Reading archive 2025-08-28

Trump officials discussing ownership stakes in defense firms, Lutnick says: The commerce secretary said there is a “monstrous discussion” among administration officials about making deals similar to what the president announced with Intel this week.

D.C. mayor praises federal surge, angering residents and pleasing Trump: “We know that we have had fewer gun crimes, fewer homicides and we have experienced an extreme reduction in carjackings,” D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser said Wednesday.

States are tracking ‘impostor nurses,’ a growing problem since the pandemic: Aliases in different states. A contract under a classmate’s name. Experts say a challenging form of health-care fraud is endangering patients.

Trump floats an unusual Republican National Convention before the midterms: Democrats are also considering holding such a gathering before the November 2026 elections.

‘De minimis’ loophole is ending; here’s what it means for online orders Consumers may see higher costs and potential delays as the Trump administration halts an exemption that allowed goods below $800 to enter the country duty-free.

At the world’s biggest bug farm, 10 billion maggots recycle food waste: An industry based on insects’ natural recycling abilities could help limit the environmental damage from our food system.

No, the White House Is Not Getting a 90,000-Foot Extension: But Trump’s doomed proposal does give us a revealing glimpse into his state of mind.

Scientists hail major breakthrough in developing holy grail of renewable energy: artificial photosynthesis: New discovery addresses one of biggest obstacles to artificial photosynthesis – a technology long seen as a potential source of carbon-neutral fuels

Trump’s federal stake in Intel prompts GOP complaints

Reading archive 2025-08-27

When it comes to gilding the White House, Trump is just getting started: Ostentatious and anachronistic Oval Office changes don’t bode well for a 90,000-square-foot addition to the executive mansion.

National Guard troops deployed in D.C. add sanitation, landscaping duties: Service members say they’re glad to help the National Park Service. But some question if trash removal and groundskeeping are an appropriate use of the military.

D.C. judges and grand jurors push back on Trump policing surge: A federal grand jury refused to indict a man who threw a sandwich at a federal officer, and grand jurors refused three times to indict a woman accused of assaulting an FBI agent.

Why the world’s biggest movie bombed in America: The same epic storytelling conventions that delight moviegoers in China often turn off critics abroad.

U.S. Transportation Department plans to take over D.C.’s Union Station: Secretary Sean P. Duffy made the announcement hours before the launch of new Acela trains. - "Now Amtrak will run the passenger area while USRC, with the Department of Transportation, will manage the retail." [ed. note: DoT is managing the retail? Are you fucking serious?]

A small change in how you walk may help reduce knee pain: Gait training could be an effective way to mitigate arthritis pain for some people, a small study shows.

This Maine oysterman thinks Democrats are doing ‘jack’ about fascism. So he’s running for US Senate: Graham Platner’s viral X post and unusual campaign launch video are bringing attention to his effort to unseat Susan Collins

Is Trump right about the Smithsonian? I went to find out.: Trying to sanitize the American story is the antithesis of what makes the country exceptional.

Back to brown: Metro unveils design for 8000 series cars: The makeover for D.C. trains will ditch the all-silver look for a return to the 1970s.

Reading archive 2025-08-26

Modern Dentistry Is a Microplastic Minefield: Dentists and orthodontists depend heavily on plastics and are beginning to weigh the tradeoffs.

Jacqui Heinrich is drawing attention at Fox News: The 36-year-old senior White House correspondent made waves for her harsh account of Trump’s summit with Putin: “She is not afraid of pissing off the base.”

ChatGPT is an energy guzzler. These things you’re doing are worse.: AI services have earned a reputation as energy-hungry beasts. But what about the other emissions in our digital lives?

America Tips Into Fascism Today is different than before. - "American fascism looks like the president using armed military units from governors loyal to his regime to seize cities run by opposition political figures and it looks like the president using federal law enforcement to target regime opponents. 

"American fascism looks like the would-be self-proclaimed king deploying the military on US soil not only not in response to requests by local or state officials but over — and almost specifically to spite — their vociferous objections."

Eleanor Holmes Norton keeps a low profile as Trump takes aim at DC: The 88-year-old congressional delegate has mounted a back-seat response to the most serious federal threat to the city’s government in 30 years.

Reading archive 2025-08-25

These House Democrats seek a new middle ground on immigration: The New Democratic Coalition unveiled a plan to win back voters on immigration but they need the party’s support.

The House Freedom Caucus is under renovation: The far-right caucus is losing several of its most prominent members, creating an opening for new leaders and new approaches.

