Credit Card Fraud: What Can Be Done to Eliminate it?

What's the big deal. No one pays for fraudulent use of your card, you say. Sure, but what about all the merchants you now have to contact to tell them of your new CC number? What about the inconvenience of having to wait for a new card to use with local merchants?

I have a solution. Here is the new way to buy with your card:

A. You go online or visit a merchant and you make a purchase but you don't pay for it at that instant.

B. The merchant gives you his/her ID number that's been issued by a CC conglomerate/association. Optionally, it is printed nearby where you can scan it.

C. You now take that number to your CC company online--on PC or phone--and you enter that number. If using a phone, you are already there ready to enter payment just after scanning the merchant's ID.

D. Up comes the merchant's info for you to verify that you intended to pay this particular merchant.

E. You enter the amount you are paying the merchant.

F. The merchant receives notice of payment and releases product to you or gives you a receipt for services rendered.

The beauty of this system is that the merchant and/or their staff  NEVER sees or touches your CC. This, I believe is a win-win for all. Lost or stolen cards become a thing of the past. There is not even a need for issuing CC's or CC readers. Almost ALL FRAUD IS ELIMINATD. If their security people refuse to recommend this idea, everyone has to wonder why.

Online use should never be a problem with the above but what about if you are visiting a local merchant and your phone goes out? A different and perhaps more easily implemented temporary solution is to issue cards that have the CC number/expiration date and CCV printed on stickers that the user takes off and either stores the info in a secure location or memorizes it. Alternatively and perhaps better all around, is for the user to be issued a sticker with a QR code that he carries around with him for such occasions. To prevent unauthorized use, the merchant must obtain a photo ID from the user when a QR code is presented for purchases. 

There are always solutions, but it should not be necessary to let anyone see your CC number, expiration date, and CCV ever again.

The Many Places to use a Sterilaser 405 (pat. pend.)

Monday, May 24, 2021

10:46 AM

 

The Sterilaser 405 (pat.pending) is a simple device that takes LED laser light and distributes it throughout a space in order to disinfect and deodorize it. See my YouTube video here, https://youtu.be/rSF2clOX4hA

 

The Sterilaser 405 uses near-UV light to disinfect air and surfaces by killing/disabling microorganisms. It deodorizes by altering molecules into some other less-smelly molecule.

 

There are two main versions of the device. In the simplest version, light is distributed along a static plane and that plane can be oriented at any angle. It is used in situations where, through excessive fear, you may not want the light beam to fall on human skin for extended periods. The thing to remember is that a static plane is easy to avoid whereas a moving plane is nearly impossible to avoid.

 

In a classroom, imagine a paper egg crate. You know the kind that is made from interlocking strips of cardboard that collapse together or expand to form the egg crate. Now imagine that egg crate in a classroom with each student's desk taking the place of an egg. Now, instead of cardboard, make those sections or partitions out of disinfecting planes. This would then be a means of quarantining the contagious student without taking him/her out of the classroom. The only drawback--if there is any--is that in a 5X6 grid of desks, you would need to use  9 devices to crisscross all aisles of the room.

 

Alternatively, one 3D model of a Sterilaser would suffice when placed in the back of the classroom so as not to impinge on students' eyes. The teacher would wear UV-absorbing glasses or a small shield could be placed by the device so that it does not beam at where the teacher might customarily stand. [all precautions I mention are made through an abundance of caution for the radiation--barring a direct and prolonged  impingement on the cornea or retina--is far less damaging than Sunlight.]

 

Where people tend to congregate indoors in large numbers: bars, sports venues, churches, Sterilaser can either stop respiratory viruses in their tracks or, at the very least, diminish their spread.

 

In the wild, Sterilasers scan be placed at the entrance to or inside bat caves to stop viruses at their source.

 

Places that need to be kept cold like meatpackers can have the Sterilaser running 24/7. As I've written before, cold air is dense air and a virus like coronavirus floats readily therein.

 

Cruise ships can use the Sterilaser in common areas or one can be kept in every cabin.

 

Surgeons can use it during operations; and doctors' offices will never be as scary to visit.

 

Agriculture can use it to grow seedlings protected against mold and bacteria.

 

Biologists can use it to grow cells in culture.

 

People with mold problems can use it to sterilize moldy areas or at least use it to remove moldy smells. Also, smelly public bathrooms may be a thing of the past. City dumps will elicit fewer complaints about odors.

 

This Summer, I'll be testing its efficacy against tomato blight and peach leaf curl (both fungal problems).

 

Produce departments could use it to assuage losses d/t mold.

 

Subways and other forms of transportation can use it not only to disinfect but to deodorize.

 

Soldiers can use it to guard against biological weapons most of which are aerosolized.

 

 

How do Planes Fly and Parachutes Float?

Not too long ago, Pocket ran a reprint of a piece that said that we really don't know how planes fly. Gee, the Bernoulli principle and other explanations did not suffice?

I then turned my attention to what might be the explanation and posted it on Twitter. I'm no longer on Twitter being as I could get no one to interact with me on that douchebaggy of a venue that is really only for the "blue checkmarks" and those who grovel at their feet.

Anyway, what I said was that the density of air could explain why planes fly. To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction--Einstein never killed that one, and that leads me ask, "have you ever tried to move a 4x8 plywood in the wind?" It's a terrifying task. The slightest wind will knock you over. 

Likewise, if wind can easily push a 4x8 plywood, a plane's wings could just as easily push against the air, and when it does, it would compress the air thereby raising the density of the air, THEREBY causing the plane to float above the high density air that it created. At what air speed do hurricanes lift up entire buildings? I believe 150 mph does substantial damage. Now, what is the speed of a jumbo jet? it's in the hundreds, of course, and we need to ask ourselves, what difference is there between fast moving wind and a fast moving wing? I submit that there is little difference. Further, what is it that prevents a large surface like a wing from plowing through air vertically and parallel to the Earth? Is it not simply the density of air? What is it that makes it so impossible for a plane to get out of a plunge? Is it not the density of air now equalized on both sides of the wing such that sideways movement locks the wing in place because of the higher density of air it haplessly creates?

Air, unlike liquids, is compressible and it's entirely possible for the air to be so compressed that it's density is higher than that of the plane. Occam's razer comes through for us. If you doubt that air can compress and turn itself into a "solid" just consider why a comet or asteroid would break up as it enters our atmosphere--it is not because of friction although friction can make it easier for matter to break apart once it encounters--or creates--air of sufficiently high density.

It only seems counterintuitive because we easily plow through air with our hands but it should be realized that the more you compress air, the harder it becomes to continue compressing with that same amount of force.

Does a submarine also move vertically by a similar phenomenon? Liquids are not compressible and the simple answer is one of Newtonian laws. However, ultimately, yes, it's the same phenomenon except that you need to compress air before your plane can act like a submarine in water.

Before I leave, I must offer some explanation with regard to gliders. They are not propelled by engines. So, what gives? Well, it is my understanding that a glider will eventually be forced to land but note that its wing surface to airplane weight ratio higher than that of a powered plane's. That greater surface area is needed to enable a higher density air to lift the glider. Interestingly, a glider seeks hot air currents to fly higher and hot air is definitely LESS dense than cold. What gives? Well, Newton to the rescue, that hot air is moving upward and when it hits the wings of the glider, it compresses and allows the glider to float on it--just like the powered airplane with smaller wing surface to airplane weight ratios.

Finally, let's consider the parachute. It never falls straight down but always to one side or the other. Those parachutists who land on a bullseye have some rudimentary steering available to them. The parachute is like a heavy object falling down a hillside. It creates a dense layer of air that lends some support but inevitably it will sink towards the less dense air surrounding it. That is, unless you cut a small hole at the center but what is that hole doing? Is it not releasing the high density air that is trapped within it?

So how does a parachute work vis-a-vis our theory? Because of the higher density of air within the parachute and the greater kinetic energy of that air, the parachute is able to remain open and thereby lower the total density of parachute+air+parachutist allowing the "object" then to float through the atmosphere on its way down.

If BernieCare Should Hold Sway

If healthcare is made universal and the healthcare industry in the U.S. is given the amount they now bring in, it would eventually require a budget far bigger than that of the military. With a population of 330 million and at a cost per enrollee of $12,000 (2011 number) the yearly costs come to 4 Trillion dollars.  From that you could probably only deduct 1/2 Trillion dollars if everyone in the country paid a $1,000 premium. To offset the costs of Medicare for all, the premium would have to be closer to $8,000.

