💬 John Philpin

Talking about monopolies - from the 🔗 Mars website

Mars and Kellanova anticipate closing the pending transaction on December 11, 2025, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions. Upon close, Kellanova’s portfolio of snacking brands, which includes Pringles®, Cheez-It®, Pop-Tarts®, Rice Krispies Treats®, RXBAR® and Kellogg’s international cereal brands, will join the existing Mars Snacking portfolio, which includes beloved brands like SNICKERS®, M&M’S®, TWIX®, SKITTLES®, EXTRA® and KIND®.

Following the close of the pending transaction, Mars expects the combined Snacking business to generate around $36 billion in annual revenues, with a portfolio that includes 9 billion-dollar brands. Mars Snacking will continue to be headquartered in Chicago, IL and will operate in more than 145 markets, serving millions of consumers. Powered by a team of more than 50,000 Associates, it will operate 80 global production facilities and more than 170 retail outlets like Hotel Chocolat and M&M’S World.

And another one from @benwerd

🔗 The world needs social sovereignty

Whenever I see a good ‘why RSS’ post - I will share.

Which is why I am sharing the latest - from @benwerd 🔗 Why RSS matters

🖇️ If you want to follow most of my world with RSS - you can.

OUCH …

🔗 A quote from Claude

.. it is dangerous out there❗️

🔗 If your marketing isn’t working

If you’re struggling selling the thing you made, it’s worth reconsidering the audience, the promise and the change you seek to make–and then be honest with your team about whether your offering is actually remarkable, or just the best you could do with what you had.

💬 Seth Godin

I was once out to dinner several years ago with about ten really well-known drummers, all of whom I have enormous respect for and admire. For some reason, we got onto the subject of Van Morrison. One of them said, “Hands up everyone who’s been fired by Van Morrison!” And nine out of ten put their hands up into the air. The only time I played with him, I wasn’t being paid, so he couldn’t fire me. Things like that definitely bring you together to the brotherhood.

💬 Nick Mason

📺 I watched: 🔗Dark Winds really great stuff. Only 3 seasons - no matter what the database is telling you - but quite wonderful.

🔗My Review On Reelgood

🎥 I watched: 🔗 The Woman in Cabin 10 and was severely underwhelmed.

Holy Crap

I have been so fed up with the slug that my M4 Mac had become around saving files - removing ‘moonlock’ and ‘clean my mac’, stopping electron files from running - firing up terminal commands as if my life depended on it. NADA.

So with a quick hail mary I jumped on to the 26.2 public beta (with the same joy and spirit as I did when I did something similar with 26.1 - and got no change …)

and yet …

… yet …

Here I am - a man no longer tortured - and what seems to be a massive upgrade in performance that 🍎 never - ever - fessed up to.

Let’s see if it holds.

🔗 A MyTerms Summary

Lots of noise out of the IIW community around this - and Doc Searls in particular. Any thoughts from the wider cognoscenti?