Honesty

 

Virtues

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Al Attles, Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the first Black head coaches in the NBA, dies at 87 (More) | Fitness guru Richard Simmons' July death revealed to have been accidental due to complications from "recent falls and heart diseases" (More)

> U2 announces "V-U2," an immersive concert film of the band's recent residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas; it is the first film shot with the Sphere's "Big Sky" high-resolution camera (More)

> Social media influencer Andrew Tate's home in Romania raided amid allegations of human trafficking and money laundering; Tate is already awaiting trial on separate rape and human trafficking charges (More)


Science & Technology
> First direct imaging of valence shell electrons—the outermost electrons circling an atom, responsible for most chemical bonding—made; approach may lead to new pharmaceutical products and consumer goods (More)

> Brazil begins construction on Latin America's first maximum-security bio lab; facility will study some of the world's most dangerous pathogens native to the region (More) | Biosafety levels explained (More)

> Researchers discover new way the body clears dead cells from tissue; study identifies how hair follicle stem cells sense and identify which nearby cells are dying (More) | Stem cells 101 (More, w/video)

Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.4%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq +0.6%) after summary from Federal Reserve's policy meeting last month spurs hope for September rate cut (More)

> Ford Motor to cancel three-row electric SUV, expects to record roughly $1.9B in related expenses; also delays electric version of its bestselling F-150 pickup (More) | Japanese tobacco company JT Group, which also owns Camel outside the US, to buy Vector Group for $2.4B (More)

> Federal judge strikes down Federal Trade Commission rule banning most US employers from using noncompete clauses, concludes agency exceeded its authority; roughly 30 million workers have signed noncompete agreements (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) headlines night three of the Democratic National Convention with Vice President Kamala Harris scheduled to speak tonight; see updates (More) | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly to drop independent presidential campaign, endorse former President Donald Trump in speech tomorrow (More)

> Italian rescuers retrieve five bodies from wreckage of Sicily superyacht (More) | See previous write-up (More) | Houthi attack leaves Greek-flagged ship ablaze and drifting in the Red Sea after being hit by four projectiles, per UK military (More)

> Telecom company Lingo that transmitted AI deepfake of former President Joe Biden's voice to New Hampshire voters earlier this year to pay $1M in settlement with Federal Communications Commission (More) | See previous write-up (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Reality

 

We live in a reality of our senses even though most of us take our five senses for granted.

• We hear
• We see
• We touch
• We feel
• We smell

There is no getting around that.  However, some of us have damaged senses and our perception of reality changes.

• We don't hear as well
• We don't see as well
• We don't have ease of touch
• We don't feel how we used to feel
• We don't smell as well

But when that happens has reality changed?

No, not really.

We just perceive it differently.

Consequently,

we can say that reality is nothing more than our perception of reality that we experience.

What happens when our experiences change?

Does reality change?

Does our perception of reality change?

Experiences we have at a young age are going to differ than those experiences we have/had at an older age...

even though...

reality has changed very little if any at all.

The average person does not think about reality.  The average person just experiences what he or she experiences and thinks nothing about it.  They draw no conclusion, they have no speculations as to why, and they certainly don't care much about reality until it negatively impacts them.

Does that mean they take reality for granted?

No, not really.

They perceive reality for the most part like everyone else, they just don't think about what they are and have just perceived.

Is it necessary that we perceive our reality?

Some would say yes...

Others would say no...

Why does our perception matter at all?

It does not really matter, nor does it change how we perceive reality.  Awareness of perception is just something we do or do not do.

PERSONALLY, I think we should be more aware of our perceptions of reality in case it changes beyond our capability to realize that it has changed.

I suppose though when that happens, we are DEAD.

Somewhat Political

 

Wake Up Calls Everyone Needs

Y

You have come a long way, and you’re still learning and growing. 

Be thankful for the lessons. Take them and make the best of things today.

