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  • ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ๐ŸŒŽ Trade Wars, Lizard People, and Doomsday.

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ๐ŸŒŽ Trade Wars, Lizard People, and Doomsday.

How to talk about the chaos!

Hi there, Alex here,

This is SpeakEasy, the newsletter that helps you turn small talk into smart talk (awkward silence not included.) ๐Ÿ˜Ž

In todayโ€™s issue:

  1. ๐ŸŠ Trade Wars 2.0: Trump tariffs cause chaos.

  2. ๐Ÿ•ต๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ Talking Conspiracies:  From moon landings to lizard people.

  3. โฐ Doomsday Clock Shock: Is our time almost up?

โ€ฆand more.

Language, knowledge and culture - itโ€™s all here!๐Ÿง ๐Ÿง

Ready for a conversation upgrade? Letโ€™s go! ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ NEWS YOU CAN USE ๐Ÿ—๏ธ
Picture of the American Falg over a port with textt saying Trade Wasrs 2.0?

๐ŸŠ Donald Trump - since he came into power again, it feels like the world is on fast-forward! ๐Ÿ˜ฐ
If last weekโ€™s issue wasnโ€™t enough for you, his latest power move? Hitting friends and foes with tariffs like he's handing out free tissues at the station (itโ€™s a thing in Japan.)

Tariffs, usually so boring, are suddenly getting tasty! Hereโ€™s why:

TARIFF DRAMA

Whoโ€™s on the list?

  • ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ Mexico: 25% (buenos dรญas to higher prices)

  • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China: 10% (the usual suspect)

  • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Canada: 25% (plot twist!)

Wait, hang onโ€ฆCanada?!
Yup, America's friendly neighbour got the Trump treatment. Why, eh? ๐ŸซŽ

  • ๐Ÿ“Œ Official reason: Mexican drug cartels have moved operations there, and fentanyl (a deadly drug - 73,000 dead in 2024) is a big problem in the US.

  • ๐Ÿ˜œ Unofficial reason: Heโ€™s still mad about 2019, when Trudeau made fun of him.

So, what happened?

  • ๐Ÿ™‡๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ Tariffs delayed for a month - Mexico and Canada both agreed to stricter border control.

  • ๐Ÿ’ฅ But in a monthโ€ฆ? Are we watching Trade War 2.0 unfold?

  • ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ As for China, they hit back with their own tariffs.

  • ๐ŸŒ› Place your bets on who's next... EU? Japan? The Man on the Moon? Who knows with this guyโ€ฆbut Panama is probably sweating.

๐ŸŽฏ Power Quote

  • Angela Merkel said of Trump, โ€œFor him, all countries were rivals in which the success of one meant the failure of another.โ€ (She wasnโ€™t a fan.)

๐Ÿ’ฌ Follow-up: Ask: 'How do you think this will affect everyday prices?'"
Keep people talking without taking sides.

๐ŸŒŽ THE CULTURE CODE ๐Ÿ•ต๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ
Picture of a man standing in a desert wearing sunglasses and a tin foil hat

๐Ÿ•ต๏ธ CONSPIRACY CORNER

What do Princess Diana, the moon and 9/11 all have in common?

They're all stars of conspiracy theories - those โ€˜secret plotsโ€™ by powerful and secret societies (cue dramatic music).

And they are everywhere!

Just this week, the CIA stated that Covid-19 was โ€œlikely from a Chinese lab leak.โ€
And Trump said he will release more JFK assassination files.

๐Ÿค” So, why are they so popular?

  • Human brains love patterns (even fake ones).

  • Social media makes sharing wild ideas way too easy.

  • They make complicated things feel simple.

  • They make people feel like experts (they are not.)

  • The X-Files (1993-2002) was a global TV smash, making conspiracies mainstream. (Best TV show ever?)๐Ÿค”

๐ŸŽฏ What are some famous ones?

