today in tabs: you thought the job was actually governing???

ALSO: Jack Dorsey is bringing Vine back (!!), Chi Ossé is taking on Hakeem Jeffries, the Vineyard Vines 6-7 shirt already sold out, and more

Nov 18, 2025

Happy Tuesday, November 18th.

WOW, there are a bunch of new folks here!!! OT is now read in 45 STATES – and I’m so glad to have each and every one of you. And I know many of y’all are coming from

Camaron Stevenson

’s incredible
Below The Beltway
newsletter. On the off-chance you don’t know about it yet, I highly recommend!

FYSA, 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 ALSO 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 🙏

How foreign student enrollment is shifting in the U.S., in 6 charts

Many experts expect the numbers will fall next year as well as many foreigners decide to study in other countries instead. The number of international students applying to study at U.S. colleges next year has fallen 9 percent, according to data collected from students who applied using the Common Application by Nov. 1. The largest drops occurred among applicants from Asia and Africa. (WaPo, 11/17)

Chi Ossé files paperwork to challenge Jeffries from the left

Ossé filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday to run in the Democratic primary for New York’s 8th district, which covers parts of South and East Brooklyn. His team also set up an Act Blue page for him to begin fundraising for his run. Ossé was first elected to the City Council in 2021 after previously working as a Black Lives Matter organizer and activist. (Axios, 11/17)

In a Congress full of millionaires, raising money becomes the job (OP-ED)

Between 2023 and 2024, Democratic Party members were expected to raise between $100,000 and $30 million per year in dues to the party to move up in the chamber. This reinforces structural disadvantages in access to wealthy networks. (The Hill, 11/16)

Lucy’s note: This piece is drawn from the Brennan Center’s Maya Kornberg’s experience writing her upcoming book, Stuck: How Money, Media, and Violence Prevent Change in Congress.

‘Divine’ is a Jack Dorsey-backed Vine reboot for 2025

Nearly a decade after going offline, Vine is (sort of) back and, in a truly bizarre twist, Jack Dorsey is at least partially responsible. An early Twitter employee has released a beta version of a rebooted Vine — now called “Divine” — that revives the app’s six-second videos and includes a portion of the original app’s archive. (Endgaget, 11/14)

Jeff Bezos will be co-CEO of AI startup Project Prometheus

Jeff Bezos is getting a new job. He’ll reportedly become co-CEO of Project Prometheus, a new startup that he’s partly funding. The company’s exact plans are still unknown, but its focus is on AI that could improve manufacturing in fields including computing, automobiles, and aerospace. (The Verge, 11/17)

Vineyard Vines Made a ‘6-7’ Shirt and It Already Sold Out Once

In a logical conclusion of our brainrot times, the preppy clothing retailer Vineyard Vines recently released a children’s T-shirt printed with its whale logo and the adolescent meme phrase “6-7,” which was seemingly designed to be worn by the most broccoli-haired child you know. Today, the brand is rereleasing the limited-edition design in a full range of sizes for the whole family. (GQ, 11/13)

Gen Z is bringing back one of the most divisive dining trends of the 2010s

According to new data from the online reservation service company Resy, 90% of Gen Z diners say they enjoy communal tables, compared to just 60% of boomers, highlighting a generational revival of one of the restaurant world’s most polarizing trends: seating multiple groups of diners together at large banquet tables. (Business Insider, 11/16 – free version)

Boomers Are Passing Down Fortunes — And Way, Way Too Much Stuff

Research firm Cerulli Associates estimates that over the next couple of decades, about $90 trillion in assets will be passed down from the Silent Generation and baby boomers to their Gen X and millennial heirs. Much has been written about the so-called Great Wealth Transfer and how it will change the global economy. A bigger mystery: What happens to all the physical possessions that will accompany that wealth? (Bloomberg, 11/14 – free version)

The next Met Gala exhibit will spotlight fashion across art history

“Costume Art,” announced Monday as the next big show at the museum’s Costume Institute — launched by the starry Met Gala in 2026 — aims to make that connection more literal than ever, pairing garments with objects from across the museum to show how fashion has long been intertwined with different art forms. (AP, 11/17)

Well, Of Course They’re Making a Labubu Movie

Labubus took off on TikTok when Chinese retailer Pop Mart started selling them on Live. They’ve been everywhere for the past 18 months or so: at ICE protests, attached to Rihanna’s purse, and on Karl Marx’s grave. Before that, they were a side character in creator and Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung’s book series, The Monsters. So there is at least a little IP to build on. (Vulture, 11/14 – free version)