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Birds of Prey Inspiring New Type of Drone (Maria) 

The author writes, “Birds of prey are inspiring a new type of drone being developed as part of a research project by the University of Surrey, UK. Dr. Olaf Marxen, from the institution’s mechanical engineering sciences, is among those creating an unmanned aerial vehicle designed to perch and maneuver through tight spaces. Engineers are drawing on studies of owls and raptors to complete the Learning2Fly project, which aims to transform how drones operate in urban environments, the university said.”

Trump Attacks Own Party Over Procedural Loophole Democrats Can Use To Block His Nominees (Sean) 

From Deseret News: “The obscure rule, known as blue slips, has been permitted since at least 1917 and allows the two senators from the home state of the candidate to object to their nomination if they so choose. That rule has given some Senate Democrats, who are in the minority and otherwise powerless to block Trump’s nominees, the ability to delay the president’s candidates they disagree with.”

It’s Time for Americans To Start Talking About “Soft Secession” (Dana) 

The author writes, “This is what American federalism looks like in 2025: Democratic governors holding emergency sessions on encrypted apps, attorneys general filing lawsuits within hours of executive orders, and state legislatures quietly passing laws that amount to nullification of federal mandates. Oregon is stockpiling abortion medication in secret warehouses. Illinois is exploring digital sovereignty. California has $76 billion in reserves and is deciding how to deploy it. Three sources on those daily Zoom calls between Democratic AGs say the same phrase keeps coming up, though nobody wants to say it publicly: soft secession.”

One Sentence in the Constitution Is Causing America Huge Problems (Al) 

From The New York Times: “Many of the Constitution’s flaws remain hidden when America is governed by decent men but become obvious and dangerous when it is not. Poor character creates a constitutional stress test, and it can reveal fatal defects in much the same way that a physical stress test can expose flaws in your heart. And nowhere are those flaws more apparent than in Article II, the article that created the American presidency. We should consider a change.”

55 Countries Say the World Map Is All Wrong (Reader Jim) 

The author writes, “For centuries, the familiar Mercator world map has quietly distorted Africa’s size and significance. Now, a coalition of African nations is leading a campaign to set the record straight with a new, more accurate map. Designed in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator for nautical navigation, the Mercator map stretches regions the farther they get from the equator, making Greenland look as large as Africa, a continent 14 times its size, and making North America look four times as big as it truly is.”

Real Footage Combined With AI Slop About DC Is Creating a Disinformation Mess on TikTok (Laryn) 

From 404 Media: “TikTok is full of AI slop videos about the National Guard’s deployment in Washington, DC, some of which use Google’s new VEO AI video generator. Unlike previous efforts to flood the zone with AI slop in the aftermath of a disaster or major news event, some of the videos blend real footage with AI footage, making it harder than ever to tell what’s real and what’s not, which has the effect of distorting people’s understanding of the military occupation of DC…Lots of this footage is obviously fake if you’re familiar with the actual situation in DC or familiar with the geography and streets in DC. But most people are not.”