Sunday, November 30
CULTURE
The surprisingly poignant origins of kidults
Fotos International/Getty Images
You may think kidults are a distinctly 21st-century phenomenon, but GI Joe sold over $1 billion worth of action figures by 1989, and Snoopy became the first beagle on the moon (kind of)—thanks to some serious adults of yesteryear believing character merch could represent more than just playthings.
The term “Kidult” dates back to at least 1960, when the television industry coined the portmanteau to describe shows like Flipper and The Flintstones that were meant to appeal to adults and kids alike.
Around the same time, perfectly respectable adults began buying children’s toys for themselves, sometimes for heart-wrenching reasons:In 1964, Hasbro released the first GI Joe action figure, which was 12 inches tall and featured articulated body parts. Vietnam War veterans collected the dolls, according to pop culture historian Roy Schwartz, to “reconnect with their Army days” once they were home.
In 1967, Hasbro debuted the first talking GI Joe, voiced by Bill Corsair, who went on to fight in Vietnam in 1969. This helped solidify the doll’s reputation as something more than a children’s toy.
Good grief
The 1960s also heralded the golden age of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip—which flipped the kidult script by featuring kids with a distinctly adult outlook.
As Charles Schulz biographer David Michaelis wrote, “Children are not supposed to be radically dissatisfied…Schulz gave these children lifelong dissatisfactions, the stuff of which adulthood is made.” But that was part of their charm, and their broad appeal:Sports writer Luke Epplin compiled Peanuts cartoon strips about Snoopy’s and Woodstock’s fruitless attempts to find their lost mothers, which echoed Schulz’s own mother dying of cancer while he was being shipped off to World War II. Such adult themes may have helped grownups reading the newspaper seek them out.
The TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas came out in 1965, cementing the franchise as an American institution. And a lucrative one—the show’s massive success led to surging demand for Peanuts merchandise. By 2010, the franchise’s merch was responsible for $2 billion in global sales annually.
The Peanuts are still flying the kidult flag: You likely know at least one septuagenarian who will shamelessly buy themselves a Snoopy doll. That’s no surprise, since the brand has been dialed into the adult market for a long time. In 1967, it already had merch meant specifically for adults, like this felt banner of Lucy Van Pelt screaming, “I’M FRUSTRATED, INHIBITED AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME!”—HVL
Fotos International/Getty Images
You may think kidults are a distinctly 21st-century phenomenon, but GI Joe sold over $1 billion worth of action figures by 1989, and Snoopy became the first beagle on the moon (kind of)—thanks to some serious adults of yesteryear believing character merch could represent more than just playthings.
The term “Kidult” dates back to at least 1960, when the television industry coined the portmanteau to describe shows like Flipper and The Flintstones that were meant to appeal to adults and kids alike.
Around the same time, perfectly respectable adults began buying children’s toys for themselves, sometimes for heart-wrenching reasons:In 1964, Hasbro released the first GI Joe action figure, which was 12 inches tall and featured articulated body parts. Vietnam War veterans collected the dolls, according to pop culture historian Roy Schwartz, to “reconnect with their Army days” once they were home.
In 1967, Hasbro debuted the first talking GI Joe, voiced by Bill Corsair, who went on to fight in Vietnam in 1969. This helped solidify the doll’s reputation as something more than a children’s toy.
Good grief
The 1960s also heralded the golden age of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip—which flipped the kidult script by featuring kids with a distinctly adult outlook.
As Charles Schulz biographer David Michaelis wrote, “Children are not supposed to be radically dissatisfied…Schulz gave these children lifelong dissatisfactions, the stuff of which adulthood is made.” But that was part of their charm, and their broad appeal:Sports writer Luke Epplin compiled Peanuts cartoon strips about Snoopy’s and Woodstock’s fruitless attempts to find their lost mothers, which echoed Schulz’s own mother dying of cancer while he was being shipped off to World War II. Such adult themes may have helped grownups reading the newspaper seek them out.
The TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas came out in 1965, cementing the franchise as an American institution. And a lucrative one—the show’s massive success led to surging demand for Peanuts merchandise. By 2010, the franchise’s merch was responsible for $2 billion in global sales annually.
