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July 22, 2022
First of all, happy Friday, everyone. Second, if you ever feel bad about your company's slogan, think of these 2 slogans: 1) Uzbekistan Airways' slogan used to be, "Good Luck." Meanwhile, MGK gym's in Seattle was, "Building better kids one punch at a time." So how bad can yours be?
In today's edition:
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 Key Stories
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Biden to Spend $37B On Police
President Biden is requesting $37B in next year’s federal budget to fight crime
- Biden’s “Safer American Plan” includes $13B to hire and train 100k police officers, as well as funds for clearing court backlogs and crime prevention
- The proposal comes as an uptick in crime and gun violence have made public safety a major topic in November’s midterm elections. In much of the US, crime rates are at their highest in 2 decades
- Biden canceled his speech announcing the new plan after he tested positive for Covid on Thursday. He is reportedly experiencing “mild symptoms”
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Tesla Losing "Robotaxi" Race
Baidu, a Chinese search engine and AI tech company, unveiled a new self-driving “Robotaxi” that it says will be fully functional in 2023
- The new vehicle, Apollo RT6, costs $37,000 and has a detachable steering wheel. “We’re moving toward a future where taking a robotaxi will be half the cost of taking a taxi today,” Baidu’s CEO said
- The news puts Baidu ahead of Tesla, which hopes to begin mass production of self-driving taxis in 2024
- Baidu, whose robotaxis have given 1M+ rides since 2020, hopes to have “tens of thousands” of taxis operational within a few years
Dig Deeper
- In March, General Motors (GM) successfully petitioned the US government to permit cars without standard safety equipment, such as brakes and a steering wheel. The decision paves the way for fully autonomous vehicles, including self-driving taxis
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Amazon Buys Doctor's Offices
Amazon announced that it is buying One Medical, an operator of primary care health clinics, for $3.9B
- One Medical operates 188 clinics across 14 states. The purchase is the latest in a series of efforts by Amazon to break into the $4T US healthcare market. It will give Amazon access to thousands of patients
- Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated that “healthcare [needs] reinvention,” adding that Amazon would prioritize ease-of-use and customer satisfaction in booking appointments
- Jassy had previously stated that expanding into healthcare is a top priority for Amazon
Dig Deeper
- This is Amazon's third-largest buyout ever, after supermarket chain Whole Foods at $13.7B in 2017 and film & television studio MGM at $8.5B in March. Amazon's previous investments in healthcare included its purchase of Pillpack in 2018 and its investments in Amazon Care, an in-house tele-health service, however Amazon is yet to become a major healthcare player
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Pelosi's Taiwan Trip Causes Concern
President Biden and the US military are discouraging Nancy Pelosi from an upcoming trip to Taiwan
- Pelosi is the Speaker of the House — the 3rd-ranked US politician (after president and VP). She recently announced that she will visit Taiwan next month
- Taiwan is a self-governing, democratic island. The US supports it militarily; China intensely opposes efforts to treat it as a country
- China’s government said it will take “strong measures to defend China’s national sovereignty” if Pelosi visits; when asked his thoughts, Biden said the military has told him the trip “is not a good idea right now”
Dig Deeper
- If she goes through with the trip, Pelosi will be the highest-ranking US politician to travel to Taiwan since Newt Gingrich, also speaker of the house, traveled there 25 years ago
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Like Wine? Bright Cellars Discovers the Best Wine for You
Together with Bright Cellars
Bright Cellars is the data-driven wine subscription experience that knows your wine preferences better than you do. Skeptical? Take the quiz
- Founded by 2 MIT grads who were intimidated by the vast and complex world of wine, Bright Cellars was created to help wine drinkers discover and learn about wine in a fun, interactive way
- Bright Cellars creates a wine experience tailored just for you. Based on the Bright Points algorithm, wine selections are calculated to match your specific taste preferences
- As you try the wines, you’re encouraged to rate them on the website to fine-tune your taste profile even further
Dig Deeper
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 Popcorn |
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ICYMI
- Classic Muggles: The real-life version of Quidditch is changing its name to Quadball to distance itself from Harry Potter author JK Rowling
- Oh, snap: Snap shares plummeted 35% in after-hours trading after disappointing quarterly results. The social media app is now worth $17B
- King Kirby: University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart signed a 10-year, $112.5M contract extension. The Bulldogs won it all last year
Wildcard
- Taste the hops: Some argue that insects are a sustainable substitute for meat. Popular insect dishes include grasshoppers, ants, and larva
- Grisly details: Montana officials have confirmed that the grizzly bear's killing of a woman camping last summer was a "predatory attack"
- Hey! My glass slipper! A major brawl broke out at Disney World in Orlando, resulting in 1 hospitalization and 3 arrests
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 What do you think?
