Podcasts about Mattel

New research will bring hope to the thousands of women in the UK living with secondary breast cancer. A simple blood test will be able to tell how well they will respond to treatment, even before it starts. This research could mean being moved to more efficient treatments earlier. Nuala McGovern hears from Dr Iseult Browne, one of the researchers on the study. The Grammy award-winning American R&B singer/songwriter and actress, Andra Day, made her acting debut with her portrayal of Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday. Her emotionally raw and transformative performance made her only the second black actress to win the Golden Globe for Best Actress. Her voice first reached a global audience with her anthem Rise Up which earned two Grammy nominations. She joins Nuala to talk about her latest role, as Christine, in the film - Is This Thing On?An employment tribunal ruled on Friday that the dignity of a group of female nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital was violated because they had to share single-sex changing rooms with a transgender colleague, who was born male but identifies as a woman. BBC's Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes explains further.Today another episode of our SEND in the Spotlight podcast drops, and this one is all about the local authority's role in the SEND system. They come in for a lot of criticism from some of our guests, who feel they need to go to battle with their council in the attempt to get their children's needs met. Rebecca is a SEND mum who is also a SEND caseworker for a local authority. She got in touch because she wanted to talk about the realities of her job. Mattel have just released autistic Barbie. It's the latest in their range of dolls which have included wheelchair and Downs syndrome Barbies. So how do brands use socially conscious products to appeal to consumers, and how much are they targeting women with issues they care about? To discuss Catherine Shuttleworth, CEO of the marketing agency Get Savvy and Dionne Nickerson, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Goizueta Business School at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia join Nuala.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

This week on Words With Wista, we're unpacking why the internet is suddenly romanticizing 2016 like it wasn't a collective mess, while Trump casually floats skipping elections and his agriculture secretary explains how Americans should survive on a $3 meal. We get into a New Hampshire lawmaker advocating for divided schools, new U.S. visa bans, St. Kitts agreeing to take U.S. migrants while explicitly excluding Haitians, and growing FIFA World Cup boycotts tied to immigration concerns. Plus, Florida floats a new OF tax, Saks files for bankruptcy, Pat McGrath Labs may be up for sale, a Chicago teacher's disappearance ends tragically, a disturbing alleged crime involving manipulation and control, NYPD OF drama circulates, Farrah Abraham wants to be mayor, Ludacris exits Kid Rock's festival, Nicky Jam admits to faking a Jamaican accent, Clarissa Shields calls in as a “fan,” and Mattel's autistic Barbie somehow sparks outrage. Same chaos, new week. Let's get into it. IG: itswista SubStack: wordswithwista

The ThoughtCrime crew discusses the most essential topics of the weed, including: -What do they make of Mattel's first-ever autistic Barbie doll? -Does AI mean that Hollywood actors are obsolete forever? -Who is "Amelia" and why is she the new avatar of European nationalism? Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ThoughtCrime crew discusses the most essential topics of the week, including:-What do they make of Mattel's first-ever autistic Barbie doll?-Does AI mean that Hollywood actors are obsolete forever?-Who is "Amelia" and why is she the new avatar of European nationalism?Support the show

The ThoughtCrime crew discusses the most essential topics of the weed, including: -What do they make of Mattel's first-ever autistic Barbie doll? -Does AI mean that Hollywood actors are obsolete forever? -Who is "Amelia" and why is she the new avatar of European nationalism? Watch every episode ad-free on members.charliekirk.com! Get new merch at charliekirkstore.com!Support the show: http://www.charliekirk.com/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Autism advocates have had mixed reactions to the release of an autism Barbie, designed to increase awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity in children, particularly girls. American toymaker Mattel announced the new doll this week, including special features to accomodate the traits and behaviours associated with autism. - アメリカの玩具大手マテル社は、今週、新しい商品を発表しました。自閉症に伴う特徴を再現した特別なデザインが施されたバービー人形です。

Simon talks to U.S. Border Tsar, Tom Homan, about what's happening in Minnesota and around the country. Later, Simon talks to Mrs C's "sister from another mister", Jessica Lapen who is the mom to an autistic son, Micah. This week Mattel released a new doll - Autism Barbie - what does she think of this? Blessing or Blasphemy?

Simon talks to Mrs C's "sister from another mister", Jessica Lapen who is the mom to an autistic son, Micah. This week Mattel released a new doll - Autism Barbie - what does she think of this? Blessing or Blasphemy?

In this episode of On Brand, Donny discusses the current state of various brands shaping the zeitgeist, focusing on political and social issues. He begins with a critical analysis of ICE, highlighting statistics that reveal a significant number of those detained are not violent criminals, which he argues is contrary to American values. The conversation shifts to the protests in Iran, where Donny expresses frustration over the lack of attention from the public and celebrities, contrasting it with previous protests related to other global issues. He also touches on the political landscape, noting a growing number of Americans identifying as independents, and discusses various political figures and their actions, including Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, who are facing scrutiny for their stances on military orders. The episode further explores topics such as the Pentagon's reopening of the debate on women in combat roles, the arson of a synagogue in Mississippi, and the ongoing nurses' strike in New York. Donny also highlights positive developments, including the introduction of the first female crash test dummy and Mattel's launch of an autistic Barbie, showcasing a commitment to inclusivity. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to engage with the podcast and stay informed about the brands that impact their lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to turn around a beloved brand during a "retail apocalypse" AND a global pandemic? Sharon Price John, President and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, did exactly that—leading the company to five consecutive years of record results while staying true to its mission of "adding a little more heart to life."In this episode, I speak with Sharon Price John, who's spent over 30 years shaping iconic brands—from Barbie and Transformers at Mattel and Hasbro to Stride Rite footwear, and now Build-A-Bear. Since 2013, Sharon has completely reinvented Build-A-Bear's business model, expanding beyond malls, scaling e-commerce, entering entertainment, and growing the consumer base so that 40% of sales now come from teens and adults.Here's the fascinating part: Sharon spent years underestimating herself. She worked McDonald's drive-throughs, Lee Jeans night shifts, flower shops—and kept thinking she was about to hit the wall. High school was easy, so college would be where she'd fail. College was fine, so her first job would be it. Got her MBA at Columbia thinking, "This is where it ends." It never did. She finally realized she'd been shooting too low the entire time.When Sharon joined Build-A-Bear, the brand had mid-90s awareness but was struggling. She saw the equity was trapped—stuck in malls, stuck targeting only kids. Her vision? Transform it from a mall retailer into a branded IP company with multiple revenue streams. Then COVID hit. They shut down 100% of stores in 48 hours. But Sharon's team pivoted fast, moved with imperfect information, and came out strong.How to Reinvent Like Sharon:You're not supposed to know everything about the next step—that's the point. If you knew everything, it wouldn't be growth. Embrace not knowing.Stop catastrophizing—what's the actual worst that can happen? Sharon was terrified to move to New York. Worst case? She'd come back exactly where she was. Do this exercise every time.The stories you tell yourself are usually wrong. Stop carrying disempowering baggage from past "failures" that probably aren't even based in reality.Learn how your entire company makes money. Be curious. Visit every department. When you understand the interconnections, you can connect dots others miss.When you're young, you're recoverable. Taking risks early is strategic. Stop letting fear keep you from trying.Build trust before you need it. Sharon's team could pivot during COVID because they'd already built credibility through years of solid strategy.Connect with Sharon: Find Build-A-Bear at buildabear.comRead "Stories & Heart" on Amazon at https://a.co/d/3qSQcnKConnect with Sharon on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-price-john-26239820THE RE:INVENTION EXCHANGE - for more Inspired Content, Blogs, Podcasts, RE:INVENTION Virtual Chats, or to buy a copy of my book RE:INVENT YOUR LIFE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? by Kathi Sharpe-Ross, visit https://www.thereinventionexchange.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/kathisr_chief_reinventor/FB: https://www.facebook.com/kathi.sharpeross/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathisharpeross    Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReinventionExch

Hello everyone, we welcome you back to another episode of Trudge Report. In this week's episode we tackle a little bit of football talk as playoff season is upon us. We go around the horn and Greg gives a little constructive feedback to the toy manufacturer, Mattel. We also mention the touching but sometimes overlooked moments of being parents. We discuss a little more about financial fears and then we dive into the main recovery segment which is the harms we have done to others. We talk about how we used and manipulated everyone, especially those closest to us. These harms are not only caused during our drinking days but also when we are many years sober. It all lands on a simple point: freedom starts when you stop hiding from what you did and start showing up like a different person. Persistence in prayer is an expression of our faith. -Emmet Fox-Don't forget to like, share, rate, and download the podcast on all of your listening platforms. Check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel, @trudgrereportpod, for other content surrounding sports and trending topics. Trudge on good people. Contact the Guys:Instagram: @trudgereportpodFacebook: Trudge ReportTikTok: trudgereportpodYouTube: @trudgereportpod 

Bill and Hillary Clinton are refusing to testify in the House's Jeffrey Epstein investigation. My organization, Texas Family Project, had its anti-Sharia law advertisement blocked by Meta in an act of Big Tech censorship. More proof Sharia law is starting to take over Texas. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status for thousands of Somalis in the U.S. President Trump is also pulling payments to sanctuary states or cities beginning in February. Anti-government protests in Iran have led to an estimated 12,000 deaths, as the world gets a look at what a real dictatorship looks like. Mattel adds an autistic Barbie doll to its collection to showcase “inclusion” and “diversity.” ► Subscribe to my second YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SaraGonzalesTX?sub_confirmation=1 Sponsors: ► Patriot Protect Use my code SARA for 15% off all Patriot Protect plans at https://www.patriot-protect.com/sara. ► Joi + Blokes Go to https://www.JoiAndBlokes.com/GONZALES and use code “GONZALES” for 50% off your labs and 20% off all supplements. Timestamps: 00:00 – Clintons Refuse to Testify Against Epstein 10:37 – Clinton's Ties to Epstein 23:40 – Meta Blocked My Anti-Sharia Law Ad 27:06 – Sharia Takeover of Texas 33:27 – Trump Ends Temporary Protected Status 35:32 – No More Sanctuary City Payments 38:58 – This Is What a Real Dictator Looks Like 43:55 – Autistic Barbie Connect with Sara on Social Media: https://twitter.com/saragonzalestx https://www.instagram.com/saragonzalestx http://facebook.com/SaraGonzalesTX ► Subscribe on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sara-gonzales-unfiltered/id1408958605 ► Shop American Beauty by Sara: http://americanbeautybysara.com Sara Gonzales is the host of Sara Gonzales Unfiltered, a daily news program on Blaze TV. Joined by frequent contributors & guests such as Chad Prather, Eric July, John Doyle, Jaco Booyens, Sara breaks down the latest news in politics and culture. She previously hosted "The News and Why It Matters," featuring notable guests such as Glenn Beck, Ben Shapiro, Dave Rubin, Michael Knowles, Candace Owens, Michael Malice, and more. As a conservative commentator, Sara frequently calls out the Democrats for their hypocrisy, the mainstream media for their misinformation, feminists for their toxicity, and also focuses on pro-life issues, culture, gender issues, health care, the Second Amendment, and passing conservative values to the next generation. Sara also appears as a recurring guest on the Megyn Kelly Show, The Sean Spicer Show, Tim Pool, and with Jesse Kelly on The First TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chaque jour, en quelques minutes, un résumé de l'actualité culturelle. Rapide, facile, accessible.Notre compte InstagramDES LIENS POUR EN SAVOIR PLUS.POUPÉE BARBIE : Mattel, FranceInfo, Huffpost, MaSantéSUPERMAN BD : LeFigaro, LeParisienVICTOIRES DE LA MUSIQUE : Huffpost, BFMTIM BURTON : Allociné, LeFigaroAUDIENCES RADIO : Mediamétrie, Ouest-FranceACCORD GOOGLE APPLE : FranceInfo, CNNÉcriture : Mathys DebrilIncarnation : Blanche Vathonne Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Moc. Loose. Collectors. Forever.The FigGuys are officially kicking off 2026, and we're starting the year exactly how we like it — surrounded by wrestling figures, good vibes, and nonstop collector conversation.This week's episode is all about our First Pickups of 2026, and right out of the gate, shelves are already delivering. We dive deep into the brand new WWE Legends Series 29, breaking down first impressions on Rob Van Dam, The British Bulldog, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, and the legendary Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. From sculpt details to availability, peg sightings, and why this wave feels like a classic Legends home run, we cover it all straight from the collector's perspective. We also get hands-on with one of the most unexpected and fun releases in recent memory — the WWE x Street Fighter collaboration from Mattel and Capcom. From the bold packaging to the character-inspired designs, we talk about how this crossover hits differently, why it stands out on the shelf, and how it blends two iconic worlds into one truly unique line.Beyond pickups, the episode is packed with the kind of collector conversation that makes FigGuys what it is. We talk Target resets, Walmart hunts, preorder strategies, patience (or lack thereof), and the realities of chasing figures in 2026. We also announce the winner of the Hulk Hogan LJN Contest, with LiPumaMania1980 collaborating on the giveaway, and celebrate another collector taking home a true old-school prize. As always, we round things out with a full dose of Wrestling Figure News, covering the latest reveals, preorders, indie figure updates, and what collectors should be paying attention to as the year ramps up. Between Legends, crossovers, retros, Ultimates, and everything in between, 2026 is already shaping up to be a wild ride.