For my 18th birthday, many moons ago, my grandfather on my mom’s side gave me four lightly used flannel shirts that he no longer needed. The shirts were barely worn and in great shape; my grandfather said he thought they would look great on me. Unfortunately, I thought they were odd gifts at the time and I wasn’t thankful. I looked at him skeptically, gave him a crooked half-smile, and moved on to the other gifts sitting in front of me. My grandfather died two days later from a sudden heart attack. The flannel shirts were the last gifts he ever gave me, and that crooked half-smile was the last time I directly acknowledged him. Today, I still regret the little thing I didn’t say when I had the chance: “Thank you Grandpa. I appreciate you.”

That was a huge wake-up call for me — one that has served me well for over two decades now.

And here are eight wake-up calls for you to reflect on today — some important lessons worth learning and living by, before it’s too late:

1. You might not have tomorrow to say, “I love you.”
About 15 years ago a coworker of mine died in a car accident on the way to work. During his funeral several people from the office were in tears, saying kind things like: “I loved him. We all loved him so much. He was such a wonderful person.” I started crying too, and I wondered if these people had told him that they loved him while he was alive, or whether it was only with death that this powerful word, love, had been used without question or hesitation.

I vowed to myself then and there that I would never again hesitate to speak up to the people I love and remind them of how much I appreciate them. They deserve to know they give meaning to my life. They deserve to know I think the world of them.         READ MORE...

THE HOLLIES - LONG COOL WOMEN

Personalities

 

We stand before ourselves in some kind of ceremonial posture, hoping it will not be noticed.

We spend our time carefully hoping to hide it from view as long as we can before becoming impossible.

What is "IT" that we are so desperately trying to hide from others?

OUR PERSONALITY...

• It is our personality that attracts people to us or that repels people from us.
• It is our personality to prevents or accepts our employment.
• It is our personality that keeps us in the family or pushes us to the curb, never to return again.
• It is our personality that makes us a good lover, a good husband, and/or a good father.

YET...

most people try to shield their personality from scrutiny in the hopes of being accepted at home, at school, at work, or at play.

When you are with family or friends, do you really think people tell you the TRUTH...  or do they tell you WHAT THEY THINK YOU WANT TO HEAR?

I believe the latter is true.

If and when you tell people the truth, it is typically the last time they want to talk with you.

I tested this theory out on my nephew and as soon as I told him the truth, he ceased communications with me and told everyone that he no longer liked talking with me about anything.

Telling people the truth is called BURNING ONE'S BRIDGES...  which actually makes sense because if you burn the bridge no one can cross over... hence no communications. 

I find this disturbingly interesting because when I was a young lad, it was almost beat into my head the story about George Washington and the apple tree.  He told the truth and suffered the consequences, and everyone admired him for it.

This kind of shit does happen and is true and works perfectly as long as you are not George Washington.

A Step by Step Guide

Whether you’re a medical user or just fancy trying your hand at cannabis cultivation, this guide’s got you covered. We’ll take you through the ABCs of selecting strains, nailing the perfect growing conditions, and reaping a harvest you’ll be proud of. 

Start with the best cannabis seeds from reputable banks like Seed Supreme, and follow the steps we’ve outlined later to ensure maximum yields. 

So, kick back, relax, and let’s roll into this journey of green-thumb wisdom. 

HOW TO GROW MARIJUANA: GETTING STARTED 

First things first – knowing what you need will prepare you for the game. 

• Grow medium - organic soil isn’t your only choice 
• Grow Light - brightness has an effect on yields 
• Water - the right (water) PH matters 
• Air - consider fresh air (with a slight breeze) 
• Temperature - not too hot, and not too cold 
• Nutrients - like other plants, cannabis plants need to eat. 

These points are just a summary of the important things you’ll need to grow marijuana – we’ll discuss it in detail in the subsequent sections. 

The easiest way to get started with your cannabis growing journey is to purchase a grow kit. Homegrown Cannabis Co offers beginner grow kits that supply seeds, vital nutrients, and growing guides to make the process as easy as possible for you. 

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO GROWING MARIJUANA We’ll take you through the marijuana growing process below. 

STEP 1: DECIDE WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO GROW YOUR CANNABIS PLANT 

Should you grow indoors or outdoors? Well, each comes with its pros and cons. Growing cannabis outdoors is cheaper. When you grow outdoors, you don’t have to provide most of the supplies as mother nature and direct sunlight will take care of that. 

