Government databases are top targets for cybercriminals and also former DOGE bros, especially those who got their grubby hands on Social Security data.
“Young people have grown increasingly skeptical of artificial intelligence, even those who use it daily”.
“The Chilling Role of ChatGPT in Mass Shootings and Other Violence”.
“A new poll shows that Americans simply do not like first lady Melania Trump. In fact, she has netted some of the lowest approval ratings for a first lady in U.S. history.”
Just a reminder that radio stations still exist and can be streamed for free online, if you’re looking for alternatives to algorithmic music.
RIP, Asha Bhosle, actor and singer who gave voice to hundreds of movie characters as a Bollywood playback singer.
RIP, Phil Garner, three-time All Star infielder who won a World Series with the 1979 Pirates and managed the Astros to their first World Series in 2005.
“The Pitt is not a mystery box show.” And please leave Isa Briones alone. Thanks.
Hey, got your Trump phone yet? No? I’m sure it’ll be any day now.
RIP, Sid Krofft, puppeteer and TV producer who along with his brother Marty created numerous iconic kids’ shows including HR Pufnstuf, Land of the Lost, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and more. Mark Evanier, who was a fan of and worked with the Krofft brothers, has a long remembrance of the man.
RIP, Valerie Lee, former child actor who appeared in Our Gang comedy shorts and as one of the child Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz.
RIP, Arthur Schechter, Houston attorney, philanthropist, Democratic activist, former Ambassador to the Bahamas.
The Cremily story, about a fancy frozen yogurt company that was actually a huge scam, is wild and more than a little tragic.
“I don’t think there’s any line right now between policy decisions and political calculations and the interest of the Trump family“.
“When you add it all up, the collapse in immigration looks like this: a decline of roughly 50K for illegal (even including the people arrested and not released) and a decline of about 132K for legal. Over 70% of the cut in immigration has come from LEGAL immigration.”
“The Winners and Losers of Viktor Orbán’s Election Loss in Hungary”. (Spoiler alert: Trump, Putin, and Vance were all losers.)
“Used electric vehicle sales saw a 12% increase in the first three months of the year”.
“For years, comics have taken shots at Comics Unleashed—even as many of them have appeared on it. The disconnect is part of the show’s odd reputation within the comedy world: it gives stand-ups one of their most consistent platforms on television—yet it’s widely viewed by those same comedians as creatively stifling and, in the long run, exploitative.”
“The 2023 WGA contract promised bonuses to writers on hit movies and shows. Fewer than 30 Netflix titles qualified in 2025.”
“All four clusters are exploiting the same structural weakness: the modern Western enterprise no longer has a defensible perimeter, only a long chain of vendor and developer trust relationships, any of which can be turned against the host. Iran is using that chain to break things. ShinyHunters is using it to extort money. North Korea is using it to seed implants into the world’s developer machines. Russia is using it to read European inboxes. The chain is the same. Only the payloads differ.”
“DoorDash Granny Didn’t Get $11,000 Tax Refund, Is Frequent Flier Republican Prop”.
“Rachel Robinson, with a story all her own, deserves a celebration, too”.
“Industry sources have told The Athletic that the Public Investment Fund, the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund that financed the upstart league, is preparing to pull its multibillion-dollar investment in LIV Golf.”
“The organizer of SantaCon, an annual bar crawl where attendees dress up as Santa Claus, was arrested and charged with stealing more than $1 million intended for charity.” Ho ho ho.
RIP, Robert Cluck, former Mayor of Arlington, who led the effort to move the Cowboys from Texas Stadium in Irving to the newly built AT&T Stadium in 2009.
I had never heard of Zack Clayton before, but what a remarkable athletic career he had.
RIP, Barbara Gordon, Emmy Award-winning TV producer, documentary filmmaker, author of the memoir I’m Dancing As Fast As I Can.
RIP, Garret Anderson, former outfielder for the LA Angels who won the World Series with them in 2002.
“America’s Next Moon Mission Depends on Elon Musk, for Better or Worse”. Yeah, definitely for worse.
RIP, Oscar Schmidt, Brazilian basketball legend, member of three basketball Halls of Fame, all-time leading scorer in Olympic and FIBA tournament history. Do yourself a favor and listen to Pablo Torre’s interview with him from 2024, just before LeBron James eclipsed his record for most points scored in all of organized basketball.