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  • The White House said yesterday that it plans to buy half a billion at-home COVID tests and mail them to anyone who wants one, beginning in January.
  • Somebody mailed the City College of New York in Harlem a box of $180,000 in cash several months ago with a lovely but anonymous note explaining that it's a donation to help physics and math students. The box sat idle in a mail room for a while, then got examined by the feds to make sure it was not stolen money — all while CUNY tried and failed to figure out who sent this money. But administrators officially voted to accept the donation!
  • Anti-vaxxers are terrorizing Cheesecake Factory, Applebee's and Panera Bread locations in New York City, staging "sit-ins" to protest vaccination mandates.
  • Donald Trump stands by Melania's blood red Christmas trees.
  • United Mine Workers of America International, the country's largest coal miners' union, now wants Sen. Joe Manchin to support the Build Back Better bill because it contains a bunch of things that'll make life better for ailing or out-of-work miners.
  • This mom is correct, holiday M&Ms (the red and green ones) taste better because they're fresher.
  • We're really doing JNCOs again, I guess.
  • If Emily in Paris makes you mad, one Variety critic would like you to calm down.
  • And finally, the king of the winter Solstice: