Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/GoodNews

October 16, 2026October 15, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 41 Comments

Today’s good news story comes from the India Times and was submitted by our overseas reporter, Noelle Granger. Thanks Noelle

Meet Anika Puri, the 17-year-old Indian-American student who built a $300 AI system that spots elephant poachers with over 90% accuracy and won a $25,000 Davidson scholarship.

TOI Science Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / October 13, 2026, 20:00 IST

When darkness settles over a wildlife reserve, spotting a poacher from hundreds of feet up can be difficult, even with thermal imaging technology. For park rangers protecting endangered animals, a missed movement could have serious consequences. Anika Puri, an Indian-American student from Chappaqua, New York, set out to tackle this challenge with an unlikely combination of artificial intelligence, drone technology, and a closer look at how humans and animals move. According to a Society for Science report, her project, ElSa (short for Elephant-Savior), developed a low-cost system to identify potential poachers in nighttime drone footage. The innovation earned Puri a $25,000 scholarship as a 2022 Davidson Fellow, recognizing her engineering work and its potential application to wildlife conservation. Scroll down to read more about her journey. Turning curiosity into innovation. According to a Davidson Institute online release, Puri’s interest in technology grew from an early fascination with building, experimenting, and exploring new ideas.

From presenting a Lego Mindstorms robot at Maker Faire to developing an interest in drones and earning a commercial drone pilot license, she approached engineering as a way to turn curiosity into practical solutions. Her focus eventually shifted to environmental science and protecting endangered species. During visits to India, she was struck by the continued presence of ivory jewelry and statues in Mumbai markets, despite international efforts to curb the illegal ivory trade. The experience prompted her to investigate the scale of wildlife poaching and the technology being used to prevent it.

She discovered that drones equipped with thermal infrared cameras were already helping rangers monitor protected areas after dark. However, analyzing the resulting footage remained a challenge, the release explains.

Why traditional detection falls short

Drones monitoring wildlife reserves typically fly at considerable heights to cover large areas while working within limited battery life. At around 400 feet, people and animals can appear as small shapes in thermal images, making them difficult to distinguish accurately, the online release states. Existing detection systems often rely on analyzing individual frames and identifying objects by their shape. According to Puri’s research, these approaches could achieve accuracy as low as 20% in challenging conditions. Human operators watching hours of footage also risk fatigue and missing activity.

Puri approached the problem from a different angle. Instead of examining only what appeared in an image, she studied how objects moved over time. Reading movement through AI. The ElSa system uses machine learning to analyze spatio-temporal patterns in nighttime thermal infrared videos. These patterns include differences in speed, turning radius, and movement behavior, as well as whether an animal moves as part of a herd, adds the Society for Science report. By examining these characteristics across successive video frames, the algorithm aims to distinguish humans from animals more reliably than methods based primarily on static images.

When tested on the BIRDSAI thermal infrared video dataset, collected from four national parks in Africa, the system achieved 90.9% accuracy in detecting humans. The result represented roughly a fourfold improvement over the existing methods cited in her research. Although identifying a human does not automatically establish that the person is a poacher, the technology could help rangers flag suspicious activity for further investigation. Making conservation technology affordable.

Cost was another central consideration in Puri’s design. High-resolution thermal cameras can cost about $4,800, putting advanced surveillance technology out of reach for some conservation programs. Her ElSa prototype, built using commercially available components, cost around $300. This significantly lower price point could make automated detection tools more accessible to parks in Africa and Asia, where budgets and resources are often limited.

The project offers a glimpse of how artificial intelligence can be applied beyond conventional commercial uses, addressing challenges that affect biodiversity and environmental sustainability.

A young researcher with a larger purpose

For Puri, the Davidson Fellowship recognized a project that connected engineering to a cause she cared deeply about. Her work demonstrates how looking at a familiar problem differently can open up new technological possibilities. Wildlife protection requires trained rangers, effective enforcement, community participation, and reliable monitoring. ElSa is not a substitute for those efforts. Still, it points towards a future in which affordable AI tools could help conservation teams identify threats faster and direct their limited resources more effectively. Images Courtesy: Society for Science

The good news here is a young person took the initiative to improve existing technology. Today’s JohnKu talks about Initiative. I hope you have a super weekend.