Pentagon plans military deployment in Chicago as Trump eyes crackdown: Military officials are sketching out a plan that could deploy a few thousand National Guard members, officials said. The use of active-duty forces has also been discussed.

Jeanine Pirro has joined Trump in attacking D.C.’s crime laws. Many experts doubt her claims

American housing policy needs a gut rehab: Housing starts improved in July, but people are not moving because rates and prices remain too high.

At 50, ‘Tuck Everlasting’ has withstood the test of time: On the 50th anniversary of Natalie Babbitt’s novel, I finally finished the book and have a whole new appreciation for the author and work

The Intel deal is a mistake: We cannot beat China by acting like it.

How an alcohol-fueled street fight turned into a conservative cause: The brawl in downtown Cincinnati has sparked debate about policing and bail reform. - "Cincinnati, which 2020 Census data puts at 47 percent White and 40 percent Black, has been rocked by high-profile racial incidents in recent months. In February, residents of a historically Black suburb confronted a neo-Nazi group displaying swastikas and distributing Ku Klux Klan fliers in their community. Residents have since established an armed patrol group of their neighborhood. In May, the father of a Black teen shot and killed by Cincinnati police fatally struck a Hamilton County sheriff’s deputy with his car the day after his son’s death, according to authorities."

Philadelphia transit hits ‘death spiral.’ More cities could follow.: Across Philadelphia and its suburbs, commuters are bracing for a dramatic reduction in public transit after state lawmakers were unable to agree on funding.

On screens and in games, Taiwan acts out a Chinese invasion: With the prospect of a Chinese invasion generating growing anxiety, Taiwan’s entertainment industry is tackling the sensitive subject through TV shows and games.

National Guard troops are in D.C. We went to see what they’re up to.: While some see the more than 2,200 National Guard members in the District as an extra layer of security, others question their utility.

DOGE Targeted Him on Social Media. Then the Taliban Took His Family.: Afghan scholar Mohammad Halimi, who fled the Taliban in 2021, had worked to help U.S. diplomats understand his homeland. Then DOGE put his family’s lives at risk by exposing his sensitive work for a U.S.-funded nonprofit. - "They rifled through other USIP files, spotlighting expenditures they used to publicly embarrass the institute. On Fox, DOGE also bragged about uncovering payments for 'private jets,' when, in fact, records show that USIP chartered a single plane for an evacuation mission out of a war zone for its staff. Cavanaugh did not answer a question about the assertion." [ed. note: among many other lies]

New GOP bill is latest push to extend federal control of D.C. police: The bill joins others from Republican legislators aiming to grant the federal government extended power over D.C. police. - "Committed partisans are always tempted to find evidence, however dubious, that being more hard-line is the path to political victory. It happens to people of all political descriptions. In recent years, though, Democrats have been especially prone to political misjudgments of this kind. 

"Sanders’s strong primary challenge to Hillary Clinton in 2016, for example, was taken as a sign that democratic socialism had a bright political future, when it was really a sign that she was an unappealing candidate. His strong performance with White working-class voters in that contest evaporated the next time he ran, when he was no longer a protest vote against Clinton."

A reality check for NPR stations in Trump country: Will rural affiliates see through the politicization and adopt a more all-embracing approach? [ed. note: dumb]

The Culture War Over Nothing: Is anyone actually mad about sorority-rush dances?

MAGA World Is So Close to Getting It: Gavin Newsom’s parodies are riling people up—and they don’t quite seem to understand why. - "As it turns out, the people who pioneered the slogan 'Fuck your feelings' are impossibly delicate souls."

The Real Reason American Socialists Don’t Win: Only part of the left’s most promising political party even wants to win elections or come to power. - "Moreover, some incidents at the convention cast serious doubt on DSA's commitment to the 'democratic' part of its title. For example, the convention rejected an amendment to a resolution declaring that DSA stood 'against all governments that engage in the repression of democratic rights.'"

Reading archive 2025-08-22

White House calls out 7 Smithsonian museums for their exhibits, messaging: The White House released an article outlining Smithsonian exhibitions and materials it considers “woke” or anti-American. Some artists named in the list called it a badge of honor.

Changing the Smithsonian doesn’t erase slavery and the racial wealth gap: There isn’t enough museum space to represent the full extent of the brutality that millions had to endure.

How Montgomery County schools aim to handle opt-outs after court ruling: Superintendent Thomas Taylor said the change will be ‘a significant administrative burden’ following an order from the Supreme Court.

FBI searches home and office of former Trump national security adviser John Bolton: The search focused on whether Bolton, a staunch Trump critic, illegally possessed or shared classified information, people familiar with the investigation say.

