by Kurt Stolz

The advent of fall is  a wonderful and mysterious time. As the amount of sunshine decreases, so does chlorophyll production in leaves. Chlorophyll is what turns leaves green and, with the decrease, the striking oranges and yellows that were masked by the green chlorophyl make their appearance. Other pigments can then turn leaves black, blue, red, and purple, among other colors.
Colors vary greatly based on region thanks to factors that …

Weekend Update – News That Matters: Inflation is Lower, Florida Recovers From Milton, Columbus Was a Sephardic Jew, Comet Comes Calling, Subway Series in New York?

by Anna Breuer

“Weekend Update – News that Matters” is a weekly feature that offers brief overviews of important news that might have been overlooked during the weekend lull. Here’s what you may have missed in the period October 11 through October 14.
INFLATION FALLS TO 2.4%, LOWEST LEVEL IN THREE YEARS 
Inflation in the United States continued to cool in September, figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed, translating to an annual …

Christopher Columbus Was a Sephardic Jew, a 20-Year Research Project Discovered

by Paul Riegler

The 15th-century explorer Christopher Columbus, whose voyage to the New World changed the course of global history, was neither a son of Genoa or Italian.
Rather, he was a Sephardic Jew from Western Europe, Spanish scientists said
The findings turn conventional historical wisdom on its head.
What this means is that explorer who played a major part in the creation of Spain’s empire came from the very community that his patrons, King Ferdinand …

Monday is Columbus Day in 2024: Here’s What’s Open and What’s Closed

by Kurt Stolz

Monday, October 14, is Columbus Day in the United States, a holiday that celebrates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas on October 12, 1492.
The voyages of Columbus are considered a turning point in human history, marking the beginning of globalization and accompanying demographic, commercial, economic, social, and political changes.
Columbus was an Italian explorer sailing on behalf of Spain who crossed the Atlantic Ocean in an effort to find …

Midweek Update – News That Matters: Monster Storm Milton Slams Into Florida, 3.4 M Without Power, At Least 4 Dead, U.S. Proposes Google Divestiture, Ethel Kennedy Dies at 96

by Anna Breuer

“Midweek Update – News that Matters” is a weekly feature that offers brief overviews of important news that might have been overlooked during the start of a busy week. Here’s what you may have missed in the period October 7  through October 10.
MONSTER STORM SLAMS INTO FLORIDA, AT LEAST FOUR DEAD, MILLIONS WITHOUT POWER
‘Life-Threatening Storm Surge, Heavy to Excessive Rainfall, Damaging Hurricane-Force Winds’ to Continue for Several Hours, Says National …

Book Review: ‘War’ by Bob Woodward – An Unscripted and Uncensored View of World Leaders of the Current Decade

by Jonathan Spira

Bob Woodward’s new book, “War,” is best described as a series of revelations about the mindsets of some of the most powerful people – ranging from politicians to advisors – in the world during the current decade.  It is intended to be a “behind-the-scenes story of three wars: Ukraine, the Middle East, and the struggle for the American Presidency,” its publisher, Simon and Schuster, writes in describing the tome.
In a …

Weekend Update – News That Matters: Israel Remembers Victims of Hamas Terror Attack, Milton Threatens Florida, SpongeBob Turns 25, New York Pols Both Resign and Are Assaulted

by Anna Breuer

“Weekend Update – News that Matters” is a weekly feature that offers brief overviews of important news that might have been overlooked during the weekend lull. Here’s what you may have missed in the period October 4through September 6.
NOW A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE, MILTON THREATENS FLORIDA WITH A SECOND HISTORIC STORM IN 11 DAYS
[This story was updated Monday, October 7, at noon EDT)
Hurricane Milton is growing in strength in the …

Apple Introduces iOS 18.01 Days After iOS 18 Launch to Address Password Bugs, Freezing Screens and Other Vexing Issues

by Jonathan Spira
Apple Introduces iOS 18.01 Days After iOS 18 Launch to Address Password Bugs, Freezing Screens and Other Vexing Issues

The new Apple iPhone 16 lineup has barely been out for two  week, iOS 18 was  only released days before, and iPadOS 18 for Apple’s tablets was pulled one day after only its release because it bricked a number of iPad Pros with the M43 CPU, and Apple already has an important update to its mobile operating system.
On Friday, Apple released iOS 18.01 and iPadOS 18.01  to provide bug fixes …