Category Archives: Science

January 22, 2026 · 12:56

Fear of being right

That is what I face at times. I get that my ‘idea’ of safety is a little overdrawn, but I have seen the stupidity of greed driven and how those seeking the stupid and greedy are willing to exploit that. I am of course referring to the really organised criminals (criminals with Filofaxes). That is the expected setting and on February 11th 2024 I wrote ‘Don’t take my word’ (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2024/02/11/dont-take-my-word/) I was considering the danger that a place like Funnel was presenting itself to be. And the presented advertising (a lot of it on LinkedIn)

showed a setting that I feared and guess what? I was partially right. I was right because that side was exploited and I was wrong as it was not Funnel who gave the setting. It was a place called Mixpanel where we see “more than 200 million premium users that their data may have been exposed when hackers breached third-party analytics provider Mixpanel” and last month we were given ‘Data breach at OpenAI through analytics provider Mixpanel platform’, which was seen (at https://securitybrief.com.au/story/data-breach-at-openai-through-analytics-provider-mixpanel-platform) you can wallow as much as you like that I was wrong, but that another platform provider is the first to fall, does not mean that I was wrong. The setting of ‘ease’ safety which they called “Hey marketer, tired of wasting time downloading and cleaning data from all your advertising platforms? It’s time to meet

Funnel. Save time, improve performance, get better insights with Funnel.” As I personally see it ‘tired of downloading’ should be seen as ‘safety towards your data’ and “cleaning data” often implies “validating and verifying the data you are using”, so if there are people that are thinking I am a proverbial shit bucket, consider the image below.

Where we see that in the proverbial instant. That resulted in the loss of some “200 million users have data and search history stolen” and yes, the 200 million records could see the setting that these 200,000,000 million users will get phased and the companies they optionally worked for too. That is the larger setting of being lazy, or being contemplated towards the security they never really had. Why did they not have that security? Because certain settings negate safeties that are and as I see it, Mixpanel who by the opinion of some is seen as “a product analytics platform that helps businesses track user interactions on their websites and apps to understand behavior, improve products, and drive growth” and as I see it, it is driving growth for the really organised criminals and now as we see (at https://securitybrief.com.au/story/data-breach-at-openai-through-analytics-provider-mixpanel-platform) we are given “The incident was related to unauthorised access to a dataset within Mixpanel’s systems. OpenAI reported that an attacker exported data containing certain identifiable information of API account users. Details potentially exposed included names provided on API accounts, email addresses, approximate location information, operating system and browser details, referring websites, and the organisation or user IDs linked to the API accounts. OpenAI emphasised that no chat logs, API requests, passwords, keys, payment details or sensitive identification documents were accessed. The data breach affected only information collected for analytics purposes through Mixpanel.” I get that this is the OpenAi answer, but it seems shallow, short, and perhaps that is all it is, but there is a second setting. Either the ‘provider’ who sounds like Promohub is giving us a larger pool of users, or some clever person might be insightful enough to combine the data of two pools of data and see what could be linked, because any person whose ‘shortcomings’ are exposed will seek other ways to hide the ‘shortfall’ and that is exactly what criminals are banking on. OK, this is speculation but if I had these two pools of data, I the first thing I would do is to seek a common ground (like an email address) and see what else I can find. This is how I found the weakness towards the Pentagon using the HOP+1 solution (which is wrongly analyzed by what some call AI) it was the first thing I did last month. And now again I am right. To be clear, the article on Funnel was about Funnel and as far as I know it was never transgressed upon. It was merely a fear I held and the fear was shown correctly at Mixpanel, not Funnel.

So whilst OpenAI correctly gives us “Information potentially accessed through Mixpanel may expose users to an increased risk of phishing or social engineering attempts.

Names, email addresses, and user identifiers were among the details exposed. OpenAI has advised all customers and users to remain vigilant for any suspicious or unsolicited communications that could be related to this incident. The company reiterated that it does not request sensitive information such as passwords, API keys, or verification codes via email, text, or chat. Users have also been encouraged to enable multi-factor authentication as an additional protective measure for their accounts.”

And why am I now up in arms? Because I got the word through another source relating to another vendor and that implies that there are at least three data sources exposed and those with connected data will be at risk. As such there is little risk for OpenAI and its users if it is used correctly, but when is that the case and it falls back on the users, not on OpenAI. There is an old premise that I usually phrase. If 5 vendors have a 10% loss, the customer is at risk of losing 50% and that is what the danger is here. And when this is applied to 200,000,000 users, the losses could be close to astronomical. 

Now we can argue that there is no such risk, but that answer is coming mostly from people claiming to have no P#Hub account. Do they? I cannot tell, but they know if they have or not. And to also be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having multi-factor authentication on any account you have. Those people are as I personally see it the least in danger.  But that is the setting that we are avoiding to look at. As I have said (way too often) that nonrepudiation is the way to go is showing to be the correct setting yet again. 

Have a great day all, only 11 hours until Friday, or in Hobbit terms Frododay, the day you have two breakfasts and three lunches until the beer o clock chimes.

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January 21, 2026 · 17:34

The Australian play

That is what I am seeing and it comes from Discovery Alert. We are given (at https://discoveryalert.com.au/gina-rinehart-saudi-arabia-exploration-2026/) we are given ‘Gina Rinehart Saudi Arabia Gold Exploration Joint Venture Unveiled’ and as I see it, it is good news for Australia. You see, she is as big as they come. By some estimates she is worth billions and she is listed as one of the 100 most powerful women. (They say that is nice). What is said is that she makes Rio Tinto look like the local grocery shop. I cannot say how that plays out because mining is not my cup of tea (neither is tea for that matter). What does matter that she can forward Australian mining interests and get the Australians to do that work. The article gives us “The global mining industry stands at a critical inflection point where traditional resource-rich nations face increasing pressure to diversify both geographically and strategically. Furthermore, the Gina Rinehart Saudi Arabia exploration play exemplifies how established operators navigate emerging markets that present compelling opportunities for companies willing to tackle complex regulatory landscapes and geopolitical considerations.” So whilst President Trump is making some play for Greenland, the short and sweet of it, that any mining operation will lack staff member (those who can operate a pick).

