Good morning and happy Tuesday!

Let’s start your day with a statistic that is incredibly hard to comprehend:

The traveling micro-economy that is the Taylor Swift Eras Tour is expected to bring somewhere between $275m and $350m in total economic impact to Singapore over the course of a week of shows.

Economists are quite literally attributing the tour to a sizable portion of Singapore’s quarterly GDP growth of 2.9%.

wtf.

-Wally

Key Stories

Speedrun

• Jaguar’s End Times?

• On This Day

• Boeing… Seriously?

• Headline Palooza

• Decent Destination

Economy & Automotive

Rumors Fly About Jaguar’s Future

Rumors are swirling that Jaguar might be on the verge of a major shake-up. According to the eagle-eyed @guydealership, a beacon of dealership insights, Jaguar is reportedly contemplating a split, selling off its illustrious brands piecemeal. This bombshell drops just as Jaguar's ambitious leap into a fully electric future hits a speed bump, delaying their EV dreams from 2025 to 2026.

The plot thickens with a story from a disappointed Jaguar enthusiast, whose order got axed. The dealership, in a candid spill, hinted at Jaguar's drastic pivot towards agency sales, effectively making traditional dealerships obsolete. The jaw-dropper? An unverified whisper of Jaguar halting production on all models by mid-summer. The speculation? A potential sale to a Chinese powerhouse eager for a slice of luxury market prestige.

This saga, fueled by nods from insiders at two separate Jaguar dealerships, paints a grim picture of a once-iconic brand possibly bowing out. With the Jaguar client portal also set to go dark, it's hard not to feel a twinge of sadness for the end of an era.

But this isn't just a tale of one luxury carmaker's troubles. It's a canary in the coal mine for the auto industry, hinting at a wave of consolidation on the horizon. In a world where the economy's pulse is often glossed over, the Jaguar saga might just be the reality check we need, a reminder that not all that glitters is gold in the global market.

On This Day

2009: Bernie Madoff Pleads Guilty

In 2009, Bernie Madoff, the architect of the largest Ponzi scheme in history, traded his luxury suits for prison stripes. His downfall sent shockwaves through Wall Street, leaving a legacy of distrust in its wake. Fast forward, and we see echoes of Madoff's deceit in the likes of Sam Bankman-Fried. It seems every generation gets its own financial villain, a sobering reminder that greed never really goes out of style.

Transportation

Boeing… Seriously?

Boeing's recent history reads like a slapstick horror show, and the latest episodes are no less jaw-dropping. It's been one facepalm moment after another, and the past few days have been particularly egregious. If these incidents don't make you question the state of airline safety and oversight, I'm not sure what will. Let's dive into the latest debacles:

First up, we had a Boeing 737 turn a routine landing in Houston into a stunt show when its landing gear decided to play hide and seek. Miraculously, everyone walked away unscathed.

Then, there's the Boeing 777 that thought it was shedding weight for the New Year by dropping a wheel mid-takeoff. The wheel went on a solo adventure, wreaking havoc in a parking lot below. Again, by some stroke of luck, no one was hurt.

And the cherry on top? Another 777 decided to double as a fuel tanker, generously dousing Sydney's runway with fuel during takeoff. The visual? Think high-pressure fire hose, but with jet fuel.

Boeing, this isn't just a string of bad luck; it's a comedy of errors minus the comedy. With each incident, the line between flying and gambling with our lives gets blurrier. It's high time for a serious overhaul, both at Boeing and within the regulatory bodies. Because frankly, the only thing we should be worried about mid-flight is whether we'll get the whole can of soda, not if parts of the plane will stick the landing with us.

Headline Palooza

Decent Destinations

Tbilisi, Georgia

Tbilisi, Georgia, is a city where ancient history and modern vibrancy collide in the most captivating way. Wander its winding streets and you'll find centuries-old churches nestled among lively cafes and vibrant street art. It's a place where every corner tells a story, blending the warmth of Georgian hospitality with a rich tapestry of culture. Tbilisi is an experience, inviting you to sip on world-class wine while soaking in the soul of the Caucasus.