Raising An Eyebrow

This is both strange but true.

The Eyebrow Auto Brake—a car braking system operated by the driver’s eyebrows—featured in Popular Mechanics magazine, 1965.

It is not a real safety system.  Rather, it is a tongue-in-cheek illustration of a car that braked when the driver raised their eyebrows.  The idea played on the notion that drivers instinctively widen their eyes (and lift eyebrows) in moments of surprise or danger.  Sensors were humorously depicted as detecting eyebrow movement and triggering the brakes.

Mid-1960s Popular Mechanics occasionally published April-Fools-style concepts and speculative futurism.  Naturally,these columns appeared during an era when:  Power brakes were still not universal, seat belts were controversial and real automated safety systems were a figment of most people's imagination.

Fast forward to today - six decades later - and safety technology commonly found in today's vehicles.  Including but not limited to:

Seat and shoulder belts, anti-lock brakes, airbags, crumple zones with passenger cabin safety cages, traction control, rear-view camera, adaptive cruise control, speed limit recognition, automatic high beams, electronic stability control, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, front and rear parking sensors - including autonomous parking, automatic reverse braking, lane departure warning and lane-keeping assistance, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, intersection collision detection with evasive steering assist and 360 degree camera systems.

And let's not forget the eyebrows; there is driver attention and drowsiness monitoring too.  If my eyes wander for only a second too long my daily drive issues a visual and audible warning.  Don't think about this very hard - this technology is going to keep older drivers on the road; longer and safer than ever before.

Popular Mechanics may have been pulling someone's leg in 1965 yet they were prescient. 

Friday Fish Fry

‘Tis the Lenten Season. Yet, just because it is Lent is not to imply starvation. 

It is Friday. And in the Roman Catholic tradition of the Christian faith there is a fish fry.  Wild-caught pickerel (walleye) from our friendly neighbors north of the border. 

The secret is a light brining of the fillets, a dusting of seasoned Wondra flour, dip in egg wash and Panko crumbs.

Fry in hot canola oil, turn only once. 

Pretty good chow if you can get it.

By the way. See how light it is at quarter of 6?  Daylight savings is only a little more than a week away.

Friday Music

 

Written in 1969 by John Lennon and credited to both Lennon and McCartney this tune covers the events surrounding the wedding of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

It was the Beatles' 17th Number One hit in the UK and their last for 54 years until Now and Then in 2023.  

Meanwhile in the US it was banned by some radio stations as a consequence of the lyric's reference to Christ and crucifixion.

The single peaked at Number Eight on the US Billboard Hot 100.  And it was the first single by the Beatles to be released in stereo.

This is a really fun cover record at John Lennon's Memorial at Central Park, NYC, October 9, 2022.

The Ballad of John and Yoko... 

A Disturbance In The Force

The first of my age cohort, the Baby Boomers, turn 80 this year, 2026.  Born between 1946 and 1964 all 76.4 million of us are kicking-off the new year with our growing dominance of consumer spending.  Why is this important anyway?  The US economy is primarily service-driven; not manufacturing.  Consequently, consumer spending accounts for roughly 68-70% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This means that consumer spending is the largest component of the U.S. economy, and a major driver of economic growth.  More old people and fewer young ones are reshaping jobs and spending in all kinds of ways.  There's nothing nefarious about any of this; it's pure demographics. For instance, nearly all of January's job growth came from the healthcare and social assistance sectors with healthcare employment as the largest contributor to labor market growth in 2025.  

For any of you reading this who happen to be a dues-paying boomer ask yourself what of any of the following applies to you and your own situation. 

Exhibit 1 - The collective wealth of the baby boomers - estimated at over $78 trillion - is fundamentally reordering the global economy.  Retired and no longer accumulating assets boomers are spending discretionary funds while prioritizing quality of life over material accumulation.  Consider this: While younger generations may be tightening their belts due to inflation; boomers are the principal drivers behind a $544 billion travel market in 2026.  

Exhibit 2 - Boomers are more proactive with regard to medical care and lifestyle choices.  Whether it is preventative medicine, diet, exercise, active recreation and smartwatches boomers are investing in their future.  While some may choose to downsize, many are investing in their current homes and choosing to age in place.  This includes high-end appliances, landscaping, home improvements and upgrades in accessibility and other services to simplify daily life. 

