Maya Hayuk Artist

Maya Hayuk (born 1969 in Baltimore, Maryland) is an internationally exhibited American artist living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She is best known for the bold geometric patterns she employs in large-scale murals.

Hayuk received a BFA in 1991 from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, she has also studied at the University of Odesa, in Odesa, Ukraine and at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture.

She gathers her inspiration from pysanka, mandalas, chandeliers, views from the Hubble Telescope, holograms, Rorschach tests, and the surrounding environment.

Her work has been the subject of solo exhibitions and commissions at venues including UCLA's Hammer Museum, LA (2013), The Museum Of Contemporary Canadian Art, Toronto (2013), Bonnefanten Museum, Maastricht (2012) and Socrates Sculpture Park in New York (2011).

¿Qué pasa?

 

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

Treasury watchdog begins audit of DOGE's access to payment systems.

The Office of Inspector General initiated an audit into the security controls of the government's payment system and the access granted to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. The audit, prompted by worries over DOGE's activities, will also review the past two years of transactions in relation to alleged fraud.



Rwanda-backed rebels capture second Congo airport.

The M23 rebels have seized control of Kavumu Airport, a strategic facility serving Bukavu, the capital of the South Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The development comes just before the annual African Union summit in Ethiopia and has heightened fears of an imminent attack on Bukavu.



Study finds ancient Egyptian mummy remains smell pleasant.

Well-preserved Egyptian mummies emit pleasant aromas described as "woody," "spicy," and "sweet," which is attributed to the oils, waxes, and balms used during the mummification process. By analyzing these scents, researchers aim to recreate them for museum exhibits and gain insights into a mummy's social status and preservation state, potentially improving conservation efforts.



"Goonies 2" officially in the works with Steven Spielberg producing.

Almost 40 years after the original film's release in 1985, Warner Bros. is moving forward with a sequel to "The Goonies." The original film centered on a group of misfit kids who find an old map and embark on an adventure to find a pirate's lost treasure. A screenwriter has been tapped, and a director has yet to sign on. It is unclear which of the original cast members are set to return.



Russian drone strike on Chernobyl plant damages reactor shield.

Ukraine said Russia's drone struck the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant early Friday, damaging the protective shield over the destroyed fourth reactor and starting a fire, which was later extinguished. Radiation levels remain normal at this time. Chernobyl was the site of the world's worst civil nuclear accident when one of its four reactors exploded in 1986.



Pope Francis admitted to hospital for bronchitis, Vatican says.

The 88-year-old was diagnosed with bronchitis last week and is being hospitalized for treatment and diagnostic tests. The Vatican said the pope had a respiratory tract infection, a slight fever, and difficulty breathing. The hospitalization is the latest in a string of health issues for the pontiff, including a recent lung infection and previous hospitalizations for intestinal problems.

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Retired

 

In 2015, my wife and I retired.  We did not discuss how long she worked, but I had worked for 45 years.  While we both draw social security checks, SS only covers about half of our monthly expenses.  I cannot imagine what retired life would be like if I did not have a substantial amount of money saved.  We would both probably still be working.

From 2015 until COVID hit, my wife and I traveled somewhere every other month for a week which did not take into consideration the two weeks we spent at Myrtle Beach each year.  COVID blatantly informed us that we were vacationed out by shutting down our travels.  After covid, we only took two weeklong trips each year.

Most of the time, except for doctor appointments, we stay at home.  My wife spends her days out in the sunroom keeping herself busy while I remain inside keeping myself busy as well.  Mornings for me are spent drinking coffee and watching the news, with my afternoons spent maintaining my two blogs and writing novels.

During the warm months (end of March through end of December), more time is spent outside doing something in the yard or walking around the neighborhood.  Sometimes, the neighbors are outside as well, and we chat.  I seldom watch cable movies or series.

While I can sleep as long as I want being retired, I am typically up at 7:30-8:00 am most every day.  My first task is to take my thyroid pill and give the cats their morning treat.  After the treat they typically go back to their beds and sleep.  My days end sometimes between 9:00 to 10:00 pm and in the bed, fall asleep pretty quickly.

