Wednesday, December 17
Headlines
Kyle Mazza/Getty Images
The Brown University shooter is still at large. Four days after a gunman killed two students and injured nine others in a lecture hall at the Ivy League school, the suspect remains at large, according to police. Yesterday, the FBI released new, enhanced video of a masked person of interest and asked for it to be shared widely, offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. Providence Police Chief Oscar L. Perez Jr. said the department has received hundreds of tips. He also directed the public to study the person of interest’s posture and body movements in order to identify him. Officials had detained a man in connection with the shooting and later cleared and released him, but not before his name leaked to the press.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles gave a very candid interview. In a series of conversations with Vanity Fair, Wiles sounded off on President Trump and his inner circle. She reportedly said that Trump “has an alcoholic’s personality,” labeled Vice President JD Vance a “conspiracy theorist,” and called Elon Musk an “avowed” ketamine user (Musk has previously denied using ketamine). Wiles later called the Vanity Fair story “a disingenuously framed hit piece” and said “significant context was disregarded,” but did not deny making any of the statements. In a separate interview with the New York Times, Wiles said she did not make the claim about Musk’s alleged drug use, but the NYT reported that she could be heard saying it on a tape played by the Vanity Fair piece’s author. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the White House remains “united fully behind her.”
FTC alleged that Pepsi tried to raise prices to help Walmart. The soda giant allegedly attempted to hike prices at Walmart’s rivals, while giving Walmart promotions, to ensure the big-box retailer had lower prices than competitors, according to a newly unsealed FTC lawsuit that was filed by the Biden administration but dismissed earlier this year by the Trump administration. A PepsiCo spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that the lawsuit “includes inaccuracies and unsubstantiated allegations.” Prioritizing business with retail giants like Walmart is common practice for consumer goods companies, but critics argue it can lead to higher prices for shoppers who spend elsewhere.—AE
Robert Reich
Friends,
On Monday night, the U.S. military attacked three more boats alleged to have been smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing eight people and bringing the total of known killings to 95.
Why? “We have thousands of troops and our largest aircraft carrier in the Caribbean — but zero, zero explanation for what Trump is trying to accomplish,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said yesterday.
Trump threatens land strikes will soon follow the boat attacks. “By land is a lot easier, and that’s going to start happening,” he told reporters Friday in the Oval Office.
This would represent a major escalation of Trump’s trumped-up war. He’s not ruling out attacks on Latin American countries beyond Venezuela. “It doesn’t necessarily have to be in Venezuela,” Trump added.
At A Glance
Last US pennies sell for $16.8M.
See the latest electric air taxi.
How to protect digital photos from disappearing.
Dinosaur tracks discovered in the Italian Alps.
Survey finds 45% of Gen Z wants cryptocurrency for the holidays.
Should your mom run your dating profile?
Man wins lottery twice but won't quit his delivery job.
Twenty-five cultural moments that defined 2025.
In partnership: Audiologists tested 17 hearing aids. One redefines clarity.*
Clickbait: Meet the grandma stand.
... and want to see something cool? Surprise me.
Historybook: Wright brothers make first successful airplane flight (1903); Pope Francis born (1936); "The Simpsons" series makes television debut (1989); American actress Jennifer Jones dies (2009); North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il dies (2011).
