Best box office since 2019 as Gen Z saves the cinema!

Out of the options I posted yesterday, I chose "the Sunday entertainment feature early" thanks to CNBC uploading How The U.S. Box Office Made Its Comeback this morning.

Americans are back at the movies. Summer blockbusters like Michael, The Devil Wears Prada 2, Obsession, and Backrooms have all contributed to the best first half of the year since 2019. CNBC’s Sarah Whitten breaks down the data.

Unlike drum corps, where returning to business as usual once the pandemic was almost over is the problem, Hollywood in general and movies in particular see it as the solution. Americans want their entertainment, and will do just about anything to keep it going. Hollywood is happy we are and is doing its part.

CNBC missed one element that contributed to the story, which CBS19 in Tyler, Texas featured in Movie theaters see major comeback as Gen Z audiences return to the box office.

Movie theaters are enjoying a post-pandemic resurgence, with Gen Z driving ticket sales and helping fuel one of Hollywood's strongest summer seasons in years.

This story looks familiar.

After all the "Millennials are killing" some institution, cultural activity, food or other product I've been reading since before the pandemic, I shouldn't be surprised that news media and popular culture would discover a contrasting feature about Gen Z to report. Gen Z reversing the trend by saving malls certainly fits.

So does Gen Z saving movie theaters. While I'm planning to retire this year, it's not because of my students. I like them and think they're good people (I'm tempted to write kids, but they're adults and deserve to be treated as such).

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for Paul Bunyan Day.

A joyous Juneteenth from Michigan!

A joyous Juneteenth to all! This year's theme is Juneteenth in Michigan and I begin with Click on Detroit/Local 4/WDIV reporting Juneteenth 2026 in Metro Detroit — what to know.

From parades and block parties to artist markets and talks, there are plenty of ways to commemorate Juneteenth across Metro Detroit this week.

Sounds like a lot of fun! WXYZ has more in Juneteenth celebration scheduled at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park on Fri[d]ay.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is celebrating Juneteenth with an event at Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.

This entry has now earned the poem label.

Detroit isn't having all the fun in the Great Lakes State. WNEM TV5 in Saginaw, Flint, Midland and Bay City reported Juneteenth plans in Flint for 54th year.

Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said Flint was the first city in Michigan to officially recognize Juneteenth in 2020, a year before the federal government.

I didn't know that about Flint, so I learned something new. That makes today a good day.

I close by crossing the state with WOOD-TV reporting Juneteenth Solidarity Parade and Celebration happening in Grand Rapids.

Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in 2021. (June 19, 2026)

That's a wrap for today's celebration of the newest federal holiday. Stay tuned for more, American Eagle Day, National Seashell Day, the Summer Solstice, World Giraffe Day 2025, Father's Day, World Rainforest Day, Detroit-style Pizza Day, and the first of two World UFO Days. I love holidays!

Detroit's population increases for third consecutive year

I promised a follow-up to Detroit's population increases for first time since 1957 three times, so watch Click on Detroit/Local 4/WDIV report New census data shows Detroit population grows for third consecutive year.

Detroit’s population continues to climb, according to new estimates released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau, marking the city’s third consecutive year of growth.

Good news! In fact, such good news that I'm recycling what I wrote two years ago: "This is such good news that it's enough to make me repost Professor Farnsworth."


I'm also repeating what I wrote in Across the Globe explains 'How Detroit Went From Good to Bad to Good Again': "Detroit moved up from 29th last year to 26th in U.S. cities by population this year, passing Memphis, Louisville, and Portland. Things are looking up for the Motor City!" Detroit has maintained its position and is catching up to Boston. Should I still be blogging when that happens, I'll be sure to celebrate that event.

By the way, Detroit isn't the only Midwestern city with good population news. FOX 32 Chicago reported Chicago population up for third year in a row, new Census data shows | ChicagoNOW.

New U.S. Census estimates show Chicago’s population increased for the third year in a row, while fast-growing suburbs like Plainfield and Lockport continue to expand. Chicago Tribune reporter Robert McCoppin breaks down what the latest numbers reveal about where people are moving across Chicagoland.

McCoppin listed affordability, taxes, and crime as issues in Chicago. Those same issues apply to Detroit, and Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield specifically mentioned affordability as a reason people were moving into Detroit. Detroit is also actively engaging in programs to make home ownership more appealing and sustainable; I didn't hear McCoppin or the ChicagoNOW hosts mentioning the City of Chicago doing such things. The Motor City's population loss was a crisis; Chicago's was merely a concern.

McCoppin and the ChicagoNOW hosts also mentioned Illinois' population decline as people left for warmer climates and lower taxes (Florida and Texas have each gained about 2 million people in the past five years, while Illinois lost about 100,000). That's no longer an issue for Michigan; the Great Lakes State's population has actually gone up since 2020. Again, good news.

That's a wrap for today's positive post. Stay tuned for the Sunday entertainment feature.

