Which couple is your favorite? via MsMojo

Billionaire Elon Musk recently took to X to address the shortage of "top notch" air traffic controllers—and it didn't go well for him.
Musk, who’s heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), is urging retired air traffic controllers to return to work due to a nationwide shortage of qualified air safety staff.
In 2023, The New York Timesreported that nearly every air traffic control facility in the U.S. was understaffed, leaving controllers in this high-pressure job overworked. After a deadly plane crash near Washington, D.C., earlier this month, the Times noted that the Reagan National Airport’s control tower had only 19 controllers—far below the 30 recommended by the FAA and the controllers’ union.
As of September 2024, the FAA employed 14,000 air traffic controllers, surpassing its goal of hiring 1,800 new workers that year in an effort to reverse a long-term staffing decline. However, earlier this month, the Trump administration cut 400 FAA jobs as part of widespread layoffs initiated by DOGE. Officials stated that none of the eliminated positions were air traffic controllers.
Despite his leading role in the ongoing slash-and-burn approach to gutting federal agencies, a seemingly clueless Musk issued the following call on social media:
"There is a shortage of top notch air traffic controllers. If you have retired, but are open to returning to work, please consider doing so."
You can see his post below.
Musk's post is especially ridiculous given that air traffic controllers are only permitted to serve in their position until they are 56 years old, per federal rules, so it's unclear how Musk’s plan to lure retirees back would work.
The FAA has struggled with a persistent shortage of air traffic controllers, and its management of air safety has come under increased scrutiny after a series of recent aviation incidents. According to a CBS News analysis of FAA data, over 90% of U.S. airport control towers are currently understaffed and fall short of staffing levels recommended by a working group made up of the FAA and the controllers' union.
People quickly called Musk out.
In the immediate aftermath of the aforementioned DC plane crash, President Donald Trump came under fire for baseless claims he made during the same press briefing about "diversity" initiatives within the FAA bearing responsibility for the tragedy that claimed 67 lives.
There is no indication or evidence whatsoever that diversity efforts within the federal workforce have impacted air safety; nonetheless, Trump said the FAA "is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, mental problems, and other mental and physical conditions under diversity and inclusion hiring initiatives spelled out on the agency's website."
Despite his remarks, Trump has yet to offer a plan—let alone a concept of one—to address the shortage of air traffic controllers.
Hollywood is paying tribute to screen legend Gene Hackman after he and his wife were tragically found dead in their home.
The Oscar-winning actor and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found unresponsive during a welfare check inside their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday around 1:45 p.m.
Hackman was 95, and Arakawa was 63.
One of the couple's three dogs was also sadly found dead in the home.
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Avila confirmed to the Huffington Post via email:
“Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time however exact cause of death has not been determined."
However, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by several media outlets, their deaths were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."
The two-time Academy Award winner's career spanned over four decades and brought us memorable performances in such films as I Never Sang for My Father; The Poseidon Adventure, Mississippi Burning, The Firm, The Quick and the Dead, The Birdcage, Enemy of the State, Behind Enemy Lines, The Royal Tenenbaums and Runaway Jury.
He was commercially famous for portraying Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and its sequels Superman II (1980) and Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.
Tributes honoring the actor and venerated colleague came pouring in on social media.
Actor Nathan Lane, who starred in The Birdcage with Hackman in 1996, wrote:
“Gene was my favorite actor, as I think I told him every day we worked together. Getting to watch him up close, it was easy to see why he was one of our greatest."
"You could never catch him acting. Simple and true, thoughtful and soulful, with just a hint of danger. He was as brilliant in comedy as he was in drama and thankfully his film legacy will live on forever."
"It was a tremendous privilege to get to share the screen with him and remains one of my fondest memories. Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman.”
Commenters joined Lane in his grief by reflecting on Hackman's wonderful performance.
The Simpsons voice actor Hank Azaria, who also appeared in The Birdcage, wrote:
"It was an honor and an education working with Gene Hackman. Mike Nichols said of his genius character acting: 'He always brought just enough of a different part of the real gene to each role he played.' ”
"Sending all my love to his family & friends," he concluded.
Director Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with Hackman on the 1974 thriller, The Conversation, said:
"The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity."
"I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution," he added.
The post was flooded with comments from fans conveying the same sense of heartbreak.
