Links for you. Science:

The Messiest Phase of the Pandemic Yet: Coronavirus data have always been incomplete—but the situation in America is particularly murky now.
Cute Experiment Reveals How Your Cat Probably Wants Its Meals Served
This Flower Hides a Secret: It’s Actually a Carnivore
We Finally Know Why Older Sunflowers Keep Facing East (And Why It’s a Good Thing)
Eastern Hemlocks Face Extinction. A Tiny Fly Could Save Them

Other:

‘Crystal Clear’: STAY DC rental assistance offers residents a limited-time opportunity for a financial fresh start
Hungary punked Tucker Carlson
Germany Makes Rapid Virus Tests a Key to Everyday Freedoms: As the country begins reopening, it is relying on widespread, free antigen tests to ensure that anyone not yet vaccinated against the coronavirus is also not infectious.
The census reminds us America isn’t static. The GOP needs to deal with it.
Hush-Hush Boom-Boom
Biden administration approves largest increase to food assistance benefits in SNAP program history
The Return of the Taliban: Their comeback has taken twenty years, but it is a classic example of a successful guerrilla war of attrition.
Biden must make the case for ending the filibuster to protect voting rights
Native American Voting Rights Are Under Attack In Republican-Run States: The current wave of voter suppression bills targets the Native vote that helped elect President Joe Biden and a Democratic Senate majority.
What China Wants and Why
Restaurants and Bars Get Some Harassment but Mostly Support for Requiring Vaccinations (“I believe a bunch of people were outed. And there were more than I thought,” Powers says. “It’s like that horror movie They Walk Among Us. How many people are out there? These were not low-down characters or anything. These were your 25- to 35 year-old hipster metropolitan people who you would think have the sensibility and awareness to have that card.”–vaccination is popular in D.C.)
Vaccines Are Like Sunscreen … No, Wait, Airbags … No, Wait …
NC Rep. Keith Kidwell, wife in hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19
The Democrats Are Freaking Out About the 2022 Midterms. Good! The party is rightly worried about polls showing Republican gains. The solution is to stop talking about doing things and start actually doing them.
Critical Attrition: What’s the matter with book reviews?
The Remote Work Pay Cut Class War
Libertarians and the Vaccine: Give Me Liberty and Give Them Death
Trump Attempted a Coup. Here’s Why That Still Matters
The Infrastructure and Budget Bills Are a Watershed in U.S. Economic Doctrine. Deficit demagogy has (finally) become a fringe position in American politics—just look at the massive bills moving through Congress.
Bernie Sanders lost his fight to be president. But now he’s written a budget that could secure his legacy.
‘This is … about hate.’ Holocaust comparisons show up at protests against hospitals’ COVID-19 vaccine mandates