Robert Reich

This week’s Neville Chamberlain Award Goes to Sian Beilock. Who’s She?
Let me tell you




Friends,

The Trump regime’s battle with Harvard University will be aired in court today when a federal judge hears arguments in Harvard’s lawsuit challenging Trump’s attack on it.

At stake is not just $2.2 billion in grants for scientific research, but the larger question of whether Trump can impose his agenda on independent universities in America — forcing them to bring their admissions, disciplinary procedures, academic hiring, and curricula in line with his priorities.

With the Trump regime ramping up its attacks on colleges and universities across America — using the pretexts of “DEI,” antisemitism, and transgender athletes to undermine academic freedom — it would seem more important than ever for universities to join together to stop him.

READ MORE...

At A Glance

The cities where college graduates are landing jobs.

Over half of US workers feel anxiety about taking time off.

Parent's biology may, in some cases, influence a baby's sex.

Man wins coding marathon against OpenAI model.

What to expect from this year's Shark Week.

Astronomer CEO resigns amid
Coldplay kiss cam controversy.

Woman inundated with calls about fictional missing cat.

Chefs cook the world's largest Scotch egg.

Clickbait: Examining the Gen Z stare.

HOW TO COOK LENTILS IN THE INSTANT POT

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

Critical minerals, explained
Critical minerals are used to build the batteries, computer chips, and magnets that power modern technologies, from personal devices to clean energy sources, and advanced military apparatuses. The US government has identified 50 minerals as “critical,” deeming them to be essential to the national interest but to have a vulnerable supply chain (see the list).

Rare earth elements are some of the most sought-after minerals because their unique atomic structures give rise to various electrical, luminescent, and magnetic properties. Sixteen of these 17 metallic elements clustered at the center of the periodic table are on the US’ latest critical mineral list published in 2022.

Developed nations like the US, Canada, and China are sprinting to control critical mineral mines in Africa and South America. China is currently dominating the race. It accounts for about 70% of global rare earth ore extraction and 90% of rare earth ore processing.

... Read our full deep dive on critical minerals here.

Also, check out ...
> The one location that holds 75% of the world's lithium. (More)
> How your phone is powered by rare earth elements. (More)
> Why seemingly abundant copper can't keep up with demand. (More)



The National Debt, 101
The national debt is the total amount of money the federal government has borrowed, plus interest. This borrowed money supplements taxpayer dollars to fund government operations, from national defense to welfare programs. Today, the debt stands at over $36T, double the amount in 2014.

The US has accrued debt since its infancy. Only seven years into nationhood, debts from the Revolutionary War totaled $43M. To raise money beyond taxes, the US government primarily sells bills, notes, and bonds (collectively called securities) to domestic and foreign individuals, companies, and other governments (see chart on annual interest payments on the debt here).

Where the nation should cut spending and how much, in order to rein in debt, is an ongoing political debate. While much focus is put on debt, the debt-to-gross domestic product ratio and interest payments on debt relative to GDP are widely considered to be key indicators of fiscal health. The lower a country’s debt-to-GDP ratio and interest rates are, the stronger its economy is likely to be.

... Read our full take on the national debt here.

Also, check out ...
> The time the US fully eliminated the national debt. (More)
> What happens if we hit the national debt ceiling. (More)
> Who owns the federal government's debt? (More)

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS

Socialism

Is Socialism bad for the USA?

Let's start by defining Socialism.

Socialism is a political and economic system where the people collectively own or control the means of production, rather than private individuals or corporations. It's characterized by social ownership of resources and a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources. Different forms of socialism exist, ranging from those that eliminate markets and competition to those that incorporate them.

The people, in socialism, control everything, rather than private individuals or corporations.  This means that the GOVERNMENT, on behalf of the people control everything.

The government owns your home and land and gives you the same size home that everyone else has based upon your size family. The government decides on your wages and instead of joining a union, your employer is the government.

It will be the government who decides what food is available or what clothes are available, cars, shoes, computers, etc.  Since there is no competition in a socialistic society, there is no need to have a variety of cars or computers.

The government will also be responsible for all law enforcement.  The government will decide what laws will be passed and enforced, and what punishment is awarded, since there will be no need for courtrooms, juries, or lawyers.

