"Have a nice vacation" Trump cribs Musks fork in the road Twitter memo to slash govt workforce Federal workers on Reddit slam Trumps fork in the road email as short-sighted. Ashley Belanger Jan 29, 2025 2:46 pm | 24 Credit: The Washington Post / Contributor | The Washington Post Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreEchoing Elon Musk's approach to thinning out Twitter's staff in 2022, Donald Trump's plan to significantly slash the government workforce now, for a limited time only, includes offering resignation buyouts.In a Tuesday email that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sent to nearly all federal employees, workers were asked to respond with one word in the subject line"resign"to accept the buyouts before February 6."Deferred resignation is available to all full-time federal employees except for military personnel of the armed forces, employees of the U.S. Postal Service, those in positions related to immigration enforcement and national security, and those in other positions specifically excluded by your employing agency," the email said.Anyone accepting the offer "will be provided with a dignified, fair departure from the federal government utilizing a deferred resignation program," the email said. That includes retaining "all pay and benefits regardless of your daily workload" and being "exempted from all applicable in-person work requirements until September 30, 2025 (or earlier if you choose to accelerate your resignation for any reason)."That basically means that most employees who accept will receive about nine months' pay, most likely without having any job duties to fulfill, an FAQ explained, "except in rare cases.""Have a nice vacation," the FAQ said.A senior administration official told NBC News that "the White House expects up to 10 percent of federal employees to take the buyout." A social media post from Musk's America PAC suggested, at minimum, 5 percent of employees are expected to resign. The move supposedly could save the government as much as $100 billion, America PAC estimated.For employees accepting the buyout, silver linings might include additional income opportunities; as OPM noted, "nothing in the resignation letter prevents you from seeking outside work during the deferred resignation period." Similarly, nothing in the separation plan prevents a federal employee from applying in the future to a government role.Email echoes controversial Elon Musk Twitter memoSome federal employees fear these buyoutswhich critics point out seem influenced byMusk's controversial worker buyouts during his Twitter takeovermay drive out top talent, spike costs, and potentially weaken the government.On Reddit, some self-described federal workers criticized the buyouts as short-sighted, with one noting that they initially flagged OPM's email as a scam."The fact you just reply to an email with the word 'resign' sounds like a total scam," one commenter wrote. Another agreed, writing, "That stood out to me. Worded like some scam email offer." Chiming in, a third commenter replied, "I reported it as such before I saw the news."Some Twitter employees similarly recoiled in 2022 when Musk sent out an email offering three months of severance to any employees who couldn't commit to his "extremely hardcore" approach to running the social network. That email required workers within 24 hours to click "yes" to keep their jobs or else effectively resign.Musk's email and OPM's share a few striking similarities. Both featured nearly identical subject lines referencing a "fork in the road." They both emphasized that buyouts were intended to elevate performance standardswith OPM's email suggesting only the "best" workers "America has to offer" should stick around. And they both ended by thanking workers for their service, whether they took the buyout or not."Whichever path you choose, we thank you for your service to The United States of America," OPM's Tuesday email ended."Whatever decision you make, thank you for your efforts to make Twitter successful," Musk's 2022 email said.Musk's email was unpopular with some Twitter staffers, including one employee based in Ireland who won a $600,000 court battle when the Irish Workplace Relations Commission agreed his termination for not clicking yes on the email was unfair. In that dispute, the commission took issue with Musk not providing staff enough notice and ruled that any employee's failure to click "yes" could in no way constitute a legal act of resignation.OPM's email departed from Musk's, which essentially gave Twitter staff a negative option by taking employee inaction as agreeing to resign when the staffer's "contract clearly stated that his resignation must be provided in writing, not by refraining to fill out a form." OPM instead asks federal workers to respond "yes" to resign, basically agreeing to sign a pre-drafted resignation letter that details the terms of their separation plan.While OPM expects that a relatively modest amount of federal workers will