1/. Why the Democrats lost - a very good and pretty persuasive assertion the Harris campaign was completely unfocused
For most of Election Day 2024, the mood was upbeat inside the windowless Philadelphia hotel ballroom where Team Kamala Harrishad set up its Pennsylvania command center. Early-morning turnout was exceeding expectations, especially in Luzerne and other parts of the state with large Puerto Rican populations — a sign many in the room were eager to attribute to the Donald Trump campaign’s decision to host a comedian who denigrated the U.S. territory at a high-profile rally days before the election.
The NFL needs no help reaching maximum market penetration, particularly as, next week, we enter an uncertain and potentially terrifying new world in which one suspects a large swath of the populace is going to be particularly eager to dive face-first into whatever available distraction is within reach. But as the league heads into its divisional playoff round next weekend, it is worth noting this: There are almost no unlikable teams remaining.
Nine out of ten of last year’s biggest grossing movies were sequels. And the tenth was “Wicked.” But the mainstream press is caught up in Oscar fever. Why?
The vaunted Golden Globes didn’t even get 10 million viewers. But it dominated coverage in the same mainstream press. As for why I even bothered to write about Nikki Glaser… If you were reading the mainstream press there was a one month run-up, tons of stories orchestrated by publicists building up to this pebble falling into the lake.
There are 340 million people in America. And most don’t bother to go to the movies. Not that they’re not consumed by entertainment. It’s just that feature films are a construct of the past, of the last century. Kind of like writing the Great American Novel. That went out with the fifties, maybe the sixties… Thank god no one writes about that anymore. Although there are still novels, purveyed by an antique business run by English majors with some of the worst marketing of all time. Which is why James Patterson came along and dominated the business, he knows how to SELL! https://lefsetz.com/wordpress/
• The 2024 Shkreli Awards highlighted the 10 most egregious examples of healthcare profiteering and dysfunction, including unethical practices by hospitals, insurers, and pharmaceutical companies.
• The top spot went to Steward Health Care CEO Ralph de la Torre for prioritizing private equity profits over patient care, leading to hospital closures, layoffs, and reduced healthcare access.
• UnitedHealth, the nation’s fourth-largest business, ranked second for pressuring doctors to minimize time with patients and maximize federal reimbursements through aggressive coding tactics. https://www.nationofchange.
Our priors instantly color our moral judgment, and even our sense of the seriousness of the offense. And the temptation simply to deny what seems to be in front of our nose can be overwhelming. https://andrewsullivan.
One thing you can be sure of is the boys of summer will return. Human beings are incredibly resilient.
As for Pacific Palisades?
That’s another matter.
So it’s akin to lockdown, but instead of arguments over vaccines, it’s over California. Was the dreaded left coast bastion of liberal excess asleep at the wheel, or was this an act of God, or maybe more accurately man, as in climate change.
That was my first reaction, that’s what my instincts tell me, but it doesn’t matter, America doesn’t have the political will to address the problem head-on. Either it doesn’t exist, or like a teenager the finger is pointed at other countries not doing their part. Ain’t that America, all people can do is complain and nothing gets done. Best to demonize someone rather than look at the root causes of the problem and try to fix it. https://lefsetz.com/
Visions of champagne and lie-flat seats danced in my head when Azores Airlines accepted my 500-euro bid to upgrade my husband and me to business class during our kid-free vacation this past August.
But the reality was far less cushy: Our seats reclined only a few inches more than regular coach seats. There was no screen for TV or movies. We ate exactly the same meal they served at the back of the plane. And that bubbly? A bust.
There are more of us cabin climbers than ever, and many of us make the same rookie mistake I did, said Anthony Berklich, the founder of the luxury New York-based travel agency Inspired Citizen. Access to first and business class, once almost exclusively reserved for big spenders or as a perk for frequent fliers, is now open to a growing number of travelers willing to bid for an upgrade, spend loyalty points or shell out extra cash.
Out with the old; in with the new. True, we don’t yet know what the best TV shows of 2025 will be. Heck, we only just named the best TV shows of 2024. Yet next year’s slate seems to have an awful lot to which we can look forward, including buzzy, long-awaited new seasons of old favorites like The White Lotus,Severance, Yellowjackets
Ripped-from-the-headlines docudramas? Check. Big movie stars making a play for streaming eyeballs? Check. Carrie Coon relentlessly climbing the social ladder, with no care for whomever she steps over on her way to the top? Check, check, and check. Come, let’s look forward to the most anticipated TV series of 2025—in a year that’s sure to be weird at best and awful at worst, at least there will be plenty of worthy things to watch beyond the show to which numerous Americans desperately did not want a sequel
Several of the best movies of 2025 may still be complete unknowns. They could be titles that will be acquired at Sundance, Cannes, and Venice—or under-the-radar gems that will derive their power from unpredictable word of mouth. But several of the biggest movies of the year will definitely be found on this list, which focuses on studio films either dated for 2025 or scheduled to appear at some yet-to-be-disclosed point in the next 12 months. https://www.vanityfair.com/
He assures us he is goneWilliam Ziegler escaped this mortal realm on Friday, July 29, 2016 at the age of 69.We think he did it on purpose to avoid having to make a decision in the pending presidential election.He leaves behind four children, five grandchildren, and the potted meat industry, for which he was an unofficial spokesman until dietary restrictions forced him to eat real food.William volunteered for service in the United States Navy at the ripe old age of 17 and immediately realized he didn’t much enjoy being bossed around. He only stuck it out for one war.Before his discharge, however, the government exchanged numerous ribbons and medals for various honorable acts.Upon his return to the City of New Orleans in 1971, thinking it best to keep an eye on him, government officials hired William as a fireman.After twenty-five years, he suddenly realized that running away from burning buildings made more sense than running toward them. He promptly retired.Looking back, William stated that there was no better group of morons and mental patients than those he had the privilege of serving with (except Bob, he never liked you, Bob).Following his wishes, there will not be a service, but wellwishers are encouraged to write a note of farewell on a Schaefer Light beer can and drink it in his honor.He was never one for sentiment or religiosity, but he wanted you to know that if he owes you a beer, and if you can find him in Heaven, he will gladly allow you to buy him another.He can likely be found forwarding tasteless internet jokes (check your spam folder, but don’t open these at work). Expect to find an alcoholic dog named Judge passed out at his feet. Unlike previous times, this is not a ploy to avoid creditors or old girlfriends. He assures us that he is gone. He will be greatly missed.
A wise person once said
1. We all love to spend money buying new clothes but we never realize
that the best moments in life are enjoyed without clothes.
2. Having a cold drink on hot day with a few friends is nice, but
having a hot friend on a cold night after a few drinks - PRICELESS.
3. Breaking News: Condoms don't guarantee safe sex anymore. A friend
of mine was wearing one when he was shot dead by the woman's husband.
4. Arguing over a girl's bust size is like choosing between Molson,
Heineken, Carlsberg, & Budweiser. Men may state their preferences,
but will grab whatever is available.
AND...
5. I haven't verified this on Snopes, but it sounds legit --- A recent
study found that women who carry a little extra weight live longer
than the men who mention it.
