Daily Denim

Happy Sunday! We hope you've had a wonderful Fourth of July Weekend celebrating the USA at 249, full of fireworks, parades, slightly more expensive barbecues, and, of course, the spirit of independence — the essence that unites all the disparate aspects of American culture, from blue jeans to nerdy names for tech startups. Have feedback for us? Just hit reply - we'd love to hear from you! The blueprint Denim jeans have become an American and global fashion mainstay unlike any other. While it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first pair of jeans was made, many — not least of all the Levi's marketing department — trace the origins of the pants as we know them today back more than 150 years. A lot has changed in the intervening century-and-a-half, but the humble garment has been a near constant in American wardrobes throughout.  Jeans were worn by sailors; they became a symbol of the rugged American Wild West in the early 1900s; broke into the mainstream as leisure wear; became a motif for an entire generation of young rebels in the 1950s; and have played their part in just about every cultural revolution — from hippies to hip hop — ever since.  Even today, the 150+ year-old denim jean remains near the peak of its powers: a whopping 90% of Americans wear jeans at least occasionally. But how have jeans survived, and indeed thrived, through all of these eras? Dive back into: Denim never dies: Why America still loves jeans Great stories you might have missed Zuckerberg announces new AI hires for "Meta Superintelligence Labs" A breakdown of the competitors that Zuck has poached AI researchers from with hefty compensation packages of up to $100M. Tesla just reported its biggest quarterly drop in deliveries ever The EV company sold about 60,000 fewer vehicles than it did in Q2 2024. Chinese students are using AI to beat AI detectors Rest of World explores how a growing industry of AI detectors are facing AI tools used to outsmart them. Selling government-sponsored insurance is looking less lucrative. It's about to get even messier Cuts to Medicaid and signs of ACA enrollees becoming costlier are weighing on insurers. The company Puerto Rico hired to run its indebted power plants is collapsing under its own debt The island's utility was billions in debt. Now, New Fortress Energy is buckling under its own debt load. One name to rule them all When it comes to tech startups, what's in a name? Today, a lot of them end with "AI." Sometimes, you pivot and change the name to reflect your company's new focus. And sometimes you just want to evoke a mythic power and flex your nerdy bona fides. There's one source of inspiration that tech startups have turned to more than others: the works of JRR Tolkien. Especially when venture capitalist Peter Thiel is involved. This week the Financial Times reported that Thiel, along with Palmer Luckey, the cofounder of weapons and surveillance systems manufacturer Anduril, returned to Middle Earth for the name of the new national bank they're starting to take the place of Silicon Valley Bank. Indeed, "Erebor Bank" takes its name from Erebor, otherwise known as the "Lonely Mountain," which featured prominently in Tolkien's 1937 novel "The Hobbit." But can you pick out the real company names inspired by Tolkien's works from the fake ones we made up? Play online: Behold! Another "Lord of the Rings"-inspired company is revealed Thanks for stopping by! Have some feedback or want to sponsor this newsletter? Not a subscriber? Sign up for free below. Subscribe Sherwood Media, LLC produces fresh and unique perspectives on topical financial news and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc., and any views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of any other Robinhood affiliate... See more Sherwood Terms and Conditions Our Editorial Standards Contact Us Advertise With Us Unsubscribe Privacy Policy