10 Headlines from Today

In no particular order...

1. Someone may end up a billionaire today (or a multi-billionaire if the lottery hits at the end of the week).  I don't play the lottery and I think winning such a large amount would be more negative than positive, but someone will end up with a windfall soon.  Cautionary tales here.
2. This mom may have prevented a school shooting.  If you see something, say something.
3. Thousands of migrants are headed for the US.  That looks like a coming invasion to me.
4. The Khashoggi murder was the "worst cover up ever".  I would think that honor goes to the 9/11 cover up, the Vegas mass shooting cover up, or any of these.
5. Arizona cancels vaccination program after backlash from anti-vaxers.  So social media-inspired stupidity now trumps science???  smh
6. Early voting has started.  Get out and vote!
7. In climate change news, an entire island was wiped off the map.  That doesn't bode well.
8. It's a sad state of affairs when some of our longest-running merchants (Sears and KMart) fold up shop.
9. I think former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker is spot on in this interview.  "We're in a hell of a mess everywhere" kind of sums up things quite concisely. 
10. In more positive news, it's World Series time.  Go Sox!

News Round Up

Some interesting/odd/shocking news you should know about...

• The CIA is replacing human spies with AI
• A million Americans need congress to save their pensions
• Where countries are tinderboxes and Facebook is the match
• The renegade sheriffs
• A new tool to snoop on home IoT devices
• Getting laid off in tech
• Finland is ending its basic income experiment
• Infographic: Best and worst state economies

tldr; tech is taking over, well, everything, and money...so many money issues

A Short News Round-Up

Today in the news...

• The price of stamps will increase on January 21 so now would be a good time to stock up.
• The east coast will be facing a snow "bomb cyclone" beginning tomorrow.  While I've never heard this particular term, it sounds like it will be a pretty bad snow and ice storm for everyone from Florida to Maine.  Prepare accordingly if you are in that area.
• "My button is bigger than your button".  Would someone please tell our president to grow the Hell up?
• Bitcoin was all that the nieces and nephews could talk about at Christmas.  They all work in the tech sector and they are all "invested" in this crypto-currency.  It seems like a not very good place to invest your money IMHO but I'm sure early adapters (and sellers) will probably make a pretty good haul.

A News Round Up

It's been a pretty busy week, news-wise...

• Thanks to all of the CNI readers who have helped this blog break one million views!  1000634 pageviews today to be exact.  Thank you!
• If you live in an area where earthquakes are a possibility, you should definitely read this AMA over at reddit.
• And then check out this article on how unprepared most people/counties/cities are for such a disaster.
• If you were online yesterday you may have heard about the DDoS attack on a bunch of internet services.  Here's what happened.  Here's how it happened.  And this is why it's only the beginning.  And find some fascinating attack data here.
• Get out and vote!  Today is the beginning of early voting in some areas.  I couldn't even tell you who to vote for as this is the biggest shitshow of a presidential election I've ever seen in my lifetime.  But there are plenty of local and state offices up for grabs as well as local legislation that needs to be passed/voted against so do your due diligence then head for the voting booth.
• Finally, while you are getting ready for Halloween, keep these safety tips in mind.

In October...

...the election is coming up in November.  Are you registered to vote?  Are you as disappointed as I am that the candidates we have to choose from for the highest office in the land are appalling one and all?
...October is earthquake preparedness month.  The Great Shake Out will take place on October 20th.  Participate.  Be prepared.
...speaking of earthquakes.  A rare earthquake advisory was issued for Southern California this past weekend which was odd because earthquakes really can't be predicted with any certainty (and in fact the aforementioned earthquake didn't happen).  Cue part of the population going into freak out mode because of what they were sure would happen.  Cue runs to the store and panicked last minute preparedness tasks.  I highly recommend being prepared for anything, any time.  Whether it is a hurricane, snow storm, or possible earthquake, you should be prepared today for any of these problems with no need to run to the store for supplies should any of these things happen tomorrow.
...I was mildly disappointed that the October Surprise wasn't.  A surprise that is.  The surprise was on the people who were waiting for it to happen (at the God awful hour of 1am) when absolutely nothing happened.
...the Vice Presidential debate will take place this evening.  I hesitate to call it an actual debate when only two of the more than half dozen vice presidential contenders are invited to participate.  Ditto the presidential debates.
...and it may be October but watch out for bears...

A News Round-Up

After 1200+ posts I'm running out of things to write about so today, here's a bunch of random stuff from the internet...

• September is National Preparedness Month.  Apparently there is such thing as a Prepare-athon. 
• Germany (and much of the EU) is being invaded and apparently people are too politically correct to call it what it is.  I've worked with A LOT of refugees and migrants over the years and this is the first time that I've seen "refugees" refuse to be documented or fingerprinted at the border, refuse to go into camps until they can be placed, and refuse to follow orders at the border and just march their way forward to the country of their choice.  
• Extreme weather is just beginning.  Looks to be an interesting winter coming up so be prepared.
• I also fly a lot.  Well not as much as I used to.  I'm not sure if it is just me or if airline f*&% ups are happening more often or they are just being reported more often (examples here, here, and here).
• This is an insult to the uniform.  I fall into the appalled camp.  Others think it makes a good statement.  Make a statement in your civilian clothes.  Bah. 
• And for a bit of levity...From the "I never thought a gator could do that" file... 

10 Items from the News

In no particular order...

