Olive the single ladies
Iran continues its negotiations with the White House while also trying to resurrect its economy. / The Wall Street Journal [$]
Did Netanyahu and Trump really intend to install Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as a puppet leader in Iran? “The idea… would be a historical development for the fucking ages.” / Forever Wars
Danny Hillis: When democratic governments fail to serve their people, “history reveals a pattern that leaves reason for hope.” / Noema
See also: Counterfactuals are inherently surprising, which is why we are fascinated by them. / Colin McGinn
Wall Street is racing to create a commodities market for “compute,” the GPU power that fuels artificial intelligence. / Semafor
Central to the recent bull run in memory stocks is the belief that “the industry has shaken off its past cyclicality.” / CNBC
Samsung narrowly avoids a walkout by nearly 48,000 workers over benefits from the AI industry; the settlement gives 10.5% of the company’s semiconductor operating profit to chip workers. / rest of world, Reuters
An interview with Claude Code’s creator on the future of jobs. / Platformer
Thoughts from working writers, critics, artists, and editors on how they conceive of web writing. / Writing the Internet
Related: Artists across the web are showing that anyone can draw, and “you don’t need a robot and a data center to do it.” / It’s Nice That
If you enjoy these headlines, please join us as a Sustaining Member to support what we do and unlock access to paywalled links.
Ode to the Washington, DC, metro, “a testament to the value of good public design.” / The Wall Street Journal [$]
A woman explains what it’s like to track her husband, recently diagnosed with an early-onset subtype of Alzheimer’s, around New York City’s subway system. / The New York Times [$]
In the world of cocktails, Manhattans are being called “Boy Martinis.” / Punch
Why is former reality-show star Spencer Pratt gaining traction in the Los Angeles mayoral race? Blame “hyper-pure” meth and lethal fentanyl. / Dreamland
On “creepypastas,” “backrooms,” and other YouTube-esque horror motifs finding their way into Hollywood. / The Atlantic [$]
“Do I need a hydrogen candle? / Are the Angels into lasers?” For a midweek poem, how about “Psalm for My Faith” by Jack Agüeros. / The Poetry Foundation
Thank you to yesterday’s anonymous new supporter! And to all of our supporters!