Good morning. Work stops three ways: factory fires, government shutdowns, and retirement. What happens next reveals an uncomfortable truth about staying employed.

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A September 16 fire at Novelis's Oswego, New York, plant knocked offline a facility supplying 40% of aluminum used by U.S. automakers. The plant will remain closed until early 2026. Ford, the largest customer, uses aluminum for its F-150.

Novelis produces over 350,000 metric tons annually for about a dozen automakers including Toyota and Volkswagen. The fire destroyed the hot mill where sheet aluminum is manufactured. Nearly 175 firefighters battled the three-alarm blaze.

Ford may flag impacts in quarterly results this month, sources said. Novelis is sourcing from overseas but faces a 50% U.S. tariff. The company is working with competitors to mitigate shortages. Ford thankful for auto tariffs.

The White House on Monday clarified President Trump's layoff claims, saying employees are furloughed but not fired. The Senate rejected funding measures for the fifth time on day six, freezing $1.7 trillion in operations.

Republicans need eight Democratic votes to reach the Senate's 60-vote threshold. Trump expressed openness to a deal on healthcare subsidies helping 24 million people, Democrats' main demand. The shutdown began October 1 and is projected to become the fourth-longest Tuesday. Standoff continues.

Military workers face missed paychecks next week. Air traffic controllers are calling in sick at higher rates, potentially causing delays, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. Labor unions sued to block potential layoffs.

Shutdown costs US economy $15B per week.

Ridley Scott said Sunday that Hollywood is "drowning in mediocrity," revealing he's been re-watching his own films. The Gladiator director made the comments during a BFI Southbank interview, criticizing filmmaking's over-reliance on digital effects over strong scripts.

Scott said millions of films are made globally and "most of it is s**t." He recently re-watched Black Hawk Down, noting his films "don't age." The director argued movies are "saved" by visual effects rather than writing.

Channing Tatum echoed concerns on Hot Ones, saying filmmakers are "incentivized to make bad things." Scott wrapped The Dog Stars and revealed Gladiator 3 plans, where the protagonist becomes Emperor of Rome.

At 87, legendary director Ridley Scott calls retirement "unthinkable." His reason might extend your life (30 quotes from Ridley Scott).

The Anti-Retirement Formula:

Scott's success secret: "Tenacity is everything. The key is to keep flying—inertia kills you faster than overwork."

The counterintuitive truth: Retirement at 60-65 may accelerate decline. Staying engaged in meaningful work acts as cognitive insurance and purpose-driven longevity.

Paper: Risk of cognitive declines with retirement.

529 plans let money grow and withdraw tax-free for education. The superfunding strategy allows contributing five years at once—$95,000 individually or $190,000 per couple in 2025—using gift tax averaging. This immediately removes assets from your taxable estate without gift taxes while maximizing compound growth time. Nearly every state offers additional tax deductions for contributions.

10 Rules for Superfunding 529 Plan

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▲ Bari Weiss becomes CBS News editor in chief via $150M Paramount acquisition of Free Press

▲ Alex Cooper launches Unwell Creative Agency targeting Gen Z women with multiyear Google advertising deal

▲ Supreme Court rejects Google's bid to block Play Store opening to rival app stores, alternative payments

▲ Comer withdraws Comey subpoena after ex-FBI director denies any Epstein knowledge during DOJ service

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