Reading archive 2024-08-09

TV ad blitz launched in Maryland Senate race: Republican nominee Larry Hogan puts $2 million behind casting himself as an independent. His opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, frames the contest as a fight to protect a Democratic majority.

Assessing claims about Tim Walz’s military service: Republicans are attacking the Democratic vice-presidential nominee on his retirement timing and with allegations of “stolen valor.”

"Bringing back the joy": Kamala Harris' rally blows away JD Vance's weird appearance across town: In Philadelphia, thousands cheered for Tim Walz, while Trump's running mate spoke to a small, aggrieved group

White Dudes for Harris have assembled. What comes next?: Their Zoom call got lots of attention and raised millions, but some worry about how the demographic mobilization could be perceived. - "'Everybody needs space. We’re not the segregated South of the 1960s, we’re just organizing,' says Bakari Sellers, a Democratic strategist and Harris ally. 'There are conversations that White men have to have amongst themselves, there are conversations that Black women need to have amongst themselves — issues that matter to them more than they matter to others.'"

Opinion ‘Weird’ doesn’t begin to capture the Trump-Vance campaign: As Democrats play to massive, raucous crowds, the Republican ticket is busy courting angry young men. - "'Every type of white man that gets a hasty ‘swipe left’ on his dating profile was in attendance,' wrote Salon’s Amanda Marcotte, including 'glowering loners staring at the two women under 40 like cats watching birds out a window.'"

#GuyonPorch and #WomaninCar were a D.C. mood on Jan. 6. And now.: They embodied the feelings of most D.C. residents during the insurrection. Steeling for more drama, they’re now cautiously optimistic. - "Harris would represent many firsts if she’s elected to the Oval Office. 

"And her inauguration would be Jan. 20, Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday."

Billion-dollar deficits, drastic cuts: Metro faces fiscal catastrophe: D.C.’s transit system dodged a crisis this year, but far bigger ones loom if the region doesn’t take action. - "Fares would need to jump more than 500 percent to address the kind of deficits the agency has faced, according to a Metro presentation last year, which contemplated a $19.35 one-way fare to Metro Center from Bethesda — or $32.70 from Ashburn.

...

"In December 2019, Metro’s board of directors approved a four-year collective bargaining agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, which represents more than 9,000 Metro train and bus operators, station managers, mechanics, custodians and others. It included a 1 percent bonus wage increase for workers if rail and bus ridership increased by at least 2 percent from one year to the next. 

"Then the world was upended. 

"The pandemic slashed Metrorail ridership by more than 90 percent. After the system hit bottom, 2 percent growth has been a cinch. Workers got their bonus, which cost the agency $5.8 million in 2023 alone, even though ridership remains down."

Moscow rushes to send troops as Ukrainian attack on Kursk tests Kremlin: The surprise incursion by Ukrainian forces into western Russia posed the biggest challenge for President Vladimir Putin since the June 2023 uprising of Wagner mercenaries.

The other problem with Donald Trump’s helicopter ride story: At his news conference Thursday, the former president apparently invented the sort of tale for which he once excoriated a hated member of the news media.

Harris rallies get edgy with four-letter words: The vice president, known to curse liberally behind closed doors, is one of the few not swearing onstage at rallies that are growing in size — and spiciness. - "'We have to know that sometimes people will open the door for you and leave it open,' Harris said in a moderated conversation with actor and comedian Jimmy O. Yang at a meeting of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies. 'Sometimes they won’t, and then you need to kick that f---ing door down.'"

Reading archive 2024-08-08

Not every map is the same, actually - "For example, only-one-map-itis underlies the repeated, off-base assumption that automated traffic enforcement cameras in Black neighborhoods are unequivocally bad for Black residents, a belief that portends to center racial equity, but ignores that neighborhoods on the District’s east side were ripped to shreds, then sutured together with asphalt specifically for suburban commuters, in a way that upper Northwest neighborhoods never were. Who drives on those roads matters just as much as where the roads are. Maps can show a lot, but they can’t show it all."

Here’s what a freeway through Mount Pleasant and Tenleytown would have looked like - "But the middle of the Civil Rights movement, Bartholomew’s accusations of selfishness backfired: the highly motivated activists joined a citywide coalition to stop all of the highways and build the Metro system. This period is often called the “freeway revolt.” Planners took most of the roads off the map, starting with I-70S. Urban renewal efforts shifted from slum clearance to rehabilitation."

The Freeway Revolts and Lamond-Riggs

D.C. heat island effect among worst in U.S.

