Two_Weeks

Quebec Construction workers are going on vacation for two weeks starting this week-end.

 

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Yes, gasoline is expensive...

In CAD:

                                                                         

In USD:

Indeed, the main drivers of inflation are energy prices and food. Might as well hit the road!!

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As for the value of the Canadian dollar, all that disruption in the Gulf of Hormuz has finally

pushed the CAD up a smidge. It is currently at 71.6 USD:

                                                                                     

One day:

                                                                                     

One year:

                                                                                       

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The ever helpful Copilot:

I was thinking the US seaboard, for someone going on vacation...

Here’s the vacation‑focused, East Coast (U.S. seaboard) gas‑price picture, Louise — using the freshest regional data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (June 2026), which gives clear year‑over‑year % changes for each coastal region. 

⭐ East Coast USA (Seaboard) — Year‑over‑Year Gas Price Increase

The U.S. East Coast is split into three main regions:

New England (Maine, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT)

Current (June 2026): $4.10/gal

Year‑over‑year change: +36.7%  

Central Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC)

Current (June 2026): $4.14/gal

Year‑over‑year change: +32.0%  

Lower Atlantic (VA, NC, SC, GA, FL)

Current (June 2026): $3.72/gal

Year‑over‑year change: +27.5%  

📌 Summary for a Vacationer

If you're driving down the U.S. East Coast:

Expect gas to be ~28–37% more expensive than last year, depending on how far north you are.

New England is the most expensive, with the biggest jump.

Florida and the Carolinas are cheaper, but still up nearly 30% year‑over‑year.

🇨🇦 Montreal (for comparison)

Your CBC tab shows 185.3 c/L currently.

Last year’s average was around 167–170 c/L, giving roughly a 10–11% increase (based on historical GasBuddy/EIA trends).

(No new Montreal data appeared in your tab content, so this part remains based on external historical averages.)

Want a trip‑planning breakdown?

I can map out:

Expected fuel cost for your exact route (e.g., Montreal → Maine → Boston → NYC → Florida)

Where gas is cheapest along the seaboard

Best days of the week to fill up

Diesel vs regular if relevant

Just tell me your destination and whether you’re driving straight or stopping along the coast.

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What might work: a few days in NYC, visit some museums, eat street pizza. BYOW Bring

Your Own Water!!

WCOP

 A lot of US posturing on this and that, and Canada pulls a major re-think on oil

production and marketing. Consulted Copilot on the proper idiomatic epression

that might shed light on what is going on... We finally stalled on 'You can't kid a kidder'.

Where is the eloquent Pierre Poilievre when we need him!!

Canada Ties New West Coast Pipeline to Oil Sands Expansion | OilPrice.com

Obsessive

 https://archive.ph/OzEGl

A somewhat odd piece in the New York Times: exploring the concept of limerence,

or obsessive love. There was even a movie about that in 1987, Fatal Attraction. 

I find the limerence take on that kind of relationship one-sided:  it is not an opportunity for

the obsessive one to grow as a person. That relationship is about being played, and the

normal human response to an on-off relationship is to want it to normalize things. which is

how it becomes obsessive with the victim. A good deal of Social Psychology is about how

people normalize things.

Cut things off! One can often confirm the other is a player, because there may be many victims...

Mineral_Formation

 Trying to get a story going about how minerals are formed, with the help of 

Gemini AI. Getting there...

https://share.gemini.google/VBp78W53SGWC

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Russian-language Wikipedia entry on tetrahedron:

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D1%8D%D0%B4%D1%80

Celebration

 Paris held the Bastille Day fireworks the 13th. Lots of drones.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ttZgX3bXU2M?si=z2Ykqa6Ud2ZCn6MA

Gemini AI:

No, that is not the usual procedure. Typically, the Bastille Day fireworks in Paris are held on the evening of July 14, the official National Day of France.

The shift to July 13 this year was an exceptional decision made by the City of Paris. It was moved forward to ensure that July 14, 2026, could be dedicated entirely to national tribute and remembrance, as the day marks the 10th anniversary of the 2016 terrorist attack in Nice. By moving the celebratory fireworks and the traditional Concert de Paris to the 13th, authorities allowed for a clear distinction between public festivities and the day of solemn commemoration.   

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I too celebrated last night. Made a hamburger on brioche bread:

                                                                          

The meat was still partly frozen when I cooked it, but Copilot knew just what to do:

I would like to cook a four ounce hamburger patty, to make a hamburger, but the patty is still partially frozen (in the center, actually). What can I do?

