In The NEWS

Future of Finance
Fintech, explained
"Fintech” is a broad term that stands for “financial technology” and refers to technological innovations in the financial services sector. The roughly $340B fintech industry encompasses everything from mobile banking apps and robo-advisers to digital payment software.

Examples include buy-now, pay-later apps like Klarna, payment processing technologies for businesses like Stripe, cryptocurrency innovations like crypto exchange Coinbase, and peer-to-peer payment services such as Venmo and PayPal.

Despite the industry’s breadth, fintech companies all have something in common: They aim to make various aspects of financial transactions more efficient and user-friendly. The global fintech industry is growing quickly—it currently employs roughly 300,000 people, and is projected to be worth about $1T by 2032.

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

Also, check out ...
> The Nasdaq launched in 1971 as the first electronic trading hub. (More)
> Roughly 1.4 billion people lack basic financial services—and AI can help. (More)
> The first ATM—dubbed a "cash dispenser"—debuted in 1967. (More)
> Explore a visual timeline of fintech's growth. (More)


Global Jigsaw
Plate tectonics, 101
The theory of plate tectonics explains that the majority of Earth’s geological features—from mountain ranges to ocean trenches—result from interactions between slabs of rock that make up Earth’s outer shell (watch explainer). The slabs—collectively called tectonic plates—vary in size, composition, and movement, and have been dragged by convection currents in Earth’s mantle for at least 3 billion years (see map).

The theory began with rock, fossil, and climatic records suggesting that all land was once one interconnected supercontinent that had broken apart. Decades later, measurements of the seafloor showed that it continuously moved away from mid-ocean ridges. These movements cause oceanic plates to push into continental ones, resulting in earthquakes and volcanoes.

Mapping the locations of these and other geological features has allowed scientists to outline tectonic plates, identify types of plate boundaries, and model the history of Earth’s surface.

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

Also, check out ...
> The San Andreas Fault is an example of tectonic plates sliding past each other. (More)
> View maps of seafloor topography, earthquakes, and volcanic activity. (More)
> Stagnant lids found on Mercury, Mars, and the moon prevent tectonic activity. (More)
> You've likely heard of the supercontinent Pangaea—what about Rodinia? (More)

SPOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Life Goes On

 

During my 78 years of life, I have learned one important lesson...

• I was born shortly after the end of WWII.
• I lived through the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, several Middle Eastern Wars, and the Afghanistan withdrawal.
• My life changed but changed very little after Nine Eleven, the financial crisis of 2008, the Oil Crisis, and COVID.
• My life was also somewhat different after high school graduation, discharge from the military, college graduation, as well as grad school graduation.
• When I (along with my wife) retired in 2015, my life pretty much stayed the same as it did after being diagnosed with cancer and a heart attack at the age of 60.

The lesson that I learned after living for 78 years, is that LIFE GOES ON...  regardless of what happens to you, to your community, to your state, to your country, or two the world short of a NUCLEAR HOLLOCAUST.   

• Democrats win/lose
• Republicans win/lose
• Independents win/lose
• and guess what?

LIFE GOES ON...

We may bitch more than we did before, but life itself does not really change.

We have terrible crime going on in:

• New York City, New York
• Washington, DC
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Chicago, Illinois
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Portland, Oregon
• and guess what?

LIFE GOES ON...

Mainstream Media, social media, Print Media, all of it designed to make money by talking about STUFF they know the general public wants to hear about so advertisers can see products to unsuspecting buyers.

THESE PEOPLE LOVE ADVERSE NEWS

But, where I live in East Tennessee, my life throughout all this CRAP changes very little, if any.  Groceries and gasoline may cost a little more, as does going out to eat, and vacations but the increased costs does not STOP ME...  nor, do I suspect it STOPS YOU!!!

LIFE GOES ON...

Somewhat Political

 

Wyoming Ready To Be First State To Have Human Vs. Robot Combat Sports

Bryan Pedersen watched a video several months ago that made him think about the future of fighting. In the clip, someone kicked a robot, and the robot kicked the human back.

"I'm like, ‘We're going to fight one of these one of these days,'" said Pedersen, chair of the Wyoming Combat Sports Commission and managing director at RBC Wealth Management in Cheyenne. "Videos are coming up all the time, and regular mentions of 'fighting robots' have become part of the zeitgeist.

