I never realized how much Ana de Armas looks like Tiffani Thiessen.
I never realized how much Ana de Armas looks like Tiffani Thiessen.
It’s Official: The Original Theatrical Cut of ‘Star Wars’ Is Coming Back to Theaters
A day Star Wars fans never thought would happen is finally happening. Lucasfilm and Disney are rereleasing the original version of Star Wars in theaters for its 50th anniversary. It’ll happen on February 17, 2027, and io9 has confirmed with Lucasfilm that it is, in fact, the original theatrical cut of the movie.
Oh this is happening.
Small businesses shrank, surprising jobs report says
The US private sector shed 32,000 jobs in November after adding an upward-revised 47,000 jobs the month before, according to a report released yesterday by the payroll firm ADP.
How can anyone be surprised by this?
Tesla’s Cybertruck is turning 2. It’s been a big flop. - MarketWatch
The EV company sold fewer than 39,000 Cybertrucks in 2024, according to Cox Automotive data — far below the company’s eventual goal of 250,000 per year. As of October, Tesla had delivered just 17,317 units in 2025, a 42% drop compared to the same period in 2024.
This makes me so happy.
Of course, that’s a small price to pay for the laughably transparent illusion that we’re taking any meaningful steps toward protecting our kids from being slaughtered in their classrooms. In a crumbling empire where common sense has been eroded by ideology, and the political will to solve a problem can’t hope to compete with the ghoulish impulse to profit from it, creating a new business sector might just be the only kind of healing that the richest country on Earth can afford.
In my best Kevin Hart voice: “Damn!”
Think about this…what if instead of AI, all of that money had been invested in solving the actual problems of the world?
Imagine…
Do I even need to answer this?
Only in Florida can I be referred to as “young man”.
In dad’s hospital room, there is a machine that makes a sound every 30 seconds that sounds exactly like the “All the” notes in the Blink-182’s “All the Small Things”. Mom looked over at me when I finished with “small things”.
Mom and I were talking this morning and we realized last night’s dinner was the first time that my parents, my sister, and I had had dinner together as just the four of us in decades.
Nvidia blows bubble fears and expectations away
The world can stop worrying about an AI bubble, at least for now: AI chip-making linchpin Nvidia dropped a stellar earnings report yesterday that has at least temporarily eased concerns that the economy is on the verge of collapsing like a New York Mets team in September.
I’m sorry, but how exactly does this ease any fears?
Only when I drive by myself…Yesterday, I drove door to door to my parents’ house in 5 hours. No stops.
Intuit signs $100M+ deal with OpenAI to bring its apps to ChatGPT | TechCrunch
Intuit said its tools, such as TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp, will be accessible through ChatGPT, allowing users to ask questions and complete tasks such as estimating tax refunds, reviewing credit options, or managing business finances.
What could possibly go wrong?
Daring Fireball: When You Give a Bully Your Lunch Money
And I’ll tell you something, I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake, and it’s so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, a chairman, who should look at that.
Can you imagine Obama or (god forbid) Biden saying something like this to a reporter? Any reporter? If that reporter happened to be from Fox News, they’d call for burning the President at the stake.
The fact that this is normalized in our society now is disheartening and embarrassing.
I can only hope that what comes out of the Trump presidencies is the recognition of the fact that the laws of our land need to be clarified to their nth degree. When left generic and ambiguous, corruption and abuse is always on the table.
UMass Amherst Researchers Create Nanoparticle Vaccine That Prevents Cancer in Mice : UMass Amherst
A study led by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers demonstrates that their nanoparticle-based vaccine can effectively prevent melanoma, pancreatic and triple-negative breast cancer in mice. Not only did up to 88% of the vaccinated mice remain tumor-free (depending on the cancer), but the vaccine reduced—and in some cases completely prevented—the cancer’s spread.
But we don’t believe in vaccines.
