When Bernie Sanders Headed for the Hills

This article by Jill Lepore reviews Dan Chiasson's book, "Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People’s Politician and the Transformation of One American Place." It chronicles Bernie Sanders's journey from a working-class Brooklyn kid to a influential Vermont politician, detailing his move to Vermont in the 1960s, his connection with the state's working poor, and his transformative tenure as mayor of Burlington. The review explores how Sanders's populist and socialist views were shaped by Vermont's unique economic and social changes, contrasting his consistent political message with the state's evolving landscape and demographics.

Read the full transcript of Carney’s speech to World Economic Forum

Mark Carney delivered a forceful speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, discussing the 'new world order' and the rupture of the traditional rules-based international order. He argued that middle powers like Canada must adapt by building strategic autonomy through domestic strength, diversifying international partnerships, and forming issue-based coalitions. Carney emphasized a 'value-based realism' approach, moving away from past assumptions and actively engaging with the world as it is, rather than waiting for an old order to be restored.

Why There’s No Single Best Way To Store Information | Quanta Magazine

The article explores how different data structures offer various trade-offs between resources like time and memory, demonstrating that there's no single optimal way to store information. It uses analogies like organizing a bookshelf to explain concepts such as hash tables, which balance insertion and retrieval times with space, and heaps, which prioritize quick access to the most urgent items. The text highlights ongoing research and discoveries in these fundamental computer science concepts.

Trump struck deals with 16 drug companies. But they're still raising prices this year

Sixteen major drug companies that made deals with the Trump administration to lower prices still increased prices for some of their drugs in early 2026, with a median hike of 4%. While the White House stated these deals secured discounts for Medicaid and cash-paying customers, the specifics remain confidential. In contrast, some drug prices did decrease for other medications, an outcome potentially influenced by the Biden administration's Medicare drug price negotiations, although the exact impact is debated.

Ada Limón: ‘Literary Theory’

The Very American Story of Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance

The article explores the complex American story of Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance, an individual born Sylvester Long in North Carolina in 1890, who was listed as Black and later claimed various Native American identities, including Cherokee and Blackfeet. Long Lance achieved significant fame as an author and actor, embodying a romanticized image of a Native American warrior. His memoir, published in 1928, was a sensation until his true ancestry was exposed in 1930, leading to his social and financial ruin. The piece then broadens to discuss the fraught and evolving definition of Native identity in the U.S., focusing on issues like blood quantum, tribal enrollment, and the phenomenon of "Pretendians." Author David Treuer, who also grappled with his own Ojibwe identity and enrollment challenges, argues that the historical and ongoing struggles over Native identity are deeply personal and have significant practical consequences for individuals and tribes, often leading to internal conflicts and disenrollment. He concludes by acknowledging Long Lance's complex identity, rooted in both Black and Native American heritage, as a uniquely American self-made narrative.

How the Murdoch Family Built an Empire—and Remade the News

This article reviews Gabriel Sherman's book “Bonfire of the Murdochs,” examining the historical development and controversial practices of the Murdoch media empire, from Sir Keith Murdoch's early journalistic career to Rupert Murdoch’s impact on British tabloids and Fox News. It delves into the family's internal power struggles, their manipulation of news for profit and political influence, and the lasting legacy of their 'degraded vision of journalism' on public discourse and democratic principles.

Iranian protesters share their stories of determination and dissent

These Iranians offer a rare glimpse of life in the Islamic Republic at a pivotal moment in its history.

At the Un-National Monument along the Canadian Border

The poem reflects on a battlefield where no war occurred, highlighting the peace and natural beauty of the place. It suggests that the true heroism lies in the undisturbed sky and the forgotten name of the location, emphasizing neglect as a form of hallowing.

If You Tax Them, Will They Leave?

The article discusses California's proposed one-off 5 percent wealth tax on its richest residents. Proponents, including economists Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman, argue it's a fair way to address a $20 billion health-care budget shortfall, as billionaires pay very little in income taxes. Opponents, like Garry Tan and David Sacks, warn of significant capital flight, threatening the state's tech industry and long-term tax revenues. The tax is designed to be retroactive and includes provisions for illiquid assets and deferred payments to mitigate these concerns. However, critics fear it could lead to future wealth taxes and make California a risky place for billionaires, potentially shifting innovation to other states. The debate is framed as a high-stakes bet on billionaire psychology and their willingness to relocate.

You’ve Heard About Who ICE Is Recruiting. The Truth Is Far Worse. I’m the Proof.

