Reading archive 2026-04-06

Don’t Mess With the Housewives of Ukraine: My interview with a tank maker provoked fury and memes—including from Zelensky.

How the Left Accidentally Bolstered the Nativist Right: By dismissing the distinction between legal and illegal immigration as bogus, advocates signaled that they would not defend it. - "In his book, The Normalization of the Radical Right, the political scientist Vicente Valentim shows that much of the recent rise in radical-right political behavior reflects not a change in what people believe, but a change in what they feel comfortable expressing. When norms weaken, often after radical-right politicians achieve electoral success, privately held views long kept quiet become publicly acceptable. Valentim's work focuses on Europe, but his analysis applies to America too. Over the past two decades, voters with restrictionist views have sorted into the GOP, making those preferences louder within the party. President Trump did not create this constituency, but he recognized and catered to it more than any modern president before him had. Each taboo he shattered around immigration made it easier for him and his supporters to transgress even more.

"And so, in Trump's second term, under Stephen Miller's newfound influence, the obliteration of the legal/illegal distinction has been formalized much more strongly into policy. The result: an administration now openly attacking legal immigration channels, including by targeting asylum and skilled-worker visas and implementing a visa freeze covering 75 countries. Like so much of the Trump agenda, these attacks are not broadly popular-in fact, polling suggests that support for legal immigration has never been higher-but they appeal to a small though intense nativist minority that no longer feels constrained and that makes up an important part of Trump's core coalition."

The Intellectual Right Is Mad at the Mess It’s Made: Conservatives are criticizing influencers for going too far. - "Bookish conservatives are fond of the tale of Buckley banishing the John Birch Society to the fringes. But that's not the whole story. Buckley walked a fine line, publicly criticizing Welch while otherwise trying not to alienate the society's rank and file, the historian Matthew Dallek argues in his 2023 book, Birchers. Buckley's gripes were more about the group's style and its leaders than its ideology. Birchers were widely derided for being racist and conspiratorial. But Buckley, the genteel conservative, was broadly in alignment with some of the group's views, calling white people "the advanced race" in a 1957 editorial in National Review, supporting Jim Crow segregation, and writing a book defending the Red-baiting propagandist Senator Joseph McCarthy."

Hitler’s Edifice Complex: He was obsessed with adding an expensive new wing to the Reich chancellery, part of his grandiose architectural ambitions for the nation’s capital.

Alleged D.C. pipe bomber might adopt debunked conspiracy theory as defense: Prosecutors said Brian Cole Jr.'s attorneys should be held in contempt for revealing the home address of a former Capitol Police officer who was ruled out as the suspect. - "During the first two hours of his FBI interview in December, the 30-year-old Cole denied placing the pipe bombs and said he was a Trump supporter. After being told that lying to federal agents could be charged as an additional crime, Cole admitted that he planted the bombs out of frustration with both parties and 'denied that his actions were directed toward Congress or related to the proceedings scheduled to take place on January 6,' prosecutors said."

MPD arrests 8 juveniles after multiple fights break out in Southwest

DC student hospitalized after group stomps him, steals Louis Vuitton shoes

Chinese firms market Iran war intelligence ‘exposing’ U.S. forces: The private companies — some with ties to the military — are marketing detailed intelligence on movements of U.S. forces, even as Beijing seeks to keep its distance.

Three men charged with murdering D.C. woman who went missing in 2023: Chyna Crawford, 25, is believed to have been kidnapped before she was killed. Authorities say the new indictments bring the total number of suspects to five.

Metrobus slams into D.C. restaurant, injuring 3 people: Photos showed the bus halfway inside the Balkan restaurant Ambar.

Never subsidize a sports stadium. And definitely not like this.: Jacksonville taxpayers are getting fleeced.

Their tiny church is on the cover of JD Vance’s new book. They don’t know him.: The members of a Methodist church in rural Virginia are excited — if a little confused — that the vice president’s memoir of his path to Catholicism has put them in the spotlight.

