Daily Tech News 24 December 2025

Top Story

Do not send to know for whom the memory shortage tolls. (WCCFTech)

Today it's Apple, whose cost for the memory in the iPhone 17 has jumped from $29 to $70.

But doesn't Apple have long-term agreements to lock in costs?

Yes. Yes they do. Some of those agreements are expiring in January.

Others expired this month.
Former Samsung executives and employees have been hit with criminal charges for leaking trade secrets on memory production to Chinese memory manufacturer CXMT. (WCCFTech)

Cool. I mean, tut tut, don't do that again.

Tech News

Intel's new Fab 52 plant in Arizona is larger and more advanced than TSMC's Fab 21, also in Arizona. (Tom's Hardware)

It does not produce memory, though.
The launch of the PlayStation 6 and the Steam Machine could be delayed by soaring memory prices. (Notebook Check)

Ya think?
How AI broke the smart home in 2025. (The Verge) (archive site)

When all you have is an LLM, everything looks like a chat room.
This morning, I asked my Alexa-enabled Bosch coffee machine to make me a coffee. Instead of running my routine, it told me it couldn't do that. Ever since I upgraded to Alexa Plus, Amazon's generative-AI-powered voice assistant, it has failed to reliably run my coffee routine, coming up with a different excuse almost every time I ask.

It's 2025, and AI still can't reliably control my smart home. I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will.
You know what this reminds me of?
Tech Enthusiasts: Everything in my house is wired to the Internet of Things! I control it all from my smartphone! My smart-house is Bluetooth enabled and I can give it voice commands via Alexa! I love the future!

Programmers / Engineers: The most recent piece of technology I own is a printer from 2004 and I keep a loaded gun ready to shoot it if it ever makes an unexpected noise.
And a second gun to shoot the first one if worse comes to worst.

Musical Interlude

Disclaimer: If not food, why food shaped?

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 BOING!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 24, 2025 04:00 AM (KgVf3)

2 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 24, 2025 04:01 AM (sAmhv)

3 Happy Christmas Eve everyone

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 04:01 AM (Ia/+0)

4 My phone is having issues

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)

5 Morning all!

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 24, 2025 04:03 AM (BLOW1)

6 Howdy all y'all

Posted by: OkJohn at December 24, 2025 04:07 AM (NC/it)

7 Instead of running my routine, it told me it couldn't do that

Just wait until it won't open your garage door

Posted by: Dave Bowman at December 24, 2025 04:08 AM (jNK17)

8 Morning Horde, Happy Christmas eve.

Posted by: actually inside the beltway at December 24, 2025 04:13 AM (aKh6S)

9 You know what this reminds me of?

Tech Enthusiasts: Everything in my house is wired to the Internet of Things! I control it all from my smartphone! My smart-house is Bluetooth enabled and I can give it voice commands via Alexa! I love the future!

I love tech but setting up a smart home from a completely dumb home seems like a lot of work for little payoff.

If the house was already "smart" I'd enjoy the convenience, I suppose,... until something breaks.

... and something always breaks.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 24, 2025 04:16 AM (6ydKt)

10 And this is how I'm starting my Christmas Eve morning:

https://youtu.be/3Y71iDvCYXA

What?
I'll listen to Christmas carols later.

Maybe.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 24, 2025 04:21 AM (6ydKt)

11 I'll never figure out how Elvis Costello didn't break his ankles with the way he 'dances'.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 24, 2025 04:22 AM (6ydKt)

12 Up early, coffee, and then back to bed. I'm glad I have no computer building plans in 2026. I bought that mini computer and it works just fine for the price. Along with 2 desktop computers I built, prices for parts don't matter for now. Merry Christmas, I've heard more of that this year instead of Happy Holidays I heard for the last 4 years. I wonder if the new mayor of New York City will have call to prayer broadcast every hour over speakers soon.

Posted by: Colin at December 24, 2025 04:23 AM (wlQdF)

13 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at December 24, 2025 04:27 AM (2Ez/1)

14 You know what this reminds me of?

-------------

"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do caffeine."

