Gina Kaufmann

Books Are Meant to Be Slow The erosion of deep reading weakens our capacity to grasp complex ideas.

“If deep reading cultivates empathy,” Joel Halldorf writes, “the attention-fracturing, dopamine-hitting, scroll-spurring design of digital media often undermines it”:

A brief history of US, Israeli and Iranian relations - The World from PRX The war in the Middle East is just under a week old, but the history of US intervention in Iran dates back to the 1950s. We take a step back to look at the history of relations between Iran and the Un...

Another week, and already so much news to untangle.

If you or anyone you know is feeling unmoored due to not quite having a grasp of the historical context for what’s happening right now in the Middle East, I can’t recommend this 13-minute conversation highly enough.

theworld.org/segments/202...

Song lyrics describing how women look and move are usually a little like furniture assembly manuals, as in: this is the shape of object you’re looking for, here’s what you can do with it. But I’m listening to Graceland and “she moves so easily all I can think of is sunlight” — THAT is a lyric.

A son waits for a daily call from Iran saying his parents are still safe For those with relatives stuck inside Iran, waiting for news about their safety is a daily agony.

The bakery this family runs is one of my favorite places in this city.

“The country they call home is attacking the country where their families live.”

www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2026/...

They are human forms but rough and glistening, like sugary candy, and without invitation or instruction, people instinctively feel compelled to see how they taste. Our host asks if any “parts” are “particularly, uh, licked.”

This artist's sculptures are made of sugar — and people won't stop licking them - The World from PRX “Please Don’t Touch The Art” is sort of a golden rule at museums and exhibitions, but Berlin-based artist Joseph Marr has a to deal with a slightly different issue: People have been licking his sculpt...

We had a lot of serious coverage of serious issues on today’s show which I will share tomorrow.

But it’s Friday night, so here, have a hilarious conversation with an artist who makes sculptures out of sugar. People keep licking them.

By @joshuacoe.bsky.social

theworld.org/segments/202...

What the snow looks like in Massachusetts after Holi celebrations are over

One developed photographs (this is before 1-hour photo). The other sold papers at a news stand. Both in Chicago. Funny to think how antiquated both jobs are.

Proud of the work our nimble team is doing. Today alone: The view from Lebanon. Spain’s defiant stand, with a side of vermouth. The role of online disinformation in 21st century war. Cuba’s economy. Flooding in Peru. Elections in Nepal. I learned a lot! theworld.org/programs/the...

Iran's revolutionary regime is built to resist shocks - The World from PRX The assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was a jolt for Iran. But its political system is built to sustain abrupt change. History shows the regime has been able to quickly find new lead...

About regime change:

Fascinating conversation about succession in the Islamic Republic, produced by @joyhackel.bsky.social

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😂

While I was making dinner my son walked over and asked, “do we have this week’s New Yorker?”

Be still my heart.

I’m getting the SAD lamp back out. We may just have to use that thing all year round.

Trump’s unprovoked attack on Iran has no mandate – or legal basis US president violates UN charter just days into his Board of Peace era, and chooses to take the biggest gamble of his administration

“Iran has arguably never posed less of a threat than now”

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

Independence Residents Fight a $6.6 Billion Data Center as Monday's Tax Break Vote Looms – The Kansas City Defender Independence is the latest front in a nationwide battle over data centers. On Monday, the city council will vote on whether to hand billions in tax breaks to a Dutch tech company for a project that, a...

“If they build, we don’t want to stay here, and if they build, we can’t leave here.”

First part in an investigate series on a Dutch company trying to build a giant AI data center in Independence, Missouri.

kansascitydefender.com/technology-a...

Kansan Transes, would you like to help me make a comic about the drivers-license law? My DMs are open and my email is si AT arrr DOT net

Statement from Dario Amodei on our discussions with the Department of War A statement from our CEO on national security uses of AI

“However, in a narrow set of cases, we believe AI can undermine rather than defend democratic values.”

www.anthropic.com/news/stateme...

I miss questions like these! 9-year-old questions are fun too (what happens when elevators reach maximum captivity?) but gah. 4 is so good.

This is beautiful.

Last night I dreamed I got a call from someone telling me I’d won the lottery and the person wanted me to get video of myself going outside and shouting the news. I was like “wait I have to make sure this is real.” And what followed was a mundane sequence of due diligence in journalism.

I used to be with it, but then they changed what “it” was, and now what’s it seems weird and scary to me. It’ll happen to you!

Or: “That’s a false analogy” “No it’s not. It’s apt. Apt!”

You know what? Just listen to the whole show 😆

PS: in the story about Russian conscripts, Levi (the reporter) touches on the fact that non-Christians in Russia face higher rates of conscription. DEFINITELY WORTH UNDERSTANDING.

Putin wages war while tens of thousands of conscripts die - The World from PRX Today marks the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Ongoing peace talks brokered by the US haven’t led to anything concrete. While the last year, Russia has made steady gains on the...

Plus, a rare glimpse into the hardship of Russian soldiers and their families — and what the options are for those who decide it’s not a war they want to fight.

theworld.org/segments/202...

After the welcome, Ukrainian refugees face fading support - The World from PRX Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine sparked the largest forced migration Europe has seen since World War II. Up to a third of Ukraine’s population has been displaced. Millions have fled to safety ...

A couple of must-listen segments from @theworld.org 4 years to the day after Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine.

First, after initial shows of solidarity, waning compassion — and material support — for Ukrainian refugees in Europe. By @orlabarry.bsky.social

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I'm Just Another Soldier by The Staple Singers on Apple Music Song · 1972 · Duration 3:53

music.apple.com/us/album/im-...

😖

What are “western values”? A worthwhile interrogation.

But in real life off stage, I have felt a quieter version of it. When you stop contorting yourself to fit a rigid, external ideal, it changes you. Watching the absolute euphoria of someone coming back and crushing it as her liberated self was so good. “That’s what I’m fucking talking about!”

Amen

Finally watched the women’s free skate and was surprised to find myself crying watching Alyssa Liu.

I grew up in ballet, which has a similar contradiction: it’s expressive, it’s restrictive. I never got a cinematic redemption moment — let’s be real, most people don’t.