For the IT people really grasping in the dark on the subject, the image of such a device is shown above. It slightly resembles what you see in Minecraft. And when you consider how Saudi Arabia is diversifying, the quote “Saudi Arabia’s transformation into a major mining destination represents more than economic diversification. The Kingdom’s systematic approach to mineral exploration significance through Vision 2030 creates unprecedented opportunities for international partnerships, particularly with operators possessing proven track records in large-scale project delivery.” As I see it, the Australian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (most likely in Riyadh) will be dancing in his office because Australia is likely to set the table with a large place setting for Australia. As such there is reason (for Australians) to be joyful. In a time where we are all hindered by American politics and the setting that we see through bully tactics is one that is all about America, but here Australia has the advantage. So whilst we are setting the stage through “The convergence of several macroeconomic forces creates compelling incentives for Australian mining companies to expand into Middle Eastern markets. Saudi Arabia’s mineral endowment remains largely untapped, with geological surveys indicating substantial gold, copper, zinc, and rare earth deposits across the Arabian Shield formation. Vision 2030’s economic diversification mandate allocates significant capital toward mining infrastructure development. Consequently, this creates favourable conditions for international operators. The Kingdom’s commitment to reducing oil dependency drives aggressive timelines for mineral exploration and production.” I would like to ‘translate’ this into In Saudi Arabia, when looking for the settings of Gold and Copper (other minerals too), Australia is the one party to talk to and as I see it, Gina Rinehart made that happen. No American required. Come to think if it, what drove these Americans away from such an opportunity? I get that Mrs Rinehart is in her ‘element’ but there are plenty of others who are that too. Is American (lack of) diplomacy now starting to annoy too many people? I actually don’t know and as my ‘geology’ lessons are basically limited to Minecraft, I have no idea how the moves of Mrs. Rinehart were. So in a time where everyone seems to be digging for rare earths, Australia is making its marker in Saudi Arabia. So we (read: Australians) have plenty to be happy about. 

And whilst the article also gives us:

  • Proximity to major consumer markets in Europe, Asia, and Africa
  • Government-backed infrastructure investment reducing project capital requirements
  • Competitive licensing frameworks offering exploration rights across large territorial blocks
  • Strategic partnerships with state enterprises providing regulatory stability
  • Technology transfer incentives aligning with long-term market positioning

As such there are plenty of reasons to be happy in these trying days and whilst people lacking geology knowledge (including me) do not see the advantage of: 

What Makes the Nabita Ad-Duwayhi Gold Belt Commercially Attractive?

“The Arabian Shield represents one of Earth’s oldest continental formations, containing Archean and Proterozoic geological structures with documented gold mineralisation.
The Nabita Ad-Duwayhi Gold Belt specifically exhibits structural controls consistent with world-class orogenic gold deposits.”

And as I see it, the message to America becomes “You snooze, you lose” which is something that Mrs. Rinehart wasn’t doing as she is now involved in the Joint Venture with Saudi Arabia.

You know it feels good to write positive things, things I had no control or influence over. I am just a happy writer making you aware that (as I personally see it) Mrs. Rinehart will be needing a lot of miners in the near future. 

So you all have a great day and it is almost time to make myself a plate with pasta, as much I am shutting down for the evening.

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January 20, 2026 · 22:57

Thoughts of a different streak

That is what is bothering me. You see I had a weird ‘daydream’ there could be all kinds of reasons to have this dream, but it struck me as weird at the time. You see I was offered a sweet position in the Starlink program in tech support and I was placed in Abu Dhabi, there were two other tech support locations. Toronto and Sydney these three centers give reasons for 24 hours support and I was added to the Abu Dhabi station (from Sydney). It was a nice dream of having a decently paid job, but that was not the part that was bugging me. In the dream The US Department of War had taken control of Starlink (I have no idea why) and its was supposed to be a short term one. But the issue kept nagging on me. Why would they even need it? And these aren’t facts. It was a dream I had, a day dream no less, no nothing factual.

My brain has seemingly connected the fact “Astronomy Disruption: This leakage disrupts radio telescope observations, specifically in the 10.7 to 12.7 GHz range, making it harder for astronomers to observe the universe” as well as “Starlink satellites are emitting unintended, low-level electromagnetic radiation that interferes with radio astronomy” but my brain (not to most obliging element in this universe) is connecting this to an old intrusion solution I devised. It was the Hop+1 solution I thought through when we saw the news on the Sony Intrusion and we now see “refers to the major 2014 cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE), where hackers (Guardians of Peace) stole massive amounts of sensitive data, leaked unreleased films, and disrupted operations, linked to North Korea due to the film The Interview. There were also significant breaches involving the PlayStation Network (PSN) in 2011 (77 million accounts) and 2014, and a 2023 incident affecting Sony employees via a MOVEit vulnerability. ” I was of the mindset (as North Korea was pointed at) that they lacked the knowledge to do this. I wrote this piece on September 30th 2017 in ‘The Good, the Bad, and North Korea’ (at https://lawlordtobe.com/2017/09/30/the-good-the-bad-and-north-korea/). The article has a few other points, but my mind started to think that this was most likely an inside job, but in other setting how could it be done and with the Defence department and the NSA in mind, I created HOP+1. I make some mention of it in there. The insides were a little too well working (in my mind) to publish it out there, no need to give hackers any more handles. But then mind might have been mulling over, that if there is leakage and disruption, it might be used in other ways too. It might not have the desired initial effect, but as I see it, these satellites will have been set to a reengineered setting of Cisco solutions. And that would make sense and as such HOP+1 would be back in business.