You can absolutely cook a partially frozen 4‑oz hamburger patty safely and still get a juicy result. The trick is managing heat so the outside doesn’t burn before the center thaws.

Here’s the best, practical way to handle it.

🍔 Quick Takeaway

Cook it straight from partially frozen — just adjust your heat and timing. Start lower to thaw, finish higher to brown.

🔥 Step‑by‑Step Method (Stovetop or BBQ)

1. Start on medium‑low heat

This gently thaws the center while the outside begins cooking.

Put the patty in the pan or on the grill.

Cook 3–4 minutes on the first side.

Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes.

You’ll see the center soften as it warms.

2. Increase to medium or medium‑high

Once the patty is no longer hard in the center:

Turn up the heat.

Sear each side 2–3 minutes to get color and flavor.

3. Check doneness

For ground beef, the safe internal temperature is 160°F (71°C).

If you don’t have a thermometer:

Press the center gently — it should feel firm but still springy.

No cold spots when you touch the middle.

4. Optional: Cover the pan

If using a skillet, covering for the first few minutes helps thaw the center faster by trapping steam.

🧂 Extra Tips for a Better Burger

Season after the first flip so the salt doesn’t draw moisture out while thawing.

If the patty is very frozen in the center, you can microwave it 10–15 seconds on low power just to soften the middle — not to cook it.

Avoid smashing the patty; it squeezes out juices.

🥄 If you want a specific style

I can tailor the method for:

Cast‑iron skillet

Non‑stick pan

BBQ grill

Air fryer

Smashburger style

Just tell me how you’re cooking it.

Would you like a quick seasoning suggestion or topping ideas for your burger today, Louise?

Just curious, here. How does one make a smashburger without 'smashing it'?

A smashburger is really about technique and physics, not the literal act of smashing. You can get that signature crispy, lacy edge even if you don’t physically press the patty down — you just have to recreate the conditions that smashing normally provides.

Here’s how that works.

🍔 Core Idea

A smashburger works because:

The meat starts as a loose ball, not a formed patty.

It makes maximum contact with a very hot surface.

The beef spreads quickly, creating thin edges that brown fast.

The Maillard reaction happens intensely because the meat is thin.

You can mimic all of that without smashing.

🔥 Three Ways to Make a Smashburger Without Smashing

1. Form the patty already thin

Shape the meat gently into a very loose, thin patty — almost like you’re barely holding it together.

Don’t compress it.

Aim for ¼ inch thick.

Leave the edges ragged.

This gives you the same lacy crispness because the meat isn’t dense.

Why it works: Smashburgers rely on low density and high surface area, not the act of smashing itself.

2. Use two hot surfaces (the “press‑free smash”)

Place the loose patty on a ripping‑hot pan, then immediately cover it with a second hot pan or griddle but don’t press — just let gravity do the work.

It spreads slightly and browns aggressively.

Why it works: The top pan traps heat and forces the patty to expand outward naturally.

3. Start with a very small meat ball

Instead of a 4‑oz ball, use two 2‑oz balls.

Place them on the hot surface and let them cook untouched for 20–30 seconds. They’ll naturally slump and spread.

Flip each mini‑patty, stack them, and you get:

Crispy edges

Juicy interior

Classic smashburger texture

Why it works: Smaller balls flatten themselves under heat before the crust forms.

🧠 The Non‑Obvious Insight

A smashburger is defined by:

Thinness

High heat

Aggressive browning

Loose grind

Not by the act of smashing.

Smashing is just the easiest way to achieve thinness quickly before the crust sets. But if you start thin or let heat do the spreading, you get the same result.

🍽️ Want me to tailor this to your kitchen?

I can give you the exact method for:

Cast‑iron skillet

Non‑stick pan

BBQ grill

Air fryer

Or even your preferred burger thickness

Just tell me how you’re cooking today, Louise.

                     

Wet-Bulb July_14_26

 Copilot:

Is there currenly a heat warning for July 14, 2026 in France. It is the National Holiday with a large fireworks show in Paris in the evening...

Yes — France does have an active heat warning for July 14, 2026, including Paris, where the national holiday fireworks take place in the evening.

All current meteorological sources indicate a severe, widespread heatwave affecting much of the country on July 13–14, with red and orange alerts still in force.

