Happy Thursday, N2K reader!

This week’s world-famous news haiku competition™ is about how we can most appropriately honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in America today. As we all know, MLK dedicated his life fighting for equity and justice. He taught us that even in the face of intimidation and discrimination, we must never stop working toward a better future, and I believe that you, yes, you, dear reader can craft a spectacular haiku on the subject. So: Send me your entry — to our spiffy new email address, haiku at cheddar dot com — by noon ET today (Thursday) for consideration by your Cheddar peers!

And now for something completely different.

Matt Davis — Need2Know Chedditor

News You Need2Know

• SCOTUS seems ready to uphold the Fed's independenc …

• Talking with the self-driving tech CEO whose share …

• Get your dog a Fitbit — arf!

• Your 2026 money reset starts now

• We talked to Goodwill’s COO about why people can't …

• Poll of the day: Too clever by arf?

What’s the stock market up to, eh?

$SPX ( ▼ 0.2% ) $DJI ( ▲ 0.63% ) $NDX ( ▼ 1.24% )

Companies mentioned in today’s newsletter

$AEVA ( ▼ 3.9% )  $NVDA ( ▼ 3.18% )  $META ( ▼ 3.32% )  

SCOTUS seems ready to uphold the Fed's independence

In a pivotal case that could redefine the balance of power between the White House and the Federal Reserve, the Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared inclined to defend the central bank's independence in the face of President Donald Trump’s efforts to bring it to heel.

The justices heard arguments about the administration’s attempted removal of Lisa D. Cook from the Fed’s Board of Governors, a move tied to allegations of mortgage fraud. Both sides remain deeply divided on what constitutes “cause” sufficient to dismiss a Fed official.

While key conservative justices, including Brett M. Kavanaugh, expressed skepticism about the president’s position, their concerns still suggest that the court is inclined to preserve the Fed’s autonomy. “Accepting the president’s view,” Justice Kavanaugh warned, “would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve.” He also cautioned about the broader implications, noting, “Once these tools are unleashed, they are used by both sides.”

Similarly, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. questioned whether Cook’s alleged conduct before taking office should justify removal. “You can’t be right about the idea that courts can’t order anybody who’s been removed to be reinstated,” Roberts said, critiquing the administration’s broader argument.

Cook’s legal team has called the allegations a “pretext” for policy disagreements, stressing that the credibility of the central bank is at stake. After the hearing, Cook told reporters: “This case is about whether the Federal Reserve will set key interest rates guided by evidence and independent judgment or will succumb to political pressure.”

With the court looking likely to order further proceedings, the case underscores the importance of safeguarding an institution crucial to economic stability.

Ten days ago every living former Federal Reserve chief attacked the Department of Justice’s new probe into central bank head Jay Powell, accusing the Trump administration of running the US like an emerging market. 

“This is how monetary policy is made in emerging markets with weak institutions, with highly negative consequences for inflation and the functioning of their economies more broadly,” wrote the group, which included top economic officials from Republican and Democratic administrations. “It has no place in the United States, whose greatest strength is the rule of law, which is at the foundation of our economic success.”

Talking with the self-driving tech CEO whose shares self-jumped 35% after Tuesday’s Nvidia deal

A Bay Area Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar? Baldar?) company made a huge move on Tuesday after earning Nvidia's seal of approval — with Nvidia $NVDA ( ▼ 3.18% ) choosing Aeva $AEVA ( ▼ 3.9% ) Technologies' lidar detectors for use in its new self-driving-vehicle hardware.

We sat down with Aeva’s CEO, Soroush Salehian, to talk about what the NVIDIA partnership signals for autonomous vehicles and the future of automation.

“Aeva is a perception-sensing company,” Soroush said. “We're bringing to market what we call 4D or four-dimensional Lidar technology, which really helps autonomous vehicles and machines see the world.”

He detailed how Aeva’s innovation enhances standard Lidar: “What Aeva has been doing and the unique technology for us is add that fourth dimension of speed. And that fourth dimension of speed is something that changes the game. It's like going from black and white cameras to color cameras,” he said. This provides vehicles with a superior, three-dimensional, and accurate view of the world.

The NVIDIA partnership is a major validation. “This is a crucial one... we have now been selected as the Lidar of choice for the reference platform on NVIDIA's Hyperion drive,” Soroush said. This selection means that self-driving vehicles using the NVIDIA software stack for Level 3 (or, “eyes-off, hands-off”) driving will be utilizing Aeva’s sensing technology.

Beyond passenger vehicles, Aeva sees great potential in robotics, where Lidar is “crucially dependent... especially for manipulating objects,” and in what used to be called “defense,” with autonomous ground defense vehicles. The key remaining hurdle for the industry, according to Salehian, is “mass manufacturing,” which Aeva is addressing by setting up a fully automated production line to build the sensors at scale.

Song of the Day: Lucy Rose, ‘Scared of Loving Wild Again’

British singer-songwriter Lucy Rose says her new single is all about “the lyric and idea, of how it feels to love someone truly, love them wildly, and why in doing that we can end up feeling vulnerable ourselves, as we open ourselves up to all encompassing love, what comes with that, is a whole lot of pain.” So it’s just like this newsletter!

