Best and Worst Sleep ever.

 I was sleeping so sound last night - - until I wasn't. 

I think I had a nocturnal epileptic seizure or something - while I was in a deep sleep (and dreaming)... It was horrible. Then I woke up with the worst migraine ever. 

I feel exhauted because of what happened last night. 

Today was productive. We got the tire patched - it was free. Gave the guy a $10 tip.. 

Went to Lowes and bought a new water filter for the refrigerator. 

I am craving sushi. 

Nuclear Power is the Most Reliable Energy Source

 Nuclear energy is America’s work horse.

It’s been rolling up its sleeves for six decades now to provide constant, reliable, carbon-free power to millions of Americans.

Just how reliable has nuclear energy been?

Electricity generation from commercial nuclear power plants in the United States began in 1958. At the end of 2021, the United States had 93 operating commercial nuclear reactors at 55 nuclear power plants in 28 states. The average age of these nuclear reactors is about 40 years old. The oldest operating reactor, Nine Mile Point Unit 1 in New York, began commercial operation in December 1969. The newest reactor to enter service, Watts Bar Unit 2, came online in 2016—the first reactor to come online since 1996 when the Watts Bar Unit 1 came online. According to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as of November 2021, there were 23 shut down commercial nuclear power reactors at 19 sites in various stages of decommissioning

U.S. nuclear electricity generation capacity peaked in 2012 at about 102,000 MW when there were 104 operating nuclear reactors. At the end of 2021, there were 93 operating reactors with a combined generation capacity of about 95,492 MW. In 2013 through 2019, annual nuclear generation capacity and electricity generation increased each year (except in 2017) even as the number of operating reactors declined. Power plant uprates—modifications to increase capacity—at nuclear power plants have made it possible for the entire operating nuclear reactor fleet to maintain a relatively consistent total electricity generation capacity. These uprates, combined with high-capacity utilization rates (or capacity factors), helped nuclear power plants maintain a consistent share of about 20% of total annual U.S. electricity generation from 1990 through 2021. Some reactors also increased annual electricity generation by shortening the length of time reactors are offline for refueling.

Ons you can see, nuclear energy has by far the highest capacity factor of any other energy source. This basically means nuclear power plants are producing maximum power more than 92% of the time during the year.

That’s about nearly 2 times more as natural gas and coal units, and almost 3 times or more reliable than wind and solar plants.

Why Are Nuclear Power Plants More Reliable?

Nuclear power plants are typically used more often because they require less maintenance and are designed to operate for longer stretches before refueling (typically every 1.5 or 2 years).

Natural gas and coal capacity factors are generally lower due to routine maintenance and/or refueling at these facilities.

Renewable plants are considered intermittent or variable sources and are mostly limited by a lack of fuel (i.e. wind, sun, or water). As a result, these plants need a backup power source such as large-scale storage (not currently available at grid-scale)—or they can be paired with a reliable baseload power like nuclear energy.

Why Does This Matter?

A typical nuclear reactor produces 1 gigawatt (GW) of electricity. That doesn’t mean you can simply replace it with a 1 gigawatt coal or renewable plant.

Based on the capacity factors above, you would need almost two coal or three to four renewable plants (each of 1 GW size) to generate the same amount of electricity onto the grid. December 2, 1942, under the bleachers of the football stadium at the University of Chicago, Dr. Enrico Fermi initiated the first controlled nuclear chain reaction. The experiment, conducted as part of the wartime atomic bomb program, also led to peaceful uses of the atom, including construction of the first U.S. commercial nuclear power plant at Shippingport, Pennsylvania, in 1958.

Twenty eight states have at least one commercial nuclear reactor

Most U.S. commercial nuclear power reactors are located east of the Mississippi River. Illinois has more reactors than any state (11 reactors at 6 plants), and at the end of 2021, it had the largest total nuclear net summer electricity generation capacity at about 11,582 megawatts (MW). The Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi, has the largest U.S. nuclear reactor with an electricity generating capacity of about 1,400 MW. The two smallest operating reactors, each with a net summer generating capacity of about 520 MW, are at the Prairie Island nuclear plant in Red Wing, Minnesota. Two new nuclear reactors are under construction in Georgia, each with a planned electricity generation capacity of about 1,100 MW.Twenty eight states have at least one commercial nuclear reactor

Most U.S. commercial nuclear power reactors are located east of the Mississippi River. Illinois has more reactors than any state (11 reactors at 6 plants), and at the end of 2021, it had the largest total nuclear net summer electricity generation capacity at about 11,582 megawatts (MW). The Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi, has the largest U.S. nuclear reactor with an electricity generating capacity of about 1,400 MW. The two smallest operating reactors, each with a net summer generating capacity of about 520 MW, are at the Prairie Island nuclear plant in Red Wing, Minnesota. Two new nuclear reactors are under construction in Georgia, each with a planned electricity generation capacity of about 1,100 MW.

Kai Winn at her finest! - Deep Space Nine

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_Np1R_ZeWg&ab_channel=EricRuskoski

"Feel free to stay as many days as you'd like, even a week if necessary."

