How Big Is the US National Debt?
Steve Ballmer Explains: Who Pays for What? | Just the Facts
Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order by Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio on US Debt, AI Bubble, Bond Markets (Bloomberg Interview, June 3, 2026)
Friday, June 5, 2026
My Life Was a Trainwreck. Then I Read This Poem
My Life Was a Trainwreck. Then I Read This Poem
A.O. Scott seeks practical wisdom in a villanelle by Wendy Cope.
Some Rules by Wendy Cope
Stop, if the car is going “clunk”
Or if the sun has made you blind.
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
Or if the sun has made you blind.
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
You fire off something fierce. You’re sunk.
It’s irretrievable. It’s signed.
You feel your spirits going “clunk.”
It’s irretrievable. It’s signed.
You feel your spirits going “clunk.”
Don’t hide your face with too much gunk,
Especially if it’s old and lined.
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
Especially if it’s old and lined.
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
Don’t live with thirty years of junk—
Those precious things you’ll never find.
Stop, if the car is going “clunk.”
Those precious things you’ll never find.
Stop, if the car is going “clunk.”
Don’t fall for an amusing hunk,
However rich, unless he’s kind.
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
However rich, unless he’s kind.
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
In this respect, I’m like a monk:
I need some rules to bear in mind.
Stop, if the car is going “clunk.”
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
I need some rules to bear in mind.
Stop, if the car is going “clunk.”
Don’t answer e-mails when you’re drunk.
U.S. Is Said to Be Investigating George Santos Over Kalshi Betting
U.S. Is Said to Be Investigating George Santos Over Kalshi Betting - The New York Times
The former congressman was referred to federal authorities after he bet on his own attendance at the State of the Union address, a person familiar with the matter said.
A.I....why are you always doing the stuff we don't need?
Tilly Norwood, A.I. Actress, Wants to Know Why Everyone’s Mad at Her - The New York Times
AI Commissioner | Comedy Sketch | Particle6 - YouTube
Tilly Norwood | Take The Lead (Official Music Video)
Opinion | Silicon Valley Is Bracing for a Permanent Underclass - The New York Times
Supreme Court Clears the Way for Republican-Friendly Map in Alabama + background
Supreme Court Clears the Way for Republican-Friendly Map in Alabama - The New York Times
In the first major case since the justices narrowed the Voting Rights Act, the court cleared the way for Alabama to use a map preferred by Republicans that leaves the state with only one majority-Black district.
Tracking the Battle to Reshape Congress for the Midterms - The New York Times
See Where the Gerrymandering Wars Have Redrawn U.S. Congressional Maps - The New York Times
Read Supreme Court’s Ruling and Dissent on Louisiana Voting Map - The New York Times
What to Know About the Voting Rights Act - The New York Times
The 1965 law was mean to address fundamental inequities in American life, and was one of the signal accomplishments of the civil rights movement.
Opinion | The Voting Rights Act Changed America. Now, It Can Change. - The New York Times
Opinion | The Betrayal of Black Voters Threatens Our Democracy - The New York Times
China Builds an Economic Fortress as Global Tensions Rise; Xi goes to see Kim
China Builds an Economic Fortress as Global Tensions Rise - The New York Times
Beijing says the changes are needed for national security, but they could complicate efforts by Chinese companies to find growth overseas.
China is erecting walls to prevent money, technology and companies from leaving the country.
This week, the State Council, China’s cabinet, announced new rules requiring national security screening for Chinese companies seeking to invest overseas. The move follows regulations introduced in April that allowed the authorities to intervene when foreign companies tried to relocate supply chains out of China.
Taken together, the measures amount to a new blueprint for the economic fortress China is building around its technology and supply chains amid rising tensions with Europe and the United States.
What To Know as China’s Xi Jinping Heads to North Korea - The New York Times
As Xi Jinping visits Pyongyang, he faces an emboldened North Korean dictator, whose alliance with Russia has reduced his dependence on China.
The last time China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, traveled to North Korea, that country’s dictator, Kim Jong-un, was reeling from sanctions and failed nuclear talks with the United States.
Now, nearly seven years later, as Mr. Xi returns to North Korea on Monday, he will meet with a leader who is newly emboldened by an alliance with Russia that has helped his economy break out of isolation.
