Bookmarks 2026-01-17T19:54:17.152Z
by Owen Kibel
24 min read
Bookmarks for 2026-01-17T19:54:17.152Z
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Trump announces he will sue JPMorgan ‘over the next two weeks’ for allegedly ‘DEBANKING’ him - POLITICO Added: Jan 17, 2026
Trump says he will sue JPMorgan ‘over the next two weeks’ for allegedly ‘DEBANKING’ him
Site: POLITICO
The president also ruled out the bank’s CEO, Jamie Dimon, as a possible pick for Fed chair.
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With appointment to Gaza peace committee, Tony Blair returns to Middle East limelight | The Times of Israel
Added: Jan 17, 2026With appointment to Gaza peace committee, Tony Blair returns to Middle East limelight | The Times of Israel
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The AI future has arrived Added: Jan 17, 2026
Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived
Site: Axios
Claude shows in vivid and unforgettable ways how AI will forever change work.
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Android Power Users Can Now Run Full Desktop Linux Environments Without Root Access
Added: Jan 17, 2026Android Power Users Can Now Run Full Desktop Linux Environments Without Root Access
Site: It's FOSS
This open source app delivers one-tap Arch Linux installation with development tools, file sharing, and desktop software support.
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For 15 years, a neuroscientist has studied raccoon intelligence in Central Virginia. Then a drunk one passed out in a nearby liquor store | Fortune Added: Jan 17, 2026
For 15 years, a neuroscientist has studied raccoon intelligence in Central Virginia. Then a drunk one passed out in a nearby liquor store | Fortune
Site: Fortune
Scaled up to size, a raccoon brain would contain roughly the same number of neurons as a human brain.
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The Ancient Neanderthal "Altamura Man" Suffered An Unfortunate Death And Became Embedded In A Cave Wall | IFLScience Added: Jan 17, 2026
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6 signs the AI race just entered a new phase
Site: Axios
The major players in AI all made moves that reorder the chessboard.
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Telescope discovers 49 new galaxies in less than three hours - Earth.com Added: Jan 17, 2026
Telescope discovers 49 new galaxies in less than three hours
Site: Earth.com
MeerKAT radio telescope discovers 49 hidden galaxies in less than three hours, revealing how much of the nearby universe remains invisible.
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What Is a Group of Hedgehogs Called? It's Adorably Appropriate | HowStuffWorks
Added: Jan 17, 2026What Is a Group of Hedgehogs Called? It's Adorably Appropriate
Site: HowStuffWorks
Hedgehogs usually live alone, so seeing more than one together feels special. When it happens, English gives that group a very specific word.
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Wait… All Those Studies May Have "Detected" Microplastics in the Human Body Because of a Severe Error
Added: Jan 17, 2026Wait… All Those Studies May Have "Detected" Microplastics in the Human Body Because of a Severe Error
Site: Futurism
Some scientists are coming out against the studies that claimed to have found alarming amounts of microplastics in human bodies.
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‘He’s an idiot’: Musk and Ryanair’s O’Leary trade insults in Starlink Wi-Fi row – POLITICO Added: Jan 17, 2026
‘He’s an idiot’: Musk and Ryanair’s O’Leary trade insults in Starlink Wi-Fi row
Site: POLITICO
What began as a disagreement over airline internet has turned into a full-blown war of words.
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NASA's Mars Sample Return is dead, leaving China to retrieve signs of life from the Red Planet | Live Science Added: Jan 17, 2026
NASA's Mars Sample Return is dead, leaving China to retrieve signs of life from the Red Planet
Site: Live Science
NASA's plans for Mars sample return are effectively cancelled as part of a bill approved by the U.S. Congress, ending efforts to collect Perseverance rover samples that could contain evidence of alien life.
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Trump threatens tariffs on European nations over Greenland acquisition deal | Fox News Added: Jan 17, 2026
Trump threatens tariffs on European nations over Greenland acquisition deal | Fox News
President Donald Trump has announced the United States would impose 10% tariffs on multiple European countries unless Denmark agrees to a purchase.
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Z.ai's open source GLM-Image beats Google's Nano Banana Pro at complex text rendering, but not aesthetics | VentureBeat Added: Jan 17, 2026
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Machiavellian Intelligence | Gad Saad - YouTube Added: Jan 17, 2026
Machiavellian Intelligence | Gad Saad
Site: YouTube
Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of Pod Force One: https://www.youtube.com/@PodForce1Watch full clips of Pod Force One with Miranda D...
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Elon Musk on X: "They mean it" / X Added: Jan 17, 2026
Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Japan Just Shut Down a Spacecraft That Cheated Death for 10 Years, Here's What It Saw on Venus
Added: Jan 17, 2026Japan Just Shut Down a Spacecraft That Cheated Death for 10 Years, Here's What It Saw on Venus
Site: The Daily Galaxy - Great Discoveries Channel
It was Japan’s first leap beyond Earth orbit, and it didn’t go as planned.
