this is Shades of the Day — bringing you different shades of opinion in news & culture so that you can see the big picture quickly. We believe that seeing multiple POVs is the best way to stay informed.

It’s Tuesday, January 14 — here’s what you’ll find in today’s edition:

• MTG’s weather manipulation idea

• Trump’s SALT plan

• The impact of internet brainrot

• 6 quick hits of news from the last 24 hours

Weather manipulation

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene recently suggested using weather manipulation techniques like cloud seeding to combat wildfires in California. The New Republic shot down MTG's idea: Cloud seeding isn't feasible without moisture, and the state's historic drought makes it a non-starter.

AOL chimes in: It's not just California's lack of clouds -- even if they were around, cloud seeding's results are only minimally effective, and not during fires.

But HuffPost says MTG wasn't totally off base: Cloud seeding has been successful in other regions like Idaho and Colorado. . . under ideal conditions.

Yahoo was less flattering, calling her idea “unhinged”. Without formal science training, Greene's weather manipulation proposal seems questionable at best.

Trump’s SALT plan

The SALT cap allows tax payers to deduct certain taxes paid to local and state governments when filing their federal taxes. The current cap is set to expire at the end of 2025 -- but Newsweek says Trump is making moves to increase or outright eliminate the SALT cap.

Axios thinks it's not a bad idea: Trump's SALT tax plan could draw Democratic support, since it mainly benefits tax payers in high-tax, blue states.

But the WSJ Ed Board was anti-: Trump's SALT tax plan benefits the wealthy, and would undermine the GOP's larger political agenda.

Forbes agreed: Trump's SALT tax plan mainly benefits the wealthy, leaving lower-income folks in the dust. The plan barely nudges middle or low-income earners' after-tax income!

Either way, Bloomberg says the SALT talks with Trump are still ongoing. House Republicans say Trump hasn't landed on a specific change to the SALT cap just yet.

Brainrot impact

The Guardian says “brainrot” is a real, concerning trend: Excessive internet use and media multitasking are eroding our brains! Our collective cognitive functions take a hit as attention spans erode.

A Colgate Maroon News Op agreed: Young people are spending way too much time online, and it's impacting their brains! Brainrot heightens anxiety and depression -- all while making real life social connections disappear.

The Financial Times bemoans brainrot for a different reason: It leads to intellectual decay! More screentime tends to translate to less time reading. That's bad for our emotional and intellectual wellbeing.

But The NYT suggests there's a reason why brainrot is so prominent -- and it's not just because social media is addicting: Some people may be embracing brainrot as a way to “numb themselves” from underlying neurodivergence.

But wait. . .the Atlantic says it's not that deep. Brainrot's not all bad! It serves as an entertaining language that's rooted in internet culture. It's not a sign of poor brain health -- mixing in “brainrot” terms is just a new way to nod to pop culture mid-conversation.

1) Anthony Mitchell and his son Justin tragically died during the LA fires while waiting for an ambulance that never arrived.

2) Potential ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas could see the release of 33 hostages.

3) Democrats plan to confront Pete Hegseth at his defense secretary hearing over his stance against women in ground combat and support for firing officers backing "woke" DEI initiatives.

4) With TikTok potentially facing a US ban, RedNote becomes America's top download as users protest.

5) Jack Smith claims ample evidence shows Trump's false narratives and incitement on January 6 were deliberate attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

6) Los Angeles wildfires force 105,000 people to evacuate, worsening the city's housing crisis.