Tuesday, September 10
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Rapper Kendrick Lamar tapped to perform at 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show (More) | Dallas Cowboys signs QB Dak Prescott to 4-year, $240M deal, making Prescott the highest-paid player in NFL history (More)
> "The Room Next Door" wins the Golden Lion, top prize at Venice Film Festival (More) | "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" hauls in $110M at domestic box office, the second-largest September opening weekend ever (More)
> Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka defeats American Jessica Pegula to win US Open women's tennis title (More) | ... and Italy's Jannik Sinner defeats American Taylor Fritz to win men's championship (More)
Science & Technology
> CEO Elon Musk says SpaceX will begin launching uncrewed Starships to Mars in two years; optimal time windows for Mars missions occur every 26 months (More) | Mars explained in three minutes (More, w/video) | ... and the history of SpaceX (More, w/video)
> Scientists discover separate groups of nerve cells signaling to the brain whether to trigger a cough or a sneeze; discovery may help lead to improved treatments for allergies or chronic coughing (More)
> Study suggests even low levels of electrical stimulation to the thalamus—the brain region responsible for passing sensory signals between the body and brain—can induce seizures (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower on Friday (S&P 500 -1.7%, Dow -1.0%, Nasdaq -2.6%) with the S&P 500 witnessing its worst week in a year and a half following news of August jobs report (More) | See previous write-up (More)
> Apple to release updates to device lineup—which drives about 60% of its annual revenue—in wake of recent sales slump today; latest iPhone model set to be the first to incorporate artificial intelligence, which Apple calls Apple Intelligence (More)
> Google will deliver opening remarks today in its second antitrust trial this year; Justice Department accuses the company of using monopolistic practices in designing and buying up rivals to its AdWords platform, now known as Google Ads (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Manhunt underway for active shooter near Kentucky I-75 who injured five people (More) | Mother of Apalachee High School shooter in Georgia reportedly warned the school to check in on her son 30 minutes before shooting began (More) | Shooting lasted roughly 1 minute, per sheriffs (More)
> Family of 26-year-old US-Turkish woman killed in the West Bank demand independent investigation (More) | Gunman approaching from Jordan kills three Israeli guards at West Bank-Jordan border (More)
> Sudan's military government rejects UN proposal for international peacekeeping force to ease 17-month civil war (More) | UN mission finds Sudanese military and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces both committed abuses; war collectively killed 20,000 people, displaced 8 million (More)
Party Allegience
We have two political parties in the USA, Democrats and Republicans, with a third Independent Party that really has no influence on the election although some say that it does.
If you are Democratic, you vote for the Democratic candidate regardless and if you are Republican, you vote for the Republican candidate.
If you vote according to your party, you are voting for all the policies that your party stands for, regardless of your personal opinion(s).
For me, that is WRONG.
There are some good points from the Democrats and there are some good points from the Republican. Not either party has all the answers.
We should vote for the person, not the party with the idea in mind that the person will do what they think is best for the USA not necessarily what is best for the party.
THAT MAKES ME NAIVE to think this way but that is the only way to think.
For Example, Dick Chaney is a Republican and is planning to vote for Kamala Harris not because he believes in what the Democrats stand and not because he thinks Harris will be a better President but because he HATES Trump.
That LOGIC is NOT GOOD for the USA...
We will pay the price for that logic over the next four years, if Harris wins...
Production of Humanoid ROBOTS
Agility Robotics will produce 10,000 humanoid robots per year at its new facility in Salem at 4698 Truax Dr. S.E once it reaches maximum production capacity. The robots, known as Digit, will work alongside human workers helping to augment the workforce and to relieve humans of dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks, the company said (Submitted by Agility Robotics)
By the end of the year, a new humanoid robotics factory in southeast Salem will begin producing its newest machines that are capable of performing repetitive tasks in warehouses.
Agility Robotics’ RoboFab 70,000 square foot facility at 4698 Truax Dr. S.E. opened in late 2023 and will serve as the manufacturing hub for the growing company, which eventually plans to mass produce the robots.
