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...
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.
1945 – Victory in Europe Day (VE Day): Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender takes effect, bringing World War II in Europe to an end and triggering celebrations across the Allied world.
1933 – Gandhi’s 21‑day fast: Mohandas Gandhi begins a 21‑day fast of “self‑purification,” launching a year-long campaign in support of the Harijan (Dalit) movement in India.
