The West Is the Best in the NBA Once Again...

Yesterday, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Indiana Pacers, 103-91, in a thrilling but predictable Game 7 of the NBA Finals. I call it predictable because it was no longer a question mark as to who was gonna become the 2025 NBA Champion after the Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton left the game due to an Achilles injury in the first quarter.

The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy unsurprisingly went to the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander...over a month after he was crowned the 2024-'25 regular season MVP as well. This is the first time in 25 years where the league's regular season MVP winner went on to emerging victorious in the championship round. Shaquille O'Neal won the 1999-'00 regular season MVP before he and the Lakers proceeded to besting the Pacers in the 2000 NBA Finals.

Speaking of the Lakers, Alex Caruso won his second NBA championship last night. His first title was with Los Angeles when it defeated the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals. While naysayers assert that that championship didn't count (which it does) because it took place inside the Disney World 'bubble' in Orlando during the COVID-19 pandemic, they can't say the same thing about Caruso's second ring.

We'll see how the rest of the NBA reacts to the Thunder becoming the new king of the league. 2-time champion Kevin Durant will be traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Houston Rockets; now let's see how other teams—including the Lakers with their new owner—respond to OKC.

If the chart below is any indication, L.A. fans will have to wait till 2030 for the Lakers to bring the bling back to the City of Angels. (Also: Screw the 1960s!) And did someone place an actual curse on the Eastern Conference so that the West could win this postseason? Happy Monday.

Congrats, SGA! The last time a regular season MVP won the #NBAFinals was in 2000...when Shaq led the Lakers to a championship over the Pacers. pic.twitter.com/K99UYyWSck

— Richard Par (@RichTPar) June 23, 2025

CONGRATS ALEX CARUSO ❤️

THE BALD MAMBA IS NOW A 2X CHAMP 🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/kE1itxXwr1

— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) June 23, 2025

A Random Health PSA...

So today marks one week since I went to the hospital to get a routine colonoscopy performed on me. Fortunately, no polyps were found...but I learned that I have this condition known as diverticulosis. Diverticulosis takes place when slight defects in the muscle of the large intestine's wall allow pockets or pouches (also known as diverticula) to form in the intestine, a.k.a. colon.

Diverticulosis is the result of long-standing constipation and thus can lead to hemorrhoids, which were found in small amounts internally and externally on my colon.

According to the report that I received after the medical procedure, nothing significant needs to be done to treat the diverticulosis—except to increase the fiber intake in my diet and perhaps use Metamucil, a fiber health supplement. Other than this, I don't need to get another colonoscopy for the next 10 years. Knock on wood!

So if you're at least the age of 45 (which I turned last October), you should get a colonoscopy too! This painless procedure only lasts around 30 minutes, you're under a slight sedation while the examination is performed, and the liquid diet prep that you do the day before isn't that bad. Going to the restroom every 5 minutes or so for a bowel movement during the night is worth it once you get this very-important procedure completed, and your results hopefully come out clean (pun unintended).

Happy Thursday!

Photo of the Day: Now Equipped with the Bivalent Vaccine to Battle Omicron...

Six days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of upgraded COVID-19 booster shots made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, I went to the local CVS Pharmacy to get a dose (my fourth by Pfizer-BioNTech since last year) of this updated vaccine a few hours ago.

As stated in the Blog entry I linked to above, this upgraded booster—known as a bivalent vaccine—contains the mRNAs of both the original coronavirus strain as well as those of its BA.4 and BA.5 omicron variants...making this the strongest form of protection against COVID-19.

It will take two weeks for this booster to take full effect...meaning that I would have to wait till after September 20 to get my annual flu shot. Yes, I'm that diligent about protecting my health from lousy viruses each year.

The COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are still free; a flu shot is not. Happy Tuesday!

Upgraded Coronavirus Booster Shots Will Be Available in the U.S. Sometime Next Month...

Getty Images

FDA Authorizes Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech Bivalent COVID-19 Vaccines for Use as a Booster Dose (Press Release)

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to authorize bivalent formulations of the vaccines for use as a single booster dose at least two months following primary or booster vaccination. The bivalent vaccines, which we will also refer to as “updated boosters,” contain two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of SARS-CoV-2 virus, one of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the other one in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.

The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.

