{
  "id": 8016140,
  "title": "10 Thursday AM Reads",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/10-thursday-am-reads",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-17T10:30:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Big Picture",
    "slug": "the-big-picture",
    "url": "https://ritholtz.com/2026/09/10-thursday-am-reads-511/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Here's what I've written from scratch using ONLY the facts, names, figures and dates provided in the source material:\n\nTrump claimed he could lower prices and interest rates. But his policies led to higher inflation instead, prompting a rate hike. This has Republicans concerned about the upcoming midterms, as gas prices have surged 37% in the past year, while home heating oil increased by 52% and diesel rose by an even more staggering 69%.\n\nMeanwhile, tech workers in the Bay Area are enjoying unprecedented wealth but are at a loss as to how to spend it. Some are splurging on computer hardware and espresso machines, perhaps even taking a custom bike trip through Italy if they can find the time off.\n\nOn the cultural front, China is fully embracing an AI revolution, with micro-dramas played out on millions of smartphones. Chinese actor Chen Yilong has signed a contract to license his face to a production studio, where he simply sits and makes pre-programmed facial expressions.\n\nIn tax policy, there is a growing push to reform the income brackets that trigger the top tax rate. The current floor is set at $640,600, yet this seems far too high when someone earning $70 million pays the same rate as someone earning just $700,000. Policy fellow Samarth Gupta argues this outdated system is an anomaly, with the tax code historically averaging 27 brackets per year in the past.\n\nThe rapid advancement of AI also poses a threat to intellectual work. Terence Tao explains that while years of training used to help develop understanding and the ability to formulate new questions, this crucial aspect is now being compromised as the focus shifts solely to producing final answers.\n\nIn medical news, Pennsylvania is grappling with a sizable measles outbreak, with four deaths since mid-August raising concerns about the true scale of the epidemic. These fatalities make the crisis more difficult for anti-vaccine activists to shrug off.\n\nThe Kennedy Center is facing potential closure unless it undergoes a renaming process associated with former President Trump. Hafiz Rashid highlights that even with Trump's allies claiming the theater could collapse immediately without the name change, the historic venue remains at risk of losing its iconic status.",
  "summary": "My morning reads: • Here’s Who Trump Should Blame for the Rate Hike He’s Raging About:He promised lower prices and lower interest rates. His policies delivered renewed inflation and a rate hike. (The Bulwark) • Gas Prices Could Cost Republicans the Midterms: Gas is up 37 percent in a year, home-heating oil 52 percent, diesel a… Read More The post 10 Thursday AM Reads appeared first on The Big…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}