Remembering Ing & John’s Street Art 2019 before the COVID-19 arrived, New York Times, AXIOS, PBS News, and NBC News

Remembering Ing & John’s Street Art 2019 before the COVID-19 arrived, New York Times, AXIOS, PBS News, and NBC News

Remembering Ing & John’s Street Art 2019 before the COVID-19 arrived

Ing & John’s Street Art 2019, Downtown Newark, New Jersey, USA

Kai, The Artist, and Ing and John’s Artwork

July – December, 2019

Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

My first day of Street art was on Friday, July 26, 2019.  I took some plants from our backyard garden to display in front of our shop.  I started my first display of artwork with “Elephants at the Water Lily Pond” I produced in 1999.  There are always people walking by our place, but more during lunch time.  Most of them are the office workers.  Also, in the evening, people walk by going home from work.  Some people are interested in the artwork, and ask questions, while others are oblivious to the artwork that I display.

I love plants and flowers.  It makes me happy when I see the freshness of green leaves and beautiful flowers blooming.   Our shop is closed temporally, and the window gate is down. I thought that if I display our artwork and some of the plants from our backyard garden in front of the shop gate, it would make it more pleasant for the people who pass by.  I am happy to do it, and I hope the artwork and the plants will help the downtown office workers or others feel fresh and lively.    

I love street art for many reasons. First of all, the artwork is there for the public.  It is for everyone who passes to their destination.  Without spending time visiting art galleries or museums, they can see art while they are going to work or getting lunch.  Some may pay attention to the artwork and some may not.  Some may ask questions about the artwork.  I hope, at least the artwork will activate the thought process of those passing by.

This artwork of mine titled, “I Have A Dream – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr”, I displayed from, Wednesday, August 14, 2019, to August 21, 2019.  I produced this work in 2010.  I also added more plants to fill the front of shop space.

My Thai classical artwork was displayed on Thursday, August 22, 2019.  I produced this artwork in1994.

For more photos and information, please visit the following link:

Ing & John’s Street Art and International Street Art-Part 1

https://ingpeaceproject.com/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art-part-1/

On Monday, August 28, 2019 John added his work to the display.  John’s artwork is on the far left, “Impossible Dreamer”.  “Gandhi Man of Peace”, in the middle is my artwork, which I produced in 2010.  The far right is John’s artwork “Beneath the Lake”.  Thanks to John Watts, my husband, for helping to display the artwork in a better presentation.

I am happy to display our artworks in public.  There seems to be a positive reaction from the people who view them.  People comment about the beautiful plants and unique artwork.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts and John Watts, Monday, October 7, 2019

I am very happy to have an opportunity to display our artworks in public.  There were people asking some questions about our artwork.  Some people took pictures of our artwork.   It seems to be a positive reaction from the people who view them.  People comment about the beautiful plants and unique artwork.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts and John Watts, Tuesday, October 22, 2019

For more photos and information, please visit the following link:

Ing & John’s Street Art and International Street Art-Part 3

https://ingpeaceproject.com/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art/ing-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art-part-3/

Kai, our grandson, who love to do painting.  He volunteers to do artwork in front our shop.

This is the nature of life.  One minute we are here and the second minute we are gone.  What remains’ is what we did with the minutes before, while we are still alive on earth.

On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, while we were taking our artwork down at night time, a homeless man asked me, “Do you sell the paintings?”.  “No, I said, we put our artwork up for people to see, and it makes the sidewalk more pleasant to walk by.”   Then he pointed to my Gandhi artwork and asked “Who is this man?” I explained to him that “His name is Gandhi.  He helped his country of India to gain independence from the 200-hundred-year rule by the British Empire.  He achieved this by non-violent mean.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who fought for human rights in this country, USA, followed Gandhi’s non-violent philosophy.  I felt very glad that the homeless man asked me the questions. 

I do not think that homeless people or working-class people will have a much of an opportunity to visit art galleries or museums. This is one of the reasons that I love Street Art.  The artwork is in public view.  Some might like the artwork or some might not, but it can create inter action and activate the viewers to think.  This thinking process helps create learning and reasoning about what others show or tell you to believe. 

There are some people asking us about our artwork that we display in front of our building.  So, we decided to post a sign to let people know who did the artwork along with my Peace Poem.

Little one on mother’s bosoms

Happy to hang along

Where ever she goes

Ride, ride, ride

Happy mother and happy child

I am a lucky one

Ride, ride, ride

Mommy, Daddy I love you

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, November 10, 2019

I wish some of the homeless children that I saw in the parks or the public library will have comfort and be as well provided for as this child.

This past summer I took our grandson, Kai to Newark Museum, I found out that it is free admissions for Newark residents, for others it cost $15.00 for an adult and $7.00 for a child.  I took Kai to Military Park to play.  I met a woman who has seven children and is not a Newark resident, so she can only bring the children to the park and cannot afford to pay for the Museum entrance tickets.  I think the working-class, poor, and homeless children, need as much as education as they can possibly have.  Museums and libraries are good places for children to learn.  They can form good habits of learning and be able to do well in school and have ambition to get higher education, such as college or university.  Education can help people get out of poverty. The cities nearby Newark, such as Irvington, Jersey City, and others cities have poor and working-class children.  These youngsters will be left out of the experience and enjoyment of seeing the fantastic artwork collections that Newark Museum offers to Newark residents, and well to do families out of town that can afford the price of admission.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Thursday, November 14, 2019

For more photos and information, please visit the following link:

Ing & John’s Street Art and International Street Art-Part 5

https://ingpeaceproject.com/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art/ing-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art-part-5/

Left:        Midnight – John Watts’ Artwork

Middle: Vincent van Gogh and his letters to his brother – Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts’ Artwork

Right:    Homage to the Dragon – John Watts’ Artwork

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts and John Watts, Saturday, November 30, 2019

Kai, The Artist our grandson, who just turned four years old.

It was time for the four-year-old artist to relax and play.

I have a better chance to learn human behavior and development from our grandson than our only daughter when she was young.  This was because we were so busy with working and now, we have more time to observe our grandson’s interaction with other children, including his behavior as a baby and his progress up to now.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts and John Watts, Saturday, November 30, 2019

For more photos and information, please visit the following link:

Ing & John’s Street Art and International Street Art-Part 7

https://ingpeaceproject.com/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art/ing-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art-part-7/

I am done, Grandma!

Time to run

And have fun

Catch me

If you can

Run Grandma run

Fun, fun, fun

You can’t catch me!

It’s great fun to

Run, run, run

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Emerging Cinderella from pink flower    

Modified Artwork by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

Vincent van Gogh admiring flowers

Artwork by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

Hi! Mr. Kai!

How are you?

Hello Mr. Snake!

I am fine

Thank you

How are you, Mr. Snake?

I miss you Kai

I was alone in the box last night!

Can I kiss you?

No! You might bite me!

I am not going to bite you

See! I have no teeth

I only have long tongue to smell you

OK! You can kiss me

And you are going to sleep with me tonight

Can I hug you, Kai?

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Kai was talking to his mother about the Magic Dragon.

Now, the Magic dragon has appeared.  Trick or treat anybody???

For more photos and information, please visit the following link:

Ing & John’s Street Art and International Street Art-Part 9

https://ingpeaceproject.com/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art/ing-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art-part-9/

Left:        Midnight – John Watts’ Artwork

Middle: Vincent van Gogh’s Broken Frames– Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts’ Artwork

Right:    Homage to the Dragon – John Watts’ Artwork

John Watts’ Sculptures

Kai’s Painting on Friday, September 13, 2019

After working very hard with his painting, the artist spends time to exam the flowers.

For more photos and information, please visit the following link:

Ing & John’s Street Art and International Street Art-Part 11

https://ingpeaceproject.com/ing-and-johns-street-art-and-international-street-art/ing-johns-street-art-and-the-international-street-art-part-11/

The reason I am re-posting some parts of, Ing & John’s Street Art of 2019, is because I miss our life and activities before COVID-19 arrived.  I enjoyed posting our artwork on our shop window shutter.  I had a chance to see people outside the house.  Especially, when I had conversations with people who were interested in our artwork.  We usually went to do our shopping, especially for food in different places.  We went to obtain our Chinese food at China Town in New York City.  After we had some food from China Town, we would head to Central Park, Washington Park.  John had some of his readings, and plays performed in NYC, which was his best opportunity to meet friends involved in theater. 

On March 10, 2020, I went to a hospital to support our daughter when she gave birth to our second grandson, Bodhi.  That is the last day I step outside our house until now.  It will be two years next month since that event.  Thanks to my husband, John Watts for doing all the grocery shopping and other necessary activities outside of the house.  When the weather is warm, I would go to the backyard and tend my garden, enjoying and seeing the flowers bloom.  Some butterflies and bees came to drink nectar from the butterfly bushes and other kinds of flowers.  Roses were blooming beautifully in Spring and Fall, when the weather was cooler.  Now, the weather is very cold, some plants dormant for the winter and others are completely gone.  On Saturday, December 29, 2021, I looked at my backyard, and I saw snow over the garden.  I took photos of the backyard.  John took photos of the front of our shop and the street, before he had to clean the snow from our sidewalk.    

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, February 6, 2022

I took photographs from our backyard garden.

John took photos of the front of our shop and the street, before he had to clean the snow from our sidewalk.    

The New York Times on January 30, 2022

By Remy Tumin

Snow removal outside the Federal Courthouse in Boston yesterday. Katherine Taylor for The New York Times
1. The East Coast is digging out from a major winter storm.
After dropping a blanket of snow over parts of New York and New Jersey yesterday — as much as 18 inches on some parts of Long Island — the “bomb cyclone” marched northeast, bringing gusting winds, flooding and near-record snow accumulation in New England. Thousands of flights were canceled up and down the coast.
Nearly 70,000 households were without electricity in Massachusetts, especially on Cape Cod and the nearby islands, where heavy winds made restoring power difficult. As much as 30 inches of snow had fallen in some parts of Massachusetts, while Boston had about two feet. The storm drew comparisons to the nightmarish Blizzard of ’78, which buried the city under more than 27 inches of snow.
Parting shot
Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Manhattan’s Chrysler Building (center), as seen yesterday from the observation deck of Summit One Vanderbilt.

