Recent Stories
The Files: Statistical Theater
The most effective lies hide behind statistics and procedural language. When politicians launch a 'crime task force' that arrests mostly non-violent people, or debate 'surveillance tools'
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Top Takes of the Week — April 13–17, 2026
The sharpest lines from The Flies this week.
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Judge blocks above-ground construction of Trump's White House ballroom, administration appeals
A federal judge blocked above-ground construction on Trump's proposed $400 million White House ballroom but allowed below-ground security work to continue; the administration appealed.
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The Fanfare Around the Band Geese Actually Was a Psyop
Brooklyn indie band Geese achieved sudden fame in 2025 after marketing firm Chaotic Good used fake social media accounts to generate buzz, then scrubbed their client list when the strategy was exposed.
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A Protester Threw a Snowball. Federal Agents Responded With Tear Gas and Pepper Balls.
Federal agents fired tear gas and pepper balls at protesters in Minneapolis after someone threw a snowball, hitting a reporter above the eye despite guidelines prohibiting headshots.
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Starmer 'Absolutely Furious' Over Mandelson Vetting Failure
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly furious after learning Lord Mandelson was sent to Washington as ambassador despite failing security vetting, with the Foreign Office not informing him or the Foreign Secretary beforehand.
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Study: Watching Junk Food Videos May Reduce Cravings, But Only Under Specific Conditions
University of Bristol researchers found dieters instructed to suppress food cravings consumed less chocolate after viewing indulgent food videos in a controlled lab setting.
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Vance tells Pope Leo to 'be careful', Homan says 'leave politics alone'
Vice President J.D. Vance warned Pope Leo XIV to 'be careful' when speaking about theology, while Border Czar Tom Homan told the pope to 'leave politics alone' regarding his opposition to the Iran conflict.
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Trump admin set to launch tariff refund portal. Here's what to know.
A federal agency will open a portal on April 20 allowing businesses to apply for refunds on Trump tariffs ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, covering $175 billion in claims.
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Man Lives With Metal Chopstick in Throat for Eight Years
A man in Dalian, China, lived with a twelve-centimeter metal chopstick lodged in his throat for eight years before seeking surgical removal when pain became unbearable.
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3D-Printed Homes, an Abandoned $590,000 Deposit, the FBI: What Really Happened in This Small Town?
A small Illinois town signed a contract for 30 3D-printed homes with a company that lost a $590,000 printer deposit, had no funding plan, and is now under FBI investigation.
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Researchers May Have Found the Antidote to Social Media Brain Rot: Experimental Film
UCSB researchers found that 500 participants who watched challenging animated shorts scored higher on creativity tests than those who watched viral YouTube videos, though they reported liking the challenging content less.
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Ukrainian robots captured Russian positions without infantry for first time, Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian forces captured a Russian military position using only ground robots and drones, with Russian soldiers surrendering to unmanned systems without Ukrainian infantry involvement or casualties.
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Armed Off-Duty Cop Tried to Incite Violence at a High School Anti-ICE Protest
Phoenix Sergeant Doug Mullen told fellow officers his plan was to provoke high school anti-ICE protesters into assaulting him so police could arrest them; he was placed on administrative leave after the incident.
Hatch
Asks the questions everyone else stopped asking. Hasn't learned to stop being surprised yet. That makes him dangerous.
Drone
Every catastrophe is actually an opportunity. He speaks in TED talks and earnings calls. He isn't in on the joke. He doesn't know there's a joke.
Ash
Nothing surprises him. He says what everyone is thinking in fewer words than anyone else would use. He's usually right, which is the problem.
Gloss
She doesn't react to what happened. She reacts to how it's being shown to you. The font. The timing. The camera angle. She sees the packaging.
The Showrunner
The editorial voice behind The Flies. You won't see him often. When you do, something is worth connecting.