Sunday, April 13
Robert Reich
Sunday thought
Fighting the regime’s cruelty
Friends,
It’s been another grueling week.
Several of you have asked me how to live in a nation whose leader has embraced cruelty as public policy. How do we inhabit Trump’s America without becoming complicit in this cruelty?
Molly watched Trump sign the executive order initiating criminal investigations of Miles Taylor (who wrote an anonymous 2018 New York Times op-ed describing internal resistance to Trump in his first term) and Christopher Krebs (who played a major role in undercutting Trump’s false claims about 2020 election fraud).
Molly asks: Is this America?
No, Molly, it is not — at least not the America we have known and loved.
Others of you are thunderstruck by Trump’s cruelty toward refugees who fled violence and have been living in the United States legally but are now being forced to return to their home countries and face more violence.
At A Glance
Society & Culture
> Why Canadians say "eh."
> Why Canadians say "eh."
> What is pumpernickel bread?
> Monet's stepdaughter, Blanche, was a world-class artist, too.
> Listen to a polyphonic feast in Lakushdi, Georgia.
> The two-decade Elton John-Madonna feud, explained.
World History
> The mystery of obsidian and magnetite in birds and Toltec culture.
> A history of the manicule, or the little hands used in typography.
> What did democracy really mean in ancient Athens?
> A reading of choice graffiti messages on ancient Roman walls.
> Yes, there were hospitals in medieval times.
Business & Finance
> The matchmakers serving the elite of Silicon Valley.
> Mapping the world's largest silver miners.
> The design company responsible for over 2,000 Irish pubs worldwide.
> How WellHub founder Cesar Carvalho is investing in wellness.
> The investors looking toward the ocean as the true final frontier.
Health & Medicine
> How epileptic seizures can potentially alter consciousness.
> Measles can weaken immune cell memory.
> Is there a sperm count and fertility crisis?
> Why marriages are more at risk when the woman is sick.
> What is bipolar disorder?
Science & Technology
> What if we threw our trash into volcanoes?
> How the beaver became Canada's national symbol.
> Footage of Firefly Aerospace's successful moon landing last month.
> How Cristina Roccati became a "prince" of 18th-century Italian science.
> The high-tech engineering within the epic Roman Colosseum.
> Monet's stepdaughter, Blanche, was a world-class artist, too.
> Listen to a polyphonic feast in Lakushdi, Georgia.
> The two-decade Elton John-Madonna feud, explained.
World History
> The mystery of obsidian and magnetite in birds and Toltec culture.
> A history of the manicule, or the little hands used in typography.
> What did democracy really mean in ancient Athens?
> A reading of choice graffiti messages on ancient Roman walls.
> Yes, there were hospitals in medieval times.
Business & Finance
> The matchmakers serving the elite of Silicon Valley.
> Mapping the world's largest silver miners.
> The design company responsible for over 2,000 Irish pubs worldwide.
> How WellHub founder Cesar Carvalho is investing in wellness.
> The investors looking toward the ocean as the true final frontier.
Health & Medicine
> How epileptic seizures can potentially alter consciousness.
> Measles can weaken immune cell memory.
> Is there a sperm count and fertility crisis?
> Why marriages are more at risk when the woman is sick.
> What is bipolar disorder?
Science & Technology
> What if we threw our trash into volcanoes?
> How the beaver became Canada's national symbol.
> Footage of Firefly Aerospace's successful moon landing last month.
> How Cristina Roccati became a "prince" of 18th-century Italian science.
> The high-tech engineering within the epic Roman Colosseum.
In The NEWS
China raises retaliatory tariff on American goods to 125% from 84%.
The new tariff is set to go into effect today and comes after the US raised its cumulative tariff on Chinese imports to 145%. The world's two biggest economies haven't signaled any immediate plans for trade negotiations. China is expected to file another lawsuit with the World Trade Organization against the US tariffs. Trade between China and the US reached $583B last year, with a $295B US deficit. See an explainer on how tariffs could impact the US and global economy here.
Spanish Siemens executive and family killed in Hudson River crash.
Agustín Escobar, his wife, Mercè Camprubí Montal, and their three young children (all under the age of 11) were aboard the helicopter, along with the pilot, when it broke apart midair and crashed in the Hudson River Thursday. The family had been flying along a popular route showcasing the New York City skyline as part of a birthday trip for Camprubí Montal. See video of the crash here (warning—sensitive).
Separately, all three people aboard a small plane were killed Friday when the aircraft crashed in Boca Raton, Florida, due to mechanical issues.
