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Defector

Kelsey McKinney

close up of president trump's face in the oval office

Politics

The Bleak Fantasy Of Donald Trump’s Death

Patrick Redford

BILBAO, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 03: A group of fans protest against Team Israel - Premier Tech riders by displaying Palestinian flags at arrival during the La Vuelta - 80th Tour of Spain 2025, Stage 11 a 157.4km stage from Bilbao to Bilbao / #UCIWT / on September 03, 2025 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)

Cycling

You Can Advertise The State Of Israel On Your Shirt Or Ride Undisrupted In La Vuelta, But Not Both


<p>charismatic megafauna (they/them)</p>


Sabrina Imbler

A CVS pharmacy store on February 28, 2025 in San Diego, California

Science

How Are You Supposed To Get The COVID Vaccine Now? An Explainer

David Roth

A screengrab from Mark Teixeira's website for his congressional run. He's holding out a baseball and grinning and wearing a tight red golf shirt. It looks like an ad for a real estate agency.

Mark Teixeira Is Ready To Do Whatever It Is Congress Guys Have To Do

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<div class="p-rich_text_section">Tom Scocca is the editor of <a href="http://indignity.net">Indignity</a>, a subscription-supported newsletter of news, essays, and commentary.</div>
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Tom Scocca

Armed members of the National Guard patrol Union Station on August 27, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Well, He Sent In The Troops

RFK Jr. Is Making His Bid To Become One Of American History’s Biggest Killers

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK - 2025/04/06: A banner saying “Greenland not for sale” and “Kalaallit Nunaat Kalaallit Pigaat” translated to "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders” seen during a demonstration against the Trump administration. Protesters gathered in front of the American Embassy in response to the Trump administration's repeated statements about wanting control over Greenland. These statements, which questioned Denmark’s sovereignty and emphasized Greenland’s strategic value, sparked outrage in both Greenland and Denmark. Greenlandic leaders and citizens strongly rejected any suggestion of being "for sale," stressing their right to self-determination and fears of losing their cultural identity. The situation has unified Greenland’s political parties and raised broader concerns about international law and Arctic geopolitics. (Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Danish Intelligence Service Tells Trump To Stop Oafish Espionage Maneuvers

<p>Staff Writer</p>
<p>Find me on Signal @DefectorChris.19</p>


Chris Thompson

Life's Rich Pageant

Josina Anderson Advises Independent Noun-Inclusion Vis-À-Vis Chemtrails

Screwworm larva. Tusklike mandibles protruding from the screwworm larva's mouth rasp the flesh of living warm-blooded animals.

Make America Wormy Again

<p>James Greig is a journalist and the Political Editor at <a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/user/jamesgreig">Dazed</a>.</p>


James Greig

Sally Rooney Dares The British Government To Follow Through

Dave McKenna

The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) agents walk on patrol near Nationals Park on August 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. An increased presence of law enforcement has been seen throughout the nation's capital since U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to deploy federal officers and the U.S. National Guard.

Notes From The D.C. Clampdown

Albert Burneko

James Dobson poses for a portrait in 2011 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

James Dobson Is Dead, Was A Monster

Never Attempt To Bribe Me With Snacks Unless They Are The Good Snacks

Kathryn Xu

Commuters ride a SEPTA bus on October 10, 2017, in the Philadelphia, PA Suburbs.

Transit

Doomsday For SEPTA Is Bad News For Everyone

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<div>Casey Taylor is a writer living and working in Pittsburgh. He is currently writing a book for St. Martin&#8217;s Press about cannabis religions, Haile Selassie I, and the Cold War in the Caribbean. He also writes a free newsletter called <a href="https://weedchurch.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://weedchurch.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1709306863919000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1mVH2xiID6S0zvlyj6yHco">Weed Church</a> covering foolish spiritual things that occur to him. His work has appeared in The New Republic, WIRED, New York Magazine, and a sports blog he can’t currently recall the name of. You can <a href="mailto:caseyt7@gmail.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">email</a> him if you’d like.</div>
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Casey Taylor

Kim Jong Un, Girl Dad

Starving Palestinians including women and children holding pots wait to receive food distributed by a charity organization as Israel continue to block humanitarian aid from reaching the Gaza Strip on August 10, 2025.

The Free Press Reports Gaza’s Starving Children Have Pre-Existing Condition Of Being Bombed By Israel


<p>Corey Atad is a freelancer writer based in Toronto with an unhealthy Air Bud obsession.</p>


Corey Atad

Zohran Mamdani smiling with a megaphone in the park

Selling Zohran

David Brooks making a surprised face while being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on the OWN Netwrok.

Journalismism

David Brooks: Wearing A Mets Hat Might Just Save Our Democracy

The Apartheid Museum, featuring collections of photographs, documents and materials exhibited in its galleries.

Tyranny Is Managed Into Existence

A screengrab of Alan Dershowitz on his Dershow podcast's mailbag segment. He is literally saying the words "Jeffrey Epstein" at this moment.

Are You Aware Of The Alan Dershowitz Martha’s Vineyard Pierogi Situation?

U.S. President Donald Trump looks at (L-R) golfer Bryson DeChambeau, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, and WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque as he speaks during an executive order signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump signed a series of orders that will expand on his council on sports, fitness and nutrition, including by reviving the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools.

Report: Harrison Butker’s PAC Coffers Are As Empty As His Head

Tom Ley

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever looks on prior to the game against the Chicago Sky during the first half at the United Center on July 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

Media Meltdowns

Wall Street Journal Calls For Congressional Investigation Into Caitlin Clark Getting Fouled

<p>Maggie Mertens is a freelance journalist in Seattle, and the author of <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/better-faster-farther-how-running-changed-everything-we-know-about-women-maggie-mertens/20674936?ean=9781643753355" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://bookshop.org/p/books/better-faster-farther-how-running-changed-everything-we-know-about-women-maggie-mertens/20674936?ean%3D9781643753355&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754022936515000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1qsnDemLKZppvFS2kpVCTH">BETTER FASTER FARTHER: How Running Changed Everything We Know About Women</a>. She also sometimes writes and sends the newsletters <a href="https://maggiemertens.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://maggiemertens.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754022936515000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0lAUeT18_qV95dy9jg9Sg0">My So-Called Feminist Life</a> and <a href="https://gilmorewomen.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://gilmorewomen.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1754022936515000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1hLBDLFWCAWpJsqvPzljRr">Gilmore Women</a>.</p>
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Maggie Mertens

High School Sports

Minnesota Softball Has A Title IX Problem

Brandy Jensen

The front of the New York Times building on 8th Avenue during sunset

The New York Times Clarifies That A Starving Child In Gaza Also Needs Medical Care

Ray Ratto

Washington Commanders logo displayed on a phone screen and photo of Donald Trump taken on June 25 in The Hague displayed on a laptop screen in the background. It's a photo illustration.