Amazon is already testing the humanoid robots, which are called Digit and sold in fleets controlled by cloud-based software, at a facility near Seattle. Agility hopes the robots will help augment the human workforce, help companies deal with labor shortages, and improve the quality of life for human workers. READ MORE...
Monday, September 9
A NO BRAINER Decision???
If you are a Liberal, a Democrat, a Progressive, or a Socialist, the clear choice for President in 2024 is KAMALA HARRIS...
If you are a Conservative, a Republican, or some right-wing zealot, the clear choice for President in 2024 is DONALD TRUMP...
HOWEVER...
I don't think the choice is that clear at all.
We are not voting for a person, we are voting for a country and its future.
Trump is a convicted FELON even though the charges were bogus, and the verdict biased; he will continue to be convicted until an appeals court finds him NOT GUILTY.
Trump is also a LOUDMOUTH, EGOTISTICAL Bully who likes pushing his weight and money around forcing people to do what they don't want to do.
STILL...
This is exactly the kind of person we need to stand up to Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, BRICS, and our other enemies.
Harris dropped out of the Democratic Primary in 2020 because no one in her party wanted her.
Harris was assigned the problem of the border by Biden, but she has done little to nothing to solve the problem.
Harris-Biden administration has given us inflation, open borders, more crime and violence, more illegal drugs, a war on gasoline, and a sluggish economy that while it may be better than the rest of the world, is still struggling.
OUR DIVIDED COUNTRY can be blamed on both Harris and Trump, so there is no advantage or disadvantage there.
OUR INCREASING NATIONAL DEBT can be blamed on both as well as on several Presidents before them.
SO... there are only a couple of issues, as I see it that are seriously in play in the 2024 election.
FIRST - does a majority of Americans want our country to move closer and closer to Socialism that always eventually turns into Communism....
<OR>
does a majority of Americans want our country to focus on Capitalism and the free market enterprise system...
SECOND - does a majority of Americans want the CONSERVATIVE voice censored or eliminated so that the only news/choices that people have would be LIBERAL leaning views and news. The Republican party would still be around, but it would NEVER AGAIN be in a position of power and control.
THIRD - does a majority of Americans want the USA to become SUBORDINATE to China both economically and militarily. If China becomes the dominate country in the world, there is really what all the consequences for America would be, but you can pretty much trust that they would not be good.
Of course, ABORTION is still an issue but given that these other three are more important, for those of you who are focusing on a Female's Choice as the most important issue facing Americans, then you have become blinded to more important issues and there is no need for further discussion.
Unloved as a Child Later Traits
I’ve often wondered how our childhoods, those fragile, formative years, can leave such lasting imprints on who we become as adults.
It’s like we’re carrying around this invisible luggage, filled with the love we received—or didn’t. And for some of us, that luggage can feel heavier than we’d like to admit.
Growing up without feeling truly loved is a tough pill to swallow, and it’s not something you just shake off when you hit adulthood.
The truth is, those early experiences shape us in ways we might not even realize. So, settle in and let’s talk about the ten traits that people who rarely felt loved as children often carry into their adult lives.
It’s a sad reality that those who didn’t feel loved as children often struggle with forming secure relationships in adulthood, and it’s been proven by recent studies.
This is because our early experiences shape our understanding of what relationships should look like. If you didn’t experience consistent love and care, you might not believe it’s possible, or even expect it, in your adult relationships.
This doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a lifetime of failed relationships. It just means you might have to work harder to build trust and security with others.
I can tell you from personal experience that growing up without feeling loved can make you overly self-reliant.
As a child, I quickly learned that I couldn’t rely on others for emotional support. So, I built walls around myself and learned to handle things on my own
Sunday, September 8
Myrtle Beach - Day One of Eight
Day One and Day Eight are going to be partial days because on both those days we are either arriving or leaving. Day One is about a half a day and day Eight is just a wake up call.
Our plans were to leave East TN at 7:00am but we did not get on the highway until 8:00am. We stopped twice, once to use the restrooms and the second time for lunch and gas about 100 miles from our destination. It took us right around 6 hours because we had our stuff completely unloaded in the room between 2:30 and 3:00pm.
We sat around for a couple of hours, the had dinner at KFC and went to WalMart for groceries...
That's pretty much it for day one...
