Yet another way of treating refractory atrial fibrillation – with neodymium–iron–boron (NdFeB) magnetic particles in a gel that hardens in 60 seconds. Squirt that into the left atrium, hold the gel in place with a magnetic until it hardens, and then you have ablated the atrium. Right now, other options include the Watchman procedure, the LARIAT, and the AtriClip. This one might be technically easier, but there is some learning curve.
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The Blood of Centenarians Reveals 37 Proteins Linked With Slower Aging. Scientists compared the blood of centerians with hospitalized geriatric patients (age 80–90 years) and younger healthy participants (age 30–60 years), and found 137 differentially-expressed proteins, but there was a subset of 37 proteins with a younger signature in the centenarians. These were felt to be significant. This paper is just hypothesis-generating, and does not translate into action items that one can or should do now.
But here's a paper that says that a more positive attitude towards aging can lead to measurable improvement in certain cognitive and physical functioning parameters. I'm not sure about this study. It has the feel of being one of those research findings that can't be reproduced. But it certainly doesn't hurt to think positively.
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I almost was going to get the new Macbook Pro with the M5 chip, but there are rumors that Apple may release an M6 Macbook Pro this year, too. With an OLED display. Wow. Better wait and see.
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Whenever there's the switch to DST and back we get articles about what's going with legislation to make Standard Time or Daylight Saving Time permanent. Here is such an article. This is why I laugh whenever some angry person says that an issue needs to be decided by Congress. They can't even solve simple things like this. Asking Congress to take care of a problem should be the last resort. Even the Supreme Court resolves issues more quickly.
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Looks like Washington state is going to have a millionaires tax after all. Idiots. Let's see what it does to the affluent people there. Many, of course, can't move quickly, but I bet they will start looking at options. This is the complete opposite of what the dotcom era did to Washington – increased the number of millionaires in the state. This will do the exact opposite. The only thing keeping Oregon from doing something similar is that the state doesn't have enough millionaires to make a difference.
From the 2026 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard:
Nearly three-quarters of Oregonians are grappling with rising living costs, leading to record household debt and a 25% increase in bankruptcy filings in 2025.
According to the 2026 Oregon Financial Wellness Scorecard, these pressures highlight concerning economic and personal finance trends statewide. The scorecard reveals that while median household income rose, nearly half of Oregonians lack emergency savings, unable to cover a $500 expense. Systemic barriers continue to hinder financial progress for many.
Doesn't sound too healthy does it?