The only fair solution is to require a progressive healthcare surcharge on every source of income in the country. Nothing wrong with that, we do similar taxation with S.S. and medicare.

There is no doubt that the program would be costly--and it would double by 2040 (CBO). For me, the imperative would be to find every which way of lowering costs and not leave it up to market forces because, to date, they have failed to contain medical costs. My UniCare program would increase efficiency and make things affordable and sustainable but it is too radical and not something a candidate would embrace for it requires thinking outside the box that the medical lobbyists have put us in. However, there are actions that we can take no matter the healthcare plan.

1. If the medication that was prescribed did not work, the patient/UniCare is refunded the money. Too many refunds would tell us that the medication lacks efficacy or the physician is unable to select the right medication for the patient and may be incompetent or engaged in fraudulent practices.
2. When a medication is prescribed for a chronic condition, the patient should have automatic refills instead of having to see the doctor every 3 months. When there is the possibility that a medication could cause adverse reactions, automatic testing should be done such that the patient goes and gets the testing done on his own initiative w/o first visiting a doctor. (controls for this are easily implemented)
3. Laboratory and imaging companies should provide the results directly to the patient so the patient can review the results and write down any questions for the eventual visit. The main objective of this is to ensure that the doctor is on his toes and addressing every medical concern that comes up. Strict guidelines should be implemented with regard to retesting. The days of medicine being an "art," are long gone--we're way beyond hocus pocus. Perhaps the surgeon can lay claim to an artform but no one else.
4. Pharmacists and nurses should be given a license to prescribe common medications. You just don't need 12 years of higher education to prescribe a kid antibiotic drops for an ear infection or a middle-aged person blood pressure medications. With the latter, not even a doctor looks for uncommon causes of high blood pressure and for good reason b/c it needs to be controlled regardless of etiology. How idiotic is it for insurers to allow a psychiatrist to say to his patient, "how are you doing with your anti-depression and sleep meds? Want to continue using them? OK, he's the script, see you next quarter for more." You do the math on a decade of this.
5. Patient records should be on the cloud. It is inexcusable for government not to demand this of healthcare professionals. The AMA would fight us on this because it would mean that that data can be mined for signs of malpractice or incompetence or fraud.
6. No treatment should be undertaken by a doctor unless an A.I. program has given its seal of approval. Naturally, particularly b/c A.I. is in its infancy, a doctor would be allowed to override the program but not without justifying his position. You would think that doctors would welcome an A.I. program that would absolve them of any medical malpractice--this alone would be a great savings which he/she could keep or pass down to his/her patients.
7. No communications should be allowed between your present doctor and previous doctors. With records on the cloud, there is simply no information about the patient that needs to be provided surreptitiously between doctors. This--I admit to it being a suspicion on my part--would be an ideal mechanism to blacklist the "problem" patient to his severe detriment.
8. Every person who dies while under a doctor's care should have his cloud records inspected.
9. Government should establish surgical centers for common and sometimes repeated surgeries like kidney stone removal. I don't think a patient on BernieCare or other plan would object to traveling a bit to be operated on by a doctor who's done thousands of them and has been mandated to use the latest equipment and techniques.

The Socialist Healthcare Manifesto: A Paradigm Shift to Stop the Madness

[Note: I apologize if this offends truly empathetic doctors who are not out solely for money. If this paradigm shift happens, I think you'll enjoy no longer chasing after the greenbacks but concentrating on your noble profession the way it was meant to be.] [The name UniCare is used here and I apologise for its use if it has intellectual property protection from elsewhere]

I hope everyone knows the meme that we pay the most of any advanced nation on Earth and yet receive care that is--putting it kindly--less than optimal. How do we correct this imbalance? We can try incremental changes as has been proposed by the GOP but this smacks of duplicitousness because they most likely would not want to implement the second change until the first has succeeded and that could take decades. I'd go with their suggestion, however, if we could implement each change before previous changes had run their course; otherwise, how will we know of the negative interactions between them? But let's dive right into my proposals, shall we?

