In The NEWS

Totalitarian Tales
Dystopian literature, 101
Dystopian literature is a literary genre focused on postapocalyptic, totalitarian, or otherwise oppressive societies (watch 101). Its stories often take place in the future, though its writers often comment on the present.

The word “dystopia” is derived from the Greek for “bad place” (see first use). It’s an inversion of “utopia,” a term popularized by Sir Thomas More in his 1516 book, “Utopia,” which imagined an ideal society free of want. The modern dystopian story does not just take place in an undesirable setting; it also features an oppressive power structure that claims to offer utopia, with one of the earliest examples being Jonathan Swift’s “Gulliver’s Travels."

The international conflicts of World War I and II inspired some of dystopian literature’s most influential novels as writers encountered the utopian promises of fascism and communism. In the decades to follow, more writers would follow the example of those early novels, using the dystopian model to critique artificial intelligence, climate change, and more.

... Read our full explainer on the genre here.

Also, check out ...
> George Orwell's "1984" is one of the most influential dystopias. (More)
> Political scientists weigh in on whether we live in a dystopia. (More)
> Breaking down the five types of dystopias and their role in extremism. (More)



'Shop Like a Billionaire'
An explainer on Temu
Often compared to a virtual dollar store, Temu is a Chinese discount e-commerce retailer that sells a wide range of products, from $2 plastic headphones to $200 couches. Started in 2022, Temu is arguably most famous for its unusually cheap products, and the time it ran the same advertisement five times during the 2024 Super Bowl.

On Temu, shoppers can get discounts and other benefits through playing games (like one game where users help a tree grow, another where they spin a wheel to win, and more). With about 292 million global monthly active users, the Amazon competitor was the most downloaded app on the Apple App Store in the US through 2024.

Temu is able to offer such cheap prices in part because it does not actually own any of the products it sells—the sellers who list their products on Temu maintain ownership instead. Some argue that the company is more focused on rapidly gaining market share than achieving profitability: As of 2024, Temu was losing an average of $30 per order.

... Read our full write-up on Temu here.

Also, check out ...
> Amazon launched a Temu competitor, Haul, in 2024. (More)
> How e-commerce outlets like Temu used the now-extinct de minimis exemption. (More)
> Temu began as a Chinese company called Pinduoduo. (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Overweight

 

It was not until I was 65 or 67 that I began gaining enough weight according to my height to be considered OBESE.  The reason for that happening to me was because of all the steroids I had to take due to the chemo that was being infused into my body.  My chemo treatments started at age 60.

Prior to age 60, I was very active, running or walking a mile or two each day, seven days a week, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep.  That was between 40-60, but prior to age 40, I smoked cigarettes, drank alcohol, ate lots of fast foods, fried foods, and sugars.  However, the reason why I never became obese prior to age 40 is that I was very active.  I played sports, went to gym regularly, worked outside after work and on the weekends, rather than sitting on a sofa watching television.

What bothers me today and I try not to let it, is all the young people under the age of twenty who are extremely OVERWEIGHT, not just obese.  If their parents are with them, then the parents are as overweight as they are, so these children have no good role models at home.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FOURTY PERCENT of Americans are OBESE.  That is more than ONE of THREE are obese.

My nephew is obese, very much so, and I keep warning him that his overweight condition is going to lead to a heart attack or stroke.  He is over fifty years of age and so far, he has experienced no health problems and therefore thinks I'm FULL OF SHIT.

All of his weight come from alcohol, overeating, and no exercise.

My second wife's son is the same age as my nephew and he is also obese, but his situation is from overeating, not alcohol and while he does not go to the gym, he is physically active due to his job.  His mother is very much concerned but does not want to tell him how to live his life.

One of these days, we will be hearing some negative news about both of these males.