Just because it’s there,

Doesn’t mean it works that well . . .

Let’s try something new.

Thursday – A Little Personal – Twiggy Sends Tempeste on an Errand

October 15, 2026October 15, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 72 Comments

Dear Readers. My blog’s look has changed because I was forced to switch themes to accommodate WordPress (Of Course). My old theme would not allow comments. I will be working to get it back to a more normal look. I had no notice and only knew about the change because a kind reader sent me a note

“Twiggy, wait up. Where are you going?”

“It’s a good day to be outside. Not too hot.”

“I agree. What are you looking at?”

“I’m not looking. More like feeling.”

“What do you mean feeling?”

“I have this feeling we are not alone.”

“Not alone? What are you saying?”

“Go over to the end of the fence and look around the corner.”

“Is this errand dangerous? What is over there?”

“I don’t think it is anything you can’t handle.”

“That doesn’t give me much comfort. Why don’t you come look?”

“I need to be your backup is why.”

“Okay, I’ve looked. There is nothing there.”

“Nothing you can see, you mean.”

“Nothing is nothing. What’s this all about?”

“I think we have had an interloper in the yard.”

”

“Well, you have me spooked enough. I’m going in.”

“Oh, come on. Like you said, it’s nothing.”

“Nope. I’ve learned that if you think it is something, it’s something.”

“Okay, I’ll confess. I was just getting you ready for Halloween.”

“Well, you did a good job of giving me the willies.”

“This is going to be a good year. You are so easy.”

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – Verification

October 13, 2026October 12, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 45 Comments

Today I opened The Last Drive at random to page 199. With my eyes closed, I pointed to the page. The word closest to my finger is “Verification.” This is our prompt.

“May I see your ID?”

“Why’s that?”

“I need verification of who you are.”

“I told you.”

“I know, but verification is important; otherwise, I can’t let you in.”

“I just showed you my invitation.”

“All well and good, but verification is still needed.”

“I don’t have any ID.”

“Well then, sir, would you please step aside. You are holding up others.”

“Wait a minute. There has to be another way.”

“Don’t know what that might be.”

“Do you have a list of those invited?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then why not check the list with the invitation?”

“That won’t give me the verification that I need.”

“Seems silly. What’s one more at a feeding frenzy anyway?”

“If we let in every stray shark that comes by, there would not be enough prey to go around.”

“Okay. I guess I’ll miss this one then.”

“You know, on second thought, you have been nice about this. I agree the rules are a bit stringent. Go ahead in. Mackerel are the subject of the frenzy today.”

“Thank you.”

Top Ten Things Not to Do at the Laying of the Cornerstone of the White House in 1792

October 12, 2026October 11, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 49 Comments

Yes, this week marks the anniversary of George Washington laying the White House cornerstone in 1792. I’m sure you want to be there, but before you go, take this list and avoid making social or time-travel mistakes. The original post was run on October 14, 2019.

Top Ten Things Not to Do at the Laying of the Cornerstone of the White House in 1792

10 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not think the silver trowel is a souvenir. If you do, at best, a kindly George Washington will ask you to put it back. At worst, the Navy men in attendance who are also celebrating the founding of the Navy will help you put it back. (It seems as if those Navy boys have had a little too much rum, Jakome. They are serious about your yardarm swing.)

9 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not sit in Tiny the WWF champ’s seat. If you do, at best, he will find another. At worst, Tiny, who missed his Anger Management support group that morning, will not be able to control himself. (If you can hold on for another minute, Jalen, Tiny will grow tired of spinning you around above his head. Of course, your landing after that helicopter experience might be a little rough.)

8 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not carry a sign that says, “Federalists Suck.” If you do, at best, the Federalists will think you are joking. At worst, they’ll assume you don’t support the Constitution. ( You’ve done it now, Jamael. You have all those burly revolutionary veterans ready to run you out of town. )

7 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not ask Alexander Hamilton for tickets to his show. If you do, at best, he’ll wonder, “What show?” At worst, he’ll have Aaron Burr meet you at dawn. ( Do not go through with the duel, Jamison. That guy knows his way around a flintlock. I’ll bet you have much to learn.)

