Review: Computer-Generated Art, Decades Before Midjourney
Futuristically thrilling but aesthetically limited
Culture
Review: Ash Ketchum Was a Free-Range Kid
In the Pokemon universe, there's no central government and vital social services are provided by informal clubs.
Why Does Alabama Only Let You Consume Peach-Flavored Edibles?
The state seems to think kids don't like the taste of peach.
Peter Bagge: From Adam Smith to Punk to Grunge
The libertarian creator of alternative comix Hate and Neat Stuff explains why he's fond of the invisible hand and individualism.
Chris Licht Ouster Shows How Cable News Has Become a Cope
The journalistic crusade against "bothsidesism" is an unsubtle attempt at enforcing political orthodoxy.
Adam Smith's Quiet Christianity
The Scottish thinker's famous friendship with David Hume demonstrates his liberalism, not his atheism.
A Brief History of Single-Family Zoning
California recently enacted legislation that invalidates single-family zoning, as an effort to increase housing supply. Other alternatives would be wiser.
How Pirates in Madagascar Spread Enlightenment Ideas
Pirate Enlightenment documents an interracial experiment in stateless self-governance.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Is Better Than a Transformers Sequel Has Any Right to Be
It's no Orson Welles as Unicron, sadly. But I'll take it.
Gavin Newsom Wants To 'Permanently Enshrine' Gun Control in the U.S. Constitution
California’s governor insists his “28th Amendment” would leave the right to arms “intact.”
How Pat Robertson Shepherded His Flock Into Politics
Farewell to the senator's son who pioneered a TV genre, helped create the Christian right, ran for president, and earned the grudging respect of Abbie Hoffman
Maine's Legislature Passes Bill To Partially Decriminalize Prostitution
Plus: Court rules that naked female spa can't exclude transgender women, Biden vetoes bill blocking student loan forgiveness, and more...
Kat Timpf: Make America Funny Again!
The You Can't Joke About That author says that free speech and dark humor can bring a fragmented country together.
Should Libertarians Be Noncombatants in the Pride Wars?
Plus: A listener question considers the pros and cons of the libertarian focus on political processes rather than political results.
The New York Times Thinks Preempting Local Control Is Bad—When Republicans Do It
The paper's editorial board is happy to endorse the centralization of decision making when it supports their liberal policy preferences.
Comic: The Revised Adam Smith
The ghost of the so-called father of economics chastises those who would use his words for their own misbegotten ends.
No, Corporate Greed Didn't Cause the 2023 Egg Price Shock
A much more plausible explanation is the avian flu outbreak that devastated the poultry industry last year.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Celebrated Selfishness as a Virtue
The show's final season boldly declared that success requires putting yourself first and accepting the trade-offs.
The 2021 Baby Boom Didn't Last
But there were still 47,573 more births last year than there were in 2020.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Does Cinematic Diversity Right
The Little Mermaid was a dull exercise in box-checking. Spider-Verse uses its diverse cast as an opportunity for narrative delights.
Review: A Lesson on Political Ambition From Dungeons & Dragons Movie
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is more Rob Reiner than J.R.R. Tolkien.
Review: Henry George's Many Children
The 19th century reformer's influence on 20th century progressives, conservatives, and libertarians
CBO: Debt Ceiling Deal Means 78,000 More Able-Bodied, Childless Adults Could Get Food Stamps
New work requirements will target those over age 50, but the debt ceiling deal also loosens existing work requirements for those under age 50.
California Lawmakers Want To Make Tech Companies Subsidize News Media
Plus: Debt ceiling deal passes House, Congress wants to childproof the internet, lactation consultant licensing law is unconstitutional, and more...
Clea Conner: America Needs More and Better Debates
The CEO of Open To Debate wants us to disagree more productively—especially when it comes to presidential debates.
German Police Investigate Roger Waters Over Concert Wardrobe
Laws against displaying Nazi-esque iconography are well-intended, but they pose a threat to free speech and the principles of a free society.
What Do Gadsden Flags and Pride Flags Have in Common?
Sexual minorities aren't the only ones who love to wave identity flags.
Oppression in the South Was Not an Expression of Freedom
Freedom's Dominion argues Southern history was animated by "racialized radical anti-statism." The case is lacking.
CRISPR Mustard Greens Test America's Appetite for Designer Veggies
The North Carolina–based biotech startup Pairwise will begin selling genetically modified and better-tasting mustard greens.
Succession Is a Darkly Comic Warning About the Transfer of Generational Power
The old guard titans might have been monsters. But, the HBO series warns, the young wannabes vying for power might be even worse.
Review: Animal Control Pokes Fun at Real-World Policing Problems
Asset forfeiture isn't funny—but what if it involves tripping bunnies and psychedelic mushrooms?
Jesse Singal: How To Stay Honest While Doing Journalism
The Blocked & Reported cohost talks about cancel culture, activism vs. truth, and why he quit Twitter.
The War on Tamales
Arizona was set to legalize the sale of "potentially hazardous" homemade foods—but then Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoed the bill.
The Two Faces of Ron DeSantis
Sometimes he calls for freedom, and sometimes he preaches something darker.
Do the Natcons Get Anything Right?
Plus: A listener asks if the Roundtable has given the arguments of those opposed to low-skilled immigration a fair hearing.
The Left-Right Spectrum Is Mostly Meaningless
The political landscape doesn’t fit on a simple map.
Don't Mix Rare Bourbon With State Power
Oregon liquor regulators were caught diverting prized whiskey for personal use.
Supreme Court: Andy Warhol's Prince Prints Not 'Transformative' Enough for Fair Use
The case could have long-term implications for how broadly fair use can be applied.
Gorsuch Condemns 'Breathtaking' COVID Emergency Powers That Crushed Civil Liberties
"Since March 2020, we may have experienced the greatest intrusions on civil liberties in the peacetime history of this country," Gorsuch wrote. That might be an exaggeration, but it isn't far off.
Fast X Is a Loud, Obnoxious, Campy Bore
The 10th entry in the muscle-car series is loud, ugly, and all too self-aware.
Review: National Shrine Celebrates St. John Paul II as a Freedom Fighter
Too few remember the pope's opposition to Polish building regulation.
Review: Everything I Need I Get from You Gives a Fangirl's View of the Internet
Author Kaitlyn Tiffany offers a history of fandoms.
Conservatives Pushing 'Common Good Capitalism' Sound a Lot Like Progressives
The ideology champions the same tired policies that big government types predictably propose whenever they see something they don't like.
'Now Is Better,' Says Legendary Designer Stefan Sagmeister
His bold new exhibition draws on the work of Steven Pinker, Our World in Data, and Human Progress to document how much life has improved since the good old days.
