We are the beat makers
ICE is paying Thomson Reuters data brokers $25 million a year to screen individuals and entities for various offenses and identify those violating US laws. / The Week
The US and China are in a race to outdo each other in providing drone support to Everest mountaineers. “The contest has geopolitical undertones.” / The Wall Street Journal [$]
Sending data centers into orbit may sound better than having them on Earth, but they’re still a source of pollution that might decimate the ozone layer, scientists warn. / The Guardian
Evangelicals are turning commercial flights into pulpits, often to the chagrin of their fellow passengers. “I just love a captive audience.” / The Washington Post [$]
The US is pressuring countries to leave the International Criminal Court, with Chad and Venezuela withdrawing this week. / Al Jazeera
The political operative who discovered and championed Graham Platner is himself accused of sexual assault. / The Handbasket
The White House posted signs informing visitors of the “ideological capture” of the Smithsonian, which it’s important to note is not the president’s museum. / Hyperallergic
Trump’s Consumer Product Safety Commission wants at least 100 hospitals to share patients’ personally identifiable health data by the end of the year. / KFF Health News
“For a long time, scientists assumed if you give people the facts, they’ll see reason. And that just isn’t the case.” Welcome to the anti-sunscreen movement. / Men’s Health
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Everywhere you look kids are smashing track records. It could be because of improved nutrition and training regimens, or maybe it’s the shoes. / WIRED
Defining when middle age begins depends a lot on how old you are, and it only gets more complicated as lifespans increase. / The Atlantic [$]
“How many countless beatmakers would we potentially lose if the documentary about Jay-Z’s The Black Album never happened?” Making beats by watching others make beats. / Hearing Things
When toothpaste is sealed behind plexiglass, it’s a reminder that businesses remain locked in a war with their two greatest threats: employees and shoppers. / Revolution for Cowards
See also: Why won’t audiences show up for second seasons of Netflix shows? Maybe because the streamer repeatedly breaks its social contract with viewers. / Slate
As more restaurants resort to AI slop, others are going as handmade as possible and embracing the friction. / Eater
On the remarkable staying power of the notes app, where copies of who we were remain intact, and perhaps insulated from hungry LLMs. / TIME