accept the buyout offers, Musk's memo had Twitter employees resigning in "droves," NPR reported, with Reuters estimating the numbers were in the "hundreds." In the Irish worker's dispute, an X senior director of human resources, Lauren Wegman, testified that about 87 percent of the 270 employees in Ireland who received Musk's email resigned.It remains unclear if Musk was directly involved with the OPM plan or email drafting process. But unsurprisingly, as he's head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk praised the buyouts as "fair" and "generous" on his social media platform X.Workers slam buyouts as short-sighted on RedditDeclining the buyout guarantees no job security for federal workers, OPM's email said."We will insist on excellence at every levelour performance standards will be updated to reward and promote those that exceed expectations and address in a fair and open way those who do not meet the high standards which the taxpayers of this country have a right to demand," the email warned."The majority of federal agencies are likely to be downsized through restructurings, realignments, and reductions in force," OPM's email continued. "These actions are likely to include the use of furloughs and the reclassification to at-will status for a substantial number of federal employees."And perhaps most ominously, OPM noted there would be "enhanced standards of conduct" to ensure employees are "reliable, loyal, trustworthy," and "strive for excellence" daily, or else risk probes potentially resulting in "termination."Despite these ongoing threats to job security that might push some to resign, the OPM repeatedly emphasized that any choice to accept a buyout and resign was "voluntary." Additionally, OPM explained that employees could rescind resignations; however, if an agency wants to move quickly to reassign their roles, that "would likely serve as a valid reason to deny" such requests.On Reddit, workers expressed concerns about "critical departments" that "have been understaffed for years" being hit with more cuts. A lively discussion specifically focused on government IT workers being "really hard" to recruit."Losing your IT support is a very efficient way to cripple an org," one commenter wrote, prompting responses from two self-described IT workers."It's me, I work in government IT," one commenter said, calling Trump's return-to-office mandate the "real killer" because "the very best sysadmins and server people all work remote from other states.""There is a decent chance they just up and ditch this dumpster fire," the commenter said.Losing talented workers with specific training could bog down government workflows, Redditors suggested. Another apparent government IT worker described himself as "a little one man IT business," claiming "if I disappeared or died, there would be exactly zero people to take my place. Between the random shit I know and the low pay, nobody is going to be able to fill my position."Accusing Trump of not caring "about keeping competent workers or running government services properly," a commenter prompted another to respond, "nevermind that critical departments have been understaffed for years. He thinks he's cutting fat, but he's cutting indiscriminately and gonna lose a limb."According to another supposed federal worker, paying employees to retire has historically resulted in spikes in agency costs."The way this usually works is we pay public employees to retire," the commenter wrote. "Then we pay a private company twice the rate to do the same job that public employee was doing. Sometimes it's even the same employee doing the work. I've literally known people that left government jobs to do contractor work making far more for doing the same thing. But somehow this is 'smaller government' and more efficient."A top 1 percent commenter on Reddit agreed, writing, "ding ding ding! The correct answer.""Get rid of career feds, hire contractors at a huge cost to taxpayers, yet somehow the contract workers make less money and have fewer benefits than federal employees," that Redditor suggested. "Contract companies get rich, and workers get poorer."Cybersecurity workers mull fighting cutsOn social media, some apparent federal workers suggested they might plan to fight back to defend their roles in government. In another Reddit thread discussing a government cybersecurity review board fired by Trump, commenters speculated that cybersecurity workers might hold a "grudge" and form an uprising attacking any vulnerabilities created by the return-to-office plan and the government workforce reduction."Isn't this literally the Live Free or Die Hard movie plot?" one Redditor joked.A lawsuit filed Monday by two anonymous government workers, for example, suggested that the Trump administration is also rushing to create an email distribution system that would allow all government employees to be contacted from a single email. Some workers have speculated this is in preparation for announcing layoffs. But employees