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Brown University Shooter, US Inflation Cools and Tanning Beds Risks
Anna Eisenberg
December 18, 2025
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Brown University Shooter Found Dead
Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown University physics graduate student, killed two Brown students and wounded eight on December 13. Two days later, he fatally shot MIT physics professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro near Boston.
Valente was found dead by suicide in a New Hampshire storage unit on December 18. He used untraceable phones and credit cards, changed his car’s plates, and acted alone. Valente and Loureiro attended the same academic program in Portugal.
Authorities confirmed the shootings were connected after initially denying it. The investigation involved the FBI and local agencies. The case raised campus safety concerns and highlighted challenges tracking suspects using sophisticated methods.
Sources: AP News, Reuters, Bloomberg, WallStreetJournal
In cases like this, is it more important to focus on improving mental health support or on tightening campus security measures?Click to see live results and comment! |
EU Commits $106 Billion Loan to Ukraine
The EU agreed to provide Ukraine a €90 billion ($106 billion) interest-free loan for 2026-27, funded by borrowing on capital markets backed by the EU budget.
Plans to use €210 billion ($246 billion) in frozen Russian assets were blocked, mainly due to Belgium’s opposition over legal and retaliation concerns; Belgium holds €185 billion of these assets.
Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic opposed but did not veto the loan. The IMF estimates Ukraine needs €137 billion ($161 billion) over two years. Ukraine faces a funding shortfall threatening military drone production.
Frozen Russian assets remain blocked pending war reparations, which Ukraine estimates exceed €600 billion ($700 billion).
Sources: Bloomberg, AP News, Reuters, WallStreetJournal.
Is it justified for Belgium to block the use of frozen Russian assets due to fear of retaliation and legal risks?Click to see live results and comment! |
Most people think a $2 million portfolio makes them invincible.
They are wrong.
I just analyzed the data on "Sequence of Returns Risk," and the math is terrifying. It’s a "Silent Assassin" that can wipe out a legacy even if markets recover.
If you retire during the "Retirement Red Zone"—the 5 years before and after you quit—standard advice fails.
The Flaw of Averages: An "8% average return" can actually mean 0% real growth due to Volatility Drag.
The Death Spiral: Withdrawing during a crash is "Reverse Dollar Cost Averaging". You are permanently cementing losses.
The Asymmetry: A 50% loss requires a 100% gain just to break even.
Accumulation rules do not work for Decumulation. To survive the "Fragile Decade," you need a Bond Tent and a Bucket Strategy, not just a generic 60/40 split.
Stop playing for a high score. Start playing for survival.
US Inflation Cools
US inflation slowed in November 2025, with the CPI rising 2.7% year-over-year, below the 3.1% forecast. Core CPI dropped to 2.6% from 3.0%. A 43-day government shutdown canceled October inflation and labor data, causing technical distortions.
Shelter costs and categories like airfares and apparel declined. Tariffs from 2024 kept prices elevated; retailers have passed on 40% of costs, expected to reach 70% by March 2026, disproportionately affecting low-income households.
The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% with a 64,000 job gain in November after October’s 105,000 loss. The dollar weakened, and Fed rate cut odds for January rose above 55%, following last week’s 25-basis-point cut.
Do you feel that inflation is easing in your personal situation?Click to see live results and comment! |
Most wealth advisors focus on federal brackets. That is a mistake. Data from the new "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA) shows that federal taxes are no longer the primary threat to your wealth.
The real threat is your zip code.
If you live in a "Loser" state (NY, CA, NJ, MA), you are facing three specific risks that federal planning cannot fix:
The 14.4% Spread: The math of staying in CA vs. a zero-tax state is now irrational.
The Estate Cliff: In NY, earning $1 over the limit can trigger a six-figure tax bill.
The Exit Tax: States are legislating "Hotel California" laws to tax you even after you move.
Federal planning is just maintenance. State planning is asset survival.
TikTok’s US Future Secured
TikTok signed a $14 billion deal to form a U.S. joint venture, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, majority-owned by American investors, set to close January 22, 2026. Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX will hold 45%, ByteDance 20%, and ByteDance affiliates 30%.
The U.S. entity will manage data protection, content moderation, algorithm security, and software assurance, focusing on U.S. user data to prevent foreign influence. The deal resolves U.S. government concerns over data sharing and algorithm manipulation, stemming from executive orders and legislation banning TikTok without divestment.
Oracle will audit compliance. TikTok, with over 170 million U.S. users, retains partial ByteDance ownership while gaining regulatory approval to operate.
Do you believe the majority American ownership of the new TikTok US joint venture will significantly reduce national security risks?Click to see live results and comment! |
Trump’s Marijuana Move
President Trump reclassified cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, reducing federal restrictions and enabling more research and industry tax deductions. Cannabis is now grouped with drugs like Tylenol with codeine.
The order directs Medicare to pilot CBD coverage starting April 2026 for seniors with doctor recommendations; Medicare Advantage insurers are considering coverage expansion. Cannabis companies’ shares rose on the news. Despite increased public support (64%), some Republicans oppose the move citing health risks.
Marijuana use among adults 65+ rose 46% from 2021 to 2023. The change does not legalize recreational marijuana federally or allow interstate sales without FDA approval but opens access and development opportunities.
How do you feel about reclassifying marijuana as a scheduled II class drug?Click to see live results and comment! |
Tanning Beds Risks
A study of over 32,000 dermatology patients found tanning bed users have a 2.85-fold higher melanoma risk than non-users (5.1% vs. 2.1%). Sequencing 182 melanocytes revealed tanning users’ skin carries nearly twice as many mutations, even in areas rarely exposed to sunlight.
Younger users had more cancer-linked mutations than elderly non-users, indicating accelerated genetic aging. Melanoma causes about 11,000 U.S. deaths annually and is chiefly linked to UV radiation. Tanning beds are classified as Group 1 carcinogens.
Researchers urge banning indoor tanning for minors and adding explicit cancer warnings on tanning beds, emphasizing mutations caused by UV exposure are irreversible.
Sources: SciTechDaily, Sciencealert, Openaccessgovernment.
After knowing tanning bed use can genetically age skin decades faster, would you reconsider using tanning beds?Click to see live results and comment! |
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