However, your plants are likely to be stolen, pollinated, infested by bugs, eaten by deer, etc. Privacy isn’t also guaranteed – judgmental neighbors around could initiate the finger-pointing game. You get the point. Planting marijuana indoors, meanwhile, might come with a higher price tag (truth be told). 

You’ll need to pick an ideal grow space, install a reliable lighting system, control temperature and humidity, etc. Yet, the benefits far outweigh the costs if you know what you’re doing. You have total control over your cannabis plants – you can “tell” them to flower whenever by altering the lighting cycle, among other things. Just ensure you’re providing everything your plants need to grow – nutrients, water, temperature, humidity, etc. Otherwise, you might compromise a luxuriant growth.                 READ MORE...

Contemporary ART

What is Contemporary art? 

And how would you define a contemporary artist?

Related articles: 15 Contemporary Black Artists Everyone Should Know About - Oil Painting: Different Artists & Unique Techniques - Top 10 Most Expensive Paintings Ever Sold At Auction

The loose, simple definition is: art that has been made in the present day or in the relatively recent past. However, the term contemporary art indicates more than that. Before delving into it, it is necessary to understand the difference between contemporary art and its previous artistic period: Modern art.

The fact that “contemporary” and “modern” in vernacular English are synonyms does not help. In fact, it often leads to confusion and conflation of the terms modern art/artists and contemporary art/artists. In the art world, these two terms refer to two distinct times of creation and to very different scopes and approaches to art production. The term Modern Art describes art made from around the 1860s to the 1970s. In this period, art started breaking rules and traditions as well as embracing experimentation with different materials. Modern artists developed a new way to intend art, moving away from figurative art towards abstraction.

There is no definitive agreement on when contemporary art started. For many, the cut-off period marking the end of Modern Art, and so the beginning of contemporary art, is identified with the birth of Postmodernism in the 1970s. Rejecting a uniform organising principle or label, contemporary art is eclectic and diverse. Contemporary artists usually work with different materials and methods as well as with a variety of concepts and subject matters that challenge the boundaries of what art and an artwork can be. 

In comparison to Modern Art and other historical art periods, contemporary art lacks a shared idea and vision as well as unified modes of expression: contemporary artists continue to experiment, question and re-evaluate the notion of art itself. Notwithstanding the wide scope of contemporary art, there are some common themes that are typical of contemporary artworks. The topics explored by contemporary artists very often reflect relevant and heated issues that define our society, such as technology and the digital world, identity politics, the body, globalisation and migration, time and memory. 

Another important element of contemporary art, which really differentiates it from modern art, is the relevance given to the viewer’s experience of the artwork. Contemporary artists often center their works on the effect that they can have on the viewer. Art is not anymore about the “genius” artist behind it, or about the artwork’s beauty and form. Art now has different forms, sometimes ephemeral ones (such as performance art or street art) and lives outside conventional spaces.

Twins

 

Unborn

 

Staff

 

Four More Years

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> "Call Her Daddy" podcast host Alex Cooper signs three-year exclusive deal with SiriusXM for a reported $125M (More) | Beyoncé launches SirDavis, a new whiskey in partnership with Moët Hennessy (More) | Jennifer Lopez files for divorce from Ben Affleck after two years of marriage (More)

> Democratic National Convention brings in 20 million viewers across 13 networks on its first night, edging the Republican National Convention's 18.1 million night one viewers; both of this year's figures top viewership in 2020 (More)

> World No. 1 men's tennis player Jannik Sinner will avoid a ban despite twice testing positive for an anabolic steroid; the US Open is set to begin next week (More)


Science & Technology
> Chinese robotics startup Unitree reveals $16K humanoid robot the company says is ready for mass production (More, w/video)

> Herpetologists discover how python hearts withstand the digest stress of giant meals; the animals' heart tissue was found to become less stiff to accommodate extra blood flow during feeding sessions (More)

> Tree study suggests ancient humans began migrating into the South Pacific as early as 50,000 years ago; timing of when humans reached modern-day Australia remains an open debate (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow -0.2%, Nasdaq -0.3%); S&P 500, Nasdaq end eight-day win streak, longest rally of 2024 (More) | Gold prices reach record high, surpassing $2,525 per ounce (More)