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Scottie Scheffler named PGA Tour Player of the Year, becoming the first golfer to receive the honor at least four consecutive years since Tiger Woods, who holds a record five-year streak (More)
> Mariah Carey to sing at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony (Feb. 6); she is the first international star named to perform (More)
> Anthony Geary, best known for playing Luke Spencer in the daytime drama "General Hospital," dies at age 78 (More)
Science & Technology
> Trump administration seeks roughly 1,000 early career technology specialists to modernize government systems and accelerate AI adoption—an initiative called the "US Tech Force" (More)
> Researchers build robots the size of single-celled organisms that can make decisions and act independently; devices could facilitate advances in biological research and medical diagnostics (More)
> Medical researchers discover how the human gut produces antibodies that kill pathogens; the approach could inspire new vaccines against intestinal and respiratory pathogens, such as norovirus and the flu (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.2%, Dow -0.1%, Nasdaq -0.6%) as investors wait for today's release of November jobs report (More)
> Roomba maker iRobot files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, with Chinese supplier taking the 35-year-old company private; iRobot shares closed down nearly 73% (More) | Ford to record more than $19B hit to profits as it scales back EV plans; figure is one of the largest impairments taken by a company (More)
> Spain fines Airbnb $75M for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals as the country grapples with a housing affordability issue (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Search continues for Brown University shooter who killed two people, wounded nine others Saturday; police release video of the alleged suspect, identify shooting victims as freshman Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, sophomore Ella Cook (More)
> The US agrees to provide Ukraine with security guarantees in exchange for reaching a peace deal to end the war with Russia (More) | President Donald Trump sues BBC for total of $10B in damages, accusing the broadcaster of defamation (More)
> Three Seattle suburbs forced to evacuate after a levee fails following a week of heavy rain (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
What's Best for Whom?
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I don't belong to any political party and when I vote for that person who I believe is going to help this country more than the party to which they belong.
FOR EXAMPLE, I am
- for low taxes
- for a balanced budget
- against a high national debt
- against illegal immigration
- for abortion
- for term limits
- for small government
- for economic growth
- for technology
- against lobbyists
- against robots replacing jobs
If there is someone out there who supports these items, then I will vote for them in a heartbeat.
Unfortunately, very few politicians are going to support a bill/law that sets term limits for senators and representatives. They are cutting their own throat if they do, even if it is what's best for the country.
I am also against debt especially a national debt that is as high as our debt currently is and growing. It is easy to spend money when it is borrowed from someone else. Most of us, but not all of us, are careful with how we spend our money.
I have been debt free for twenty years and I remember vividly how we had to struggle to get there but we got there and I wouldn't go back for all the tea in China.,
Shaping quantum light unlocks new possibilities for future technologies
Researchers from Wits University and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona show how controlling the structure of photons in space and time enables tailored quantum states for next-generation communication, sensing and imaging. Credit: Wits University
Researchers from the School of Physics at Wits University, working with collaborators from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, have demonstrated how quantum light can be engineered in space and time to create high-dimensional and multidimensional quantum states. Their work highlights how structured photons—light whose spatial, temporal or spectral properties are deliberately shaped—offer new pathways for high-capacity quantum communication and advanced quantum technologies.
Published as a review article in Nature Photonics, the study surveys rapid progress in techniques capable of creating, manipulating and detecting quantum structured light. These include on-chip integrated photonics, nonlinear optics, and multiplane light conversion, which now form a modern and increasingly powerful toolkit. Together, these advances are bringing structured quantum states closer to real-world applications in imaging, sensing, and quantum networks.
Tuesday, December 16
Headlines
Laura Cavanaugh/FilmMagic
Rob Reiner’s son Nick arrested on suspicion of murder in his parents’ deaths. After legendary Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found fatally stabbed in their home on Sunday, police arrested the couple’s son Nick Reiner, 32, and the Los Angeles chief of police said yesterday that he had been “booked for murder.” As of yesterday, he was being held without bail. Nick Reiner co-wrote the 2015 film Being Charlie, which his father directed, about his struggle with drug addiction. Correction: Yesterday’s newsletter mistakenly referred to Rob Reiner by his father’s name, Carl, on first reference. Carl Reiner died of natural causes in 2020. We regret the error.
Ford expects a $19.5 billion hit from pulling back on EVs. The automaker said yesterday that its strategy shift away from electric vehicles and toward hybrids will reduce its profit in the near-term. The decision to put its EV plans into reverse means Ford will stop producing an all-electric version of its signature F-150 Lightning pickup truck and will instead offer it as an extended-range EV that will include a gas-powered generator capable of recharging its battery. Ford CEO Jim Farley said the move away from EVs would ultimately “create a stronger, more resilient and more profitable Ford.” Its EV business had already cost Ford $13 billion since 2023, per the Wall Street Journal. The retreat from EVs puts US automakers out of step with Chinese competitors that are shaking up the industry by selling cheap electric models.