"Three Things You Need to Know"...phone call...Mattel launches autistic Barbie...hacks for McDonald's Filet-O-Fish...textsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, Scoot asks if Mattel creating an autistic Barbie is considered "woke," which NFL teams will make it to the big game, and if New Orleans Saints fans will be upset if Sean Payton takes the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl.

On today's show, Scoot talks about Mattel rolling out a new autistic-themed Barbie doll. Also, Scoot asks if Mattel creating an autistic Barbie considered "woke", which NFL teams will make it to the big game, and if New Orleans Saints fans will be upset if Sean Payton takes the Denver Broncos to the Super Bowl. Then, Scoot talks about the National Guard's presence in New Orleans during carnival season, Bill and Hilary Clinton not showing up the testify in front of Congress, Snoop Dogg and Maren Morris losing followers because of political, and more.

This hour, Scoot talks about Mattel rolling out a new autistic-themed Barbie doll. Then, Coleman falls down a rabbit hole of the different types of Barbie dolls that exist.

Scoot talks about Mattel rolling out a new autistic-themed Barbie doll.

Minneapolis, Iran, Dead Lesbians, Oh My!   Producers for MMO #202   Fiat Fun Coupon Producers Trashman Sam S. Of Bourblandia & Beargrass Nailord of Gaylord   Booster Producers ericpp        | 3,333 | BAG DADDY BOOSTER! boolysteedfountain.fm | 2,222 NostrGangfountain.fm | 111   Creative Producers: Episode Artwork Eli the Coffee Guy dethrones Woof this week! End of Show Song Song: Hard Archive - Me Mum (FedPill Music Bootleg Remake) Artist: Global Fedpilled Industrial Complex   Follow Us: X/Twitter MMO Show John Dan Youtube (while it lasts) MMO Show Livestream Rumble MMO Show Livestream Twitch MMO Show Livestream   Shownotes: Dan's Sources BREAKING NEWS: Fed Chair Jerome Powell Issues Video Statement In Response To Federal Criminal Probe The Nightmare Alliance For The Enemies of Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia? Carney heads to China hoping to reset strained trade ties Trump briefed on Iran options following deadly anti-government protests Supreme Court to hear arguments on transgender athlete bans Bill introduced to make Greenland 51st state. "The Fed Got Caught" - DOJ DROPS THE HAMMER on Powell Over $2B SCANDAL Yemen’s Saudi-backed government retakes southern areas from STC: What next? Trump says Iran proposed negotiations to end deadly protests | DW News Rutte sidesteps criticism of Trump as NATO weighs Arctic Security and Greenland’s future | DW News ICE shooting in Minneapolis leaves woman dead Mattel releases first-ever autistic Barbie to shed light on neurodivergent children BREAKING NEWS: Fed Chair Jerome Powell Issues Video Statement In Response To Federal Criminal Probe The Nightmare Alliance For The Enemies of Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia?

Mattel has added to their line of toys with autistic Barbie. Can't wait to see her exploiting her condition on TikTok. The Department of Labor released a video on X highlighting America's based cultural heritage and the Left is upset about it. Jon Stewart knows that his audience is dumb, so he has to treat them like children. What's next? The jingling key bit? GUEST: Josh Firestine Link to today's sources: https://www.louderwithcrowder.com/sources-january-13-2026 Foundation Daily is made up of premium ingredients to reduce inflammation and stress and promote clean energy and mental clarity. Subscribe now and receive 40% off for life. https://foundationdaily.com/ Visit https://tnusa.com/CROWDER or call 1-800-958-1000 for a 100% free consultation. DOWNLOAD THE RUMBLE APP TODAY: https://rumble.com/our-apps Join Rumble Premium to watch this show every day! http://louderwithcrowder.com/Premium Get your favorite LWC gear: https://crowdershop.com/ Bite-Sized Content: https://rumble.com/c/CrowderBits Subscribe to my podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/louder-with-crowder/ FOLLOW ME: Website: https://louderwithcrowder.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/scrowder Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/louderwithcrowder Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevencrowderofficial Music by @Pogo

Let's start with the Bad News?The ICE game3 UnitedHealth Group Minnetonka41 Target Minneapolis105 U.S. Bancorp; IR site not working: Minneapolis108 Best Buy Richfield115 CHS Inver Grove Heights174 3M Maplewood216 General Mills Golden Valley230 Ameriprise Financial MinneapolisAnthony Saglimbene, Chief Market Strategist, Ameriprise Financial: Is Corporate America Up For Its First Big Test Of 2026? 1/12/2026“geopolitical and Washington headlines have increased risk, from developments in Venezuela to broader policy noise, including the pending International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) decision which didn't occur last week, affordability proposals in Washington, and unexpected policies and executive orders that could impact housing and defense companies”233 C.H. Robinson Eden Prairie262 Land O'Lakes Arden Hills274 Ecolab St. Paul319 Xcel Energy Minneapolis352 Hormel Foods Austin388 Thrivent Financial MinneapolisThe Good GameThe oil CEO who stood up to Trump is a follower of the disciplined ‘Exxon way' with a history of blunt statementsBig Oil executives met at the White House to discuss investing billions to revive Venezuela's oil industry.Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods pushed back, calling Venezuela “uninvestable” without long-term reforms.President Trump reacted angrily, calling Exxon “too cute” and signaling he may exclude the company from Venezuela.Woods declined to appease Trump at the expense of Exxon shareholders.Analysts said Exxon stock would likely have fallen if it committed billions to Venezuela's uneconomic, high-risk environment.Veteran analyst Jim Wicklund said Woods was the only executive willing to speak plainly.Industry has little urgency to return to Venezuela, and no deal can offset the extreme political risk.Even sweeter terms wouldn't change the math: political risk outweighs potential rewards by “a factor of 10.”Microsoft Pledges to Pay More for Electricity, Drawing Praise From Trump A senior Microsoft executive on Tuesday addressed the impact data centers have on the electrical costs for home consumers, an increasingly touchy subject that became a political hot button in November's elections.In a blog post ahead of a speech on artificial intelligence, Brad Smith, Microsoft's president, reiterated that Microsoft wants to pay for the electricity its data center use and avoid affecting everyday customers. “We'll ask utilities and public commissions to set our rates high enough to cover the electricity costs for our data centers,” Mr. Smith wrote.US Judge Allows Orsted to Resume $5 Billion Rhode Island Offshore Wind Project Halted by TrumpRevolution Wind is a $5 billion development co-owned by Orsted that aims to deliver renewable power to Rhode Island and Connecticut. It is the first of five offshore wind projects paused by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in late December over what officials described as radar interference risks identified by the Department of Defense.Trump tries to reduce CEO pay and halt billions in stock buybacks at defense contractorsThe executive order is creating a “new, government-mandated form of ESG,” referring to the environmental, social, and governance framework that grew prominent in recent years and prodded CEOs to focus on their companies' broader stakeholder impact and not just shareholders.Ironically, the prioritization of ESG was derided as “woke” by critics and the administration has been generally hostile toward ESG. The defense contractor order is conceptually similar in that it prods companies to prioritize a customer over maximizing value for shareholders.President Donald Trump signed an executive order zeroing in on pay packages for executives at large defense contractors deemed to have underperformed on existing government contracts while chasing newer, bigger deals, according to the White House. At the same time, the order claims, these companies have bought back billions in stock, enriching both shareholders and executives.“Effective immediately, they are not permitted in any way, shape, or form to pay dividends or buy back stock, until such time as they are able to produce a superior product, on time and on budget,” the order, titled “Prioritizing the Warfighter in Defense Contracting,” states.The order further directs the Secretary of War to identify contractors that have underperformed the terms of their deals with the government and hatch a plan to resolve delays and production issues. If the resolution plan is insufficient, according to the secretary, future contracts will include provisions banning stock buybacks and dividends and will prohibit tying pay to “short-term financial metrics” such as free cash flow or earnings per share.Trump elaborated in a post on his messaging platform Truth Social last week, railing against pay packages in the defense industry, claiming they are “exorbitant and unjustifiable” given the delays in delivering military equipment. Until those issues are remediated, “no Executive should be allowed to make in excess of $5 Million Dollars which, as high as it sounds, is a mere fraction of what they are making now,” the president wrote.US oil lobby group backs repeal of climate rule for vehicles, not power plantsThe American Petroleum Institute supports the Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to repeal the foundation of greenhouse gas regulations for vehicles but not for power plants and other stationary industrial facilities."We would not support repealing the endangerment finding for stationary sources," API President Mike Sommers told reporters, adding that the trade group believes it has "the greatest standing" from a regulatory perspective and it is clear the EPA has authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from those sources.Judge: Trump violated Fifth Amendment by ending energy grants in only blue statesCourt Rules Trump DOE Violated the Constitution When It Cancelled Clean Energy Funding in Specific StatesAdministration Action Violated Constitutional Guarantee to Equal Protection Under the LawNorway Pushes Electric Vehicles to Nearly All New Car Sales in 2025Electric vehicles accounted for 95.9 percent of all new car registrations in Norway in 2025, rising to almost 98 percent in December, placing the country far ahead of global peers.A mix of targeted tax relief for low cost electric vehicles and rising charges on petrol and diesel cars has reshaped consumer demand and manufacturer strategy.Norway's approach contrasts with the wider European Union, where weaker demand has prompted a rollback of the planned 2035 ban on internal combustion engine vehicles.Meet autistic Barbie: the newest Mattel doll launched in line intended to celebrate diversityMattel said it developed the autistic doll over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights and better media representation of people with autismThe eyes of the new Barbie shift slightly to the side to represent how some people with autism sometimes avoid direct eye contact, he said. The doll also was given articulated elbows and wrists to acknowledge stimming, hand flapping and other gestures that some autistic people use to process sensory information or to express excitement, according to Mattel.The development team debated whether to dress the doll in a tight or a loose-fitting outfit, Pervez said. Some autistic people wear loose clothes because they are sensitive to the feel of fabric seams, while others wear figure-hugging garments to give them a sense of where their bodies are, he said. The team ended up choosing an A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt that provides less fabric-to-skin contact.The doll also wears flat shoes to promote stability and ease of movement, according to Mattel.Each doll comes with a pink finger clip fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones and a pink tablet modeled after the devices some autistic people who struggle to speak use to communicate.Elon Musk's X Under UK Investigation Over Grok's Sexualized A.I. ImagesA British regulator said it had started a formal investigation into Mr. Musk's chatbot over the spread of illegal images.Malaysia and Indonesia block Musk's Grok over sexually explicit deepfakes Meta removes nearly 550,000 social media accounts under Australian age ban This new crash test dummy could keep women safer in car accidentsWhile regulators have been testing crash impacts for decades, there's a dearth of data on women, who face a higher risk of death in auto accidents. In November, regulators unveiled THOR-05F — short for “Test device for Human Occupant Restraint, 5th-percentile Female” — the first crash test dummy specifically based on a woman's body.Elon Musk's Lawsuit Accusing ChatGPT-Maker OpenAI Of Betraying Its Nonprofit Mission Can Go To Trial, Judge Rules‍ ‍Trump calls for 1-year 10% cap on credit card interest ratesThis is a mistake President': Bill Ackman responds to Trump's call for a one-year 10% cap on credit card interestActivist investors set record number of campaigns in 2025Last year's number of attacks marked a nearly 5% increase over 2024 and eclipsed the previous record of 249 made in 2018, the data showed.

