PONDERINGS

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Insurance

 What do you know about Insurance?

There is home insurance, life insurance, car insurance, property insurance, flight insurance, warranty insurance, travel insurance...   and I am sure there are more.

Let's look at LIFE INSURANCE

There is whole life and term

Life insurance is gambling that you are GOING TO DIE SOONER THAN LATER.

Why is that?

The longer you live the more money you pay to the insurance company.

The best return on investment for you is to die as soon as possible but not until the probationary period is over.

OR...

you can gamble that you will live a long time and instead of giving the insurance company your monthly premiums, you invest those monthly premiums into a MUTUAL FUND.

What I am suggesting you do with your money is exactly what the insurance companies do with your money...  they make much more than they pay out to you when you die.

Something to think about.

Somewhat Political

 

DARPA’s Robots

After completing testing, the Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) payload resides in the cryogenic thermal vacuum chamber at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s Naval Center for Space Technology in Washington, D.C. Oct. 8, 2024. Once on-orbit, the RSGS payload will inspect and service satellites in geosynchronous orbit. Credit: U.S. Navy photo by Sarah Peterson





The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and DARPA have developed a robotic payload capable of servicing satellites in orbit.

This payload, designed to perform repairs and upgrades, promises to revolutionize satellite operations by enhancing longevity and reducing costs associated with satellite servicing. With successful thermal vacuum testing and a partnership with Northrop Grumman, the project is poised for a 2026 launch, setting the stage for a new era of resilient and adaptable space infrastructure.

Transforming Space Operations: NRL and DARPA’s Robotic Revolution
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST), in collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has successfully completed the development of a spaceflight-qualified robotics suite designed to service satellites in orbit. The milestone was achieved on October 8.       READ MORE...

I'm your Captain / Closer to Home - Grand Funk Railroad - Best Quality -...

In The NEWS

Trump's sentencing in hush money case paused indefinitely.

A New York judge removed a Nov. 26 sentencing in President-elect Donald Trump's hush money case while allowing the defense to file a motion to dismiss the case by Dec. 2. Trump was found guilty in May of falsifying business records to cover up payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the lead-up to the 2016 election.



Former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) says he won't return to Congress.

Gaetz's announcement comes a day after he withdrew himself from the attorney general nomination following renewed scrutiny over allegations of sex trafficking, drug use, and inappropriate conduct with a minor. Gaetz resigned Nov. 13 from Congress on the same day Trump nominated him to serve as attorney general. See our previous write-up here. See a timeline of events here.



Amazon invests additional $4B in OpenAI rival Anthropic.

The new funding brings Amazon's total investment in the artificial intelligence startup to $8B; Amazon remains a minority owner of Anthropic. Anthropic is known for its AI-powered text-generating chatbot Claude 2, which rivals OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Last month, Anthropic revealed a new model of Claude that can perform a range of computer tasks on behalf of a person.



Oldest direct evidence of hot water activity on Mars found.

Scientists have discovered that a 4.45-billion-year-old zircon grain from a renowned Martian meteorite, known as "Black Beauty" (w/photo) and found in the Sahara Desert in 2011, indicates hot water once existed on Mars. The finding suggests the red planet may have had conditions suitable for supporting life in its ancient past.



DirecTV ends deal to buy Dish TV over failed debt swap.

DirecTV was initially expected to buy Dish TV and Sling TV from EchoStar for a nominal fee of $1 plus the assumption of $9.75B of debt. The deal would have created the largest US pay-TV provider with roughly 18 million subscribers total. DirecTV called off the deal because Dish bondholders rejected the proposal.

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Another US Civil War

 

I thought a few years ago that a CIVIL WAR was brewing between BLACKS & WHITES in this country or between the WEALTHY & NON-WEALTHY, but I now believe that I was incorrect in my assessments.

We still might have a CIVIL WAR but I now believe it will be between CONSERVATIVES & LIBERALS...  and I use the 2016, the 2020, and the 2024 election results as evidence in that belief.

The 2016 election and the unexpected win of DONALD TRUMP, sent the Democrats into a TAILSPIN that has lasted almost 8 years and will probably continue for 4 more years or for a total of 12 years.