@francisfordcoppola/Instagram
@francisfordcoppola/Instagram
Beloved Star Trek icon George Takei took to Bluesky and described Hackman as "one of the true giants of the screen."
He continued:
"Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe."
"That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever," wrote the 87-year-old.
We have lost one of the true giants of the screen. Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.
[image or embed]
— George Takei (@georgetakei.bsky.social) February 27, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Fans agreed with Takei.
You just knew that it Gene Hackman was in the movie, it would be a great movie.
— Rick (@jjrc.bsky.social) February 27, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Makes me want to curl up and watch all of his films. He was a titan. Ciao, Gene and thanks for sharing yourself with us.
— Tracey's Golden life (@traceygolden.bsky.social) February 27, 2025 at 4:34 PM
English filmmaker Edgar Wright, who's known for such movies as Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver, summed up the late luminary with two words, writing, "The greatest…"
Other Hollywood stars who paid tribute included Tom Hanks, who said, "There has never been a 'Gene Hackman Type,' and that " There has only been Gene Hackman"; and Viola Davis, who called Hackman, "One of the greats," adding, "God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir."
In addition to his two Oscars, Hackman won two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
BAFTA President Prince Williams wrote a statement upon hearing the sad news, which read in part, "Hackman was a true genius of film who brought each and every character to life with power, authenticity and star quality."
The Guardian's film critic, Pete Bradshaw, said that Hackman's death "marks the end of one of the greatest periods of US cinema: the American new wave."
He continued:
"Hackman was the gold standard for this era, ever since Warren Beatty gave him his big break with the role of Buck Barrow in Arthur Penn's Bonnie and Clyde."
Bradshaw also noted that Hackman "was the character actor who was really a star; in fact the star of every scene he was in – that tough, wised-up, intelligent but unhandsome face perpetually on the verge of coolly unconcerned derision, or creased in a heartbreakingly fatherly, pained smile."
Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman. You will be missed.
Illinois Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth clashed with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth by sharing a screenshot of him covering Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Fox News in 2022 to call him out after he refused to "characterize" what happened.
Earlier this month, Hegseth reaffirmed his stance on the terms of a potential Ukraine-Russia peace deal, stating that his role was to "introduce realism to the conversation."
His remarks sparked strong backlash from NATO allies and even some members of his own party. However, Hegseth dismissed the idea that he had softened his position during a press conference with Poland’s defense minister.
He asserted that Ukraine would not regain all of its lost territory from Russia and would not be granted NATO membership, which would have served as the ultimate security guarantee against future aggression from Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Hegseth also made it clear that NATO would not participate in any potential peacekeeping force in Ukraine. Instead, European and other nations would be responsible for such efforts, with Europe bearing the financial burden. He emphasized that no American troops would be involved in the operation.
And he continued beating that drum in a Sunday appearance on Fox News in which he declined to blame Russia for the ongoing war, which kicked off three years ago after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion:
“I don’t need to get into the characterization of we know who invaded who. We understand the stakes of this game … Does all the finger-pointing and pearl-clutching make peace more likely?”
Hegseth's comments quickly caught Duckworth's attention—and she responded by sharing an image of him hosting a Fox News segment in March 2022 under the chyron “Tracking Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.”
Duckworth said:
“Hegseth says he doesn’t know if Russia invaded Ukraine. This you?”
You can see her post and the photo below.
Fox News
Many joined her in criticizing Hegseth.
The U.S. voting against the UN resolution this week condemning Russia’s war on Ukraine has revealed some serious divisions between the White House and the UK, which supported the resolution. Despite the U.S. opposition, the resolution still passed with 93 votes to 18, reaffirming the UN’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the White House to sign a preliminary deal giving the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical raw materials in exchange for potential future aid.
The agreement doesn’t offer clear security guarantees, which Zelenskyy plans to push for, but it does propose a joint Reconstruction Investment Fund. This fund would manage revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources, like oil, gas, and rare earth minerals, with the goal of reinvesting in Ukraine’s recovery and development.
I'm loathe to label anyone as dumb, but I will admit some people make less than logical choices.
And some of those people have procreated. It's difficult sometimes to admit our parents are less than perfect.
But in some cases...
Reddit user LordEndroz asked:
"Children of dumb parents, what made you realize your mother\father is an idiot, and how do you deal with it?"
