In partnership with

Technology

America’s golden child of chip making just got grounded

After a historic stretch this year, Nvidia has fallen to the gutter. The chip making giant Nvidia was recently accused of violating antitrust laws after a Bloomberg report said the company was being subpoenaed by the US Department of Justice.

Throwing shots: On Wednesday, the chipmaker said it was in fact not subpoenaed, contradicting the initial report. Bloomberg then followed up with an article that claimed Nvidia said it was issued a civil investigative demand, which “is commonly referred to as a subpoena,” and was asked a series of questions by the government.

Hit em’ while they’re down

Bloomberg’s first report came when Nvidia shares plunged nearly 10%, erasing a record $279 billion, the largest loss of value ever for a US stock. The tumble came after a large sell-off of tech stocks amid alarming economic data.

Since the AI golden child reported its Q2 earnings last week, the stock dropped as much as 16%, shedding over $505 billion in market value. It has since rebounded slightly, but continues to bounce back and forth between small gains and losses.

The investigation

The DOJ has requested information from Nvidia that could aid in determining if the chip maker's acquisition of the software startup RunAI is valid and whether it offers customers who purchase more of its products get better treatment.

The antitrust investigation could harm the entire industry given the company has investments in numerous other AI-related businesses, and in turn they invest in Nvidia. 

• Microsoft and Meta spend nearly half of their hardware finances on the chip giant.

What’s the plan? This could not only hurt the whole sector, but start a political conflagration. The Biden-Harris administration has deliberately aligned policies to ensure Nvidia became the international champion it is, but has also largely supported antitrust initiatives.

Do you want the strategically aligned chip giant in a key industry to be the success you set it up to be, or do you want to tear it down? Your guess is as good as mine.

International Affairs

Celebrity beluga whale (and alleged Russian spy) found dead

Fitting for a spy, this whale has a captivating story and an end with an even better twist. Off the coast of Norway on Saturday, the body of Hvaldimir, a white beluga whale that supposedly had ties to Russia, was discovered.

Hvaldimir was extremely popular among the public, winning over local residents with his charming and playful attitude. Although speculation arose that he was actually a “spy whale” for Moscow, no one really cared. I don’t blame them.

Not-so secret spy

First seen by locals in 2019, the beluga whale was named after a mix of the Norwegian word for whale, “hval,” and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

While initially it sounds pretty stupid, Russia, the US, and other countries around the world have a long history of training sea mammals for use in covert operations within the armed forces:

• Sea lions and dolphins have been “drafted” by the US Navy for information gathering, mine detection, and object recovery from the ocean floor, now known as the Navy Marine Mammal Program.

• Russia’s ties to using marine mammals for military use go back to 1976, where the CIA documented (see unclassified report) the Soviets training various sea creatures to respond to radio controls and assist with diving missions.

  • Russia has been seen using dolphins for counter-diver operations as recently as the Ukraine war, where they supposedly trained them to use lethal devices and parachute out of helicopters.

However, the beloved beluga Hvaldimir was never seen conducting any suspicious activities or carrying any equipment besides the GoPro camera, and was extremely friendly towards locals.

Another suggestion: Because of his social demeanor, other theories suggest he could’ve been a therapy whale, which would explain his interest in people and his unique responses to hand signals (or he’s a commie spy).

The mystery gunman

While it was initially reported that Hvaldimir only had superficial injuries, an animal rights group claimed that he had died from “multiple gunshot wounds”, citing an autopsy that occured on Monday.

NOAH and OneWhale, two animal rights groups, had requested Norwegian police to look into the whale’s death, which many now think was at the hands of a secret gunman.

While it isn’t immediately known if the bullets are what killed Hvaldimir, a spokesperson for Norwegian Veterinary Institute told CBS a full report would be released within three weeks regarding the death of the 14-foot-long, 2,700 pound beluga whale.

Social Media

No, TikTok influencers aren’t smarter than Chase bank

If you thought the viral “money glitch” was actually viable, you’re already cooked. Over the weekend, a viral social media trend shed light on a loophole at Chase bank that allowed customers to withdraw free money. At least that’s what they thought.

