🛰️ Did Elon play God?

Happy Saturday! It’s September 9 — people are talking about Elon Musk’s controversial Starlink decision, the merits of the NuCalm patch, and more.

As always, we’ve summarized and organized the different shades of perspective, so you can see the big picture quickly.

🛰️ In the news: Did Elon play God?

News recently came out that Elon Musk turned off the Starlink satellite network over Crimea in 2022 to thwart a Ukrainian attack on the Russian navy.

🛰️ Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian politician, said Elon's huge ego allowed Russia to unleash violence on Ukrainian civilians.

🛰️ The Guardian agreed: Ukraine's attack plans shouldn't be up to Elon. This is the behavior of a megalomaniac. He probably thought he was acting in the world's best interest when he made this decision, but he's just delusional.

🛰️ But this Twitter user said Elon was just trying to prevent the war from escalating. Can you blame him for trying to prevent World War 3?

🛰️ Bloomberg: Like it or not, Elon plays a big role in the Ukraine war — he controls Starlink. But he doesn't have the know-how to wield his power correctly.

😌 Cultural trend: Is the NuCalm patch legit?

Meghan Markle was pictured wearing a NuCalm patch, which people apply to their skin to ease their anxiety. Does the device actually work?

😌 The NY Post said there are reasons to be suspicious of the company's claims. Endorsers say that the patches are “FDA-approved”, but it doesn't seem like the company has actually been granted FDA approval.

😌 The Guardian agrees: Science doesn't back up NuCalm's claims. The company is just trying to profit off of the 40m people in the US with anxiety.

😌 But Bazaar is a believer: Patches may help the body absorb supplements better. NuCalm is one of the more advanced wellness patches on the market.

😌 Yahoo: There isn't empirical evidence that the patches can deliver the anxiety-relieving effects they promise, but they could help via the placebo effect.

Quick hits

⚫ A 6.8 magnitude earthquake killed over 1,000 people in Morocco’s High Atlas mountain region. (CNN)

☀️ After the 53rd day of 110-degree heat this year, the National Weather Service said Phoenix, Arizona was close to breaking a heat record. (AP News)

🏀 Germany beat the US 113-111 in the FIBA World Cup semifinals. The US will play Canada in the bronze medal game. (CBS Sports)

🤝 At the G20 Summit, Indian PM Modi announced the group was adding the African Union as a permanent member. (The Hill)

That’s it for today. Reply at [email protected] to let me know what you think of our newsletter, or to suggest a topic for next time.

Here at Shades we’re trying something new – quick summaries from different points of view. We think it’s a better way to stay informed and see the big picture. Please reach out if you’re curious to learn more!

- Jeff (co-founder of Shades)