Good morning! Inflation finally handed savers some breathing room, and a phone scam that pretends to transfer you to Social Security is making the rounds. Both are below, along with what a movie ticket cost in 1972.
Worth Knowing
| 1 |
Inflation cooled again in JulyThe Consumer Price Index rose just 0.1% in July, easing the annual inflation rate to 3.4% from 3.5% in June. Shelter costs drove most of the increase, and markets now expect the Federal Reserve to hold rates steady in September. For savers, that means today's CD and high-yield savings rates should stick around a little longer. For borrowers, it lowers the odds of another jump in card and loan costs. |
| 2 |
Ford is recalling SUVs with a driver's seat that moves on its ownNearly 80,000 model-year 2026 and 2027 Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs can keep reclining the unoccupied driver's seat during a remote start or unlock, far enough to press into a second-row passenger. There is no fix yet; Ford will notify owners when the repair is ready. If you drive either model, confirm now whether yours is included so you know to watch for the notice. |
| 3 |
⚠ Scam alert
No caller can ever transfer you to Social SecurityThe signal: a call that starts somewhere harmless, such as a retailer or government office asking about a suspicious purchase, then gets "transferred" to a Social Security representative who says your identity was stolen and offers to secure your benefits or issue a new number. What to do: hang up. Social Security's Inspector General is blunt about it: no company or agency can transfer a call to Social Security, and caller ID can be faked. If you're worried about your account, call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 or sign in at ssa.gov. |
| 4 |
Taking Diovan for blood pressure? Check the lot numberNovartis recalled one lot of Diovan (valsartan) after the 160 mg tablets failed dissolution testing, which means they may not release the medication the way they should. The recalled lot is AV5913C, sold in 90-count bottles with a June 2027 expiration; the FDA classified the recall on August 7. Don't stop taking the medication abruptly. Check your bottle, and if the lot matches, call your pharmacy for a replacement. |
| 5 |
Medicare's 2027 premium estimate is out earlyThe program's trustees project the standard Part B premium will rise to about $209.50 a month next year, up from $202.90, with the annual deductible increasing to roughly $292. It's a projection, not a final number; Medicare confirms the actual figures in November. If you budget to the dollar, pencil in the higher figure now and adjust when the official number lands. |
Remember When?
Sonny & Cher's only No. 1 turns 61 today
On August 14, 1965, "I Got You Babe" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, bumping Herman's Hermits' "I'm Henry VIII, I Am" from the top spot. It was the only No. 1 hit Sonny & Cher ever had, and it held on for three weeks until the Beatles' "Help!" took over.
Sonny & Cher receive a gold record, February 1967. Photo: Ben Merk / ANEFO, Nationaal Archief (CC0)
| Gallon of regular gas | $0.36 → $2.90 |
| Dozen eggs | 61¢ → $3.59 |
| Movie ticket | $1.70 → $16.30 |
| First-class stamp | 8¢ → 82¢ |
| New car, average | $3,879 → $49,900 |
| Median new home | $27,600 → $400,000+ |
Average U.S. prices; today's figures as of August 2026.
Test Yourself
| 1 | On this date in 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed what landmark law, creating the retirement safety net most American workers still pay into today? |
| 2 | The castaways' shipwrecked boat on Gilligan's Island, the S.S. Minnow, was named as a needling reference to which real public figure? |
| 3 | What's the only mammal capable of true, sustained flight? |
| 4 | Which U.S. state has more coastline than the other 49 states combined? |
| 5 | In 1973, what racehorse won the Belmont Stakes by 31 lengths in a record 2:24 that still stands? |
Answers are near the bottom of today's email. No peeking.
Live Better
The step count that actually moves the needle
A British Journal of Sports Medicine study followed 72,174 adults, average age 61, for about seven years. Roughly half the longevity benefit of walking showed up by 4,000 to 4,500 steps a day, and people averaging 9,000 to 10,000 steps had a 39% lower risk of dying during the study and a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, whether or not they sat a lot the rest of the day. If 10,000 has always felt arbitrary, it is: the curve rises fastest well before that.
One filter check can cut your cooling bill by up to 15%
ENERGY STAR estimates that a clogged air filter forces your system to work harder, and that replacing a dirty one trims energy use by 5% to 15%. While you're at it: leaky ducts typically lose 20% to 30% of conditioned air, and sealing the accessible runs with mastic or foil tape is a weekend job. Heating and cooling make up nearly half of the typical $1,900 annual home energy bill, so both fixes show up on the next statement.
I bonds pay 4.26% today, and the rate resets November 1
Series I savings bonds bought through October 31 earn a 4.26% composite rate, which includes a 0.90% fixed portion that stays with the bond for its life. Independent rate trackers project the November 1 reset could lift that fixed portion to its highest level in years. That sets up a real decision for anyone with room under the $10,000 annual purchase limit: buy now and lock the current rate for six months, or wait for a potentially better fixed rate that isn't guaranteed.
Enjoy Yourself
Every national park is free on August 25
The National Park Service turns 110 this month, and entrance fees are waived at every fee-charging park on Tuesday, August 25. Timed-entry reservations and camping fees still apply where parks use them, so check your park's page before you drive. Late August also brings thinner crowds at the big-name parks as school resumes.
The right person happened to be reading by the lake
During Seattle's Seafair festival on August 2, college water polo player and certified lifeguard Lillie Vehling looked up from her book to see three young girls struggling in Lake Washington. She pulled all three to shore, and Seafair later honored her at its gala as the "Lady Guardian of Lake Washington." The story of how she spotted them is worth the read.
Ted Lasso is back, and coaching a women's team
Season 4 landed August 5 on Apple TV, with Ted now coaching a second-division women's club in Richmond. Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein are back, and new episodes arrive weekly through October 7 — the right pace for one a night with dinner.
One Last Thing
1. The Social Security Act, signed 91 years ago today · 2. Newton Minow, the FCC chairman who called TV "a vast wasteland" · 3. The bat · 4. Alaska, with 33,904 miles of shoreline · 5. Secretariat
Today's laugh
I organized a hide-and-seek tournament last weekend. It fell through — turns out good players are hard to find.
More tomorrow. — The editors