Black-out Friday

Good morning, curious minds!

What a week it’s been: Today's headlines spin every dial on our emotional dashboard, from the Tate brothers' touching down in Florida to the heartbreaking news about Gene Hackman. Let’s get started.

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You'll Know First:
• NOAA fires about 800 employees, with more terminations possible today.
• There's an open rebellion against Jeff Bezos at the Washington Post.
• You can spot the rest of the planets in the night sky if you keep an eye on Venus.

Connecting the dots for you, daily:

This Friday, the buzz: Activists (aka The People's Union USA) want you to zip your wallet for 24 hours—no big-box binge, drive-thru, or quick gas stop. Americans are protesting DEI rollbacks at major brands and President Trump's threatened meltdown of federal diversity efforts with an "economic blackout."

Will it bring down big retail or fizzle out like all those social media boycotts? Either way, it reminds consumers that they still have a powerful voice—ironically, by not opening their wallets.

Inside the ‘Big Reveal’

Remember all the hype about the Epstein files that Pam Bondi teased? Yeah—turns out “Phase I” of the big reveal was mostly flight logs and blacked-out contact lists everyone’s seen before. No blockbuster revelations, no smoking gun. The DOJ calls this a "first step in transparency," but online sleuths are demanding the real scoop (aka, "the list").

Bondi says more docs exist and wants the FBI to cough them up pronto. For now, we’re left with deja vu and a question: Will “Phase II” deliver anything new or just more redacted reruns?

The Infleencers

Andrew and Tristan Tate—controversial influencer siblings indicted for human trafficking—just swapped Bucharest's constraints for Florida's coast. Do you think it was just due process, or did some high-level political nudge help them leave?

They're back in the States, outrunning (at least for now) those sticky allegations. While the Tates crow about "being misunderstood," critics (and alleged victims) are in disbelief. Looks like a legal carnival awaits on both sides of the pond.

Legend’s Last Scene

We broke the news yesterday that Gene Hackman—95 years old, two-time Oscar winner—was found dead at his Santa Fe home with his wife Betsy Arakawa and German shepherd.

The scene was "suspicious enough" to warrant a thorough investigation, even though there were no signs of foul play. A dropped cane, a space heater near Betsy, and a silent dog in a closet add to the heartbreak. We're waiting for autopsy results, leaving us with a star's final mystery that's as poignant as anything he ever did onscreen.

💬 Beyond the Core

Smells Like Teen Spirit: You can shake off grogginess with the smell of these foods.

The Fall Guy: Let's celebrate the 2025 Stunt Awards before the Oscars.

You Rock! These baby painted turtles endure a deep freeze, surviving temperatures as low as -10°C.

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

Female in Focus awards 2024 winners.

🧮 Core Count: 57,000,000

Tons of plastic pollution are released into the environment every year.

🗓️ Flashback:

202 BC - The Han Dynasty begins four centuries of rule over China with the coronation of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu.

1710 - The Danish army under Jørgen Rantzau is decisively defeated by the Swedish army led by Magnus Stenbock at the Battle of Helsingborg.

1915 - During WWI, the French gain a few hundred yards against German forces in the Champagne region—at a cost of 50,000 casualties.

1922 - With the Unilateral Declaration of Egyptian Independence, the United Kingdom ended its protectorate over Egypt and granted it nominal independence while reserving military and diplomatic authority.

1947 - The White Terror begins with Chiang Kai-shek putting down an anti-government uprising in Taiwan with 18,000-28,000 deaths.

1953 - Francis Crick and James Watson discover the chemical structure of DNA (a double-helix polymer) by studying X-ray diffraction, which Rosalind Franklin and Maurice Wilkins developed.

1991 - The Gulf War ends after Iraq accepts a ceasefire following its retreat from Kuwait.

I'm glad we could get together here. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fatih Taskiran