The Peanuts are still flying the kidult flag: You likely know at least one septuagenarian who will shamelessly buy themselves a Snoopy doll. That’s no surprise, since the brand has been dialed into the adult market for a long time. In 1967, it already had merch meant specifically for adults, like this felt banner of Lucy Van Pelt screaming, “I’M FRUSTRATED, INHIBITED AND NO ONE UNDERSTANDS ME!”—HVL
Robert Reich
Sunday thought: The Bigot in the Oval Office
Like dictators before him, Trump’s road to tyranny is paved with hate
Friends,
This week’s shooting of two National Guard members by a gunman identified by the authorities as an Afghan national was horrific.
But Trump’s response has been disproportionate and bigoted. He vows to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries.” He intends to deport legal immigrants born in countries the White House deems “high risk.”
He threatens to strip U.S. citizenship from naturalized migrants “who undermine domestic tranquillity.” He plans to deport foreigners deemed to be “non-compatible with Western Civilization.” He wants to detain even more migrants in jail — in the U.S. or in other countries — without due process.
In addition to the unconstitutionality of such actions, these threats stir up the worst nativist impulses in America — blaming and scapegoating entire groups of people for the act of one gunman.
Like dictators before him, Trump’s road to tyranny is paved with hate
 |
| Tim Folzenlogan, “Winter Liberty” (1991) |
Friends,
This week’s shooting of two National Guard members by a gunman identified by the authorities as an Afghan national was horrific.
But Trump’s response has been disproportionate and bigoted. He vows to “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries.” He intends to deport legal immigrants born in countries the White House deems “high risk.”
He threatens to strip U.S. citizenship from naturalized migrants “who undermine domestic tranquillity.” He plans to deport foreigners deemed to be “non-compatible with Western Civilization.” He wants to detain even more migrants in jail — in the U.S. or in other countries — without due process.
In addition to the unconstitutionality of such actions, these threats stir up the worst nativist impulses in America — blaming and scapegoating entire groups of people for the act of one gunman.
At A Glance
Explore 25 years of Black Friday ads. The wild museum-like relics you can find in a Macy's in California. |
Why the fall is the best time of year to buy a car.
The forgotten carnivals that once stood upon the frozen River Thames.
See how the Winter X Games course is built.
How Fidel Castro launched a revolution on a small yacht in December.
Earth is actually colder when it's at its closest point to the sun.
Hear firsthand stories from Americans who lived through the 1918 flu pandemic.
Mark Twain was an early influence on stand-up comedy.
Santa Claus originally wrote Christmas letters instead of receiving them.
Why are there sinkholes?
Medieval European winters were colder than ours, but peasants stayed warm.
Explore a visual history of the Windows operating system.
The 2012 Maya-predicted apocalypse didn't really stem from the ancient Mayans.
Unlike other bears, polar bears do not hibernate.
See how the Winter X Games course is built.
How Fidel Castro launched a revolution on a small yacht in December.
Earth is actually colder when it's at its closest point to the sun.
Hear firsthand stories from Americans who lived through the 1918 flu pandemic.
Mark Twain was an early influence on stand-up comedy.
Santa Claus originally wrote Christmas letters instead of receiving them.
Why are there sinkholes?
Medieval European winters were colder than ours, but peasants stayed warm.
Explore a visual history of the Windows operating system.
The 2012 Maya-predicted apocalypse didn't really stem from the ancient Mayans.
Unlike other bears, polar bears do not hibernate.
In The NEWS
At least 128 people killed and over 8 arrested after Hong Kong apartment fire.
Hong Kong's anticorruption agency has arrested subcontractors, engineering consultants, and project managers in connection with a deadly fire at a high-rise apartment complex. Officials said the blaze, which began Wednesday afternoon and spread across seven towers, was likely ignited by flammable construction netting used during an ongoing renovation project.
Ukraine president's chief of staff resigns amid corruption probe.
Ukrainian anticorruption agencies raided the residence and reportedly the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andrii Yermak, as part of a wider probe into a $100M energy sector corruption scandal. The raid has intensified political turmoil in Ukraine, with lawmakers demanding accountability amid pressure to address corruption as the government seeks continued Western support.