Is it that simple? I have no idea, but my brain is trying to tell me something that I cannot yet see (or I am blatantly ignoring myself) and in part there is a setting that HOP+1 relied on an inside intrusion (or break-in) at a location that in on the hop path, no bunnies required and the outcome is usually successful as I have seen the laziness of IT people all over the lands (Netherlands, UK, Germany, Sweden, USA and Australia) as such I feel that my HOP+1 would work, but in Starlink, these blighters cannot be reached with a normal staircase, so I have no idea, but I think my mind has worked out what could be done with a program approach in the setting from 10.7 to 12.7 GHz range, but I am fishing here (my brain won’t tell me what it has figured out. Perhaps it is making me go through the motions. 

Well that is it for now, perhaps there will be another sequence on this if I figure out what I had figured out. It is almost midnight (70 minutes from now) so have a great day I will turn the Sahara forests into a desert by snoring all the wood away.

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January 20, 2026 · 11:11

The wrongly seen direction

That is at times a question and at times a statement. Now consider your PlayStation (or Nintendo) and I think that Nintendo has a small advantage here. So consider a business setting (for the exercise) There is a given that “Project statistics involve analyzing data related to project performance (like budget, timeline, scope) and project management success rates, with common metrics including cost performance, progress, and stakeholder satisfaction, while tools like R help in complex analysis for academic or business research. Key figures show many successful projects usually have strong sponsors.” So consider this towards the upcoming PS6, isn’t it time to give the users that ability to see where they spend their times on? Like Nintendo with a calendar and a setting where you can see app use per user (so you can have a guest account for others if needed) and a setting where you see usage of apps like YouTube, Netflix and others, whilst also seeing games and now it gives a timeline optionally per game or per gaming house, per gaming style. I am certain that some are already doing it for themself but as I see it, it has never been offered to the users. Consider that ‘your’ online shop like Nintendo or Sony Store could crush those numbers and say ‘Hey, you spend a lot of time in this style of game and these games are now in the budget range’ this is not always a welcome setting but for a lot who have to mind their pennies, the setting of a similar game like the one you love to play is a welcome sight to your wallet. The other setting is that you could export your statistics on a game, or on anything to your memory stick and then spread it to your online presence. It is a small setting that I have no seen on the PS3, PS4, PS4pro or PS5. I think that this is an almost mandatory next step, especially as the gamers in the world will have a better understanding if the optional benefits of Business Intelligence when applied to whatever matters to them the most.

The benefits are that most data is already captured for the gamers, optionally per game, so there is not much reengineering required. The calendar is a welcome addition and game makers can add (as per request of the gamer) the upcoming release dates for games they are announcing and that will be in the interest of most gamers. Now consider that the use of Achievements and other setting can now be set outside of the games they are chasing and for that there are many consideration to be made. For Sony this would also give a new handle of appealing to players on a global setting. Because let’s face it, they are driven to success and to see where that success is captured is as essential for Sony (Nintendo too) as it is for the gamers. You can ‘hide’ behind the hours played on for example, Hogwarts Legacy and it goes beyond the 150,000 hours played in weeks x, The idea that we have 15,000 gamers who spend 1-2 hours on it (still an important metric) but it is the rest of the 120,000 hours played by 600 gamers in week x, that is where the real treasure lies and offering that to the gamers has benefits beyond measure. Optionally it could be linked to cosmetic rewards like a ‘house’ outfit that Avalanche could spread like the one Colin Farrell had in Fantastic beasts. Optionally with the house colour replacing the white.

And for the lady players there is a nice dress that Queenie Goldstein had, it is merely an idea, but you get the picture. 

There is a boatload of ideas coming from that area and I reckon that most game studios already have that in mind. Epic Games in their Fortnite has spewed close to hundreds of ideas in the time they have been active and gamers love unique rewards. I reckon Epic Games have a truckload of examples there, so why not use that setting to promote the PS6 and Sony’s drive to success. With Microsoft out of the running (as I see it) Sony needs to up the ante to keep up with Nintendo, because that is becoming the issue that is next. Because as I see it, gaming is warfare and Nintendo is showing to be just as equal as the one and only Sony and there is the thought that they are already lacking in that respect. We always saw the fight between Microsoft and Sony as the one that mattered and Nintendo won that a few years ago and the Switch 2 is merely adding to the distance it is gaining, as such it is time for Sony to move towards a better position in that race, because running by yourself without a real opponent is nothing to smile at, it merely makes you go contempt in your race whilst others are passing you by. As such we need to consider that Nintendo Switch sales with exceeding 154 million units globally, making it one of the best-selling consoles ever. Surpassing anything Sony has had in the mix and as I see it, Microsoft being a distant fourth in that equation. But for Sony there is a need to being better and they can do it, as such I see the metrics to be added to the fold will give the gamer a much better understanding on where he spends his (or her) time and the goes a long way towards promoting their shop and their titles. 

Have a great day today and never stop gaming.

