The wind that shakes the zombie
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Israel’s controversial new aid site for Palestinians is all chaos on its first day of operations. / The New York Times [$]
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert says the country is committing crimes in “a war without purpose.” / The Guardian
In the United States, recent data find higher employment rates for college majors like philosophy than STEM fields like computer science. / Entrepreneur
The CEO of Anthropic warns the government that AI may wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in the next five years. / axios
See also: The phrase “stay-at-home son” is being embraced as a badge of honor. / The Wall Street Journal [$]
China faces growing diplomatic pressure to restructure unsustainable debt, “and mounting domestic pressure to recover outstanding debts.” / Lowy Institute
Young Chinese people are increasingly choosing to rent jewelry for their weddings rather than buy it. / Sixth Tone
Paris votes to make 500 more streets car-free, adding to the 300 streets it has converted to pedestrian-only spaces since 2020. / CityLab
Something we didn’t know? Canada’s southernmost point is closer to Brazil than to its northernmost point. / Uncharted Territories
Between seven and 15 percent of the population occasionally hear voices. / Undark Magazine
Regarding mass incarceration, looking at the big picture dispels myths like the idea that private prisons are a primary driver, or that crime is even up. / Prison Policy Initiative
Cicada broods in the eastern US will soon awaken to a “zombifying fungus” that replaces their genitals and boasts a mysteriously large genome. / Scientific American
See also: “The ‘Man-Eater’ Screwworm Is Coming.” / The Atlantic [$]
A Discord community is developing and selling its own hair loss drugs. / 404 Media
The MiniDisc is often considered a failed format, but its technology—a heated laser that changes the magnetic properties of a rewritable disc—remains a marvel. / Obsolete Sony
Uncanny sculptures by Tobias Izsó depict piles of laundry. / Colossal
And now a brief chat with a new Sustaining Member, Monica R.!
Monica, hi! When did you start reading TMN? It feels like not that long ago, but my email archives say I signed up sometime back in 2018, which as we all know was several lifetimes ago at this point. A friend recommended y’all, and I now can’t remember who (wish I could so I could thank them!).
May we ask, what keeps you coming back? TMN is my ideal news digest. I love that y’all send a broad array covering national and international news, plus a few arts or culture links that grab my eye and that I wouldn’t have seen any other way. I appreciate the succinct distillations especially: In such a fast-paced world, it’s valuable to me to know what I’m investing my time into, and I never feel like TMN has been in the bait-and-switch game.
Thank you—we appreciate that. Why did you decide to become a member today? Now more than ever, I’m prioritizing supporting news organizations and media sources who have earned my trust. I’ve made one-off donations before, but your recent upgrade reminded me I could be doing more, so I signed up for an annual membership. (Plus, when I considered that you’ve been fronting the costs of all those gift links over the years, I felt like I probably owed you one.) Thank you for the work you do! And for being humans on the other side of the email!
In the members area, unlocked links from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Atlantic ↓