1. Diagnosis
• The first order of business is to have the patient go to a diagnostician who uses computer assistance (UniCare Software or UCS) and testing to properly diagnose the patient's condition. How many of us have gone to a doctor only to have the doctor try this or that until he hits on the right treatment? A doctor goes to medical school for over a decade but invariably his diagnostic work turns out to be a trial and error process (he'll never admit to it but it is often the case). It would be nice if one doctor could do diagnosis and treatment but it's inefficient at best. The expert that we need--with few exceptions--only does diagnosis and nothing else. This diagnosis is passed on to the proper specialist who then provides the necessary treatment, again, with computer assistance that provides him with protocols to follow. BTW, there may come a day when a medical school degree would only be required of the diagnostician and surgeons who require more advanced training (neurosurgeons, heart and orthopedic surgeons).
• Pregnancies would probably require birthing centers where woman can go to get prenatal care and obstetrical procedures.
• The main cost advantage is that with specialization comes increased accuracy. Costly inefficiencies like improper diagnoses are minimized. Also, pharmacists and nurses can do diagnoses of more common ailments; referring the patient to a specialist diagnostician if unusual elements present.
• The treatment doctors also get a detailed diagnosis; you don't just get diagnosed with high blood pressure, you are told what's causing it (when possible) and, when there are multiple causes, what is the percent that each is likely to be contributing (ie. 30% weight, 30% diet, and 40 percent smoking)
2. Treatment Doctors
• Here we can establish various tiers or categories. Although all information will be on a cloud, the patient will have a hard copy of the diagnosis for verification purposes.
1. Medicinal treatment of common ailments treated with relatively benign drugs. The patient is given the option of seeing a nurse practitioner or a pharmacist when medically appropriate. An incentive might be to offer a zero co-pay when you go to a non-MD/OD for treatment.
2. Medicinal treatment of more unusual ailments treated with drugs requiring extra care. Here you might encounter anti-coagulants, chemo, etc.
3. Surgical Centers. If the diagnostician determines that you need surgery, you will go to a public non-profit (UniCare) surgical center where highly trained and highly specialized surgeons will operate on you. At first, these centers could be part of the Veterans' administration hospitals. If the surgery is needed ASAP, the patient can go to a private hospital where costs will covered by UniCare. Emergencies like heart attacks, trauma, and others can be handled by private hospitals where, again, costs will be covered with no out-of-pocket expenses but the private hospital must determine if it's a true emergency; if not, the patient is referred back to a UniCare hospital.
3. Laboratory
• Today, laboratories and imaging centers respond only to a Dr's script and they provide results only to the doctor. It's time to change this paradigm.
1. The prospective patient should be allowed to request any diagnostic procedure that is not invasive (venipuncture allowed). However, he or she must pay for the test out-of-pocket, but if positive results are returned, his expenses are refunded. What is the advantage here? Let's say you suspect you have a medical condition but would like to try and treat it yourself via alternative medicine or lifestyle changes, this will allow you to do that. Further, you've avoided that first visit with the GP--saving money--and have possibly made the diagnosticians' job more efficient with results in hand.
2. What does providing results only to the doctor mean? First thing it means is that you need to go see the doctor and pay for the visit before you know anything. If the results are totally negative, there is no justification for a visit but we find that at the time the doctor orders a blood test, you are given an appointment for your next visit to discuss the results; results that may in fact be negative. Also, some results are borderline and do not require immediate and aggressive treatment.
• There is something else that could go a long way to fixing our healthcare. By giving the patient copies of all lab/imaging work, the physician is kept on his toes for now if the patient should die, the family has the data in their possession with which to pursue a malpractice claim. Sometimes, it's not incompetency on the part of doctor--it's that, as a businessman, he's motivated to "keep things moving," at a detriment to the patient. Along these lines, something else that might be beneficial is that the patient has all the time in the world to keep track of his numbers and is more likely than the busy doctor to see important trends. Please remember that the only time a doctor gets to see trends is during your visit--will he/she spot it within the time they give themselves?
4. Oversight
• I've heard it said, half-facetiously, that physicians bury their mistakes. But the truth of the matter is that nothing could be closer to the truth because there is no proper oversight.
1. When someone dies at home, the cops question family members with an eye to uncovering wrongdoing. However, who investigates the medical practitioner at the time of his patient's death. Absolutely, no one. In fact, whatever the doctor says is taken as the gospel truth--if he's even questioned at all. There is no investigation, no pouring over the patient's chart to look for signs that the doctor may be incompetent. While it may be too much of burden to do this in every case (though, I personally don't believe it is) there is no reason why a government agency can't randomly select doctors (like the IRS does with tax returns) and look at how they are handling the care of their patients. I propose, three strikes and you're OUT, you've lost the right to practice medicine. This auditing should be for all physicians not just those accepting UniCare patients.
2. Diagnosticians' ability to properly diagnose will be rated and action taken to correct. Any changes in diagnoses must take place after consultation with the diagnostician.
5. Medication
• Medication is expensive but there are ways to lower costs
1. Others have proposed buying at the same cost as that which Europeans or Canadians pay. Definitely a good move but what's the hold-up?
2. Why should any patient who has a chronic illness that requires meds for the rest of their lives need to go back 4 times a years just to get renewals? The answer the AMA would tell you is that the doctor needs to assess or look for adverse effects but how does the doctor assess these effects? Is it not via lab tests? The renewal of medications under Unicare would require a patient--in lieu of seeing the doctor 4 times a year--to undergo pertinent testing. If the results are problematic the patient then makes an appointment with the doctor and if he doesn't make an appointment, his renewals can be cancelled.
3. At the FDA end, there is no reason why medications can't be introduced into the market without efficacy testing but with extensive safety testing. So, if the doctor and the drug manufacture believe there is reason to expect a product to work, give it a try; if it doesn't work, the patient gets his money back. The market will determine if a product is efficacious, and, if it just has a placebo effect, well, what harm is done?
6. What can Cuba do for us?
   
