Monday, October 13
In The NEWS
Global Tensions
An explainer on the Cold War
The Cold War was a global competition (watch animated map) for power and influence between the United States, a capitalist democracy, and the Soviet Union, a state-controlled socialist system, from 1945 to 1991, sparked by tensions over how to shape the post-World War II order.
The conflict was defined by ideological rivalry, massive military spending, and a nuclear arms race that brought the world to the brink of thermonuclear war. Though the two superpowers never engaged in direct combat—hence, the war remained “cold”—they waged proxy wars on nearly every continent.
The Cold War concluded in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union after losing control of much of its territory in the preceding years. However, its legacy is still visible today in renewed great-power rivalries, ongoing nuclear tensions, and the resurgence of strongly centralized governance.
... Read our full explainer on the conflict here.
Also, check out ...
> Watch Churchill's 1946 speech recognizing an "Iron Curtain" across Europe. (More)
> ... and watch Reagan demand that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. (More)
> A 1983 NATO simulation provoked the Soviets to arm for war. (More)
Household Leverage
Mortgages, 101
Mortgages are a type of property loan that financial institutions, such as banks and credit unions, can offer when a prospective buyer decides against paying a property’s full cost in cash. In 2024, 74% of homebuyers took out a mortgage. Debt owed on mortgages made up about 70% of US consumer debt as of 2025.
People have been formally lending money in exchange for interest and collateral since the fifth century BCE. But the term “mortgage” wasn’t adopted until around the 11th century in Britain.
In the US, individuals loaned money to each other to buy property before institutional private financing was popularized in the 1800s. Mortgage banks were created in the 1870s to provide loans financed by mortgage-backed bonds.
... Read our full write-up on mortgages here.
Also, check out ...
> Construction of small, affordable "starter homes" has decreased 75% since 1976. (More)
> Charting the history of interest rates on 30-year fixed home loans. (More)
> Housing costs have more than doubled since 1965, adjusting for inflation. (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Peace Initiatives
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Russia began fighting with Ukraine in 2014 escalating the conflict in 2022, so, it is in its third year...
Hamas, proxy for Iran, invaded Israel, two years ago, so they are in their second year.
China and North Korea have been supporting both Russia and Iran while the US, the Uk, and Europe have been supporting Ukraine and Israel.
Both these conflicts could erupt into WWIII with just the slightest provocation.
While I am not an expert in global politics or global military strategy, I believe that our world and our present leaders, even though some of them questionable, would not trigger a nuclear war.
WWIII will be a conventional war with the exception of extensive reliance on DRONES and ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. We will, no doubt, be incorporating robots into our army sooner than later to save lives. It would not surprise me at all that our Army and other branches are already experimenting with robot personnel.
However, it would appear that Hamas is much more interested in pursuing peace than Russia. At least, as far as phase I of the current peace accords are concerned. Phase II is an entirely different story and there is a very good possibility that Israel will be returning to war soon.
What is very risky about what is happening in Ukraine is the closest proximity of NATO Nations and if they feel they are being attacked by Russia, they could respond in such a way that WWIII is upon us before the world understanding why or how it happened.
NATO countries are currently in a posture of PREPARING FOR IMMINENT WAR... and Russia does like pushing the boundaries of common sense.
The bottom line is that whatever happens with Ukraine/Russia and/or Hamas/Israel will be a direct result of President Trump's commitment of military support to both Ukraine and Israel.
Engineers Found Evidence of Hydraulics in an Ancient Pyramid
Hydraulic mechanics may have indeed been the driving force behind the construction of ancient Egyptian pyramids.
In a preprint paper, scientists concluded that the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, Egypt—believed to be the oldest of the seven monumental pyramids and potentially constructed about 4,500 years ago—offers a remarkable blueprint for hydraulic engineering.
The hydraulic-powered mechanism could have maneuvered the oversized stone blocks forming the pyramid, starting from the ground up. The research team says the Step Pyramid’s internal architecture is consistent with a hydraulic elevation mechanism, something that’s never been reported before at that place or in that time.
Sunday, October 12
Wonderings 9
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As I mentioned earlier, understanding philosophy goes a long way to understanding WHO I AM...
The philosopher Descartes said: I THINK THEREFORE I AM
For many centuries this statement was all we needed to prove that the human race or human beings existed.
But what if your thinking is in the capacity of being a doubter, then you would doubt your own existence.
So, how can we prove our thinking is not being conducting in the capacity of a doubt, when most of our thinking revolves around playing the devil's advocate, which is doubting.
Now, we have a real dilemma.
Assuming, the human race exists, what is the point of LIFE?
That is to say, why are we even alive?
This ties with WHAT IS OUR PURPOSE AND WHO AM I?