The Texans knock the Steelers out of the playoffs. Mattel is releasing a doll with autism, intended to celebrate diversity. A passenger was forced to get out of a Waymo because it was stuck on train tracks. Researchers found that people push back their bedtime to doom scroll on social media. China released a social media app that checks in to make sure you're alive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Ice Skating team will have Maxim Naumov made the team. MD residence who got money from unemployment is now asking that money back from those people, letters are sent out. Mattel is beginning the new year with a special Barbie Doll. Make sure to also keep up to date with ALL our podcasts we do below that have new episodes every week: The Thought Shower Let's Get Weird Crisis on Infinite Podcasts See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Các nhà vận động vì quyền lợi của người tự kỷ đã có phản ứng trái chiều trước việc ra mắt búp bê Barbie phiên bản tự kỷ, được thiết kế nhằm tăng nhận thức và sự chấp nhận về đa dạng thần kinh ở trẻ em, đặc biệt là các bé gái. Hãng đồ chơi Mattel của Mỹ đã công bố búp bê mới trong tuần này, bao gồm các tính năng đặc biệt để phù hợp với các đặc điểm và hành vi thường thấy ở trẻ tự kỷ.

Autism advocates have had mixed reactions to the release of an autism Barbie, designed to increase awareness and acceptance of neurodiversity in children, particularly girls. American toymaker Mattel announced the new doll this week, including special features to accomodate the traits and behaviours associated with autism.

En medio de las tensiones por el tema del combate al narcotráfico, este lunes por la mañana los dos presidentes de México y Estados Unidos hablaron por teléfono para sentar las reglas del juego. Este año, los costos de prácticamente todos los seguros podrían aumentar alrededor de 20%, según expertos, por cambios fiscales impulsados por el SAT.Además… La Marina desmanteló tres laboratorios clandestinos de metanfetaminas en Durango, Sinaloa y Michoacán; la Profeco mandó a revisión a 5,000 autos BMW de distintos modelos fabricados entre 2019 y 2021 por presunta falla en el motor; el Ministerio para el Servicio Penitenciario de Venezuela informó que liberó a 116 presos políticos; Paramount nominará directores a la junta directiva de Warner Bros para votar en contra del acuerdo con Netflix; Alphabet, la matriz de Google, acaba de entrar al club de empresas valuadas en cuatro billones de dólares; y Mattel presentó a su primera Barbie con autismo.Y para #ElVasoMedioLleno… La exposición “Pequeñas Alas, Gran Impacto”, que se encuentra en el Papalote Museo del Niño, está a punto de irse. Tienes todo enero para visitarla. Para enterarte de más noticias como estas, síguenos en redes sociales. Estamos en todas las plataformas como @telokwento. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

D&P Highlight: Did Mattel miss the mark again with their latest Barbie? full 389 Mon, 12 Jan 2026 19:56:00 +0000 R2NLqSCATNuHRE22InQZ94vuf1WZ63SN news The Dana & Parks Podcast news D&P Highlight: Did Mattel miss the mark again with their latest Barbie? You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperw

A toy many of us grew up with is reflecting more kids’ real lives.  Mattel is expanding its Barbie lineup with a new doll designed to represent autism.  Holly and Greg explain how the doll is designed and discuss how this type of representation helps more kids see themselves in the toys they love.

Iran is facing its most dangerous uprising in years as anti-government protests have turned deadly across the country. Plus, we celebrate Rose Byrne’s first Globe and unpack the wins, the misses, & the best red carpet looks from the 83rd Golden Globe Awards. And in headlines today, Parliament's powerful intelligence and security committee will today scrutinise the new hate speech laws motivated by the Bondi terror attack; The small highland community of Eungella, west of Mackay in Qld, is expected to be cut off for up to three months as flood waters continue to rise; Britain's media regulator, has launched an investigation ‍into Elon Musk's X to determine ​whether allowing its Grok AI chatbot ⁠to produce sexually intimate deepfakes violates its duty to protect people in the UK from content that could be illegal; Mattel is introducing an autistic Barbie as the newest member of its line intended to celebrate diversity THE END BITS Support independent women's media Check out The Quicky Instagram here GET IN TOUCHShare your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice note or email us at thequicky@mamamia.com.au CREDITS Hosts: Taylah Strano & Claire Murphy Guests: Arash Azizi, Iranian Historian & Academic at Yale University. Author of What Iranians Want: Women, Life, Freedom Tara Watson, Mamamia's Entertainment Reporter Audio Producer: Lu Hill Group Executive Producer: Ilaria BrophyBecome a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would a Mike Broomhead Ken doll look like? We ask Mike what he thinks about the new autistic Barbie in today's edition of "did you hear this?". 

How drunk was Richard Boone when filming The Last Dinosaur? Jake and Jay navigate through this Rankin/Bass-Tsuburaya co-produced cinematic experience after a thorough run-through of the latest kaiju toy and sofubi news (including some gems from the upcoming Super Festival 93). Oh...and, as always, kaiju toy pickups!Same day, different Dodongo.---YHS on Monster Island is the premier kaiju / tokusatsu / Godzilla podcast - YouTube show, covering everything throughout the giant monster landscape, from films to fandom, television to toys. The two daikaiju devotees review old monster movies, discuss weekly toy pickups, rank anything that can be ranked, and, generally, just have a grand ol' time. There's not another show like it!---FOLLOW OUR HOSTSJacob Walsh on Instagram: @jacobtherevengeJay Key on Instagram: @tokutoytownMONSTER ISLAND VISITORS CENTER FACEBOOK GROUPBe sure to go and join our Facebook Group - The Monster Island Visitors Center - at https://www.facebook.com/groups/yhsonmonsterisland.YES HAVE SOME NETWORKYHS ON MONSTER ISLAND is a proud member of the Yes Have Some Network, a premier collection of pop culture podcasts and YouTube shows tackling every franchise, from Ghostbusters to Star Wars, Godzilla to Jurassic Park. Don't forget to check out the other great shows from the Yes Have Some Network included TOY ANXIETY, live every Tuesday at 9:30pm EST at https://www.youtube.com/@YHSToyAnxiety , and the mothership, YES HAVE SOME, every Monday at https://www.youtube.com/@yhspodcast. PATREONDon't forget to join the YHS Patreon, supporting both YES HAVE SOME and TOY ANXIETY, at patreon.com/yeshavesome. For as little as $5/month, you can unlock a vault of content going back multiple years. SPONSORED BY TOKU TOY TOWNYHS on Monster Island is sponsored by Toku Toy Town, your go-to for kaiju collectibles, tokusatsu toys, and rare sofubi. Visit Toku Toy Town today at tokutoytown.com.THE GEOFFREYS TOY AWARDS SHOWYHS on Monster Island is proud to be part of the annual Geoffrey's Toy Awards, featuring the top brands and toys in the industry, including Hasbro, Mattel, NECA, Super7, Mondo, and more! YHS on Monster Island presents the KAIJU TOY/COLLECTIBLE OF THE YEAR and KAIJU TOYLINE OF THE YEAR awards. Check it out on the Toy Anxiety YouTube channel.KAIJU GO!YHS on Monster Island is a sponsor of the Dallas-based kaiju event, KAIJU GO! Check out details at KaijuGo.com.Special thanks to all previous guests of YHS on Monster Island, including Abigail Gardner (Yes Have Some, Toy Anxiety), Attack Peter (artist, Mondo Creative Director), Chas Foreman (Chazbro Toys, Kaiju Go!), John Yurcaba (IDW comic artist) and some of the top fans in the world of kaiju (Ryan Wilhelm, Andy Peters, Lou Munster, Michael Hamilton, Sweaty Vinyl) and many more!YHS on Monster Island (c) 2021-2026

News: FCC bans drones produced abroad Mattel releases Barbie doll honoring astronaut and imagery analyst, Dr. Ellen Ochoa Topic: The annual annual review and prognostications   Events: Digital Cultural Heritage in the Era of AI and Extended Reality: 26 May, Cyprus NEH 250 Years of Teaching With Maps Summer Institute, 13-31 July, 2026, Chicago, IL Due March 6 Music: "Are you with me" by Josh Quat

Moc. Loose. Collectors. Forever.2026 is officially on the clock, and The FigGuys are wasting zero time ringing in the new year the only way we know how — by fantasy-booking the wrestling figures that NEED to happen next.In Episode #086, Mike and Tom dive headfirst into their biggest wants, hopes, and dream releases for 2026, spanning WWE Elites, Legends, Ultimates, deep-cut characters, overdue updates, and figures that feel inevitable… if the stars align. From long-requested names to lineup holes that still haven't been filled, this episode is a full-on collector brainstorming session fueled by passion, history, and years of shelf experience.The guys also break down the first real figure chatter of 2026, react to early buzz, and discuss how Mattel's recent momentum could shape what's coming next. What feels realistic? What's pure wish-list chaos? And which figures would instantly become can't-miss releases the moment they're revealed?Along the way, Mike and Tom talk articulation expectations, era representation, Ultimate Edition potential, Legends depth, and why certain wrestlers feel more relevant now than ever before in figure form. Whether you're a MOC collector, loose display builder, or just someone who loves talking wrestling toys at full throttle, this episode is packed with takes you'll want to argue about — and probably agree with.If you love predicting reveals, dreaming big, and debating what 2026 should look like for wrestling figures… this one's for you.

