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 | Friday, February 21, 2025 | | | Good Morning! On this day in 1995, Steve Fossett landed in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada, after taking off from South Korea, becoming the first person to make a solo flight across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon. Sporadic sightings of a Scottish Highland bull have been reported in Connecticut. The bull resembles an adorable bigfoot as it evades capture. See the bull and his story below. We're sponsored today by American Hartford Gold, offering free financial advice on how to protect your savings during a recession. | | | |  IRS Cuts 6,700 Workers as Trump Eyes Overhaul
The IRS began terminating approximately 6,700 probationary employees on Thursday as the Trump administration pursues broader plans to abolish the agency. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Wednesday that President Trump's ultimate goal is to "abolish" the IRS and replace it with an "External Revenue Service" funded primarily through tariffs. Unions have raised concerns that the cuts could disrupt taxpayer services and delay the processing of returns. The IRS workforce had grown to over 100,000 employees in fiscal 2024, up from 80,000 at the start of the Biden administration, following efforts to improve operations and customer service. | Sen. Mitch McConnell to Retire Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, announced his retirement Thursday on his 83rd birthday, stating he will not seek reelection in 2026. First elected in 1985, McConnell has served seven terms as the U.S. senator from Kentucky and has recently dealt with several health issues, including freezing episodes and falls that have resulted in his need to use a wheelchair. Although he supported much of Donald Trump's agenda during his first term, McConnell has since become a more vocal critic, voting against cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Four potential contenders have surfaced for McConnell's seat: Rep. James Comer, businessman Nate Morris, Rep. Andy Barr, and former Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who announced his candidacy less than an hour after the news of McConnell's retirement broke. | SS United States Takes Final Voyage The historic SS United States ocean liner began its final voyage, departing Philadelphia on a two-week journey to the Gulf of America, where it will become the world's largest artificial reef. The 1,000-foot vessel set the transatlantic speed record on its maiden voyage in 1952, crossing the Atlantic in three days, 10 hours, and 40 minutes—10 hours faster than the RMS Queen Mary. It still holds the record for the fastest ocean liner crossing. From 1952 to 1969, many of America's rich and famous, including presidents and movie stars, sailed to Europe on the ocean liner. Notable passengers included Marilyn Monroe, Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, and Walt Disney. The SS United States will dock in Alabama for final preparations before reaching its resting place off the coast of Destin, Florida, where it will serve as an artificial reef to support marine life and attract divers and anglers. Track the journey here.
Love reading The Flyover? Click here to share with your friends and family.  | |  | | ➤ Congressional Democrats hit a record-low 21% approval among voters, while Republicans reached a record-high 40%, according to a new national Quinnipiac poll. (See Results) ➤ President Trump announced Wednesday he is considering a Department of Government Efficiency dividend, returning at least 20% of savings from DOGE to taxpayers. (More) ➤ In other presidential announcements, Trump expressed his support for a congressional effort to put Washington, D.C. under direct federal control, similar to its original status when it was founded. (More) | |  | | ➤ Team USA was defeated 3-2 by Canada in overtime in the championship game of the 4 Nations Face-Off. Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers scored the game-winning goal. (See Goal) ➤ San Antonio Spurs star center Victor Wembanyama will miss the remainder of the NBA season after it was discovered that he has a severe blood clot in his shoulder. The team doesn't expect this to be a recurring issue. (More) ➤ Chicago Cubs pitcher Cody Poteet made the first-ever successful strike zone challenge in an MLB game yesterday, changing the count from 1-1 to 0-2. (Watch Video) ➤ Juan Soto, who signed the largest contract in professional sports history with the New York Mets this offseason, bought his teammate Brett Baty a new car for being willing to give him his jersey number. (Watch Video) ➤ Yesterday’s results: NBA | NHL | PGA | LPGA | NCAAM | NCAAW | NCAAB | NCAASB | Soccer | |  | | Today's White House section is brought to you by: 
➤ The Senate confirmed former public defender and House Intelligence Committee staffer Kash Patel as FBI director in a 51-49 vote Thursday, marking another Trump administration Cabinet approval. (More) ➤ President Trump on Wednesday called for an audit of the U.S. gold reserves at Fort Knox, Kentucky, stating he wants to verify whether the gold is actually there. (More) ➤ Sen. Rand Paul apologized to President Trump on social media this week, admitting he was wrong to withhold his endorsement before but now fully supports him. (More) Flying together with our sponsor