Posted by: ShainS -- A DEI Kakistocracy, If You Can Keep It at December 24, 2025 04:35 AM (LgsNJ)

15 Guten morgen. Wo ist m?

Posted by: Fluffy Nuggets, Jr. at December 24, 2025 04:40 AM (Hvku0)

16 Morning, 'rons and 'ronettes. 34 cloudy degrees here at Stately Poppins Manor. Had a bit of snow yesterday, so the ground is white. It's supposed to rain later in the week, so I can be my lazy self and not shovel.

A couple of hours' work ahead, so will be popping in and out. Might link to a couple of happy Christmas songs later on, after my first cup of tea.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 24, 2025 04:44 AM (ufSfZ)

17 Why are birds taking baths anyway? Who are they trying to look and smell good for? I'll tell you who: their handlers at the NSA. That's who!

Posted by: birds are an op at December 24, 2025 04:45 AM (hgvSz)

18 G'morning, all.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 24, 2025 04:51 AM (iMotb)

19 54 degrees here, and a perfect morning for a walk.

But alas, I need to replace the kitchen faucet, due to a failed factory made compression joint on the main outlet hose.

Which means, being at the big box store as soon as they open this morning.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 24, 2025 04:53 AM (iMotb)

20 Having everything run as a Borg in your house is great until it hasn't any power or decides not to let you into the hatch

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 04:53 AM (Ia/+0)

21 From fright to delight. Devotional on Luke 2:8-14. It is followed by some insights, a prayer and a question.

https://tinyurl.com/pfjf69ud

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 24, 2025 04:53 AM (Nx5jP)

22 So it seems that the Amazon Alexa devices have some real issues when the service is upgraded to the AI powered Alexa Plus features.

Blogs are full of comments from owners about their Alexas suddenly becoming almost useless.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 24, 2025 04:54 AM (iMotb)

23 Sometimes we get thirsty.

Posted by: The birds at December 24, 2025 04:55 AM (2Ez/1)

24 Amazon better get on the ball and get that fixed.

It doesn't take too long going without Alexa for people to eventually come to the conclusion that maybe they don't really need Alexa.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 24, 2025 04:57 AM (6ydKt)

25 On the plus side, the tp-Link Deco X60 system is finally up and running with the main unit, 5 satellite nodes, and all with ethernet backhaul.

While there is no documentation to say this...

Do NOT place your Alexa devices on the Deco's IoT network. It will not work correctly.

Use the main 2.4/5.0 network, and all will be fine.

Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at December 24, 2025 04:57 AM (iMotb)

26 Family who had fostered kids gets wonderful surprise after a difficult few months . Sunny Skyz site:

https://tinyurl.com/mzvnuk6y

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 24, 2025 04:59 AM (Nx5jP)

27 My phone is having issues

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)
-

Dialexia?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 24, 2025 05:00 AM (JZ+U7)

28 Deleted Alexa account years ago. Zero regrets. The phone is bad enough!

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 24, 2025 05:01 AM (JZ+U7)

29 In theory should work all day, 2 co-workers will be at tje job, not doing what I am, but would bet the house they will be long gone by noon.

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 05:02 AM (Ia/+0)

30 Father and daughter sing a lovely version of "The First Noel":

https://tinyurl.com/ekx26vc

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 24, 2025 05:02 AM (Nx5jP)

31 Kept giving wait or close as a choice instead of posting

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 05:05 AM (Ia/+0)

32 One of my friends had an Echo in the kitchen which he renamed Alexa and an Alexa in the living room which he renamed Echo.
Hilarity ensued.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 05:06 AM (2Ez/1)

33 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at December 24, 2025 05:10 AM (AN2gy)

34 The AI memory bubble is about to collapse. Because AI is a fool's gambit. Where is the payoff?

Maybe it's in the financial realm playing markets in an exchange, but I don't see it. Everything else is just more speed, more power, no intelligence. Just mindless algorithms and language engines. AI is not going to make it safer to get you Mars or to make your EV autonomous, or to make your weapon systems more lethal than they already are. Killer drones. Nice.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at December 24, 2025 05:12 AM (nljXp)

35
g'mornin', 'rons

Posted by: AltonJackson at December 24, 2025 05:13 AM (tljrc)

36 Actor David Suchet reads a beautiful psalm of praise -Psalm 145:

https://tinyurl.com/3bkvaety

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 24, 2025 05:15 AM (rZCVI)

37 w00t

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 05:19 AM (RuTUS)

38 But it gives me obtuse answers to my arcane questions in hundredths of a second instead of tenths of a second.
So there's that.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 05:22 AM (2Ez/1)

39 >>>It does not produce memory, though.

