Good Morning. Ford's stock just hit its highest level since 2023, climbing 28% in two weeks on a $2 billion bet that old EV batteries can power AI data centers.
Plus, Gyn Z trades bar for gym nightlife, an octagon rises on the South Lawn, and AI just cracked protein design (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).
TOP STORY TODAY
Ford's AI Pivot
Ford's stock hit a nearly three-year high this week, climbing 28% over two weeks after the automaker launched Ford Energy, a new $2 billion subsidiary. Shares closed Tuesday at $15.32, the highest level since 2023.
The division repurposes batteries once meant for electric vehicles into stationary storage systems for AI data centers, utilities, and industrial customers. The pivot positions Ford against Tesla and LG Energy Solution while the broader auto industry weathers a steep EV downturn.
Investors are especially optimistic about a partnership with Chinese battery giant CATL, which one analyst estimated could be worth $10 billion. Ford plans to deploy at least 20 gigawatt hours annually, with first customer deliveries expected late next year.
303 Gold Bars
A former senior CIA officer with top-secret clearance was charged last week with stealing public money after federal agents found 303 gold bars worth more than $40 million stashed in his Virginia home. They also seized about $2 million in cash and roughly 35 luxury watches.
David Rush requested foreign currency and tens of millions in gold for "work-related expenses" between November and March, but much of it vanished. Some turned up in a storage space near his office. He also fabricated his background for nearly two decades, falsely claiming degrees from Clemson and Rensselaer and a stint as a Navy pilot.
Here is the part that should worry every taxpayer. The government runs continuous vetting on cleared employees, monitoring their finances, credit, and travel for exactly this. The system still missed a man hoarding $40 million in gold at home for years.
White House Octagon
The UFC has released new renderings of the octagonal cage being built on the White House South Lawn, with construction already underway for a fight scheduled June 14 (NYT), President Trump's 80th birthday. The design features a star-spangled arch and seating for thousands.
The temporary arena will hold more than 4,000 people. A separate Freedom 250 Fan Fest on the Ellipse grounds could host 75,000 to 100,000 spectators watching for free. Weigh-ins are planned at the Lincoln Memorial, and the event ties into celebrations for America's 250th anniversary.
UFC president Dana White said Trump pitched the idea while the two watched a fight together. White will distribute 200 tickets, Trump 1,000, with the rest awarded to members of the U.S. military. An IndyCar street circuit is planned for August.
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TODAY’S LIFE ADVICE
What Spider-Man Eats in a Day
Tom Holland built a superhero body on one rule: diet is 80%, training is 20%. His daily plate:
Breakfast: porridge with berries, nuts, and a protein shake
Lunch: skipped, unless he's bulking for a role
Dinner: batch-cooked lentil chili, his current go-to
Cheat meal: two In-N-Out double-doubles, raw onions, no fries
Supplements: creatine and protein, adjusted to the goal
The lesson: he doesn't count macros, he repeats a few simple meals on autopilot.
AI Just Cracked Protein Design
A new AI system from Biohub just mapped the machinery of life itself, and it could reshape how every future drug gets made.
What it actually did:
Mapped 6.8 billion protein sequences and over 1 billion structures
Designed lab-validated binders against five real cancer and immune targets
Lets scientists test designs on a computer before touching a lab bench
The takeaway: the slow, expensive part of drug discovery is starting to move at software speed.
TRENDING
5 Stories
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▲ Bar tabs shrink as 30% of Gen Z spends more on gyms than nightlife, gyms becoming the new social scene.
▲ AI-proof careers gain ground as Phoenix call-center jobs fall 26%, pushing workers toward trades like electrician.
▲ Ken Paxton enters Texas Senate runoff against Democrat James Talarico after winning Trump's endorsement, with general election ahead
▲ Matthew Perry's assistant gets 41 months for injecting actor with $50,000 of ketamine before his 2023 death
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Fun Links
Spend a week with a billionaire [YouTube]
48% of US says they lack fun in life [Blog]
They turned abandoned train into a home [Video]
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You don't need Hollywood to make movies [Partner*]
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