I Like Big Botts and I Cannot Lie |
What's better than a väst bott, you ask? A väster bott, as Sir Mix-A-Lot might have said in his 1992 song "Baby Got Back," rightly causing great controversy for his shameless objectification of people's behinds. Meanwhile in 1872, Eleonora Lindstrom of Sweden accidentally discovered the recipe for Västerbottensost when she left milk to curdle longer than needed to make the cheese she'd intended. The cheese is produced only by the Norrmejerier Swedish dairy company at their Burträsk farm. The Swedes salute Västerbottensost as the "emperor of cheeses," just as they salute this newsletter as the emperor of ëmaïls. Swedes often enjoy Västerbottensost at August crayfish parties, and as part of smörgåsbords, which are furniture from Ikea. It is also a must ingredient in the highly popular Västerbotten cheese pie, a.k.a. Västerbottenpaj. The 100% accurate translation of that is: "Biggest butt cheese pie." I promise. Vogue Scandinavia has a nice recipe cooked by model Elsa Hosk whom none of us would ever want to öbjectify, ever. Anyway. Today's cheddlines you need2know are all about other enormous things of major significance. Västerbottensost! —Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor P.S. Nvidia has unveiled its smallest ever AI supercomputer on our 'gram. |
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"When the path is uncertain, you go a little slower. It's not unlike driving on a foggy night or walking into a dark room full of furniture. You just slow down." — Jay Powell |
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1. Scotus to Hear Arguments About TikTok Ban |
The Supreme Court has announced that it will hear arguments over the federal law that might lead to a ban on TikTok should its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, fail to sell it.
The legislation in question was enacted in April and sets a clear deadline – January 19, 2025 – for the divestiture of TikTok. Failing this, the platform, which boasts over 170 million users in the U.S., faces the real possibility of being banned.
At the heart of the impending legal confrontation is whether the law unfairly infringes upon First Amendment rights by restricting speech. The arguments, slated for January 10, come ahead of the looming deadline, with TikTok's lawyers predictably urging swift judicial intervention.
TikTok has expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will rule in their favor, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the law on December 6, finding that national security concerns outweighed the First Amendment argument, so it might be that TikTok's confidence in SCOTUS is misplaced.
Meanwhile, Americans' confidence in their nation's judicial system and courts dropped to a record low 35% in 2024, according to a recent Gallup poll. That's the sharpest decline on record, ever, and I can't imagine the reason for it. Read More |
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2. What's the Most Downloaded App in 2024? |
Temu. It's Temu. For the second year in a row. You can skip to the next story now if your curiosity is sated. So says Apple. Which is great if you like to buy kids' toys containing lead, according to the consumer protection agency.
Then it's: Threads, TikTok, ChatGPT, Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Capcut (a video editor), Youtube, Gmail, Google Maps, Shein (another online store where you can also buy products containing lead!), Facebook, Telegram Messenger, Snapchat, Cash App, Spotify, Max, McDonald's (probably because of the McRib), and Amazon Shopping.
In 2023, 337 million people downloaded Temu worldwide and it has more than 80 million users in the U.S., with gross revenue of $15 billion last year. Amazon, meanwhile, made $574 billion last year, so fewer people might have the app, but Bezos ain't quaking in his Skechers. Amazon, too, has faced consumer protection lawsuits over lead levels in its products, it should be noted. But Amazon is American. So.
Temu's model of selling trinkets direct from China without warehouses in the U.S. means it can cut prices, although a congressional commission has also reported concerns about data risks, trade loopholes, and (heaven forfend!) forced labor. Amazon, meanwhile, has also been accused of links to that if you have a quick Google. But this was a story about most-downloaded apps, wasn't it? You're no fun any more. Honestly. Read More |
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| Nvidia packs big AI power into a small, affordable package with the Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit, priced at just $249.
