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Banon’s Salut

Banon cheese, as we all know, is a traditional French goat’s cheese originating from the Banon region. It is wrapped in chestnut leaves with raffia, a type of natural fiber, which gives the cheese a special appearance and flavor. Typically aged for a few weeks to months, the cheese's soft and creamy texture transforms into a runny, gooey consistency under the chestnut leaves as it matures. Port Salut, meanwhile, is a semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from the Loire with a distinctive orange rind and a mild flavor.

Meanwhile, Steve Bannon, a former White House official and conservative podcast host, was wrapping up a speech to a right-wing audience outside Washington last week when he made a gesture that some observers, including a far-right French leader, likened to a Nazi salute. We don’t so much like that, even if it did tee us up for today’s double cheese news-related pun, er…handily. (*That’s a triple cheese-pun axel, judges…ready your perfect-10 scores…but maybe that cheese pun was too good, since my editor did not get it upon first read).

Today’s Cheddlines you Need2Know, meanwhile, keep their arms firmly by their sides.

Today's Cheddlines You Need2Know

• OpenAI Tops 400 Million Users

• IRS Layoffs Could Hurt Revenue Collection and Aid …

• Chess Grandmaster Auctions Off Jeans That Broke a …

• Kash Patel Confirmed as FBI Director

• Delta Offers $30K to Toronto Flight Passengers

—Matt Davis, Need2Know Chedditor

P.S.  We’ve got the chainsaw for democracy on our ‘gram if you want to see another unambiguous thing you can do with your arms.

Quote of the Day

Should You Check Your 401(k) Today?

👎

(nope)

OpenAI Tops 400 Million Users

The developer of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has achieved a significant surge in its weekly active users – surpassing the 400 million user mark. The impressive milestone underscores the skyrocketing adoption rate of AI tools. Backed by tech giant Microsoft, OpenAI had reported a commendable count of 300 million weekly active users as of December 2024. Moreover, in terms of its paying business clients, the startup has more than doubled its figures since September, now exceeding 2 million.

The announcement of OpenAI's user growth comes at a time when the conversation around global AI leadership is spirited and diverse. China's DeepSeek had recently launched an AI model claiming to perform on par with or even exceed its Western counterparts while being more cost-effective. Elon Musk also offered OpenAI more than $90 billion to buy the nonprofit controlling it.

Meanwhile, OpenAI has also reported remarkable increases in tech developer engagement. The activity surrounding its reasoning models has doubled over the previous six months, and there's been a fivefold increase in interactions with its o3 model, which only launched in late January. While the full implications of OpenAI's growing user base are yet to be realized, there’s a robust appetite for AI tools that are becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives and business operations.

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IRS Layoffs Could Hurt Revenue Collection and Aid Tax Dodgers

The layoff of approximately 7,000 IRS probationary workers last week is poised to thwart the agency's efforts to clamp down on high-wealth tax evaders, potentially hampering revenue collections significantly. The move — one of the most substantial purges of probationary workers across the government this year — carries foreboding implications for compliance, customer service, and the overall efficacy of tax return processing during the crucial tax season.

The majority of those facing layoffs are newly hired workers, whose primary focus was on ensuring adherence to the tax code and the collection of delinquent debts, among other essential duties. It spells concerning news for the federal tax collector's operational capacity, especially with the tax filing deadline looming less than two months away.

Vanessa Williamson, a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, said the cuts render the IRS incapable of pursuing wealthy tax evaders armed with high-powered legal representation. It heralds a "disaster for revenue,” she said. According to a Congressional Budget Office report, the cuts could diminish revenues by billions over the next decade.

From @cheddar

Chess Grandmaster Auctions Off Jeans That Broke a Dress Code

Top-ranked player Magnus Carlsen is transforming a recent controversy into an opportunity for charity. The Norwegian chess Grandmaster is auctioning off a pair of jeans that took center stage in a recent dress code debacle at December’s World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York.

Carlsen, renowned for his unparalleled skill on the chessboard, made headlines not for a strategic maneuver around his king…but for his choice of attire.

At the prestigious competition, Carlsen stepped out in a pair of Italian luxury brand Corneliani jeans, which led to a dispute over the established dress code. Facing a $200 fine and unwavering in his stance, Carlsen chose to discontinue his participation.

In a move that reflects both a sense of style and substance, the Grandmaster announced he would be auctioning off the controversial jeans. Rather than simply parting with them, he's turning them into a force for good. The proceeds from the auction are earmarked for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, a mentoring organization dedicated to helping children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with volunteers.

Kash Patel Confirmed as FBI Director

In a closely contested confirmation, the U.S. Senate signaled a new direction for the FBI by confirming Kash Patel as its newest director, marking a significant assertion of President Donald Trump's influence over the nation’s leading law enforcement agency.

The Senate, in a thin 51–49 vote, witnessed the culmination of a polarized confirmation process. Mr. Patel, known for his staunch loyalty to President Trump and his conservative credentials, has taken the helm of the FBI despite bipartisan concerns. Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski broke from party ranks, siding with the Democrats in opposition to Patel’s confirmation.

The trepidations from Democrats stem from Patel's past actions and rhetoric, which, they argue, suggest he might use his newfound role to pursue vendettas against political adversaries. Throughout the confirmation hearings, Patel faced a barrage of inquiries, defending himself against allegations of potential politicization of the FBI. He steadfastly maintained his future commitment to impartiality, stating, “There will be no politicization at the FBI. There will be no retributive actions taken… should I be confirmed as the FBI director.”

Despite his assurances, his critics spotlighted his record, which includes television appearances, podcasts, social media posts, and his 2023 book "Government Gangsters," where he purportedly called for actions against members of a so-called “deep state.”

The directorship of the FBI, traditionally a 10-year term, is a placement meant to elevate the role above the political fray. This ideal was challenged when President Trump expressed his desire to replace then-Director Chris Wray following his victory in the previous presidential election, leading to Wray's resignation. Republicans, however, have defended Patel's nomination, echoing Trump's promise of increased transparency and dismissing his controversial past statements.

The event is part of a broader trend as Senate Republicans continue to confirm nominees who had initially faced confirmation uncertainties. Among those confirmed are figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, and Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence.

Patel, previously a Republican congressional aide and Trump national security staffer, has been known for his efforts to declassify documents challenging the integrity of the FBI's investigation into alleged Russian ties with the 2016 Trump campaign. It's this past that has alarm bells ringing for some officials. In fact, there are fears among some that Patel could employ his position vindictively, with reported measures being taken by the 60 officials named in his book to protect their families.

The appointee, while strongly repudiating the “enemies list” label associated with the names mentioned in his book, emphasized moving forward without any malintent, reiterating, "I have no interest, no desire, and will not, if confirmed, go backward.”

Delta Offers $30K to Toronto Flight Passengers

Delta Airlines has made a bold gesture towards the passengers of Flight 4819, which overturned recently in a crash landing in Toronto. Each of the 76 passengers aboard the fateful flight from Minneapolis is being offered $30,000.

Delta’s offer, described as having “no strings attached,” is notably generous and exceptionally rare in the aviation industry. The airline has made it clear that accepting the payout will not restrict passengers from pursuing any legal action against the airline. The open-armed approach marks a significant departure from typical responses to aviation incidents, where compensations are often entangled in legal stipulations that limit future claims.

The total payout to passengers could exceed $2.2 million, a figure that dwarfs the compensation offered in similar incidents, such as the $5,000 provided to passengers of US Airways Flight 1549 after its emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009.

Delta's approach also reflects an understanding of the broader implications of such an incident, not just for those directly involved but for the airline's reputation as well as for public confidence in air travel.