Because of what happened to Donald Trump after 2016 and what is obvious going to continue in 2025... is this:

Donald Trump is no longer a VIRGIN to DC POLITICS - he got his cherry busted during his first term in office.  Consequently, his entire cabinet will be approved by CONGRESS by the end of February at the latest.

With that done, Trump's secretaries along with DOGE will REAKED HAVOC with Govt, and you will see govt shrinkage and firings like you have never seen before.

TRUMPS BORDER CZAR, will DEPORT most of the illegal immigrants within the first two years or before the mid term elections.

The LIBERALS, for lack of a better word, will go APE-SHIT and vow revenge if and when they get back into office.

If WWIII does not break out in 2025, the liberals will have become so angry by then that they will begin to resort to violent tactics to stop what they refer to FASCST TYRANNY.

DON'T FORGET - we have TERRORISTS that are mixed in with the illegal immigrants and they are no doubt SLEEPER CELLS and will soon be activated...  to make TRUMP look bad.

A UNITED AMERICA LOOKS FARTHER AND FARTHER OUT OF SIGHT AS EACH SIDE REFUSES TO COMPROMISE...

Somewhat Political

 

First Artificial Sun

The Huanliu-3, or the HL-3 “Artificial Sun” in China, is thriving in fusion energy research with its new experiments. What is more exciting is the use of a digital twin system, which is a sophisticated virtual technology that offers real-time tracking and could be the holy grail in furthering controlled nuclear fusion.

Understanding solar energy: The contribution of HL-3 in the sustainable energy evolution
The HL-3 is the most sophisticated magnetic containment nuclear fusion research facility in China and throughout the world. It was created and manufactured by the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) on plant engineering level and is intended to reproduce nuclear fusion processes like those found in the sun where inexhaustible amounts of energy is released when hydrogen atoms fuse together.

Although still in the works, HL-3 is also a leap towards developing a sustainable and clean source of energy. The operation of HL-3 is further improved through the integration of digital twin system, which is referred to as ‘super eye’ of critical processes.

This technology provides real time control of the system’s vacuum chamber whilst the latter is in its baking process, a feat that considerably increases safety and management control. Nuclear reactor in vacuum containment is critical to the nuclear fusion process since it provides the required conditions for the formation of plasma, which is a crucial state of matter for fusion enhancement reactions.  READ MORE...

Arlo Guthrie - "St.James Infirmary"

My Journey

 

For the last 16 years, I have been undergoing treatments for non-hodkin's small "B" cell lymphoma and melanoma.

The lymphoma is in my neck, chest, and abdomen areas and the melanoma started at the bottom of my left foot, moved to my groin area and then to my neck where cluster of dead melanoma cells were surgically removed.

During these sixteen years, I have experienced surgery, radiation, and chemo infusions along with infusions of IVIG to help boost my red blood cells.

At one point, my oncologist told me (after the fact) that he was not sure if he was going to able to slow it down, but his treatment finally worked.

I will be undergoing treatments for both lymphoma and melanoma for the rest of my life.  The lymphoma will never leave my body and could turn into very aggressive large cell lymphoma.  The treatments for melanoma must also continue otherwise it will definitely start to grow.

All of my treatments after all these years have left me constantly fatigued with intermittent nausea, no sense of taste, and a severely damaged immune system (hence the IVIG treatments)

i have never lost my hair or had a lot of adverse side effects except for six treatments I received in Kentucky when I was being infused with very wicked chemo.

My treatments then were on Thursday/Friday and on Saturday, I had constant and severe vomiting and by sunday ended up going to the er where they gave me a infusion of zofran.

Otherwise, my body has remarkably tolerated everything that the oncologists have tossed at it.  I have been blessed with a strong body.

I am the only one in my family to ever get cancer and I am glad this has happened because I would not want my sister or brother to have experienced what I have.

My 16-year journey so far has left me with a different outlook on life and helped me understand what is important and what is not.

In addition to a very supportive wife, I also have three cats that enjoy my company when they are not sleeping.  The Siamese always shows up when it is time for me to go to bed at night so he can sleep on my legs until I have to turn on my side.