"My mother routinely comes to conclusions based on very little information and then refuses to change her mind because she's 'been right before, this is no different'.
"Being right once 10 years ago about a broke down vehicle doesn't qualify you to be a computer expert today. Nor are you an expert because you watch some YouTube videos."
~ malitove
"We were watching Jurassic Park, and in the middle of the movie my mom said: 'What are these things? Wild horses or something?'."
~ nemosevgi
"She said the United States would be invaded by China by the Fourth of July because Trump wasn't President. That was in 2021."
"I bet her $100 that wouldn’t happen. Neither of us have brought it up since that Fourth of July in 2021 and I would rather not, because now she doesn’t make such bold claims in front of me—in fear of reminding me she owes me $100."
"I enjoy the break from crazy MAGA claims more than I want $100."
"I love my mom, but man, that’s stupid."
~ Lockski
"I couldn't get my mom to understand why you couldn't watch a baseball game in Eastern Standard Time (EST), then get on a plane to a betting hall in Pacific Standard Time (PST) and place a wager because 'it would be 3 hours later and they wouldn't know the score yet'."
"I couldn't educate her on real time."
"I love her anyways, she is my mom. She did the best she can."
"Now, she is 75 and I can't tell if she's confused or her dingy self. But, she did the best she could, and even though limited, her intent is always good."
~ NachoOrdinary
"My mom once asked me if it was true that if a dog pooped under a fruit tree, the fruit would be filled with poop."
"I still wonder if I imagined this, because I was so stunned she asked. But she did ask."
"She had fruit trees, and the family dog sometimes pooped under them."
~ EstroJen
"My parents complete financial ineptitude."
"I understood we don't have much money when I was... 9?10? Didn't wish for anything or kept myself on a VERY limited budget since I had been 12/13."
"Paid for every school excursion myself from the money I got for Christmas/birthdays/etc... Wore clothes until they literally fell off me."
"Just to watch my parents wasting every bit of money we had for the biggest bullsh*t we never needed. I slowly died inside."
"Noped out when I was 18. I'm so grateful here in Germany I could still study with financial support."
"Limiting my contact to 1-2 visits a year despite them living only 2 hours away. Just can't bear it."
~ Niggoo0407
"My mother thought she knew better than doctors because of some quack she watched online—probably RFK Jr.—and gave us f*cking steroids every time we got sick, as kids. It was a mild steroid, but, well, it f*cked up my brother's life."
"He has had thyroid problems since childhood, struggling with weight issues to this day."
"I developed 'very unlikely' conditions for my age and sex demographic. I can't tell how much of it was damage from her ad hoc 'expertise'—she didn't even complete a BA degree, let alone an MD—or just the general trauma of living with a mother who 'did the research'."
~ formerFAIhope
"Stupid is a strong word."
"But I did have to confront the disappointing realization of how emotionally stunted they are."
"Part of that is almost certainly due to trauma. They’re decent people overall. But BOY do they have a complex web of unhealthy coping mechanisms that (as an adult) I know like the back of my hand."
"I wish I could have difficult conversations with them. But I’ve accepted that I can’t and probably never will."
"My mother will shut down and tune out things she doesn’t want to hear. My father will get defensive and lash out."
"They literally just don’t have the bandwidth for emotional complexity. A little push, and it’s straight to fight or flight."
"…It is what it is."
~ Ignoth
"I was 14, was really enjoying biology and learning animal fun facts."
"Mom had taught me that the difference between bees and wasps was that bees stung and wasps bit. But in school and online, I found out that wasps stung and that the difference was just general morphology and behavior."
"I told her all of this because, hey, fun fact, and we can now both be smarter about this thing she was misinformed about. I even showed her a picture of a wasp and pointed out the stinger."
"She just said 'no, wasps bite, not sting' and refused to budge."
"There have been plenty of other things she has said and done to make me think she is dumb since then, but that wasp thing was the turning point."
~ calystegiasepium
"Not accepting being wrong and learning from it is the hallmark of dumb people."
~ Malik316
"Kept dictating how the 'real world' works and we figured out my father was just parroting the politically biased news."
"We had a show called BTN or Behind the News in Australia. Aimed at giving context around the news, but also we had teachers at school that would watch and discuss topics with us."
"I couldn't stand watching 'the news'—typically from the private networks—with my father because of how it felt manipulative of the common voters opinions, and how the Sunday Mail (popular newspaper) was full of complete and utter bullsh*t."