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| ▼ | NASDAQ
National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations | 19,962.36 | -0.47% | | ▼ | SPX
S&P 500 | 6,117.52 | -0.43% | | ▼ | DJI
Dow Jones Industrial Average | 44,176.65 | -1.01% | | ▲ | BTC
Bitcoin | $98,349.93 | 1.77% | | ▲ | GOLD
Per Ounce | $2,952.70 | 1.14% | | ▲ | U
Unity Software Inc | $28.00 | +30.41% | Bitcoin and Gold are traded 24 hours a day. ➤ Big Stock Move: Unity shares surged 30% Thursday after the video game software company reported stronger-than-expected revenue and a narrower quarterly loss. (More) ➤ Walmart shares fell more than 6% after the retailer forecast slower profit growth for the year, despite reporting strong holiday-quarter sales and e-commerce gains. (More) ➤ CEO confidence in the U.S. rose to its highest level in three years, signaling optimism, despite Trump tariffs raising fears of trade disruptions, a survey found. (More) ➤ European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič met with Trump administration officials in Washington, D.C., seeking to ease tariff tensions and prevent a broader trade conflict. (More) Flying together with our sponsor ➤ Plastic That Disappears Like Magic—But It's Real. Timeplast created a plastic that dissolves in water, leaving no waste behind. Their patented tech could revolutionize the whole $1.3T plastic industry—they're already partnering with a Fortune 500. Invest in Timeplast now. This is a paid advertisement for Timeplast's Regulation CF Offering. Please read the offering circular at invest.timeplast.com. | | | Flying together with our sponsor Retiring? Not So Fast... Hold Onto Your Bootstraps for a Long Road Ahead Over a dozen countries have abandoned the dollar as their reserve currency in trade, and more are buying into the concept of "de-dollarization". Inflation fears are on the rise again. The Federal Reserve's funds rate, sitting between 4.25-4.5% has not only wounded our economy, they've set the stage for a financial apocalypse in the markets. This situation is spiraling out of control, and when confidence in the dollar finally breaks, the collapse won't happen gradually. Claim your FREE 2025 Dollar Collapse Guide where you can get the details on this measure of protection before it's too late. | |  | | ➤ A SpaceX rocket stage fell to Earth early Wednesday, blazing a trail of fire through European skies. Residents from England to Germany reported seeing a fireball in the sky, and a large object fell in Poland. (See Details) ➤ Tech startup Clone Robotics unveiled Protoclone V1, a new humanoid robot that replaces human skeletal, muscular, vascular, and nervous functions with synthetic systems, offering anatomical and movement accuracy. (See Video) ➤ Historians say the Egyptian pyramids once had smooth, angled sides covered in white Tura limestone with gleaming golden tops, visible from the mountains in Israel. (See Pyramids) | |  |  | | ➤ Amazon MGM announced Thursday it will take creative control of the James Bond franchise, ending decades of stewardship by producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and his family. (More) ➤ In other Amazon news, the first three episodes of Reacher's third season are out now, with a fourth season and a spinoff of author Lee Childs' popular thrillers already in the works. (More) ➤ A guide to this year's top Oscar-nominated films includes synopses and streaming details to watch before next month's Academy Awards. (More) Flying together with our sponsor ➤ Think Age Spots And Thin Skin Are Forever? This Could Change Your Mind. Remember when a bruise would fade quickly and your skin bounced back from every bump? That resilience wasn't magic – it was collagen working at its peak. Now, groundbreaking research reveals how this crucial protein affects not just your skin's strength but also those frustrating dark spots that keep appearing. (Learn More) | | |  | | ➤ A Scottish Highland bull has been roaming western Connecticut for over a month after escaping its enclosure, evading capture despite frigid winter temperatures. (See Bull) ➤ A massive sinkhole measuring about 65 feet across opened in the village of Godstone, Surrey, forcing evacuations and swallowing at least one garden. (See Video) ➤ An award-winning wildlife photographer captured images of elusive snow leopards in the Himalayas using remote camera traps. (See Leopards) | |  | | Do you still use a phone book? - Yes
- No
- It's been a long time
Yesterday's Results: Do you remember your childhood telephone number? - Yes: 68%
- Parts: 23.7%
- No: 8.3%
| |  Daily Quote |  | "DON'T cinematic universe James Bond. It is one of our last great theatrical events. Don't dilute that with a plethora of streaming spin-offs."
— Avengers: Endgame Director Joe Russo warning Amazon against spinning off James Bond titles across all media. | | |  Today's Trivia Which president had a bowling alley constructed in the White House? Show me the answer | | |
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