In a classic cartel move, college sports beg for federal help: Trump obliged the NCAA and is attacking athletes’ ability to be paid for their work.

What are the most American and most British words?: Is American English really that different than its British ancestor? And if so, what words truly separate the American from the Brit? The Department of Data is on the case.

This 1848 painting has uncanny insight into American conspiracy thinking: Can a country born in conspiracy theories find the fine line between suspicion and paranoia?

Trump seeks $2 billion to clean up D.C. in latest effort to control city: Trump has falsely claimed he has solved the city’s crime problems. Now he seeks to transform Washington into a place reminiscent of his private golf clubs.

Canadian court allows cull of 400 ostriches that RFK Jr. hoped to save: Avian flu was detected at Universal Ostrich Farms in British Columbia, but the owners argue their birds could have antibodies worth studying.

Southwest is a favorite for plus-size fliers. A new policy may change that.: Starting next year, the airline will only guarantee a second-seat refund on flights with at least one open spot.

Police records reveal man who sparked investigation into Kansas official’s immigration status

Georgia bigot filmed berating neighbor with antisemitic slurs fired by health care company he co-founded

As Trump tightens grip on D.C., officers say their chief is absent: The pressure of a partial federal takeover has ratcheted up criticism of the chief from within the department and outside

F.B.I. Plans to Lower Recruiting Standards, Alarming Agents: The plan appears to be part of a broader effort to shift the agency’s focus from tracking national security threats to fighting crime. - "Lowering recruiting standards will allow the F.B.I. to draw deeper from the ranks of other federal law enforcement agencies, specifically a category of criminal investigators classified in the federal system as 1811s. Investigators with that designation work at dozens of agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, inspector general offices and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

"The new plan, current and former agents say, seems to be part of a larger effort by Mr. Patel to have the bureau focus more on street crime, rather than on complicated cases touching on financial fraud, public corruption and national security. Doing so, they added, will erode the bureau’s reputation as an elite law enforcement agency, known for its selectiveness about its recruits."

Reading archive 2025-08-21

Israeli government official arrested in Nevada in internet crimes against children sting Tom Artiom Alexandrovich was released and returned to Israel after being charged with luring a child for a sex act

Is the U.S. Ready for the Next War?: With global conflicts increasingly shaped by drones and A.I., the American military risks losing its dominance.

There is no ‘Trump doctrine’ in foreign policy. Just chaos

Republicans want to rig the midterm elections. Will they succeed?

A Right-Wing Influencer Tried to Be a Tradwife. It Almost Broke Her.

US Attorney Pirro's office admits grand jury refused ICE interference charges — twice: Federal prosecutors told a judge they had failed twice to secure an indictment against Sidney Lori Reid for allegedly assaulting an FBI agent during an ICE arrest.

Factories from GE to Kraft Heinz lose immigrant workers, stressing those who remain

Ghislaine Maxwell’s transfer to a ‘country club’ prison is outrageous

Trump says he has ‘solved’ 7 conflicts. Here’s what to know about them.: As Trump pushes for a peace deal to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he says he has ended a growing list of conflicts. In some of them, his role remains contested.

Limits of Trump’s diplomacy clear as Moscow balks at Ukraine plan: Moscow has resisted a Putin-Zelensky summit and security guarantees for Ukraine. Trump claims that the Kremlin’s position has changed, leaving analysts puzzled. - "'Some still imagine that, in exchange for land, the Kremlin might accept security guarantees for Ukraine, tolerate the presence of peacekeepers, or even acquiesce to the continued arming of Kyiv,' [Boris Bondarev, a former senior Russian diplomat who resigned over Putin’s Ukraine invasion] wrote. 'This is fantasy. It will not happen.'"

PorNO! How age verification exposed the power of friction in the internet age: Introducing Scrappy theory, a convoluted bastardisation of nudge theory - "The success of this approach reminded me of nudge theory. Without banning porn, the policy initiative has significantly reduced access. Over time, this ought to constrain the industry. But rather than nudging users towards preferred behaviour, this legislation has created a friction that disinclines them from exhibiting non-preferred behaviours. It reminds me of Scrappy-Doo, perpetually imploring the gang to 'lemme at ‘em!', yet constantly being held back. Like Scrappy, feeling the finger on his collar as he raises his fists, British pornophiles have been restricted from destructive behaviours because the incentive to do action A (visit PornHub) is offset by the deterrent of action B (create PornHub account)."

MAGA erupts after Israeli official charged in child sex ring flees U.S.

