Media
Politics Is Fandom; Fascism Is Fanfic
From Zohran Mamdani's campaign to the US government's memes, fandom has become the defining language of US politics. Zohran Mamdani never auditioned for, but one of his campaign's final television ads placed him in the middle of the show's infamous Tribal Council. For roughly 30 seconds, a handful of former contestants addressed the camera while explaining their decisions to vote Mamdani's top opponent, Andrew Cuomo, off the "island" of Manhattan. "Didn't we already vote you out?" asks one former contestant. The spot is just one of a handful of fandom-influenced ads that Mamdani's campaign put out in the final weeks of the New York City mayoral race .
Tech Disrupted Friendship. It's Time to Bring It Back
Two decades ago, social media promised to connect people with pals far and wide. Twenty years online has left us turning to AI for kinship. IRL companionship is the future. Anyone looking for a vibe check on the populace's current feelings about AI would do well to check out the walls of the New York City subway system. This fall, alongside posters for everything from dating apps to Skechers, a newcomer made its debut: Friend .
Is the Dictionary Done For?
Is the Dictionary Done For? The print edition of Merriam-Webster was once a touchstone of authority and stability. Then the internet brought about a revolution. Wars over words are inevitably culture wars, and debates over the dictionary have raged for as long as it has existed. Once, every middle-class home had a piano and a dictionary. The purpose of the piano was to be able to listen to music before phonographs were available and affordable. Later on, it was to torture young persons by insisting that they learn to do something few people do well. The purpose of the dictionary was to settle intra-family disputes over the spelling of words like "camaraderie" and "sesquipedalian," or over the correct pronunciation of "puttee." This was the state of the world not that long ago. In the late nineteen-eighties, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary was on the best-seller list for a hundred and fifty-five consecutive weeks. Fifty-seven million copies were sold, a number believed to be second only, in this country, to sales of the Bible. There was good money in the word business.
Why Millennials Love Prenups
Long the province of the ultra-wealthy, prenuptial agreements are being embraced by young people--including many who don't have all that much to divvy up. More than forty per cent of millennials and Gen Z-ers claim to have signed a prenup. Andrea Zevallos declared 2016 her "year of dating." She was twenty-seven, working at Universal Studios Hollywood, the theme park, and determined to find love. She calculated it would take three dates a week. By December, she was losing hope. "It was exhausting," she said. Then, while scrolling OkCupid, she noticed a "cute guy" with a "Hamilton" reference in his handle. His name was Alex Switzky, and like her he was a musical-theatre enthusiast and aspiring screenwriter. He was different from the other men she'd met. On their second date, he started planning a third. Zevallos "was used to L.A. guys cagey about any sort of calendar." One day, Switzky called her. Accustomed to texts, she assumed that he was about to break up with her. "The most millennial response," she recalled, laughing.
Smug because you love your job? Idealising your career can backfire - leading to burnout and guilt, experts warn
Devastating truth about Rob Reiner's daughter Romy: Her own addiction battle... how she'lived in fear' of Nick... and the handsome companion she's leaning on, all revealed by heartbroken friends Baby-faced accused killers will be tried as adults after 14-year-old girl's horrific murder Trans killer, 30, who executed her parents then converted to Islam is jailed for 25 years after trying to skip'stressful' sentencing I'm Miley Cyrus's REAL mother: Woman at center of bombshell'adoption' lawsuit breaks silence about'pregnancy at age 12' and makes MORE wild claims School bus driver responds to backlash after she was fired over'English-only' sign Six common medications you should NEVER mix with alcohol: Doctors reveal how that'pre-emptive' painkiller could destroy your liver... and the most deadly combination of all Next domino falls in Michigan's Sherrone Moore scandal as top assistant defects to SEC school The extravagant gifts the rich are buying this Christmas including an'extra person' in their marriage I was forced into Witness Protection at age seven... here's how the program nearly ruined my life Former Nickelodeon star is now'homeless on the streets of Los Angeles' How Tom Brady REALLY feels about Gisele Bundchen's secret wedding to jiu-jitsu instructor... as insiders whisper about potential of his OWN second marriage The hidden blueprint to keep MAGA in power for 100 years as Trump's inner circle shows signs of cracking Kimberly Guilfoyle's'yelling fit' after ex Donald Trump Jr's new engagement... as insiders reveal her nasty texts and derogatory nickname for Bettina Anderson Smug because you love your job? READ MORE: Scientists reveal surprising secret behind Bill Gates' success The saying goes, if you find a job you love you'll never work a day in your life. But an expert has now warned that this can backfire - and the seemingly innocent idea of loving your work can take on a moral edge. Mijeong Kwon, assistant professor of management at Rice University in Texas, said the dream of enjoying your career has become compulsive for many. 'Working for money, prestige or family obligation starts to look less admirable, even suspect,' she wrote on The Conversation .
More than 20,000 still without power after massive San Francisco blackout
Things to Do in L.A. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here . After Saturday's blackout, roughly 110,000 San Francisco residents have power again. About 21,000 are still in the dark as extensive repairs continue after a substation fire.
Alcohol consumption falls to a record low in Britain - so, do you drink more or less than the national average?
SNL savages Trump after releasing the Epstein files in cold open... but MAGA have the last laugh Retirees are ditching golf and sun for this unlikely city...as top destinations revealed Frail woman found bludgeoned to death next to'bloodied skateboard' in her NYC apartment You've only been told half the story about the Reiner murders. These hidden horrors MUST be outed... before Hollywood's sick secrecy pact wins: MAUREEN CALLAHAN Monumental downfall of it-girl streamer who snubbed Drake's advances... as she's engulfed by disgusting scandals and family tragedy Devastating truth about Rob Reiner's daughter Romy: Her own addiction battle... how she'lived in fear' of Nick... and the handsome companion she's leaning on, all revealed by heartbroken friends Smellebrities! 10 actors whose hygiene habits prompted complaints from co-stars - after Charlotte Church said she's stopped wearing deodorant and'generally stinks' Crime drama dubbed'the greatest of all time' with the'perfect ending' and a whopping 96% Rotten Tomatoes score is now free to stream - plus there's a reboot in the works Then I learned what he told her about our sex life and I can't even look at him: ASK JANA America's cutest Christmas village battles to save itself after being hit by storms and severe flooding Prince Harry's controversial comment at Christmas that sparked Meghan Markle's bitter family feud Father Christmas is'too white' and has no right to judge if children are naughty or nice, says woke museum Inside Tinseltown's'cursed' neighborhood where Rob Reiner was murdered that also saw Marilyn Monroe and Nicole Brown Simpson's deaths Deputy Attorney General reveals REAL reason why Trump's picture in Epstein files was taken down: 'It's absurd and laughable' How Tom Brady REALLY feels about Gisele Bundchen's secret wedding to jiu-jitsu instructor... as insiders whisper about potential of his OWN second marriage Alcohol consumption falls to a record low in Britain - so, do you drink more or less than the national average? READ MORE: Do you drink more than your partner? It's a typically boozy time of year - but Brits are drinking less alcohol than in decades gone by, according to new figures. Data released by research company IWSR reveals the average UK adult consumed 10.2 alcoholic drinks a week last year.