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Blake, Wm. Mirth. 1816.

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Gen Z is significantly contributing to the revival of malls post-COVID, analysts are noting, saying that the digital world has led the generation to value the instant gratification of in-person shopping.

The desire for physical interaction and community experiences drives this generation to brick-and-mortar stores, as found in a 2023 report by the International Council of Shopping Centers. 97% of Gen Z respondents said they shop at brick-and-mortar stores and 95% said they shop online for convenience.

Malls are also evolving to become multipurpose destinations, offering fine dining, movie theaters, and gyms, catering to Gen Z's preference for experiences over material items. 60% of Gen Z say they would rather spend their money on experiences than material items.

Stephanie Tully, assistant professor at the USC Marshall School of Business: “This digitally savvy generation is used to having things immediately that they can download, access, watch. And so from that perspective, the desire to get physical products immediately makes sense and would explain interest in brick-and-mortar.”

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Blake, Wm. Elegy Written in a Country Church-Yard- Page 7. 1797.

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The U.S. is seeing more and more of its farmland snapped up by China and other foreign buyers, yet officials are unsure of the exact amount because of difficulties tracking data.

It’s widely believed that foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land increased to around 40 million acres in 2021, a 40% rise since 2016. But officials are now questioning that number, citing inaccuracies, such as the largest land holding linked with China being counted twice. Other challenges include relying on foreigners to self-report their activity, meaning foreign owners could be drastically under-reporting how much they own.

This confusion comes as concerns are growing in Washington about potential threats to food supply chains and national security. In response, lawmakers have called for a crackdown on sales of land to China and other nations.

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Blake, Wm. Enoch Walked with God. 1780.

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Dr. Thomas Connelly is the Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist who rendered and fitted Ye’s $850,000 orthodontic vision in titanium, platinum, palladium and gold alloy. YEWS asked him a few questions.

Give us an idea: how much metal is in Ye’s mouth?

There is a lot of precious metal in there. It could be melted down and used as an asset. 100% Ye’s. He designed it.

We understand the titanium procedure is ground-breaking, involving bespoke material and experimental dentistry. It crosses over from dentistry into sculpture and art. Can you walk us through it?

We were very precise to make sure that the edges of the piece we made lined up with where the edges of his original teeth were because we did not want to affect his speech. There’s a lot of science behind the front of what you see. This was designed very carefully from a dental standpoint.

How's the mouthfeel? Does it make food taste different?

I am very curious about how this feels in Ye’s mouth.  I think it’s pleasurable and very cleanable. You would need to ask him for the details. This is the first time we’ve done anything like this. We've had to commission a custom rinsing mouthpiece with water jets to clean every aspect of this including underneath it and in between the teeth at the gum line.

We always want to work with precious metals because we don’t want to have any type of immune reaction or taste what our body comes in touch with the metal. Precious metals such as gold, platinum, palladium all have this characteristic. Titanium has this characteristic as well but it is very difficult to cast and needs to be milled.

What happens to him now at TSA?

Most precious metals will not trigger a metal detector.

What do the ladies think of your work?

Honestly, most women love a man with a little edge and artistic uniqueness.

How does it feel to make things so intimate and personal to people? You’re with them forever in a way aren’t you?

Yes. We are married. Especially on this one. 

How was it working with Ye? Was he brave?

Ye was a pleasure to work with every step of the process. His vision for designing unique art transcends the dental profession.

Ye is famously perfectionist. Were you worried you'd have to make this a hundred times over? 

We worked very close with him every step of the way so that we were able to interpret his vision before we made irreversible castings. We did have to alter one of the castings, but this is normal when you’re creating something new and unique.

Where do you go from here? You had already made it as a premier dentist. But once you’ve made a set of teeth like that for Ye, you must be feeling you’ve reached a new level.

Haha! I have five children and lots of college bills! I’m a working man. Although Rolling Stone magazine did call me “The Father of Diamond Dentistry.”

For rich people, this is a safe place to park savings in times of economic turbulence. Safer than Silicon Valley Bank.

You could break a bit off at the register in Dior if your Amex won’t do the whole amount.

For the rest of us, would Medicaid cover the procedure?

No, insurance or Medicaid would not cover any of this!

Interview by Daniel Schmidt. Prosthodontics by Ye.

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Blake, Wm. America a Prophecy, object 1. 1793.

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A new survey of global leaders at the annual World Economic Forum meeting reveals that 25% of CEOs plan to reduce their workforce by at least 5% due to generative AI.

Media and entertainment sectors are leading in anticipated AI-driven layoffs, with over 30% of CEOs in these industries planning reductions.

Kristalina Georgieva, the chief of the International Monetary Fund, warns that AI could affect nearly 40% of global jobs, potentially worsening inequality. “In most scenarios. AI will likely worsen overall inequality, a troubling trend that policymakers must proactively address to prevent the technology from further stoking social tensions,” she said.

Concerns persist about AI’s reliability, as it often produces nonsensical or plagiarized content, but CEOs are still investing in it for its “disruptive” potential.

Bob Moritz, global chair of PwC: “As business leaders are becoming less concerned about macroeconomic challenges, they are becoming more focused on the disruptive forces within their industries. Whether it is accelerating the rollout of generative AI or building their businesses to address the challenges and opportunities of the climate transition, this is a year of transformation.”

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Blake, Wm. Ephialtes and Two Other Titans. 1824.

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Two North Korean teenagers have been sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for watching South Korean movies and K-pop music videos over three months.

The sentencing was part of a public trial, as shown in a video released by a research institute that works with North Korean defectors. North Korea's strict “anti-reactionary thought” law, imposed in 2020, penalizes the consumption of South Korean entertainment.

Choi Kyong-hui, who defected from North Korea in 2001: “Judging from the heavy punishment, it seems that this is to be shown to people across North Korea to warn them. If so, it appears this lifestyle of South Korean culture is prevalent in North Korean society.”

He continued: “I think this video was edited around 2022... What is troublesome for (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un is that Millennials and Gen Z young people have changed their way of thinking. I think he's working on turning it back to the North Korean way.”