Trump’s focus on Georgia election board raises fears for November vote: The board’s majority enacted a series of changes to state election rules this week, days after Trump singled its members out for praise at his Atlanta rally.

Trump holds meandering news conference, where he agrees to debate Harris: The Republican nominee made the announcement during an appearance where he made false or baseless claims as he sought to regain his footing against his Democratic rival.

How Tim Walz’s personal finances compare to J.D. Vance, other politicians: Walz’s financial portfolio makes him by far the least wealthy candidate on either major party ticket this year.

Viral Harris-Walz camo hats riff on red-state style, draw ire of NRA: The sold-out, back-ordered campaign merch is a send-up of the Minnesota governor’s trademark Midwestern dad fashion. It’s also giving MAGA a run for its money.

Masculinity’s check-engine light is on. Let Tim Walz have a look.: Vice-presidential nominee Walz’s “Midwestern dad vibe” comes with opportunities to rethink a whole tool kit of types. - "The outpouring of love Walz is receiving — and the specific form it’s taking — makes it plain that masculinity isn’t under attack. Masculinity can be celebrated; people are longing to celebrate it. It’s the weird masculinity — the “He-Man Woman Haters Club,” as Walz put it during an interview a few weeks ago — that people have a problem with. The kind that confuses leadership with authoritarianism, strength with domination, and protection with control. Or to put it another way: For all of the complaints that liberal women hate all men, as of this week, all of the ones I know would run into a burning building to save Tim Walz."

Battles persist in western Russia after bold cross-border attack by Ukraine: A surprise incursion into the Kursk region appeared to use Western-donated fighting vehicles. The U.S. offered no objections to the operation.

Watchdog: Too many D.C. Metro trains are run by exhausted (or drunk) drivers: The report from the Metro safety watchdog highlights the issue of exhausted and drunk drivers on Metro trains and urges rule changes.

D.C. man claims self-defense in killing of unarmed 13-year-old: Jason Lewis, a former city employee who worked with youth, is on trial for second-degree murder in the 2023 death of Karon Blake, who Lewis alleged was breaking into cars. - "Blake said she went to bed the night of Jan. 6 believing that her son was asleep in his room. Around 11:30 the next morning, D.C. police called to tell her he was gone. 

"'He was a good boy,' she said. 'He was just trying to spread his wings faster than he should have.'"[ed. note: kid was a POS]

D.C. buildings official resigns after probe finds she had 2nd full-time job: Caroline Lian, deputy director of the Department of Buildings, held an undisclosed full-time job with Freddie Mac, a city report said.

Trump took a private flight with Project 2025 leader in 2022: Trump took the flight to speak at a Heritage Foundation conference, where he said, “They’re going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do."

Trump isn’t campaigning as hard as he used: to In 2016 and even 2020, Trump kept up a brisk pace of events in the summer. This year, he hasn’t.

Recall campaigns against two D.C. lawmakers falling short as deadlines near: Major hurdles remain for both recall efforts against council members Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) and Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1).

At what point would his base accept a Trump loss?: The presidential contest is, once again, a contest. Is there a way to avoid a widespread rejection of the results?

With Harris and Walz in, some Democrats still weigh skipping the polls: Activists urged voters to take a stand against the Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Gaza war. These tensions linger over the Harris ticket.

Walz’s ‘couch’ quip, and Democrats’ growing comfort in going low: The Democratic VP nominee’s apparent reference to a lewd, fake internet story reflects a more bare-knuckle campaign against a GOP presidential nominee who has spent years plumbing new depths.

Reading archive 2024-08-07

Happy Warriors in Philly: Plus: Donald Trump gets his Aaron Sorkin on.

‘Scott, Scott, Scott’: Jamie Gangel Tells Fellow CNN Panelist the Real Reason Harris Didn’t Choose Shapiro

MAGA Gov Candidate’s Ugly, Hateful Rant: “Some Folks Need Killing!” Mark Robinson, the GOP nominee for governor in North Carolina, has a long history of incendiary comments. But he may have topped himself this time.

‘Republicans for Harris’ launch features key names, impressive numbers: Given the state of the GOP, it’s not easy for any Democratic candidate to pick up cross-party backing, but Kamala Harris is now backed by many Republicans.

How time in nature builds happier, healthier and more social children: Time outdoors — even a walk around the neighborhood — helps children’s cognition, stress levels and general growth.

