Saturday, May 10
Robert Reich
The Biggest Presidential Con in History | The Coffee Klatch for May 10, 2025
With Heather Lofthouse and yours truly, Robert Reich
At A Glance
Bookkeeping
> $34.1B: The estimated consumer spending for this year's Mother's Day.
> $130: The cost of a pair of prescuffed and prestained Nike Air Force 1s.
> 168 letters: The length of the world's longest name for a place—see it here.
Browse
> A collection of totally useless websites.
> Leadership lessons from Warren Buffett.
> Why nose breathing is a superpower.
> The animal kingdom moms that go above and beyond.
> Artist recreates Italian monuments with Lego bricks.
> How some flowers mimic the smell of rotting meat.
Listen
> Why can’t we turn empty offices into apartments?
Watch
> The CIA method for making quick decisions under stress.
> Eminem's "Lose Yourself" sung by lines from 331 movies.
> The rise and fall of the nearly 600-year rule of the Ottoman Empire.
Long Read
> How the now-defunct Skype changed people's worlds.
> Heat waves may accelerate the aging process.
> Uncovering the Buddha's origins in his Nepali hometown.
Most Clicked This Week: Where US home prices are rising (and falling) the most.
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Football coaching legend Nick Saban tapped to co-chair presidential commission on college athletics, examining a range of issues, including college athlete payment structures (More)
> Universal Music Group files motion to dismiss Drake's updated defamation lawsuit, which alleges UMG damaged Drake's reputation by promoting Kendrick Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" (More)
> Several "Les Misérables" cast members to boycott June 11 Kennedy Center performance to be attended by President Donald Trump; those who perform will donate wages from the night to charity (More) | New "Lord of the Rings" film sets December 2027 release date (More)
Science & Technology
> Many US cities are sinking, new analysis suggests; between 20%-65% of urban zones in all cities studied were dropping around a few fractions of an inch per year, primarily driven by large-scale groundwater extraction (More) | Read paper (More)
> Astronomers discover first example of an "off-center" massive black hole consuming a star; object is located roughly 2,600 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way (More) | 1440 Topics: Black Holes (More)
> New study reveals eggs are more resilient to falls when landing on their side, overturning conventional wisdom; microstructure study finds sideways orientation acts as an efficient shock absorber (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close higher (S&P 500 +0.6%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +1.1%) after US unveils outline of UK trade deal and signals optimism for talks with China (More) | Bank of England lowers interest rates to 4.25% from 4.5% (More)
> Coinbase Global agrees to acquire Deribit, the world's biggest trading platform for bitcoin and ethereum options, for $2.9B (More) | Bitcoin climbs above $100K for the first time since February (More) | Learn more about bitcoin (More)
> Bill Gates announces he will donate 99% of his remaining tech fortune (estimated at around $107B) to the Gates Foundation over the next 20 years; the foundation is set to close in 2045 and currently has a $77B endowment (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> India accuses Pakistan of attacking three military bases with drones and missiles; Pakistan denies the claim (More) | Pakistan says its air force downed five Indian fighter jets, more drones (More) | Pakistan also says 125 Indian and Pakistani jets fought in the air for over an hour Wednesday; if true, would be among biggest air battles since World War II (More)
> Acting chief of Federal Emergency Management Agency is fired the day after testifying to Congress that FEMA should not be closed (More) | President Donald Trump pulls nomination for DC's top prosecutor known for firing Jan. 6 prosecutors amid pushback from congressional Republicans (More)
> At least 80 pro-Palestinian Columbia University students arrested Wednesday after taking over a library room (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Insurance Poor
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Life is all about taking RISKS. As soon as we are old enough to drive, and get behind the wheel of a vehicle, we start taking risks. For some, who live in specific geographical areas, taking risks starts at a much earlier age than most.
Regardless of your situation or location, taking risks is a fundamental part of LIFE.
Here, in America, we offset those risks with INSURANCE. Consequently, we have:
- Car insurance
- Home owners insurance
- Renters insurance
- Medical insurance
- Travel insurance
- Life insurance
- Personal property insurance
- Warranty insurance
Not all of these insurances are advertised but LIFE INSURANCE is pretty much advertised all the time.
