Why this debt ceiling crisis is different: After the McCarthy tug of war, right-wing diehards now hold sway in the House and are willing to hold the economy hostage. / NPR

Related: The White House's stance of not conceding to Republican holdouts makes a showdown over the debt limit likely. / The Washington Post

The Dept. of Justice denies House Republicans' request for documents related to ongoing investigations related to the Biden administration. / Politico

How the "Come and Take It" flag—and the way it's been hijacked by gun nuts—reflects Texas's evolving relationship with firearms. / Texas Monthly

"The brightness of the night sky doubles about every eight years." Light pollution is getting far worse than previously thought. / The Verge

Take an 8-bit-style, interactive hike along the Appalachian Trail. / A Trail Tale

December saw a surge in illegal crossings at the US-Mexico border—at 251,487 attempts, it's the highest in any month since Biden took office. / Associated Press

As the hype around 3D-printed houses reaches a fever pitch, it's worth remembering how the technology could alleviate the crisis in housing affordability. / The New Yorker

On "trailerization" and that whole thing where movie trailers remix a song you already know. / The New York Times

A YouTuber modified a Nintendo Switch controller so his fish could play Pokémon, where the fish later livestreamed an online purchase that resulted in the owner's doxxing. / Kotaku

See also: The goldfish who drives an aquarium outfitted with navigation sensors and wheels. / Smithsonian Magazine

After emerging from a long period of darkness and despair, David Crosby became a beacon of humor and goodwill in the last decades of his life. / Pitchfork

"I'm really trying to just have fun here." David Crosby, king of Twitter. / The New York Times

A recent discovery: The very low-fi Philatelica USA Magazine, a home for passionate stamp collectors. / Philatelica Magazine

See also: Brief interviews with very small publishers. / The Morning News