   • Cuba has a program where it trains doctors and the only payback is that they (the students) agree to work in a disadvantaged neighborhood ANYWHERE in the world for a certain amount of time. This appears to be a win-win and one which should be looked into.
7.  The patients' role
• The patient is asked to conform to certain requirements
• DNA analysis should be required at the start of UniCare enrollment with an initial aim of determining known risk factors. All medical personnel would have access to these results with the patient's' consent.
1. Let's say the diagnostician determines that you have hypertension (you went to him/her complaining of "not feeling yourself"). He sent you to a cardiovascular specialist (or cardiologist or I.M.) who then tells you that you need to lose weight and take some pills for the time being. OK, you do the pills, the blood pressure goes to normal but the specialist (or G.P.; tbd) follows a government/university issued protocol that insists you also lose the weight (UniCare doesn't want you on meds if it can avoid it). Follow the protocol and you're on the road to recovery. Don't follow the protocol--especially that weight loss thing--and a surcharge would be added to your taxes and continue for every year you don't lose the weight. When losing the weight, you won't be left out in the cold (we're not those other socialists, you know). Instead, you will be offered treatment plans that involve exercise, diet, meds, surgery, and psychology.
2. We wouldn't want to hurt the patient who has decided to go with a private insurer, and personally-selected doctor, so whatever this patient pays is offset by the amount UniCare patients are paying for similar services.
3. Patients judged to be hypochondriacal or otherwise abusive of the system as shown by patient history, will be referred to a diagnostician for evaluation.
8. Computers
• Extensive use of computers should be undertaken for every UniCare patient
1. Patient records are kept on the cloud and accessed via a UniCare Medical ID.
2. Artificial Intelligence will go a long way to ensuring the best care. The diagnostician will have an entire medical "library" at his fingertips. At one point, he'll be able to take a picture of a rash and determine its etiology. The nature of A.I. is that the more data is entered, the smarter it gets.
3. Artificial Intelligence will also help the prescribing doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. The treatment option with the highest rate of success will be shown first; however, these protocols will have options in order to address patient issues like compliance, adverse effects, affordability (hopefully, price would one day be a non-issue).
4. Any future treatments will always be checked against pre-existing patient history to determine contraindications.
5. Dietary advice will always be provided depending on the patient's illness. For example, a gout patient will be advised against eating sardines or high amounts of animal protein. A kidney stone patient will be advised against drinking too much beer or eating too much spinach. Nothing should be left up to the imagination of the patient or the failings of the treatment professionals. If put on a special diet, patients may give permission for an app to access their food purchases with an aim to determine calories and nutritional benefits or lack of and providing alerts and advice for better purchasing decisions. [if you don't lose the weight, you incur additional surcharges]
9. Implementation
1. Medical universities and teaching hospitals should start immediate development of the A.I. programs that will be used by all personnel at every stage of care. Common diseases will be addressed first with less common diseases entered as they occur.
2. I am not an economist but it would seem to me that something as important as one's health should be well-funded. I propose a progressive health surcharge tax on all sources of income. The rates of which are expected to go down as UniCare increases the efficiency of medical care. All who contribute to the fund will benefit. Those who opt for private insurance and doctors, will get a discount equal to what their doctors would have received under UniCare.
3. Establish a centralized national testing laboratory (NTL). Existing laboratories can do testing if they are willing to accept the costs of the NTL for the same test plus a reasonable handling fee.
4. Start enlisting physicians who want to specialize only in diagnosis. The A.I. program can, during the diagnosis stage, recommend treatment for simple acute disorders. For example, ear drops for an ear infection or other acute localized infections, creams for a poison ivy rash, etc. These can be prescribed by the Diagnostician in the interest of efficiency. If a physician wants to do both diagnosis and treatment, he may, of course, do so but when servicing a UniCare patient, UniCare software must be used along with agreed upon fees.
5. Establish surgical hospitals, one per every--to be determined-population size. Initially, these will be used for the most common procedures: gallbladder, kidney stone, etc.

