It feels like we’ve turned a corner
“MAGA is me. MAGA loves everything I do, and I love everything I do, too” is something the president of the United States said in an interview where he declared the US is not at war with Venezuela. / NBC News
Journalists must call Trump's power grab in Venezuela what it is: “It’s much more challenging to figure out how to cover a president who you know is actively lying to you.” / The Handbasket
A forecast of political risks that might play out over the course of the year. / Eurasia Group
“Society enters a state of psychosocial freefall.” Commentators, political analysts, and futurists predict scenarios for 2026. / Politico
See also: Author Heather McCalden offers 13 ways of looking at the world, from viruses to fashion, to interwoven freeways. / Pioneer Works
One year after the LA wildfires, who’s been able to embark on rebuilding and who’s chosen to hand over their property to developers is ultimately a question of wealth disparity. / The Wall Street Journal [$]
A useful way to understand the second Trump administration is that they are content creators willing to do anything—short of actual policymaking—to satisfy their followers. / Cooper Lund
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While debunking a fake whistleblower, Casey Newton displays the disconcertingly believable AI-generated artifacts scammers are using in attempts to deceive journalists. / Platformer
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes to dissolve itself, “rather than allowing the organization to remain defunded and vulnerable to additional attacks.” / AP
Yes, the moon is cool, but lunar events weren’t the subject of this much media coverage until around a decade ago, when digital outlets were hungry for something to cover. / The Atlantic [$]
Japanese researchers have been moving forward with human trials of a drug that can regrow teeth, and may have a medication available by 2030. / Popular Mechanics
Unrelated: Scientists have finally been able to understand the habits of the cookiecutter shark, which bites perfect circles. / Gizmodo
According to publicly available data, of the 639 concerts Morrissey has been scheduled to play since 2012, the singer canceled or postponed 211, for a 70% completion rate. / Consequence
“You never know when someone is going to show up out of nowhere and make you question the moves you’ve made in life.” Serving drinks at Balthazar in 1997. / The Paris Review
Everyone loses in a 1973 board game called The Watergate Scandal, where lying and bribery are encouraged and the goal is to avoid losing the most. / Neatorama
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