It should.

Posted by: Comrade Flounder, Disinformation Demon at December 24, 2025 05:24 AM (dK+Kv)

40 Morning, 'rons and 'ronettes. 34 cloudy degrees here at Stately Poppins Manor. Had a bit of snow yesterday, so the ground is white. It's supposed to rain later in the week, so I can be my lazy self and not shovel.

A couple of hours' work ahead, so will be popping in and out. Might link to a couple of happy Christmas songs later on, after my first cup of tea.

Hope you all have a lovely day.
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 24, 2025 04:44 AM (ufSfZ)

61 degrees right now in OKC. Gonna be a warm Christmas Eve and Christmas Day here this year.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at December 24, 2025 05:26 AM (g8Ew8)

41 Above freezing at least
Have a great day horde

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 05:28 AM (Ia/+0)

42 My phone is having issues

Posted by: Skip at December 24, 2025 04:02 AM (Ia/+0)
-

Dialexia?
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at December 24, 2025 05:00 AM (JZ+U7)

Dysphonia.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at December 24, 2025 05:28 AM (g8Ew8)

43 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at December 24, 2025 05:47 AM (bQ4nt)

44 Mornin' Horde.

Memory manufacturers: Not my favourite entities right now.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 24, 2025 05:57 AM (O7YUW)

45 Gemini has worked great with my SmartThings enabled home.

Shrug.

Posted by: Defenestratus at December 24, 2025 06:01 AM (WYStd)

46 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: Fish heads. Fish heads. Roly-poly fish heads.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at December 24, 2025 06:02 AM (qbLEp)

47 Evening and morning to all the toilers, if any, and early risers, of which there are clearly many, on this Christmas Eve! Ace posted some good news for us yesterday, I see, so we have even more reason to be of good cheer.

61 F. and foggy here. I'm of two minds about going to work out. On one hand, good temps and no wind; on the other, fog is annoying to work out in. My eyelashes and hair get soaking wet! "Ah, suck it up, Buttercup."

The Killer Kittenz need to be fed, and I will call my oldest friend this afternoon in FL to say Merry Merry. How about you?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:03 AM (wzUl9)

48 Pixy, it is almost 12/25 there, so a happy Christmas to you and a big thanks for all you do here!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:04 AM (wzUl9)

49 15 Guten morgen. Wo ist m?
Posted by: Fluffy Nuggets, Jr. at December 24, 2025 04:40 AM (Hvku0)

Fluffy Nuggets, Jr.! Reporting for duty.

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 06:05 AM (RuTUS)

50 I have NO interest in having a "smart home." I want it, like my car, to do what I make it do (like turning on lights or braking) and only that. Sure, I want a garage door opener in my car. But that's a button press (right? I hope) and not a voice command.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:07 AM (wzUl9)

51
Good morning, Hordians. Foggy and 66 degrees here at Schloss Hadrian.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 24, 2025 06:08 AM (tgvbd)

52 Coffee. Cafe El Morro. Hot and sweet with a dash of milk.

(I'd make it a dash of eggnog, but I'm almost out, and Aldi didn't have any more of the non-alcoholic type yesterday. Maybe I can find some more today.)

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:09 AM (wzUl9)

53 (I'd make it a dash of eggnog, but I'm almost out, and Aldi didn't have any more of the non-alcoholic type yesterday. Maybe I can find some more today.)
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere

Don't know if you have a Krogers in your area but they had plenty of non alcoholic eggnog in stock when I was there a couple of days ago.

Posted by: Tuna at December 24, 2025 06:12 AM (lJ0H4)

54 Morning, Horde...How goes it?

Today is the first day of my 12 day vacation. Only two of those days require me to spend PTO hours.

I plan on doing a whole lotta nothin'.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 24, 2025 06:14 AM (ESVrU)

55 This morning, I asked my Alexa-enabled Bosch coffee machine to make me a coffee. Instead of running my routine, it told me it couldn't do that.

To borrow from Schlock Mercenary: "Equipment that can't perform up to spec gets replaced. Equipment that won't perform gets abused until it will or it can't."