suing are more concerned about security, insisting that a master list of all government employees has never been compiled before and accusing the Trump administration of failing to conduct a privacy impact assessment.According to that lawsuit, OPM has hastily been testing this new email system, potentially opening all government workers to harmful data breaches. The lawsuit additionally alleged that every government agency has been collecting information on its employees and sending it to Amanda Scales, a former xAI employee who transitioned from working for Musk to working in government this month. The complaint suggests that some government workers are already distrustful of Musk's seeming influence on Trump.In a now-deleted Reddit message, the lawsuit alleged, Instructions say to send these lists to Amanda Scales. But Amanda is not actually an OPM employee, she works for Elon Musk.Ashley BelangerSenior Policy ReporterAshley BelangerSenior Policy Reporter Ashley is a senior policy reporter for Ars Technica, dedicated to tracking social impacts of emerging policies and new technologies. She is a Chicago-based journalist with 20 years of experience. 24 Comments

Funding freeze Trump admin rescinds controversial funding freeze after two days of protest Despite reversal, $42 billion broadband program could still be paused. Jon Brodkin Jan 29, 2025 2:01 pm | 79 US President Donald Trump at the 2025 Republican Issues Conference at the Trump National Doral Miami on January 27, 2025 in Doral, Florida. Credit: Getty Iimages | Joe Raedle US President Donald Trump at the 2025 Republican Issues Conference at the Trump National Doral Miami on January 27, 2025 in Doral, Florida. Credit: Getty Iimages | Joe Raedle Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreThe Trump administration today withdrew a controversial order to freeze funding for a wide range of government programs, according to multiple news reports. Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Matthew Vaeth reportedly wrote in today's memo, "OMB Memorandum M-25-13 is rescinded. If you have questions about implementing the President's Executive Orders, please contact your agency General Counsel."A federal judge yesterday temporarily blocked the funding freeze with an administrative stay that lasts until February 3 and scheduled a hearing for February 3 to decide whether to block the freeze for longer. States were already having trouble accessing Medicaid after the Monday order, and the future of many other programs has been in doubt.A $42.45 billion broadband deployment program that has been in the works for years seemed to be threatened by the now-rescinded funding freeze and could undergo changes even though the freeze was rescinded today. The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program was created by Congress in November 2021 and is being implemented by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).Longtime telecom policy analyst Blair Levin wrote yesterday that given the language and context of the Trump administration memo, the funding freeze likely covers the BEAD grant program. "While there are legal questions about the ability of the Administration not to spend money that Congress has appropriated, as a practical matter, those legal questions will not affect the pause ordered by the memo," Levin wrote in a note for New Street Research.In addition to the initial memo announcing the freeze, the Trump administration issued a directive that specifically named many federal programs that would be evaluated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). BEAD is one of the programs listed in the directive that told agencies to submit information about spending plans."OMB will review each agency submission and will communicate additional information to each Federal agency through the agency Senior Financial Assistance Official and the Points of Contact provided," the directive said.We contacted the NTIA about the potential impact on BEAD yesterday but did not receive a response. In November 2024, the NTIA announced that it had approved initial funding plans submitted by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five US territories, which are slated to receive grants and dole them out to broadband providers for network expansions.Judge steps inLawsuits seeking to block the funding freeze were filed by over 20 state attorneys general and the National Council of Nonprofits. The nonprofits' group lawsuit led to the administrative stay that delayed enforcement of the funding freeze until February 3."The purpose of a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction is to preserve the status quo while the court considers the merits of the case... Given the weighty legal issues in this case, and to properly evaluate the merits of Plaintiffs' motion, the court will require full briefing from the parties and a motions hearing," Judge Loren AliKhan wrote in the order issued from US District Court for the District of Columbia.AliKhan