HeadLines Decoded | News and Analysis, Backed by Evidence

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A combine unloads harvested corn into a grain cart in a field during harvest.

Business Diesel hit $5.85. The tractor does not get a vote. U.S. diesel set a record this week. One side calls the pain overblown; the other says working families cannot carry it. I pulled four years of numbers into… 4 Sep 20267 min read6 sources

Editor's Pick

A lone figure walks through heavy fog toward a bright light on a dark road.

Society Welcome to HeadLines Decoded: Clarity in a Noisy World One in four Americans trust the news. This is the site I am building for the other three,… 17 Jun 20266 min read4 sources

Read the Series

6 Parts Florida Amendment 3 Series Parts 5 Parts Power Through the Storm Series Parts 22 Parts D23 2026 Series Parts

Top of Fold

A woman walks away down a sunlit, tree-lined path.

10,000 was an ad. Your legs are not.

I stopped counting steps because the magic number kept moving. That was not science failing. It…

5 Sep 20267 min read6 sources

A full-armor Mandalorian cosplayer in beskar helmet and cape holding a blaster rifle at a convention.

The kid lifted the mudhorn. I never got over it.

The Mandalorian and Grogu landed on Disney+ September 2. I was waiting. Some of you think…

4 Sep 20265 min read3 sources

U.S. soldiers in M1A2 Abrams tanks during a NATO exercise at a training area in Poland, on the alliance's eastern flank.

The warning and the doubt are both American

Five days apart, the same U.S. government told NATO two opposite things: be ready for Russia,…

2 Sep 20266 min read7 sources

Painted illustration of a rainy nighttime outdoor food-festival marketplace: glowing stalls, hanging lanterns and string lights, a few visitors under umbrellas, and an empty wet wooden table in the foreground.

The corned beef shrank. The price did not.

We walked Food and Wine on a quiet, rainy opening night. My plate at Flavors from…

30 Aug 20265 min read5 sources

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington under way at sea

Top Commanders Warned Against Extending the Iran War, the Post Says. The Pentagon Says It Never Happened.

A newspaper says four of the military's most senior officers formally objected to keeping the war…

30 Aug 20266 min read6 sources

Black-and-white studio portrait of a young Dolly Parton, smiling.

A Hero of Mine Died on Tuesday

Dolly Parton was 80, and I have been sitting with it, because she was my hero…

28 Aug 202611 min read8 sources

Featured

Actor Mark Ruffalo, photographed at a 2017 Comic-Con panel.

Business I like Mark Ruffalo. So I read the whole thing before I made up my mind. The word "antisemite" got hung on a man I admire this week, over a post about a $111 billion merger.… 3 Sep 20268 min read6 sources

The American flag and the Canadian flag flying side by side in the wind.

Business The U.S. Just Hit Canada With 50 Percent Tariffs, Decoded: What They Tax, What They Spare, and Who Actually Pays Trade talks collapsed at the deadline. Washington reached for Section 338, a 1930 anti-discrimination law, and taxed about US$20 billion… 22 Aug 20267 min read7 sources

Below the Fold

Colorful Disney Skyliner gondolas gliding over a still lake at dawn, mirrored in the water.

We book the wire. Then we check if it is flying.

Some guests treat Skyliner closure calendars like scripture. I used to think that was a lot.…

5 Sep 20264 min read2 sources

An aircraft and its fresh white contrail over the deep blue North Atlantic seen from the International Space Station, with older spread-out contrails nearby.

They are changing the sky this winter, and it is the opposite of a chemtrail

Atlantic flights are about to start dodging the thin, cold layers where a jet's white line…

2 Sep 20266 min read5 sources

The cast and creators of HBO's Lanterns on stage at the San Diego Comic-Con 2026 panel, seated behind a Comic-Con backdrop.

They brought Sinestro home for dinner

My first take on HBO's Lanterns. It is dark and gritty, and odd in the way…

31 Aug 202612 min read8 sources

The west front of the United States Capitol under a blue sky, its white dome and steps seen straight on.

IndyCars on Pennsylvania Avenue: What the Freedom 250 Actually Is, and What It Costs

The first IndyCar race through Washington runs Sunday past the Capitol. Underneath the spectacle sit real…

21 Aug 20266 min read9 sources

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln underway at sea, viewed from off its port side

The USS Abraham Lincoln’s Supply Problems Are Real. The Spin on Both Sides Isn’t.

