Happy Tuesday, August 25th! And happy back-to-school for those who observe.
FYSA, every Tuesday and Friday, I’ll be in your inbox with the latest in politics, tech & social media, culture, and other relevant topics – and I’ll share some notes and tips on what I’m keeping my eye on.
And finally, if you enjoy this newsletter and want to share it with your network (and/or your chronically online friends), or buy me a matcha, that would be so appreciated 🙏
Supreme Court allows some Trump vote-by-mail limits ahead of midterm election
The majority said Trump’s executive order itself does not require states to change how they conduct elections. Instead, it directs federal agencies to develop policies that could later impose requirements on states. Because those policies had not yet been implemented when 23 states and Washington, D.C., challenged the order, the court said the challenge was premature. (CNBC, 8/24)
Americans have elected only 3 Black governors. This year, 8 major party candidates are on the ballot
Democrats, meanwhile, emphasized that their Black candidates – who also include Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia, Jermaine Johnson in South Carolina and David Crowley in Wisconsin – are especially important after the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for states to redraw legislative districts that are majority or plurality nonwhite. That was compounded by President Donald Trump’s attacks on diversity initiatives and push to rewrite how the U.S. tells its history of the slave trade and Jim Crow segregation. (AP, 8/19)
Florida Prepares to Roll Back School Vaccine Requirements
The rule would allow Florida children to attend school without receiving immunizations for chickenpox, hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B and pneumococcal disease. The Department of Health purports that the proposed rule eliminates vaccine mandates for shots that aren’t required under state law. (NOTUS, 8/24)
Over 1 million people have clicked LinkedIn’s AI slop button
LinkedIn actually announced a “Seems like AI slop” button on July 30th, and the company says that a lot of people have already used it. According to a Thursday post from chief product officer Hari Srinivasan, “over a million people” have clicked on the button, which is accessible from the three dots menu on a post. (The Verge, 8/21 – free version)
The news publishers on Tiktok with biggest growth since 2024
The four publishers to increase their follower count by more than 11 million were led by the Daily Mail, which has seen an increase of 16.6 million followers in two years to 26.5 million for its main account, BBC News, up by 12.3 million to 16 million, Fox News, up by 11.4 million to 11.5 million, and CNN, up by 11.3 million 15.7 million. Of these, Fox News saw the biggest percentage growth of 12,537% although that was from the smallest starting point of 91,000 two years ago. (The Press Gazette, 8/19)
What if Your Texts Traveled as Slowly as a Carrier Pigeon?
One of the apps exploring this idea is Carrier Pidge, an app that allows users to send messages at the speed of pigeon. Users track their bird on a map as it whips toward its destination. Like real birds, the digital pigeons have a chance of getting lost or dying — 0.2 percent. Buying a new one within the app will run you 99 cents. (NYT gift link, 8/22)
Baby Boomers Are Smoking More Pot. Their Neighbors Are Fuming.
Tensions are rising as the scent perfumes senior centers and retirement communities. Some elderly adults blame secondhand pot smoke for a host of medical problems, from depression to headaches to breathing issues. There are social pressures, too, with a number of baby boomers saying their peers make them feel like narcs and nerds if they complain. About 10% of respondents to a recent study of marijuana use by seniors in New York said they use cannabis to “fit in,” said Joseph Palamar, a professor at NYU Langone Medical Center who co-wrote the report. (WSJ gift link, 8/23)
Why so many workers are turning down promotions
According to a recent survey of nearly 14,000 workers across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Europe conducted by emotional insight platform Hint App, 58% of workers would reject a promotion that required them to be available after hours. That number rises to 59% in the United States, where 62% would also decline moving into management at the expense of work-life boundaries. (Fast Company, 8/19 – free version)
Lucy’s note: This is touched on in the article… but I think examining what responsibilities people have outside of work merits serious consideration here.
The Shmancification of the U.S. Open
In remaking Ashe, the USTA is doing the same thing as every branch of the hospitality industry by catering to those for whom money is no object with the most luxurious, most exclusive, most over-the-top experiences imaginable. At the Open, there has been a dramatic expansion of bundles with expensive hospitality options. This year’s priciest offerings, which range as high as $85,000, include a gifting suite, locker-room access and private hitting clinics with tennis royalty on practice courts. (Curbed, 8/21 – free version)
Why Does Everyone Have a Dachshund Now?
From Bangkok to London to New York, demand has climbed as social media and celebrity owners amplify the breed’s appeal, while changes in how people live, work and build families reshape what they want in a pet. In 2025 dachshunds overtook poodles to become the American Kennel Club’s fifth-most-popular breed, after a decade-long climb from 13th place. In the UK, they were the Royal Kennel Club’s third-most-registered breed last year when all sizes and coat variations are tallied, behind only Labrador retrievers and cocker spaniels, with registrations doubling from a decade earlier. (Bloomberg, 8/21 – free version)
Como mayor bans bikes in city centre after being hit ‘by one of these beasts’
Defending his decision, Rapinese told Ansa: “I’ve been accused of adopting this measure because I was hit by an electric bike – certainly, that is true. People act based on their own experiences and I know what it’s like to be hit by one of these beasts.” The collision happened in June as Rapinese was leaving city hall, ironically just after his executive had met to discuss a measure restricting traffic in the centre. The culprit has not been revealed. (The Guardian, 8/20 – free version)
Lucy’s note: finally, an example of governing in pettiness but to good ends!!
MacKenzie Scott, Billionaire Philanthropist, Returns to Her First Love: Fiction
This month, Scott announced that she would be publishing an 80,000-word serialized novel for free on Substack. The book, titled “Last Days in Two Nations (A History in Eighteen Minds),” will be released through the month of August. It marks a return to fiction after more than a decade. (WSJ free link, 8/20)
Extra Credit 🤓
Substacks That Really Substacked This Week 🤌
Sneaky Links
TL;DR I’ve inexplicably started receiving codes to stuff… here are the things I actually like :)
My BNTO code for August is LC7QE5 for $20 off (if you know me IRL, you know my rant about the Nuulification of the 20-something city dweller)
I also have a code for CampSnap??? And I do love my CS8 camera from them but like I don’t think I said that online? Either way, it’s LUCYR7 for 7% off
That’s all for now – I’ll see you on Friday!