Friday☕️

30 May 2025 — 5 min read

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Yesterday, May 29, 2025, Palmer Luckey announced a partnership between Anduril, his defense-focused company, and Meta to create advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems tailored for the United States military. This collaboration leverages extensive research and development in Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) to build tools that will be used for military purposes like immersive training environments, simulated combat scenarios, combat missions, or enhanced operational planning.

The partnership represents a new chapter in the relationship between Luckey and Meta, which has seen both cooperation and conflict in the past. Luckey founded Oculus in 2012, pioneering consumer VR, and sold it to Meta—then known as Facebook—in 2014 for $2 billion, a deal that significantly boosted the VR industry. However, Meta fired Luckey in 2017 following internal disputes over his political activities, specifically his financial support for a pro-Trump organization, which created friction within the company. After leaving Meta, Luckey launched Anduril in 2017 to focus on defense technologies.

Economics & Markets:

Environment & Weather:

On May 28, 2025, Manitoba, Canada, declared a state of emergency across the province due to widespread wildfires, leading to the evacuation of around 17,000 people, marking the largest evacuation in the province's recent history. The fires, worsened by dry conditions and strong winds, include 22 active blazes that have burned approximately 494,210 acres (200,000 hectares), well above the region's typical annual fire damage. Two significant uncontained fires—a 306,410-acre (124,000-hectare) fire near Bird River and a 49,421-acre (20,000-hectare) fire near Flin Flon—are threatening communities such as Flin Flon, Pimicikamak Cree Nation, and Mathias Colomb Cree Nation.

The Canadian Armed Forces are supporting evacuation efforts and firefighting operations, while evacuees are being housed in Winnipeg at locations including Billy Mosienko, Century, and Eric Coy Arenas. The Canadian Red Cross is assisting affected individuals and has asked evacuees to register for support by calling or using their online portal. Poor air quality from heavy smoke has led to health warnings, with officials urging residents to stay indoors. The fires’ effects have extended beyond Manitoba, with smoke impacting air quality in the U.S. and prompting oil companies in neighboring Alberta, such as Cenovus and Aspenleaf, to reduce operations near fire-affected areas.

Space:

Yesterdag, May 29, 2025, China launched the Shijian-26 satellite from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China using a Long March-4B rocket. This Chinese experimental satellite, officially described as serving "Earth observation and environmental management" purposes, was successfully placed into its intended orbit. However, specific details about its capabilities and operations remain undisclosed, consistent with the often-opaque nature of the Shijian series, which are typically presented as scientific or experimental.
Conducted from Jiuquan, a key facility for polar and sun-synchronous orbit missions, the mission relied on the Long March-4B rocket. While official statements emphasize civilian applications like land surveys and environmental monitoring, the lack of transparency surrounding Shijian-26 has fueled speculation about potential dual-use functions, such as reconnaissance. This mission underscores China's ongoing efforts to advance its space infrastructure for both civilian and strategic objectives.

Science & Technology:

Yesterday, May 29, 2025, Perplexity, an AI-powered research and search platform, announced the launch of Perplexity Labs, a new feature designed for its Pro users to handle complex, multi-step tasks. Perplexity Labs allows users to create detailed outputs such as analytical reports, presentations, interactive dashboards, and web applications by leveraging AI to process and organize data efficiently. For instance, it can generate a heatmap visualizing the yearly performance of top trading strategies from 2019 to 2024 with color-coded return percentages, or develop an interactive web application that consolidates trading strategy analysis, including backtest results and scenario comparisons, complete with files like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Perplexity Labs is part of Perplexity’s broader mission to advance human scientific discovery by providing tools that simplify workflows for professionals, researchers, and developers. Founded in 2022 by Arzis, Perplexity has grown into a notable player in the AI search space by delivering concise, sourced answers. Available exclusively to Pro subscribers, Perplexity Labs enhances the platform’s capabilities, enabling users to move beyond simple queries to tackle complex projects, such as data visualization and application development.

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History:

The Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank, Ron Brill, and Pat Farrah, with a vision to revolutionize the home improvement retail industry. The first two stores opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1979, offering an unprecedented selection of products and a warehouse-style shopping experience that catered to both DIY enthusiasts and professional contractors. The company’s focus on low prices, extensive inventory, and knowledgeable staff quickly gained traction, leading to rapid expansion across the United States. By 1984, Home Depot went public on the NASDAQ, fueling further growth, and by the 1990s, it had become the largest home improvement retailer in the U.S., surpassing competitors through strategic acquisitions and a customer-centric approach.
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Home Depot continued to innovate, embracing e-commerce and expanding its digital presence to meet evolving consumer demands. The company invested heavily in supply chain improvements, professional services, and exclusive partnerships with tool and home goods brands. It also navigated challenges like the 2008 housing market crash by focusing on cost efficiency and store optimization. Today, with over 2,300 stores across North America and a growing online platform, Home Depot remains a dominant force in the industry, known for its community engagement, disaster relief efforts, and commitment to sustainability, while continuing to adapt to modern retail trends.

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