Iranian missiles wrecked the Navy's main Gulf supply hub and pushed resupply 2,200 miles out to…

19 Aug 20268 min read10 sources

Ukrainian soldiers operate a reconnaissance drone from a position near the front line

Seven Drone Companies, Then a War. Now Ukraine Builds Drones by the Millions

Four years of war turned a handful of workshops into a system that builds millions of…

13 Aug 202610 min read11 sources

Aerial view of a U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve storage site on the Gulf Coast

The U.S. emergency oil stockpile just hit its lowest level since 1983. Here’s what that number actually tells us.

America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve was built as insurance against severe supply shocks. How it has actually…

10 Aug 20265 min read6 sources

Title card for the article: The Magic of Disney Animation Opens September 14: A Courtyard Finally Finished, Not a Studio Reborn

The Magic of Disney Animation Opens September 14: A Courtyard Finally Finished, Not a Studio Reborn

The September 14 opening completes a long courtyard renovation at Hollywood Studios. It does not bring…

6 Aug 20263 min read4 sources

Title card for the article: Her Grandfather Drew Mickey. Her Father Built the Camera. Now Leslie Iwerks Is Filming What Comes Next.

Her Grandfather Drew Mickey. Her Father Built the Camera. Now Leslie Iwerks Is Filming What Comes Next.

The new documentary hands the microphone to James Cameron, Kevin Feige and the people who turned…

5 Aug 202613 min read19 sources

More HeadLines Decoded

Business

Business Economy Jobs Markets Money

A combine unloads harvested corn into a grain cart in a field during harvest.

Diesel hit $5.85. The tractor does not get a vote.

I like Mark Ruffalo. So I read the whole thing before I made up my mind.

The U.S. Just Hit Canada With 50 Percent Tariffs, Decoded: What They Tax, What They Spare, and Who Actually Pays

Culture

Culture Celebrities Food Interviews Movies Music Trends TV

Actor Mark Ruffalo, photographed at a 2017 Comic-Con panel.

I like Mark Ruffalo. So I read the whole thing before I made up my mind.

They brought Sinestro home for dinner

A Hero of Mine Died on Tuesday

Disney

Disney Animation Cruises Marvel News Parks Pixar Streaming Studios

Colorful Disney Skyliner gondolas gliding over a still lake at dawn, mirrored in the water.

We book the wire. Then we check if it is flying.

The kid lifted the mudhorn. I never got over it.

The corned beef shrank. The price did not.

Health

Health Fitness Mind Nutrition Wellness

A woman walks away down a sunlit, tree-lined path.

10,000 was an ad. Your legs are not.

The Longevity Marketplace, Decoded: What They’re Selling, and What the Evidence Says

Decode Your Wellbeing: The Full Guide to the Longevity Boom, in Eight Parts

Lifestyle

Lifestyle Arts Family Growth Hobbies Home Pets Recipes

A homeowner sits at a kitchen table reviewing a printed home-improvement contract and quote with a pen, calculator and reading glasses, checking the line items before signing

The Hard Sell on Whole-House Generators: What Gets Left Out of the First Quote

Power Through the Storm, Decoded: A Florida Homeowner’s Guide to Backup Power

The Quiet Return of the 9-to-5

Politics

Politics Analysis Local National World

U.S. soldiers in M1A2 Abrams tanks during a NATO exercise at a training area in Poland, on the alliance's eastern flank.

The warning and the doubt are both American

Top Commanders Warned Against Extending the Iran War, the Post Says. The Pentagon Says It Never Happened.

The Whole Story on Florida Amendment 3, From the Ballot Fight to Your Bill

Series Parts

Series Parts

The Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, its tall central tower flanked by the domed historic capitol building, under a clear blue sky.

The Governor Who Dreamed Up Amendment 3 Won’t Campaign for It

Amendment 3 Is Sold to Seniors Florida Already Protects Twice

I Ran Amendment 3 Through My Own House and the Cut Shrank

Society

Society Community Faith Identity Rights Voices

Black-and-white studio portrait of a young Dolly Parton, smiling.

A Hero of Mine Died on Tuesday

Why We Read Our Own Site Like Strangers

Welcome to HeadLines Decoded: Clarity in a Noisy World

Tech

Tech AI Companies Gadgets Science

A person wears translucent brown smart glasses with a small camera lens set into the frame near the hinge.

Samsung’s AI Glasses Take Aim at Meta. What They Deliver, and What Samsung Isn’t Saying Yet.

Washington Just Made It Harder to Buy Your Next Robot Vacuum

The Paint That Tries to Cool Without Power

Travel

Travel Adventure Deals Destinations Getaways Tips

A large white cruise ship tied up alongside a quiet cruise terminal pier at sunrise, mooring lines and bollards in the foreground and calm water beyond

So You Found a Cheap Cruise. Here’s How to Make It a Great Trip.

Patagonia’s New Luxury Lodges Promise Authentic Adventure. What They’re Selling Is Access.