Blue Origin's upcoming all-female spaceflight to launch Monday.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin NS-31 mission is set to be the first all-female spaceflight since 1963, when the Soviet Union’s Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space during a three-day solo mission. The crew will launch from West Texas and includes aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, film producer Kerianne Flynn, activist Amanda Nguyễn, CBS Mornings host Gayle King, pop singer Katy Perry, and former TV host and Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez.
Ancient jawbone found in sea linked to mysterious human ancestors.
A fossilized jawbone discovered off Taiwan's coast has been identified as belonging to a Denisovan, marking the first confirmed presence of this ancient human relative in Southeast Asia. The finding, based on protein analysis, expands the Denisovans' known habitat range from Siberia and Tibet to subtropical regions, highlighting their adaptability. Explore the human family tree here.
Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell appeals case to Supreme Court.
Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for aiding Jeffrey Epstein in the sexual abuse of underage girls, has petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn her conviction, arguing she was protected by Epstein's 2007 nonprosecution agreement. Her appeal follows repeated rejections by lower courts, which ruled the deal applied only within Florida and didn't shield her from prosecution in New York.
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Christians
Why would I think that?
Well... look at the state of the world, look at the state of the USA, look at the state that the state in which you live is in...
- Why is there so much hate?
- Why is there so much crime?
- Why is there such a problem with illegal drugs?
- Why is there so much divorce?
If the Christians that attend church each Sunday were really the Christians that they profess to be, do you think we would really be in the shape that we are in???
Why is there such an animosity between labor and management if our Christians managers were the kind of Christians they claim to be???
For instance...
I was a professor at a CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY...
My Dean, Provost, VP of Academics all of whom were PhD and extreme Christians were the worst people I had ever come across in how they treated the people they hired. They were all vindictive, back-stabbing, cut-throat, and self-serving.
What I have seen during my 77 years of life is that MOST CHRISTIANS DON'T PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH...
A 56-Qubit Quantum Computer Just Did What No Supercomputer Can
Researchers have achieved a major quantum computing breakthrough: certified randomness, a process where a quantum computer generates truly random numbers, which are then proven to be genuinely random by classical supercomputers.
This innovation has deep implications for cryptography, fairness, and security, and marks a shift from theoretical potential to practical, real-world applications of quantum advantage.
Milestone in Quantum Computing Unveiled
In a new study published in Nature, researchers from JPMorganChase, Quantinuum, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and The University of Texas at Austin report a major milestone in quantum computing, with promising implications for cryptography, data privacy, and fairness.
In a new study published in Nature, researchers from JPMorganChase, Quantinuum, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and The University of Texas at Austin report a major milestone in quantum computing, with promising implications for cryptography, data privacy, and fairness.
Saturday, April 12
Robert Reich
Is Trump Fu*king the Economy? | The Coffee Klatch for April 12, 2025
With Heather Lofthouse and yours truly, Robert Reich
Friends,
Today, Heather and I take a deep dive into this week’s wild ride in the stock and bond markets — why it occurred and what it means. Ten and a half weeks ago, the American and world economies were in fairly good shape, but now there’s a serious risk of what’s called “stagflation.” Tens of millions of people could be seriously hurt. And even more will be hurt if the Republican budget plan goes through, cutting Medicaid and/or Medicare and/or Social Security. So what should be done? What should Democrats do? How will all this end?
At A Glance
> $3M: What NASA is offering to anyone who can recycle poop in space.
> 10%: The percentage of all apartments in the US that are owned by private equity.
Browse
> Why do cowboys say "yee-haw?"
> Ranking minerals and gems—from softest to hardest.
> New York City's first new subway map in decades.
> The 10 colors everyone is painting their homes.
> Why our fingers wrinkle in water.
Listen
> The 270-day life of the weird, gelatinous orb known as the placenta.
Watch
> Meet the staff of the real "White Lotus" hotel in Thailand.
> The evolution of every type of eye in the animal kingdom.
> Geese prevent golfers from retrieving their golf balls.
Long Read
> How stress affects tumors and shapes cancer's course.
> Madness, melancholy, or murder: an investigation into the 50-year-old mystery of the Luxton siblings who died on a farm.
Most Clicked This Week: What is your state's median household income?
