- The Current
- Posts
- 🌊 I Love the Smell of BPS in the Morning
🌊 I Love the Smell of BPS in the Morning
Plus: Young adults move right, trade war escalates, & millions watch a moose livestream
A heartwarming story from small-town Michigan.
When we travel the country, we’re always moved at the decency and sense of community we encounter in small towns. Here’s a perfect example from today: A bookstore in Chelsea, MI — a small town 60 miles west of Detroit with a population of 5,300 — needed help moving to a new storefront a block away. To facilitate the move, dozens of town residents formed a human chain and passed each of its 9,100 books to the new store. Zero movers needed — just one giant human chain.
Never let the media’s negativity deceive you: The country is filled with great people.
🧾 Receipt paper is toxic af
➡️ Young adults move right
🎥 Millions watch a moose livestream
–Max and Max
KEY STORY
High Levels of Toxic Chemicals Found in Receipts
New research found that paper receipts used at major retailers contain a dangerous level of the toxic and carcinogenic chemical bisphenol S (BPS)
Bisphenols are a class of chemicals found in plastics. Receipt paper used to have high levels of BPAs, which were linked to cancer and reproductive issues
BPSs were thought to be safer, but new research suggests they’re toxic and carcinogenic, too
A new study from the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) found the skin can absorb enough BPS in 10 seconds of contact with receipt paper used at major retailers to exceed California’s safety threshold
Dig Deeper
The CEH’s research is part of a legal campaign against major retailers aimed at forcing them to stop using receipts containing BPS
While alternatives to BPS exist, the CEH’s executive director is looking to force companies to stop “playing Whac-a-Mole” with toxic chemicals, as they did with the shift from BPA to BPS
The group also sent roughly 50 nationwide retailers violation notices informing them of their receipts exceeding California’s Prop 65 threshold for BPS
If they don’t respond within 60 days, CEH can sue them in California court, and a judge can order them to use a safer alternative
KEY STORY
Forces in Ecuador?
Ecuador’s president Daniel Noboa wants US assistance in its crackdown on “transnational” gangs
Ecuador’s gangs traffic billions of dollars in cocaine annually and are allied with powerful foreign cartels. Drug-related violence in Ecuador hit record highs in January this year
In an interview with CNN, the newly re-elected Noboa said he “would love to have US forces” in Ecuador to counter the cartels and is open to changing its constitution to accommodate the US
Ecuador has been preparing for a US presence: It recently built a new naval facility in hopes that it “will be eventually occupied by US troops,” per CNN
Dig Deeper
Noboa clarified that he is requesting US forces to play a support role for Ecuador’s security forces, rather than carrying out active operations and patrols
He told CNN, “We would like to cooperate with US forces, and I think there are many ways that we can do that, especially in monitoring illegal operations that move out of Ecuador, but the control of the operations will be in the hands of our military and our police”
Ecuador has been preparing for a US presence, including by building a new naval facility in hopes that it “will be eventually occupied by US troops,” per CNN and Ecuadorian officials
QUOTE OF THE DAY
There are people who suffer much more than me.
ROCA’S SPONSOR
Put Some Pep in Your Step
Feeling sluggish at work? Susceptible to migraines? Having dizzy spells?
Let LMNT be your cure
This sugar-free, additive-free electrolyte drink mix isn’t just for working out. LMNT replenishes your body’s sodium levels, which can improve sleep, sharpen focus, and tackle cramps and dizziness
LMNT delivers the perfect balance of electrolytes – especially sodium and potassium – which drive energy production and help your body function at its best
Hydrate with LMNT and see the difference
Roca readers get a free Sample Pack with any drink mix purchase!
KEY STORY
New Gen Z Poll
A Yale poll found that voters aged 22–29 favored the Democratic Party by 6.4 points, while voters aged 18-21 favored Republicans by nearly 12 points
The poll surveyed 4,100 voters, including 2,025 aged 18-29. Its reported margin of error is 1.8%
Among voters under 30, 18.6% identified as moderate, 48.4% as somewhat or very liberal, and 31.9% as very or somewhat conservative
The widest generational gap between under-30 and over-30 voters was on the issue of deporting student protestors: Under-30 voters opposed deportations by a margin of 65 points, 35 higher than over-30s
Dig Deeper
Looking forward to the 2028 presidential election, young Republicans held a favorable view of JD Vance, the most popular Republican at 82.5% favorability overall and 77% for under-30s
However, if Trump were hypothetically a candidate, 56% of Republicans overall and 49% of those under 30 would back him compared to 19% for Vance
For the Democrats, if a primary were held today, 27.5% would vote for Kamala Harris, 21.3% for AOC, and 15% for Pete Buttigieg. Other options did not poll higher than 5%
Notably, 54.5% of voters overall and 55.6% of young voters support switching to a popular vote system for presidential elections
KEY STORY
US-China Trade War
Amid an escalating trade war, China restricted exports of critical minerals and magnets to the US
China processes around 90% of the world's critical minerals, which are used in a range of advanced technologies from defense systems to cars. On Wed., China restricted exports of the substances to the US
A Trump economic official said, “Rare earths are a part of lots of the economy. The rare earth limits are being studied very carefully, and they’re concerning”
The restriction of Chinese critical mineral imports could complicate US supply chains, as other sources of the minerals can’t meet US manufacturing needs
Dig Deeper
Late on Tuesday, the White House released a statement saying, “China faces up to a 245% tariff on imports to the United States as a result of its retaliatory actions,” sparking confusion about US retaliation to the critical mineral restriction
It was later clarified that the 245% rate is the total existing tax on some Chinese imports, including the 125% reciprocal tariff; 20% “fentanyl” tariff; and tariffs on specific goods between 7.5% and 100%
In sum, only two goods are now being taxed at 245%: Electric vehicles and syringes, both of which have had 100% tariffs since last year, while other goods are subject to the 145% tariff
RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office
🇺🇸 Several top Congressional Democrats have requested that the chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission investigate whether President Trump and his allies engaged in insider trading last week
🇫🇷 French counterterrorism authorities launched an investigation into a series of allegedly coordinated attacks against several prisons across the country
🇬🇧 The UK Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex
🚺 The Trump Administration sued Maine over its refusal to comply with the government’s order to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports
What does Roca Nation think?