At least 321 people killed in Southeast Asia flooding and landslides.
Large parts of Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have been drenched by cyclone-fueled torrential rain and a rare tropical storm in the Strait of Malacca, a roughly 560-mile-long stretch of water that connects the Indian and Pacific oceans. The floods have displaced tens of thousands of people.
Mystery foot suggests new early human relative.
Scientists conclude a roughly 3.4 million-year-old fossil found in Ethiopia belonged to a previously unknown ancient human relative. The foot has an opposable big toe, hinting the owner was a skilled climber who spent more time in trees than Lucy, another human relative from the same time and place. The finding raises questions about humans' direct ancestors and suggests evolution may not have been linear.
Ancient West Texas rock art influenced Mesoamerican cosmology.
Researchers have found that Indigenous people along the US-Mexico border created Pecos River-style rock art—vast, multicolored murals—that date back 6,000 years and span roughly 175 generations. They also identified recurring symbols and motifs that point to a shared "cosmovision," reflecting beliefs about the universe.
Judge dismisses Georgia election interference case against Trump and others.
Prosecutor Pete Skandalakis asked the judge to dismiss racketeering charges against President Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani, and 17 others. He took over the case this month after his nonpartisan organization of Georgia prosecutors failed to find someone willing to replace Fani Willis, the original prosecutor who was disqualified from the case due to a romantic relationship with a prosecutor she had hired.
Olympic flame is lit for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. (w/photos)
The Olympic flame was lit in Greece Wednesday ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, running Feb. 4-22. When the flame reaches Italy Thursday, it will begin a nearly 7,500-mile, 63-day relay to Milan’s San Siro Stadium for the Feb. 6 opening ceremony. The flame is typically lit by capturing the sun’s rays with a concave mirror, but overcast skies forced officials to use a backup flame kindled during a rehearsal.
Explore the best resources we've found on the torch relay and Olympic Games here.
SOURCE: 1440 NEWS
Bulk Buying
.jpg)
As most of you already know, SAM'S CLUB is not just a wholesale operation (as opposed to retail) but it was originally designed to be a warehouse for WALMARTS.
Let's make the assumption that a typical membership to SAM'S costs $100 and that membership saves you about 5% of whatever you spend. So, if you spent $100 each visit, you would save $5... Therefore, you would need to visit 20 times each year, spending no less than $100 just to break even with your membership fees.
HOWEVER... we are not taking into the consideration the gas you spend to drive over there and back and the wear and tear on your vehicle. The IRS estimates this to be about $0.25/mile or that's the figure they used to use, it may have increased since I last used it.
ALSO... we are not taking into consideration the fact that many items purchased at SAM'S are actually less that what you might be paying at WALMART... GO FIGURE? On the other side of the coin, some items are SAM'S are actually more than what you might pay at WALMART.
FOR MANY OF US... the idea of buying at SAM'S, COSTCO, or BJ's is that one can buy in BULK...
For instance, we buy these items in bulk:
- Raisin Bran
- Toilet Tissue
- Paper Towels
- Coffee Pods
- Olive Oil
- Kleenex
- Ketchup
- Honey Mustard Salad Dressing
- Frozen Salmon
So, they are less than at WALMART, plus the 5% savings on our purchases...
While we are there, we get an all beef hotdog, bun, condiments, and a 24oz drink for less than a $1.50
New Engine Taps the Freezing Void of Space To Generate Power at Night
Researchers have demonstrated a way to generate nighttime power by exploiting an often-overlooked temperature difference between Earth and the sky.
Their approach uses a specialized engine to tap into this subtle energy flow, revealing possibilities that don’t depend on sunlight or conventional fuels.
(Artist’s concept). Credit: SciTechDaily.com
Researchers have created a device that generates mechanical power at night by harnessing the natural temperature difference between warm ground and the cold of outer space.
Engineers at the University of California, Davis, have created a device capable of producing mechanical energy at night by taking advantage of the warmth near the ground and the extreme cold of outer space. This approach could support practical uses such as moving air through greenhouses or other structures. The research was recently published in the journal Science Advances.