Trump complains about campaign as advisers try to focus on attacking Harris: The GOP nominee has grown increasingly upset about Kamala Harris’s surging poll numbers and media coverage since replacing Joe Biden on the ticket.

Pelosi on Biden: ‘We did not have a campaign that was on the path to victory’: The former House speaker gave her most extensive explanation of her actions that helped push the president out of the 2024 campaign

Harris responds to Michigan rally protesters: ‘I’m speaking’: The shouted pro-Palestinian slogans at Harris’s Michigan rally were the first sustained protests she has experienced since beginning her campaign.

Tim Walz’s military record, National Guard departure get new scrutiny: The Harris-Walz campaign has cited his Army experience as an asset. But Republicans and some who served with him have questioned claims about his service.

JD Vance in texts with far-right figure: Profane and off-the-cuff: Private messages show Trump’s running mate entertaining conspiracy theories and scorning the late Sheldon Adelson.

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Maryland ban on assault-style weapons upheld by U.S. appeals court: 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals repeatedly cites seminal ‘Heller’ decision, which enshrined right to arms for self-defense but not for mass murder.

D.C. 911 center under fire again after baby dies during computer outage: It is unclear whether delays in delivering advanced medical care contributed to the five-month-old’s death.

How sprinter Gabby Thomas, other Olympic athletes improve their sleep: Jet lag and anxiety are just some of the obstacles athletes face when trying to get to sleep. Here’s how they overcome them.

D.C. teen pleads guilty to fatally stabbing his father in November: The teen pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and could have his case dismissed in three years if he successfully completes diversion agreement.

Virginia man charged with threatening to torture and kill Harris, DOJ says: Frank Carillo of Winchester, Va., allegedly threatened Vice President Harris and other officials on social media and posted about firearms and committing shootings.

Opinion A D.C. drug lord says he’s back, better than ever. Hold the cheers.: Rayful Edmond’s release from prison after 35 years rekindles questions about the damage he inflicted.

Reading archive 2024-08-06

This High Schooler Invented an A.I.-Powered Trap That Zaps Invasive Lanternflies: Using solar power, machine learning and her family’s patio umbrella, 18-year-old Selina Zhang created a synthetic tree that lures the destructive species

I Put Up a Fence in Maine. Why Did It Cause Such a Fuss?

Harris chooses Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as VP pick: Walz, who has a record of winning over rural conservative voters, is little-known on the national stage.

EPA takes emergency action to stop use of dangerous pesticide: The pesticide, known as DCPA, is known to harm fetuses and “needs to be removed from the market immediately,” an EPA official said.

How I fed my family for days with food that was bound for the trash: A new generation of apps are rescuing food from the landfills at a fraction of the retail price at restaurants and grocery stores.

Opinion How to harden our defenses against an authoritarian president: A commander in chief with little concern for legal limits holds a big advantage over any lawful effort to restrain him.

Trump keeps attacking their spouses. Top GOPers keep supporting him anyway.: Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is the latest to find a family member in Donald Trump’s crosshairs.

RFK Jr. says he left a dead bear in Central Park as a joke a decade ago: In 2014, New York City authorities were baffled by the appearance of a dead bear cub in the park. Now the presidential candidate says he was responsible.

‘Ultra-cheap energy for every household’: could a different kind of tariff change everything? Rising block tariffs and national energy guarantee systems are almost unknown in Europe – but are flourishing elsewhere - "The idea is simple: the first block of energy, which is calculated to meet essential needs from heating to cooking and lighting, is either given at a reduced rate or free. The cost a unit then rises in additional blocks, meaning wealthier homes with excessive or non-essential consumption pay more."

The future of paper could come from gene-edited trees: Scientists are working to develop a tree that could ease the production of paper, resulting in less energy use and less pollution. - "The result: They cut the lignin content in some of those varieties almost in half. They also were able to boost the concentration of cellulose — the key ingredient in paper production — compared with lignin, making the trees better for pulping. The team published their findings last year in the prestigious journal Science."

I’m an oncologist. Here’s what I do to reduce my own cancer risk.: A recent study estimated that 40 percent of new cancer diagnoses in U.S. adults were due to modifiable factors such as diet and lifestyle.

Secretaries of state urge Musk to fix AI chatbot spreading false election info: Grok, the AI search assistant on Musk’s X platform, suggested that Kamala Harris had missed the ballot deadline in nine states. She hasn’t.

Boys are flocking to gymnastics classes, thanks to pommel horse guy: Representation matters in all forms, especially when an Olympic athlete like Stephen Nedoroscik is so relatable.

