James Austin
@jamestaustin.com
Staff Writer for Wirecutter, covering hobbies and games. Let's talk about dice and meeples!
I’ll say it.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best film version of A Christmas Carol.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best film version of A Christmas Carol.
I’m not gonna say “the Muppets Christmas Carol” is the best “A Christmas Carol” (it isn’t, IMVH opinion), but it is my family’s VERY favorite Christmas movie, and I am here for “LIGHT THE LAMP NOT THE RAT!
LIGHT THE LAMP NOT THE RAT! PUT ME OUT PUT ME OUT PUT ME *OUT*!”
Every. Single. Year.
LIGHT THE LAMP NOT THE RAT! PUT ME OUT PUT ME OUT PUT ME *OUT*!”
Every. Single. Year.
two muppets are standing in front of a pile of apples .
ALT: two muppets are standing in front of a pile of apples .
media.tenor.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:41 AM
I’ll say it.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best film version of A Christmas Carol.
The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best film version of A Christmas Carol.
"We asked the algorithm to categorize you. The algorithm screamed."
Fucking aspirational honestly.
Fucking aspirational honestly.
December 6, 2025 at 6:20 AM
"We asked the algorithm to categorize you. The algorithm screamed."
Fucking aspirational honestly.
Fucking aspirational honestly.
Reposted by James Austin
Uh… I think I broke Spotify Wrapped…
December 4, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Uh… I think I broke Spotify Wrapped…
Reposted by James Austin
Ladies and gentlemen... the weekend. (also: you are important and are not alone 🧡)
December 6, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Ladies and gentlemen... the weekend. (also: you are important and are not alone 🧡)
Reposted by James Austin
look I’m not an evangelical but “a guy calling himself the Beast wants control of your earthly wealth” feels like some kind of sign, no?
oh that’s good. not enough of every aspect of our lives were financialized quite yet
December 4, 2025 at 9:24 PM
look I’m not an evangelical but “a guy calling himself the Beast wants control of your earthly wealth” feels like some kind of sign, no?
Reposted by James Austin
So I covered the spread of COVID on Chinese social media in late 2019 into early 2020. And it really does feel a lot like that again, but instead of tracking mentions of the spread of a dangerous virus it's, uh, a complete economic collapse...
December 4, 2025 at 7:03 PM
So I covered the spread of COVID on Chinese social media in late 2019 into early 2020. And it really does feel a lot like that again, but instead of tracking mentions of the spread of a dangerous virus it's, uh, a complete economic collapse...
Reposted by James Austin
News Tower is very cool, even if all its stresses just remind me of my real life stresses
December 2, 2025 at 6:31 PM
News Tower is very cool, even if all its stresses just remind me of my real life stresses
Red Bull’s second seat: an F1 driver with a wonderful future behind him.
December 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Red Bull’s second seat: an F1 driver with a wonderful future behind him.
Reposted by James Austin
A few recs:
@404media.co for tech news
@rascal.news and @aftermath.site for gaming culture
@butwhytho.net for media criticism
@theflytrapmedia.com for intersectional journalism
@propublica.org for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
Or your local NPR! Get invested in local politics in 2026!
@404media.co for tech news
@rascal.news and @aftermath.site for gaming culture
@butwhytho.net for media criticism
@theflytrapmedia.com for intersectional journalism
@propublica.org for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
Or your local NPR! Get invested in local politics in 2026!
today is a GREAT day to subscribe to some reliable independent media! clean up your information streams by getting your news from journalists instead of second-hand on social media!
December 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
A few recs:
@404media.co for tech news
@rascal.news and @aftermath.site for gaming culture
@butwhytho.net for media criticism
@theflytrapmedia.com for intersectional journalism
@propublica.org for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
Or your local NPR! Get invested in local politics in 2026!
@404media.co for tech news
@rascal.news and @aftermath.site for gaming culture
@butwhytho.net for media criticism
@theflytrapmedia.com for intersectional journalism
@propublica.org for hard-hitting investigative journalism.
Or your local NPR! Get invested in local politics in 2026!
I hope @rianjohnson.bsky.social and Daniel Craig make a thousand Knives Out movies.