China Sees a ‘Giant With a Limp’ as U.S. Drains Weapons on Iran War - The New York Times
To some Chinese military and geopolitical analysts, the Iran war has done more than deplete U.S. munitions stockpiles, it has also shattered America’s aura of dominance. They argue that it has exposed a major flaw in U.S. war strategy: its inability to make weapons quickly enough to replenish its arsenal in a sustained, intense conflict.
This depletion “has significantly diminished the U.S. military’s ability to project its combat power, laying bare the shortcomings of its global military hegemony,” said Yue Gang, a retired colonel of the People’s Liberation Army, in an interview.
Senate Passes $70 Billion G.O.P. Immigration Bill; $1.8B Payout Fund not Restricted; House Passes Ukraine Aid; Russia like America has a limp
Senate Passes $70 Billion G.O.P. Immigration Bill - The New York Times
It was a victory for President Trump and his party, though the debate exposed fissures between Republican senators and Mr. Trump on a variety of issues.
Senate Republicans on Friday rammed through their $70 billion bill to fund President Trump’s immigration crackdown through the remainder of his term, after beating back bipartisan efforts to add language to bar or sharply restrict a federal payout fund for his political allies.
‘I Love It’: Trump Is Still in Favor of $1.8 Billion Payout Fund - The New York Times
Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, said on Tuesday that the administration was “not moving forward with the fund, period,” after the plan drew bipartisan backlash.
House Passes Ukraine Aid in Defiance of Republican Leaders - The New York Times
Eighteen G.O.P. lawmakers broke with their party and joined Democrats to deliver yet another blow to the president’s foreign policy agenda.
The House voted on Thursday to approve new aid for Ukraine and impose a fresh round of sanctions targeting the industries fueling Russia’s war economy, after 18 Republicans defied their leaders to join Democrats in support of a bill that runs counter to President Trump’s agenda.
The legislation, which passed 226 to 195, would provide $8 billion in loans to Ukraine and $1.8 billion in aid for military and security assistance. In addition to putting new sanctions on Russian-affiliated businesses and officials, it would also punish foreign companies, organizations and individuals that attempt to evade sanctions in an effort to support Moscow.
It now heads to the Senate, where Mr. Trump’s opposition has stopped similar attempts at new penalties on Russia and its allies. And even if it were to clear both chambers, it would likely be vetoed by the president.
Bombs Raining Down on Ukraine Can’t Hide Signs of Russia’s Faltering War
Zelensky Mixes Taunts and Peace Talks Offer in Letter to Putin - The New York Times
“After 26 years in power, age is beginning to take its toll,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine wrote of his Russian counterpart, bragging of a recent strike on St. Petersburg.
Backed by Trump, Opposed by Putin, and Fighting for His Political Life - The New York Times
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of Armenia is seeking re-election as his country weighs questions of war and peace, of autocracy and democracy, and of subjugation and independence.
Russia Floods Armenia With Disinformation Ahead of Election - The New York Times
Fearing a loss of influence, groups linked to the Kremlin and intelligence agencies have sought to discredit the country’s prime minister.
Russia Rails Against the West but Welcomes Candace Owens and Andrew Tate - The New York Times
While some powerful Russians shun the West, others want to restore ties and embrace friendly Westerners. President Vladimir V. Putin’s annual economic conference illustrates the conflicting impulses.
Thursday, June 4, 2026
In a First, Scientists Precisely Edit Human Embryo Genes
In a First, Scientists Precisely Edit Human Embryo Genes - The New York Times
Researchers relied on a newer gene-editing technique that may make it possible to engineer embryos, a prospect that has long alarmed bioethicists.
With a newer technology called base editing, Dr. Egli and his colleagues were able to meticulously replace individual genetic letters in sequences of DNA without causing the damage often observed with an earlier form of gene editing, CRISPR.
One-and-Done Heart Disease Prevention? Scientists Show It May Be Possible.
One-and-Done Heart Disease Prevention? Scientists Show It May Be Possible. - The New York Times
A single infusion of an experimental gene-editing drug seemed to reduce LDL long-term in a small trial. The results may point to something “curative,” one expert said.
If confirmed in larger studies, researchers hope the findings may lead to a one-and-done way to prevent heart disease in large numbers of people. Most gene therapies target rare diseases, but cardiovascular disease kills nearly 800,000 Americans a year.
The editing machine then crawls along the liver cell’s DNA until it finds its target, a gene called PCSK9. It stops there and erases one DNA letter in the gene, replacing it with another.