AI Overview
While the US is largely considered a capitalist country, some socialist policies and ideas have been implemented or are gaining traction. Examples include social security, Medicare, and public education, which are forms of social safety nets and government provision of services that are also found in socialist systems. Additionally, there's a growing political movement, particularly among Democratic Socialists, advocating for policies like universal healthcare and affordable housing, which aligns with some socialist principles.

The government will be in charge of everything.  Everyone will get paid the same regardless of the quality of output.  The government will own all housing and will be responsible for maintaining all housing.  Have you ever known anyone who works for the government, to work fast...  think about that when you air conditioner fails in the middle of summer or the heat pump in the middle of winter.

The government worker, being paid the same, has no incentive to worry about the consumer...  Doctors, Dentists, Surgeons all being paid the same, because wealth is BAD, will have no incentive to do a good job...

Somewhat Political

 

First electronic–photonic quantum chip created in commercial foundry

In a milestone for scalable quantum technologies, scientists from Boston University, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern University have reported the world's first electronic–photonic–quantum system on a chip, according to a study published in Nature Electronics.

The system combines quantum light sources and stabilizing electronics using a standard 45-nanometer semiconductor manufacturing process to produce reliable streams of correlated photon pairs (particles of light)—a key resource for emerging quantum technologies. The advance paves the way for mass-producible "quantum light factory" chips and large-scale quantum systems built from many such chips working together.

"Quantum computing, communication, and sensing are on a decades-long path from concept to reality," says Miloš Popović, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at BU and a senior author on the study. "This is a small step on that path—but an important one, because it shows we can build repeatable, controllable quantum systems in commercial semiconductor foundries."

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Bob Dylan - Hurricane (Live on PBS, 1975) [RARE ORIGINAL AUDIO]

Surviving

 

The Shannon Joy Show

 

Eric Clapton

 

Dinesh D'Souza

 

The Amber May Show

 

Doorway

 

The Alex Jones Show

 

News Variable

 

Love

 

The White House

 

The Big MIG

 

Peace

 

TimcastIRL

 

Thrivetime

 

History

 

New-age chess pros are raking in big paydays

Gukesh Dommaraju, Indian chess grand master. 

Simon Lim/AFP


It’s never been so lucrative to be the best in the world at nontraditional chess. Amid a chess resurgence that started when that fictional redhead hallucinated pieces on the ceiling, pro tournaments are adapting to our TikTok-ified attention spans—and rewarding the players who can keep up.

Chess joins one of the world’s biggest video-game tourneys. Grand masters are about to rub shoulders with gamers at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Saudi Arabia, where World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen already got a fist-bump from Post Malone during the opening ceremony. Chess is debuting at EWC later this month:Sixteen players will compete for a $1.5 million prize pool, a sum that’s become par for the course in international pro chess, which historically hasn’t minted many millionaires.

The games won’t be normal—players will only have 10 minutes each to make their moves, which will likely lead to more time-crunched blunders.

This will make the matches feel “a bit more gamified,” Fabiano Caruana, the world No. 5 chess player, told CNN. The cup’s organizers decided on the high-speed format to appeal to the esports crowd and to the new generation of chess fans that will be in the audience, as many young aficionados discovered the game on livestream platforms like Twitch.

The world’s most attended chess cup is evolving, too. A record 3,000+ players registered to play in the annual Grenke Chess Festival this year, where freestyle chess—a format that randomizes your starting positions—replaced one of the tournament’s classic events for the first time.

That checkmate cha-ching: The FIDE World Chess Championship offers the biggest wheel of cheese, with $2.5 million in winnings doled out last year. With chess cups upping their prize pools, some grand masters can finally afford to live lavishly—34-year-old world No. 1 Carlsen, who’s known for his quick moves, has made more than $10 million in lifetime tournament prizes, and emerging star Gukesh Dommaraju made more than $1.5 million last year alone, according to Chess.com.—ML

READ MORE...

Robert Reich

Sunday thought

And you?





Friends,

Earlier this week I responded to many of you who said you were concerned about me. I asked you not to worry about my safety, assuring you I won’t take unnecessary risks, (although I’m not going to stop speaking out).

And not to worry about my health. As I said, I have only a certain number of years left when I can do as much as I’m doing, and I might as well take full advantage of them in this national emergency.

But I’m also concerned about you.

We’re all in this together. Your health and safety, your sanity, your tenacity and resilience, are critically important for getting through this Trump daymare.

