February 1
All is well, Letterman, G.I. Joe, Trump purge, Rapture Index, Elon goes after the Treasury
What it feels like when you’re trying to hold it together but you’re knee-deep in the Trump hoopla:
Trump and Elon Musk just pulled off another purge—and it’s a scary one.
Did Musk’s alleged effort to access the government’s payment systems have Trump’s blessing? Or was he going rogue? Either scenario is bad, but one’s a little worse.
This is even scarier- the firings of a slew of high-ranking leaders at the FBI and Justice Dept. prosecutors tied to January 6 cases.
Trump attacked lobbyists as a candidate. Then he hired one as chief of staff. Now corporations are rushing to hire her former firm Ballard Partners. They registered 41 clients since the election — twice as many as any other firm — including Chevron, crypto companies & payday lenders.
On this day in 1982, Late Night with David Letterman premiered on NBC:
Among other things, today is also G.I. Joe Day.
The toy was introduced by Hasbro in February, 1964.
If the shenanigans in DC and the Doomsday Clock isn't bad enough, Scientists discover the first henipavirus in North America, raising pandemic fears. Oh well, there's always The Rapture Index.
(Cartoon by Sarah Kempa, The New Yorker)
Not really a surprise: 'Section 31' is the worst reviewed 'Star Trek' movie or show In history.
On this day in 2003 the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during the reentry of mission STS-107 into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard.
On this day in 1964, The Beatles have their first number one hit in the United States with "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Thanks for reading the first real edition of KGB Report on Substack. If you enjoyed it, please subscribe and share it with your friends. The Report itself is published on weekdays, but the KGB Quote of the Day is issued seven days a week.
Have a good weekend. It may be counterproductive for me to suggest it, but stay away from social media for a day or two. You don’t want to end up like Kevin Bacon.
Re: Ballard
Money is always there, but the pockets change.
--Gertrude Stein