"Now we have Sky News which is like Fox News and I cannot f*cking stand people that drink that sh*t up."
~ Hypno--Toad
"The day my mum told me she didn't believe in dinosaurs and that they were fake, like dragons."
"I just couldn't even..."
~ Straight-Extreme-966
"I had suspected it for years, but always held my dad to a higher standard because I was a daddy's girl. I knew my mother wasn't that smart, but she had odds stacked against her (mental illness and learning disabilities)."
"What really sealed it was after my dad retired (couldn't afford to, but that's another story) he decided to treat themselves to a trip to Jamaica, because they hadn't been anywhere by themselves in 30 years."
"They got ready, went to the airport (plane tickets and hotel reservations were made) WITHOUT passports. You see we took a family trip to Jamaica in 1990 without passports, so it must mean you don't need them now."
"I asked again the night before they left if they had them (was trying to give hints) and was quickly shot down again saying it wasn't necessary. You would think it would have caused an inkling of doubt enough to do a quick Google search, but not my Dad."
"They lost a ton of money, but still went to Jamaica six months later WITH passports this time."
~ Apprehensive-Fox1635
"I have a parent who suggests I pray harder if I mention any issue. I have a solid spiritual life but believe in medical science, psychotherapy, and asking for services and help I need."
"She doesn't get sarcasm, doesn't get my profession, and is unable to follow the logic of a structured argument."
"It's frustrating to realize that she will never understand me on a deeper level. But I love her, and she's very tolerant and loving."
"I know that if she doesn't get something or is reactive, it's not malicious. I just have to adjust my expectations and simplify my vocabulary."
~ GreenElementsNW
"My dad will yell 'NOPE, NOPE, NOPE!' in response to a fact that I have clear evidence of being true."
"My mom will scramble for literally anything to say in response in an indignant tone."
"Then, a month later, I will hear her repeat what I had said in that conversation to someone else."
~ 69schrutebucks
"My father isn't dumb in all things. He's quite smart in a few!"
"The biggest weakness he has is an inability to learn and admit when he's wrong. Unwillingness to change your view and perspective is the biggest dumb thing you can do."
"So if he doesn't get something right on the first go, he doesn't improve on it ever. Hence why he was a climate change denier in the early 2000's, and now that it's become undeniable he thinks it's not a result of human action or something."
"I read that 'Green bell peppers are just less ripe Red bell peppers' and he said I was stupid. After proving myself right, he found a tweet from some random dude that said that 'Green peppers are different from Red Peppers'."
"I found the same person's Twitter and he had later clarified he was talking about flavor and cooking. He had even tweeted, 'Just to be clear, yes Green and Red Bell peppers are the same just at different stages of ripeness'."
"But when I showed that to him, he just didn't acknowledge me being correct and left. Ignoring the evidence that contradicts you is pretty dumb."
~ Jolzeres
Did your parents grasp of information ever disappoint you?
There is something to be gained from all experiences, good and bad.
This includes a former job we once had, that we make every effort to forget we ever worked.
However, if leaving that job was perhaps the best decision we ever made in our lives, looking back on our experience probably taught us more about how to happily live our lives than we could have possibly appreciated at the time.
Particularly, what things to avoid at all costs.
Redditor redditatwork023 was curious to hear about all the things people now steer clear of owing to a past experience at a former job, leading them to ask:
"What's the one thing you won't do anymore because of a past job experience?"
"I won't ignore my work-life balance anymore."
"Burnout from my last job taught me the importance of setting boundaries."- AuralysTwilight
"Volunteering to be the ‘cake cutter’ at office parties, learned real quick that people take slice sizes WAY too seriously."- Comfortable_Try_2645
"Sleep with a co-worker."- Aggravating_Fun_8603
The Office Laughing GIF by NBCGiphy
"Answer emails after hours."
"Learned the hard way that setting boundaries is key to maintaining balance."- shirleyxlove
"Call Centre anything."- Rudolphaduplooy
"I worked at one for 2 years during lockdown, while I was glad to be employed it was the most stressful job I ever had."
"Now I have a job where maybe I make one call a day and I wont go back to that sh*t!"- TraditionalTackle1
"Give a sh*t."
"I loved, loved, loved my previous job."