> OpenAI strikes deal with Condé Nast, allowing the company access to content from Vogue, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and others for ChatGPT and upcoming Google competitor SearchGPT (More) | What is SearchGPT? (More)

> Justice Department declines to challenge Alaska Air's $1B Hawaiian Airlines acquisition; deal still needs approval by Department of Transportation (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Former President Barack Obama headlines night two of the Democratic National Convention following speeches by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and more; see updates (More)

> Panama begins repatriating migrants traveling through the Darién Gap on US-funded trips to their home countries, beginning with 29 Colombians; Biden administration has provided $6M to program designed to deter migrant travel to the US (More)

> Israel's military says it has recovered the bodies of six hostages from Khan Younis in Gaza (More) | Israeli strike on school in Gaza City kills at least 12 people, hundreds missing; Israel says Hamas used site as command center (More) | See latest war updates (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Our Closed Border

 

Whenever Joe Biden or Kamala Harris or Mayorkas says that the southern border is closed...  they are actually telling the truth.  The border is closed...

BUT...  the border patrol is being told NOT TO ENFORCE the closed border status...

Therefore, thousands of illegal immigrants are coming across the border each month.

In the eyes of the DEMOCRATS, they are telling the truth and cannot understand why we disagree with them.

We, have not asked the right question...

The Democrats are laughing at us because of our naive ignorance...

Republicans want to be literal and logical, and the Democrats want to be illusive and metaphorical.

The Democrats also have passed border legislation that for the most part allowed an open border, knowing that the Republicans would not support the bill, JUST SO THEY COULD SAY THAT THE REPUBLICANS BLOCKED THE BILL...  and it would look like the Republicans did not want to solve the problem.

WORD SALAD is screwing the Republican Party, and they are too stupid to realize what is going on...  

The Dems do not play by the rules of fairness or common sense and the Republicans do which causes everyone else to think the Republicans do not want to really play the game.

If the Republican Party and its supports are this stupid, then they do not deserve to put their man in the white house...

They do not deserve to take on the role of LEADERSHIP...

THANK GOD THAT I AM NEITHER A REPUBLICAN NOR A DEMOCRAT...

Somewhat Political

 

New Species of Extinct Walrus

A new discovery by a team of paleontologists, led by Dr. Mathieu Boisville (University of Tsukuba, Japan), has uncovered a new species of the extinct genus Ontocetus from the Lower Pleistocene deposits in the North Atlantic. 

This species, named Ontocetus posti, displays surprising similarities in feeding adaptations to the modern walrus (Odobenus rosmarus), highlighting an intriguing case of convergent evolution. The research is published in the journal PeerJ.         READ MORE...

Led Zeppelin - Stairway To Heaven (Live at Earls Court 1975) [Official V...

COMMUNISM

Communism (from Latin communis, 'common, universal') is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered around common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange that allocates products to everyone in the society based on need. A communist society would entail the absence of private property and social classes, and ultimately money and the state (or nation state).

Communism...

It used to be a dirty word coming out of the mouth's of Americans.

Today, because the USA has embraced SOCIALISM, it is no longer a dirty word.

Communism...

is the type of government that one would find in:

• Russia
• China
• Vietnam
• Cuba
• North Korea

Disadvantages of Communism

1. The government owns all the businesses and properties (the means of production).
2. There is no freedom of speech.
3. Large or geographically broad populations tend to be diverse, making it difficult to maintain a common goal or set of rules for shared effort and resources.

Personally, I don't think much of communism mainly because there is no freedom of speech...  but, in a communist society there are no wealthy people except those who are in power and there is no individuality in that you are told who you will or will not become.

One could make a comparison between COMMUNISM and STAR TREK for example where Star Trek is seen as a UTOPIAN type of society but in reality, everything is owned by the government...  technically, there is freedom of speech but that is more Hollywood that the reality of that type of society.

There are a lot of young people today who do not like the millionaires and billionaires and the double standards that exist in the USA and believe that COMMUNISM is the answer to their concerns.  They might be right, that communism is the answer to their concerns but most of us legacy citizens believe we would have to GIVE UP TOO MUCH...