Culture
The Maldives Banning Israelis Is a Disgrace
President Mohamed Muizzu cannot claim to be on the right side of history while adhering to a textbook definition of bigotry.
News Publishers Try To Sic the Government on Google AI
A journalism industry trade group is asking the federal government to thwart a tech tool that could make news publishing less profitable.
California's Tortilla Bill Threatens To Flatten Small Businesses
Proposed legislation mandates folic acid in masa flour, sparking fears among traditional tortilla makers about costs and cultural impact.
The Prosecution's Story About Trump Featured Several Logically Impossible Claims
Whatever Trump did after the 2016 presidential election, it seems safe to say that it did not retroactively promote his victory.
Review: An Anime Murder Mystery With an AI Twist
In Netflix's Pluto, a serial killer targets the world’s most advanced robots.
Trump's Conviction Suggests Jurors Bought the Prosecution's Dubious 'Election Fraud' Narrative
There was a glaring mismatch between the charges against the former president and what prosecutors described as the essence of his crime.
The NRA's Unanimous Supreme Court Victory Is Good for Free Speech—No Matter How You Feel About Guns
The ACLU, another polarizing organization, was willing to defend the NRA in court. That should tell you that some things aren't partisan.
These Strange Bedfellows Want SCOTUS To Remind the 5th Circuit That Journalism Is Not a Crime
An ideologically diverse mix of individuals and organizations supports a Texas journalist who was arrested for asking questions.
Louisiana Finally Fixes America's Dumbest Licensing Requirement
Louisiana lawmakers approved a bill to end the testing requirement for florists. Going forward, only a fee will be required.
Rethinking the 5-Paragraph Essay in the Age of AI
Artificial intelligence writes a pretty good analysis of George Orwell's 1984.
This Journalist Was Arrested, Strip-Searched, and Jailed for Filming Police. Will He Get Justice?
Justin Pulliam's arrest and lawsuit once again demand we ask if "real" journalists are entitled to a different set of rights.
California's $20 Fast Food Minimum Wage Law Is Already Having Disastrous Unintended Consequences
Many have seen their hours reduced—or have lost their jobs entirely.
Prosecutors Say Trump Tried to 'Hoodwink the American Voter,' Which Is Not a Crime
Closing arguments in the former president's trial highlight the mismatch between the charges and the "election fraud" he supposedly committed.
Good and Evil in the American Founding
How Americans ought to think about our founding principles.
Australians Abandon Physical Cash and the Freedom It Protects
Digital payments are easy to use, but also to monitor and block.
Is Minneapolis a 'Secret Bellwether' for Understanding Policing and Race in America?
The Minneapolis Reckoning shows why calls to defund the police gained momentum after George Floyd's death and why voters with no love for the cops still rejected an abolitionist ballot measure.
Super Size Me Was Not Groundbreaking Journalism
Morgan Spurlock's death and legacy are a reminder that skepticism is a necessary part of any balanced diet.
Prosecutors Are Still Hedging on Exactly What 'Crime' Trump Tried To 'Aid' or 'Conceal'
This week the judge presiding over Trump's trial ruled that jurors do not have to agree on any particular legal theory.
J.D. Vance Condemned Neocons—Then Called for the Same Middle East Policy
The close Trump ally tried to argue that more aggressive U.S. policy in the Middle East would help the U.S. get out of the Middle East.
What Does Decriminalized Sex Work Actually Look Like?
I visited Australia and New Zealand to find out. Spoiler: It’s great for everyone.
Review: The Terminator: The Original Killer AI
Arnold Schwarzenegger's classic role colored our perception of AI, for better or for worse.
The Criminal Charges Against Scottie Scheffler Look Highly Questionable
Detective Bryan Gillis alleges the star golfer assaulted him. Footage released today does not help his story.
End the Assange Indictment Charade
As the U.K. High Court allows a new appeal for Julian Assange, pressure mounts on Joe Biden to drop charges. He should.
Furiosa Is a Glorious Apocalyptic Epic From Mad Max Director George Miller
More philosophical and more Shakespearean than Fury Road, it's another ambitious action extravaganza.
Nellie Bowles: How the Lockdowns Drove Us Crazy
The former New York Times reporter explores the collective madness that washed over us in 2020, tracing the path from #MeToo to “Intifada Revolution!”
How the Media Manufactured Panic Over Bees
About 20 years ago, many American bees did die. Then that steadily diminished—but hysteria in the press continued.
The War on Birth Control That Wasn't
Plus: Hooters discourse, Zelenskyy's plea, Jacobin posting Ls, and more...
The Best of Reason: 'AI Bullshit' Makes Poets Mad
Is AI-written poetry cheating if you laboriously trained the AI?
Israel Raids the Associated Press and Seizes Equipment Over War Coverage
There's no justification for cracking down on news organizations for reporting the news during war.
Old Enough for a Gun, Too Young for TikTok: What's Legal for Teens in Your State?
From tattoos to abortions to gender expression, a confusing mess of laws govern which Americans are considered adults.
Tacos, Sandwiches, and Zoning
Plus: Austin shrinks its minimum lot sizes, Florida builds on past zoning reforms, and Arizona passes ADU and missing middle bills.
San Diego Is Cracking Down on Groups Exercising Outside Without a Permit
A revision to the municipal code made it illegal for groups of four or more people to convene in public spaces for commercial recreational activities without a government stamp of approval.
The New York Times Implausibly Blames 'Looser' Gun Laws for a Homicide Spike That Is Now Receding
Without providing any evidence, the paper says "loosened restrictions on firearms" contributed to gun violence in Columbus.
Belgium Protects Sex Work Employees' Right To Refuse Customers, Sex Acts
A new labor law getting bad press is explicitly drafted to stop sex businesses from punishing workers who set boundaries.
Indiana Court Rules Burritos and Tacos Qualify as Sandwiches
The decision exemplifies a longstanding issue in legal theory. It also highlights the absurdity of zoning rules.
Prof. Doriane Coleman (Duke), Guest-Blogging About "On Sex and Gender: A Commonsense Approach"
"'An ideological preference for characterizing sex as a social construct, a stereotype, and a myth,' she asserts, denies the science of sex differences as well as common sense."
Daniel Perry's Pardon Makes a Mockery of Self-Defense
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott takes a tactic from the progressive prosecutors he says he opposes.
Review: South Park's Take on ChatGPT
The long-running satirical show turns its animated sights on AI and ChatGPT.
