Oropouche Virus

This virus is transmitted by mosquitoes or midges. Most of the American Continent cases are centered in Brazil (90% of the total 8,000+). No vaccine exists at this time to combat this viral infection nor there is a specific treatment for it except those that control the symptoms. Flu-like symptoms, vomiting, and pain behind the eye sockets are the most encountered signs of this infection. 

Clade 1b

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a recent warning about mpox virus. This disease has been previously confined to the African country, The Democratic Republic of Congo (or Congo), however it recently spread beyond its border. In Congo, Clade 2b variant caused death in 62% of mpox cases that occurred in children. However, Clade 2b caused only 1% of death among all of those who were infected, including children. Clade 1b variant of the mpox virus is much more virulent. It is estimated that 4% of those who will catch the virus will die from this disease, according to WHO. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) plans to issue a warning to US healthcare workers (physicians) to be vigilant of cases that they may encounter in their practice.  The mpox virus (Clade 2b) was originally thought to spread among homosexual men in Congo, however the new strain is contagious simply by contact among an infected person (or animal) and a healthy one. The virus is known formally as the "monkeypox virus." The silver lining of all of this (if there is one!), for the majority of people who are infected, the symptoms are mild (skin rash and flu-like symptoms), and a healthy immune system can overcome the infection quickly on its own. The best way to prevent the spread of the virus is by vaccination (JYNNEOS vaccine, a.k.a. Imvamune or Imvan, a live, but non-replicating viral particles, manufactured by Bavarian Nordic) given in two doses by injection, and provide protection up to five years. The vaccine provides almost total immunity (close to 100%) against mpox. For more information on this disease and the vaccine, please visit the CDC website.

Tension rises at the Lebanese-Israeli border following the attacks on Saturday that killed many children

 

Quick News: Israel Responds to the Attack on Saturday by Targeting Lebanese Towns

This could be the beginning of the larger military conflict in the Middle-East that everybody was worried  about. We pray that it is not.

 

Quick News: Attack on Migdal El-Shames

Migdal El-Shames, an occupied Syrian territory by Israel, experienced a missile attack of Iranian origin of 50 kg explosive power. As of now 14 victims are dead. Several stories are circulating in the media about the side who initiated the attack. Israel is blaming the Lebanese military fraction Hizballah. Hizballah is denying the responsibility of the attack. Some are saying that a missile originated from the Israeli "Iron Dome"  hit the area. Israel is even naming the Hizballah commander responsible for this attack.

Update: The initial number of victims was reported on Saturday, July 29, 2024 to be 14. The final number was later adjusted to 12.

Syrian Arab Republic Stamps: A363; Scott Catalogue # 363; August 7, 1986

 

Stamps of Syrian Arab Republic: A93; Scott Catalogue # 459-463; 1964

 

Democratic Party Will Elect A Person To Run For President in November 2024

The Democratic Party will elect a new person to run for president as President Biden announced his decision not to seek re-election today (July 21, 2024), in the afternoon, around 1:36 pm. Vise President Harris will likely be the person to be nominated for this year's election. The Republican Party has selected former President Trump to be their nominee. The election this year is set for November 5th, 2024.

Computer outage worldwide

On Thursday, July 18, 2024, computers operated on Microsoft platform received an update patch for their security initiated from CrowdStrike company.  This update was allegedly linked to the computer outage experienced worldwide by millions of computers, including those operated at airports, resulted in a partial air traffic disturbance. My computer was also affected (see image). To their credit, CrowdStrike issued immediately a remedy for this faulty patch, however, it took time to correct all the computer systems affected.

I'll do it tomorrow!