  • ๐ŸŒ™ The moon landing was fake (โ€œOne small stepโ€ฆonto a soundstage in Nevada, directed by Stanley Kubrickโ€)

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฝ Aliens in Area 51 (Nevada again? Must be those casino buffets)

  • ๐Ÿ‘‘ Princess Diana was killed on the Queenโ€™s orders.

  • ๐Ÿ’‰ JFK was assassinated by the mafia/CIA/Cubans/all of them working together.

  • โœˆ๏ธ 9/11 was an โ€˜inside jobโ€™ (planned by the US govt.)

  • ๐ŸฆŽ Lizard people run the world (yes, really - check Zuk at :30 in the video denying he is a lizard ๐Ÿคฃ)

๐Ÿ˜ฑ Are they all fantasy?

  • Well, sometimes conspiracy theories turn out to be true.
    Remember Watergate? (Sorry, Nixon!) or MKUltra - the CIA secretly drugging people (WTF?!)

๐Ÿ’กWhy does this all matter?
These theories can pop up EVERYWHERE - from casual conversations to social media, the news and pop culture.
Knowing about them helps you:

  • Understand current events

  • Navigate tricky conversations

  • Spot fact from fiction

  • Handle your uncle ranting about lizard people after his third drink at the family BBQ.

Because let's face it - whether you believe or not, these theories now shape everything from politics to pop culture.
They even helped Donald Trump get elected twice.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Neutral Question: Ask, โ€œWhat makes some theories spread faster than others?โ€
Smart question, with none of the controversy.

๐Ÿ’ฌ FAMOUS WORDS ๐Ÿง

โ€œWhat is a political party, but a conspiracy?โ€
Gore Vidal (American writer, 1925 - 2012) ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

gif of a man putting on sunglasses and seeing the worldd around him change to black and whitw. A poster for caribbean holidays turns into "marry and reproduce"

Can you name the film? ๐Ÿ˜‰ 
(A 1980s cult classic about aliens secretly brainwashing us.) ๐Ÿ‘ฝ๐Ÿ•ถ๏ธ
Answer at the end of this issue โฌ‡๏ธ

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ SPEAKEASY SECRETS ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

โš ๏ธ CONSPIRACY CHAT ALERT

Conspiracy theorists can be veryโ€ฆenthusiastic.
They often skip the weather chat and go straight to 'Want to know who REALLY runs the world?'

Look, conspiracy theories are fascinating (who doesn't love a good lizard people story?) But maybe you're not ready for Dave from Accounting's 45-minute TED talk about how 5G turns birds into government spies.

So, to help you out, here is:

๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป THE CONSPIRACY CONVERSATION SURVIVAL GUIDE

๐Ÿ’ฌ What to say:
"That's interesting - how did you first learn about this?" (Shows interest without commitment)

๐Ÿ‘‚ How to listen: 
Nod occasionally, maintain a neutral face (save your eye-rolling for later)

โ“ What to ask: 
"What makes you so sure about this?" (They love this question... maybe too much)

๐Ÿšซ What not to say:
 "That's completely crazy" (Even if you're thinking it... loudly)

๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ How to escape:
"Oh wow, is that the time? I have to get going." (Or just say you need the bathroom - works every time)

๐Ÿ’ก Pro tip: Donโ€™t try to argue. Theyโ€™ll only speak louder. Sometimes, nodding while planning your exit is the best strategy.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Your Turn: Have you ever heard a conspiracy theory? What was it?
Hit reply and let me know!

๐Ÿ“š WORD-WISE ๐Ÿง 
A picture of President Nixon at his Watergate press conference. Text reads "I am not a crook" then "(yes he was)

Ollie Atkins, White House Photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

๐Ÿ—ž๏ธ THE '-GATE' GUIDE

When journalists spot a scandal or coverup, they just add '-gate' and voilร  - instant controversy!
Here's where it started and where it went:

๐Ÿ” Famous โ€˜-gates':

  • ๐ŸŽง Watergate (1972): The OG coverup - Nixon bugged his political rivals' offices, then lied about it. The only US President ever to resign. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

  • ๐Ÿ‘— Monicagate (1998): Clinton lied about an affair with an intern and got impeached. Lesson: Don't keep the blue dress. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

