A 19-year-old Menasha man was arrested and is facing arson charges for allegedly setting fire to the Fond du Lac office of U.S. Representative Glenn Grothman early Sunday morning. The fire was contained by police before firefighters arrived, and no injuries resulted. The suspect reportedly confessed to starting the fire in response to discussions surrounding a TikTok ban. The investigation is ongoing.
Oxford University Press declared “brain rot” its Word of the Year, reflecting the perceived decline in mental acuity stemming from excessive consumption of low-value online content. The term, defined as a deterioration of mental state due to overconsumption of trivial material, experienced a 250% surge in usage this year, predominantly on social media platforms like TikTok. Oxford notes the term’s origins in Thoreau’s *Walden*, highlighting its enduring relevance in an era of readily available, often low-quality, online information. The selection underscores concerns about the impact of online content on cognitive well-being.
John Q. Hosedrinker