Reading archive 2025-08-20

‘The city is dead’: D.C. restaurant reservations drop amid federal crackdown: Local restaurant owners hope for a Restaurant Week boost, but the heavy law enforcement presence in the city is keeping some diners away.

These states could redistrict before the 2026 midterms: As Trump pushes for a more Republican-friendly House map, more than half a dozen states are potential targets for mid-decade tweaks to congressional boundaries.

The future of home-building is here. And we’re behind.: The Trump administration cut grants for materials development that could reduce construction costs. - "The productivity crisis in construction labor compounds these material challenges. Construction worker productivity has been steadily dropping for nearly 50 years while other industries have seen dramatic gains through automation and improved processes. The construction industry’s resistance to technological adoption, fragmented structure and reliance on traditional methods has put us well behind China and the European Union in construction labor productivity."

Avoid these 5 food additives that may harm your health: Studies suggest these ingredients might be linked to increased risks for your gut, heart and even fertility. [ed. note: carboxymethyl cellulose (cellulose gum, sodium CMC, E466), polysorbate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl paraben (E216 or propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate)]

Justice Department investigating D.C. police over alleged fake crime data: D.C. officials have repeatedly cited police stats showing drops in violent crime to push back on the need for a federal takeover of law enforcement.

Reading archive 2025-08-19

Now it is the Old World’s turn to rescue the United States: As Trump met with European leaders on Ukraine, Churchill’s words from days long ago came to mind.

Maine police officer arrested by ICE agrees to voluntarily leave the country: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a Maine police officer arrested by immigration authorities has agreed to voluntarily leave the country

Sherrod Brown raises $3.6 million in 24 hours for Senate campaign: The total includes $3 million raised by Brown’s campaign, and about $600,000 raised by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Ohio Democratic Party.

People Are Trying to ‘Deprogram’ Their MAGA Parents Through Book Clubs: Divisive politics have led people to go “no contact” with their right-wing parents. Some hope reading together could help bridge the gap.

The Only Plausible Path to End the War in Ukraine: Has the Trump administration misread Moscow? - "Ultimately, the diplomatic problem the Trump administration faces is how to persuade Russia to accept an independent and sovereign Ukraine. All the signs from Moscow are that it has not backed off from a maximalist position. The only plausible way to end the war is to create a battlefield reality that convinces Putin that he cannot make more gains, that he will pay a massive price for continuing the war, and that this reality is unlikely to change. That means that the United States and its allies need to, paradoxically, get serious about arming Ukraine for a protracted conflict and putting pressure on Russia. That is the only way to create the conditions for successful negotiations to end the war."

The Mainstreaming of Zohran Mamdani: Which flavor of socialism would the mayoral candidate bring to New York City? - "DSA's national political platform, rewritten when Mamdani was an assemblyman, is a gumbo of left-wing positions, many of which sit miles from the political mainstream. The organization would free all inmates from prisons and jails and decriminalize the drug trade, prostitution, and squatting in unoccupied homes. DSA endorses cutting police budgets 'annually towards zero,' disarming cops, and decertifying their unions."

A Nation of Lawyers Confronts China’s Engineering State: As the Chinese economy surges forward, the U.S. has lost its capacity for physical improvement. - "How did America lose so much productive capacity to China and end up in such a vulnerable position? Think about it this way: China is an engineering state, which treats construction projects and technological primacy as the solution to all of its problems, whereas the United States is a lawyerly society, obsessed with protecting wealth by making rules rather than producing material goods. Successive American administrations have attempted to counter Beijing through legalism levying tariffs and designing an ever more exquisite sanctions regime while the engineering state has created the future by physically building better cars, better-functioning cities, and bigger power plants.

...

"The engineering state is effective at making military goods too. China produces about 80 percent of the world's consumer drones, which can easily be adapted for the battlefield. China has approximately 200 times the shipbuilding capacity of the United States; according to the Government Accountability Office, many classes of U.S. Navy ships are delayed by up to three years. Last December, then National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said bluntly that the United States will experience 'exhaustion of munition stockpiles very rapidly' if it were ever to face the Chinese military. America has lost the productive capacity to sustain a major war. American manufacturing output has never recovered to its highs from 2008; the manufacturing workforce has shrunk by a million people since then."

Reading archive 2025-08-18

As Trump takes over D.C.’s police, here’s what law enforcement can and cannot do: With federal and local officers on D.C.’s streets, here’s what to know about what law enforcement agencies can legally order you to do — and what they can’t.