1. Our weird weather may cause massive food shortages (plan accordingly)
2. Ashley Madison was hacked so divorce lawyers gear up (may I reiterate...NOTHING you put on the internet is private)
3. Thousands of illegal immigrants rush Macednia border (could happen here.  Again, plan accordingly)
4. Mass shootings can happen anywhere (are you prepared?  These guys were).
5. Airshow crash kills 7 (this can happen anywhere.  Be very aware of your surroundings no matter where you are).
6. The Donald is running for president (which should scare the Hell out of people but it is hard to refute his logic)
7. Someone stole a body from a casket (when I say be aware of everything, I mean it.  Case in point here)
8. Two women just passed Ranger school (as long as they can meet the same requirements as the men it's all good.  I guess.  I'm still getting used to the fact that they now have women on subs)
9. A goodly portion of the state of Washington is evacuating due to wildfires (are you prepared should this happen in your neighborhood?)
10. Your investment portfolio might look like a ball in a pinball machine (but don't panic and yank all of your money out)

A News Round Up

From around the internet...

• Something weird (makes you wonder who/what this guy was)
• Something unfortunately common these days (concealed carry is the only answer I can come up with besides becoming a recluse)
• Something surprising (excellent response by CCFD)
• Something that doesn't surprise me (however, if Trump becomes president I'm moving to a different country)
• Something that really didn't have to happen (SMH)
• Something that everyone should be concerned with (especially those of us in the desert SW)
• And another thing that is concerning (just like your photos on the internet, once your DNA is out there you lose all control of it)

News Roundup: Today's News Edition

Here's some stuff from today's news...

• The Doomsday Clock is getting closer to midnight (this is not a good thing)
• Man tackled at Walmart for carrying a gun (the lesson here is if you are carrying concealed, keep your weapon concealed.  While the gun owner was completely in the right here, people are a bit jumpy about "kind of" concealed guns in public)
• No-knock warrants are still under debate (these are a pretty bad idea all the way around)
• Measles at Disneyland (a clear message about the importance of being vaccinated)
• Family under investigation for letting their kids walk home from the park (which means that every parent when I was a kid would have been arrested as we walked to school, went fishing, and went target shooting all by ourselves as young kids)

News Round Up: The Preparedness Edition

Here's a few recent CNN articles that point out ways we can all be better prepared:

1. New laws miss bigger gun problem (lesson: the nation may be freaking out over "assault rifles" but way more people are killed by handguns than rifles; don't be misled by media-induced hype)
2. The danger of an all fruit diet (lesson: a sensible diet with carbs, protein, and fruits and vegies, will make you much healthier than fad diets; do eat a sensible diet and again, don't be misled by hype)
3. Barbara Walters has the chicken pox (lesson: if you are an adult and have never had the chicken pox or received the vaccine you may want to do so)
4. Harrowing stories from the nightclub blaze in Brazil (lesson: this is why I NEVER go to crowded public events, especially in foreign countries where fire prevention and fire safety awareness is lax at best)
5. Gun culture in Colorado (lesson: you can't judge a book by its cover)

News Round-up (With Comments, of Course)

Feeling bored and snarky today. Here's the latest headlines from CNN:

• Utah May Adopt State Gun (cool!)
• Councilwoman Kills Self and Spouse (for a $94.00 mistake? a bit of an overreaction I think)
• US Missionary Killed in Mexico (unfortunately par for the course in that country these days)
• Kucinich Sues Cafeteria Over Olive ($150,000 for breaking a tooth? Are we glad he isn't President?)
• Teachers May Start Grading Parents (odd but effective way to remind parents that they are responsible for their kids education)
• FaceBook Turns Your Posts Into Ads (need any more evidence that FaceBook is taking over the world?)

News Roundup and Some Commentary

It's been a busy few days in the news. Here's some stories that have been in the news recently and some lessons learned:

• A murder-suicide on a local military base. Lessons learned: just because you are on a secure military base, it doesn't mean you are safe. If you are in a domestic violence situation, you better have a damn good plan to protect yourself.
• Harvard professor arrested. Lessons learned: if you are breaking into a house, even your own, the police may show up. It only makes sense to prove your identity and cooperate because they are in essence protecting your property. It isn't a race issue, it is a "my actions make me look like a burglar" issue so stick the race card back in your pocket and thank the police for their quick response to what could have been a burglary at your home.
• Baby killed in car accident. Lessons learned: don't drink and drive (duh). Everyone in the car should be seat belted and babies and children should ALWAYS be in appropriate child safety seats. Basically these people killed their baby because of their (really really stupid) choices. Sad.
• Our states are going broke, good luck if you rely on them for a check. Lessons learned: minimize your expenses, maximize your savings/job skills/sources of income and above all, don't rely on the government. Note that it is hard to pay your rent or buy groceries with an IOU from the government.

I really need to go on a news fast. Most news is bad news which is a real downer (as you can tell from my tone).

From the 'What is the World Coming To' file...

Some stuff is just too ridiculous to believe (unfortunately its true). Here's some of the latest what-is-the-world-coming-to headlines:

• Court Will Take Your Case If You Supply Paper
• Our Money is Still Going Towards AIG Bonuses
• The End of Newspapers
• 10,000 Show Up for Job Fair

News Roundup

It's been a busy news day...here are the high (actually low) lights...

• Hmmm Gun Sales Soar on Obama Victory
• Yikes Jobless Ranks Hit 10 Million
• Jeez 8 Year Old Charged With Premeditated Murder
• Who 'da thought Churches Turn to Armed Guards for Security
• Wow 19 Banks Fail This Year
• Ya Gotta Be Kiddin Me 64% of Republicans Want Palin to Run for President
• Break Out the Government Checkbook (Again) GM Looking for Bailout

All of this...in one day...I think I need a news fast...good thing preparedness is at the top of our to do list...