from the chat: we all saw THAT poll... so maybe we stop centering blame for tradwives on women?
ALSO: theaters want you to come solo, which states are NOT springing forward this weekend, Rob Rausch has a new gig, and more
Happy Friday, March 6! (Sorry, I’m so late with the send, travel day!)
WELCOME :)
Just a reminder: every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.
Want to do a super fun, super cool rapid interview for this newsletter like the one below??? Reply to this email or hit the button below. Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, ☕️, etc?
And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), or buy me a matcha, that would be so appreciated 🙏
While chatting with Josh a few weeks back, I realized that I do have a whole theory for this newsletter, specifically how it conceptualizes news and narrative in a more holistic sense that hopefully helps us grasp American culture better… but I’ve never really articulated that here! So I made a TikTok that hopefully explains it all :)
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Trump tells Reuters he did not sign off on ad campaign featuring homeland security secretary
President Donald Trump told Reuters on Thursday that he did not sign off on a $220 million border security advertising campaign featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who faced bipartisan criticism over the commercials during U.S. congressional hearings this week. “I never knew anything about it,” the Republican president told Reuters in a phone interview. (Reuters, 3/5)
Lucy’s note: y’all, please just make sure any Trump-curious people in your family/life do NOT buy the strategy he’s now implementing to separate himself from Kristi Noem
CBP Tapped Into the Online Advertising Ecosystem To Track Peoples’ Movements
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) bought data from the online advertising ecosystem to track peoples’ precise movements over time, in a process that often involves siphoning data from ordinary apps like video games, dating services, and fitness trackers, according to an internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document obtained by 404 Media. (404 Media, 3/4 – free w/ email)
Why right-wing media can’t stop Candace Owens
An independently produced “investigative series” that is little more than Owens speaking to a camera while suggesting that the widow of a murdered man may be a fraud — or worse — the hour-long premiere episode racked up nearly five million views after it was released on Feb. 25. The second drew 1.8 million. In the series, which is still ongoing, Owens hints that Kirk’s murder was an inside job, suggests foreign agents may have been involved and implies that Erika Kirk has “ulterior motives” in leading TPUSA. (Salon, 3/4)
Gen-Z identical twins model civility as political foes
Nick Roberts, a diehard Democrat, is an Indianapolis city-county councilor and one of the youngest elected officials in the country. Nathan Roberts, who identifies as a MAGA Republican, founded an Indiana political advocacy group last year and is a state organizer for Turning Point, the organization founded by Charlie Kirk. (ABC News, 3/5)
Lucy’s note: I’ve seen this article get some traction, and I just wanted to say that I feel like there’s an element of framing that’s seriously missing: it is actually the easiest possible scenario to find “common ground” with someone who is literally identical to you in every way. The problems come in this country when people are asked to see people whom they instead perceive as “others” as equal humans deserving of dignity and justice.
AI data centers are America’s next political fight. Big Tech is ready
McAuliff’s experience provides a glimpse into how tech companies are trying to create an AI-friendly landscape in Virginia and beyond. AI firms including Anthropic, OpenAI, and Meta are mobilizing political groups to pour at least $150 million in elections this year at the state and federal levels. One of those organizations is the super PAC Leading the Future, which has raised $100 million so far, most of it from tech and AI executives. (Quartz, 3/5)
Meet your new phone away from phone
In between the oddball phones, another trend emerged in places like the Unihertz booth: phones that aren’t your main phone. This isn’t a brand-new idea, but the concept of a simplified device that provides a better typing experience, or gives you a little vacation from your regular phone’s constant nagging, seems to be gaining momentum. (The Verge, 3/6 – free version)
Ben Affleck Quietly Founded a Filmmaker-Focused AI Tech Company. Netflix Just Bought It.
In other words, the focus is on filmmaking technique, not the performance of the actors. The tool also allows directors or filmmakers to upload dailies to hone the model for a specific project. Still, anything that touches on AI has become something of a third rail for Hollywood. That may be why Netflix also released a video discussion Thursday, featuring Affleck, Netflix chief product and technology officer Elizabeth Stone, and chief content officer Bela Bajaria discussing what role the tech may play in the creative process, and what InterPositive and Netflix do differently than the AI giants threatening to swallow the rest of the economy. (The Hollywood Reporter, 3/5)
Gen Z Men Twice as Likely as Boomers To Say Wives Should ‘Always Obey’
A new global study of 23,000 people across 29 countries found that 31 percent of Gen Z men agree that a wife should always obey her husband, while one third, at 33 percent, say a husband should have the final word on important decisions. In comparison, just 13 percent of Baby Boomer men agreed that a wife should always obey her husband, and 17 percent said a husband should have the final say. (Newsweek, 3/4)
Rob Rausch Is Doing Audio Smut Now
What’s a reality star like Rob Rausch supposed to do after winning more than $200,000 on a reality show and becoming America’s heartthrob in the process? Audio erotica, of course. Rausch has lent his voice to the app Quinn for — what else? — a bit of smut in which he plays the sexy owner of a reptile sanctuary. (The Cut, 3/3 – free version)
Lucy’s note: the Devil works hard, Kris Jenner works harder, and the people at Quinn work the hardest
Would you go to a play by yourself? Theaters are hoping so
Nearly 20% of Broadway theater tickets are now being purchased by solo attendees — double the rate from just a couple of years ago, according to audience data for the 2024-25 season from the Broadway League. One major theater company is taking action. ATG Entertainment, a live theater operator with venues across the United States, United Kingdom, and Europe, recently launched a “Solo Seats” initiative designed to make going to the theater alone feel less intimidating. (NPR, 3/4)
United Airlines can now boot passengers who refuse to use headphones with their devices
Any passenger listening to music, watching a video or scrolling a social media feed that emits sound must wear headphones, states the revised contract of carriage, which United quietly updated on Friday. The carrier also may “refuse transport, on a permanent basis,” to any passengers who “fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content,” according to the airline’s new rules. (CBS News, 3/3)
Lucy’s note: I’m sorry to say it but… thank GOD.
Here Are The States That Don’t Do Daylight Saving Time
However, daylight saving time is a hot topic, and several more states would also like to switch up the long-standing protocol that allows for people to make use of more daylight hours in the spring and summer. About 63% of Americans would prefer to get rid of daylight saving time altogether, according to surveys from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (Forbes, 3/6)
Extra Credit 🤓
“The War on Iran, Explained” from shit you should care about
“YouTube to Hollywood: Amelia Dimoldenberg Opens Her Playbook” from Natalie Jarvey from Like & Subscribe from Natalie Jarvey
I must say, Amelia Dimoldenberg has been SO fun to watch over the last several years
“outcomes of crowd-sourcing every decision” from ayushi thakkar of milk and cookies
That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Tuesday!