- Tip News
- Posts
- Solar Eclipse Day Is Here
Good morning and happy Monday. We hope you had a great weekend. Russell Cook certainly did. The Englishman completed running the length of Africa, crossing the finish line in Tunisia a little under a year after he departed from South Africa. Have a great day!
In Today’s Brief
New Jersey: Rare earthquake
Israel: Troop reduction in Gaza
Ohio: Biden ballot drama
Jobs report: Better than expected
Cole Brings Plenty: Found dead at 27
... and more
First time reading? Sign up here
Top Tips
1) The big day
A total solar eclipse -- the last one for 20 years -- will cross North America later today.
The logistics: The eclipse will first appear along Mexico's Pacific coast at around 2:07 p.m. ET and reach Texas at 2:27 p.m. ET, working its way up to Maine at around 3:35 p.m. ET before moving into Canada. Parts of 15 states will be in the "path of totality," where the moon completely blocks out the sun. It will last up to four minutes and 28 seconds depending where you are; people outside the path may still experience a partial eclipse. Weather will likely be a factor in some places as well.
Be safe: If you want to look up at the eclipse, ensure you have the special glasses many retailers sell. From NASA: "Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury."
Make money: The eclipse is expected to generate a combined $6B in revenue for local economies along the path of totality. People have compared it to each city and town hosting a Taylor Swift concert at the same time, or 50 Super Bowls being placed at once. But there are also concerns about crowds overwhelming communities with stifling traffic and other issues. The eclipse also offers a rare (and quick window) for scientists to study how the sun impacts life and myriad other endeavors.
2) Big bucks
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump bragged about massive campaign cash hauls over the weekend.
Florida windfall: Trump's campaign said it raised over $50M at an event hosted by billionaire hedge fund investor John Paulson in Palm Beach. The dinner apparently raised close to double what Biden's recent $26M Radio City Music Hall event with former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama raised.
New numbers: The Biden campaign announced it raised $90M in March prior to the Trump event. It also said it has close to $200M in on-hand cash, which is more than double what Trump's campaign said it had on-hand in its March federal filings.
Big picture: Biden still has a clear money advantage over Trump, but the former president appears to be narrowing the gap now that he is the presumptive Republican nominee. Trump's fundraising situation is complicated by the fact some PAC funds are redirected to handle legal fees in his various criminal and civil cases.
3) Hoops heroes
The South Carolina women's basketball team capped an undefeated season with a national championship yesterday as UConn's men's teams prepares to try to go back-to-back.
Gamecocks reign: Carolina rallied from an early 11-point deficit to down Iowa and superstar Caitlin Clark, 87-75, in the NCAA final in Cleveland. The Gamecocks finished the season 38-0, handing the Hawkeyes their second straight loss in the title game and winning their third championship in eight years.
Tonight's game: UConn will bid to win its second consecutive national title against Purdue in Phoenix (9:20 p.m. ET, TNT). The Huskies beat Alabama in Saturday's Final Four to return to the championship game while the Boilermakers turned back N.C. State in the other national semifinal.
Of note: UConn is seeking its sixth national title; Purdue is trying to win its first and the first by a Big Ten school in over 20 years. No men's team has gone back-to-back since Florida in 2006-07.
Quick Tips
U.S. News
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit central New Jersey on Friday. The quake was felt in New York City and other parts of the region; aftershocks could continue for several days (More)
Another Boeing plane has had an in-flight mishap. A removable piece of metal that covers the engine fell off and hit the wing flap on a Southwest Airlines 737-800 aircraft, forcing the Houston-bound flight to return to Denver (More)
Congress will return to work today after a two-week recess. Ukraine military aid and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas' impeachment trial are among the top items facing both chambers (More)
World News
Israel has recalled some troops from southern Gaza as international pressure continues following the deaths of aid workers in an airstrike. Israeli officials said the move is to allow soldiers to rest (More)
Mexico severed diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police raided its Quito embassy. Mexico had granted a former Ecuadorian politician asylum; armed forces broke into the facility to arrest him, sparking international condemnation (More)
Saudi Arabia is reportedly scaling back its short-term ambitions for its proposed $1.5T desert city project. Neom was supposed to house 1.5M residents by 2030; new projections are less than 300K (More)
Campaign News
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said President Biden may not be on the ballot in the state. The Democratic National Convention is 12 days after an Ohio filing deadline; Biden's campaign said it expects to qualify (More)
Three candidates will run in California's 16th Congressional District general election after a tie for second place in the jungle primary. Current Rep. Anna Eshoo is retiring and not in the race (More)
The RNC has hired most of the staffers fired when former President Trump's campaign took more control of the organization. The reversals come amid reported "growing pains" as the general election effort begins (More)
Business & Markets
Major indexes closed higher on Friday. The Dow Jones snapped a four-day losing skid (Dow +0.80%, Nasdaq +1.24%, S&P 500 +1.11%).
The U.S. economy added 308K jobs in March, blowing past the 214K projected by analysts. But the big number could be another data point that discourages the Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates (More)
An antitrust probe into the National Association of Realtors can be re-opened. A federal appeals court said President Biden's Department of Justice can relaunch the probe even though it was closed by the Trump Administration (More)
Entertainment & Sports
Cole Brings Plenty was found dead at 27 in Kansas. The 1923 actor went missing after being named as a suspect in a domestic violence investigation (More)
Bronny James has entered the NBA draft pool and the NCAA transfer portal after his freshman season at USC. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has previously said he wants to play on the same professional team as his son (More)
Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak's final show will be broadcast on June 7. Sajak is retiring after 41 seasons; Ryan Seacrest will take over hosting duties for the game show (More)
Quick Hitters
Be Safe: About 2M Black & Decker garment steamers have been recalled. The devices may "expel, spray or leak hot water during use."
Take Note: Over 8M Tide products have been recalled as well. There is nothing wrong with the actual laundry detergent, but faulty packaging could create hazards.
Go Deep: Magnets have been around for centuries. However, they continue to evolve and are instrumental in various technologies.
Throw Back: The world's first police crime lab was in France in the early 20th century. Long-lost photos were recently unearthed, providing previously unknown insights.
Life Hack: These design tips will make a small space feel big -- and also make your life easier.
OPTIMIZE ME: Researchers “found convincing evidence that higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease-related death, a 48% to 53% higher risk of anxiety and common mental disorders, and a 12% greater risk of type 2 diabetes”
Want more health and wellness news? Subscribe to our brand new newsletter, Optimize Me, and start living a healthier life through diet, exercise, sleep, and mindfulness:
Watch This
Why do people look younger than they used to? Here's why.
Links
Making Soviet architecture more climate friendly ♻️
Goldman Sachs says you should invest in K-pop 🎤
America's affordable housing shortage in visual form 🏡
What to do when the next earthquake hits 🫨
Camping is harder because more people are doing it ⛺️
Scotland's golf courses are being battered by climate change ⛳️
Restaurant water glasses are small for a valid reason 💧
Some facts about Americans and TikTok 🤳
There could be treasure sitting in the East River 💰
A Legally Blonde television show is in the works 🎀
Looking Ahead …
If you are already curious about the various factors that could determine the presidential election's outcome, have some fun with this 538 simulator.