Today's Liberal News

A Very California Lesson on Just How Weird Electricity Is

Last week, Americans had a rare view into what the future might look like. It came from California, as usual, but it was not courtesy of Apple’s annual keynote, or indeed of any technology company. It came from the state’s electricity grid.Wait—wait! Don’t click away yet. Electricity is, I hasten to add, extremely interesting. It is the energy source of the future.

‘The Cure for Burnout Is Not Self-Care’

The first thing you need to know about quiet quitting is that it’s not actually quitting. Instead, the quitter keeps their job and chooses to do only the bare minimum rather than go above and beyond. The second thing you need to know is that the term is brand new, so everyone is still figuring out the rest. To cite the Oxford English Dictionary of our very online times, Google searches for quiet quitting were basically nonexistent until this past August.But now it’s everywhere.

The Emmy Speech That Showed the Power of Live TV

Nothing against all of the other Emmy winners tonight, but even the most perfectly rehearsed, elegantly delivered acceptance speech couldn’t possibly compare to Sheryl Lee Ralph’s moment in the spotlight. In the minutes after the actor won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, she sang and beamed and soliloquized, inspiring the audience to leap to their feet again and again—and again.

It’s official: Trump won’t be invited to the Queen’s funeral

Queen Elizabeth II appeared to despise former President Donald Trump when she was essentially required to entertain him along with the former First Lady, but decorum prevailed. In death, all bets are off. According to statements from Windsor Palace, only current dignitaries have been invited to the United Kingdom for the Queen’s send-off.

Trump has bragged that meeting  Queen Elizabeth II was “the most extraordinary honor of [his] life.

Trump legal filing suggests all those top secret documents were just his personal records

Donald Trump’s lawyers on Monday asked Judge Aileen Cannon to continue blocking the Justice Department from reviewing the classified documents the FBI recovered from Mar-a-Lago. Trump’s lawyers’ filing is predictably filled with errors of fact and logic and law, but Cannon, a Trump appointee, has already shown that she doesn’t really care about that—she’s going to rule as she wants, regardless of the facts of the matter.

As Nov. 8 looms, this at-home GOTV opportunity can make a major difference in key races

Are you looking for a get-out-the-vote activity that can move a small number of voters but make a huge impact? A lot of campaigns ask folks to phone-bank, but state races are the most underrated ways to get involved. Just a few hours of your time can pay big dividends and serve the Daily Kos mission of electing more, better Democrats.

We are now less than 60 days from the midterm elections. With the tide turning in favor of Democrats, now is the time to get involved.

Uncle Dark Brandon chides Republicans for touting infrastructure spending they opposed

Our Illustrious Overlord Dark Brandon of the House of Biden, protector of the 50 states, breaker of chains, father of dragons, rider of bikes, double-fister of ice cream, is on a roll lately. And, much like every Italian salad Donald Trump has been served since he started running for president, he’s full of piss and vinegar. (I’m joking, of course. Trump doesn’t eat salads.

Ukraine Stands, Fights, and Wins

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.The war in Ukraine is far from over, but the Ukrainians have inflicted an immense loss on the Russians. There is a lesson here for all of us about how to deal with extremism in any form.But first, here are three new stories from The Atlantic.

The Politics of Pinocchio

Asked to name the two most important things about Pinocchio, most Americans would answer: First, his nose grows when he lies, and second, he is a wooden puppet who dreams of becoming a real boy. At this, Carlo Collodi would most likely shake his head.

19 Readers on the Rise of Dating Apps

This is an edition of Up for Debate, a newsletter by Conor Friedersdorf. On Wednesdays, he rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Later, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.Last week, a person who came of age in the online era tweeted this question: “Literally BAFFLED as to how people found love before dating sites and social media.

Against the Fun Fact

Nothing is less fun than a fun fact. The mandate to share one about yourself, typically posed as an icebreaker in schools, offices, and other formal settings, is deeply constraining. The form demands a tidbit that’s honest without being overly revealing, interesting but never indecent, unique but not weird. Within such parameters, it’s virtually impossible not to come off as either hopelessly boring or a complete fool.

Jackson’s Water Crisis Comes After $90M Contract with Siemens to Overhaul System “Ended Up a Disaster”

We look at how corporate involvement in Jackson, Mississippi’s infrastructure helped set the stage for its water crisis, as tens of thousands of residents of the majority-Black city remain under a boil water advisory. The main water treatment plant was damaged after a flood in late August, and while water pressure has been restored to most homes, viral videos show undrinkable brown liquid coming out of many taps.