Good morning; it's Friday, March 12. Have you entered our Peloton giveaway yet? Be sure to check out the details below (plus the day's news). Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Cuomo Under Pressure

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called for New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) to resign yesterday. The statement followed allegations that Cuomo groped a former aide after calling her to the executive mansion, the sixth woman to accuse the three-term governor of sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior in the past month. The most recent charge has been referred to Albany, New York, police, while state Attorney General Letitia James (D) has opened a broad probe into the accusations. 

Cuomo's administration is also facing allegations they obscured the number of nursing home deaths early in the pandemic, after initially requiring them to accept recovering COVID-19 patients as hospitals overflowed. 

Yesterday afternoon, the state assembly authorized an impeachment inquiry into both sets of allegations. At least 40 Democratic assembly members signed a letter calling for Cuomo to resign. A majority in the 150-seat assembly, which has 43 Republicans, would be needed to eventually impeach the governor.

Cuomo has apologized but denied the accusations, dismissing previous calls to step down while sidestepping questions on whether he'll still pursue a fourth term next November. 

NFT Mania Continues

A work by digital artist Mike Winkelmann, also known as Beeple, sold for more than $69M at Christie's auction house yesterday. The work was sold as an NFT—a non-fungible token—and marks a record amount in the spiraling crypto art craze. The sale price exceeds that of any work from artists like Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dalí, and others.

NFTs are conceptually similar to digital certificates of authenticity that are completely unique and can't be forged. Similar to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, NFTs rely on blockchain technology (see 101), which uses decentralized networks to verify legitimacy and ownership. Since digital art (and other digital assets) can often be easily duplicated, these characteristics are viewed as the future of the digital art market. Go deeper on NFTs here.

The spectacular sales price appears mostly due to the pioneering use of the technology. Before last fall, the most Winkelmann had ever sold a piece for was $100.

See the piece here (but don't try and copy it).

Third Charge in Chauvin Trial

A Minnesota judge approved yesterday the addition of a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused in the May death of George Floyd. 

Chauvin already faces two counts: second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter. The former count requires prosecutors to demonstrate Chauvin caused Floyd's death beyond a reasonable doubt, while the latter count requires demonstrating Chauvin was negligent and took an unreasonable risk while detaining Floyd. The new charge requires proving Chauvin caused Floyd's death with a "depraved mind"—a legally ambiguous term that experts say is difficult to distinguish from negligence. See a breakdown here.

Jury selection began Tuesday—see the jurors selected so far. The trial of three other officers involved begins in late August.

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A MASK FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Have you tried exercising with a mask on? Now, we aren't going to claim we were ever running sub-three-hour marathons, but our current masks only make the shortness of breath and wheezing all the more noticeable.

Which is why we're pretty thrilled to have found HMNKIND. Their Antibacterial Performance Mask feels like cashmere on the skin (seriously—it's ridiculously soft), while offering more protection than your standard cotton mask. It's both breathable and 99.9% antibacterial, meaning you can say goodbye to that funky mask smell. It's also incredibly easy to wash and doesn't strip the face of natural moisture, so you won't have to worry again about mask-induced bad skin.

HMNKIND’s Antibacterial Performance Mask comes in five sizes (including children's) and nine colors to fit every head shape and style. Check them out today and grab a mask for exercise, errands, or leisurely strolls. Your skin will thank you; use code 15FOR1440 for 15% off your order.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

Brought to you by NIPYATA!

> Beyoncé tops all artists with nine nominations at Sunday’s 2021 Grammy Awards (8 pm ET, CBS) (More) | The Weeknd to boycott all future Grammy Awards after his hit song “Blinding Lights” wasn’t nominated (More) | See full list of predicted winners (More)

> Prince William defends royal family against accusations of racism brought by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (More)

> NCAA Men’s basketball tournament bracket revealed Sunday (6 pm ET, CBS); see predictions for which teams will make the 68-team field (More) | ... and picks for Women’s tournament bracket to be revealed Monday (7 pm ET, ESPN) (More)

From our partners: It's the Roaring '20s. 2020s, that is. NIPYATA! delivers booze-filled fun with your favorite bottles of liquor packed into Drinkable Greeting Cards or Booze-Filled Piñatas. It's no coincidence their greeting cards have already sold out twice in 2021; get them while you can.

