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Politics

Harris to Close out DNC Tonight

This convention has everything, Womens Rights, Gaza, Trump, Steve Kerr, the Obamas, and a Mamala

The Democratic National Convention is going on this week in Chicago and will be wrapping up today. Let’s look at some of the notable things to occur thus far, such as Lil Jon’s surprise appearance, as the Democrats continue to roll out rappers.

Both Barack and Michelle Obama made appearances and speeches, discussing “hope.” The former president said “I am feeling hopeful,” while Michelle added “hope is coming back.” (By the way, as a quick sidebar: doesn’t this feel like a weird campaign slogan? Coming back? Isn’t Harris currently the Vice President? And, therefore, theoretically is part of those in charge now. Shouldn’t she have already brought the hope? Is this a slam at President Biden? We digress…)

Both went after former President Trump, as well, calling him a whiner and someone who is more concerned with his own grievances. 

Kamala Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff (currently the “second gentleman”) discussed life as a blended family, revealing that their kids call her “Mamala.”

The War in Gaza was a popular topic, as Bernie Sanders referenced it Tuesday night, following Biden addressing it the night prior.

The president spoke about his work towards a peace deal and said, “Those protesters out in the street, they have a point; a lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides.” 

Sanders followed up with, “We must end this horrific war in Gaza, bring home the hostages and demand a cease-fire.” AOC also added that Harris is “working tirelessly to secure a cease-fire in Gaza and bring hostages home.”

In regards to Harris, Biden said that choosing her as his running mate was “the best decision I made my whole career.” And added, “She’ll be a president our children can look up to. She’d be a president respected by world leaders, because she already is. She’d be a president we can all be proud of. And she’d be a historic president who puts her stamp on America’s future.”

Biden received a four-minute ovation prior to making his speech on Monday.

Hillary Clinton spoke about the idea of having a female president for the first time, something Trump kept her from accomplishing eight years ago. Clinton said she’d put many cracks in the “highest, hardest glass ceiling,” and now Harris is “so close to breaking through once and for all.”

And former NBA player, and current Warriors coach, Steve Kerr also made an appearance, not long after leading the U.S. to olympic gold in basketball.

Can we acknowledge, regardless of which side you’re on, that a lot of the convention behavior is odd? Even cultish? Also, all politicians should be forced to give their speeches without teleprompters. Speak from the heart. Maybe then it’d be more authentic and real. 

Regardless, Harris will close out the DNC with her speech tonight. 

From the Hill:

👋 Kennedy expected to end his race, endorse Trump.

🐊 DeSantis may be losing his pull in Florida.

Business

Target Slashes Their Way to Profits

Target cut prices on 5,000 products and now is suddenly earning money again. What a novel concept! Much like the expression: you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. You also might get more people through your doors with lower prices, as opposed to inflated prices. 

Target had been losing out to their rival Walmart for several quarters in a row, which prompted this decision. And voila: Target’s stock jumped 12% and topped Walmart by $0.39 a share. Target also reported that foot traffic in their stores had increased by 3% overall, and went up for all six of their store’s departments. Meanwhile, sales were up 2% across the board.

Now that it’s back-to-school season, followed by the holiday season, we’ll see if the price cuts remain for Target, but it’s a good reminder for many - you don’t have to try and take advantage of everyone. Good deals will still typically win out. Or, at the very least, get people in your doors. And in the meantime, crayons are still just $0.25.

Ford Pauses Their Electric Push

Ford Motors has hit a bit of a snag with their electric vehicle production. The company announced yesterday that they’re delaying the production of a next-generation all-electric pickup truck and are canceling plans for a three-row electric SUV. 

Vehicle production at their new plant in Tennessee was originally scheduled to get underway next year. The company, however, did say that they still expect to start battery cell production at that site in 2025. 

But in the meantime, they said their emphasis will be with hybrid vehicles, as well as commercial electric vehicles - such as an electric commercial van that is set to be released in 2026 and two EV pickup trucks in 2027.

Electric vehicles remain a conundrum, as they’re not being adopted as swiftly as some thought/expected, and the car manufacturers are still struggling to find a profitable way to mass produce them.

In a statement, Ford said that the changes are part of several actions to broaden its electrification strategy "to reach more customers, improve profitability, and continue to reduce CO2." Ford will take a $400 million non-cash charge to pay for the changes that could eventually cost the company up to $1.5 billion. Yikes.

