🌊 Mr. Steel Your Company

Plus: K

June 19, 2025

The LA Lakers sell for $10B?!

Sports teams are the new Jackson Pollocks: Billionaires buy them for cache, their sticker prices don’t make any sense, and guys sitting on their couch at home with nachos on their belly look at each and go, “Pssh I could do that.” Yesterday the LA Lakers selling for $10B as the league’s viewership craters? As more people turn from the league than ever? As Luka Doncic stands in line at Golden Corral?

We’re just slightly bitter since the Buss Family rejected our offer of two Roca hats, 12 LMNT boxes, and a used Michael Jordan jersey. Just thought they’d want to see a 🐐!

đŸȘŠ The end of US Steel

đŸ‘šđŸ»â€âš–ïž Minor transition ban upheld

🩝 Raccoon bar rampage in Kentucky

–Max and Max

KEY STORY

US Steel Deal Finalizes

US Steel (USS) stock trading ceased after the completion of a controversial acquisition by Japan’s Nippon Steel

  • USS, founded in 1901 by Andrew Carnegie, JP Morgan, and others, was once the world’s most valuable company. After decades of hardship, Japan’s Nippon Steel attempted to buy USS in 2023

  • Presidents Trump and Biden both opposed the deal during the campaign, however, Trump changed his stance and approved it last week

  • On Wednesday, USS stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange

Dig Deeper

  • The acquisition agreement included a highly unusual “golden share” for the US government, which perpetually grants the US veto authority over key corporate decisions, including plant closures, investment delays, and HQ relocation

  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said of the deal, “This partnership between the United States and Nippon Steel includes historic $14B investment in US Steel by Nippon Steel that will revitalize this strategic and iconic US company”

  • The United Steelworkers union expressed discontent with the development: “We’re disappointed that President Trump reversed course, jeopardizing the future of American steel making
despite over a year of the president speaking forcefully against it,” said the union’s president

  • Many rank-and-file workers have disagreed with union leadership, though, expressing hope that the deal could improve their future prospects

KEY STORY

US Edges War in Iran

President Trump declined to confirm whether the US will involve itself militarily in the Israel-Iran conflict

  • On Monday, Trump left the G7 conference early to convene an emergency meeting related to the conflict. He proceeded to call Tucker Carlson – arguably the leading anti-intervention Republican commentator – “kooky,” warn Tehran’s residents to evacuate, and demand Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER”

  • While Trump’s remarks fueled speculation over impending US involvement, Trump told reporters Wednesday, “I may do it, I may not do it
Nobody knows what I’m gonna do”

Dig Deeper

  • While Israel has done considerable damage to key Iranian nuclear infrastructure, it has not damaged Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plan, which is buried beneath a mountain

  • Military analysts generally believe that Israeli missiles alone are not capable of destroying Fordow, and that it needs the support of the US, which has a 30,000-pound “bunker-busting” bomb built for that exact purpose

  • While Trump has continued to suggest a willingness to negotiate with Iran, Iranian officials told the UN late Wednesday that it would not hold talks while “under duress." Iran also said that it would cause “irreparable damage” to the US if it joins the conflict

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them

Rabindranath Tagore

KEY STORY

Add Some Zest to Your Workout Routine

Feeling sluggish after working out? You probably aren’t replenishing your body’s salts  

  • When you sweat, your body loses key minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium that are crucial for muscle and nerve functions. Drinking water alone won’t replenish these critical nutrients. But drinking LMNT will

  • While other electrolyte drinks you find at the grocery store are full of sugar, food dyes, and other harmful junk, LMNT is different. This drink mix is free of sugar, additives, and artificial colorings and is packed with electrolytes that restore your body’s sodium balance and speed up recovery after you work out

  • And now they’re offering a limited-time Lemonade Salt flavor. It’s salty, zesty, and refreshing, the perfect drink for summer. Just mix with water for a quick and delicious recovery drink

Dig Deeper

  • Join the Roca team – and the thousands of others, including FBI snipers, Navy Seals, and the USA Olympic Weightlifters – and give LMNT a shot. You’ll feel more energized,  experience fewer muscle cramps, and have faster recoveries after working out

  • LMNT has a no-questions-asked 100% refund policy, so there’s no reason not to give it a taste

  • Plus, Roca readers get a free Sample Pack with any drink mix purchase!