Somewhat Political

 

Einstein’s overlooked idea could explain how the Universe really began

A bold new study from researchers in Spain and Italy reimagines the universe’s earliest moments, proposing that gravitational waves—not inflation—sparked the cosmos into being. Using advanced computer simulations, the team connects general relativity with quantum mechanics in a simple, verifiable model based on De Sitter space. Credit: AI/ScienceDaily.com




Researchers have unveiled a new model for the universe’s birth that replaces cosmic inflation with gravitational waves as the driving force behind creation. Their simulations show that gravity and quantum mechanics may alone explain the structure of the cosmos. This elegant approach challenges traditional Big Bang interpretations and revives a century-old idea rooted in Einstein’s work.

How did the universe come into existence, and what early processes shaped everything that followed? A new study published in Physical Review Research takes aim at this fundamental question. Scientists from Spain and Italy have introduced a model that reimagines what happened moments after the universe was born. Their approach could upend long-standing ideas about the forces and events that governed the universe's earliest evolution.

READ MORE...

The Charlie Daniels Band - The Devil Went Down To Georgia [HD] | Live a...

Wonderings 23

It is agreed; we all live in a three-dimensional world of height, width, and depth.  Physicists want to add a fourth dimension of time and that's ok because it does not change our three-dimensional world to do that.

We think, analyze, conclude, make choices, take actions all based upon that three-dimensional world.  This type of thinking is called INSIDE THE BOX THINKING...  while a more accurate description might be, INSIDE THE CUBE THINKING.

CUBE THINKING is part of our everyday lives whether we think about the process or not.  Our intuition is predicated upon CUBE THINKING along with our experiences.

With CUBE THINKING we consider no other dimensions...  for instance, what would life be like if we lived in a two-dimensional world or for that matter a one-dimensional world.  An amoeba might live in a two-dimensional world, a worm might live in a one-dimensional world if, the worm could only move forwards or backwards.  

If we look at Atoms, they live in a 3D whereas subatomic particles (a breakdown of electrons, protons, and neutrons) are considered to live in a zero dimension.  However, when one breaks down subatomic particles, one is left with strings and strings operate theoretically in multiple dimensions.

The trick about CUBE THINKING, to return to my previous topic, is to think OUTSIDE THE BOX/CUBE...

This is easier said than done but can be quite rewarding when it is accomplished.

For example...

we typically think of a bicycle seat one area on which our butt sits.  

What about a bicycle seat that is TWO AREAS, one for each cheek?

Kinda makes sense doesn't it???

White Beads

VINCE

 

Inside Path

Amber May Show

 

Offering

 

TimcastIRL

 

Three Boats

 

Morning Brew

Hoping for an ~adult~ treat this Halloween? Meet Min, the newest vibe from Dame that proves size isn’t everything.

Sleek, compact, and perfectly palm-sized, this mini wand packs a shockingly strong punch. Its deep, rumbly motor and spring-loaded head deliver targeted power exactly where you want it—and thanks to its non-vibrating handle, nowhere you don’t.

Min’s ergonomic curve and soft, flexible head make it comfortable to use, and its USB-C charging port means one charger for your phone and your vibe.

Don’t be fooled by its size—this one’s scary powerful. Use code MORNINGBREW15 for 15% off.



Trick-or-treating might have less chocolate this year


Erin Cabrey


The neighborhood kids’ jack-o’-lantern buckets are about to be as gummy as an elderly Chihuahua, thanks to a West African cocoa shortage that’s led candymakers to lean into neon-colored sweets and other chocolate alternatives in recent times.

For their Halloween trick, confectionery giants are making do with whatever’s in the fridge:Only one of Mars’s four new Halloween bulk variety packs contains solely chocolate. Two variety bags contain only Starburst, Skittles, Life Savers, or Hubba Bubba, and the last one is a mix of both the colorful stuff and chocolate.
On the innovation front, Ferrero’s new Butterfinger is coated in marshmallow cream instead of milk chocolate, and Hershey’s Ghost Toast Kit Kats are dipped in a cinnamon-flavored coating.
It’s not your imagination—some chocolates are getting smaller. New Kit Kat Counts are more than an ounce lighter than the regular version, per The Atlantic.

On your end, it might also be cheaper to fill a trick-or-treat bowl with gummies than with anything cocoa-related. A bag of “fun-size” chocolates will be an average of $5 more expensive this year than last year, according to Empower research. A quick browse at BJ’s Wholesale Club reveals that you can get a 390-piece sack of Starburst, Life Savers, & Hubba Bubba for a few dollars less than a 200-count bag of 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix, or Snickers.

Looking ahead…cocoa prices are finally tempering, and supply is expected to improve, but candymakers will likely continue hedging with non-chocolate offerings until all the volatility is behind us. Get ready for Lemon Meringue Pie M&Ms in January.—ML

READ MORE...

Robert Reich

Sunday thought: We’re winning
These are terrible times, to be sure. But we will triumph





Friends,

The resistance is becoming an uprising.

Last Saturday, more than 7 million of us poured into the streets to reject Trump’s dictatorship. That’s more than 2 percent of the adult population of the United States.

Historical studies suggest that 3.5 percent of a population engaged in sustained nonviolent resistance can topple even the most brutal dictatorships — such as Chile under Pinochet and Serbia under Milosevic.

Which means we’re almost there.

Other evidence of the backlash is all around us. Seven of the nine universities Trump selected to join his extortion compact — offering preferential treatment for federal funds in exchange for a pledge to support his agenda — have rejected it.

READ MORE...

At A Glance

Weighing the pros and cons of doing what you love for work.

Charting the degree of interaction between US presidents and the Fed since 1933.

How Alaska's 750,000 residents are fed by (mostly) imported food.

Twenty of the world's most iconic big rock wall climbs.

... and how the indoor climbing gym has taken over the US.

The flow at Niagara Falls is changed daily to serve tourists, power generation.

The White House's many renovations, including Truman's 1948 rebuild.

Why batteries can drive down costs and inefficiencies in the power grid.

The (theoretically) immortal jellyfish, and 10 other long-living species.

Wales has had a massive influence on fantasy books, music, and film.

Coffee and tea evolved to produce caffeine as a pesticide.

The haunting story of Ed Gein, the "Butcher of Plainfield."

How pandemic bond investors lost their money in 2020.

Breaking down the details on the Louvre jewel heist from last Sunday.

Meet the Marree Man, one of the world's largest works of art.

The government "cheese caves" reportedly storing 1.4 billion pounds of cheese.

A perfect vegan meal for cold winter days ❄️

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

US strikes another alleged drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tren de Aragua was operating the boat. The strike, which killed six, was the 10th since September and the second linked by the Trump administration to the Venezuelan gang. The attack occurred overnight between the Pentagon flying bombers over Venezuela’s coast Thursday and sending an aircraft carrier to the waters off South America yesterday. The moves add to what has already been the largest US military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s.




Inflation rate increased less than expected last month.

The consumer price index, which measures changes in the cost of a basket of goods and services, rose 0.3% month-over-month in September and 3% year-over-year. Economists expected respective readings of 0.4% and 3.1%. The index is the only official economic data released during the government shutdown. US stock markets closed higher Friday (S&P 500 +0.8%, Dow +1.0%, Nasdaq +1.2%). Separately, the Social Security Administration announced a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment for 2026.




Trump ending trade negotiations with Canada over TV ad.

Ontario's provincial government planned to spend $54M distributing a video of former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs on US TV stations (watch here). However, following President Donald Trump's reaction Thursday night, Ontario's premier said he'd pause the ad campaign so trade talks could resume. Trump claimed the video aimed to influence a November Supreme Court hearing on tariffs.




NY attorney general pleads not guilty to federal fraud charges.

The Justice Department indicted Letitia James earlier this month for allegedly lying to secure a lower mortgage, saving $18.9K. James denies the allegations, and her lawyers are seeking to dismiss the case on several grounds, including vindictive and selective prosecution. James, who oversaw a successful 2024 civil fraud case against Trump, was released on her own recognizance. A trial is set for Jan. 26.




New DNA evidence reveals what killed Napoleon's army.