The money “hack” quickly spread through social media, with viral videos showing some flaunting freshly minted bills and long lines outside Chase looking to get in on the action (see video).

What some call a glitch, others call fraud

By “others” I mean federal authorities. The glitch in JPMorgan Chase’s systems allowed customers to deposit fake checks for huge sums of money, allowing them to take some of the credit before the bank noticed.

There are two unfortunate realities for those who were easily convinced by the TikTok trend:

1. The “hack” is really just a type of fraud called check kiting.

2. Ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law.

Too good to be true: Financial experts came out to warn users during the trend saying bank glitches very rarely, if ever, end up benefiting the customer, and to think critically about what you see online; if something seems too good to be true, it almost always is.

Receive Honest News Today

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Sign up today!

Grab Bag

Wondering why it’s so humid? Blame the corn

If you’ve been feeling particularly hot the past month, it’s not just you, but the corn too. Evapotranspiration, or "corn sweat," made this summer’s heat wave feel much hotter (specifically last week), particularly for anybody traveling across the Midwest.

Evapotranspiration? Like all other plants, corn needs a way to stave off the sun, so it transpires — meaning it takes water from the ground and turns excess into water vapor as a way to dispense nutrients and cool off.

But since all plants partake in the same practice, and there are so many fields of crops in the midwest, humidity can skyrocket at a moments notice.

Wet cobs and hot summers

While midwestern summers are always sticky with heat, corn sweat has exacerbated the problem:

• The US Geological Survey states that an acre of our favorite thing on the cob can release as much as 4,000 gallons of water every day.

• USDA data indicates that 13.1 million acres of corn were planted this year in Iowa (as expected). More than 2/3’s of the state is covered in farmland, and corn is the top crop.

  • And don't even bring in Illinois and Nebraska, which are numbers two and three on the list, and happen to sit between Iowa.

Safe to say, it can get a bit muggy up here. An end-of-summer heat wave struck the midwest last month, putting up record numbers paired with all that cob sweat.

Humidity isn’t just from corn sweat: According to Basso, there would have been an abundance of moisture produced by the millions of acres of prairie that were replaced by industrial farms, mostly for the purpose of producing ethanol and feeding livestock.

NCAA blocks tips for college football players

Does the NCAA have to ruin everything? With the opening of its season last week, Oklahoma State announced it would be putting QR codes on the back of helmets so people can donate to players, but the NCAA threw a flag.

The donations would go to the school’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) fund for student-athletes, and introduced an innovative way for fans to send some cash to players on the roster. All they would have to do is scan their TV or a social media post.

Looking for a leg up

College recruitment is a harsh, extremely competitive landscape and every year schools are looking for new ways to entice incoming players.

• OSU’s eccentric head coach, Mike Gundy, said the university only spent a little below $3 million on NIL deals in 2023, a far cry from what other schools dish out.

• You wouldn’t be able to tip a certain player, however, since the NIL fund goes toward everyone on the roster.

The wearing of QR codes on helmets to increase players’ earning potential is believed to be a first in college football history. But the NCAA has already thrown a flag on the idea.

Donations, rescinded: Before the team’s first game against South Dakota State last saturday (which they won 44-20), the NCAA blocked the team from wearing the codes, saying they simply aren’t allowed “based on current NCAA football playing rules.”

Fast Facts

Dorm Design: College students are expected to spend over $87 billion this year on dorm room design, which is around $1,400 a student. So much for the days of a comforter and some LED lights.

Solo Sitting: Reservations for solitary dining have increased by 29% in the US over the previous two years, and a June study found that 60% of respondents had eaten by themselves at least once this past year, according to OpenTable.

Center Cut: Three physicists in Denmark have determined the paper most likely to cut you is mid-thickness, which includes printer paper, newspaper, and Post-It notes. The more you know.

Mayor Mishap: Linda Sun, a former top aide to New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, was arrested Tuesday and charged with acting as an agent for the Chinese government.

Permanent Pendant:  The mayor of Paris wants to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower permanently. Little tacky if you ask me.