Reading archive 2025-10-27

Missing money, staged break-in alleged in AU professor murder trial: In the first week of testimony, Montgomery County prosecutors have alleged financial wrongdoing and a $500,000 insurance policy were behind defendant Jorge Rueda Landeros’s crime.

GOP lawmakers raise pressure on Smithsonian over space shuttle fight: Texas legislators, who want the Smithsonian’s Discovery shuttle moved to Houston, accused the institution of potentially violating anti-lobbying laws. The institution has said the move would break the spacecraft apart.

What happens when a conservative group visits an HBCU homecoming?: Turning Point’s Blexit group is on a tour of historically Black campuses in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s slaying. Howard University students weren’t impressed.

I’m shocked — shocked! — to find that gambling is going on in the NBA: The one thing sports can’t survive are fans who no longer trust the games to be on the level.

A colossal Buc-ee’s broke a small Colorado town: In the fight to preserve Palmer Lake something has already been lost: civility.

Young Republican Messages Highlight a Disturbing Trend - "But clearly to a portion of the young right, the actual substance of what provocateurs have been saying has been worth celebrating — not just their right to say it."[ed. note: National Review]

How Jack Smith’s strongest case against Donald Trump collapsed: Seeking to get the classified-documents case to a jury before the 2024 election, the special counsel made a fateful decision that some in his office saw as a misstep.

Reading archive 2025-09-11

‘Prolific alien invaders’ threaten waters in the West: Zebra mussels are now in the upper Colorado River system, and the minuscule mollusks can wreak massive damage. - "The mollusks’ westward sweep recently crossed a feared Rubicon when Colorado discovered zebra mussels in its portion of the Colorado River system, an imperiled lifeline to 40 million people. 'This news is devastating,' a water manager on the state’s arid western side said. 'From irrigation to drinking water, the ramifications cannot be underestimated or overstated.'"

Poland downs drones in its airspace, becoming first NATO member to fire during war in Ukraine

National Guard documents show public ‘fear,’ veterans’ ‘shame’ over D.C. presence: Internal documents reviewed by The Post show how domestic missions rooted in politics risk damaging Americans’ trust in the military. - "In another update, the Guard indicates troops 'continue efforts to restore and beautify public spaces across the District” and have “cleared 906 bags of trash, spread 744 cubic yards of mulch, removed five truckloads of plant waste, cleared 3.2 miles of roadway, and painted 270 feet of fencing.' 

"Those statistics may be among the most consequential takeaways of Trump’s use of the military in D.C., Dempsey said, and should prompt scrutiny of whether this mission was ever necessary in the first place.

 "'That is such a suboptimal use of military training that we should all be asking, 'Why are they here?'' Dempsey said. 'If they’re picking up trash, they’re not here for a security emergency. There’s no clearer metric than that.'"

I’ve battled backyard wasps for two years. Guess who won?: I’ve tried pesticides both natural and synthetic, as well as DIY remedies, but nothing has worked. So I turned to the experts for advice. - "'I wish organic insecticides were safe and more effective, but the truth of the matter is, snake venom and ricin are organic, and both are highly deadly,' Lamp’l says. Vinegar can be lethal to frogs, toads and lizards, he adds. 'Organic gives people peace of mind, but it’s really a misconception.'

...

"'People think anything laboratory-made is bad and anything natural is good, but that’s not necessarily true,' Brown says. 'Water is a chemical, and naturally derived products from plants like pyrethrins are chemicals too. A pesticide is a pesticide, whether it’s made in a laboratory, comes from a plant, or is soap and water.'"

Democrats fight over how to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins: The emerging Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Maine embodies a stark choice in a party trying to remake itself.

On the brink of a devastating canal collapse, a GOP district waits for Trump’s help: In an era of federal staffing and spending cuts, a small Washington state irrigation district is desperate for a lifeline.

Texas’s Pete: James Talarico is young, well spoken, and eager to talk with Republicans—exactly what some Democratic dreamers think they need to finally turn the state blue.