Get your dog a Fitbit — arf!

I sometimes think we deliberately write headlines at Cheddar to annoy my editor, who shows blood pressure issues whenever AI is mentioned as the solution to any problem. Case in point: This story used to be headlined, “Can AI save your pet’s life?” [Stet. —ed.]

But I changed it to something I thought he could handle. Because the future of pet care is here, and it's powered by [checks notes] AI. At CES 2026, a range of innovative products showcased how AI is revolutionizing the health, behavior, and happiness of our furry friends…

One groundbreaking device is the Satellai Collar Go with its PetSense AI platform. Acting as a "Fitbit for your dog," it monitors activity and health, establishing a baseline. If your dog becomes lethargic or less active, the AI flags the change, potentially signaling an illness that you might miss.

For cats, the Ai-Tails feeding and monitoring station uses AI-powered facial analysis to detect subtle signs of pain and illness. It also tracks eating and drinking behavior, catching early warnings like increased water consumption, which can indicate serious kidney issues. I should know because I had to put down my Abyssinian, Seve (named for Seve Ballesteros), back in 2014, after the little beauty stopped drinking. We took him to the vet and they were like, “Sorry, dude.” And I was like, “WHAAAA?” Available in Q4 2026 for $200, this station provides a proactive approach to feline health. Too late for little Seve.

Your 2026 money reset starts now

The new year is the perfect time for a financial refresh. Oyin Adedoyin, a personal finance reporter at The Wall Street Journal, notes that many are — somehow, for some inexplicable reason — anxious about their money, especially since "nearly a quarter of adults have no savings and nearly 40% of adults have less than one month's worth of savings." Oh right, that’s why.

Adedoyin advises against one of the biggest mistakes people make: "not paying themselves first," which is "just another way to say, not prioritizing savings." To hack your brain into saving, he suggests setting email reminders or finding an "accountability buddy" to bear witness to your financial situation. Also: Stop spending so much money on rent, food, medical treatment, and other “ways of escape,” as the well-known author Graham “I have an opium problem” Greene used to describe them.

This ties into a Gen Z trend called "loud budgeting," where people are "actually talking about their savings goals with their friends."

Where can you cut costs? Adedoyin points to non-essential spending (such as, you know…opium), advising consumers to start "looking at those subscriptions that are... more connected to ease than necessity." Like, say, that $8-a-month Wall Street Journal subscription?

Young people with student loans should also be aware of changes from the recent reconciliation bill. Adedoyin warns that "Lifetime borrowing limits can't exceed somewhere close to $250,000," and that the Education Department is now looking at tax refunds and wages for past-due payments.

Finally, make reviewing your money “fun.”

Lol. I mean that was fun. Typing that sentence.

Adedoyin recommends "money dates," setting aside a day with a partner or friends to go over finances alongside something pleasurable, like "some nice wine or ... a nice meal."

It’s actually date night in the Davis household tomorrow night. I’ll be sure to bring up how much my wife spends on One Direction T-shirts and “Heated Rivalry”–related marginalia.

Should you check your 401(k) today?

👍️ 

Sure. Things took a terrible turn on Tuesday, but then the president ruled out imposing tariffs on eight NATO allies yesterday and said he wouldn’t “use force” to take over Greenland, so markets recovered about half their losses yesterday, and by the weekend, I reckon, those who “bought the TACO dip” should be rewarded. #NotFinancialAdvice

We talked to Goodwill’s COO about why people can't stop thrifting

This week I bought four dining room chairs and a couch on Facebook Marketplace $META ( ▼ 3.32% ) for the grand total of $200. So much for the Metaverse. A boy’s gotta sit his actual butt down on something and still be able to afford eggs. Y’know?

As it happens — in this and only this — I am not alone. For some reason I can’t summon the words for, the “resale economy” has soared to record levels, with thrifting becoming a mainstream cultural movement. At the center of this shift is Goodwill, which is seeing strong growth and record retail performance, according to David “Soaring Like” Eagles, the chief operating officer at Goodwill Industries International.

“Value continues to be the biggest driver of younger shoppers purchase preferences. And when you go to value, you would go to Goodwill,” Eagles explained, totally not mentioning Facebook Marketplace at all. He noted that the secondhand market is the fastest-growing segment of retail, largely fueled by younger consumers who view it as "smart, it's sustainable, it's personal." While value is key, the “treasure hunt” for unique selection is a second major draw. (My editor’s daughter says Goodwills outside major metropolitan areas have better selections — they’re not picked over.)

Beyond the retail experience, Eagles emphasized the organization's core mission: “The biggest for us is the good that we do,” he said. Goodwill is on track for its best retail year in history, operating 3,400 stores and 4,500 collection points. They are evolving with technology, leveraging (you will never believe it) AI to help with fast retail decisions and on their mission side to optimize career paths and skills training for the millions they serve annually.

Poll of the day: Too clever by arf?

Poll of the day: We’re not sure what you’re trying to say here

We asked: “Are things more affordable today than they were a year ago?”

You answered:

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Yes, they are. I'm finding life much more affordable right now, thank you. (36)

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Are you freaking kidding me? (798)

834 Votes via @beehiiv polls

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