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July 1, 2022
"You get an independence day! You get an independence day!" - Oprah looking at this weekend on a calendar
This weekend, we have 2 national birthdays to celebrate: Canada Day and the Fourth of July. To all of our Canadian readers, happy Canada Day! To our fellow 'Mericans, celebrate the Fourth with some hot dogs, light beer, and fireworks. Also, no pressure to eat Aunt Cheryl's potato salad at the cookout.
In today's edition:
- Cryptoqueen: FBI's Most Wanted
- California schools head east
- 20 Questions!
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 Key Stories
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Ukraine Retakes Snake Island
Ukraine has retaken Snake Island, an outpost in the Black Sea, potentially opening up grain exports
- The island, which was taken by Russian forces in February, is vital to controlling Black Sea shipping lanes. The island has become a symbol of resistance after a defender told a Russian ship “go f*** yourself”
- A Ukrainian official called the reconquest a “huge victory” while others stated that exports of grain, essential to world food supplies, could now resume. It is unclear if Ukraine will send more troops to Snake Island
- Russian officials said the retreat was a “goodwill gesture” to “organize humanitarian grain corridors”
Dig Deeper
- The possible resumption of grain exports comes as a relief to the international aid community, which has repeatedly warned about the human costs of rising food prices. According to one UN estimate, the number of “severely food-insecure” people has doubled in the past 2 years alone, a figure exacerbated by the war in Ukraine
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Europe, Asia Hit by Record Heat Waves
Large portions of the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing record-breaking temperatures for June
- Across Europe, temperatures are exceeding 86°F (30°C). In Italy, cities such as Rome tied previous record-highs of 105.4°F (40.8°C). In Norway, areas above the Arctic Circle were 87.4°F (30.8°C), breaking the previous high of 77°F (25°C) for June. Japan is also seeing its hottest heat wave in recorded history
- Across affected areas, officials are canceling school, conserving water, and issuing advisories
- Last year, a June heat wave affected large portions of the western US
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"Cryptoqueen" Added to FBI's Top 10
The FBI has added the “Cryptoqueen,” a woman accused of stealing billions, to its most-wanted list
- The woman, Ruja Ignatova, faces 5 charges in US court for allegedly defrauding investors in “OneCoin,” a Bulgaria-based cryptocurrency, out of ~$4B (€3.8B)
- Prosecutors claim that OneCoin was a fake crypto that targeted investors with misleading claims and outright lies about how it functioned. The Times described it as “one of the biggest scams in history”
- The FBI stated that Ignatova was last seen in Greece on Oct. 15, 2017. They also said she travels with armed guards and may have undergone plastic surgery
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Supreme Court Limits EPA Regulations
The US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to regulate emissions of gasses from power plants
- The majority opinion argued that such regulations should come from “Congress itself,” not from “unelected bureaucrats” at the EPA. The decision undermines the Clean Air Act, a 1970 law that allowed the EPA to regulate harmful emissions
- The case ruled on the Clean Power Act, an Obama-era emissions plan
- The dissenting opinion called climate change “the most pressing environmental issue of our time”
Dig Deeper
- The decision is a blow to President Biden’s ambitious emissions targets for the US. Last year, he pledged that US power plants will be carbon-neutral by 2035, putting the nation on pace to reach an economy-wide “net zero emissions” goal by “no later than 2050”
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 Popcorn |
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ICYMI
- Conference crazies: In a surprise blow to the Pac-12, USC and UCLA are leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten starting in 2024
- Top Gun: Nappers: Air New Zealand is introducing sleep pods for Economy class passengers, which can be booked for 4-hour slots
- KD out: Kevin Durant shocked the basketball world by requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets right after Kyrie Irving decided to stay
Wildcard
- Tastes like Putin: The NATO summit in Spain served a dish named the "Russian Salad." It has since changed names to a "traditional salad"
- Glacier cop: 12 officers, who ride around in snowmobiles, serve in an Arctic Police force on the islands between Norway and the North Pole
- Whopper of a gift: A Burger King employee who hasn't missed a shift in 27 years received $275,000 in donations via GoFundMe
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 What do you think?
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Today's Poll:
You only get to pick one at the theater: M&Ms or popcorn?
M&Ms
Popcorn
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Today's Question:
Just 20 Qs!
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 20 Questions
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Every Friday, we ask the Roca readers 20 questions, then feature our favorite answers the following week.
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"Houston, we have a set of 20 Questions to answer." - Tom Hanks in a lunar capsule seeing today's email
It is that time of week again, folks. For the uninitiated, every week we ask you 20 Questions for you to answer.