Saturday, November 29
Headlines
LUXURY
Shred the gnar at the Netflix founder’s private resort
Powder Haven
Netflix won the streaming wars by being the first to deliver entertainment to the masses, its vast library offering something for everyone as it scaled toward global domination. That’s made co-founder Reed Hastings a billionaire, but the philosophy behind his latest venture—a private, high-end ski community in the Utah wilderness—is less Netflix and more HBO.
New kind of mile-high club
Months after retiring as Netflix’s CEO in 2023, Hastings bought Powder Mountain for an undisclosed sum and has since invested hundreds of millions of dollars to turn it into the world’s most bespoke ski destination. The hope is that it can serve as a quieter alternative to the overcrowded mass-market slopes you see all over Instagram each winter.
“This isn’t about exclusivity for its own sake,” Hastings told The Hollywood Reporter last year. “It’s about creating a sanctuary for people who love this mountain as much as we do.” Here’s how the unusual public-private resort works:Memberships, which cost $25,000 annually (plus an initiation fee), give skiers exclusive access to 2,700 acres of pristine powder. The remaining 5,300 acres are open to the public.
To become a member, you must purchase real estate in the resort’s residential community, Powder Haven. Lots start at $2 million, and membership is capped at 650 families.
Real estate sales will help pay for improvements to the public side, including new chairlifts, to make sure it doesn’t get too crowded, either.
Demand is high. The first phase of development (39 lots) sold out in a few months, based solely on renderings and before roads were even paved, according to Robb Report. A 73,000-square-foot lodge with restaurants, pickleball courts, a gym, a pool, and a spa is under construction, per SFGate.
But not everyone’s thrilled. Some are worried that Hastings’s elite winter wonderland will price locals out (public pass prices have already increased). Others say that the changes threaten Powder’s mom-and-pop feel, which had set it apart from most mountains in the area. The Financial Times suggested the Netflix billionaire is “walking a gentrification tightrope.”—AE
CLIMATE TECH
The cannons keeping ski towns afloat
AscentXmedia/Getty Images
When you tell your grandkids that you used to go bombing through dumps, the most unbelievable part of the story might be that there was ever so much fresh snowfall. Shorter, warmer winters are becoming more common, and most ski towns increasingly count on an imperfect fix—snow machines—to fill a growing void of white.
Cold time is money: To cushion lighter snowfall at the beginning and end of winter, the Aspen Snowmass resort upgraded its snowmakers this summer as part of a broader $80 million development project, for example. Without the tech, subpar skiing conditions can threaten not just resorts but also surrounding restaurants, hotels, and rental services.
But…the pressurized cannons dotting ski trails typically work in tandem with local weather, so there’s usually only so much that they can do:Basic snowmakers shoot out high-pressure water and condensed air, meaning they’re useless if it’s not cold enough outside. Some Colorado ski resorts had to switch off their snowguns at the beginning of November, when temperatures got into the 60s.
A resort’s snow machines can take days to weeks to cover the slopes, depending on how much natural powder
there is already. At the extreme end, it required nearly two months, almost 400 snowguns, and an estimated $60 million to completely blanket barren mountain venues for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Conundrum: Newer snow machines can work in up to 80-degree weather, but they cost as much as $500,000, compared to $15,000 to $30,000 for traditional models, according to the Washington Post. They’re also energy-intensive, which exacerbates the core issue facing ski towns: snowmakers are “pretty much using the cause [of climate change] to find a solution,” a spokesperson for TechnoAlpin, a leading snowmaking company, told the outlet.
Looking ahead…based on current greenhouse gas predictions, lower-altitude ski towns could see 80% less snowfall by 2100.—ML
Shred the gnar at the Netflix founder’s private resort
Powder Haven
Netflix won the streaming wars by being the first to deliver entertainment to the masses, its vast library offering something for everyone as it scaled toward global domination. That’s made co-founder Reed Hastings a billionaire, but the philosophy behind his latest venture—a private, high-end ski community in the Utah wilderness—is less Netflix and more HBO.
New kind of mile-high club
Months after retiring as Netflix’s CEO in 2023, Hastings bought Powder Mountain for an undisclosed sum and has since invested hundreds of millions of dollars to turn it into the world’s most bespoke ski destination. The hope is that it can serve as a quieter alternative to the overcrowded mass-market slopes you see all over Instagram each winter.