White House drops plan to make airlines pay travelers for delayed flights - CBS News
The Trump administration is scrapping a proposed Biden-era rule that would have made airlines pay customers for long waits when their flights were delayed, according to a document from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Continuing to look out for the little guy!
A reel on Instagram that I came across by Tony Cali:
The problem is that there’s one bell that cannot be un-rung here, which is that we have announced to the world that within any four-year political cycle, we’re capable of producing a tsunami of corruption and stupidity, the likes of which no one could’ve expected. We can befriend dictators. We can claim that the victims of a war of aggression actually started the war. Up down and down is up. And we are capable of doing this on a dime in response to a 51% vote. And who knows when we’re gonna do this to you again.
This is what I’ve been saying…
We don’t have unrealistic, corny love scenes in movies anymore. We need that. Now more than ever.
“Ghost”, thank you for your service.
U.S. Democrats…always snatching a defeat from the jaws of victory.
In defense of them, the guilt got to them. I can feel it, too. Historically, Democrats feel responsible for anything and everything. Republicans just don’t give a shit.
Is it different when the “they” includes yourself? 🤣😂
Just watched “My Old Ass” on Amazon Prime. Didn’t quite know what to expect. A lovely movie, I must say. An incredible performance from Maisy Stella.
OpenAI will either succeed or fail spectacularly.
I agree with this wholeheartedly. I just happen to think it’s the latter.
This morning, I visited the same Publix I did a year ago to see how grocery prices are doing in Trump’s economy. Here’s the data:
| Item | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Gallon of skim milk (blue top) | $3.71 | $3.45 |
| Publix Eggs (dozen) | $2.99 | $2.49 |
| Publix loaf of bread | $2.99 | $1.79 |
| 12-pack Coca-Cola | $9.29 | $9.99 |
| Ballpark bun size beef hot dogs | $6.58 | $6.58 |
| Can of (Publix) dog food | $1.99 | $2.29 |
| 1lb of lean ground beef | $8.99 | $8.59 |
| Kraft American (16 count) singles | $6.39 | $4.99 |
| 5oz Salad mix (50/50) | $4.09 | $4.15 |
| Regular box of Cheerios | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| 32-ct Dunkin K-cups | $26.99 | $31.99 |
| Bananas per 1lb | $0.69 | $0.63 |
| 1 pint Publix heavy whipping cream | $3.50 | $5.99 |
| Publix sliced mozzarella | $2.75 | $3.00 |
| Smucker’s Concord Grape Jelly (18oz) | $2.99 | $2.99 |
According to those numbers, it’s kind of a mixed bag. Some are down and some are up. The Kraft Singles going down that much does surprise me. Especially as the heavy whipping cream and mozzarella went up. The eggs going down are explainable. But boy, coffee took a hit.
Ultimately, Publix controls these prices. It is their store. But I just wanted to provide a very quick and dirty scientific_-ish_ comparison. 😁
Regardless, I don’t see this as a y-uge win for Trump. Prices are still roughly where they were a year ago. Just another broken promise from the Ass Clown-in-Chief.
Norway sovereign wealth fund rejects Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay deal
Tesla’s Board of Directors is asking shareholders to approve a pay plan for Musk that could see him granted almost $1 trillion in stock and expand his voting powers at the company. The full award would be contingent on Tesla hitting certain milestones over the next 10 years.
And we wonder why socialism is on the ballot these days.
Supreme Court case to decide the fate of Trump’s tariffs
The Trump administration declared three national emergencies to justify tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China, which prompted the first lawsuit. In total, Trump has declared nine national emergencies since taking office in January.
Totally normal.
Tech billionaire’s donation brings Tesla Cybertrucks to Las Vegas police | AP News
“Welcome to the future of policing,” Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a recent press conference, surrounded by the Cybertrucks while drones hovered overhead and a police helicopter circled above him.
They’re really leaning into the whole dystopian future look…
I’ve been de-stickering my laptop today. Only one left. I’m thinking of leaving it on. It speaks to my current view of the world.