This episode I talk about a Jimmy Hart repaint in WrestleMania 1 gear as well as the new Piper's Pit set from Mattel & more before 5 Star Eric joins me to make NFL Wild Card Playoff Picks & "Andre" Karaoke closes the show

In this Money Talks: Journalist and author Tarpley Hitt joins Emily Peck to discuss her new book Barbieland: The Unauthorized History which reveals the shady history behind the super-star doll. They'll get into inventor Ruth Handler's so-called "inspiration" by a popular German doll, Mattel's industry spies and many, many lawsuits, and how Handler single-handedly prevented Nixon-era maternity leave policies.  Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Money Talks: Journalist and author Tarpley Hitt joins Emily Peck to discuss her new book Barbieland: The Unauthorized History which reveals the shady history behind the super-star doll. They'll get into inventor Ruth Handler's so-called "inspiration" by a popular German doll, Mattel's industry spies and many, many lawsuits, and how Handler single-handedly prevented Nixon-era maternity leave policies.  Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Money Talks: Journalist and author Tarpley Hitt joins Emily Peck to discuss her new book Barbieland: The Unauthorized History which reveals the shady history behind the super-star doll. They'll get into inventor Ruth Handler's so-called "inspiration" by a popular German doll, Mattel's industry spies and many, many lawsuits, and how Handler single-handedly prevented Nixon-era maternity leave policies.  Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Money Talks: Journalist and author Tarpley Hitt joins Emily Peck to discuss her new book Barbieland: The Unauthorized History which reveals the shady history behind the super-star doll. They'll get into inventor Ruth Handler's so-called "inspiration" by a popular German doll, Mattel's industry spies and many, many lawsuits, and how Handler single-handedly prevented Nixon-era maternity leave policies.  Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lana Love is a Pop Princess and a Star. Just wait till you hear her stuff. She's a classically trained pianist, dancer, singer-songwriter and actress and she's got a background in musical theater and opera. She was a contestant on “The Voice” where she was picked for John Legend's team. She's had roles in shows like HBO's The Rehearsal, and her credits include tours as a Disney princess. She's been written up in People, Broadway World and Billboard. Her song “Lion Heart” is featured in Mattel's American Girl Live! And she's an advocate for artists' rights.My featured song is my reimagined version of Jimi Hendrix's “Fire”, from the album Made In New York by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link.—-----------------------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH LANA:www.lanalove.music—----------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST RELEASE:“MA PETITE FLEUR STRING QUARTET” is Robert's latest release. It transforms his jazz ballad into a lush classical string quartet piece. Praised by a host of classical music stars.CLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—---------------------------------------ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLE“MI CACHIMBER” is Robert's recent single. It's Robert's tribute to his father who played the trumpet and loved Latin music.. Featuring world class guest artists Benny Benack III and Dave Smith on flugelhornCLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINKCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------------ROBERT'S LATEST ALBUM:“WHAT'S UP!” is Robert's latest compilation album. Featuring 10 of his recent singles including all the ones listed below. Instrumentals and vocals. Jazz, Rock, Pop and Fusion. “My best work so far. (Robert)”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com  

While writing a long introspective post about the new year would be par the course on most sites, blogs, what have you, I tend do that all year. So, because I have been putting off stuff since my birthday, I'll just leave you with this…

This week is the Rob Reiner top 11 end of year awards as well as predictions for 2026. Along with predictions and top 11, the boys also read their predictions from last year. How close were they to being right? Josh Thompson also has his predictions for 2026. At the beginning of the show, they also play a new game called Old St. Mick. What does this game consist of?   In the news, Fanatics got pillow buddies exclusives. Which wrestler gets this exclusive? Boss fight studios showed off a teaser picture of their next figure. Mattel showed off some figures on Ringside's youtube channel. Major Pod showed off the rendering for their next tag team set.    Pre Orders: Big Rubber Guys - Collectmajor.com Big Bad Toy Store   - Rush - Dralistico - Dragon Lee   Fig Collections - shop.figurecollections.com The patriot Buff Bagwell   Zombie Sailor - (zombiesailor.com) - Zombie is also on BBTS La Toonie Wrestling Toonstars KWK Shopkwk.com or KWKbrand on Instagram Thank you to everyone for keeping this show going!

This Week on Toy Power Podcast; we are taking a close look at a few of the New Mondo TMNT Soft Vinyl Figures - namely: Baxter Stockman, Ray Fillet & Mondo Gecko! With close comparisons of how they compare with their Vintage Counterparts & just what makes these figures so unique from anything that has come before! (Plus: a bit of a wish-list too!) Then we take a look at what 2026 has in the space of upcoming Films! Aside from the obvious Sequel Heavy releases, we chat towards what we are most excited for! This is our Final ep of 2025 - see you in the New Year!!Support the show: http://patreon.com/toypowerpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to 25 Days of Y2Kristmas! This month Movies That Raised us will be exclusively covering holiday classics so grab some hot chocolate, a fuzzy blanket, and let's get festive!         Mo and Christina take on their fourth and final Y2Kristmas flick- the 2001 animated classique Barbie in the Nutcracker! Mattel brought Barbie to the ballet! Enjoy as we discuss Prince Eric as a respectful king, Barbie being under house arrest, Tim Curry as the Mouse King, and so much more!!             Our Patreon is LIVE! https://www.patreon.com/moviesthatraisedus We are thrilled to launch our Patreon with exciting perks such as a listener picked bonus movie episode, exclusive Discord, being added to our Close Friends, and a personalized thank you note!   Our merch shop is live! Check out our Raymond the Lifeguard design and more!! https://tinyurl.com/vxpbczup    Follow us on instagram @moviesthatraisedus   Follow us on tiktok @moviesthatraiseduspod  Follow us on twitter @mtru_pod     Do you have a movie you want us to cover next? Fill out our form! https://forms.gle/fU5vRfTk8K5Gb7cD8

  Episode Cancellations and Card Collecting Jefry and Scott discussed the cancellation of "Nostalgia" this week due to scheduling conflicts with predictions and a "Top 11" episode next week. They also talked about the delay of the "WCW Revenge" episode for the Nintendo 64, which will now debut in the week after next. Scott shared his thoughts on the bizarre concept of "rip cards" in baseball card collecting, where a card is destroyed to reveal a smaller, potentially more valuable card inside. They also discussed the recent retirement of John Cena and the high value of his autographed cards, as well as the discovery of a rare Tom Brady card.   Wrestling Era and Figure Discussions Jefry and Scott discussed their opinions on the recent era of wrestling, particularly focusing on John Cena's last run. They both agreed it was rushed and poorly executed, with Scott giving it a rating of 2 out of 5. They also talked about the potential for Mattel to create action figures of Jimmy Garvin and Steve Regal. Finally, they briefly mentioned upcoming wrestling events, including WrestleCon in Vegas.   WrestleCon Autographs and Collectibles Scott and Jefry discussed the rare autograph signing opportunities with Don Morocco and Kevin Vaughn Eric for WrestleCon, with Jefry considering a day trip to attend. Scott shared his excitement about receiving a blue card Hogan LJN figure, and they discussed the appeal of Dusty Rhodes figures, particularly the polka dot era, with Jefry having a blue card Dusty and Scott considering a black card version.   Wrestling Figures and Nostalgia Scott and Jefry discussed Dusty Rhodes' wrestling character and how he embraced a negative gimmick. They then shared their experiences with the new LJN-style wrestling figures, with Scott describing the nostalgic feeling of holding a figure from his childhood in 2025. Scott also read a message from Russell Cartwright who had canceled pre-orders for Hogan and Cena figures after listening to their podcast, and instead found them at retail, which brought back childhood memories.   WrestleCon and Upcoming Product Releases Jefry and Scott discussed the rarity of Rick Martell's autograph signings and speculated that Martell's participation in a New York signing could indicate an upcoming announcement for WrestleCon. They then reviewed new products, including a limited-edition Undertaker bobblehead inspired by the Backlash 2008 poster, and discussed Funko's upcoming releases featuring Uncle Howdy, Jesse Ventura, Bray Wyatt, Jey Uso, and two Rhea Ripley variants. Finally, they mentioned that Junk Shop Dog is releasing three different looks for Tanahashi, who is retiring early next month.   Wrestling Tag Teams Legacy Debate Scott and Jefry discussed the legacy of various wrestling tag teams, including the Hardys, Dudleys, and Road Warriors, and debated who should be included on a hypothetical "Mount Rushmore" of tag teams. They also talked about Ringside Collectibles' new Joe Hendry figure, which is ready to ship and includes a bass that plays his theme music.    Mick Foley's WWE Departure Discussion Scott and Jefry discussed Mick Foley's decision to part ways with WWE due to concerns about the company's relationship with Donald Trump. They admired Foley's ability to stand up for his principles and walk away from the company. The conversation then shifted to new wrestling figures, including Tito Santana in his El Matador gimmick and a highly anticipated Coco Beware figure, which Scott placed on his top 11 list for 2026.   Rob Reiner Event and Licensing Jefry and Scott discussed the upcoming Rob Reiner annual event, which will be the first official one and will feature a "Top 11" list. They also talked about action figures, including the inability to use the Superman logo on WWE products due to licensing issues. Scott expressed surprise at learning that Andre's license is no longer with WWE. They briefly discussed the possibility of future DC-WWE mashup figures and the likelihood of John Cena being featured as Peacemaker. Lastly, they mentioned that WWE is open to working with Target and potentially using other LJN lines for future products. LJN Product Line Future Discussion Scott and Jefry discussed the future of the LJN product line, agreeing that it would likely continue for about 4 years before a reevaluation. They emphasized the importance of including a ring and cage as a package deal, as well as releasing tag team sets. They decided against producing thumb wrestlers and stretch wrestlers but expressed interest in potentially creating Bendy figures in a few years if the LJN line remains successful. The conversation concluded with a brief discussion about potential upgrades to wrestling belts, with Steve mentioning that the classic IC title was next on his wishlist for belt upgrades. Wrestling Belt Nostalgia and Upgrades Jefry and Scott discussed the nostalgia and upgrades of wrestling belts from the 1985-1986 era, highlighting significant improvements across major organizations. They expressed hope for the release of the AWA tag team titles, with potential candidates like the Road Warriors or Hall and Henning, though Scott noted limited options for tag champions. They also discussed the possibility of signing legends like Marty Jannetti to future deals, and Jefry confirmed that Barry Wyndham is still under contract, despite no new figures being made since 2010.          