“This isn’t about exclusivity for its own sake,” Hastings told The Hollywood Reporter last year. “It’s about creating a sanctuary for people who love this mountain as much as we do.” Here’s how the unusual public-private resort works:Memberships, which cost $25,000 annually (plus an initiation fee), give skiers exclusive access to 2,700 acres of pristine powder. The remaining 5,300 acres are open to the public.
To become a member, you must purchase real estate in the resort’s residential community, Powder Haven. Lots start at $2 million, and membership is capped at 650 families.
Real estate sales will help pay for improvements to the public side, including new chairlifts, to make sure it doesn’t get too crowded, either.
Demand is high. The first phase of development (39 lots) sold out in a few months, based solely on renderings and before roads were even paved, according to Robb Report. A 73,000-square-foot lodge with restaurants, pickleball courts, a gym, a pool, and a spa is under construction, per SFGate.
But not everyone’s thrilled. Some are worried that Hastings’s elite winter wonderland will price locals out (public pass prices have already increased). Others say that the changes threaten Powder’s mom-and-pop feel, which had set it apart from most mountains in the area. The Financial Times suggested the Netflix billionaire is “walking a gentrification tightrope.”—AE
CLIMATE TECH
The cannons keeping ski towns afloat
AscentXmedia/Getty Images
When you tell your grandkids that you used to go bombing through dumps, the most unbelievable part of the story might be that there was ever so much fresh snowfall. Shorter, warmer winters are becoming more common, and most ski towns increasingly count on an imperfect fix—snow machines—to fill a growing void of white.
Cold time is money: To cushion lighter snowfall at the beginning and end of winter, the Aspen Snowmass resort upgraded its snowmakers this summer as part of a broader $80 million development project, for example. Without the tech, subpar skiing conditions can threaten not just resorts but also surrounding restaurants, hotels, and rental services.
But…the pressurized cannons dotting ski trails typically work in tandem with local weather, so there’s usually only so much that they can do:Basic snowmakers shoot out high-pressure water and condensed air, meaning they’re useless if it’s not cold enough outside. Some Colorado ski resorts had to switch off their snowguns at the beginning of November, when temperatures got into the 60s.
A resort’s snow machines can take days to weeks to cover the slopes, depending on how much natural powder
there is already. At the extreme end, it required nearly two months, almost 400 snowguns, and an estimated $60 million to completely blanket barren mountain venues for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
Conundrum: Newer snow machines can work in up to 80-degree weather, but they cost as much as $500,000, compared to $15,000 to $30,000 for traditional models, according to the Washington Post. They’re also energy-intensive, which exacerbates the core issue facing ski towns: snowmakers are “pretty much using the cause [of climate change] to find a solution,” a spokesperson for TechnoAlpin, a leading snowmaking company, told the outlet.
Looking ahead…based on current greenhouse gas predictions, lower-altitude ski towns could see 80% less snowfall by 2100.—ML
At A Glance
Bookkeeping
> 35: Percentage of American singles opting for coffee over dinner dates.
> 141: Approximate age of the San Diego Zoo's oldest resident, Gramma the Galápagos tortoise.
Browse
> Time magazine's top 100 photos of 2025.
> ... and a telescope in Chile captures a cosmic butterfly.
> Meet "Wendy" of Wendy's burger chain.
> The rise of the dad clubs.
> Butt shape can reveal signs of aging and diabetes.
Listen
> Can KFC stage a comeback in the fried chicken wars?
Watch
> Only 2% of every tree is alive. Here's how.
> Why a mile-high skyscraper is nearly impossible.
> An unusual slug figured out how to hijack photosynthesis.
Long Read
> History of the American kitchen. (w/poll)
> Crash course in self-help guides to better conversations.
> Boomers are passing down money, and way too much stuff.
Most Clicked This Week: A 1982 physics joke gave birth to the emoticon.
Historybook: "Chronicles of Narnia" author CS Lewis born (1898); Warren Commission is established to investigate President Kennedy's assassination (1963); Social activist Dorothy Day dies (1980); The Beatles guitarist George Harrison dies (2001).
