Clay weekly context brief for the Substack category (ISO week 2026-W39). Clay tracks publications from the Substack feed list. Below are recent items from this category, each with its source and a short description of what the publication covers when one is available in the source feed. Recent publications: 1. The President Versus the Press Source: Bari Weiss Link: https://www.thefp.com/p/the-president-versus-the-press-first-amendment By barring reporters from the White House, Donald Trump is once again demonstrating his administrations willingness to ride roughshod over the fourth estate. 2. September AMA Source: David Farrier Link: https://www.webworm.co/september2026ama/ Don't cry, it's time for Webworm's monthly Ask Me Anything! 3. Sunday thought: Five Years, Today Source: Robert Reich Link: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/substackiversary With gratitude 4. September 19, 2026 Source: Heather Cox Richardson Link: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/september-19-2026 On September 19, 1676, three hundred and fifty years ago today, Nathaniel Bacon and his followers burned Jamestown, the capital of the Virginia Colony. 5. Community Wisdom: Finding your first users before the product exists, debriefing your own interviews, what to optimize for in the early years of your career, Source: Lenny Rachitsky Link: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/community-wisdom-finding-your-first Community Wisdom 299 6. What stake does Airbnb have in the supply game? Source: Matthew Yglesias Link: https://www.slowboring.com/p/what-stake-does-airbnb-have-in-the A Q&A with Daniel Hornung 7. Arianna Huffington On Living Well Source: Andrew Sullivan Link: https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/arianna-huffington-on-living-well The new-media pioneer chats about faith, sleep, AI, and avoiding burnout. Listen now on the Dishcast. 8. Standing up to Trump Source: Dan Rather Link: https://steady.substack.com/p/standing-up-to-trump One woman shows the way 9. One blip isnt enough to declare dark matter has been detected Source: Ethan Siegel Link: https://startswithabang.substack.com/p/one-blip-isnt-enough-to-declare-dark In 1982, an experiment showed unprecedented evidence for exotic matter: magnetic monopoles. But without reproducibility, it didn't hold up. 10. Dark Forest, Young Men, Blood Boy Source: Rob Henderson Link: https://www.robkhenderson.com/p/dark-forest-young-men-blood-boy Links and recommendations + the best sleep upgrade I've ever had 11. Problems at Jackson Financial ($JXN) Source: Edwin Dorsey Link: https://thebearcave.substack.com/p/problems-at-jackson-financial-jxn Report Highlights $6.8 Billion IOU Hanging Over Americas Largest Traditional Variable Annuity Seller. 12. An Interview with Joanna Stern About the iPhone Duo and AI for Normal People Source: Ben Thompson Link: https://stratechery.com/2026/an-interview-with-joanna-stern-about-the-iphone-duo-and-ai-for-normal-people/ An Interview with Joanna Stern About the iPhone Duo and AI for Normal People 13. Alone On Purpose Source: Hunter Harris Link: https://hunterharris.substack.com/p/alone-on-purpose Hung Up x Rothys 14. Get Lit Livestream Recording: "As I Lay Dying" Source: Matt Taibbi Link: https://www.racket.news/p/get-lit-livestream-recording-as-i A recording from Monday's live video 15. Listen for the rhymes Source: Anand Giridharadas Link: https://the.ink/p/listen-for-the-rhymes A spontaneous community Q and A about abandonment, the last American glue, and how to hear the rhymes in our cries of pain 16. 3, 2, 1, liftoff! Lost in Space launches today! Source: Neil deGrasse Tyson Link: https://startalk.substack.com/p/3-2-1-liftoff-lost-in-space-launches You dont need to be a hitchhiker for this guide to the galaxy . . . and beyond 17. Following: The government doesn't want to regulate AI Source: Casey Newton Link: https://www.platformer.news/trump-johnson-ai-safety-regulation/ The leaders of AI labs agree that the United States to act, and soon. But the president and the speaker of the House aren't interested 18. Author scams are getting worse Source: Simon K Jones Link: https://simonkjones.substack.com/p/author-scams-are-getting-worse Heres how to spot some of them 19. First Thoughts on Apples Source: George Saunders Link: https://georgesaunders.substack.com/p/first-thoughts-on-apples A wonderment of a story by Gunnhild Øyehaug 20. 