Books: “MegaThreats: Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future, And How to Survive Them” by Nouriel Roubini
Posted By RichC on April 29, 2023
This past month while semi-vacationing in Florida (condo window installation), I started reading an excellent new book by well-known 
economist Nouriel Roubini called “MegaThreats: Ten Dangerous Trends That Imperil Our Future, And How to Survive Them” (October 18, 2022).
The book follows a trend for me and what I’ve been reading when it comes to the unsustainable path of expecting a continual “free lunch” when it comes to how governments finance wants and needs. Of course reading “MegaThreats” by “Dr. Doom” (who predicted te 2008 housing crisis) is probably not for everyone, especially if you’ve heard this before and yet government spending and mounting debt just continues to grow. It has been pointed out to me that decades ago I was worried about growing deficits and debt … and the demographic shifts, yet hear we are, well over $30 Trillion in debt with interest rates and inflation rising. How much longer can we as a country or world continue pumping out money each time an economic crisis arises?
Google advertising and Gmail, if you believe it (+AI voice)
Posted By RichC on April 28, 2023
Do you trust that Google isn’t using your emails to push advertising to you?
Personally I’m thinking this might be a “sleight of hand” considering the cookies and the fact you are signed into your Google account and search are used in advertising. Perhaps they aren’t using the content of Gmail to generate advertising, but I still question … “why do they need to even scan the content of our emails?”
| ElevenLabs AI reading above content – “Rachel” | 4/28/2023 |
| ElevenLabs AI reading above content – “Antoni” | 4/28/2023 |
How Gmail ads work
When you open Gmail, you’ll see ads that were selected to show you the most useful and relevant ads. The process of selecting and showing personalized ads in Gmail is fully automated. These ads are shown to you based on your online activity while you’re signed into Google. We will not scan or read your Gmail messages to show you ads.
Privacy, transparency, and choice
Google does not sell your personal information, which includes your Gmail and Google Account information. We also do not share your personal information with advertisers, unless you have asked us to.
We are careful about the types of content we serve ads against. For example, Google will not target ads based on sensitive information, such as race, religion, sexual orientation, health, or sensitive financial categories. Ads displayed in Gmail are subject to the Gmail ads policies.
To opt-out of the use of personal information for personalized Gmail ads, go to the Ads Settings page, then turn off Ads Personalization. If you do opt-out, you may still see Gmail ads, but they will not be based on personal data Google has associated with your Google Account.
KDAE were hiking in the Smokies as we returned from Florida
Posted By RichC on April 27, 2023
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Leftover Florida rain, condo window & banana trees photos
Posted By RichC on April 26, 2023
It was impressive to watch weather moving across the ocean and while wrapping up our “new condo windows” trip, 
we saw a bit of impressive rain and “interesting” spring weather in Florida. 
The photo above captured nature’s impressive power and the 40 knots winds if caught out in this squall on a small boat would have been worrisome.
With the new windows, I’m getting an entirely “clearer” look out our bedroom window (banana trees).
A bit of news people news: Tucker Carlson is no longer at FoxNews
Posted By RichC on April 25, 2023
Although it is not unusual for news organizations to let very popular news opinion personality go … with FoxNews I can recall Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly … most regular viewers were probably shocked to see Tucker Carlson let go on Monday (April 24, 2023). It was interesting to hear Glenn Beck comment on it yesterday.
EDIT add: WSJ article offering up details and reasoning for Tucker Carlson’s dismissal (PDF).
Fox News' goodbye message to @TuckerCarlson sure looks like what they said when I left. I have a feeling this will KILL Fox. pic.twitter.com/oOFXnv4sKp
— Glenn Beck (@glennbeck) April 24, 2023
Mellow Music for Sunday: “Duke’s On Sunday” – Jimmy Buffett
Posted By RichC on April 23, 2023
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Archive: Catch-up photos from April 2023 trip to Florida
Posted By RichC on April 23, 2023
A trip to Florida would not be compete without at least one timeline marking photo of us … so this catch-up post with a few leftover photos from our “condo window installation” trip will start with a Brenda and Rich beach photo.
Between a few rain and heavy wind days, we had some sunny and warm days too. A surf fisherman fought about 45 minutes with a large Crevalle Jack and finally hauled it in. It was amazing that it did not break more than his reel and after seeing the very small ‘now’ bent hook, 
I was amazed it did not get away. Impressive.
Shortly after that, I stepped on a Sea Urchin and thankfully was able to pull out the single spine in my foot … although the venom and jab was painful. All is well though, as it only left a bit of swelling and a sore foot.
We both enjoyed seeing the turtle nests, the loon fishing in the surf (both below) and getting our 10,000 steps in on the beach, and from my non-medical point of view, Brenda is nearly fully rehabbed and able to walk comfortably and without much swelling … something that was not possible in February. All in all, we had a successful trip on all counts.
Archive: The new condo windows have finally been installed
Posted By RichC on April 22, 2023
We have had our share of rain in Florida this April while in Delray Beach, but have finally finished the upgrade of new windows in the condo. I should have 
done it back in 2018 as I would have save a few thousand dollars, but as the saying goes … “better late than never” (they were WAY overdue to be replaced).
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.