Just How Bad Would an AI Bubble Be?: The entire U.S. economy is being propped up by the promise of productivity gains that seem very far from materializing. - "Generative AI would not be the first tech fad to experience a wave of excessive hype. What makes the current situation distinctive is that AI appears to be propping up something like the entire U.S. economy. More than half of the growth of the S&P 500 since 2023 has come from just seven companies: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla. These firms, collectively known as the Magnificent Seven, are seen as especially well positioned to prosper from the AI revolution.

...

"Many experts believe that a major reason the U.S. economy has been able to weather tariffs and mass deportations without a recession is because all of this AI spending is acting, in the words of one economist, as a "massive private sector stimulus program." An AI crash could lead broadly to less spending, fewer jobs, and slower growth, potentially dragging the economy into a recession. The economist Noah Smith argues that it could even lead to a financial crisis if the unregulated "private credit" loans funding much of the industry's expansion all go bust at once."

The Abundance Delusion: I mean, what even is a Democrat at this point? - "Wonks who value the existence of the subway understand that more revenue-like, say, the millions of dollars annually that come from rider fares-means more resources for ride improvement and policing, which increases ridership, which in turn keeps the entire system alive. More honest wonks will even admit that a slight barrier of entry improves the ride dramatically for most people. But the far left fundamentally does not care about this. Ideologically, its adherents do not believe that an amazing transit system that only an overwhelming majority of people can afford is preferable to a grossly degraded system that everyone, technically, can access. This belief extends to roads, housing, schools, everything." [ed. note: a glimmer of a compelling argument in what otherwise boils down to "you need an authoritarian to get things done"]

The Epstein Letter Is Real, and It’s Bad: The president’s initial strategy of denying that the document exists leaves him with few options now that it has been made public.

Fear of Losing the Midterms Is Driving Trump’s Decisions: The specter of investigations and impeachment has fueled many of the president’s most dramatic actions.

New York NIMBYs Turn Against Democracy: Local lawmakers want to preserve their power to block housing. Does what voters think matter at all? - "An official at the city's Department of Housing Preservation & Development noticed that the members of one Queens community board habitually asked residents testifying at its meetings how long they had lived in the neighborhood, especially if they appeared to be of a different race or social standing. As a result, newcomers were implicitly discouraged from attending any meetings at all."

Kamala Harris explains why it wasn’t her fault: In an excerpt from her new memoir, she casts plenty of blame, including at the Biden White House. - "The Atlantic published an excerpt from Harris’s memoir on Wednesday morning, and the section suggests that the subtitle of her forthcoming book should be 'Why Nothing that Happened Last Year Was My Fault.'"

FBI leaders allege in lawsuit they were unlawfully fired over political loyalty: The former acting director says a Trump administration official asked a series of questions, including “Who did you vote for?”

FBI leaders allege in lawsuit they were unlawfully fired over political loyalty: The former acting director says a Trump administration official asked a series of questions, including “Who did you vote for?”

Reading archive 2025-07-21

A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk: People across the United States have endured rushed or premature attempts to remove their organs. Some were gasping, crying or showing other signs of life.

DC police commander suspended, accused of changing crime statistics Police union says directive to change offense classifications comes from command staff.

Trump exempts more than 100 polluters from environmental standards

‘The ghost of Epstein is haunting Trump’s presidency’: inside the ‘Maga’ revolt

Pregnant Mother in Tennessee Denied Care for Being Unmarried: The 2025 Medical Ethics Defense Act allows physicians to deny care to patients whose lifestyles they disagree with

Putin sticks to Ukraine war despite erosion of Russia’s global clout: Putin’s refusal to compromise on Ukraine, analysts say, is a colossal error costing Russia regional influence, lucrative energy markets and its place in the world.

Man dies after being pulled into MRI machine by chain necklace: The 61-year-old was wearing a large metallic chain around his neck when he was drawn into the machine, Nassau County police said. He later died of his injuries.

5 misunderstood foods and how to spot nutrition myths: Are raw milk, seed oils, uncured deli meat and more good for you?

Does red meat cause cancer? Here’s what the science says.: The data is concerning enough that the benefits of frequently eating red meat don’t outweigh the risks.