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January 17, 2026 · 21:22

The other direction

I have been upset for a few days as President Trump keeps on his bully horse and started to claim yesterday that those who oppose the annexation of Greenland will face tariffs. I don’t agree and I don’t accept that. But who am I? I am a nobody, my word doesn’t count. But I do have a sharp mind and I suddenly realized that there is another path for miners. You see, at present Discovery Alert gave us yesterday ‘Saudi Arabia Mining Investment: $110 Billion Plan Transforms Economy’, that I a noble setting and it allows miners who don’t like the Trump approach to Greenland to select another path. A nation that is using 110,000 million, is likely to have need for miners. The article (at https://discoveryalert.com.au/saudi-arabia-mining-investment-2026-critical-minerals/) gives us “The convergence of artificial intelligence expansion, renewable energy infrastructure, and digital transformation creates extraordinary pressure on mineral resources that were previously considered secondary commodities. This supply-demand imbalance fundamentally reshapes investment priorities, with institutional capital increasingly flowing toward jurisdictions that can deliver both resource security and operational efficiency. Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia mining investment has emerged as a focal point for international attention, positioning the Kingdom as a strategic alternative to traditional mining powerhouses” also gives us “Geological surveys across the Arabian Peninsula reveal substantial untapped mineral deposits spanning multiple commodity classes. The Arabian Shield region, covering approximately 650,000 square kilometres, contains significant concentrations of both traditional mining commodities and critical minerals essential for energy transition technologies. These formations represent billions of years of geological activity that concentrated valuable mineral deposits across diverse terrains.

Recent exploration campaigns have identified promising zones for copper, gold, zinc, and rare earth elements. The geological diversity extends from volcanic-hosted massive sulphide deposits to sediment-hosted copper systems, providing multiple exploration targets across different mineralisation styles. This geological complexity creates opportunities for diversified mining portfolios rather than single-commodity developments.” When you are mining over 650,000 Sq/km there is probably a need for more than a dozen miners and that is where these people not too savvy on Greenland as a destination, to select the warm beaches of Saudi Arabia (they have really large beaches). So when we see mentions like ‘Mining Diversification Strategy’ I reckon that they will need manpower before too long and doesn’t that suck for President Trump? A setting where people get to chose where to work. Its a brand new day. And this is in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, they don’t need to share anything with the USA, it is all for the kingdom. 

So while some people will ‘like’ to work and get into the good graces of President Trump. I foresee a larger play, especially when he is no longer in office (in 1099 days). I foresee a witch-hunt that we haven’t seen since Joseph McCarthy (1950) and this time it will be the democrats, so if you have a MAGA hat, you better play duck and cover, because it will be an uneasy time for any of these MAGA people, but beside that, all who catered to the needs of President Trump will be held under a loop and very precisely looked at. I don’t think that is right, but I get the sentiment behind this. So anyone with a different option would be in a decent place to accept whatever they can. And it is not just Saudi Arabia who is digging for rare earths, but they are the people with the coin and the area to explore. 

And that is not the only setting, as I see it, Saudi Arabia also has plans in the “Aluminium production, which requires reliable bauxite supplies and substantial energy inputs for smelting operations. Saudi Arabian bauxite resources combined with competitive energy costs create advantages for integrated aluminium production. This vertical integration captures value across the complete supply chain. Processing facility development emphasises environmental best practices and energy efficiency to maintain competitive positioning. Advanced smelting technologies reduce energy consumption while minimising environmental impacts. These improvements support long-term operational sustainability.” So as I see it, they will need more than miners. I reckon that plenty of jobs can be done by local Saudis, but some of the specialized people have a chance and they also need to train local population, so that comes (as I see it) with a second pay check, so in a time where the economy is bristling with dangers, Saudi Arabia could holding the better paycheck for people to consider. 

As I see it, the other direction is a lot more appealing in the long run, because as I see it, the American Administration doesn’t really think of the long run and I proved that with the previous article. 

So have a great day and I am almost at Sunday (a mere 150 minutes away). So enjoy today and if you are in Toronto, its almost Saturday Brekkie time, as such I wouldn’t mind being there and have another brekkie (then return to Sydney for a second breakfast).

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January 16, 2026 · 18:40

Consideration or realisation?

That is at times the question, because I was ‘informed’ of something I didn’t know (mostly because I don’t care) but it does set a different tone to other matters. We already knew that China is ‘market’ leader here, Some might have seen quotes no unlike this one “By the early 2020s, China accounted for roughly 70 percent of global rare-earth mining and more than 90 percent of processing and finished metal” some have seen this before and I am not vying for accuracy on this. I’ll accept it as is. So as America is so on the ball towards Greenland, the news I saw today has me stumped. We get from Discovery Alert (at https://discoveryalert.com.au/rare-earth-processing-saudi-arabia-2026-strategic-partnerships/) less than 12 hours ago ‘Saudi Arabia’s $1.5 Billion Rare Earth Processing Joint Venture’ with the added “The global rare earth elements sector stands at a critical juncture where supply chain concentration has created strategic vulnerabilities for advanced manufacturing industries worldwide. As dependencies on single-source processing capabilities intensify across defense, aerospace, and renewable energy sectors, alternative processing hubs have emerged as essential infrastructure for maintaining technological sovereignty. This analysis examines how new joint venture in Saudi Arabia for rare earth processing initiatives are reshaping market dynamics through strategic partnerships that leverage regional industrial advantages while addressing critical minerals energy transition needs.” Why would President Trump want to wage a losing war on the EU over Greenland? It is not national security, it seemingly is not about the rare earths, depending on what Greenland has and it does have diamonds there, but how much of that 3D carbon structure is there, I don’t know. And when the article comes to ‘Key Partnership Structures in Saudi Rare Earth Development’ we might get a clue. The agreement gives us: 

  • Equal stake joint venture arrangements with established industrial conglomerates
  • Long-term off-take agreements securing 25% of concentrate production from Greenland’s Tanbreez Project
  • Strategic alignment with U.S. defense procurement requirements
  • Integration with Saudi Vision 2030 economic diversification objectives

So is that it? You can see the roundup at https://www.criticalmetalscorp.com/projects/project-tanbreez/ and it gives us “The Tanbreez Rare Earth Project is an advanced, permitted asset poised to become a cornerstone in the global supply of rare earth elements (REEs) for North America and Europe. Positioned to deliver a sustainable, reliable, and long-term supply, this world-class project is set to meet the surging demand for critical minerals essential to national security, advanced technologies, defense systems, and the green energy transition.” Would it be THAT simple? The United States doesn’t want to share and doesn’t want Europe involved, so it does this? It gives my “America is broke” setting additional value, but does any nation want to go to war over this? It is an unspoken setting towards governmental greed and as far as I can tell the media is seemingly completely stumped on this. Now if these two sources are bogus, so is the mindset on this, but the second source has a whole range of ‘likable’ people completely with LinkedIn settings. As such how could the media have failed us all to this degree?