Not too spectacular.
Purchased gas at home for $2.70 and in SC for $2.67 so there was not much difference until you got closer to Myrtle Beach and the gas was over $3.
The roads were crowded as was WalMart but our beach front condo complex does not seem to be that occupied; we will know more tomorrow. Vacationers and Owners come down here typically either on Saturday or Sunday... so, Monday is the day of reconning.
In The NEWS
Judge delays Trump's hush money sentencing until after election.
A New York judge postponed former President Donald Trump's sentencing in his hush money trial to Nov. 26. Sentencing had previously been set for Sept. 18. In May, Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records to cover up payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 election. The judge is also weighing a request from the defense to overturn the verdict following the Supreme Court's July ruling on presidential immunity.
Israel appears to end 10-day raid in West Bank city of Jenin.
At least 39 Palestinians were killed during Israel's military operation in the West Bank, with 21 from Jenin, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. A 26-year-old Turkish-American woman, who had been protesting against Israeli settlers in the West Bank, was also reportedly fatally shot by Israeli forces. Over 600 people have been killed in the West Bank this year, per the United Nations. See updates on the war here.
Ex-mafia hitman sentenced to 25 years in death of Boston mobster.
Fotios Geas, 57, who was already serving a life sentence in federal prison for other crimes, was convicted Friday of beating to death 89-year-old Boston mobster James "Whitey" Bulger in his cell in 2018 as two other inmates served as lookouts. Geas was the last of the three men to be sentenced for the murder. Bulger ran a largely Irish gang in the '70s and '80s and later became one of the FBI's 10 most-wanted fugitives after being on the run (see more). He was caught in 2011.
Pterosaur fossils shed light on massive reptile's ability to fly.
Paleontologists found three-dimensional fossils of two different large-bodied pterosaur species dating back roughly 72 million to 66 million years. The remains reveal the wing bones of the Arambourgiania philadelphiae species are similar to those of modern-day vultures, while the wing bones of the Inabtanin alarabia species are similar to modern-day flapping birds. See a 101 on flight patterns here.
UK watchdog finds Google's ad tech practices harm competition.
The UK Competition and Markets Authority accused Google of breaking competition laws by abusing its dominance in online display advertising to favor its own services. Publishers and advertisers rely on Google's tools to bid on and sell advertising space on websites and apps. See the CMA's allegations here. Google is also under investigation by the US Justice Department and European Commission.
Japanese 7-Eleven owner rejects $38.5B takeover bid.
Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard, which owns international convenience chains like Circle K, had offered to buy retail giant Seven & i Holdings in an all-cash deal. Had the offer been accepted, it would have been the largest-ever foreign buyout of a Japanese company. Seven & i Holdings said the deal would have faced antitrust challenges in the US and was not in the best interest of shareholders. Seven & i Holdings also said it was open to further negotiations.
Vacationing Again
When my wife and I were working we took two vacations a year, primarily during the warm months of the summer and a couple months on either side were acceptable.
In 2015, when my wife and I retired, we went on vacation for a week, every other month until COVID hit the USA, and everything closed down. We would have vacationed every month, but we could not find someone to take care of our three cats and we did not want to board them somewhere.
Going every other month cured us of vacations, so after COVID restrictions were lifted we returned to our routine of two vacations a year but stay away from the summer months because of the crowd conditions at the resorts and beaches.
So, in April/May we go somewhere in Florida and Sept/Oct we go to Myrtle Beach, SC. Tomorrow, we leave for Myrtle Beach.
We have been to beaches from the Outer Banks of NC down to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, up the west coast of Florida and around the Gulf States of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana but out of all the beaches visited, we have always liked Myrtle Beach better.
Our decision is based upon FOUR factors:
First, we like the wave action
Second, we like the surrounding restaurants and stores
Third, we like the security of lifeguards
Fourth, we like the availability of renting chairs and umbrellas
However, my preference has always been Myrtle Beach because it only takes us six and half hours to drive there. We can leave at 7:00am and be under an umbrella on the beach by no later than 2:00pm.
Before I retired, I would always have a cooler of beer with me... I suppose to help me relax but I don't need that anymore... LOL