Sorry, Not Sorry: “‘Is this a struggle session? Are we in China?” … I’ve already said I’m sorry hundreds of times, and I’m done saying I’m sorry.” Alex Jones declares he’s ‘done saying I’m sorry’ at Sandy Hook trial. The rest of us are done listening to him say anything else. For our society to maintain any ethical bearings, this jackass must be left without dime to his name.

+ Sliding Into Vlad’s DMs: “For years, U.S. nuclear experts have worried that Russia might use smaller tactical nuclear weapons, sometimes referred to as ‘battlefield nukes,’ to end a conventional war favorably on its terms — a strategy sometimes described as ‘escalate to de-escalate.'” WaPo (Gift Article): U.S. has sent private warnings to Russia against using a nuclear weapon.

+ Freedom Rears Its Head: “Systematic corruption among Iran’s political elite, growing poverty with inflation at more than 50%, deadlock in nuclear talks and lack of social and political freedom have left Iran’s young and vibrant population feeling hopeless.” Those were the explosive ingredients. The death in police custody of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman detained for allegedly failing to adhere to hijab (headscarf) rules was the spark. Iran grapples the most serious challenge to its leadership in years.

+ Getting Your Docs Off: “An 8-year-old’s YouTube snafu—and one unlikely parent activist—sparked a nationwide debate on the tech giant’s ubiquity and handling of children’s data.” Wired UK: A Danish City Built Google Into Its Schools—Then Banned It. It’s interesting how little attention we’ve paid to the fact that Google is so ubiquitous in our schools (in part because software sold into schools for various purposes is generally horrific.)

+ To Everything, Churn, Churn, Churn: “This holiday season, grandma’s favorite sugar cookies might be missing a crucial ingredient. While inflation has infiltrated much of the grocery store, few items have been affected more than butter.” We’re nearing a butter meltdown. And from NPR: Your beer needs carbon dioxide, but the price skyrocketed over the summer. Beer prices are also going up because of demand. Every time I look at my stock portfolio, I need to shotgun one.