Clay weekly context brief for the Substack category (ISO week 2026-W46). 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. Sunday thought: Savoring our win Source: Robert Reich Link: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/sunday-thought-d6c And preparing for the battles ahead 2. November 7, 2026 Source: Heather Cox Richardson Link: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/november-7-2026 In his victory speech on November 3, after winning a U.S. 3. The end of purple Colorado? Source: Matthew Yglesias Link: https://www.slowboring.com/p/the-end-of-purple-colorado Colorado Democrats won supermajorities in the state legislature is it a blue state now or just a blue wave? 4. Two Drinks with Ariel Levy Source: Bari Weiss Link: https://www.thefp.com/p/two-drinks-with-ariel-levy Ariel Levy co-wrote Dustin Hoffmans book and has profiled everyone else. What does it take to get a famous person to open up? 5. Resign, Mr President Source: Andrew Sullivan Link: https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/resign-mr-president It's truly the best option for you, your party, and the country. 6. Sharp Tech on Video: The U.S. Votes on Data Centers, Implications for Big Tech, Googles Response to AI Source: Ben Thompson Link: https://stratechery.com/2026/sharp-tech-on-video-the-u-s-votes-on-data-centers-implications-for-big-tech-googles-response-to-ai/ Sharp Tech is, for the first time, available on video. You have two ways to consume it: YouTube, and here on Stratechery 7. What natural object is the roundest in the Universe? Source: Ethan Siegel Link: https://startswithabang.substack.com/p/what-natural-object-is-the-roundest Nearly everything has angular momentum, so even massive, self-gravitating objects dont become perfect spheres. Which one comes the closest? 8. Problems at Twist Bioscience (TWST) Source: Edwin Dorsey Link: https://thebearcave.substack.com/p/problems-at-twist-bioscience-twst You dont need to doubt Twists accounting to doubt its valuation. 9. Stunner Source: Dan Rather Link: https://steady.substack.com/p/stunner Trump leads GOP off a cliff, claims no responsibility 10. A very expensive night for Big Oil Source: Emily Atkin Link: https://heated.world/p/democrats-won-oil-money-lost From Congress to state regulators, voters rejected candidates and priorities backed by fossil fuel fortunes. 11. The Democrats triumph -- and their test Source: Anand Giridharadas Link: https://the.ink/p/the-democrats-triumph-and-their-test Some notes on the midterms 12. Brave Men, Reproductive Effort, Motivation Source: Rob Henderson Link: https://www.robkhenderson.com/p/brave-men-reproductive-effort-motivation Links and recommendations 13. The frontier labs launch election war rooms Source: Casey Newton Link: https://www.platformer.news/election-war-room-midterms-deepfakes/ An old playbook is back for the deepfake era. Is it working? 14. America This Week Special: Walter Kirn and Matt Taibbis Election Livestream, 8:00 PM ET Source: Matt Taibbi Link: https://www.racket.news/p/america-this-week-special-walter Walter and Matt return for a night of political blather-watching as we enter a new age of politics, beyond the ballot 15. Lennys Newsletter holiday gift guide 2026 Source: Lenny Rachitsky Link: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/lennys-newsletter-holiday-gift-guide-057 100+ gift ideasall things I actually use, love, and recommend 16. Finally, a Veep Reboot Source: Hunter Harris Link: https://hunterharris.substack.com/p/haley-stevens-explainer Theyre calling it the Michigan meltdown. 17. Is Substack still a good choice for fiction writers? Source: Simon K Jones Link: https://simonkjones.substack.com/p/is-substack-still-a-good-choice-for 5 years in, hows it looking? 18. Thats just a theory . . . In Theory Source: Neil deGrasse Tyson Link: https://startalk.substack.com/p/thats-just-a-theory-in-theory Take your first steps into the multiverse with Janna Levin 19. Rotten Stench Source: George Saunders Link: https://georgesaunders.substack.com/p/rotten-stench First thoughts... 20. Why Are We All Just Waiting For The Inevitable AI-Driven Catastrophe To Happen? Source: Kara Swisher Link: https://www.bigtechnology.com/p/why-are-we-all-just-waiting-for-the The disaster will happen first, then the action to prevent it. The entire thing is backwards. 21. The Playing Animal (Ep. 500) Source: Sam Harris Link: https://samharris.substack.com/p/the-playing-animal-ep-500 A Conversation with Jimmy Carr 22. 440: Michael Lewis, parrot racists and Trumps ballroom Source: Helen Lewis Link: https://helenlewis.substack.com/p/440-michael-lewis-parrot-racists He became a car salesman to me. 23. Zurus Nightmare Nappies Source: David Farrier Link: https://www.webworm.co/nightmarenappies/ Alleged rashes, redness, swelling, blisters, peeling & bleeding. 24. Lulas Historic Victory in Brazil and What It Means Source: Glenn Greenwald Link: https://greenwald.substack.com/p/lulas-historic-victory-in-brazil A Bolsonaro win was nowhere near as inevitable as was depicted over the last several weeks. Many grave problems lurk for Brazil. But Lulas stature as a giant of world politics is now beyond doubt. 25. Real good mood food Source: Rosamund Dean Link: https://rosamunddean.substack.com/p/porridge-season-food-and-mood The summer girls guide to surviving winter, one bowl at a time 26. Culture Study + Bama Rush S05 + All Your Personal Style Questions, Answered Source: Anne Helen Petersen Link: https://annehelen.substack.com/p/culture-study-bama-rush-s05-all-your Everything youre missing from the Culture Study Universe 27. 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 28. Tankers in the Jungle Source: Richard Dawkins Link: https://richarddawkins.substack.com/p/tankers-in-the-jungle A return to Panama, aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit 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. What We Must Do Now | The Coffee Klatch for Saturday, November 7, 2026 Source: Robert Reich Link: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-we-must-do-now-the-coffee-klatch With Heather Lofthouse, Michael Lahanas-Calderon, and yours truly, Robert Reich 32. They Voted Source: Heather Cox Richardson Link: https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/they-voted To read this letter, click here: 33. Friday discussion post Source: Matthew Yglesias Link: https://www.slowboring.com/p/friday-discussion-post-0d9 Roy Cooper Blindness :( 34. A 2,400-Year-Old Explanation for the Republican Midterm Disaster Source: Bari Weiss Link: https://www.thefp.com/p/a-2400-year-old-explanation-for-the-midterm-disaster Trump promised to restore the principles that built America. But his execution has veered so far into depravity as to put many young people off the project altogether. So too in Aristophaness Clouds,' writes Spencer Klavan. 35. Michael Barone On The Midterm Results Source: Andrew Sullivan Link: https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/michael-barone-on-the-midterm-results He shares an encyclopedic knowledge of US elections. 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.