Ethan Wise

🇺🇸 sapere aude

[Kyle 🚄 @KyleTrainEmoji]

PICARD: Data, shields up

DATA: Brilliant! Shields can reduce damage we sustain. Not immunity. Not hubris. Just prudence. It's not precaution—it's strategy.

[camera shakes]

WORF: HULL BREACHES ON NINE DECKS

DATA: Here's what happened: you told me to raise shields, and I didn't

[Palmer Luckey @PalmerLuckey]

And this is the one we can actually show you.

[Chris Bakke @ChrisJBakke]

Did you just say "high-ratio, lossless data compression?"

[Neil Renic @NC_Renic]

"As my next slide clearly shows..."

[Ejaaz @cryptopunk7213]

we are so fucking close to this

[Geiger Capital @Geiger_Capital]

Canadians never stood a chance. 🇺🇸

[Woofers @NotWoofers]

The Chinese want front row seats to the show. Lots to learn.

[Autism Capital 🧩 @AutismCapital]

@jimcramer "Anthropic won't destroy everything"

[Kate Brannen @K8brannen]

I'm not sure Veep could have come up with this scenario: DOD lends DHS experimental lasers, which it uses to shoot down party balloons, which prompts the FAA to close down El Paso's airspace for 10 days, only to announce a few hours later that it is reopening.

[Oliver Alexander @OAlexanderDK]

U.S. SOF right now

[Mark Cecchini, CFP® @markcecchini]

TAX MAN: Hey you! Your W-2 is ready. Pumped for tax season.

ME: Awesome, so I can file my taxes now?

TAX MAN: Nope, your wife’s W2 isn’t ready yet.

ME: Cool. I'll see if she knows her ADP login.

TAX MAN: Hey. Your 1098 is ready.

ME: Great, that’s my mortgage interest right?

TAX MAN: Yep. But your loan got sold last year haha. So you’ll get two 1098s, one from each bank.

ME: Yea I remember getting a letter about that at some point…that's like the 3rd time our mortgage has been sold.

TAX MAN: Btw only 1 of your 1098s is ready. The other isn't.

ME: Cool, so I still can't really file yet.

TAX MAN: Yep. But your brokerage account 1099s will come out in mid-Feb.

TAX MAN: Go look for a Consolidated 1099, or separate 1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, 1099-R.

ME: I thought 1099s were for people who were contract-based employees or gig workers?

TAX MAN: Nah, 1099s are for so many things man.

TAX MAN: Did you sell RSUs last year? If so, you'll get a 1099-B that shows $0 basis, so you'll want to go get a Supplemental Information document from your broker.

ME: Cool, thanks for the heads up. Someone will tell me that explicitly, right?

TAX MAN: Not at all.

ME: Cool. What’s the difference between 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC?

TAX MAN: 1099-NEC (Non-Employee Compensation) reports payments to contractors. 1099-MISC (Miscellaneous) reports other types of payments like rent, royalties, and prizes, etc.

TAX MAN: They changed it a few years ago but didn't really tell anyone.

ME: Why are you the way you are?

TAX MAN: Nobody knows.

ME: Looks like I got a 1099-K this year?

TAX MAN: Did you sell something online?

ME: I sold a couch on Facebook Marketplace

TAX MAN: For how much?

ME: $600...

TAX MAN: Congratulations, you’re a business now.

ME: Okay I have all my 1099s, I’m ready to file.

TAX MAN: Did you check for corrected forms?

ME: What?

TAX MAN: Sometimes they prepare a corrected one to recharacterize income or fix mistakes.

TAX MAN: They come like a few weeks later.

ME: So should I wait?

TAX MAN: Up to you man.

TAX MAN: File now and maybe amend later?

TAX MAN: Or wait, and maybe it never comes.

ME: Cool.

ME: Oh btw, I invested in a private company last year.

TAX MAN: Ah, you’ll be getting a K-1 now LOL.

ME: Great, when?

TAX MAN: LOL.

ME: Taxes are due in a couple months...

TAX MAN: Right.

ME: But the form comes in October?

TAX MAN: Sometimes September if you’re lucky!

ME: So what do I do?

TAX MAN: File an extension and make a payment.

ME: I filed an extension, but I think we owe money.

TAX MAN: Yeah you'll need to pay that by 4/15.

ME: But I don’t know how much I owe?

ME: Because I don’t have all my forms...

TAX MAN: You estimate. 100% of last year's tax or 90% of this year's tax....or else you get slapped with thousands in underpayment penalties/interest.

ME: What if I make over $150,000?

TAX MAN: Then you have to pay in 110% of last year's tax....or 90% of this year's tax.

ME: What if I estimate wrong?

TAX MAN: Penalty.

ME: What if I overpay?

TAX MAN: They’ll refund it eventually.

ME: With interest?

TAX MAN: LOL no.

ME: I did everything right.

ME: I have all my forms

ME: I filed on time

ME: I’m getting a refund

TAX MAN: Congratulations

ME: When will I get it?

TAX MAN: The IRS says 21 days

TAX MAN: It’s been 12 weeks

TAX MAN: Your return is “still being processed”.

ME: Can I call someone?

TAX MAN: You can try.

TAX MAN: They’re experiencing higher than normal call volume.

ME: For how long?

TAX MAN: Since 2019.

ME: What if I just don’t file?

TAX MAN: Prison.

ME: What if I file wrong?

TAX MAN: Also prison, but less likely.

ME: What if my accountant files wrong?

TAX MAN: Still your fault.

ME: Can I just move somewhere with no income tax?

TAX MAN: You can try!

ME: What if I leave the country?

TAX MAN: You still have to file.

TAX MAN: For ten years after you renounce citizenship.

ME: This is tyranny.

TAX MAN: That's funny because that's actually how this whole thing started.

[andi (twocents.com) @Nexuist]

Pratt and Whitney F-35 ad from the early 2000s

[Freedom 250 @Freedom250]

Tonight marks the final night of Freedom 250’s Illumination of America at the Washington Monument, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display marking this historic celebration of our nation’s 250th year.

January 5, 2026
7:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Fireworks at 7:55 PM

This historic illumination marks the opening signature moment of a year-long series of marquee national events celebrating the Triumph of the American Spirit. One last night. One iconic monument. One nation looking forward together. @250Freedom_

[Jack Beyer @thejackbeyer]

B-2 callsign DEATH 11 flying over the Rose Bowl this afternoon. Not a bad way to spend the first day of a new year.

[jmh.creates @JarodMHamilton]

DEATH11 over Pasadena

[Elmo @elmo]

Don't forget to take a nap today! Elmo knows you're going to need it!

[Peter Hague @peterrhague]

We should aspire to be the future 70s children’s books promised

[Progress Bar 2026 @ProgressBar202_]

2025 is 99% complete.

[NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman @NASAAdmin]

@mmealling @rookisaacman We are going to build a Moon base