AXIOS AM on January 30, 2022

By Mike Allen

4.  Epic nor’easter

Photo: Nantucket PoliceSeveral streets on Nantucket, the fabled island off Cape Code, “flooded with seawater during high tide … as the powerful nor’easter brought with it storm surges of over 3 feet,” The Boston Globe reports.·  Go deeper: Historic bomb cyclone blizzard slams New England, may break records, Axios’ Andrew Freedman reports.Photo: Andrew Kelly/ReutersA person ski over the Brooklyn Bridge yesterday.Photo: Julio Cortez/APSpotted in Ocean City, Md.

·  Storm latest.

PBS NewsHour Weekend Full Episode January 29, 2022

Jan 29, 2022  PBS NewsHour

On this edition for Saturday, January 29, major winter storm in the Northeast brings blizzard conditions to some areas, Burmese people continue their fight for democracy, and in remembrance of the Holocaust, a message for future generations. Hari Sreenivasan anchors from New York. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6

PBS NewsHour Weekend Full Episode January 30, 2022

Jan 30, 2022  PBS NewsHour

On this edition for Sunday, January 30, the Northeast digs out after the first winter storm of the year, President Biden backs NYC Mayor Eric Adams on his crime policy after two police officers were fatally shot, and in our signature segment, singer-songwriter Tori Amos on loss, grief and regeneration. Hari Sreenivasan anchors from New York. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6

#NightlyNews #WinterStorm #Covid

Nightly News Full Broadcast – January 30th

Jan 30, 2022  NBC News

Northeast recovers from blizzard aftermath, Covid cases falling nationwide, and the List of Supreme Court Justice candidates grows. » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC » Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and engaging news stories. NBC News Digital features NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. We deliver the best in breaking news, live video coverage, original journalism and segments from your favorite NBC News Shows. Connect with NBC News Online! NBC News App: https://smart.link/5d0cd9df61b80 Breaking News Alerts: https://link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/bre… Visit NBCNews.Com: http://nbcnews.to/ReadNBC Find NBC News on Facebook: http://nbcnews.to/LikeNBC Follow NBC News on Twitter: http://nbcnews.to/FollowNBC #NightlyNews #WinterStorm #Covid #SupremeCourt

Across the U.S., a sprawling winter storm brings snow, ice and tornadoes

Feb 3, 2022  PBS NewsHour

Crews and residents across the Midwest are digging their way out as a sprawling winter storm pushes further across the country. Some places have reported over a foot of snow, creating dangerous driving conditions in several states, while more than 4,000 flights were canceled Thursday alone. Nicole Ellis has our report. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newshour Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/newshour Subscribe: PBS NewsHour podcasts: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/podcasts Newsletters: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/subscribe

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Happy New Year Everyone, Grandpa John and Grandson Kai Drawings

Happy New Year Everyone, Grandpa John and Grandson Kai Drawings

🙂  Happy New Year Everyone, Grandpa John and Grandson Kai Drawings 🙂

🙂 For the Love of family and all the creatures on earth for 2022 and always🙂

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Grandpa John and Grandma Ing cannot see our two grandsons that often.  Since the earliest lockdown, we call our daughter’s family, and spend time talking to them in the evening almost every day on Face-Time.  Our older grandson Kai is six years old, he started school in September, 2021.  Eventually the school had to close because of the problem of COVID-19.  Grandpa John has some ideas for learning activities to help Kai.  He gives Kai reading and drawing lessons.  They explore any kind of artwork that Kai and John enjoy.  Kai loves to do artwork but is less enthusiastic about reading.  Because he is a good kid, he agrees to the reading lesson before doing his artwork.  From time to time, he will request a vacation or holiday, to omit his reading lesson.

The following are the result of some artworks from Grandpa John and Grandson Kai to cheer up everyone for the new year.  We hope that will give everyone a smile and a happy moment.  We all need it. 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, January 11, 2022

🙂 🙂 Happy New Year Everyone for 2022 and always 🙂 🙂

After Finishing the reading, Grandson Kai, and Grandpa John, are ready to have a good time drawing.  Kai did a very fast drawing and he colored his artwork in a very short time.

Finally, Grandpa finished his drawing.  Kai Started the next drawing, he finished the drawing and was coloring his second art work.

After Kai finished coloring his second drawing, he went to get a roll of tape and a pair of scissors.  Then he turned his two drawings on the other sides, putting them together.  He cut the adhesive tape in short lengths and taped them on the back of his drawing in 4 places evenly in a horizontally position.  Next, he took out a long piece of tape, pressed it on the joining line of the artworks vertically.  Then he turned his artwork over to the drawing side, and drew a line from one figure to the other horizontally to visually join them as one artwork.  He did this process very quickly then lifted his drawing up to us, showing his finished artwork.  I really am impressed by the way he achieved his finished drawing.  I asked him, who taught you how to join your drawing?  “My teacher” Kai answered.  I am glad he learned something from school.  He went to school for only short period of time, then the school had to close because of the COVID-19 pandemic.    

Next day, started with reading time for Kai with Grandpa John before they enjoyed drawing.

In drawing time, Kai did his artwork very fast, showing us his first character.  After he did his second drawing, he joined them into one artwork in the same procedure he did before.

Kai is proudly exhibiting his artwork on his mother’s cabinet door.  Grandpa John also did an exotic character that he created on Sunday, January 2, 2022.

During a summer session, Jacob, one of Kai’s friends came to study drawing with John when Kai came to visit Grandpa John & Grandma Ing on a Thursday.  We are glad to have Jacob.  He is a good student and Kai enjoys having his friend do artwork and playing with him.

This is the latest of Jacob’s drawings with teacher, John on Thursday, October 7, 2021.  I like Jacob’s drawing; he is only 7 years old but he can follow John’s instructions very well.

Reading Lesson: Kai reading with Grandpa John, with some help from Mommy Mali.

Time to have fun drawing, after the reading lesson with Grandpa John

 Grandpa John’s Drawings

Kai’s Drawings

I think Kai got some idea for the baby dinosaur inside the mother dinosaur, by seeing his mother pregnant with his younger brother, Bodhi.

Kai’s drawings, Thursday, 12, 30, 2021

Kai’s drawings, Friday, 12, 17, 2021

Kai’s Sculptures, Saturday, 12, 18, 2021

Kai’s drawing of his father surfing on a wave, Monday, 12, 6, 2021.  Kai is 6 years and 3 months old.

Kai’s drawing of his mother, Mali’s portrait, Saturday, 12, 11, 2021

This is his mother laughing, hea, hea, hea,——— after she saw her portrait by her son, Kai.

Kai’s recent drawing this year, Thursday, January 6, 2022

John & Kai are drawing while Bodhi wants to participate.  He is watching intensively, Tuesday, 8, 31, 2021

Kai is helping his little brother, Bodhi to climb to the 2nd floor, Grandpa John’s exhibition room to seeing his Godzilla movie design.

Kai’s Godzilla movie design, Sunday, 12,26,2021

Bodhi is copying his older brother, Kai reading when he saw Kai was reading with Grandpa John, Monday, 12, 27, 2021.  Bodhi is 1 year and 9 months old.

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PBS News, NBC News, NOVA PBS, National Geographic, and DW Documentary

PBS News, NBC News, NOVA PBS, National Geographic, and DW Documentary

PBS NewsHour full episode, Oct. 8, 2021

NBC News: Nightly News Full Broadcast – October 8th

NOVA PBS: Nikon Small World 2021 Photo Competition winners announced

From neurons to tick heads to louse claws, here are the top 10 images from the competition.

National Geographic: COVID-19 is linked to new diabetes cases—but long-term problems could be more severe

DW Documentary: Great apes – How intelligent are our closest relatives?, Can viruses be beneficial? and Extreme weather, rising sea levels, devastating floods – The global climate crisis

PBS NewsHour full episode, Oct. 8, 2021

Oct 8, 2021  PBS NewsHour

Friday on the NewsHour, employment numbers in the United States fall short of expectations as workers continue to leave their jobs in the wake of the pandemic. Then, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to news editors from Russia and the Philippines for their reporting in the face of political repression. And, David Brooks and Karen Tumulty consider the week in politics. WATCH TODAY’S SEGMENTS: News Wrap: Biden to send Trump records to Jan. 6 committee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQdO7… Why so many U.S. workers quit their job during the pandemic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNwfu… Why the Nobel Peace Prize was won by to 2 journalists https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1pNx… Fiona Hill reflects on Trump presidency, opportunity in U.S. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZhSE… Brooks and Tumulty on debt ceiling, Jan. 6 investigation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwWe6… Bill T. Jones’ new work explores collective American ‘we’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G9JR… Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6

Nightly News Full Broadcast – October 8th

Oct 8, 2021  NBC News

U.S. added 194,000 jobs in September, unemployment rate down, two parents convicted in college admissions scandal trial, and combat medics unite after forming special connection a decade ago. 00:00 Intro 02:01 Major Jobs Setback 04:36 Mandate Battles 07:36 College Admissions Conviction 10:04 Biden – Trump Showdown 14:05 Travel Price Warning 18:28 Those Who Serve » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC » Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNews

 

NOVA PBS: Nikon Small World 2021 Photo Competition winners announced

From neurons to tick heads to louse claws, here are the top 10 images from the competition.

BY SUKEE BENNETT MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 NOVA NEXT

The winning image of the Nikon Small World 2021 Photo Competition shows a southern live oak leaf’s trichomes, stomata, and vessels. Image credit: Jason Kirk, Baylor College of Medicine

The winners of the Nikon Small World Photomicrography Competition, which aims to showcase “the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope,” were announced today.

This is the 47th year of the photo competition, which is open to anyone with an interest in microscopy—the use of microscopes to view samples and objects—and photography. This year the contest received almost 1,900 entries from 88 countries. A panel of five judges* evaluated the entries for originality, informational content, technical proficiency, and visual impact, Nikon reported. The results of the sister video competition, Small World In Motion, were announced last month.

Here are this year’s top 10 images:

A southern live oak leaf’s trichomes, stomata, and vessels photographed by Jason Kirk, a professional imager and core director of Baylor College of Medicine’s Optical Imaging & Vital Microscopy Core. Kirk used a custom-made microscope system to take around 200 individual images of the leaf, which he stacked together to create this image, Nikon reports.

Trichomes, stomata, and vessels are all “essential to plant life,” Nikon writes. Trichomes, fine outgrowths that protect a plant from extreme weather and insects, are featured in white. “In purple, Jason highlights the stomata, small pores that regulate the flow of gases in a plant. Colored in cyan are the vessels that transport water throughout the leaf,” Nikon said in a statement.

  1. Networking neurons in microfluidic device

Image credit: Esmeralda Paric and Holly Stefen, Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie University, New South Wales, Australia

This image is of a microfluidic device, which contains 300,000 networking neurons divided into two isolated populations (left and right) bridged by axons (center). The isolated populations were each treated with a unique virus, Nikon reports. The image was taken at 40X magnification by Esmeralda Paric and Holly Stefen of Macquarie University’s Dementia Research Centre in New South Wales, Australia, using fluorescence imaging, which uses high-intensity illumination to excite fluorescent molecules in a sample. “When a molecule absorbs photons, electrons are excited to a higher energy level,” Nikon writes. “As electrons ‘relax’ back to the ground-state, vibrational energy is lost and, as a result, the emission spectrum is shifted to longer wavelengths.”

  1. Rear leg, claw and respiratory trachea of a louse

Image credit: Frank Reiser, Nassau Community College, New York

A rear leg, claw, and respiratory trachea of a louse, a wingless parasitic insect, at 5X magnification taken by Frank Reiser, a biologist at Nassau Community College in New York. Reiser used darkfield micrography, which “creates contrast in transparent unstained specimens” and “depends on controlling specimen illumination so that central light which normally passes through and around the specimen is blocked,” Nikon writes, and image stacking to produce this image.

  1. Embryonic rat neuron

Image credit: Paula Diaz, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile

A sensory neuron from an embryonic rat taken by Paula Diaz, a physiologist at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in Santiago, Chile. Diaz took the image at 10X magnification and used fluorescence imaging to produce it.

  1. Housefly proboscis

Image credit: Oliver Dum, Medienbunker Produktion, Bendof, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany

A proboscis of a housefly (Musca domestica) taken by Oliver Dum of Medienbunker Produktion in Bendof, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany. Dum took the image at 40X magnification and assembled it using image stacking.

  1. Mouse brain vasculature

Image credit: Dr. Andrea Tedeschi, Wexner Medical Center, Ohio State University

3D vasculature of an adult mouse brain taken by Dr. Andrea Tedeschi of Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. Tedeschi took the image at 10X magnification and used confocal imaging, which involves scanning a specimen to create extremely thin (down to 250 nanometer thickness) computer-generated optical sections using visible light, to create it.

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  1. Tick head

Image credit: Drs. Tong Zhang and Paul Stoodley, Ohio State University’s Campus Microscopy & Imaging Facility

Head of a tick taken by Drs. Tong Zhang and Paul Stoodley of Ohio State University’s Campus Microscopy & Imaging Facility in Columbus, Ohio. Zhang and Stoodley took the image at 10X magnification and used confocal imaging to produce it.

  1. Mouse intestine

Image credit: Dr. Amy Engevik, Medical University of South Carolina

Cross section of a mouse intestine taken at 10X magnification using fluorescence imaging by Dr. Amy Engevik of the Medical University of South Carolina’s Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology in Charleston, South Carolina.

  1. Water flea

Image credit: Jan van IJken, Jan van IJek Photography & Film, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

A water flea (Daphnia) carrying embryos and ciliated vase-shaped protozoans called peritrichs taken at 10X magnification using image stacking and darkfield microscopy by Jan van IJken of Jan van IJek Photography & Film in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

  1. Butterfly wing

Image credit: Sebastien Malo, Saint Lys, Haute-Garonne, France

Vein and scales on a Morpho didius butterfly wing taken at 20X magnification using image stacking and reflected light photography by Sebastien Malo of Saint Lys, Haute-Garonne, France.

*NOVA Science Editor Robin Kazmier was a judge in this year’s competition.

For more information, please visit the following link:

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/nikon-small-world-photography-winners-2021-/

 

National Geographic

A medical student gives a woman a blood glucose test to check possible diabetes at a screening post in Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques during the COVID-19 pandemic on May 29, 2021 in Lisbon, Portugal.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HORACIO VILLALOBOS, CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES

COVID-19 is linked to new diabetes cases—but long-term problems could be more severe

In addition to driving new cases of diabetes, the virus may be directly damaging the pancreas in ways that could lead to chronic inflammation and even cancer.

BYAMY MCKEEVER

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 8, 2021

Almost daily microbiologist Peter Jackson receives emails from people who recovered from COVID-19 only to discover that their health troubles have just begun.

Recently, a mother of two in her 30s wrote to the Stanford University professor to say that she now takes a slew of diabetes medications every day—even though she hadn’t been at risk for the disease before her coronavirus infection.

Experts have known since the beginning of the pandemic that having diabetes—a condition when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or use it well enough to counteract a rise in blood sugar—is a risk factor for more severe COVID-19 infections. But they have also long suspected that the inverse might be true as well. In May, Jackson published a study in the journal Cell Metabolism showing that SARS-CoV-2 infects cells in the pancreas that produce insulin and may even target and destroy them—suggesting that the virus may also cause diabetes. (Why scientists began investigating the link between COVID-19 and diabetes.)

“This is a real thing,” Jackson says of the complaints from newly diabetic people that have flooded his inbox. Although some experts argue that the condition is rare, Jackson says the data suggests that in 2020 as many as 100,000 people were diagnosed with an unexpected case of diabetes.

He is one of many scientists who worry there could be a new wave of diabetes patients who will have to monitor their blood sugar levels for the rest of their lives. But he and his colleagues are also concerned that the virus may be harming the pancreas in ways that may not be visible now but could one day have troubling implications for the organ itself and for the rest of the digestive system.

“This could be a pandemic in a pandemic,” says Paolo Fiorina, a professor of endocrinology at the University of Milan and lecturer at Harvard Medical School, who has also spearheaded investigations into the connection between COVID-19 and diabetes.

For more information, please visit the following link:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/the-many-ways-covid-19-seems-to-be-harming-the-pancreas?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=crm-email::src=ngp::cmp=editorial::add=SpecialEdition_20211008::rid=B26F10713FF3E74BB579E77159591C7D

Great apes – How intelligent are our closest relatives? | DW Documentary

Oct 7, 2021  DW Documentary

What can animals’ emotions tell us about ourselves? This documentary takes us on a fascinating journey into the lives of the great apes. Did you know that chimpanzees wage war? Not only that, but they also show compassion, engage in cooperative behavior, and value fairness and reciprocity. Chimpanzees reconcile after fights, and comfort each other. Chimpanzee communities also have customs and traditions that vary from tribe to tribe. All this begs the question: are things like morality and culture solely human achievements? This documentary takes us into one of the last great wildernesses of West Africa – the mountainous jungles of Nigeria – and shows footage of chimpanzees in the wild. What is the significance of the mysterious stone piles left by chimpanzees near trees or in hollows? Are they a form of religion? How intelligent are our closest relatives in the animal kingdom? In what kinds of societies did our common ancestors live? And where does the phenomenon of xenophobia come from? #documentary #freedocumentary #chimpanzees ______

Can viruses be beneficial? | DW Documentary

Aug 7, 2021  DW Documentary

Viruses can be fatal, but some viruses can in fact be life-sustaining. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has killed large numbers of people during the current pandemic. But humans wouldn’t exist without viruses. How can they benefit us? Viruses aren’t living beings, yet they have had a great influence on evolution. Some viral elements have embedded themselves into the human genome and reproduce along with us – so-called endogenous retroviruses. One type of virus helps form the placenta, for example, while other viruses attack harmful bacteria. Viruses also maintain balance in marine ecosystems, curbing the growth of algae and attacking bacteria that are harmful to sea animals. Soon, viruses may even replace antibiotics in fish farming. Thousands of viruses have already been sequenced, including Ebola, Zika and bird flu. Ebola is one of the deadliest viruses in the world, with a mortality rate of up to 90%. But experts see greater danger in the less deadly diseases like Spanish flu and COVID-19: Because they spread much further, they kill more people overall. Viruses can also be used to create vaccines. In Rome, the shell of a virus found in gorilla feces has been used as a vector for the COVID-19 vaccine, turning a pathogen into a life-saving drug. __

Extreme weather, rising sea levels, devastating floods – The global climate crisis | DW Documentary

Oct 5, 2021  DW Documentary

Extreme weather is occurring more frequently worldwide. Rising sea levels and heavy rain are causing devastating floods. Most researchers agree that these are the consequences of climate change. But what can we do to protect ourselves? In July 2021, the Ahr Valley in western Germany was hit by a flash flood after heavy rainfall. Over 100 people were killed, thousands of homes were severely damaged. Experts are calling it the ‘flood of the century’. Yet extreme weather events such as the Ahr Valley floods have become more frequent in recent years – not only in Germany but worldwide. Mozambique has been hit by devastating cyclones for the third year running. In Bangladesh, the monsoon season has become heavier and more unpredictable due to climate change. More and more land has been flooded as a result. At the same time, heavy storms that cause flooding and rising sea levels threaten the south of the country. Experts estimate that 30 per cent of Bangladesh will be permanently flooded in a few years, making millions of people climate refugees. Wealthy countries such as Germany are now investing billions in the battle against the floods. The Netherlands have long pioneered in flood management, building powerful pumping stations, ever higher dikes and flood barriers. None of these options are available to poor countries. All they can do, along with improving early flood warning systems, is to resettle the people affected. The film ‘Global Climate Crisis – How to Tackle the floods?’ shows the unequal fight against the consequences of climate change with examples from Germany, the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Mozambique. #documentary #flooding #climatechange #extremeweather ______

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Ing’s Street Art, My Little Red Shoes, Elephant Bath, In the Midst of Troubles, I Seek Peace, and U.S. Supreme Court Justices on Eviction Part 2

Ing’s Street Art, “My Little Red Shoes”, “Elephant Bath”, “In the Midst of Troubles, I Seek Peace”, and “U.S. Supreme Court Justices on Eviction”

Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Part 2

 In the Midst of troubles, I Seek Peace

 

 In the midst of trouble

Global warming

Causes the fires in California and elsewhere

 

The weather turns more violence

Hurricane Ida caused destruction in Haiti

Louisiana and other places in its path to the North East

 

Strong winds, rain and floods

Whole cities had to evacuate

Millions homeless caused by the nature

 

What causes nature to be violent?

Who causes Global warming?

 

Humans blame nature

Causing the destruction

 

No one can be blamed but ourselves

 

Let us start again

To care for Nature

for our lives now

And generations to come

  

Where can I Find Peace Street?

 

I got lost.

 

Where do you want to go?

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where I can find my mother

Father and my family

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where I am happy

To see a peaceful Village

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where children have a joyful time

With parents and family

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where children are not afraid

Or cry for food

And no place to stay

 

I want to go to Peace Street

where everyone is happy

No fighting

No disaster

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where there are no weapons produced

And sold to kill each other

For profit and wealth

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where there are no corrupt politicians

And greedy rich people who keep

Everything for themselves

Leaving non for the poor

 

I want to go to Peace Street

Where people are kind

And helpful to one another

 

I want to go to Peace Street

To see beautiful nature

With no pollution

Clean oceans

With all the creatures

Living happily

 

Can you direct me to Peace Street?

I got lost

I am hungry

Where are my mother, father,

my husband, my daughter, my grandsons

and the others in my family?

I miss them

I am lonely

 

Please help to direct me to Peace Street

My life is short

I am lost

Where I can find Peace Street on Earth

I woke up this morning.  I felt sad, thinking about my family and other unfortunate people.  Biden had a policy to deport Haitian people who suffered in their country.  Most immigrants want to have an opportunity to work for survival of their families.  It is cruel to send people back to suffer and die while politicians try to find a way to gain credit for their future election to office.


Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Saturday, September 25, 2021

 

U.S. Supreme Court Justices on Eviction

 

Low-income people have difficulty to survive

Even to have enough money to buy food

 To feed themselves and their children

 

A few days ago, a report from the news media stated that

700,000 people in the US died from COVID-19

 

The epidemic of the virus may cause some people not to get jobs

Especially families that have children

No money to pay rent

 

Thanks to an eviction moratorium policy

From Biden’s administration

 Landlords were prevented from evicting families

 

This policy to help the poor

Is just a drop of water to quench the thirst

Of dying families

 

Now! Six Republican Supreme Court Justice Appointees

Declared that landlords can evict poor families

That cannot pay rent

 

Millions of poor families

With children are going to be homeless

 

In the midst of the COVID-19 epidemic

Powerful people receive

Benefits and salary from the tax payers of the country

 

These people use their power to cause the poor

Who cannot get jobs because the COVID-19 epidemic

To suffer even more than they were facing before

 

“Where is the justice?”

I want to ask these six Justices of the Supreme Court  

If it makes you happy to see children and their parents suffer?

These poor families who have difficulty to feed children and themselves

Now have no home to stay

 

Where is your humanity?

Where is your empathy toward the poor?

Where is your kindness for the poor?

Where is your morality toward these citizens?

We, the citizens of the country

Especially the unfortunate poor and homeless

 Who has no voice

Ask the Six Republican Appointed Justices of the Supreme Court

The above questions

 

What were you thinking when you made your decision?

You represent the Supreme Court of the land

 Are happy now that you have

Paid back the favor to billionaires that appointed you

To the Throne of Justice?

 

It is sad to see these humans

These so-called Supreme Court Justices walk the earth

 

“In the Midst of Troubles, I Seek Peace”

Where I can find Peace?

I could not control my tears for the evicted families

My heart is aching to hear such an order from this group of

United State Supreme Court Justices

 

Let me calm down

At least for my recording of the event

Let it be etched into history for future

Generations to learn

To cultivate the next generation

To be kind human beings

helping the unfortunate who

Suffer more than they

 

“In the Midst of Troubles, I Seek Peace”

I will calm myself

Get back to my garden

And continue doing my artwork

 

At least my minuscule contributions

Brings happiness to the others

 

Hearing people pass my little garden

And artwork saying

“The flowers are beautiful”

And commenting

“You changed your artwork.

I like the children in your painting”

 

“The painting is called, My Little Red Shoes”

I respond

  

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Saturday, October 2, 2021

 

 Artwork by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, “My Little Red Shoes” in 1996. 

Daily Mail:

Supreme Court says letting the Biden administration keep the eviction moratorium in place could open the door to mandates for ‘free grocery delivery for the sick and vulnerable and free computers to let Americans work from home’

  • Conservatives on the Supreme Court said extending eviction moratoriums could lead to government mandates on ‘free grocery delivery and free computers’ 
  • ‘Could the CDC mandate free grocery delivery to the homes of the sick or vulnerable?’ the majority opinion reads from the six conservatives on the court
  • ‘Require manufacturers to provide free computers to enable people to work from home? Order telecommunications companies to provide free Internet?’
  • The Supreme Court voted 6-3 to block the eviction moratorium, allowing landlord to kick out renters who haven’t paid rent in the midst of the pandemic
  • Argued that preventing landlords from evicting tenants who breach their leases strips them of their ‘right to exclude’  
  • The six conservative justices elected to end the eviction freeze from the CDC and the three liberals justices voting it should stay
  • Said the CDC overextended its authority in imposing the moratorium 

By KATELYN CARALLE, U.S. POLITICAL REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM  and AP

PUBLISHED: 18:43 EDT, 30 August 2021 | UPDATED: 18:43 EDT, 30 August 2021

Conservatives on the Supreme Court said that allowing the eviction moratorium to continue could set a precedent for government mandated ‘free grocery delivery’ and ‘free internet’ for people to work from home.

‘Preventing [landlords] from evicting tenants who breach their leases intrudes on one of the most fundamental elements of property ownership—the right to exclude,’ the majority opinion reads from the Thursday decision.

The court’s decision will allow for landlords to evict tenants who have not paid rent in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Questioned in the unsigned opinion from the six conservative justices was hypothetical situations for how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could overreach its authority in the future, as they claim it did so in extending the moratorium.

‘Could the CDC, for example, mandate free grocery delivery to the homes of the sick or vulnerable?’ the majority opinion reads. ‘Require manufacturers to provide free computers to enable people to work from home? Order telecommunications companies to provide free high-speed Internet service to facilitate remote work?’

All this to say, the court feels that the CDC cannot decide for the sake of public health that other aspects of business can be impacted, like preventing landlords from collecting rent.

They also claim that congressional action is needed to extend the moratorium.

The Supreme Court elected to end the national eviction moratorium in a 6-3 vote on Thursday, claiming it would lead to a precedent of mandated ‘free grocery delivery for the sick’ or ‘free computers and internet’ to work from home

The decision again exhibited the power Republicans have with the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, which is now allowing evictions to resume across the U.S. as it blocks the Biden administration from continuing to enforce a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The vote was split by party line with conservatives John Roberts, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett voting to end the eviction moratorium, and liberals Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan voting to keep it.

The justices said in an unsigned opinion Thursday that the CDC, which reimplemented the moratorium on August 3, lacked the authority to do so under federal law without explicit congressional authorization.

‘It would be one thing if Congress had specifically authorized the action that the CDC has taken,’ the court wrote. ‘But that has not happened. Instead, the CDC has imposed a nationwide moratorium on evictions in reliance on a decades-old statute that authorizes it to implement measures like fumigation and pest extermination. It strains credulity to believe that this statute grants the CDC the sweeping authority that it asserts.’

Real estate groups in Georgia and Alabama had argued this point and told the high court that the moratorium caused property owners across the nation significant financial hardships, USA Today reports.

Property owners had to continue to pay expenses while not receiving payments from renters. They were also banned from evicting nightmare tenants, who were given free reign to make their neighbors’ lives a misery.

Court said the CDC did not have the power to extend the moratorium. Housing advocates protest on August 4 to allow the eviction moratorium to continue in New York

As of August 25, nearly 90 per cent of the federal funds meant to help landlords make up for the loss of funds had not been distributed, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.

Roughly 3.5 million people in the United States said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to Census Bureau data from early August.

After the Thursday ruling, several progressive lawmakers pleaded with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to act with the ‘highest levels of urgency’ to combat evictions.

The lawmakers asked the leaders in a Friday letter to work to revive the national eviction moratorium after the Supreme Court ruled congressional action is needed.

‘Millions of people who are currently at risk for eviction, housing insecurity, or face becoming unhoused desperately look to their elected representatives to implement legislation that will put their health and safety first and save lives,’ the letter reads.

The effort was led by Representative Ayanna Pressley and signed on by more than 60 Democrats, including fellow ‘squad’ members Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush.

Bush, who was once homeless before running for office, led protesters in sleeping outside the Capitol earlier this summer when the moratorium faced its end before the CDC expanded it.

The Supreme Court had originally allowed the eviction freeze to continue to July in a 5-4 vote, but Kavanaugh, who voted to keep it, indicated that he would vote against any further extension.

Roberts followed suit and voted against the moratorium with Kavanagh on Thursday.

In his dissenting opinion, Breyer asserted that the court should not end the moratorium on an expedited basis.

‘Applicants raise contested legal questions about an important federal statute on which the lower courts are split and on which this court has never actually spoken,’ Breyer wrote. ‘These questions call for considered decision making, informed by full briefing and argument. Their answers impact the health of millions.’

The national eviction freeze was set in place at the start of the pandemic and continued on until July, when the Supreme Court previously upheld it in a 5-4 vote

The Biden administration’s extension of the eviction moratorium was heralded by members the ‘the Squad,’ including U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who had celebrated the announcement earlier this month.

She and fellow Democratic congress woman Cori Bush had demonstrated outside the Capitol in protest of the moratorium’s original deadline at the start of August.

Bush was hailed as a key figure who pushed Biden and his administration to extend the deadline after five continuous days of protest, tweeting about her accomplishment.

‘Squad’ member Ilhan Omar also acknowledged Bush’s efforts in spearheading the moratorium extension, The Hill reported.

U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, a fellow democrat from California who sponsored a House bill to extend the eviction freeze, also thanked Biden ‘from the bottom of my heart and on behalf of millions of renters.

‘This extension of the moratorium is the lifeline that millions of families have been waiting for. From the very beginning of this pandemic, it was clear that eviction moratoriums not only kept people housed, but also saved lives,’ Waters said in a statement.

A group of Democratic lawmakers wrote a letter to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer urging them to act congressionally to extend the moratorium after the Supreme Court said the CDC overreached 

This was the second high court loss for the administration this week at the hands of the court’s conservative majority.

On Tuesday, the court effectively allowed the reinstatement of a Trump-era policy forcing asylum seekers to wait in Mexico for their hearings.

The new administration had tried to end the Remain in Mexico program, as it is informally known.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court voted the same way to strike down part of New York’s eviction moratorium.