Four people have died from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida. Who's at risk?: The culprit, Vibrio vulnificus, thrives in warm seawater and can get into the body through open wounds in the skin.

Here’s the most baffling part of the Republican budget bill: A last-second budget deal spares states from cuts to food assistance if they make more mistakes. - "A few examples: Based on 2024 error rates (the closest we can get to the 2025 error rates upon which the initial carve-out will ultimately be based), Florida, which has a high error rate, would avoid nearly $1 billion in cuts in the first year alone. At the same time, Texas would get hit with a more than $700 million bill because its error rate is too low. Because of its higher error rate, New York would avoid roughly $1 billion in cuts — while California, which has a lower error rate, would pay almost $1.85 billion."

Former robber turned law professor in D.C. found guilty of assaulting wife: After nearly 11 years behind bars, Shon Hopwood became a lawyer and joined the Georgetown University faculty. Now, convicted again, he faces a return to prison.

‘Missing middle’ housing plan in Montgomery County faces backlash: A proposal to allow duplexes, triplexes and small apartments in certain corridors zoned for single-family homes is generating frustration and confusion among residents who fear how this will affect their neighborhoods.

Reading archive 2025-07-16 pt 2

Another Moderate Republican Opts Out: For the likes of Don Bacon, quitting Congress has become a familiar endgame.

Flattery, Firmness, and Flourishes: World leaders and diplomats quietly swap strategies for managing Trump.

The Biggest Myth About the YIMBY Movement: There’s nothing centrist or conservative about the push to lower housing costs. - "This is what a populist antitrust effort in housing looks like: undoing regulatory capture, breaking up economic gatekeeping, and creating a fairer market. And yet, in a spectacular act of projection, NIMBYs accuse housing advocates of conservatism even as they defend the interests of wealthy landowners protecting their cultural and economic turf. This smear campaign is meant to freeze blue-state efforts to help people struggling to afford a place to live. And if the broader left fails to recognize this NIMBY misinformation for what it is, it might work."

The Trump Administration Is About to Incinerate 500 Tons of Emergency Food: Federal workers warned for months that the high-energy biscuits would go to waste.

Putin Needs to Believe He Can’t Win: The way to get a peace agreement is to change the battlefield.

Reading archive 2025-05-06

Trump tariffs set off doubts — even in Rust Belt area he pledged to restore: Many people in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley — a major Rust Belt manufacturing hub in an election-deciding swing state — are skeptical that the president can deliver.

The group chats that changed America

Vulnerable Iowa Farmers Now Face Perils of Trump's Trade War: With high costs and low prices for their crops, soybean and corn farmers were already nervous as they planned for planting season this year. Tariffs aren't helping.

Trump tariffs set off doubts — even in Rust Belt area he pledged to restore: Many people in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley — a major Rust Belt manufacturing hub in an election-deciding swing state — are skeptical that the president can deliver.

From prosperity to austerity: Trump’s tone shifts ahead of tariff impacts: Trump has long promised to unleash a “golden age.” Now he is warning that Americans may have to cut back. - "Former Rep. Justin Amash (R-Michigan), a longtime critic of Trump, posted on social media several weeks ago: 'GOP in 2010: Stop the socialists! GOP in 2025: the conveniences of modern life are overrated. We will reorder the economy and redistribute wealth. Your losses are a small sacrifice for the glory of the nation!'"

Trump demands wartime sacrifices — just not for himself: Americans likely do not have the stomach for such austerity.

Zuckerberg’s new Meta AI app gets personal in a very creepy way: Meta’s chatbot remembers everything, even what you might not want it to.

How do I get rid of my dark circles? Try these simple tricks.: A cold tea bag or spoon can help reduce swelling under your eyes.

Big brands distance themselves from Pride events amid DEI rollback: LGBTQ+ celebrations coast to coast are facing funding shortfalls as corporate sponsors cut back. And even backers are electing to be “silent partners.”

Bowser wants to repeal 2022 law passed by voters on tipped minimum wage: The budget proposal is part of a broader effort to make D.C. more business-friendly in the face of a struggling economy.