It may not seem like a very exciting life; I am seldom bored and pretty much stay busy all day long.

Somewhat Political

 

Neuralink brain implant

Elon Musk’s Neuralink suggests a human patient may have successfully used its brain chip to control a robotic arm. A video posted by the neurotechnology firm shows a robotic arm writing ‘Convoy’ on a whiteboard, referencing the company’s study on brain-controlled assistive robotics.


The demonstration highlights progress in Neuralink’s N1 chip, designed to restore mobility and communication for individuals with disabilities. While details remain limited, the clip hints at potential breakthroughs in brain-machine interface technology.



In November, Neuralink announced approval for a new feasibility study (CONVOY), on its brain implant and robotic arm, advancing brain-computer interface research.

Brain-powered robotics
The new 30-second clip reveals little, including the operator’s identity. Neuralink’s X post shares the video along with a heart, robot arm, and pen emojis, hinting at brain-controlled robotic advancements. The demonstration is part of its CONVOY feasibility exercise announced in November, which includes participants in its ongoing PRIME (Precise Robotically Implanted Brain-Computer Interface) study.

Some observers noted the significance of Neuralink’s demonstration, suggesting the patient was controlling the robotic arm using only their mind, without a joystick or muscle sensor. Musk acknowledged the interpretation as accurate, according to a report by PCMag.     READ MORE...

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Lucky Man (Official Audio)

North - East - West - South

NEWS LINK

Adventure

                                                                    Explore with me 

Are We Alone in the Universe? We’re Close to Finding Out | Lisa Kalteneg...

Real Clear Politics

Saturday, February 15

On Illegal Immigration, It's Trump Filing Lawsuits
Byron York, Washington Examiner

It's Time for Democrats To Woo the Man Vote
Susan Milligan, The New Republic

Pull the Plug on 'Environmental Justice'
James Meigs, City Journal

What Musk Can Learn From the Original DOGE
Tim Harford, Financial Times

DOGE Zeroes Out National Endowment for Democracy
James Piereson, New Criterion

Democrats Should Be Helping To Find Waste and Fraud
Dean Phillips, CNN

Samantha Power Should Not Escape Accountability
Charlton Allen, American Thinker

How Democrats Can Fight Back
Lehmann & Rep. Raskin, The Nation

Vance Calls Out Europe on Censorship, Immigration
Bevan, et al., RCP on SiriusXM

Germany Opens Big Fat Pie Hole
Matt Taibbi, Racket News

The Glitch McConnell Solo Act
Scott McKay, The American Spectator

Will Hochul Ditch Eric Adams?
Ross Barkan, New York Magazine

Trump Uses Trade Leverage To Help Working Americans
Michael Toth, The Hill

Simplifying Taxes, Tax Filing Is a Win for Entrepreneurs
Samuel Rodriguez, RCP

The USCCB Should Reject Federal Funds
Kevin Roberts, First Things

What Gazans Want
Atran & Gomez, Foreign Affairs

America Must Start Building Again
Bishop & Power, RealClearDefense

Bob Ross - Peaceful Reflections (Season 15 Episode 4)

Snowbirds

Winter vacation destinations include warm places, snowy destinations, and other top vacation spots.






Warm places
Honolulu: A top winter vacation destination in the US
Goa, India: A warm winter vacation destination
Khajuraho, India: A winter getaway destination that combines history and warmth
Hampi, India: A historical wonderland to visit in January
Melbourne, Australia: A top winter sun destination

Snowy destinations
Aspen: A top skiing destination in the US
Lake Tahoe: A serene winter destination in the US

Other top vacation spots
Big Sky, Montana, Lucerne, Sydney, Maldives, St. Lucia, Hanoi, Costa Rica, San Miguel de Allende, Santa Fe, and Cozumel.

Budget-friendly destinations Puerto Rico, Banff, Martinique, and Gatlinburg.

