The rambling ponderings of Eric "Gub" Snyder. I'm incurably curious. I ponder things like AI, the environment, sustainability, stranded assets, environmental stewardship, waste, waste reduction, thriving simply, living simply, genealogy, history, calendars, personal productivity...
Anthropic, maker of the Claude chatbot, told investors its revenue in the first quarter of 2026 was about 80 times higher than the same period a year ago, with an annual run rate now above 44 billion dollars. Two years ago it had roughly a dozen customers spending over 1 million dollars a year; today that number is above 500, showing how fast big companies are standardizing on AI services.
Historic Events on May 11:
868 – The earliest surviving dated printed book, the "Diamond Sutra," was produced in China, one of the most important texts in Mahayana Buddhism now housed in the British Library
1927 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded, the organization that would become synonymous with the Oscars
1949 – Israel joined the United Nations
If you feel like AI headlines are speeding up, you’re not imagining it. This weekend brings new AI models, quiet software changes on our computers, and governments trying to catch up with the technology.
1774 – Louis XVI becomes King of France, inheriting a financial and political crisis that will help set the stage for the French Revolution.
1869 – The first U.S. transcontinental railroad is completed at Promontory Summit, linking Atlantic and Pacific coasts and transforming global trade and migration routes.
1872 – Victoria Woodhull becomes the first woman nominated for the U.S. presidency, a landmark in the long struggle for women’s political rights.
Daily AI Update for Curious Retirees – May 9, 2026A calm, plain‑language look at what actually changed in artificial intelligence this week, and why it might matter in everyday life.
Today’s AI news is dominated by huge investments in new “smart assistants,” early medical breakthroughs, and governments finally moving from talk to action on AI rules.
On this day in history, remarkable events shaped our world across continents. In 1429, Joan of Arc lifted the English siege of Orléans, marking a turning point in the Hundred Years' War. Christopher Columbus departed Spain in 1502 for his fourth and final voyage to the New World.
A short, plain‑language look at what’s new in artificial intelligence today, written for curious retirees rather than tech workers or governments.
