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That’s No Spider! It’s a Clever, Oversized Decoy to Fool Predators (Maria)

The author writes, “Spiders aren’t just skillful predators — they’re often prey, hunted by everything from damselflies to hummingbirds. Now, for the first time, scientists have documented an unusual defense: Some species of arachnids build giant doppelgängers on their webs, creating a frightening deception that scares off would-be killers.”  

Democrats Caved in the Shutdown Fight. Unions Let Them (Sean)

From Jacobin: “The government shutdown was a test showing where progressive forces are strong and where they’re weak. The results are in after last night’s Democratic capitulation to the GOP: most top union leaders are failing to meet the moment.”

‘Our Job Is Only Killing’ — How Sudan’s Brutal Militia Carried Out a Massacre (Laura)

From the BBC: “Fighters laugh as they ride on the back of a pick-up truck, speeding past a row of nine dead bodies and driving towards the setting Sudanese sun. ‘Look at all this work. Look at this genocide,’ one cheers. He smiles as he turns the camera on himself and his fellow fighters, their Rapid Support Forces (RSF) badges on display: ‘They will all die like this.’ The men are celebrating a massacre that humanitarian officials fear killed more than 2,000 people in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher last month. [Last] Monday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) said it was investigating whether the paramilitary may have committed ‘war crimes and crimes against humanity.’”

Europeans Recognize Zohran Mamdani’s Supposedly Radical Policies as ‘Normal’ (Siobhán)

The author writes, “After New York City’s race for mayor catapulted Zohran Mamdani from state assembly member into one of the world’s most prominent progressive voices, intense debate swirled over the ideas at the heart of his campaign. His critics and opponents painted pledges such as free bus service, universal childcare, and rent freezes as unworkable, unrealistic, and exorbitantly expensive. But some have hit back, highlighting the quirk of geography that underpins some of this view. ‘He promised things that Europeans take for granted, but Americans are told are impossible,’ said the Dutch environmentalist and former government adviser Alexander Verbeek in the wake of Tuesday’s election. Verbeek backed this with a comment he had overheard in an Oslo cafe, in which Mamdani was described as an American politician who ‘finally’ sounded normal.”

Voters’ Anger at High Electricity Bills and Data Centers Looms Over 2026 Midterms (Reader Steve)

The authors write, “Voter anger over the cost of living is hurtling forward into next year’s midterm elections, when pivotal contests will be decided by communities that are home to fast-rising electric bills or fights over who’s footing the bill to power Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers. Electricity costs were a key issue in this week’s elections for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, a data center hotspot, and in Georgia, where Democrats ousted two Republican incumbents for seats on the state’s utility regulatory commission. Voters in New Jersey, Virginia, California, and New York City all cited economic concerns as the top issue, as Democrats and Republicans gird for a debate over affordability in the intensifying midterm battle to control Congress. Already, President Donald Trump is signaling that he’ll focus on affordability next year as he and Republicans try to maintain their slim congressional majorities.”

A Texas Church’s Online Class Trains Christians To Run for Office. Now It May Go National (Dana)

From the Fort Worth Report: “Texas Rep. Nate Schatzline’s energy was palpable as he gazed out from the video on the computer screen, grinning ear to ear, the sleeves of his white dress shirt rolled up. The Republican legislator from Fort Worth had a message to share with people watching the prerecorded video: As a Christian, you have an essential role in politics and local government. ‘There is no greater calling than being civically engaged and bringing the values that Scripture teaches us into every realm of the earth,’ Schatzline said. The legislator was teaching a section of Campaign University, a series of online lessons he and others associated with Fort Worth-based megachurch Mercy Culture created to raise up so-called ‘spirit-led candidates.’”

Your Bedroom Glow Might Be Quietly Damaging Your Heart (Mili)

The authors write, “Boston researchers linked nighttime light exposure to greater stress-related brain activity and inflamed arteries, signaling a higher risk of heart disease. The study suggests that artificial light at night disrupts normal stress responses, leading to chronic inflammation. Experts call for reducing unnecessary light in cities and homes to protect cardiovascular health.”