At least the Wall Street Journal’s year in review summary didn’t add up the total amount of time I likely wasted reading WSJ online … BUT obviously reading 507 articles in 2024 took a little bit of my time … and I definitely posted plenty of references on MDB.
I’m not sure knowing which days or topics I reference the most, but was surprised not to see Tech listed … but Business likely was my daily go-to morning segment. Interesting too was seeing that Autos/Cars was a favorite topic and I’m sure that was enhanced by X.com posts of EV articles.
While reading a recent issue of Kiplinger as an investor, an article has me contemplating the history of the year following Federal Reserve rate cuts.
It seems likely, that unless there is a crisis in 2025, that financial markets will see gains again. Of course the market watcher in me realizes that the stock market moves up more than it moves down and that being invested is generally better than sitting on the sidelines. That said, I do tend to be a contrarian and cynic when it comes to being overly optimistic. So …
Should we be concerned that valuations for companies are too high?
Yes … because 2024 did see some Greenspan-like irrational exuberance around the election of business friendly politicians, innovation at tech companies and rapid advancements in artificial intelligence; it does seem to be pushing some valuations into nosebleed levels. Also, in the back of my mind, heavy government spending after Covid, 3 years of high inflation and our growing national debt my be impacting just how much one US dollar is worth (costs and prices are high).
Nevertheless, Fed rate cuts do show correlation with a stock market gain the year following them so as long as we avoid a recession.
In the course of 2016 thingCHARGER had a series of financial challenges and as a result ceased operations in Q4 2016.
In summary a large majority of backers – 84.5% – voted to start over with a new company, using all the lessons of the past 3 years to make a second attempt at creating a great charging company.
As a result Amy & Seymour have formed a new company and are working on a new project.
I was one of the 84.5% who back his new 2.0 company Magfast. Unfortunately that second try didn’t go well either. Be it poorly managed finally, unlucky with the Covid timing and overseas supliers or a public who had confidence in this smooth talking snakeoil salesman. How ever it works out, founder Seymour Segnit, seems to continue to land on his feet and convince pre-order buyers and capital investors to stay with him hoping someday the company will land on its feet.
Personally having pre-ordered products (and thankfully receiving just enough of them to hang on for more), I’ve struggled with him being just unlucky, a poor business manager or a shyster. The longer it goes on, the more it is likely the third. ☹️
In any case, I’m finally using the desktop Magfast induction charger with my iPhone 16 Pro Max. What is nice is that it charges holding the iPhone either vertically (most of the time) or horizontal, like below for watching a video.
Last year I was invited by a longtime automotive writer and friend, Todd Lassa(photo), to help with writing right column commentary for a political news site — TheHustings.news. The network of writers and journalists he taps into skew politically left for the most part … and he felt my Republican right-leaning (and pro-Trump/Vance) views as a long time reader (and commenter) might help balance right-column content. I obliged after the VP political debate and after the presidential election, even though I’m NOT really a writer … although I pretend to be one by blogging. 😊
This week after he posted a “Twisted Logic” comment from a reader for the left column, he asked if I could perhaps offer a right-column perspective or comment. Again, I took the invitation as if it were a school assignment and they posted my “Let’s Start With a Clean Slate” this week (for the blog, I also tinkered with a new voice on ElevenLabs to see if it has improved reading ability — it does!)
For those raising alarm about alleged threats to “democracy” while ignoring the blatant overreach of unelected bureaucrats and activist judges against President-Elect Donald J. Trump, it’s clear you’ve succumbed to a narrative driven by Democrats and the biased media. The weaponization of government institutions by partisan actors has exposed just how fragile our republic has become under the influence of radical leftist ideology.
For years, Democrats have leveraged every tool in their arsenal — be it impeachment attempts, endless investigations, or politically motivated indictments — to undermine those who challenge their grip on power. This lawfare isn’t about justice; it’s about silencing dissent and punishing anyone who dares stand in their way.
The Constitution and rule of law are meant to serve as safeguards against tyranny, yet they are being bent and twisted to suit the whims of a political elite that cannot abide opposition. Conservatives and independent thinkers should take heed: today’s targeted leader could be tomorrow’s silenced citizen.
As Americans, we must demand accountability, transparency, and an end to the misuse of power for partisan ends. Without these, the freedoms that define this nation risk becoming relics of a bygone era, sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. Let’s start with a clean slate next week and give President Trump an opportunity to prove his competence and ability to lead America and all our citizens towards a brighter tomorrow.
The case was the wrong size so Katelyn returned it and had the corrected size sent for my iPhone 16 Pro Max. After sending her the photo when it arrived, she exclaimed, “Massive!!”