‘South Park’ and ‘King of the Hill’ take on the Trump era: The two ’90s-era animated comedies — one in its 27th season, the other back after a decade-plus hiatus — may be TV’s sharpest observers of the current political climate.

Dedicated volunteer exposes “single largest self-promotion operation in Wikipedia’s history”: Ten years of work to boost one man's reputation.

The best way to get stubborn grease spots out of your clothes: A tiny grease spatter doesn’t have to spell the end for that favorite T-shirt.

This number is bad news for the economy: Low unemployment is great, but only if it’s due to lots of new jobs, not an evaporating labor force.

Why Mamdani’s socialism-on-the-Hudson would be useful for America: If Zohran Mamdani is New York’s next mayor, the nation will be reminded of socialism’s many harms. - "Over four decades ago, sociologist Daniel Bell postulated capitalism’s 'cultural contradictions': Capitalism’s success undermines the virtues (thrift, industriousness, deferral of gratification) that are prerequisites for its continuing success. Socialism’s cultural contradiction is that it is parasitic on capitalism, which must produce the wealth that socialism redistributes — until the engine of wealth creation, battered by socialism’s redistributive agenda, sputters."

What the president’s ‘golden share’ in the U.S. Steel deal means: Trump’s plans for U.S. Steel are another blow against free enterprise. - "Under the terms of the deal, the sitting U.S. president will have the power to appoint one of the three independent directors to the board of U.S. Steel and have veto power over the other two. The president’s permission will reportedly also be needed to transfer production or jobs outside of the U.S., to close or idle plants, to change the sourcing of raw materials, or to relocate the company headquarters or individual plants, among other decisions."

Reading archive 2025-08-14

Police group endorses Spanberger, Democrat running for Virginia governor: The Virginia Police Benevolent Association, which four years ago supported all Republicans, is backing Abigail Spanberger (D) over Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears (R).

D.C.’s homeless begin to see the effects of Trump’s crackdown: Many interviewed by The Post expressed confusion over where they would go. “What are they going to do?” said one D.C. man living on the street. “Arrest us all?”

Man who hurled sandwich at law enforcement in D.C. charged with felony: “I did it. I threw a sandwich,” the man allegedly said to police after his arrest.

Reading archive 2025-08-13

The case for — and against — taking your shoes off in the house: Experts make strong arguments on both sides, but ultimately there can only be one verdict

How to fix D.C.’s housing crisis — and ensure rent is paid: Landlord-tenant cases take over a year to resolve in the District’s housing court.

Jeanine Pirro: The fight to make D.C. safe and beautiful: These three laws are detrimental to public safety and to my ability to fight crime.

DC Judge frees teen who shot man on Metrobus, sparking outrage from interim US Attorney for the District of Columbia: The Youth Rehabilitation Act gives judges broad discretion when sentencing defendants who were under 24 when their crimes were committed, angering prosecutors

Trump Is Right That D.C. Has a Serious Crime Problem: But he has the wrong answer for how to fix it.

As National Guard troops arrive, uncertainty over command of D.C. police: The White House and D.C. leadership have each tried to assert that they are in control of the force, even as they emphasize cooperation and shared priorities.

The AI industry is awash in hype, hyperbole and horrible charts: Just checking: 69.1 is a larger number than 30.8, right?

White House announces more aggressive review of Smithsonian museums: In a letter, White House officials said they would review the Smithsonian’s exhibition text, curation, exhibition planning and collections, starting with eight museums.

Your carry-on bag followed the rules. So why was it gate-checked?: Understand the reasons, and avoid getting tagged.

Congress tried to control D.C. police in 1989. The results were disastrous.: Today, relaxed criminal laws and a post-pandemic crime spike have again made D.C. a federal target. But little is known about how federal officials plan to improve the conditions they complain about. - "By 1994, graduates of D.C. police academy classes in 1989 and 1990 composed roughly a third of the force. Yet they made up about half of all officers charged with crimes since 1989, from shoplifting to murder, and more than half of those accused by the department of insubordination, neglect of duty and making false statements. Prosecutors at the time kept a list of D.C. officers so tainted by wrongdoing that they could not be called to testify in court. Half of the 189 officers on that roster were 1989 or 1990 academy graduates.

"The FBI was so worried about growing criminal behavior in the Metropolitan Police Department that it launched an elaborate, months-long sting operation in which D.C. officers were recruited to act as armed guards for what they thought were wholesale drug shipments passing through the District. When the undercover effort, dubbed “Operation Broken Faith,” ended in December 1993, agents arrested 12 officers — all young, unseasoned and ill-trained — who had pocketed $75,800 in payoffs, mostly for escorting a purported 135 kilograms of cocaine. 'The Dirty Dozen,' they came to be called."

