Bubble
W
wtg
@wtg
Posts
-
Word association thread -
More geezer technology to look forward toFinnish eyewear company IXI is gearing up to launch smart glasses that look just like ordinary spectacles, but are able to “autofocus” based on the perceived needs of the wearer.
The glasses contain eye-tracking sensors as well as liquid crystals in the lenses, which are used to change the prescription instantaneously. The result, according to the company, is an improvement on current bifocal or varifocal lenses, both of which are meant for people who need assistance seeing both far and close distances, but come with drawbacks.
https://www.cnn.com/science/autofocus-glasses-ixi-change-lenses-spc
-
So about GreenlandHis hubris is approaching Hitleresque/Putinesque levels.
President Donald Trump says the U.S. needs Greenland for national security, ostensibly to counter Russia and China. But Trump’s interest in the sparsely populated island appears to be as much about hemispheric dominance as homeland defense.
According to two people familiar with private high-level discussions and granted anonymity to share their details, the White House has shown little interest in an overture last year from Denmark’s prime minister offering the U.S. the option to increase its military presence in Greenland, where it already operates a base and has long deployed troops at liberty.
“The option of more U.S. military presence has been on the table,” said one of the people, a European defense official. “The White House is not interested.”
The second person, an American in frequent contact with the administration and European officials, said that most of what Trump says he wants out of Greenland — access to investment resources like critical minerals, more troops and military bases, better intelligence sharing — could be easily accomplished by negotiating directly with Denmark, a steadfast ally.
“The problem is that Trump has gotten into his head that the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ is his thing,” the second person said. “He’s now very focused on this. And it’s hard to come to an agreement with the Danes when Trump thinks he can just take it.”
I'm thinking DJT presses for a swap. He threatens to stop support of Ukraine unless he gets Greenland. Of course he's already negotiated for access to Ukraine's vast resources, but the US would be facing off with Russia in order to access those. Just take Greenland and move on.
-
The next generation of LEGOs -
Meanwhile, in Venezuelasaid in Meanwhile, in Venezuela:
She's sunk. She didn't thank you-know-who by name.
I was going to make a joke about her swapping her Nobel for Y-K-W's support of the opposition.
Turns out it's no joke.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said on Monday she wants to share her Nobel Peace Prize with US President Donald Trump and personally thank him following his administration's military intervention in Venezuela.
In an interview with Fox News, Machado praised Trump for the ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, describing Washington's actions as "a huge step for humanity, for freedom and human dignity".
-
The Putinization of US foreign policy -
The Putinization of US foreign policyPresident Donald Trump said he believes the U.S. oil industry could get expanded operations in Venezuela "up and running" in fewer than 18 months.
"I think we can do it in less time than that, but it’ll be a lot of money," Trump told NBC News in an interview Monday.
"A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent, and the oil companies will spend it, and then they’ll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," he said.
Whether the U.S. government ultimately agrees to reimburse the oil industry's costs in Venezuela, or alternatively, decides that future revenue is sufficient repayment, will likely be a key factor for the oil companies as they consider their options.
Trump declined to say how much money he believes it would cost companies to repair and upgrade Venezuela's aging oil infrastructure.
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/energy/trump-venezuela-oil-companies-reimburse-rcna252434
All that tariff money that other countries paid goes back to oil companies. Meanwhile, subsidies for ACA go away.
America's Rich People First!
The Dem campaign ads are writing themselves....
-
Vacation in Madrid -
Quite a legacyHow Rob and Michele Reiner formed a remarkable bond with a Texas man sentenced to death
Nanon Williams was sent to death row for a murder he says he didn't commit. Decades later, through daily emails and weekly prison calls, the Reiners became family. -
The Putinization of US foreign policy -
2026EURASIA GROUP'S TOP RISKS FOR 2026
Top Risks is Eurasia Group's annual forecast of the political risks that are most likely to play out over the course of the year. This year's report was published on 5 January 2026.
-
The Putinization of US foreign policyThe world turned on its head. I was just listening to the Russian and US ambassadors to the UN exchanging accusations. Mind boggling.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/05/russia-weighs-up-fall-of-nicolas-maduro-venezuela
-
Welder's anthraxHealthy 18-year-old welder nearly died of anthrax—the 9th such puzzling case
“Welder’s Anthrax” was first coined in 2022, when seven cases had been identified.
-
Non-AI web searchesI've been using DuckDuckGo for several years and prefer it over Google Search.
WaPo had this article about avoiding AI in Google and DDG. It includes your udm14 option plus some others.
-
Marinara sauce taste testI've seen the winner in the grocery store but haven't tried it. Looked up the ingredients that are in it and....real food! Italian Tomatoes, Onions, Olive Oil,, Sea Salt, Basil, Garlic, Oregano
https://www.southernliving.com/marinara-taste-test-11870347#toc-the-winner
We're mostly a Rao's household but I'll check out Carbone.
-
WWII mapswe’re going to look at the Second World War, with a particular focus on the maps that newspapers would print so their readership could follow along as the world burned.
https://nathangoldwag.wordpress.com/2024/10/26/visualizing-the-past-world-war-ii/
-
The Putinization of US foreign policyHardly anyone expected 2026 to be a year of peace, and it was barely two days old when the worst fears were confirmed.
The overnight strikes on Venezuela, the abduction of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, and Donald Trump’s declaration that the US would “run” the country and sell its oil, have driven another truck through international law and global norms. But that is not even the most concerning thing about it..
Trump’s belief in his own global omnipotence, and his desire to grab the territory and natural resources of other countries has been held in check until now by his fear of entanglement in foreign wars. He claimed (falsely) to have ended eight wars, and his greatest ambition in 2025 seemed to be winning the Nobel peace prize. Less than a month ago he was brandishing a hastily confected substitute, the Fifa peace prize. That act of self-abasement by world football’s governing body looks even more absurd now than it did when Trump grabbed the gold medal and put it around his own neck.
Trump’s apprehension over foreign wars seems to be waning. He was clearly thrilled by the drama of the Maduro operation, and the efficiency of the American soldiers who carried it out, declaring on Saturday he was “not afraid” of deploying ground forces in Venezuela to pursue his interests. For an ageing president, growing more petulant, irascible and incoherent with every day in office – facing diminishing popularity and desperate to distract attention from the Epstein child-trafficking scandal – a tightening embrace of military power is an ominous development..
He looks at the world through the eyes of a 19th-century imperialist, but with 21st-century weapons.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/03/putin-russia-us-foreign-policy-venezuela
What’s next? Greenland? Iran?
-
Potential anti-aging treatmentsResearchers at Stanford Medicine report that blocking a protein linked to aging can restore cartilage that naturally wears away in the knees of older mice. In the study, the injectable treatment not only rebuilt cartilage but also stopped arthritis from developing after knee injuries similar to ACL tears, which are common among athletes and active adults. A pill-based version of the same therapy is already being tested in clinical trials aimed at treating muscle weakness associated with aging.
https://scitechdaily.com/anti-aging-injection-regrows-knee-cartilage-and-prevents-arthritis/
-
Mechanic in a BottleWe had no trouble finding it up in Door County. Surrounded by water and tons of boats.
I just checked a website that helps locate gas stations that have it and the closest one is 39 miles, up near the Chain of Lakes area.
-
Mechanic in a BottleWe tried to find a station with ethanol free gas a few years ago. Nearest one was like 20 miles away
. A neighbor buys it in quart botttles at Menards. $7 a pop. It’s actually worked pretty well for him. We haven’t had much snow the last few years and I don’t think he’s used more than two bottles in a season.