This upgrade offers a performance boost for AI and robotics projects, with the same hardware as the original Orin Nano but enhanced by a new JetPack update.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang showcased the new kit in a YouTube video. |
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3. Honda and Nissan Discussing Possible Merger |
I drove a Nissan Altima 320 miles to Virginia recently for an impressive $26 in gas. So, I'm pleased to hear that Nissan and Honda, Japan's second- and third-largest automakers respectively, are contemplating a union that could redefine the landscape of the car industry in their home country and beyond.
It would transform the world's 8th and 9th largest automakers into the third largest in the world behind the Toyota Group, which sold 11.23 million vehicles last year, and the Volkswagen Group of Germany, which sold 9.23 million vehicles.
The automotive landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by new, technologically advanced, and highly competitive entrants from China. With state-backed Chinese EV manufacturers like BYD expanding aggressively into Europe and Southeast Asia, traditional auto giants in Japan, the U.S., and Europe find themselves at a crossroads. Do they embrace robotechnology or shrink into micro machines?
Nissan's share price rose 24% on the news, and Honda's fell 3%, which tells you the Honda family think their daughter could do better than to marry this schlub. More important, what would this motley new assemblage call itself? Nonda? Hissan? Hizzoner? I've got it: Voltron. Read More |
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4. Wall Street Slumps After the Federal Reserve Hints at Just Two Rate Cuts Next Year |
U.S. stocks slumped Wednesday after the Federal Reserve hinted it may deliver fewer shots of adrenaline to the economy next year than it had earlier thought. The S&P 500 fell 1.3% toward its worst loss in a month and pulled further from its all-time high set earlier this month.
The Fed said it was cutting its main interest rate for a third time this year, continuing the sharp turnaround begun in September when it started lowering rates from a two-decade high to support the job market. That cut, though, was widely expected. The bigger question centers on how much more the Fed plans to cut next year. A lot is riding on it, particularly after expectations for a series of cuts in 2025 helped the U.S. stock market hit new record highs at least 57 times in 2024.
Fed officials released projections on Wednesday showing the median expectation among them is for two more cuts to interest rates in 2025. That's down from the four expected just three months ago. While lower rates can offer a boost to the economy by making it cheaper to borrow and boosting prices for investments, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Which Americans apparently do not like.
Powell said some Fed officials, but not all, are also trying to incorporate "uncertainties" inherent in a new administration coming into the White House next year. Worries are rising along Wall Street that President-elect Donald Trump's preference for tariffs and other policies could further spur inflation, along with economic growth.
"When the path is uncertain, you go a little slower," Powell said, revving up his metaphor phaser to "stun." It's "not unlike driving on a foggy night or walking into a dark room full of furniture. You just slow down," he said.
He said: "It's not unlike walking into a dark room full of furniture." About 2025. At least it's still two weeks away. Read More |
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5. Frontier Launches 'GoWild!' Unlimited Pass for $299 |
Good news for those of us wishing to do what the good people at Alcoholics Anonymous call "a geographical." That's when you go somewhere else hoping to leave your problems behind, but find they catch up to you. I have considerable experience doing these and they always, always never work. I guarantee it.
Anyway. Frontier, the Denver-based airline just rolled out an "all you can fly" GoWild! Pass, offering unlimited flights to a variety of destinations, both within the United States and elsewhere. Virgin Voyages also recently announced an annual pass offering unlimited cruises, offering yet more ways to run away from your stuff.
My favorite thing about Frontier Airlines used to be that the CEO's name is Barry L. Biffle. Now my fave is the GoWild! pass. Tough break, Biffle!
Priced at an introductory rate of $299 per year, the pass allows for unlimited flights to an array of destinations served by Frontier. Passholders can book their flights directly through FlyFrontier.com, with domestic bookings open the day before flight departure. For international journeys, bookings can start from 10 days before the departure date.
And…there's the rub. What if you need to go somewhere and there aren't any Frontier flights available when you try to book the day before? I guess you could just go the day after that? My sense is your problems will still be around by then, and if not, well, congratulations. You saved yourself a trip. It's too bad Frontier doesn't fly to Sweden because I could use a slice of Västerbottenpaj right this very second to numb the existential pain. Don't worry—it's AA-approved. Read More |
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