Brett and Christina host an OG episode. Christina talks about her upcoming spinal surgery and navigating insurance hassles. Brett talks about his sleep issues, project progress, and coding routines. They dive into the complexities of USB-C cables, from volts to data rates. And TV’s just ‘okay’ now, except for some softcore gay porn. Kagi search saves the day. Happy holidays — and get some sleep. Sponsor Copilot Money can help you take control of your finances. Get a fresh start with your money for 2026 with 26% off when you visit try.copilot.money/overtired and use code OVERTIRED. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all eCommerce in the US, from household names like Mattel and Gymshark, to brands just getting started. Get started today at shopify.com/overtired. Show Links CaberQu BLE cable tester Umami Analytics Plausible Analytics Kagi The Comfortable Problem of Mid TV – The New York Times Fallout Heated Rivalry (TV Series 2025– ) – IMDb Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Greetings 00:40 Christina’s Health Update 05:05 Brett’s Sleep and Work Routine 12:19 USB-C Cable Confusion 22:03 Sponsor Break: Shopify 24:26 Sponsor Break: Copilot Money 26:57 Exploring Rocket Money and Web Interfaces 27:21 Discovering Umami Analytics 28:06 Nostalgia for Mint and Fever 28:44 The Decline of RSS and Google Reader 31:45 Switching to Kagi Search Engine 32:33 The Rise of AI-Generated Content 40:46 TV Shows: Is TV Just Okay Now? 47:24 The Cultural Phenomenon of Heated Rivalry 52:50 Wrapping Up and Holiday Wishes Join the Conversation Merch Come chat on Discord! Twitter/ovrtrd Instagram/ovrtrd Youtube Get the Newsletter Thanks! You’re downloading today’s show from CacheFly’s network BackBeat Media Podcast Network Check out more episodes at overtiredpod.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Find Brett as @ttscoff, Christina as @film_girl, Jeff as @jsguntzel, and follow Overtired at @ovrtrd on Twitter. Transcript Universal Serial Bitching Introduction and Greetings [00:00:00] Brett: Hey, you’re listening to Overtired. I am Brett Terpstra, and it’s just me and Christina Warren this morning. How you doing, Christina? Christina: Doing pretty good. Doing pretty good. Yeah. This is the, this is the OG Overtired configuration. Brett: right back to basics. Um, Christina: We do miss you Jeff, though. Ho, ho, ho. Hope that Jeff is having a great holiday with his family. Brett: we’ll have to have some, uh, gratuitous Wiki K hole that you go down just to, to commemorate the olden days. Um, so yeah, let’s, uh, let’s, let’s do a quick check-in. Christina’s Health Update Brett: Um, I’m curious about your health and all of the wildness that’s going on with your spine and whatnot. Christina: Yeah. Yeah. Um, same. I wanna hear about you too. Um, so, uh, Christina’s cervical spine update, as it were. Um, I am [00:01:00] still waiting to, as we’re recording this, which is like. Uh, three days before Christmas, uh, I’m still waiting to hear from the, uh, hospital to see if I can, when I can get scheduled. Um, insurance has sort of been a pain in the ass, so when I talked to them last week, they were like, we sent them some paperwork. We’re still waiting for some things back then. I called the insurance company and the, the, uh, like my insurance is like, has like an intermediary service that is supposed to contact the insurance company on your behalf and that person, but like, I can’t contact them directly. And then that person was like, oh, you don’t need pre-authorization. Go ahead and schedule the surgery. And I’m like, this doesn’t feel right. Um, so, but, but we, we went ahead and we called back the, you know, the, the surgeon, um, his office and they were very nice and we were like. They say that we can get on the books. So I don’t know when that will be. I’m hoping that it will be, you know, like the first week of January, um, or, or, or thereabouts. Um, but I don’t know. Um, [00:02:00] so I am still kind of in this like limbo stage where I don’t know exactly when I’m gonna have the surgery, except hopefully soon. And, um, and, and for anyone who hasn’t caught up, I, uh, I have a bulging disc on C seven on my cervical spine, and I’m going to get a, um, artificial disc replacement. Um, so they’re gonna take out the, you know, bulging bone and all that and put in, uh, some synthetic piece and then hopefully that will immediately relieve the, the pain that has been primarily through the left side of, uh, my arm and my shoulder, um, uh, down through my fingers. But it’s been on my right side a little bit too. So hopefully when that is done, it’ll be a relatively short recovery. Um, I’ll have an early scar and um, I will be, you know, not. Uh, the pain right now, like the levels aren’t terrible, but I’m pretty numb, uh, on my, my, my left arm, my, my right arm, um, uh, or right fingers I guess too, but, but really it’s, it’s, uh, the, the, the left side [00:03:00] that’s the worst. And traveling. Um, I’m, I’m in Atlanta with my family right now and, you know, kind of doing other things is just not, it’s not great. So, um, hopefully I’ll be getting surgery sooner rather than later. But obviously all that stuff does impact your mental health too, when you’re in pain and, and you, you know, are freaked out too about, you know, like, even though like they do, you know, it, it’s not an uncommon surgery and, and it, and it should be fine, but you know, there’s always these things in the back of your mind. You’re like, okay, well what if something goes wrong or whatever. So I’m just, I’m looking forward to, um, you know, light at the end of the tunnel, but um, still kind of in a holding pattern with that. So Brett: Wow. So that scar’s, that scar’s gonna be on your throat. Christina: Yeah, Brett: Wow. Christina: yeah. Like probably like. No, not really. I’m, I mean, I’m hoping that it’ll be, uh, like no, it really won’t be at all. Brett: I, I, I would like to have it. I can understand why you wouldn’t. Christina: yeah, I mean, you know, I will obviously, you know, uh, hopefully it’ll be like low enough to be [00:04:00] primarily covered by shirts or other things, although, who knows? ’cause I do like to wear like, lower cut things sometimes. I don’t know. It, it’ll hopefully, you Brett: I heard chokers are coming back. Christina: Yeah, I don’t, unfortunately. I think it’s gonna be too, uh, low for that. Brett: Okay. Christina: uh, like, it, it’s gonna be, I think like it might hit against my laryn is, is what they say. That’s the other thing too. I might have, you know, some hoarseness after, won’t we permanent? Um, you know, knock on wood. Um, Brett: go on Etsy, you can get, um, they’re for BDSM, they’re like neck, uh, they hold your chin up. They’re like posture enhancers. Uh, but they sell them within leather with like corset straps. ’cause they’re like A-B-D-S-M accessory. That would work. Christina: No, no. Not even once. Uh, not even once. I mean, look, a good group of people who wanna do that, uh, I I will not be wearing a collar of any sort of that sort of thing. Uh, I, I, I don’t, I don’t really wanna, wanna be part [00:05:00] of, uh, one of that, those types of, you know, uh, Harlequin romance novels. , Brett’s Sleep and Work Routine Brett: All right, well, I will go ahead and check in. Um, I, I’m sleeping really well for like two days at a time, and then I’ll have. A string of like five or six hours of sleep, which isn’t nothing. Um, but it’s not quite enough for me to not feel tired all the time. And two nights of sleep is not enough for me to catch up on sleep. And, um, so I’m kind of, this has been going on for like a year though, so it’s, I’m just kind of, I’m used to it and I’ve learned to operate pretty well on six or seven hours of sleep, even though historically like I need eight and a half. Um, but I’m doing okay and I get up about four every morning and I start coding and I usually code from like four to noon, so an eight [00:06:00] hour workday, uh, with a breakfast somewhere in there. And, um, I’ve made really good progress. Marked is, as far as I can tell, ready to go wide with the beta. Um. I think I’ve solved every bug that’s been reported so far. I only have about a hundred testers right now, um, but I’m gonna open it up, uh, try to get maybe a thousand testers for a couple weeks and then go for a live release. The biggest thing that I’m running into is problems with getting the, like free trial and the purchase mechanisms working, which is the exact same thing that’s holding up NV Ultra right now. Um, so if I can figure it out for Mark, I can port it to NV Ultra. I can have two apps out there making money, hopefully never have to get a job again. Um, I’m teamed up right now with Dan Peterson, formerly of One Password. Um, and we’re [00:07:00] working on some iOS apps and. And, uh, apex. My, my, all my Universal markdown processor is, it’s coming along really well. I’ve, I’ve put it out there. Um, I’ve talked to John Gruber a little bit about it. He’s gonna give it more of a workout and get back to me. Um, but I think, I think it’s getting to a point where I would be comfortable integrating it into Mark and even talking to some other, uh, apps about using it as their default processor, um, and kind of alleviating some of the issues people run into with, uh, differences in syntax. Um, I. I, I, I talked to Devon, think, uh, Eric from Devon think about using it. ’cause they use multi markdown right now, uh, which has a lot of cool features, but is not [00:08:00] really in sync with what most of the web is using these days. Um, so I talked to them about it and they’re like, oh, we had the exact same idea and we’re almost done with our own universal processor. Um, and theirs is gonna output like RTF and things that I don’t need apex to do. ’cause you can just pipe apex into panoc and do everything you need. So anyway, I’m, I’m tired. I’m, I’m in good spirits. I. I’m dealing fine with winter. My, I’m alone on Christmas, which is gonna be weird. Um, my family’s outta town. Elle is house sitting I’ll, I’ll go visit Elle, but most of the day I’m gonna be like by myself on Christmas and I don’t drink anymore. And I, I don’t, I don’t know how that’s gonna go yet. Um, initially I thought, oh, that’s fine. I like being alone. But then, [00:09:00] then the idea of like, not having anyone to talk to you on Christmas day started to feel a little depressing. Christina: Yeah. Yeah. Um, but, um, hopefully, um, when, when will, uh, when will I’ll be back from, from house sitting. How long is, uh, are, are they going to be Brett: I think. I think the people, the, the house owners come back Thursday or Friday. Christina: Okay. Brett: Then we’re gonna take off and go up to Minneapolis to hang out with her family for a weekend. So, I don’t know. It’ll, it’s gonna be fine. It’s gonna be fine. We’re gonna like cook on Christmas Eve and, and have leftovers on Christmas day. It’ll be fine. Christina: Yeah, yeah. Well, but, but it, but, but that is weird. Like, I’m sure like to be, you know, not, not, not, not with like your usual crew, but, um, [00:10:00] especially without the alcohol there. But that’s probably a good thing too. Brett: Yeah, I guess. Um, I will have all the cats. I’ll be fine. I have to take care of the dog too. Christina: Have, have you heard any updates, like, um, I guess, um, about when you were, you know, you were in the hospital a few times over the last year with, with various things. Did you ever get any definitive update on what that was? Brett: On which one? I have so many symptoms. Which one are we talking about? Christina: Well, I guess I, I guess when you, you know, you’ve had to be like hospitalized or Brett: The pancreatitis. Christina: had the pancreatitis. Brett: the, the fact that it hasn’t happened again since I stopped drinking, um, really does indicate that it was entirely alcohol that was causing the problem. Um, so yeah, I’m just, I’m never gonna drink again. That’s fine. It’s, it’s all fine. Um, I did, I did get approved to get back on Medicaid. Um, so [00:11:00] yeah, I haven’t gotten the paperwork in the mail yet. Uh, but my old card should just start working and I’ll be able to, my, my new doctor wants a whole bunch more tests, including an MRI of my pituitary gland. Um. Like testosterone tests and stuff that I guess is more specific to what she thinks might be going on with me. Um, but now I can, I can actually get those tests That would’ve been just a huge out-of-pocket expense over the last couple months. So I’m excited. I’m excited to be back on Medicaid. I wish everyone could have Medicaid. Christina: Yeah, that would be really nice. That would be really nice if, if, if we had systems like that available, um, for everyone. Um, but. Instead, you know, if they’re, like, if you have really great health, I mean, you, you pointed those out. Like you have really great health insurance if you [00:12:00] can prove that you, you know, make absolutely no money. Um, but, but that opens up so many other, you know, issues that most people aren’t lucky enough to be able Brett: right. Yeah, totally. Christina: right. Brett: All right, well do you, okay, first topic. USB-C Cable Confusion Brett: How much do you know about USBC cables and the various specs? Christina: Uh, Brett: you know a shit ton. Christina: I do, unfortunately, I know a lot. Brett: So I, I had been operating under the assumption that there were basically, you had like data USBC cables, you had, uh, thunderbolt USBC cables and you had like, power only USPC cables. It turns out there’s like 18 different varieties of different, uh, like vol, uh, voltage, uh, amperage, uh, levels, like total wattage basically. And, um, and transfer speeds. And, [00:13:00] um, and there’s like maximum links for different types of cable. And it, it, I started to understand why like. One device would charge with one cable and another device would not charge with the same cable, even though they all have the same connector. Christina: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think this is, this is why, um, some of us have been really like eye rolly at the EU for their pronouncements about certain things, because simply mandating a connector type doesn’t actually solve the problem. Brett: No, it actually confuses it a little bit Christina: I think Yeah, I was going to say exactly. I think