In the same 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled against allowing COVID-19 hardships to stand as a reason to ban landlords from kicking out tenants. The state’s rules allowed renters to simply state they’d suffered financial hardship and avoid eviction without providing any evidence.

New Yorkers renting apartments will also now no longer be able to stay in homes they’ve stopped paying rent on by claiming that doing so would endanger their health.

The pause on evictions expires at the end of August, meaning people could start getting kicked out of their apartments by the end of this month.

Incoming Governor Kathy Hochul criticized Thursday’s ruling, saying that she and state lawmakers would work to try and reinforce the moratorium.

Both parts of the law that have been cut were enacted when COVID decimated many of New York’s biggest industries – including hospitality and travel – leaving people who worked in them fearful of being made homeless.

The state has since largely reopened, and its economy appears to be on the path to recovery.

Demonstrators protesting evictions are arrested by NYPD

Eviction moratorium finally set to expire 18 months after it was created amid COVID first wave

The national eviction moratorium was put in place last September by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to provide aid for those struggling from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020.

The moratorium was supposed to end in December, but Congress voted to extend it until January 2021.

The Biden administration then pushed the deadline further, once in January and then again in March.

Although the moratorium was set to expire at the end of July, the spread of the delta variant and summer spikes in COVID-19 cases continued to leave millions vulnerable.

Data showed that in July, roughly 3.6 million people would face evictions by September if the moratorium was halted, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

The Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision to allow the deadline to extend one final time until the end of July.

The pressure came as landlords and property owners grieved over the loss of income rent while the federal aid set aside for them trickled in at a snail’s pace.

Of the $47 billion in rental assistance that was supposed to go to help tenants pay off months of rent, only about 10% has been distributed as of Aug. 25.

Some states like New York have distributed almost nothing, while several have only approved a few million dollars.

After weeks of protests to extend the eviction moratorium were held at the Capitol, the Biden administration extended the deadline one more time into August.

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who voted to extend the deadline to July, had warned that he would switch his vote if the administration tried extending it again.

True to his word, Kavanaugh voted against the order on August 26, with Chief Justice John Roberts following suit.

The Supreme Court ultimately banned the eviction moratorium in a 6-3 decision.

For more information, please view the following link:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9941319/Supreme-Court-says-extending-eviction-moratorium-open-door-free-grocery-delivery.html

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Supreme Court says extending eviction moratorium could open the door to ‘free grocery delivery’

In dissent, Justice Breyer wrote that “the public interest is not favored by the spread of disease or a court’s second-guessing of the C.D.C.’s judgment.”

The Biden administration and other moratorium proponents predicted that the decision would set off a wave of dire consequences.

“As a result of this ruling, families will face the painful impact of evictions, and communities across the country will face greater risk of exposure to Covid-19,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in a statement.

The ruling also renewed pressure on congressional Democrats to try to extend the freeze over the opposition of Republicans.

“Tonight, the Supreme Court failed to protect the 11 million households across our country from violent eviction in the middle of a deadly global pandemic,” said Representative Cori Bush, a Missouri Democrat who slept on the steps of the Capitol this month to protest the expiration of the previous moratorium. “We already know who is going to bear the brunt of this disastrous decision: Black and brown communities, and especially Black women.”

But landlords, who have said the moratoriums saddled them with billions of dollars in debt, hailed the move.

“The government must move past failed policies and begin to seriously address the nation’s debt tsunami, which is crippling both renters and housing providers alike,” said Bob Pinnegar, the president of the National Apartment Association, a trade association representing large landlords.

It will most likely take a while for the backlog of eviction cases in many states to result in the displacement of renters. But tenant groups in the South, where fast-track evictions are common, are bracing for the worst.

In recent days, Mr. Biden’s team has been mapping out strategies to deal with the likely loss of the moratorium, with a plan to focus its efforts on a handful of states — including South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Ohio — that have large backlogs of unpaid rent and few statewide protections for tenants.

The administration had at first concluded that a Supreme Court ruling in June had effectively forbidden it from imposing a new moratorium after an earlier one expired at the end of July. While the administration had prevailed in that ruling by a 5-to-4 vote, one member of the majority, Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, wrote that he believed the moratorium to be unlawful and that he had cast his vote to temporarily sustain it only to allow an orderly transition. He would not support a further extension without “clear and specific congressional authorization (via new legislation),” he wrote.

Congress did not act. But after political pressure from Democrats, a surge in the pandemic and new consideration of the legal issues, the administration on Aug. 3 issued the moratorium that was the subject of the new ruling.

The administration’s legal maneuvering might have failed, but it bought some time for tenants threatened with eviction. In unusually candid remarks this month, President Biden said that was part of his calculus in deciding to proceed with the new moratorium, which was set to expire Oct. 3.

Congress declared a moratorium on evictions at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but it lapsed in July 2020. The C.D.C. then issued a series of its own moratoriums, saying that they were justified by the need to address the pandemic and authorized by a 1944 law. People unable to pay rent, the agency said, should not be forced to crowd in with relatives or seek refuge in homeless shelters, spreading the virus.

The last moratorium — which was put in place by the C.D.C. in September and expired on July 31 after being extended several times by Congress and Mr. Biden — was effective at achieving its goal, reducing by about half the number of eviction cases that normally would have been filed since last fall, according to an analysis of filings by the Eviction Lab at Princeton University.

The challengers in the current case — landlords, real estate companies and trade associations led by the Alabama Association of Realtors — argued that the moratorium was not authorized by the law the agency relied on, the Public Health Service Act of 1944.

That law, the challengers wrote, was concerned with quarantines and inspections to stop the spread of disease and did not bestow on the agency “the unqualified power to take any measure imaginable to stop the spread of communicable disease — whether eviction moratoria, worship limits, nationwide lockdowns, school closures or vaccine mandates.”

What to Know About the Supreme Court Term

A blockbuster term begins. The Supreme Court, now dominated by six Republican appointees, returns to the bench to start a momentous term this fall in which it will consider eliminating the constitutional right to abortion and vastly expanding gun rights.

The big abortion case. The court seems poised to use a challenge to a Mississippi law that bars most abortions after 15 weeks to undermine and perhaps overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. The ruling could effectively end legal abortion access for those living in much of the South and Midwest.

A major decision on guns. The court will also consider the constitutionality of a longstanding New York law that imposes strict limits on carrying guns outside the home. The court has not issued a major Second Amendment ruling in more than a decade.

A test for Chief Justice Roberts. The highly charged docket will test the leadership of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who lost his position at the court’s ideological center with the arrival last fall of Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

A drop in public support. Chief Justice Roberts now leads a court increasingly associated with partisanship. Recent polls show the court is suffering a distinct drop in public support following a spate of unusual late-night summer rulings in politically charged cases.

The C.D.C. responded that the moratorium was authorized by the 1944 law. Evictions would accelerate the spread of the coronavirus, the agency said, by forcing people “to move, often into close quarters in new shared housing settings with friends or family, or congregate settings such as homeless shelters.”

The moratorium, the administration told the justices, was broadly similar to quarantine. “It would be strange to hold that the government may combat infection by prohibiting the tenant from leaving his home,” its brief said, “but not by prohibiting the landlord from throwing him out.”

The case was complicated by congressional action in December, when lawmakers briefly extended the C.D.C.’s moratorium through the end of January in an appropriations measure. When Congress took no further action, the agency again imposed moratoriums under the 1944 law.

In its Supreme Court brief, the government argued that it was significant that Congress had embraced the agency’s action, if only briefly.

The central legal question in the case was whether the agency was entitled to act on its own. In June, with the earlier moratorium about to expire, the court voted 5 to 4 in favor of the administration, allowing that measure to stand.

But that victory was distinctly provisional. Justice Kavanaugh, who voted with the majority, wrote that he had cast his vote reluctantly and had taken account of the then-impending expiration of the earlier moratorium.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its existing statutory authority by issuing a nationwide eviction moratorium,” Justice Kavanaugh wrote. “Because the C.D.C. plans to end the moratorium in only a few weeks, on July 31, and because those few weeks will allow for additional and more orderly distribution of the congressionally appropriated rental assistance funds, I vote at this time to deny the application” that had been filed by the challengers.

The other members of the court did not give reasons for their votes in the June ruling. But four of them — Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett — voted to lift the earlier moratorium. Taken together with Justice Kavanaugh’s statement, that distinctly suggested that a majority of the justices would not look favorably on another extension unless it came from Congress.

The Biden administration initially seemed to share that understanding, urging Congress to act and saying it did not have the unilateral power to impose a further moratorium through executive action. When Congress failed to enact legislation addressing the issue, the moratorium expired.

Under pressure from Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats and wary of the rise of the Delta variant, the administration reversed course a few days later.

The new moratorium was not identical to the earlier one, which had applied nationwide. It was instead tailored to counties where Covid-19 was strongest, a category that currently covers some 90 percent of counties in the United States.

Mr. Biden was frank in discussing his reasoning, saying the new measure faced long odds but would buy tenants some time.

“The bulk of the constitutional scholarship says that it’s not likely to pass constitutional muster,” he said on Aug. 3. “But there are several key scholars who think that it may — and it’s worth the effort.”

Many states and localities, including New York and California, have extended their own moratoriums, providing another layer of protection for some renters. In some places, judges, aware of the potential for large numbers of people to be put out on the street even as the pandemic intensifies again, have said they would slow-walk cases and make greater use of eviction diversion programs.

Evictions, the Pandemic and the Courts

As Democrats Seethed, White House Struggled to Contain Eviction Fallout

Aug. 7, 2021

The Biden administration issues a new eviction moratorium as the virus surges.