Wake Up Dean Man is fantastic and well worth seeing in a theater if there’s a screening near you! www.wakeupdeadmanfilm.com
Wake Up Dean Man is fantastic and well worth seeing in a theater if there’s a screening near you! www.wakeupdeadmanfilm.com
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery | Official Website | November 27 2025
Watch the trailer, find screenings & book tickets for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on the official site. In theaters November 27 2025 brought to you by Netflix. Directed by: Rian Johnson. St...
www.wakeupdeadmanfilm.com
November 30, 2025 at 1:17 AM
I hope @rianjohnson.bsky.social and Daniel Craig make a thousand Knives Out movies.
Wake Up Dean Man is fantastic and well worth seeing in a theater if there’s a screening near you! www.wakeupdeadmanfilm.com
Wake Up Dean Man is fantastic and well worth seeing in a theater if there’s a screening near you! www.wakeupdeadmanfilm.com
Reposted by James Austin
Hi everybody,
It's Black Friday, a big day for us at The Onion, since we rely almost entirely on your memberships.
Our goal for 2026? More print subscribers than the Washington Post.
This is, somehow, feasible.
So sign up! A year of print is $75 for the year today. Help us do a very funny thing.
It's Black Friday, a big day for us at The Onion, since we rely almost entirely on your memberships.
Our goal for 2026? More print subscribers than the Washington Post.
This is, somehow, feasible.
So sign up! A year of print is $75 for the year today. Help us do a very funny thing.
Join The Onion
Don’t just read the news. Feel it. Be among the first to feel the news.
membership.theonion.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Hi everybody,
It's Black Friday, a big day for us at The Onion, since we rely almost entirely on your memberships.
Our goal for 2026? More print subscribers than the Washington Post.
This is, somehow, feasible.
So sign up! A year of print is $75 for the year today. Help us do a very funny thing.
It's Black Friday, a big day for us at The Onion, since we rely almost entirely on your memberships.
Our goal for 2026? More print subscribers than the Washington Post.
This is, somehow, feasible.
So sign up! A year of print is $75 for the year today. Help us do a very funny thing.
Reposted by James Austin
We’re accepting applications for our (paid! remote!) summer internship! professors who follow me please share with any students interested in writing
Would You Like To Be Defector’s Sixth-Ever Editorial Intern? | Defector
Big news: Defector is looking to hire editorial interns for the summer of 2026. Wow! That could be you! How could it be you? I am here to answer that question, and many more. What will a Defector inte...
defector.com
November 25, 2025 at 3:46 PM
We’re accepting applications for our (paid! remote!) summer internship! professors who follow me please share with any students interested in writing
This is a secondhand story:
Apparently on the first Thanksgiving after my grandparents got married, my grandfather's mom (who wasn't a huge fan of my grandmother (Noni)) came over for dinner. (1/?)
Apparently on the first Thanksgiving after my grandparents got married, my grandfather's mom (who wasn't a huge fan of my grandmother (Noni)) came over for dinner. (1/?)
yes, hello, I would like to place an order for everyone’s funniest stories of holiday food-related family grudges / drama / chaotic incidents / lore
I feel like we need this
I feel like we need this
November 25, 2025 at 1:42 AM
This is a secondhand story:
Apparently on the first Thanksgiving after my grandparents got married, my grandfather's mom (who wasn't a huge fan of my grandmother (Noni)) came over for dinner. (1/?)
Apparently on the first Thanksgiving after my grandparents got married, my grandfather's mom (who wasn't a huge fan of my grandmother (Noni)) came over for dinner. (1/?)
Reposted by James Austin
Reposted by James Austin
DM: The orange fascist lurks in his lair, hunched behind his massive desk, revelling in his stolen power. His acolytes hiss at you as you approach. What does your human bard do --
MAMDANI: Active perception check.
DM: ...that's a natural 20
MAMDANI: Let's fucking go. <FLUTE TRILL>
MAMDANI: Active perception check.
DM: ...that's a natural 20
MAMDANI: Let's fucking go. <FLUTE TRILL>
November 21, 2025 at 11:22 PM
DM: The orange fascist lurks in his lair, hunched behind his massive desk, revelling in his stolen power. His acolytes hiss at you as you approach. What does your human bard do --
MAMDANI: Active perception check.
