Listen To This Story

Your Dog Has a Unique Ability to Read Your Mind. Here’s Why. (Maria)

The author writes, “Your dog tilts its head when you cry, paces when you’re stressed, and somehow appears at your side during your worst moments. Coincidence? Not even close. Thousands of years of co-evolution have given dogs special ways to tune in to our voices, faces and even brain chemistry. … Your dog’s mind is hardwired to pick up on what you’re feeling.” 

What Trump Learned From Silicon Valley (DonkeyHotey)

From The American Prospect: “Arguably the most lucrative innovation to come out of Silicon Valley in the past decade and a half has been a willingness to break the law. The conscious decision to defy existing regulation — frequently by reference to ‘blitzscaling,’ a strategy of rapidly expanding businesses promoted by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman — is now the easiest way to find success in America’s crowded startup economy. Blitzscaling, exemplified by Uber and other venture capital–backed tech companies, is now being put to use by the Trump administration and its techno-fascist staffer class. Much like Silicon Valley investors, administration officials have learned that the structures governing the American economy and its liberal democratic order are no match for unadulterated speed.”

Private Equity Is Coming for Public Utilities (Sean)

From Jacobin: “As the AI boom promises soaring electricity demand, private equity giant BlackRock is waging a scorched-earth campaign — with the help of suspiciously timed advocacy from labor allies and ostensible clean-energy groups — to acquire an electric supplier and get a slice of newfound energy profits. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has its tentacles in all facets of American life. The behemoth is buying up grocery brands, dental practices, apartment buildings, and nursing homes. But the opaque industry of private equity has mostly stayed away from electric utilities, the regulated companies that supply power to homes and businesses, because they often don’t yield quick returns. That’s changing.”

Chemical Pollution a Threat Comparable to Climate Change, Scientists Warn (Laura)

The author writes, “Chemical pollution is ‘a threat to the thriving of humans and nature of a similar order as climate change’ but decades behind global heating in terms of public awareness and action, a report has warned. The industrial economy has created more than 100 million ‘novel entities,’ or chemicals not found in nature, with somewhere between 40,000 and 350,000 in commercial use and production, the report says. But the environmental and human health effects of this widespread contamination of the biosphere are not widely appreciated, in spite of a growing body of evidence linking chemical toxicity with effects ranging from ADHD to infertility to cancer.”

FAFO Still In Full Effect at Target as Foot Traffic Continues to Decline for Retail Giant (Dana)

The author writes, “Target is facing its sixth consecutive month of declining store visits. July foot traffic was down 3.9% compared to last year, according to Placer.ai. The decline follows a wave of customer backlash due to Target’s rollback of its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Foot traffic dropped nearly 8% overall at the big-box store. The corporation’s stock declined from $145 to $93 a share in 2025. This slump erases as much as $12 billion in market value, signaling the effectiveness of the boycott’s reach and potency.”

Hang On, Did a MAGA Lout Just Try To Kill Me Because He Thought My Car Was Too Woke for Idaho? (Reader Steve)

From the Independent: “When Jonathan Margolis drove into Idaho in a sports car with a Canadian number plate, he didn’t think it would make him a target for aggressive pickup trucks. Unfortunately, he may have been wrong.”

The Parasite That Turns Off Your Body’s Pain Alarm and Sneaks In (Mili)

The author writes, “Scientists have discovered a parasite that can sneak into your skin without you feeling a thing. The worm, Schistosoma mansoni, has evolved a way to switch off the body’s pain and itch signals, letting it invade undetected. By blocking certain nerve pathways, it avoids triggering the immune system’s alarms. This stealth tactic not only helps the worm survive, but could inspire new kinds of pain treatments and even preventative creams to protect people from infection.”