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🌊 Red, White, and Blue Smoke
Plus: US crime down, MAHA surgeon general, & 20 Questions!
Bob from Chicago becomes Vicar of Christ.
Defying 100:1 odds, the American Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected to the Chair of St. Peter yesterday afternoon. Prevost, who has taken the name Pope Leo XIV, was born and raised in Chicago and went to college at Villanova. He’s of Peruvian descent and spent much of his ministry in Peru, but he’s the first American pope in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church. Well, it’s finally time we put a giant Buc-ee’s right next to St. Peter’s. And since he’s from the midwest, there may be a “Hell is Coming” billboard above it. Also, have Italians tried deep dish yet?
🇺🇸 Habemus un American Papam
📉 US homicide rate falling this year!
🗳️ Biggest health problems in US according to you!
–Max and Max
KEY STORY
First American Pope
Cardinal Robert Prevost was named pope, taking the name Pope Leo XIV
Born in Chicago, betting markets gave Prevost a ~1% chance of being selected. A dual US-Peruvian national, Prevost was born in Chicago and attended Villanova University, but lived much of his life in Peru, where he served as a missionary and bishop. He’s the first American and Peruvian pope
While known as progressive on some issues – he has, among various stances, retweeted criticisms of President Trump and VP Vance – he isn’t known for any overtly political stances
As a bishop, he was once quoted as saying, “The promotion of gender ideology is confusing, because it seeks to create genders that don't exist”
Dig Deeper
In his first address, Pope Leo XIV said, "We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love”
He also emphasized peace, which was a major focus of Pope Francis, calling for a “disarmed peace and a disarming peace” that is “humble and persevering”
KEY STORY
US Crime Drop
Homicides in major US cities dropped by 21% in the first three months of 2025 compared to last year
Violent crime spiked during the pandemic, with homicides rising by 30% and assaults by 10%. While the rate gradually declined as the pandemic receded, the drop has been accelerating
According to data from police departments in 68 US cities, violent crime, including robberies and assaults, dropped 14% in the first three months of 2025 compared to last year, while murders declined 21%
Cities experiencing the largest declines in Q1 include Dallas (-44%), Minneapolis (-54%), Philadelphia (-28%), and New York City (-34%)
Dig Deeper
Despite the broad decline, some cities saw increases. The murder rate rose by 112% in Fort Worth, Texas, 31% in Kansas City, and 21% in Houston
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Peace be with you!
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KEY STORY
MAHA Surgeon General
President Trump nominated Dr. Casey Means to be Surgeon General
Means is a Stanford-educated doctor who dropped out of her residency because of alleged concerns about the lack of emphasis her training put on the root causes of illness
She has since co-founded a health tech company, written a popular wellness book, and become one of the world’s most prominent wellness influencers. She’s known as a leader of the RFK Jr.-led, anti-corporate Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement
The appointment comes after Trump withdrew his last nominee’s when it emerged she had misled people about her medical education
Dig Deeper
Despite the appointment marking the elevation of a high-profile MAHA leader, it prompted criticism from some Trump allies, including RFK Jr.’s former running mate, Nicole Shanahan. She posted on X, “It's very strange. Doesn't make any sense. I was promised that if I supported RFK Jr. in his Senate confirmation that neither of these siblings would be working under HHS or in an appointment (and that people much more qualified would be). I don't know if RFK very clearly lied to me, or what is going on. It has been clear in recent conversations that he is reporting to someone regularly who is controlling his decisions (and it isn't President Trump). With regards to the siblings, there is something very artificial and aggressive about them, almost like they were bred and raised Manchurian assets”
Meanwhile, influential Trump ally Laura Loomer wrote, “Terrible choice by Team Trump!”
As of press time, it’s unclear why exactly Loomer and Shanahan oppose Means’ nomination
KEY STORY
US Spying on Denmark?
The Wall Street Journal reported that the US has escalated its spying efforts in Greenland, prompting a rebuke by Denmark
Per the report, intelligence officials have ordered the collection of information about Greenland’s independence movement and the identification of people on the island who may support a US takeover. They also reportedly urged intelligence gathering on sentiment toward potential US mining
The National Security Council responded to the report with a statement that said, “The president has been very clear that the U.S. is concerned about the security of Greenland and the Arctic,” while Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard criticized the WSJ for “politicizing and leaking classified information” but did not deny its accuracy
Dig Deeper
After the story broke, Denmark’s foreign minister summoned the US ambassador to Denmark to explain the reported spying
Denmark, a longtime US ally and NATO member, has repeatedly criticized Trump’s interest in taking control of Greenland and called efforts to do so “completely unacceptable”
RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office
🇺🇸 Kari Lake, who oversees Voice of America and other US government-run international media outlets, said her agency would use content from the pro-Trump One America News in its broadcasts abroad
🛩 The conflict between India and Pakistan escalated as the two sides traded drone and missile strikes
🪧 80+ protesters were arrested at Columbia University after they occupied a library during a pro-Palestine demonstration
🤝 President Trump announced a trade deal with the UK, the first such agreement since the US imposed sweeping tariffs on foreign imports
🧑‍⚖️ The White House asked the Supreme Court to overrule a lower court ruling that would enable the expulsion of 500,000+ immigrants who are in the US with temporary legal status, a status that applies to migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela
What does Roca Nation think?
🧠Yesterday’s Question: What do you consider to be the biggest health crisis in America today? Why?
Microplastics.
We know they've been linked to cancer and infertility, but we have no idea how dangerous they actually are. We know that they're everywhere, from drinking water to breast milk(!!!), but we have no idea how to filter them out. We're still discovering new categories of microplastics, to this day. They can cross the blood-brain barrier AND they can be passed to infants in utero.
