Tuesday, October 28
Headlines
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Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica as a dangerous storm. The hurricane strengthened into a Category 5 storm yesterday, picking up strength as it traveled over unusually warm waters in the Caribbean Sea. It’s expected to make landfall in Jamaica this morning and to bring destructive flooding, storm surge, and winds. People were ordered to evacuate coastal areas yesterday in preparation for the slow-moving storm, which is likely to cause severe damage to the nation’s infrastructure. It’s expected to be the most powerful storm to hit Jamaica since it began keeping records in 1851, and the island’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness said, “I have been on my knees in prayer.”
Amazon plans mass corporate layoffs. The e-commerce giant will cut up to 30,000 corporate jobs across departments, Reuters reported yesterday. That would make the terminations, set to start today, the largest corporate layoff in the company’s history, per CNBC, trumping the 27,000 it let go in 2022. Amazon employs 1.5+ million people overall, but only about 350,000 on the corporate side. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has been looking to cut costs and simplify the company’s corporate organization, and he also predicted that AI would likely lead to a reduction in its corporate headcount.
NBA reviewing its policies after gambling arrests. The league told its teams yesterday that it had commenced a review of how it reports player injuries to the public, as well as prop bets and how it might use AI and other tools to identify gamblers with insider information. The review follows the arrest of Miami guard Terry Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups, who were accused of participating in illegal gambling schemes. The league called it “an opportune time to carefully reassess how sports betting should be regulated and how sports leagues can best protect themselves, their players, and their fans.”—AR
Robert Reich
Is he a net positive for humanity or a net negative?
Friends,
Tesla’s profit fell 37 percent in the third quarter. Yet Elon Musk is demanding a pay package of $1 trillion.
A trillion dollars is hard to envision. It’s a thousand billion. It’s a million million. It’s almost the entire GDP of Indonesia, a country of 284 million people. It’s the annual output of North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia put together. It’s close to Tesla’s entire current market value.
Elon is demanding $1 trillion even as the legal battle continues over his 2018 pay package, then valued at a relatively paltry $56 billion. (He’s now seeking a package that’s roughly 18 times the size of that contested plan.)
At A Glance
How the average US worker has changed over 250 years.
The income needed to be in your state's top 5%.
Why some people are physically allergic to other humans. (w/video)
Scientists are puzzled by these green, glowing bats.
... and psychologists explore why horror stories soothe anxiety.
What's the difference between ghosts and demons?
Yes, hangovers really do get worse as we age.
... and no, there will not be raves at Rome's Colosseum.
In partnership: Unlock expert-level financial insights and advice.*
Clickbait: Dole finally created a piña colada pineapple.
Historybook: "Gulliver’s Travels" is first published (1726); Polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk born (1914); Bill Gates born (1955); Julia Roberts born (1967); Actor Matthew Perry dies (2023).
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> June Lockhart, actress known for roles in "Lassie," "Lost in Space," dies at age 100 (More) | Former New York Jets center Nick Mangold dies at age 41 from complications due to kidney disease (More)
> Miss Nebraska Audrey Eckert is crowned the winner of Miss USA 2025; Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper skips crowning ceremony without explanation (More)
> World Series Game 3 begins tonight at 8 pm ET, after Los Angeles Dodgers win Game 2 against Toronto Blue Jays to tie the series 1-1 (More)
Science & Technology
> ExxonMobil sues California over the state's climate disclosure law, alleging it violates the First Amendment by forcing the company to agree with its position on climate change (More)
> Sleep researchers find regions of the brain controlling movement and sensory input stay "on" during non-REM periods, helping the body stay aware of the outside world during rest (More) | See the best resources we've found on sleep (1440 Topics)
> Study reveals details of how the body senses heat at the molecular level, distinguishing between warmth and dangerous heat (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close at record highs Friday (S&P 500 +1.0%, Dow +0.8%, Nasdaq +1.2%), as mild inflation data suggests the Federal Reserve may pursue further interest rate cuts (More)
> President Donald Trump to add 10% tariffs to Canadian imports over an anti-tariff ad airing in Ontario that used a voice-over of former President Ronald Reagan (More) | What we've learned about tariffs (1440 Topics)
> US-China TikTok deal reportedly finalized, details to be announced Thursday; agreement would spin off US operations of the app to a consortium including Oracle and others (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Hurricane Melissa strengthens into a Category 4 storm, threatening to bring flash flooding to Jamaica, southern Haiti, and the Dominican Republic (More)
> Sudanese rebel group Rapid Support Forces announces it has captured the Sudanese army's headquarters in el-Fasher; if confirmed, it would mean all five Darfur state capitals are under RSF control (More)
> Russia tests a new nuclear-powered cruise missile; the Burevestnik, nicknamed "Skyfall" by NATO, is designed to evade existing missile detection systems (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Retired
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This has been my mode of operation since 2015, and I have not grown tired of it yet.
My wife and I go on vacation whenever we want to go on vacation... that is to say, as long as our vacation plans do not interfere with doctor appointment and/or previously scheduled treatments.
My wife and I basically live off our Social Security alone; however, we did spend the last two decades of our working careers saving as much as we could for our retirement, since we both were well aware that we could not live totally off Social Security.
- Not having any debt for twenty years helped
- Not having an expensive lifestyle helped
- Not wanting a large home or yard helped
We both drive really nice vehicles, but we purchased them after they were a year old, saving a ton of money, and we also looked for leased vehicles as they would be better maintained, we assumed.
Not only did we save money, but we used a Delta/American Express credit for 80% of our purchases, leaving us with an accumulation of over 400,000 frequent flyer points, enough to fly to Honolulu and back FIRST CLASS. This trip will be our last big vacation before I reach 80 years of age.