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I use Gemini when I'm bored — and it's better than doomscrolling
Added: Jan 17, 2026I use Gemini when I'm bored — and it's better than doomscrolling
Site: Android Police
It became my ultimate distraction
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"Joining Every Religion" 🎤: Jason Cheny | @JasonCheny | Full Video on our Channel!
Site: YouTube
Watch Jason's 2nd full DTC set: https://youtu.be/oOCjlCPANIEYour soap is a joke! Upgrade your personal care with Dr. SquatchGet on our secret email list at t...
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Olexandr Ignatov - Coming Home (Official Audio) - YouTube Music Added: Jan 17, 2026
Olexandr Ignatov - Coming Home (Official Audio) - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Listen everywhere: https://music.olexandrignatov.com/cominghome Piano sheet music: https://shop.olexandrignatov.com/shop/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.in...
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Motherland - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Provided to YouTube by DistroKid Motherland · Olexandr Ignatov Motherland ℗ Olexandr Ignatov Productions Released on: 2023-01-20 Auto-generated by YouTube.
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Olexandr Ignatov - bittersweet (Official Audio) - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Listen everywhere: https://music.olexandrignatov.com/bittersweet Piano sheet music: https://shop.olexandrignatov.com/shop/ Follow on Instagram: https://www.i...
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English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: I. Prélude - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Provided to YouTube by IDOL English Suite No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 811: I. Prélude · Lillian Gordis Bach: Partita No. 6, English Suite & Preludes and Fugues ...
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Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß, BWV 134: No. 1, Recitativo. Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum... - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Provided to YouTube by Naxos Digital Services Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß, BWV 134: No. 1, Recitativo. Ein Herz, das seinen Jesum lebend weiß (Al...
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Flute Sonata in B Minor, BWV 1030: I. Andante - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Provided to YouTube by Warner Classics Flute Sonata in B Minor, BWV 1030: I. Andante · Aurèle Nicolet · Karl Richter Bach: Flute Sonatas ℗ A Warner Classi...
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Symphonie pastorale - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH Symphonie pastorale · Jörg Halubek Symphonie Pastorale ℗ Berlin Classics a label of Edel Music & Entertainmen...
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Black hole space volcano erupts after 100 million year nap | Popular Science
Added: Jan 17, 2026Black hole space volcano erupts after 100-million-year nap
Site: Popular Science
Spanning 1 million light-years, J1007+3540's plasma jets are nearly 10 times wider than the Milky Way.
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Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Einfache Fuge (I) - YouTube Music
Site: YouTube Music
Provided to YouTube by Kontor New Media GmbH Die Kunst der Fuge, BWV 1080: Einfache Fuge (I) · Jörg Halubek Bach: Die Kunst der Fuge ℗ Berlin Classics, a ...
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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Site: X (formerly Twitter)
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New analysis reveals interstellar 'tunnel' linking us to other stars
Site: Earth.com
Max Planck astronomers used eRosita data to map hot, low-density plasma in the Local Hot Bubble; L. L. Sala reports it in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
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In first, Trump appears to call for end of 'sick man' Khamenei's rule in Iran | The Times of Israel
Added: Jan 17, 2026
In first, Trump appears to call for end of 'sick man' Khamenei's rule in Iran | The Times of Israel
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‘Leave before the B’: The billionaire tax backlash is spreading far beyond billionaires
Added: Jan 17, 2026‘Leave before the B’: The billionaire tax backlash is spreading far beyond billionaires
Panic is spreading through Silicon Valley, as founders and investors worry the tax could push startups — and future innovation — out of California altogether.
