Dez Reads. What is an Oligarchy?

Happy New Administration Week. We cover a lot of the transition intrigue this week, in our own way: less horse race journalism, more intrigue and frivolity.

As President Biden stepped away from the presidency, he urged Americans to be wary of a rising oligarchy in U.S. politics. The problem? The spike in Google searches for the definition of “oligarchy” suggests Americans aren’t very familiar with the word or its meaning. Mike Bova writes on the importance of using effective words, rather than impressive ones. It’s an important lesson for young writers.

On the Scotland beat, Dez lass Jen Hirshon teaches us about the lovely Scottish tradition of the “hurkle-durkle.” I’ll let you read further to determine what the heck that is.

Twenty-four years after The West Wing dedicated an episode to debating the elimination of the penny from our money supply, Elon is taking up the cause through the DOGE initiative. I’m in favor.

And Nathaniel Beach looks at ethical and regulatory concerns in the crypto space, while Will Kim asks whether rising American ownership interest in European and Latin American soccer clubs portends the rise of a serious soccer fanbase stateside.

We have just survived the 10 darkest weeks on the calendar (I’m talking sunshine, not existential political crises), and spring is around the corner. I swear.

Thanks, as always, for reading along with us.

Here we go.

Politics.

Daily Beast. Searches for ‘What Is an Oligarchy’ Spike After Biden’s Warning

With this week’s inauguration marking the end of Biden’s presidency, it’s worth a quick look at one of the headlines of President Biden’s farewell address.

President Biden’s use of the word ‘oligarchy’ in his speech sparked a surge in Google searches, with many Americans needing to look up its meaning. While this is just a small moment, it’s still a lesson for anyone communicating with a broad audience – your words are only as effective as your audience’s ability to understand them.

While ‘oligarchy’ isn’t a new term, and Biden was writing this speech more for history than for an audience ready to act, it’s not a great sign when the key takeaway is – “What was that word he warned us about?”

Using clear, relatable language ensures your audience gets the message without needing five minutes of Google searching. Effective communication isn’t about showing off an impressive vocabulary – it’s about delivering a message that resonates instantly, leaving no room for misinterpretation or confusion.

President Biden’s speech serves as an important reminder: Don’t let your thesaurus outshine your message. When your message is clear and your words are relatable and understandable, your audience can focus on what truly matters – the content of your message, not the complexity of your language.

– Mike Bova

Culture.

WaPo. A guide to hurkle-durkle, Scotland’s proud tradition of lazing in bed

This morning, as I sipped my coffee, I found myself revisiting some sweet childhood memories, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the nostalgia. The Washington Post’s recent story on "hurkle-durkling" struck a familiar chord. I imagine this term might be foreign to many, but it’s a perfectly Scottish one!

Growing up with a Scottish mother, I’d often hear, "Stop hurkle-durkling!" whenever I stayed in bed too long reading. When I visited my grandparents in Scotland, they’d lovingly say, "Go on, have a hurkle-durkle, lass," and I’d retreat to my bed to enjoy Annuals—those holiday comic book collections. It was absolute bliss. I was and still am a book nerd.

Now, with life moving at a rapid pace, I rarely find time to indulge in a good hurkle-durkle. And I’ve started to listen to more books than read them. But perhaps it’s time to revive this cherished tradition, especially on weekends when life slows down a bit. Can you believe the Super Bowl is almost here? Wasn’t Christmas just a blink ago?

January is filled with fitness resolutions, but maybe we should also consider a "hurkle-durkle" resolution. Imagine the books we could read or the catch-up calls with friends we’ve been meaning to make. With the weekend upon you, go on, have a hurkle-durkle.

– Jen Hirshon

Business.

Business Insider. DOGE takes aim at penny

The cost of zinc is up, the use of cash is plummeting, and we may be on the verge of finally realizing Sam Seaborn’s quest to eliminate the penny.

There are a lot of half-baked proposals for the Department of Governmental Efficiency, christened by Donald Trump and led by Elon Musk, to reduce federal expenditures in service of curbing the United States’ debt and deficit problems. I think the most interesting ones are the most mundane, like updating our hard currency supply to meet the needs and demands of the modern consumer. It costs the Mint three cents per penny produced, a bad bang for the buck. It’s time to eliminate the penny and increase the value of the half-finished penny collection I oversaw from roughly 1991-1993.

– Josh Culling

Mashable. John McAfee 'returns from the dead' to promote a memecoin on Elon Musk's X

As prominent tech leaders actively court President Trump, the cryptocurrency space has seen a sudden boom. Prior to his inauguration, Trump launched the $TRUMP token, a memecoin capitalizing on his personal brand. This move highlights how prominent figures can leverage their names in speculative markets to generate financial gain. The unregulated nature of these markets underscores the increasing entanglement of politics and technology, giving cryptocurrency adopters hope for greater policy alignment with the White House.

Adding to this, President Trump has recently announced the $500 billion Stargate Project (much to the chagrin of Elon Musk), which aims to bring tech leaders together to explore AI advancement and make the US a global leader in AI technology.

This leads us to the truly bizarre resurrection of John McAfee, the controversial founder of McAfee antivirus software, who died in 2021. Known for his eccentricity and legal troubles, including crypto-related fraud, McAfee’s persona has been revived via AI to promote a memecoin. Using AI to exploit a deceased individual’s image for profit raises serious ethical questions and concerns about consent, authenticity, and manipulation.

Robust legal and ethical frameworks are surely coming, as the government considers regulations around AI and digital currencies. Without these safeguards, the fusion of tech, politics, and unregulated innovation will continue to distort markets and erode trust in both technology and democracy.

– Nathaniel Beach

Sports.

The Athletic. Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney part of group buying Colombian soccer club La Equidad

Is it soccer or football? Depending on where you are in the world, it will be a never-ending debate. But there is little debate that Americans are becoming more invested in this sport than ever. Just recently, actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney – stars in the TV series Ted Lasso and owners of a third-tier English team – became minority owners of a soccer team based in Colombia.

American investment in soccer around the world has been a thing long before celebrity ownership brought it to the spotlight. For example, more than half of Italy’s first-tier soccer teams are under American ownership, while four of the English Premier League’s “Big Six” teams have been owned by American investors for years. More and more Americans are accepting the fact that soccer is attractive not only as a sport but also as an investment asset.

Together with the 2026 World Cup being co-hosted here at home, our investments in soccer around the world show how globalized America’s perception of sports has become. We will still probably never say “football” like the rest of the world, but our continued love and investment in the sport just may have us lifting the World Cup trophy sooner than expected.

– Will Kim