Olympic Dreams, Corporate Woes, and Identity Theft

The world of sports, business, and law has seen its fair share of surprises in recent weeks. The Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics showcased breathtaking feats of athleticism, while a Ukrainian man's identity theft scheme helped North Koreans land jobs at US companies. Meanwhile, Tesla lost a bid to overturn a $243M Autopilot verdict, and a judge settled the question of whether boneless wings can be legally called "wings." And in the world of business, Walgreens is laying off hundreds of workers, but its list of store closures in 2026 might not be as big as feared.

Let's start with the Olympics. The highlight reel of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics was defined by extreme tricks—corkscrews, twists, and flips performed by snowboarders and freestyle skiers. But what's behind these death-defying stunts? The answer lies in a simple tool: hours spent spinning and flopping into oversize plastic bags. Over the last 20 years, a handful of manufacturers have perfected the art of making massive plastic landing pads, ideal for aspiring extreme sports athletes to push the boundaries of their skills and test out new tricks year-round.

In a different kind of competition, a Ukrainian man was sentenced for helping North Koreans gain fraudulent employment at dozens of US companies and funnel that money back to the regime to fund its nuclear weapons program. The case highlights the complexities of international relations and the lengths to which individuals will go to achieve their goals.

In the world of business, Tesla lost a bid to overturn a $243M Autopilot verdict, a decision that could have significant implications for the company's future. The verdict was related to the company's Autopilot system, which has been the subject of controversy in recent years.

But not all news is serious. A judge in Illinois recently settled the question of whether boneless wings can be legally called "wings." The case was brought against Buffalo Wild Wings, which was accused of violating the Illinois Consumer Fraud Act by referring to its boneless chicken wings as "wings." The judge ultimately ruled in favor of the company, stating that "boneless wings are not a niche product for which a consumer would need to do extensive research to figure out the true nature of the product."

Finally, Walgreens is laying off hundreds of workers as the pharmacy chain continues to struggle with increased competition and higher-than-desired costs. The company is expected to close at least another few dozen retail stores in 2026, although the exact number is not yet clear. The layoffs include 469 positions in the company's home state of Illinois and 159 jobs in Texas, where the company is shuttering a distribution center.

As these stories demonstrate, the world is full of surprises, from the thrill of extreme sports to the complexities of international relations and the nuances of business law. Whether it's a giant plastic airbag or a boneless wing, there's always something new to discover.

Sources:
* "The secret to all those death-defying Olympic jumps is a giant plastic airbag" (Fast Company)
* "Ukrainian man jailed for identity theft that helped North Koreans get jobs at US companies" (CNN)
* "Tesla loses bid to overturn $243M Autopilot verdict" (Reuters)
* "Are boneless wings legally ‘wings’? A judge just settled the question" (USA Today)
* "Walgreens is laying off hundreds of workers, but its list of store closures in 2026 might not be as big as feared" (Fast Company)