This week, we are back with another Ratings Edition! We will give you a thing/person/place and you can rate it on a scale of 1 to 10. For people, the scale is not based on looks, although if it's Nicolas Cage feel free to pencil in a 10.
Please reply to Max@RocaNews.com.
1. Red, white, and blue popsicles
2. Water hose on jet mode
3. Water hose on mist mode
4. O'Reilly Auto Parts jingle
5. Home Depot smell
6. Gasoline smell
7. PB&J's
8. Gusher's
9. Fruit rollups
10. Dua Lipa
11. ABBA
12. Nirvana
13. Glass coffee tables
14. Wooden coffee tables
15. Clorox wipes
16. Wordle
17. Sudoku
18. Guests who don't use coasters for a cold drink
19. JUULs
20. Freedom
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Last Week's Responses
1. Best beach snack?
"Saltines and peanut butter"
"Frozen grapes"
"Margarita"
2. Favorite vacation spot from your childhood?
"Rehoboth Beach, DE"
"Mackinac Island"
"Camping on Lake Erie beach"
3. Snow cones or Slurpees?
"Slurpees minus the brain freeze"
"Neither"
"Rainbow snow cone"
4. Surf in ocean or kayak in lake?
"Not even close surfing"
"Can't sip a beer while surfing"
"Kayak in lake :)"
5. Best popsicle flavor?
"Strawberry"
"Blue. Just blue"
"Pineapple Outshine pops are GOAT"
6. Preferred sunscreen SPF?
"Neutrogena 30 is a classic"
"500"
"None"
7. Rank the four seasons
"Fall, spring, summer, winter"
"Franki Valli definitely first"
"I am a Mexican living in Florida, I only know Summer 365 days"
8. How cold is too cold on a thermostat?
"65"
"Whatever my wife sets it to"
"62 I'm an Eskimo"
9. Last time you were stung by a bee?
"June 1, 2022"
"Never I'm undefeated"
"Reaching into a cooler to grab a Capri Sun"
10. Opinion on iced coffee?
"It's so wrong"
"Caramel Coffee Frappuccino"
"Drinking it right now and love it"
11. Favorite beach in the country?
"Siesta Keys"
"Martha's Vineyard"
"Newport Beach, CA"
12. Describe last day of school mood in one word
"Freedom"
"Pool"
"Fortnite"
13. Best summer movie?
"Jaws"
"Grease"
"Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
14. Would you rather be stung by a jellyfish or be completely sunburnt?
"Sunburnt not even close"
"Jellyfish is a better story"
"Stung by a sunburnt jellyfish"
15. Best summer of your life?
"2010 the last one with "
"2020 yah you read that right"
"Summer of 69 (didn't live then but love the song)"
16. Song ice cream trucks should play?
"This is how we do it"
"Kokomo"
"The LOTR soundtrack. Or the "they're taking the hobbits to Isenguard" remix - slightly less annoying than the ice cream truck's current tune, and far more amusing."
17. Song ice cream trucks shouldn’t play?
"Baby Shark"
"We Built This City"
"Barbie Girl by Aqua"
18. How do you feel about the 4-day workweek?
"It's bloody brilliant"
"Still in college so wait for me to begin it"
"Almost as good as the 0-day"
19. Any fun plans this weekend?
"Going to the vet"
"Art fair"
"Stripping my '58 Cadillac for a jet black respray"
20. What do you put on your hot dog?
"Crushed green ruffles chips"
"Ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, olives, at a minimum"
"Ketchup anything else is gross"
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 Roca Clubhouse
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Yesterday's Poll:
Do you like mushrooms on your pizza?
Yes: 67.6%
No: 32.4%
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Today's Clue (Day 4 of 4):
"Have a drink!"
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Day 1: Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning...
Day 2: Easiest to hang out with me on new and full moons, twice a day
Day 3: Start south of the border and you may not get there, but leave from St. Louis and you just might
Prizes include $250 for 1st place and $100 for 2nd and 3rd place!
Each newsletter this week contains a clue about a landmark in the United States. Thursday's newsletter contained a bonus clue, which was automatically unlocked by 2 referrals to this newsletter. In total there are 5 clues about 1 landmark.
You get one guess, which you submit by replying to a newsletter with a Google street view screenshot.
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 Final Thoughts
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In the words of Daniel Craig introducing the Weeknd on SNL, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Weeknd."
Happy Friday, Happy Canada Day, and Happy Fourth of July weekend! Officially time to break out the SPF 6,000 sunscreen.
Thank you all for your incredible support lately. We hope you have a wonderful long weekend and make sure to aim the fireworks at the sky (and not your neighbor's house that's playing disco music).
Max & Max
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