Posted by: NR Pax at December 24, 2025 06:15 AM (7xrfc)

56 (I'd make it a dash of eggnog, but I'm almost out, and Aldi didn't have any more of the non-alcoholic type yesterday. Maybe I can find some more today.)
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere

Don't know if you have a Krogers in your area but they had plenty of non alcoholic eggnog in stock when I was there a couple of days ago.
Posted by: Tuna at December 24, 2025

***
No, no Krogers here. We have more than a few Aldi stores now; there is one I can pass by this morning. Or the Rouses, the local chain. Walmart seems to have only the stuff with the booze in it -- and in any case I do *not* want to go into a WM on Xmas Eve.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:15 AM (wzUl9)

57 Printer: PC LOAD LETTER:

Michael Bolton: *BLAM BLAM BLAM*

Posted by: 1st draft of Office Space at December 24, 2025 06:15 AM (elWPN)

58 Happy Kwanzateenth!

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 06:18 AM (2Ez/1)

59 I plan on doing a whole lotta nothin'.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 24, 2025 06:14 AM (ESVrU)

Those are the best vacations.

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at December 24, 2025 06:18 AM (g8Ew8)

60 I asked my Alexa-enabled Bosch coffee machine to make me a coffee. Instead of running my routine, it told me it couldn't do that.

Mr. Coffee machine with a clock/timer. Now make your own damn coffee. Or get an even older coffee pot and use the stove.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 24, 2025 06:19 AM (sAmhv)

61
Happy Kwanzateenth!
Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 06:18 AM (2Ez/1)

Didn't Shufflin' Joe make that a Federal holiday?

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 24, 2025 06:19 AM (tgvbd)

62 The Movies! channel has all Shirley Temple flicks today. Tomorrow they will do Christmas, though, with Mrs. Santa Claus w/ Angela Lansbury, the 1970 Scrooge w/ Albert Finney, and the 1951 A Christmas Carol w/ Alastair Sim. That last is worth gathering around the TV for. The atmosphere of it, the authentic-looking clothing and sets, and Sim's performance all make it special among the adaptations.

My first acquaintance with the story, like a lot of people, I suspect, was the cartoon Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol back in the Sixties.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:21 AM (wzUl9)

63 I plan on doing a whole lotta nothin'.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

I'm sure your kitties will be glad to spend the extra time with you.

Posted by: Tuna at December 24, 2025 06:21 AM (lJ0H4)

64
>Didn't Shufflin' Joe make that a Federal holiday?

Not sure. But if he did, you can be damn sure he doesn't remember it.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 06:21 AM (2Ez/1)

65 55 To borrow from Schlock Mercenary: "Equipment that can't perform up to spec gets replaced. Equipment that won't perform gets abused until it will or it can't."
Posted by: NR Pax at December 24, 2025 06:15 AM (7xrfc)

To borrow from Cool Hand Luke:

Equipment that won't perform spends a night in the box.

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 06:22 AM (RuTUS)

66 "Programmers / Engineers: The most recent piece of technology I own is a printer from 2004 and I keep a loaded gun ready to shoot it if it ever makes an unexpected noise."

This is what I don't understand about transhumanist worshipers like Ray Kurtzweil. Haven't they had enough experience with technology to know that what they wish for is impossible? Imagine getting a firmware update and your legs stop working because the update bricked your locomotion subsystems. Or getting the BSOD ( Blue Screen of Death ) when you're hiking in the woods...

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Luddite Housekeeper at December 24, 2025 06:22 AM (elWPN)

67 Not a lot of Kwanza movies on the Hallmark Channel. I'm sensing an opportunity for my client!

Posted by: Kim Fields' Agent at December 24, 2025 06:22 AM (R+nQW)

68 Didn't Shufflin' Joe make that a Federal holiday?
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 24, 2025 06:19 AM (tgvbd)

Let's go, Brandon!!

Posted by: Dr. Pork Chops & Bacons at December 24, 2025 06:22 AM (g8Ew8)

69 Okay; the furry thugs have been fed, and I've almost finished cup no. 2. Time to decide if I want to be lazy, or to get going for my workout.

Grrrr . . .