The future of Metro is the bus: Forget about expensive new train lines, officials say. Not everyone is happy. - "'We’re spending hand over fist more than other countries in similar economic circumstances, and that’s not purely about the cost of labor or the cost of materials. It’s that … we’ve created an industry of vetoes that are available to anyone who objects,' Dunkelman said. 'Should we lower our aspirations knowing our process is screwed up or should we change the process so we can get more optimal solutions?'"

If you haven’t been worrying about AI, it’s time to start preparing Yes, AI will disrupt society and work, but it’s not doomsday.

Real-Life Conclave Rivals Drama of Movie Version: Infighting, smear campaigns, papal letters from beyond the grave: The conclave is giving the film a run for its money.

"you're so NOT protecting the dolls": On the flattening of conversations like supporting the transgender community and a meditation on the incoming great Millennial pivot. - "But Pedro? That’s different. It’s very political to be photographed in 2025, days after a country rules out a group of people, to articulate support in ways that translates in multiple mediums at an event sponsored by Disney. That is using your platform effectively. That is the least one can do which, like Conner Ives, has resulted in raising tens of thousands of dollars to support the cause. Yes, it speaks to pretty privilege confusing bricks and dolls and, yes, more must be done than donning shirts or else we fall into black squares. Connect the dolls to their dreams! How and why is protection needed? Literally speak up for trans people. Defend them! Love them! Treat them as people! That is what the shirt aspires to but, somehow, it got caught in the modern trap of leftist infighting relating to everything from “Kamala is a cop. All politicians are bad!” to “Millennials are cringe and you should hate them.”: it cheapens intent and blunts action by focusing on purity over potential power, opting for very Democrat half-lifing of movements by over-intellectualizing plurality. “There’s room for everybody: let’s just say that,” Gia Gunn once said."

How M.L.M. world works on Instagram and TikTok - "The main difference between the in-person pitches of the 1970s and the video pitches of the 2020s is that technology makes it a lot easier to lie about the opportunity of a lifetime at scale."

U.S. Chamber of Commerce asks Trump for tariff exclusions to ‘stave off a recession’

Texas’s Crypto-Mining Racket: Public officials are propping up a Texas Bitcoin boom that’s threatening water and energy systems while afflicting locals with noise pollution.

Trump Will Regret Messing With Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers: The president’s bully politics are blowing up on him internationally, and threats to arrest a Midwestern governor will produce domestic blowback.

Just for a second I thought I remembered you: Being compelled to ask yet again, Are friends electric? - "The latest candidate for the canon is Zuckerberg’s claim on a podcast this week (detailed by 404 Media here) that 'the average American has, I think, it’s fewer than three friends, and the average person has demand for meaningfully more. I think it's something like 15 friends or something.' He says that 'people just don't have as much connection as they want,' and suggests technology can remedy the deficit by simulating it. The aim telegraphed by these inept statements is Meta’s hope to replace human friends with chatbot products under the auspices of combating 'the loneliness epidemic.'"

Will China Escalate?: Despite Short-Term Stability, the Risk of Military Crisis Is Rising - "The reelection of U.S. President Donald Trump did little to shake Beijing’s optimism that it can navigate continued threats from the United States, secure a lasting equilibrium, and vie for global supremacy. And Trump’s early second-term actions have strengthened Beijing’s conviction that the United States is accelerating its own decline, bringing a new era of parity ever closer. The perception that China likely does not face an existential threat from the United States has had a stabilizing effect on policy in Beijing, which has responded to Trump’s escalation of trade tensions in April with patience, anticipating that Trump will eventually lower U.S. tariffs in an attempt to reach an agreement."

How to Prepare for the Trumpcession: I don’t know what’s happening, but I’m stocking up on ibuprofen. - "Something stranger than a recession is brewing too. Fewer container ships are leaving Shanghai and Shenzhen. Fewer container ships are docking in Seattle, Tacoma, Los Angeles, and Oakland. The West Coast longshore union is warning of mass layoffs, given the decline in import volume. A link in the supply chain has broken, and I expect others to crack soon: freight haulers, trucking companies, last-mile contractors, delivery drivers."