in some cases it makes it worse. Right? And, and then you have different, like, and, and then getting SB four into it, uh, uh, versus like, like, like, like various Thunderbolt versions. Like that adds complications too, because technically SB four and Thunderbolt four should basically be the same, but they’re not really, there are a couple of things that Thunderbolt might have that [00:14:00] USB four doesn’t necessarily have to have, although for all intents and purposes they might be the same. And then of course, thunderbolts five is its own thing too. So like I bought off of Kickstarter, I got like this, you know, like a cable charger, basically like, like a connector thing. It was like $120. For this, this, this thing that basically you can plug a cable into and you can see its voltage and um, or not voltage, I guess it’s uh, you know, amperage or whatever. And you can see like, it, it, it’s transfer speed and you can basically like check that on like a little display, which is useful, but the fact that like, you have to buy that sometimes. So like figure out, well, okay, well which cable is this? Right? And then, uh, to your point about lengths, right? So like, okay, so you want something that’s going to be fast charging but also high speed data transfer. Alright, well that means that you, the cable’s gonna have to be stiff. It’s not gonna be able to be something that’s really bendable. Um, which of course is what most people are going to want. So like you can get a fast charge, like a 240 wat or a hundred and, you know, 20 wat or, or [00:15:00] whatever, um, like a USB 2.0 transfer speed cable. But if you want one that’s, uh, going to be, you know, fast charging and. Fast data transfer, then like that’s a different type. And they have like limited lengths, which again, can also be associated with like Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt. You know, cables are much more expensive. Um, and, uh, uh, you know, the, the, the, but their, their lengths are limited. Um, yeah. Uh, it’s very confusing. Brett: Did you know that in rare circumstances there are even devices that will only charge with an A to C cable. Christina: Yes, Brett: That’s so insane. Christina: yeah, no, I’ve run into that myself and then that’s a weird thing and I don’t even know how that should work. ’cause it’s, it’s, it’s a bizarre thing. You’re like, okay, well I thought this was just like a, you know, maybe like a dumb end, but it’s like, no, there’s like, you know, basically a microchip Brett: Like a two pin to two pin. Christina: at this point. Brett: Like two pen to two pen, no pd like you would think that would work with C to C, [00:16:00] but somehow it has to be A to c. I am getting one of those cable testers. I asked for one for Christmas so I could figure out this pile of cables I have and like my Sonos Ace headphones are very particular about which cables and what, um, charging hub I hooked them up to Christina: Right. Oh, yeah, hubs. I was gonna say, hubs introduce a whole other complication into this too, because depending on what hub you’re using, if you’re using a USB hub, it may or may not have certain things versus a Thunderbolt hub versus something else, versus just like, um, you know, a power brick. Like, yeah. Brett: Yeah. It’s fun stuff you. Christina: Yeah. No, it’s annoying. And, um, like, and what, what’s frustrating about this is like some of the cables that they’re better, like you can look at the, you know, the bottoms of them and you can see like they will have like the USB like four, or they might have 3.2, or they might have, you know, like the thunderbolt, you know, um, uh, icon [00:17:00] with, with, with its version. So you can figure out is this 20 gigabits, is this 40, is this 80? Um, but um. That’s not a guaranteed thing, and that also doesn’t guarantee authenticity of stuff, right? So a lot of the cables, you know, you buy off the internet can be, you know, and they might be, or even at stores, right? Like you’re, you’re not buying something from, even if you get things from Belkin or whoever, like, those things can have issues too. Um, although they at least tend to have better warranties. I bought a Balkan, um. Uh, like a, a, a PD cable, like a two 40 cable that I think it was like, you know, uh, 10 feet longer something. It was supposed to have some sort of long warranty and, and because the, the, you know, um, faster transfer ones, um, are, even though it was braided, you know, it stiff and it, it broke, like there was, uh, the, like the, you know, the connect with the part of the, the, the cable near the, the end, um, did that thing that typically apple cables do, where like, it, it sort of [00:18:00] fraying and you started like seeing the exposed wires and then like, you start to like, feel like, you know, like an electric charge, like Brett: A little tingle. Christina: you’re Yeah. And you’re like, okay, this isn’t good. Um, and so I at least had my Amazon receipt, so I was able to like. Get them to mail me a new one relatively easily. And like Anchor has an okay warranty too. But it’s one of those things you’re like, okay, when did I buy this? I was like, I didn’t even buy this a year ago, and this thing already crapped out. Um, versus, you know, you can get some really nice braided cables that are flexible, but they’re just gonna be 2.0 speeds. Um, and, and then if you buy, you know, you just buy like some random cable, you know, like at the airport or whatever. You’re like, all right, well, I don’t even know Brett: Great. Christina: anything about this. Uh, yeah, Brett: I have heard good things. I’ve heard good things about the company. Cable Matters. Christina: Yeah. Yeah. They make good stuff. They make good stuff. But again, at least the cables matters, cables that I have have been primarily stiffer cables because they tend to be like the, the higher transfer [00:19:00] speeds. So, um, like I have a cable, cable matters Thunderbolt cable, and I have like a USB four cable, I think. Um, but like, these are cables that like. I don’t, I mean, I, I have one that I, I kind of travel with, but I don’t, um, either keeping it as little cable matters, uh, uh, plastic, um. Like, so they come in like these, these case, uh, not these cases. Uh, they come in like these, uh, almost like Ziploc bag type of things. Um, which is a great way to ship cables honestly, you know, rather than using a box and, and like I, and I might toss one of those in a suitcase or a backpack, um, rather than having like the cable just out there loose. But I do that primarily because again, like they’re stiff and they’re not the sorts of things that I necessarily want, like in the bottom of my bag, you know, potentially getting broken and, and, and, and twisted and all of that. Um, they are overpriced for what they are and they are definitely not like, they’re not a high transfer cable, but if you can find ’em on sale, the beats, cables, the, the, the, the, the, the branded Beats cables, I actually like them better [00:20:00] than the apple cables that are the same thing, because they are, they’re longer, uh, by, you know, um, a, a few inches than, um, the, the Apple ones. But they’re still braided and they’re nice. And I was able to get, I dunno, this was a, this was not even Black Friday, but this was. Um, you know, sometime in like early November, I think, um, or maybe it was like late October. It might’ve been a Prime Day thing, I don’t know, but they were like eight or $9 a piece, and so I bought like five or six of them. Um, and they are, you know, uh, uh, PD and like, like, like fast charging peoples, they might not be 240, but I think they’re, they’re, they were like a hundred and you know, like 20 watts or whatever. But, um, you know, not high transfer speeds, but if you’re wanting to just quickly charge something and have it, you know, be a, a decent length and be like flexible. Those I don’t, those I don’t hate. Um, anchor makes pretty good cables. You green seems to be the company that’s sponsoring everyone now for various things. [00:21:00] But, um, I don’t know. I’ve started using MagSafe more and more, uh, like wireless charging when I can for some things, at least for phones, Brett: yeah. I actually have some U green wireless charging solutions that are really good. Christina: Yeah. Yeah. I just got one of their, uh, their 10,000 million pair battery fast charging battery things because now the MagSafe, uh, can be like up to, you know, 30 watts or whatever, or 25 watts or, or, or, or whatever it is. Like it’s, um, a lot more, um, usable than, you know, when it was like 10 or, or, or even 15. You’re like, okay, this, this is actually not going to be like the, the slowest, you know, charging thing known to man. But of course, obviously it’s like you can use it with your phone and with your AirPods, but the rest of the things out there don’t, don’t all support shi too, so, Brett: Right. Christina: yeah. Brett: All right. So, um, I want to talk about TV a little bit. Christina: Yeah. I think before we do that though, we should probably Brett: oh, we should, we [00:22:00] have two sponsors to fit in Jesus. I should get on that. Sponsor Break: Shopify Brett: Um, let’s start with, uh, let’s start with Shopify. This episode is brought to you by Shopify. Have you been dreaming of owning your own business? In addition to having something to sell, you’ll need a website, a payment system, a logo, a way to advertise to new customers, et cetera, et cetera. It can all be overwhelming and confusing, but that’s where today’s sponsor, Shopify comes in. Shopify is the commerce platform behind millions of businesses around the world, and 10% of all e-commerce in the us From household names like Mattel and Gym Shark to brands. Just getting started, get started with your own design studio with hundreds of ready to use templates. Shopify helps you build beautiful online store to match your brand style, accelerate your content creation. Shopify is packed with helpful AI tools that write product descriptions, page headlines, and even enhance your product photography.[00:23:00] Get the word out like you have a marketing team behind you. Easily create email and social media campaigns wherever your customers are scrolling or strolling. And best yet, Shopify is your commerce expert with world-class expertise and everything from managing inventory to international shipping, to processing returns and beyond. If you’re ready to sell, you’re ready for Shopify. Turn your big business idea into with Shopify on your side. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today@shopify.com slash Overtired. Go to shopify.com/ Overtired. That is shopify.com/ Overtired. Thanks Shopify. Christina: Thank you Shopify. Brett: It’ll be, it’ll be just tight as hell by the time people hear it. But that was rough. I, that, that, that, that read, you just heard I [00:24:00] edited like six places. ’cause I kept, I, I don’t know. I’m tired. I’ve been up since, I’ve been up since two today. Christina: Yeah. Shit, man. That’s, yeah, you again, like you’ve been having like sleep issues. It’s, it’s, Brett: Maybe, maybe I shouldn’t be doing sponsor reads. Christina: No, no, no, no, no. Uh, no. We definitely wanna talk about tv. Do you wanna do, do we wanna do our second, um, uh, uh, ad break Brett: let’s do a block. Let’s make it a Christina: Let’s do it. Block. Alright, fantastic. Sponsor Break: Copilot Money Christina: Alright, well, since we are about to go into 2026, this is a great time to, uh, think about your finances. So are you ready to take control of your finances? Well meet copilot money. This is the personal finance app that makes your money feel clear and calm with a beautiful design. Smart automation copilot money brings all of your spending, saving and investment accounts into one place. It’s available on iOS, Mac, iPad, and now on the web, which is really great, uh, because I know, uh, for me anyway, that’s one of my one kind of things [00:25:00] about some of these like tools like this is that there’s not a web app. I’m really bothered by it. This is, you know, it’s a frustration that like the Apple card, for a long time, you know, you couldn’t really access things on, on the web. Even now it’s still kind of messy, like being able to handle things on the web. But as we enter 2026, it is time for a fresh start. And so with the, uh, mint shutdown and rising financial uncertainty, consumers are seeking clarity and control. And this is where copilot money comes in. So copilot money can help you track your budgets, your savings goals, and your net worth seamlessly. Plus, with the the new, um, web launch, you can enjoy a sudden experience on any device, which is really good. And guess what? For a limited time, you can get 26% off your first year when you sign up through the web app. New Year’s only don’t miss out on the chance to start the new year with confidence. There are features like automatic subscription tracking, so you’ll never miss upcoming charges again. Copilot money’s privacy first approach ensures that your data is secure and their team is dedicated to helping you stress less [00:26:00] about money. So whether you’re a finance pro or just starting out, copilot money is there to help you make better decisions. Visit, try dot copilot money slash Overtired and use the code Overtired to sign up for your one month free trial and embrace financial clarity. That’s try.copilot.money/ Overtired. Use the coupon Overtired. And again, that is 26% off for your first year. So thank you copilot money for, uh, sponsoring this week’s, uh, uh, episode. Oh, one other note about copilot money. They were, um, an apple, uh, design award finalist. So it’s a really well designed app and, um, we love to see, um, apps like this available on, on the web as well as iOS and, and MAC os. Brett: I have started using it very much because of the web version, and it is, it is really good. Christina: yeah, yeah. No, yeah. For, yeah, for me, that is like a, an actual like. Concrete requirement. Exploring Rocket Money and Web Interfaces Christina: Any money Brett: Like I’ve, I’ve [00:27:00] paid, I have about eight months left. I paid for a year of, of Rocket Money or whatever it’s called now. Um, and I’ve always loved that app, but yeah, it does not have a web interface. And once I started trying copilot out, I realized