The monovalent COVID-19 vaccines that are authorized or approved by the FDA and have been administered to millions of people in the United States since December 2020 contain a component from the original strain of SARS-CoV-2.

What you need to know:

- The authorized bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, or updated boosters, include an mRNA component of the original strain to provide an immune response that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and an mRNA component in common between the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant.

- The BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant are currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and are predicted to circulate this fall and winter. In June, the agency’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly to include an omicron component in COVID-19 booster vaccines.

- For each bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, the FDA based its decision on the totality of available evidence, including extensive safety and effectiveness data for each of the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, safety and immunogenicity data obtained from a clinical study of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained mRNA from omicron variant BA.1 lineage that is similar to each of the vaccines being authorized, and nonclinical data obtained using a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained mRNA of the original strain and mRNA in common between the BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the omicron variant.

- Based on the data supporting each of these authorizations, the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are expected to provide increased protection against the currently circulating omicron variant. Individuals who receive a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine may experience side effects commonly reported by individuals who receive authorized or approved monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

- With today’s authorization, the monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are not authorized as booster doses for individuals 12 years of age and older.

- The agency will work quickly to evaluate future data and submissions to support authorization of bivalent COVID-19 boosters for additional age groups as we receive them.

Who is eligible to receive a single booster dose and when:

- Individuals 18 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.

- Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.

“The COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters, continue to save countless lives and prevent the most serious outcomes (hospitalization and death) of COVID-19,” said FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf, M.D. “As we head into fall and begin to spend more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”

The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent contain mRNA from the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The mRNA in these vaccines is a specific piece of genetic material that instructs cells in the body to make the distinctive “spike” protein of the original virus strain and the omicron variant lineages BA.4 and BA.5. The spike proteins of BA.4 and BA.5 are identical.

“The FDA has been planning for the possibility that the composition of the COVID-19 vaccines would need to be modified to address circulating variants. We sought input from our outside experts on the inclusion of an omicron component in COVID-19 boosters to provide better protection against COVID-19. We have worked closely with the vaccine manufacturers to ensure the development of these updated boosters was done safely and efficiently.

"The FDA has extensive experience with strain changes for annual influenza vaccines. We are confident in the evidence supporting these authorizations,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The public can be assured that a great deal of care has been taken by the FDA to ensure that these bivalent COVID-19 vaccines meet our rigorous safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality standards for emergency use authorization.”

For each of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines authorized today, the FDA evaluated immunogenicity and safety data from a clinical study of a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine that contained a component of the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and a component of omicron lineage BA.1. The FDA considers such data as relevant and supportive of vaccines containing a component of the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages. Furthermore, data pertaining to the safety and effectiveness of the current mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which have been administered to millions of people, including during the omicron waves of COVID-19, contributed to the agency’s evaluation.

Data Supporting the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent Authorization

To evaluate the effectiveness of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 18 years of age and older, the FDA analyzed immune response data among approximately 600 individuals 18 years of age and older who had previously received a 2-dose primary series and one booster dose of monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. These participants received a second booster dose of either the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) at least 3 months after the first booster dose. After 28 days, the immune response against BA.1 of the participants who received the bivalent vaccine was better than the immune response of those who had received the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety of a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 18 years of age and older is supported by safety data from a clinical study which evaluated a booster dose of Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1), safety data from clinical trials which evaluated primary and booster vaccination with the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, and postmarketing safety data with the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety data accrued with the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) and with the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process.

The clinical study that evaluated the safety of a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) included approximately 800 participants 18 years of age and older who had previously received a two-dose primary series and one booster dose of the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, and then at least 3 months later, received a second booster dose with either the monovalent Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine or Moderna’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1).

Among the study participants who received the bivalent vaccine, the most commonly-reported side effects included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, swelling of the lymph nodes in the same arm of the injection, nausea/vomiting and fever.

Data Supporting the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent Authorization

To evaluate the effectiveness of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 12 years of age and older, the FDA analyzed immune response data among approximately 600 adults greater than 55 years of age who had previously received a 2-dose primary series and one booster dose with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. These participants received a second booster dose of either the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) 4.7 to 13.1 months after the first booster dose. After one month, the immune response against BA.1 of the participants who received the bivalent vaccine was better than the immune response of those who had received the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent for individuals 12 years of age and older is based on safety data from a clinical study which evaluated a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1), safety data from clinical trials which evaluated primary and booster vaccination with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and postmarketing safety data with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

The safety data accrued with the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) and with the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine are relevant to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent because these vaccines are manufactured using the same process.