Netflix buys Warner Brothers

The number one story for this week's Sunday entertainment feature is Netflix announces deal to buy Warner Bros. and HBO. Take it away, CNN!

Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros. and HBO, which includes the legendary TV and movie studio and assets like the HBO Max streaming service, for $72 billion, plus debt. The deal could reshape Hollywood, but first faces a tough regulatory review process around the world. CNN’s Brian Stelter reports.

Surprise! The attempted Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger didn't and probably will not happen. That means that John Oliver, who did not want to work for Paramount and the Ellisons, avoided that possibility, at least for now. CNN also escaped that fate so far, because they're not part of the deal. Netflix does not want to get into the cable TV business, so CNN and the rest of the Warner Brothers-Discovery channels, other than HBO, which Netflix is buying, remain together to be spun off as a separate entity, Discovery Global. That at least postpones what I was worried about in September: "CBS News and CNN merging would likely result in a more conservative news outlet, which would make Donald 'Hoover Cleveland' Trump get out of the deal's way." He and Pam Bondi's Department of Justice might not be so accommodating with a Netflix-Warner Brothers merger.

There are others who are opposing the deal, as PBS NewsHour explains in What Netflix's deal to buy Warner Bros. means for one of Hollywood's oldest studios.

Netflix has struck a nearly $83 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max, beating out Paramount and Comcast after a bidding war. If finalized, it would unite the world’s largest streamer with one of Hollywood’s oldest studios. The move raises questions about the future of theatrical releases and concerns about market concentration. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Matthew Belloni of Puck.

While this deal is good for Netflix and Warner Brothers-Discovery's management and shareholders, it may not be good for theater owners, actors, and writers, who stand to lose money or at least have smaller paychecks. It may not be great for directors, either, although more artistically than financially; they want their movies shown on the big screen and think streaming them at home diminishes them, literally.

Netflix is playing this deal up as good for consumers. In terms of variety of content and convenience, it probably will be. However, it will probably make subscriptions go up, although viewers like my wife and me, who subscribe to multiple streaming services, might ultimately save money as we will subscribe to one service instead of two. Just the same, the commenters on CNN's video are already grousing about their Netflix subscriptions going up to pay for this deal.

I'm sure I'll have more to write about this deal and the legal hoops it will have to jump through over the next year and more. In the meantime, stay tuned for another evergreen educational entry tomorrow.

Giving Tuesday in Michigan 2025

Happy Giving Tuesday! Like last year, I'm concentrating on Michigan, beginning with WDIV/Click on Detroit/Local 4 explaining How to ensure donations go to the right place on Giving Tuesday.

Ahead of Giving Tuesday, Nakia Mills from the Better Business Bureau advises donors to verify charities before donating to ensure their money is used as intended. The BBB recommends checking the accreditation and financial practices of charities on their website as a precautionary measure.

Good advice, the kind I would given about security if I had celebrated Cyber Monday yesterday instead of World AIDS Day.

WDIV suggested a charitible cause in Donate to THAW this Giving Tuesday to support Michigan families with utility bills.

On Giving Tuesday, donations will be collected for THAW, the Heat and Warmth Fund, to assist people in crisis with utility bills during winter. THAW offers more than just bill assistance, including energy-efficient home improvements as experienced by beneficiary Byron Spivey. Serving families with children, seniors, and veterans, THAW helped 11,000 homes with $10 million last year, with over 80% of donations going directly to services. The organization aims to enhance the long-term health and financial security of Michigan neighborhoods with additional support like home assessments and appliances.

Not only does THAW pay people's utility bills, it pays for energy conservation upgrades. I approve.

Moving to the other side of the state, WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids described The mental health benefits of giving.

Learn more about the mental health benefits of giving ahead of Giving Tuesday. (Dec. 1, 2025)

I used to be a director of a nonprofit. I can tell you that a physical quarter in a Salvation Army kettle will probably be a net benefit, but any online donation less than a dollar will likely cost the charity money in processing fees.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for comedy tomorrow.

For World AIDS Day, KPIX explains 'How HIV Research Helped Pave Way To Fight COVID-19 Pandemic'

After two years of examining the AIDS pandemic through biographies of more or less famous people infected with HIV, it's time to return to the science and serious purpose of World AIDS Day. I begin with KPIX/CBS News Bay Area from 2021 observing World AIDS Day: How HIV Research Helped Pave Way To Fight COVID-19 Pandemic.

As the world marks World AIDS Day, researchers note the four decades battling the disease have proven crucial in battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Kiet Do reports. (12/1/21)

I was expecting another take on CNBC explains how HIV research led to COVID-19 vaccines for World AIDS Day, a double pandemic update. Instead, I found out how experts applied public health lessons learned from the AIDS pandemic to COVID-19. That made the video worth watching. As a bonus, I probably have only one degree of separation from Dr. Sarah Ruddman and Dr. Marty Fenstersheib because the ex-girlfriend I most often mention here was working for the Santa Clara County Health Department last I checked, which was before the COVID-19 pandemic. They almost certainly know her and she would certainly know who they are. By the way, Dr. Fenstersheib's predictions about the disease persisting and people needing a booster shot for COVID-19 every year have proven to be true. We should listen to him.