So, we are alive and live approximately 80-100+ years nd then we die. Some believe in reincarnation, therefore experience a second life. But normally, we just DIE... However, there is the belief that we continue existence in an afterlife, which has traditionally been described as HEAVEN.
But what is life like in Heaven... we know it will not be overpopulated because not everyone is going.
Will we have a physical body in heaven?
Will we have a spirit shape in heaven?
If spirit, then that life will never be like the physical life we left behind...4
NOW...
here's an interesting question.
What's the point of living on earth 80-100+ years if we live as a spirit FOREVER in heaven?
This ties back into the question of PURPOSE.
SO...
part of our answer to purpose is predicated upon whether or not we believe in an afterlife and if in that afterlife, we live as a spirit.
Since we will not know the answer to our DEATH question, then trying to develop a purpose for life while on earth seems, on the surface, to be rather pointless.
I still propose that one needs a purpose regardless of what happens after death, because purpose gives us motivation. Without motivation, there is no reason to do anything.
Headlines
HEALTH
The potential health benefits of sweating it out
timofeev/Adobe Stock
As wellness practices go, sitting in a pool of your own perspiration lands somewhere between juice cleanses and going on a brisk walk. Though the sauna’s biggest claim of detoxification lacks much scientific basis, plenty of other benefits appear to hold water.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, research suggests that regularly getting your heart pumping and your pores dumping at the sauna can:Reduce muscle soreness.
Increase blood flow, which can ease pain from some chronic conditions like arthritis.
Reduce inflammation and improve heart and lung health.
Improve sleep and reduce stress, possibly because of the general calming effect of the whole sauna experience.
At least one study has suggested a link between sauna visits and lower risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s, but doctors need more research to draw a solid conclusion.
Caution: Since one of the biggest risks is dehydration, hitting the sauna after boozing isn’t recommended. It’s also not advised if you’re recovering from a heart attack or stroke.—ML
The potential health benefits of sweating it out
timofeev/Adobe Stock
As wellness practices go, sitting in a pool of your own perspiration lands somewhere between juice cleanses and going on a brisk walk. Though the sauna’s biggest claim of detoxification lacks much scientific basis, plenty of other benefits appear to hold water.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, research suggests that regularly getting your heart pumping and your pores dumping at the sauna can:Reduce muscle soreness.
Increase blood flow, which can ease pain from some chronic conditions like arthritis.
Reduce inflammation and improve heart and lung health.
Improve sleep and reduce stress, possibly because of the general calming effect of the whole sauna experience.
At least one study has suggested a link between sauna visits and lower risks of dementia and Alzheimer’s, but doctors need more research to draw a solid conclusion.
Caution: Since one of the biggest risks is dehydration, hitting the sauna after boozing isn’t recommended. It’s also not advised if you’re recovering from a heart attack or stroke.—ML
Robert Reich
Friends,
Something dramatic has happened.
Many people who consider themselves non-political or independent, or moderate Republican, or who even voted for Trump last November, can’t avoid seeing what’s now come so clearly into the open.
And they’re finding it terrifying.
They’ve watched Trump order the Texas National Guard into Portland and Chicago, over the objections of the mayors of those cities and the governors of Oregon and Illinois. They’ve heard him call for jailing the mayor of Chicago and governor of Illinois for opposing these moves.
They’ve heard him threaten to invoke the Insurrection Act and send federal troops all over America.
They’ve watched Trump’s ICE agents drag people out of their beds in the middle of the night, zip-tie them and their children, and haul them away.
At A Glance
What was the dot-com bubble? Why the Nasdaq dropped 76% in two years.
The 1920 proposal to turn central Europe into a pizza-shaped state.
Breaking down why microwaves heat food in a fundamentally nonuniform way.
Inside "Blood Meridian" author Cormac McCarthy's library of 20,000 books.
The thrilling 99 bends of the Chinese road up to Tianmen Mountain.
How do inhalers actually work to treat asthma?
"Johnny Appleseed" was a real guy—itinerant horticulturalist John Chapman.
How Microsoft Excel launched in 1985 to serve a billion people today.
NFL stadiums are designed to maximize profits, not number of seats.
The story of a bitcoin loophole that gave one man millions.
The business behind America's 350,000 advertising billboards.
The three competing theories explaining how the pyramids were built.
Revisiting the milieu of the Greenwich Village music scene in the '60s.
How pitcher Pedro Martinez helped reverse the curse of the Red Sox.
Six of the seven wonders of the ancient world are destroyed.
In The NEWS
China hits US ships with retaliatory port fees.
Beginning Tuesday, US-owned, operated, and affiliated vessels will be required to pay a docking fee in China. The Chinese Ministry of Transportation declared the move Friday in response to a similar US port fee on Chinese ships, also set to take effect next week. The Trump administration announced the fee earlier this year in an effort to curb China’s dominance in freight ship manufacturing and boost the US industry.
