8/14/18  The use of * and ** to unpack iterable arguments has been around since 2007 but in squeezing a couple of lines about it into Big Daddy’s General Python Toolbox I realized there is a major benefit to using the technique when combining dictionaries that I have not seen pointed out elsewhere.  Like when creating a set, all duplicates are removed and the new dictionary is “clean”.  Imagine the enormous time saving potential of combining two dictionary data sets that have overlapping elements.