Sunday September 7th

Welcome back to another week at the Circus, where the news reads like a mashup of The Babylon Bee and a bankruptcy filing. Buckle up, America.

On the Upper West Side, New York’s richest parents have decided the best way to fight rats in their kids’ playground is… releasing feral cats. Nothing says “world’s financial capital” like hedge fund managers begging for alley cats to protect their toddlers from rodents the size of Labradors.

Meanwhile, Trump unloaded on Big Pharma, demanding they finally prove their miracle Covid drugs actually did what they were sold to do. The Trump ‘sons’ just made a cool $5 billion mining Bitcoin. Forget “The Apprentice,” the Trump boys are basically running Shark Tank: Crypto Edition. A very good week also for Elon Musk, who could scoop up to $1 trillion (£750billion) under a new pay deal at Tesla, if all goes well.

In the latest embarrassment for Governor Gavin Newsom, a new report shows that six of the worst cities in America to retire are in California. That’s right—the state that taxes you to death while promising sunshine and palm trees is now officially a retirement nightmare. Didn’t see that coming!

Disney coughed up $10 million to the FTC for spying on kids, because apparently Mickey Mouse’s next role is Minority Report. Meals on Wheels quit Portland, because even volunteers don’t want to risk their lives delivering soup in a lawless utopia. And beer sales are tanking—so Americans are broke and sober. The worst of both worlds.

The U.S. might shrink in population for the first time ever, which means fewer people lining up for $20 hamburgers at ballgames. At least Alaska gave us a real hero—a guy who disarmed a thug with a loaded Glock at a crowded fair. Forget politicians—give that man the Medal of Freedom.

Atlanta’s airport is still the busiest in the world, which explains why your last layover felt like a cattle drive. And over at Target and Walmart, staff say they’ve been ordered to rip off clothing price tags in prep for tariff-fueled hikes. Translation: next time you shop, that $12 T-shirt is magically $19.99.

America Decides:
The so-called “experts” keep warning that America’s about to stumble into a recession. Maybe they’re right—or maybe it’s just another scare tactic. Either way, we want to hear from you. Cast your vote below.

Forget bulk toilet paper—the smartest buy at Costco last year was a gold bar. One ounce cost $2,495 then, and today it’s worth $3,557. That’s a 42% gain, or more than a grand in profit, just for trusting shiny metal over Washington promises. While the Fed dithers and tariffs flirt with inflation, gold keeps proving why it’s the ultimate safe haven.

Remember the dot-com crash? Wall Street sure doesn’t. U.S. stocks are now even pricier than they were back in early 2000, right before the bubble popped. Back then, the S&P 500 traded at 16.8 times projected earnings. Today? Try 22.5. Translation: investors are paying $22.50 for every $1 of earnings. If this isn’t bubble territory, it’s at least the on-ramp.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the Trump administration is weighing a national housing emergency to tackle soaring prices and short supply. Possible moves include tariff exemptions for construction materials and, of course, nudging the Fed toward rate cuts. Translation: Washington finally admits what buyers already know—finding an affordable home in America right now feels like winning the lottery.

They’re a private company, but Pacaso just reserved the Nasdaq ticker “$PCSO.”

No surprise the same firms that backed Uber, eBay, and Venmo already invested in Pacaso. What is unique is Pacaso is giving the same opportunity to everyday investors. And 10,000+ people have already joined them.

Created a former Zillow exec who sold his first venture for $120M, Pacaso brings co-ownership to the $1.3T vacation home industry.

They’ve generated $1B+ worth of luxury home transactions across 2,000+ owners. That’s good for more than $110M in gross profit since inception, including 41% YoY growth last year alone.

And you can join them today for just $2.90/share. But don’t wait too long. Invest in Pacaso before the opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

Our Honest Thoughts:

Forget Wall Street drama for a minute—real wealth is about owning something real. Pacaso makes it possible to co-own luxury vacation homes in more than 40 iconic destinations worldwide. Think mountains, beaches, and cities people dream of—without the hassle of doing it all yourself.

They design it, furnish it, and manage it. You just unlock the door and enjoy your place in paradise. No nonsense. No stress. Just smart ownership of a second home you’ll actually use.

Starting October 1, Amazon is killing off its 15-year-old Prime Invitee program, which let members share shipping perks with friends outside the house. From now on, Prime’s “free shipping for all” motto is restricted to family under one roof. Amazon says it’s about “focusing on family,” but let’s be honest—it’s about squeezing more people into $139-a-year memberships.

One Massachusetts homeowner says her insurer sent a drone to spy on her property—snapping photos while she was out—before threatening to drop her coverage unless she trimmed some trees. She’d been a loyal customer for over a decade. Her reaction? “Invasive” and “crazy.” Ours? Welcome to 2025, where even your insurance company plays surveillance state.

Salesforce just axed 4,000 customer support jobs—because AI can now handle half of its customer interactions. CEO Marc Benioff bragged that he “rebalance[d]” headcount from 9,000 to 5,000, thanks to his shiny new AI toys. Translation: thousands of Americans out of work, while a $248B company pats itself on the back for cutting costs.

NYC mayoral candidate and self-proclaimed socialist Zohran Mamdani wants to double the minimum wage to $30 by 2030. Sounds great—until you realize it’s a fast-track to replacing entry-level workers with kiosks, apps, and robots that never ask for lunch breaks. At $16.50 an hour today, small businesses are already stretched. At $30, the only thing left working will be the self-checkout machine.

Turns out, the tablet shakedown isn’t working anymore. U.S. consumers are spending 38% less on “guilt tips” in 2025, dropping from $450 a year to about $24 a month. Rising costs have forced people to finally push back against the awkward digital screen stare-down. Tipping is supposed to reward service—not keep you from looking cheap in front of the barista.

Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia—once a big Kamala Harris donor—says he ditched the Democrats after watching the border crisis spiral and seeing RFK Jr. get trashed by the left. The billionaire revealed on a podcast that a phone call with Jared Kushner sealed the deal, flipping his support to Trump in 2024. When Silicon Valley money starts walking away from Democrats, you know the cracks are showing.

Kathryn Sullivan gave Commonwealth Bank 25 years of her life—then got sacked after unknowingly training the AI that replaced her. The 63-year-old teller says she supported new tech meant to help customers, but had no idea she was basically teaching her own replacement. Loyalty used to mean something; now it’s just another line item cut by corporate bean-counters.

American Eagle’s gamble on actress Sydney Sweeney paid off big—shares jumped 25% after the company credited her “Great Jeans” campaign with record sales and customer buzz. CEO Jay Schottenstein declared it proof they’re “the American jeans brand.” Translation: Wall Street finally agrees—denim and Sweeney are a better combo than most hedge funds.

Every American should watch this video—seriously.

It’s a front-row seat to the “future” the anti-capitalist crowd is dreaming up. Twenty self-proclaimed revolutionaries shouting down a single capitalist, all while painting themselves as the victims. Unbearable doesn’t even begin to cover it. These are the same folks demanding free everything—funded, of course, by someone else’s paycheck.

One communist supporter is even offered $20,000 and a first-class ticket to the communist paradise of her choice… if she’ll renounce her U.S. citizenship. Spoiler: she refuses. Another guy claims he’s applied to 400+ jobs without a single offer—then gets one on the spot during the discussion, only to turn it down because he needs to “research the company’s beliefs.” You can’t make this stuff up.

So what do you think—just another loud, entitled mob, or is there a valid point buried somewhere under all the whining? Watch the chaos, then reply with your thoughts and comments.