I wrote about my bird son (and human daughter) in the newspaper 🐦‍⬛ Gift link for fellow corvid admirers: wapo.st/4q7fkvp

I befriended my neighborhood crow. You can, too.

Reflections — and expert tips — on building bonds with corvids.

wapo.st

A really lovely appreciation of a truly special soul. Shared with a gift link: www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026...

The People’s Troubadour

The Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, who died this week, brought the street into the studio.

theatlantic.com

Jimothy summer into Wicker fall is the seasonal transition we all deserve in these difficult times and I for one am truly grateful

I wrote about the new "Apple Upgrade" program, which plans to entice people into *leasing* new devices—perhaps devices they can't truly afford—leading them to stay on a perpetual cycle of monthly payments and upgrades, filtering their most personal data through property that isn't truly theirs. 🎁:

The New iPhone Underclass

Apple’s rental program is a trap.

theatlantic.com

What absolutely shocking and shattering news to wake up to. I can't believe it. A monumental loss. www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/news/i...

Irish singer-songwriter and ‘Once’ star Glen Hansard dies in motorcycle crash

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard passed away early this morning after a motorcycle crash in Dublin. He was 56.

rollingstone.co.uk

“The bus keeps coming and driving past me. I see other people getting on, but he tells me it’s not my turn yet.” As part of our project on end-of-life dreams & visions, we asked readers to share their own stories. It was very moving to read the ~500 we received. Here are 10 of them: wapo.st/4yDZSeb

Nearly 500 readers shared stories of deathbed visions. Here are 10.

The end-of-life experiences that brought comfort to the dying and solace to their caregivers.

wapo.st

every day i feel like we're experiencing some kind of societal gas leak

A Manhattan Bright Horizons childcare center was charged with horrific child abuse last year. I spent months figuring out how this could have happened at an expensive, ubiquitous, corporate brand and uncovered many other deeply troubling problems at the chain: www.thecut.com/article/brig...

‘We Started Calling It Baby Prison’

A string of health and safety violations, including alleged abuse, has flattened Bright Horizons’ reputation. Why are parents still signing up?

thecut.com

"The only way AI hasn’t fully captured my writing style yet is because I try to keep it guessing butterfly peanut toaster pants pants hypotenuse." @monicahesse.bsky.social is a treasure on so many levels www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

Column | What 700 readers taught me about ‘The Odyssey’

You emailed me in droves asking for the missing text in a column about a movie version of a poem. That’s how much we all care about stories.

washingtonpost.com

Truly extraordinary portrait of an American family and AI by my brilliant friend and former colleague Jessica Contrera. A must-read: www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

When A.I. Is a Member of the Family

A single mom, her two daughters, and the chatbots that fill in the gaps.

newyorker.com

Joan Sebastian Guerrero's last recorded words: ‘I tried to stop.' www.pressherald.com/2026/07/13/b...

Biddeford witness saw gunshot victim bleeding from head

One resident who saw the shooting said he heard the man who died say 'I tried to stop.'

pressherald.com

Breaking News: Federal immigration agents who killed a man during a traffic stop in Houston on Tuesday had been searching for a different person, according to a Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman. nyti.ms/4pfTwgK

Mexican Man Fatally Shot by ICE Wasn’t the Intended Target

Officials say agents believed the driver resembled one suspect, but the encounter quickly escalated into a fatal shooting.

nyti.ms

Genuinely horrifying: “I recognized him immediately,” Ronaldo Salgado said, sobbing as he recounted the events to reporters. “Not from his appearance, but from his voice, crying for help as he lay on the street bleeding out.” www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

He saw a video of a Mexican man shot by ICE. It was his father.

The eldest child of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo said his father was “a family man” who was likely frightened by the unmarked vehicles following him.

washingtonpost.com

The embodiment of a picture being worth a thousand words. Caption: Members of the group Patriot Front ride the metro as a commuter looks on, during the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 4, 2026. REUTERS/Cheney Orr"

Massive hell yes to this. Natalie is the greatest

Washington City Paper@wcp.bsky.social · last mo.

Curator, scholar, and advocate Natalie Hopkinson takes us on a tour of 19 places that highlight the rebellious spirit of this city that refuses to be extinguished—many of the sites showcase Black entrepreneurs and creators.

Putting on my NatureMom™️ hat and reminding everyone that this is a great time to set out some shallow dishes of water for all the furred and feathered pals in your neighborhood who are about to be very hot and thirsty 🐦

Capital Weather@capitalweather.com · last mo.

Day One of what looks like an extremely intense heat wave is here. Daily records are in jeopardy through the 4th, and it's not impossible DC could come close to its all-time temperature record. Full coverage at CapitalWeather.com and the Capital Weather app. (Photo by Jeanne Stuart McVey)

As zeitgeisty pop songs go, I feel like ELLA LANGLEY’s “Choosin’ Texas” has grown massive enough to contain the vast unknowability of Texas itself — and I wrote about it for @notus.com www.notus.org/this-hugely-...