During the last ten years, instead of sitting around the house doing nothing or watching the BOOB TUBE, I have maintained two blogs daily and have written over twelve novels. Each of my novels are over 100,000 words, so they are not quick and dirty but well thought through and researched.
We live with three cats that are fifteen years old and while we don't expect them to live much longer, it will be very sad for us to see them go. They are like our children, and I suppose that we treat them as such, making sure each cat has a heating pad and a blanket to sleep on in the winter.
When my wife retired, she said she was no longer cooking except for herself which was fine by me as I understood why she felt that way. So, I have been preparing and cooking my own meals for the last 10 years as well. Needless to say, I very seldom eat TV Dinners cooked in the microwave.
I like soups and meals that I can cook in one pot and very seldom use a recipe but just toss food together that I think might taste good. I am usually right six or seven times out of ten but eat whatever I cook regardless of the taste; however, I have tossed a couple of meals in the garbage.
Our retirement isn't anything special and we never wanted it to be. Our lifestyle has changed somewhat but not much. We basically have whatever we need and sometimes buy what we want but don't need. That happens very seldom.
China unveils ‘world’s cheapest’ humanoid robot standing 3.1 feet tall
In a move that could redefine the affordability of humanoid technology, Beijing-based startup Noetix Robotics has unveiled Bumi, a compact humanoid robot priced at just ¥9,998 ($1,370).
The development, first reported by TechNode and Global Times, is a significant milestone in making humanoid robots accessible beyond research labs and corporate settings, targeting consumers, students, and educators instead.
The development, first reported by TechNode and Global Times, is a significant milestone in making humanoid robots accessible beyond research labs and corporate settings, targeting consumers, students, and educators instead.
Monday, October 27
Wonderings 24
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Do you believe in them?
Yes___ No___
There used to be a television series called Ancient Aliens and I suppose that it is still on and that some outlet is showing reruns.
The show focused on structures here on earth mostly outside the USA that were hard to believe were made by human beings because they did not have access to any of the technology that we have today. And yet, the structures were built anyway, like the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.
Channels were cut into rock surfaces making it difficult for ancient people to know what they were carving unless someone was up in the air above them, guiding their movements... like in a helicopter.
These structures were constructed or build in different areas of the same continent or on different continents altogether and were very similar... yet, neither of these two areas had the ability to communicate with each other. So, the thinking is that the same ancient aliens went to both locations and guided their actions.
But, for me, the most curious aspect of these ancient aliens is that fact that many notable scientists have stated that the human race evolved faster than it should have given the number of years the universe has been in existence. Their conclusion is that ancient aliens tampered with our DNA to ACCELERATE ITS EVOLTION.
Imagine the implications of that...
Might this explain why we have the early genius of DaVinci and others?
Are you aware of the quatrains by Nostradamus?
Why are there not more geniuses?
Headlines
Tomas Cuesta/Getty Images
Milei’s party wins big in Argentina’s midterm elections. Argentine President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party won 41% of the votes with 90% of ballots counted, handily outperforming market predictions that it would win 30% of available seats. With the new gains in both houses of Argentina’s Congress, Milei’s presidential vetoes will be upheld and his ambitious, unorthodox economic reform will continue apace. Milei, a libertarian, is an ally of President Trump. The Trump administration recently pledged $20 billion to help Argentina’s struggling economy, but Trump also suggested he could rescind the offer if Milei’s party lost Sunday’s elections, saying earlier this month, “If he doesn’t win, we’re gone.”
US Navy helicopter and jet fighter crash into South China Sea. The incidents took place 30 minutes apart on Sunday afternoon local time, and search-and-rescue teams brought the five crew members from both aircraft to safety. The MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter originated from the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier before crashing into the same waters, according to the US Pacific Fleet. The Nimitz is transiting the South China Sea on its way back to the US West Coast, where it has been scheduled to be decommissioned next year. The incidents coincide with President Trump’s trip to Asia and are under investigation.
Suspects arrested in connection with Louvre museum heist. Two men are in custody following last Sunday’s burglary of crown jewels at the famed Paris museum, according to French media. The BBC reported that one of the suspects was trying to travel to Algeria and the other to Mali. DNA evidence left at the crime scene helped police locate both suspects. However, the Paris prosecutor criticized leaks about the case, saying it “hindered” efforts to find the jewels and the thieves. The prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrests took place on Saturday evening, but said no further details would be provided until after the 96-hour custody window ended. There is no word on whether any of the stolen artifacts have been recovered. There’s also no word on what role Dapper Man may have played in bringing these two into custody.—HVL
Robert Reich
Friends,
The U.S. now has a force of more than 10,000 troops, warships, and aircraft in and around the Caribbean. We have so far bombed 10 vessels, eight in the Caribbean and two others last week in the eastern Pacific. The death toll so far is 43 people, from Venezuela and Colombia.
Trump has offered no evidence to support his claim that these vessels were smuggling drugs to the United States. America has never before bombed vessels and executed civilians on them out of mere suspicion.
Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford — the world’s biggest warship, which can host up to 90 attack planes and attack helicopters — is now on its way to the Caribbean.
At A Glance
See time-lapse of red lightning captured in New Zealand.
Eighth grader invents fall-detection system for seniors.
Nike announces first robot-powered footwear.
Why surgeons implant teeth into eyeballs. (w/video)
Lost Picasso painting is discovered in Madrid.
... and a Picasso portrait of his muse Dora Maar sells for $37M.
Woman survives being hit by small airplane.
Study finds sitting 30 minutes less daily can boost metabolism.
Clickbait: How black cats became Halloween's mascot.
Historybook: First of the Federalist Papers published (1787); President Theodore Roosevelt born (1858); New York City's first underground subway line opens (1904); Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin jointly awarded Nobel Peace Prize (1978).
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
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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.
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