Doors, Deepfakes, and the Algorithm I Built | Voice Notes

Three things are capturing my attention in pop culture this week, and they have almost nothing to do with each other — which is exactly why I can't stop thinking about them. First: Threads. I was never a Twitter person, I deleted TikTok to be less distracted, and lately Instagram just feels like too much. But Threads has become one of the happiest, most affirming, genuinely funny places I land — people writing mini novels in the comments, telling wild stories, all of it. I built an algorithm that actually feels like me, and the funny part is it's a Meta platform. So now I've got a full-blown love-hate relationship with Meta, all because of Threads. Second: the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. A little over a year ago I saw this strange building going up by the lake and had no idea what it was. Now that it's done, it makes complete sense — the speech carved as lattice into the windows, the door-of-no-return symbolism, and the fact that it's not just a presidential library but a community center with basketball courts, a sledding hill, and a Chicago public library. What moved me most was who showed up: the Obamas, the Clintons, and the Bushes, genuinely respecting each other across the aisle. That, and a Michelle Obama speech that was epic, funny, and authentic. Third: The Capture (on Peacock in the US). A British thriller that was years ahead of its time on AI, video, and surveillance — back for a third season and more relevant than ever. The whole premise turns on "Correction," where live video gets edited in real time using AI. It's a complicated, genuinely entertaining look at technology we haven't figured out how to live with yet. Holliday Grainger is captivating, and fun fact: season one starred Callum Turner — now Dua Lipa's husband and rumored next James Bond. What are you watching, reading, or listening to right now? Tell me — your recommendations keep showing up in these episodes.