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.

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

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

Somewhat Political

 

Twisted Tatooine Double Star Systems

An illustration of a rogue planet being ejected from a 'tilted Tatooine' binary star system. (Image credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Robert Lea (created with Canva))



Star Wars fans will definitely get a kick out of binary star systems nicknamed "Tatooine" systems — a reference to the planet Luke Skywalker stands on to gaze up at twin suns in Star Wars: A New Hope. As it turns out, some of the planets in the real-life versions of these systems may have been getting a much more literal kick out of them, too.


New research suggests "rogue planets" that wander the Milky Way — aka, planets that are isolated from parent stars and live as cosmic orphans — may be getting kicked out of double, or binary, star systems. But there's a twist (literally)!


The team found that rogue planets are more likely to be ejected from "twisted Tatooine" systems specifically. These are systems in which the stars and the planets that orbit those are misaligned, thus existing at tilted angles from one another.     READ MORE...

Crosby, Stills Nash - Southern Cross

HURRAY for Christians

 

Tongue in Cheek TITLE...  just to catch your attention.

Christians are in DEEP SHIT TROUBLE globally with the rise of ISLAM due to the MUSLIMS that are relocating all over the world...  some of whom are marrying local males and females in the hopes of converting them and their children to ISLAM.

Many of us may not see this as a problem but if this continues for the next two decades, the world could have a majority population of Muslims/Islamic Faith.

When that happens, Christians will be persecuted like never before because the only good Christian according to Muslims is a dead Christian.

Can you imagine the country of Italy and the city of Rome changing from a majority of Christians to a majority Muslims???

It does not matter if you believe in GOD or not because MOST ALL MUSLIMS are FANATICS and ZEALOTS...  and, with their ignorant upbringing, they never have any desire or inclinations to question their faith.

Many of us Christians still do not perceive that Muslims are a threat to us, since the Quran preaches PEACE...  Just like words in the Bible that are interpreted by Christians so too are the words in the Quran interpreted by Muslims.

Watch out people...

Face Cream for Men... REALLY???

 

I have mentioned before how advertising and marketing executives design commercials in the hopes of getting the VIEWERS to purchase something they don't really NEED...

Since the male race is becoming more FEMININE with this PRIDE movement in the USA, we are now trying to get those males to invest money in products that have traditionally been marketed to WOMEN...

I imagine all the TRANS-FEMALES are standing in line waiting to buy these products so that they can look more and more like females...

That is their right and I support their right...  but it does annoy me when I see commercials like that because my first thought goes out to all the professional athletes, and I wonder if they might be interested in face cream.

In my opinion, males are supposed to grow old with saggy skin, grey hair, balding, or skin heads and that their muscles are going to shrink and atrophy.  Males hearing declines, male eyesight worsens, and the body just cannot do all the things that it used to do...

And now you want me to worry about face cream???   REALLY...

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> 2024 Paris Paralympics wrap up this weekend with closing ceremony Sunday (2:30 pm ET, CNBC); see latest medal count (More) | American soccer great Alex Morgan announces retirement (More)

> UK court drops charges of indecent assault against Harvey Weinstein related to alleged incidents from the mid-1990s (More)

> Rebecca Cheptegei, Ugandan Olympic marathoner, dies at 33 after arson attack by her ex-boyfriend (More) | Rich Homie Quan, rapper best known for "Type of Way," dies at 34 (More)


Science & Technology
> Scientists develop method to temporarily turn mouse tissue transparent, allowing researchers to study organs and how they function under various conditions in live animals (More)

> China’s Chang’e 5 lunar mission finds evidence of active volcanism on the moon as recently as 125 million years ago; previous theories held volcanic activity ended on the moon at least 1 billion years ago (More)

> Serotonin—a brain chemical involved in mood regulation, maintaining the body's internal clock, and much more—found to play a key role in emotional resilience during traumatic events (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.3%, Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq +0.3%) ahead of latest monthly jobs report data to be released today (More) | Hiring for private US companies falls in August to lowest level since January 2021, per ADP report (More)

> Verizon Communications agrees to acquire Frontier Communications in all-cash deal worth $20B, including debt; acquisition allows Verizon to recapture some fiber optic lines it sold to Frontier nearly a decade ago (More)