how much I really did want a web interface for that stuff, you know? What else have you seen? Discovering Umami Analytics Brett: Umami the analytics platform. Christina: Yes. Brett: It is so good. And it’s, it’s open source and you can self-host. And it is like, I, I’ve been using Fathom Analytics for a long time and I like Fathom, but Umami is, it has like all of the, uh, advanced stuff you would get with Google Analytics, but with like way more privacy focus and you’re not giving information to Google for one. Um, and the interface is beautiful. I love that. It’s so good. Christina: Yeah. Um, umami is really good. I think, uh, there’s another one, I’m [00:28:00] trying to think of what it was called. There are a number of these various, um, analytics, uh, hosted things, but no, umami is definitely a really good one. Nostalgia for Mint and Fever Christina: And I like, um, it reminds me, um, it was, what was it? It was Mint. It was Mint, Sean Edmond’s Mint. Which Brett: I was just gonna ask you if you remembered that. Christina: yeah, which was, which was one of the, uh, plausible analytics. It’s another one too. Um, which is also like, um, they, they have a hosted version, but you can also self-host. Um, and then that’s also a, a, a, another, uh, good one. But yeah. Um, was like my, my all time favorites, uh, you know, app. I, I, I loved that. Brett: Um, what was his RSS one? Uh, fever? Fever. Christina: was, was the best fever, was the best. The Decline of RSS and Google Reader Christina: And it was funny, like I, I think I’ve talked about this before, I was more insulated and like less upset than some people by the, the Google reader death because I had a, a, I’d been using Fever for so long, and then obviously, you know, stuff being updated and doesn’t really work [00:29:00] super well with like, the latest versions of PHP and things like that. But, you know, a lot of people were really, understandably and, and still more than a decade on, you know, very upset by the death of, um, Google reader. But I think because I, I had paid for and used, you know, my own, um, self-hosted fever installation, and then there were apps that people used for, you know, APIs and whatnot to build, you know, Macs or iOS apps or, or whatever. Like, I, I was obviously upset about Google Reader being shut down, but I was like, okay, you know, I, I can just, you know, move on to something else. And, um, and I’ve used, uh, feeder, um, not, not, not feeder, um, Brett: Reader Christina: is. No, no. Maybe, uh, it’s, uh, not Feed Demon. Um, that was like the OG one. Um, it’ll come to me, um, because I, I, yes. Thank you. Feed Ben. Thank you, thank you. One of the ones that’s still around, uh, from like the, of the, you know, various Google reader alternatives, like many of them. You know, closed up shop.[00:30:00] Brett: Yeah. Christina: if they kind of realized, you know, by Google reader, like this is the, unfortunately a niche market. Um, now that didn’t help the fact that like, you know, when people, when web browsers Safari, I think started at first and then Firefox did, and then, you know, uh, Chrome was, was fairly early too. Like when all the web browsers took away like RSS buttons to make it easy to subscribe to feeds or to auto discover feeds, and you had to like install like a, an extension or whatever to do that. Like, that all helped with the, the demise of RSS in a lot of ways. And of course, people moving everything into closed platforms and, and social networks and stuff that, you Brett: In, in the tech world though. So I have, my blog gets about 20,000 visits a week, but it gets 30,000 RSS downloads, like, uh, like daily, 30,000 readers are, are, are pulling my site. Um, so RSS is far from dead in the tech world. Christina: Right. Well, [00:31:00] well, I think, I think in a certain demographic, right? I think if you were to ask like a new, like college grads, I don’t think that any of them are using RSS at least not actively, right? Like, I mean, you might have a few, but like it’s, it’s just not gonna be like a thing where they’re gonna be, act like they might be using some apps that do similar types of things and might even pull in feed sources maybe. But it, it’s, it’s just not like a, like when, when I was graduating from college or in college, like everybody had, you know, RSS clients and that was just kind of a, a known thing. Brett: Yeah. So speaking of traffic, um, I don’t, did I mention that I got delisted on Bing and Christina: You did, Brett: I am, I’m back Christina: figure that out? You’re back now. Okay. Brett: I’m back now. Switching to Kagi Search Engine Brett: And, um, I have switched to using Kaji, um, as my primary search engine and they replicate all of duck duck go’s bang searches. Christina: Yes. Brett: So I Christina: one of the things I love about them. [00:32:00] Yes. Brett: I was pleased to see there’s a Bang Turp search on Kaji. Um, I actually use Christina: or is it kgi? Because I think I’ve always called it kgi. Yeah, it’s KA, it’s K, it’s KAGI. For anybody who’s who’s, uh, I don’t know how to, how, how, if it’s kgi, kgi, um, uh, you know, Kaji, whatever, Brett: It’ll be in the show notes. What the fuck ever, we’ll just call it KGI. Um, and yeah, so like I was super happy ’cause I used the Bang Turp to search my own site. I just got used to doing that. The Rise of AI-Generated Content Brett: Um, and, but it is like you can, the reason I switched to said web, uh, search engine is um, because you can report sites that are just AI slop and they will verify those reports and remove or flag slop sites in your search results. ’cause I was getting sick, even with DuckDuckGo, like five out [00:33:00] of 10 results were always, I’d get in, I’d get there, I’d get one, maybe two paragraphs into, uh, an article and realize, oh, someone just typed in my search term into chat GPT and then Christina: Oh yeah. Brett: automated it. Christina: Oh, I was gonna say there, there it is. Automated at this point. And, and like, to be clear, like a lot of search results, even before like the rise of like genre of AI were a variant of this, where you would see like people like buying older domain names that expired. Well, yeah, but even before that happened mean that, that obviously when, when, when the Christina Warren and Brett Terpstra and then they, they changed your name. Um, I Brett: know, like Jason Turra or Christina: Or something like that. Yeah, it was, it was, it was, it was weird. Um, I mean, you know, um, does that site, did, did have they given up the ghost on that? I’m curious. Um, yeah. Wow. Okay. They are still, well, no, they haven’t published anything since November 30th. So something has happened where they, uh, are [00:34:00] they, they’re definitely cutting down on, on various things. Um, oh no. Paul Terpstra. Oh my God. Paul Terpstra. You are still, Brett: Yeah. Christina: you were like the one author there that I see on this website. Um, now what was, what was messed up about, about this? Um, although no. Okay. Their homepage, the last one they say is like, OCT is like, uh, November, um, uh, 30th. But if you click on the, the Paul trips to handle, then like you see, um, December 22nd, uh, which is, which is today as we’re recording this, Brett: Wow, I didn’t even realize. Christina: Yeah. So, alright. So that is still, somehow that grift is still going on. But yeah, I mean, even before the rise of those things, you would see, you know, sites that would either buy up dead domains and then like, have like very similar looking content, but slightly different maybe, you know, like, uh, you know, injected with a bunch of, you know. Links or whatever, or you would see people who would, you know, do very clearly SEO written and, and probably, you know, [00:35:00] like, again, pre generative ai, but, you know, assisted slop content. But yeah, now it’s, it’s just, it’s crazy. Like, and it doesn’t help that, like the AI summaries, which can be useful, but, um, and they’re getting better, which is good only because they’re so prominent. Like, I’m not a fan of them. But if you’re not using an alternative search engine, like, you know, you see these AI summaries and like if they’re bad and sometimes they are then. Brett: Often Christina: You know, well, they’re, they’ve gotten better, uh, is the only thing I would say. I, I still wouldn’t rely on them, but I’ve, I’ve noticed a, like, I’ve noticed a, a genuine, like uptick in like, improvements and in like, how awful they are probably in like the last six weeks, which is damning with faint praise. I’m not at all saying it’s good. I am simply saying, it’s like, I’m primarily thinking for like, people who are like, like less tech savvy relatives who are going to just go to, you know, bing.com or, or google.com and then see those sorts of things. Right. Um, and, uh, you know, we’re not gonna be able to convince them to go to a, a, a third [00:36:00] party search engine. Um, although, you know, some people, like, I think my mom was using Duck to Go for a while as like her default on her iPhone, um, which I was, I was like proud of her about, but I was also kind of like, uh, that’s got its own issues. But no, I, I like ka a lot. Um, I, I’ve Brett: Well, and it’s so keyboard driven, like DuckDuckGo has good keyboard shortcuts. KAGY slash Kaji has even better keyboard shortcuts. Like you can navigate and control everything with, uh, like Gmail style, single key keyboard shortcuts, which I really like. Christina: Yeah. Yeah, I like that too. And then they, they, of course, they make like a, a web kit, um, like a browser, um, that, that has, they’ve back ported, um, you know, a lot of chrome extensions too. I personally don’t see the point in that. Um, I, I think that if you’re going to be like that committed to, like, using like the, you know, the web extension format and like using like more popular extensions, you might as well [00:37:00] just use a Chrome fork if you don’t wanna use Chrome, which is fine, but like, you could use a browser like Helium, which, which we talked about last show, which has, um, the, the, the hash bangs kind of integrated in, or you could use, you know, if you wanted to use, um, um, you know, the, the, the, the Brett: o is Orion, is Orion the one you’re talking about that? Yeah. Christina: that, that, yeah, that, that, that, that, that, that’s Katy’s thing. And that was actually originally how I heard about them was because it was like, oh, this is interesting. Um, you know, this is a kind of an interesting, you know, kind of alternative browser. And then it turned out that that was just kind of a, in some ways, kind of a front to promote the, the search engine, which is the real, you know, thing. Um, which is fine, right? I mean, that, that was Google’s model. Um, Brett: Well, and we should mention for anyone who hasn’t tried it, it is a paid service. Um, and you are getting search results with no ads and, and spam, uh, ai, slot protection and all of the benefits you would expect from a paid service. So [00:38:00] I think, like for me, five bucks a month gets me, I think 300 searches, which is. Plenty for me, like, I guess I, I’m still waiting to see, I’ve never counted how many searches I do a month, Christina: Yeah, Brett: you know, like three searches a day, uh, would come out to like 90 searches a month and I have 300 available, so I think I’ll be fine. Christina: yeah, yeah. I mean, yeah, basically being able to get to do 10 a day, which in most cases is fine. What I’ve done is I’m on, like, they have a, a, a family plan, um, and they don’t care. They even, I think in their documentation, or at least they did, they do not care if you are like actually in a family with the people that you are on or not. So if you, you know, find some folks that you wanna kind of sync up with, you can like, you know, be on a family plan together and you can save money, um, on, uh, whatever their, uh, um, their pricing [00:39:00] stuff is. So, um, so me, me and Justin Williams are, uh, in a, uh, Brett: Justin Williams, I haven’t heard that name in forever. Christina: Yeah. Yeah. We went to C Oasis together. We went both nights in Los Angeles, um, in August. Yeah. Um, or September rather. Um, yeah, so, okay, so this is how this works. They have, their starter plan is, is $5 a month, which includes, and they do have an AI assistant too. So it was funny, they had the AI slot protection, but they also have like an AI assistant that you can use and like an AI summarizer and whatnot. Um, that’s $5 a month. And then there’s the professional plan, which is, so that’s for 300 searches a month for the standard AI for starter $5 a month. The professional plan is unlimited searches and standard ai, that’s $10 a month. And then the ultimate is, um. Uh, everything in professional plus you get like premium model access, which, okay, but the family plan, um, is, is the, so you can do one of two things. You have a duo [00:40:00] plan, which is two professional accounts for a couple, which is $14 a month plus sales tax. So it’s, uh, you know, average of $7 per person, which I think is what Justin and I are on. And then there’s a family plan with up to six family members. And again, they don’t care if you are actually in a family or not, and that’s $20 a month. So the real thing to do if you’re wanting to like, you know, save on this is like find five friends, Brett: Yeah. Christina: get on the $20 a month, you know, family plan thing. Spread the, spread the cost, and that way you can get the, you know, professional plan for, for, for less. But to your Brett: All right. Christina: most people, it’s probably $300, 300 searches a month is probably plenty. And if you search a lot like we do, I, I think it is worth paying for. Brett: yeah, yeah. All right. TV Shows: Is TV Just Okay Now? Christina: anyway, but we wanted to talk about tv, so let’s Brett: Well do, we’re, we’re at 50 minutes already, so I think we need to choose whether we do TV or gratitude. What Christina: do you have a [00:41:00] gude, like a good one? Brett: I, I, no, I have a, I have a throwaway one. Christina: Okay. Brett: I, it was one of those, like, I looked at my doc and I was like, oh, I don’t think I’ve talked about that even though I probably have, um, yeah, let’s just talk about tv. So I, I have been noting, and my question in the show notes was, is TV just okay now? Because I’ve been watching, I watched Stranger Things, pluribus Down, cemetery Road, platonic, and all of it was, it was entertaining, but it wasn’t like, must watch tv. None of it was like, none of it was as good as like Modern Family. Modern Family was fucking good. Tv, like family friendly and just like I’ve, I’ve been through that series so many times and it’s always fun and it’s always better than like pluribus. I like the, I like the concept kind of, it’s not. not all that, um, engaging, I guess.