Hey Dippers,
Hope your long weekend recharged you. Let’s get into it: a 21-year-old opened fire at a White House security checkpoint over the weekend, a major investigation alleges Merck used 1,200+ patents to block cheaper Keytruda access, and more.
Today’s estimated reading time is 3 minutes and 28 seconds.
- The Daily Dip Editor
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Nostalgia Nerd
On this day in 1897, what Victorian novel introduced a bloodthirsty Eastern European nobleman who became the template for nearly every vampire story that followed? (answer revealed below!)
(Hint: Irish author)
Before We Dip In (TL;DR)
In today’s issue:
Secret Service fatally shoots White House attacker. 🏛️
Merck accused of extending drug patents. 🏥
Chemical tank scare forces 50,000 Californians to evacuate. 🤯
Plus, take today’s poll and check out the Nostalgia Nerd quiz answer down below!
VIRAL NEWS
🏛️ Suspect Shot Dead, Bystander Injured After White House Checkpoint Attack
A 21-year-old Maryland man, Nasire Best, was shot and killed by Secret Service after opening fire at a White House checkpoint Saturday evening. A bystander was struck and is in serious but stable condition, with the question of who fired the round still under investigation.
Best had been on Secret Service’s radar for about a year. He had prior incidents at the complex, including an arrest for unlawful entry, and friends said he believed he was Jesus Christ.
The response: Trump cited the shooting to revive calls for his White House Ballroom project, and the DOJ echoed the argument in court the same day. Republicans had just voted against including $1 billion in security funding in an immigration bill.
HEALTH
💊 ICIJ Investigation Exposes Merck’s Cancer Drug Patent Tactics
A major investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, published in April with 47 media outlets in 37 countries, found that Merck filed more than 1,200 patent applications to extend Keytruda’s market lock up to 14 years past its 2028 expiry. The cancer drug costs over $200,000 a year in the US.
Merck collected roughly $163 billion in Keytruda revenue since 2014, while a Swiss nonprofit put the drug’s actual research cost at $1.9 billion, well below the $46 billion Merck cited to the Senate.
The details: The investigation found $52 million in payments to US healthcare professionals and evidence the company may have promoted higher dosages than needed. The company defended its pricing as reflecting the drug’s value.
Dipper Poll
:📈 Today’s Poll: Drug Dilemma
Merck’s Keytruda generates more revenue than McDonald’s, yet millions of patients worldwide still struggle to afford it. Supporters of stricter pricing rules say companies have already recouped their research costs; critics say price controls could slow future drug development.
What should be done to make life-saving cancer drugs more affordable?
CRAZY SH*T
🤯 California Aerospace Plant Triggers Mass Evacuation Over Overheating Chemical Tank
Roughly 50,000 residents across six Orange County cities were evacuated after a 7,000-gallon tank of toxic methyl methacrylate began overheating at a Garden Grove aerospace plant Friday. Officials had warned the tank, beside two others totaling 34,000 gallons combined, could rupture or explode in a blast compared to railroad tanker explosions. Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency.
Firefighters were restricted to nighttime operations due to intense daytime heat and found a possible crack Saturday that may have been relieving internal pressure. As of Monday morning, fire officials confirmed the chemical reaction was stabilized.
The fallout: GKN Aerospace faces a potential class-action lawsuit and a district attorney investigation. A local House Democrat called for federal accountability.
Fun Facts
🌍 Geography: The Sahara Desert was a lush green savannah with rivers, lakes, and hippos as recently as 6,000 years ago, before a gradual shift in Earth’s orbital tilt. The sand dunes are the late addition.
🧬 Genetics: Humans and mice share about 85% of the same genes. Somewhere in science, a lab mouse is basically your distant cousin with better snacks.
🌌 Astronomy: Astronomers at Johns Hopkins averaged the light from over 200,000 galaxies to determine the universe’s average color: a beige-white shade they officially named “Cosmic Latte.” The universe pairs well with oat milk.
🤯 WTF: Parrots can give each other unique “name calls” to identify specific birds. Even parrots have contact lists.
TODAY’S QUIZ ANSWER:
Count Dracula
Bram Stoker’s Dracula was published on May 26, 1897, introducing Count Dracula through a Gothic epistolary novel told in journal entries, letters, and newspaper clippings. Stoker, a Dublin-born theater manager, spent years researching Eastern European folklore and vampire mythology before writing it. The character went on to become the most adapted literary villain in cinema history, appearing in more than 500 films.
Poll Results From May 22, 2026
Did you take today’s poll?
Show Notes
Looking for more specific details on each story? Click here for the full show notes for yesterday’s PDS episode.
Over and Out...
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