applied the administrative stay to the order that agencies "pause... disbursement of Federal funds under all open awards," explaining that the stay "is tailored to Plaintiffs' concern that a lapse in existing federal funding will cause irreparable injuries to recipients and their programs. In this way, the administrative stay does not affect OMB's memorandum as it pertains to 'issuance of new awards' or 'other relevant agency actions that may be implicated by the executive orders.'"Broadband program still in doubtAs we've previously reported, US Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and other Republicans want to overhaul the BEAD funding plans. Cruz accused the NTIA of "technology bias" because the agency decided that fiber networks should be prioritized over other types of technology, and Republicans objected to the Biden administration's enforcement of a requirement that low-cost plans be offered.The US law that created BEAD requires Internet providers receiving federal funds to offer at least one "low-cost broadband service option for eligible subscribers," but also says the NTIA may not "regulate the rates charged for broadband service." Republicans allege that the NTIA has gone too far in the direction of rate regulation, and Internet providers complained about NTIA guidance that "strongly encouraged" states to set a fixed rate of $30 per month for the low-cost service option.Cruz, who is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, has said that Congress will do a thorough review of the program early in 2025. Levin's research note said the NTIA was likely to have paused spending even if the Trump administration hadn't tried to freeze funding."Even without the memo, we would not have been surprised to see NTIA informally pause spending while it awaits guidance on how the Trump Administration wishes to proceed with the program," Levin wrote. New Street Research expects to see changes similar to those proposed by Cruz."We expect a pause in BEAD funding, and perhaps USF [Universal Service Fund] funding as well, but further expect that, because the funding largely assists Republican areas, the pause will be relatively short," Levin wrote. "Still, we acknowledge considerable uncertainty about the timing and constraints on future BEAD spending."Jon BrodkinSenior IT ReporterJon BrodkinSenior IT Reporter Jon is a Senior IT Reporter for Ars Technica. He covers the telecom industry, Federal Communications Commission rulemakings, broadband consumer affairs, court cases, and government regulation of the tech industry. 79 Comments

Infogram Test

Today, clothes areameans of selfexpression andgroup identity and we wouldnt go out without themMartin Parr/Magnum PhotosVenus figurines are most famous for their sexual features. These often-voluptuous carvings of female forms, made between around 30,000 and 20,000 years ago, have been interpreted as ritual fertility figures, mother goddesses and self-portraits. One thing they are generally not seen as is fashion plates. Yet some of them provide tantalising glimpses of what the well-dressed Stone Age woman was wearing. One, from Kostenki in Russia, sports a wrap-style robe with straps. Others have string skirts. And the famous Venus of Willendorf wears just a woven hat but a very fine one.These statuettes are a far cry from our popular conception of prehistoric humans draped in animal furs. The lavish detail with which their garments are depicted indicates the importance of clothing to societies tens of thousands of years ago, according to archaeologist Olga Soffer, professor emerita at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Something that began as a necessity, to keep people warm, had by then morphed into a canvas for aesthetic expression and meaning. Now, the story of how that happened has taken a twist, thanks to some new discoveries.Clothing is perishable, and the oldest remains are only around 10,000 years old. But, as the Venus figurines illustrate, we can follow trends back in time in other ways. These archaeological clues reveal the origins of both simple capes and complex tailoring to be remarkably ancient. Most

Actors Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song met on the set of the movie "Changeland," released in 2019.They have two kids together, sons named Dakota and Carson.The couple opened up about their relationship in a cover story for Cosmopolitan's Love Issue.Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song have been slowly sharing more insights into their romance.The two stars, who have been romantically linked since 2017, are famously low-key about their relationship. However, the couple stepped out together and debuted their two sons when Culkin received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 2023. Most recently, the actors opened up about their relationship in a joint cover story for Cosmopolitan's Love Issue.Here's a complete timeline of Culkin and Song's relationship.2014: Culkin and Song meet for the first timeCosmo reported that the couple met at actor Seth Green's house after Green and Song's Fox sitcom "Dads" got canceled. The show was canceled after one season, and Culkin, who was staying with Green at the time, was trying to make jokes. Song said she "was not having it.""She was thoroughly unimpressed by me is what I will say," Culkin said.June 2017: Culkin and Song film the 2019 movie 'Changeland' Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song in "Changeland." Gravitas Ventures The film was written and directed by Green, who also starred alongside the pair. They didn't start dating until sometime after filming wrapped.Song and Culkin's relationship was a surprise to fans and to Green, who told Esquire in 2020, "I didn't see that one coming."Years after they started dating, Culkin told Esquire that at the onset of the relationship, he was waiting for the other shoe to drop because it felt too good to be true."And it's always gonna drop," he said. "Something bad's gonna happen. Someone's gonna die!"July 2017: The two stars are linked after being photographed in public together Culkin, left, at New York Comic Con in October 2017, and Song, right, at a Knott's Scary Farm event in September 2017. Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Adult Swim; Barry King/Getty Images Dating speculation began in the summer of 2017 when paparazzi snapped photos of them getting dinner at Craig's in Los Angeles.Us Weekly reported that on September 29, Culkin and Song went on a double date with Green and his wife, Clare Grant. The group reportedly spent time at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California.Then in December 2017, they were seen in France with Paris Jackson, Culkin's goddaughter.Song says she, Culkin, and their 'Changeland' costars bonded over being child stars Culkin and Song both started their acting careers at young ages. 20th Century Fox; Disney Channel "Child actors, we don't even get to talk about it, you just look each other in the eye and you nod and we know," Song told Entertainment Tonight in April 2019 of working with Culkin, Green, and Breckin Meyer.Culkin's acting career began as a child in the '80s. He rose to fame after starring as Kevin in "Home Alone," the hit family film that resulted in a sequel that he also starred in and a franchise led by other actors.Meanwhile, Song gained prominence thanks to roles in Disney Channel films and shows. She starred in three of the network's original movies: "Get a Clue," "Stuck in the Suburbs," and "Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior" in addition to landing a role on the sitcom "Phil of the Future."Song is perhaps best recognized for playing the spoiled heiress London Tipton on the Disney Channel's "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," which starred Dylan Sprouse, Cole Sprouse, and Ashley Tisdale.August 2018: Culkin says he's 'practicing' starting a family with Song Song and Culkin attend in September 2018. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Stand Up To Cancer "This one's a good one, so I'm probably going to put some babies in her in a little bit," Culkin said in an interview on "The Joe Rogan Experience" in August 2018."I mean, we've definitely been practicing," he said."I'm going to have some pretty babies. She's Asian, so I'm gonna have tiny little Asian babies. It's going to be adorable a bunch of Sean Lennons running around the house, that's what I'm looking for," Culkin added, referring to the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.Culkin also said they were planning on moving into a house together.December 25, 2019: Culkin gets Song a cat named Santa ClawsSong posted photos of their cat on Instagram with the caption: "Introducing the newest member of our family... Santa Claws!!!#bestchristmaspresentever."A post shared by Brenda Song (@brendasong) As of April 2021, they have two other cats named Apples and Dude, a Shiba Inu named Panda, some fish, and a blue-headed pionus (a kind of parrot), per Esquire.August 26, 2020: Song shares a heartfelt post for Culkin's 40th birthday, calling him a 'magical being'"Happy 40th birthday to this magical being," the "Social Network" star captioned a photo of the couple wearing matching flannel pajamas with their names written on the back."I could sit here and write endlessly about how wonderful, kind, loving, genuine, loyal, honest, brilliant and hilarious you are, and how grateful I am that I get to share and do this life thing with you. But firstly, that would take me an eternity and secondly, you won't even see this because you don't ever use instagram," she continued."My unicorn that I never thought could exist, I am luckiest person in the world because I am loved by you," Song concluded.A post shared by Brenda Song (@brendasong)February 2020: Culkin speaks about his desire to be a parent in an Esquire cover story Song and Culkin in September 2018. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Stand Up To Cancer "We practice a lot," he Esquire. "We're figuring it out, making the timing work. Because nothing turns you on more than when your lady comes into the room and says, 'Honey, I'm ovulating.'"Elsewhere in the article, Song gushed about Culkin and said, "people don't realize how incredibly kind and loyal and sweet and smart he is.""Truly what makes Mack so special is that he is so unapologetically Mack," she continued. "He knows who he is, and he's 100 percent okay with that. And that to me is an incredibly sexy quality. He's worked really hard to be the person he is."Song also spoke about Culkin's hardships, saying, "he is the actor he is now because of all the things he had to go through."At the time of the article's publication, the two stars had moved into their home together with their pets.Esquire reported that the "Dollface" star also keeps a customized notebook near her bed, which she fills with Culkin's humorous one-liners.April 5, 2021: The couple welcome a son together named Dakota Song Culkin Macaulay Culkin and Brenda Song in September 2018. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Stand Up To Cancer Culkin and Song shared the news with Esquire magazine that month with the statement: "We're overjoyed."Baby Dakota was born at 1:10 p.m. in Los Angeles, weighing 6 pounds and 14 ounces, the publication reported. The couple's newborn was named after Culkin's sister, Dakota Culkin, who died in 2008 after being struck by a car in Los Angeles.The news surprised fans, who either didn't know they were in a relationship or were unaware that they were expecting a child.January 26, 2022: People and E! News report that Culkin and Song are engagedPeople magazine reported the engagement first, followed by E! News. Both publications cited an anonymous source.The reports emerged the day after Song was photographed wearing a ring with a large gemstone on her left ring finger while in Beverly Hills.January 2022: Song speaks about her and Culkin's 'hands-on' parenting approach in an interview with The Cut"My boyfriend and I are very hands-on," she told The Cut. "We don't have a nanny, but my mom has been here with us since my son was born. He's 9 months old now. When I was working, my mom would bring him to set so I could breastfeed and see him during the day."Song added: "I think when you and your partner have kids, especially the first few months, you don't have the patience to be polite with each other. Being communicative when you need help is so important. Instead of having set duties, we just feel each other out. I'll be putting my son down and my partner is like, 'Let me feed the animals and get dinner ready.'"March 2023: The couple welcomes their second child, a baby boy named Carson Song CulkinMultiple outlets including People reported that Culkin and Song quietly welcomed a second son in March 2023. Culkin's brother, Kieran, confirmed the news to Access Hollywoodduring an interview."I haven't met No. 2 yet, and they haven't met No. 2 yet either," Kieran said, referring to his wife and children. "We just haven't been able to figure that out."In an interview with Bustle published in January 2025, Song revealed that their second child is named Carson.December 1, 2023: Culkin gets emotional while thanking Song for her support during his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony Culkin, Song, and their oldest son at the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 1, 2023. Variety/Getty Images Culkin was surrounded by family and friends when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 1, including Song, their two sons, Dakota and Carson; Quinn Culkin; Rory Culkin; Culkin's "Home Alone" costar Catherine O'Hara, Natasha Lyonne, Seth Green, and Paris Jackson.Culkin became a household name as a child for films like "Home Alone," "My Girl," and "Richie Rich." He's also starred in TV series like "American Horror Story: Double Feature" and "The Righteous Gemstones."He praised Song in his acceptance speech, calling her the "best woman" he's ever known."I'd like to thank Brenda," Culkin said in a clip shared byPop Crave. "You are absolutely everything. You're my champion. You're the only person happier for me today than I am. You're not only the best woman I've ever known, you're the best person I've ever known.""You've given me all my purpose. You've given me a family, and after the birth of our two boys, you've become one of my three favorite people," he added. "You're somewhere in there. But I love you. I love you so much." Culkin and his youngest son at the Hollywood Walk of Fame on December 1, 2023. Variety/Getty Images Culkin concluded his speech by quoting his "Home Alone" character, Kevin McCallister."To wrap things up, in the spirit of the holiday season, I just want to say, Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals," he said.In an Instagram post shared after the event, Culkin said that his sons "can't stop playing" with his star."It was such a special day to spend with my friends and family," he