Good Morning. About 55% of Americans are cutting holiday spending—while just 9% plan to spend more. We discuss the squeeze.

We also cover woman arrested driving stolen U-Haul to fraud trial, 40,000-year-old mammoth RNA, non-Christmas Christmas movies (forwarded this email? Join 523k readers).

A new NBC News poll shows 55 percent of Americans plan to spend less on holiday gifts this year compared to 2024. Only 9 percent plan to spend more, while 36 percent expect similar spending levels.

The survey, conducted November 20 through December 8 with 20,252 respondents, found 41 percent describe their financial situation as unchanged from last year. Thirty-five percent report worse conditions, while 24 percent say better (rising cost of Christmas).

The findings reflect ongoing concerns about affordability and household budgets heading into the holiday season, with personal finances remaining a top consideration for consumers nationwide. Shoppers spend about $1,007 on average.

California regulators gave Tesla 90 days to comply after a judge found the company deceived consumers about its Autopilot technology (WSJ). The state DMV suspended Tesla's dealer license for 30 days, stayed to allow compliance.

The DMV filed its 2022 complaint arguing "Autopilot" and "Full-Self Driving Capability" names falsely implied autonomous operation. Tesla maintains it clearly disclosed through websites and manuals that the features require active driver supervision.

Tesla faces ongoing scrutiny over automated driving as it pursues self-driving cars and robotaxis. A Florida jury in August ordered Tesla to pay $243 million over a fatal 2019 collision involving the driver-assistance software. Self-driving cars, explained.

Scientists extracted RNA from a 40,000-year-old woolly mammoth preserved in Siberian permafrost, marking the oldest RNA ever sequenced. The findings, published in Cell journal, reveal new insights into extinct mammoths' biology.

The mammoth calf Yuka was discovered in 2010. Stockholm University researchers analyzed tissue from 10 mammoths, with three yielding RNA three times older than any previously sequenced. RNA shows which genes were active when the animal died (RNA vs DNA).

The discovery could help identify genes responsible for woolly characteristics, potentially aiding biotech firm Colossal Biosciences' efforts to resurrect the species. The company aims to de-extinct mammoths by inserting mammoth genes into Asian elephant DNA (this all started with a mouse).

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For viewers who prefer their holiday films with gunfire, noir, or existential dread over sentimentality (AKA, you love Shane Black), these movies take place at Christmas:

Look for Watch/Rent/Buy options under teaser on IMDb.

Hollywood's silver foxes prove age is just a number. Actors including Keanu Reeves (61), George Clooney (64), and Idris Elba (53) maintain impressive physiques through varied routines. Approaches range from Reeves' restorative resistance training to Clooney's Bikram yoga and tennis. Rob Lowe emphasizes high-protein diets, while Lenny Kravitz trains five-to-six days weekly with strength training.

Read this article.

▲ President Trump will address nation tonight at 9 PM from White House nearing one-year mark of term

▲ Howard Stern sticks with SiriusXM for three years with reduced schedule after months-long contract standoff

▲ Ford Motor takes $19.5 billion EV charge canceling F-150 Lightning while pivoting to hybrid vehicles

▲ Matthew Perry doctor Mark Chavez gets 8 months home confinement for illegal ketamine conspiracy in actor’s death

▲ Latoya Clark arrested driving stolen U-Haul to court appearance for $29 million COVID fraud trial

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