively simple equation explains a counterintuitive phenomenon. Initially, adding more vehicles obviously increases the overall traffic flow, as more vehicles pass along the road.

But once the road becomes too crowded, everyone is forced to slow down. Eventually, this reduction in speed outweighs the increase in number of vehicles such that the overall flow is reduced.

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If you’re a new parent, the idea of starting a new hobby right now might sound ludicrous. But postpartum experts say that setting aside 10 minutes and trying one of these low-demand hobbies for new parents is actually one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family.

“When someone becomes a parent, they go through what’s called matrescence, a profound identity shift that reorients most of their time and energy toward caring for their baby,” says Erica Manto Paulson, certified doula, childbirth educator and founder of Nurture. “Taking even a few minutes for themselves can feel like stepping away from that responsibility, when in reality it’s part of adapting to their new role in a healthy way.”

These hobbies don’t require a ton of time, energy, or equipment. They’re just about reconnecting with yourself and carving out a bit of personal time, which research shows can lower the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety.

“Think low pressure, high reward,” says Tracy Carson, licensed professional clinical counselor. “The commitment you make to yourself far outweighs the actual skill learned. You showed up for yourself, and that is all that really matters.”

Keep reading to learn more about the best hobbies for new parents. After Clicking the link below the picture.

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Daniel de la Hoz//Getty Images

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Carol Ann Murphy is an American film critic and writer.

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She’s known for her insightful and thoughtful reviews of both mainstream and independent films. Over the years, she has contributed to various platforms, including print and digital publications, where her critiques often focus on deeper thematic elements, character development, and social issues in film.

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Murphy’s style of criticism tends to be engaging and accessible to a wide audience, offering both an appreciation of cinema as an art form and a critique of the broader cultural and societal implications of the movies she reviews.

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She has built a reputation for being fair but also unafraid to critique films when they fall short of their potential.

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While not as widely known as some other critics, she has established a loyal following for her nuanced perspectives on both big-budget blockbusters and smaller, art-house films.

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If you’re into more in-depth and reflective reviews, she might be someone worth reading!

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Something for Everyone!

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On a clear afternoon this month, high above the Mojave Desert, an A.I.-powered drone launched a missile in a test that could reshape modern warfare.

Since the dawn of the jet age, the U.S. military has used the isolation over this stretch of sand to push secret, experimental aircraft to their aerodynamic and technological limits. It’s doing the same today: fine-tuning machines capable of engaging in aerial combat with barely any human intervention. These drones’ flight is controlled not by a pilot, not by human remote control, but entirely by onboard software. It’s a historic advancement in drone technology that aims to incorporate artificial intelligence into everyday warfighting.

Today’s conflicts are increasingly defined by unmanned weapons, delivering destruction over battlefields in Ukraine, Iran and Sudan. But in almost all these cases, there is a human operator sitting somewhere, steering each robot toward its target.

The two types of next-generation drones being tested over Southern California today, built for the Air Force by Anduril and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, can fly entirely on their own. They make hundreds of split-second decisions to maneuver, evade, and attack enemy targets, based upon countless hours of flight data and computer processing. A human is involved at just a few key moments in each flight: to program the drone’s mission, to start and stop the mission, and to decide whether or not the drone should launch a weapon. Late last year, the companies’ drones flew for the first time. Anduril fired its first missile two weeks ago, and General Atomics says it is not far behind.

The Air Force program is part of a sweeping overhaul in how the American military prepares for war. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in January that he intended to make the military “an ‘A.I. first’ warfighting force across all domains.” Throughout the Pentagon, Uncle Sam-style recruitment posters with Mr. Hegseth’s likeness declaring “I want YOU to use A.I.” are plastered on the walls. His department has requested $54.6 billion in next year’s budget for the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, or DAWG, a body recently set up to coordinate all autonomous weapons programs across U.S. forces.

The United States isn’t alone in this pursuit. Around the world, and particularly in China and Russia, an arms race is emerging to mass-produce autonomous, A.I.-operated war machines. President Vladimir Putin of Russia declared in 2017 that whoever leads in A.I. “will become the ruler of the world.” President Xi Jinping of China has poured billions of dollars into A.I. development for the country’s military. Prototypes of smaller, rudimentary A.I.-assisted weapons have already been reported in action in Ukraine, Libya, Azerbaijan and Gaza. In a few years, we could see swarms of self-guiding robots not only in the skies, but also at sea and on the ground.

As the world’s militaries race to weaponize artificial intelligence, the international community has failed to establish limits on its use. The United Nations has spent a decade deliberating how to restrict autonomous weapons — a rare instance of anticipating a global threat before it arrives. Yet these efforts have yielded no binding rules or codes of conduct.

Instead, global leaders are accelerating toward an era of automated warfare. The fear of body bags has been one of the greatest deterrents to conflict in history. Mass-produced, expendable robots do not carry the human or financial costs that have tempered the urge to go to war for centuries.

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Aleksey Kondratyev For The New York Times

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king, the palace instead becomes a circus. — Turkish proverb,”

 

Hmmmmm…History is repeating itself yet again!

 

Isaiah 59:14

New Living Translation

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You might find these videos enlightening!

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A. R. Bernard: one of many

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Click the link below for the videos:

https://www.youtube.com

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