[00:42:00] Christina: I like it. But, Brett: Yeah. I don’t hate it like I do, I do like it, but it’s not like, I don’t, I don’t count the days until the next episode comes out and I miss, I miss things being really good. So you had a couple responses to that though. Christina: Well, I mean, I tend to agree with you. So first of all, there, I put in the, in the show notes, um, there’s a link to a thing that, uh, that James and Pozak wrote for the, the New York Times, uh, God a year and a half ago now called, um, the Comfortable Problem of Mid tv. And he said it, it, it’s got a great cast, it looks cinematic, it’s, um, fine and is everywhere. And kind of talking about like, you know, we went from like the era of like peak TV to now being, um. You know what, what he’s dubbed like mid tv and I think that there’s, there’s some truth to that. Um, and, and, and he even says at the beginning, let me say up front, this is not an essay about how bad TV is today, just the opposite. There’s, um, little truly bad high profile television made anymore, um, is it’s more talking about, um, like [00:43:00] what we have instead Today is something less awful, but in a way more sad, the willingness to retreat, to settle to trade, the ambitious for the defendable. And I think that there’s some truth to that. Um, I think that we see this movies now too, and with movies it’s actually much more of a problem. Like there’s some really high highs. Um, but because the movie industry is in such a bad place, um, it, it’s that much more notable when like, you don’t have like a big strong slate of, of things. And so, you know, it, it, it’s more of a problem. TV for, for better or worse, has become the dominant entertainment form. And yeah, I think that it, it, it’s fine. Uh, but there are very few things that I’m like, oh, wow, yeah, that, that’s like, you know, the wire. Um, not that anything is, but you know what I mean? But is, but even like, you know, pluribus, which I really like. I actually think that’s, um, my, my favorite show of, of, um, 2025, um, at least new show. Um, well, maybe the studio. The studio. I might have, I, I, I might put, Brett: That was pretty Christina: above that. But, but, but, but [00:44:00] like, it’s one of those things where I’m like, okay, you know, um, it’s not breaking bad, right? Like, if we’re gonna be comparing Vince Gilligan shows, and maybe that’s unfair, but, you know, it just, but, but still, like, you know, you’re gonna be compared to your last hit. And, and, and, and that is what it is. Um, I will say though, like, I haven’t watched Stranger Things in years, and I don’t, I don’t, I don’t think I can force myself to like, care about that again, but I’ve heard kind of mixed Brett: That’s where L is too, L doesn’t care. And, and then there’s the whole like two cast members being Zionists kind of turned a whole bunch of people off and Christina: Well, and well, David Harbor, David Harbor’s whole Lily Allen thing. Are you, are you, are you familiar with this floor at all? Brett: No. Christina: Okay. You know who Lily Allen is? Brett: Yes. Christina: Okay. So she and David Harbor were married and, um, she wrote an album called, uh, uh, west End Girl that, that came out, uh, like in November, which is actually a really good album, [00:45:00] which is like White Girl Lemonade, where she just basically reads him to filth for being an absolute piece of shit. Like, apparently like, you know, they were together, they were married or whatever. She goes off to London to perform in a play and he’s like. Oh, we’re gonna be away for months. I, I wanna sleep with other people. And so they kind of like, she kind of accepts getting into an open relationship with him, even though she didn’t really want to be, which look that her, that’s her bad, whatever. But then he proceeds to like, do things that was not what they’d agreed upon on, upon the parameters of their, of their relationship. And then she’s just like brutally honest about the entire thing. And so as you’re listening to this album, you’re just learning more and more about like, David Harbor’s like sex life and, um, and stuff. And, and like, it’s just on blast. It’s incredible. Um, but, uh, yeah, so there’s, there’s some of that stuff. There’s, I, I don’t know, like I don’t, I don’t really follow the rest of the cast stuff except that, uh, the girl who plays, um, 11 like. Frequently want to smack because just the most annoying [00:46:00] celebrity in on the planet. But like, putting that aside, um, I just, I stopped caring. It took them too long between seasons and the, and, and, and the budget for that show was also so insane. I’m like, you, you cost more than strain than thinking of Thrones. Game of Thrones is, was even at its worst, was a better show than Stranger Things. So like it, yeah. But but that goes to your point. Like, it’s like, it’s okay. Brett: Yeah. Yeah, Christina: Um, I will say the new season of Fallout just, um, premiered and so far I I’m still really enjoying that. Um, Brett: yet to see it. Christina: you should, you should definitely watch the Brett: What is it on? Christina: uh, Amazon Brett: Okay. Christina: and, uh, and it’s, and it’s really, really good. Um. And this year they are doing the episodic, um, not episodic, the weekly drop, right. Rather than the binge thing. So the first season, uh, they dropped it all at once and um, and I was a little bit worried. I was like, fuck, does that mean they don’t [00:47:00] believe in this? What are they going to do? Wound up being like Amazon’s biggest hit after their Lord of the Rings, um, you know, thing. And so it was immediately kind of picked up for a second season and it was picked up for a third season before the second season even, uh, premiered. Um, and uh, and that might be the final one. Um, they’re saying, but, but, but, but who knows? But, but so far anyway, like they’ve only, there’s only been one episode, but it’s, it’s been good so far. The Cultural Phenomenon of Heated Rivalry Christina: Um, but, but what I was gonna talk to you about is the gay hockey show. Brett: Which is. Christina: It’s called Heated rivalry. It’s on HBO Max. It was originally just supposed to be on, uh, a Canadian streamer called Crave. And um, then at the, like, the, the like 11th hour, HBO Max picked it up and was like, okay, we’ll play this in, um, some of our territories and other things. And I wanna be very clear, this is not high art at all. This is like, no way. Like this actually in some ways it, it personifies [00:48:00] the TV is just okay now thing, but in other ways it’s actually a little bit more interesting just because the cultural phenomenon that has happened around it in like the last, like, like it hasn’t even been out a month and it’s only six episodes, although they are also going to be getting a second season. Um, it’s sort of wild how, like I went from, I’d seen a trailer for it and I was like, okay, whatever. And like it came out, I think like right after Thanksgiving. Then like within like two or three weeks, like literally I wasn’t following anything around it, but my Instagram, my TikTok, Twitter, everything that I was seeing was just all about the discourse around the show. And it’s like a bunch of us all seem to have to have discovered it. Like one weekend where we were like, okay, we’re gonna actually sit down and watch the gay hockey show. Um, and this is exactly what it is. It is a gay hockey show. So it is based on, there was a series of books that this, uh, female, uh, writer Rachel Reed wrote, um, uh, about like, uh, I think like they were like eBooks, types of thing. Um, uh, I think although there, there is now I [00:49:00] think like a, a hard cover release because they’ve been so popular and they’re just, it’s just ero, it’s just smut, right? It’s basically fanfic dressed up in something else. And the idea was like, okay, you have like these, you know, male like hockey players who are closeted and kind of have like this, this romance that, that starts from like 2008, um, through like, I dunno, like, like 2017 or 2018. And there are a number of different. Books or stories in the universe. But the one that people liked the most was the, the second book, which is called Heed Rivalry. You don’t really need to know any about that. The big thing about the show is that it is essentially like soft core gay porn. Um, but yet it’s like weirdly compelling in a way. Like, it, it is very, like, there’s, there’s some sweet aspects to it. Like you were before the, the show, you were saying, oh, it’s kinda like Heart Stopper could not be further from Heart Stopper. ’cause Heart Stopper is very sweet and twee and kind of like loving and like whatnot. This is like. You know, like guys in their twenties with amazing asses, [00:50:00] you know, like doing things to one another kind of an in secret. And, and the, the thing is, there’s not a whole lot of plot. Like the plot is the porn. Because, because the whole thing is, is that like they don’t spend, they don’t have a time to spend a lot of time together because they’re, they’re closeted and their rivals. Oh, that’s the whole conceit. It’s like they’re these two great hockey players and they, they, they, um, you know, um, play for opposing teams and they’re like, each other’s biggest rivals, but like, they’re, they’re fucking, um, and uh, it, it’s, uh, again, it’s not high art at all, but Brett: the target audience for this? Christina: And here’s the interesting thing. So the books are almost entirely read by women, um, and which, which makes sense. There’s, there’s a lot of like, you know, like, male, male, like, um, like the history of slash fiction goes back to like, like Fanfic in general, like goes back to like women writing, like Spock and, and, uh, um, what’s the space together? Kirk Together. Yeah. Um, and so the books are almost entirely, uh, consumed by, by women and probably straight women, although probably some queer women too. Um, but the [00:51:00] show seems to be a mix of gay men, straight women, all, although I’ve seen a lot of lesbians. As well. Um, yeah, yeah, because again, like the discourse is just kind of ridiculous and, and the memes are fun. Um, the guy who created it, he’s gay or created the, the, the television adaptation. He’s gay and, uh, I think he’s done a, a, a pretty good job with it. The, the leads are the thing that’s like incredible, like the, especially the guy who plays the, the Russian character, Ilya, uh, that actor is really, really good and he’s Texan, and yet he does like a great Russian accent and, um. And, and he’s very attractive. And like I, I, I can see like why a lot of people are into it, but it’s funny ’cause like New York Magazine, like they weren’t even covering the show, which, why would you, it was like some Canadian kind of, you know, you know, thing that barely gets picked by HBO. Then it takes off and now like they’re covering it. The, the last time I remember New York Magazine covering a show like this, like Vociferously was Gossip Girl, like 18 years ago. Um, [00:52:00] and it kind of reminds me of that, where like everybody woke up one day when they’re like, oh, this is like a cultural moment now. So again, not good television, probably not gonna necessarily be for everyone, but, but it’s a moment. And like, I kept seeing edits, I kept seeing Mo, I kept seeing edits on TikTok and stuff and I was like, okay, do I have to watch the gay hockey show? All right, I have to watch the gay hockey show so that it’s, we might be at the point where like TV is just okay, but at least there are some good like moments about, whereas the culture, we can all like agree. Okay, we’re all gonna be talking about this one thing. Brett: That sounds like what I’ll be doing on Christmas Day. Christina: Oh my God. Actually that would be a great thing to watch on Christmas. And I think that the final episode is gonna come out like the day after Christmas, so there you go. Brett: Done Deal. Cool. Wrapping Up and Holiday Wishes Brett: All right, well thanks for, we’re recording this the same morning. The show’s supposed to come out, so I gotta do some editing, but uh, but [00:53:00] thanks for showing up while you’re in Atlanta and yeah, this has been a classic, a fun classic Overtired. Christina: absolutely. Well, um, get some sleep, uh, take care of yourself. Um, happy holidays. Um, uh, hope that a, a Christmas isn’t too weird for you. And, um, and happy New Year. Brett: you too. Get some sleep.

No Steve this week. BUMMER. We think he may have perished in the tent collapse in his back yard, but we will keep you posted!

Merry Christmas! Normal shenanigans, Trav is sick. Assuming it is STD related. 

First time without Cody! Sorry it took so long!

What's up, dudes? ‘Tis the season to be shopping! Hopefully you found the toys for which you were looking. We definitely wouldn't want a Jingle All the Way situation.On Monday, December 12, 1983, Carol Ann Campbell, staff writer for the York Daily Record, published an article. In “The Quest for a Very Dashing Hulk of Plastic,” she interviews several retail store owners. They enumerate the problem of low orders and large sales booms. Poor sales the previous two holiday seasons resulted in manufacturer overproduction and post-Christmas toy surpluses. Consequently, parents are scouring their communities and nearby cities to find the one gift their children each want. From He-Man to My Little Pony, from Cabbage Patch Kids to Knight Rider, toys are selling out faster than stores can stock them. Some parents, however, are turning toward perennial board game favorites like Battleship. Kiddie Town? Check. K&K Toys? Got it. Toys ‘R' Us? Only in my memories… So grab your keys and drive all over town to this episode on ”The Quest for a Very Dashing Hulk of Plastic!”Give us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!