MP Materials: A Most Peculiar Speculation

It has become, it seems, a national champion, bolstered by the substantial, and one suspects rather arbitrary, hand of federal funding and a series of commercial arrangements that appear, on closer inspection, to border on the fantastical.

Anime That Were Banned In Multiple Countries

In 2015, China banned the manga series ‘Death Note’, officially citing worries it might lead young people to commit crimes. Before the official ban, some Chinese schools had already stopped students from reading it after they started making their own notebooks similar to the one in the story, listing names of classmates and teachers. More recently, in 2021, a Russian court blocked the series on certain websites, believing its content could negatively affect teenagers’ mental wellbeing. The show, which features a student using a magical notebook to kill criminals, was considered too disturbing for young viewers in both countries.

Energy Stocks: A Girl’s Guide to Not Panicking

Apparently, all this AI stuff needs power. A ridiculous amount of it. They say electricity demand from data centers will more than double by 2030. Which sounds…intense. Like, will we all be living in darkness so the robots can have their fun? I’m trying to focus on the potential upside, though. It’s a multi-year tailwind, they say. A tailwind. As if the market is a breezy seaside resort. I’ve decided to look at three stocks that might, just might, not lead to complete financial ruin. Wish me luck.

Joby Aviation: A Speculative Venture

The shares now trade at a level some fifty percent below their previous peak. One is tempted to consider this a propitious moment for acquisition, yet a discerning eye must not be blinded by mere arithmetic. The emerging market for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicles holds a certain promise, undoubtedly, but promises, like young gentlemen, are often more attractive at a distance than upon close inspection.

Bonds & Bureaucracy: A Short-Term View

Both funds, naturally, seek to sidestep the vulgarities of long-term commitments. SMB, however, confines itself to the rather niche world of municipal bonds, a realm of tax exemptions and, one suspects, considerable administrative overhead. BSV, by contrast, casts a wider net, embracing the prosaic but reliable world of government and investment-grade corporate debt. A comparison, therefore, is not merely of returns, but of philosophies – one a quaint eccentricity, the other a straightforward application of capital.

The Best Movies Directed by Black Directors

This film follows three lifelong friends as they prepare for a wedding, prompting them to look back on their childhood growing up together in Inglewood, California. It’s a story about friendship, remembering the past, and the challenges of becoming adults. Director Rick Famuyiwa beautifully recreates the feel of the 1980s and 90s through heartfelt flashbacks. The movie is known for its realistic depiction of the bonds between men and what it was like growing up Black and middle-class.

Nina Dobrev Posts Steamy Sauna Photos as Rumors Swirl About a Mystery Man

I was so amused by the actress’s latest post! She called it “a (not so dry) January: dump,” which is a clever take on the whole “Dry January” thing. The photo of her looking amazing in the sauna is getting tons of love, but everyone’s also talking about the timing. There’s a lot of buzz online that she might be seeing someone new – a really intriguing mystery man, and honestly, the internet is obsessed with finding out who he is!

Space Hustle: Rockets & Radio Waves

Rocket Lab, the marginally more grounded of the two, is trying to undercut the SpaceX empire with smaller, more frequent launches. They’ve managed 81 launches so far, which is… something. A respectable number for a company fueled by sheer audacity and venture capital. Their Electron rocket is the workhorse, hauling tiny payloads into orbit. But the real game-changer, they say, is Neutron. A bigger, badder rocket designed to carry… well, more stuff. A lot more. If it ever actually gets off the ground. They were aiming for this quarter. Now? Who the hell knows. The timeline is shifting like sand in a hurricane.