The clinical study that evaluated the safety of a booster dose of the bivalent vaccine (original and omicron BA.1) included approximately 600 participants greater than 55 years of age who had previously received a 2-dose primary series, one booster dose of the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and then 4.7 to 13.1 months later, received a second booster dose of either the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Pfizer-BioNTech’s investigational bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (original and omicron BA.1). Among the study participants who received the bivalent vaccine, the most commonly-reported side effects included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever.

The fact sheets for both bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for recipients and caregivers and for healthcare providers include information about the potential side effects, as well as the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis.

With today’s authorization, the FDA has also revised the EUA of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to remove the use of the monovalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for booster administration for individuals 18 years of age and older and 12 years of age and older, respectively. These monovalent vaccines continue to be authorized for use for administration of a primary series for individuals 6 months of age and older as described in the letters of authorization. At this time, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine remains authorized for administration of a single booster dose for individuals 5 through 11 years of age at least five months after completing a primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine.

The amendments to the EUAs were issued to Moderna TX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

Source: FDA.Gov

****

Photos of the Day: A Visit to Christmas Con in Pasadena, CA!

Earlier today, I drove to the Pasadena Convention Center to attend Christmas Con...which is an entertainment expo where scores of actors and actresses who regularly appear in holiday films (aired mostly on the Hallmark Channel) gather to meet, sign autographs and take pictures with the fans.

As shown below, I went to this event specifically for photo ops with Danica McKellar (still best known as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, and also had roles in other TV shows like The Big Bang Theory) and Lacey Chabert (who appeared in such movies as 1998's Lost in Space and 2004's Mean Girls, as well as the FOX TV series Party of Five).

Lacey Chabert was originally the only celebrity who I wanted to meet at Christmas Con. This expo was supposed to occur back in July of 2020 (I ordered my tix for Lacey's photo op session in February of that year), but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In these photos, that Christmas tree between me and these two beautiful actresses served as a safety barrier. Danica is set to shoot another film soon, so that tree obviously provided a subtle but jolly way of social distancing from her fans. Ditto with Lacey.

So will I go to Christmas Con 2023, you ask? Probably. There are a few other lovely actresses who I would like to meet next year that I couldn't afford to get pictures with today, so I might attend this event again! Also, Pasadena (assuming the California venue for this expo won't change in 2023) is a great city. The parking sucks in most areas of Pasadena, but it's a great city!

Hope y'all are having a nice weekend.

Photos of the Day: Batman in Burbank...

Just thought I'd share these photos that I took yesterday showing the Batman statue standing tall near the AMC 16 theater at downtown Burbank in California.

This statue has been on display at this San Fernando Valley location for about two years, I think...but it was only this weekend that I finally drove down to Burbank to see this cool sculpture in person.

I wanted to pose with this Caped Crusader statue without my face mask on—which I would've been loathe to do at the start of the pandemic back in 2020, even though I was outdoors. Better late than never!

Links of the Day: My Buddy MJ Will Help You Gain a Deeper Insight Into the Cycle of Life...

Good evening, folks! Just thought I'd share these links to help out Majdolene 'MJ' Abualfaraj, my very gifted actress from my short film The Broken Table.

Along with being a very gifted actress, Majdolene is also an awesome artist who'll draw any character for you (or of you), courtesy of her website listed here.

Along with being a very gifted actress and an awesome artist, Majdolene is also very passionate about astrology and will do a tarot card reading for you at the starting rate of $10! You can visit her website for general readings here.

Personally speaking, you should definitely seek a general reading from Majdolene. She was born in early February, which makes her an Aquarius. An Aquarius born in the Age of Aquarius? Well that makes MJ a starseed!

Contact MJ now and she can give you a really deep insight into the Age of Aquarius, as well as past eras like the Age of Pisces and future astrological periods as the Age of Capricorn!

According to MJ, the Age of Pisces began to transition into that of Aquarius two years ago—which would explain the COVID-19 pandemic, upheaval during the 2020 presidential election, the major rise of cryptocurrency, and the Los Angeles Lakers and Dodgers winning world championships within two weeks of each other that year... Well okay, maybe not that last part.

