- Tour de France confronts a new threat: Are cyclists using tiny motors? (Washington Post)
- Union Pacific to buy Norfolk in $85 billion mega U.S. railroad deal (CNBC)
- The Leverage Arbitrage: Why Everything Feels Broken (Tushar Dadlani’s Blog)
- Allianz Life says ‘majority’ of customers’ personal data stolen in cyberattack (TechCrunch) – It is really starting to feel like a permanent personal data monitoring service is a good investment.
- EU-US trade deal: The biggest losers and (a few) winners (Politico)
- Boeing aims for Max 7 and Max 10 certifications in 2026 (FlightGlobal)
“We are continuing to mature the technical solution for engine anti-ice and the certification path for the [Max 7 and 10],” Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg said in a 29 July memo to employees. “Progress on this solution has taken longer than we expected, and we now anticipate that certification for the airplanes will take place next year.”
I won’t hold my breath.
Month: July 2025
Tuesday texts to read – 5
- Trump says he wants to deport ‘the worst of the worst.’ Government data tells another story (Associated Press)
- NASA’s X-59 Quiet Supersonic Aircraft Begins Taxi Tests (NASA)
- What Will Become of the C.I.A.? (The New Yorker)
- Shale Drillers Turn Against Each Other as Toxic Water Leaks Hit Biggest US Oil Field (Financial Post)
- ACWA Power plans to develop 15 GW of wind and solar capacity in Saudi Arabia (Enerdata)
- How one man with a hacksaw and an e-bike became a Texas flood ‘hero’ (electrek)
In addition to delivering needed supplies, Evan has often found himself moving something even more important: information. “I’ve flagged down medics. I’ve been the guy that goes between Austin EMT and STAR Flight because I’m quicker than cell phones sometimes, people don’t have signal a lot of the time.”
Evan quickly points out that he isn’t the only one helping. “I’ve got an e-bike, but other people are pulling carts. People are walking, people are carrying things. Everyone is doing what they can.” But there’s no doubt that his ability to carry more gear at higher speeds and make hundreds of round-trip journeys so far in and out of the stricken neighborhood has helped impact countless lives.
Alaska Airlines asked for a 3-hour ground stop
Yesterday, July 20, 2025, Alaska Airlines asked the FAA for a ground stop for all of their flights starting around 8pm Pacific. There were rumors of a hack, but the airlines has not confirmed or denied that claim. There was a report that the airline suffered a hack back in June but again, there is no information pointing to it being a cause of this latest issue. Whatever the cause, the ground stop lasted until 11pm Pacific and it’s clear the effects on operations will be felt by the airline for at least the next couple of days.
If you have a flight on Alaska over the next few days, be prepared for irritated customers and potential delays as the airline tries to get crews back into place and recover from the issue.
Tuesday texts to read – 4
- How I Solved the Century-Old Mystery of a Miraculous Shipwreck Survivor (The Walrus)
- Inside the Collapse of the F.D.A. (NYTimes)
- The old traffic math that keeps destroying neighborhoods (Fast Company)
A status quo success story is when a road expansion allows a driver to get home 18 seconds sooner but makes it impossible for a child to safely bike to the library.
- DHS Tells Police That Common Protest Activities Are ‘Violent Tactics’
“The DHS report repeatedly conflates basic protest, organizing, and journalism with terroristic violence, thereby justifying ever more authoritarian measures by law enforcement,” says Ryan Shapiro, executive director of Property of the People. “It should be sobering, if unsurprising, that the Trump regime’s response to mass criticism of its police state tactics is to escalate those tactics.”
- American Airlines introduces first-of-its-kind Provisions by Admirals Club lounge at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (American Airlines)
Tuesday texts to read – 3
- The chemical secrets that help keep honey fresh for so long (BBC)
- Local-first software (Ink & Switch)
- The Force-Feeding of AI on an Unwilling Public (The Honest Broker)
- TSA to end shoes-off policy for airport security screening (ABC News)
- A Classic Childhood Pastime Is Fading (The Atlantic)
Biking can be risky, and finding an appropriate place to practice can be tricky in the city or in the suburbs. But if parents can find safe environments for teaching their children to navigate streets confidently on their own, the amount of freedom those kids will gain is invaluable. On a bike, a child gets to choose where to go and how to get there without having to check in with a parent, which lets them practice making decisions. As they ride more, the activity can even start to rewire their brain, helping them form spatial maps of their neighborhood and develop the kind of competence and knowledge that can seed lasting resilience and self-esteem.
My favorite portable battery for travel
I have carried portable batteries when traveling for a while, but back in 2020, just before Covid, I was trying to lighten my carry-on and it made me realize how heavy the Anker portable battery I had was. Sure, it could recharge my phone three times, but it also weighed a few pounds.
Fast forward to 2023 and I was starting to travel again and in the market for a lightweight battery. I came across the Nitecore NB10000 Gen 2. It is a super lightweight 10000mAh battery, smaller than my iPhone but still able to give me two full charges. The shell of the battery is carbon fiber so I don’t have to worry about it getting punctured or bent and damaging the battery.
Nitecore now has a Gen 3 version of the battery that has two USB-C output ports instead of one USB-C and one USB-A.
*Disclaimer, the links above lead to Amazon and I receive compensation if you buy the product with that link. If you would like to purchase directly from Nitecore with no affiliate benefit to me, you can do that here.
Tuesday texts to read – 2
- Xfinity using WiFi in your house to detect motion (Xfinity)
- Parallel parking contest in Southeast Portland keeps the city weird (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- The 50 best airports in America, ranked (Washington Post)
#1 Portland, OR – Walk into this airport terminal and gasp. It’s practically a nature bath. Skylights built into soaring timber roofs filter sunlight onto the oak floor. Live trees and massive video walls showcase stunning landscapes. Sit for a spell on the stadium-style wood benches. Linger on the real-life view of Mount Hood from Concourse E. This space is – it’s hard to believe – relaxing. And that’s despite construction set to wrap up next year.
- What does a post-Google internet look like? (Mat Duggan)
- Drug cartel hacked FBI official’s phone to track and kill informants, report says (Ars Technica)
The hired hacker observed “’people of interest’ for the cartel, including the FBI Assistant Legal Attache, and then was able to use the [attache’s] mobile phone number to obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data, associated with the [attache’s] phone.”
- SAS picks E2 for short haul fleet (Paxex.aero)