"I was working for my favorite sports team - a team I grew up loving."
"I'd work weekends, holidays, and volunteer for everything I could possibly volunteer for."
"All while making barely more than minimum wage."
"As soon as they saw fit, they eliminated my position, as well as others."
"Never again will I get emotionally attached to my job, because that devastated me."
"As much as I enjoy my current job, I don't go above and beyond in any way, shape, or form."
"I do exactly what is expected of me."
"Nothing more, nothing less."
"Need extra help on a weekend?"
"Nope, not doing it."
"Need more people to work an event?"
"Not me."
"Need volunteers to work on a special project?"
"Sorry, no can do."
"I know I shouldn't punish my current employer due to the actions of my previous employer, but it is what it is, and I feel exactly zero bad about it."
"If corporate America can get away with doing these things, then I deserve to have at least some control over my life."- _Toaster_Baths
Over It Starz GIF by Run The WorldGiphy
"Retail."- MythsOfOpportunities
"Retail workers unite."- Sarahnovaaa
"I'm currently in retail, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and if everything works out, I'll have a different job in a different field by this time next year."
"Unless you're in a 'Unicorn' of retail job, it just grates on your mental health."
"I wish there was a hell just for the people who take advantage of retail workers needing to stay polite and help the customer in order to be a**holes to the employee."
"I've half-joked with coworkers about how we should be able to kick one person out of the store a month."
"Just one so everyone has to save theirs for the really big a**holes."- IncognitoBombadillo
"I was a Missile Launch Officer for the USAF a long time ago, and I definitely don't want to do that again because I don't want to be in charge of blowing up the world."
"Also it was very cold and noisy in the command capsule."- TR3BPilot
"Work for an idiot."- Affectionate-Pay3450
"I just got out of that situation."
"Never again."- Zeppelin59
Dougie Payne Doctor GIF by TravisGiphy
"I will no longer hire friends being the boss of a friend just makes things awkward."- Femboymilksipper
"Work for a family business."- Same_Ad494
"I worked as a bikini batista for a summer."
"Never going to do food service again."- TayloredStichless
episode 5 bar GIFGiphy
"Put on new clothes without washing them first seen to many nasty backrooms."- Real-Negotiation8162
"I don’t think I could do retail again."
"What was supposed to be a 16-hour-a-week part-time job while I was in high school turned into the manager calling me in the middle of the night to come in at 3-4am begging for help unloading the truck they just found out was coming in."
"Most of the other employees, including both AMs, were elderly women who either couldn’t or wouldn’t assist with unloading."
"I settled into a schedule of going to work at 3:30 am and then going to school several days a week."
"The last time I saw that store manager, she was being carried out of the store on a stretcher by paramedics after having a massive panic attack."
"She was doing 12+ hours seven days a week, the amount of pressure corporate placed on her was unreal."- MrLanesLament
"Not even my experience really, but my former coworker - No matter how long I work somewhere, I will never feel any sense of loyalty towards any employer."
"Ever."
"My coworker was awesome."
"She had worked at this place for like 20 years."
"Everyone loved her and she was great at her job."
"She worked so hard and sacrificed so much for that job because she had such a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility."
"She was wonderful and really loved her job."
"You know the type."
"The company ended up hiring someone new in middle-management, and this new lady started shaking things up (in a bad way)."
"My coworker brought up some issues we’d encountered, and the new manager clearly didn’t like that."
"After that, our insane new manager saw my coworker as 'oppositional'."
"This new middle-manager started doing everything she could to make this poor woman’s life hell, including whispering in the ears of upper-management."
"After a few months, she convinced them that one of their most loyal and dependable employees (who they’d known and worked with for 20 years) was now a liar, a bully, aggressive, and impossible to work with."
"After a few months, they fired my coworker."
"She was the dream 'boomer employee' who’d given everything to her employer and trusted that they’d do the same for her - but they didn’t."
"Nothing she did mattered to them."
"She was absolutely heartbroken."
"Everyone was shocked."
"I left shortly after."
"I don’t know what happened to her, but I hope she’s doing well after all of that."
"She deserves good things in life."- EnormousMonsterBaby
Every job is a learning experience, teaching us how to be better at our assigned tasks.
While also teaching us, in more subtle ways, how we should and shouldn't live our lives.
No matter how we feel about our jobs, always remember that work/life balance is vitally important.