> Department of Transportation launches probe into whether rewards programs offered by Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines are unfair to customers (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Police arrest father of 14-year-old shooter who killed four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia; father faces charges including involuntary manslaughter for allegedly allowing his son to possess a weapon (More) | See previous write-up (More)

> North Carolina to begin sending out mail-in ballots today, first state to do so for Nov. 5 elections (More) | Former President Donald Trump unveils proposals if reelected, including creating a sovereign wealth fund and tapping Elon Musk to head new commission auditing economic efficiency of US agencies (More)

> French President Emmanuel Macron appoints Michel Barnier—European Union's former Brexit negotiator and part of France's conservative Les Républicains party—as new prime minister, tasked with forming a government (More) | See duties of the French prime minister (More)

SOURCE:  1440  NEWS

Computer Technology

 

Years ago, late 1990s/early 2000s, I was a MCSE, knew how to build computers and had my own network set up in my home consisting of four desktop computers and one laptop, using Windows NT as my operating system.

What was great about my network other than five different people could be on the internet simultaneously, was that I had access to data stored on five hard drives, giving me, at that time, almost unlimited storage, based upon my needs.

I was as happy as a hog in mud.

A few years later, Windows changed its network operating system and not only would I have had to purchase that new one (no trade in value applied) but I would have had to upgrade my CPU, memory chips, and hard drive because this new system was so large which they referred to as being more robust.

So, there was the problem that we all must now live with...

OUR COMPUTERS ARE ONLY GOOD FOR ABOUT 3-5 YEARS AND THEN THEY NEED TO BE UPGRADED BECAUSE OUR SOFTWARE PACKAGES ARE ALWAYS BECOMING MORE ROBUST.

Computers have a built-in obsolescence due to technology always advancing.

Consequently...

those who manufacture and sell computers and their components will NEVER GO OUT OF BUSINESS and will continue to get more wealthy.

Whereas...

the users will always be faced with upgrading and shelling out a couple of grand every three years because the old computer can no longer function properly.

FACEBOOK, GOOGLE, AMAZON while they currently have the largest market share for the service they provide will constantly have to INNOVATE in order to remain in the lead.

For example, most web browsers are getting money from companies so that these companies can spy on the user to see what they are buying or looking at, and then inundate them with targeted marketing.  I am we all have experienced surfing the web for places to stay at a resort location only to find that we now receive all kinds of ads for things around that resort.  It is very annoying.

DUCK DUCK GO has a web browser where that does not happen, at least for now.

How much business will DUCK DUCK GO take away from other web browsers?

It's hard to say...

BUT...

if it loses a lot, then the web browsers will change how they do business.

Technology has changed our lives for good and there is no telling how our lives will continue to change because of Technology.

Somewhat Political

 

REAL Quantum Weirdness

Down at the level of atoms and electrons, quantum physics describes the behavior of the very smallest objects. Solar panels, LED lights, your mobile phone and MRI scanners in hospitals: all of these rely on quantum behavior. It is one of the best-tested theories of physics, and we use it all the time.

On the face of it, however, the quantum realm is extraordinary: Within it, quantum objects can be “in two places at once”; they can move through barriers; and share a connection no matter how far apart they are. Compared to what you would expect of, say, a tennis ball, their properties are certainly weird and counterintuitive.     READ MORE...

MOUNTAIN - Mississippi Queen (Live on "The Show" 02-24-1970) - * RARE * ...

Nuclear CODES

 

See the Hidden Tiger?

 

Censorship

 

MC Escher

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> 2024 NFL regular season kicks off tonight (8:20 pm ET, NBC) with a rematch of last year's AFC Championship game between reigning Super Bowl champs the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens (More)

> "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed pleads guilty to bringing gun into a New Mexico bar; Gutierrez-Reed is already serving 18-month prison sentence for role in death of the film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins (More)

> 2024 US Open tennis semifinal matchups set; see updated women's bracket (More) | ... and men's bracket (More)


Science & Technology
> Social media app X debuts beta version of a television app available on Google TV and Amazon Fire TV; company says it wants to become a "video-first" platform (More)

> Adoption of farming practices forced humans to evolve more efficient digestion of starch beginning roughly 12,000 years ago, study reveals (More)

