Heads up: We're about to test a new email design, so don't be alarmed if things look a little different soon. Don't worry; this doesn't mean fewer stories or less of Matt's writing...even the eyeroll-inducing puns — Ed. |
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1. Trump Blames DEI for Plane Crash |
Sixty-seven people died at 9 p.m. Wednesday night when an American Eagle regional jetliner collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., on the Potomac River. President Trump confirmed that no one survived. The jet had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and the helicopter was from B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, on a training flight.
As of the latest report, recovery operations yielded 27 bodies from the plane and one from the helicopter. Among the victims were top figure skaters from Russia and the U.S., and members of a Maryland-based labor union. Dive teams have located what is believed to be one of the plane's black boxes, and the helicopter appears mostly intact but is upside down. Debris and human remains have been found scattered on the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
President Trump baselessly blamed the crash on DEI initiatives under former President Joe Biden at a press conference, following a moment of silence for the victims. The crash is under investigation, with the Pentagon and various politicians responding with condolences and a promise of support. This is the first major U.S. commercial airplane crash in nearly 16 years.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom appeared in a video on the company's website Thursday morning expressing "our deep sorrow" about the events. But as comedian Desus Nice fairly Tweeted in response, "Dog if I die in one of your planes you gotta put a tie on, don't mourn me in performance fleece". Read More |
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2. Trump Blames DEI for Inflation |
President Donald Trump criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve after they decided not to cut interest rates on Wednesday. Despite Trump's appointment of Powell in 2018, their relationship soured with Trump questioning the Fed's independence, saying the president should have input on interest rate decisions. As a 2024 presidential candidate, Trump said he wouldn't reappoint Powell after his term ends in 2026.
"If the Fed had spent less time on DEI, gender ideology, 'green' energy, and fake climate change, Inflation would never have been a problem," Trump wrote on Truth Social after rates stayed the same. "Instead, we suffered from the worst Inflation in the History of our Country!"
I love it when he Does that Random Caps thing. Don't You? Read More |
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3. Trump Blames Media For Confusion He Started |
The White House has rescinded an Office of Management and Budget memo, which had initially authorized a halt on hundreds of billions of dollars in grants and loans, leading to widespread panic among government aid beneficiaries.
The reversal was announced after a judge temporarily blocked the order, which had been issued on President Donald Trump's directive. Despite the memo's rescission, the White House clarified through Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that this does not indicate a reversal of the ongoing federal funding freeze but rather aims to avoid confusion following the court's intervention. The freeze itself remains in effect and is still meant to be rigorously implemented as per the President's executive orders.
If the effort was to avoid confusion, it appears to have been counterproductive.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said Wednesday that the media had "purposefully" created confusion over whether the freeze would affect Social Security and Medicare. He characterized the pause as a "short-term freeze on certain discretionary spending payments…for us to quickly look at the scams, dishonesty, waste and abuse that's taken place in our government for too long." "The American people strongly support these efforts," Trump said. "We are fighting to get the most out of every single tax dollar for our great citizens." Read More |
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4. Got2Go? Meet the Bathroom Influencer |
True story: In 2022 I pooped myself in the West Village outside the Stumptown Coffee on West 8th Street. I'd had one too many espressos, and the Portland-based coffee shop had closed their restrooms, probably because they're always being used by homeless people. But the thing is, I really could have used them being open that afternoon.
The overwhelming thought I had as I was filling my pants with 💩 was, "well, I guess this is happening." Also, "New York is not a forgiving place to experience the urgent need to do this." I also thought how I couldn't wait to tell half a million people about this happening to me on the Internet. It's a miracle I waited two and a half years! Teddy Siegel, the creator behind the popular TikTok account Got2GoNYC, has amassed a huge following by helping New Yorkers and tourists find public restrooms in the city.
Siegel's journey began with a personal experience a little less harrowing than my own: "I almost had an accident...I was out shopping with my sister when I realized a little too late that I had to go, and I had absolutely no idea where to go, what to do," she said.
After being turned away from multiple establishments, she ended up buying a bottle of water at McDonald's just to use their restroom. Frustrated by the experience, she posted a video on TikTok about the lack of public restrooms, and it quickly went viral.
Siegel attributes her rapid success to TikTok's algorithm: "I went straight to TikTok, and I think that's the thing that like TikTok is so unique in that anyone can blow up," she said. "I posted that one video with zero followers, and overnight it got like 10,000 views and I don't think that would have been possible on any other platform."
Siegel's platform has grown beyond just providing information. She has worked with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine to introduce and pass bathroom bills, and she has created a Google Maps list with over 2,000 bathrooms around New York City. "I've now done a lot of work with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, and I've helped with the introducing and passing of bathroom bills and actually changing New York City policy to have more and accessible public restrooms around New York City," she said.
Siegel expressed concerns about the potential ban of TikTok. "I'm just really worried for the 7 million businesses that are also on TikTok...I honestly don't know if I would have been able to do any of this if TikTok didn't exist," she said. While she has diversified her presence on other platforms, she acknowledges the financial impact of losing TikTok's creator fund, which has allowed her to "pay my rent some months just posting on TikTok."
Siegel also weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding Starbucks' decision to require purchases for bathroom use. "I think people are extremely upset, rightfully so, over this," she said. "I think it's really dangerous to reverse this policy and allow the people who are working that day to be the gatekeepers and deciding who is going to be able to use the bathroom for free."
I just wish she'd done this, say, three and a half years ago. Read More |
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5. T-Mobile Expands Starlink Beta to iPhones |
Remember that movie where the guy had to cut his arm off because he got it stuck in a rock and didn't have cellphone reception? Well, I guess that movie is going to be a thing of the past soon.
That's because T-Mobile is broadening its Starlink beta program to include iPhone users, a move that follows initial access for select Samsung Galaxy device owners. The expansion comes in the wake of Apple's iOS 18.3 update, which integrates Starlink support without any official announcement from Apple.
Despite the update, only a subset of iPhone customers is currently invited to join the beta. Eligible participants will be notified via text, prompting them to update their device to iOS 18.3 to start using the service. Compatible devices for the beta include the latest Samsung Galaxy models and any iPhone capable of running iOS 18.3.
Interested customers can attempt to join the T-Mobile Starlink beta by registering on T-Mobile's official Starlink page. Although space in the beta is limited, T-Mobile plans to offer more spots soon.
This isn't the first instance of iPhones having satellite connectivity. Since 2022 with the iPhone 14, Apple has provided "Emergency SOS via satellite." With iOS 18, this service expanded to allow messaging anyone, not just emergency services. If enrolled in the T-Mobile beta, iPhones will prioritize SpaceX satellites but can manually switch to Apple's original service, provided in collaboration with Globalstar Inc. Unlike Apple's feature requiring users to aim their phones at a satellite manually, Starlink connectivity is designed to be automatic.
Meanwhile, if you're off on a hiking trip, make sure you have the latest version of iOS installed? Read More |
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