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The $20 Billion Irony: Perplexity’s Big Bet on Not Selling Your Attention

By Tony Hicks
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There’s a certain kind of irony that only the tech industry can produce — the kind where a company shoots toward a multi-billion-dollar valuation by saying no to the thing that made the internet rich in the first place. That’s where Perplexity AI currently stands: reportedly valued around the $18–20 billion range, and now making a very public pivot away from advertising — even though advertising is what built giants like Google into empires. On paper, it’s simple: ads might damage user trust, so Perplexity wants to build a business model where the answers feel unbiased and the money comes from subscriptions instead. In reality? That’s where the story gets weird, ironic, and extremely interesting. This isn’t just a business decision. It’s a philosophical gamble on the future of the internet. And like all big bets in tech, it comes wrapped in contradictions. Chapter 1 — The Anti-Ad Revolution (From a Former Ad Experimenter) Let’s start with the part that makes this twist deliciously ir...
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10 New Beauty Products Our Pros Are Obsessed With This Month

By Tony Hicks
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There are two kinds of beauty launches: the ones that look good on a press release, and the ones that quietly take over makeup bags, bathroom counters, and professional kits within weeks. This month, our beauty pros have spoken with their brushes, blotting papers, and overworked cuticles—and these ten new arrivals have officially earned permanent residency. From skin care that behaves like a facial in a bottle to makeup that survives long days, hot lights, and real life, here’s what industry insiders can’t stop using right now. 1. Fenty Beauty Soft’Lit Radiance Foundation When a new base drops from Fenty Beauty , pros pay attention. The Soft’Lit Radiance Foundation has quickly become a go-to for artists who want glow without greasiness. What makes it stand out? The finish. It delivers a lit-from-within luminosity that looks like skin—not shimmer, not oil, not highlighter disguised as foundation. It blurs pores, evens tone, and still lets freckles peek through if that’s your thing....
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What They’re Saying: “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” — And Other Things You Only Hear at a Press Conference

By Tony Hicks
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When President Donald J. Trump stood beside Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy to unveil the new “Freedom Means Affordable Cars” initiative at the U.S. Department of Transportation , the message was simple: Regulations are expensive. Freedom is cheap. And somewhere in between sits your next car payment. Let’s unpack what they’re saying — and what they’re not. The Pitch: Roll Back the Rules, Lower the Price Tag Donald J. Trump Sean P. Duffy United States Department of Transportation At the heart of the announcement is a reset of federal fuel economy standards — the rules that determine how far your vehicle must travel per gallon of gasoline. The administration’s argument goes like this: Stricter fuel economy rules force automakers to build more expensive cars. More expensive cars mean fewer Americans can afford new vehicles. Therefore, easing those rules equals “freedom.” In this framing, freedom isn’t philosophical. It’s priced at MSRP. The initiative claims...
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Citrus County Chronicle Events – Bright & Beachy Workshop

By Tony Hicks
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A Totally Serious Cultural Investigation Into Sand, Citrus, and Suspicious Levels of Cheerfulness If you’ve never experienced a “Bright & Beachy Workshop” hosted under the banner of the Citrus County Chronicle Events, allow me to paint the scene. Imagine Florida sunshine that feels aggressively optimistic. Imagine craft tables arranged with the confidence of someone who owns at least three hot glue guns. Imagine pastel everything. Then imagine a room full of adults voluntarily choosing to glue seashells to wood plaques while sipping lemonade and discussing font choices. Welcome to paradise. Or at least, the laminated flyer version of paradise. This is the Bright & Beachy Workshop—a gathering that dares to ask the bold question: What if coastal decor… but make it participatory? And honestly? I’m here for it. First, Let’s Talk About Citrus County Energy 4 Before we dive into the glitter (biodegradable, of course), we must acknowledge the setting: Citrus County , the charming Gulf...
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Love, Limbs, and Explosions: 4 Wild Ways Animals Get It Done

By Tony Hicks
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1. 🐝 The Exploding Romance of the Honey bee 4 If human dating worked like honey bee dating, Tinder would come with a liability waiver and a small memorial service. Here’s the deal: in a honey bee colony, the queen takes a single “nuptial flight.” That sounds quaint. Pastoral. Maybe a little Jane Austen. It is not. She flies high into the air, trailed by male drones who have exactly one job in life: mate with her. They don’t collect nectar. They don’t guard the hive. They don’t debate macroeconomics. They are flying genetic USB sticks. When a drone successfully mates, his endophallus—yes, that’s a word—ruptures. Detaches. Stays with the queen. The drone falls to the ground and dies. That’s not metaphorical. That’s not poetic exaggeration. That’s “I had one good date and then immediately perished.” From an evolutionary standpoint, it’s ruthlessly efficient. The queen collects sperm from multiple drones in one flight, stores it for years, and then spends her life laying up to 2,000 eggs ...
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