CBS New York interviewed someone else worth listening to in World AIDS Day and the meaning behind the global movement.

Jennifer Lotito, President and Chief Operating Officer, (RED) joins CBS New York to discuss World AIDS Day, which is on December 1.

Lotito offered both facts and action, even if that action was shopping. People will be shopping today anyway, so they might as well do it for a good cause.

I close with NBC4 Columbus reporting Shades of Red event to be held on World AIDS Day.

Monday will mark the 37th World AIDS Day, which was started in 1988 by the World Health Organization to raise awareness and understanding of the global AIDS pandemic.

I relate to Lynn Kid. She said that it's important that she not allow a disease control her and that she's way more than HIV. I feel the same about diabetes. It may "be a central organizing fact of my life," but it's not everything about me.

That's a wrap for today's holiday. Stay tuned for Giving Tuesday.

Election results from New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Detroit add many firsts

I messed up when I wrote "I plan on re-examining ABC suspending Jimmy Kimmel" today. No, that's tomorrow. Today, I'm looking at election results, beginning with Morning Joe on MSNBC declaring 'As big as it gets': Joe on why it was a massive, massive night for Democrats.

Democrats swept key races on Tuesday night, gaining momentum against President Trump. Zohran Mamdani won the NYC mayoral race, while the party notched victories in Virginia and New Jersey governor's races. The Morning Joe panel discusses.

While I selected this video for the preview image, which made a great visual headline, I'm glad I selected it because the panel told a much bigger story of victories for Democrats, democracy, and diversity. In addition to Democratic wins in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia, which added the first female Governor and Muslim Attorney General in Virginia, first female Democratic Governor in New Jersey, and first Muslim Mayor of New York City, former U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill listed victories for Democrats, voting rights, and gun control in Maine and Georgia. Joe Scarborough added that the Pennsylvania voters retained three Democratic State Supreme Court Justices in Pennsylvania. It's not just blue states that voted for Democrats and against Hoover Cleveland and his policies. Speaking of pushing back, Mika mentioned Proposition 50 passing in California, which counteracted Texas's redistricting to gain more Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Fight fire with fire!

One of the notable results in New Jersey was the swing of Latino voters toward Democrats. That reminds me of what I wrote last year.

Latino support for Trump was even more pronounced in Michigan, where exit polling showed 62% of Michigan Latinos voting for Trump. That could be enough to swing the state to him...For Latinos, there is nothing I can do that Trump and his core supporters would do more effectively except be a positive example. Who knows, Trump might actually overcome his bigotry and cater to his new voters. We should be so lucky.

We, including Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump, the rest of the Republican Party, and Latinos themselves, were not that lucky. As Scarborough pointed out, Hoover Cleveland and Stephen Miller couldn't help themselves. This is still a democracy and the voters pushed back.

That was the national picture, what about the local one? For that, I turn to Click On Detroit | Local 4 | WDIV reporting History in Detroit: Voters elect first woman mayor with decisive victory.

Detroit made history Tuesday night by electing its first woman mayor, marking a significant milestone as the city continues its post-bankruptcy revival. The Associated Press called the race at 9:17 p.m., about an hour after polls closed. Mary Sheffield built on her primary success by securing more than 75% of the vote over Solomon Kinloch Jr. Sheffield addressed the city for the first time just minutes after the race was called, celebrating the victory and the opportunity to lead Detroit into its next chapter. But Detroit was not the only community making decisions Tuesday. More than a dozen other cities also voted on new mayors and important proposals that could shape their neighborhoods for years to come.

Congratulations, Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield! Add your victory to those of Mikey Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger to history-making wins by women!

WDIV's anchors mentioned other mayoral contests being decided last night. One that might take longer than the rest is the Hamtramck mayoral race: Why it’s too close to call, how a few rejected votes could change outcome.

The Hamtramck mayoral race remains undecided, with dozens of rejected ballots potentially impacting the outcome in what has become a razor-thin contest. Adam Alharbi currently leads Muhith Mahmood by just 11 votes with all five precincts reporting, but city officials say the final results could change as voters have an opportunity to correct rejected ballots.

File this story under every vote counts.

That's a wrap for today. Stay tuned for Vox and the Marsh Family on free speech tomorrow.

'Last Week Tonight' examines police chases

I haven't featured John Oliver here since 'Last Week Tonight' examines Presidential Libraries and makes an offer, so it's time to share the latest episode, Police Chases: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO).

John Oliver discusses the prevalence of police chases, why the risks involved can massively outweigh the benefits, and why everyone with a broken taillight needs to go get their laundry out of the dryer. Seriously, stop reading this and go get your clothes. They’ve been in there for days. We’re trying to help you.