We went to see “Back to the Future” last night in the theater. Two reasons, really. 1) It is a classic and I love it. 2) To escape the hellscape that is current America for just a little bit of time.
And I must say, it was delightful. Even despite the mother/father/son love triangle 🤣
Also, Lea Thompson. Wow.
During October 30th’s episode of Slate’s Polotical Gabfest, David Plotz said the following:
People are not intimidated out of voting in this country right now.
David, how can you say that? People are afraid to go to the Home Depot right now.
Be careful. Your privilege is showing.
No one should be surprised by this. This is the same Republican talking point regarding any social program (welfare, food stamps, etc).
Helping people is NOT in their makeup.
I don’t understand smoke detectors. At 1:57am, I awoke to the dreaded chirp. I fumbled around upstairs and found the offending device. Not having a 9V battery handy, I couldn’t change the stupid thing. So I got up and did a little work, and went back to sleep around 5.
Got up at 7:30, showered, and went to the coffee shop for breakfast and news. Got back around 9, and…nothing.
No chirping. No sound. Nothing.
What in the actual hell?
Last night, Jayme and I attended a launch party (so to speak) for Ken Burns’ new documentary film “The American Revolution”. Sponsored by Georgia Public Broadcasting (our local PBS affiliate), it was hosted at Jayme’s own Georgia Highlands College. Clips of the six-episode documentary series were shown, and a discussion with local professors and museum coordinators followed. All in all, a nice, nerdy evening.
Side note: The documentary looks phenomenal. I can’t wait to watch it.
It didn’t escape me why this particular film may be coming out when it is. According to people familiar with production of the film, Burns has been working on this for about 10 years. I would have to guess he planned on its release to perfectly coincide with the lead up to America’s 250th birthday. Certainly a milestone year.
But as I was watching some of the excerpts, a really depressing and resigned feeling came over me. (And this is not exactly new for me these days. I’ve been struggling with this for a while now.) When you study this period of American history and the birth of the United States, you are inundated with stories. And you read (and even memorize) some passages that capture the ideals that we like to think define America and the American way:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal”
“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
“…with liberty and justice for all”
“…land of the free, and the home of the brave”
These are cornerstones of what America stands for. Or what America is supposed to stand for. The problem is, right now, America doesn’t stand for these things. In the current climate, America stands for bigotry. It stands for division. It stands for exclusion. It stands for (blatant) corruption. It stands for freedoms for only a certain type of people. It stands for pulling people off of the streets by masked men. It stands for a government not of the people and by the people, but a government by a singular authority. It stands for removing healthcare assistance in order to enrich the wealthy.
I’m dreading the next 9 months, if I’m being honest. Leading up to July 4, 2026, there will be celebrations. There will be calls for an outward displays of patriotism. There will be pressure put on all Americans to get behind the country, because “it’s our birthday!” There will be whitewashing of the current climate and a reversion to the “ideals of our forefathers”, as we put on our hats and make way for the Uncle Sam float to come barreling down Constitution Ave.
And I just…can’t.
How can I cheer for a country that doesn’t even live up to its own ideals?
How can I boast that America is the greatest country in the world when ICE can snatch and arrest students on their way to school?
How can I stand proudly and sing the National Anthem when it specifically calls out a “land of the free”? We are literally in the process of removing freedoms from American citizens.
How can I sing the praises of “all men are created equal”? Clearly, in the America I live in right now, we are not all equal. The Supreme Court said as much.
How can I stand up and say the Pledge of Allegiance when it ends “with liberty and justice for all”? (Put aside the idea of indoctrination, which is a concept that has been purposely (and erroneously) thrown around re: universities recently. Let’s just focus on the “for all” part.) It doesn’t represent where our country is right now. It just doesn’t.
Day after day, week after week, all I want to do is scream at the top of my lungs “Don’t you see how messed up we are right now?!?!”
