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1. What These Stories About Samuel Alito’s Absurd “Provocative” Flags Are Really About
2. In an Extraordinary Opinion, a Federal Judge Delivers a Scathing Warning About the Supreme Court
3. Clarence Thomas Makes a Full-Throated Case for Racial Gerrymandering
4. Let’s Catch Up on How Trump’s Vice Presidential Candidates Are Humiliating Themselves

Shutdown aftershocks: The deleterious short-term effects of the government shutdown are clear—furloughed workers, shuttered museums, overflowing public toilets—but other repercussions could reverberate for much longer. Josephine Wolff illustrates how the shutdown will have dire cybersecurity consequences, both within the government and without, for years to come.

Not your place to decide:A recent piece in the Atlantic claimed that the holiday gift trend of weighted blankets was a form of cultural appropriation from people with autism. Sara Luterman dismisses this idea: “As an autistic person, did I ask for this defense? … In fact, nondisabled people using amenities originally designed for disabled people does nothing but improve our lives.”

Time is a flat circle:After a convoluted, poorly reviewed second season, True Detectiveis back, with Oscar winner Mahershala Ali as its star. Willa Paskin says the third season “riffs on the first”—but that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Out of the muck:Copenhagen and Hong Kong are trying to expand their geographical reach, set up homes for citizens, and create new jobs by investing in artificial islands—reclaiming land from water for the supposed benefit of the people. But this practice comes at an extreme environmental cost. Henry Grabar investigates.

For fun:Which smart speaker should you trust most—and least?

A tragic misstep in evolution,
Vicky

 

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