Police chases were not a staple of local news in Los Angeles when I moved out of California 36 years ago. They are now. I'm not surprised that the screen captures of chase videos were from Los Angeles TV stations and the clip featuring the TMZ bus trying to stop a speeding driver was from L.A. At least I now know to blame O.J. Simpson. I was also relieved that Michigan police were not involved until the story from Warren, where the case against the police was dismissed — Michigan law and qualified immunity at work. Even when police were convicted, Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump pardoned them. The man seems to like police brutality.

I'm looking forward to the planned episode on police surveillance. The village where I live is getting traffic cameras, so I know they'll be watching. In the meantime, stay tuned for a closer look post tomorrow — comedy about the news because it hurts too much to cry.

'SNL' mocks the NYC Mayoral Debate in its cold open

Saturday Night Live returned after a week off with NYC Mayoral Debate Cold Open.

Zohran Mamdani (Ramy Youssef), Andrew Cuomo (Miles Teller) and Curtis Sliwa (Shane Gillis) debate against each other in the race to become New York City's next mayor.

That's an all-star cast of candidates and they plus the writers certainly captured the spirit of the contest. I don't agree with Sliwa on much, but he and I have the same bagel order, minus the garbage can. On the other hand, who do the writers think Sliwa is, a luckier Jimmy Hoffa? On the gripping hand, I watched parts of the actual debates and Mamdani impressed me as being most on top of the issues. That's something one would expect about Cuomo, but he's coasting on name recognition. Of course, it wouldn't be an SNL political skit without Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump crashing the party. At least it gave James Austin Johnson a chance to sing and add some Halloween content with his Phantom of the Opera impression on top of his Trump impression.

Hoover Cleveland returns as the subject of Weekend Update: Trump's Tone-Deaf Bathroom Remodel, S.N.A.P. Benefits.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like Trump rating his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping a "12 out of 10".

At least he provided more Halloween content, even if it showed, as Colin Jost said, evidence that he never trick-or-treated in his life. He also demonstrated how innumerate he is. No wonder his businesses filed for bankruptcy six times.

The news portion took a break for interviews with Weekend Update: Two People Who Just Hooked Up Discuss the Government Shutdown.

Two People Who Just Hooked Up (Andrew Dismukes, Ashley Padilla) stop by Weekend Update to discuss the government shutdown.

The comments are all about their chemistry and I agree. Too bad that won't work for the actual members of Congress. Speaking of whom, Bowen Yang returned as George Santos on the New York City Marathon.

George Santos (Bowen Yang) stops by Weekend Update to discuss the New York City Marathon and how prison changed him.

As I last wrote in A closer look at Suozzi winning Santos's former seat and Mayorkas impeachment, "George Santos — that's a name I was hoping never to write about again," but Hoover Cleveland commuted his sentence. That put him back in the news, making another prediction of mine continue to come true: "George Santos will be a great inspiration for comedy as long as he stays in the news."

The news portion of Weekend Update returned and concluded with Prince Andrew Loses Royal Titles, Special Olympics Slam Kid Rock for Using Slur.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like a study finding that childhood peanut allergies are on the decline due to early exposure to peanuts.

The items about Kid Rock and Wicked alone qualified this as the Sunday entertainment feature, but follow over the jump for the rest of last night's show plus the rest of SNL's Emmy Awards, which will cement that status.

NBC and CNBC report on likely Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger

I'm taking a break from Emmy Awards coverage for this week's Sunday entertainment feature to examine a business of entertainment story, a reported offer for Paramount to buy Warner Bros. Discovery. I begin with NBC News explaining What a Paramount merger with Warner Bros. Discovery could mean for television.

Paramount Skydance is preparing to make a bid for Warner Brothers Discovery. NBC News' Tom Llamas talks to media and sports reporter Alex Sherman about what this potential merger could mean for film and television.

This could have major effects on entertainment production and consumption, although the resulting company would still not be as big as Amazon and Apple, which are primarily technology companies, or Disney, which definitely is still a media company. CNBC Television was thinking of a different media company when it uploaded Combining Paramount and Warner Bros. could create real competition to Netflix: Puck's Matt Belloni.

Matt Belloni, Puck founding partner, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss reports of Paramount Skydance preparing an all-cash takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, impact on the media industry, and more.

I was wondering if/when Joe Kernan would say something that would annoy me and he lived down to my expectations by speculating on what this merger would do to CNN's personnel. CBS News and CNN merging would likely result in a more conservative news outlet, which would make Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump get out of the deal's way. It's a legitimate topic that I'm concerned about, but Kernan's attitude rubbed me the wrong way. Good thing Andrew Ross Sorkin stepped in to change the tone.

Speaking of Sorkin, he kicked off the questioning in David Ellison is trying to do something no one's ever done, says LightShed's Rich Greenfield.

Rich Greenfield, LightShed Partners co-founder, joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss reports of Paramount Skydance preparing an all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, impact on the rest of the media industry, prospect of Comcast making a competing bid, and more.