With Vance’s elevation, Pennsylvania voters reexamine Trump’s views on women: “Now that you’ve got Kamala in there, you’ve got a whole different ballgame,” one independent Pennsylvania voter said.

Opinion Republicans suddenly love crypto. Americans should beware. The cryptocurrency lobby is lining up behind Donald Trump. Voters should see nothing good in this.

Taiwan is readying citizens for a Chinese invasion. It’s not going well.: The government extended mandatory military service and revamped reservist training in an effort to make Beijing think twice. But it’s already falling short. - "While President Biden has repeatedly said he would send the U.S. military to defend Taiwan, Trump has made no such promises. Asked what he would do in an interview last month, Trump said that Taiwan was “9,500 miles away” and should pay for American defense."

Opinion How the broken immigration system is pushing skilled workers to enter illegally

Ex-GOP congressman Riggleman endorses Harris, rips Trump’s ‘thirst for power’: The former congressman was twice endorsed by Donald Trump but broke with him over Jan. 6.

Opinion  Trump seems to forget it’s not 2016 anymore. And he’s frustrated.: After nine long years, his old way of campaigning just isn’t going to cut it.

JD Vance’s Marine buddies back his service over his politics: Critics call his about-face on Trump an affront to the military’s most basic values. His friends say attacks on his service are out of bounds.

Opinion  The NABJ interview with Trump provides a model for media coverage No other sit-down this cycle has laid bare as much about the candidate. - "The mainstream media now faces a test of sorts. After the June 27 debate, the media spent three weeks flooding the zone with coverage of Biden’s frailty, in effect demanding every Democrat to defend Biden or distance themselves from him, and consulting a host of experts on aging. Failure to deploy similarly exacting treatment of Trump would confirm Democrats’ complaints that there is a bizarre double standard in coverage that allows Trump to escape appropriate scrutiny. It’s long past time to stop using euphemisms and soft-pedaling his bigotry. (As I have noted, the vast majority of outlets also have steered clear of assessing Trump’s mental and emotional state, despite repeated episodes in which his slurred speech, verbal glitches, incoherent ranting, mixing up people and bizarre references are obvious to anyone watching.)"

Why are humans such good distance runners? Science offers an answer.: At Paris Olympics, abundant sweat glands, little body hair, arched soles and spring-like Achilles tendons prime endurance runners to excel. - "We have physical features that are unusual or unknown in the rest of the animal kingdom, including abundant sweat glands, relatively little body hair, arched soles and springlike Achilles tendons. We have an abundance of slow-twitch fibers that are efficient for endurance pursuits. (Fast-twitch muscles are better for sprinting.)"

Opinion  Why not run a team against Trump? Kamala Harris should borrow from the best comic books and get a band together.

Reading archive 2024-08-2 through 2024-08-04

How to make an Olympic chocolate muffin like the one athletes love: Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen made the muffins go viral, and now bakers are scrambling to develop dupe recipes.

$10M cash withdrawal drove secret probe into whether Trump took money from Egypt: Political appointees rejected efforts to search for additional evidence investigators believed might provide answers, then closed the case.

Inspector general issues report on Secret Service’s handling of Jan. 6 attack: The Department of Homeland Security’s chief watchdog issued long-awaited findings on the Secret Service’s handling of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Youth, 14, fatally shot outside recreation center in Northeast Washington: Police say an 18-year-old was also shot and critically injured, steps from the Lamond Recreation Center. - "In 2023, the Office of the Attorney General in D.C. declined to pursue charges in at least four cases against [the deceased], which included unauthorized use of a vehicle and armed robbery, according to three officials. Earlier this year, the attorney general’s office charged him with two robberies and unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to one of the officials.

...

"Bailey-Carroll said she did not know anything about her son’s police record. She said she did not believe her son had been targeted in the shooting. 'I don’t think anyone was after him,' she said. 

"He has 11 siblings, she said, ranging from ages 4 to 21. She said David wrote and played music and wanted to be a rap artist."

Intel, eyed for billions in U.S. grants, will fire 15,000 workers: The layoff announcement by one of the nation’s largest chip makers is a setback for the Biden administration’s campaign to revitalize U.S. chip manufacturing.

Opinion Trump’s ‘disciplined’ campaign is unraveling: The out of control Trump — suppressed in recent months with varying degrees of success — is back.

American teacher detained in Russia ‘left behind again’ in prisoner swap: American schoolteacher Marc Fogel has remained in custody in Russia since 2021, when he was charged with smuggling a small amount of marijuana into the country.