But yea, things are going to get so much more intense for the world in the near future (and I'm not just talking about that Russian madman Putin invading Ukraine) thanks to Aquarius, and Majdolene has the foresight to tell you all about them if you get a general reading from her. So contact her now!

Carry on.


Majdolene Abualfaraj

Photo of the Day: Let the (Commie) Winter Games Begin!

Just thought I'd share this cool photo of fireworks erupting above China's Beijing National Stadium during yesterday's opening ceremony of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games.

Even though this two-week global event is once again taking place in the Land of Communist Heathens (the last time being the Summer Games in 2008) and where the COVID-19 pandemic—plus a couple of other pandemics—started, I'm excited to see how many medals Team USA will take home in snowboarding, skiing, sledding, snowmobiling and much more by February 20...the day of the closing ceremony.

Hope y'all are having a great weekend!

The Rams Are Returning to the Super Bowl!

Three years after falling short to Tom Brady and the New England Cheatriots in Super Bowl LIII, the Los Angeles Rams have a chance to redeem themselves when they utilize their home field advantage at Inglewood's SoFi Stadium to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI...scheduled for February 13!

Replacing Jared Goff as Los Angeles' quarterback is Matthew Stafford—who'll hopefully shine under pressure in the Big Game the same way the Rams' defense did (but Goff didn't) back in 2019. In a season where the L.A. Dodgers were dethroned by the Atlanta Braves as World Series champions last autumn, and the Lakers suck so friggin' hard this year due to the incompetence of Russell Westbrook and the constant injuries of Anthony Davis and LeBron James, the City of Angels definitely needs a badly-needed victory as the world approaches a full two years of the COVID-19 pandemic this March.

I don't wanna jinx matters by talking about a championship parade, but yea, I'll be sure to wear a brand-new N95 mask if Inglewood hosts a celebration should Rams Nation prevail at SoFi Stadium the day before Valentine's Day... That is all.

Battling the COVID-19 Pandemic is One of Many Benefits of NASA-Derived Technology...

NASA

NASA Spinoffs Help Fight Coronavirus, Clean Pollution, Grow Food, More (Press Release - January 24)

NASA's mission of exploration requires new technologies, software, and research – which show up in daily life. The agency’s Spinoff 2022 publication tells the stories of companies, start-ups, and entrepreneurs transforming these innovations into cutting-edge products and services that boost the economy, protect the planet, and save lives.

“The value of NASA is not confined to the cosmos but realized throughout our country – from hundreds of thousands of well-paying jobs to world-leading climate science, understanding the universe and our place within it, to technology transfers that make life easier for folks around the world,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. “As we combat the coronavirus pandemic and promote environmental justice and sustainability, NASA technology is essential to address humanity’s greatest challenges.”

Spinoff 2022 features more than 45 companies using NASA technology to advance manufacturing techniques, detoxify polluted soil, improve weather forecasting, and even clean the air to slow the spread of viruses, including the coronavirus.

"NASA's technology portfolio contains many innovations that not only enable exploration but also address challenges and improve life here at home," said Jim Reuter, associate administrator of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in Washington. "We’ve captured these examples of successful commercialization of NASA technology and research, not only to share the benefits of the space program with the public but to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs."

This year in Spinoff, readers will learn more about:

- How companies use information from NASA’s vertical farm (shown in the image above) to sustainably grow fresh produce
- New ways that technology developed for insulation in space keeps people warm in the great outdoors
- How a system created for growing plants in space now helps improve indoor air quality and reduces the spread of airborne viruses like the coronavirus
- How phase-change materials originally developed to help astronauts wearing spacesuits absorb, hold and release heat help keep race car drivers cool

Other highlights include one of the first robotic commercial lunar landers, developed with NASA mentorship and technology investment, which is slated to deliver NASA science and technology payloads to the Moon in 2022 under the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. The publication also features a grip-strengthening glove based on a robotic astronaut assistant that helps reduce workplace stress injuries, as well as detect-and-avoid systems, flight simulators, and a navigation app that enable remotely-piloted aircraft to fill the sky. And it tells the story behind the Space Pen.