The second setting is Discovery Alert, if they are on the up and up or not. And it would be a fair question to ask this, but I have no idea and something this juicy I set in my blog. There is always the setting that they are the bamboozlers as such they can deal with the fallout that the Saudi government gives them as well as the Department of Justice. I am pretty sure that the White House is detesting to be used as a punching bag for any kind of media. 

But what if it is all true, how defining are these two documents on how broke The USA really is? Well first there was the debacle about the 51st state (Canada) and how great America’s healthcare really is (I still haven’t stop howling on that one as Canada’s healthcare is vastly superior), we then get all kinds of other reasons and Canada merely looks around and makes larger deals with Mexico, Seemingly the UAE, Europe and now China. So as I see it, Canada is coming out on top and the USA has a dwindling revenue setting. Then we get the Venezuela oil setting where the oil tycoon’s in the Unknown Settings of Avarice are bailing out as they don’t have the stomach to do this over there. I was of the mind to set up the refineries in Texas and ship all the crude to Texas for processing. It gives Texas the jobs, it gives America the revenue and you merely waste 2-3 tankers which will require intense scrubbing, but that is my oversimplified setting here. And after that we get the Greenland setting where ABC reported 10 hours ago ‘European troops won’t change Trump’s ambition for Greenland, says White House’, as such the question becomes is America that broke or is there something else going on? The two settings clash as I see it and as I see it, there is an unknown factor in the works, because no one is so mentally so unstable to take on Europe, especially as Europe is holding significant amounts of U.S. Treasury bonds (over $3 trillion in total debt, including the UK), viewing them initially as safe investments, but recent geopolitical tensions, especially regarding potential U.S. trade or foreign policy shifts and when Europe dumps those treasury bonds, the US debt rises to well over 40 trillion, because they cannot survive that setting. It will result in Japan and China dumping their bonds as well and the economy that the White House thought they had evaporates like snowflakes in a volcano. You can see that in action in Iceland, and they have a few other examples where snow evaporates really quickly. So I have to wonder as a non-economist, what am I not seeing? What more is there and what is the media keeping hidden (through embargo or other means). I wonder because I just saw a part being raised that I never considered before. I always keep in mind that I am missing something, but this is something the media should have reported on and I am not seeing anything on this. And come to think of this, why would someone mess with what is called “to deliver a sustainable, reliable, and long-term supply” I am grasping at straws here at present, because no-one wants a war with America, they won’t win but I have friends I Europe and It might be nice if they outlived me. And for that matter, my financial setting will not improve if the US dollar collapses because that is now also in the works.

Have a great day, it is almost Saturday brekkie time (in about 13 hours), so see you all for my next blog.

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January 15, 2026 · 21:14

And now for something new

I tire of the news of the world, I have been looking at it for too long and suddenly I had a spark. I was looking at some library apparently in Greece and it had a globe, not the one I show you now.

A globe by by any other name remains a sphere and that was when a few ideas hit me at the same time. You see, some ‘undermine’ or ‘undervalue’ geospatial intelligence, but that is exactly where the new news needs to go. Consider a sphere and that sphere is like the top of a tablet. We can interact with this and it is already possible to do that. We can look at a globe and see what is happening out there and we can interact with these events and show them on our tablet, our mobile or our computer. And we can select what news we get, in most cases we are subscribed to it and out paper gets us the information with icons on our globe, which is also linked to our devices and we see the events we are connected to. So in the home and in the office we do not have a sizable globe, but we have a smaller one.

And it has the same function, but it goes further. Geospatial news can be shown on a TV, or one of those new paper thin displays, we used to call them maps and they are still that, but there is a difference. Local government has their own maps, shown on a display, optionally also shown in a home with a set focal point of a local map. For example someone in Riyadh might merely see the initial news of Saudi Arabia or Riyadh Province, or even merely Riyadh. Events that will pop up on this maps, other settings like the Netherlands, South Holland, or perhaps Delft, Rotterdam or The Hague. And this already exists. The news is given with connected metadata and we merely don’t think of that, but apart from the new TV (which is already out there (old ones work too) and the globes, which is al based on existing technology is out there, mere merely never refocused to this optional standard, because the newspapers like selling news papers. But digital data transformed that and it is time that the news is altered accordingly. I reckon that the first ones being Al Arabiya, Al Jazeera, BBC, and a few more will start offering this and soon enough others will follow. And I get that most of them will offer this in a subscription, optionally linked to their newspaper like Aftonbladet, Die Welt, or Le Monde. There are many providers and so many options to see rising to the occasion and the news needs to evolve if they want to exist tomorrow (its not that immediate a risk).

And with the new displays, the settings for local governments become more and more pressing and they will want to see these geospatial presentations in their government buildings, because we all think global, but it is all a collection of local news. And that is where the next technology comes from and that is where we need to look. 

I think that this new setting of news will catch on, because in the end we are all local lifers in a global community and the term ‘Think local act global’ has been taken out of proportions by some to make their global footprint more distinct, but in all this we forgot the local person and he cares about what happens around him/her, so why not cater to that because news that is read by the 1.17 people in Amsterdam is still news worthy of being read and there is every indication that this will transfer to a much larger audience, because these people have friends and family optionally not in the Netherlands. Same could be said of all the 8 billion out there. 

