Hooray, Bipartisanship!
Wired – Congress Renews Warrantless Surveillance-And Makes It Even Worse
The Intercept – The Same Democrats Who Denounce Donald Trump as a Lawless, Treasonous Authoritarian Just Voted to Give Him Vast Warrantless Spying Powers

To Overcome Toxic Gerrymandering, We Require Non-Partisan Redistricting Parameters and Organizations
New York Times – North Carolina Is Ordered to Redraw Its Congressional Map

“No cigarette company has done anything like this before. You might wonder if we really mean it.”
USA Today – Philip Morris says its New Year’s resolution is to give up cigarettes

The Crown Prince Continues His Crackdown
Reuters – Eleven Saudi princes detained following protest over utility bills

What Will the Western Response Be?
Reuters – Arab League to lobby U.N. to recognize Palestinian state

In Search of A Little Adrenaline?
CNN – World’s longest glass bridge opens in Hebei, China

SpaceX Teases Falcon Heavy Test Amid Zuma Controversy
WKMG News 6 – Test fire of SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket moves to Saturday
Los Angeles Times – The Falcon Heavy rocket will be one of SpaceX’s biggest tests yet
Fortune – Big SpaceX Customer Blames Northrop Grumman for Loss of Secret ‘Zuma’ Military Satellite

And Here I Thought It Was Those Pesky Taxes and Regulations That Kept Companies from Investing and Paying Better
Los Angeles Times – Pfizer, pocketing a big tax cut from Trump, will end investment in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s research

Jeff Sessions Won’t Appreciate This
Burlington Free Press – Vermont Senate gives final OK to marijuana bill, governor’s desk next

Amazon Now Takes Food Stamps
USA Today – Amazon tests food stamps, another breach of Wal-Mart territory

If Jeff Really Wants to Help, He Can Try Fighting For Universal Education
Time – Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Just Gave $33 Million to a Scholarship Fund for ‘Dreamers’

Black Mirror Continues Holding Up A Reflection of the Recesses of Our Souls
The Intercept – “Black Mirror” Reveals Our Fear of Robots and Algorithms We Can’t Control

Trump Open To Talking With Kim Jong Un (All Those Twitter Repartees Weren’t Talking?)
FOX News – Trump says he ‘probably’ has ‘very good relationship’ with Kim Jong Un
Wall Street Journal – Donald Trump Signals Openness to North Korea Diplomacy in Interview

State Department and FBI At Odds
Associated Press – Tillerson tells AP Cuba still risky; FBI doubts sonic attack