Science & Technology

> Three European countries pause use of the AstraZeneca/University of Oxford COVID-19 vaccine over blood clot concerns; experts stress the measure is precautionary (More) | US has reported 530,821 deaths, with 1,557 yesterday (More) | More than 64 million people in the US have received at least one vaccine dose (More)

> Antarctic experiment station records potential evidence of a never-before-seen cosmic antineutrino (More) | Explaining neutrinos, one of the universe's most elusive particles (More)

> Scientists discover at least 50 genes are involved in determining human eye color, a much more complex process than previously thought; study is expected to inform treatments for eye disease (More)

Business & Markets

> US stock markets up (S&P 500 +1.0%, Dow +0.6%, Nasdaq +2.5%), with the S&P 500 and Dow closing at fresh record highs (More)

> Shares of Coupang—known as the “Amazon of South Korea”— surge 40% in first-day trading on the New York Stock Exchange, rising to a $85B valuation; marks the largest US initial public offering since Uber (More)

> Ulta Beauty shares slide on weak quarterly profits; CEO Mary Dillon to step down in June, reducing the number of Fortune 500 female CEOs (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> President Joe Biden signs $1.9T stimulus bill into law, one day earlier than expected; brings total stimulus aid to more than $5T (More) | Biden pushes for all states to extend vaccine eligibility to all adults by May 1 during first prime-time speech (More)

> Myanmar military accuses ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi of taking $600K in bribes; at least seven people killed as forces fire on a crowd of protestors, bringing the total killed to about 70 since a Feb. 1 coup (More)

> House passes bill strengthening background checks for guns, eight Republicans join; faces uphill climb in Senate (More) | Mississippi approves bill banning transgender athletes from women's sports; law is likely to be challenged, similar Idaho law was blocked in federal court last year (More) 

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IN-DEPTH

The Poet

Truly*Adventurous | Corey Mead. Ruth Finley, née Smock, escaped after being brutalized by a kidnapper at the age of 16. Then she relived the terror in Topeka, Kansas, at the height of the reign of notorious serial killer BTK. (Read)

Senior Stoners

Saturday Evening Post | Nicholas Loud. The counterculture youths of the '60s and '70s have become boomers just as marijuana legalization becomes a reality. (Read)

What is Life?

Quanta | Carl Zimmer. We're looking for signs of life on Mars, but scientists still can't settle on a precise definition of it. From humans to water bears, and even viruses—what constitutes a living organism? (Read)

GOOD RIDDANCE, MASKNE

In partnership with HMNKIND

Did you know that your go-to face mask is probably giving you acne (or as we like to call it, maskne)? Moisture from your breath gets trapped inside your mask and creates a breeding ground for bacteria to clog pores. But worry no longer, with HMNKIND.

HMNKIND Antibacterial Performance Masks are designed to kill 99.9% of bacteria. That, and they're so comfortable they feel like cashmere. So check them out today and grab one for yourself. Don't forget to use coupon code 15FOR1440 for 15% off your order. Hasta la vista, maskne.

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ETCETERA

Set your clocks forward this weekend, unless you're in Hawaii or Arizona.

... and why Daylight Saving Time is the absolute worst.

NASA's Perseverance rover is out zapping rocks with lasers. (w/audio)

In case you missed it: Share with 1440 friends, get entered into our free Peloton giveaway.

World War II love letters found under hotel floor.

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung releases more hot ash.

Watch a firefighter save a horse from an icy pond.

Vampire bats are into adoption.

Science confirms Sherlock Holmes' "Mind Palace" trick.

Clickbait: This cat is confident in glasses.

Historybook: Girl Scouts of the USA is founded (1912); American author and poet Jack Kerouac born (1922); HBD civil rights leader and politician Andrew Young (1932); HBD actress and singer Liza Minnelli (1946); First female priests are ordained by the Church of England (1994).

"The regrets of yesterday and the fear of tomorrow can kill you."

- Liza Minnelli

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