Exhibit 3 - Value-based frugality.  Despite their wealth, it took a lifetime of saving, sacrificing and investing for boomers to get to where they are.  Consequently, they remain incredibly value-conscious.  Boomers demonstrate consistent brand loyalty and are more likely to drive their vehicles for longer periods than most Americans. They'll invest in home improvements if they believe it will add value to a future sale.  They're also less likely to spend on themselves and more likely to spend on their family members. 

To be clear, everyone's personal situation is different.  Moreover, as a cancer survivor I am smart enough to understand that anyone's number can be up at any time. Consequently, one day at a time.  Nevertheless, there's no escaping the fact that boomers are growing as a share of the overall aging population.  This demographic, referred to as the pig moving thru the python, along with their financial muscle is going to influence all sorta new business startups and marketing trends.  It's a good time to be alive.

Sound like anybody you know?

Update On The Peanut Gizmo

On the recommendation of my pal, Braumeister, at the start of this month I hung the contraption you see below from a branch on a red maple in our yard.  It is a bird feeder that you fill with peanuts.  Peanuts in the shell; raw, unsalted.   

I bought a big bag of nuts at a local bird food joint.  And while they're clearly labeled:  NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION I suppose if I tried one I don't think it would kill me.  But you never know.  

It took a few days for the local birds to figure-out what it's for and now I'm restocking it almost twice a week.  I figure before too long some other undesirable critter is going to discover it; so it's hung on a branch (likely limber-enough to NOT support a large mammal) from a carabiner using a length of army-surplus metal cable parachute rigging connected to the feeder.  It might just be raccoon-resistant.

These four photographs are a bit of an experiment.  It's an old trail camera on its last legs and the position is all wrong as it's aimed generally into the sun.  I'm thinking I'll have to reposition the cam 180 degrees and relocate the feeder - if the tree and its branches allow.

Photos are from this morning.  Chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay and a downy woodpecker.

Stay-tuned....

 

How To Blow-up The Budget

From the WSJ there is this.

According to projections from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) U.S. debt will rise to more than 100% of U.S. gross Domestic product (GDP) before the end of this year. 

Debt held by the public will balloon to more than $56 trillion by 2036 as annual deficits continue to mount, according to the latest projections from the Congressional Budget Office.  By later this year, the federal debt held by the public is expected to surpass the size of the entire U.S. economy.

The main drivers:  increased spending on entitlement programs as the nation's population ages as well as rising costs related to paying interest on the debt itself.  Republicans have taken issue with the projections, suggesting the CBO's assumptions on economic growth are too low.

Here's a closer look at the numbers, in five easy charts.

The CBO projects that the annual U.S. budget deficit will top $3 trillion by fiscal year 2036. The deficit was briefly that high when the federal government spent heavily during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

By fiscal year 2036, the deficit will hit 6.7% of GDP, up from 5.8% in 2025.

Social Security and Medicare costs will drive mandatory spending to 15% of GDP by fiscal year 2036. Mounting debt will increase spending on net interest to nearly 5% of GDP.

CBO projects a $23 trillion deficit from 2026 to 2035, up around $1.4 trillion from its last projection. Tariff revenue will only partly offset effects of the GOP’s ‘one big, beautiful’ tax law.*

Debt held by the public will surpass 100% of GDP this year and is projected to exceed 120% by fiscal year 2036.

 *Projected revenues generated by import taxes are uncertain as a consequence of the recent SCOTUS decision.

  

Captains Of Market Cap

In case you missed it, only four of the 10 largest companies in America were on the list ten years ago:  Apple, Microsoft, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase.

Technology companies - like the Magnificent Seven - are so ubiquitous some days they seems like they'll be around forever.  Nevertheless, change is like trying to sip from a fire hose.  It can change in a giant gush.

Fun Fact:  In 2015 the total market capitalization of the top ten was $3.2 trillion.  By the close of 2025 it was a staggering $19.4 trillion. 

Funny how things change over time.  You snooze; you miss something.