When I first heard about a potential buyer for Warner Bros., it was NBCUniversal, which would make sense for Universal Studios theme parks; Harry Potter's movie and theme park IP would under the same umbrella instead of being split. That was under the Biden Administration. As Greenfield pointed out, this won't happen with Hoover Cleveland in charge. Besides, the Ellisons can outbid NBCUniversal, so it won't happen from a business perspective, either.

There was a lot of talk about a potential purchase of TikTok, but I'm going to save that for a future post. Speaking of which, stay tuned for a post about tonight's Emmy winners tomorrow.

Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy again, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse

I've been so busy with the News & Doc Emmy Awards, holidays, and Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's authoritarian antics this month, I've been neglecting the Retail Apocalypse other than posting Company Man asks 'The Decline of Weight Watchers...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse (and Ozempic). In that time, three or four stories have piled up, and I feel like returning to the topic. Today, I'm revisiting Rite Aid declares bankruptcy, a tale of the Retail Apocalypse and opioid crisis and Company Man asks 'The Decline of Rite Aid...What Happened?' A tale of the Retail Apocalypse for Black Friday/Buy Nothing Day beginning with 6abc Philadelphia reporting Rite Aid returns to bankruptcy protection as it seeks to sell most assets.

Rite Aid is again seeking bankruptcy protection as the struggling drugstore chain says it will try to sell substantially all of its assets.

The company said Monday that its stores will remain open as it returns to Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

The company said it will work to ensure that customer prescriptions are transferred to other pharmacies as it goes through the sale process. The drugstore chain has lined up from some of its lenders $1.94 billion in new financing which help fund it through the sale and bankruptcy proceedings.

6abc Philadelphia reported this news on May 6, 2025, but it was no surprise. On April 25, 2025, WHTM - abc27 News in Harrisburg, York, Lancaster and Lebanon, Pennsylvania asked What is the future of Rite Aid?

Even then, Garrick Brown, the namesake editor of The Brown Book, could see what Rite Aid's future would be, liquidation. The chain would not survive a second bankruptcy and it looks like all its stores will be closed or sold. Brown also went into more detail about where drug stores get their revenue, including beauty products, which Company Man Mike didn't focus on in 2023. I can say first-hand that Ulta and Sephora have been expanding aggressively, as I mentioned an Ulta replacing a Pier 1 location in 2020, while my wife shops at Ulta and my stepdaughter/older daughter shops at Sephora. I shouldn't be surprised that those chains are eating into drug store revenues on one side of the store while dollar stores are eroding them on the other.

Brown also discussed who would benefit from Rite Aid closing and selling stores as well as the difficulties in unloading some properties. Those are the subjects of the next two videos, which are over the jump.

Cinco De Mayo parades canceled in Chicago and Philadelphia because of ICE fears, but go on elsewhere, including Detroit

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! Despite the cheerful greeting, this is not an entirely happy holiday. ABC7 Chicago explains why in Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade canceled over Trump immigration policy fears, organizers say.

The 2025 Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade in Little Village is canceled due to fears over President Donald Trump's immigration policies, organizers said.

It's not just Chicago. Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported St. Paul Cinco De Mayo parade still planned after Chicago, Philly cancel over ICE.

The St. [Paul] Cinco De Mayo parade is still planned even though some in the community have concerns about the prevalence of ICE during festivities.

The parade happened, as WCCO - CBS Minnesota reported in St. Paul celebrates Mexican heritage with Cinco de Mayo festivities.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations were taking place in St. Paul with food, music, dancing and culture.

It also happened where I live, as CBS Detroit reported Cinco de Mayo parade in Detroit attracts thousands despite rain.

This year marks the 60th annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Southwest Detroit, which commemorates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Looks like the attendees in both St. Paul and Detroit had a fun time in defiance of Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's xenophobic immigration policies. They didn't allow Hoover Cleveland and his Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to mess with their entertainment. As I first wrote in 2011, "America is quite clear about its screwed up priorities­. My experience has convinced me that the surest way to get Americans to act is to mess with their entertainm­ent."

That was a positive ending to this sad story. Let's see if it's happy enough for me to skip ahead to Revenge of the Sixth or if I feel like I need to write a drum corps holiday post to cheer me up more. Stay tuned.

Nowruz Pirooz and Happy 14th Birthday to this blog!

Nowruz Mubarak! Happy International Day of Nowruz AKA Persian New Year and happy 14th birthday of this blog! After emphasizing the blog's birthday last year, I'm giving Nowruz pride of place today, beginning with FOX 5 San Diego's Celebrating the Persian New Year at Balboa Park.



FOX 5's Heather Lake reports.
This video earned the featured position because it had the best combination of preview image, location reporting, and studio shenanigans. The next video, CBS 8 San Diego reporting Millions around the world prepare to celebrate Persian New Year as spring begins had an even clearer explanation with less silly studio interactions.

Families celebrate Nowruz by gathering around a Haftseen table to mark the start of Spring and the Persian New Year.