That simple change disables the PCSK9 gene and prevents cells from making the PCSK9 protein. Without it, the liver pulls more LDL cholesterol out of the bloodstream, keeping the levels lower.
California Businessman Accused of Selling Restricted Technology to Iran
California Businessman Accused of Selling Restricted Technology to Iran - The New York Times
Jamshid Ghomi, of Newport Coast, Calif., and a dual citizen of the U.S. and Iran, was charged with conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Mr. Ghomi’s company supplied American-made equipment to the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, the government agency responsible for the country’s nuclear program, from 2017 through 2023, the complaint states. Investigators said the company also sold networking, security and encryption equipment to Iran’s Ministry of Defense and affiliated military organizations from 2014 to 2022.
Who is excited about the SpaceX IPO?
Who’s Excited for SpaceX’s I.P.O.? Space Nerds. - The New York Times
Few are as delighted by the pending market debut as the vibrant community of space enthusiasts who want to push discovery of the final frontier.
Gwynne Shotwell, Elon Musk’s No. 2 at SpaceX, Is the Company’s Steady Hand - The New York Times
Gwynne Shotwell, the president and chief operating officer, is the adult-in-the-room foil to Mr. Musk as SpaceX prepares for a blockbuster initial public offering.
For Wall Street, the Only Thing Worse Than SpaceX Flopping Is Missing Out - The New York Times
Elon Musk and his bankers are working to create a self-fulfilling prophecy for the massive public offering: Make investors feel that the risks of passing it up outweigh those of buying into it.
Sky-High I.P.O. Pricing Isn’t Great for Real People - The New York Times
When newly public companies have been valued as richly as SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic seem likely to be, the outlook for ordinary investors has been poor.
SpaceX is worth less than half its IPO target price, Morningstar says
The analysts say xAI poses a “material threat of value destruction” to the company, with its “economic moat indeterminate.” Morningstar values SpaceX at $780 billion, which is roughly 48% below its private market valuation of $1.5 trillion.
Elon Musk's net worth poised to sail past $1 trillion in SpaceX IPO
Marjane Satrapi, the Author of ‘Persepolis,’ Dies at 56
Marjane Satrapi, the Author of ‘Persepolis,’ Dies at 56 - The New York Times
Her popular graphic novel series, published in the early 2000s, followed an Iranian girl through the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War.
Review: ‘Persepolis,’ by Marjane Satrapi - The New York Times
‘Teachers Are Going to Hate It’: How Social Media Apps Hooked Teens at School
‘Teachers Are Going to Hate It’: How Social Media Apps Hooked Teens at School - The New York Times
Internal documents show how tech giants grabbed children’s attention throughout the day, a strategy that schools say has undermined education.
The companies’ push to keep children glued to their screens has overshadowed concerns from parents, teachers and even their own trust and safety teams about interfering with school, according to the documents and interviews with dozens of parents, teachers and former tech company employees.
TikTok’s leaders decided not to disable notifications during school hours, rejecting a change that its safety teams had pushed for years. A Snapchat strategy document referred to classroom phone use as “under the desk” time. Google managers knew YouTube was recommending videos to students during the school day that had nothing to do with their lessons.
All four companies recently settled with Breathitt County Schools, a small district in rural Kentucky that served as a test case for the litigation nationwide. The district, which has about 1,500 students, had sought $3 million in damages and about $60 million that it had planned to put toward a long-term education and mental health plan. The companies agreed to pay Breathitt $27 million: $9 million from Meta, $8 million each from Snap and TikTok and $2 million from Google, according to documents released on Friday and first reported by Bloomberg.
Hezbollah’s Fiber-Optic Drones Expose Cracks in Israeli Defenses
Hezbollah’s Fiber-Optic Drones Expose Cracks in Israeli Defenses - The New York Times
The Lebanese militant group’s attacks have caught Israelis off guard, forcing its political and military leaders to scramble for solutions.
John Bolton, Ex-Trump Adviser, Reaches Deal to Plead Guilty Over Classified Information
The former Trump national security adviser plans to plead guilty to a count of illegal retention of classified information, which could result in a fine and possibly prison time of up to five years.
House Passes Iran War Powers Resolution in Bipartisan Rebuke to Trump
House Passes Iran War Powers Resolution in Bipartisan Rebuke to Trump - The New York Times
A measure to direct an end to U.S. engagement in Iran was adopted with a handful of Republicans in support, sending a signal of opposition to the president’s handling of the war.
