Links for you. Science:

It is time to authenticate the Microbiome Sciences with accredited educational programs and departments
Meet ‘Hercules,’ the Largest Male Funnel-Web Spider Ever Found
WGS of a cluster of MDR Shigella sonnei utilizing Oxford Nanopore R10.4.1 long-read sequencing (not clear if the data are good enough for outbreak detection though)
A snake’s teeth predict how fast it will strike
Characteristics of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolated from retail meat products in North Carolina
Deep mutational scans of XBB.1.5 and BQ.1.1 reveal ongoing epistatic drift during SARS-CoV-2 evolution

Other:

Trump Doesn’t Actually Speak for the Silent Majority
Democrats Can’t Keep Ignoring Covid in 2024. A sudden surge of the virus is a stark reminder of two things: The pandemic isn’t over, and it could be part of the referendum on the Biden presidency. (pleasantly surprised this was published at all, and, yes, Biden wouldn’t be (and wasn’t) as bad as Trump, but Biden’s COVID policies have not been good)
How Long Can Netanyahu Keep All the Plates Spinning? (gift link; again, domestic politics must be considered in all of this)
The Heart of Nikki Haley’s Political Problem: Her Civil War gaffe—and botched attempt to clean it up—perfectly illustrates the dilemma she faces as a candidate.
‘The Most Urgent Question of Our Time’: Biden is right to focus on democracy—even if some of his fellow Democrats worry that voters don’t care enough about it.
Boeing 737 MAX Incident a By-Product of Its Financial Mindset
Well. We Still Haven’t Done Anything About the Electoral College: Another election season in the shadow of disaster.
BBC apologizes for report accusing IDF of ‘summary executions’ in the Gaza Strip
Cult mentality: Professor makes monumental discovery in Italy
January 6
NYPD whistleblower on why so-called “bad apple” cops are really guided by “incentives of the system”
Longtime Israeli-Palestinian friendships fracture after Oct. 7 attack
How Republicans Learned to Love January 6
What Will Happen to Gaza’s People?
She’s 16. The war in Ukraine wrecked her city — and her childhood.
Kellyanne Conway is selling the GOP a dream that’s destined to backfire
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles faces serious ethics complaint (if Santos hadn’t been so pathological, Ogles would have been the liar of the House)
Jack Smith’s Latest Filing Is More Proof Trump Did F*ck All to Stop the Goons on January 6
U.S. Moves Closer to Filing Sweeping Antitrust Case Against Apple
Trump engaged in insurrection three years ago today. The Supreme Court must say so.
How John Coltrane’s ‘My Favorite Things’ Changed American Music
At 95, the ‘Make Way for Ducklings’ sculptor is ready to unveil her ‘deep,’ ‘angry’ work: Nancy Schön’s latest piece stares down authoritarianism.
Republican Officials Openly Insult Women Nearly Killed by Abortion Bans
Trump cannot legally qualify for Nevada’s 2024 primary ballot
Hiding And Seeking With The New York Times
How Twitter activists turned a viral story about Orthodox Jews into a modern blood libel