This Hugely Popular Country Song Has Surprising Parallels to the Texas Senate Race

“Choosin’ Texas” isn't about the future of democracy. Unless you want to hear it that way.

notus.org

Wow. Prairieland defendants being handed sentences between 40 and 100 years. For background on this case: www.ms.now/news/antifa-...

Trump wants to prosecute anti-fascists as terrorists. This Texas trial will test his power.

A July 4 shooting at an ICE detention center could change the way the federal government prosecutes activists.

ms.now

DFW Support Committee@dfwsupportcommitt.bsky.social · last mo.

Federal sentencing has started. Zachary Evetts was just sentenced to 50 years by Chief District Judge Reed O'Connor. Maricela Rueda was just sentenced to 840 months / 70 years by Judge Mark Pittman.

"'Toy Story 5' has been widely characterized as a straight-up toys vs. tech plotline, but that description belies a far more nuanced narrative. This isn’t an anti-tech film; it’s a pro-human one." I wrote about why 'Toy Story 5' lands at an important moment for millennial parents: wapo.st/4xG4Pme

Analysis | ‘Toy Story’ has always been entertaining — this time it’s important

A franchise that dazzled millennials as kids has a new sequel that taps their parental anxiety.

wapo.st

A physician tells the story of her 28-year-old hospice patient and the transformative conversation no one else could hear. “It undoubtedly was the most powerful thing I’ve ever experienced as a physician.”

A young mother couldn’t accept she was dying, until her grandpa appeared to her

A physician tells the story of her 28-year-old hospice patient and the transformative conversation no one else could hear.

washingtonpost.com

I always love @caitjgibson.bsky.social's reported pieces but this one is particularly fascinating and beautiful. I'll be thinking about this for quite a while.

Caitlin Gibson@caitjgibson.bsky.social · 2mo ago

This one was among the most moving and mind-opening stories I've had the privilege to report. What an honor to have been with Shirley Brydalski at the end of her life, as she experienced vivid and deeply meaningful visions — a common but mysterious deathbed phenomenon. Gift link: wapo.st/4xCcMbZ

This one was among the most moving and mind-opening stories I've had the privilege to report. What an honor to have been with Shirley Brydalski at the end of her life, as she experienced vivid and deeply meaningful visions — a common but mysterious deathbed phenomenon. Gift link: wapo.st/4xCcMbZ

The profound meaning and mystery of deathbed visions

Shirley's dreams and visions would lead her and her daughter Debbie toward secrets Shirley had never before told her family — and revelations that would change what Debbie understood about her mother'...

wapo.st

At the end of the term I asked my college creative wriing students to submit anonymous thoughts on AI. No real surprises: Mood ranges from resignation to despair, capitulation from embittered erosion of standards to total, feelings of betrayal from deep to furious. 1/

"The problem was the tonally incoherent emulsion of patriotism and bloodlust, history and buy-this-crap, an event happening for the people but tucked behind a Paramount+ paywall." @monicahesse.bsky.social on a distinctly American "celebration of slop": www.washingtonpost.com/style/2026/0...

Column | A most American fight night

The UFC extravaganza at the White House was not a celebration of a sport, it was a celebration of slop. We have always been a violent country, but have we always been such a shameless one?

washingtonpost.com

the bliss and agony of experiencing an extraordinary, historic sports triumph in a household where you also absolutely cannot wake up small children

I've reported on Musk for around 8 years. I've co-authored a book on him. I don't think folks understand the rate of his wealth accumulation. Shortly after he helped elect Donald Trump in Nov 2024, his net worth was around $350 billion. That net worth has nearly tripled in less than two years.

I’m so honored by this recognition. I’m also looking for work! The Washington Post laid me off earlier this year. Deep thanks to the SFJ for elevating arts criticism in this tumultuous moment. Deep thanks to everyone for reading my stuff and spreading the word.

Society for Features Journalism@wearesfj.bsky.social · 2mo ago

ARTS & CULTURE CRITICISM PORTFOLIO, DIV 3 2026 SFJ winners: 🥇 1st: @philipkennicott.bsky.social - Washington Post 🥈 2nd: @marymcnamara.bsky.social - LA Times 🥉 3rd: @chrisrichards.bsky.social - Washington Post 🏅 HM: Rohan Preston - @startribune.com #SFJAwards

This week, @msrachelforlittles.bsky.social made her first-ever visit to Capitol Hill, carrying the words and artwork of children detained by ICE at the Dilley family detention center in Texas. I spent time with her as she visited Senate offices, urging an end to family detention: wapo.st/4ecHKP2

Ms. Rachel goes to Washington, carrying letters from children in ICE custody

The children’s media star is urging lawmakers to end family detention and reunite the kids and parents who had been separated by ICE enforcement.

wapo.st

An interview with Jeff Parker about his storied residency at ETA, his experience collaborating with Flea, music’s unknowable ability to change the mood of a room, the influence of Wayne Shorter, and his latest, "Happy Today." By the great @chrisrichards.bsky.social www.powmag.net/p/jeff-parke...

I Don't Waste My Music: An Interview with Jeff Parker

Chris Richards speaks with the legendary guitarist about his new album, Happy Today.

powmag.net