wrote in his caption.Song also praised Culkin in her own Instagram post, writing: "So sooo proud of you @culkamania !! The most incredible day honoring the most incredible person. So well deserved and so long overdue. Thank you so much to everyone who came out to support and celebrate. My heart is so full."March 27, 2024: Culkin calls Song the 'partner I could ever wish for'For Song's 36th birthday, Culkin shared a candid photo of the actor on Instagram."Happy birthday to the best friend, mother, ally, colleague, lover, and partner I could ever wish for. You are my reason. I love you," he captioned the post.January 7, 2025: Song says becoming a mother put her life into perspective and explains why she keeps her kids out of the spotlight Culkin and Song at the world premiere of "The Last Showgirl" during the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024. Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images In a cover story for Bustle, Song reminisced about her kids being present at Culkin's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony."That was such a special moment. We couldn't have them miss that," Song said.The actor added that their son Dakota was "scared of all the cameras," and didn't understand what was going on, which is why she and Culkin don't typically take their children to public events.Song also said that after giving birth to two children, she questioned if she wanted to continue acting."I had two pregnancies in the same calendar year. It was a lot," she said. "Once I stepped into motherhood, it made me question a lot: my place in this industry, my place as a woman, ageism in this industry, society's pressures of what beauty is, what being young is. Things that I'd never questioned before. And also, my priority is my children, so I can't just uproot my life and go live in Bulgaria for nine months to shoot a movie. I was like, 'Does acting still fit in my life?'"Song said that she ultimately realized that her acting career gives her purpose and is a significant part of her identity."Family life is the most important thing," she said, "but I've always said to be the best parent, the best partner, I have to be the best me. And a huge part of that is work. I have to be able to honor that."January 27, 2025: Culkin and Song give an in-depth interview about their relationship in a joint cover story for Cosmo's Love Issue Culkin and Song at the Academy Museum Gala in October 2024. Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images In their interview, the couple spoke about various aspects of their eight-year relationship, including the first time they met, Culkin's proposal with 21 individually wrapped garden gnomes, how their kids are similar to them, and why they haven't gotten married yet.Song said that she and Culkin "talked about eloping," but decided against it because her mom wouldn't respond well to not being present for the milestone event.They also commented on fans being surprised that the two former child actors are in a relationship."There was a point in time where I was like, 'I must be in a simulation! I have two children with Macaulay Culkin!'" Song said.Elsewhere in the interview, the couple spoke about how they've championed each other and helped each other express their best sides.Song said that as an Asian American actor in Hollywood, she's felt the pressure "to hustle my entire life," but Culkin, who's more relaxed, helps her "chill out." Meanwhile, Song is "encouraging" of him and helps to bring out his passion.

Christina Haack competes against Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa on HGTV's "The Flip Off."The trio told Business Insider they would be open to flipping a house together.Heather Rae El Moussa said she would be excited to collaborate with Haack from a design perspective.Nearly 10 years after they separated, "Flip or Flop" stars Tarek El Moussa and Christina Haack are reuniting on HGTV."The Flip Off," which premieres Wednesday, stars Haack, Tarek, and his wife, Heather Rae El Moussa.The show originally intended to pit the El Moussas against Haack and her husband, Josh Hall, to see who could make the most money from flipping a home. After Haack and Hall filed for divorce in July 2024, Haack did most of the competition against Tarek and his new wife solo. Although the show makes Haack and the El Moussas competitors, the trio told Business Insider they were open to working as a team in the future.The El Moussas and Haack are open to working on a flip togetherHaack and Tarek were married from 2009 to 2018, and they share two children, Taylor, 14, and Brayden, 9. They also starred in "Flip or Flop" from 2013 to 2022.Tarek remarried Heather, a former "Selling Sunset" star, in 2021, and they share one son, Tristan, who will turn 2 on January 31. Christina has a son, Hudson, 5, from her relationship with her second ex-husband, Ant Anstead."The Flip Off" marks the first on-screen collaboration between Haack and Tarek since "Flip or Flop" ended, though the