Listen to Monday’s discussion here.

Quick Hits:

• Death Valley records highest temperature reading in over a century on Sunday … 130 degrees.
• Burning Man goes digital this year
• NBA playoffs start today
• New Zealand delays general elections due to another C19 outbreak
• California: “Take a Friend Fishing Month” and Saturday, Sept. 5, is a free fishing day
• Stephenie Meyer says more books are coming in the “Twilight” saga
• AMC will throwback pricing for a day at more than 100 cinemas on Aug. 20 — about a sixth of its locations nationwide … 15 cents per movie.
• Amazon will spend $10B on a constellation of internet-beaming satellites — it just got the federal ‘OK’ to launch.
• Airbnb’s quarterly sales plunged 67% but showed signs of recovery — bookings were down just 30% in June compared to 70% in May.

Deeper Dives:

• The U.S. on Wednesday last week reported the most COVID-19-related deaths in one day since May, but the nation’s most populous state, California, showed signs of improvement Thursday
• Three consecutive months of increased spending at retailers and restaurants. Purchases notched up by 1.2% in the past month, having increased in June (by 7.5%) and in May (by nearly 18%). How?? We’re asking the same question. People have cut back on their visits to restaurants and bars. They’re spending less on clothing. But, yes, they’re still shopping. Sales at home and garden stores are up by almost 15% compared to last year, while sales at stores that sell musical instruments, books and sporting goods are up almost 18%. Online shopping, overall, is up a whopping 25%.
• According to a study from the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office, Rising seas are likely to swallow as much as $10 billion of California property in the next 30 years and could erase up to two-thirds of Southern California’s shoreline by 2100
• Chinese company Xiaomi recently revealed a transparent TV! 55” for $7,200 which, when turned off, looks like a piece of glass. Check out photos online… (only available in China right now)

Fact Check:

• “Kamala Harris refused to be sworn in with the Bible” — False

Natl Day:

• Wednesday, Aug. 19 = National Bacon Lovers Day