Kickstart 2025 with Genius Moves

Hello, conversation starters,

Today's edition has wildly different headlines, from the New Year's attacks to Einstein's timeless life advice for a better 2025. Who says a newsletter can't mix terrifying headlines with genius tips? Let's jump right in. Thanks for reading, sharing, and staying connected.

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The clarity you need for today, right here:

Yes, we're starting 2025 with headlines that aren't all sunshine. However, I refuse to let these events define our year. Besides keeping you updated, I'm here to spark positivity, discuss resilience, and share strategies to make 2025 a game-changer in your life. Let's face it: a few dark moments won't keep determined people from achieving their goals.

Let's take a page (literally) from Albert Einstein and a few other great minds who remind us that 2025 can still be amazing. He wasn't just a genius in physics; he had some pretty profound (and efficient) life advice. Ready for a quick refresher?

1. Expand your efforts on the things that matter.

2. Do stuff you love, even if you're not great at it.

3. Tackle problems like puzzles; drop the crisis mindset.

4. Think deeply about what fascinates you.

5. Don't let politics fill you with despair or rage.

6. Question authority because blind obedience stifles truth.

7. Believe that science, truth, and education belong to everyone.

So here's my first invitation for 2025: Do you have any goals or dreams, or maybe just a simple daily habit you're starting? You might be aiming for a big career change, trying out something new, or just wanting to feed your brain positive stuff. Hit the reply button and tell me your hopes and plans!

Let's turn gloom into gutsy progress by exchanging motivational gems—no matter how small. Consider this: if Einstein can be satisfied by badly sailing (and living sock-free), what can you achieve when you focus on what excites you? Let’s show 2025 what we’re made of.

A Tale of Two Cities

Bourbon Street in New Orleans is slowly reopening after an ISIS-inspired truck attack killed 14, but Las Vegas is dealing with its own crisis. NOLA authorities scrambled to defuse bombs left in coolers by an Army vet. Meanwhile, on the Strip, the suspect, a highly decorated special forces soldier, shot himself moments before the vehicle blew up.

FBI says there's no direct connection, but their military backgrounds and ties to Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) have raised eyebrows. Yet the French Quarter continues: the Sugar Bowl went on Thursday, and Monday's Joan of Arc parade is still on. Two cities are mourning, rebuilding, and waiting for the next revelation after celebrations turned to chaos.

Dinosaur Express

And now, a lighter—and massively older—note to end: It's a dinosaur highway! Researchers in southern England uncovered nearly 200 dinosaur footprints dating back 166 million years. Britain's tropical climate (and shallow seas) preserved epic footprints (left by four sauropods and one Megalosaurus).

The best part? Unlike a similar 1997 discovery, these guys could 3D-scan everything, so they got insanely detailed pictures of how they walked centuries before apes. Even after the toughest headlines, dinosaurs prove the world keeps surprising us. Let's call it a reminder that 2025 will be full of new things (and old ones, too)!

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

The stories behind the best Reuters photos of the year.

🧮 Core Count: 13

Among the 193 countries affiliated with the UN, the number of countries with women leading government.

🗓️ Flashback:

1496 - Leonardo da Vinci tests a flying machine unsuccessfully.

1521 - Pope Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther for not retracting his Ninety-five Theses, which sparked the Protestant Reformation.

1777 - General George Washington's revolutionary army defeats British forces at the Battle of Princeton, New Jersey.

1925 - Mussolini dissolves Italy's parliament and declares himself dictator, taking the title "Il Duce" (the Leader).

1977 - Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs incorporate Apple Computer, Inc.

1985 - The Israeli government confirms the resettlement of 10,000 Ethiopian Jews.

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

Fatih Taskiran