Extra, Extra
No Strain to No Gain? Every expert says the US military is stretched too thin because of the Iran war. The administration’s plan? More stretching. “It is part of an open-ended military strategy designed to give President Trump options in the war, the people said. But the deployment of 19 warships, air-defense units, fighter squadrons and paratroopers across the region is straining servicemembers and their families and creating a maintenance backlog that could take years to unwind.” WSJ (Gift Article): Hegseth Extends Mideast Deployments Into 2027, Escalating Strain on Troops.
+ Gloria: “Calling herself ‘an entrepreneur of social change,’ Ms. Steinem helped usher in sweeping cultural transformations across virtually every facet of American life, from the boardroom to the courtroom to the bedroom. For more than half a century, she personified the women’s movement and became its most enduring symbol; her tinted aviator glasses and curtain of streaked-blond hair parted in the center made her one of the most recognizable women in the world.” Gloria Steinem, Personification of the Women’s Movement, Dies at 92. My wife Gina Pell on the epiphany of meeting Gloria Steinem.
+ Sir, Come Vent: “Adam Silver didn’t just drop the hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers. He busted out the sledgehammer and called in the wrecking ball for good measure … Among the league’s punishments to the Clippers after an investigation found that they broke league rules in order to pay Kawhi Leonard under the table: a $30 million fine; the loss of five first-round picks beginning in 2029; one-year suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and top business executive Gillian Zucker; and a six-month suspension for top basketball executive Lawrence Frank.” 5 takeaways from the NBA’s punishment of the Clippers for circumventing the salary cap. (This could be Steve Ballmer’s worst moment since he predicted, “There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.”) The punishment might make sense for ownership, but it also punishes the hell out of Clippers’ fans, who did nothing wrong (other than being Clippers fans). This is a big win for independent journalism, as the scandal was unearthed by Pablo Torre (who won a Pulitzer for his reporting). Here’s Pablo talking to Dan Patrick about the fallout.
+ Russian to Be Ready: “In a civil defense shelter hewn into rock, behind doors designed to withstand a nuclear or biological attack, two Finnish conscripts wearing hazmat suits and breathing masks are measuring radiation levels as they take part in an exercise to turn a cave into a place of safety for thousands of people.” Finland runs Europe’s biggest civil defense exercise since the Cold War.
+ Face Time: “The acquisition is also another sign of Nvidia’s growing role as Silicon Valley’s central banker, using its vast financial resources to bolster A.I. start-ups and funnel money to customers for its chips.” Nvidia Extends A.I. Spending Spree With $12.9 Billion Deal for Hugging Face.
+ Grounded: “The Trump administration imposed tariffs of up to 100 percent on drones on Thursday, continuing its long-running campaign to thwart the Chinese drone industry and promote domestic manufacturing.” The big question is whether there’s enough domestic product to fill the void. What’s less of a question is whose investment this benefits. “Mr. Trump’s eldest sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., are shareholders and advisory board members of Dominari Holdings, which has invested in Powerus, a Florida-based drone maker. Donald Trump Jr. also sits on the advisory board of Unusual Machines, the top manufacturer of drone components in the United States.”
+ Tennis Menace: “Sometimes they’re quiet and surreptitious; sometimes they’re loud and boisterous. Invested bettors often watch tennis matches the way they might have watched greyhounds at a dog track, screaming for their chosen pick to pay off. But unlike the dogs or horses—or the dice on a craps table, whatever—the players can hear and understand everything being shouted at them.” The U.S. Open is a Casino Now. (So, it’s like everything else…)
+ Anchor’s Away: Fox News parts ways with Maria Bartiromo. Either she’s gonna be the new WH spokesperson, or she inadvertently told the truth.