DM: ...that's a natural 20
MAMDANI: Let's fucking go. <FLUTE TRILL>
MAMDANI: Active perception check.
DM: ...that's a natural 20
MAMDANI: Let's fucking go. <FLUTE TRILL>
Reposted by James Austin
The best description I ever read of copy editors is this, from Lawrence Downes in 2008:
“The copy editor’s job, to the extent possible under deadline, is to slow down, think things through, do the math and ask the irritating question.”
“The copy editor’s job, to the extent possible under deadline, is to slow down, think things through, do the math and ask the irritating question.”
Opinion | In a Changing World of News, an Elegy for Copy Editors (Published 2008)
www.nytimes.com
November 20, 2025 at 6:13 AM
The best description I ever read of copy editors is this, from Lawrence Downes in 2008:
“The copy editor’s job, to the extent possible under deadline, is to slow down, think things through, do the math and ask the irritating question.”
“The copy editor’s job, to the extent possible under deadline, is to slow down, think things through, do the math and ask the irritating question.”
Reposted by James Austin
Reposted by James Austin
Aaron Judge is certainly a valid choice for MVP, this is not a robbery, he put up a historic season and is firmly establishing himself as one of the best hitters of all time
but come on, a catcher just hit 60 home runs
but come on, a catcher just hit 60 home runs
November 14, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Aaron Judge is certainly a valid choice for MVP, this is not a robbery, he put up a historic season and is firmly establishing himself as one of the best hitters of all time
but come on, a catcher just hit 60 home runs
but come on, a catcher just hit 60 home runs
Reposted by James Austin
Reinstatement now!
November 12, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Reinstatement now!
Reposted by James Austin
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
November 13, 2025 at 11:33 AM
As of this morning, Starbucks workers across the country are officially ON STRIKE. And we're prepared for this to become the biggest and longest ULP strike in Starbucks history.
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Say #NoContractNoCoffee with us: DON'T BUY STARBUCKS for the duration of our open-ended ULP strike! $SBUX
Reposted by James Austin
BREAKING: Starbucks workers have launched a massive, nationwide strike.
Baristas in 40 cities have walked off the job on the busiest day of Starbucks' year.
Upwards of 12,000 @sbworkersunited.org members could ultimately go on strike as the union escalates.
Baristas in 40 cities have walked off the job on the busiest day of Starbucks' year.
Upwards of 12,000 @sbworkersunited.org members could ultimately go on strike as the union escalates.
November 13, 2025 at 1:31 PM
BREAKING: Starbucks workers have launched a massive, nationwide strike.
Baristas in 40 cities have walked off the job on the busiest day of Starbucks' year.
Upwards of 12,000 @sbworkersunited.org members could ultimately go on strike as the union escalates.
Baristas in 40 cities have walked off the job on the busiest day of Starbucks' year.
Upwards of 12,000 @sbworkersunited.org members could ultimately go on strike as the union escalates.
Reposted by James Austin
WE WON! After 42 days of striking we have a tentative agreement in hand that protects our existing 4 day work week, establishes a minimum salary, and adds protections against AI replacing jobs at our workplace!
![Graphic with multiple picket signs that reads "[up arrow] Minimum Salary", "4 day Work Week", and a big cancel sign over "AI Replacing Jobs" and so much more. Go to kickstarterunited.org to see it all!](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:gdife25rfr5drwr2nhncr3rf/bafkreidfgv3xytmgta3x35mjze22ojok7lwh3vlhgrcfbcwr7hjg6bb6eu@jpeg)
November 12, 2025 at 10:54 PM
WE WON! After 42 days of striking we have a tentative agreement in hand that protects our existing 4 day work week, establishes a minimum salary, and adds protections against AI replacing jobs at our workplace!
<unclenches>
So...
Pluribus is pretty good huh?
So...
Pluribus is pretty good huh?
November 13, 2025 at 4:42 AM
<unclenches>
So...
Pluribus is pretty good huh?
So...
Pluribus is pretty good huh?
Reposted by James Austin
Fortunately, I already figured out the plots of the next several Toy Story films
November 12, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Fortunately, I already figured out the plots of the next several Toy Story films
Is Slack down for anyone else?
November 10, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Is Slack down for anyone else?