Medical
.jpg)
Male
WBC 4.62 4.0 - 10.5
RBC 3.57 4.14 - 5.80
HGB 12.2 12.6 - 17.7
HCT 36.6 37.5 - 51.0
PLT 70.0 150 - 450
Date: 11/20/2025
PET/CT Results:
- no evidence of Melanoma reoccurrence
- no evidence requiring follow-up of Lymphoma
Date: 11/12/2025
Date of Diagnosis (Lymphoma): November 2007
Date of Diagnosis (Melanoma): August 2012 - Reoccurrence 2016/2018
I have one more chemo treatment on December 18, 2025, and when I return on January 15, 2026, I will be entering my NINETEENTH YEAR of being treated for lymphoma cancer and my FIFTEENTH YEAR of being treated for melanoma cancer as well as two cancers at the same time.
As my blood work indicates, I have low red and white blood cells which makes me anemic and with almost no immunity. My platelet count is 70,000 instead of 150,000+ which means my blood does not clot like it should. All of these factors cause me to have extreme fatigue and intermittent nausea.
It is widely believed that some of the drugs used on me to fight Lymphoma like Fludara and Cytoxin, may have caused my Melanoma as that is the risk associated with each of those drugs.
Aside from the fatigue and the nausea and six months where I was in the ER after every treatment, I have never felt sick and never lost my hair. I did lose my sense of taste.
However, when I had radiation, it left my skin blotchy on my arms, shoulders and neck which gives a slight appearance that I might have been burned.
Technology and modern medicine have prolonged my life, for which I am extremely grateful.
Voids Detected Inside Giza Pyramid May Be Signs of a Hidden Entrance
The pyramids, in order from left: Menkaure, Khafre, and Khufu. (Travelpix Ltd/Getty Images)
Scans of the third-largest pyramid at Giza, the Menkaure pyramid, have revealed two anomalous pockets of nothing but air hiding behind its sloping stone walls.
The discovery follows earlier findings inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu, including a huge internal void and a corridor near its northern entrance. But the Menkaure cavities are dramatically different in shape, size, and layout – hinting at a very different construction history and purpose.
"The images revealed two anomalies directly behind the polished granite blocks, which would indicate the presence of air-filled voids," writes a team led by archaeologists Khalid Helal and Mohamed Elkarmoty of Cairo University.
"This interpretation was supported by a series of numerical simulations that considered various possible scenarios under real-world conditions."
Friday, November 28
Headlines
GROCERY
The coupon’s not dead yet
Andersen Ross/Getty Images
An American-born shopping strategy may be in the midst of a mini comeback. The days of couponing so hard that you get on a TLC show are over, but post-pandemic grocery inflation has ushered in a new wave of deal fiends.
Although coupon use plummeted to an all-time low in 2022:Redemptions ticked up in 2023 and 2024, mostly driven by digital offers rather than traditional newspaper inserts, according to Inmar Intelligence.
More than 25% of US adults are using more coupons because of the state of the economy, up from 18% in mid-2021, according to a 2024 survey by the National Retail Federation.
Rebound: In September, Kroger reported a “lift” in the number of products sold after the grocery chain reintroduced paper coupons. Bargain shoppers also logged a win in August, when Bed Bath & Beyond Home opened its first store under its new banner and brought back its legendary 20% coupon. This time around, though, it can’t be used with other offers.
The deals aren’t what they used to be
Gone is the era of combining enough coupons to save 75% at checkout (or even be owed money by the store):Walmart, ShopRite, and Target don’t let shoppers use more than four of the same paper coupon in one day anymore.
Many retailers have also stopped giving cash back on coupons of a higher value than the purchase price.
To limit fraud risks, some stores don’t allow printouts from Coupons.com—or any coupons that aren’t on their master list, even if they’re legitimate.
Where the Extreme Couponers are now: Many stars of the 2011–2012 TLC show moved on from coupon-clipping to maxing out their 401(k) and IRA contributions and racking up hotel loyalty points for cheaper travel. They told the Wall Street Journal that this offers higher returns for a drastically lower time commitment. Probably fewer paper cuts, too.—ML
PERSONAL FINANCE
Are all of these loyalty schemes programs worth it?