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Today's Poll:
Pt. 2: Which word looks more misspelled?
Phlegm
Asthma
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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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"I like 20 Questions, and I cannot lie" - Sir Mix-a-Lot every Friday
Welcome back to another edition of Friday 20 Questions! For the uninitiated, every Friday we ask you 20 Questions — sometimes with a theme, sometimes without one. Today we're going with the classic, 'cause if it ain't fixed, don't break it! (Think that's how it goes...)
Please reply with your answers to max@rocanews.com!
1. Are people too dependent on coffee, or is it a "good" addiction?
2. Suggest a guest for our upcoming podcast!
3. Suggest a segment for our upcoming podcast!
4. What's your favorite podcast?
5. Who is your favorite comedian?
6. How do you feel about political correctness?
7. If Roca disappeared, where would you get your news?
8. How often do you look at art?
9. Why are fewer people getting married nowadays?
10. Are dating apps a net negative or positive for society?
11. Best midnight snack?
12. Comfiest clothing item you have?
13. Your least favorite word?
14. Babysit Jack-Jack from the Incredibles or Maggie Simpson?
15. Round pickles or spear pickles?
16. Do you use the word "mid"?
17. Is meteorology a scam?
18. Thoughts on cyclists?
19. Your favorite campfire song?
20. What should be a college major that isn't?
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Last Week's Responses
1. Permanently give up coffee, or permanently give up breakfast?
"Easy one for a non-coffee drinker - Give up coffee!"
"Breakfast. I tried to give up coffee. Got fired."
"Coffee is the breakfast of champions"
2. Retire tomorrow, or work 30 more years?
"Work 30 more years I love my job"
"Tomorrow and spend the rest of my days reading Roca News!"
"I’m working til I’m dead. I’m a mom!"
3. Sit alone in silence for a year, or lose 2 fingers?
"Sit alone, I have four boys, although I would probably go crazy and cut off the fingers anyways"
"Sit alone in silence for a year. Will be like reliving my 20's"
"If I lose 2 fingers I have a neat conversation starter! High 3!"
4. Get mugged, or spill boiling water on yourself?
"Spill boiling water on myself. Less emotional damage…"
"Done both that’s hard to call. Probably mugged"
"Spill boiling water on the mugger!"
5. Lose the ability to laugh, or constantly laugh uncontrollably?
"Lose the ability to laugh, most of the time I don't even laugh at jokes, I just chuckle internally
"Mwa-hahahahahahahahaha"
"Lose it. I laugh on the inside most days anyway"
6. Never use a microwave again, or have to cook every meal in a microwave?
"Never use micro again, I cook from scratch anyhow, reheating is easy...it's the washing dishes I hate. Lol"
"I only eat Doritos so doesn't matter"
"Never use again (grew up without one!)"
7. Get any car you want, or run twice as fast?
"That’ll be a 1975 Ford Mustang GT please"
"Go for the car, don’t run anyway"
"Send my Tesla to me!"
8. Have a million bucks, or a million ducks that follow your orders?
"Who wouldn't want an army of ducks at their command? They can traverse water, land, and air. No person is safe from me now."
"A million ducks that follow your orders (this has got to be worth/can bring in a million bucks!)"
"A million bucks so I can buy and breed ducks and have many more than a million"
9. Be president, or CEO of a trillion-dollar company?
"Neither, I'm not qualified to either one"
"CEO, hire good people"
"Neither. I’m happy to let someone else have that level of responsibility"
10. Add 10 inches to your vertical jump, or run 25% faster?
"Add to my jump, I’m short"
"Add 10 inches to jump to make 11 inches total"
"Run 25% faster, why would I jump when I can grab a ladder?"
