Why Everyone Loves Japan open.substack.com/pub/noahpini... High praise for Japan and a decent attempt to explain its surging popularity around the world. I particularly liked his insight that foreigners prefer Japan’s cities to its countryside - and why that might be. Highly recommended.

I chatted with someone earlier who was looking for the link to the searchable DOJ released Epstein files. I forget who was asking. Here you go everyone: www.justice.gov/epstein

How to Get Rid of “Citizens United” open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

64 days in Chicago: The story of Operation Midway Blitz. Our team fanned out to cover the before, during and after of the federal government’s months-long raid on an American city. This is worth your time to understand the United States today www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/28/c...

"Trump assumed that Canada had no choice but to fold. He believed that trade dependence was a leash he could yank whenever he wanted a concession. He was wrong...Trump suffered a humiliation that strikes at the only thing he truly cares about: his ego. The dealmaker got outplayed by a technocrat."

After 11 years, I’m stepping down as director of @FSIStanford. At one of my final meetings, I was surprised by a performance (a song about me!) from two former students and their band, Rings of Maple. Take a listen! open.substack.com/pub/michaelm...

Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn

“YES: Residents of Takoma Park, Maryland, noticed ICE cars lurking every day in a parking lot. So they showed up early to occupy the space, with coffee, music, conversation, knitting... not leaving ICE a single parking space. ICE stopped coming.” I. S. Democratic Socialists

Let’s talk about something not many people are chatting about and what’s actually happening right now. You might wonder why Imran Ahmed and the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) suddenly became targets of the U.S. government. The honest answer is that their research hit where it hurt.

You’ve got a few days left to get your annual National Parks pass without Trump’s face on it.

Titanic Sinks Tonight review – it’s like you’re reliving that terrifying night

Poverty is a policy choice. Concentrated wealth is a policy choice. Inequality is a policy choice. None of it is natural or inevitable. Remember: We have the power to build a system that serves the many, not the powerful few.

Bernie Sanders: "We need to be thinking seriously about a moratorium on data centers. You gotta slow this process down. It's not good enough for the oligarchs to tell us 'you adapt.' Are they gonna guarantee healthcare to all people? What are they gonna do when there are no jobs? Make housing free?"

Welcome to the weekend! Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Outstretched; perfect excuse to call up my favorite raptor again. Osprey on the wing over William Kain State Park, watching Lake Redman for tasty morsels 🦉🐦 #Photography #Birds #Wildlife #Nature #EastCoastKin

I've heard some recently suggest that protesting is ineffective and potentially a waste of time/resources/efforts. I think this is a pretty solid rebuttal to that notion. Worth a read. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

“Of course she is my love but she is my greatest friend. Olena really is my best friend.” ~President Zelenskyy Photo by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, October 2022. 💙💛

Jared Kushner and Stephen Miller with seats at the table at Mar-a-Lago meeting with Zelenskyy.

Park Point April 4 2018 Lake Superior Duluth Minnesota

There's a disconnect between "We're going to build city-sized data centers in remote, rural areas of TX" and "ICE will round up construction workers by the thousands and the state will send troopers to racially profile South Texas drivers and scare everyone away from job sites." 1/3

Foggy Frozen Mississippi River

Ohio could lose protections for 96% of wetlands & streams under proposed EPA rule.

“CRY FREEDOM” (1987) dir. Richard Attenborough Kevin Kline, Penelope Wilton, Denzel Washington 🎬 Universal Pictures

Late medieval bench-ends within Wiggenhall St Mary, St Mary, west Norfolk #wiggenhall #norfolk #westnorfolk #fenland #churches #benchends #medieval #light #countrychurches #history #heritage

Flight #68 of 2025. One more to go.

This is why corporate media is dying in this country and independent media is on the rise.

You get all the best carols on the first Sunday of Christmas. And, if lucky, a cracking Daquin noël for the voluntary. #twelvedays

I want to go to there.

“I never get time just to have fun, just focusing, just working, money, so on that time, meeting with him, it was really fun,” Niryomugabo said, laughing.”

It is a beautiful blustery day outside. I’m going to enjoy a murder mystery jigsaw puzzle and some Christmas cookies.

Incredible Show of the Northern Lights on a Flight to Japan (Part 2) altitudeyes.com/incredible-s...

Along Cataract Creek #cataractcreek #cataracttrail #mttamalpais #mttam #mttamwatershed #marinwater #mmwd #waterfall #landscapephotography

I made one of those for a colleague’s little and got to see pics of her cuddling it in her crib. Definitely a baby-approved knit!

Presents for music lovers

It’s the fourth day of Christmas! Have some more birds. (Two or three different Steller’s jays, a dark-eyed junco, and a golden-crowned sparrow)

"The secret to happiness is to acknowledge and transform suffering, not to run away from it." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh I wish you an extraordinary evening my friends ❤️ [There is a secret waterfall in the center of this photograph.]

The high quality of Hellenistic metalwork was applied to many everyday objects, including box mirrors, an example of which is below. This beautiful repoussé relief of a woman with a silver earring and necklace once covered a polished, reflective bronze surface within. 🏺 1/ #ancientbluesky 📸 me

This Week: 12/29-1/4! Lots of ways to show your support 4 #democracy: in-slwm.org/wp-content/u... Need a ride to Standout for #Veterans & All #Federal #Workers tomorrow (Monday) at VA in Leeds, 11:30am-12:30pm? Email: [email protected] Sign Up Here: www.mobilize.us/mobilize/eve...

This race isn't just electing a representative who will stand up for Nevada, it’s about saving our democracy. Choosing civility over division, truth over disinformation, accountability over silence & people over profits. I'd be honored to have your support secure.actblue.com/donate/kathy...

Geely’s latest EV is now outselling even the Tesla Model Y and the BYD Seagull. insideevs.com/news/782861/...

Please. Let's take care, respect and love the rivers. Us and the public administrations. It's urgent.🤍🌳🌲

Little Egret. #Birdoftheday #outstretched

This is a fantastic nostalgic listen. Also hadn’t realised it’s 70 years since Kermit first appeared on TV in 1955. @muppetwiki.com #TheMuppets70 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Princess says have a silly upside down #Caturday #CatSky #tuxedocats #tuxies

a group of egrets fish quietly in the morning mist, with a night heron on the near shore. #serenity #birdoftheday