Well that is all I have to say on the subject. It was nice getting my noggin in a more creative setting, I missed that. So who will start this setting? I wonder how much longer other news agencies will try too hold onto the old phase and how they will be replaced by the news givers with a much larger scope. And the fun part? Advertisers will likely fail here, no one is interested in that and they will be barred to a much larger degree and this who try will drag the media not wanting to ‘separate’ news from advertisement with them, as such I will get two bangs for one shot. Lucky me. Have a great day.

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January 11, 2026 · 08:30

Price of oil now $15

Yup, saw it myself, a gallon of sunflower oil now $15, as such I wonder why President Trump is panicking? Any grocer has it, so why settle for Venezuelan oil? OK, he has the bankrupt stigma over his head, but that is on the administration. And in that regard the BBC piece (at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c205dx61x76o) giving us the headline ‘Trump seeks $100bn for Venezuela oil, but Exxon boss says country ‘uninvestable’’ might not help him much. You know, I would have thought he would have investigated that BEFORE he put the lives of American soldiers in jeopardy. So when we are told “US President Donald Trump has asked for at least $100bn (£75bn) in oil industry spending for Venezuela, but received a lukewarm response at the White House as one executive warned the South American country was currently “uninvestable”.

Bosses of the biggest US oil firms who attended the meeting acknowledged that Venezuela, sitting on vast energy reserves, represented an enticing opportunity.” As such what did Chevron had to say? They were the one that were their in the first place. As such I reckon that the peaceful webcam of Nuuk might not be so peaceful for much longer. In that regard, was there really just one executive stating the uninvestable ploy? And one response was “Exxon’s chief executive Darren Woods said: “We have had our assets seized there twice and so you can imagine to re-enter a third time would require some pretty significant changes from what we’ve historically seen and what is currently the state.”” In all this I am a little surprised. I would have had that meeting beforehand. It kinda makes me wonder of the belle at the ball meeting a well hung man stating ‘What am I supposed to do with that?’ That is one of those moments when ‘hoping for the best’ will come across as having a cold shower as the first dish of the ‘entertainment of the evening’ it might come across as a little cold, but that is what it looks like. Everything over the last 2 weeks looks like an exercise of how not to do things in any corporate setting. Especially when you start eyeing 300 billion barrels. In my mind the first question I had was why didn’t Venezuela set that in motion? And for that matter where were these tankers going to? What solutions do they have to process that much oil? Those are the first questions I had two weeks ago, as such that oil meeting was like a marketing cold call. And there is a setting for off shore processing in this case even if America will buy the oil, it is a simple setting to adding a taximeter to that processing plant. As such this entire setting is one of bad preparation. It’s like the man expecting a smooth ride at a brothel asking the question ‘What exactly is herpes?’ Which gets us the comical setting that the lady of the house asks ‘You don’t have herpes, do you? I don’t want to get that again’ You might smile but the reactions that President Trump is invoking with reaction views that the Venezuelan oil industry is looking like a dud more and more at present. 

Then there is the setting that ABC is leaving us with ‘Donald Trump says oil executives will have ‘total safety’ if they invest in Venezuela’ Can they really? As far as I can tell, these places tend to react flammable to any RPG thrown their way and President Maduro has a large following that are still roaming the streets of Caracas. As such ill-prepared and reacting in the stage of ‘total safety’ whilst that would require over 100,000 boots on the ground in Caracas and that is likely to set a different tone to that equation. So as America is heading towards at least two fronts (Greenland and Venezuela), I wonder if he read the papers on Napoleon making the very same mistake in 1814. He should look at the works of Ridley Scott, especially his movie Napoleon (2023), he might learn something. I know it is much better to read ‘1812: Napoleon’s Fatal March on Moscow’ by Adam Zamoyski, but that might be seemingly too dry for him. 

These are a few insights one might need to reassess the insights that President Trump had last week as he was going to ‘fix oil infrastructure’, it seems that this meeting with the oil executives was one he needed to have before he made the claim to ‘fix oil infrastructure’. You know little things like that might fix his viewpoint in a more correct way beforehand. And I feel stupid for having to say this, but, no wait, I don’t have to the American Administration had to do this BEFORE they went in and stated that they were going against drugmakers. So how many drug houses were captured (call it freed) from Venezuela? And the ‘word’ is “Venezuela remains a major transit country for cocaine shipments via aerial, terrestrial, and maritime routes.” You see, in 1974 I learned (at the merchant navy academy) that transit means “conveyance of persons or things from one place to another. usually local transportation especially of people by public conveyance. a system engaged in such transportation.” So for the kiddies in the American administration, it means that merchant A ships goods B through Location C to Customers in location D. As such Venezuela is Location C, so the drugs are optimally only found in some ware house. So how many warehouses were captured with drugs? I failed to see that news. And when we get to the nasty setting that it was always about the oil. And as such that meeting the BBC raves on about should have been had at least 4 weeks ago and in all this the one who was there before (Chevron) is seemingly overlooked by all. What were their observation of Venezuelan oil processing? Little things like that. So are we getting the same failed narrative for Greenland and if it was about national security, what discussion were held over placing a base and a port in Greenland (or enlarge the port of Nuuk for Navy ships and perhaps a airfield for refueling options. So what ‘enlargements’ were planned for Pituffik Space Base? All questions that national security would have in the initial first instance and I see no reporting on that. But I reckon the news would have linked these settings like media coverage (e.g., Defense News), and internal DoD reports, all detailing military posture, strategy, budget, and operations, with the Secretary of Defense reporting to the President and Congress, and various agencies like the DIA and services providing intelligence and status updates. Perhaps the DoD was not entirely forthcoming on that, but they needed to have all the paperwork ready for this and I never saw anything on that. As such I get the feeling that Greenland is a simple resource grab to enlarge their credit portfolio. Nothing more and I reckon the this will anger Denmark, the EU, NATO and optionally Canada too. Most likely not in the order, but these elements are involved. All settings that the media would have been able to ask instead of getting the usual quotes (like) “Canada should become our Cherished 51st State” or my favourite, President Trump apparently said these words a week ago: “One Day, I Realized Nobody Was Coming to Save Me—So I Saved Myself” and it will become my favourite as he utters those words in the International Criminal Court in The Hague when he faces them, because there is 0% chance he will avoid that setting after the coming 1105 days. Whomever takes over the office will have such a mess to clean that they will hand him over in an instant act to relieve some of the pressures that successor faces on the global markets. In 1105 days he either find the correct amount to increase the Credit Card of the United States or Wall Street hands him over to anyone asking for him. This is of course massively speculative, but do you think I am wrong? The numbers don’t lie (they actually do, it is the interpretation that tends to be finicky) “Trump’s term low is 41% approval, which he first reached on Nov. 12. His disapproval also notched up to 56% on Nov. 19, a high for this term per the aggregator. As of Jan. 9, 2026, 43% approve and 55% disapprove, per the Times.” (Source: USA Today) As I see it, Wall Street will giftware him and Warren Buffet is likely to make the bow for the wrapping himself. And in all this he has ignored international law, just like Napoleon did and they gave him a hotel on Elba to relax. I don’t think President Trump is going to get that lucky. Too many are after him now and that list is getting more impressive by the day Venezuela, Greenland, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium (EU HQ, NATO HQ), Germany and a few more. To my knowledge Adolf Hitler was the last person to get this much personal attention of governments, not even Stalin pulled the one off. It might not be academic but it feels correct. 