Zillow may be getting an Alphabet-sized competitor. There are few areas of online search that Google doesn’t dominate, but real estate listings is one of them…for now. The search giant appears to be testing displaying its own real estate listings at the top of search results, and that news sent Zillow’s stock down more than 9% yesterday, like the price of a house where they’ve just discovered cracks in the foundation. Still, analysts were quick to point out that a little (massive) competition might not be so bad for Zillow, which isn’t very dependent on organic search traffic for its pageviews.—AR
Robert Reich
A view from our neighbor
Friends,
Some of the most useful insights into what’s happening to America are coming from political analysts outside the United States. Here’s a particularly lucid essay by Andrew Coyne that appeared in the December 5 edition of Canada’s The Globe and Mail.
***
Donald Trump — and American democracy — is getting exponentially worse
Andrew Coyne
I wish I could say I told you so. A point I have tried to make over the last year or so is that Donald Trump can only get worse: that however corrupt or incompetent or dictatorial or treasonous or insane he may appear at any given moment, it will inevitably come to be seen as a relative golden age beside what is to come.
At A Glance
"Slop" is the latest word of the year.... and a glossary of the last century of slang.
Next year's baby name predictions.
Countries that drink the most wine per capita.
The "Home Alone" house is undergoing a major renovation.
... and 23 behind-the-scenes facts about the holiday classic.
ill a fish disco prevent murder on the seafloor?
Chemistry says these are the best chocolate chip cookies.
Clickbait: Scientists found Little Foot.
... and want to see something cool? Surprise me.
Historybook: Ludwig van Beethoven born (1770); Boston Tea Party occurs (1773); Author Jane Austen born (1775); Anthropologist Margaret Mead born (1901); World War II’s Battle of the Bulge begins (1944).
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Two people are found dead at film director Rob Reiner's home in Brentwood, California; police had not identified the deceased as of this writing, though the age descriptions appeared to match those of Reiner and his wife, Michele (More)
> John Cena retires from wrestling after losing his final WWE match to Gunther; the 17-time WWE world champion is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time (More) | Explore what we've learned about pro wrestling (More)
> New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs advance to NBA Cup finals, streaming tomorrow at 8:30 pm ET on Amazon Prime Video (More)
Science & Technology
> SpaceX Falcon 9 launch marks the 550th time the company has successfully recovered its reusable rocket booster; milestone comes days ahead of the 10-year anniversary of its first demonstration (More) | Explore our favorite resources on SpaceX (1440 Topics)
> US health regulators approve two new drugs to treat gonorrhea; the sexually transmitted disease infects about 80 million people globally per year, with drug-resistant strains becoming prevalent (More)
> Scientists create first human heart organoid that can replicate atrial fibrillation; organoids are 3D, lab-grown organ-like structures (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close down Friday (S&P 500 -1.1%, Dow -0.5%, Nasdaq -1.7%), driven by anxiety in AI stocks; Broadcom falls 11% despite beating Q4 projections (More)
> United Kingdom GDP unexpectedly shrinks 0.1% in October; analysts say data increases likelihood Bank of England cuts interest rates this week (More)
> US software firm ServiceNow reportedly close to acquiring cybersecurity company Armis for $7B; would be ServiceNow's largest deal in company history (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> ISIS shooter kills at least three Americans—two US soldiers and one civilian interpreter—in Palmyra, Syria; President Donald Trump vows retaliation (More)
> Israel kills a senior Hamas commander in Gaza, the most high-profile killing since ceasefire took effect two months ago (More) | Thailand says Cambodia rocket killed a Thai civilian, first civilian death amid renewed border clashes (More)
> Chileans elect right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast as president in runoff election (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Upside Down
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Our world is UPSIDE-DOWN as we are experiencing things that we should never experience to the degree that we are experiencing them.
So, what am I talking about?
