Let's Count Some Blessings

 December 31, 2025

   Like you, I am taking stock on the last day of a bizarre and crazy year, writing off the losses and counting up the blessings. I'm not exactly sure who to thank for the latter, but I think you are part of that equation, out of kindness, I suppose.

Daily Whip Out: "Truxton Cowboys"

Getting Jiggy With Squibby

   I sent Dan The Man's movie poster of Walapai High (see yesterday's blog post) to Johnny Waters of Kingman fame, and here is his reply:

   "I haven't thought about Squibby in years. Here's my Squibby Nish story. We were in the 8th or 9th grade and he had gotten cross with a kid named Stratton, who was a sharp-dressed cowboy (dating the Hunt girl) out in Truxton, I believe. They decided to meet in the park and fight.  

There must have been 100 of us in a circle and Squibby says, 'Let me take my shirt off.'  He was wearing a nice Arrow Dover type shirt. He started unbuttoning and after about 3 buttons he decks Stratton.  Stratton is out cold on the ground and Squibby starts re-buttoning his shirt and just walks away. Friggin’ beautiful.  There was never a rematch as far as I recall."

—John Waters, Charlie Waters' little brother  

Welcome to The Era of AI Slop

"When Merriam-Webster announced that its 2025 Word of the Year was 'slop,' it made a disturbing amount of sense—at least from the perspective of someone (me) who reports on the ins and outs of social media.

   "The historical dictionary manufacturer defines 'slop' as 'digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence,' or 'all that stuff dumped on our screens,' according to Merriam-Webster’s online announcement.

   “The flood of slop in 2025 included absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, 'workslop' reports that waste coworkers' time… and lots of talking cats. People found it annoying, and people ate it up,' Merriam-Webster added."

—Colin Kirkland, Media Daily News

A New Year's Toast!

   Here's to the most intelligent and attractive blog readers on the planet. Uno and I will toast you all at midnight.

   Well, technically, not at the actual midnite, but closer to 8:30 in the evening. Still, the sentiment is accurate.

"All the federales say, they could have had him any day, they only let him hang around, out of kindness I suppose."

—Townes Van Zandt, Pancho & Lefty