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A RATHER EXCITING COMING WEEK

At one time the posting today was named, What is Death?  Then I decided to use these contents next week.  But that title still applies, for our government was supposed to be shut down, or die, this weekend.  However, Speaker Kevin McCarthy took the bipartisan pathway and all is well for the Federal government, at least until another death threat deadline comes in mid-November.  McCarthy will, of course, undergo another kind of death, lost of his speakership, to be advanced by recalcitrant Republicans this week.  Matt Gaetz will be at the head of that line.  Will they succeed?  Maybe Democrats will save McCarthy.  Such is the nature of politics in the House of Representatives today.

So on to what else will be happening in the USA this coming week:

  • The New York lawsuit accusing the Trump Organization of inflating property values will come to trial tomorrow.  
  • All reports indicate that The Donald himself will show up in person for at least the first week of this civil fraud trial, and will face now nemesis, Judge Arthur Engoron, who was elected judge of the Supreme Court 1st Judicial District in New York.  This is a lifetime position.
  • So in answer to that question on the right, it was the people of New York who voted for him, so no politics at work here.  Engoron is a man for all seasons, as he has worked as taxi driver, band member and protestor during the Vietnam War, then earned degrees from Columbia University and the New York University School of Law.  He is 74 and that is his 1967 high school year book photo.
  • Trump has called Arthur a political hack and deranged.  Lots of luck, Donald.
  • This will be a non-jury trial with potential damages amounting to $250 million.
  • After all that hoo ha, Hunter Biden will on Wednesday plead not guilty to gun charges.  Trial could linger for a while.  House still on a path to impeach Joe Biden for his linkage with son in business dealings.
  • Former president Jimmy Carter turned 99 today.
  • They have their own problems with ethics.
  • 58% disapprove of Supreme Court's job performance.  Trust was up to 80% in 2000.  Now, 49%.
  • 73% of Democrats feel the Supreme Court is too conservative, but only 8% of Republicans do likewise.  Interesting that only 41% of Independents think that SCOTUS is too conservative.
  • Major League Baseball playoffs begin on Tuesday.  
    • There are 30 MLB teams, and 12 qualified.
    • Who plays who gets complicated.   One reason is that, to be decided today, either the Astros or Rangers will join the Braves, Orioles and Dodgers to enjoy first-round byes.  Here is the schedule.
    • What's at stake today, final regular season day:

  • The Rangers clinch the AL West and a first-round bye with a win or an Astros loss.
  • The Astros clinch the AL West and a first-round bye with a win and a Rangers loss.
  • The Blue Jays clinch the AL's No. 5 seed with an Astros loss or with a win and a Rangers win.
  • The Marlins clinch the NL's No. 5 seed with a win or Diamondbacks loss.
    • If the World Series 7th game is played, the date will be November 4.
    • From Fanduel, chances to win the World Series:
      • Atlanta Braves  28%
      • Los Angeles Dodgers  20%
      • Houston Astros  15%
      • Baltimore Orioles  13%
      • Texas Rangers
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Minnesota Twins
      • Toronto Blue Jays
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Arizona Diamondbacks  2%
      • Miami Marlins  2%
    • One of my three fantasy baseball teams won its league.  The other two came in second.  What did I win?  Nothing.  Like the Ryder and Solheim Golf Cups, we do it for pride.
  • Nobel Prize announcements will be named from October 2-9.
    • October 2  Physiology/Medicine
    • October 2  Physics
    • October 4  Chemistry
    • October 5  Literature
    • October 6  Peace
    • October 9  Economics Sciences
    • The odds of me winning something are zero.

Finally, Elvis is in the building.  King Size made its debut last Friday as part of U2's opening concert performance at the Sphere, a brand new Las Vegas $2.3 billion entertainment venue.  The largest spherical structure in the world, with the highest-resolution wraparound LED screen.  Here to the left is the photo I took a couple months ago when I was in Vegas.  Below, one night view of the Sphere.

What is King Size?

  • First, the Sphere is 360 feet tall and 516 feet wide, with 167,000 speakers.
  • 18,000 spectators for that U2 concert (watch three videos--go full screen and increase your volume...the third one is most impressive), greeted by 5 AI humanoid robots.
  • Even though you missed the opening, U2 will have 24 concerts in here through December.
  • Marco Bambilla (to the right) created a collage via AI technology paying tribute to Elvis.

Confused?  Watch this.  Still not sure about what King Size really is?  Click on THIS.  Bambilla is known for pioneering digital imaging technologies and AI to create immersive video installations.

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