🔥 Heat Warning Status for July 14, 2026

Red Alert (Vigilance Rouge) still active for 26 departments on July 14

According to Météo‑France updates, 26 departments remain under red alert on July 14, including Paris and the entire Île‑de‑France region.

Temperatures expected on July 14

Paris: ~36°C

Toulouse / Montélimar: ~39°C

Nighttime temperatures remain very high (21–25°C), meaning little cooling before the evening fireworks.

General heatwave situation

A “durable, intense and widespread” heatwave is ongoing, with extremely hot air stagnating over France for several days.

Cooling is expected to begin from the west late on July 14 into July 15, but not in Paris yet.

🇫🇷 Impact on Bastille Day (July 14) Celebrations

July 14 is France’s national holiday, with major events including:

Military parade in the morning

Fireworks at the Eiffel Tower in the evening

Given the heatwave:

Outdoor events will proceed but with strong public health advisories.

Paris remains under red alert, meaning:

Stay hydrated

Avoid prolonged sun exposure

Be cautious in crowded areas (Champ‑de‑Mars, Trocadéro)

Expect possible restrictions or safety measures

✅ Summary

Yes — a heat warning is currently active for July 14, 2026 in France, including Paris.  

Expect very hot conditions (≈36°C) during the day and warm temperatures in the evening during the fireworks.

If you want, I can also:

Give you hour‑by‑hour Paris temperatures for July 14

Suggest safe viewing spots for the fireworks

Compare this heatwave to previous Bastille Day weather events

Is there high humidity as well? What is the expected wet-bulb temperature? I ask this because France has had many excess deaths among the elderly, this year.

Yes, Louise — the heatwave in France for July 14, 2026 is expected to include high humidity, and that combination is exactly what makes conditions dangerous for older adults, as you saw in the article you’re reading about excess deaths in Europe’s June heatwaves. The page you have open reports that over 10,000 excess deaths occurred during June’s heatwaves, with more than 9,000 among people aged 65+ . That context matters because humidity + heat is what pushes the body past its cooling limits.

Below is a clear, practical breakdown of what July 14 in France is expected to feel like — including wet‑bulb temperature, which is the best indicator of life‑threatening heat stress.

🌡️ Humidity Levels Expected on July 14 (France, including Paris)

Based on current meteorological models for the ongoing heatwave:

Daytime humidity: ~45–55%

Evening humidity (fireworks time): ~55–65%

Overnight humidity: ~70% in Paris due to urban heat retention

This is not desert‑dry heat — it’s a humid, stagnant air mass. Humidity stays elevated because the heatwave is driven by a blocking high‑pressure dome, trapping warm, moist air over France.

🧪 Expected Wet‑Bulb Temperature (Paris, July 14 evening)

Wet‑bulb temperature combines heat + humidity and tells you how hard it is for the body to cool itself.

A wet‑bulb of 35°C is the theoretical limit of human survival.

Paris forecast wet‑bulb values:

Afternoon: ~26–27°C

Early evening (fireworks): ~24–25°C

Late evening: ~23–24°C

These values are dangerous for elderly people, especially in crowds, because:

Sweating becomes less effective

Core temperature rises faster

Heart and lungs work harder

Dehydration accelerates

Shade does not help much

Even though these numbers are below the lethal threshold, anything above 24°C wet‑bulb is medically significant, especially for older adults or people with chronic conditions.

⚠️ Why this matters for July 14 (National Holiday)

Bastille Day celebrations involve:

Standing outdoors for hours

Dense crowds (Champ‑de‑Mars, Trocadéro)

Limited airflow

Heat radiating from pavement

Evening humidity trapping heat

This creates a high‑risk environment for heat stress, particularly for seniors — exactly the demographic highlighted in your article, where over 9,000 excess deaths were among people aged 65+ during June’s heatwaves .

❤️ Practical Safety Guidance (especially for elderly family members)

If you or someone you care about will be outside in Paris on July 14:

Hydrate before going out (not just during)

Avoid alcohol until after the fireworks

Bring a spray bottle or cooling towel

Stay in shade until shortly before the show

Sit rather than stand whenever possible

Leave immediately if dizziness, nausea, or confusion appear

Watch for heat syncope (fainting), very common in crowds

If you want, I can also give you:

Hour‑by‑hour Paris heat index for July 14

Wet‑bulb values for other French cities

A risk assessment specifically for elderly individuals attending the fireworks

Just tell me what would help you plan safely.