Reading archive 2025-08-12

Teens charged in DOGE staffer attack ordered to stay in youth custody: Two 15-year-olds are so far the only people charged in a case President Trump cast as a symbol of D.C.’s crime problem.

Man shot and killed near sites of two slayings cited by Trump: Fatal shooting came hours after the president said he would take control of the D.C. police.

Pentagon plan would create military ‘reaction force’ for civil unrest: Documents reviewed by The Post detail a prospective National Guard mission that, if adopted, would require hundreds of troops to be ready round-the-clock.

This little-known ‘dark roof’ lobby may be making your city hotter: As cities heat up, reflective roofs could lower energy bills and help the climate. But dark roofing manufacturers are waging a quiet campaign to block new rules.

There’s a reason India and the U.S. aren’t better friends: Two of the world’s largest democracies. Two market-driven giants. Can they fix their relationship?

Can’t put solar panels on your roof? Plug-in ‘balcony solar’ may be for you.: Balcony solar promises to cut energy costs and grid reliance for renters and apartment-dwellers. I did a trial run at my home.

Can’t put solar panels on your roof? Plug-in ‘balcony solar’ may be for you." Balcony solar promises to cut energy costs and grid reliance for renters and apartment-dwellers. I did a trial run at my home.

Reading archive 2025-08-11

Trump readies federal moves on D.C. crime, takes over D.C. police: The president is planning to flex his law enforcement power over Washington, declaring that he would clear the city of homeless people and crack down on crime. - "U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, whom Trump appointed to the job in May, has called for lowering the age limit for charging juveniles as adults to 14." [ed. note: this is way too low]

FBI dispatching agents to D.C. streets as Trump weighs calling National Guard: The Trump administration has temporarily assigned FBI agents to work overnight shifts to combat carjackings and other crimes. - "The deployment of FBI agents to deal with local crime puts agents from the bureau’s counterintelligence, public corruption and other divisions with minimal training in traffic stops out on the streets in potentially dangerous encounters, diverting them from their typical jobs at the bureau.

...

"The reassignment of FBI agents has further demoralized some agents in the Washington Field Office, who believe they have little expertise or training in thwarting carjackers and were already angered by a spate of firings inside the agency that they deemed unwarranted. Last week, the Trump administration ousted with no explanation FBI personnel across the country, including the head of the Washington Field Office."

Why your skin needs sunscreen all year long: Beyond the cancer risk, most of the skin changes we see as we get older don’t come from the aging process but from the sun’s UV rays.

The anti-sunscreen movement and what to know about its claims: A growing anti-sunscreen movement on social media is causing concern among dermatologists, who warn that avoiding sunscreen increases long-term health risks.

Democrats with an eye on 2028 reject some parts of liberal orthodoxy: Some presidential prospects have embraced “Sister Souljah moments” that demonstrate their independence.

Footage shows two Chinese ships colliding while chasing Philippine boat: A China coast guard ship barreled into a Chinese navy destroyer Tuesday as the two vessels chased a Philippine coast guard ship.

A family opened a town’s first bookstore. A bathroom bill is driving them away.: The Phelans ran the only bookstore in Vermillion, South Dakota. They sold it and moved after a new law would have required their daughter to use a boy’s bathroom.

Why does travel make me constipated? A gastroenterologist explains.: We all poop weirdly on vacation. Fiber supplements can help.

Smithsonian restores Trump to impeachment display in American history museum: The museum last month removed a placard describing the president’s two impeachments. The new text makes minor changes — and offers slightly less detail.

New mapping reveals D.C. region’s growing vulnerability to flood risk: As the region experiences more extreme weather, an increased number of roads and rail lines could flood, not just those in low-lying areas.

Substack's extremist ecosystem is flourishing: Yup, they're still at it. - "The role of Substack’s ecosystem in our larger politics was made clear last month in the New York Times. The paper reported that the Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani, had checked both the “Asian” and “Black or African American” boxes on an application for Columbia in 2009. (Mamdani is Indian-Ugandan-American. He did not get into Columbia.) As The Verge’s Elizabeth Lopatto uncovered, the information for this story—which the Times framed as a major scandal—was the product of a hack by a self-described 'violently racist' neo-Nazi. 