KEY STORY

Supreme Court Upholds Minor Transition Ban

The US Supreme Court upheld Tennessee’s law banning gender transition treatments for minors, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy

  • A federal judge had previously deemed the law an example of unconstitutional sex discrimination

  • In a 6-3 vote, SCOTUS ruled that it does not violate the Constitution, with Chief Justice Roberts writing that such policy decisions belong with lawmakers, not courts. Justice Sotomayor, in the dissent, called the law discriminatory and harmful to transgender youth

  • The ruling, which drew responses from both sides of the debate, allows similar laws across the US to move forward

Dig Deeper 

  • The decision allows Tennessee’s law to remain in effect and could bolster enforcement of similar laws in over two dozen states

  • Supporters of Tennessee's law welcomed the ruling: “We regulate a number of different types of [medical] procedures, and we felt like this was the best public policy to prevent kids from suffering from irreversible consequences, things that cannot be undone,” said a Tennessee state senator who sponsored the bill

  • Meanwhile, some rights groups expressed dismay: “Today’s ruling is a devastating loss for transgender people, our families, and everyone who cares about the Constitution,” said an executive at the American Civil Liberties Union

KEY STORY

Addiction More Important Than Screen Time

A new study published Wednesday found that “addictive” use of technology – not screen time alone – is more closely linked to suicidal behavior among teens

  • Researchers tracked 4,285 children from age 10 to 14 and monitored their use of mobile phones and social media. About one-third showed rising patterns of addictive behavior, which strongly correlated with suicide risk by age 14

  • The study’s lead author said parents should prioritize addressing addictive behaviors over simply limiting screen time

  • The study, published in the medical journal JAMA, concluded that teens’ self-identified tech addiction is a stronger predictor of suicidal behavior than total screen time

Dig Deeper 

  • The study reported that among the participants, “31.3% had increasing addictive use trajectories for social media and 24.6% for mobile phones,” adding, “High or increasing addictive use trajectories were associated with elevated risks of suicidal behaviors or ideation compared with low addictive use”

  • When assessed at age 14, 5.1% of participants had shown suicidal behavior, and 17.9% had experienced suicidal ideation

  • “This is the first study to identify that addictive use is important, and is actually the root cause, instead of time,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Yunyu Xiao

  • Xiao argued interventions should therefore focus on addictive behaviors rather than simply limiting access to screens: “If there are early warnings, then for parents, it’s important to seek professional help for children with such addictions”

RUNDOWN
Some Quick Stories for the Office

đŸŒĄïž A powerful heat wave is expected to bring 100ÂșF+ temperatures across the northern US this week

đŸ’” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said Meta has been trying to lure top AI developers to its new AI venture with sign-on bonuses as high as $100M

đŸ›ąïž The European Commission (EC), the EU’s top executive arm, unveiled a proposal to stop the import of Russian gas and oil into the EU by 2027

📈 A new Marist poll shows former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo leading the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor

đŸ» US Dietary Guidelines are expected to eliminate the recommendation that adults limit alcohol consumption to one or two drinks per day, according to a Reuters report

🌿 Regencell Bioscience, a Hong Kong-listed herbal medicine firm with zero revenue, has seen its US-traded shares surge as much as 60,000% over the past year

⚖ A court found Karen Read – the Massachusetts woman accused of intentionally killing her police officer boyfriend – not guilty of murder

What does Roca Nation think?

🌯 Yesterday’s Question: What’s a topic you could talk about endlessly? Both cause you love it and know a ton about it.

I find the study of flags, or vexillology, absolutely fascinating; I could talk about it forever. During middle school, when I didn't have many friends, I spent a lot of my time immersed in learning about flags. All of it, their history, symbolism, patterns, and various styles. I found it all incredibly engaging.

One of the most interesting things I discovered is how many flags share similar origins, almost like a form of historical "plagiarism." It's also remarkable how the concept of flag "culture" largely emerged from the French Revolution. You can tell a lot about the history of a state by if their flag is a tricolor or not.