11. Eat British food every day, or run 1 mile every day?
"Run 1 mile – I know the Brit’s cuisine has improved, but running sounds better"
"Lol I'm moving to London next week. Guess my decision has been made."
"Run a mile: "Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't kill their husbands, they just don't." - thanks Elle Woods"
12. No Netflix for the next year, or no juice for the next 2 years?
"Take Netflix, books are better"
"Assuming wine counts as juice, No Netflix"
"As a non-juice drinker, I’ll keep binging my shows"
13. Buy a phone whose battery never goes above 10%, or buy a razor that's never sharp enough?
"I'm already using a dull razor, so I'll stick with that!"
"Um.... Battery anxiety is too real. I guess buy a razor that's never sharp enough"
"My phone is always dead as it is"
14. Free drinks at every restaurant, or control the music at every restaurant?
"As a former DJ, I have to say I'd definitely control the music!"
"Control the music, I would turn into a goblin if I has unlimited free drinks, my god"
"With the free drinks I can dance to country music for all I care"
15. Take a pill that makes you immune to colds, or have a key that lets you into any room?
" Pill, don't want to see in any rooms I'm not invited to"
"Immune to colds. Most rooms, I doubt I want to know what's behind the door"
"For sure. 2 or 3 colds per year are a small price to pay for this amazing key"
16. Be able to dunk a basketball, or run a 5-minute mile?
"Being 5'3" and dunking on people would be AMAZING!"
"Who cares"
"Run a 5 minute mile"
17. See 10 minutes in the future, or see 150 years in the future?
"10 minutes is all I can take these days"
"None, I like the present, the future will come. I want to enjoy every minute of my life now"
"I can handle 10 minutes..."
18. Chew gum that tastes like scallions, or wear a damp shirt in a cold room?
"Chew the gum"
"Ugh what the heck"
"Damp shirt.....done it before when the dryer didn't quite dry everything out"
19. Never take out the trash again, or have $5,000?
"$5,000 -I never take it out anyhow. I've got a kid and husband to harass for that"
"I'll take the cash"
"Trash over cash"
20. Have your coworkers hear a playlist of you singing in the shower, or have them read your 10 worst texts of the month?
"Playlist for sure, it won't get me fired"
"They can hear my singing"
"My beautiful singing voice"
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 Roca Clubhouse
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Yesterday's Poll:
Who is more likely to be the world's greatest power in 2040?
United States: 44.4%
China: 55.6%
Yesterday's Question:
With Jordan Peele's new horror film Nope coming out on Friday, what's your take on horror movies?
Adam from Kentucky: "Since horror movies tend to be low-budget it allows for a quick turnout. This allows them to be released during the height of whatever worry they are focused on. Whether it's the insatiable consumerism in the stuff, or the real-world implications of Reagonomics, on they Live."
Jean from Illinois: "Nope to Nope and other horror films. I always told my kid, 'Your head is only so big; be careful what you fill it with.'”
Rachel from Texas: "I think horror movies allow people to deal with scary stuff in a safe way. Just like little kids will act out parents fighting, dying, etc., we also have feelings about experiences that fall into the horror genre that we need to process. And for those that believe the supernatural is real, it’s even more necessary. Horror is also a great storytelling device for commenting on grief, loss, violence, abuse, and spiritual matters. The Orphanage is a beautiful movie, and the more recent Black Phone was wonderfully done."
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Today's Clue (Day 4 of 4):
Who wouldn't go for a free mellon?
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Day 1: Will you still love me when I'm forever young and beautiful?
Day 2: What good can come from tax evasion?
Day 3: What is mobile and giant?
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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This has been another exciting week of growth on this newsletter. Thanks and welcome to all who subscribed!
We hope you all have great weekends. Try to avoid the heat and fearmongering news notifications on your phones...
-Max & Max
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Share The Current with friends, and win free swag! Some are secrets, some are awesome Roca gear. Let's make this wave a tsunami, and share away!
Copy and send your referral link to others: https://join.rocanews.com/5b5757bc/
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