Life insurance is supposed to give you security for the future... but NOT FOR YOU... for those you left behind.
Life insurance is predicated upon taking advantage of people's FEAR OF RISKS.
When you take out LIFE INSURANCE, the one who is getting insured, is betting that they will not live long in order to maximize the payout versus money paid in.
On the other side of the coin, the company that is doing the insuring is betting that the one who is being insured, in fact, lives a long time, because money paid in can be invested to offset money paid out.
Again, this is a game of RISKS.
If you believe you are going to live a long time and if you have the money to pay the monthly premium, then you should TAKE THE RISK and invest the money yourself instead of giving it to the insurance company to invest.
If you do decide to invest the money yourself, ONLY INVEST IN MUTUAL FUNDS to counter the RISKS of investing in the STOCK MARKET.
Do you HOMEWORK... Don't just believe an insurance salesperson when the tell you this or that.
It is your life, not theirs.
'Prime numbers' discovery upends thousands of years of accepted beliefs and could disrupt encryption methods
Now comes a bold assertion: primes are not as random as we thought. If that statement holds, it rewrites a story mathematicians have told since the ancient Greeks. It also challenges the security systems that shield our bank transactions and private messages.
Understanding prime numbers
Every whole number on your calculator can be built from primes. Need 15? Multiply 3 and 5. Need 323? Break it into 17 × 19. Yet no one has found a simple shortcut that lists every prime in order without missing one or adding impostors.
Every whole number on your calculator can be built from primes. Need 15? Multiply 3 and 5. Need 323? Break it into 17 × 19. Yet no one has found a simple shortcut that lists every prime in order without missing one or adding impostors.
Friday, May 9
Ponderings
We are a WORLD OF WARS...
- Russia and Ukraine
- Israel and Iran proxies
- Pakistan and India
- Yemini Civil War
- Sudanese Civil War
- Myanmar War
- Boko Haram Insurgency
- Ethiopian Civil War
- Somali Civil War
- Haiti War
- Central African Republic Civil War
- Abyei War
- Al-Qaeda War in Yemen
- Islamic Acts of Terrorism
I wonder... hell, we wonder... what is going to happen to this world in which we currently live???
On top of all these wars, we have numerous countries in possession of nuclear weapons and there is no telling when some MAD MAN will lose his cool and launch the first nuclear attack.
Meanwhile, the billionaires are rushing to see who can get into space first and establish the first space colony on another planet like MARS. Once that happens, we won't care what happens to this world, because we will have another world to DESTROY.
All I hear is religious talk about how all these wars need to stop but no one, no agency, no country seems to want to take the first step to actually try and make it happen.
ARE WE THAT GREEDY FOR MONEY???
Robert Reich
And a humble apology
Friends,
Several of you have asked me how I manage to produce this Substack every day, seven days a week (often two or three times a day). Is there just one of you? you ask. Do you get any sleep? Do you have a life?
There’s just one of me (except on Saturdays, when Heather Lofthouse joins me for the Coffee Klatch). I do sleep (although as I get older, it’s harder to get a full night in). And I do have a life (I take long walks, read great novels, spend time with my wonderful family and friends).
I post so much because we’re in a national emergency, and I want to do what I can to get you the facts, arguments, and analyses you need to take an active role resisting the Trump regime.
That “active” role can be no more than sharing my posts with your friends and colleagues — so they also have the facts, arguments, and analyses they also need to effectively resist. Or giving your bosses the courage they need to resist.
At A Glance
Robot serves up ping pong at lightning speed.
Discover what others achieved at your exact age.
The future as described by 1950s illustrations.
Who actually fought animals in ancient Rome? (via YouTube)
Man risks over 200 snakebites to create a better antivenom.
North America's 50 best bars—by the numbers.
... and see the full ranking here.
Champion skater turns two suitcases into roller skates. (w/video)
Clickbait: Judge accepts AI testimony from beyond the grave.