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:24 AM (wzUl9)

70 67 Not a lot of Kwanza movies
Posted by: Kim Fields' Agent at December 24, 2025 06:22 AM (R+nQW)

K-w-a-n-z-a-a

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 06:25 AM (RuTUS)

71 (To the tune of "Winter Wonderland"

"Later on, we'll perspire.
('Is that A/C? Turn it higher!')
We drive and we grump
O'er potholes and bumps,
Sweating in a sticky swampy land!"

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:30 AM (wzUl9)

72 Merry Christmas, Morons!

https://tinyurl.com/4bbppys3

And now, back to cooking.

Posted by: Sam Adams at December 24, 2025 06:31 AM (X+xvk)

73 Bleah. The disgustingly warm (but not hot) conditions here will continue through Sunday; I can work out on Thursday and Friday. Christmas Eve is special. Let's take it easy this morning, whaddaya say?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:35 AM (wzUl9)

74 Can't find any eggnog here in Dallas. I've been to three stores. Done trying. I will have to settle for a bourbon eggnog, without the eggnog. This is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Posted by: Sam Adams at December 24, 2025 06:36 AM (X+xvk)

75 I’m working through Friday night. Yay!

Posted by: Eromero at December 24, 2025 06:37 AM (o2ZRX)

76 Shirley Temple eggnog.

Posted by: Eromero at December 24, 2025 06:38 AM (o2ZRX)

77
Kwanzaa

a secular festival observed by many African Americans from December 26 to January 1 as a celebration of their cultural heritage and traditional values.

ORIGIN
1970s: from Kiswahili ‘matunda ya kwanza,’ literally ‘first fruits (of the harvest)’, from kwanza ‘first’.

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 06:40 AM (RuTUS)

78 K-w-a-n-z-a--a

The double A is for Anti-American!

Posted by: Berkeley Professor who invented this nonsense at December 24, 2025 06:42 AM (R+nQW)

79 >>> Or getting the BSOD ( Blue Screen of Death ) when you're hiking in the woods...

Raccoons gotta eat, same as everybody else.

Posted by: fluffy at December 24, 2025 06:43 AM (AN2gy)

80 If you're on the Esst Coast and the sky is clear the pink sky is beautiful ! Take a look. God is quite an artist.!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 24, 2025 06:44 AM (1Vo6X)

81
It's not AI, it's Deep Thought. Brewing coffee is beneath its awesome brain's powers.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM} at December 24, 2025 06:45 AM (xG4kz)

82 @69/Wolfus:

Another option: Exercise yourself and the furry thugs by playing with them. The old dragging a string around and watching the cats go mental as it disappears around a corner was a fun one.

What my cats of past went absolutely bonkers for was the tear-drop tip of an antenna whip (the type that went on vehicles). Lower the tip onto the carpet and then start moving it around or spin in place and watch the cat chase it round and rouind you. Stop if/when your kitty starts panting from the exertion.

And yeah, I had to store the extra antenna whips behind a closed door for the little furnace/ac room after that otherwise I'd come home and find them scattered, and the cats looking at me like, "Why isn't it moving? Make it move!"

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 24, 2025 06:45 AM (O7YUW)

83 (Wikipedia)

Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga (born Ronald McKinley Everett, July 14, 1941), previously known as Ron Karenga, is an American activist, author and professor of Africana studies, best known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holiday of Kwanzaa.

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 06:48 AM (RuTUS)

84 I plan on doing a whole lotta nothin'.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel

I'm sure your kitties will be glad to spend the extra time with you.
Posted by: Tuna at December 24, 2025 06:21 AM (lJ0H4)
---
I work from home now, so they'll still get plenty of quality time with me!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 24, 2025 06:49 AM (ESVrU)

85 80 If you're on the Esst Coast and the sky is clear the pink sky is beautiful ! Take a look. God is quite an artist.!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke

It is, indeed.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at December 24, 2025 06:49 AM (sAmhv)

86 Posted by: Berkeley Professor who invented this nonsense

heh

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 06:50 AM (RuTUS)

87 . . . What my cats of past went absolutely bonkers for was the tear-drop tip of an antenna whip (the type that went on vehicles). Lower the tip onto the carpet and then start moving it around or spin in place and watch the cat chase it round and rouind you. Stop if/when your kitty starts panting from the exertion.