Iran vote caps Trump’s congressional losing streak - POLITICO
Massie, 3 Other House Republicans Broke From Trump on Iran War Powers Vote - The New York Times
Four Republicans from different ideological factions crossed party lines to vote with Democrats in favor of reining in the president’s power to wage war unilaterally.
US House votes to end Trump’s Iran war: Does it matter? | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera
Four Republicans join Democrats in a rare public rebuke of the president. But Congress is still far from being able to stop him from attacking Iran again.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
CBS News Fires Scott Pelley of ‘60 Minutes’
CBS News Fires Scott Pelley of ‘60 Minutes’ - The New York Times
Mr. Pelley, a former “CBS Evening News” anchor, was ousted after months of tensions between staff and Bari Weiss, the network’s editor in chief.
’60 Minutes’ Journalist Sharyn Alfonsi Loses Deal After Dispute With Bari Weiss - The New York Times
Sharyn Alfonsi, whose segment on a brutal Salvadoran prison was pulled abruptly in December, said that CBS News and its top editor, Bari Weiss, had let her contract expire.
Scott Pelley fired by CBS after ‘60 Minutes’ clash with management | CNN Business
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| Scott Pelley was fired a day after a tense meeting where he accused the CBS editor in chief, Bari Weiss, of “murdering ‘60 Minutes.’” Photo by Michele Crowe/CBS, via Getty Images |
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| Bari Weiss, the editor in chief of CBS News, at an event in 2024. Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Free Press |
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| Nick Bilton was hired last week by Ms. Weiss as the new executive producer of “60 Minutes.” Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images |
$1.8 Billion Fund Is ‘Not Moving Forward,’ Blanche Says; Order Shielding Trump Family From I.R.S. Audits Will Remain
$1.8 Billion Fund Is ‘Not Moving Forward,’ Blanche Says - The New York Times
Payout Fund: Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, told lawmakers on Tuesday that the Justice Department was withdrawing a proposal to create a $1.8 billion fund to compensate people claiming to be victims of unfair prosecution. The announcement follows a revolt from Republicans who saw it as an ethical and political abomination.
Order Shielding Trump Family From I.R.S. Audits Will Remain, Blanche Says - The New York Times
The acting attorney general said the administration was preserving a broad order protecting the president and his family from audits of already filed returns, despite dropping a $1.8 billion payout fund.
Kuwait Says Iranian Attack Has Damaged Its Main Airport
Kuwait Says Iranian Attack Has Damaged Its Main Airport
The United States and Iran accused each other of launching new strikes. President Trump told The New York Post that Iran’s supreme leader is involved in peace talks and he hopes to meet him.
War Games and Warnings on Strait of Hormuz Went Unheeded by Trump - The New York Times
Over the past two decades, Iran repeatedly threatened to close down the waterway. President Trump underestimated Iran’s ability to do so.
Where Is Iran’s Highly Enriched Uranium? - The New York Times
Stored deep underground, most likely in multiple locations, Iran’s uranium stockpile is among the biggest uncertainties surrounding any peace deal.
Even if Oil Prices Peak Soon, the Global Economy Will Slow This Year - The New York Times
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in a report, said the Middle East war’s consequences “are likely to be felt for some time.”
Oil Prices Rise as Iran and U.S. Exchange Strikes - The New York Times
Trump Names Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence
Trump Names Bill Pulte as Acting Director of National Intelligence - The New York Times
Bill Pulte, a Trump loyalist who leads the federal housing finance agency, will oversee the U.S. intelligence agencies. He has no known background in intelligence.
Monday, June 1, 2026
FBI hunting for alleged scammer who spent thousands in donations for fake brain cancer treatment on vacations
FBI hunting for alleged scammer who spent thousands in donations for fake brain cancer treatment on vacations (Thanks to Bernadette for this one)
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| Pennsylvania woman Vanessa O’Rourke is wanted by the FBI for allegedly scamming family and friends out of thousands of dollars. |
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China’s Rise in Drug Development Looms Over U.S.
China’s Rise in Drug Development Looms Over U.S. - The New York Times
Clinical trials in China are getting attention at an international oncology gathering in Chicago. China’s surging biotechnology industry is fueling alarm that U.S. dominance in the field is waning.
A.I.: Predicting Political Enemies, Creating a Sovereign Wealth Fund for the USA, Students at AI-First Colleges, and Nvidia agents come for the desktop
China Aims A.I. at Predicting Who Could Pose a Political Risk - The New York Times
New research examines how a Chinese company struggled to develop its predictive surveillance technology while U.S. restrictions were in place.
