Good morning. It’s December 12, that awkward stretch where work feels optional, but the holidays haven’t fully arrived. New York spent the week drenched in nonstop rain, but the sun is finally peeking out, and things are looking brighter. Wherever you are, we hope the weather is just as kind today. Grab your coffee, get cozy, and let’s jump-start your day with some stories to inspire, entertain, and maybe even distract.

Today’s topics:

• Netflix teams up with Duolingo to teach “Squid Game” fans Korean

• Can you afford to own home in Palm Beach?

• Walgreens is looking for a way to go private

• Instagram is rolling out “trial reels”

• Elton John’s new documentary

• Amazon Now Sells Cars

  and more…

The Nasdaq Composite had quite the glow-up on Wednesday, jumping 1.8% to hit 20,000 for the first time ever. Why? Because November’s inflation report didn’t surprise anyone—leaving the door wide open for the Fed to cut rates again next week. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 climbed 0.82%, and the Dow? Well, it decided to hang out just below neutral, like it couldn’t make up its mind.

Amazon Now Sells Cars

Amazon just launched Amazon Autos, letting you buy a new car like it’s a pair of sneakers. Starting with Hyundai in 48 U.S. cities (hello, NYC and LA), you can search for the car you want, finance it, sign paperwork, and schedule pickup—all online. No haggling, no awkward dealership chats. The price you see is the price you pay, taxes and all. For now, it’s all about new cars, but Amazon plans to add more automakers, leasing, and cities in 2025.

$2.3 million salary needed to buy a home in Palm Beach. Living in America’s wealthiest towns doesn’t come cheap. A new GOBankingRates report reveals that owning a home in Palm Beach, Florida, requires a $2.3 million salary. Four California towns demand million-dollar paychecks for homeownership. Atherton leads the pack at $1.4 million, followed by Los Altos Hills at $1.1 million, and Montecito and Hillsborough, both requiring $1 million.

Trump’s billion-dollar fast lane. Donald Trump is rolling out the red carpet for big spenders. In a Truth Social post, he vowed “fully expedited” permits for anyone throwing down $1 billion or more in the U.S. No details, just the usual Trump flair. The announcement hints at plans to deregulate federal agencies and lure foreign investors during his second term.

Micron gets $6.2 billion for more chips. Micron just landed $6.2 billion in government cash to expand its chip factories in Idaho and New York. It’s the only US maker of high-bandwidth memory chips, and the government really wants to boost American semiconductor production. This money comes from the 2022 Chips and Science Act, and after months of back-and-forth, the deal is official. Basically, Biden’s team is betting big on chips to secure their industrial legacy—and Micron’s happy to take the check.

Walgreens might go private. Walgreens is reportedly in talks with private equity firm Sycamore Partners to sell itself. After a major drop in its share value, the pharmacy giant is looking for a way to go private.

GM Pulls the Plug on Robotaxis

GM announced it will no longer fund its Cruise division’s robotaxi development, citing the competitive market, high costs, and long timelines needed to grow the business. Instead, the automaker is shifting gears to focus on autonomous technology for personal vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems.

Instagram’s new ‘trial reels’: a safe space for your weird ideas. Instagram is rolling out “trial reels,” a feature that lets creators test content without showing it to their followers. Instead, these reels are shared with non-followers, giving creators a chance to experiment without risking awkward reactions from their regular audience.

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Duolingo and Netflix Want You Speaking Korean

Netflix and Duolingo just teamed up to help “Squid Game” fans learn Korean before the show’s second season drops on December 26. Because apparently, subtitles aren’t enough. Oh, and they also launched a TikTok filter based on the show’s Red Light, Green Light game—because nothing screams language learning like pretending to outrun a creepy doll. Stay sharp, folks.

Elton John’s documentary hits Disney+ this week. Elton John’s new documentary, Never Too Late, premieres on Disney+ this Friday, December 13. Directed by R.J. Cutler and Elton’s husband, David Furnish, the film dives into the singer’s life, from his early career struggles to his rise as a global icon.

U.S. adults are falling behind in reading and math. New data from the 2023 PIAAC shows U.S. adults’ literacy scores dropped 12 points and numeracy fell 7 points since 2017. The U.S. ranks middle in literacy and below average in math compared to other OECD countries. Think you’re doing better?

Let’s find out—try this quick equation and see where you stand. Feel free to reply to this email with your answer.

TikTok of the day: watch here

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