Resting cyber face

European officials are assembling a “European NATO,” looking to supplement US military assets with their own. / The Wall Street Journal [$]

With oil prices so high recently, “demand destruction” is starting to unfold. / NBC News 

Vice President JD Vance finds himself roundly mocked after a weekend of failures. / The Independent

A political scientist says a clear view of the situation requires us to adopt “a more messy model of how democracies rise and fall.” / Yascha Mounk

American soldiers on #MilitaryTok “convey vulnerability, anxiety, and in many cases, snark” over the prospect of deployment. / The Guardian

See also: Reflections on the Epstein files, a child’s claims against Trump, and an expensive, unpopular, illegal war. / The London Review of Books

A cosmic odometer can determine how far you’ve traveled in space since you were born. / Cosmic Odometer

The number of cyber cafés in China rose 12.7% last year, complete with “lavish buffets, hot springs, and hotels.” / Sixth Tone

One way to prevent the deaths of dozens of homeless people? Get rid of clothing donation bins. / The Believer

Hannah Ritchie: The fact that many cancers are caused by infections is good news: Humans have a decent track record of finding ways to beat infections. / By the Numbers

A list of 84 contemporary heresies. E.g., “Anonymity should be discouraged, and reduced to smallest amounts.” / KK

An “alpine divorce” refers to a contemporary but apparently longstanding practice of men abandoning their partners while hiking. / The New York Times [$]

English used to have multiple pronouns to refer to you and one other person—e.g., wit, unker, and git. / BBC News

Unrelated: “If Japanese fashion magazines were my gateway to clothes, Japanese fashion blogs are the reason I care about them.” / Big Pants Waste Precious Fabric

In the members area, unlocked links from the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times ↓