Hey guys, hope you having a great week as the summer winds down.

What an interesting week of news, a ton of variety, including, of course, the passing of Aretha Franklin.

Somewhat expected, as we heard this week she wasn't doing well and that she hasn't been in good health,

but also unexpected and that her health wasn't a huge topic of conversation going into this summer.

And you know, I was reflecting a little bit on her talent, but overall her impact.

And I was thinking, you know, no matter who you are in this country and beyond,

you can probably sing part of RESP-C-T. What a legacy to leave behind.

And one of the things about Aretha Franklin I learned this week, and I was especially charmed by,

was that she told The New York Post a few years ago that she used to take her walks in super

Walmarts for exercise. And the reason why she liked

Walmarts is that she said you could find things there that you can't find anywhere else. And I totally

relate to this. Because when I grew up in San Francisco, there were no Walmarts. There was a Walgreens

and a Five and Dime, but there wasn't a Walmart. And still, when I go into Walmart now,

I'm excited. In my husband's hometown, there's a super Walmart. And it's amazing. I mean,

there's so much stuff in there. So I had a little bonding moment reading about Aretha Franklin

because I totally understand her sentiment. And I liked that in many ways, despite her fame, despite her fortune and her accomplishments,

she's just like us.

So sad to hear about her passing, but also nice to have some moments to honor someone that

gave so much to the country and really to the world through her voice.

So let's get to the top three things I think you should know for the week that I believe will make you smarter,

including the big story out of Washington.

And that big story is not the new strategy to combat Mexican drug cartels or the higher number of opioid deaths or ISIS. But in fact, it's that the former CIA

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