Saturday, June 7
In The NEWS
Sports, Entertainment, & Culture
> Four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers will reportedly sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers after two seasons with the New York Jets (More) | The 157th Belmont Stakes, the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown, set for tomorrow (7 pm ET, Fox) (More)
> The 78th Tony Awards are Sunday (8 pm, CBS) with actress Cynthia Erivo hosting; see preview and predictions for every category (More)
> Olympic and World Cup athletes from 12 affected countries will be exempt from recently announced US travel ban (More)
Science & Technology
> Amazon reportedly testing AI-powered humanoid robots to deliver packages; company is said to be training prototypes in an indoor San Francisco facility (More)
> Researchers discover method to identify HIV concealed within white blood cells; breakthrough may lead to treatments to clear the body of hidden HIV reservoirs (More)
> Probiotic treatment discovered capable of slowing the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease, which has spread off the Florida coast since 2014 (More) | Average May measurements of atmospheric CO2 surpass 430 parts per million for the first time on record (More)
Business & Markets
> US stock markets close lower (S&P 500 -0.5%, Dow -0.3%, Nasdaq -0.8%) (More) | Crypto firm Circle closes up 167% in NYSE debut, raising nearly $1.1B (More) | European Central Bank cuts interest rates to 2%, widening gap with Federal Reserve's key rate, currently between range of 4.25% to 4.5% (More)
> Boeing agrees to pay $1.1B to avoid federal prosecution for the deaths of 346 people related to two separate 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 (More)
> Procter & Gamble to cut 15% of its non-manufacturing workforce, or roughly 7,000 jobs, as part of broader two-year restructuring program (More) | Restaurant chain Hooters abruptly closes over 30 locations (More)
Politics & World Affairs
> Suspect in attack on Boulder, Colorado, marchers supportive of Israeli hostages charged with 118 state criminal counts (More) | Israel says it recovered the bodies of two hostages in a special operation (More)
> Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrest more than 2,000 people Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday arrests marking a single-day record (More)
> The US and China agree to revive trade talks after call between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (More)
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Retirement Saturdays
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However, while every day is like the weekends, that is not always the case because many of my days during the week are filled with doctors' appointments that usually RUIN most of the day whether they are scheduled for the morning or the afternoon.
It is very rare for a week to go by where I don't have at least one doctor's appointment or have to be the driver because my wife has a procedure or she has to drive because I have a procedure.
With that said, when not going to the doctor, my days are spent working on my two blogs that usually consumes at least 4 hours of my day. I typically spend 1-2 hours preparing, eating breakfast and watching the news. That leaves the afternoon free to do research and work on my novels.
While it may seem a little ridiculous, I may only write 3-5 pages in four hours because I am looking back on what's been previous written, consulting my notes for names and places, conducting research, thinking about what and how I want to say something, and then writing it down.
Sometimes, for a diversion, I may watch a movie on Netflix, Prime, or HULU or a couple of episodes of a series, but never more than three.
This usually takes me into the afternoon, where I stop to prepare and cook my dinner. My wife stopped cooking for anyone other than herself when she retired. So, I do all of my own cooking.
Other diversions include:
- Grocery shopping
- Haircuts
- Yard Maintenance
- Recycle & Garbage
- Going out for breakfast or Dinner
- Washing the car
- Chatting with neighbors
- Phone calls & emails
For me, Saturday now is just another day of the week and either the beginning or the end of a summer vacation.
8 types of people who make your life more difficult than it needs to be
These people aren’t villains. That’s what makes it harder. They’re not overtly cruel or even especially selfish. Some are charming. Some are wounded. Some are impossibly nice. But over time, their presence leaves you feeling more tired than seen, more burdened than connected. They are the emotional freeloaders of modern life—people who haven’t learned to metabolize their own discomfort, and so they pass it to you, without ever saying a word.
Friday, June 6
Headlines
Trump and Xi had a “very good phone call.” President Trump said he spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping—the first time since Trump’s inauguration in January—for about 90 minutes yesterday, and agreed to meet in the near future for trade talks. According to Trump, the two addressed the issue of rare earth metals, which China stopped exporting in April in response to Trump’s tariffs, though Beijing’s readout of the phone call did not mention rare earths. Trump said the call focused on trade and did not delve into matters concerning Iran, Ukraine, or Russia. A day before the call, Trump posted on social media that he liked Xi but that the Chinese leader was “EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!”
Procter & Gamble is cutting 15% of its nonmanufacturing workforce. The company that makes half the products at your local CVS or Walgreens announced it’s eliminating 7,000 roles as part of a restructuring. P&G said the cuts aren’t a cost-cutting measure, though earlier this year the company admitted it was considering cutting costs after it reported a decline in sales and lowered its annual outlook due to consumer uncertainty. As part of the restructuring, P&G reportedly plans to exit some product categories.
Nintendo Switch 2 consoles are selling like hot cakes. If you’re reading this, that means you’re not playing your new Switch 2, which would put you in the minority in many friend groups. The highly anticipated handheld console officially launched yesterday, selling out instantly at Walmart and other stores for consumers who weren’t lucky enough to snag a preorder. Nintendo said it expects to sell 15 million devices by March 2026, though analysts believe the Japanese video game giant is undershooting estimates. It has sold more than 152 million units of the original Switch, which was released in 2017.—AE
Robert Reich
Musk vs. Trump
A Big Beautiful Brawl
Friends,
I’m trying not to be too delighted about the new reality TV show starring Elon and Donald, but the dialogue is truly extraordinary (I’m quoting them verbatim but putting their volley in what appears to be its intended order).
ELON (February 7, 2025): “I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man.”
ELON (June 3, 2025, four days after leaving the Trump regime): “[Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is a] disgusting abomination” and “shame on those who voted for it” and “In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people”
DONALD (June 5, 2025): “You saw a man who was very happy when he stood behind the Oval desk. Even with a black eye. I said, do you want a little makeup? He said, no, I don’t think so. Which is interesting, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don’t know if we will any more.”
At A Glance
The states with the most international college students.
A quest to figure out why hailstones are growing.
Gamers race to buy (and destroy) the new Nintendo Switch 2.
How game theory can explain the measles outbreak.
Uber wants to help your grandparents.
How NASA has prepared for death in space.
Humans can (sort of) spontaneously combust.
You can buy the original Hermès Birkin bag.
Clickbait: Die-hard soccer fans spent 27 hours in a toilet stall.
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