... and Trump to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese goods.
President Donald Trump cited new rare earth export controls announced Thursday by China’s commerce ministry as the reason for the new US tariffs, which are expected to begin by Nov. 1 and supersede existing duties. Trump also said he would place export controls on critical software. China leads global mining and processing of rare earth minerals, which are critical to advanced technologies, such as computer chips. US stock markets fell Friday (S&P 500 -2.7%, Dow -1.9%, Nasdaq -3.6%).
Tennessee explosives plant accident leaves several dead, missing.
As of this writing, 19 people are missing and feared dead after an explosion at a military munitions plant in rural Tennessee Friday. Emergency crews initially couldn’t enter due to ongoing detonations, but the site is now secure and officials say there is no further risk. The cause remains unknown, and the investigation could take days, according to the local sheriff.
Trump administration begins laying off federal workers.
The White House said yesterday that it began mass firings as part of its ongoing effort to reduce the federal workforce. The departments of Homeland Security, Education, and Energy are among the impacted agencies; it remains unclear how many employees were affected. A federal employees union has asked a federal judge to halt the firings, alleging they are intended to punish workers and pressure Democratic lawmakers during the ongoing government shutdown.
Peru ousts president, swears in new one amid crime surge.
Peruvian lawmakers voted 122–8 early Friday to remove President Dina Boluarte from office. Boluarte, an independent who leans conservative, faced mounting accusations of corruption and failure to curb rising crime; her approval rating has hovered between 2% and 4%. Congress Chief José Jeri, a conservative, will serve as president until Peru's April general elections.
Savannah Bananas' new baseball league grows.
Two new teams—the Loco Beach Coconuts and Indianapolis Clowns—will join the Banana Ball Championship league for its inaugural 2026 season. They’ll compete with the Savannah Bananas, Party Animals, Texas Tailgaters, and Firefighters in a 75-stadium, 45-state schedule, expected to attract roughly 3.2 million fans. Read about Banana Ball’s history and gameplay here.
No Doubt announces Sphere residency.
The 1990s American rock band No Doubt will reunite for a six-night residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere in May. The announcement comes after the quartet reunited for the first time in nearly a decade to perform both weekends of Coachella 2024. The residency will make No Doubt the first female-fronted act to headline the $2.3B high-tech venue since it opened in 2023. See how the Sphere was built here (w/video).
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
The Pathetic Democrats
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What I find fascinating about politics in 2025 is that the Democrats are BITCHING that Trump is doing the same thing to them that they were doing to him and don't like it.
The southerners have an expression that fits the situation perfectly:
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND...
The Democrats tried their damnest to keep Trump from winning the election with LAW SUITS, BAD PRESS, CONGRESSIONAL ATTACKS... and still do not realize that the GENERAL PUBLIC elected Trump anyway.
GO FIGURE???
What has Trump done in the first 6-9 months of his term?
- Closed the border to illegals
- Removed illegals from US
- Removed waste from government
- Passed one big, beautiful bill
- Ended several global wars
- Improved the military
- Lowered taxes
- Negotiated Favorable trade agreements/tariffs
- Lowered inflation
- Improved the economy
How many of those celebrities who claimed they were going to leave the US actually left the US???
A few did but not all that said they were going to...
I mention this because, the is exactly the main behavior pattern of the Democrats. They make all these horrific claims about what will happen or what they will do, and then NOTHING HAPPENS OR IS DONE...
What I have learned about the Democrats and the MAINTSTREAM MEDIA that supports them, is that:
- They do not tell the truth
- They distort the truth against political opponents
- They accuse their political opponents of what they are actually doing
- They have no plans other than to block Trump
Bear in mind that this author is not a member of any political party. This author votes for the candidate who will best serve the citizens of USA. This author wants:
- Small Govt
- Large Military
- Low taxes
- Healthy economy
- Stronge VA
- No GOVT supported DEI
- Job opportunities
- Robust Education
- Affordable Healthcare
- ANTI-SOCIALISM
Prime Numbers Show Unexpected Patterns of Fractal Chaos
Prime numbers are sometimes called math’s “atoms” because they can be divided by only themselves and 1. For two millennia, mathematicians have wondered if the prime numbers are truly random, or if some unknown pattern underlies their ordering. Recently number theorists have proposed several surprising conjectures on prime patterns—in particular, probabilistic patterns that show up in large groups of the mathematical atoms.
The patterns in the primes trace back to an 1859 hypothesis involving the legendary Riemann zeta function. Mathematician Bernhard Riemann derived a function that counts the number of primes up to a number x. It includes three main ingredients: a smooth estimate, a set of corrective terms coming from the Riemann zeta function, and a small error term.
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