Fewer than 50,000 of the roughly 600,000 soldiers on Napoleon Bonaparte's 1812 invasion of Russia survived. Historians have attributed their deaths to a mix of freezing temperatures, starvation, typhus, and trench fever. However, new DNA analysis of fallen soldiers' teeth reveals paratyphoid fever and relapsing fever—two previously unsuspected bacterial infections—likely hastened the army's demise.




Tropical Storm Melissa could strengthen to Category 5 hurricane.

Three people died in Haiti as Tropical Storm Melissa brought intense rain and wind. The system is anticipated to intensify into a major hurricane as it moves through the Caribbean this weekend. Forecasters warn of potentially catastrophic flash flooding and landslides in Haiti, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. As of this writing, Melissa is not expected to hit the mainland US.

SOURCE:   1440 NEWS

Govt Shutdown

 

Whose fault is the shutdown?

Simple...

Shutdowns only occur when the party NOT IN CONTROL wants to prevent the party IN CONTROL from conducting business.

• The Republicans do it to the Democrats
• The Democrats do it to the Republicans

This is the way our democratic government works and the only negative issue with govt shutdowns is that the GENERAL PUBLIC gets SCREWED...

Let me be specific...

Only some of the GENERAL PUBLIC gets SCREWED...  unfortunately, not everyone.

• Essential Personnel
• Military Personnel
• Airline Passengers
• Small Businesses

The politicians DOING THE SCREWING do not get hurt at all unless their constituents vote them out of office the next time around.

Now...  for people like me, those who are retired, the govt shutdown don't mean JACK SHIT...  At 78 years of age, I am FED UP with POLITICIANS on both sides of the aisle...  All they care about is re-election and insider trading.

If they really cared about America and the American People, they would set up TERM LIMITS all of Congress including the Supreme Court.  That way, re-elections don't mean nothing.

But odds are that will never happen and these shutdowns will continue and Americans will continue to pay the price.

Somewhat Political

 

Dark Matter and Dark Energy Don’t Exist, New Study Claims

A new study argues that dark matter and dark energy might be illusions caused by the universe’s forces fading over time.

For many years, scientists have thought that dark matter and dark energy make up most of the cosmos. A new study, however, challenges that long-held belief by proposing that these mysterious components might not exist at all. Instead, what appears to be dark matter and dark energy could actually result from the gradual weakening of the universe’s fundamental forces as it grows older.

The research, led by Rajendra Gupta, an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Ottawa, suggests that if the core strengths of nature’s forces (like gravity) change slowly across time and space, they could account for the puzzling behaviors astronomers see—such as how galaxies rotate, evolve, and how the universe continues to expand.

READ MORE...

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Tuesday's Gone - 3/7/1976 - Winterland (Official)

Wonderings 22

 When one reads the mythologies of other countries, one learns that every mythology has numerous stories in common, like:

• a creation story
• an afterlife story
• a virgin birth
• a great flood
• gods who came down from the sky
• gods who built temples
• ways to honor the gods
• how to live one's life
• prophecies and visions

NOW...

here's the question...

WHY ARE ALL MYTHOLOGIES SIMILAR?

When our world was created, it was mostly water and then land began to replace the water to the point now where water represents about 70% and land about 30%.

The 30% land is divided into continents that most people agree there are seven, but some argue there are only 6 as Europe and Asia are one, not two.

Anyway, countries in those continents is where all these mythologies were created and at the time they were created, there was no way the various countries could communicate with each other, even those in Europe and Asia.

So, these mythologies were UNIQUE to each country that had a mythology and yet, we have these commonalities...

WHY?

How did that happen?

This leads one to believe that someone or a group of someone's had the ability to move from one location to another location, helping the various people that lived there CREATE THEIR OWN MYTHOLOGY.

• Some would say now that this was the Christian God who did this...  but there is no proof.
• Some would say that it was due to ANCIENT ALIENS who visited our world eons ago...   but there is only limited proof which is still based upon speculation.

HOWEVER...

the fact remains that there are commonalities within all of these various mythologies.

Red Beads

 

VINCE

 

The Shannon Joy Show

 

Still Waters

 

Lara Logan

 

Bongino Report