When I was writing about A.I. video slop and docs last year, it became very clear that the objective of anyone who is flooding the zone with A.I. video, no matter how nonsensical, is to ensure that in the near future, all video evidence will be de facto unbelievable. We're not quite there yet.

Someone is impersonating me on Substack—bit of a weird milestone, but it feels appropriate for 2026. If you have an account on the platform, would you mind reporting this person? They are apparently sending messages while posing as me, which is not great

stop what you're doing and let Amber Glenn take you to church #USPrevagenChamps #figureskating

The image of the blood-soaked airbag next to the glove compartment overflowing with stuffed animals is going to stick with me for a very long time.

well thats enough news for today

Abolish ICE. Really.

my heart is just completely broken for this woman, killed trying to protect her community and her friends, and for all the people of Minneapolis, who always seems to unfairly caught in the crosshairs of our national malaise

Now’s a great time to check your BlueSky video settings.

Dr. Fukuyama, you can't miss

they're calling it the most Press Pass edition of Press Pass to ever be Press Passed . . . www.thebulwark.com/i/183549676/...

He drew pictures of animals as fat as we could demand them. —Virginia Woolf, remembering her father when she and her siblings were kids

At my blog, a brief statement on the past & the future of the Empyrean Series, which will turn 5 years old this April jsief.com/2026/01/05/s...

The first-ever winner of the FIFA Peace Prize did WHAT

Just back in the door after spending the day traveling home from AMERICA. I always enjoy driving back on a Saturday when little is typically happening in the world

it’s actually Martyn Supreme

Saw Bluesky described as where elder millennials go to retire from the internet, and immediately felt the peace that passes all understanding wash over me. None of have to struggle any longer. We completed our time.

Exclusive: A year after Tenet Media was busted for funneling Russian money to MAGA pundits like Benny Johnson and Tim Pool, a Trump administration effort involving State and the FBI has welcomed Tenet's founders back into the US. @thebulwark.com: www.thebulwark.com/p/lauren-che...

Dasein

Absolutely going to evangelize about it: working to get out of the cardio mindset I was taught (suffer as hard as possible to 'earn' calories to eat) into the cardio mindset I wanted (a lovely slow nature run to help my brain and my heart) was one of the best things I've ever done. Good luck!

"Norman Rockwell was antifa," his granddaughter says. (Fact check: literally true.) www.thebulwark.com/p/norman-roc...

that gets a full “hell yeah brother” and a welcome to the Dudes Rock canon

Oldest son pulled his sled up to the top of the tall hill. He kept it even all the way down, attaining wicked speeds, but in the last 20 meters, it became apparent he was headed straight for a hapless toddler. He bailed instead—“I hit my forehead on his boots.” I’ve rarely been prouder

Please read this and share it on places that are not here (Facebook! Instagram! Other places less-online family members may see it!)

Getting an ERG in the spring changed my life—low impact, can fit workouts in whenever during the day, can watch documentaries while rowing. And when I am consistent about using it, I end up feeling better than I just about ever have

Travelled to AMERICA today and got myself a very AMERICAN holiday gift. It has ten thousand pockets for my things

Well, I suppose he knows this now better than anyone

Was eating some yogurt while holding the baby and did not realize I’d moustache-trapped some before kissing his head and leaving what looked like a daub of white paint in his hair. I invent new kinds of problems for myself all the time

Norman Mailer struck Gore Vidal at a party; Vidal got back up and said, "Once again, words fail Norman Mailer"

Merriam Christmas

Six-year old calling back over his shoulder as he runs up the stairs to get in bed for the last time before Christmas: “C’mon big strong daddy who never gets tired and is never scared!” It’s certainly nice that the holiday enables my children to recognize those qualities that I definitely have

giving this beautiful essay a Christmas Eve boost

the all-time classic Christmas Essay from one of the greats of our age. i reread this every year now 🎄🤍

It’s true that this essay contains wisdom and warmth (they often accompany each other, I find). But this snarkier early paragraph is also so great.

It's A Wonderful Live was a box office disappointment in its day. Now, almost 80 years later, people still dive deep into it and write thoughtful essays like this about it. It's a wonderful and enduring work of art is what it is.

Which speaks to both her perceptiveness and to the screenwriters' deeply felt honesty. (I don't think that it's always necessary for artists to be fully, consciously aware of what they're doing.)

A thing I especially like about Coffey's essay is that she's right on the money (of course) and it's at least possible that she's right on the money about things the screenwriters were not entirely aware of. If you follow me.

In 2023 I became obsessed with videos of dads in cargo shortswaiting in parking lots during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. So when she came to town, I grabbed a camera and headed down to talk to them. I thought it'd be funny. It turned out to be something else entirely.

The best essay about this film that I've ever read, and I've not only read dozens, I've written a few myself. Hooray for Mary!

This is an almost shockingly wise essay. I'm glad I've finally read it.

Simply the best thing anyone has written about this film, and one of my favorite pieces of writing we have published. Worth your while!

this is insane to me. the doj had forever to look into this. now they're like liveblogging on x like they have no more information than a random person on social media

This has been made available, so for purposes of commenting on Bari Weiss's decision to spike the story, here's a live-post of that segment. It begins with a "you may recall" summary of the deportation to el Salvador. Describes the admin's claim that it could deport the men without due process

hiding gifts for the kids under the bed and texting my wife "we are currently clean on OPSEC" even though it would later come to light that we were absolutely not clean on OPSEC

still true on this December Monday, I've been told by a number of people who know their hearts

you just can't get a straight answer from government about anything these days

All three young boys home for the next two weeks. It's a little after 9 on the first workday of their vacation, and I just heard our 6yo shout from their room upstairs, "I have to report that [4yo] is dead."

Via @liamjscott.bsky.social at the other site here’s the full email from 60 Minutes correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi. She’s putting her career on the line by fighting here. And she’s fighting for all of us.

Canada was their top customer! And thanks to President Deals, we stopped buying bourbon months ago. Billions and billions of dollars in sales, gone www.kentucky.com/news/busines...