Comment on Why the rise of ‘modus non grata’ could lead to a dystopian future—and what cities can do to avoid it

The Trump-backed World Liberty Financial has opened its whitelist. The scammers on X are using it as a cash grab. Back in September, Donald Trump announced his new crypto exchange, World Liberty Financial (WLFI). Now, registered investors can officially sign up for the whitelist—assuming they can avoid the scammers.

Learn the science behind how memories are made, why there are times when you’re more likely to be forgetful than others, and how you can improve your memory going forward. Over the past couple of decades, attention spans have shrunk. Tethered to our computers and smartphones, we carry our little devices everywhere, a few clicks away from all the information we need to survive.

DailyPay’s CEO notes that the high-potential employee you develop today could become a transformative leader tomorrow.   One of the most valuable skills a leader can have is the ability to identify and nurture high-potential talent. Drawing from my own experiences on both sides of this relationship, I’ve learned that investing in your team’s growth isn’t just beneficial for individuals—it’s crucial for the long-term success of your organization. 

Here’s the branding news we’re following this week. This week in branding news, Burger King caused some outrage, The New York Times revamped its app, and Beyoncé starred in a retro ad for Levi’s. Here’s everything you need to know about the branding world this week.

Driverless cars, e-scooters, and cruise ships have become targets for people’s rage. But they’re really emblematic of bigger problems in today’s cities. Los Angelinos hurling e-scooters into the ocean. Residents of San Francisco and Chandler, Arizona sabotaging driverless cars. Barcelonians squirting cruise ship passengers with water pistols. Borrowing from the Latin term persona non grata for labeling an unwelcome person, modus non grata describes when modes of transport are similarly ostracized and made into proxies in conflicts about the futures of cities.

So-called sacrifice zones can end the exhaustive disaster-rebuild cycle—and help communities rethink their approach to natural disasters. This week there were three wildfires burning within 100 miles of Los Angeles. Sadly, this isn’t breaking news; it’s the opening salvo of California’s new reality. Each year, wildfires trigger a predictable sequence of events: The fires burn, homeowners flee, firefighters battle the blazes often to catastrophic loss, and, once the ash settles, people rush to rebuild grander homes, frequently in the exact same spots and typically directly or indirectly funded by taxpayer dollars.