Extra, Extra
Alef Bet: The widespread adoption of sports betting has led to several scandals involving players and coaches. But with prediction markets, you can bet on anything. Will stories like this one become the norm? “Two Israelis have been charged with using classified military information to place bets on how future events will unfold.” I covered this topic in detail yesterday. As I wrote in ‘Dict Picks, I believe the increasing popularity of prediction markets will cause a gambling addiction scourge the likes of which we’ve never seen.
+ Tariff Not Now, When? “The House voted Wednesday to slap back President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, a rare if largely symbolic rebuke of the White House agenda as Republicans joined Democrats over the objections of GOP leadership.”
+ I Need Another ‘Gram: “Mosseri said that he didn’t think that it was possible to be addicted to Instagram but that “problematic use” was possible, though it varies from person to person.” Instagram chief denies social media can be ‘clinically addictive’ in landmark case.
+ Lead Balloon: “Officials targeted what they thought was a drug cartel drone, but turned out to be a party balloon, they said.” Border Officials Are Said to Have Caused El Paso Closure by Firing Anti-Drone Laser.
+ Nut Givin’ Up My Shot: “It’s hard to recall a regulator who has done as much damage to medical innovation in as little time as Vinay Prasad. In his latest drive-by shooting, the leader of the Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine division rejected Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine without even a cursory review. This is arbitrary government at its worst.” WSJ Editorial Board: Vinay Prasad’s Vaccine Kill Shot.
+ Your Place Or Mine(field): “Security measures once reserved for presidents and royalty—safe rooms, biometric access controls, laser-powered perimeter defenses—are now mainstream items in luxury homes. Executive-protection teams and armed guards patrol gated enclaves and suburban estates, while tech startups are rolling out predictive threat-detection systems built for the ultra-wealthy. The shift reflects a hardening view among the affluent: Traditional policing and communal safety are no longer enough, so security is being privatized, customized.” WSJ (Gift Article): The Mega-Rich Are Turning Their Mansions Into Impenetrable Fortresses.