Billionaires aren’t the only people second-guessing their California loyalties over the proposed “billionaire tax.” Entrepreneurs with fewer commas in their net worth are also considering leaving the state, as the risks of the proposed ballot initiative start to come into focus. Should their contingency plans lead to moving vans, it could threaten Silicon Valley’s role as the epicenter of innovation. “Everyone’s in a panic,” said Brianne Kimmel, founder of San Francisco-based Worklife Ventures. Kimmel, who has invested in nearly 80 startups, said the majority of her portfolio companies based in California have begun drafting contingency plans to leave the state in the event the ballot measure passes. “This affects anyone who has taken a chance on an early-stage company in exchange for equity,” Kimmel said, adding that the tax “would be completely detrimental for San Francisco itself.” In recent days, a new phrase has begun circulating in tech circles: “ Leave before the B .” The mantra suggests that startup founders decamp from California before their company raises a Series B funding round, a milestone that can give them an on-paper net worth of billions, even if that wealth remains locked in illiquid equity. It’s one of several signs that the backlash to the proposed tax has spilled over from the intended target of billionaires living in California to a whole sector of entrepreneurs and investors whose confidence in the state as the best place to build tech companies has come into question. The proposal, sponsored by Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare Workers West, would impose a 5% tax on the net worth of California residents with at least $1 billion, including those whose wealth is largely tied up in private companies. Billionaires can also opt to pay about 1% annually over five years. The tax is no sure thing. Organizers need to gather nearly 900,000 signatures to place the measure on the November ballot; then, it would need to be approved by 50% of California voters. If it’s approved (and overcomes the inevitable legal challenges), the assessment could raise about $100 billion for state-funded healthcare. Even so, anxiety is growing among Silicon Valley’s rank and file, who cite two main concerns. First, there is fear that the initiative would ensnare not just today’s billionaires but founders who are — or could become — paper billionaires this year through illiquid startup equity. Second, many see the measure as a prelude to further wealth taxes in the state. Several founders who spoke to The Standard said the proposal could just be the opening move in a series of more aggressive “asset seizures.” “Once you pass a wealth tax for billionaires and establish the legal precedent, it’s a classic slippery slope,” said John Loeber, a founder who published an essay this week warning that Silicon Valley is at risk of being destroyed by “political looters” and urging the tech community to become more involved in local and state politics. Loeber, who moved back to San Francisco from New York just a year ago, said he is worried by what the proposal signals about the state’s future and is considering once again leaving California. “Why would the cutoff remain at $1 billion? Why not $100 million or $10 million?” Loeber, who is not a billionaire, said, pointing to a failed attempt by state lawmakers in 2023 to introduce a wealth tax that gets scaled down over time. “It’s not crazy to assume that this is not going to be a one-time tax, and there will be a second and third time at lower and lower thresholds.” Replit founder Amjad Masad, whose company was reportedly valued at $9 billion this week — likely placing him in billionaire-on-paper territory — called the initiative “poorly put together and poorly communicated.” The proposal, he said, has undermined his trust in the state and made him consider moving. “Honestly, it did cross my mind — like it has for a lot of founders — whether it even makes sense to stay.” Paper billionaires in the crossfire One concern is how the proposal treats voting power as a proxy for ownership, by default. For example, a founder who owns just 1% of a company but controls 50% of its voting rights might be taxed as if they owned at least 50%. “It makes founder-led companies practically illegal,” Anduril founder and billionaire Palmer Luckey wrote on X . Y Combinator CEO Garry Tan, who has railed against the proposal on X in recent days, echoed this concern. He noted that every year, Y Combinator produces several “paper billionaires” whose net worth is tied up in fickle startup shares. The tax, he wrote on X , “will kill startups and innovation in California since a founder is illiquid while instantly on the hook for $100M.” Tan suggested that the tax could spell the end of California’s domination of the startup economy. The uncertainty “will cause people to leave the state before their startup becomes successful,” he wrote . “Many will choose not to start in California at all.” Adding to the founders’ fears, it’s unclear how exactly the tax — should it pass — would be implemented. Enrico Moretti, an economics professor at UC Berkeley, says the state would have a lot of leeway in how strictly to impose the tax. If lawmakers choose “the most draconian way,” then founders will be forced to sell shares and give up control over their companies, or borrow against their shares. A private company worth billions today could be worth nothing tomorrow — yet the founder could theoretically be stuck paying about 1% of their 2026 net worth for years. David Gamage, a law professor at the University of Missouri who was brought in by the union to help craft the proposal, insists founders will not be forced to sell their shares. Gamage, who has pushed for wealth taxes in other states, was “surprised” by Silicon Valley’s response. “I don’t understand why the billionaires just aren’t calling good tax lawyers,” he said. Those with the vast majority of their net worth in private stocks, Gamage says, would have the option of opening a deferral account. There, they can put any assets they don’t want to be taxed on. But any time they sell the shares held in that account, he explained, the state would get 5% of the sale. This way, he said, if your startup fails, you pay nothing. But if your startup is the next Google, “you’re giving California a share of your gamble.” Gamage also said