Around the Water Cooler:

📈 Wall Street gets jobs numbers before the public.

🚫 Noncompete Ban has been blocked.

Tech

Robots Are Here

Have we learned nothing from The Terminator?

Welcome to the future. Chinese robotics company Unitree just revealed a $16k humanoid robot set for mass production. This robot is designed for applications across various industries, such as manufacturing, logistics, services and healthcare. 

The robots have three-finger hands, 23 points of movement, and high-tech sensors. Their moving speed is 3.3 feet a second (meaning, it’d take almost 27 minutes to walk a mile - so pretty slow) and they can lift about 89 pounds. The company says because of its advanced features, these robots are very adaptable. 

You can check out the robot here.

In other news:

🤖 Is safety even a concern for AI devs?

⛵ Tech Tycoon missing after Super Yacht Sinks off Sicily.

World News

Stand Still in Middle East

Following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month, many have been waiting for Iran’s response. However, according to a spokesperson for the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), it could take some time.

“Time is on our side and the waiting period for this response may be prolonged,” Ali Mohammad Naeini was quoted as saying on Tuesday by state media.

Israel has yet to confirm, or deny, their role in the killing. However, they’ve still been blamed by Iran, who has vowed retaliation ever since. Yet, as Naeini said, they will not take “hasty action.”

Sometimes the waiting, and lack of comfortability, is punishment in itself. 

Iran attacked Israel for the first time ever back in April, when they launched 300 projectiles at the country. This followed an airstrike on one of their diplomatic buildings in Syria at the time, which they also blamed on Israel.

Efforts to secure a ceasefire have ramped up following the murder of Haniyeh last month (and ensuing threats of retaliation), as many are fearful and, rightfully so, want to avoid an all-out war.

Around the Globe:

💥 Ukraine hits Moscow with Massive Drone Attack.

🇸🇩 There’s Famine in Sudan, but they won’t declare it.

Entertainment

Call Her Daddy is on the Move

Alex Cooper secures another bag.

The popular podcast, “Call Her Daddy”, is on the move again - this time to SiriusXM. 

The advice and comedy podcast first began in 2018 and was hosted by then-23-year-old roommates Alexandra Cooper and Sofia Franklyn. The show’s first home was Barstool Sports, which owned and distributed the pod until 2021. 

During this time, in the summer of 2020, Cooper and Franklyn got into a publicized dispute with Dave Portnoy, the founder of Barstool, prompting Franklyn to leave the show. Cooper, however, carried on, reaching an agreement with Barstool to continue the show solo. That was, until she received a $60 million offer (over three years) from Spotify to become the exclusive home of the podcast in 2021, plucking her away from Barstool. 

The podcast originally focused on relationships, sex, and the co-hosts' own tales of debauchery. However, the spotify deal shifted the focus of the show more to topics like women’s rights, mental health, and the importance of therapy. Cooper also spearheaded the “The Unwell Network”, where she collaborates with other content creators.

In its first two years with Spotify, the show was ranked #2 for podcasts, only behind “The Joe Rogan Experience.”

And now, with her contract expiring, Cooper and Call Her Daddy will continue to climb the ladder - securing a multi-year deal with SiriusXM to distribute the podcast that is worth $125 million (according to Variety). Consider that Cooper’s original contract with Barstool seven years ago was for three years and $75k per year (plus bonuses). That then increased to $500,000 in 2020 to $60 million with Spotify to now potentially $125 million with SiriusXM. 

This comes after SiriusXM inked the SmartLess podcast (hosted by actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes) to a three-year, $100 million contract in January. They also brought on Conan O’Brien’s podcast company for $150 million in 2022. 

Cooper announced the news on Instagram, saying “I am beyond excited to work with SiriusXM… The Daddy Gang will always be my top priority, and with SiriusXM, we will continue to find new ways to evolve and provide my listeners the best experience. The Daddy Gang wants more, so we’re getting ready to give them more… I can’t wait for this new chapter to begin.” She will begin creating new content for SiriusXM in 2025. 

It’s been quite the climb for Cooper and her show. As they say: sex sells.

From the Lot:

🎬 LA losing it’s Hollywood Shine? Movie makers shooting elsewhere.

💻 Twitch forcing features no one asked for.