The presenter should look familiar; she's Neda Iranpour, who I featured in 2022 and 2023. Welcome back to the blog!

At the risk of being redundant, I'm sharing the most viewed of the videos about the holiday today, KCAL's Celebrating Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

Bita Milanian, Iranian American community organizer, joins KCAL News anchors to share some ways to celebrate Nowruz, which is the Persian New Year. Milanian explains how the new year is a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings.

That was worth sharing just for the closing comment about the Women of Iran, Time's Heroes of the Year for 2022.

I conclude by wishing Happy Birthday from the Swedish Chef to this blog.

To help celebrate your birthday, the Swedish Chef is here to whip up some party snacks!

HAHAHAHA!

Stay tuned for World Water Day.

Elon Musk crashes the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting in last night's cold open

Happy Sunday! As I promised, here are the highlights of last night's Saturday Night Live beginning, like the show, with Elon Musk Cold Open.

Elon Musk (Mike Myers) interrupts a heated meeting with Donald Trump (James Austin Johnson), JD Vance (Bowen Yang), Marco Rubio (Marcello Hernández) and Ukraine President Zelensky (Mikey Day).

I'll let the top comment on the video speak for me: "This was less chaotic and embarrassing than the real thing." That's even with Mike Myers playing Elon Musk as an Austin Powers villain crashing the meeting.

The satire of the event continued in Weekend Update: Trump Scolds Ukraine President Zelensky, Kisses Elon Musk's Feet in AI Video.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like a U.S. appeals court blocking a Biden-era student debt relief plan.

That was a good summary of this week's "shock and awful" and "Elon Musk's...Chainsaw Massacre of our federal workforce."

Weekend Update covered even more ridiculous news in Couple Sits Next to Dead Body on Plane, Man Hides $10K Worth of Cocaine in Wig.

Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week's biggest news, like Dunkin' Donuts announcing they will stop charging more for plant-based milk.

The stories about the ceiling collapsing during a screening of Captain America: Brave New World and the CBS soap opera Beyond the Gates alone qualified this entry as the Sunday entertainment feature, but there was more movie content in The Movie Guy Shares His 2025 Oscars Predictions.

The Movie Guy (Marcello Hernández) stops by Weekend Update to discuss his predictions for the 2025 Oscars.

No, it's not going to be Wicked winning Best Picture tonight. Maybe next year.

Weekend Update closed with Jane Wickline Gives Dating Advice.

Jane Wickline stops by Weekend Update to share some tips about wooing potential love interests.

On the one hand, I'm recycling what I wrote in 'SNL' spoofs the VP debate in its cold open, the first time I saw Wickline sing: "Now I'm wondering if this song is eligible for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics at next year's Emmy Awards. I'll have to wait until July to find out!" On the other, I don't think that's a good solution to the Trolley Problem if you want to favorably impress a potential romantic partner.

SNL was not done with making fun of the news, so I'm closing this entry with Mid-Day News 2.

Things go off the rails as anchors of a news channel (Shane Gillis, Kenan Thompson, Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim) cover the latest news.

Listening to all that reminded me of Science confirms my opinion of life in the country: "I've lived out in exurbia and semi-rural areas for more than a decade. In that time, I've witnessed more crime and depravity there than in all my time in the city." I'm with Kenan and Ego on this one.

That concludes today's comedy entry, where my readers and I laugh at the news because it hurts too much to cray. Stay tuned for World Wildlife Day.

Vox asks 'Is it time to worry about bird flu?'

I told my readers to "Stay tuned for a post about what could be the pandemic." Watch Vox ask Is it time to worry about bird flu?

A practical guide to your bird flu fears.

In 2021, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, avian flu began aggressively circulating in wildlife. Dead and sick birds began showing up on shorelines. Poultry farms were forced to cull millions of animals, often in horrific ways, to help stop the spread. Egg prices skyrocketed. Farmers lost millions of dollars. The problem doesn’t stop with birds; avian flu has also been found in a wide range of mammals. More than 24,000 sea lions in South America have reportedly died from it. Then, on January 6, 2025, the US reported the first human death. It’s an alarming development, but fortunately an outlier. The truth is avian flu still poses little threat to humans. But if we’re not worried now, when should we be?

Short answer — not yet, but we need to pay attention. All the virus requires to become dangerous to people is the ability to be transmitted from human to human. Should it recombine with a human flu strain, it could acquire that ability. Then it's time to start worrying.

That's pretty much the same message to take home from AsapSCIENCE explaining Everything you need to know about BIRD FLU.

Should we be worried about Bird Flu? Are we on the brink of another pandemic?

Again, not yet, and probably not, but keep a (covered) eye out.

As Kim Mas of Vox pointed out, the main effect of bird flu so far has been on egg prices and availablity. PBS NewsHour covered that in Why a deadly strain of bird flu is making egg prices soar nationwide.

During 2024, the average price of a dozen large, Grade A eggs jumped 65 percent. The USDA predicts prices will go up another 20 percent this year. A big reason for these sky-high prices: the bird flu outbreak that started in 2022. John Yang speaks with livestock economist David Anderson and virologist Angela Rasmussen for more.