  • ๐Ÿ• Pizzagate (2016): Conspiracy about abducted children in a pizza shop basement in Washington. Plot hole: The shop had no basement or children, just pizza. ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

  • ๐Ÿพ Partygate (2022): Boris Johnson partied during COVID lockdown. Turns out "work meetings" shouldn't have suitcases full of Prosecco. ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง

๐Ÿ’ก PRO TIP: See '-gate' in headlines? Someone messed up, lied about it, and then wished they'd just told the truth.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Deep dive: Ask, โ€œDo you know anymore โ€œ-gates?โ€
Share your examples!

๐Ÿค– BECAUSE THE ROBOTS ARE COMING ๐ŸŒŽ

๐Ÿค– ROBO-RUN

Beijing's next half-marathon will see humans compete against humanoid robots.
Finally, a chance to outrun Skynet! (Unless they've been practising...)

๐Ÿƒ The Lineup:

  • 12,000 humans (with varying levels of regret)

  • Multiple humanoid robots (probably not sweating)

  • 20 tech companies (definitely sweating)

๐Ÿ’ฌ Folllow-up: Ask, โ€œWhat sports should robots try next?โ€
(Letโ€™s keep them away from shooting, shall we? ๐Ÿ˜…)

๐Ÿค– TALKING POINT  
Picture of a clock with text 'Tick Tock time's up?"

The Doomsday Clock just hit 89 seconds to midnight - our closest dance with disaster yet! ๐Ÿ˜ณ
Here's why scientists are reaching for the anxiety meds.
What do you think?

๐Ÿ“Š Poll: Which are you most worried about?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

๐Ÿ’ก PLOT TWIST: Scientists say fake news is making everything worse (because regular news isnโ€™t scary enoughโ€ฆ?)

๐Ÿ’ฌ Smart Angle: Ask โ€œDo you think this clock helps or harms public awareness?โ€
Move from anxiety to analysis.

๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ DID YOU SEEโ€ฆ? ๐Ÿ‘€

Lunch break or Happy Hour - Stories that stick.

  • ๐Ÿ‘ฝ Cosmic DNA: We all come from outer space, according to this asteroid sample.

  • โ˜„๏ธ Doom Alert: This asteroid could hit Earth in 2032, according to NASA.

  • ๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต Pastry Wars: Japan won the Pastry World Cup, defending their title to beat the French.

  • ๐Ÿง€ Milk Money: The worldโ€™s most expensive cheese, Pule ($1200/kg) has a secret ingredient - donkey milk. ๐Ÿซ

  • ๐Ÿฅณ Social Senior: Facebook turned 21 yesterday. Remember when โ€˜pokingโ€™ wasnโ€™t weird?

๐Ÿ’ฌ YOUR TURN: Which of these would you drop into conversation first?
Hit โ€˜replyโ€™ and share your thoughts.

๐Ÿค” ANSWER ๐Ÿงฉ

The movie title: They Live (1988).
When legendary filmmaker John Carpenter mixed sci-fi with satire to get spicy about Reagan.

๐Ÿฟ Cultural Impact
This cult classic gave us:

  • The famous "OBEY" street art movement (they made the iconic Obama โ€œHopeโ€ poster.)

  • A six-minute fight scene everyone copies.

  • The classic line "I came here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum.โ€

๐ŸŽฏ Conversation gold: Drop this film in any discussion about capitalism, propaganda, or aliens. Bonus points if you're wearing sunglasses.

๐ŸŽฌ Never seen it? You can watch the full film here on YouTube!

๐Ÿ’ฌ YOUR TURN: What are your favourite conspiracy films?
Hit โ€˜Replyโ€™ Let me know.

๐Ÿ‘‹๐Ÿป THIS IS THE ENDโœŒ๐Ÿผ

That's all for this week, folks!
I hope you enjoyed it!

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Until next time, keep speakinโ€™ easy ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ๐ŸŒŽ

P.S. Missed an issue? ๐Ÿซค 
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