Francis Scialabba
You’re just six more purchases from a free coffee. You’re four more hole punches from a free sandwich. If you amass 500 more points, that airline will let you fly the plane.
Maybe that last one isn’t real (yet), but loyalty programs have become ubiquitous. As of 2016, long before the current loyalty gold rush, Accenture reported that 90% of companies already had programs that gave you “free” stuff for making purchases.
But these plans can come at a cost.
Loyalty being punished?
If you’ve noticed the perks aren’t as perky as they were when you first joined a given club, you might not be imagining things. The Washington Post looked into potential loyalty paranoia and instead found that Starbucks and other companies might use your info to cut back on your deals through surveillance pricing:Former FTC officials Samuel Levine and Stephanie Nguyen told the outlet that some companies will use AI and your personal data to charge higher prices to specific patrons.
A study from the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator and the University of California at Berkeley’s Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice also found that these programs can invert the idea of loyalty, benefiting companies more than customers.
Data concerns: Ask that app not to track all you want, but some are still able to gather enough data in other ways to determine things like your income and how much money you’re willing to fork over. The author of the WaPo story requested and received his data report from Starbucks, which showed every drink and snack he had bought, every offer he had received, and every tap he made in the app. That kind of data could be shared with dozens of tech firms that specialize in tailoring prices.
Open investigation: The FTC began investigating surveillance pricing in July 2024, but when the Trump administration took office, it halted the probe. Levine and Nguyen said they’d like to see it resume. Noting that in some cases loyalty programs may be the only path to a discount, Levine told WaPo, “We shouldn’t be put in a position where we have to decide between affording our groceries and protecting our privacy.”—DL
The coupon’s not dead yet
Andersen Ross/Getty Images
An American-born shopping strategy may be in the midst of a mini comeback. The days of couponing so hard that you get on a TLC show are over, but post-pandemic grocery inflation has ushered in a new wave of deal fiends.
Although coupon use plummeted to an all-time low in 2022:Redemptions ticked up in 2023 and 2024, mostly driven by digital offers rather than traditional newspaper inserts, according to Inmar Intelligence.
More than 25% of US adults are using more coupons because of the state of the economy, up from 18% in mid-2021, according to a 2024 survey by the National Retail Federation.
Rebound: In September, Kroger reported a “lift” in the number of products sold after the grocery chain reintroduced paper coupons. Bargain shoppers also logged a win in August, when Bed Bath & Beyond Home opened its first store under its new banner and brought back its legendary 20% coupon. This time around, though, it can’t be used with other offers.
The deals aren’t what they used to be
Gone is the era of combining enough coupons to save 75% at checkout (or even be owed money by the store):Walmart, ShopRite, and Target don’t let shoppers use more than four of the same paper coupon in one day anymore.
Many retailers have also stopped giving cash back on coupons of a higher value than the purchase price.
To limit fraud risks, some stores don’t allow printouts from Coupons.com—or any coupons that aren’t on their master list, even if they’re legitimate.
Where the Extreme Couponers are now: Many stars of the 2011–2012 TLC show moved on from coupon-clipping to maxing out their 401(k) and IRA contributions and racking up hotel loyalty points for cheaper travel. They told the Wall Street Journal that this offers higher returns for a drastically lower time commitment. Probably fewer paper cuts, too.—ML
PERSONAL FINANCE
Are all of these loyalty schemes programs worth it?
Francis Scialabba
You’re just six more purchases from a free coffee. You’re four more hole punches from a free sandwich. If you amass 500 more points, that airline will let you fly the plane.
Maybe that last one isn’t real (yet), but loyalty programs have become ubiquitous. As of 2016, long before the current loyalty gold rush, Accenture reported that 90% of companies already had programs that gave you “free” stuff for making purchases.
But these plans can come at a cost.
Loyalty being punished?
If you’ve noticed the perks aren’t as perky as they were when you first joined a given club, you might not be imagining things. The Washington Post looked into potential loyalty paranoia and instead found that Starbucks and other companies might use your info to cut back on your deals through surveillance pricing:Former FTC officials Samuel Levine and Stephanie Nguyen told the outlet that some companies will use AI and your personal data to charge higher prices to specific patrons.
