YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE

Listen to the PODCAST (2:58)

*1. YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE

"The European efforts are just a taste of a coming global freak-out over the power of the American tech industry. Over the last decade, we have witnessed the rise of what I like to call the Frightful Five. These companies — Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and Alphabet, Google’s parent — have created a set of inescapable tech platforms that govern much of the business world. The five have grown expansive in their business aims and invincible to just about any competition. Their collective powers are a source of pride and fear for Americans. These companies thoroughly dominate the news and entertainment industries, they rule advertising and retail sales, and they are pushing into health care, energy and automobiles." From NYT - Why the World Is Drawing Battle Lines Against American Tech Giants

*2. CANCER MOONSHOT

This looks promising... "Scientists have taken a “very positive step” towards creating a universal vaccine against cancer that makes the body’s immune system attack tumors as if they were a virus." From Independent - 'Universal cancer vaccine’ breakthrough claimed by scientists

*3. NO MONEY, MO PROBLEMS

"Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the blood testing company Theranos, was a rare breed: a self-made female billionaire. Forbes had put Ms. Holmes on the top of its list last year of America’s richest self-made women. The magazine’s new estimated tally of her wealth? It went from $4.5 billion to $0." Whew! That's a bad day. How do you lose $4.5 billion in one day. From NYT - Elizabeth Holmes, Founder of Theranos, Falls From Highest Perch Off Forbes List

*4. WHAT THE BOOK?

"But the researchers were surprised to find that, among kids who benefited from an extra year of school, those who grew up with more than 10 non-school books (that is, books they weren’t forced to read) at home eventually doubled that lifetime earning advantage, to 21%." From Quartz - Economists show that boys who grow up around books earn significantly more money as adults

*5. HIGHWAY TO THE DANGER ZONE

It was a terrible day for the Navy's Blue Angels and the Air Force's Thunderbirds. Both had aircraft crashes hours apart. The Thunderbird's were participating in a flyover of the Air Force Academy graduation, which had President Obama as graduation speaker. Thankfully, the Air Force pilot ejected safely and actually met Obama after the ceremony. "The pilot seemed in fine form, saluted POTUS as he approached and then shook his outstretched hand. The two had a brief chat." Unfortunately, the Blue Angel pilot was killed in the crash. From USAToday - Thunderbirds F-16 crashes at Air Force Academy graduation; and from AP - Blue Angel, Thunderbird jets crash on same day; 1 pilot dead

*BOTTOM OF THE NEWS

* "It is now politically incorrect to use the word “Oriental,” and the admonition has the force of law: President Obama recently signed a bill prohibiting use of the term in all federal documents. Apparently Asians are supposed to feel demeaned if someone refers to us as Orientals. But good luck finding a single Asian American who has ever had the word spat at them in anger." From LAT - The term 'Oriental' is outdated, but is it racist?

* The Ultimate Wedding Playlist From FiveThirtyEight. More importantly, what did NOT make the list? "The entire catalogs of Dave Matthews Band,2 Maroon 53 and the Village People.4 Hey, it’s your party."

*LONG WEEKEND READS

* A good run down of recent articles on contaminated water in the U.S. - The Crisis in Flint Isn't Over. It's Everywhere From Wired; and from Gawker - Report: At Least 33 U.S. Cities Distorted Water Testing Results Over Lead Concerns; and from Politico - Is Washington creating more Flints?; and, finally, from Politico - Same topic, but looking at the future of water - 5 glimpses of the future of water

* From Wired - Kurt Schneider: The Chessmaster Who Turned Into the King of YouTube Music

*Sign up below to receive Top of the News via email. If some awesome person forwarded Top of the News to you via email, you can sign up for your own delivery by visiting Top of the News at aebrandomthoughts.blogspot.com