Kristin Stewart saves Highland Theaters

I think it’s very cool that a person with means does something good for the community and culture.

I couldn’t even guess with any ounce of confidence what kind of money she has from being in the industry and actively acting for so long. 

I’m glad she’s been able to take a stab at directing because it seems like making movies really give her life.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

Streets of Minneapolis

I don't know a lot about Bruce Springsteen but this is what patriotism sounds like. A lot of people have been so quiet! This is why he gets a title like "The Boss".

It doesn't hurt that sonically; it's a very solid song. I love the organ and choir.

source: YouTube

RIP Wemo

I was never impressed by Wemo. Their smart plugs were pretty rocky in terms of stability. After learning about Kasa/TP Link plugs, I dumped every Wemo device I had.

I'm happy for all the people the devices DID work out for and their efforts in the early days of smart home ecosystems. 

source: The Verge 

Fortnite collaborations

It must be interesting to create/develop characters that launch careers and become icons within the entertainment world like Dwight Schrute and Michael Scott, hear people praise them as comedy gold for those that understand the world of working in an office, and then see your characters be in a video game where the objective is essentially killing other players with guns.

Fortnite has basically become a promotional step like late night variety shows and Hot Ones. For better or worst, its a way to reach a lot of people and renew interest in your brand.

Source: Polygon

Labubu

I brought a Labubu to my office white elephant gift exchange and it was absolutely the quickest item to get locked in.

When you think about it, this item hits the mark for being a white elephant gift because it is desirable and also something people don't want to spend their own money.

It's a toy so there's very little utility from owning one. I'm curious how often the owner will think about their Labubu in a year from now. I suspect they will either have a large collection or have gotten rid of it.

I recently went to my local mall and was fascinated at how popular Asian collectible merchandise is. There were about 4-5 stores that all sold the same kinds of toys and blind boxes.

Good Hang with Amy Poehler

This is such a great podcast. You can tell Amy Poehler really likes her guests before they even get there. She deserves all the accolades she gets because this podcast is filled with such tender and honest moments between celebrities that are able to show their very relatable and human sides.

I know Amy Poehler is also a big Howard Stern fan (her Mariann from Brooklyn impersonation is very good!) and I wonder how much of his technique and style she studied before deciding to start this show.

This really is worth a listen even if you've already heard an interview with her guest previously because Amy Poehler really has a way of finding new angles of learning about people.

source: YouTube

Vallarta comes to Arizona

I'm thrilled for the folks in Arizona to experience Vallarta. I'm not sure what the competition looks like there but Vallarta is such a lovely market to be immersed into Latino cuisine.

Source: azafamily.com

CES 2026: camcorders are still not coming back :(

CES used to be such a big deal for me.

As a bit of an video enthusiast, it was also exciting to see how makers like Panasonic, Sony, and Canon would refresh their camcorder lineups.

Consumer camcorders have not been popular for awhile now. It could be the most people find phone cameras perfectly acceptable (they still don’t have lovely zoom optics!).

I still use a camcorder to capture long events. Having a device dedicated to video is just so practical for things like recording performances or situations where I just need flexible zoom.

Makers like Snap have tried to come out with products like the CS-8, but the specs leave so much to be desired.

Why not make something similar but throw in a 1” sensor. I would gladly pay the difference. It doesn’t even need a ton of manual controls. I just want optical zoom plus super crisp 4K video.

Don’t even get me started on what CES offers now: tons of AI slop products.

ICE

It’s been frustrating trying to stay informed but also digest all the horrific stories of ICE disappearing / killing people. 

I never could have imagined I would be living in the same gestapo threatened world as the people in the 40’s experienced. 

It has also been so encouraging to see people much braver than me facing the enemy up close and personal, risking bodily harm or worst.

I will never skip a video where ICE gets humiliated somehow and has to turn away. 

These thugs are trying to rob us of peace. They don’t deserve an ounce of dignity should peril come there way.