MediaWatch Daily

3 million people in Paraguay—60% of the country's adults—had their salaries, pensions, and savings frozen after Ueno Bank collapsed. Accounts locked, app down, branches guarded by police.

The central bank intervened after the bank's solvency ratio fell below half the legal minimum. State pension funds are exposed for hundreds of millions. Depositors were locked out overnight.

U.S. media largely ignored the story, consumed instead by election night coverage.

Political activist Laura Loomer posted a photo from a NYC subway, claiming America has become "unrecognizable" and "polluted by non-white foreigners who don't speak English." She declared "The American Dream is dead."

The post reflects hardline anti-immigration rhetoric that's become increasingly common in some political circles, framing demographic change as national decline.

Abdi Daisane, a Somali daycare owner, flipped a Minnesota GOP seat and delivered his victory speech in Somali. The win marks a notable shift in the district's political landscape.

Dogecoin creator Billy Markus floats tongue-in-cheek proposal: Anyone receiving unsolicited political campaign texts should be entitled to $1 million from the sender. The quip comes as U.S. voters face a deluge of political SMS spam ahead of election cycles.

Yousef Rabhi has won the Ann Arbor, Michigan mayoral race with 97% of the vote. The landslide victory marks a decisive mandate for Rabhi, who will now lead the city's government and set policy direction for the coming term.

Rep. Thomas Massie will force a House vote next week to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Iran military action, he told CNN. The move sets up a major floor fight when Congress returns.

Nithya Raman has defeated Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Raman, a self-described democratic socialist and current LA City Council member, will become the city's next mayor. Bass, the incumbent, conceded earlier tonight.

The race was closely watched as LA grapples with homelessness, crime, and budget crises. Raman campaigned on progressive housing policies and expanding social services. Critics argue her approach will deepen the city's fiscal problems.

Some observers, including reality TV figure Spencer Pratt who ran as an independent, questioned the election's integrity, though no official challenges have been filed.

Ron DeSantis unloaded on congressional Republicans for wasting two years of unified government control, particularly on immigration enforcement.

His main grievances: GOP failed to strip federal courts of jurisdiction over deportation cases, didn't shut down H1B visas, and never codified Trump's immigration executive orders into law.

"They didn't even attempt it," DeSantis said, arguing Republican voters stayed home in frustration over the lack of action.

Despite holding the House and Senate, Republicans made no serious push to lock in long-term conservative immigration policy.

Laura Loomer claims "communists and Muslims" are taking over the country, warning of escalating consequences. The inflammatory statement offers no specifics on policy changes or events, relying instead on broad ideological accusations.

Kurt Vonnegut on writing: "Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia."

The late novelist's advice cuts through modern content strategy—specificity beats broad appeal. Writing for everyone often means connecting with no one.

Florida voters are turning out in force despite apparent efforts to suppress turnout. The high participation challenges expectations that barriers would keep people away from the polls.

A flight was diverted to Manchester after a passenger allegedly pulled down her shorts and underwear, squatting and exposing herself in the aisle in full view of other passengers. The incident forced the unscheduled landing and removal of the disruptive traveler.

Conservative commentator urges Supreme Court justices considering retirement to step down before January, warning that waiting could lead to Biden appointing another liberal justice similar to Ketanji Brown Jackson during his remaining term. The timing reflects concerns about the ideological balance of the court heading into 2025.

Laura Loomer predicts a wave of betrayals by Trump allies in January 2026. She claims certain individuals who profited from White House access will turn on the president to salvage their own political futures. "It's always been so easy to see," she writes, suggesting the pattern is predictable and already unfolding.

Democrat Hakeem Jeffries has officially announced his bid for Speaker of the House. He's expected to have a comfortable margin, though he'll face pressure from the progressive Squad caucus. The Squad likely won't have enough votes to block his agenda independently.

Conservative commentator calls for Senate to work through holidays to confirm Trump judicial nominees and cabinet picks. Claims GOP has only 2 months left to act, citing missed opportunities over past 2 years. Warns Republicans won't secure another confirmation until 2032 if current pace continues.

Crude oil prices dropped sharply today—a bullish signal for risk assets. Lower energy costs typically ease inflation pressures and boost corporate margins, which tends to lift equities and other risk-on trades.

Tim Ferriss ran a year-long crowd prediction experiment with his 1.9M X followers. The results: they nailed stock rankings but completely missed on crypto.

In stocks, followers correctly predicted the order of performance. $PLTR came out on top with the smallest loss at -1.4%, followed by $SHOP (-6.5%), $UBER (-27.6%), and $DUOL (-36.4%). All four stocks declined, but the crowd accurately ranked which would lose least.

Crypto went the opposite way. Followers ranked $BTC first (46.6% of votes), but it dropped -22.3%. Their second choice, $ZEC, surged +99.7% and was the only winner across both polls. $SOL fell -41.1% and $ETH dropped -29.6%.

Ferriss notes the timelines differed between stock and crypto predictions, so final verdict remains open. But with X's uncertain future, he's documenting results now. Polls launched Nov 7, 2024; stock returns measured through yesterday's close, crypto through midday today.

Tim Ferriss ran a year-long crowd prediction experiment with his 1.9M X followers, asking them to rank stocks and crypto picks. The results: followers nailed the stock rankings but completely missed on crypto.

In stocks, followers correctly predicted the order of performance. $PLTR held up best at -1.4%, followed by $SHOP (-6.5%), $UBER (-27.6%), and $DUOL (-36.4%). None gained ground, but the crowd ranked the losses accurately.

Crypto went the opposite way. Followers picked $BTC as their top choice, but it dropped -22.3%. Their second pick, $ZEC, surged +99.7% and was the only winner. $SOL fell -41.1% and $ETH dropped -29.6%.

Ferriss notes the timelines differed between asset classes, so longer-term outcomes remain uncertain. Returns measured from Nov 7, 2024 to yesterday's close for stocks, and today's prices for crypto.

Tim Ferriss ran a crowd-sourced prediction experiment one year ago, asking 1.9M X followers to pick winning stocks and crypto. Results are in: crowds nailed stock rankings, bombed on crypto.

Stocks (Nov 7, 2024 to yesterday): All four picks declined, but followers ranked them perfectly by least-worst performance. $PLTR topped the poll (47.5% of votes) and lost just 1.4%. $SHOP, $UBER, and $DUOL followed in order, down 6.5%, 27.6%, and 36.4% respectively.

Crypto (same period): Followers got it backwards. $BTC won the poll (46.6%) but fell 22.3%. The real winner? $ZEC at +99.7%, which placed second. $SOL and $ETH dropped 41.1% and 29.6%.

Ferriss notes the crypto timeline was longer-term, so the jury's still out. But he's revisiting now before X's future becomes too uncertain to track.