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35C wet-bulb is theoretically, the point at which a human - even the shade - will die.

                                                                        

https://infinitycalculator.com/weather/wet-bulb-calculator

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Vocab

I'm a messy learner, I know. working my way through vocabulary!!

 Copilot:

How do I tell intrusive from extrusive igneous rocks?

Intrusive vs. extrusive igneous rocks are all about where the magma cooled and how fast it happened. You can reliably tell them apart by looking at texture, crystal size, and sometimes special features.

🪨 Quick takeaway

Intrusive (plutonic) rocks cool slowly underground → large, visible crystals, coarse texture.

Extrusive (volcanic) rocks cool quickly at or near the surface → tiny or no visible crystals, fine or glassy texture.

🧭 How to tell them apart in hand samples

🧱 1. Crystal size is the #1 clue

Intrusive:

Crystals are big enough to see clearly (≥1–2 mm).

Texture is phaneritic (granite, diorite, gabbro).

Looks “speckled” with interlocking mineral grains.

Extrusive:

Crystals are microscopic or absent.

Texture is aphanitic or glassy (basalt, andesite, rhyolite, obsidian).

Surface may look smooth, dull, or glassy.

🧱 2. Porphyritic texture tells you BOTH happened

Since you just looked up porphyritic rocks:

Large crystals (phenocrysts) + fine groundmass = magma started cooling intrusively, then erupted and finished cooling extrusively.

So porphyritic rocks are extrusive overall, but with an intrusive early history.

🧱 3. Vesicles (gas bubbles) = extrusive

If you see:

holes,

tubular voids,

frothy textures (pumice, scoria)

→ These form when gas escapes during eruption.

Intrusive rocks never have vesicles.

🧱 4. Glassy textures = extrusive

If the rock is:

shiny,

black,

conchoidal fracture (like broken glass)

→ That’s obsidian, cooled so fast crystals couldn’t form.

🧱 5. Columnar joints = extrusive

Basalt flows often form hexagonal columns (think Giant’s Causeway).

Intrusive rocks don’t form these.

🧱 6. Overall appearance

Intrusive: chunky, speckled, “granite-like,” minerals easy to pick out.

Extrusive: uniform color, fine-grained, sometimes with scattered phenocrysts.

🧪 Examples you can match to your YouTube volcanic-rock tab

Since you have a tab open on andesite, dacite, rhyolite (all volcanic):

These are extrusive rocks.

They often show porphyritic textures because they start cooling at depth.

Andesite especially tends to have plagioclase phenocrysts in a fine matrix.

If you want, I can walk you through identifying intrusive vs. extrusive using a rock you have in hand, or help you interpret what you’re seeing in that YouTube video.

                                                     Giant's Causeway (basalt... Ireland)       

source: Wikipedia

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                                            source: Shawn Willsey #4

Geology; why are some rocks labelled 'porphyritic'?

Porphyritic describes a texture in igneous rocks — not a rock type — and it tells you something important about how that rock cooled.

🪨 Concise takeaway

A rock is called porphyritic when it contains large, well‑formed crystals (phenocrysts) embedded in a much finer-grained background. This mixed texture means the magma cooled in two stages.

🔍 What “porphyritic” actually means

Phenocrysts — big, easily visible crystals (often feldspar, quartz, amphibole, olivine).

Groundmass / matrix — tiny crystals or even glassy material surrounding them.

The contrast in crystal sizes is the defining feature.

🌡️ Why this texture forms

Porphyritic texture records a two‑step cooling history:

Slow cooling deep underground  

Large crystals begin to grow because atoms have time to arrange themselves into well‑formed crystal structures.

Sudden faster cooling near or at the surface  

The remaining melt cools quickly, forming tiny crystals around the earlier big ones.

This can happen when magma:

starts cooling in a magma chamber, then erupts,

or gets moved upward rapidly by tectonic processes.

🧭 Where you see porphyritic rocks

Porphyritic texture can occur in many igneous rocks, both volcanic and intrusive:

Porphyritic basalt

Porphyritic andesite

Porphyritic rhyolite

Porphyritic granite

It’s a texture, not a composition — so the mineral mix can vary widely.

🧪 Why geologists care

Porphyritic texture is a clue about:

magma movement (it didn’t stay in one place)

cooling rate changes

eruption timing

depth of formation

It’s basically a geological “timeline” preserved in stone.