Don’t Look at Stock Markets. Look at the Ports.: A drop in maritime traffic suggests that the worst is yet to come.

The ‘Significant Risk’ That Republicans Tank the Economy: How the GOP’s indecision in Congress could crash the markets

The U.S. Threat Looming Over Canada: The consequences if Trump followed through on his belligerent rhetoric about a “51st state” would be catastrophic. - "The definitive end of the status quo came with the president's casual comment that he would sell only deliberately downgraded F-47s to allies who purchased American military hardware, 'because someday, maybe they're not our allies.' From that point on, spending on equipment from the American military-industrial complex is a form of national suicide for any country in the free world. Canada could no longer comfortably sit within the American military sphere.

Reading archive 2025-04-07

The Good News About Trump’s Tariffs: Authoritarian leaders are most dangerous when they’re popular. Wrecking the economy is unlikely to broaden Trump’s support.

No Tariff Exemptions for American Farmers: They voted for the tariffs when they voted for Trump. - "On average, farm families earn higher total incomes than nonfarm families, and their debt-to-equity ratio is typically low.

...

"During the 2024 election campaign, Americans were told, in effect, that no sacrifice was too great to revive the domestic U.S. toaster-manufacturing industry. If that claim is true, then farmers should be proud to pay more and receive less, making the same sacrifice as any other American. 

"But if a farm family voted for Trump, believing that his policies were good, it seems strange that they would then demand that they, and only they, should be spared the full consequences of those policies. Tariffs are the dish that rural America ordered for everyone. Now the dish has arrived at the table. For some reason, they do not want to partake themselves or pay their share of the bill."

Amid anti-DEI push, National Park Service rewrites history of Underground Railroad: Since Trump took office, the park service —- an agency charged with preserving American history —- has changed how its website describes key moments from slavery to Jim Crow.

This common cause of bloating has nothing to do with food: Abdomino-phrenic dyssynergia may be to blame for frequent bloating in many people. There are ways to manage it and multiple causes.

D.C. needs housing. Why has it taken 25 years to build on this parking lot?: The parking lot near Metro’s Takoma station was slated for housing in 2000. Then came the neighborhood opposition that hasn’t stopped.

What I learned about ‘America First’ in a Pennsylvania steel mill: On the ground with U.S. Steel workers lobbying Trump to approve a foreign deal.

These recycling techniques could help keep clothes out of landfills: Researchers are experimenting with using static electricity and other techniques to separate the components of hard-to-recycle mixed fabrics.

Reading archive 2024-08-27

After virtual academy closes, student heads to classroom for the first time: Montgomery County Public Schools closed a virtual academy. Now, some of its students are bracing to go back to school in person.

This state calls itself the ‘most pro-life.’ But moms there keep dying.: Giving birth in Arkansas, especially its rural southeast, comes with more risk and less care. The challenges feel acute for someone like doula Hajime White. - "Arkansas already has one of the nation’s worst maternal mortality rates, and mothers in this area die at a rate exceeding the state average. Ninety-two percent of recent maternal deaths were preventable, a state review committee found.

...

"Though teen birth rates are falling nationally, federal data shows the statistic for Arkansas is almost twice the U.S. average. Lack of access to contraception is a major factor; the rate at which teens in Arkansas have unprotected sex is 75 percent higher, according to a report from the nonprofit Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families."

Opinion How Rep. Mike Gallagher, a rising GOP star, was driven out of politics

More than 200 former Bush, McCain and Romney staffers endorse Harris: An open letter warned that a second Donald Trump presidency “will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions.”

D.C. police starting new unit dedicated to street traffic safety: Traffic enforcement has dropped precipitously since the pandemic while traffic fatalities have gone up.

First day of school in D.C. brings new book bags and buildings: D.C. Public Schools reopened several schools after multimillion-dollar renovations.

Chinese government hackers penetrate U.S. internet providers to spy: Beijing’s hacking effort has “dramatically stepped up from where it used to be,” says former top U.S cybersecurity official.

