Today is Monday, July 14, 2025.
It is the 195th day of the year.
170 days remain.
WHAT’S ON TAP
NOTABLE & NOTEWORTHY: Glimmers of economic hope from June’s Treasury data.
Country singer CONNOR SMITH addresses last month’s fatal traffic accident in SHOWBIZ.
JOHN GOODMAN shares where he stands with his former TV wife in CASTING CALL.
A backchannel opens between PRINCE HARRY and KING CHARLES. Details in ROYALS.
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The United States Treasury has now posted two monthly surpluses so far this year. In April, income tax receipts swelled the monthly receipts to $850 BILLION. In June, tariff revenue boosted the surplus to $27 BILLION.
The US economy is nowhere close to being out of the woods yet. In May alone, the feds posted a $316 BILLION deficit, and while receipts are up 7% for the fiscal year, which runs through September, spending has increased 6%. [via CNBC]
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The number of wayward hikers in Washington state’s backcountry needing rescue has climbed significantly this season – so much so, that Skamania County’s sheriff wants to slap them with a $1,000 fine if they need to call authorities for help.
Sheriff Summer Scheyer says search and rescue calls are up around 500% year over year. “These are not sustainable numbers,” she says. Scheyer says social media trends of showing off impressive vistas to gain likes and followers drives many incidents from those who haven’t given emergency preparation any forethought. Unseasonably warm temperatures making for better hiking conditions have also contributed.
In one frustrating instance, a hiker called to claim he was convulsing, and once authorities arrived, he refused their help
She makes clear, too, that accidents happen. “This wouldn’t apply to someone in great shape, well-prepared, who simply had an accident. Accidents happen. But we’re seeing patterns of poor choices — from flip-flops on rocky terrain to ignoring forecasted heat,” she added. [via KING5]
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Authorities in France are on the lookout for a 20-year-old convict who managed to escape prison by hiding in his cellmate’s laundry bag.
The unnamed escapee apparently hid himself in the satchel as the cellmate was processed out of prison at the end of his sentence. A preliminary investigation suggests there’s no evidence that the cellmate was in on it – though one would imagine that a 20-year-old man weighs more than a typical bag of laundry, even a skinny Frenchman.
In a statement, one prison official blames the escape on “a series of serious malfunctions,” adding, “This is an extremely rare event that we have never experienced in this administration.” [via CBS News]
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ELONWORLD UPDATES
AT xAI: The company formally apologized for its chatbot Grok going nuts last week when it praised Hitler and threatened at least one user with sexual assault. They blame a command that empowered the bot to be “humorous and make jokes” as part of the reason for the fiasco.
AT SPACEX: The space technology company is playing a big role in xAI’s next fundraising round, with a $2 BILLION contribution. SpaceX has long been Musk’s piggy bank for other ventures. He pulled out $20 MILLION to finance TESLA in its early days. SpaceX also put up $1 BILLION in cash to help finance Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, though he promptly repaid it.
AT NEURALINK: A fifth patient has received a Neuralink chip implant, which allows him to control a computer interface with his mind. The test case, identified only as RJ, lost the ability to use his arms and legs after a motorcycle accident. The procedure was completed in April. RJ now says he can control his computer and smartphone with just his thoughts.
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A 54-pound chunk of Mars is hitting the auction block.
The rock, believed to be the biggest piece of the Red Planet on Earth, was discovered by a meteorite hunter in Niger in November 2023. Millions of years ago, a massive asteroid is believed to have impacted Mars, sending the rock into space and eventually landing on Earth.
It is expected to fetch between $2 million and $4 million, according to Sotheby’s. [via AP]
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