It’s not just a national stress test for democracy and decency. It’s also a personal stress test for all of us, including you.

So today I’d like to ask you to share with me — and the rest of us — how you’re doing.

Leave a comment

At A Glance

Thirteen collectibles made more valuable due to spelling errors.

The century-long effort to identify van Gogh's final painting, "Tree Roots."

Why governments are betting big on sports leagues and franchises.

Charting the incredible drop in childhood leukemia death rates.

Leaping lemurs top this annual biodiversity photo contest.

Debating the meaning of Beowulf's opening word.

The physics of the football spiral, with Tom Brady.

Whatever happened to murder hornets?

Mapping manufacturing as percentage of GDP in each US state.

The unlikely history of the birth of Minecraft.

The logistics behind the largest human gathering in the world.

Why the Bible, Torah, and Quran are key texts in philosophical debates.

How cannons spurred the evolution from castles to star forts.

How shoes express and create our social roles.

Divers uncover more historical marvels from 2,000-year-old Antikythera shipwreck.

My Formula for 20-Minute Meals

Quick Clips

 

In The NEWS

Education Department releases $1.3B in frozen funding.

The now-available funding supports after-school and summer programming for low-income families. However, over $5B in funding for educational programming—including English language instruction and adult literacy—remains frozen as the Trump administration conducts a programmatic review to ensure it aligns with the White House's priorities. Earlier this week, more than 20 states filed a lawsuit against the administration over the withheld funds.



US, El Salvador, and Venezuela coordinate prisoner swap.

The US sent 252 Venezuelans deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador back to their home country Friday in exchange for the return of 10 Americans detained in Venezuela. As part of the deal, the Venezuelan government also freed dozens of domestic political prisoners and detainees. The exchange follows the Trump administration’s use of a wartime law in March to deport more than 200 Venezuelan men accused of ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, allegations immigration attorneys and family members have denied.



Brazil's ex-president ordered to wear ankle monitor.

The nation's Supreme Court has ruled that former President Jair Bolsonaro wear an ankle monitor as he awaits trial over an alleged coup attempt in 2022. The order comes alongside a raid on his home early Friday morning. Bolsonaro is also barred from leaving his house at night, using social media, approaching embassies, and speaking with foreign officials or anyone under investigation, including his son.



Netflix is using AI to cut costs and save time.

The film juggernaut used visual effects created by generative AI for the first time in one of its original TV shows. Thanks to the technology, creating a sequence of a building collapsing in the Argentinian sci-fi show "The Eternaut" became 10 times faster and financially feasible, CEO Ted Sarandos told investors Thursday. The announcement came as Netflix reported over $11B in revenue last quarter, a 16% rise compared to the same period last year. Learn more about Netflix here.



Scientists pinpoint vitamin D gene with cancer-fighting potential.

A team of scientists has identified the gene SDR42E1 as critical to how the body absorbs and processes vitamin D, a discovery with potential for highly targeted medical therapies. Using CRISPR gene-editing technology, the researchers disabled SDR42E1 in cell lines of a patient with colorectal cancer, cutting off the vitamin D supply the cancer cells needed to survive. The newfound understanding of the gene's connection to vitamin D could also help address vitamin D deficiency, which affects nearly 50% of the global population.



Chevron wins dispute with Exxon Mobil over Hess’ Guyana oil assets.

Chevron has finalized its $53B acquisition of energy company Hess, securing a 30% stake in the over 11 billion barrel-equivalents of oil and natural gas reserves off Guyana, a small nation on South America's North Atlantic coast. The deal had been in limbo for nearly two years due to a contractual dispute brought by Chevron's larger rival, Exxon Mobil. The Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce ruled in Chevron's favor Friday, clearing the way for the merger.



Stratospheric skydiver Felix Baumgartner dies in paraglider crash.

Known as "Fearless Felix," the former Austrian military parachutist became the first skydiver to surpass the speed of sound, reaching 843.6 mph during a more than 24-mile free fall over New Mexico in 2012. The feat set records for the highest manned balloon flight, as well as the highest and fastest jump in free fall. Italian officials confirmed Baumgartner’s death Thursday, after reports of a paraglider crashing into a swimming pool in the city of Porto Sant’Elpidio. He was 56.

SOURCE:  1440 NEWS