"It has even been brought up on Joe Rogan's podcast."

READ MORE...

Everly Brothers- "All I Have To Do Is Dream/Cathy's Clown" 1960 (Reelin'...

Skull

 

VINCE

 

Moon Sky

 

Shannon Joy Show

 

Amber May Show

 

A Quiet Lake

 

Alex Jones Show

 

The White House

 

Mountain Passage

 

The Big MIG

 

TimcastIRL

 

Winter is Coming

 

They’re putting anything in airport vending machines

Najlah Feanny/Corbis via Getty Images


Somewhere around the turn of the century, electronics retailers realized they could make an extra buck squeezing their gadgets into metal boxes at the departure terminal, like sardines in a can or you on a plane. Airport vending machines have come such a long way since then that we could actually be moments away from one that dispenses tinned fish.

The rise: By 2009, machines selling iPods and other Apple products at Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport (now Harry Reid International Airport) were collectively raking in as much as $70,000 per month, an assistant aviation director told USA Today. Now, you can rely on vending machines for a plethora of wants and needs at almost any major airport:Farmer’s Fridge, the antithesis to hitting B5 for a Snickers, sells salads, sandwiches, and other foodstuffs. Its vending machines have become a popular alternative to pricey gate restaurant meals since the brand launched in 2013, though some of its $7.50 average-price options are on the smaller side.
Uniqlo began vending thermal t-shirts and jackets in Oakland and Houston airports in 2017 for travelers who had forgotten to pack cold-weather essentials.
Other items available by boarding gates at the press of a button include: a Kylie Lip Kit at Chicago’s O’Hare, a barbecue rib sandwich at Alabama’s Birmingham-Shuttlesworth, a diaper at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, and a Lego set at Philadelphia International Airport.

The most vending-maxed airport is…New York’s JFK, where a row of Hudson-operated machines sell Brookstone, Apple, Beats, and Bose products, Burt’s Bees chapstick and moisturizers, and customizable Build-A-Bear Workshop dolls.

Zoom out: Airport vending machines offer brands a 24/7 way to reach customers who may have no better option at the time—especially if it’s 2am and every gate store is closed. That could become even more important as airfares rise and travelers take more odd-hour flights to save money. For example, earlier this year, Southwest added red-eye routes for the first time after years of being the sole holdout among major airlines.—ML

READ MORE...

Robert Reich

Sunday thought: A beginning?





Friends,

When historians look back on this dark time, I don’t think they’ll see the end of what we value in America. More likely, they’ll see the beginning.

I’m sure you’ve had the experience of taking something or someone for granted until you’re in danger of losing them. It’s only then that you realize how important they are.

I think something similar is happening in America, and what we’re realizing is how important are some values we’ve long taken for granted.

Many people tell me they hadn’t really appreciated democracy until the last nine and a half horrible months. Or the rule of law. Or due process.

Many hadn’t fully understood the meaning of tyranny and the critical importance of standing up against it.

READ MORE...

At A Glance

The US paid roughly the same amount on debt interest and defense in 2024.

Nine paintings inspired by Shakespeare from Pre-Raphaelite John Everett Millais.

How Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky embraced "founder mode," diving into details.

The ancient Greeks (and most ancients) rarely wrote the color "blue."

Roughly 270 viruses can infect humans, out of 15,000 known to medicine.

Breaking down how F1 pit crews swap tires in under three seconds.

If "espresso" is meant to be fast, then pour-over is its luxuriously slow opposite.

Explore the world's leaning structures, from Pisa to Canterbury's "Crooked House."

A 101 on the Taeyangho, Kim Jong Un's heavily armed train.

Most Westerners don't need more protein, despite its recent boom.

Photos of wildlife using Rome's ancient historical sites as urban havens.

How 32 MLB teams organize travel for 2,430 games each season.

The original Renaissance Faire took place in Los Angeles in 1963 and was long a hippie haven.

The story of the psychiatrist who evaluated top Nazis at Nuremberg.

The rich philosophical depth of Mary Shelley's classic tale "Frankenstein."

How I made Lentil Soup taste 10x Better

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik to run for NY governor.

