The Thursday Flyover Replay : Tulsi Confirmed, a Wooden Jacket, and Pepperoni Perfume.

Presented by Russell Sherrard.

Narrated by Artificial Intelligence, Our Hosts are Christopher and Jenny.

THE FLYOVER REPLAY.

Thursday, February 13, 2025.

 

Good Morning! On this day in 1741, the first magazine in America was published, appropriately named American Magazine. As part of a furious race to come out first, its publication beat by three days a competing magazine produced by Benjamin Franklin.

With Valentine’s Day looming, it’s worth noting that the young adults of Gen Z appear to be returning to a more old-fashioned style of dating focusing more on marriage than hookups.

We hope you enjoyed reading today’s Flyover. Let us know how we’re doing by replying to Russell Sherrard at russellsherrard@reagan.com.

The sponsors keep the tanks full around here. Be sure to check out today’s sponsors.

TAKEOFF.

Senate Confirms Tulsi Gabbard as Intel Chief.

The Senate confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence on Wednesday in a 52-48 vote, with Sen. Mitch McConnell as the lone Republican opposing her.

Gabbard, a former Democratic congresswoman who became a Republican and endorsed Trump in 2024, faced criticism over a past meeting with Syria’s now-deposed President Bashar al-Assad and her support for NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.

Despite initial skepticism, she secured key GOP backing, with supporters arguing she will refocus the intelligence community. President Trump praised her confirmation, calling her a “fearless” leader committed to national security and constitutional rights.

In other confirmation news, the Senate voted Wednesday to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination as Health and Human Services secretary, setting up a final confirmation vote today.

Trump: Putin Agrees to Ukraine Peace Talks.

President Trump announced that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed to begin negotiations to end the war in Ukraine following a lengthy phone call.

Trump stated that he and Putin committed to working closely on a resolution and suggested they may meet in person.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed a conversation with Trump, it remains unclear how involved Ukraine will be in the negotiations.

The announcement follows a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap and comes ahead of planned peace talks in Munich, where Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will continue discussions.

Gen Z Turns Conservative on Marriage.

New research suggests that Generation Z may be significantly more conservative than millennials, particularly in their views on marriage.

Approximately two-thirds of Gen Z consider marriage important, with only 23% engaging in casual hookups, a significant decrease from the 78% reported among millennials two decades ago.

This shift aligns with a broader generational pendulum swing, where values tend to cycle between liberal and conservative over time.

For example, Bible sales have surged by 22% in the past year, with young people leading the trend, signaling a growing interest in faith and stability, researchers say.

POLITICS.

A federal judge declined to halt the Trump administration’s federal worker buyout program Wednesday, saying the unions who tried to block it had no standing to sue.

House Republicans unveiled their budget plan, calling for spending cuts totaling $2 trillion while pursuing tax cuts up to $4.5 trillion. The proposal wraps everything into one package to be reconciled with the Senate’s two-package proposal.

A group of GOP senators is calling for a $1,000 tax on new sales of electric vehicles to help pay for road repairs, which are typically funded through gas taxes. Electric cars don’t pay that tax.

After a word from one of our sponsors Jenny will be Narrating the last half of the news.

And Now, A word From one of Our Sponsors.

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Thanks Christopher.

Now, back to the News.

SPORTS.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, fresh off Sunday’s stunning Super Bowl defeat, told fans that he needs to take some time to decide if he will return to play next season.

Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant became the eighth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points on Tuesday night, joining LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Wilt Chamberlain.

Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training for all 30 Major League Baseball teams.

The White House Transition.

President Trump fired the top watchdog for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) after details resurfaced that the agency helped pay college bills for an Al Qaeda terrorist with ties to the 9/11 hijackers.

Meanwhile, eight federal government “watchdogs” previously fired by Trump filed suit Wednesday, claiming their terminations violate federal law.

Two top Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have been reassigned from their jobs in a signal that arrests of illegal migrants are lagging behind the goals set by border czar Tom Homan.

FINANCE.

Big Stock Move: Upstart Holdings stock surged 32% Wednesday after delivering fourth-quarter earnings that exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for the lending platform.

Consumer prices rose 0.5% in January, higher than expected, as the annualized inflation rate rose to 3%. Market experts say they don’t foresee new interest rate cuts until the last quarter of the year.

Joann, the national fabric and craft retail chain, announced plans to close 500 of its 800 stores across the U.S. as it works its way through its second bankruptcy reorganization.

Chevron plans to cut up to 20% of its workforce in a cost-cutting move aimed at saving between $2 billion to $3 billion by the end of 2026.

SCIENCE AND TECH.

A wooden jacket made from finely laser-cut veneer has been unveiled by British company Vollebak. The $3,295 prototype explores new frontiers in material science.

NASA announced on Tuesday a new return date of March 12 for two astronauts stranded on the ISS since June 2024 due to Boeing Starliner malfunctions.

Researchers spotted a rare humpback anglerfish, known to live in the black darkness of the deep sea, swimming out in broad daylight for the first time.

THE ROTATOR.
THROWBACK THURSDAY.

Crayola is bringing back eight retired crayon colors, including Dandelion, for a limited time. The nostalgic collection also includes Blizzard Blue, Magic Mint, and Mulberry.

Celebrity weddings have been a staple of news coverage for as long as we’ve had celebrities. Here are wedding photos from yesteryear of famous stars from Elvis Presley to Liza Minnelli to Brigitte Bardot.

These siblings surprised their parents by hilariously recreating, as adults, their 1980s childhood family portrait.

ET CETERA.

Giant schnauzer Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Dog Show in New York, marking his first overall victory after three years of competition.

Domino’s released a limited-edition pepperoni-inspired perfume, Eau de Passion, for Valentine’s Day, featuring spicy and woody notes meant to ignite attraction.

People on social media mock elite college admissions by pretending unlikely candidates—babies, grandparents, and pets—got into Harvard. The viral trend reflects skepticism toward selective universities.

Daily Quote.

“Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let’s get it done.”

— Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the prospect of peace talks with the U.S. and Russia.

And thats the news for today.

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