Reading archive 2024-08-01

Video of fatal SWAT shooting: ‘Listen to mommy ... they’re going to kill you.’: A SWAT officer’s video indicates the man he shot was holding a gun in their Montgomery County encounter. But what exactly prompted officers to go in when they did is unclear.

A long shot for vice president, Pete Buttigieg is suddenly everywhere: In a reshaped race, the transportation secretary has dialed up his role as a key political messenger for the Democratic Party.

Opinion ‘Weird’ does not begin to describe the Trump threat: Sure, there are upsides to this strategy. But Vice President Harris’s team needs to use it with caution. - "As journalist Joe Conason put it, 1930s-era dictators 'were mocked as buffoons in their day, but when they suddenly came to power the joke was no longer quite so funny.' In some sense, Trump’s misplaced vanity, narcissism and ignorance are laughable. But we should never forget that those very qualities make him impervious to shame and contemptuous of social norms and legal restraints."

Gen X and millennials at higher cancer risk than older generations: Cancer rates for 17 of the 34 most common cancers are increasing in progressively younger generations, a large new study shows.

High levels of ultra-processed foods linked with early death, brain issues: Such foods encompass a broad category, including cookies, doughnuts, potato chips, hot dogs, white bread and frozen meals

A list of people freed in prisoner swap deal with Russia: Journalists, including Evan Gershkovich, and political activists were released by Russia for spies and a convicted assassin.

How false claims about a mass stabbing led to a riot in the U.K. The riot in Southport, England, followed false claims that an immigrant was responsible for the attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class that killed three girls. - "Because of the suspect’s age, his name has not been released by authorities. But he was born in Britain — in Cardiff, Wales — police stressed, and had been living in the nearby community of Banks. The BBC and Financial Times reported that his parents were originally from Rwanda."

Opinion  At NABJ, Trump was both a missile and a mirror: At the convention, Donald Trump was given a forum to attack and degrade us while we listened politely.

Opinion  Harris is playing Trump’s game: Her response to Donald Trump’s bigotry was a missed opportunity to deliver her own message. - "Trump intends to run the only campaign he has ever been capable of running — an attack on multiculturalism and changing demographics. Trump’s argument, reduced to its core, is that the America of his youth is being ruined by immigrants and coddled minorities, and Democrats are too controlled by the cult of diversity to do anything about it.

...

"Whereas it’s actually Trump who is endlessly obsessed with identity — that’s the point. And so a more disciplined response from Harris would have sounded something like: 'I don’t know why he’s talking about me being Black again, or where I grew up, or whatever. It’s kind of strange, this fixation with who belongs and who doesn’t. The vast majority of Americans don’t really define each other by skin color or where their parents came from anymore, but I guess Donald missed all that.'"

Biden, Trump exchange jabs as Russia prisoner swap turns political: The intricate, seven-country prisoner exchange — coming just 96 days before Election Day — was quickly thrust into the nation’s fraught political landscape.

School taught JD Vance to see a divided nation — and to use that division: From fitting in at Ohio State University to feeling like an outsider at Yale Law School, Vance learned how to move between worlds, supporters say. Opponents say he learned to be an exploitative chameleon. - "Nelson also recalled Vance waxing 'vicious' in his critique of Yale’s “elite” culture, but noted he wasted no time in figuring out how to plumb the school’s vast resources, especially its well-connected professors who could provide entree to prestigious summer jobs."

Paul Whelan, a former Marine, showed defiance throughout his detention: He was serving a 16-year sentence after an espionage conviction that the U.S. government called a farce. [ed. note: dude is a POS]

Reading archive 2024-07-31

X suspends ‘White Dudes for Harris’ account after massive fundraiser: The suspension led to unease about how Musk could use X to sway voters in the final stretch of the campaign, even as Republicans welcome his influence.

In 911 call day before shooting, Sonya Massey’s mom pleaded: Don’t hurt her: Newly obtained recordings show that local law enforcement knew of Massey and that her mother had asked 911, “Please don’t send no combative policemen that are prejudiced.”

Shingles vaccine linked with lower dementia risk, study shows: The research adds to growing recognition that infectious agents may play a role in the development of some types of dementia.

Opinion  Behind Russia’s absence at the Olympics, a deepening fury: After the war in Ukraine ends, the Kremlin might seek revenge against the United States and Europe.

