Living in the perceptual world of the wealthy and the material world of a regular person is stressful. It is *meant* to make you feel like you’re falling behind even if you’re not. That’s how demand is induced. This is just one element but I think economists miss it (among other things).

Some Republicans Want to Reverse the GOP Cuts to Rural and Tribal Radio Stations After the GOP-controlled Congress slashed public broadcasting funds, some Republican lawmakers say they’re working to secure money to keep vital tribal and rural stations on the air.

Scoop: Some Republican lawmakers say they’re working to fund tribal and rural radio stations after the GOP cut public broadcasting funds last year.

If lawmakers don’t secure continued funding, many Native American public radio stations say they'll close.
www.notus.org/congress/som...

Newsom Promised California a Lithium Bonanza. It Still Hasn’t Arrived. Local officials blame environmentalists for long delays, but politics, technology and markets are the culprits.

NEW STORY!

In 2023 @gavinnewsom.bsky.social stood on a vast landscape in Imperial Valley, declaring California's lithium revolution had arrived.

But now the plans are mired by fighting, the feds are trying to kill renewables, and AI, not EVs, reigns. What's next? capitalandmain.com/newsom-promi...

Easy-to-use solar panels are coming, but utilities are trying to delay them Utilities are convincing lawmakers around the U.S. to delay bills that would allow people to buy solar panels, plug them into an outlet and begin generating electricity.

Utilities are convincing lawmakers around the U.S. to delay bills that would allow people to buy solar panels, plug them into an outlet and begin generating electricity.

this is the bad faith journalists business / bigots business model. and then legacy news organizations will launder them as experts representing one side of a story where (despite claims to being objective journalists!) the truth can't possibly be known.

Twisted Teens: Blame the Clown Read Nina Corcoran’s review of the album.

Remember the last time you couldn't stop recommending an album to everyone you know?

Twisted Teens are that band, and they sound like a dusty pedal steel player and a 70-year-old chain-smoking auto mechanic playing country punk songs on a front porch

Trump Says Climate Repeal Saves $1.3 Trillion. The EPA’s Math Differs The agency’s own cost-benefit assessment for revoking the endangerment finding points to steep costs that may outweigh the savings.

President Trump said repealing climate standards for cars and the so-called endangerment finding would save Americans $1.3 trillion. EPA chief Zeldin repeated the stat.

But that's not actually what EPA's own math says. My story @bloomberg.com, with a gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Black Residents Win Key Ruling in ‘Cancer Alley’ Environmental Racism Case The lawsuit could force a jury to decide if turning Black communities into sacrifice zones is a legacy of slavery.

A judge ruled that groups representing residents of Louisiana’s Cancer Alley can proceed with their landmark lawsuit seeking a pause on toxic industrial plants in two majority‑Black districts

Reporter's Notebook: He was my fruit vendor for years. I saw immigration agents take him NPR's Adrian Florido has been buying fruit from the same fruit-cart vendor in his LA neighborhood for years. On Tuesday, Florido was there when federal immigration agents whisked him away.

NPR's Adrian Florido has been buying fruit from the same fruit-cart vendor in his LA neighborhood for years. On Tuesday, Florido was there when federal immigration agents whisked him away.

ICE detained a 5-year-old Minnesota boy and used him as "bait" The preschooler is one of at least four children from the same school district who have been detained this month, according to school officials.

"According to reporting from ProPublica based on government data, ICE placed around 600 immigrant children in federal shelters in 2025. That’s more than the previous four years combined."
www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

A teenage boy with dark hair and a black and gold football jersey holds his helmet, standing on the side line of a green football field

I’m one of the ProPublica reporters who has been documenting the aggressive tactics federal agents are using against immigrants & U.S. citizens

All eyes are on Minnesota right now, but I want to tell you about Arnoldo Bazan, a 16-YO citizen in Houston who was choked by immigration agents in October

JUST IN: Judge Mehta rules that Trump/Russ Vought's termination of environmental grants during the shutdown — targeted solely at states that voted for Kamala Harris — violated the 5th Amendment's Equal Protection clause and orders them restored.

www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

'It is scary': Oak-killing beetle reaches Ventura County, significantly expanding range The goldspotted oak-borer, an invasive beetle responsible for killing 200,000 trees in Southern California, is now present in Ventura County. It's the northernmost reach of the insect.

'It is scary': Oak-killing beetle reaches Ventura County, significantly expanding range

The NYT Recruiting Brochure for New College A failing Ron DeSantis higher ed experiment gets a boost

New, from me: The NYT reporter who specializes in profiles of beleaguered right-wingers on campus went to New College...and found out that things were going ok!

So let me explain some pretty massive errors of omission: 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-nyt-re...

!! Here’s a link to full video of the 60 Minutes segment that Bari Weiss killed last minute, via @jasonparis.bsky.social:

is.gd/paU8Ko

(It was uploaded to the Global TV app in Canada, seemingly by accident, and has now been taken down)

‘Holy f***ing dumpster fire’: Bari Weiss sparks ‘revolt’ by spiking 60 Minutes story EXCLUSIVE: ‘It’s going to be fascinating to see how far Bari is willing to double down on the piece ‘not ready’ argument and or/attack Sharyn and [60 Minutes],’ one CBS News staffer told The Independe...

NEW from me:

CBS News staffers are warning that Bari Weiss is sparking a "revolt" at 60 Minutes and the network after she spiked a story on CECOT.

"Holy fucking dumpster fire," one staffer told me.