Beyond the historical aspects, there's a lot of modern debate around flags, including philosophical debates about the very definition of a flag and if the "five rules of flag design" still hold true in our digital world or not. Some vexillologists treat these rules with almost religious reverence, but some have started to rethink the definition of a flag. (I largely blame CGP Gray for starting me down my obsession. (My girlfriend knows that she's competing with my love for colored fabric.)).

On a lighter note, it's widely thought that, like many human inventions, flags were initially created as tools for warfare.

Bradley, the amateur Oklahoman vexillologist.

Chickens! When I started backyard chicken keeping 3 years ago I dove into research and learning. There is still so much to learn, but if someone starts a conversation with me about my chickens they have to prepare for a mini TED talk on the intricacies of chicken group psychology, health, and (at least I think they’re fun) fun-facts. Did you know that chickens have an additional cone in their eyes and can see UV light and everything looks brighter and more sparkly to them? Did you know that crows like to protect your chickens and will defend them from hawks? I could talk about chickens for hours!

Chelsea from Florida

Funnily enough, the weather. I love the science of meteorology. I spent the first 20 years of my life in tornado alley. I am not a meteorologist, but have been fascinated by it since I was about 9 years old. Most people call the weather small talk, but I always have to keep myself from making it so much more than that.

Laura in AZ

🧐 Today’s Question: Should the US help Israel bomb Iran’s nuclear facility?

POPCORN
Some Quick Stories for Happy Hour

📝 Big Stationery’s Fav Woman: A woman in Hoboken, New Jersey has spent the past 11 years writing 10,000 heartfelt thank-you notes

🩝 Average Bar Experience in Kentucky: A Kentucky man was arrested after allegedly releasing a raccoon in a bar, resulting in one person being bitten

đŸ”ïž High-Altitude Lifesaver: A British man who installed defibrillators on Mount Everest says one helped save a woman’s life just three weeks later

🧑‍🚀 Space Marathon: NASA astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams now holds the record for the most cumulative spacewalk time by a woman, at 62 hours and 6 minutes

đŸ‡ș🇾 Pole-icy Shift at the White House: President Trump personally funded and installed two 88-foot flagpoles on the North and South Lawns of the White House, calling them a “gift” to the American people

ROCA WRAP
Billionaire Backlash

Venice

Activists in this floating city are planning protests against Jeff Bezos' €10 million wedding celebration.

Venice – a city built on more than 100 small islands in the Adriatic Sea – has become a poster child for overtourism, with its ~30M annual visitors overwhelming a historic center that houses just 51,000 residents.

In recent years, protests have intensified by locals who have been pushed out by rising costs and the conversion of homes to tourist accommodations.

Amid these ongoing tourism tensions, Jeff Bezos will hold a lavish wedding to Lauren Sánchez. The event will reportedly cost €10M, have 200 guests staying in the city's most expensive hotels, and see the billionaire arrive with his yachts.

However, the "No Space for Bezos" campaign is mobilizing to disrupt the festivities. The protesters have said the wedding is a perfect symbol of how Venice is sold to the highest bidder.

Activists have already hung a banner with Bezos' name crossed out on the bell tower of San Giorgio Basilica and plastered posters around the city.

The main demonstration is planned for June 28, with protesters planning to block roads, clog canals with boats and kayaks, and create "inconvenience and delays."

"We are not protesting the wedding per se, but a vision of Venice
as a city that people come and consume," said one organizer.

Yet Mayor Luigi Brugnaro has welcomed the wedding, saying he feels "honored" that Bezos chose Venice and expressing a desire to meet the billionaire, and business owners have said the event will help the city’s economy.

The activists, meanwhile, argue that the spectacle represents the same commodification driving overtourism: As the protest organizer said, "We don't need Bezos
We need houses, decent wages, and a sustainable future."

In Venice, even billionaire weddings can't buy local love.

ROCA VIDEO
How She Exposed the World's Biggest Crime Scene (P**nhub)

We interviewed the leading anti-P**nhub activist, Laila Mickelwait. We do discuss sexual assault, statutory rape, and more in this interview, so exercise discretion.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Final Thoughts

Happy Juneteenth to all who celebrate! If you have the day off from work, we’re happy for you. If you don’t, then it’s possible you work at Roca and we want you to FOCUS.

Have a great day. Let us know what you think of the above interview! Laila is great.

–Max and Max