WORD ON THE STREET 

Justice Kavanaugh Threatened, Biden Hits New Low, Gas Hits New High

• Assassination Prevented – A California man was arrested by police after he made threats against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Nicholas John Roske was charged with attempted murder. Roske was reportedly upset about the supposedly upcoming repeal of Roe v. Wade and was armed with a gun. However, he also called authorities himself and reportedly rambled about seeking a “purpose.” In a court hearing, he admitted he was on medication and was not thinking clearly.

• UAE: Oil Prices Just Getting Started – Energy Minister Suhali Al-Mazrouei of the United Arab Emirates warned the West that oil prices still haven’t hit their high. “If we continue consuming, with the pace of consumption we have we are nowhere near the peak, because China is not back yet,” he said. According to the AAA, the national average price for a gallon of gas is $4.955 – and rising.

• President Biden Hits New Low In Poll – President Joe Biden continues to struggle, with his approval rating dropping to 39% in the weekly Morning Consult Poll. A strong majority, 58% of voters, disapprove of his performance. However, the Democrats may be able to win back some persuadable voters by focusing on President Donald Trump and his alleged complicity in the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot. Hearings will be taking place over the next few days. Unfortunately for President Biden, that will do nothing for gas prices, where the Commander-in-Chief has only limited options.

• Brands Embrace Sneaky Way To Hide Inflation – Kleenex, Chobani Flips yogurt, Fritos, and countless other brands and products are reducing their package sizes. “Shrinkflation” is a gamble by companies who hope that customers won’t notice the smaller size as readily as higher prices.

HOT SPOTS: What’s Going on in Geopolitics

• Brits Face Prison Or Death Penalty After Capture – Two British men who fought for Ukraine, Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner, are mired in court proceedings in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The DPR is widely unrecognized by international authorities, putting the British government in a difficult position. They can’t negotiate for the safety of their citizens without conceding the DPR’s legitimacy. Shaun Pinner faces the most serious charge, “seizing power by force,” and he has reportedly pled guilty. Both were captured during the fall of Mariupol.

• Tragic Crash Costs At Least Four American Lives – At least four American military personnel are dead after a MV-22B Osprey crashed in California near Glamis. A fifth servicemember is missing and feared dead. The Marine Corps issued a statement rebutting initial reports that nuclear material was aboard the aircraft.

• Iran Cuts The Feed – Iran has turned off two cameras that were being used by the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor uranium enrichment. The move is spurring fears that the Islamic Republic is preparing nuclear weapons. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France issued a joint statement backing the IAEA and saying Iran must “fulfill its legal obligations and cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

CUTTING EDGE: What‘s Happening In Tech

• New Startup Could Ease Parkinson’s Symptoms – “Freezing,” a horrific fate for those with Parkinson’s disease, can cause extremely damaging falls. It essentially means the brain can’t communicate with the muscles. However, NexStride, a portable device that can provide “cues” that can overcome the symptom, could provide a solution. De Oro has raised $2.8 million to go into business selling the devices for about $500 apiece.

• Twitter Will Give Musk Bot Data – Looks like a takeover is back on the menu boys. Twitter will provide Elon Musk a comprehensive stream of data about all tweets to ease his concerns about bots proliferating on the network. It will also prevent Musk from backing out of the $44 billion deal.

• Israel Boosts F-35 Capabilities… Attack Coming Soon? – With Iran seemingly speeding up its nuclear program, Israel clearly sees a threat. The Israeli Air Force recently improved its F-35 fighters so they can make it to Iran without refueling. They also incorporated a new bomb that can be put inside the plane, keeping the F-35’s stealth capability. Tensions between the two powers have skyrocketed following the assassination of a colonel in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard by gunmen on motorbikes.