It is taking me a while to learn how to use my new Apple Watch Series 10 and tinker with what apps I want to be draining the battery. With my Fitbit Versa 2 four days of battery life was the norm, but as expected, the Apple Watch is only good for a day — a full day though.
When it comes to the watch face and complications running, I’ve opted for the Infograph(below) due to the extra apps on the screen (I would have preferred a digital watch face like the Versa, but this works.)
When in comes to monitoring my exercise, I’ve grown used to the “step count” monitoring of the Fitbit and smiled each time the fireworks would burst when it hit 10,000 steps each day. I suspect in time that I will adopt the Apple Rings, but for now the Steps/Distance complication is in the top left corner (see below) and the “Workout” app open on touching. Currently I’m using the Duffy app too, but it is a bit simple and suspect it will soon be gone?
I’m still in the process of shuffling around a few apps and might give up the wind strength and direction (bottom left), but currently don’t find any other bit of “always on” information all that essential. For now this is a work in progress and can comfortably use the watch 24 hours a day (quick charging it only when waking up, showing, dressing and eating breakfast).
Depending on which generation you were born often factors into how you remember inflation. Those born in the 1930 thru1970s likely saw decades of relatively high inflation; they lived through years of 5-6% and higher inflation. Until recently, those born later … 1980 to today … saw a more moderate annual inflation number to begin their adult lives. The last four years will likely change this a bit as we saw inflation over 9% a year or so ago.
Personally I’m not in full agreement with this chart, even though I did experience a long stretch of high inflation (stagnation) when first starting out … and have definitely lived a few boom/bust cycles with recessions that had me wondering if we could ever return to the American Dream again?
It is difficult to fathom the amount of devastation happening in Southern California due to the out of control wildfires fueled by the yearly dry vegetation and Santa Anna wind blowing through the canyons and mountains around Los Angeles.
Having dense population and homes in the hills around the suburbs adds to the risk when it comes to life and property … but shockingly to most who pay the highest taxes in the nation … their state and local officials seemed ill prepared to deal with wildfires. One would think that this area and state would have well prepared plan, firefighting equipment, water in the reservoirs and FIRE HYDRANTS with water pressure would be a given. It is unforgivable that California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has put more effort into “Trump proofing” the state’s sanctuary status of protection of illegal immigrants, the squatting homeless population and in removing dams to protect the Delta Smelt than in keeping his tax-paying residents safe from disaster.
What to Know (Jan 11, 2025)
Officials say at least 5,000 structures have been destroyed, with the devastation from the Eaton and Palisades fires ranking among the worst in California history.
Firefighters may get a break Saturday as winds are expected to decrease, but strong winds are in the forecast for next week.
The Palisades Fire continues to grow, burning homes in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, with evacuations ordered for the hills of Encino and Tarzana as it heads toward the Valley.
The county medical examiner reported Friday that 11 deaths are connected to the fires.
As of Saturday morning, the Palisades Fire was about 21,600 acres with containment at 11 percent.
The Eaton Fire northeast of Los Angeles was at 14,100 acres with containment at 15 percent early Saturday.
Obviously the memes write themselves (one below) when it come to wondering why there’s no water to put out fires, not enough brush clearing and back-burning to keep danger away from population centers and DEI hires that demonstrate incompetence at every turn.
Although did remember an older Windows 95 X Mail(logo above and insecure link) and I was hoping for some kind of improvement from ProtonMail … had an interest in their privacy, security and encryption … but it has become cumbersome and was even down for an hour in December.
I’m not relying on it at the moment, but I did think it might be worthy of replacing my work address. Unfortunately after trying to port over my CPPNET.com email address to the Proton servers, there was an issue since other addresses still need to remain on my Linux mail server (never indicated on checking their servers list). So I’m back to Roundcube for CPP emails and my original USA.net subscription email (once upon a time it was a free perk with my American Express Small Business account — that was 25 years ago! Wow, time flies.)
Still for personal and advertising addressed emails I’m stuck with Gmail. I’m still using the free version since Miami University finally closed my Workspace account (from my grad school and teaching days). the free version and I sort of put up with their “scanning my emails” and tossing marketing in my way. But for now, it is wait and see what Elon Musk and his crew comes up with — although something tells me nothing is really going to change. 😉
At least the Wall Street Journal’s year in review summary didn’t add up the total amount of time I likely wasted reading WSJ online … BUT obviously reading 507 articles in 2024 took a little bit of my time … and I definitely posted plenty of references on MDB.
