Some interesting news first from the New York Times this morning. Pope Leo XIV cast a mail-in ballot in his home state of Illinois.  Have you voted yet?  The mid-terms are three days away. Obamacare premiums will rise by 13 percent next year , hitting middle-income people already struggling with health care costs.  19 million Americans will thusly suffer. Tech company stocks tumbled, some by double digits , as investors fretted about whether their A.I. spending spree is paying off. The war with Iran has been very lucrative for U.S. oil companies, which nearly tripled their annual profit as consumers faced higher prices for gas and other fuel. Over $130 Billion: More than 50 major U.S. oil and gas producers and refiners collectively earned over $130 billion in net income during the six-month period from April through September 2026. [ 1 ] This from Google AI:  U.S. consumers have paid a staggering $147.7 billion to $160 billion in extra gasoline and diesel...

A lot more happening in Brazil: On Sunday, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva beat Flavio Bolsonaro for the presidency, 51.79% to 48.21% Flavio was favored, and the victory of Lula for his fourth presidency, was a shock to the system. Flavio, who is a Senator, was immune from prosecution until February when his term  will expire.  So he left the country. His father, Jair Bolsonaro, also went after the loss of his 2022 presidential election.  But Jair eventually returned and was given a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup.  He is still serving this sentence, but currently at home because of "health" issues. Thus, it's no surprise that Flavio escaped, probably to the USA.  This story is just developing. The USA, so far, has been relatively peaceful about the fate of former presidents.  South Korea, for example, has tried and judged guilty 4 out the past 6 presidents.   Going back to Syngman Rhee in 1948, becoming president there has been an adventurous challenge...

Here is a table showing those schools most successful in business .  A unicorn founder is someone who formed a startup company that reached a valuation of $1 billion. Business Insider wrote about the 26 most famous and successful Stanford University students of all time.  Included were people like:  John F. Kennedy, Mitt Romney, Steve Ballmer ( Microsoft guy ), Shri Mukesh Ambani ( runs the largest company in India ), Larry Page ( cofounded Google ), Sergey Brin ( co-founded Google ), Reese Witherspoon and Tiger Woods.  I mention these particular individuals because they all left Stanford without a degree.   Some remain on leave, perhaps to return someday to finish what they started.  Clearly, all have done well.  Of course, there is me.  I started and earned a B.S. degree in chemical engineering, from Stanford, graduating in 1962.  I think I have been successful, but certainly not famous.  However, I'm now 86 and live a fabulous retire...