"These NASA technologies are not only giving companies and entrepreneurs a competitive edge in their own industries but are also helping to shape budding industries, such as commercial lunar landers," said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "NASA is much more than rocket launches and astronauts. We’re about improving the quality of life for people all around the world."

The book also features a Spinoffs of Tomorrow section that highlights 20 NASA technologies ripe for commercial application and available for licensing. These include a next-generation biometric identity verification system to unlock phones and computers using heartbeats, a nanomaterial thin-film device that can convert carbon dioxide into fuel, and a self-healing aluminum that can repair cracks and reverse damage in structures such as aircraft, tanks, and fuel lines.

Spinoff is part of the agency's Technology Transfer program within STMD. The program is charged with finding the widest possible applications for NASA technology through partnerships and licensing agreements with industry, ensuring that NASA's investments in its missions and research find additional applications that benefit the nation and the world. The program offers several resources for potential licensees in industry, academia, and beyond, including:

- A webinar series featuring NASA inventors that offers an up-close look at their technology and the potential applications
- Entrepreneur training through reoccurring NASA Startup Studio events and an accelerator focusing on collaboration with Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Special licensing terms for qualified startups that waive the initial licensing fees

Those interested in licensing NASA technology are encouraged to begin their search by browsing the agency’s patent portfolio.

To read or download the digital version of the latest issue of Spinoff, visit:

https://spinoff.nasa.gov/

****

Just Got My Third COVID Vaccine Shot!

Earlier today, I went to a local CVS Pharmacy to get my Pfizer-BioNTech booster shot!

My second dose was received on April 21, so yesterday marked six months since I became fully vaccinated...making me eligible for today's injection.

Another factor that made me eligible is the fact that I work as a background actor in the entertainment industry. I have to remove my mask every single time the camera is about to roll—and then put it back on once the director yells "cut."

I've done exactly a dozen mandatory COVID-19 tests since I resumed getting booked on production gigs last month (with more tests scheduled for this Sunday and next week), making it prudent for me to get a booster shot to ensure that I would remain safe on set.

There's a huge chance that a second booster will probably be needed in another six months, but I'll worry about that when the time comes (which would be next April)!

Anyways, I'm a lot happier in the photo above than I appear to be. Have a nice weekend!

Photos of the Day: Celestial Wonders Above My Street in Los Angeles County...

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Just thought I'd share these images of Jupiter, Saturn and the Big Dipper that I took with my Google Pixel 4A smartphone last week.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began about 18 months ago, I've been taking evening walks around my street in Pomona, California almost every other day. Two of the cool things that I enjoyed looking at during my 1-plus-hour walk were Jupiter and Saturn as these two gas giants were visible in the night sky for much of 2020...until they dipped below the horizon last December.

I even took photos of Jupiter and Saturn (using my Nikon D3300 DSLR camera) a little over a year ago.

It wasn't until recent weeks that Jupiter and Saturn were visible in the evening sky above Southern California once more—and I celebrated their return by taking these photos with my smartphone.

And last Friday, I decided to take pictures of the Big Dipper...which I just found out isn't a constellation itself (it's part of the constellation Ursa Major), but a group of stars known as an asterism. Pretty interesting.

I should go to areas with much darker skies since my Pixel 4A does such an awesome job taking photos in its Night Sight mode. Of course, I also intend on shooting nocturnal images with the Nikon D3300 when I have the chance. I didn't buy a new tripod for it using the stimulus money provided by President Biden and the Democrats earlier this year for nothing!

Carry on.

The Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine, Now Known As COMIRNATY, Has Officially Been Approved for Regular Use by the U.S. Government...

Getty Images

FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine (Press Release)

Approval Signifies Key Achievement for Public Health

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”

Since Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been available under EUA in individuals 16 years of age and older, and the authorization was expanded to include those 12 through 15 years of age on May 10, 2021. EUAs can be used by the FDA during public health emergencies to provide access to medical products that may be effective in preventing, diagnosing, or treating a disease, provided that the FDA determines that the known and potential benefits of a product, when used to prevent, diagnose, or treat the disease, outweigh the known and potential risks of the product.

FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency’s standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products. For all vaccines, the FDA evaluates data and information included in the manufacturer’s submission of a biologics license application (BLA). A BLA is a comprehensive document that is submitted to the agency providing very specific requirements. For Comirnaty, the BLA builds on the extensive data and information previously submitted that supported the EUA, such as preclinical and clinical data and information, as well as details of the manufacturing process, vaccine testing results to ensure vaccine quality, and inspections of the sites where the vaccine is made. The agency conducts its own analyses of the information in the BLA to make sure the vaccine is safe and effective and meets the FDA’s standards for approval.

Comirnaty contains messenger RNA (mRNA), a kind of genetic material. The mRNA is used by the body to make a mimic of one of the proteins in the virus that causes COVID-19. The result of a person receiving this vaccine is that their immune system will ultimately react defensively to the virus that causes COVID-19. The mRNA in Comirnaty is only present in the body for a short time and is not incorporated into - nor does it alter - an individual’s genetic material. Comirnaty has the same formulation as the EUA vaccine and is administered as a series of two doses, three weeks apart.

“Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine. We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines. The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S."

FDA Evaluation of Safety and Effectiveness Data for Approval for 16 Years of Age and Older

The first EUA, issued Dec. 11, for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older was based on safety and effectiveness data from a randomized, controlled, blinded ongoing clinical trial of thousands of individuals.

To support the FDA’s approval decision today, the FDA reviewed updated data from the clinical trial which supported the EUA and included a longer duration of follow-up in a larger clinical trial population.

Specifically, in the FDA’s review for approval, the agency analyzed effectiveness data from approximately 20,000 vaccine and 20,000 placebo recipients ages 16 and older who did not have evidence of the COVID-19 virus infection within a week of receiving the second dose. The safety of Comirnaty was evaluated in approximately 22,000 people who received the vaccine and 22,000 people who received a placebo 16 years of age and older.

Based on results from the clinical trial, the vaccine was 91% effective in preventing COVID-19 disease.

More than half of the clinical trial participants were followed for safety outcomes for at least four months after the second dose. Overall, approximately 12,000 recipients have been followed for at least 6 months.

The most commonly reported side effects by those clinical trial participants who received Comirnaty were pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain, chills, and fever. The vaccine is effective in preventing COVID-19 and potentially serious outcomes including hospitalization and death.

Additionally, the FDA conducted a rigorous evaluation of the post-authorization safety surveillance data pertaining to myocarditis and pericarditis following administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and has determined that the data demonstrate increased risks, particularly within the seven days following the second dose. The observed risk is higher among males under 40 years of age compared to females and older males. The observed risk is highest in males 12 through 17 years of age. Available data from short-term follow-up suggest that most individuals have had resolution of symptoms. However, some individuals required intensive care support. Information is not yet available about potential long-term health outcomes. The Comirnaty Prescribing Information includes a warning about these risks.

Ongoing Safety Monitoring

The FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have monitoring systems in place to ensure that any safety concerns continue to be identified and evaluated in a timely manner. In addition, the FDA is requiring the company to conduct postmarketing studies to further assess the risks of myocarditis and pericarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty. These studies will include an evaluation of long-term outcomes among individuals who develop myocarditis following vaccination with Comirnaty. In addition, although not FDA requirements, the company has committed to additional post-marketing safety studies, including conducting a pregnancy registry study to evaluate pregnancy and infant outcomes after receipt of Comirnaty during pregnancy.

The FDA granted this application Priority Review. The approval was granted to BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH.

Source: FDA.Gov

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TOKYO 2020: Let the Games Begin (Almost a Day Ago, That is)!

So for the past 4.5 hours, I've been watching NBC's delayed broadcast of the opening ceremony for the 2020 Summer Olympics (yes, that year is still being used for these Games) in Tokyo, Japan.

Obviously, this ceremony would've been much more exciting if there was a full capacity of 68,000 people in the stands at Japan National Stadium...but it's amazing that these Games are even being played considering the fact the world is nowhere near reaching the end of the coronavirus pandemic.

There were some entertaining moments, nonetheless, with the obvious highlights being the Parade of Nations (Team USA consists of 613 athletes while Japan's delegation is made up of 631 competitors) and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. Naomi Osaka—the 4-time Grand Slam champion and reigning US Open winner who feels that the mandatory post-game press conference is needlessly stressful—was the final torchbearer who lit the cauldron with the Olympic flame.