Reading archive 2026-04-3

If Congress wants dialogue with Russia, it’s talking to the wrong people: Lawmakers should build ties with Russia’s democratic forces, not legitimize Putin’s enablers. - "To make the meeting possible, Luna had to secure a special exemption from the State Department: All visiting members of the Russian Duma are sanctioned by the U.S. for supporting — and formally authorizing — Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A return visit by U.S. lawmakers to Moscow is being planned for June of this year."

U.S. fighter jet crashes in Iran; search launched for 2 crew members: It’s the first known loss of an American aircraft inside Iranian territory since the war began a month ago.

Reading archive 2026-04-02

Police arrest suspect in gruesome slaying in historic D.C. neighborhood: The killing of Syed Hammad Hussain in his Logan Circle condominium started out as a random robbery, court documents say. - "Police said that hours after the robbery and killing, the second suspect was captured on surveillance video inside a pre-trial release facility in Southeast Washington. There, police said, he was seen adjusting a watch he was wearing that court documents say resembles a Cartier that belonged to Hussain."

Court tosses sentence for former clerk in scheme tied to 2020 election: The Colorado appeals court ordered a new sentence for Tina Peters, a former county elections official convicted for her efforts to boost Trump’s false claims.

Saudi Arabia’s record donation to the National Zoo buys more than an exhibit: In a $51.6 million act of animal diplomacy, the Saudis will fund a habitat for endangered Arabian leopards. - "RITM0260147Countries in the Gulf and their sovereign wealth funds have learned that institutional hesitation tends to fade when dollar amounts are high enough, which is one reason they will makes offers that are triple or quadruple market rates. Ask The Post AI Dive deeper “Among Gulf people with money, in general, people will straight up [say], ‘We don’t care what you really think of us. We can buy you and sell you,’” Koch said."

America Needs to Get Serious About Drones: The new age of war is already here, swarming over Barksdale Air Force Base.

The Real Religious ‘Renewal’ Happening in Gen Z: Some pastors and politicians claim that a Christian revival is afoot among young Americans. Nationwide data tell a different story. - "It's important not to overblow Gen Z's renewed interest in traditional Christianity. Double the number of converts at a college campus or an urban parish, from a small baseline, is not going to stave off broader generational trends. Growing congregations have an incentive to publicize their numbers, which declining ones lack. Conversions, moreover, should be noted alongside their foil. For every Catholic convert, for example, roughly eight Catholics leave the faith. And a proper 'revival' - such as the religious awakenings of the 18th and 19th centuries-is generally understood as emerging in multiple places and galvanizing a statistically significant portion of the population."

The Hardest Job in Europe: Ukraine’s ambassador to Hungary represents a government that has become Viktor Orbán’s primary target.

Coffin nails and the habit that defies burial: There now are so few norms to transgress, for some aspiring renegades smoking must suffice.

Trump endorses Republican plan to end DHS shutdown: The plan would fund ICE and Border Patrol for three years without Democrats’ help while relying on Democratic votes to fund the rest of DHS.

Wartime fuel shortages spawn panic, robberies and killings in Asia: Gas station workers in Bangladesh and Pakistan have been killed by angry motorists.

Catastrophic sewage spill followed years of delay on repairs, Post review finds: A Washington Post investigation reveals that a prolonged environmental review pushed back work on the Potomac Interceptor that was initially proposed in 2018. - "In September 2021, during President Joe Biden’s first year in office, the utility informed the Park Service that the project would probably require removing not three trees, but about 260. The utility promised to replant hundreds of trees, replacing the diameter of those lost, inch-for-inch."

Why Trump Didn’t Predict the Gas-Price Spike: The president doesn’t understand that markets are global. - "Trump wishes for a United States economy walled off from the rest of the world. That's why he loves tariffs so much-and why he refuses to think about what they mean to American producers, who now must pay more for inputs such as aluminum. 

