House to Vote on 'Human Trafficking' Bill That Strengthens PATRIOT Act Spying
The PATRIOT Act fell out of fashion-but swap "human trafficker" for "terrorist" and let the civil liberties infringements roll!
Nanny State
Houston, We've Got a Problem—with Robot Brothels?
Activists petition to stop a sex-doll shop.
New Research Confirms We Got Cholesterol All Wrong
The U.S. government has pushed a lot of bad nutrition advice over the years. Maybe it should stop advising us on what to eat.
Gov. Brown Signs Stupid Straw Bill
California in a nutshell: Laws that "feel good" but don't work pass. One that might actually help kids gets vetoed.
Cody Wilson, 3D-Printed Gun Pioneer, Arrested in Taiwan
Wilson's passport was revoked following a warrant for his arrest in Texas for having paid sex with an underage girl.
Sex Trafficking in San Diego Massage Parlors Blamed on U.S. Military
But the real problem here isn't human-trafficking troops, it's regulators raising crime panic.
Texas Border Patrol Agent Confesses to Killing Sex Workers
A 10-year veteran of U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Ortiz is also a "serial murderer" say Texas authorities.
NYPD Cops Busted for Running a Prostitution and Gambling Ring
An ex-NYPD detective allegedly used his knowledge of police procedure to keep the operation afloat.
Kamala Harris, Foe of Legal Sex Work, Questions Whether Laws Exist That Control Male Bodies
Fun fact: All laws give government control of the decisions that everybody of any gender can do with their bodies.
Why Would Frat Boys Follow a New Ban on Hard Liquor?
Frats already break the law by serving alcohol to underage students. Why would a ban on hard liquor be any different?
'National Sex Trafficking Crackdown' Nets Zero Sex Traffickers
Plus: Another one of NYU professor Avital Ronell's teaching assistants talks, and Tucker Carlson goes after Amazon.
Bands Can Drink Onstage Thanks to This New Hampshire Libertarian
State Rep. Brandon Phinney talks about removing outdated laws, being an Army reservist against interventionism, and what the L.P. needs to do in an era of Trumpism and Democratic Socialism.
NYC Housing Authority Embroiled in Boozy, Salacious Orgy Scandal
Apparently, nothing could get in the way of city employees' desire to party.
Buttinskies Demand Ban On Cigarette Filters
Don't blame smokers for cigarette butts on the street. Blame the policies that pushed them to smoke there.
California Passes First State-Level 'Straw On Request' Law
The new legislation is more performative than punitive. That doesn't make it a good idea.
Why the Press Conflates Prostitution with Sex Trafficking—and Why That's a Threat To Free Speech: Podcast
Elizabeth Nolan Brown exposes the flimsy case against the alt-weekly pioneers accused of facilitating sex trafficking through Backpage.com.
The Senate Accused Them of Selling Kids for Sex. The FBI Raided Their Homes. Backpage.com's Founders Speak for the First Time.
An inside look at how indie media veterans James Larkin and Michael Lacey became the targets of a federal witchhunt.
As Plastic Straw Bans Gain Momentum, Will Balloons be Next?
No minor joy or modern convenience is safe.
Surprise! The Ban on Digital Sex Ads Didn't Work
Plus: digital privacy concerns down 11 percent since 2015
Nevada Assembly Candidate Dennis Hof Loses Brothel License
Love Ranch, a brothel owned by Nevada Assembly candidate Dennis Hof, loses their brothel license.
Massachusetts Mayor Claims Sam Adams Is Profiting Off Trump's 'White Nationalist Agenda'
Taking a tax break now amounts to taking a side.
Santa Barbara's Controversial Straw Ban Kicked Back to Committee
The new ordinance is being amended to include plastic stirrers
Intellectual Property, Big Data, and Streaming: Porn and Beyond
Profs. Kal Raustiala & Chris Sprigman will be guest-blogging about this week, based on their new law review article.
Are Plastic Straw Bans Just Late Socialism?: Podcast
The Reason Podcast crew takes on Trump's lawyers, trade wars, plastic straw bans, and the rise of socialism.
'Bigfoot Erotica' Stimulates Intense Congressional Debate
Democrat Leslie Cockburn says she's "exposed" her Republican opponent as a "devotee of Bigfoot erotica."
Hilarious Straw Ban Memes Hit on the Dark Truth That All Laws Require Force
Straw banners will soon have to answer for all the people fined, arrested, or even jailed for violating their petty prohibitions.
Jinx the Anarchist Sex Worker Goes to Washington
Representatives of the oldest profession were on Capitol Hill fighting FOSTA and SESTA, with our online freedoms hanging in the balance.
Hemp Beer Is Dank, Delicious, and Coming Soon to a Bar Near You
...if regulators don't get in the way first.
A Summer-of-Snitches Subversion: City Helps Teen Rather Than Shut Down Unlicensed Hot Dog Stand
When he grows up and gets that food truck, though, he'll probably have a very different experience.
Tech Workers Don't Eat at Enough Local Restaurants? Better Ban Workplace Cafeterias!
A bill in San Francisco would prohibit new office spaces from having cafeterias on site.
Oops! San Francisco Bubble Tea Company Throws Support Behind Straw Ban Without Realizing It Also Bans All Feasible Replacement Straws
Reading the fine print is important.
More and More of What We Do Depends on Government Permission
The granting or withholding of that approval is a powerful lever over our lives.
Santa Barbara Bans Plastic Straws, Authorizes $1,000 Fines and Jail Time for Violators
The California city has passed what is likely the most severe straw ban in the country.
Milwaukee Launches Lawsuit, Threatens Fines Over Dockless E-Scooters
Residents continue riding the scooters in a stirring display of civil disobedience.
Stormy Daniels Was Arrested Because of a Terrible Law That Threatens Free Expression
When you give law enforcement a tool that can be used to target someone who has unpopular views, they will use it.
Starbucks Bans Plastic Straws, Winds Up Using More Plastic
A Reason investigation reveals that the coffee giant's new cold drink lids use more plastic than the old straw/lid combo.
Stormy Daniels Strips for Me and a Roomful of Journalists
...and reminds everyone that sometimes a strip show is just a strip show.
D.C. Wants to Ban No-Cash Businesses and Cash Discounts
A new bill would make it illegal for city businesses to refuse cash payments.
Sex Workers Meet in Los Angeles To Draft Statement of Principles
A new manifesto calls for sex-worker rights.
Man Faces 30 Years in Prison on Child Porn Charges for Taking Sexy Photos of 17-Year-Old Girlfriend When He was 20
Since Ohio's age of consent is 16, it was legal for Edward Marrero to have sex but not to sext.
Al Qaeda-Linked Somali Terrorist Group Bans Plastic Bags
Al-Shabab has declared plastic bags "a serious threat to the well-being of humans and animals alike."
Libertarian Party Adopts New Sex Work Plank, Becomes Only Notable U.S. Party to Endorse Prostitution Decriminalization
The LP's move comes the same week the Green Party explicitly rejected a platform that protects sex worker rights.
Seattle's First-in-the-Nation Straw Ban Goes Into Effect. More Will Follow.
The latest environmental craze claims another victory.
All Over the World, People Love Bootleg Moonshine and Hate Taxes
If you don't want a black market in booze to develop, keep the tax man on a leash and regulators in check.