I share my story and my journey in the hopes that others my benefit from what I have experienced.

Blowing Rings

 

Social Media

 

Social Media Platforms are part of our lives today...  if you go to a restaurant, no matter who is sitting at the table, age, gender, amount, none of those matters, they are all playing with their smart phones, and most of them are on some sort of social media forum.

I have been on:

• Twitter/"X"
• BLUESKY
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

and they all are about the same.  Profiles that are trying to sell you something, or share something...  profiles that want to tell you what they are doing and why and profiles that just want to bitch about everything.

Age limits does not matter but it is obvious when you are talking with an adult or a teenager, a young adult or a senior citizen.  Everyone has an opinion, and everyone believes that their opinion is absolutely correct.

What I believe that is wrong with social media is that it prevents social interactions one to one which limits the development of interpersonal skills, not always fully developed in public schools.

This is our future and if anything, it is going to get worse before it gets any better...  but of course, this is MY OPINION...  so, I guess I fit in...

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani and New York Yankees' Aaron Judge both unanimously win MLB's 2024 NL and AL MVP award (More) | UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma becomes NCAA's all-time leader in coaching victories with 1,217 wins (More)

> "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett's December 2021 conviction for an alleged hate crime hoax is overturned by Illinois Supreme Court (More)

> Percival Everett's novel "James" among five winners of the National Book Awards (More) | Morgan Wallen wins top prize of entertainer of the year at Country Music Association Awards (More)


Science & Technology
> NASA begins stacking the first stage of the Artemis II Space Launch System; mission is the second step in returning humans to the moon, target launch window is late 2025 (More) | Astronomers capture highest-detailed image of a star outside the Milky Way (More)

> Researchers demonstrate genetically altered version of malaria-causing bacteria, potentially paving the way for mosquitoes to spread vaccination against malaria via bites (More)

> Scientists create the world's thinnest spaghetti, roughly 400 nanometers in diameter; demonstration validates a technique to create tiny fibers with use in medical and electronic applications (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.5%, Dow +1.0%, Nasdaq +0.0%) (More) | Bitcoin notches another record intraday, reaches $99K (More) | Gary Gensler, chair of Securities and Exchange Commission, to step down Jan. 20 (More)

> Alphabet shares close down over 4% after Justice Department asks judge overseeing Google antitrust case to force the tech giant to divest its Chrome browser (More)

> Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI raises $5B in funding round, valuing the company at $50B (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Brazilian police indict former President Jair Bolsonaro and 36 others for an alleged coup attempt on Jan. 8, 2023, following Bolsonaro's election loss in 2022 (More) | Russia strikes Ukraine with new intermediate-range missile in response to Ukraine sending US-supplied short-range ballistic missiles into Russia (More)

> Parts of eastern US and Great Lakes region see this winter's first snowfall, with more than 23 million people under winter weather advisories; up to a foot of snow expected in some areas (More)

> Father of 14-year-old suspect in September mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, pleads not guilty to charges including second-degree murder (More) | See previous write-up (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Robots Replacing Humans

 

It is a fact of life that robots are on their way into the marketplace... and that they may be replacing the following jobs:

• textile workers
• manufacturing workers
• retail workers
• construction workers
• assembly line workers
• fast food workers
• farm workers and pickers
• clerk and stock workers
• online workers
• customer service rep workers

And since we will soon be looking at autonomous vehicles, then we have:

• taxi drivers
• truck drivers
• bus drivers

BULLSHIT!!!   I hear several people saying...  that won't happen at least until 2030...

China and Elon Musk and no doubt others will start MASS PRODUCING robots in 2025...  that is only a little over a month away.

ROBOTS DON'T:

• need vacations
• need raises
• need breaks
• need health insurance
• need sick leave
• complain about the work
• sabotage the product
• vote for a union

If this transition does postpone itself until 2030, that is only five years away...  so, I guess one might say that one is protected if one is 60-65 years of age right now...  Possibly?

QUESTION:  Do you believe humans will be hired to build/repair robots or that robots will be programmed to build/repair themselves?

Somewhat Political