6 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not ask Washington what he thinks of “the wall.” If you do, at best, he’ll talk about clearing rocks out of the fields at Mount Vernon. At worst, when you describe what you are asking, he will have you committed. (You knew that was a non-subject, Jamshid. Gotta wonder why you would go there?)

5 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not expect to find a Starbucks right next door. If you do, at best, you can handle disappointment. At worst, your caffeine cravings will get the best of you. (There was no reason to yell at that sweet old lady when she couldn’t tell you where the nearest Starbucks was, Jantzen. Now you have that big soldier over there looking crossly at you.)

4 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not ask for directions to the Washington monument. If you do, at best, someone will point to George. At worst, whoever you ask will begin to suspect you are not from around there. (Since the monument wasn’t started until 1848, Janyd, you’ll gather a crowd who may not like your time-travel story.)

3 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not ask about the Secret Service protecting the President. If you do, at best, no one will care. At worst, they might ask why you think the President needs protecting. (Since the Secret Service wasn’t established until 1865, Japhet, those police officers will wonder why you are so concerned. Maybe time to leave.)

2 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not ask the architect why he forgot a fence? If you do, at best he’ll tell you there is no need since the President doesn’t keep cows. At worst, the idea will get passed around, and someone will suggest one be put in. (In effect, you caused a time tear, Jarah, since Thomas Jefferson helped build one in 1801)

1 If you go to the cornerstone laying, do not offer to help carry the stone. If you do, at best, it will arrive in one piece. At worst, it was a little heavier than you thought, and now it is lying in two chunks on the ground. (Yeah, I would say it is time to run, not walk, to the time machine, Jari. I think your work is done here, and about 200 folks would love to wring your neck.)

Views of the Neighborhood – Hispanic Heritage Walk – Continued

October 11, 2026October 10, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 56 Comments

Today we are wrapping up the Lakeway Hispanic Heritage Walk. If you missed last week’s part 1, you can go HERE to catch up. We are being catered by Cafe No Se in Austin. Yes, they have catered to us before, but we enjoyed their food. Our entertainment is War.

avocado toast, soft boiled egg, crème fraîche, arugula, Aleppo carrots
smoked salmon bagel, salmon, hard-boiled egg, pickled onion, tomato, caper scallion cream cheese, everything bagel
lemon-ricotta hotcakes, apple-thyme chutney, pecan butter, maple syrup
café scramble, roasted wild mushrooms, Fresno pepper, spinach, fresh ricotta, sourdough toast
sweet potato hash, two sunny eggs, crispy pork belly, kimchi, mustard greens, jalapeño, kale
cowboy breakfast, two sunny eggs, bacon, confit pork, borracho beans, tomato, roasted jalapeño, cilantro butter

Let’s go.

September 15th, a Day of Independence

Las Posadas – The journey of Mary and Joseph before Christ’s birth

Patriotic holidays.

Cut paper.

Imaginary creatures.

Pottery

Tamales.

Maize.

Chocolate.

Dance music.

Giant kites

Cuba’s cars

Mexico’s game.

That concludes the tour. Time to relax with the music and food.

Stream of Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Familiar”

October 10, 2026October 9, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 54 Comments

The familiar routine of morning coffee, followed by bedlam, is comforting even though it’s annoying. A touch of the two coffee icon on the touchscreen brings the coffee machine to life. The first sip quells the jackhammer-on-concrete noise in my head from caffeine withdrawal. The second sip is accompanied by the Westminster chime of the doorbell and the simultaneous baying of Twiggy and Tempeste, obviously auditioning for guardians of the gates of hell. Two new toys tossed into the soundproof room, followed by the door’s slam, brings the kind of peace Leon Bridges describes in the song Peaceful Place.

A glance at the security monitor shows Horton the Elephant on a nest on the porch. He has an envelope and clipboard. Obviously, the security shutdown process needs to begin.