exes each have their own HGTV series now. Tarek and Heather star on "The Flipping El Moussas" together, and Haack has turned to spotlighting her renovations for clients in "Christina on the Coast" and "Christina in the Country."Despite all their experience with real estate and reality TV, competing against each other was new for Haack and Tarek. And when asked if they would consider returning to their roots and flipping a house as a trio with Heather on or off-screen, Haack and Heather said they were interested in the idea, though Tarek wasn't quite as enthusiastic about it. "The Flip Off" stars Christina Haack, Tarek El Moussa, and Heather Rae El Moussa. HGTV He nodded at the question and said, "Hmm," prompting Haack to tell him to "relax" through laughter."Every time someone asks this question, we're like, 'Yeah, that would be so fun,'" she said, speaking of herself and Heather. "This one's over here like, 'Oh, I don't know.'""He's like, 'I don't know if I want to work with them,'" Heather agreed, mimicking her husband's voice.The trio bickered about the idea before Haack asked Tarek directly about teaming up."If I was like, 'Hey, would you guys like to partner on a flip and we can split the profits,' you would say no?" Haack asked."I would say yes," Tarek said."OK then, that's your answer," Haack told BI, laughing again."Why am I getting in trouble right now? What happened?" Tarek joked.As the moment ended, Heather said she would be excited to collaborate with Haack from a design perspective."I think it would be fun to see Christina and I design together," Heather said, adding that she would be interested to see if they could bring their design ideas together.Only time will tell if the El Moussas and Haack combine their design forces, but the fact that it's even a possibility is a testament to how their relationship has grown in recent years.When "Flip or Flop" ended in March 2022, reports surfaced that filming had become "too intimate" for Haack and Tarek. Two months later, Haack and Heather seemed to be fighting in photos published of the co-parents at one of Brayden's soccer games, and one of the coaches appeared to separate Hall and Tarek during their own conflict. Haack and Heather released a joint statement saying they had resolved a "personal matter" after the incident, and the pair put aside their differences after Brayden had a health emergency just a few days later.The tension seemed like a distant memory when the trio spoke to BI, laughing together as they discussed the series.Haack also told BI that filming the show without Hall ended up being a "major advantage" because he didn't have as much experience with flipping or reality TV as she does."I think that without him, it's just easier," she said. A representative for Hall didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. "The Flip Off" premieres on HGTV at 8 p.m. ET. You can also stream the show on Max the next day.

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Before Disney+ launched in November 2019, Marvel fans had two small-screen destinations: Netflix, home to Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, The Punisher, and crossover The Defenders; and ABC, which aired Agents of SHIELD (a seven-season juggernaut), Agent Carter, and Inhumans. The shows ran more or less concurrently with Marvels Phase 2 and Phase 3 films, but there wasnt much overlap between the big and small-screen projects aside from a few key charactersincluding SHIELDs Agent Coulson and Agent Carters Peggy Carter. As time has passed, fans have often wondered: is the stuff that happened on those ABC shows part of MCU canon, or not? With Disney+s Daredevil: Born Again bringing back Charlie Cox and his Netflix co-stars for a new seriesfollowing Coxs Matt Murdock reprise on She-Hulk: Attorney at Lawthe questions come back around again. In an interview with ScreenRant, Marvel Televisions Brad Winderbaum was asked about the canon status of two of the ABC series: SHIELD and Agent Carter. (Frankly, and for the best, nobody is still thinking about Inhumans.) Its exciting for me to think about how to square those ABC shows with the canon, he said. That, to me, if you know me and the way my brain works, that is fun territory to imagine. The MCU canon is, admittedly, a sprawling collection of superheroes, supervillains, spin-offs, and sequels; it already has 30 movies and a dozen TV series, plus specials, and many more are on the way. With that in mind, would it really be too much effort to add in the events that transpired on a couple more TV shows, especially such fan-beloved ones? Or is it better to just compartmentalize the adventures of Coulson and Carter, enjoy them for what they were, and not try to tie them into the ever-growing bigger picture? Whatever may end up happening, at least Marvel is holding onto its history in an easily accessible way: all of the Netflix and ABC shows (yes, even Inhumans) are streaming on Disney+. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.