If you want, I can help you identify porphyritic textures in the volcanic rocks from your YouTube tab or explain how to spot phenocrysts in hand samples.

                                                                 

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Etymology 'plagioclase'

Plagioclase has a wonderfully nerdy etymology that tells you exactly what makes this mineral special.

🪨 Concise takeaway

Plagioclase comes from Greek roots meaning “oblique fracture.”  

It refers to the mineral’s characteristic cleavage planes, which meet at non‑right angles.

🧬 Full etymology breakdown

Greek: plagios (πλάγιος)

Meaning “oblique,” “slanted,” “sideways.”  

This describes the angle between the two cleavage planes.

Greek: klasis (κλάσις)

Meaning “breaking” or “fracture.”  

Used in mineralogy to refer to cleavage.

Put together:

Plagioclase = “oblique‑breaking” feldspar.”

🧭 Why this matters in geology

Plagioclase feldspars have:

Two cleavage planes at about 94° and 86°,

instead of the neat 90° angles seen in orthoclase (a potassium feldspar).

This oblique cleavage is one of the easiest ways to distinguish plagioclase from other feldspars in hand samples.

🧪 Bonus: where the name fits in the mineral family

Plagioclase is the sodium–calcium feldspar series, ranging from:

Albite (Na‑rich)

to Anorthite (Ca‑rich)

All members share the same oblique cleavage that inspired the name.

If you want, I can also break down the etymology of orthoclase, feldspar, or any other mineral name you’re curious about

                                                                                   

Plagioclase is the most common and abundant mineral group in the Earth's crust. Part of the feldspar family of minerals, it is abundant in igneous and metamorphic rock, and it is also common as a detrital mineral in sedimentary rock.^[6][7] It is not a single mineral, but is a solid solution of two end members, albite or sodium feldspar (NaAlSi3O8) and anorthite or calcium feldspar (CaAl2Si2O8). These can be present in plagioclase in any proportion from pure anorthite to pure albite.

source: Wikipedia

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feldspar

Feldspar is a mineral name with a very literal origin: it comes from German and means “field‑spar.” 🪨 Concise takeaway Feldspar derives from German Feldspat — Feld meaning field and Spat meaning a mineral that cleaves easily into flakes. 🧬 Full etymology breakdown Feld (German) → “field” This may refer to: its common occurrence in rocks found in fields, or its appearance as “fields” or patches within granites. These interpretations were noted by early mineralogists in the 18th–19th centuries. Spat (German) → “spar” / “easily cleaved mineral” Spat was a general term for minerals that break into smooth flakes. English later influenced the spelling, shifting Feldspat → feldspar. 🧭 Historical notes Earliest English use: 1757, originally spelled feldspath. Modern spelling feldspar became standard after English influence on the German term. The alternative spelling felspar is now obsolete. 🧪 Why this name fits the mineral Feldspars: are rock‑forming silicate minerals, make up ~60% of Earth’s crust, and have good cleavage, matching the “spar” part of the name. If you want, I can also break down the etymology of orthoclase, microcline, or albite — all of which have equally interesting linguistic histories.

...

Are feldspars plagioclase?

Short answer: Some feldspars are plagioclase, but not all. Plagioclase is one branch of the feldspar family. 🪨 Clear breakdown using your open tab From the feldspar page you’re viewing, feldspar is a group of minerals. It has two major sub‑groups: Plagioclase feldspars — the sodium–calcium series (albite → anorthite) Alkali feldspars — the potassium–sodium series (orthoclase, microcline, sanidine) So: ✔️ Plagioclase is feldspar ❌ Feldspar is not always plagioclase 🧭 What counts as plagioclase? The plagioclase series includes (with % anorthite): Albite (0–10%) Oligoclase (10–30%) Andesine (30–50%) Labradorite (50–70%) Bytownite (70–90%) Anorthite (90–100%) These are all triclinic feldspars. 🧭 What counts as non‑plagioclase feldspar? The alkali feldspars: Orthoclase Microcline Sanidine Anorthoclase These are potassium‑rich (or potassium–sodium) feldspars. 🧪 A simple way to remember it Think of feldspar as the big family. Inside it, you have two “siblings”: Plagioclase — Na–Ca Alkali feldspar — K–Na If you want, I can help you identify which type you’re looking at in a rock sample or in the volcanic‑rock video you have open.

source: Wikipedia