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture> The 2025 Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24) lineup announced, headlined by films from Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater; see full festival lineup (More)
> Film director James Toback ordered to pay $1.68B in damages to 40 women for alleged sexual assault that spanned 40 years (More)
> All-British cast version of "Saturday Night Live" to launch in 2026 on UK broadcaster Sky; "SNL" creator Lorne Michaels will executive produce the show (More)
Science & Technology
> OpenAI adds feature allowing ChatGPT to use past conversations to inform answers, framing the capability as referencing "memories" (More) | DoorDash launches robot delivery in Chicago and Los Angeles (More)
> La Niña, the weather phenomenon driven by cold water in the Pacific Ocean, disappears after a short-lived three months (More) | How El Niño and La Niña influence global climate patterns (More)
> Scientists develop brain cell graft that can be applied without triggering rejection by the immune system; approach may enable new treatments for neurological diseases like Parkinson's (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets tumble (S&P 500 -3.5%, Dow -2.5%, Nasdaq -4.3%) after White House confirms cumulative tariffs on Chinese imports will total 145% (More)
> US consumer price index falls to 2.4% year over year in March from 2.8% in February; excluding food and energy, core inflation rose 2.8% year over year—the lowest rate for core inflation since March 2021 (More) | Egg prices rise to record-high of $6.23 per dozen in March, up roughly 60% from a year ago (More)
> Former OpenAI CTO Mira Murati, reportedly aiming for $2B fundraising target for her generative AI startup, Thinking Machines Labs, in what could be the largest seed round in history (More) | How generative AI works (1440 Topics)
Politics & World Affairs
> Supreme Court rules Trump administration must begin process of returning Maryland man wrongfully sent to El Salvador prison (More) | See overview of case (More)
> Six people dead after a helicopter crashes into the Hudson River, with rescue crews recovering the bodies of all three adults and three children; authorities are investigating the crash (More)
> House lawmakers, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R, LA-4), adopt Senate's budget resolution in a 216-214 vote to begin carrying out President Donald Trump's agenda on taxes, energy, and immigration (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Downsizing
My wife and I retired 10 years ago, and 2 years ago we decided to downsize. We went from a 3,000 square foot home to a 1,400 square foot home; from an acre lot to let than a 1/4 acre lot. Mowing and trimming used to take 3 hours, now it take an hour. We went from a house on two levels to a house on one level.
However, we have exactly the living space we need, not too little and not too much.
I purchased my first home in 1975 and have own my own home ever since, despite living in the south on low wages.
The 3,000 square foot house in East TN, cost 50% less than a 3,000 square foot house in the Piedmont of NC. and even less around the suburbs of Washington, DC or New York City.
I suppose it is what one gets used to that makes a difference... for example, those who leave NYC for the south are going to have culture shock when it comes to the nightlife and entertainment.
The same holds true for southerners who decide to move up north for higher wages.
But, downsizing is different. Once you reach a certain age, the size of what you live in does not really matter, at least it does not matter to us.
There are some people who own 12,000 to 15,000 square foot homes and I doubt that they spend much time in all the rooms. Quest rooms only used when quests arrive. Dining rooms that are used maybe once or twice a year. Formal living rooms and non formal living rooms; libraries and studys that are occasionally used for privacy.
Then there is the cost of heating, cooling, cleaning, and making sure the furniture does not go out of date. But... if you have that much money, it doesn't really matter much.
Still, I see no reason to have what you're not going to use.
Archaeological breakthrough as 'lost city' found 4,000ft under Giza pyramids could be far older than originally thought
A team of Italian and Scottish archaeologists has made a controversial claim that a "lost city" beneath the Giza pyramids could be thousands of years older than experts originally believed.
If true, their findings could dramatically transform human understanding of ancient civilisations and history.
Now, the researchers have asserted that the Giza pyramids in Egypt are approximately 38,000 years old - not 4,500 years old as widely claimed.
This bombshell revelation comes alongside claims that they have discovered a "lost city" beneath the famous landmarks, having deployed radar technology to identify "an entire hidden world of many structures" 4,000 feet beneath the pyramids.
Friday, April 11
Robert Reich
Twelve small reasons for modest hope
This week's slightly encouraging news
Friends,
My heart leapt last Saturday when I saw how many people turned out for the Hands Off protests: More than 1,200 rallies were held across all 50 states — drawing an estimated 3 million participants. Even red states like Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Kentucky had well-attended protests.
Across the land, demonstrators were peaceful, civil, and respectful; the atmosphere was buoyant and joyful — yet determined.
There were other reasons for modest hope this week. Herewith:
1. Trump’s wild retreat on tariffs.
Trump has called tariffs the key to American prosperity and said trade wars are easy to win. But investors think otherwise, and on Wednesday Trump decided maybe investors are right. It was a large and embarrassing retreat.
After a flight from U.S. assets and a rout in the bond market, Trump announced a pause for 90 days on the worst of his “liberation” tariffs on most countries, China excepted.
At A Glance
Ranking the world's wealthiest cities in 2025.
... and 15 US restaurants worth planning a trip around.
What would happen if an asteroid hit Earth? (via YouTube)
Visualizing the spring migration of songbirds.
Original stock photo from "The Shining" recovered after 45 years.
This comedian wants to cure your fear of flying.
The 16 steps to cooking the perfect egg.
Clickbait: Physicists optimize the humble urinal.
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