"But with energy, there is no walling off. Most of America's oil and gas is produced in the United States. American imports come overwhelmingly from Canada and Mexico. But American oil can be put on a tanker and sent to Japan or the European Union if the price across the ocean rises. The global process of buying and selling equalizes prices worldwide. Walling off the U.S. would mean America would have to stop exporting and importing oil. Trump does not want to do that. In fact, he endlessly urges other countries to buy more American oil and gas. As he said in his March 31 comments: 'Buy from the U.S.; we have plenty.'"

Lions Led by Donkeys: The U.S. is fighting Iran under the worst wartime political leadership America has ever had. - "There is a reason that even those of us who fully recognize Iran's menace and are pleased with the elimination of much of its military capabilities, and who hope for the eventual fall of this brutal and dangerous regime, find it impossible to advocate for what is, in many ways, a just war. With political leadership so feckless, so dysfunctional, so incapable of planning, so willing to betray friends and allies for short-term advantage, so willing to lie and advocate criminal behavior, our military is simply not in responsible hands. It may yet succeed, and even succeed greatly, but that will be a tribute only to the lions, not the donkeys."

The Autocrat’s Dilemma: Xi Jinping’s ruthless reign in China offers important lessons for aspiring authoritarians. - "Since taking charge of the party in 2012, Xi has steadily dismantled the system that oversaw three decades of explosive growth by concentrating power in his own hands. He has marginalized party elders, tossed out political rivals, and sidelined members of other factions, which has stifled policy debates and removed checks on his power. Many of Xi's moves are purportedly about rooting out corruption, but in a political system rife with graft, this tactic enables him to pick off anyone he wishes. In 2022, Xi packed the seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, the country's most powerful governing body, with close associates and political allies. 'Personal loyalty to Xi is his absolute priority and a baseline requirement for being promoted to the top leadership,' Thomas said."

DC is putting rats on birth control: DC Health is using edible birth control bait — and lethal bait — to curb the rat population in parts of the city.

Trump backs off campaign promises to protect Medicare, help with child care: As a candidate, Trump pledged to prioritize child care affordability and preserve Medicare. A spokeswoman argued that the president, in his comments Wednesday, was referring to fraud. - "'We’re a big country,' Trump went on. 'We have 50 states. We have all these other people. We’re fighting wars. It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare, all these things.'"

Reading archive 2026-04-01

Retirees receive six times as much in federal dollars as young people: An analysis from Penn Wharton Budget Model shows that baby boomers and the Silent Generation received an estimated $2.7 trillion in federal outlays last year.

Bike share: Paris has made space for cyclists in a way that I simply have not seen in any other city

D.C. Council overrides Bowser’s veto of police bill, underscoring tensions: The council also postponed a vote on a curfew extension, which the mayor has pressed for after some large youth gatherings ended with acts of violence.

Reading archive 2026-03-31

Army reviews why helicopters flew near Kid Rock’s home, No Kings rallies: An Army official said “appropriate action” will be taken if the probe reveals violations of safety standards or other regulations.

I broke up with my Kindle. My new e-reader treats me better.: After Amazon’s Kindle removed my ability to download and back up my own e-books, I went in search of an alternative.

Scientists captured female sperm whales on video working together during a birth to protect the calf

Oil and gas prices are soaring. Some countries are ready with solar panels and EVs

The Kurdish Ground Force Preparing to Fight in Iran: The Peshmerga on the Iraq-Iran border are eager to join the American campaign. They’re also deeply uneasy about where it might lead. - "'The real alternatives to this regime are not outside Iran,' [Adib Watandust, a member of the Kurdish Komala Party] said. 'They are inside-the political prisoners, union activists, teachers, journalists in jail, women and men. They are the real leadership. And the West cannot dictate an alternative from outside.'"

The Manosphere Turns on Trump: How many times can a coalition crack before it shatters?