‘The perfect storm times three’: Crime, political chaos divide Oakland: A run of bad news has revived some of the most pernicious stereotypes about Oakland. But its image as crime-ridden and dysfunctional obscures the whole story.

Massive dragonfly swarms delight some beachgoers, terrify others: Social media videos showed people screaming and panicking as they were surrounded by the insects at Rhode Island beaches.

‘I thought it was safe’: Why lawsuits are mounting over this chemical linked to cancer: A slew of environmental groups, meanwhile, have sued the Environmental Protection Agency in federal court, arguing that a March update of national emissions standards doesn’t do enough to protect residents from cancer-causing pollutants, including ethylene oxide. - "The EPA risk model is based on estimates reported by the facilities, said senior author Peter DeCarlo, an associate professor in the university’s Department of Environmental Health and Engineering. 'I think they’re very frequently, and most of the time, very big underestimates.'"

The fight to make landlords turn down the thermostat: Cooling proposals are similar to protections many tenants have for adequate heating. But some see cost as a hurdle.

A surprising byproduct of wildfires: Contaminated drinking water

Jimmer Fredette, a cult hoops hero, is back as a three-on-three Olympian: Thirteen years after his days as a college basketball phenomenon, the former BYU standout is realizing a dream in Paris.

Climate leaders say Harris has ‘lit an electric spark’ with young voters: More than 350 environmentalists endorse her candidacy, saying it could help energize climate-minded voters, less than 100 days before the 2024 election. [ed. note: this is so stupid, Biden has done more on climate than anyone ever]

How to make all your food waste disappear: Composting is not for everyone. But have you tried a solar digester?

Have babies for Russia: Putin presses women to embrace patriotism over feminism

Hundreds of ‘Harris for President’ golf carts roll through Trump stronghold: The Trump stronghold saw hundreds of decorated golf carts lining its streets on Saturday in a show of support for Vice President Harris.

‘White Dudes for Harris’ — including The Dude himself — raise over $4M: The Zoom fundraiser for Vice President Harris, attended by Jeff Bridges, Mark Hamill and Pete Buttigieg among others, raised over $4 million, organizers said.

D.C. meets goal to add 36,000 housing units ahead of schedule: Officials expect the housing construction boom to cool rocketing rental prices in the city.

D.C. region under drought watch as officials advise limiting water use: Officials says short showers and other limits on water use can help the region as heat continues.

Artists say Putin’s push for patriotism is killing Russian culture

How the Murdoch family ended up in a legal fight over the future of Fox: A move by the 93-year-old patriarch to preserve his global company’s conservative bent and consolidate power under one son triggered a battle among siblings. - "'It does strike me that there’s a way for there to be a conservative news channel that doesn’t slide into the fever swamps that have already cost Fox $787.5 million in claims,' he said."

‘Weird’ is the most effective insult Democrats have tried. Here’s why.: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and others are finding new potency in calling the Republicans as they see them: not normal. - "“They called us weird so I’ll call them weirder,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), according to an X post — but “weird” is an insult that doesn’t work both ways. Gay kids, trans kids, cat ladies and horse boys have already spent an entire lifetime being told they were weird, and they have learned to wear it as a badge of honor if they need to. But when your whole political movement is based on a return to some “Pleasantville” vision of American normalcy, 'weird' actually hurts. It’s not great to wonder whether, in the eyes of your fellow citizens, you’re just kind of ... lame."

How a school district took its spat with a local TV station to the FCC: A Loudoun County official claims WJLA’s reporting on hot-button issues shows a ‘dishonest’ slant. Station owner Sinclair calls it an attempt to ‘shut down critical news coverage.’

Probe finds ‘wasteful spending’ in Montgomery electric school bus effort: The report found vehicles weren’t delivered on time. The bus company’s chief executive said the contract allowed a grace period

Only a quarter of these trains are on time. The DOJ says it’s illegal.: The Justice Department is suing Norfolk Southern, accusing the private rail company illegally holding up Amtrak trains on a line that runs from New York to New Orleans.

D.C. police detain one of four teens who escaped a psychiatric facility: Authorities have not described their efforts to find the youths who escaped from the Psychiatric Institute of Washington or said why the search is into its third week.

The emails that brought down Enron still shape our daily lives

Opinion  Trump and Republicans are threatening to curb democracy in D.C.: A potential GOP takeover might be constitutional, but it is rankly undemocratic. - "Congressional Republicans might relish the prospect of ruling D.C. because legislating for the city is a good way to score points with their own constituents back home — while facing none from the disenfranchised people their actions actually affect."