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Paris Saint-Germain tops Arsenal to advance to UEFA Champions League Final (May 31) where they'll face off against Inter Milan (More) | Utah's expansion NHL franchise announces "Mammoth" mascot name after yearlong process (More)
> Music legend Smokey Robinson accused in $50M lawsuit by four women of sexual assault over a number of years dating back to 2006 (More)
> Netflix to roll out major user interface overhaul beginning May 19, including vertical video previews and AI-incorporated search tools (More) | Everything you want to know about Netflix (More)
Science & Technology
> Amazon unveils "Vulcan," an AI-powered warehouse robot equipped with a sense of touch; company says it will operate alongside workers and can handle and sort 75% of the company's products (More)
> Neuroscientists reveal how brain circuitry rewires itself when learning new movements; findings may lead to new therapies for neuromotor disorders and spinal injuries (More)
> UK innovation agency to fund $75M in geoengineering research, supporting projects on modifying the Earth's environment and atmosphere to address climate change (More)
Business & Markets
> Alphabet shares close down 7.5% after Apple’s services chief says AI chatbots from OpenAI, Perplexity, and Anthropic will replace search engines like Google; remarks came during testimony in DOJ's antitrust trial against Alphabet (More)
> Ford to raise prices on three models manufactured in Mexico, partly due to pressure from increased tariffs (More) | Trump administration to rescind and modify Biden-era regulations on the number of advanced AI chips individual countries can buy; rule was set to take effect May 15 (More)
> WeightWatchers files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to shed roughly $1B in debt from its balance sheet, expects to emerge from bankruptcy process in 45 days and remain a publicly traded company (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Jury acquits three former Memphis police officers of all state charges, including second-degree murder, in the 2023 death of Tyre Nichols (More) | See previous write-up (More)
> The first day of the papal conclave ends with black smoke as 133 cardinals fail to reach the two-thirds majority to elect a new pope in the first vote (More) | See previous write-up (More)
> Pakistan says it downed five Indian fighter jets following Indian airstrikes that killed 31 people, wounded 57 others earlier this week; India has not yet commented on the claim, says Pakistani gunfire wounded 15 people in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Made in America
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Switzerland and Luxembourg have the highest labor wages in the world. The third highest country is the USA.
President Trump wants to bring manufacturing back to the USA in the hopes of making America wealthier and while that may happen, what will definitely happen is that the COST OF GOODS SOLD will increase because of labor costs.
Right now, many of our goods are manufactured outside of the USA in low wage jurisdictions which has the pleasant side effect of keeping our COST OF LIVING low. However, we still pay other countries to do this and they in turn use our money to build up their militaries so they can, one day, try to defeat us.
To some degree, you want to make in America so that you are not obligated to ONE COUNTRY for critical goods and services, but there needs to be a balance, otherwise, you increase your COST OF LIVING to the point that many people can no longer afford to live like they used to.
Normal growth rates hover around 3% for sustainable economic growth, but wages should also keep up with that 3% but oftentimes they do not because MANAGEMENT sees an opportunity to increase their profit margins.
The average American does not think more than 6-12, maybe 18 months out into the future. This short-term thinking is hurting us. We need to be thinking at least 20 years out into the future, maybe more.
For instance, if you save $2.50/day and at the end of the month deposit that money in a Mutual Fund, in 40 years you will have $500,000 and an income of about $400/month/$100,000 or $1,600.
This requires long term thinking (planning).
If you start this savings program at 18 (graduating from high school), you will have that money at age 58.
If a couple does this, they will have $1,000,000 at age 58... plus Social Security... plus any retirement or 401K that one's employer provides.
LONG TERM THINKING....
MADE IN AMERICA will hurt you attempt at trying to save money for the future.
China Fires Laser at the Moon in Broad Daylight—Achieves Unprecedented Deep-Space Targeting Breakthrough
In a major leap for lunar navigation, China has successfully bounced a laser off a Moon-orbiting satellite in full daylight—a feat previously thought impossible due to intense solar interference. The breakthrough, carried out by the Deep Space Exploration Laboratory (DSEL) using the Tiandu-1 satellite, marks the world’s first Earth-Moon laser-ranging success under strong sunlight, according to a report by Interesting Engineering.
The two-day experiment, conducted on April 26–27, demonstrated the precision tracking and signal clarity needed to support continuous navigation between Earth and the Moon. Until now, glaring solar background noise has limited such laser measurements to nighttime windows. With this barrier overcome, China has significantly advanced its roadmap for sustained lunar operations and deep-space infrastructure.
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