April 19, 2025

Weekend Edition:

Where the Trillions Go?

Good morning, Core crew!

If things look a little different today, that’s because they are. After many late nights, excessive caffeine consumption, and more layout versions than I'd like to admit, our new design is here. It’s still The Core — just sharper, faster, and (hopefully) a bit easier on the eyes.

There’s more on the way, too. (I'll tease that below.)

As always, this project grows with your feedback, your support, and your curiosity. I’m building this for you — and trying to make it better every day. Thank you for reading, sharing, and being here. Let’s keep going.

Happy weekends,
Fatih Taskiran

In this issue:

World

Top Tools for Modern Creators

Economy

Insights from Established Digital Creators

Don't Miss!

Digital Creator Live Workshop

Culture

Masterclass with Jasper Mallory

Economy

Where the Trillions Go?

From rent to ribs, ER bills to Netflix subscriptions — Americans spent nearly $19 trillion last year on goods and services. Housing, healthcare, and groceries topped the list, while food outside the home, clothes, and even entertainment lagged behind.

These numbers tell a story about inflation, changing habits, and the true cost of living in 2024. The biggest surprise? Over the next decade, the country will rack up another $19 trillion in debt. If anything, it’s more concentrated — and more revealing than ever.

Health

Spreading Fast

Measles — a virus the U.S. eliminated in 2000 — is making a serious comeback. Over 800 cases have been reported this year, with outbreaks spreading across the Southwest and into half of the country.

Canada and Mexico are also reporting surges, and the strain is crossing borders through tight-knit, unvaccinated communities. In early 2026, the U.S. may lose its measles elimination status if transmission does not stop—a reversal 25 years in the making.

Tech

Forget Cookies

LG just inked a deal to turn your TV into something a little more… emotionally intuitive. You'll receive ads tailored to your values, moods, and even personality type when LG smart TVs utilize AI from Zenapse.

Think: less "cookie-cutter," more "tug at the heart." It's part of a trend where advertisers want to replace generic spots with ads that resonate. Your screen gets smarter, but what cost to your privacy?

The Watch Word

A newsletter worth your time.

If you love watches—or just want to sound like you do—Watch Word is my brand-new weekly newsletter. Sharp insights, timeless pieces, zero fluff.

✨ First issue drops soon.

Subscribe now before it hits inboxes

Culture

🎪 Weekend Leisure Core

Fuel Your Screen

"Your Friends & Neighbors" criticizes wealth while praising the rich, what a perfect twist! My guy, Hamm, plays a wealthier guy who gets divorced and loses his job, so he starts robbing his neighbors.

Fuel Your Mind

This was a wild ride; I wasn't initially fond of it. Yet Peggy's story drew me in, and I finished it within a few days. If you're curious about life in the hippie sixties, this is a must-read.

Fuel Your Ears

For the past few weeks, this song has been on my car playlist nonstop. She delivers another winky song about her sexual prowess, this time with a kicky fiddle line adding some punch.

“

Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.

— Oscar Wilde

📸 Lens to Life

In 20 pictures, here's the week around the world.

🗓️ Flashback

1770

First sighting of Australia by British explorer Captain James Cook. Writes in his log book that “what we have as yet seen of this land appears rather low, and not very hilly, the face of the Country green and Woody, but the seashore is all white Sand.”