Lawsuit to keep single-family zoning in Alexandria likely heading to trial: A judge ruled that a group of Alexandria homeowners can move ahead in suing the Northern Virginia city over its “Zoning for Housing” plan.

Scientists have more evidence to explain why billions of crabs vanished around Alaska - "Fishermen and scientists were alarmed when billions of crabs vanished from the Bering Sea near Alaska in 2022. It wasn’t overfishing, scientists explained — it was likely the shockingly warm water that sent the crabs’ metabolism into overdrive and starved them to death."

Cows obstruct Nigeria’s capital as climate change and development leave herders with nowhere to go

Why Democrats are so quiet about climate change right now: Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democrats have not made significant mentions of climate change or the environment in recent stump speeches.

Good and Bad Critiques of the Trump Civil Fraud Verdict - "But some of the defenses offered on behalf of Trump simply don’t hold water, chief among them the claim that Trump’s conduct was somehow victimless and that the counterparties, primarily banks and insurance companies, came out fine."

Thoughts on Judge Engoron's Opinion, A Response to Calabresi: A different take. - "They were able to repay the loans, true, but they wouldn't have gotten the loans without the lies.  And they reaped massive profits from lying, Judge Engoron concludes, as they were able to make deals they wouldn't have been able to make, and at rates they wouldn't have been able to get, had they been truthful."

YIMBYs' Premature Victory Dance at the DNC: Kamala Harris' promise to end the housing shortage and adopt rent control shows that YIMBY ideas are just one of several competing housing policy agendas within the Democratic Party. - "She has endorsed President Joe Biden's call for federal rent control, a disastrous policy with a long track record of reducing rental housing supply and quality. She's called for $25,000 down payment subsidies for first-time homebuyers, something that could increase supply somewhat but will also certainly increase home prices."

Plastics Are Better for the Climate Than Aluminum and Glass, Actually: Producing plastics from fossil fuels emits a lot of carbon dioxide, but a new study finds the life cycle emissions are actually lower than glass and aluminum. - "The good news is that some companies and researchers are developing nearly endlessly recyclable plastics. Currently, UBQ Materials turns unsorted household wastes including single-use plastics into thermoplastics that can be subsequently recycled as many as five times—a process that cuts greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 percent. In addition, researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed an 'infinitely recyclable' bio-based plastic called polydiketoenamine that cuts greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 98 percent compared to conventional plastics."

The thread connecting Robert Kennedy Jr., chemtrails and Project 2025: Robert Kennedy Jr.’s exotic beliefs are no barrier to his having authority in a Trump administration. Nor will the Project 2025 authors’. - "'We are going to stop this crime,' Kennedy pledged to user 'Concerned Citizen.' The crime? 'Chemtrails,' the conspiracy theory that the lines planes trace in the sky are not water vapor (which they are) but at least occasionally dangerous chemicals being released for some nebulously explained population-control effort."

Reading archive 2024-06-15

June 14, 2024 Letter from the Mayor - "This summer, approximately 12,000 young people will earn and learn through the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. Thousands of kids and teens will participate in DPR sports, arts, and science camps." [ed. note: email newsletter]

Trump pledged to pardon Jan. 6 rioters. He faces pressure to name names.: The presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s campaign said he will decide pardons on a “case-by-case” basis without specifying factors.

Trump portrays rampant crime in speech at Black church in Detroit: The presumptive Republican nominee, who hopes to dent Biden’s advantage among Black voters, has often disparaged communities where many African Americans live

Meet the 24-year-old trying to solve Biden’s problems with young voters: Eve Levenson, the Biden campaign’s national youth engagement director, may have one of the hardest jobs in American politics. - "In a recent Harvard Youth Poll, a large majority of young Americans disapproved of Biden’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, 76 percent to 18 percent. But the same poll found young people ranked 'Israel/Palestine' 15th out of 16 areas of concern.

...

