Friday, February 28

Divided America


 

Most every day, I begin my day with a Vanilla Cappuccino not necessarily from STARBUCKS since it has gotten too expensive without a gift card.


Looking back on my life, I figure I have lived 77 pretty damn good years, considering all lives have ups and downs, highs and lows that aren't always that easy to live through.


I have seen more than the average American and experienced more than the average American as well, simply because of when I was born...  which has never been in our control.


My concern recently are not the high cost of groceries or gasoline or all the illegal immigrants that were allowed into our country or the shootings of innocent children in our school systems or the potential of WWIII...  no...   my concern recently is that AMERICA IS DIVIDED.


She is divided, it seems, more than she was just before, just after, and during our one and only CIVIL WAR.


Now while that does not seem like a big deal to you, it is to me...  and I feel that way because:

  • divided countries cannot compromise
  • divided countries cannot stop hating each other
  • divided countries cannot solve problems
  • divided countries cannot move forward
  • divided countries present weakness to their enemies

Now, these thoughts may not mean much to you coming from an old foggy like me, but the scare the hell out of me, not because it will impact my life, but because it's going to impact the FUTURE OF YOUR LIFE.

2016 through 2019 was spent undoing what Obama did
2020 through 2024 was spent undoing what Trump had done
2025 through 2028 will be spent undoing what Biden did
2029 through 2032 will be spent undoing what Trump has done

NOTE:  This is 16 years of undoing what previous presidents have done and if the GOP wins the election in 2032, then the next four years will be spent undoing what the Democrats had done...  and, we will have made NO PROGRESS for 20 years or TWO DECADES...

From my OLD PERSPECTIVE, this is not good for individuals, families, governments, or countries.

 


 





Billionaires earning $10 billion 

Marjorie Taylor Greene

 


 


 


 

 


Andrulla Blanchette

Like, follow and reblog RetroGirlMuscle for more sexy muscle goddesses!

Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance (1969)

Retirement

 

My wife and I have been retired since 2015 and for the last 10 years, we have enjoyed our retirement immensely.


From 2015 until COVID, we traveled somewhere in the USA or Europe or the Caribbean every other month, either driving or using our Delta Frequent Flyer Points.


After COVID, our traveling slowed down to only twice a year.  Because of COVID, we learned to enjoy our time at home, realizing we enjoyed being at home more than traveling.


It had nothing to do with our finances as they were strong and would support for the most part, whatever we wanted to do...  it was more like we just out-grew the need to see other parts of the world.

  • The accommodations were different.
  • The food was different
  • The cultures were different
  • The friendliness of the people was different
  • Traveling became an annoyance
  • We wanted to sleep in our own bed


Instead of traveling, we decided to enjoy what we had in East TN.

  • Our home
  • Our food
  • Our cats
  • Our neighbors
  • Our friends
  • Our hobbies

Life no longer moves at a fast pace for us.  We maintain our house and yard but realize there are no deadlines or time constraints.

We arrange our days and medical appointments so that we have plenty of time to drive there so we no longer have to drive fast in order to get there on time.

Stress is no longer a part of our lives...


Dog Breeds You 

OpenAI's GPT-4.5 Doesn't Look Great

At A Glance

(2/5/25) The hardest tongue twister in English.

(2/25/25) Where college-educated Americans are moving.

(2/11/25) What your fingernails can reveal about your health.

(2/22/25) The states that don't tax retirement income (in 2025).

(2/21/25) See Time magazine's Women of the Year.

(2/10/25) Where your tax dollars go in a single chart.

(2/5/25) California's most elusive mammal photographed.

(2/26/25) The difference between $50 jeans and $500 jeans.

(2/11/25) Americans have three months to obtain a Real ID.

(2/19/25) Introducing the controversial "man fork."

(2/3/25) A massive underwater volcano is on the edge of eruption.

Clickbait: Humpback whale's eyes too big for its stomach.

Comey Admission

 

Healthy Meals | Basics with Babish

Lulwah Al-Homoud - Artist


Lulwah Al-Homoud (Arabic: لولوة الحمود; born 1967) is a Saudi Arabian artist, calligrapher, and curator. She lives in the United Kingdom.

She was born in Riyadh and studied sociology at King Saud University, going on to receive a MA from the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design.  Al-Homoud has trained with Pakistani calligrapher Rasheed Butt. She takes inspiration from Egyptian calligrapher Ahmed Moustafa.

Al-Homoud uses Arabic letters to create complex abstract patterns on paper using geometric forms and mixed media.  She was a co-curator and also exhibited in the 2008 Edge of Arabia exhibition at the Brunei Gallery of SOAS, University of London.  

Her work has been included in exhibitions in China, Korea, New York City, Paris, Germany, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Bahrain and Beirut. In 2015, she had a solo exhibition at the Sharjah Calligraphy Museum.








¿Qué pasa?








