It’s October 2, 2025, and the air in Washington feels thicker than usual—like the capital’s holding its breath amid the hum of empty federal offices and the distant echo of partisan finger-pointing. I remember the 2018-19 shutdown all too well; as a policy analyst then, I watched colleagues in the Department of Education huddle over … Read more
It’s day two of the 2025 government shutdown, and the air in D.C. feels thicker than usual—like everyone’s holding their breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. I remember the 2018-19 shutdown like it was yesterday; I was freelancing policy pieces back then, chatting with furloughed feds over lukewarm diner coffee, listening to stories … Read more
Hey, picture this: You’re sipping champagne on a superyacht in the Persian Gulf, hashing out multimillion-dollar deals with sheikhs who promise the world—ultra-luxury hotels in Paris, London, Beverly Hills. The sun’s dipping low, deals feel sealed with a handshake. Fast-forward a few years, and those same handshakes turn into lawsuits, with accusations flying about “free … Read more
Hey everyone, it’s Tom Reilly here—I’ve been wrenching on cars and chasing automotive stories for going on 20 years now, ever since I traded my grease-monkey gig at a family garage in Detroit for a beat covering recalls and safety for MotorTrend. Back in 2011, I lost a buddy to a faulty airbag in a … Read more
Picture this: You’re three days into what was supposed to be the vacation of a lifetime—sun-kissed decks, endless buffets, and that first sip of a piña colada that tastes like pure freedom. Then, bam. A wave of nausea hits, not from the ocean swells, but from something far sneakier: norovirus. It’s the uninvited guest that … Read more
I still remember the buzz in the air at the Tesla showroom in Austin back in early September 2025. I’d driven down from Dallas to test-drive a Model Y—my old gas guzzler was on its last legs, and with gas prices flirting with $4 a gallon, the switch to electric felt like a no-brainer. The … Read more
Remember that first time you stepped into a home that felt like yours—the kind of place where you could picture lazy Sunday mornings with coffee on the porch or kids’ laughter echoing down the hall? For me, it was a scrappy two-bedroom in suburban Chicago back in 2012, bought on a shoestring budget after scraping … Read more
Remember that knot in your stomach during the 2018-2019 shutdown, when federal workers lined up at food banks and TSA lines snaked like angry rivers? Now fast-forward to October 1, 2025: The lights flicker out on non-essential government operations again, but this time, it’s not just gridlock—it’s a calculated squeeze. President Donald Trump’s administration, fresh … Read more
Ever stare at a pharmacy receipt and wonder why that little bottle of pills costs more than a decent steak dinner? Yeah, me too. Back in 2018, I was juggling my dad’s cancer treatments—Keytruda infusions that ran thousands a pop—and the bills hit like a freight train. We scraped by on copays and charity aid, … Read more
Remember the thrill of lacing up your first pair of Air Jordans, that fresh-out-the-box squeak on the court, or the way a pair of Dunks turns a casual stroll into a statement? For me, it was back in ’95, snagging a pair of classic high-tops from a corner shop in Philly—my gateway to feeling unstoppable. … Read more