US Rep. Elise Stefanik (R, NY-21) entered New York's gubernatorial race yesterday. Her announcement video took aim at New York City's Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani (D) and Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), who is seeking reelection. President Donald Trump nominated Stefanik to be UN ambassador last year, but withdrew the pick over tight GOP House margins. The gubernatorial election is set for Nov. 3, 2026.




Researchers near more powerful, cheaper mRNA vaccines.

MIT researchers unveiled a new mRNA vaccine formulation yesterday that is as effective as existing mRNA vaccines but at approximately 1/100 the typical dose. The researchers first tested the formulation in a flu vaccine delivered to mice and believe it can be adapted to protect humans against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Learn how mRNA vaccines work here (w/video).




Sweetgreen to sell salad-making technology for over $186M.

The salad chain is selling its robotics unit to Wonder Group, a startup that acquired Grubhub last year. The roughly $100M cash and $86M stock deal follows an 80% decline in Sweetgreen's market value this year. Sweetgreen will now purchase the technology, which reduces staffing needs by assembling up to 500 meals per hour, from Wonder, with plans to have it operating in over 30 stores by year's end.




James D. Watson, pioneer in DNA research, dies at 97.

Watson was awarded a Nobel Prize in 1962 for codiscovering DNA's double helix structure in his early 20s. The American scientist went on to direct the Human Genome Project, an international initiative that mapped the human genetic code. Though celebrated for his groundbreaking discoveries, Watson has been condemned for making racist remarks. He died in hospice care Thursday after a brief illness.




Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to welcome new inductees.

Cyndi Lauper and The White Stripes are among several rock outfits who will be welcomed into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at a Los Angeles ceremony tonight. The nonprofit foundation has inducted honorees since 1986 and is based in Cleveland, where disc jockey Alan Freed popularized the term "rock and roll" in the 1950s. Explore the best resources we've found on the music genre here.



Separately, the Recording Academy yesterday announced nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards, presented Feb. 1. Kendrick Lamar leads with nine nominations, followed by Lady Gaga, who's up for seven awards. See the list of nominees here.




Ex-NFL star Antonio Brown arrested on attempted murder charges.

The 37-year-old former wide receiver, who previously faced battery and domestic violence charges, is accused of shooting a man after a Miami boxing event in May. Brown allegedly used a handgun taken from a security staffer to fire two shots, one of which grazed the victim's neck. The 12-season NFL player was arrested by US Marshals in Dubai and is being held in New Jersey as he awaits extradition to Miami.

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Socialism

 

Socialism is coming to America, more than just what is currently in place like: social security, medicate, public education, public transportation, public parks and recreation...  or anything that is labeled PUBLIC.

We are electing more and more socialists to Congress and NYC has just elected just elected a socialist mayor.  There are other cities where socialist mayors are on the ballots.

TRUE SOCIALISM is the government owning everything and making it available to all the public on an as needed basis.

However, the odds of that happening in the US are at least a million to one.

Can you imagine, the government owning:

• Microsoft
• Apple
• Google
• Ford Motor Company
• Delta
• American Airlines
• Dell Computer
• Hilton hotels
• Walmart
• Chicago Bulls
• New York Yankees

Logically, it seems like that will never happen in America...  but, logically, we did not think a Muslim Socialist would become mayor of NYC - a Muslim Socialist that hates JEWS.

What will happen in America when AI and Humanoid Robots start replacing JOBS...  Who will buy the products that these robots manufacture unless the unemployed have some sort of guaranteed INCOME...

Guaranteed Income

Guaranteed Education

Guaranteed Housing

Guaranteed Transportation

All of these are manifestations of SOCIALISM and could be brought about as a result of TECHNOLOGY...

Socialism is on its way to AMERICA!!!

Somewhat Political

 

Earth's 'boring billion years' created the conditions for complex life, study reveals

A study led by researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of Adelaide has revealed how the breakup of an ancient supercontinent 1.5 billion years ago transformed Earth's surface environments, paving the way for the emergence of complex life.


"Our approach shows how plate tectonics has helped shape the habitability of the Earth," lead author Professor Dietmar Müller said. "It provides a new way to think about how tectonics, climate and life co-evolved through deep time."

READ MORE...

James Taylor & Alison Krauss - The Boxer: Paul Simon Tribute

Slanted Roof

 

VINCE

 

Sarah Westall