Both my wife and I have had trouble even finding the eggs we normally buy on store shelves. I went to Kroger last week and found almost none of the premium egg brands. Kroger had plenty of the store brand eggs, though, and I bought a carton. My wife found no actual eggs at Whole Foods, so she bought store brand liquid eggs. This is an annoyance and inconvenience, but it's not an actual threat.

That completes this outbreak update. Stay tuned for more politics, most likely filtered through comedy. I need to laugh because it hurts too much to cry.

A small chance asteroid impacts Earth in 2032

After blogging about tariffs, Musk taking over government computers, mass deportations, Trump's wild idea about Gaza, I'm ready for a different kind of disaster.* The universe provided one in the form of a potential asteroid impact. Watch Global News report Over 1% chance asteroid may hit Earth in 2032, space agency says.

A newly discovered, far-flung asteroid has sparked curiosity and a healthy side of concern among scientists who say the huge rock has the potential to make impact with Earth.

Based on projections, the asteroid, dubbed 2024 YR4, has a little more than one per cent chance of impact with Earth on Dec. 22, 2032.

The asteroid measures between 40 and 90 metres wide (130 and 300 feet) based on estimates from its reflected light.

“An asteroid this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and could cause severe damage to a local region,” the European Space Agency (ESA) said in a space safety briefing.

CBS Texas repeated the last sentence in the description of A "city-killer" asteroid has a slim chance to crash into Earth.

"An asteroid this size impacts Earth on average every few thousand years and could cause severe damage to a local region," the European Space Agency said.

The last impact the size of the one that could happen if Asteroid 2024 YR4 enters Earth's atmosphere in seven years was the Tunguska impact on June 30, 1908, which is the event Asteroid Day commemorates. That would be 128 years before a potential impact, not a "few thousand years," but "on average" is doing a lot of work; there is room for a lot of variation.

I close with ABC News (Australia) analyzing the situation in Asteroid with small chance of hitting Earth triggers global defence plan.

Astronomers have spied an asteroid that may be heading for Earth in 2032. While scientists say there is currently no cause for alarm and it will likely pass Earth safely, members of a space mission planning group are meeting this week to work out the next steps. Professor Jonti Horner from the University of Southern Queensland tells The World several factors would come into play, including what the asteroid is made of.

Professor Horner managed to be both scary and reassuring at the same time. Odds are that we'll be O.K. Even if the asteroid impacts the atmosphere, most cases will affect relatively few people. The bad news is that if the asteroid explodes on or above a city, it could kill millions. YIKES!

Oh, and even this story couldn't avoid Elon Musk. Sigh. I was hoping to get away from events on Earth today.

*Disaster literally means "bad star." That's quite on the nose for this story.

Vox asks 'Should fluoride be in our water?'

I'm resuming my evergreen posts with Vox asking Should fluoride be in our water?

The science isn’t so straightforward.
...
RFK, Jr. has put the decades-old debate over water fluoridation back on the table. As Donald Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary, he might be the most powerful public health figure in the US who believes we should take fluoride out of our water.

The US has been fluoridating public water systems since 1945, when the children of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and three other cities became the first to experience how fluoridated water can fight tooth decay. Ever since, other municipalities have followed suit. Today, 63 percent of Americans drink fluoridated water from their taps. The US is one of 11 countries worldwide where more than half the population has fluoridated water. Some countries opt for fluoridating salt or milk instead.

Fluoride is essential for our oral health. But there is a growing debate about whether water fluoridation is still necessary now that most toothpaste has fluoride in it. Right now, epidemiologists are looking into whether US water fluoridation doses are safe for developing brains — and how some levels of fluoride in the water may affect child IQ.

Producer and host Laura Bult added the following in the video's pinned comment.

Hello! Something I didn't get into in the video is that part of the difficulty of the science on fluoride is that when it comes to studying its risks, there has never been a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study — the gold standard in science for proving causation. All of the studies we mention in the video are observational. Observational studies are typical in epidemiology when researching something that could be harmful in some doses. But surprisingly, there’s never been this kind of trial on the benefits of water fluoridation, either. The Undark podcast alerted me to the first study of this kind — studying water fluoridation’s benefits — currently underway at the University of North Carolina.

Vox isn't alone in reporting concern about fluoridation. ABC News uploaded Study on fluoride and kids’ IQ levels raises concerns overseas about the study that was published just as Vox was producing its video.

Medical experts warn that the study’s results shouldn’t be a major concern for parents in the U.S.

As both Vox and ABC News pointed out, the levels of fluoride in the study were double that in U.S. drinking water, so the findings don't necessarily apply to Americans. Arizona's Family (3TV/CBS 5) provided more opportunity for dentists to push back in Arizona experts call latest study on fluoride misleading.

A recent study reportedly found a link between high doses of fluoride and lower IQ scores among children, but experts say that's not the whole story.