Does it feel over emotional? No, I have merely attaching optionally non-related issues, because the Trump administration is making knee jerk corrections on something that should have been thought through BEFORE we had to watch the arrant pr President Maduro. Don’t get me wrong, as the details go he was seemingly a bad man, I have no doubt. But at what stage did that warrant America to go in and arrest him on the spot with a fleet of ships? When did America send the army into Iran and arrest Ali Khamenei, Supreme leader of Iran. Or perhaps Gustavo Francisco Petro Urrego, President of Columbia where the drugs seemingly come from. Where is that media snippet of reality? No, Venezuela was about oil and now it seems that it is seemingly as useful as horsepiss. (Quote from King Kong 1976, where the Petrox Corporation went in for oil too). As such it didn’t turn out that way and this example makes me wonder why the Trump Administration wasn’t ready for this. As such my idea for off shore processing and getting all oil tankers to go to an (optional) American location to process that oil might have been a better solution. I have no expertise in the Petrochemical industry, so I am going on a limb here, but to not explore that option on day one seems folly to me. So what shortcomings will we see when Greenland is up for ‘auction’?

Just my 2 cents of the matter and now it is time for brekkie, Have a great day all.

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January 8, 2026 · 20:37

Our lull moments

That happens, we all crave it, the option of bliss, inactivity, moments of calmness and we find it in different ways. I for one have this with a video game. Not some edge of seat Epic setting, but the Horizon setting, Skyrim, Oblivion, fall out, the list goes on. And yesterday I saw a list of two dozen games coming to the PS5 and some woke me up. There was off course Wolverine by Insomniac. I will be waiting for that one, but at that point one game turned up that I never expected The game STYX has as far as I know been a Xbox game and it is a excellent game, Stealth of the better variety. And you better rely on stealth as you are a 4’ goblin with his trusty knife. What drove me to this game that any level had several solution to solving it and you got points for completing other ways. It was a lovely time. Now its coming to Sony Playstation and we can rejoice. More important there are a few other settings we could consider. One of them is RYSE, son of Rome. The good parts is that the graphics were really good and the storyline was amazing. The two downsides were in the first was that all combat is massively repetitive. And the second one was that you had too defeat several bosses twice, after the first time he completely reset his health bar. I don’t like this, but that might just be me. So as I see it, when you redo the battle setting of Marius Titus you might have an amazing Playstation winner. So when we consider the funny part, who thought that Frankfurt had more to offer than Frankfurters? Crytek GmbH might be the next great thing coming from Germany, go that is an exaggeration, but the truth is that RYSE might have dies too soon and too small a death, so whilst some might object as it was released 12 years ago, I say ‘be still’ good games overcome systems and generations (example Mass Effect and Oblivion) and those are merely two who made the system generation jump. I think that Ryse could do the same (if the two weaknesses are dealt with) As far as I see it, everyone is looking at what might be (I do that too at times) but at times I look behind me what we left and there is plenty to be had in that direction too. I gave some of this ‘life’ in an IP solution I offered to Saudi Arabia and I still believe it can work, not merely for the games, but for the two sides of that equation that could propels Saudi Arabia’s gaming and other settings a lot further. Don’t be miffed Amazon got the same option, but they decided to ignore this whilst they are banking on AI (good luck with that).

So whilst we were given ‘Amazon Pulls AI-Powered Fallout Recap After Getting Key Story Details Wrong’ which comes with “According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Amazon is betting AI can identify key plot points for a series to be synchronized with a voiceover narration and dialogue snippets.”” Apart from the settings that are incorrect and incomplete. Amazon needs to realise that this is all programmed and the programmer might not see what needs validating and verification. They might not know, but the fans will pick up on this instantly. And Engadget gives us ‘Amazon’s AI-generated recap tool didn’t watch Fallout very closely’ this relates to games, because when these people get the AI part ‘working’ they will go over games in that same way and that is where the blunders start adding up to the folly of people who blindly believe in AI. Because I mentioned once that 2026 will be the setting of AI court cases and I was proven (yet) again correct as we are given ‘CanLII and Caseway AI reportedly moving towards settlement in copyright dispute’ as well as TechCrunch given us 8 hours ago ‘Google and Character.AI negotiate first major settlements in teen chatbot death cases’ merely two cases in the second week on January. So, how many more will follow? Only seven hours ago we were given ‘Musk lawsuit over OpenAI for-profit conversion can head to trial, US judge says’ and all this relates to games, because last November we were given ‘Ubisoft Reveals Teammates – An AI Experiment to Change the Game’ and I reckon it will merely take one slip up to thwart the statistics of a player and he will be crying in the lap of some ambulance chaser. A setting I saw coming a mile away which a few people have experienced if they are stealth players. 