Also, I have more details on today's 'angry" editorial call

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

If you’d like to know what it was really like inside CECOT for an innocent man who was wrongfully deported by this administration, we interviewed a pro soccer player and youth coach named Jerce Reyes two weeks ago: youtu.be/vlz3eGwHZBY?...

Batteries now cheap enough to make dispatchable solar economically feasible Energy think tank Ember says utility-scale battery costs have fallen to $65/MWh outside China and the United States, enabling solar power to be delivered when needed.

This is incredible (good news too): “After a 40% fall in 2024 in battery equipment costs, it’s clear we’re on track for another major fall in 2025…The economics for batteries are unrecognizable, & the industry is only just getting to grips with this new paradigm”
www.pv-magazine.com/2025/12/12/b...

Why are famous chefs fighting PFAS bans? The answer, in retrospect, is obvious—and it’s part of a larger campaign to stop bans on Teflon cookware nationwide.

Celebrity chefs told Californians that PFAS-coated pans were “safe,” and successfully lobbied Gavin Newsom to veto a bill phasing them out

They didn’t mention they all sell PFAS-coated pans.

New joint investigation with @mirandagreen.bsky.social and @atmosmag.bsky.social is out:

Housing advocates sue Newsom, local leaders over duplex ban in fire recovery zones The lawsuit alleges politicians illegally blocked a state housing density law in neighborhoods rebuilding from the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Housing advocates filed a lawsuit today against Gov. Newsom and L.A. leaders, saying they illegally banned duplexes in burn zones.

The fight over how much new housing should be allowed as L.A. rebuilds is headed to court. My @laist.com story has the details:

Money Doesn't Buy Elections. It Does Something Worse. Campaign ads barely move the needle. The real influence is hiding in plain sight.

Study after study shows campaign ads barely move the needle. So where does money’s real power come from? I ranked the five ways money corrupts politics—from least to most corrosive. What I’ve learned from 15 years of tracking political money:

BREAKING: ‘This hurts’: UNL eliminates 4 programs despite faculty, student pleas The University of Nebraska-Lincoln eliminates the Earth and atmospheric sciences 8-0, educational administration 7-1, statistics 7-1, textiles, merchandising and fashion design 7-1 programs.

It's over.

Despite the fact that the academic council recommended against it, despite the fact that the program brought in more tuition than it cost, and despite the fact that Nebraskans need & deserve this expertise, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences will be cut.

www.dailynebraskan.com/news/adminis...

Brief recap:

On Friday, the WaPo reported that SecDef Hegseth personally ordered the execution of helpless survivors of a military attack, literally the definition of a war crime.

Since then, no other outlet has been to able to replicate that reporting, even though they’d love to. (1/2)

Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old.

Breaking: Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, has died. She was 111 years old

Built to Fail: Rules at UN Climate Talks Favor the Status Quo, Not Progress - Inside Climate News Experts say stifling bureaucratic procedures that are disconnected from the climate crisis have consistently stalled COP negotiations.

If this process is ever gonna work, it needs fundamental reform. A starting point would be to NOT have COPs each year, but only when it benefits the process. Otherwise, the outcomes feel forced, like "We better decide something since we all came all this way."
insideclimatenews.org/news/1211202...

Federal agents used chemical weapons on Chicagoans at least 49 times — even after a judge said to stop.

Contrary to federal claims about attacks on agents, most of these incidents appear to involve nonviolent protesters or bystanders. blockclubchi.co/47PoaXb

MONACO IL SUPPLI • MADElI® CHARLOTTE FOOD AND DRINK 'They're not chasing criminals.' Manolo's Bakery owner closes store to protect customers Updated 5 hours ago POLITICS & GOVERNMENT Church members flee as federal agents arrive at east Charlotte place of worship Updated 5 hours ago

LOCAL Super G executive in Pineville describes agents dragging out teen store employee Updated 5 hours ago LOCAL 'Just walked up to them.' Border Patrol questions people at a Charlotte Walmart Updated 6 hours ago LOCAL Federal Border Patrol sweep across Charlotte sparks fear, closed shops and protests

5 headlines tonight on Charlotte Observer’s homepage:

“Manolo's Bakery closes to protect customers”

“Church members flee as federal agents arrive”

“Super G executive describes agents dragging out teen employee”

“Border Patrol questions people at Walmart”

“Border Patrol sweep sparks fear”

Alaska station that covered devastating storm cuts jobs A public TV and radio station in Western Alaska serves dozens of villages damaged by Typhoon Halong. But with federal funding eliminated, KYUK makes severe cuts to its staff and news department.

From @jeffbradynews.bsky.social
A public TV and radio station in Western Alaska serves dozens of villages damaged by Typhoon Halong. But with federal funding eliminated, KYUK makes severe cuts to its staff and news department.

The Dodgers got a lot more attention for failing to stand up for Latino communities than for refusing to cut ties with Big Oil. But the two stories are related.

More in Climate-Colored Goggles, my newsletter about climate and culture: www.climatecoloredgoggles.com/p/dodgers-wi...

America’s Dumbest Billionaires Fail to Stop Zohran Mamdani - The American Prospect It’s encouraging on many levels: New York City didn’t submit to a campaign of flagrant bigotry from disgraced two-time loser Andrew Cuomo, and Americans, particularly young ones, can still be politically inspired by a good candidate with a good message.

No fewer than 28 billionaires donated at least 100k to beat Zohran Mamdani. Their overt attempt to buy the election provided Mamdani with perfect talking points. From @ryanlcooper.com: trib.al/LEnjMCa