Aug. 3, 2021

Federal Judge Strikes Down Moratorium on Evicting Renters

May 5, 2021

Adam Liptak covers the Supreme Court and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments. A graduate of Yale Law School, he practiced law for 14 years before joining The Times in 2002. @adamliptak • Facebook

A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 27, 2021, Section A, Page 15 of the New York edition with the headline: Justices End Biden’s Eviction Moratorium, Leaving Thousands at Risk. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

Boston, MA – August 12: Homes for All Massachusetts hosted a rally outside the State House in Boston on August 12, 2021 to voice support for a bill (H 1434 / S 891) up for a hearing later in the day that would temporarily pause evictions and foreclosures for 12 months following the end of the state of emergency. (Photo by Jonathan Wiggs/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Tenants rights groups block the north entrance to the Los Angeles County Superior Courthouse in protest of the coming mass evictions if Gov. Gavin Newsom does not replace the Judicial Council’s eviction moratorium Rule 1 and if AB 1436 is not passed on Friday, August 21, 2020. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Contributing Photographer)

Tenants’ right advocates march down the Alameda to the offices of the California Apartment Association in San Jose, Calif., Thursday, April 6, 2017. They are protesting against no-cause evictions, which allows landlords to evict tenants in retaliation without giving a reason, displacing families and destabilizing communities. (Patrick Tehan/Bay Area News Group)U.S. Supreme Court on Eviction

On the eviction moratorium, the Supreme Court turns the law on its head | Opinion

Published: Oct. 04, 2021, 5:15 p.m.

Patrick Hill, an author and associate professor at Rutgers University, says that since judicial review by the U.S. Supreme Court is based on an impoverished understanding of the law, its thoroughly confused decision against the eviction moratorium is not surprising. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File)AP

By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist

By T. Patrick Hill

When the U.S. Supreme Court, on Aug. 26, ruled against President Biden’s extension of the moratorium on evictions, it sacrificed the safety and quite possibly the lives of hundreds of Americans to a legal ideology known as legal positivism or the understanding of law as justified simply because it is law, no matter its consequences.

In an eight-page unsigned decision, made with the concurrence of the six conservative justices and the dissent of the three liberal justices, the Court concluded that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) which is responsible nationally for the public’s health, had exceeded its statutory authority by issuing the moratorium.

The statute, the Court correctly notes, is the 1944 Public Health Service Act which authorizes the Health and Human Services secretary (HHS) to “make and enforce such regulations as in his (sic) judgment are necessary to prevent the introduction, transmission, or spread of communicable diseases … from one State or possession into any other State or possession.” Subsequently, this authority was placed in the hands of the CDC.

But from this point, the Court’s reading of the statute goes from bad to worse. Inexplicably, the statute appears to be suspect because, since enactment, it has rarely been used, and certainly not used to justify an eviction moratorium. Are we to conclude from this that the Court considers rarely invoked statutes as something less than law? But even when invoked, the statute has been confined, the Court insists, to measures like quarantining infected individuals, for example. But why should that logically justify the inference that an eviction moratorium exceeds the purposes of the statute?

And just because the statute has specifically included measures like fumigation, disinfection and pest extermination, that cannot be thought logically to mean it has specifically excluded other measures, such as an eviction moratorium. If the statute authorizes something as extreme as quarantining infected individuals in the interests of the public’s safety, why is it, as the Court puts it, a stretch to think an eviction moratorium would also be authorized?

Like any legislation, the statute may be thought to acknowledge that since we may not know, at any particular moment, everything there is to be known about controlling infectious disease, it is prudent to provide reasonably broadly for that inevitable moment when an infectious disease presents itself in radically unprecedented features.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in more than 701,000 deaths in the U.S. so far. Yet, what is a major concern for the Court in its decision? The moratorium, it emphasizes, encroaches on “an area that is the particular domain of state law: the landlord-tenant relationship,” adding that earlier decisions of the Court have insisted on exceedingly clear language when congressional legislation might change the balance between state and federal power, in particular, governmental power over private property.

It is surely curious how, for the Court, the language of the 1944 statute is not sufficiently clear that it might be thought to include an eviction moratorium, but it is indeed sufficiently clear to exclude it. More curious is how, in the estimation of the Court, measures to control a raging pandemic, that is no respecter of state borders, are to play second fiddle to a narrow state-based interest.

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The best that the Court can bring itself to acknowledge how indisputable the strong interest of the American public is in resisting the spreading threat of COVID-19, but not so strong as to justifiably override the private property interests that make up the landlord-tenant relationship. These are the calculations of justices, like Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas, who believe so much in what they do but understand so little of what that is, and, as a consequence, bring down upon our heads a perfect storm of irrationality that undermines the very essence of law and its purpose in society.

There can be no clearer demonstration of this than the Court’s declaration, upon closing its argument, that “… our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in pursuit of desirable ends.” With what understanding of the law can it be said that to act, simply as one should, to protect human life from disease and even death is to act unlawfully? That can be only when the law is understood as a law unto itself, as self-justifying, and in no way accountable for its justification to ethics, from which all human law is ultimately derived.

Since judicial review by the U.S. Supreme Court is based on this impoverished understanding of the law, its thoroughly confused decision against the eviction moratorium is not surprising. Nevertheless, how mistaken to think that acting for the good of the public is to act unlawfully when actually it is to act ethically and must therefore be to act lawfully.

  1. Patrick Hill is an associate professor at Rutgers University and the author of the book, No Place for Ethics:Judicial Review, Legal Positivism and the Supreme Court of the United States.

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U.S. Supreme Court ends Biden’s Covid-19 eviction moratorium

Aug 27, 2021  Yahoo Finance

#EvictionMoratorium #moratoriumeviction #Biden Yahoo Finance’s Dani Romero reports on the U.S. Supreme Court blocking the Biden administration’s eviction moratorium. Watch the 2021 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gx-OzwHpM9k Subscribe to Yahoo Finance: https://yhoo.it/2fGu5Bb About Yahoo Finance: At Yahoo Finance, you get free stock quotes, up-to-date news, portfolio management resources, international market data, social interaction and mortgage rates that help you manage your financial life. Yahoo Finance Plus: With a subscription to Yahoo Finance Plus get the tools you need to invest with confidence. Discover new opportunities with expert research and investment ideas backed by technical and fundamental analysis. Optimize your trades with advanced portfolio insights, fundamental analysis, enhanced charting, and more. To learn more about Yahoo Finance Plus please visit: https://yhoo.it/33jXYBp Connect with Yahoo Finance: Get the latest news: https://yhoo.it/2fGu5Bb Find Yahoo Finance on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2A9u5Zq Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter: http://bit.ly/2LMgloP Follow Yahoo Finance on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2LOpNYz Follow Cashay.com Follow Yahoo Finance Premium on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3hhcnmV

CDC Announces Targeted Eviction Moratorium After Protests

Aug 4, 2021  NBC News

The CDC has announced a new targeted eviction moratorium after the previous moratorium expired, leaving more than 10 million Americans at risk of losing their homes. NBC News’ Leigh Ann Caldwell explains how the new moratorium differs from the expired one and how Democrats were able to influence the CDC’s decision.  » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC » Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News Digital is a collection of innovative and powerful news brands that deliver compelling, diverse and engaging news stories. NBC News Digital features NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, TODAY.com, Nightly News, Meet the Press, Dateline, and the existing apps and digital extensions of these respective properties. We deliver the best in breaking news, live video coverage, original journalism and segments from your favorite NBC News Shows. Connect with NBC News Online! NBC News App: https://smart.link/5d0cd9df61b80 Breaking News Alerts: https://link.nbcnews.com/join/5cj/bre… Visit NBCNews.Com: http://nbcnews.to/ReadNBC Find NBC News on Facebook: http://nbcnews.to/LikeNBC Follow NBC News on Twitter: http://nbcnews.to/FollowNBC Follow NBC News on Instagram: http://nbcnews.to/InstaNBC #Eviction #Housing #CDC

NJ eviction moratorium to end soon for some tenants

For the last 1 ½ years, renters across New Jersey have been able to keep a roof over their head regardless of nonpayment of rent, thanks to an eviction moratorium in the state. But a new law is ending that protection as of Aug. 31 for people who make more than 80% of their county’s area median income. For those who make less than 80% of the area median income, the moratorium will be extended through Dec. 31.

Tenants who make more than 80% of the area median income and who are still struggling to pay rent will have to certify under penalty of law that their failure to pay is related to COVID-19. If they can prove that, the moratorium will be extended for them.

While housing advocates say the measure will provide some relief, landlords say it continues to put the brunt of the financial weight on them.

What to know about the eviction moratorium as it nears expiration again

Aug 25, 2021  PBS NewsHour

The clock is ticking away again for those who could face eviction this fall. The CDC’s pandemic moratorium on evictions is set to expire in early October — or possibly even sooner. The Biden administration is pushing states, cities, and counties to tap into more federal aid, and get it to those who need it. But as John Yang reports, new data shows those efforts are moving much slower than needed. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6

Oct 4, 2021   PBSNewsHour

The “Pandora Papers,” written by a worldwide consortium of journalists, reveal how world leaders and the mega-rich can hide billions of dollars in secret offshore accounts, which investigators say drain money from government treasuries and can undermine national security. Nick Schifrin talks to Drew Sullivan, co-founder and editor of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, or OCCRP. Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app: https://to.pbs.org/2Jb8twG Find more from PBS NewsHour at https://www.pbs.org/newshour Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2HfsCD6 Follow us: Facebook: http://www.pbs.org/newshour Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/newsho

What are the Pandora Papers?

Oct 3, 2021  Washington Post

A massive trove of private financial records shared with The Washington Post exposes vast reaches of the secretive offshore system used to hide billions of dollars from tax authorities, creditors, criminal investigators and citizens around the world. Read more: https://wapo.st/3A0AVdi. Subscribe to The Washington Post on YouTube: https://wapo.st/2QOdcqK Follow us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/washingtonpost Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/washingtonp… Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/washingtonpost/ #WashingtonPost #PostDocs #PandoraPapers

The Pandora Papers: How the world of offshore finance is still flourishing | Four Corners

Oct 4, 2021  ABC News In-depth

In a major international investigation, Four Corners reveals the secrets of the Pandora Papers. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/abcnewsindepth For months, more than 600 journalists from around the world, including the ABC, the Washington Post and the BBC, have been working with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on this top-secret investigation. One of the biggest data leaks in history, the papers reveal how the wealthy and powerful are continuing to use offshore tax havens to hide their ownership of assets and stash their cash – despite attempts to rein the industry in.  _________

Political Divisions Threaten President Biden’s Agenda | Washington Week | October 1, 2021

Oct 1, 2021  Washington Week PBS

Democrats clashed over the size of President Biden’s infrastructure package, as Congress passed a bill to avoid a federal government shutdown before the deadline. The panel also discussed America’s continued division over COVID vaccines and mandates, plus a look into the testimony from military leaders on the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Panel: Laura Barrón-López of POLITICO, Natasha Bertrand of CNN, Garrett Haake of NBC News, Carl Hulse of The New York Times

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Ing’s Street Art “My Little Red Shoes”, “Elephant Bath” and “In the Midst of Troubles, I Seek Peace” Part 1

 

Ing’s Street Art “My Little Red Shoes”, “Elephant Bath” and

“In the Midst of Troubles, I Seek Peace”

Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Part 1

 

Thanks to the sun for giving life to my plants, provided it is the optimum condition for my plants grow beautifully.  The colorful full flowers give a pleasant sight for the people who pass by.

