As pressures build around a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine, the cracks within NATO are showing. / The Washington Post

"Trump has succeeded at one of his foreign-policy goals: creating distance between the US and at least some parts of NATO." How Trumpism looms over the West's Russia response. / The New York Times

US corporations ask Biden for a gradual implementation of sanctions against Russia—rather than sudden—so they can wind down business. / Reuters

The White House is investigating ways to secure energy for Europe in case Russia cuts oil and gas exports in retaliation for sanctions. / CNBC

Meanwhile, Ukraine's leaders are assuring citizens that an invasion is not imminent. / Associated Press

"Putin needs a series of victories somewhere." Tyler Cowen applies game theory to ascertain Putin's intentions. / Bloomberg

A worthwhile roundup of links on Russia-Ukraine, specific to the economic factors that underpin the precarious situation. / Chris Blattman

Law enforcement prevails in a new Fight Club edit for China. This would be the complete opposite of how the original ends. / VICE

Prayer apps—which have exploded in popularity during the pandemic—are mining and selling their users' data. / BuzzFeed News

"In wildlife disease surveillance, we're always chasing a crisis." Bird flu is back in the US. / WIRED

Meow Wolf workers are racing to unionize ahead of the company's continuing descent into corporate greed. / The New Republic

"NFT artists do not, for the most part, obliquely cite Western art history in a way that only the MFA-educated can understand." / Artsy

Measuring whether Godwin's law is true in practice. / Slate

There is no CD revival—that is, except for major artists who package discs with T-shirts in exclusive promotions at Target. / Dada Drummer Almanach

"We don't want people running out taking random cannabinoids." Don't go treating Covid with CBD just yet. / STAT

Archeologists have found an astoundingly intact ancient Roman bowl that looks like it came straight from a Pottery Barn. / Hyperallergic

The Hydra is an electric guitar-ish instrument that combines a 12-string guitar, a bass, a seven-string guitar, and a harp. / The Morning News