A study from the Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator and the University of California at Berkeley’s Center for Consumer Law & Economic Justice also found that these programs can invert the idea of loyalty, benefiting companies more than customers.
Data concerns: Ask that app not to track all you want, but some are still able to gather enough data in other ways to determine things like your income and how much money you’re willing to fork over. The author of the WaPo story requested and received his data report from Starbucks, which showed every drink and snack he had bought, every offer he had received, and every tap he made in the app. That kind of data could be shared with dozens of tech firms that specialize in tailoring prices.
Open investigation: The FTC began investigating surveillance pricing in July 2024, but when the Trump administration took office, it halted the probe. Levine and Nguyen said they’d like to see it resume. Noting that in some cases loyalty programs may be the only path to a discount, Levine told WaPo, “We shouldn’t be put in a position where we have to decide between affording our groceries and protecting our privacy.”—DL
Robert Reich
Trump, the Pope, and me
The real meaning of Pope Leo’s and my favorite film
Friends,
Pope Leo recently said his favorite movie of all time was “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Mine too. I first watched it when I was a kid in the early 1950s. For years, it was shown the week before Christmas. I loved it. Still do.
The pope’s and my favorite movie has a lot to tell us about where America is right now, and the scourge of Donald Trump.
If you don’t already know it, the central conflict in the movie is between Mr. Potter (played by Lionel Barrymore) and George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart).
Potter is a greedy, cruel banker. In his Social Darwinist view of America, people compete with one another for scarce resources. Those who succeed deserve to win because they’ve outrun everyone else in that competitive race.
 |
| Mr. Potter, er, Trump |
Friends,
Pope Leo recently said his favorite movie of all time was “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Mine too. I first watched it when I was a kid in the early 1950s. For years, it was shown the week before Christmas. I loved it. Still do.
The pope’s and my favorite movie has a lot to tell us about where America is right now, and the scourge of Donald Trump.
If you don’t already know it, the central conflict in the movie is between Mr. Potter (played by Lionel Barrymore) and George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart).
Potter is a greedy, cruel banker. In his Social Darwinist view of America, people compete with one another for scarce resources. Those who succeed deserve to win because they’ve outrun everyone else in that competitive race.
Black Friday
.jpg)
AI Overview
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States that marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season. It is known for major sales and deep discounts offered by retailers both online and in stores. The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in the 1950s to describe the chaos of post-Thanksgiving shopping and was later popularized by retailers to signify when their business profits would move from "the red" to "the black".
What fascinates me about what I posted above is that it was generated by ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE or AI.
AI is taking over the marketplace in just about all aspects of our lives. AI is replacing jobs faster than it was predicted that humanoid robo ts would replace jobs.
What is fascinating about the development of AI is that GREEN ENERGY cannot supply the energy needs that AI demands...
So, our society will have to make a decision, especially when the Democrats get back into power...
- Do they want Green Energy
- Do they want AI
Thursday, November 27
Thanksgiving
.jpg)
What do you think about/of when you hear the word THANKSGIVING?
- Food
- Family
- Gratitude
- Transportation
- Christmas is a month away
- Football
- Work Holiday
- Alcohol
We, in general, don't think about the first Thanksgiving unless we are in K-12. If we are in college or university, we are thinking time away from school, exams, or time at home.
Those of us who attend church on a regular basis are no doubt exposed to being grateful that we are living or have survived something, but that feeling happens all year long not just around Thanksgiving.
For me during my first marriage and part of my second marriage, Thanksgiving was a time that if we were close enough to family, then it was entirely possible that we would be eating two Thanksgiving dinners, one at the wife's parents and one at my parents.
Yes, it was true in my second marriage as well up until the year that her mother died, then my father, then my mother... at that point, we always spent Thanksgiving at home.
As my second wife's son aged and found a significant other, we have been spending Thanksgiving with them. We have gone to their house, we have gone out for the meal, but this year, they are coming to our house, and we are dividing up the meal so that one family is not burdened with it all.
For me personally and because of my health issues, Thanksgiving really is a time for me to give thanks because MEDICINE is keeping me alive.
Wednesday, November 26
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)