433: The Wild West of Surrogacy Source: Helen Lewis Link: https://helenlewis.substack.com/p/433-the-wild-west-of-surrogacy dont underestimate the effort required to commit a murder, especially in a remote location 21. The Second Plane, 25 Years Later (Ep. 492) Source: Sam Harris Link: https://samharris.substack.com/p/the-second-plane-25-years-later-ep On the 25th anniversary of September 11th, Sam discusses the significance of the second plane, the writing of The End of Faith, the failure to take jihadist belief seriously, the costs of the war on terror, the abandonment of Americas Afghan allies, the continuity between 9/11 and October 7th, the rise of Islamo-leftism, the misuse of Islamophobia, and other topics. 22. We asked Big Tech about AIs fossil fuel problem. The responses were atrocious. Source: Emily Atkin Link: https://heated.world/p/we-asked-big-tech-about-ais-fossil Responses from Microsoft, Google and Amazon raise serious questions about their stated commitments both to responsible AI and a livable planet 23. Weekly Q&A with Glenn Greenwald Source: Glenn Greenwald Link: https://greenwald.substack.com/p/weekly-q-and-a-with-glenn-greenwald-f16 A recording from Glenn Greenwald's live video 24. How to raise healthy eaters - without losing your mind Source: Rosamund Dean Link: https://rosamunddean.substack.com/p/joe-wicks-podcast Joe Wicks insists mealtimes dont have to be a battleground 25. Online Meetup Tues Aug 11 @ 9:30 am PT Source: David Eagleman Link: https://davideagleman.substack.com/p/online-meetup-tues-aug-11-930-am Looking forward to seeing you there 26. When Artificial Intelligence Is Too Valuable To Sell Source: Kara Swisher Link: https://www.bigtechnology.com/p/when-artificial-intelligence-is-too Just because the AI labs have sold models on a meter until now doesn't mean they'll always do so. 27. Richard Dawkins is coming to Australia and New Zealand Source: Richard Dawkins Link: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/p/richard-dawkins-is-coming-to-australia 50 Years of The Selfish Gene. One final tour. 28. All the Good Stuff You're Missing on Culture Study Source: Anne Helen Petersen Link: https://annehelen.substack.com/p/all-the-good-stuff-youre-missing Its all over at Culture Studys new home on Patreon. 29. The Seventh Wave. Episode 47. Source: Salman Rushdie Link: https://salmanrushdie.substack.com/p/the-seventh-wave-episode-47 Episode 47 30. Part 5 Alfred Wolfsohn, my father 1896-1962. Source: Michael Faraday Link: https://michaelfaraday.substack.com/p/part-5-alfred-wolfsohn-my-father His early life 31. Israel Won the Battles. Did It Lose the War? Source: Bari Weiss Link: https://www.thefp.com/p/israel-won-the-battles-did-it-lose-the-war Three years after October 7, Hamas remains active, Israel is an international pariah, and tens of thousands of civilians have died, writes Yardena Schwartz. She raises the question: Who actually won this war? 32. Is Ed Sheeran Finished? Source: David Farrier Link: https://www.webworm.co/edsheeran/ Kicking Macklemore off the tour shows us exactly where Ed stands. 33. Hes Out of His Gourd | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, September 19, 2026 Source: Robert Reich Link: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/hes-out-of-his-gourd-the-coffee-klatch With Heather Lofthouse and yours truly, Robert Reich 34. September 18, 2026 Source: Heather Cox Richardson Link: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/september-18-2026 According to the American Automobile Association, diesel hit its highest recorded average price today at just above $6.44 per gallon. 35. Muse review: The personal AI agent that gets consumer UX right Source: Lenny Rachitsky Link: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/muse-review-the-personal-ai-agent Watch now (38 mins) | I gave Metas Muse my calendar, my email, and my kids chaotic schedule, and it produced a one-shot family PDF more beautiful than anything Ive ever made with Claude or Codex Sources in this brief: Anand Giridharadas; Andrew Sullivan; Anne Helen Petersen; Bari Weiss; Ben Thompson; Casey Newton; Dan Rather; David Eagleman; David Farrier; Edwin Dorsey; Emily Atkin; Ethan Siegel; George Saunders; Glenn Greenwald; Heather Cox Richardson; Helen Lewis; Hunter Harris; Kara Swisher; Lenny Rachitsky; Matt Taibbi; Matthew Yglesias; Michael Faraday; Neil deGrasse Tyson; Richard Dawkins; Rob Henderson; Robert Reich; Rosamund Dean; Salman Rushdie; Sam Harris; Simon K Jones. Selected 35 of 549 available items for this weekly brief.