The author recounts her experience applying to be an ICE agent, revealing a recruitment process so lax that she was offered a job despite her public anti-ICE stance and failure to complete required paperwork. This sloppiness raises concerns about who is being armed and deployed as law enforcement, potentially leading to dangerous and unchecked actions.

How have prices changed in a year? NPR checked 114 items at Walmart

NPR investigated price changes of 114 items at a Walmart superstore over the past year, discovering a 5% average increase. The analysis, conducted in December 2025, attributed price hikes primarily to global trade tariffs and extreme weather events impacting agricultural products like cacao and coffee. While nearly half of the items became more expensive, about a quarter, including eggs and milk, saw price reductions. The report also highlighted instances of "shrinkflation," where product sizes diminished while prices remained stable, such as with Tide laundry detergent. Conversely, increasing consumer affordability concerns led some major brands like PepsiCo and General Mills to offer more discounts.

A better way to limit Claude Code (and other coding agents!) access to Secrets – blog

This article by Patrick McCanna introduces Bubblewrap as a superior method for sandboxing AI coding agents like Claude Code, contrasting it with Docker or dedicated user accounts. It details Bubblewrap's functionality for restricting filesystem and network access to prevent agents from compromising sensitive data. The author advocates for users to implement their own Bubblewrap configurations rather than relying on vendor-embedded sandboxes, emphasizing a defense-in-depth approach for enhanced security and generalizability across various AI tools. The piece includes practical commands for setting up a Bubblewrap environment and discusses the risks of agentic misalignment and supply chain attacks.

Cardiovascular disease is a solved problem – Total Health Optimization

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the developed world. The progression of cardiovascular disease is fully dependent upon the retention of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) into the arterial wall, triggering the growth of atherosclerotic plaques. Only certain LDLs, namely those attached to apolipoprotein B (apoB) and apolipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), tend to become pathologically embedded in the arterial wall in the course of their circulation in the bloodstream. Circulating levels of lipoproteins are largely genetically determined, with minimal influence from lifestyle factors, and modern pharmaceuticals are capable of dramatically reducing LDL levels to those incapable of causing cardiovascular disease in the span of a human lifespan. These pharmacological treatments are safe and well-tolerated, and there is no lower limit at which LDL reduction stops being beneficial. For young adults in relatively good health, aggressive LDL reduction will permanently protect them from developing cardiovascular disease with nearly zero downside. Consequently, cardiovascular disease is effectively a fully solved problem.

Why have death rates from accidental falls tripled?

This article from USAFacts investigates the tripling of death rates from accidental falls, examining contributing factors and societal trends. It compares accidental fall deaths to motor vehicle accidents, highlighting a significant reversal since 2000. While an aging population partially explains the rise, the article also explores the roles of increased prescription drug use, alcohol consumption, obesity, and changes in reporting practices. Despite efforts to improve fall prevention awareness and safety measures, these rates continue to climb, particularly among the elderly.

How Markdown took over the world

The article "How Markdown took over the world" by Anil Dash details the ubiquitous rise of Markdown, a simple plain text formatting language, across the high-tech industry. It traces Markdown's origin to John Gruber's personal need to simplify web content creation, highlighting its initial design as an open, accessible alternative to complex HTML. The author explains Markdown's success through ten key factors, including its intuitive branding, problem-solving utility, adoption of existing user behaviors, parallels with RSS, strong community support, adaptability ("flavors"), opportune release during a period of technological change (blogging era), compatibility with "view source" philosophy, and its unencumbered intellectual property status. The article also mentions the significant, albeit often overlooked, role of early contributors like Aaron Swartz in refining and popularizing such open technologies, contrasting their collaborative spirit with the profit-driven approach of modern AI companies.

How Did TVs Get So Cheap?

You’ve probably seen this famous graph that breaks out various categories of inflation, showing labor-intensive services getting more expensive during the 21st century and manufactured goods getting less expensive.

How Sweetgreen Became Millennial Cringe

This article analyzes the decline of Sweetgreen, a fast-casual salad chain, from a symbol of millennial aspiration and productivity to "millennial cringe." It explores how the chain, once celebrated for its organic produce and efficient online ordering, struggled with profitability despite efforts to adapt to new dining trends. The piece suggests that Sweetgreen's fall reflects a broader cultural shift from the optimism of the 2010s, when health and productivity were paramount, to a more nihilistic outlook, where the value proposition of an expensive salad no longer resonates with consumers facing economic pressures and a changing cultural landscape.

