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Hold the tomatoes. I’ve said that a thousand times in part because, despite my proclivity toward a nice Arrabiata sauce, I’m just not into tomatoes on their own, and in part because of definitional issues like the one exemplified in Wikipedia: “The tomato is a plant whose fruit is an edible berry that is eaten as a vegetable.” But these days, people are throwing nightshade at the old Solanum lycopersicum less for reasons of personal taste and more for reasons related to remaining financially solvent. A combination of crop yields, tariffs, and the Iran war has left restaurants and consumers slicing tomatoes out of their recipes. “Tomatoes, ubiquitous in everything from fast-food burgers to haute cuisine, are taking on a new role beyond the plate: A nagging reminder of rising costs. Prices for those red orbs have soared more than any other food product over the past year to cement a spot as one of the consumer headaches du jour.” AP: Tomatoes become latest symbol of America’s affordability squeeze.
+ For one segment of America, stories like this one are interesting asides with potential political ramifications; a dinner party topic to slice and dice over Bruschetta, Gazpacho, and Caprese. For a larger segment of people, it’s a serious bottom-line issue. And those two segments have never been more divided. WSJ (Gift Article): The Record Divide Between Corporate Profits and Worker Pay. “Labor’s share of economic output just hit an all-time low, while the profit share hit a near record. It helps explain why consumers feel so glum.” They’d probably be throwing tomatoes, if they could afford them.
2
White Li(n)es
In before times, America’s use of the military to perform relentless bombing on small boats that may or may not be transporting drugs would be an endlessly covered scandal that calls into question whether murder has at times been committed. In these times, it gets lost among endless waves of outrageous acts. But it’s worth noting that if you really wanted to hamper the drug trade, you’re gonna need (to target) a bigger boat. NYT (Gift Article): Blowing Up Boats Hasn’t Slowed Cocaine Traffic to U.S., Experts Say. It’s a cruel and expensive policy that damages our international status and results in a suboptimal outcome. In other words, it’s entirely on brand.
3
Only the Good Die Young
Everyone wants to live a longer and healthier life. But no one wants to live forever as much as really bad, really rich guys with absolutely no regard for human lives other than their own. “When Vladimir Putin was captured by a hot mic telling Xi Jinping that humans could achieve immortality by replacing their organs, some dismissed the exchange as eccentric small talk between aging autocrats. In fact, during the conversation at a Beijing military parade last September, Putin appeared to be describing a Kremlin-backed longevity initiative that has become one of Russia’s flagship scientific projects.” WSJ (Gift Article): Inside Putin’s $26 Billion Quest for Longevity. (I’m not a doctor, but for longevity, I still recommend the old stalwarts: Diet, exercise, and not murdering innocent civilians for years on end.)
4
Weekend Whats
What to Watch: Mixing humor with horror is all the rage these days. You may get enough of it in this newsletter, but if you’re in the mood for a little more, there are two new shows worth checking out. Widow’s Bay on Apple TV follows Matthew Rhys as the mayor of a small island looking to boost tourism, despite a lot of bad things hidden in the fog. And The Boroughs on Netflixfeatures a group of retirees investigating a deadly, supernatural mystery. Think: Stranger Things meets Cocoon.
+ What to Doc: “In this true-crime documentary series, a cult expert and filmmaker infiltrate a polygamist sect to expose a self-proclaimed prophet and bring him down.” Trust Me: The False Prophet. These filmmakers go way beyond just documenting a tragedy.
+ What to Pod: “He’s wowed presidents, pro athletes and podcasters. But magicians tell us Oz Pearlman’s viral act has crossed an ethical line. Stevie Baskin, after obsessively studying Pearlman’s tricks, explains to Pablo Torre how influencers from Charles Barkley to the White House were in on the act — and why he thinks this brand of ‘mind-reading’ amounts to fraud.” On YouTube: Pablo Torre Finds Out: Debunking Oz Pearlman’s Tricks: Is He a Fraud?
5
Extra, Extra
On the Verge: We either have a deal, are really close to a deal, or there’s not yet a deal, that may or may not include the opening of the Strait. Trump claims to be on verge of approving peace dealwith major Iranian concessions.
+ Pop Goes the Populism: “A year ago, the Trump administration withdrew from a global effort to curb offshore tax-dodging by multinational companies. That decision has been a huge gift to corporate America, enabling companies to avoid at least $40 billion in income taxes since the beginning of 2025.” Don’t get me wrong. Corporations aren’t the only ones benefiting these days. Dell Gets a $9.7 Billion Defense Contract. Trump’s Portfolio Stands to Benefit.
+ Failure to Launch: “A rocket belonging to Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin exploded during a test at the launch pad Thursday night, shaking nearby homes and briefly painting the sky orange.” Amazingly, no one was hurt. But it’s a major setback, and not just for Blue Origin. Ars Technica: Here’s why the failure of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is so catastrophic.
+ Drone Zone: “It was the first known time that a Russian drone had caused damage and injuries in a major urban area on the territory of the Western military alliance.” Russian Drone Hits Romanian Apartment Building.
+ Emotional Roller Coaster: “Eight riders were stranded nearly 100 feet in the air on Thursday evening after a roller coaster in Texas stopped during its vertical climb.”
+ Caffeine For All: “Many Americans likely haven’t heard of 7 Brew, which has only been around since 2017 when it opened its first location in Rogers, Arkansas. The chain has since grown to over 700 locations in 38 states, with about 340 more on the way, but can’t be found in airports, indoor shopping malls or busy street corners in major US cities. Instead, it operates through drive-thrus and walk-up windows in parts of the country with little-to-no coffee competition.” Private equity-backed coffee. Talk about a business of the era. This drive-thru coffee chain is pushing into undercaffeinated parts of America.
+ Uncle Sam Wants You: Pentagon recruiting troops to watch White House UFC fights. (Tickets not included. Those who attend are required to “pay their own way and meet height and weight requirements.” Happy Birthday, ‘Merica!)
+ Shrinking is Growing: “He’s got five television shows on the air this year: the first-season HBO series “Rooster,” “Shrinking” on Apple TV (which recently dropped Season 3) and ABC’s rebooted “Scrubs,” all of which are in the running for Emmys, plus the upcoming “Ted Lasso” (entering Season 4) and “Bad Monkey” (back for Season 2), both on Apple.” How Bill Lawrence Became TV’s Most Prolific Showrunner. (You could spend all your TV time just keeping up with him and Taylor Sheridan.)