Island

 

Rome

 

Stairway from Heaven

 

Disney World

3 Reasons Disney World Has become Unaffordable for the Middle Class

SNL Milestone

 

Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson Walk Out Of ‘SNL50' Concert After Jimmy Fallon Said No Awards Would Be Given Out In Funny Bit

NASCAR

 

Daytona International Speedway

Watch This BEFORE You Keep Chickens 🐔

Gulf of America

 

Female Bodybuilders

 

NUTRITION 101 | Beginner's Guide to Healthy Eating

Andy Warhol Artist

Andy Warhol (/ˈwɔːrhɒl/; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol is considered one the most important artists of the second half of the 20th century. 

His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, advertising, and celebrity culture that flourished by the 1960s, and span a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, photography, and filmmaking. Some of his best-known works include the silkscreen paintings Campbell's Soup Cans (1962) and Marilyn Diptych (1962), the experimental film Chelsea Girls (1966), the multimedia events known as the Exploding Plastic Inevitable (1966–67), and the erotic film Blue Movie (1969) that started the "Golden Age of Porn".

¿Qué pasa?

 

Quick Clips

In The NEWS

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> The 2025 NBA All-Star Game is set for Sunday (8 pm ET, TNT); will feature four-team mini-tournament for first time (More) | NASCAR Cup Series kicks off this Sunday (2:30 pm ET, Fox) with the 67th Daytona 500 (More)

> Closing arguments begin in rapper A$AP Rocky's felony assault trial (More) | CBS, Comedy Central, and MTV among more than 20 channels that could go dark on YouTube TV amid contract dispute with the streamer (More)

> New York Jets parting ways with four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers after he played just one full season with the team (More) | More than 1 million people expected to attend Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl parade this morning (More)


Science & Technology
> The Boring Company announces deal to build 10-mile-long underground tunnel in Dubai; Elon Musk-owned company built and operates similar project under Las Vegas (More) | Musk says he'll withdraw $97B offer for OpenAI nonprofit arm if organization gives up for-profit plans (More) | OpenAI 101 (1440 Topics)

> Engineers decode electrical signals between the nervous system and hand movement, use patterns to create robotic movement that feels human-like (More)

> New study suggests birds, reptiles, and mammals each developed complex brain circuitry independently despite sharing a common ancestor (More) | Thirteen examples of convergent evolution (More)


Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +1.0%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq +1.5%) (More) | President Donald Trump signs memo directing federal agencies to examine how to adjust US tariff rates to match import taxes imposed by other countries (More)

> Robinhood shares close up 14% after beating Q4 estimates; quarterly revenue rose 115% year over year (More) | Coinbase shares close up over 8% after reporting biggest quarterly revenue in three years due to postelection crypto rally (More)

> US household debt—including credit cards, mortgages, and other loans—reaches all-time high of $18T, per report from Federal Reserve Bank of New York; total credit card balances stand at record-high $1.2T (More)


Politics & World Affairs
> Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as health secretary in 52-48 Senate vote (More) | Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith (D) won't seek reelection, is second Senate Democrat to retire ahead of 2026 midterm elections (More) | Federal judge halts executive order seeking to end funding for gender-affirming youth care (More)

> At least 30 people injured in Munich, Germany, after driver rams into labor union demonstration; suspect—a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker—is in custody (More)

> Hamas says it is ready to resume releasing hostages in Gaza this weekend, following talks in Cairo, as long as Israel holds up its end of ceasefire deal (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Advertising

 

Our society has grown dependent on marketing and advertising techniques to convince us what or what not to buy.

If you watch cable shows, listen to music, or read magazines/newspapers, or spend time online visiting websites, you are constantly bombarded by advertising and marketing gimmicks attempting to convince you to buy a particular product or service.

All movies offered by HULU, PRIME, and NETFLIX for example, will charge a higher fee if you want to eliminate commercials...  One way or the other, these forums must find a way to earn money to stay in business.  Advertising revenues allows them to do that.

From my stan.dpoint, I either leave the chair when the commercials are on or I ignore them.  Others are not like that and look forward to the commercials to see what they can buy next...  not sure why they do that other than if you buy stuff, you convince yourself that you are wealthy.

WEALTHY PEOPLE DON"T SPEND THEIR MONEY LIKE THAT...

THEY ARE MORE CONSERVATIVE WITH THEIR SPENDING THAN YOU MIGHT IMAGINE...

Somewhat Political