JBRIII

You have my sympathies;
I am a liberal by any name, but fail to understand why anyone spends money developing tests or meds that no one, but multi-millionaries can afford to use or take. I read yesterday of a drug that works as well as surgery for obesity, cost $14,400 per year. My wife says they have to make their money before the patent runs out which I understand, but how can you make money on a drug like that. It would be something like 15% of the median house hold income before taxes and probably much more for older people who may need it. Medicare and insurance do not cover it, so who buys it. By the way, all those new, miracle migraine drugs are in the same class, $1000 per month, who the H are they advertising to? Something just does not add up.

Good luck and best wishes:
Jim

Bloke Loc: Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

I can never figure out why drug companies spend so much on tv advertising for their products... I mean, they are prescription only, so nobody is going to go out and buy them because they saw the ads!

JBRIII

I figure it is to get people to ask their doctors about the drug. It certainly worked with us and my wife's migranes, but neither medicare nor our insurance would cover then. At best you need to try every other option first which literally takes a year or more as each new effort takes months. Even one where free samples worked was rejected. We did get one using company coupon at their website. Many such discounts are no longer available from doctors or pharmacies because no one is being visited during Covid.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I like, "Ask your doctor if Premovactin" is right for you." "Hey, doc, I see there's a new drug available, and I'd like to try it. What's it for?"

anotherview Loc: California

How would a "big solar flare" affect the operation of solar panel installations?

JBRIII

The panel might survive, like the physical part of windmills and turbines, but it is my understanding that any modern electronics that are not properly shielded would be destroyed. In 1857? for example, they found they could run the telegraphs by disconnecting the batteries and using the charge build up in the wires from the flare, if connected the batteries were destroyed. It acts I believe like an EMP pulse from a nuclear bomb. I remember when the US obtained a Russian fighter plane (Mig 25?) everyone laughted at first as it used vaccum tubes, then decided maybe that were just smart as vaccum tubes not effected. I believe all modern chipc can be blown. As far as I know, solar cells are chips so probably not good, but certainly all the control ciruitry could be destroyed. The military has shielded their stuff so it can be done, exactly how and cost unknown to me. Like all too many things I know some about this, but anywhere near enough to give more advice. There was an National Geo. issue devoted to it > 10 yrs ago, but I gave mine to one relative to pass to another and the first one lost it.

I have always wondered if given a few days warning we could ground things, wrap in grounded foil, turn off the grid, etc. But I can't imagine any politician giving such an order, the consequences if nothing happened, like the big Aurora forecast a few months back that did nothing, would be unbelievable.
Jim

anotherview Loc: California

Good morning. Thanks for reply.

My solar power installation does have a control panel with electronic circuitry in it. The works of the panel reside in a meatal housing. But a readout and settings device lies outside this housing. I dunno what this exposure means in case of my overall installation. Nor do I know what it means regarding my laptop computer.

This action seems improbable: "In 1857? for example, they found they could run the telegraphs by disconnecting the batteries and using the charge build up in the wires from the flare."

I never heard of transmission wires functioning like a storage battery or a capacitor. The flare itself, however, could induce an electrical flow, I suppose.

Interesting questions on this subject.

JBRIII

I don't really understand it all, but you are correct that current flow was induced in the wires. Such current then flows into devices. Chips can be destroyed by static electricity, voltage is the enemy. Flares have two components, light which we see in 8 minutes and particles (charged) which arrive days? later. The bigger the flare/ solar storm, the bigger the effect. I believe in 1857 they saw Aurora in Cuba! They make projections, but as seen with big Aurora miss (projected to be seen as far south as southern WV), it is still very inexact. Imagine any president shutting down the power grid, telling people do this or that to protect any thing electrical, etc. for something with a X% chance of occurring. Even with ones much smaller then that in 1857 they disrupt satellites, communications, etc.

JBRIII

JUNE 2012 Nat. Geo. Mag on solar storms and how they effect modern tech about $20 with shipping from their site.

anotherview Loc: California

I have heard of the disruption of solar flares to systems for most of my life. So far as I can recall, no solar flare has lived up to the fear of this phenomenon. Earthly disasters already inform us that we live at the mercy of Mother Nature. I put solar flares under this experience.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

A coronal mass ejection that hit Canada in 1989 caused havoc.

https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2021/03/12/the-great-quebec-blackout/

JBRIII

That does not mean we should not take meaningful precautions if it is possible, which it is in this case.

mundy-F2 Loc: Chicago suburban area

I waited 6 weeks for my Z6ii to arrive from B&H, but it did arrive a few days ago.
Mundy

anotherview Loc: California

Agree.