- The DOJ attacks on Trump
- The reckless inflow of illegal immigrants
- The insane resistance to everything President Trump tries to do
- The needless killing of people in the USA
- Mainstream media that distorts the truth to change the narrative
- The demand of Americans for illegal drugs
- The LIES that Democrats share with the public
- The FRAUD that the Democrats have perpetuated since Obama
- The insatiable wealth gap
- The lack of K-12 education
While our country is still the most powerful economically and militarily, CHINA is making extraordinary GAINS on us like the generation of twice the electricity that we are currently generating.
Why is that important?
Electricity is exactly what we need to support our DEMAND for Artificial Intelligence.
Whoever wins the battle for AI, will have complete control of the future as AI is in the process of being a part of LIFE that will control 110% of everything that is going on...
If China wins, where does that leave NUMBER TWO?
The art of understated genius
We often assume that intelligence reveals itself loudly—through big accomplishments, impressive vocabulary, or the kind of confidence that fills a room. But the truth is far more interesting.
Some of the most intelligent people you’ll ever meet don’t broadcast it at all. They blend in. They observe. They listen more than they speak. And because they don’t feel the need to prove themselves, their depth often goes unnoticed.
I’ve always been fascinated by this kind of quiet, understated genius—the kind that never needs a spotlight, yet shapes conversations, relationships, and ideas in subtle but powerful ways.
Here are 10 signs someone may be far more intelligent than they let on.
Monday, December 15
Headlines
David Gray/Getty Images
Sydney reels after Hanukkah terror attack kills at least 15. Two men identified as father and son Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram opened fire at a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday. As of 9:30am local time on Monday morning, the death toll stood at 15, while 40 people remained hospitalized. Hundreds had gathered to participate in a Chanukah by the Sea event to commemorate the first night of Hanukkah, presented by the international Jewish organization Chabad. Victims’ names have not officially been released, but the list is said to include children and the elderly. Chabad of Bondi’s Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, was one of the victims killed, the organization said. Sajid Akram,50, was killed by police at the scene. Naveed Akram, 24, “suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard,” according to the New South Wales Police. Authorities believe both men had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the terrorist attack “an act of pure evil” that “deliberately targeted” the Jewish community, as concerns grow over rising antisemitic violence in Australia and around the world. President Trump also condemned the shooting as a “purely antisemitic attack.” Mass shooting at Brown University leaves 2 dead, 9 injured. On Saturday afternoon, a gunman opened fire during a final exam review for a Principles of Economics class at Brown University in Providence, RI, killing at least two students and injuring nine others. The mayor of Providence said in a news briefing yesterday that not all the shooting victims’ families had been reached at that time as some were traveling, and that victims’ identities would not be released publicly until proper notification was made. Yesterday evening, federal agents detained a person of interest at a Hampton Inn hotel 20 miles south of Providence, whom they later released. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said that evidence “now points in a different direction” and that the investigation would “proceed very carefully” after the original person of interest’s name was leaked to the public. In a statement last night, Brown University said, “Local police have advised they do not believe there is any immediate threat to Brown or the local community.” Carl Reiner and his wife, Michele, killed in “apparent homicide.” On Sunday afternoon, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a medical aid request and found a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman unresponsive, and a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation told the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity that the deceased were the home’s owners and occupants, the actor–director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner. That source also told the outlet that the victims appeared to suffer stab wounds and that a family member was being questioned by investigators. Los Angeles authorities have not publicly identified the couple, but LAPD Capt. Mike Bland said detectives with the Robbery Homicide Division were investigating the incident as a “possible homicide.” Reiner, the son of legendary comedian Carl Reiner, rose to fame playing Mike Stivic on the sitcom All in the Family and went on to direct a string of classics, including This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, and When Harry Met Sally. Rob said last year that his relationship with Michele inspired him to change the ending of When Harry Met Sally from sad to happy.—HVL
Robert Reich
Republican senators in the Hoosier State, whose civic tradition won out over fanatical political warfare
Friends,
Especially in these dark times, it’s important to salute courageous individuals who stand up to Trump’s tyranny.