Concern about fluoridation has historically been the province of cranks and conspiracy theorists, and RFK Jr. is no exception. That written, a stuck clock is still right twice a day, and RFK Jr. is a stuck clock. Those of us who accept science might have to be prepared that this is one of those times, as unlikely as it is. We also have to be prepared that this will encourage him and his anti-science supporters about vaccines, where science and history have repeatedly shown him to be wrong. I don't want this fight, but I'm willing to wage it against RFK Jr. and his supporters, including and especially the ones I needled in I ask The Archdruid and his readers 'Can you show us on the doll exactly where the educated professionals hurt you?' A Festivus airing of grievances. Yes, them, too.

Speaking of science and history, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has compared RFK Jr. to Soviet agronomist Trofim Lysenko, which The Bulwark has picked up. I think that's an apt comparison and one I plan on using in the future. Stay tuned.

HBO declines to renew contract with 'Sesame Street'

It's Sunday, so it's time for an entertainment feature. I know I wrote that I would stay away from topical posts for the rest of January, but seeing "Defund PBS" trend on X reminded me that HBO has decided not to renew its deal with Sesame Workshop, formerly Children's Television Workshop, to fund new episodes of Sesame Street and show them first on HBO and now Max before moving to PBS. Take it away CNBC!



HBO ends deal with Sesame Street: Here's why
I embedded that because it's CNBC and has an informative preview image, but it didn't have an informative description. For that, I'm turning to USA Today reporting HBO says goodbye to 'Sesame Street'.

Sesame Workshop, the non-profit behind "Sesame Street," is looking for a new distributor after HBO decided against renewing the series.

CNBC's video wasn't as informative, as it was mostly anchor banter that devolved into Joe Kernan sniping at Becky Quick's husband, making me wonder if he is a bit jealous/envious of him. I don't have to wonder if he's a bit of a jerk; he is. Add this to his views having annoyed me twice before and that's three strikes against him.

However, this isn't the immediate end of Sesame Street. Collider reported that "Max's license for episodes continues through 2027, and this month you can still see new episodes from Season 55 on Max." There is still hope beyond then, as Collider also reported "it is expected that major streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+ will all want it." I'll do my best to follow through on the eventual distributor.

On the other hand, it does portend the end of the relationship I first described in CNN defends Big Bird after Ted Cruz calls one of the character's tweets 'Propaganda,' a pandemic update: "It's not just news value that's driving it." I expect CNN will no longer be defending Sesame Street after 2027. That will be up to us, along with its new distributor.

Happy Hanukkah 2024 (5875) from Detroit!

Happy Hanukkah! For this year's festival of lights, I'm returning to a theme I haven't used since 2018, Hanukkah celebrations in Michigan. Watch CBS Detroit report Menorah in the D returns to downtown Detroit.

It's the first time since 2005 that the first night of Hanukkah falls on Christmas, and there were celebrations all throughout the area. For over a decade, Metro Detroit's Jewish community has come together at Campus Martius on the first night of Hanukkah for Menorah in the D. This is the 14th year Menorah in the D has taken place in downtown Detroit, and organizers said they hope this tradition continues to grow year after year.

Ah, the events I missed during the pandemic and also not waiting the next morning to post about them!

WDIV/Click On Detroit showed more in Detroit celebrates Hanukkah with 'Menorah in the D'.

Detroit celebrated Hanukkah with the annual Menorah in the D event.

WDIV previewed last night's celebration in Dare to be the light: Menorah in the D 2024.


I looked like everyone was having fun, including the dancer in the dreidel costume.

That concludes the holiday posts until New Year's Eve. Stay tuned for year-end retrospectives. What did you think were the best and worst of 2024?

Giving Tuesday in Michigan 2024

Happy Giving Tuesday! Since this is a Michigan-based blog and I believe in shopping local, I also believe in giving local. To that end, I'm sharing three local news reports from the Great Lakes State about the day, beginning with WILX News 10's Giving Tuesday tips to avoid scammers.

Giving Tuesday donations can mean a lot for local charities.

Not only do I believe in giving locally, I believe in giving safely and effectively.

Moving to the west side of the state, I'm sharing Fox 17 WXMI asking and answering Giving Tuesday? One movement is opening doors to impact Grand Rapids nonprofits.


That was fun and informative, but let's see how long it remains here, as WXMI disabled embedding on the video I used for Cyber Monday. Enough of that and I'll stop using their YouTube uploads, just like I did WXYZ's. Instead, I use WDIV's clips, like Tips to avoid holiday-season scams in Metro Detroit.

[Here] are some tips to avoid holiday-season scams in Metro Detroit.

Good advice from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

If my readers want to give nationally instead of locally to affect the political environment, I can vouch for the organizations that belong to Bridge Alliance, since I'm a volunteer for them. One of them, the 92nd Street Y, created Giving Tuesday!

This concludes the long holiday weekend. Stay tuned for topical non-holiday programming tomorrow.