this is Shades of the Day — bringing you different shades of opinion in news & culture so that you can see the big picture quickly. We believe that seeing multiple POVs is the best way to stay informed.

It’s Friday, February 14 — here are today’s three featured stories:

1. Mayor Eric Adams case, dropped?

2. Adults ordering kids meals

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1) Government data under Biden painted a misleading picture of the U.S. economy, suggesting it was thriving despite real-world indicators suggesting otherwise.

2) A driver crashed into a union's strike-day demonstration in Munich, injuring over two dozen people.

3) Health.com says Americans would be better off cutting out ultra-processed foods from their diet: They currently make up around 70% of the American food supply.

4) “Saturday Night Live” is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary special on February 16th.

5) During a public meeting with Donald Trump, Elon Musk brought his son X Æ A-Xii into the Oval Office.

6) The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary.

Adams case, dropped?

Trump's DOJ ordered the corruption case against NYC Mayor Adams to be dropped. The NYT says the move led to high-profile resignations, including Manhattan's U.S. attorney and two officials from the federal public integrity unit.

NY1 says Trump's decision made sense to some: De Blasio felt charges against Adams were unjust. He argued NYC deserves a fair mayoral election without “interference”.

But The New Republic slammed the move: Trump's actions undermine the DOJ's credibility! Adams cozied up to Trump in hopes that the President would twist the rules -- an obvious case of quid pro quo corruption.

For what it's worth, Politico thinks the move could come back to bite Trump: By letting Adams off the hook, He may have further divided himself from progressives.

Adults ordering kids meals

The WSJ says many adults prefer ordering off the kids' menu: Blame nostalgia! Kids' meal enjoyers say their cravings for foods like chicken tenders and mac n' cheese evoke happy childhood mems.

But Quartz says inflation is behind the phenom: Adults are opting for kids-size portions to save money while eating out.

Reasons aside, Delish says some believe adults shouldn't order off the kids' menu, period. Kids' menu items are typically sold at a loss for the restaurant, and many servers don't appreciate the practice.

On the other hand, Food & Wine called for a reimagining of the kids' menu: Restaurants should embrace adults’ preferences and offer more sophisticated, smaller meals for everyone.