It is a very common phrase, "I'll do it tomorrow," but 'tomorrow' never comes. Sometimes, we plan to do it tomorrow because there isn't enough time to do it today. If I plan it for a later time and I pencil it on my schedule, then it is ok for me to 'do it tomorrow." As you know, unless I plan it, tomorrow will never come. I am an educator by profession and a dad. I have heard this phrase so many times in my life from my kids and my students so that if I had collected a penny each time I've heard it I'd be a millionaire by now. Procrastinators love this phrase. It is their status quo. It is used whenever a job is too boring, too lengthy, or perhaps too difficult to accomplish. I promised my wife to move my collection of books from the attic to the garage two years ago. I've done about 75% of this task. However, lately, I became a lover of the phrase "I'll do it tomorrow." I keep reminding myself that I have done the bulk of it, but, to be honest, I get lazy every time I think about it. About five years ago I began thinking about projects, any project that is big or small, as made up of tiny segments. When I start a project I remind myself that nothing in life is infinite, and  kudos to the Chinese for teaching us that a 1000-mile journey begins with a step.  I adopted this Chinese wisdom about five years ago. No project is big enough or difficult enough to accomplish if I do it in baby steps. I used to know a friend who passed away a few years ago, (may God bless her soul), who was a perfectionist. She would start a project but took her for ever to finish it, she had a perfectionist personality. Sometimes perfectionist people use "I'll do it tomorrow" too. But their  use of this notion is not based on being lazy but of being a perfectionist. Some of my top students in the past (I've been teaching for 41 years in college) would consider a grade of 95% a failure. They are perfectionists and high achievers. However these students do not postpone things to be done. That is why they are high achievers. I do not think they know of the phrase "I'll do it tomorrow." They study every day and when exams come they are prepared for them. High achievers do not use excuses to accomplish things, they just do them because they know success in life does not include "I'll do it tomorrow." Oh, by the way, I just remembered, I need to make an appointment with my dentist for a root canal procedure, oh well, I'll do it tomorrow.

Are Miracles Only Found in Holy Books?

As a starter, I am not a theologian, nor a minister or a priest. I am a common guy who occasionally reads the Bible for fun. Yes, I enjoy reading the Bible. I bought a few years ago the Orthodox Study Bible, and I have read it several times. It has fascinating stories, and some of them are unbelievable.  Many of the unbelievable stories are miracles. Dead people are risen, Christ walked on water (mind you, it was stormy at that time, with waves and all), three guys were placed in a fiery furnace and came out alive untouched, and the Israeli army winning against massive enemy armies in battles because the Lord was fighting on their behalf, and so on. It is not strange to read about miracles in holy books, but do miracles still happen in our time, to us? My answer to that is yes. Each one of us needs to look at his own life, past and present. You will find instances and events in your life that their occurrence was not possible by any human measures, they were miracles. Read the news about other people and you will find many unbelievable stories. People may call it luck, success, "nothing sticks to this man," attitude, Teflon skin, power, influence, money, rich, very rich, very very rich, and so on. Miracles still happen. You just need to keep watching life around you. In fact, they happen by the dozens daily. 

ترتيلة يا شربل صلي عنا - Saint Charbel

Abdel Halim Hafez - Ba'ad Eh | عبد الحليم حافظ - بعد إيه

Betlomouny Leih....Abdel Halim Hafez

Happy 4th of July, 2024

 

Vegas World Charm

Happy 4th of July VideoShow 7 3 2024 4 35 27 AM

Collectible Stamps: USA VideoShow 9 3 2023 11 23 09 AM

How to remove adhesive US stamps off their paper

 If you are used to remove stamps off their paper in the past, you would simply soaked them in water until the stamps came off. However, since the US Postal office began making self-adhesive stamps, the old method of removing the stamps was no longer effective. There are a variety of liquids available on the market for removing self-adhesive stamps, but they are costly for an average collector.

I tried today the following method in removing the self-adhesive stamps the good old way, but with modifications. I soaked the stamps in water containing a couple of drops of regular liquid soap. Then I microwaved them in a safe microwavable glass dish (I bought it from the Dollar Store) until the water began to boil. Many of stamps came off immediately, and some required some few extra minutes in soaking. However, all of them came off eventually the good old way. Enjoy.

Soy Lecithin

I began taking soy lecithin granules. I read that soy lecithin may help me reduce my lipid profile, particularly my total cholesterol level. The chart below represents my lipid profile before I began taking soy lecithin starting May 20. I will keep you posted on my progress. Normally it takes weeks for lecithin to kick in.

My Blood Pressure Readings Over a 17-Month Period [January 12, 2023 - May 19, 2024] (from the time I began taking antihypertensive medications)

 

Myrtle Beach, SC (May 12-14, 2024)...Wild Cactus