I lived in Japan from 1996 until 2008. Since then, I’ve gone back regally, sometimes for extended stays. Recently, I’ve started to really notice the population change. Not when I’m in a Tokyo (although I believe its impacts are there as well). But in Mr SK’s hometown (current population ~62,000), you can feel it, and see the impacts of the aging population …. It’s a bit depressing….

The US defense secretary, ⁠Pete Hegseth, this week ordered an annual testosterone-deficiency screening for active-duty and reserve service members aged 30 and older, which he says will help to maintain military readiness. But many medical professionals warn it might do nothing of the sort and instead could increase service members’ risk of infertility or lead to other consequences if testosterone is prescribed inappropriately. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/18/us-military-testosterone-screening-doctors On a related note.... Retired Adm James Stavridis, former supreme Allied commander, on the testosterone testing (on Smerconish this morning): But let's back up, Michael, does it make sense? I don't think so. When I look at the needs of the 21st century battlefield, sure, you need some big, burly, UFC like guys, maybe on the very front end of things. But who are the -- who are the killers at scale on these battlefields? They're destroyer captains, often women. They're fighter pilots, often women. They're aircraft carrier commanders. Captains of aircraft carriers, recently, a woman. They are cyber warriors. They are drone warriors. Believe me, Ukrainian women have probably put more Russians in their graves than you can imagine. So when I look at the 21st century battlefield, I'm not sure all of those women who are by definition Low T individuals are the problem. And I think testing everybody and then offering testosterone supplements doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If you want to do something smart medically for the force, go back to requiring flu shots, which were taken away by Secretary Hegseth. https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/smer/date/2026-07-18/segment/01

Josh Kerr makes athletics history by shattering one-mile world record in London Time of 3min 42.66sec betters El Guerrouj in 1999 by 0.47 Kerr becomes seventh British man to hold record https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jul/18/josh-kerr-makes-athletics-history-by-shattering-one-mile-world-record-in-london

It sucks she never got justice. His punishment was to not be elected president. You or I would have done real time.

Shapiro is DOA

Nice trick with good potentials. Still need to solve the sound/audio issue. Also brings along use cases for wireless integrated sensing and communication ("ISAC", where you use the wireless communications networks to "detect" objects and motions).

Not sure there's a "science" behind this. There's mathematics, sure. We know the exact mathematical operations performed to train the LLMs and to make use of the LLMs (perform inferences). But I hesitate to say there is "science" behind it because the mathematical operations performed do not attempt to simulate or approximate any physical system. It's like you execute a series of mathematical operations and plot the output of each step onto a canvas using some coordinate system, then you step back and notice some "interesting patterns." Doesn't mean there is a "science" behind your series of mathematical operations, the output just happen to resemble something you deem interesting when mapped using a certain coordinate system.

@Bernard said: @AndyD Yes, that's the one. But I don't like that recording of it. Well she was only 21 years old at the time. It's well beyond my abilities.

These are my people!

Yes, many times! It's right on the way to the member lounge - small bar and lots of tables in the old restaraunt space. Sometimes we just go straight there for a break during a city walk. We'd be happy to take you up there when you are in town if you haven't visited there with Susan!

Sigh, I am just not a bourbon fan. Now, I am interested in American attempts at Scotch-style whisky, but haven’t tasted any yet.

I wonder if Collins is a no vote given a tough election in a bluish state?

I worked as a lifeguard in about 1975-1977. I made $2.50 an hour which would be about 15 bucks today. I got the job because of my brilliant swimming skills and stunning physique, Certainly not because my college basketball coach ran the summer swimming program at the pool..

Immigration and tariffs affecting the Senate race in Texas. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/12/trumps-deportation-drive-tests-gop-gains-in-texas-00993955

There’s an arrow on the right side of the photo that lets you scroll through all the pics, though they are displayed one at a time. I just tried it on my iPad and it let me see maybe four photos before the login screen comes up. On my Windows PC, I could scroll thru all of them. FB is weird

Barely west of Ann Arbor. More like a suburb.

From my assistant Claude. Stage IV NSCLC is normally defined by distant metastasis. But one specific subtype — M1a — covers cases where cancer has spread within the thoracic cavity but not to distant organs: things like malignant pleural or pericardial effusion, or nodules in the opposite lung. That still counts as Stage IV because the disease has crossed outside the primary tumor site and lymph nodes, but it hasn’t gone systemic.