As such my lull moment gets blown away with some AI character, team mate or not. But that might merely be me, but what Ido remember was call on this setting months ago and now we see two being settled, whilst OpenAI is now entering the dock for what might cost them a pretty penny. Did those shareholders consider that this might become the destination of their investment?

Have a great day.

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January 5, 2026 · 16:25

The setting we hope for

That is a given, we all hope that certain settings come to play and I am no different. Part of it is banked on settings that are realistic and then there are those that are not that realistic. Before I start with this, one little update. I made mention of a new movie that would scare the nasty cloth out of the NSA (GCHQ too) and I just gotten the first few scenes out of the way. It makes me happy, but now I realise that it is not going to be a two hour event. At present I’m sitting on the first part, but the continuing story will not be a lot more than a short film some define this as under 40 minutes (including credits), That is what I am looking at. Perhaps a TV film? It wouldn’t be much longer and lets be clear. If you need two hours to scare the pants out of the NSA, your not doing a particular good job, but I might be wrong. So the script will be ready a lot sooner than I bargained for. 

So back to the matter at hand. Realistically the employment game is definitely changing because (at https://www.theregister.com/2025/12/23/oracles_new_aienhanced_support_portal/) we get told that ‘Oracle’s new AI-enhanced support portal leaves users fuming’ which was released just before Christmas, so I missed out on this initially, but we are given “Oracle’s new AI-powered support portal is frustrating customers and support engineers who are struggling to find the basics, such as old tickets, links to database patch programs and release schedules for current databases.” It works for me as I have worked my whole life in customer service and technical support. As such it seems my streak of bad luck is ending and when a company like Oracle gets it wrong, there is not much hope that the others are fairing better, which would work out well for me.

I miss customer service and I remember when I was ‘made redundant’ all whilst others were saying that the new technologies were making my job obsolete. And I have reason to smile. When I am shown “Greg Parikh, Oracle veep for information development and operations, said in a blog post that the MOS portal offers new features, including AI-powered interactions, streamlined navigation, improved search capabilities, and enhanced knowledge access.” And as I see it, those who live according to the sweet spot of cheap revenue now see that others aren’t having much luck either and they need to consider their sales track and how they can salvage what can be salvaged and now it turns out that they will need manpower as the most defining resource and that is good news for me. And as I see it (in case of Oracle) that looking at “Users pointed out IDs had completely changed, such that searching for 888.1 — the Primary Note for Database Proactive Patch Program — or 555.1 — database 19c Recommended One-off patches returns error message KA912 as the top result. “Links to other documents, which still reference the old IDs, are currently failing for me,” one user said.” Gives the indication that their knowledge base isn’t doing any better and if the programmers cannot make it work, their manpower setting will drastically change and this is just Oracle. As I see it, there are hundreds more firms who have that very same escalating problem, as such I expect that places like ADNOC (Abu Dhabi) might soon require their own corporate service division and their own technical support making short work of the available resources. I reckon that this works out nicely for me. 

So we have the realistic settings, and the dreamy station of a new movie, or at least whilst I am still applying for jobs, it will have to do and it keeps my but this creativity high, an undervalued ability in customer service. But this is merely one setting. Is it that bad? Well you judge, but a little over a year ago we were given ‘16 technical support tools to look out for in 2025’ (source:outsource accelerator) and some do work, but if didn’t grab the right one, the setting is a precautious one. Do you switch and take that chance or reinvest in your own knowledge base and that setting is dangerous, because you could lose a lot more than you bargained for. So whilst some went into combinations of SaaS, Paas or IaaS, your customers are in a tight setting where they demand service or they walk. Larger firms have even a more robust setting and in this age of fake AI, revenue lost is a large setting of shareholders giving up on you. That is the upside for me and as I see it, my time is not worth its weight in gold. 

So whilst we are given ‘IBM Is Laying Off Thousands of Employees as Its AI Business Surges’ they are also cutting a single digit percentage which in case of their 270,000-person global workforce which implies that up to 25,000 people are being laid off. Now consider where they are and that is not a given, but technical support requires certain people to stay in place and when that is messed with nearly anything can go wrong. Now IBM and Oracle are two of the big boys and they wold have their ships in place. And in that setting we see the Register giving us the setting above. 

So, who else and how much is being slid down the pipeline because some people think of their trolley and forget that other trolleys require assistance. It is in that setting that I think that the larger players need to hold one and rehire their old staff a lot faster before that knowledge goes somewhere else and in both these settings I get to win a better place in the work atmosphere.

Am I right? Am I wrong?

That is usually the question, but I personally believe that I am right because I never expected a player like Oracle getting that part wrong, as such things are looking up to the people who worked their lifetime in Technical Support and Customer Care. Even if it goes more towards a player like Zendesk. The knowledge that they have requires expansion because that knowledge is about to go the way of the Dodo. In other views, they are not the only one and the one who has the most diverse software takes over the others who are lacking. And as I see it, these systems are not enabling systems. They take it all and that is fine, but when we see the kind of failures that Oracle is showing the world, we see a growing set of barriers that could (merely a could here) define the needs for the next decade because all these cost crunchers require AI (which does not yet exist) and now that they are getting nervous, they need to concentrate on what works and what is merely bling for show. As such I feel vindicated is probably the best word. My knowledge is about to get a value upgrade, so I start 2026 feeling rather happy. And of course I could be wrong and I need to consider other venues. Time will tell.

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