"The relevant information was passed to the Times by Jordan Lasker, a Substacker with a reported neo-Nazi past of his own, who contributes to the eugenicist Substack Aporia as well his own, published under the pseudonym “Cremiuex.” (The latter is currently the No. 7 fastest rising Substack in “Science.”) Lasker in turn passed the information on to Benjamin Ryan, the writer of the anti-transgender Substack Hazard Ratio (No. 66 in Science.) The Times then hired Ryan to write the story, giving him the lead byline and allowing him to grant Lasker partial anonymity. He made no mention of the neo-Nazi origin of the information."

The Media’s Urge to Be “Fair” to Trump Is Killing the Republic: Seventy percent of Republicans understand that Trump’s tariffs will raise prices. Why is the press acting like they’re a huge success? - "Uh, no. Here are a few facts and figures, none of which appear in the article. Federal revenue from all sources in recent years has been around $4.7 trillion (it varies from year to year depending on the strength of the economy). Typically, customs fees account for about 2 percent of that revenue. Commit that to memory, please: 2 percent. So that even if tariff revenue doubles, it will account for 4 percent of all federal revenue. It could double again—which, incidentally, would mean tariffs so high as to stifle much international trade—and still account for only 8 percent of all federal revenue. 

"So where does federal revenue come from? About half—that is, around $2.4 trillion or so—comes from the personal income tax. Another third, or roughly $1.6 trillion, comes from payroll taxes. And then about 10 percent, or just under $500 billion, comes from corporate taxes. I know all these numbers off the top of my head, and if I know them, the guy who covers tax policy from Washington for The New York Times ought to know them too. Maybe he does, which would make his decision not to include them in a piece like this all the more bewildering because they provide vital context. But all Duehren has to say on this point is that 'income and payroll taxes remain by far the most important sources of government revenue.'"

Spain Is an Example to the World

Union Leaders Get Tough With Democrats as Members Drift Toward Trump: Doubtful that President Trump has their best interests in mind, top union officials are redoubling efforts to push the Democratic Party to appeal more to their rank and file.

California is pushing the limits of crowdsourced energy

Reading archive 2025-08-09

Studying bank deposits, Sandra Grimes found a deadly CIA traitor: Ms. Grimes, who has died at the age of 79, helped reveal that Aldrich Ames was selling secrets to the Soviets. Her book about the case was adapted into an ABC miniseries.

Birds kept dropping dead. A D.C. biologist cracked the case.

Reading archive 2025-08-08

Pirro takes aim at D.C.’s crime laws, calls them ‘absurd’: The U.S. attorney for D.C. is calling on the D.C. Council to amend policies focused on second chances for criminal offenders, amid Trump’s threats of a federal takeover.

FBI fires former acting head, two other officials at odds with Trump administration: Brian Driscoll had resisted orders to fire agents involved in investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack.

Reading archive 2025-08-07

As hunger spread in Gaza, Israeli media began to focus on Palestinians: Amid reports of starvation in Gaza and growing international outrage, news of the worsening crisis began to break through into mainstream Israeli media.

These nuclear reactors fit on a flatbed truck. How safe are they?: The nuclear industry aims to miniaturize, looking to place hundreds of small power plants across the nation. - "Walker said a billionaire approached Nano inquiring whether the microreactor could be used to power a self-sustaining island community. 'They asked if it was possible to have a project where this could power their own vertical farm and their own desalination plant on an island that is completely self-sufficient,' Walker said. 'We communicated back that it is certainly possible.'"

What the fall of Florida’s oranges tells us about the future: Orange juice was once a national obsession. Disease and the beverage’s high sugar content are turning consumers away.

He could have been the GOP’s voice on crime, but his faith intervened: Phillip Todd, a staffer for Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), was nearly killed in a random attack in D.C. He took two years to figure out what he wanted to say.

What’s really depressing America’s young men: The U.S. has two overlapping problems: the housing crisis and despondency in young men.

Millennials went wild for Outdoor Voices. Can it become cool again?: The beloved brand redefined athleisure. Its founder has returned with plans to shake it up.

We analyzed the research on 5 sleep supplements. Here’s what actually works.: No supplement is going to dramatically improve your sleep, but some may offer modest benefits with minimal side effects.

The economy is cracking. This trend is most alarming. The U.S. economy is growing ever more reliant on top earners. It’s risky — and tough for the middle class.

Radioactive wasp nests found near nuclear storage site in South Carolina: One of the nests found near the Savannah River Site had a radiation level 10 times what is allowed by federal regulations, according to a federal report.

The Democrats Are Blowing a Big Opportunity Right Now: What Trump understands about the Texas gerrymandering war that national Democrats do not

Reading archive 2025-08-06

Why one epidemiologist won’t let his kids play on artificial turf fields: A turf war is raging over artificial grass. Here’s how nervous parents can navigate it.