 

Quick Clips








 

In The NEWS


Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Michelle Trachtenberg, actress known for roles on "Gossip Girl" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," found dead at her New York City apartment at age 39 (More)

> Shaboozey’s "A Bar Song (Tipsy)" tops Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart for the 35th week, a record for a single act since the chart began in 1958 (More)

> NFL scouting combine kicks off today from Indianapolis; see schedule and preview (More) | Basketball legend Diana Taurasi retires after 20 WNBA seasons, six Olympic gold medals, and three WNBA titles (More)


Science & Technology
> Researchers find evidence of humans living in tropical rainforests as early as 150,000 years ago, roughly 80,000 years earlier than previously believed (More)

> Engineers integrate networked fiber-based computer into garments, allowing the wearer to track activity and monitor health conditions (More)

> Study makes first estimate of the quantitative effect of animals in shaping the Earth's surface; researchers estimate animals contribute 76,000 gigajoules of energy into reshaping the planet's features each year (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets end mixed (S&P 500 +0.0%, Dow -0.4%, Nasdaq +0.3%) as S&P snaps a four-day losing streak (More) | Nvidia reports fourth quarter revenue of more than $39B, up 12% from last quarter and 78% year-over-year (More)

> Eli Lilly plans to invest at least $27B to build four new manufacturing sites in the US as demand for its weight-loss and diabetes drug Zepbound rises (More) | GM raises quarterly dividend by 25% and announces $6B stock buyback (More)

> Senate confirms Jamieson Greer to be the US trade representative by a vote of 56 to 43; Greer served as chief of staff to the US trade representative during the first Trump administration (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Unvaccinated child dies from measles in West Texas, the first such death in outbreak that has infected at least 124 people; the measles-related death is also the first in the US since 2015 (More)

> White House directs federal agencies to prepare for large-scale firings, calls for the removal of underperforming employees or those engaged in misconduct (More) | Federal employment board pauses firings of six probationary staffers amid probe on whether the firings were illegal (More) | President Donald Trump proposes $5M "gold card" to expedite path to US citizenship (More)

> US Supreme Court hears arguments over Ohio woman's claim that she suffered reverse discrimination from her employer because she is straight (More) | Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos says the paper's op-ed section will focus on viewpoints supporting personal liberties and the free market (More)


SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

US Constitution

 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights..."


While that sounds wonderfully beautiful and delightfully romantic and gracious, it is NOT TRUE.

At least, not in my humble opinion.

We are NOT CREATED EQUAL in numerous areas, the least of which are:
  1. height
  2. wealth
  3. birth location
  4. intelligence
  5. beauty
  6. judicial
  7. employment
  8. birth conditions
  9. athletic ability
  10. musical ability
  11. artistic ability
  12. leadership
  13. bone structure
  14. muscle structure
  15. retention
  16. organ health
  17. pre-existing conditions
  18. longevity

We also must understand that the words ALL MEN also refer to ALL WOMEN even though the word women is never mentioned.

Why not?

Did our founding fathers overlook women intentionally?

If our founding fathers overlooked women, as well as blacks, as well as the concept of being equal, then WHAT ELSE DID THEY OVERLOOK?

It is something to think about...

Somewhat Political

 





W boson measurement conundrum


One of the tiniest building blocks of the universe has a weigh-in problem, and Ashutosh Kotwal is determined to get to the bottom of it.


For nearly 30 years, the Duke physicist has led a worldwide effort to home in on the mass of a fundamental particle called the W boson.


It's the force-carrying particle that allows the sun to burn and new elements to form, so it's pretty important. Without it, the entire universe would be in the dark.


But in recent years the W boson has been the source of a rift in the physics world. That's because the two most precise measurements to date of its mass—essentially how much matter, or "stuff" the particle contains—don't line up.     READ MORE...

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ~ Wooden Ships (Woodstock 1969)

Thursday, February 27


New 'Ocelot' quantum processor 

A rare seven-planet 

BOYCOTT TOMMORROW

Black and White erotic Photography

 






Dan Bongino

 

Snowbirds

 

Joint Replacement


According to current research, regular exercise does not typically cause joint replacement later in life; in fact, most studies indicate that moderate exercise can actually help protect joints and potentially reduce the need for joint replacement surgery by strengthening the muscles around the joints and improving overall joint health.


Key points to remember:
Protective effect:
Studies have shown that moderate exercise, including activities like walking and swimming, can be protective against osteoarthritis, the primary reason for joint replacement, and may even decrease the risk of needing joint surgery later in life.

Importance of form:
While exercise is beneficial, improper form or excessive intensity, especially with high-impact activities, could potentially put stress on joints and increase the risk of injury, so it's crucial to exercise with proper technique and listen to your body.

Consult a doctor:
If you have pre-existing joint issues, always consult a doctor or physical therapist to develop a safe and appropriate exercise program tailored to your needs