Life Happens

LIFE HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE MAKING OTHER PLANS...  John Lennon

Wickedly Profound, if I do say so myself, but nonetheless true.

Whether you believe a benevolent God gave us creation and life or that some Ancient Alien altered our DNA after we evolved from monkeys or that some Extraterrestrial used advanced knowledge to create the human race as a play toy, the fact remains that by some miraculous occurrence, we are ALIVE and living here on earth.

On average we live about 80-100 years of age, give or take which seems like an ABSURB lifespan when you think the universe is billions and billions of years old.

Many people say that there is no such concept as GOOD LUCK since LUCK FAVORS THE PREPARED...  I suppose that sound reasonable but was it luck that saved Donald Trump's the other day or was it because he was prepared?

Personally, I believe in LUCK even though I cannot explain how it operates.  I also believe that some of us are just in the right place at the right time and that too has nothing to do with being prepared...  it just happens...  LIFE HAPPENS...

However, there is nothing wrong with being prepared, in fact, it is only because people were prepared that many things have happened, both good and bad, even those two words are and will always be relative.

We need to develop the mindset, if we have not done so already, to just accept what life throws at us and roll with the punches as if everything was still normal or as normal as life can typical be.

Believe me...  THAT IS NOT AN EASY TASK...
 

Branded

 

Evidence

 

Danger

 

Welfare

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The 2024 Paris Olympics kick off today with men's soccer and rugby sevens; see full schedule of events (More)

> Saturday's WNBA All-Star Game hauled in 3.44 million viewers, the third highest telecast ever for a WNBA game and more than four times the viewers of 2023's All-Star Game (More)

> The 81st Venice Film Festival's (Aug. 28-Sept. 7) full lineup announced, including world premieres of sequels to "Joker" and "Beetlejuice" (More)


Science & Technology
> Meta launches Llama 3.1, the newest version of its flagship large language model and the largest open-source model available; platform was trained on more than 400 billion parameters (More) | What are AI training parameters? (More)

> Preliminary data suggest Sunday was Earth's warmest day on record since scientists began tracking global averages in 1940; worldwide surface air temperature notched 62.76 degrees Fahrenheit (More) | Global average surface temperature 101 (More)

> Scientists discover sex-based differences in the brain circuitry linked to different rates of neurological and mental health conditions between males and females (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow -0.1%, Nasdaq -0.1%) in continued turn from tech stocks (More) | Tesla shares fall 8% in after-hours trading after earnings report reveals profit fell for second consecutive quarter (More)

> Israeli cybersecurity company Wiz rejects $23B Google takeover amid antitrust concerns, will instead launch initial public offering; deal would have been Google's biggest-ever acquisition (More)

> US existing home prices reach record high in June for second consecutive month, with median home price soaring to $426.9K; home sales declined to lowest levels since December (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> President Joe Biden to deliver Oval Office address tonight at 8 pm ET on his decision to end his 2024 reelection bid (More) | Watch the address here (More) | Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at first campaign rally in Milwaukee since securing enough delegate pledges to win the Democratic nomination (More)

> Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigns following House Oversight Committee testimony surrounding assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump (More) | House leaders announce a bipartisan task force to investigate Trump assassination attempt (More)

> Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) announces he will resign next month following conviction on corruption charges (More) | See previous write-up (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

American Made

 

Here is something that you should strongly consider...  and that is, MADE IN AMERICA.

WHY?

Well, for one reason, Americans want higher wages and benefits that any other worker from any other country in the world.  Workers demand more on the west coast and up north than they do on our southeastern coast and in the south.

For instance...  and this data is from a few years ago...  a $50,000 annual wage or salary actually cost the employer $150,000 when adding in benefits, vacations, and holidays.

Overseas foreign companies do not pay their employees our same kind of wages and benefits.

Also, when employees demand higher wages, then employers typically raise prices.  If an increase in prices does not help, then employees are laid off.  Either way, the LOSS is always to the worker or the customer.

The other problem that we face is TWO FOLD.  First, the American worker just is not willing to make quality products anymore nor do they have pride in what they are doing.  I have no idea why, unless it is because they do not like their jobs and there is no place else to work, so they feel stuck.

Second, those people who design products (design engineers) are ordered to design products so that they will not last longer than 3-5 five years, ensuring that the customer must come back and repurchase - guaranteed repeat business.

I'm not trying to intentionally make America and Americans look bad, but this is just the way it is these days.

When Presidents say they want to bring manufacturing back to the USA, I say NOOOOO.  Please do not do this.

Wealthy people and those who are well off financially do not understand this and will never understand this.  Those people who understand what I am saying are those who live paycheck to paycheck and sometimes have to work a second job just to be able to pay their bills.

We need to teach people how to invest their money in high school so that low wage earners can eventually become financially stable when they retire.

Somewhat Political

 

Altered States of Consciousness

Summary:  Mindfulness training can lead to altered states of consciousness, such as disembodiment and unity. Researchers found that participants were twice as likely to experience these states compared to a control group.

While these experiences can be positive, they may also be startling or unpleasant. Mindfulness teachers and students should discuss these potential side effects.

Key Facts:

•  alltered States: Mindfulness can cause experiences like disembodiment and unity.
• Increased Likelihood: Participants were twice as likely to experience these states.
• Awareness Needed: Teachers and students should discuss these potential effects.

Source: University of Cambridge

Mindfulness training may lead participants to experience disembodiment and unity – so-called altered states of consciousness – according to a new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge.

The team say that while these experiences can be very positive, that is not always the case. Mindfulness teachers and students need to be aware that they can be a side-effect of training, and students should feel empowered to share their experiences with their teacher or doctor if they have any concerns.

