Today’s Big Story

Trump’s First 100 Days

The president lashes out against “fake polls” as his approval ratings sink

They say that a president’s first 100 days are some of their most important. And, it certainly seems, Donald Trump has tried his hardest to get the most done in these past three months. He’s made his gilded mark on the Oval Office, and many say that he’s seeking to remake the U.S. in his image at frightening speed. The shock and awe of his second term has challenged many Americans’ understanding of who they are and what they stand for. Which could explain Trump’s low poll numbers.

Beyond his overall job approval score, recent surveys have also demonstrated voters growing increasingly alarmed by his methods, Axios Zachary Basu notes—notably on the signature issues he ran on: the economy and immigration. But the president, naming surveys from ABC/The Washington Post and the “failing” New York Times, along with the “FoxNews Pollster”, called for outlets to be investigated, arguing they're “looking for a negative result.” In a separate post, he lamented a “COMPROMISED AND CORRUPT” press that “writes BAD STORIES, and CHEATS, BIG, ON POLLS.”

But the numbers don’t lie. After high expectations before he returned to office, most Americans say the president has made the economy worse. Trump's overall approval rating is now at 39% … back in February, it was 45%. As Jon Stewart comically put it (wearing a long, white fake beard), “I’m so tired. It’s aging this nation in Tom Hanks’ Castaway years.” And it’s not hard to see why.

The Guardian put it like this: “Trump has shoved the world’s oldest continuous democracy towards authoritarianism at a pace that tyrants overseas would envy. He has used executive power to take aim at Congress, the law, the media, culture and public health. Still aggrieved by his 2020 election defeat and 2024 criminal conviction, his regime of retribution has targeted perceived enemies and proved that no grudge is too small … Historically such strongmen have offered the populace a grand bargain: if they will surrender some liberties, he will make the trains run on time. But Trump’s delusions of monarchy have been coupled with a fundamental ineptitude.”

Trump’s initiatives have caused significant disruption to individuals, institutions and financial markets. They have produced a flurry of lawsuits from opponents, which Trump is contesting. There are few bright spots in the survey for the president, and none of his policies tested in the poll enjoy majority support. This explains why his approval rating is lower than for any past president at the 100-day mark in their first or second terms. But, Trump plays by his own rule book. He’s now focusing his attention on a new goal: Bringing back Columbus Day and abandoning Indigenous Peoples Day, in hopes of restoring what he argues are “traditional American icons”. So he’s got that going for him.

Is Everyone Headed to the Exurbs?

People are moving past the suburbs

Where are Americans moving? Big cities still have a draw, but more and more people are heading out, past the mid-sized suburban towns to the so-called exurbs. In fact, last year, more people moved to a small Floridian county (located between Tampa and Orlando) than to any other in the United States.

Bulldozed citrus groves in recent years made way for housing and big box stores that could one day merge the two metropolitan areas into what has half-jokingly been dubbed, “Orlampa”. The Associated Press says the migration—and property sprawl—perfectly reflects the rise of the far-flung exurbs. It’s a different, yet significant, type of growth seen all over the country this past decade.

Outlying communities on the outer margins of metro areas—some as far away as 60 miles from a city’s center—had some of the fastest-growing populations last year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The rapid growth of far-flung exurbs is an after-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Census Bureau, as rising housing costs drove people further from cities and remote working allowed many to do their jobs from home at least part of the week. Which could explain why the people living in the exurbs are generally highly educated and well-paid.

The End of Chicken-Breast Dominance

People are no longer snubbing thigh meat

For a long time it was a unique culinary secret: Chicken thighs are juicier and tastier than the often-too-dry and flavorless chicken breast. And what’s more they are almost half the price than the skinless breasts that reign supreme in America. Thigh meat was dark meat and that was seen as less premium. Until now.

The Atlantic reports that the secret’s out. In fact, the cost of thighs has crept steadily upward for years now, and surpassed that of breasts for much of last year. “Home cooks have embraced the flavor and versatility of dark meat; fast-casual restaurants such as Chipotle and Sweetgreen have it all over their menus. After a decades-long run, America’s white-meat era may finally be ending.” Sales of chicken breast by volume are up 3.9% in the past three years, but sales of thighs are up a whopping 16% percent, according to the marketing-research firm Circana.

Of course, it helps that America has pioneered the skinless, boneless thigh—which did not exist as a widespread meat product in the United States until the 2000s. Bloomberg says this is also partially a story of industrial innovation: Over time, the thigh-deboning process has become more automated, making boneless dark meat less labor-intensive to produce. Deboned thighs are just as easy to throw on a grill, put in a sandwich, shred, or chop into bite-size pieces for burritos. In fact, they’re easier to cook than breasts, because they’re less prone to drying out from being left in the pan for five minutes too long. And now, recipe developers optimizing for easy and quick can tout their “mass appeal” and those trying thighs for the first time will no doubt be amazed.

Nothing’s New Game-Changing Phone

Find me another phone where you can 3D print accessories and screw them to the backside

On Monday, the alternative tech brand Nothing unveiled its newest budget-friendly Android phone—the CMF Phone 2 Pro. And to say it has people talking is an understatement. In fact, The Verge says “it’s reinventing the rules” of smartphones.

For its second phone, CMF beefed up the specs—a slightly faster processor, higher-resolution cameras, including telephoto and ultra-wide lenses, more battery life—and even added the physical Essential button for accessing what’s basically an AI memory that was introduced on the Nothing Phone (3a) and Phone (3a) Pro. But Gizmodo said that they felt like the Phone 2 Pro has lost some of the modular charm that made the Phone 1 so memorable. Still, this has plenty of nifty features, including swappable camera lenses and modular accessories.

Attachments like fisheye and macro lenses, a case, a lanyard, and a kickstand-wallet combo can all be screwed onto the phone in various configurations, making it a true DIYer’s dream. Oh, and it’s just $279. Not bad, right?

The Long Read

Here’s how to survive the future of technological change

Take care of yourself.