Reading archive 2026-10-28

Wyoming governor decries ‘aggressive’ behavior of federal election monitors: The Justice Department sent observers during the state’s primary election this month. A local official said the activities exceeded their authority.

‘Stop threatening your friends’: Idaho fires back against Trump DOJ’s threats over noncitizen voting

We’re Squandering LEDs’ Potential to Save Our Night Skies: Bad decisions have turned efficient technology into a driver of light pollution. There is a better way - "The ugly truth of artificial lighting today is that in parts of London, as in many cities around the world, lighting levels are excessive, with unshielded illumination blasting in all directions. And the irony is that too much light invites danger: It creates shadows, impedes our vision, and gives the illusion, without the reality, of safety. Thorp notes that modern CCTV cameras are “pretty great” even at low-light levels, while harsh light makes it hard for both human eyes and digital sensors to see.

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"Almost until 1920, astronomers at the Paris Observatory were still gazing at the Milky Way. That’s impossible nowadays, but it could happen again. Despite the bright white LED streetlights now lining so many Paris streets, networks of LEDs using controls could lower lighting levels enough each night, so that the Milky Way could once again be visible over the French capital. And in the process, Paris could become the City of Light in ways that would set an example for other parts of the world."

Your Cookware Got Worse On Purpose: One buyout firm quietly collected Pyrex, Corelle, Instant Pot, and Oneida. Farberware is a name on a 200-year lease. And the pans still worth buying. - "Once you understand the brand licensing structure, you see it everywhere, and the pattern is always the same: one company owns the name, a different company makes the product, and the factory that earned the name is liquidated."

The Whistleblower Who Uncovered the NSA’s ‘Big Brother Machine’: An unexpected visitor gave my team the evidence we needed to prove that the government was secretly wiretapping Americans.

Former FBI officials charged with lying to Congress about Hunter Biden laptop inquiry: For years, Democrats and Republicans have debated the significance of the laptop, which was left for repair at a Delaware shop.

Judge berates DOJ attorney in court over new charge filed against former FBI officials: The judge tossed a new obstruction charge against Nikki Floris and Bradley Benavides and told the Justice Department attorney that “everything is a sideshow on top of a sideshow” in this case. - "After Faruqui tossed out the new complaint, the hearing in the original one continued, with FBI Special Agent Bryan Witt testifying that the bureau’s investigation started after FBI Director Kash Patel sent a letter directing the Kansas City, Missouri, office to look into certain people, including Floris. 

"Witt said he felt the task was a 'huge distraction' from a big public corruption case he was involved with at the time, adding, 'I had concerns that this would be viewed as political.'"

 - "Witt called the probe a 'huge distraction' from his other work and added that people in the Kansas City FBI office 'generally viewed it' as a witch hunt, even as Patel and other high-level executives continued to check in on its progress."

This landmark experiment was horrifying. Why is Netflix performing it again?: The Stanford Prison Experiment has been rebirthed for your viewing, uh, pleasure.

Trump’s spooky stories in Kansas might have helped a Democrat: The pastor is offering voters a message of decency that the president lacks.

This viral gaffe is just one reason candidates won’t debate: Politicians are trading unscripted scrutiny for safe appearances and attack ads.

The sleeper issue that could decide the U.S. Senate race in Texas: The race between Ken Paxton (R) and James Talarico (D) has revolved around the issue of government corruption, a top voter concern just behind the economy.

Woman in ad who said a Democrat endangers kids pleaded guilty to endangering kids: Shellie Flockhart, who called Iowa Democratic House candidate Sarah Trone Garriott “dangerous” for kids, pleaded guilty after authorities said she drove drunk with her children in the car in 2017.

I went to Mexico to test-drive the cars Americans can’t buy: Mexico is a showroom for electric cars, with a growing fleet of sleek new vehicles from Chinese brands unavailable to Americans. - "America’s auto sector, while still large, could end up looking like Britain’s. The United Kingdom produced 1.92 million cars at its 1972 peak, most by domestic brands. Once a formidable exporter, last year, the U.K. manufactured about 717,000, equivalent to the 1950s. Almost all of them were by foreign-owned companies. No domestic volume carmakers remain."

At risk of ‘stadium fatigue,’ D.C. Council weighs $300 million-plus for Audi Field: D.C. United executives made the case before D.C. Council members for a $620 million renovation, including a roof, at the site where that team and the Washington Spirit play. - "Joey Davis, president of AFGE Local 1975, which represents government workers, said he couldn’t believe the council was discussing public financing for yet another stadium project when the city can’t afford cost-of-living raises for employees, which were left out of the most recent budget."