The B-2 bomber squadron and the F-35 escort must be called off. One call does it. The tank corps and gunboats are told to stand by. The Apache helicopters are rerouted. The electric shock fence is turned off. The drawbridge over the quicksand is lowered. The robot attack dogs returned to their charging station. The laser-guided machine guns on the roof are set to caution. The nest filled with rattlesnakes put away. The bucket filled with 1000 marbles is locked down. The tear gas canisters shut off. The electrified welcome mat set to off. The fall-away sidewalk into the pit filled with spikes is locked. The hornet’s nest closed. The water cannons are set to safety. Bear traps are set to off. Peregrine Falcons perched on the roof above front door fed. The vat of boiling oil set to warm. Monty Python’s Harmless Little Rabbit’s cage is closed. The front door is opened.

Horton passes me the envelope and clipboard. The signed document, with a fiver clipped to the board, is returned. The question, “How long are you going to sit on Mayzie’s egg?” goes unasked, and the front door closes.

The envelope is from Linda Hill. The letter inside reads:

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “familiar.” Use it the way you’d like. Enjoy!

To see what others have done with the prompt, visit Linda’s post. Here is the link: https://lindaghill.com/2026/10/09/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-october-10-2026/

“I’m not familiar with Horton.”

“He’s a character out of a book titled Horton Hatches the Egg.”

“Odd thing, an elephant sitting on an egg.”

“From the mind of Dr. Seuss.”

“What made you think of that character?”

“I was looking at the Warner Brothers characters when Horton popped up. I remember seeing the cartoon and reading the story to my kids.”

“A bit of nostalgia, huh?”

“I suppose. The story is great, with lessons of greed and commitment.”

“Does it end well?”

“It does. Like most of our Uber rides. Speaking of which.”

“Right over there.”

“What is that?”

“It’s a VW pickup truck.”

“I didn’t know they made pickups.”

“They did between 1980 and 1983.”

“Okay, so what’s the hitch?”

“A small thing.”

“Never small.”

“One of us has to ride in the back.”

“The person who hired the VW, raise your hand.”

“Okay, I’ll ride in the back.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

Friday John Ku – AKA – TGIF – Fry-Yay/Good News

October 9, 2026October 8, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 63 Comments

Today’s Good News story comes from Facebook. Thanks to Tom Okragly for bringing it to my attention.

A 16-YEAR-OLD MEXICAN STUDENT HAS DEVELOPED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER THAT USES SOUND INSTEAD OF WATER OR CHEMICALS

Ángela Karime Venegas Hernández, a 16-year-old student at CETIS 78 in Altamira, Tamaulipas, Mexico, developed an experimental device called “Vortex Tech.” According to the report, the prototype uses a 12-volt battery, a frequency generator, and a speaker that produces 30 pulses per second. The resulting vibrations reportedly disrupt the conditions around a flame by pushing oxygen away.

In tests described by the report, the device extinguished flames in approximately 5–8 seconds. Ángela reportedly tested it more than 100 times, and the article says it worked on wood, flammable liquids, cooking grease, and electronic equipment. The reported advantage is that the method produces no water or chemical residue.

What started as a school experiment has now become Vortex Tech, with Ángela reportedly selected to represent Mexico at an international fair. The concept uses acoustic energy to interfere with combustion rather than relying on conventional extinguishing agents.

Important: These performance claims come from the source report and should not be interpreted as evidence that the prototype can replace certified commercial fire extinguishers or handle large fires. Independent testing and technical validation would be needed before anyone could consider such a system for real-world fire safety.

Could sound waves become another tool for fighting fires in the future?

A bit of historical context: the underlying technology isn’t entirely new. DARPA ( Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) demonstrated acoustic fire suppression back in 2012 under its **Instant Fire Suppression** program, and the U.S. Army Research Laboratory later supported additional research into using acoustics to extinguish flames. George Mason University students also demonstrated a handheld version in 2015.

The good news here is seeing a 16-year-old take an established scientific principle and engineer her own functional approach. That deserves recognition. Today’s JohnKu talks about original discovery. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Not all useful things,

Need to be original . . .