> Chemists reveal how collagen—a key building block of muscles, bones, and connective tissue—persists in dinosaur fossils nearly 200 million years old; the proteins have a unique bonding structure that protects them from moisture (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close mixed (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow +0.1%, Nasdaq -0.3%) as US job openings fell to 7.67 million in July, the lowest level since January 2021 (More) | Nvidia denies report of allegedly receiving a Justice Department subpoena over antitrust concerns (More)

> Biotechnology startup eGenesis raises $191M for human-compatible transplants derived from gene-edited pig organs; eGenesis provided the world's first genetically modified pig kidney transplanted into a human in March (More)

> OpenAI cofounder Ilya Sutskever's new venture, Safe Superintelligence, raises $1B to help develop safe artificial intelligence systems; latest funding round values the startup at $5B (More) | See previous write-up (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> US Justice Department accuses Russian state media network RT of $10M election interference campaign, including effort to recruit US social media influencers; DOJ indicts two employees and seizes 32 internet domains (More) | Ukraine's top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba becomes sixth cabinet member to resign in government shake-up (More)

> UK government releases report on 2017 Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people in the London social housing unit; report blames multiple administrations and companies, including US-based Arconic, which supplied building's exterior material (More)

> Suspected Boko Haram motorcycle and gun attack kills at least 100 people at a market in northeastern Nigeria; at least 1,500 people have been killed in the region so far this year (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

OPINIONS

 

It has been said by people smarter than me that OPINIONS ARE LIKE ASSHOLES EVERYBODY HAS GOT ONE...

I suppose that is true as I have a lot of opinions, and I know that I am an asshole at times...

My opinions revolve around the following:

• Liberals censoring conservatives
• Democrats wanting socialism
• Robots replacing jobs
• Boys wanting to be girls
• Lying politicians
• WOKE - CRT - BLM
• Trying to destroy Trump
• Increasing Taxes
• Wealthy people not paying their fair share
• Forcing EVs on the public
• Ending gasoline
• Idiots in Hollywood
• Celebrities being paid too much
• Advertising/Marketing
• Life Insurance
• Pickup Trucks

Who am I?

1. I am a liberal with conservative fiscal responsibilities.  
2. I am a Vietnam Era Veteran
3. I have no debt, and I save as often as I can.
4. I am frugal with my purchases.
5. I measure twice - cut once
6. I kiss no one's ass
7. I am happily married
8. I am happily retired
9. I don't dwell on the past
10. I hope for the best but expect the worst

I have no desire to change your opinion, nor do I want you to change mine unless there is just cause.  I will determine if there is just cause...  why?  Because I am not stupid, and I am open minded unlike others who cling to their beliefs as if they still believe in Santa and the tooth Fairy.

I pretty much dislike ALL POLITICIANS since most of them cannot be trusted and because we basically have the same problems today that we had in the 1960s...   that's the same problems for SIXTY FRIGGING YEARS...

Why do you think that is?

Because these politicians MUST WANT these problems to stay around.

I like my opinions and my initials are AH....  go figure???

Somewhat Political

Gravitational Wave Mystery

The merger of two black holes embodies a complex interplay of gravitational forces that twist, twirl, and ultimately collide, generating ripples and waves that resonate throughout the cosmos.

These ripples, known as gravitational waves, are subtle distortions so refined that detecting them necessitates extraordinary precision.

Since 2015, we have made significant strides in capturing these faint cosmic echoes, facilitated by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). However, we now stand on the brink of a transformative advancement that promises to bring cosmic phenomena into the confines of a laboratory.

Enter Professor Nic Shannon, the head of the Theory of Quantum Matter Unit at the Okinawa Institute for Science and Technology (OIST). He leads an exceptional team that has successfully replicated the behavior of these gravitational waves using cold atoms within a quantum condensate.

This innovative approach opens up a new frontier for exploring these elusive ripples in a controlled experimental environment.       READ MORE...

