An 11-Day Middle-earth Fantasy in New Zealand
New Zealand's geography feels magically pulled straight from J.R.R. Tolkien's stories.
Culture
What Caused the Serial Killing Spike of the 1970s and '80s?
A new book draws a rich, informative, but not entirely convincing account of a crime wave.
Hurricane Katrina Devastated New Orleans. Some of It Came Back Better.
Hurricane Katrina was a chapter in the history of man's struggle both to control nature and to accept what he cannot control.
The Final Vacation Frontier
For just $55 million, you can book a weeklong vacation on the International Space Station. It's not exactly an all-inclusive beach resort.
Knossos Presents Dueling Ideas of Greek History
The world's most glorious monument to fakery is Knossos, the Greek site containing the legendary Palace of Minos.
MAGA Frat Guys and Bitter Incels Agree: Sorority Girls Are Objects
Some right-wing influencers love sorority girls because they're hot. Others hate them...because they're hot.
The U.K.'s Roundabouts Free Drivers From the Tyranny of Traffic Lights
Roundabouts are more efficient because they let drivers rely on themselves, not an inert piece of infrastructure.
CBP Is Deporting Cruise Ship Crew Over Child Pornography Allegations Without Evidence
Advocacy groups say more than 100 cruise ship crew members have been deported in recent months, and they're not being shown the evidence against them or given any due process.
The Anti-Porn Crusade Comes for Online Games
Activists pressure payment processors, who in turn pressure game marketplaces. The result? A whole lot of video games and visual novels are disappearing.
He Took a Bus To Watch His Soccer Team. Instead, He Ended Up in a Venezuelan Prison.
Fans of Deportivo Táchira wanted to see their team play in the league final. The mafia state made sure most never made it.
Keep Government Funding—and Political Meddling—Far Away From Olympic Athletes
Plus: Congress might blow up the pro sports business model, and Las Vegas is struggling
How Elite Special Operations Troops Created a Drug Cartel
A bizarre criminal conspiracy in the ranks of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg
The Self-Sustaining Outrage Cycle of Sydney Sweeney's Jeans Ad
Nearly three weeks in, it's getting difficult to remember what everybody was so mad about—or if more than a handful were ever mad at all.
6 U.S. Travel Destinations in the Middle of Nowhere
From under the sea to the Rocky Mountains.
Religious Dissenters Fled Holland (The Netherlands) and Established Holland (Michigan)
In response to disagreements within the Dutch Reformed Church, some believers packed up and left.
Zach Cregger's Weapons Is a Horror Film That Doesn't Tell You What To Think
A twisted, terrifying follow-up from the director of Barbarian
Mocking Elected Officials Is a Sign of a Healthy Democracy
Thin-skinned MAGA can dish it out, but can't take mockery.
Making the World Freer with Homemade Guns
DIY firearms aren’t just an end-run around the law; they represent a libertarian political movement.
Review: The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Sets Players Loose in a World of Wonder
If you're looking to see the sights and understand the culture of a foreign land, the easiest way to do it might be from the comfort of your couch.
Does Mental Health Awareness Make Things Worse?
Illinois wants to give mental health screenings to elementary schoolers. Will that actually help struggling kids?
The New York Times Says the Manhattan Mass Shooter Was 'Committed,' but That's Not True
The same newspaper notes that the killer "obtained a firearm legally," which means he was never "committed" to a mental health institution.
Tiny Nations in the Crack of the Map
You could travel to a foreign country, or you could create your own.
The Libertarian Case for Postmodernism
Political economist Mark Pennington draws on the ideas of Hayek and Foucault to show how expert rule and government surveillance are making it harder for people to think freely and live on their own terms.
St. Louis Fan Removal for MAGA Hat Ignites Debate Over Free Speech
Michael Weitzel was ejected for violating the club’s fan code of conduct, which prohibits “threatening, abusive, or discriminatory" symbols and language.
How 'National Security' Came Unmoored From Americans' Actual Security
The turning point was the New Deal.
Alabama's Porn Tax Starts Soon
Websites are being told to create "Material Harmful to Minors tax accounts."
Capitalism Isn't Why You're Unhappy
Some young adults blame "capitalism" for just about everything. But it's only a convenient scapegoat.
Wild Animals Are Thriving on South Africa's Private Reserves and Game Farms
Land safeguarded by private industry in South Africa is almost three times greater than land under government protection.
Chris Arnade on China, Wall Street, and Walking Around the World
"I walked the entire length of the New York subway system above ground. I've always been into walking," says the author of the Chris Arnade Walks the World newsletter.
The Naked Gun Is Stupid in the Best Possible Way
A fitting follow up to the classic spoofs of Zucker, Abrahams, and Zucker
Your Relationship Problems Aren't Always About the Patriarchy
Are you "mankeeping" or is he just a loser?
Trump's War on Chocolate: 'There's No Way for Us To Source This Domestically'
American chocolatiers need imports, and tariffs help no one.
Review: What Would Happen If the Modern-Day British Government Discovered Time Travel?
The Ministry of Time offers a world of romance, murder, blue sci-fi lasers, and lots of paperwork.
Montreal Fines Church $2,500 for Hosting a Controversial American Singer
Christian artist Sean Feucht has been forced to find new venues for all six of his most recent shows in Canada.
Mark Twain's Travel Log From the Holy Land
Christianity would be wonderful, Twain suggests in The Innocents Abroad, if it weren't for Christians.
New York's Governor Blames Nevada's 'Weak Gun Laws' for the Manhattan Mass Shooting
Kathy Hochul's focus on "assault weapons" is puzzling, since the perpetrator easily could have killed the same number of people with a gun that did not fall into that politically defined category.
South Park's Trump Takedown Joins a Proud American Tradition
The cartoon’s savage Season 27 premiere puts a tiny, naked Trump in bed with Satan—and lands squarely in the American tradition of using outrageous satire to hold the powerful accountable.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr's Meddling in Broadcast Journalism Contradicts His Own Avowed Views
As a minority FCC member during the Bush administration, Carr condemned government interference with newsroom decisions.
How Sports Tickets Got So Expensive—Or Did They?
Plus: regulating college sports, forgiving baseball’s legends, and Happy Gilmore 2
Tom Lehrer Satirized the National Security State From the Inside
The Cold War comedian and rumored Jell-O shot inventor had a lesser known side as an NSA operative.
Losing My Religion and Finding My Humanity on a Peruvian Ayahuasca Retreat
As I learned with ayahuasca, the greatest healing often comes from the most challenging experiences.