‘The Pitt’ Is a Brilliant Portrait of American Failure

The article reviews the second season of HBO Max's medical drama, 'The Pitt', highlighting its return to formulaic, propulsive, and topical storytelling. It praises the show's emphatic moral clarity, which tackles issues like the fentanyl crisis, vaccine hesitancy, and mass shootings, without shying away from society's problems. The review contrasts 'The Pitt' with contemporary "wealth-washed TV," commending its realism and defiant lack of glamour, and its ability to engage viewers in critical thought about societal functioning.

Gatekeepers of Law: Inside the Westlaw and LexisNexis Duopoly

Tom Blakely, a federal judicial law clerk and attorney, details how Westlaw and LexisNexis have established a duopoly over legal research, leading to high costs and stifled innovation, even as generative AI emerges. The article explains the historical context of legal research, the role of West Publishing's proprietary systems, and how a series of mergers and political dealings led to the current two-company dominance. It also critiques the government's PACER system for court records and calls for opening legal information to the public domain to foster competition and improve access to justice.

Inside the Trump Administration’s Man-Made Hunger Crisis

This article highlights how the Trump administration's drastic cuts to foreign aid led to a man-made hunger crisis in Kenya, resulting in thousands of refugees starving and dying. Despite repeated warnings from U.S. government and humanitarian officials, key political appointees like Marcus Thornton failed to act. The World Food Program was forced to cut rations, leading to severe malnutrition and increased instability in camps like Kakuma. The story focuses on the devastating impact on families, such as Mary Sunday, who lost her baby due to malnutrition.

Only In Monroe --- May 22, 2026

Only In Monroe. Air date May 22, 2026. Monroe Community Media.

Stinking, Spongy, Dark, Huge: A Spider Web Unlike Any Seen Before

Researchers discovered a massive, 1,140-square-foot spider web in a pitch-black sulfur cave between Albania and Greece. This unique "spider metropolis" houses 111,000 spiders, notably two species (Tegenaria domestica and Prinerigone vagans) that usually prey on each other but coexist peacefully due to the cave's darkness. The abundant midge population provides a rich food source, and the spiders show genetic adaptations to their unusual environment, forming a singular, spongy community.

A Website To End All Websites

The article critiques the current state of the internet, likening its industrialization to the negative effects of widespread automobile adoption, drawing on Ivan Illich's concept of "radical monopoly" from 'Tools for Conviviality.' It advocates for a return to personal, hand-built websites, leveraging IndieWeb protocols like RSS, Webmentions, POSSE, ActivityPub, and microformats, to foster greater autonomy, creativity, and ownership for users, contrasting this with monolithic social media platforms and the commercialized web.

Catala - Law to Code

Catala is a domain-specific language developed by researchers in Computer Science and Law. Its purpose is to precisely derive algorithms for automated legal decisions. The language works by annotating legislative texts with their code translation, often through a collaborative pair-programming process between programmers and lawyers.

Anti-Aging Injection Regrows Knee Cartilage and Prevents Arthritis

Researchers at Stanford Medicine have discovered an anti-aging injection that effectively regrows knee cartilage and prevents arthritis in older and injured mice by blocking the protein 15-PGDH, a gerozyme that increases with age. This treatment, which works by reprogramming existing chondrocyte cells rather than relying on stem cells, has also shown positive results in human knee tissue samples, promoting the formation of new, functional cartilage. A pill-based version of the therapy is currently in clinical trials for muscle weakness, offering hope for a non-surgical solution to osteoarthritis and joint damage.

A Mexican Couple in California Plans to Self-Deport—and Leave Their Kids Behind

This article tells the story of Rosalinda and Manuel, an undocumented Mexican couple living in San Bernardino, California, who are planning to self-deport to Mazatlán, Mexico, once their youngest daughter, Lily, turns eighteen. Their decision is largely influenced by the escalating ICE raids and aggressive anti-immigrant policies under the Trump administration, which have instilled profound fear in their community. The piece delves into the emotional toll this impending separation takes on their three U.S.-born children, highlighting the unique challenges, hypervigilance, and 'parentification' experienced by children of undocumented immigrants. It also explores the broader impact on the immigrant community in San Bernardino, including increased security measures and a collective sense of betrayal, as the family grapples with the painful choice between perceived safety in Mexico and a life without their children in the only country they've ever truly known as home.