"In A Gadda Da Vida" Iron Butterfly Netherlands 2004

Deception

 

Expert

 

Muslims

 

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> UK government to investigate Ticketmaster over its "dynamic pricing" following soaring opening day prices for Oasis' reunion concert (More) | US judge puts temporary hold on former President Donald Trump's campaign from using popular Isaac Hayes song amid lawsuit by the late singer's estate (More)

> James Darren, former teen idol known for starring roles in "Gidget" and "T.J. Hooker," dies at age 88 (More)

> Georgia leads first regular season AP college football Top 25 poll after Week 1 games; Ohio State and Texas round out the top three (More)


Science & Technology
> Clearview AI fined $34M by Dutch regulators for violating European privacy laws; officials say company collected biometric information via facial images without getting consent (More) | Listen to a deep dive on Clearview AI (More)

> SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission officially cleared to launch, scheduled to blast off Friday; fully private flight will take humans roughly 870 miles away from the Earth's surface (More) | The history of SpaceX in three minutes (More, w/video)

> Scientists map genome of the Entomophthora muscae fungus, capable of turning flies into zombies; study is expected to shed light on how simple organisms ultimately control behavior in others (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -2.1%, Dow -1.5%, Nasdaq -3.3%), driven by economic reports indicating slowdown in manufacturing sector (More)

> Rite Aid emerges from Chapter 11 bankruptcy as private company, names its chief financial officer as next CEO (More) | Costco membership price increase goes into effect for first time in seven years (More)

> Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott experience staffing shortages amid strike; around 10,000 hotel workers are striking in at least seven cities, seeking better pay (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Former aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) arrested, charged with acting as a Chinese spy; allegations include blocking Taiwanese officials from access to Hochul's office, revising statements to align with Chinese interests (More)

> US Justice Department charges Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, five other senior militants with terrorism and other crimes in connection with Oct. 7 raid; Sinwar is believed to be hiding in Gaza's tunnels (More) | The UK suspends 30 of its 350 arms export licenses with Israel, impacting sales of fighter jets, drones, helicopters (More)

> Migrant boat capsizes in English Channel, killing at least 12 people, most from the East African nation of Eritrea; more than 2,000 people have traveled to Britain on migrant boats in the past week, per UK government figures (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Greed versus Wanting More

Greed is the intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.

The definition of self-improvement is pretty self-explanatory: Self-improvement is the improvement of one's knowledge, status, or character by one's own efforts. It's the quest to make ourselves better in any and every facet of life.


Self-interested individuals care about their own outcomes. Greedy individuals are similar, but mostly motivated by the insatiable desire to get more; more than is needed and sometimes even more than is possible.

Self-interest

Self-improvement

Bettering oneself

Greed

Aren't all of these words, similar even though their definitions are slightly different.

• When does bettering oneself turn into GREED or vice versa?
• When does WANTING MORE change from bettering oneself to GREED or vice versa?

The evolution of wanting more:

• We want more for ourselves
• We want more for as a couple
• We want more as a family

If our basic instinct is to SURVIVE, can we do this only if we are GREEDY or can simply wanting more help us to survive?

There is a negative connotation that revolves around greed making the word seem negative but without GREED, would we have ever wanted our independence from Great Britain?  Would we have wanted to write the Bill of Rights that contained both the first and second amendments?  Would we have wanted to explore the western side of America or formed all the companies that made the USA great?

We say, it is nothing more than WANTING MORE and when is WANTING MORE not SELFISH???

And when is SELFISHNESS not INTENSE?

Somewhat Political

 

China's Robot CON

BEIJING, Aug 26 — As China seeks to race ahead in humanoid robot development, its supply chains showcased cheaper and innovative parts at the world robot conference in Beijing, but some executives warn the industry has yet to improve product reliability.

Wisson Technology (Shenzhen), known for its flexible robotic manipulators, doesn’t depend on motors and reducers – transmission devices commonly used in robotics – but instead uses 3D-printed plastics and relies on pneumatic artificial muscles to power its robots.     READ MORE...

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Fanfare For The Common Man (Live at Olympic Sta...

Artist

Hito Steyerl is a filmmaker, moving image artist and innovator of the essay documentary. She is interested in technology, the global circulation of images, and, in particular, in the effect that those images have on our society. She is primarily known for her video works which often push the boundaries of filmmaking as such and are soaked in conceptuality. Steyerl’s works could be seen in prominent biennials including the ones in Venice, Istanbul and Shanghai. 

Her films are rich, mixing fiction and facts, computer-generated images and documentary footage. They explore heated issues of our time, among them militarisation, surveillance, corporate domination, alienated labor, but also protest culture and the rise of alternative economies. This dense political content is usually combined with appealing pop aesthetic and witty humor.

Hito Steyerl, Factory of the Sun, 2015. Courtesy of Andrew Kreps Gallery, New York