today in tabs: etsy mourns the east wing

ALSO: debate shows are everywhere (and is it too much?), Grokipedia, what happens to a Waymo in the snow, and more

Oct 28, 2025

Happy Tuesday, October 28th. Happy Halloween eve of eve of eve.

Just a reminder: every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.

I’M LOOKING FOR MORE PEOPLE TO DO MINI INTERVIEWS FOR OPEN TABS :) Tips, thoughts, concerns, good jokes, bad jokes, tea, etc?

And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), that would be so appreciated 🙏

Trump administration posts notice that no federal food aid will go out Nov. 1

The administration blames Democrats, who say they will not agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say Democrats must first agree to reopen the government before negotiation. (AP, 10/26)

Lucy’s note: Reminder that people blame Democrats almost as much as they blame Republicans for the shutdown… and Dems have REALLY got to get on this messaging better because this is insane.

Right-wing influencers post. Federal force follows.

Shirley had stumbled onto the Canal Street vendors while in New York making a video about Zohran Mamdani. He told me he wasn’t aware of whether DHS saw his content, and the agency declined to comment on whether the influencers played any sort of role in the raid, citing “operational security.” But it’s a plausible assumption. (Semafor, 10/26)

What happens when a conservative group visits an HBCU homecoming?

Now in its third year, Blexit’s outreach effort is aimed at recruiting students from historically Black colleges and universities to form campus “clubs” and, as the group says, “think for themselves.” The group’s arrival during homecoming weekend sparked the latest flash point in a broader debate over what voices and ideologies belong on HBCU campuses. (WaPo, 10/26)

Debate Shows Are Having a Moment. Here Come the Democrats.

Now progressives are trying to get a bigger foothold in this world, hoping that they, too, can use debates to rack up millions of views on social media, draw fans to live events like Mr. Bonnell’s Anti-Trump Tour — which sold out in a half dozen cities this fall — and appeal to potential voters. Although a handful of left-wing voices have participated in debates for some time, few, if any, have had the same reach as their conservative counterparts. (NYT gift link, 10/25)

“RIP East Wing” merch has hit Etsy

The devil and Kris Jenner work hard, but Etsy makers work harder. Several pieces of RIP East Wing goods are now for sale on Etsy and Amazon. Think a big “EAST WING GONE” T-shirt in distressed-looking typography, or tees reading “Mourning the East Wing,” “The East Wing Remembrance Society,” or “The White House East Wing: 1942- 2025. Never Forget.” (Axios, 10/24)

Is Waymo ready for winter?

“Ha ha, good question,” said Robert Chen, the company’s product lead for weather, when I asked him when he hoped to validate the Waymo driver for winter operation. “This winter season is gonna be a really important season for us. I think that’s all I can probably say at this point.” (The Verge, 10/25 – free version)

Elon Musk launches a Wikipedia rival that extols his own ‘vision’

Grokipedia’s entry on gender, for instance, begins with the sentence: “Gender refers to the binary classification of humans as male or female based on biological sex....” Wikipedia’s starts with: “Gender is the range of social, psychological, cultural, and behavioral aspects of being a man (or boy), woman (or girl), or third gender.” (WaPo, 10/27)

Lucy’s note: we touched on what’s happening to Wikipedia last week… all to say, if you’ve ever thought about donating to them, now would probably be the time :(

Why Tech Bros Are Getting Face-Lifts Now

Dr. Ben Talei, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon (who charges around $125,000-$150,000 for his advanced face- and neck lift), has seen demand from tech guys increase fivefold over the past five years. San Francisco-based plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Barnett says requests for face-lifts from men in tech have jumped roughly 25% from pre-Covid levels, while eyelid surgeries are up by 50%. He said the most notable increase appears to be among men in VC and private equity. (WSJ, 10/24 – free version)

Why nearly half of your paycheck is spent after the first 48 hours

The average American spends more than a third of their paycheck within the first 12 hours of receiving it, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 employed Americans split evenly by generation revealed that this was especially true for millennials, one of the highest spending generations today, who spend an average of 40% within those first few hours – more than any other group. (Talker News, 10/27)

As the Springsteen movie disappoints at the box office, is music biopic fatigue setting in?

While the Springsteen film’s gross over the weekend isn’t actually too far off the $11.7 million that the Dylan picture mustered on its open last December, it pales in comparison to the huge figures biopics like “Straight Outta Compton” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” garnered, and is still less than a third of the sums that “Bob Marley: One Love” and “Elvis” pulled in. (Sherwood, 10/27)

The shrinking future of Ph.D.s

Harvard is cutting Ph.D. admission slots in sciences by 75% and in humanities by 60%, the Harvard Crimson reported this past week. Several departments at other top universities are shrinking admit pools or pausing admissions altogether, Nature’s Alexandra Witze reports. MIT admitted fewer biology Ph.D.s this year than last. The University of Washington’s astronomy department is suspending Ph.D. admissions for the upcoming academic year. (Axios, 10/26)

‘You Love It or You Hate It’: Pumpkin Spice Lattes Divide Europe

In Brussels, pumpkin spice lattes are increasingly widespread. One can also find them easily in Amsterdam, Warsaw and even Leipzig, Germany. But the concoction remains far less ubiquitous in Italy, where espresso was born around the turn of the 20th century. (NYT gift link, 10/25)

Why Secondhand Sellers Favor Peer-To-Peer Platforms

Etsy-owned Depop also sees more activity from Gen Zers than other demographic groups. Gen Z’s wider disbursement across platforms should be a warning signal to the more established players, as lacking attention from and relevance to younger consumers could mean losing sellers over time. (Morning Consult, 10/27 – free version)