Mosquitoes found in Iceland for first time as climate crisis warms country Three specimens discovered in what was previously one of the few places in the world without the insects

sad face:
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

If the Voting Rights Act Falls The Supreme Court appears ready to hobble the landmark civil-rights law. What does that mean for Black voters, democracy, and control of Congress?

holding my breath over this one: www.theatlantic.com/podcasts/arc...

Fifty Years Later, Push For Equality Continues: Remembering The Strike That Stopped The Nation On October 24, 1975, 90 percent of women all around Iceland went on strike. Twenty-five thousand of them gathered on...

excellent long review of this historic moment: grapevine.is/mag/feature/...

at last! way back in January I applied for permanent residency here in Iceland (the equivalent of the US’s green card) — and it’s finally been approved!!!! i am so so SO relieved and excited!!

YouTube video by Los Angeles Times Leaving the Point

heartbreaking but beautifully made short film, many familiar faces: youtu.be/T1NCnwc8k1o?...

Opinion | Civility Is a Fantasy

I missed this essay when it was first published, but so glad to read it today:
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/o...

Opinion | A Breath of Fresh Air With Brian Eno

yesssssss I so needed this conversation today: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/o...

Where Am I, Part 1 and attempting to re-re-start this newsletter!

attempting to re-start my newsletter - please check it out and subscribe and/or comment!
fjordlight.substack.com/p/where-am-i...

Trump says US cities should be ‘training grounds for our military’ in incendiary speech President gave address after defense chief Pete Hegseth decried racial and gender diversity efforts in the military

revolting
www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

What the Public Memory of Charlie Kirk Revealed

so important:
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/m...

Nato to step up vigilance in Baltic Sea region after drones spotted over military bases Move comes after new drone sightings near major military installations in Denmark and Norway

unnerving:
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

well done, delegates

America’s Zombie Democracy Its trappings remain, but authoritarianism and AI are hollowing out our humanity.

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Huge boulder falls onto Ísafjörður road - RÚV.is RÚV.is

glad no one was driving by at the wrong moment: www.ruv.is/english/2025...

Opinion | I Look at This Country and I See a Stranger

www.nytimes.com/2025/09/21/o...

YouTube video by Cannonball with Wesley Morris Nikole Hannah-Jones on '1619,’ Trump and the Power of Dissent in 2025

such a powerful and heartbreaking conversation:
youtu.be/dMj3GM2Xae0?...

Authoritarianism Feels Surprisingly Normal—Until It Doesn’t Life in Venezuela was deceptively mundane. Then everything collapsed.

illustrative:
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Iceland’s Defence Dilemma: Between NATO Commitments and American Power - RÚV.is Iceland has no army, yet sits at the centre of North Atlantic security. A little-known defence pact with the U.S., quiet amendments, and the race for influence in the Arctic now raise urgent questions...

worrisome: www.ruv.is/english/2025...

RÚV English Radio - SÆUNNARSUND 2025 - RÚV.is Today on RÚV English Radio, the Westfjords sea-swim happening tomorrow.

today! (no I am not swimming, I will simply be an on-shore observer) www.ruv.is/english/2025...

Opinion | Trump Is Building His Own Paramilitary Force

as a former resident of Oakland & with family currently living in NYC, this is beyond alarming:
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/o...

Terence Stamp obituary Strikingly handsome British actor hailed for his film roles in Far from the Madding Crowd, Billy Budd and Superman

those eyes... will be missed
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/au...

Trump Has a New Definition of Human Rights State Department reports portray Germany as more oppressive than El Salvador.

The Trump administration has made U.S. human-rights reports favorably evaluate countries the president likes, @anneapplebaum.bsky.social writes. Now the State Department portrays “Germany as more oppressive than El Salvador”:

Border Patrol Agents Show Up in Force at Newsom Rally

ICE, America's first interior police, are not being built up, at the cost of billions, just to monitor immigration

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/u...

essential listening (or reading on the Atlantic's website, if you prefer)

Opinion | Something Extraordinary Is Happening All Over the World

fascinating read:
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/o...

How Much Worse Is This Going to Get? Political violence poses an existential threat to our nation and our freedoms—but it’s not too late.

more essential reading: www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

Hours after Putin spoke to Trump
And a few days after the US announced it would cut supplies of Ukrainian air defense

How Trump's tax cut and policy bill aims to 'supercharge' immigration enforcement The bill includes a major federal investment for President Trump's mass deportation plans, while also limiting eligibility for some safety net programs based on immigration status.

July 4: among other heinous things, US Congress just increased ICE's detention budget nearly 10x. this is not about deporting criminals; this is purely about locking people up. there's no other word for it: this entire bill, but especially this part, is disgusting.
www.npr.org/2025/07/03/g...

The Self-Evident Truths of Freedom—and of Tyranny Twenty-seven truths about America, our Democracy and Rule of Law, and our rights, freedoms, and liberties.

essential reading: www.telos.news/p/luttig-the...

‘This War Is Not Helping Us’ Members of Iran’s opposition want change, and fear for their lives.

helpful reminder of the citizens of these two countries in conflict, not just their leaders who seem horrible on both sides:

www.theatlantic.com/internationa...