founders misunderstand how their shares would be valued. The proposal recommends a default valuation that treats control rights as equal to ownership. But in reality, he said, most founders would not be taxed according to that formula. Taxpayers could submit an alternative valuation, so long as it is prepared by a certified appraiser and reflects what the shares could actually sell for. These appraisals tend to be beneficial to the taxpayer, compared with the default formula. “This is an area where, predictably, we’re going to under-tax, not over-tax,” he said. While the state can challenge an appraisal, it typically does so only when the valuation is “ridiculous.” An ecosystem at risk Silicon Valley has served as the gravitational center of U.S. technological innovation since the 1950s, when Fairchild Semiconductor started in Palo Alto. Fueled by Stanford University’s steady pipeline of talent and an ever-expanding venture capital ecosystem, the region has generated successive waves of breakthrough technologies — from personal computing to the internet — that reshaped both the national economy and daily life. That ecosystem draws in more talent, and more money, enhancing the region’s status as the global epicenter of innovation. The AI boom is just the latest example, with startups in the Bay Area raising $122 billion last year, according to Crunchbase. But the billionaire tax could jeopardize Silicon Valley’s flywheel effect. “This is initially great news for Texas and Florida, and it’s bad news for California,” said Moretti, who expects many founders to choose to start their companies in other states should the proposal pass. “Other examples of wealth taxation tell us that in the end, people relocate,” he said. “I don’t expect that we will lose every single billionaire, but I think the losses will exceed the benefits.” Some of Silicon Valley’s most influential voices aren’t waiting for tax lawyers or voters to suss out the details of the proposal. Instead, they urge founders to leave the state altogether. “California has proven itself to be an unreliable business environment,” AI and crypto czar David Sacks said on X . “Founders, when a state shows you who they are, believe them. Opening a backup HQ in a red state should be part of every growth-stage plan.” “If you aren’t yet worth $$ billions you can move this year,” chimed in Keith Rabois , managing director of Khosla Ventures and a booster of the fledgling Miami tech scene since ditching California in 2020. Divakar Vijayasarathy, a global tax adviser, said that, for his “future billionaire” clients, trust in the state has largely been broken. The proposed tax, he said, just adds fuel to the fire that has made entrepreneurs consider leaving California — even before the tax proposal. He pointed to a growing web of state regulations , including rules around company formation, privacy, and data, and obligations around AI that impede startup growth. The tax, he said, is just the latest signal “to the upcoming billionaires that there are much better places to focus their energies on.”
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Pompeii’s baths were dirty and polluted before Roman systems arrived
Site: Earth.com
Research uncovers how Pompeii’s early baths were unhygienic and how Roman water systems improved cleanliness but added new health risks.
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People Take DMT And Claim They Saw The Matrix
Site: YouTube
SUPPORT THE SHOW BUY CAST BREW COFFEE NOW - https://castbrew.com/Join - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLwNTXWEjVd2qIHLcXxQWxA/joinHosts: Tim @Timcast (eve...
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Ashley St. Clair PULLS Her Name From Book, EMBRACES Trans Ideology
Site: YouTube
SUPPORT THE SHOW BUY CAST BREW COFFEE NOW - https://castbrew.com/Join - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLwNTXWEjVd2qIHLcXxQWxA/joinHosts: Tim @Timcast (eve...
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"Activate Your Inner Honey Badger" | Gad Saad
Site: YouTube
Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of Pod Force One: https://www.youtube.com/@PodForce1Watch full clips of Pod Force One with Miranda D...
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RAZA | Ah Shtarker Bistu רזא | א שטארקער ביסטו
Site: YouTube
From Kapelya, the debut album by RAZA רזא, out now on Rising Song Records! Listen and download: https://razamusic.bandcamp.com/***A tender and old Hasidic me...
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Scientists discover a plant that appears to have stolen genes from another species
Site: Earth.com
A plant named Virectaria stellata has genetic traits foreign to its family, challenging the classic rules of plant inheritance.
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Elon Musk unveils plans to take humanity to the Moon and Mars
Added: Jan 18, 2026Elon Musk unveils plans to take humanity to the Moon and Mars
Elon Musk embraced a video praising the starship, Space X’s 120-meter reusable rocket built to carry 100-200 tons to the Moon or Mars per flight. As of 2026, this roadmap has transitioned...
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Elon Musk’s Net Worth Hits Record High After xAI’s Giant Funding Round
Added: Jan 18, 2026Elon Musk’s Net Worth Hits Record High After xAI’s Giant Funding Round
Site: Forbes
The world’s richest person added $62 billion to his fortune after private investors more than doubled the valuation of his AI and social media firm to $250 billion.
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The Hill Media Bias | AllSides
Added: Jan 18, 2026The Hill Media Bias | AllSides
Learn the AllSides Media Bias Rating of The Hill. AllSides has rated the bias of hundreds of media outlets, writers, and sources.
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The Hill (newspaper)
Site: Grokipedia
The Hill is a Washington, D.C.-based newspaper and digital media company focused on nonpartisan reporting about the U.S. Congress, federal policy, politics, business, and international relations. Founded in 1994 by New York businessman Jerry Finkelstein and former New York Times correspondent Martin Tolchin, it initially launched as a weekly print publication targeting Capitol Hill insiders before expanding significantly into online content. Acquired by Nexstar Media Group in August 2021 for...