If you asked 100 scientists if fluoride in drinking water is a health risk, only 5 of them would say yes. If you asked 100 scientists if microplastics in drinking water are a health risk, 99 of them would say yes (and the 1 that said no was paid off by Big Plastic).
RFK and the conservative ~wellness~ movement are looking at the wrong targets. Microplastics are wreaking havoc on our bodies and we have no plan to stop them. We won't see drastic effects on Boomers, or even Gen X-ers, but once we get to millennials and Gen Z, who've been exposed to microplastics since before they were born, we will see health outcomes become worse and worse as they age. Already, as pointed out by RFK and the NYT, we are seeing greater diagnoses of autism and ADHD. It's not vaccines or video games. It's a classic "if you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." Did I mention that microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier?
Microplastics have only been addressed from an environmental standpoint, NOT a health standpoint. The democrats would hate me for this, but who CARES if microplastics are bad for the planet when they literally cause cancer?!
Health insurance. They serve no real function other than to be a soul-sucking middle-man between you and your primary care. it's astonishing that we spend the most money and have the worst health outcomes of any developed nation, yet we fail to change the system causing it. Changes to this would have a tremendous, positive effect on health outcomes.
As someone who grew up obese, I think the biggest health issue we face is obesity. We’re the most obese country on earth. The sad part is that our culture is even starting to celebrate it. And it blows my mind that there are doctors and scientists out there who don’t believe that fat is solely gained/lost by the ratio of CICI (calories in to calories out). I’m aware that every body/metabolism is different and there is no “cure” to obesity (as it isn’t a disease in the first place), but the law of thermodynamics (CICO) cannot be broken. The underlying problem is that many health corporations profit off America’s obesity, and therefore cater to the obese rather than promote physical fitness. Bring back the fitness gram pacer test.
20 Questions!
Last night, we got into a debate: Who is the most universally beloved figure in the US? Is it Dolly Parton? Is it Jameis Winston? Is it Denzel Washington?
Instead of theorizing, we're going to put it to the test. We will ask you to rate 20 public figures/celebrities on a scale of 1-10 to see who scores the highest. We look forward to settling this once and for all.
Last Week’s Responses
Average ratings to last week’s “Rate This Villain” edition of 20 Questions (1-10, 10 being the best).
Scar from Lion King - 7.9
Gaston from Beauty and the Beast - 6.2
Hades from Hercules - 7.0
Yzma from Emperor's New Groove - 6.7
Jafar from Aladdin - 7.5
The Joker from The Dark Knight - 8.8
Voldemort from Harry Potter - 8.1
Thanos from Avengers - 7.5
Darth Vader from Star Wars - 8.7
Hans Gruber from Die Hard - 7.6
Gollum from Lord of the Rings - 6.7
Gus Fring from Breaking Bad - 6.9
The Night King from Game of Thrones - 6.4
Hans Landa from Inglorious Bastards - 7.3
Bane from Dark Knight Rises - 6.9
The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz - 6.9
Humans in Bambi - 6.0
Hannibal Lecter from Silence of the Lambs - 8.6
Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender - 6.2
Joffrey Baratheon from Game of Thrones - 6.6
POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour
đź‘ź Filthy to Fresh: Nike released an intentionally scuffed and dirty-looking Air Force 1-style sneaker that gets cleaner over time
đź‘® Neighborhood Watch Vs. Naked Walker: A Kansas community is urging police and local officials to stop a man who has been walking around the neighborhood naked, which the sheriff argues is legal under current laws
🎫 Time-Traveling Ticket: A man was admitted to the 2025 World’s Fair in Japan with an 85-year-old ticket from the 1940 Grand International Exposition of Japan, which was cancelled due to World War II
🧗 Crime to Climb: The UK government criminalized climbing on an iconic statue of Winston Churchill, which had become a target for demonstrators during protests
đź‘Ł Barefoot Bet: After promising to walk to work barefoot if the Celtics lost to the Knicks twice, former Celtics player and NBA commentator Paul Pierce walked 20 miles barefoot in a bathrobe after the Knicks overcame a 20+ point deficit to beat the Celtics
ROCA WRAP
Foiled Plot
London, England
Seven Iranian men were arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack in this city.
On Saturday, British police announced the arrest of the men in various locations across England. Police called it one of “the biggest counter-state threat and counter-terrorism operations" in the UK in recent years, but released little information, beyond an allegation that the arrested men planned to “target a specific premises.”
Since then, it’s emerged that the “specific premises” was the Israeli embassy in London, that the plotters were allegedly working under the direction of the Iranian government, and that the attack may have been just hours away. UK counterterrorism officials have said that they are conducting further searches and potentially arrests across the country.
The alleged plot comes a year after the UK’s domestic spy service, MI5, said that the agency had uncovered 20 Iran-backed plots since 2022. Iran’s government said it “categorically rejects” the allegations, however, Iran has a demonstrated history of orchestrating covert attacks abroad, often on dissident groups.
In the past, these attacks have often used middle men. Last month, for example, Iran was accused of having had Swedish gangs recruit teens to attack the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. The UK’s allegations – that Iranian nationals are directly working abroad on Iran’s behalf – could mark an escalation, if proven true.
While some have voiced skepticism that Iran actually poses a threat and alleged that the danger of terrorism is overblown, the UK’s head of counterextremism asserted the opposite: “I think the scale of Iranian-backed activity in this country is probably underestimated…It is not always very visible.”
EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts
As always, thank you for making our inbox so engaging. We found your answers to the health crisis question to be fascinating — most were about obesity, but we got many wild card answers. Also, love to see the Joker from Dark Knight scoring the highest of all villains in last week’s 20 Questions!
We hope you have a great weekend. Get some time in nature — we already feel like different people here in rural Virginia.
–Max and Max