"For weeks, Mr. Hussain was careful to keep his young stepson by his side, and the drones held their fire. But late one night, Mr. Hussain left an internet cafe alone, and minutes later a Hellfire missile killed him." What role did Junaid Hussain play in ISIS and why was the US so intent on killing him? The answer to that question explains much about one of the key fronts in the battle against terrorism (and in just about every other modern battleground, both military and political). One by one, the FBI is killing social media experts. (This could be the only known way to cure a social media addiction.)

The Dakota Access Pipeline protesters are now being joined by US military vets who are building barracks and offering to act as human shields. You can expect this issue to gain even more coverage as two things approach. The winter and the inauguration. Here's a detailed look at what could happen next from Vox: Trump has endorsed the Dakota Access Pipeline. The next move is up to Obama.

+ To understand the issue, you have to understand this key bit of background material: Bismarck residents got the Dakota Access Pipeline moved without a fight.

What To Binge: Having lived through the relentless coverage the first time around, I avoided ESPN's five-part documentary series, OJ: Made in America. Well, I finally watched it. And if you haven't, you should. It's a remarkable piece of documentary filmmaking. And as I wrote last week in America's Achilles Heel, many of the issues raised during that trial and its coverage returned during the 2016 election. The OJ doc was so highly regarded, it has some critics arguing that the time has come for a documentary to win for best picture.

+ What to Book: Looking for some good reads for the holiday break? You can start with the NYT's Ten Best Books of 2016. If you need a few more suggestions, Jason Kottke is keeping a list of the top best book lists.

+ What to Read: The Rise And Fall Of Owen Hanson, Former USC Athlete And Alleged Drug Kingpin.

+ What to Experience: From the NYT: You're a Bee. This Is What It Feels Like.

The Federal Trade Commission is finally getting serious about requiring the makers of homeopathic medicines to provide some evidence that their products do what they say they do. "The products need to both say that their claims are not based on scientific evidence, and also say what they are based on." This may not do much to cure whatever ails you, but it should make for some entertaining reading.

Looks like we're gonna have to push coming together as one country out to at least next week. On Thursday, Donald Trump stood in front of a partisan crowd chanting lock her up, and a discussion among political aides erupted into a shouting match. It turns out election day wasn't the end of the election...

+ "Mattis, whose nicknames include 'Mad Dog' and the 'Warrior Monk,' has had a leading hand in some of the U.S. military's most significant operations in the past 20 years." Trump has picked Marine Gen. James Mattis for secretary of defense.

+ Reuters: Philippines' Duterte gets Trump White House invite during animated call. Like other such calls, this one likely left some career diplomats stunned.

"Over the past two weeks, several former professional soccer players have come forward to recount harrowing tales of abuse that they said they suffered as children and had been kept secret for decades." Earlier this week I said I had the sense that story was going to become massive. The number of alleged cases is now 350, and counting.

"Most people say that criminals are irrational. But when it comes to selling drugs, it's a highly rational choice ... [and] the better drug dealers I know have great interpersonal skills." Bloomberg on the Startup Incubator for (Former) Drug Dealers.

"Who wants to run 26.2 miles through the Maine North Woods in the middle of December? And who really believes that doing so will make a lick of difference for a mill town on the ropes? This guy does." Kathryn Miles on the Marathon Man.

What if we're overanalyzing things and a lot of our problems come down to plain old stupidity? That's just a thought that runs through my mind whenever I read about school districts banning books like To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

A sign of the times... Some applicants to the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will find out they've been accepted by way of Snapchat. (If they got an acceptance letter via Facebook, they might think it was fake.)

+ The year's pop hits crammed into a single four minute video: DJ Earworm Mashup -- United State of Pop 2016.

+ Before you eat that gingerbread cookie, there are some things you should know...