The Tokyo Games will last through August 8. And next year, those Commie goofballs in Beijing will host the 2022 Winter Games while Paris and Los Angeles will conduct the Summer Olympics in 2024 and 2028, respectively. As someone who lives in Southern California, guess which one I'm most excited for? Have a nice weekend.


Getty Images

PS: The last time the Olympic Games were played in an odd-numbered year was 393 AD. Roman emperor Theodosius I, a Christian (well obviously), sought to ban all “pagan” festivals, ending the ancient Olympic tradition...which took place in Olympia, Greece every 4 years since 776 BC. What a killjoy. (Thanks for the trivia, History.com!)

Food for Thought...

So I don't know who to hate more: A.) MAGA supporters, B.) Republicans in general, C.) anti-vaxxers (these three aren't mutually exclusive), D.) die-hard SpaceX fanboys who won't shut up about Starship, or E.) those astronomers who announced the discovery of phosphine in Venus' atmosphere last year?

The answer is E.

Until NASA greenlights another New Horizons-type mission to the outer Solar System and beyond (which I've been waiting to happen for almost 16 years now), I'll never forgive those astronomers for relegating Trident to nothing more than a computer-generated concept. To hell with them and to hell with Venus...overlooking the fact that Venus is already a hellish world. With no real future in human space exploration. That is all.


L.M. Prockter et al. LPI / JPL / SwRI

Photo of the Day: Water in a Can!

Just thought I'd share this picture I took of a can of water that I received at work over two months ago. Due to COVID-19 protocols and the need to maintain a clean environment, the TV production that I worked on handed out this unique beverage at the craft service table instead of the usual water bottles. Water cans may not, in fact, be unique—but this is the first time that I myself drank from one! Gotta love set life...for the most part.

And no, this photo isn't recent. I drank this water a few days after I worked on that production, heh. Happy Sunday!

Photos of the Day: I'm FULLY VACCINATED!

Happy Hump Day, everyone! Just thought I'd share these pics that I took after I got my second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine at Cal Poly Pomona earlier today. This comes exactly three weeks after I got my first dose...and just like the first time around, I celebrated this milestone by going to Krispy Kreme to feast on another Original Glazed Doughnut afterwards! (Oh, and I then bought lunch at Chick-fil-A.) If it's anything like the first time around, I'll only wake up with a slight pain at the injection site on my upper right arm the next morning. Knock on wood.

As a reminder, folks 16 years of age and older are now eligible to get vaccinated in the United States! Don't wait! Get your shot and let's end the COVID-19 pandemic once and for all! Overlooking the fact that we'll all need to receive a third dose within the next 12 months—and most likely be vaccinated annually just like what's done with the seasonal flu... Carry on!

Some People Just Have All the Luck!

Cars.com photo by Christian Lantry

Found out from one of my old high school friends yesterday that she wrote a book! Congrats to her! It's a children's publication that she apparently worked on during the COVID-19 pandemic. My friend also owns a Tesla Model X, while her husband now works at Facebook in Palo Alto [though I'd say that this is actually a downgrade from him working at Google (also in Silicon Valley) before that, heh]. They also have three adorable kids.

What— Me ENVIOUS? Naaaaw!

Photo of the Day: My Original Glazed Doughnut, Courtesy of Pfizer...

Just thought I'd share this pic of the Original Glazed Doughnut that I got for free from Krispy Kreme yesterday! This delicious pastry comes courtesy of me showing my vaccination record card at the doughnut shop's drive-thru window...after I received my first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine two days ago.

As a way to encourage people to get vaccinated for the coronavirus (but hopefully not come down with Type 2 diabetes), Krispy Kreme is offering free Original Glazed Doughnuts for folks who show proof that they had an injection through the end of this year. Only vaccination cards are accepted as proof of getting a needle poked into your upper arm; and you only get one doughnut per daily visit through this offer. I definitely plan on returning to get another doughnut after I receive my second dose on April 21! Happy Good Friday.

One Down, One to Go!

Earlier today, I received dose #1 of the COVID-19 vaccine! The vaccination hub that I went to only offered the Pfizer-BioNTech version, which is all good. As of right now, I'm not feeling any adverse side-effects from the vaccine...except a slight pain at the injection site on my upper right arm. This is the same sensation that I sometimes feel when I get a flu shot, so it's all good. Dose #2 will be on Wednesday, April 21. Can't wait! Regular (not necessarily 'normal') times will be here again.