Raging Wildfires In The West; The 'Mom Of TikTok'

Plus, the boy king behind the invention of modern finance. by Jill Hudson and Suzette Lohmeyer First Up [A firefighter douses flames as they push towards homes during the Creek Fire in California on Monday.]( Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images Here's what we're following today. Strong winds and major wildfires are making for dangerous conditions in several Western states. Electrical utilities have cut power to customers in Oregon and California to prevent new starts, and firefighters are [scrambling to contain wildfires in both states](. President Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen has written a tell-all book calling his former boss "a cheat, a liar, a fraud, a bully, a racist, a predator, a con man." Click [here]( to listen or [read more about it](. School meals are the only meals some children get in a day. But during the pandemic, school feeding programs have been [reaching fewer and fewer families](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listen [John Law.]( Casimir Balthazar/Wikimedia Commons John Law was a convicted murderer on the lam when he showed up in France in the early 1700s. In the space of just a few years, he created an entire modern economy — banks, paper money, a stock boom. (Also, he became one of the richest people in the world.) The story of John Law tells us a lot about how finance still works — and also how it can blow up the world. Planet Money [takes a look](. The Paralympics is a competition that has grown from the shadows of the Olympic Games into a spectacle in its own right. The Netflix documentary Rising Phoenix chronicles the trials and growth of the third-largest sporting event in the world. Listen [here]( or [read the transcript](. Most people know the popular app TikTok as either a political target for the Trump administration or as a place where kids show off dance moves and artists showcase their talents. But a 48-year-old woman from Nebraska has become an improbable star, racking up 2.9 million followers as the Mom of TikTok. She doles out sometimes controversial advice to teens and parents and makes real connections with her followers. Here's [the audio version]( and [the story transcript](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, Carol Kane, and Billy Crystal attend the 25th anniversary screening & cast reunion of The Princess Bride in New York City in 2012. Several cast members are reuniting for a virtual fundraiser on Sept. 13 to support Wisconsin Democrats.]( Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images - Texas Sen. Ted Cruz — a superfan of The Princess Bride — found it … inconceivable that the cast of [the 1980s cult classic]( plans to reunite for a fundraiser on behalf of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. - Protoje is a not-so-secret treasure who's been a vital force in the reggae revival movement. He welcomes us into his backyard in Kingston, Jamaica for a fresh spin on a [Tiny Desk (home) Concert](. - Gary Peacock, a versatile bassist who collaborated with some of the 20th century's most notable jazz musicians, has died. [He was 85](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Follow [The New Normal]( on Instagram! What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Daily News emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]