"Sohali Vaddula, communications director for the group, said 'they are doing a lot more [young voter outreach] than we’ve ever seen in the past,' but she fears the campaign does not understand 'the gravitas of the situation' of young voters’ frustration over Gaza." [ed. note: and that's why no one takes young people seriously]

Philippines turns up heat over disputed sea but confronts formidable foe: A recent voyage in the South China Sea revealed the challenge as a flotilla of wooden fishing boats drew an armada of Chinese warships and coast guard vessels.

Customers love this Georgetown bagel shop. Some neighbors want it closed.: The beloved Call Your Mother bagel shop is seeking to convince a D.C. zoning board that it should be allowed to serve sandwiches.

After decades of hurdles, historic sand filtration site now a D.C. park: On Saturday, Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) will cut the ribbon to open the Reservoir Park Recreation Center at the old sand filtration site.

Red states strike deals to show controversial conservative videos in schools: Educational material from PragerU is now offered to public schools in six states. Opponents call it indoctrination and inaccurate.

Reading archive 2023-05-31

Opinion  Give D.C.’s grand movie palace a Hollywood ending

The Panic in Cleveland Park [ed. note: from 1986]

How Cleveland Park’s getting its groove back - "Losing critically acclaimed restaurants Palena, Dino’s, and Ripple, almost in immediate succession, jolted residents."

U.S. scolds China for refusing to talk after midair military encounter: Secretary of State Antony Blinken called last week’s incident over the South China Sea ‘dangerous’ and an example of why the two powers must have ‘regular, open lines of communication’

11-year-old charged in robberies as D.C. struggles to quell youth violence

D.C. youth feel left out of the school safety debate. Eight weigh in.

Reading archive 2023-02-22

In wake of Ukraine war, U.S. and allies are hunting down Russian spies: Officials caution that Russia retains significant capabilities despite exposure of multiple operatives in Europe

Ex-ISIS teen bride Shamima Begum loses appeal to regain British citizenship

Notice of Infractions: Notice No. U 100286

Pythons are snacking on GPS-wearing opossums that give up their locations

Europe awakens to the threat of sabotage by Russian agents: Attacks on critical infrastructure from France to Denmark bear the hallmark of Russian operatives, experts say.

Poland reviews security after divers found near key port

Putin, czar with no empire, needs military victory for his own survival

Where U.S. house prices may be most overvalued as climate change worsens: While individual homeowners stand to collectively lose billions as hurricanes and heavy rains intensify flooding, local governments that rely on property taxes also could suffer crippling decreases in revenue

Meet the climate scientist helping guide Biden on spy agencies: Kim Cobb answers questions about her hopes to infuse Biden’s intelligence discussions with climate expertise

Arizona’s top prosecutor concealed records debunking election fraud claims: Newly released documents show how Republican Mark Brnovich publicized an incomplete account of his office’s probe of the 2020 election in Maricopa County - "Sonny Borrelli, a GOP state senator who had alleged a coverup of election irregularities, did not repeat those claims during an interview but did provide what he said was the name of a deceased voter, the memo stated. Investigators learned that the alleged deceased voter was alive, had not voted and was not a resident of Arizona."

Georgia juror unsettles Trump investigation with revealing interviews: Emily Kohrs may have added to the challenge for Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis, whose investigation has come under scrutiny for what some have described legal and ethical missteps

National Zoo debuts a serene new habitat for birds and humans: Historic bird building re-creates the quiet habitats of migratory birds that visitors can experience

Montgomery turned a road into a park. Residents want the street back. - "To solve the cut-through conundrum, Montgomery Parks decided keep the road open but restrict traffic to two lanes from Arlington to Dorset in late-2022. The result, traffic studies showed, was healthy flow on Little Falls and an end to cut-through traffic in the Kenwood neighborhood. 

"But some residents refute the data presented by public officials, because it does not match what they claim to be seeing with their own eyes." [ed. note: fucking lol]

Inside the Taliban campaign to forge a religious emirate: Afghanistan’s new rulers are replacing civil rights with ‘God’s law’

ALEX JONES ON ALLEGED FBI MONITORING OF NICK FUENTES: ‘IT’S A TRAP’