Louise Fletcher July 22, 1934 – September 23, 2022

 Louise Fletcher - aka - Kai Winn Adami sadly passed away today at the age of 88.

Here is an excerpt from https://www.darkhorizons.com/r-i-p-louise-fletcher/

Oscar winner Louise Fletcher has died at her home in Montdurausse, France. She was 88 and reportedly passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family.

Fletcher won her award for her role as the sadistic Nurse Ratched in Milos Forman’s 1975 feature “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” creating one of the screen’s most iconic villains in the form of her bureaucratic cruel authority figure.

Over twenty years later, she became known to a whole new generation on television with her recurring key role as the self-serving Bajoran religious leader Kai Winn on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” in the late 1990s.

She is survived by sons John and Andrew Bick, granddaughter Emilee Kaya Bick, sister Roberta Ray and brother-in-law Edward Ray, and 10 nieces and nephews.

The EASIEST Loaded Potato Soup | Slow Cooker Recipes #cooking

The Legend of Zelda - Medley - Piano Duet FT. Frank Tedesco

Flipping Out (one of the best shows I've ever watched)

 

I've been under-the-weather lately with Covid, and a back injury, so I've been sitting on the couch watching old episodes of 'Flipping Out' with Jeff Lewis. 

I LOVE IT! 

Yes, the show is dated (they have Razor phones and talk about MySpace) but Jeff Lewis makes it.. He just makes it.

I just finished Season 1, and now I am starting on Season 2.

5/5 Stars! 

My tastebuds have changed...nothing tastes good

 Ever since I had Covid (10 times) - nothing is tasting good anymore. 

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

 My mom and I just got done watching a movie called, 'Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont'... The movie is based on the book by Elizabeth Taylor. (Not the actress that you might be thinking of, but by an English author)

I haven't had time to go to the library to rent the book, but in the next few months I'm going to do that and I'll write a review on the book.

I saw this movie once before, quite a few years ago, and although I didn't remember the details of the movie, I remembered that it was a film that I enjoyed thoroughly. Watching it a second time, I can tell you that I feel exactly the same. This movie is an emotional imprint on my mind, my heart and my soul.

Every single character is written with love. The story is written with compassion and love behind it.

The acting is phenomenal and the chemistry between Joan Plowright and Rupert Friend is substantially one of the best relationships I've ever seen in a movie.

In the plot the main character Mrs. Palfrey has a very strained and distant relationship with her daughter who lives in Scotland and her grandson who lives in London.

It never goes into great detail. Why there is an emotional distance between her and her daughter and her and her grandson.. perhaps the book will shed some more light onto the story.

I'm emotional because it's a tearjerker. The movie is one about life and death. But it's about so much more than that. 

Ultimately it's about that special type of relationship and person that we can all be So lucky to find one day, even if they're in our lives for a few days or a few weeks.

I would have to say this is probably one of my top 100 movies.

Rupert Friend is so beautiful physically in this movie, but his acting is so natural and calming. Every scene with him and Joan takes you out of everyday life and puts you back in London in 2005.

And although this movie takes place in 2005, it does not feel dated at all. There are small little reminders that the film is a pre-smartphone film. UCS cell phone circa 2004 or 2005... You don't see any type of smartphone or tablet.

But other than these few tiny instances the film could easily take place in 2010 2020 or 2050.

It's a timeless movie, because it's about humans and the love and compassion that we can have for one another.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but I'm just so grateful that I got to see this film and also share it with my mom.

If anybody ever comes across this blog post, I encourage you to find this movie online or search for the DVD.

Apologies if my writing is incoherent I probably should have waited several days to write about this movie but it's on my mind right now and I just have to tell you how much I love it...

I think if you watch this movie you'll enjoy it too.

I may write more about this film in a future blog post and I will definitely be writing about the book once I have read it.

Rest in Peace Jennifer Gwen Ann

My soul is hurt by the passing of Jennifer. I remember watching her YouTube videos, many years ago. 

https://www.youtube.com/user/LifeByJen

My heart also break for her boyfriend and life partner Gene. 

I pray you rest in peace, and I thank you for making the Earth a better place. You will be missed. 

Note: I am devastated. I feel like crying. 

https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_gwen_ann/?hl=en

 

Why outlawing cannabis was a HUGE mistake

MADtv Easy Bake Oven Spishak

Debra Wilson is beyond talented. In it's early days, MadTv was the absolute best. 

Grief is the price we pay for love

 Grief is the price we pay for love

We Choose ( The Galaxy Song ) – feat. Zena Emad, Maritta Hallani & Donia...

Dealing with Depression and his friend Anxiety...

 Most people would be content with life - if they were in my shoes. I have a nice home, a nice car, stable income... but... nothing is too stable. 

My home, is a bedroom I rent for $650 per month. My car, is not mine... my income is very little. I'm in debt up to my eyeballs. 

I am going to try and start a business soon. Hopefully I will earn enough to pay off all my debt, buy a car, and get my life in order.