And yeah, I had to store the extra antenna whips behind a closed door for the little furnace/ac room after that otherwise I'd come home and find them scattered, and the cats looking at me like, "Why isn't it moving? Make it move!"
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 24, 2025

***
I have, or they have, a Cat Dancer -- a permanently curved bit of flexible wire with cardboard at each end so it won't pierce an eye. It works much the same way. Years ago I bought it for big red tabby Arizona, and all my cats since have loved it as he did. Little Dagny will occasionally fish it out of the toy basket on her own.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 06:51 AM (wzUl9)

88 For the record:

Kwanzaa

a secular festival observed by many white female American elementary school teachers with too much time and desperately in need of validation. It lasts from December 26 to January 1 and provides an endless supply of mirth, ridicule, and internet memes for people who have the slightest clue.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 06:53 AM (2Ez/1)

89 Libera Best Christmas Songs

https://tinyurl.com/ywwvssxv

Posted by: Sam Adams at December 24, 2025 06:54 AM (X+xvk)

90 @87/Wolfus: On the kitty-safety factor: That's why I loved the teardrop-end antennas. Incredibly tough, no risk of injury, and no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't hang onto the teardrop end when it moved (I nicknamed that "the bug").

Good on you for having a similarly cat-safe toy that they love. And Dagny dragging it out on her own proves its value!

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 24, 2025 06:55 AM (O7YUW)

91 When Ron Karenga wasn't promoting black separatism/Marxism, wasn't he kidnapping and torturing black women?

Delightful man.

Inspiring holiday.

Posted by: Sam Adams at December 24, 2025 06:58 AM (X+xvk)

92 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 24, 2025 07:02 AM (Cjt/F)

93 A fun cover of the Chipmunks' "Christmas Don't Be Late:"

https://tinyurl.com/yu6ryxfr

Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 24, 2025 07:03 AM (ufSfZ)

94 "When Ron Karenga wasn't promoting black separatism/Marxism, wasn't he kidnapping and torturing black women?
Delightful man.
Inspiring holiday."

demonrats been doing that for a couple of centuries now, innit?
marxism just adds that little frisson of euro-degeneracy ...

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 24, 2025 07:05 AM (Cjt/F)

95 Good on you for having a similarly cat-safe toy that they love. And Dagny dragging it out on her own proves its value!
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at December 24, 2025

***
Dagny is getting more clever by the day. She has learned how to open the kitchen cabinet where I keep their treats, though not how to open the packets (yet). And she seems to know when I am going to the bathroom to shave or brush my teeth. She will follow me in, hop on the counter, and happily lap water from my (clean) shaving bowl.

In a minor Christmas miracle, last night I lifted her, 3/4 asleep, from my armchair and held her on my lap for something like five minutes. She seemed quite happy with the whole thing.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 07:07 AM (wzUl9)

96 looked at the label on a quart of KwikTrip eggnog the other day ... milk, cream, corn syrup ... egg yolks were well down in the "less than 2%" department. did not buy. sad, really, nutmeg flavored sugar-milk?

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at December 24, 2025 07:10 AM (Cjt/F)

97 88 For the record:

Kwanzaa

a secular festival observed by many white female American elementary school teachers with too much time and desperately in need of validation. It lasts from December 26 to January 1 and provides an endless supply of mirth, ridicule, and internet memes for people who have the slightest clue.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at December 24, 2025 06:53 AM (2Ez/1)

lol
I rate this as true.

I honestly believe more young, white, female, teachers celebrate Kwanzaa in their classrooms than black people do at home.

Posted by: SpeakingOf at December 24, 2025 07:11 AM (6ydKt)

98 In a minor Christmas miracle, last night I lifted her, 3/4 asleep, from my armchair and held her on my lap for something like five minutes. She seemed quite happy with the whole thing.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at December 24, 2025 07:07 AM (wzUl9)
----
YAY! I think she likes you!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 24, 2025 07:11 AM (ESVrU)

99 93 A fun cover of the Chipmunks' "Christmas Don't Be Late:"

https://tinyurl.com/yu6ryxfr
Posted by: Mary Poppins' Practically Perfect Piercing (aka Eloquent Depression) at December 24, 2025 07:03 AM (ufSfZ)

Swingin'!

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 07:11 AM (RuTUS)

100 100

Posted by: m at December 24, 2025 07:12 AM (RuTUS)

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