I appreciate everyone who is helpful to others.  In this case I am very lucky and thankful to my husband, John Watts who helped me stretch the canvas and hang up my painting.

I produced the original painting, “My Little Red Shoes” in 1996. 

In the Midst of troubles, I Seek Peace

 

Cultivating my gardens

To show their beauty

Green leaves of different shapes

Extend out to obtain the sun

 

I water them every day

In the extreme hot, hot sun

I spray water on the plants

 

The mist of water

Reaches over the leaves

And colorful variety of flowers

 

Yellow, red, pink, purple, Orange

In the green ocean of light

And dark green leaves

 

As I spent my time

With my plants in the gardens

Either in front of our shop

Or at the backyard garden

 

It is a utopian time

When I seek my Peace with Nature

 The plants in our backyard garden, 2021

I produced “Elephant Bath” in 1999.

In the Midst of troubles, I Seek Peace

 

“This is very beautiful”

“And feels very peaceful”

A voice spoke from a man who walked by me

As I looked back

Seeing two eyes

Showing the only part of his face

Still visible beyond the mask

 

COVID –19 Is

“In the Midst of our Troubles”

 

With his focus on plants

He seeks Peace in the beauty of nature

 

 

In the Midst of troubles, I Seek Peace

 

“Do you sell the flowers”

A pretty lady asked me

 

The flowers are for everyone who

Passes by to see something pleasant

 

The pretty lady smiles happily

Noticing the flowers

 

My wish has come true

We are seeking peace with nature

 

 

In the Midst of troubles, I Seek Peace

 

“Is that your painting?”

A young man asked me

 

“Yes!  Are you an artist too?”

I asked

 

“I did some drawing, but not like this.”

He responded

 

“The plants are beautiful!”

The young man commented

 

I smile with happiness

Sharing with others

With my best ability

One human being to another

We are seeking peace with nature 

 


  

In the Midst of troubles, I Seek Peace

 

The car door opens

Appear a woman with a child”

“Look!  Beautiful flowers.”

She points at the flowers

The child’s big eyes wild open

Smiles responding to his mommy

 

“See yellow flowers!”

I point at a group of marigold flowers

 

“How old is he?” I ask

 

“Two years old” She replies

 

“Our two grandsons come to stay with us twice a week”

“One is going to be six years old next month”

“One and a half years old,

The young one who is very busy bee”

 

“He is very busy bee too”

She responds to our conversation

 

Parents and grandparents understand

The lives around the little ones

 

Our grandsons give me joy

Seeing them healthy and playful

 

 Visualizing the young ones in my mind

As I lay down sleep at night

Smiling with peaceful sleep

Tomorrow my two little ones will be here

 

A Black yellow spotted swallowtail butterfly on very large pink flowers.

A Black light blue spotted swallowtail butterfly on a very large pink flower.

A golden swallowtail butterfly on an orange flower.

A monarch butterfly on very large yellow flowers.

A monarch butterfly on jade plant flowers.

A monarch butterfly on golden rods flowers.

A golden swallowtail butterfly on mixed colorful flowers and golden rods flowers.

 I miss doing my artwork.  I do not have a quiet time to be able to concentrate on composing the artwork.  This may be due to worry about the COVID-19 virus epidemic, especially during the last administration that caused about 500,000 (Five hundred thousand) people to die.  Almost every day there was some controversial news that came from the presidential twitter account, from the White house.  I had to listen to the news carefully in order to be aware of the circumstances. There was no peaceful time to contemplate doing my artwork.  But now that the Biden administration has far less controversy, I can begin to have some time to think and even feel affect of missing doing the artwork.

This year my Butterfly bush trees have more beautiful large purple and white flowers than in past years.  I saw more butterflies came to drink the nectar from the flowers.  Three weeks ago, I saw six monarch butterflies drinking the nectar from one of the butterfly bush trees and more on the other trees.  I could not get a good picture because they were very busy, flying here and there.  Not one of them stayed still long enough for me to capture the image.  In previous years, I was lucky to be able to capture photographs different types of butterflies.  I also found some of the older flower photographs that I like.  So, I combined the butterfly photographs with the flower photographs.  The result is the above pictures of different butterflies and flowers in our garden that I was enjoyed capturing in photographs, in previous years.

 Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Friday, October 1, 2021


 

Peace with Nature                    Happy 6th Birthday Kai

Grandpa John and I are very happy that

you read so well today.  Now, you can read for

Bodhi and your classmates.

Love,

Grandma Ing & Grandpa John

 

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Ing’s Street Art: Elephant Bath, Bodhi First Time Plays Out Side the house with Brother Kai and Friend, Jacob

Ing’s Street Art: Elephant Bath, Bodhi First Time Plays Out Side the house with Brother Kai and Friend, Jacob

Ing’s Street Art: Elephant Bath,

Bodhi First Time Plays Out Side the house with Brother Kai and Friend, Jacob

Thursday, May 20, 2021 at Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey

Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

 

As usual, my husband, John Watts helps me hang one of my artworks, Elephant Bath, on our shop gate.

                                                    

 

While I am taking the photos, Kai, our five-year-old grandson, is helping me prevent the little one from walking to far away from our shop.  But Bodhi likes to walk away from us.

 

 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time that Bodhi has come out of the house.  He is interested in every thing.  He stops walking to watch grandpa John hang Grandma Ing ‘s artwork.

 

 

Bodhi decides to go in the house by himself.  He cannot walk upright climbing the steps, so he crawls up.  Kai runs in to help Bodhi.

 

 

For a short time, I see Bodhi coming out by the door.  Kai comes out and tries to get Bodhi back into the house.

 

 

Bodhi resists, but holds on to Kai’s arm to get himself down the next step.  Until he able to get to the side walk, he pulls his arm free from Kai and runs away.  Bodhi is only one year and two-month-old but very determined and physically strong.  He able to free himself from his brother.  I keep a close eye on my two grandsons’ activities, to be sure that they are not in danger.  But I like to observe their behavior and see how they solve problems.  

 

 

John is finished hanging my artwork.  I take a few of my tall trees to create a forest atmosphere, where elephants live.  I only hope that we remain and maintain the forests all over the world, instead of cutting them down for human consumption, leaving nothing for other creatures that live on this planet.

 

 

It is nice to see a policeman riding a horse on the street. 

 

 

Bodhi tries to get into the restaurant next door while Kai tries to prevent him.

 

 

After the hard work, John is resting in our backyard garden under the rose bush.  This is the first rose bloom of this year.  The first roses are much larger than the following blossoms.

 

 

My eyes passing a large pink rose, as I view John’s large sculpture next to the grapevines and avocado trees.

 

 

At 3:30 P.M. on the days that Kai and Bodhi stay with us, Kai sees his friend, Jacob.  They play with each other at the Rutgers campus.  This time I take Bodhi with me to join Kai and Jacob.

 

 

Bodhi is so happy to be walking outdoors.  If he could, he probably would run with Kai and Jacob.

 

 

Bodhi never stop walking.

 

 

Jacob is having a good time teasing Bodhi.

 

 

This person says Hello to Bodhi.  Bodhi stops walking and look back at that person.

 

 

Bodhi walks up to the Rutgers sign.  He is curious about the large red letters.  I think he may become another Rutgers student.  Bodhi’s father, his grandpa Jim and his mother graduated from Rutgers University, as did I, with degree in Chemistry in 1976.  Bodhi’s Grandpa John was teaching pottery classes at Rutgers in Newark for many years.    

  

 

🙂 FRIENDS 🙂

 

 

Time to go home, Kai and Jacob help to get Bodhi’s carriage for me.  Bodhi is quite tired and wants to drink his milk.

 

 

The children are having very good time running playing hide and seek and other games.  Bodhi is having a good experience outdoors in a small park. 

With more people are having vaccination in USA, it seems like we are reaching a normalcy that we are too busy to appreciate until we lose it.

 

 

Hi Mali,

Please view the attachment, I hope you like it.  We were very busy today.  Your Daddy had to fix the leaking gas valve in the kitchen.  I spent time helping him move the stove & other things to clear the area.  Unfortunately, the microwave does not work.  I tried to finish your birthday card with little time to do so.

Happy Birthday Mali, look at the bright side, the kids will grow up along with you.  Then you will have more time to sleep and two pairs of helping hands.

Love,

Mom & Daddy  

Sunday, 6.6.2021

Yesterday was our daughter birthday.  She is Kai and Bodhi’s mother.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Tuesday, June 8, 2021

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Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Gandhi’s Ing Artwork Display in Public for the First Time in 2021 and Kai, 5-year-old Street Artist on Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Dr. King and Gandhi’s Ing Artwork Display in Public for the First Time in 2021 and Kai, 5-year-old Street Artist

On Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA

 Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts and Ing’s grandson Kai

My husband, John Watts is helping me put up two of my artworks.

Kai took these Photographs for Grandpa John & Grandma Ing.

Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, Kai has to wear a mask when he is outside of the house.  All concerned citizens all over the world should wear a mask when they are in public if they are concerned about catching COVID-19.  People who have the virus will not spread germs to the other people if they wear masks.

 The United States is very lucky to have Joe Biden as the new president in 2021.  He is concerned about the spread of the virus that will harm and kill more.  He believes in science, and vigorously worked to acquire and distribute the vaccine to all eligible citizens.  The result is a reduction of people getting COVID-19, and the reduction of people dying from the virus.  The previous president, Donald Trump, does not believe in science, and shows this by his example of not wearing a mask.  His followers, most of them Republicans, voted for him, support him, and follow his example, by condemning the use of masks, refusing to wear them, and not practicing social distancing. 