Easy Wine Making from a Kit.

I just completed making 10 gallons of a Pinot Noir first fermentation from a "kit." Previously I had made 5 gallons of a Merlot also from a 'kit.' They are called kits but really they're just a big bag of concentrated grape juice along with packets of yeast, sanitizer, preservatives and fining agents.

The biggest problem I had turned out not to be a problem at all. The instructions that come with the kit specify that you have to obtain an SG (specific gravity) of 1.020 before you can start the 'secondary' fermentation. Using a refractometer, I found I wasn't able to obtain that low a specific gravity--at least not as measured by my inexpensive refractometer. The primary fermentation got stuck at around 1.025-1.030 and I wasn't able to lower it even with the various tips offered online: add B6 vitamin, add nutrients like urea and ammonium salts, and/or add some more yeast.

Even though my refractometer did not give me sufficiently low readings, I found an online calculator of ABV (Alcohol By Volume in percentage units) and plugging in the values of starting and ending SG, I discovered that I had obtained an ABV of 14 %. Of course, I should have known I had good stuff because of the buzz I was getting from my wines.

Aside from the refractometer, the only other equipment I splurged on was a stainless steel tank with spigot (the best way to rack) and a specialized lid that allowed placement right on top of the must at any volume of must. From my numerous gadget collections, I also had a digital non-contact thermometer that came in handy and a pH meter. Oh, and I also purchased a degassing tool (it's nothing more than a rod with what looks like a weed wacker line looping at one end and an opposite end that you insert into a household drill).