Adaptation works.

Thursday – Anything Possible – Twiggy and Tempeste In and Out

October 8, 2026October 8, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 85 Comments

“It’s a beautiful day. You two should be outside”

“Twiggy, you hear anything?”

“Just Dad.”

“Well, Tempeste, I guess we had better listen.”

“I agree, Twiggy. Besides, who can sleep with that racket going on?”

“Wait up. What’s the rush?”

“I want to see if that monster dog is out. I could use a good bark.”

“Since it is so quiet, my guess is the monster dog is not out.”

“Nope. Looks like he is in the house.”

“Where are you going now?”

“Although it is nice outside, I sorta want to play with a new toy Mom got me.”

“Correction. We both got a new toy.”

“Yeah, you are right. We each got one. I just take gifts like that as a personal expression.”

“I can understand that. I always feel good with a new toy.”

“It makes us both feel good, then.”

“Well, are you going to play with it?”

“You have to hide your eyes. I don’t want you to know where I stashed it.”

“For heaven’s sake, Tempeste, I’m not going to mess with your stupid toy.”

“You going for Marshmallow again?”

“I like marshmallow. The new toy is fun, but Marshmallow is my go to toy.”

“Where is your new toy?”

“I hid it.”

“See. And you called me out for doing the same thing.”

“Age has its privileges.”

I’m Visiting Teri Polen at Bad Moon Rising Today

October 7, 2026October 7, 2026 ~ John W. Howell

I am at Teri’s place today. Bad Moon Rising is a feature now in its Eleventh year. An outstanding lineup of authors answers three of Teri’s fun questions and three about writing.

Here they are:

So come join in on the fun. Comments are closed here, but you can leave them at Teri’s place. Here is the link: https://teripolen.com/2026/10/07/badmoonrising-detour-on-the-eternal-road-by-john-w-howell-supernatural-paranormal-giveaway/

Teri not only blogs but is also a terrific author.

Teri’s books can be found at https://www.amazon.com/stores/Teri-Polen/author/B01MYOUA6V

About Teri

Teri Polen reads and watches horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. The Walking Dead, Harry Potter, and anything Marvel-related are likely to cause fangirl delirium. She lives in Bowling Green, KY, with her husband, sons, and black cat. Her debut novel, Sarah, was named a horror finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.

You can contact Teri at tpolen6@gmail.com, on Goodreads, or on Facebook.

Tuesday – Anything Possible – Finger Point Prompt – “Direct”

October 6, 2026October 5, 2026 ~ John W. Howell ~ 48 Comments

Today I randomly opened Eternal Road – The Final Stop to page 143 and, with my eyes closed, pointed to the page. “Direct ” is the word closest to my finger. That is our prompt today.

“Okay, you men, listen up.”

“Yes, sir.”

“This next mission is going to be a tough one. I’ll need every one of you to do your best. Any questions?”

“Sir?”

“Yes, Jones.”

“You indicated that the plan is an all-out direct assault.”

“That’s right.”

“That’s going to be costly in terms of casualties.”

“We all signed up for that, Jones.”

“I know, sir, but I have an idea.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Instead of a direct assault, we break up into groups and hit the target from several angles.”

“Hmm. Tell me more.”

“Well, in that way we neutralize the threat and at least save some of the troops for a later engagement should it be needed.”

“Are you sure separate attacks will neutralize the threat?”

“I have seen these kinds of attacks before. The enemy comes in with bravado and even killer gas. After a couple of hits, they pull back immediately. Deep down, they are very soft.”

“I must say you have seen more action than I have. Okay, let’s go with your plan. Okay, everyone, you heard it. We are going to attack the enemy in groups. Simpson, you and your troops are group one. Jones, you are group two. Kawolski, group three. Here are the targets. Any other questions?”

“Sir.”

“Yes, Kawolski.”

“What if this dope doesn’t retreat?”

“Just have your troops keep biting. Remember, you are fire ants, and those tall ones can’t stand for long. Besides, your target is the ankle, and that is the tender zone.”