Good Morning. Black Friday tricks, brain-controlled birds, and a 99-year-old's $50M bet—three stories reveal hidden systems controlling outcomes.
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TOP STORY TODAY
Black Friday: Is It a Deal?
Shopping experts recommend using price-tracking tools during Black Friday to verify advertised deals are genuine. Writer Daniel Oropeza highlights Camelcamelcamel for Amazon, Honey for multi-retailer tracking, and Capital One Shopping for price comparisons. These browser extensions show historical pricing data to prevent overpaying during sales events.
CamelCamelCamel displays Amazon price fluctuations over time and sends alerts when items hit target prices or all-time lows. Honey tracks prices across multiple retailers (despite recent controversy over affiliate link practices). Capital One Shopping compares prices and notifies users when products drop below previous costs.
Additional tools include Keepa for Amazon/eBay tracking and SlickDeals for deal aggregation. CheapShark specializes in video game discounts across Steam, GameStop, and other gaming platforms. These services help shoppers distinguish legitimate discounts from inflated "sale" prices during major shopping holidays.
See our top picks at bottom.
Guard Member Dies
A West Virginia National Guard soldier shot in Washington D.C. died Thursday from her injuries. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, 24, were ambushed Wednesday near the White House. Wolfe remains in critical condition. President Trump announced Beckstrom's death during a Thanksgiving call with service members (NYT).
Authorities identified the suspect as Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan refugee who worked with CIA-backed forces before arriving through Operation Allies Welcome in 2021. He received asylum in April 2025 under the Trump administration. Lakanwal drove from Bellingham, Washington to carry out the attack using a .357 revolver.
The Trump administration announced sweeping immigration reviews affecting Afghan refugees and nationals from 19 restricted countries. Officials pledged to re-examine green cards and asylum cases approved under Biden. Trump ordered 500 additional National Guard troops to Washington, adding to roughly 2,000 already deployed for crime prevention operations in the capital (witness photos).
Russian Spy Pigeons
Russian neurotechnology firm Neiry unveiled remote-controlled pigeons fitted with brain implants that allow operators to steer birds by transmitting signals directly into their brains. The Kremlin-backed company's PJN-1 "biodrones" use surgically implanted electrodes connected to solar-powered backpacks containing GPS tracking and receivers. Field tests are currently underway.
The firm claims pigeons can fly 310 miles daily or 1,850 miles weekly without training, with operators uploading flight commands directly into neural chips. Founder Alexander Panov announced plans to expand beyond pigeons to ravens (for heavier payloads), seagulls (coastal monitoring), and albatrosses (marine territories). Neiry hasn't disclosed how many birds died during invasive surgery procedures.
Security experts warn the technology could enable espionage or military surveillance missions, particularly in urban environments or conflict zones like Ukraine where modified birds would blend with natural populations. Neiry receives funding from Russia's National Technology Initiative and organizations linked to Putin ally Kirill Dmitriev. They previously implanted neurochips in cows to boost milk production.
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TODAY’S LIFE ADVICE
Charlie Munger’s Final Lesson
Trending WSJ article reveals how Charlie Munger—Warren Buffett's right hand at Berkshire Hathaway—made $50M+ on coal stocks at 99 years old.
His Final Wins:
Coal bet doubled: Purchased "down the chute" industry stocks in 2023
$3B real estate: Negotiated deals with 30-year loans days before death
Weekly strategy sessions: Breakfast club met until 10 days pre-death
Munger's aging blueprint: Study daily (Value Line binders), make contrarian bets, maintain social rituals, and never retire mentally. He discussed AI and Moore's Law weeks before passing at 99.
Fastest Way to Lower Stress
Motivational speaker Mel Robbins explains her viral "Let Them" framework: Stop controlling others' opinions and behavior—redirect that energy toward your own thoughts and actions. The result: Immediate stress reduction and increased personal power. The follow-up: After saying "let them," ask "let me"—choose how you'll respond to reality. Why it works: Other people are the number one source of stress; releasing control over them returns control to you.
BLACK FRIDAY SPECIALS
Our Top Picks
Top deals for you this Black Friday:
Amazon Fire HD 10 ($70, was $140)
Bose Headphones ($298, was $429)
Shark Vacuum ($249, was $599)
External Hard Drive ($139, was $179)
Braun Electric Shaver ($286, was $409)
Apple Watch 11 ($339, was $399)
Vitamix Blender ($599, was $749)
Danner N45 Boots ($160, was $200)
Peloton Crosstrainer ($1,395, was $1,695)
Samsung Frame TV ($997, was $1,297)
Hume Body Pad ($183, was $366)
Fun Links
Barney’s balloon fiasco, 1997 [Video]
How experts debunk AI photos [Video]
Smoked prime rib + special sauce [Recipe]
DMX 50s soul version from AI [Video]
Moka pot espresso-style coffee [Gear]