• Buy the kit for starters. You can mess around with your own juices later. If you use your own fruits, you are advised to kill any wild yeasts that might be present. Here, Campden tablets are both convenient and cheap. One tablet per gallon of must is first dissolved in water and then stirred into the must.
• Follow directions but do not fret over cleanliness or SG.
• We must remember that to this day, people still stomp on grapes with their bare feet and it's off to the fermentation tank without further ado. Furthermore, the yeast will start producing alcohol immediately and we all know that alcohol is a great disinfectant. Yeast also produce carbon dioxide and what that means is that eventually there will be little room for oxygen (what oxygen there was will be consumed by the yeast themselves and no oxygen means that nasty bacteria will not be able to thrive. Yeast will continue to thrive for two reasons: they start to ferment without oxygen (anaerobic fermentation and they are more tolerant of alcohol.).
• Instead of obsessing over the final SG number, what I found to be more telling and verified by the above-mentioned calculator is how much the SG has dropped after 3 to 7 days in the fermentation tank. In my Merlot fermentation, I had gone from 1.080 to 1.020 and in my Pinot Noir fermentation, I went from 1.090 to 1.025.
• The kit directions start off with a suspension of bentonite clay in warm water. This will aid in giving you a nice clear wine because protein particles stick to the bentonite and drop to the bottom. I found that the Merlot kit needed no further 'fining.' The kit has additional packets of substances that will aid in getting the wine even clearer but a little cloudiness doesn't bother me so I doubt I will use them for my Pinot which is in its secondary fermentation.
• The syrupy juice is then added along with water. For my Merlot I thought I would be smart and use distilled water but one site I went to thought this wasn't a good idea as yeast could use the dissolved minerals in spring water. Nevertheless, I was able to get a good-tasting Merlot with distilled water.
• The yeast comes next and packet directions should be followed to the letter but do not let the yeast sit in the preparation water for more than 15 minutes. Stir the yeast into the must but be sure that the yeast suspension and the must are within 9 degrees F of each other--preferably both at around 75 degrees F. The higher the eventual must temperature, the faster the yeast will go to work but try for under 80 degrees F. It should be noted that when yeast go to work, they produce heat and the temp of a 75 degree must could exceed the optimal upper limit of 80. I used a small fan aimed at the tank to play it safe. (probably a needless obsession on my part).
• The kit directions specify placing a cover with airlock onto the must but yeast--initially--need oxygen to get to work. Many wineries do not bother with covers--at least during primary. I decided to seek middle ground. I placed plastic wrap over the tank and left a 3" square opening that I covered with gauze. One site mentioned that a cover was a good idea because it would maintain a high carbon dioxide concentration need the surface of must and in so doing, ward off microbial contaminants; however, I've seen the commercial tanks used in primary fermentations and the liquid in the huge tanks is exposed to the air with ample air circulation. In fact, here is an article on the importance of oxygen during the first 2-3 days. The yeast need O2 in order to build their cell structures. It's so important that I'm thinking I'll buy myself a stainless steel diffuser like the kind you might use in a fish tank (see article) to use during the first few days (I'll try it on a one gallon run first)
• It depends on temperature, but usually at the end of a day, the must will start foaming. If left alone, this foam will dry out. It is advisable to "punch the cap" at this time by stirring the top layer. This allows additional oxygen to infuse into the must. I did this numerous times throughout primary (even when the foam had not dried out) but, in the future, if I can still see bubbles coming to the surface, I think I'll just leave it alone. This, only to minimize contaminants.
• At the end of 3 to 7 days, the must will stop foaming. If you measured SG at this point you will likely discover, as I have, that the SG (as measured by poorer quality refractometer--hydrometers may provide more accuracy at lower SG levels) has reached its lowest point. I've seen estimates that in the primary fermentation the yeast produce 80% of the alcohol and that you get the rest during secondary fermentation. I broke my hydrometer and haven't replaced it, so I can't verify this but at one point I had an airlock during secondary and I don't even remember seeing bubbles. I suspect that you can obtain a much higher ABV during primary if the conditions are right--higher temp and great starting must in terms of sugar content & nutrients)
• Now comes the time for the first racking where the top layer is siphoned off to a sanitized container to continue on to a secondary fermentation (with airlock). In some setups, that secondary fermentation will take place in that second container. However with my stainless steel tank with the spigot, I open the spigot and pour the wine into temporary "carboys" (five gallon spring water containers). I then clean and sanitize the stainless steel tank before putting back the wine from the carboys.
• With my setup, I lower the sanitized lid onto the tank and pump up the pneumatic seal that prevents oxygen from reaching the must thus preventing aerobic bacteria from spoiling the must. In carboy fermentations, it is advisable to bring up the level of must to within 1 or 2 inches of the airlock by adding pre-sterilized and must-temperature water.
• Experts will tell you that the reason to lower the SG to zero or better is that this ensures that your wine will be dry (free of any sweetness). But the bottom line is that if it tastes good and gives you a good buzz, why fuss with a good thing? Because I try to eliminate as much sugar from my diet as possible, I keep the lid on for another three weeks or more to attempt greater dryness but I seriously doubt that I'll have that much to go to get 100% of all sugar consumed and turned into alcohol.
• There can be additional racking done before bottling but this just gets you a clearer wine. If the clarity of your wine isn't that important, why go through the trouble of racking? Note that using a tank or carboy with a spigot adds another racking as you bottle. That spigot rides slightly higher than the bottom of the vessel permitting dead yeast & debris (the lees) to stay behind in that space below the spigot.
• When ready to bottle the wine and after having done the sanitize must, preserve must, and clarify must as outlined in the kit procedure, you need to degas the wine. This is done in a 30-60 minute time frame (if you're in a hurry; if not, you can just let the must degas by itself as it sits in secondary fermentation. Placing the degass tool in an electric drill and inserting it into the must, you alternate spinning the drill in one direction (clockwise) for 30 seconds and then switching directions (counter-clockwise) for the next 30 seconds; and so on, back and forth. During this step, you will see bubbles coming to the surface as a light foam that soon disappears after stopping the degassing.
• You can now bottle and cork the wine. I found that inserting a dry cork with a corker (I used the Portuguese corker) was very hard unless I first wet the cork using wine or a dilute solution of potassium metabisulfite (10% or less). The latter would be preferred especially if aging the wine for years but I see no difficulty with a little wine on the cork; after all, it sits in wine throughout the ageing period.

