Strike, baby, strike
And then shop local after that
Things I don’t care about: A man with two kids and a death wish climbing to the top of a really tall building without any ropes, Kanye “apologizing” in the WSJ, or Sydney Sweeney trying to make trespassing cool whilst not reading the fuckin room.
Things I do care about: The nationwide general strike tomorrow, a lot of cool people quitting TikTok in protest of its new pro-MAGA ownership, and getting the latke oil stains out of my new gray quarter-zip via this hot tip: Cover the spots in dish soap, get the article of clothing wet, rub the soap in, let it sit in your shower/tub for a few hours. Then wash it like regular. Bada bing, babes.
Hot tip: Tons of local LA small businesses are closing in solidarity tomorrow. So if you want to support those spots on another day, they include (updating list): Flowers Finest. Chainsaw. Atelier Pasadena. Highland Park Yoga. Stronghold Climbing Gym. Proof Bakery. Canyon Coffee. Union Goods. The Ripped Bodice. Joans’ On Third. Pop Up Home. Now Serving Bookstore. Record Safari. Kismet Rotisserie. Vandell. Highly Likely. Verve Coffee. Skylight Books. Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Bar Flores. Kitchen Mouse. Lisa Says Gah. And in their typical classy af fashion, Vidiots is showing and renting movies for free.
If you do have to work or shop, you can still participate! Strike organizers encourage canceling non-essential subscription services (byeeee Prime Video) and specifically not spending money at Home Depot, Target, Whole Foods, and Amazon.
In politics: Chuck Schumer and the Democrats have averted a government shutdown by negotiating with the White House, which feels like begging a serial killer to just let you have a chocolate milkshake before they still very much kill you. Basically, they’ve separated DHS funding from the rest of the spending bill and have given themselves two more weeks to figure it out/fund Kristi Noem’s nationwide reign of terror, after which I feel certain Republicans will learn their lesson and come to the table ready to hold hands + sing “Imagine” with Hakeem Jeffries.
But just in case that doesn’t work out, a reminder that every day is a good day to call the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and hold the people we’ve elected accountable—perhaps by reminding them that they work for us. Because with the way they’re handling shit right now, I really don’t feel like we should be paying any federal taxes in 2026???
Meanwhile, men will literally raid a Georgia election office and grab hundreds of boxes of ballots from 2020 instead of releasing the Epstein files. Well, man will, and man did. Yes, Donny T and his labubu, Kash Patel, sent the FBI into Fulton County HQ to snag 700 boxes of evidence—well after the five year federal statute of limitations had passed. I would imagine only good can come from this, and it is the sign of a well-functioning brain of a guy who totally remembers what Alzheimers is!!!
Meanwhile, some small wins: Greg Bovino has been sent home from Minnesota—I’m assuming back to the Keebler Elf Tree from whence he came. I just found out about Mandy Patinkin and his wife Katherine Grody’s newish podcast, “Don’t Listen To Us,” and honey, you better bet I’m going to listen to ya. And Bruce Springsteen wrote, recorded, and released a new protest song for us in just four days in honor of the people of Minneapolis. We love you, good sir.
In things that really happened on television this week:
In Olympics: Gymnast Jordan Chiles was successfully granted an appeal to get her (fairly won and fully deserved) Paris 2024 bronze medal back. And there’s a new sport making its debut in this year’s upcoming Milan Winter Olympics: Skimo. Also known as ski mountaineering, it’s the first time—I’m assuming—athletes will be going up a mountain on their skis before also coming back down. The skis have grips on the bottom to prevent them from falling backwards, at one point they are on foot, and then they descend, and it’s all a race. I’ve never felt more assured of my decision to be a swimmer.
In, in fashion: Charli xcx puffer jackets for her new movie The Moment. Menswear on women, whether in the front row of fashion week on Anya Taylor Joy or in streetwear on chic Parisians. And investing in Birkenstock, apparently.
Coming ~to the cottage~ soon:
Previously on Hot Tip:
Brilliant roundup of the LA businesses closing in solidarity. The practicl idea of making a list like this so people can support them another day is kinda genius tbh. I actually did something similar last year whn a local bookshop in my area closed for a protest and ended up becomng a regular there afterward.
Donny T and his labubu 😆