My latest Joseph Welch Award (named after the courageous attorney who stood up to Joseph McCarthy in the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings) goes to the 21 Indiana Senate Republicans who stood up to Trump last Thursday.
Indiana’s GOP-controlled state Senate rejected 31 to 19 the map that would have gerrymandered two more safe red seats. The vote may have imperiled the Republican Party’s chances of holding control of Congress next November, but it strengthened American democracy.
The failed vote was the culmination of a no-holds-barred, four-month pressure campaign from Trump and his White House on recalcitrant Indiana Republicans. The pressure included private meetings and public shaming from Trump, along with Trump’s threats to primary them next time they’re up for election (“They … should DO THEIR JOB, AND DO IT NOW!” Trump posted. “If not, let’s get them out of office.”).
At A Glance
Explore the size of life—from DNA to humans and beyond.
Extinct animals you likely don't know about.
See Reuters' best aerial photographs of the year.
How Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are made.
Exploring the etiquette around Venmo requests.
Imagining out-of-the-box Christmas tree styles.
Third-century fresco of Jesus in a toga found in Turkey.
Tiny orange toadlet discovered in Brazil.
Clickbait: Watch albatrosses incubating other albatrosses.
... and want to see something cool? Surprise me.
Historybook: US Bill of Rights ratified, becomes law (1791); Eiffel Tower builder Gustave Eiffel born (1832); Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull killed (1890); Walt Disney dies (1966); Actress Joan Fontaine dies (2013).
In The NEWS
First in (Controlled) Flight
What's the significance of the Wright brothers?
Brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright are credited with creating and flying the world’s first sustained, controlled, heavier-than-air aircraft. One-time bicycle mechanics with only some public high school education, the two made history in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on Dec. 17, 1903, when they successfully flew a 600-pound, 40-foot-wide plane over 120 feet in 12 seconds under its own power.
Building on the work of gliding pioneers, the pair invented the three-axis system—a standard in aircraft today—to control the plane’s flight at every stage, allowing pilots to direct movement from nose to tail (pitch), wing to wing (roll), and top to bottom (yaw) (watch breakdown). Their scientific, documented approach to aviation pioneered the use of wind tunnels, aluminum crankcases in engines, and more, laying the foundation for the industry.
Adoption and large-scale production of their airplanes took time, in part because many observers doubted their claims and the practicality of powered flight. In 1908, a series of public demonstration flights in the US and France finally convinced skeptics and brought the Wright brothers international fame, spurring a wave of competitors, imitators, and lawsuits.
... Read our full explainer on the duo here.
Also, check out ...
> Peruse the Wrights' personal collection of more than 300 photos. (Look)
> Inspiring takeaways from famed historian David McCullough's popular 2015 "Wright Brothers" book. (Listen)
> There's debate about who really was "first in flight." (Read)
> A piece of the Wright Flyer flew on the first powered flight on Mars. (Read)
Digitized Collectibles
NFTs, explained
Nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, are unique digital assets stored on a blockchain that represent ownership of images, GIFs, songs, videos, virtual plots of land, and more.
Unlike “fungible” assets that can be exchanged for an identical asset, including the US dollar and bitcoin, NFTs are not interchangeable, making them more similar to fine art than currency. Each NFT is unique and verifiable on the blockchain.
NFTs helped bring a huge wave of attention and investment to the crypto space, despite hype for the digital assets fading over time.
As NFT scams have become increasingly common, the space’s credibility has been questioned. Proponents don’t think these incidents overshadow the space’s potential, given that NFTs can benefit artists and other creators by generating new income sources through the assets’ initial sale and, potentially, ongoing royalties when they’re resold.
... Read our full write-up on NFTs here.
Also, check out ...
> The most expensive NFT ever sold for $92M. (Read)
> NFT trading peaked in 2021 and has since significantly declined. (Read)
> A celebrity's NFT was "kidnapped" in 2022. (Listen)
> Examine the pros and cons of NFTs. (Read)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
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