Here are some notes on sanitizing and preserving:

• Find yourself a suitable cleaner online. I used a "green" non-toxic preparation that I happened to have around along with a lot of hot water for rinsing. You want to remove all traces of must.
• Buy potassium metabisulfite powder (concentrations used are 10% (100 g/liter of water) and 25% (250 gm/liter of water). The higher concentration is used to sanitize equipment while the weaker one is used for everything else.
• Before starting work, I sanitize every surface that comes in contact with the wine.  I am obsessed with this because I've just spent $80 on grape concentrate and do not want to lose it to spoilage but whether the risk from not thoroughly sanitizing is real or not, I have yet to determine. But because it's not that big a deal, I'll continue to sanitize.
• See this piece Keep-it-Clean for a good summary of products used.

A note on sulphur dioxide gas:

This is a toxic gas given off by potassium or sodium metabisulphite. Free levels of the gas in the wine are essential to prevent spoilage and specialized tests are needed to determine if you have adequate amounts of it. When determining the amount of potassium metabisulphite to use, a pH determination needs to be made because you need less of it the more acidic the wine. There are easy formulas to use to obtain ballpark free SO2 levels based on the pH of the wine. These together with potassium sorbate should prevent your wine from spoiling while it ages. Determining free SO2 levels and adding the right amount is easily the most difficult thing to do right in winemaking. If you use a kit, the manufacturer has estimated the amounts that you will need for their product and has provided you with packets containing the right amounts. DO NOT BREATHE the powder and smell it in solution only by using the chemist's technique of gently fanning the air above the liquid towards your nose with your hand. The only reason for doing this is to see if that solution you made up two months ago is still potent.

A nutrition advocate seeks a better label | News | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

A nutrition advocate seeks a better label | News | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

I just know Harvard is going to miss the boat again. Neha Khandpur, SD ’16, in Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition is doing nutrition label activism. The article, however, concentrated on nutrients and did not address the glaring problem of caloric content vis-a-vis weight loss efforts.


The solution, which I've proposed before directly to the FDA and the USDA is to print the TOTAL caloric content of a package (no exceptions--the head of lettuce doesn't get off easy anymore). Let's elaborate on the insanity as it is practiced today and how my idea has a very good chance of fixing obesity--for those who want to lose weight and who want to do it by caloric restriction. Yes, labels as they exist today do offer some meager information and we do read them to see, for instance, how many "empty" calories the product contains; but, does it help in the least with calorie counting? No, not unless you are a glutton for punishment.


Presently, one buys numerous products, brings them home, and either shares them or keeps them for his/her special diet. If you kept them for your use only, you still have to look at the label, calculate, and measure out your portions--it is tedious and not at all conducive to weight loss. Why? Ipso facto, no one does it much.


But, in a more sane world, what if you went to the grocery store with this thought in mind, "I would like to limit my calories to 7000 a week for sure-fire rapid weight loss" and what if you then went down the aisles and saw the TOTAL calories for the food of interest printed right there on label (I'd go one step further and print it on the front of the package)? Well, you would tally up the total of all the packages and easily determine that you were within target--you now go home, and limit your consumption to those packages which you determined at the store total no more than 7000 calories.You only count calories once, consume, and buy again. What could be easier?


Difficulties arise when you have to share the food with others but for that we await the right algorithms to create a smart scale that reads the barcode, weighs the package after each use, asks for the name of the consuming individual, subtracts from his allotment and warns accordingly. That one is just begging for online funding. The algorithm could also allow you to buy extra food and warn you if your consumption was exceeding a daily average (in the above case, 1000 calories)


One other difficulty I see is that of the consumer who is incapable of limiting choices but that person has to understand that he/she could buy a great variety for the week if individual items were purchased instead of bulk. But motivation is everything here and I thought it would go smoother if you limited yourself to fewer packages and then varied their content for subsequent weeks.


BTW, can anyone explain why foods have so little nutritional content--if you are to believe the labels, of course. I don't know about you, but until I get an explanation, I'll keep on making the supplement companies rich.