Mr. Trump had, and continues to have, rallies that pack people next to each other by the thousands. Most of the audience are not wearing masks, while, Mr. Trump, speaks at a podium that has a plexiglass screen to prevent the COVID-19 virus droplets reaching him.  Also Mr. Trump and his wife quietly received the COVID-19 vaccine without letting his followers know, and all his children also received the COVID-19 vaccine

By the end of Trump’s administration, over 500,000 (Five hundred thousand) people died as a result of his actions.  The most puzzling aspect of this is that about 70,000,000 (seventy million) people voted for Trump, most of them Republicans, for his second term.  Belief without reason can cause great harm to the believer and if seventy million people or more do so, this can cause the collapse of social order.  If Mr. Trump became the president in a second term, no one could foresee how many more US citizens would die.  The US economy could be far worse with many millions more unemployed, and a dramatic rise in the homeless population in the country. 

I wish to keep my writing as a record on my website for my grandchildren and other generations.  My intention is to make others aware that believing blindly in anything without reasoning and education can destroy all of us.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, April 18, 2021     

I wanted to see my grandson’s face so I asked him to pull his mask down.

Two of my artworks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi, are posted on our shop gate for the public.  It is being posted for the first time this year, 2021.

We saw a fire truck passing by.

Kai the Street Artist:

The 5-Year-Old Street Artist on Thursday, March 25, 2021, Halsey Street, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

Kai was starting to do his drawing.  He searched for the color markers.  Then with confidence, he drew the line of the object that he had in mind.

Kai quickly drew his first character without any hesitation in a short period of time.

“Is it dinosaur, Kai?” I asked him.  He shook his head.  I asked, “Godzilla?”  Kai said “Yes”

“I will draw The Gigan monster.”  Kai said.

“The story of the monsters – it’s the mighty Godzilla movie”, Kai said.

Kai drew a snake monster between Godzilla and the Gigan monster.

Kai told me that he was drawing The Three Headed King Ghidorah, who is the ultimate nemesis of Godzilla.

While Kai was working on his drawing, this person was walking by and gave a nice comment to the young artist.  I appreciate his comment to encourage Kai and also, he keeps the side walk clean.  All people who do the sanitation work are important.  If the bathroom in the office building is filthy and smells bad, it will make the work place unpleasant.   We should have Sanitation Day to thanks the people who keep the places clean.

Kai drew the Mothra monster in the adult stage, then he drew the Mothra monster as a baby in the caterpillar stage.

Kai looked at grandma and said nothing.  I thought he might be a little tired.  I asked him if he would like a glass of milk, but he said no.

Kai colors the Rodan monster in red and Godzilla in green.

Halsey Street is quiet, the restaurant next door is still closed due to COVID-19.

“It’s very hot!”  Kai said.  “Take your jacket off.”, I recommended.

Kai said, “Grandma, look at these!”  He lifted off the patch that cover the fox eyes on his shirt and I said “Peek A Boo!” He was so proud of his foxy design shirt.

Then Kai went back to drawing the King Kong character on his artwork.

For a while Kai turned sideways.

Then he jumped out of his seat and ran up the steps.  He put up his hands and made some noise.  I asked him what kind of animal is that.  “Chicken!” Kai responded.

He ran back and forth in front of our shop, passed his artwork, to the entrance of the building next door.  He did this a couple times.

 Kai went back to his chair and looked at his artwork for a while, then he jumped up and ran again.  I guess he needed to regenerate some energy before he resumed his artwork. Or he is just a five-year-old kid that want to have some fun, most of the time.

Kai went back to color his artwork after he had his fun of running like a chicken.

The Three headed King Ghidorah is in yellow.  But Kai insisted it is gold.

“King Kong has to be brown”, Kai declared.

This young boy came with his mother.  He stopped to see Kai’s drawing.  Kai got out of his chair and let the boy sit as he gently asked the boy, “Would you like to draw?”  The boy said yes.  His mother told me that he is four years old.

I told Kai to get a mask for him.  The boy and his mother did not wear masks.  Then I went to get drawing paper for the boy.  His mother stood not very far from us talking on the phone to someone.  After finishing her phone call, she said that she is going to take her son for lunch at a restaurant nearby and she will bring him right back.

Kai waited for the boy to come back and do drawing with him.  But the boy and his mother never come back.  Kai went back to color his artwork and said “I wish he is coming back.  I like him.”  I felt sad for my grandson that the boy did not come back.  I guess that Kai was hoping for a new friend.

Kai said “I finished my artwork Grandma.”  I said to him “I like your drawing and your story.  You can show your artwork to your Mommy and Daddy.”  His Grandpa John also loves his artwork.

I asked Kai to pose with his artwork.  He felt good for his achievement.  I am glad that Kai enjoys doing artwork.  As his Grandma, it makes me very happy to see his happiness and playfulness.  We adults have to gently give encouragement to the youngsters in our family and all others as well.  Children today will replace us, and become adults tomorrow.  Loving and kindness to all can form a peaceful and harmonic family and society.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Sunday, April 18, 2021 

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Astronaut Kai visits Grandpa John and Grandma Ing’s garden

Astronaut Kai visits Grandpa John and Grandma Ing’s garden

Golden rod flowers and others flowers from our backyard garden during August and September, 2020, Downtown Newark, New Jersey, USA

Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

Astronaut Kai observes flowers in the garden.

He sees beautiful patterns of flowers casting on his orange astronaut uniform.

Astronaut Kai is hiding in the dark to witness the sun light shining on the trees creating beautiful designs on the wooden deck.  

The yellow golden rod flowers brighten the garden when the blooming season arrived.  The big and small insects enjoy the nectar of flowers.

Astronaut Kai loves to play hide and seek.

Astronaut Kai is admiring the purple butterfly bush flowers with the nice perfume aroma.

Astronaut Kai walks into the deep dark jungle and takes off with his rocket to search for the unknown of the universe as he disappears to far, far away planets.

Our Grandson Kai, just turned 5 years old yesterday on September. 21, 2020.  He came to visit us in his astronaut outfit.  He is so proud of his astronaut uniform. He wore it all day long, and took it off only when he went to sleep at night.  I enjoy seeing the little one having a good time playing as an astronaut.  It is a good relieve for me from the reality of political turmoil and the trouble from COVID –19 virus at this present time. 

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Monday, October 5, 2020

 Due to COVID-19 social distancing we cannot see our grandson that often.  But we talk to our daughter and grandson Kai almost everyday from 6 pm for an hour or more via internet-FaceTime.  I teach Kai some spelling and math.  John reads some books or does drawing with Kai.  On this Sunday, August 30, 2020, Kai suggested that he wanted to draw The Life Cycle of a Butterfly.  His mother just orders a set of real-life butterfly eggs to let Kai observes the real life hatching of a caterpillar and the transform into cocoons and the becoming of a butterfly at the end of the life cycle.  John drew a caterpillar and a butterfly also.

John Watts’ Drawing

Kai’s drawing:  The Life Cycle of a Butterfly (black & white), Sunday, August 30, 2020

Kai’s drawing:  The Life Cycle of a Butterfly (colors), Sunday, August 30, 2020

 I told Kai that Ms. Fran, his Newark Museum teacher, wrote us a message on my website comments section, as follows:

Hi Kai & Ing,
I hope you and your family are well! What a lovely trip down memory lane to see these photos! Just a little more than a year ago. I hope we can visit sometime soon, when the museum opens up to the public. Till then, stay well and have FUN!”

Kai said that he misses Ms. Fran also, and he would like her to see his, “The Life Cycle of a Butterfly,” drawing.  He really enjoyed drawing to make his first little book and museum tour trip with Ms. Fran.  He said he would love to see her again when the museum is opened for the new classes.  

For more photos and information of Kai taking lessons with Ms. Fran Garrido at The Newark Museum please visit the following link:

Kai & Teacher, Ms. Fran Garrido in Creative Play at the Newark Museum, July 17, 2019

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Cherry Blossoms at Branch Brook Park, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Cherry Blossoms at Branch Brook Park, Newark, New Jersey, USA

Photographs by Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts

I miss visiting the Cherry Blossoms at Branch Brook Park, Newark, New Jersey in Spring time. We usually started our trips from the beginning of the month of April, almost every year for more than forty years. We enjoyed strolling under the cherry blossom trees, and seeing children running around with parents watching, while wearing their best dresses and suits to welcome the cherry blossoms in spring.  Some Cherry trees often have just started to open the little buds of flowers and some are in full bloom with white, light pink, dark pink and red of little flowers in clusters on every branches of the cherry trees. It is so beautiful!!

I was in awe when I saw the cherry blossoms the first time, and I promised myself that I would visit this magic and beautiful land of cherry blossoms every year.  It was such a happy time that we looked forward to with our family.  There was always a special lunch, on a blanket under the cherry trees with the comfort of spring temperature, and baking the warm sun in the afternoon. We enjoyed seeing other families and people that came to admire the Cherry Blossoms.  Even though we did not know them, there was the feeling of community, we smiled at each other and said hello to the people who passed by us.  It was a time of happiness, harmony, and peace as humanity celebrated nature that provided us peace and comfort in the spring time.


 

John with Hunter, our neighbor’s son who came to see me every Saturday to study beginning math lessons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we know that most of the country is locked down, we can go out only to get food and in emergency situation.  I have been in our apartment since March 12.  On March 10, I went to the hospital for our second grandson’s birth.  Then I stayed two nights with our four-year-old, first grandson.  Since then I did not go out anywhere.  My husband, John Watts are my provider, he went out to get food and necessity items that we need for during this lockdown of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  The whole world is in the same situation as US.  From the end of December 2019, the coronavirus took place in Wuhan, China and the coronavirus has been spread out all over the world, up to today, Saturday, April 4, 2020, 2:08 P.M.

 [LIVE] Coronavirus Pandemic: Real Time Counter, World Map, News                          Started streaming on Jan 29, 2020   Roylab Stats

 COVID-19 LIVE WORLD MAP/COUNT

 TOTLE CASES: 1,180,725

 TOTLE DEATHS: 63,951

 TOTLE RECOVERIED:  245,344

 TERRITORIES:  208

 I went to view my Cherry Blossom posts in my website and in the photograph files of the Cherry Blossoms that we took for many years.  I enjoy viewing the photographs.  They remind me of happy times we had together with family and the community.  I decided to select some of the photographs to post on my website.  I hope that it will give the viewers some smiles or pleasant feeling that Cherry Blossom in Newark, New Jersey faithfully give pleasure to the community every year in Spring.

Ing-On Vibulbhan-Watts, Saturday, April 4, 2020

For more photographs and information please visit the following link:

https://ingpeaceproject.com/?page_id=124

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