The U.S. FDA has recently approved a painkiller that is 10 times more potent than fentanyl and 1000 times more powerful than morphine, a faster killer when abused, a potentially attractive new drug for narco-lords and gangs. The name is Dsuvia, which is projected to be great for medical use in medical facilities, but a disaster when illegally traded on the now narcotic-flooded stealth market. More than 130 people die a day (yes, every single day) in the USA from drug overdose. Approved for hospital use only, Dsuvia would kill even faster and greater when it gets out, which will surely happen.
Wonder-fruit guava, versatile
Guava, a green tropical fruit, now available all over the world, is not only refreshingly tasty but amazingly a source of many healthy ingredients. Among the benefits one gets from quava are: an aid to the management of high blood pressure, diabetes type 2, thyroid deficiency, overweight problem, diarrhea, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), for brain health, constipation, eye health, cough and colds, deficiency of Vitamins, A, B3, B6, and C, iron and potassium. It is a good antioxidant and detoxifier that helps in skin care and in lowering the risk for cancer.
A deadly summer or winter path
Driving on the lonely road in Death Valley, Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Dessert, has killed countless people during boiling summer and freezing winter. It is one of the hottest places on earth, temperature reaching a record high of 134 degrees F (56.7 Celcius) on July 10, 1913. Winter here is also deadly. Death Valley was a warning name coined by pioneers lost here during the winter of 1849-2850. AS father and son were found dead under their pick-up track that broke down on a very hot summer day on a practically abandoned Death Valley road some years ago.
What would happen if the sun disappeared?
The sun is 333,000 times the mass of Earth, and the heat it churns out has the same amount of energy as 100 billion (with a “B”) hydrogen bombs per second! The sun heats our planet with just the right temperature to sustain life. When the sun disappears, the solar (sun) system that controls and locks allplanets into elliptical orbits (including earth which is orbiting the sun at the speed of 67,000 miles per hour) would lose its natural gravitational force and “release” all the planets out of their orbit, flying off uncontrollably into the space, and cause chaos in the solar system, as Einstein had brilliantly shown in his Theory of Relativity in 1915. The entire earth would then be a big frozen ball of ice if the sun were not here. Einstein wrote “the force from gravity is not instantaneous, as it travels the same speed as light, so light from the sun would still be upon the earth momentarily. Therefore, if the sun disappeared, we would remain blissfully unaware for eight minutes that inevitable doom was upon us.” Life on earth would then cease, except for organisms which do not need light to survive.
Identity theft, techno-crimes
In the past, before we had these amazing and mind-boggling advances in science and wireless technology, thieves had to pick you pocket, or steal your purse or briefcase to have access to your credit card, driver’s license, etc., or break your car windows to steal anything they want inside your vehicle. In today’s techno-world, all the criminal has to do is to come close to you with his special wireless data-copying gadget, and viola!, he’s got your credit card/license numbers within seconds. There is also an electronic sonar copier that records the special code signal of your carkey-remote, and when you leave you vehicle to do you errand, the thief is able to open your car without breaking your window. To prevent this digital theft, make a pouch for your credit card, license, etc., using a aluminum tinfoil from your kitchen (termed Faraday Cage, electromagnetic enclosure) to act as RFID (Radio frequency identification) blocker. RFID wallets are available, even in electronic stores, super markets or bookstores. For years, my wife, Farida, and I, have avoided (100%) using our car remote opener; we have been using the old-fashioned manual door closing method when we leave our cars.
Computer hacking
While there is no 100% way to totally prevent computer hacking (the reason giant world companies, banks, stores, etc., have been hacked for ransom here and abroad), there bare a couple of things we, as individuals, can do to to greatly reduce this malicious hacking and computer fraud and scams, which could lead to emptying your bank accounts, or stealing your identity data, which are nightmares. These hackers, cyber-criminals, are merciless and persistent. Here are some tips in fighting back:
Update your operating system and software frequently; download up-to-date security programs, anti-virus, anti-malwares, firewall. Create a long and difficult password to access you computer nor your email, etc… but remember not to forget it, or you will be in trouble; destroy all personal data and info, and files, on your hard drive before selling or giving your computer away. If you know how, RESET your computer to erase all data; your router-modem internet and TV must have username and strong password; your cell phone must also have a very secure password to open it; use different password for each device; before using Cloud for storage, investigate and do due diligence to make sure it is legitimate and secure protection, otherwise, stay off Cloud. Also, use Bit Defender or Total AV, Kaspersky, McAfee, or Norton Security Set and subscribe to NordVPN or LifeLock for computer security.
But the most important and effective tools you have are your personal wisdom, carefulness, an analytical mind, a tiny bit of paranoia in this day and age, and humility to ask for help from our tech-saavy family members and friends on computer subjects too complicated for you. If any website or email writer is asking for personal data or your credit card, license number of insurance info, never give them any, unless they are Amazon or Best Buy, or other well-known established businesses, whose official website you are ordering online from. Today, it is no longer watching your back for dangers; it is now watching your front!
In spite of this technical maze, let us happily use our computers, tablets, smart phones and gadgets productively, and talk to these wonderful courteous female robots with artificial intelligence and lovely voices, Microsoft’s Cortana, Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Samsung’s Bixby, or our un-named Google Assistant, and enjoy life to the fullest, regardless of these cyber-criminals.
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Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: [email protected]