And yet, I don’t believe lots of people see what’s happening as bad. In fact, I think they really do believe it’s good. My logical brain just cannot square that circle. If [what’s happening right now] is good, then are the ideals set out by our forefathers…bad? Both of these ideas can’t be good or bad at the same time. They oppose each other. Am I the only one feeling this?
It’s maddening.
My naive hope is that the next 9 months are be focused on fixing it, not celebrating it. But it won’t be.
And I’m really struggling with that.
Body camera video captured the moment that Baltimore County police confronted a high school student after an A.I. gun detection system mistakenly determined that a student had a weapon.
County leaders are now calling for a review of that system.
During the footage from Monday’s incident, officers are seen approaching the student at Kenwood High School, searching him, and then stunned when they themselves realize what A.I. flagged as a gun was just a bag of Doritos chips.
A.I. is definitely ready for prime time! Yep!
JPMorgan will let chatbots write employee reviews
Jesus Christ…what are we doing? 🤦🏻♂️
A good question…
Did I miss something? Wasn’t the entire point of the DOGE failed experiment to save money and not spend it “recklessly”?
Why exactly are we spending money to build a fucking ballroom where the East Wing used to be? Oh, it’s private donations, you say. I understand. So it’s not taxpayer money. Got it.
And who are these private companies again? Apple, Microsoft, Google, Meta, defense contractors, crypto companies, agro companies. I’m sure these are all just private donations because they care about a ballroom.
Right?! Right?!
Can’t imagine there was any other place in the government where these companies could so generaously donate their money to help actual people. Healthcare certainly doesn’t need it. It truly is great right now. No need to support that.
Trump backs off SF federal deployment after Huang, Benioff calls
President Donald Trump said in a post on Thursday that the federal government was preparing to “surge” San Francisco, but he was swayed by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and others to hold off on the deployment.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he also spoke with Democratic Mayor Daniel Lurie, who “was making substantial progress” on crime.
“Great people like Jensen Huang, Marc Benioff, and others have called saying that the future of San Francisco is great,” Trump wrote.
The reversal marks a major political win for the city of San Francisco and Lurie, who is in his first term.
Yep, this is how things are supposed to be done. Billionaires deciding when or if the National Guard should be deployed to a given city.
Yep. Checks out.
Trump Pardons Convicted Binance Founder - WSJ
Since Trump’s election, Binance has also been a key supporter of his family’s World Liberty Financial crypto venture, a business that has driven a huge leap in the president’s personal wealth.
Making Trump wealthy again!
Wait, sorry, that was supposed to read “Making America Great Again!” We regret the error.
Trump wants $230 million from DOJ for investigations
President Donald Trump wants the Department of Justice to pay him $230 million in compensation for criminal investigations.
You will never convince me he’s not simply a grifter.
My baby girl turned 21 yesterday. That doesn’t seem real.
Went to the last Atlanta United game this year to say goodbye to Guz on Saturday.
It didn’t end well, as we drew against DC United. Turns out it was the perfect encapsulation of the entire season.
But hey, we didn’t end up dead last. Just 2nd to last. Small wins 🤣
If you weren’t convinced this administration is not a blank check for bigots and white victimization, please give this a listen:
Sorry Dodgers, but I think it would be beneficial to all (of humanity) if the Blue Jays won the World Series this year. Just as a big “Fuck you!” to Trump.
Imagine 20 years ago the idea of “promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion” as a BAD thing?!
Saw this on Mastodon this morning from JA Westenberg:
The discourse cycle:
Day 1: Interesting study published Day 2: Journalists misinterpret it Day 3: Twitter dunks on journalists Day 4: Someone reads the actual paper Day 5: Paper is flawed actually Day 6: Everyone was wrong Day 7: No one learned anything
Repeat forever.
I see no lie.
No notes.
Hot take from Scott Galloway on this week’s Pivot podcast: AI is enabling Trump and the fascist takeover of America.
An entire PhD study could be conducted on what thought process goes into how people sit in conference meetings and sessions. It’s fascinating, and I have to think there’s some pattern or reasoning (however weird) behind it.