🧠 Yesterday’s Question: Who has a better chance of winning the White House in 2028: AOC or Stephen A Smith?
Stephen A Smith but only if Skip Bayless is his running mate. Imagine cabinet debate meetings 🤣
AOC, unfortunately. Simply because she is a household name as a politician while Steven A is known as a sports commentator. And I assume that many people agree with me that while Steven A has some good takes and seems to think through things logically, he doesn’t have an understanding of geopolitical issues that is necessary to be President. While DJT was not a career politician, he has had a decades-long passion for a return to American prosperity after witnessing the ways that we are ripped off by the rest of the world. Steven A doesn’t have a base knowledge about foundational issues like that. (Neither does AOC, in my opinion.) But public perception is a big part of our politics, and AOC is known as a politician in the American zeitgeist.
I know it’s just a hypothetical but can we please not talk about a presidential election just five months after we just had one? Can we give it a year at least?
🧐 Today’s Question: Did you know that receipt paper has high levels of toxic chemicals? Thoughts?
POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour
☕ Coffee Counter Conformity: Starbucks imposed new rules on what baristas can wear under their green aprons, requiring employees to only wear a solid black shirt and khaki or denim pants
📺 UFC Leaving ESPN?: The UFC may be leaving ESPN after the UFC’s “exclusive negotiating window” expired on Tuesday, allowing it to talk to other networks about selling its broadcast rights
🫎 Millions Watch Moose: Millions of people have tuned in to a 24/7 livestream called “The Great Moose Migration,” which tracks moose migrating in Sweden
🚢 Cruise Chaos: A 19-year-old Michigan man was arrested after calling in a bomb threat to a cruise ship his girlfriend was on, admitting that he was annoyed that he had to watch her pets while she cruised with her family
🇨🇦 Puck Over Politics: Citing “Canadians’ passion for hockey,” the debate between two political party leaders ahead of Canada’s elections will start two hours early to avoid overlap with a Montreal Canadiens game
ROCA WRAP
Jewels To Jail
A jeweler from India accused of committing one of India’s largest bank frauds was arrested in Belgium after seven years on the run.
The jeweler, Mehul Choksi, and his nephew, Nirav Modi, a diamond magnate, are accused of defrauding one of India’s largest state-run banks of $1.8B in 2018. Choksi owned a jewelry business with over 4,000 stores in India, while his nephew’s jewelry empire spanned New York, Hong Kong, and India.
Choksi and Modi allegedly colluded with bank officials to issue bank guarantees for short-term credit to partner banks overseas, supposedly loans for jewel imports. The loans were diverted and laundered through shell companies rather than used for imports, and the lines of credit were provided without proper approvals or collateral. Since the transactions were never recorded in the bank’s system, they evaded detection for years.
After Indian authorities accused him of the fraud in 2019, Choksi fled the country. He has reportedly been living in the Caribbean for the past seven years, according to Indian media, but his nephew was not so lucky, being arrested in London in 2019.
They have both denied wrongdoing. In 2018, Choksi wrote a letter saying, “Investigating agencies were acting with pre-determined minds and interfering with the course of justice.”
On Monday, Choksi was arrested in Antwerp, Belgium – one of the largest diamond trading cities in the world. Belgian authorities did not disclose the circumstances around the arrest, but said it was made after the Indian government made an extradition request.
Choksi’s lawyers said he will file an appeal, claiming that he is “not a flight risk, is extremely sick and undergoing treatment for cancer.” The lawyer added that the case was “political,” arguing that India’s prison conditions are inhumane.
For years, the fraud case has captivated the Indian public, who used the $1.8B fraud case as evidence of crony capitalism in India’s government, reinforcing the idea that state-owned banks were secretly funding the opulent lifestyles of India’s elite.
It is now up to Belgium to extradite Choksi to India, where the 65-year-old could go from a life of jewels to a life in jail.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts
Max F is returning to the States today after two and a half weeks in Pakistan. This is the longest the Maxes have been apart since the beginning of 2024. It’s been so long that we might forget each other’s names. We expect to greet each other with a simultaneous, “Hey, buddy!”
As always, thank you for reading The Current. Have a wonderful day.
–Max and Max