Mindfulness-based programmes have become very popular in recent years. According to recent surveys, 15% of adults in the UK have learnt some form of mindfulness. They are often practised as a way of reducing stress or coping with depression and anxiety.

There is anecdotal evidence that practicing mindfulness can lead to alterations of the senses, self, and body boundaries, some even similar to those induced by psychotropic drugs.     READ MORE...

Eve of Destruction

 

We, the People

In this country we have had causes over rights and causes:

• Civil Rights
• Gender Rights
• Abortion Right
• First Amendment Rights
• Second Amendment Rights
• Racial Rights
• Educational Rights
• Voting Rights

 As a result of these causes, we have had changes in the law written and approved by Congress, and we have had the Supreme Court interpret our Congressional Laws so that they are more in tune with the US Constitution either from an as it was written point of view or from an as society has changed point of view.

Our society has always been somewhat divided on just about every decision that the Supreme Court has recently rendered, many of whom have called for a removal of a few of the Justices because they went against our personal beliefs -  saying that the justices are not interpreting the US Constitution correctly.

In my opinion, when someone says that they are just been arrogant, thinking they know better than the Supreme Court.  And maybe they do.

Some of their recent decisions revolve around Federal Responsibility versus States Responsibility.  One view gives the Federal Government more power, the other view takes that power away.

We, the people, must try our LEADERS to do what they know and believe is right, even if it goes against their own beliefs and convictions...  Personally, I don't think a majority of our LEADERS can do that.

We, the people, elect our leaders with our vote and we remove our leaders with our vote.  However, are we, the people, motivated enough to do our due diligence to know what is correct or not correct?

My answer to that question is NO.  We do not do our due diligence and our elected officials know that and are counting on that.

When we do not do our due diligence then our government is no longer for the people, of the people, or by the people.  It is hijacked by a group of people that don't give a damn about we, the people - all they care about is themselves, their party, and the power and control of their power over we, the people.

Coffee

 

Preference?

 

Departure

 

Back in the Day

 

Poor

 

Opposition

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> LeBron James tapped to be Team USA's male flag bearer at Paris Olympics opening ceremony Friday (1:30 pm ET, NBC); the female flag bearer is due to be announced today (More)

> The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 5-15) full lineup revealed, will include 25 world premieres (More)

> Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and last surviving member of the original Four Tops, dies at age 88 (More) | Esta TerBlanche, South African actress and "All My Children" star, dies at age 51 (More)


Science & Technology
> Researchers use astronomical imaging technique to detect deepfakes, which include human faces; approach analyzes the reflection of light from a person's eyes (More)

> Brain imaging approach detects the presence of conscious and intentional thoughts in otherwise comatose patients; may be used to diagnose locked-in syndrome, where patients are unable to physically communicate (More)

> El Niño-like weather pattern discovered in the South Pacific; study suggests small regional phenomenon affects annual climate variations across the entire Southern Hemisphere (More) | How El Niño works (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.1%, Dow +0.3%, Nasdaq +1.6%); S&P 500 notches best single-day increase since June  (More)

> Tesla delays rollout of humanoid robots, will begin using internally next year and aims to produce them for external use in 2026; latest update comes roughly two years after Tesla debuted a prototype of its humanoid robot Optimus in 2022 (More)

> Boeing to sell up to 50 planes to Korean Air, including 20 777Xs; the 777X model is Boeing's largest commercial aircraft and has yet to be certified for flying (More) | Delta Air Lines cancels over 700 flights for fourth day after CrowdStrike outage (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> At least 70 people killed in Gaza after the Israeli military struck areas in and around the southern city of Khan Younis after ordering residents to evacuate (More) | Israeli military confirms deaths of two more hostages, says 44 of the 116 remaining hostages in Hamas' captivity are believed to be dead (More)

> Russia sentences Russian-American journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to more than six years in prison for allegedly spreading false information about the Russian army (More) | Ukraine reaches preliminary deal to restructure $20B of international debt, enabling the country to save $11B over the next three years (More)

> At least six killed and six others wounded after shooter opens fire at nursing home in Croatian town, with one of the victims being the shooter's mother; shooter is in custody (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

MORE CONCERNS

 

At 76 years of age, I have the following concerns however, I am also aware that not many people share my concerns.

My Concerns:

• The National Debt
• Illegal Immigration
• A Weak Military
• Balancing the Budget
• Ending Gasoline
• Going Green
• High Taxes
• Wokism - CRT - DEI
• Terrorism
• Global Hate of USA
• China - Russia - Iran - North Korea

My Reality:

The Democrats have been working behind the scenes for decades to infiltrate several aspects of American commerce with the ultimate intention of gaining ultimate power and control over the Republicans and the rest of America.

To date, they have control of the mainstream media, several high-tech companies (Microsoft, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, etc.), the Department of Justice, the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Secret Service.

Using these high-tech companies and the mainstream media, there has been a concerted effort to censor all conservative points of view.

With all of this in the background, we have a group of black Americans that represent only 12% of the overall population to push the agenda of:

• Going WOKE
• Pushing CRT in public schools
• DEI

If and when all these ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS get sorted out, there is a good possibility they will votes DEMOCRAT, literally destroying the conservative voice in America.

We will end up with a ONE PART GOVERNMENT which has absolutely nothing to do with being a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC.

Additionally, America will change and will become a new country that no one in the world will recognize.  Consequently, in  few years, global economics will move away from the USA and towards the far east, benefitting countries like China and India, leaving the USA behind and trying to catch up.

My age prevents me from doing anything about this, but the writing on the wall, says this is coming and there is nothing that we can do to stop it.

My future concerns are just trying to live my life as best as I can, enjoy what I can, and live as long as I can which will be less that 20 years.

Somewhat Political