Opinion | Bernie Sanders: A.I. Belongs to the People, Not to Billionaires - The New York Times
That is why I will soon be introducing the American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act. This legislation would give the public a direct ownership stake in the largest A.I. companies in our country. How? It would create a sovereign wealth fund through a one-time 50 percent tax — not on the profits of OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI and other companies, but paid with something far more valuable than that: the stock.
What It’s Like to Be a Student at the First A.I.-Powered University - The New York Times
On campuses across the university system, the initiative has stoked backlash. The C.S.U. faculty union has organized against the contract with OpenAI, which is set to expire in June. Students, meanwhile, are caught in the middle as everyone around them struggles to figure out what becoming “the first A.I.-powered university” actually means. “Faculty are feeling anxious,” Nik Janos, a sociology professor at Chico State, told me. “Students don’t know how to behave. What are we doing here?”
Nvidia Has a Plan to Put Its Chips in Personal Computers - The New York Times
The world’s most valuable company is chasing Intel and Apple as it tries to bring A.I. agents to laptops and desktops.
U.S. and Iran Exchange New Attacks, Straining Peace Talks
U.S. Central Command said it conducted strikes against military targets in southern Iran over the weekend. Kuwait, which hosts U.S. military bases, accused Iran of attacking its territory.
Oil Prices Jump as U.S. and Iran Exchange Fire - The New York Times
U.S. Military Is Quietly Guiding Ships Through the Strait of Hormuz - The New York Times
U.S. Central Command has helped around 70 commercial ships pass through the strait in the last three weeks, an official said.
Trump Sends Tougher Peace Proposals Back to Iran, Officials Say - The New York Times
Gambling addiction an 'epidemic' among young people
Gambling addiction an 'epidemic' among young people, experts say
Experts argue that gambling addiction among youths could be the 'next opioid epidemic.'
Andy Kim doesn’t know what’s next for Delaney Hall ICE facility, and that terrifies him
Sen. Andy Kim said being pepper sprayed outside of the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark reminded him of how he felt when the Capitol was attacked on Jan. 6, 2021.
Thursday, May 28, 2026
Bucks County School Districts Rank Among Pennsylvania's Best in 2026 Standardized Test Scores
Bucks County School Districts Rank Among Pennsylvania's Best in 2026 Standardized Test Scores
New Hope tops Bucks County and lands at #16 statewide.
10 players to watch at the 2026 World Cup
10 players to watch at the 2026 World Cup | AP News (Thanks to Louden for this one)
| Argentina’s Lionel Messi runs with the ball during a friendly soccer match against Mauritania in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, March 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Gustavo Garello, File) |
Happy, the elephant, is euthanized at Bronx Zoo
Happy, the elephant, is euthanized at Bronx Zoo : NPR
Happy, a Bronx Zoo elephant who gave researchers new insight into the animal's behavior and became the crux of a closely watched animal rights case, has been euthanized at age 55, the zoo said Wednesday.
"She was a wonderful elephant," interim zoo director Craig Piper said in an interview Wednesday, as heavy-hearted staffers absorbed the loss of an animal some had tended for over 30 years. "She served as a tremendous ambassador for elephants and for elephant conservation."
Why Peter Thiel Is Decamping to the End of the World
Why Peter Thiel Is Decamping to the End of the World
The billionaire’s new roots in Argentina are said to be partly motivated by concerns about the future of the United States and shared beliefs with Argentina’s right-wing leader.
Martin Varsavsky, a Spanish-Argentine tech entrepreneur close to Mr. Thiel, has built a ranch in the Argentine city of Mendoza, which he has said he sees as a potential shelter in case of World War III.
Mr. Varsavsky has hypothesized that Argentina would be completely unaffected if the northern hemisphere were wiped out by nuclear war.
“The moment China takes Taiwan or Russia takes Lithuania, I’m in Buenos Aires,” he said. “It’s good to have a Plan B for civilization.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Google employee charged with $1M Polymarket insider trading bet on search term
Google employee charged with $1M Polymarket insider trading bet on search term
The Average Guys Outsmarting Wall Street on Prediction Markets
How prediction-market ‘sharps’ have made millions wagering on everything from war to Rotten Tomatoes.
This reporter went bust while covering America's sports betting boom
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