Year of the Snake

Wednesday, January 29th, 2025

World Events — Deportation in America 

Bloomberg

Recent immigration enforcement actions have intensified across major U.S. cities as part of President Trump's renewed crackdown on illegal immigration. On Sunday, ICE arrested 956 individuals in Chicago, marking the largest single-day operation under the Trump administration. The raids have since expanded to other cities, with ICE reporting 1,179 arrests on Monday, bringing the total to 3,552 since January 23. New York City became the latest target, with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem participating in an operation in the Bronx on Tuesday. The administration has focused on apprehending individuals with criminal records, though concerns have been raised about the detention of law-abiding immigrants. Sanctuary cities like Chicago and New York are facing pressure from federal authorities, with mayors being called to testify before Congress about their policies. As cities brace for continued enforcement actions, local leaders are working to reassure residents and provide support, while also navigating the complex relationship between local and federal authorities.

Tech — Nvidia Under Pressure 

The Economists

Nvidia's dominance in the AI chip market is facing unprecedented challenges, potentially threatening its monopoly-like margins. On January 27th, 2025, Chinese firm DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that reportedly cost less than $6 million to train, causing Nvidia's market value to plummet by nearly $600 billion in a single day. This event has reignited the debate between investors who believe in Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's vision and those who see the company's high prices as symptomatic of AI hype. The ability of DeepSeek to produce AI models comparable to America's best using fewer and less advanced GPUs challenges the notion that winning the AI race requires massive investments in chips.

Despite these setbacks, Nvidia still has strong support from bullish investors. The company's leadership is reinforced by its CUDA software, widely used in AI, and its networking gear that optimizes chip performance in data centers. While Nvidia's market share and margins are likely to decrease, it remains poised to be a dominant player in the industry. Jensen Huang's forward-thinking approach, including plans to develop "physical AI" for applications like humanoid robots and self-driving cars, suggests that Nvidia is actively working to stay ahead of the competition. As the AI landscape continues to evolve, it's premature to dismiss Nvidia's potential for maintaining a significant market presence.

Business — Starbucks Making Progress 

Starbucks

Starbucks reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for its fiscal first quarter of 2025, despite experiencing a decline in same-store sales for the fourth consecutive quarter. The coffee giant's same-store sales fell 4%, driven by a 6% decrease in store traffic, which was still better than Wall Street's anticipated 5.5% drop. Earnings per share came in at $0.69, surpassing the expected $0.67, while revenue reached $9.4 billion, exceeding the forecasted $9.31 billion. CEO Brian Niccol expressed confidence in the company's turnaround plan, citing progress and positive responses to initial steps taken, including removing extra charges for non-dairy milk options and focusing marketing efforts on coffee.

Health — How Sleep Helps Build Learning Map

Psychology Today

Sleep plays a crucial role in enhancing neuroplasticity and building learning maps in the brain. During sleep, particularly deep non-REM sleep, the brain undergoes important processes that consolidate new experiences and strengthen neural connections. This consolidation process involves the upregulation of myelin-related genes, which are essential for the formation and maintenance of myelin sheaths around neurons. Myelination is critical for efficient neural signaling and helps solidify learning by making neural pathways faster and more reliable. Additionally, sleep allows the brain to replay and refine experiences, connecting discrete memories into cohesive cognitive maps. This process of latent learning during sleep enables the brain to organize and make sense of information acquired during wakefulness, facilitating better navigation, planning, and problem-solving skills. By prioritizing good sleep hygiene, individuals can harness the power of neuroplasticity to form new habits, improve learning efficiency, and enhance overall cognitive performance. 

Food — Matcha Muffin 

These delicate Matcha Muffins showcase a delightful Japanese-inspired twist, offering a wonderfully soft and moist texture that beautifully complements the rich, nutty flavor of Kuromame black soybeans. This exceptional matcha muffin recipe is an ideal accompaniment to a refined afternoon tea, blending traditional Japanese culinary elements with a classic baked treat.

Chopstick Chronicles 

Song Rec — Fallin’ (Issac Hong)

Quote of the Day

“It’s difficult to determine where their mask end and their true self begins.” — Donald Burham 

Happy chinese new year (year of the snaaaaeke)! wishing everyone lots of prosperity and good luck in this coming year!