Finance:
The Good: JAY-Z Invests In Robinhood App
This week JAY-Z’s Roc Nation announced it will be joining Nas and Snoop Dogg as investors in the popular financial trading app Robinhood. The San Francisco start up company is now valued at 1.3 billion and has gained another 3 million users by allowing participants to learn the rudiments of low cost trading. JAY-Z’s involvement comes from his ties with ROC Nation’s subsidiary called ARRIVE. ARRIVE, which launched last year, partners with early tech start ups and provides brand services and business development strategies to aid expansion, awareness, and revenue.
The Bad: Feds Slap Wells Fargo With Major Fine For Abusing Customers
Wells Fargo stock dropped 9% this week after they were hit with aggressive penalties from the United States Federal Reserve. Citing “widespread consumer abuse”, investigators are restricting Fargo’s future growth until they prove they’re operating honestly. Last year, Wells Fargo admitted to falsely creating millions of bank accounts and also forced over half a million customers to purchase auto insurance they didn’t need. After facing fines, hearings and investigations on the state and federal level, Fargo will be the first bank to have the entirety of it’s assets limited by the Federal Reserve. In addition to Fargo’s growth being choked, four of it’s board members are also being removed.
Politics:
The Good: Senate Announces Budget Deal
As the government continues to argue over immigration and the DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals) bill set to expire next month, the senate has announced today that a bipartisan budget deal has been agreed upon for the next two years and will prevent a government shutdown. According to the Los Angeles Times, $80 billion of the spending will be reserved for defense spending, $63 billion for non-defense and nearly $100 billion would go toward disaster aid. House majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) tweeted: “I’m happy to announce that our bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on defense spending and other priorities have yielded a significant agreement.” Although it’s a move forward, the House will still have to vote on the budget, and will likely require strong support from democrats if it will pass.
The Bad: Holocaust Denier Likely To Win GOP Congressional Seat
The former head of the American NAZI party, Arthur Jones (right) is running unopposed for the U.S. congressional seat in Illinois and will likely end up being the Republican choice on the ballot this November. Although Jones has tried to run for the congressional seat in years prior, the lack of opposition in this year’s primary (taking place March 20th) is leaving many worried about Jones’ ties with neo nazi and white supremacy groups. On his website, Jones describes the holocaust as the “biggest, blackest lie in history.” He also offers his views on white superiority and supports the counter protesters in Charlottesville last year, who inflicted violence on peaceful protestors.
Medicine:
The Good: New Study Shows Stimuli To The Brain Affects Negative Emotions
A new report published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging has found that the brain’s ability to process negative emotions can be strengthened or weakened by tuning the excitability of the right frontal part of the brain. German scientists at the University Of Münster have discovered that although inhibitory methods of treating depression such as prescription medication didn’t work as well as excitatory stimuli as seen with a new technique called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or (rTMS). “This study confirms that modulating the frontal region of the brain, in the right hemisphere, directly effects the regulation of processing of emotional information in the brain in a ‘top-down’ manner,” said Cameron Carter, M.D. and editor of Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging. Although the studies were conducted on healthy individuals, doctors and researchers are hopeful a new method of guiding patients through depression may become available.
The Bad: Fake Doctor Infects 20 Victims With HIV
Police in North India are searching for Rajendra Yadav who they say has been posing as a doctor and has infected over 20 people with HIV. Police and victims report that Yadav had been treating people with coughs, and colds using dirty syringes and contaminated needles. Authorities believe that the fake doctor has fled the small village and is currently seeking refugee from prosecution. “Villagers are ignorant about hygiene,” said Mehtab Alam the project manager for Raza Hussian Memorial Charitable Trust. Unfortunately the lack of licensed physicians has caused many residents to seek out fake doctors and cheap medicine. Currently over 2 million people live with HIV in India.
Hilarity:
Kevin Hart Had A Lil Too Much To Drink Last Weekend
After The Philadelphia Eagles won the Superbowl this past weekend against the New England Patriots, (44-31) everything went wild. Endless videos have been posted online of riots in Boston and celebrations in Philly and celebrities and their antics racked up some views as well, most especially Philly native Kevin Hart. After being denied entrance to the stage, the tipsy comedian went live on the NFL network and dropped the F – bomb after interrupting an interview with Eagles defensive lineman Fletcher Cox. If the two recorded L’s weren’t enough, Hart later took to Instagram explaining his actions.
Man Tries To Save Seagull. Seagull Wasn’t Having It.
New Zealander Robert Tahau found an injured Seagull on the side of the road and decided to rescue it. He found the bird with a broken wing, wrapped it up with a shirt and tried to make his way to a professional. Although Tahau had great intentions, the vet and local animal shelter were closed and the seagull decided putting up a fight was the best way to go out.
Make sure to keep up with the good, the bad, and the hilarious every week only here at EMCEE!
