Source: Common Sense
by Paul Jacob
“After Friday, when I worried about robots taking over, I was glad to read a debunking of the AI Will Destroy Us All meme, so in vogue. In ‘Superintelligent AI Is Not Coming To Kill You,’ from the March issue of Reason, Neil Chilson argues that we shouldn’t freak out. Not only do I not want to freak out, I don’t want to use AI very much — though I understand that, these days, sometimes it makes sense to consult the Oracles.” (02/02/26)
Source: Foreign Policy
by Julian E Zelizer
“The president’s decision to send troops to Los Angeles received broad national, bipartisan support.” (02/02/26)
Source: United Press International
“President Donald Trump has threatened to sue Trevor Noah over a joke the comedian made while hosting Sunday night’s Grammy Awards. … Trump frequently pursues lawsuits against critics and media organizations over comments he says damaged his reputation, drawing criticism from opponents who accuse him of trying to silence dissent. Noah, a South African comedian who has hosted the Grammy Awards since 2021, attracted the ire of the American president with a joke about Trump’s relationship with the convicted sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.” (02/02/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/02/02/Trump-suing-Trevor-Noah-Epstein/1191770021184/
Source: The Bulwark
“How Can I Save Democracy? (w/ Ian Bassin).” (02/02/26)
Source: Brookings Institution
“Tech outlooks for 2026.” (02/02/26)
https://shows.acast.com/tech-tank/episodes/tech-outlooks-for-2026
Source: Reason
by JD Tuccille
“Missouri lawmakers are considering a proposal to abolish the state’s income tax and replace it with a sales tax. They’re not alone: Last year, Mississippi approved legislation that will decrease the state income tax over several years until it’s eliminated. That follows in the footsteps of Kentucky and Oklahoma. New Hampshire, which has no income tax, phased out its tax on interest and dividends. Several states making the move are considering sales taxes to fill the revenue gap, and they have the backing of the White House. But a new report warns that sales taxes may have to be higher than anticipated to make up the difference — unless state governments shrink in size and expense.” (02/02/26)
Source: San Diego Union Tribune
“Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of wintry weather Monday, a forecast sure to disappoint many after what’s already been a long, cold season across large parts of the United States. His annual prediction and announcement that he had seen his shadow was translated by his handlers in the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club at Gobbler’s Knob in western Pennsylvania. The news was greeted with a mix of cheers and boos from the tens of thousands who braved temperatures in the single-digits Fahrenheit to await the annual prognostication.” (02/02/26)
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/02/02/phil-groundhog-predicts-more-winter/
Source: The Dispatch
“Learning to Govern Ourselves | Interview: Ben and Jenna Storey.” (02/02/26)
https://thedispatch.com/podcast/remnant/learning-to-govern-ourselves-interview-ben-and-jenna-storey/
Source: Antiwar.com
“Khamenei Warns US Attack Will Bring ‘Regional War,’ US Bombed Somalia 25 Times in January, and More.” (02/02/26)
Source: Quillette
by Stephan Jensen
“Trump’s threat to annex Greenland has revealed the shakiness of America’s commitment to NATO. Europe urgently needs to create its own alternative.” (02/02/26)
https://quillette.com/2026/02/02/europe-needs-a-new-alliance-nato-greenland-eu-trump-defence/