Reading archive 2026-03-30

Local Teens Speak Out at Inaugural D.C. Teen Summit

House approves GOP bill to create public safety commission for DC

D.C.’s speed cameras are catching super violators. Most have Va. and Md. tags.: The most egregious violators have racked up thousands of dollars in unpaid fines for several hundred tickets. - "The biggest obstacle to better enforcement in the city is that most violators live in Maryland or Virginia. Of the 103 vehicles with the most tickets in fiscal 2025, 67 have Virginia plates, 25 have Maryland plates, and 3 have D.C. plates. Of the 100 top speeds registered by cameras in the past two years, 37 of the vehicles involved had Virginia plates, 35 carried Maryland plates, and 13 featured D.C. plates."

Miscellanea: The War in Iran - "The result is a fairly classic escalation trap: once the conflict starts, it is extremely costly for either side to ever back down, which ensures that the conflict continues long past it being in the interests of either party. Every day this war goes on make both the United States and Iran weaker, poorer and less secure but it is very hard for either side to back down because there are huge costs connected to being the party that backs down. So both sides ‘escalate to de-escalate’ (this phrase is generally as foolish as it sounds), intensifying the conflict in an effort to hit hard enough to force the other guy to blink first. But since neither party can back down unilaterally and survive politically, there’s practically no amount of pain that can force them to do so.

...

"There is a very real risk that this conflict will end with Iran as the de facto master of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, having demonstrated that no one can stop them from determining by force which ships pass and which ships cannot. That would, in fact, be a significant strategic victory for Iran and an enormous strategic defeat for the United States.

...

"But the United States is likewise going to bear diplomatic costs here. Right now the Gulf States have to shelter against Iranian attack but when the dust settles they – and many other countries – will remember that the United States unilaterally initiated by surprise a war of choice which set off severe global economic headwinds and uncertainty. Coming hot on the heels of the continuing drama around tariffs, the takeaway in many places may well be ‘Uncle Sam wants you to be poor,’ which is quite a damaging thing for diplomacy. And as President Trump was finding out when he called for help in the Strait of Hormuz and got told ‘no’ by all of our traditional allies, it is in fact no fun at all to be diplomatically isolated, no matter how powerful you are."

How the Turner Twins Are Mythbusting Modern Gear: Ross and Hugo Turner are genetically identical professional adventurers. By dressing one in cutting-edge technical apparel and the other in 100-year-old heritage kit on the world’s toughest expeditions, they are conducting the ultimate A/B test on modern gear.

Building Tanks While the Ukrainians Master Drones: Ukrainian drones have made artillery and armored vehicles look obsolete. Why is the world still buying them? - "In the end, Rheinmetall has a strong incentive to continue making the expensive weapons it has made for much of its history, even if they can be blown apart by drones that cost less than the average smartphone."

The Surprising Reason for the New Homophobia: Americans are burned-out, frustrated, and hunting for scapegoats. - "But any good explanation of how queer personalities are formed begins with the acknowledgment of how powerful marginalization can be. Gay people realize, at some early age, that the world isn't made for people like them. And for men, raised with the social pressure to seek dominance, that realization can lead to an obsession with climbing the rungs-whether in the context of sex, money, or something else. All of which is to say: Gay men are the original incels. They are born into heightened status anxiety and must maneuver to get ahead. And one way to do that is to be hot."

Reading archive 2026-03-29

He took Pelosi’s lectern on Jan. 6. Now he’s running for office.: Adam Johnson has rarely voted and embraces his role as clown prince of Jan. 6. Floridians will decide whether a man who tried to upend democracy can help lead one.

Pentagon prepares for weeks of ground operations in Iran: If President Donald Trump approves the plans, such an effort would mark a new phase of the war that could be significantly more dangerous to U.S. troops than the first four weeks.

Land by Georgia swamp, once slated for a mine, will become a wildlife area: The state plans to buy about 4,000 acres near Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from a conservation group, which acquired the land to halt a proposed titanium mine.

NYC’s newest hobby is cleaning up trash and documenting the filth: In a city long vexed by excess garbage, volunteer cleanup clubs are increasingly filling the gaps.