Good Morning. Twelve states just went to war over the $111 billion deal that could reshape every movie theater in America. Plus, the new Tom Cruise movie, a $30M T-Rex, and this week’s World Cup schedule (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).
Missed yesterday? Our most clicked link: Women over 40 are now having more babies than this group.
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States Sue Paramount
Twelve state attorneys general, led by California, sued Paramount yesterday to block its $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. They allege the merger would violate antitrust law and throttle competition across the industry.
Combining two top-five studios would leave four companies controlling 85% of wide-release films, which drew 98% of box office over four years. The states warn of higher ticket prices and fewer movies. Paramount calls the suit flawed.
The case could drag on for years. Warner shareholders are owed roughly $6.9 million daily if the deal misses a September 30 deadline. The Justice Department already approved the merger in June without requiring any concessions.
Farmland Fortunes
Ninety-six families in Salem Township, Pennsylvania recently sold about 1,700 acres to data-center developer QTS for $586 million. That works out to $330,000 an acre, or roughly $5.5 million per family on average.
The land is prized because existing transmission lines and substation infrastructure, already serving nearby gas and nuclear plants, can power massive AI facilities. Luzerne County's median income sits below $64,000, making the payouts life-changing for many longtime residents.
A second nearby deal is already forming, with 200 landowners eyeing $1.3 billion. The project promises 50 permanent jobs per building across 12 buildings, plus 1,500 construction jobs, though some neighbors are protesting the buildout.
$30 Million T-Rex
A 67-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus Rex named Gus goes up for auction Tuesday at Sotheby's in New York. Valued up to $30 million, the fossil is expected to become the most expensive dinosaur ever sold (Photos).
At 38 feet with 183 bones, Gus is about 63% complete, one of the finest specimens ever found. It was discovered on a South Dakota cattle ranch, then took roughly six years to excavate and reconstruct.
Bidding starts at $19 million, already beyond most museums. Paleontologists worry Gus will vanish into a private collection, noting only 10% of commercially collected T-Rexes ever reach public trusts. The 2024 record hit $44.6 million.
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How to Explain Anything to Anyone
Most explanations fail in the first ten seconds. Not because the idea is bad, but because you started in the wrong place.
Educator Bernice McCarthy found that people process new ideas in a sequence, and built the 4MAT framework around it. Answer four questions, in this order:
Why? Start with the reason they should care. Until then, they hear nothing.
What? Now the facts and definitions. Most people start here. That's the mistake.
How? Make it concrete. Steps, examples, proof it works.
What if? Where it breaks, where it scales. This is where skeptics lean in.
Pitching your boss, teaching your kid, selling anything: same sequence (notice this section just did it to you).
Hormozi’s $100M company runs on this framework. Here's their CEO teaching it.
Tools for Hormone Optimization in Males
Most men chasing higher testosterone just train harder and longer. That's the mistake.
On Huberman's show, Dr. Kyle Gillett explained that vigorous training past 60 minutes actually lowers free androgens.
Recovery matters as much as the work. What moves the needle more than another gym hour:
Check your blood, not the mirror. Test total testosterone, free testosterone, and SHBG every six months. High SHBG binds your testosterone, so "normal" totals can still leave little available to your cells.
Cap hard sessions at 60 minutes. Aim for 3-4 a week, plus easier movement on the others.
Basics before exotics. Vitamin D, prebiotic fiber, and sleep beat any bottle.
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