Data from Calif. and D.C. shows how minimum-wage hikes can hurt: Recent experience underscores the perils of raising minimum wage above what the market can bear.

Reject the Commanders stadium deal: Even after tweaks, the deal still amounts to corporate welfare that the NFL team and its billionaire owner do not need. - "Even if the Commanders were to pull out of the deal, residents might be better-off. A separate report from the council’s budget office — written before the deal was revised — compared tax revenue from mixed-use development of the RFK site with and without the stadium. It projected that, over the course of 30 years, the site would generate about $1 billion more in revenue and $1.4 billion more in economic activity without the stadium."

Bowser needs a reality check on the D.C. stadium: City politicians and the team are promising growth on a scale that football stadiums don’t generate.

Texas election map fight swells into national political warfare: The battle over Republicans’ push to create more safe red U.S. House seats seats has widened, with red and blue states moving to counteract each other and ambitious politicians vowing aggressive partisan combat.

Reading archive 2025-08-05

D.C.’s Zoning Commission approves developer’s reworked McMillan site plan Jair Lynch’s plan to scale back the size of a grocery store in the new Reservoir District neighborhood is given the green light.

Momentum builds toward Netanyahu’s plan to occupy all of Gaza: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to discuss the move with top defense officials today, and Defense Minister Israel Katz is promising to “professionally implement” whatever the government decides.

Scientists say they’ve solved the mystery of starfish that turn to goo: Sea star wasting disease has killed billions of starfish and destroyed kelp ecosystems. In a study published Monday, researchers say they found the culprit.

One gene reveals clues to why humans thrived and Neanderthals didn’t: Humans and Neanderthals are virtually identical at the genetic level. Scientists are probing the differences to understand why we are here, and they aren’t.

Woman who ran over children in crosswalk on their way to school given 4 months: The judge in the case called the punishment ‘woefully inadequate.’

China is winning the trade war Trump started: On many fronts, Trump is inadvertently aiding China’s anti-American dictatorship. - "The countries that have done trade deals with Trump can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their situation could be much worse. But Trump’s bullying is leaving hard feelings in its wake. One former Japanese trade official called the U.S. deal “humiliating,” while a Japanese economist called it 'completely unacceptable for Japan.' That’s an odd way to treat allies that the United States needs to contain China."

The AI spending boom could have real consequences for the U.S. economy: As revisions to U.S. jobs numbers call into question economic growth, Big Tech is becoming an even more important part of American prosperity.

This isn’t the same Democratic Party as Trump’s first term: Polls show a base of voters who are growing more liberal and less trusting of leaders in both parties.

D.C. area is feeling toll of federal spending cuts. These charts show how.: Amid signs of a broader economic slowdown, unemployment is up, spending is slowing and signs of strain are emerging across key sectors that once helped prop up the national capital region.

Latino GOP lawmakers voice worry about Trump’s mass deportation campaign: They expressed fears that the inroads Trump and the GOP made with Latino voters in 2024 could erode.

Smithsonian to restore Trump to impeachment exhibit ‘in the coming weeks’: A placard referring to Trump’s two impeachments was removed from the National Museum of American History in July, after the Smithsonian agreed to perform a “content review.”

Reeling over alleged child sex ring, Alabama community asks: ‘Did no one know?’: At prayer meetings and other gatherings, Bibb County residents have grappled with the realization that horrific crimes may have been happening in their town.

The simple way Democrats should talk about Trump and Epstein

Texas Democrats decamp to Illinois to deny Republicans a quorum on redistricting: In response, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott threatened to try to remove the Democrats from the state Legislature and said some of them may even be "felons."

Supreme Court tees up Louisiana redistricting case that could undercut Voting Rights Act

The Billionaire Behind Mysterious Immigration Ads Targeting Miami Republicans: “Deporting immigrants is cruel,” some of the ads against Cuban Americans in Congress read. Michael B. Fernández wanted to “wake up” Miami’s conscience.

Sneaking Into the Spy Museum’s New Vault

Reading archive 2025-08-04

Since wolves’ return, Yellowstone’s aspens are recovering, study finds The researchers found a 152-fold increase in sapling and young-tree density.

The Big Scientific Debate: Trophic Cascades

Reading archive 2025-08-01

Smithsonian removes Trump from impeachment exhibit in American history museum: The Smithsonian said it restored the display to an earlier version, which notes that “only three presidents have seriously faced removal.”

Tehran Is at Risk of Running Out of Water Within Weeks: After a five-year drought and decades of mismanagement, a water crisis is battering Iran.