Free, Apparently: Puzzle #97
"Extended anecdotes"
Latest
British Attacks on Free Speech Prove the Value of the First Amendment
Speech codes intended to battle misinformation are instead empowering the government to be the arbiter of truth.
Review: The Wild Adventures of Women in Anthropology
Anthropology was once built around freewheeling interactions with alien peoples in far-flung lands.
'Banal Horror': Asylum Case Deals Trump Yet Another Loss on Due Process
President Trump is entitled to try to execute his immigration policy. He is not entitled, however, to violate the Constitution.
Supreme Court Unanimously Agrees To Curb Environmental Red Tape That Slows Down Construction Projects
The case involved a fully permitted railroad track in Utah that has yet to break ground because of environmental lawsuits.
What To Expect Now That Trump Has Scrapped Biden's Crippling AI Regulations
"New opportunities for innovation, economic growth, and global engagement," says one expert.
David Stockman: Trump Is a 'Faker' on the Debt
Reagan's budget chief warns that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could balloon the national debt to $60 trillion, risking a catastrophic bond market crisis.
Original Sin, the Biden Cover-Up Book, Is Better Late Than Never
Even readers who are profoundly distrustful of Jake Tapper should pick up a copy.
Did 'Activist Judges' Derail Trump's Tariffs?
No. One of the judges in Wednesday's unanimous ruling was a Trump appointee, and the ruling rested on important legal and constitutional principles.
Trump Rightly Pardons 2 Florida Divers Who Became Federal Felons Because of an Honest Mistake
John Moore and Tanner Mansell were convicted of theft after they freed sharks they erroneously thought had been caught illegally.
Illinois Cops Gave ICE Access to More Than 5,000 Surveillance Cameras Nationwide
A camera network developed to help find missing cars and persons is now being used for immigration enforcement.
Mom Arrested, Facing 5 Years in Prison for Leaving 8- and 10-Year-Old Boys at Home
A new Georgia law could protect Alexandra Woodward's parental decision—but it doesn't go into effect until July.
Trump Deletes Database Containing Over 5,000 Police Misconduct Incidents
It's a reversal from his first term, when Trump himself ordered the creation of a database tracking excessive use of force.
Are We Headed for Another Disaster With Fannie and Freddie?
If the Trump administration fails to implement real reform, Main Street taxpayers could once again be conscripted into subsidizing lucrative Wall Street deals.
A Federal Court Just Blocked Trump's Tariffs
The Court of International Trade ruled that Trump's emergency economic powers do not include the authority to impose tariffs on nearly all imports.
Can Schools Ban This 'There Are Only Two Genders' Shirt? Supreme Court Declines To Hear Free Speech Case
A Massachusetts 7th grader was sent home for wearing the shirt, though the school allows students to challenge the idea it conveyed.
RFK Jr. Denigrates Privately Funded Medical Research
The Trump administration has cut billions in federal funding for medical research, as Kennedy singles out private funders for criticism.
Can Trump Yank Harvard's Remaining Federal Funding?
Trump is wielding the state against a school whose politics he doesn't like.
A Federal Judge Lists 8 Ways That Trump Violated the Constitution by Punishing a Disfavored Law Firm
The president's crusade against attorneys whose work offends him, which defies the First Amendment and undermines the right to counsel, has provoked several judicial rebukes.
Elon Musk Is Right. The 'Big Beautiful Bill' Is a Bad Deal.
Musk's opinion about the bill matters, since he is one of the few people in conservative politics who can get away with defying Trump.
Is Buying OnlyFans Content Now Illegal in Sweden?
Swedish authorities voted to criminalize the purchase or procurement of online sex acts, in a move targeting customers of webcam platforms and sites like OnlyFans.
Lawrence Wright: America's Misadventures in Wars, Cults, and Panics
The Pulitzer Prize–winning author discusses the enduring roots of Middle Eastern conflict, the rise and fall of cultural panics, and why Texas may be the blueprint—and battleground—for America's future.
Trump's War on Law Firms Fails
Plus: Punk rock comptroller, dunking on Pete Hegseth, France embraces Canadian health care, and more...
He Escaped North Korea—Twice. Now He Warns People About Socialism.
"Just go to North Korea for 10 days and you'll know how bad it is," says Charles Ryu.
How Charlie Rangel Changed His Mind About the War on Drugs
The former congressman, who died this week, transformed from a zealous prohibitionist into a drug policy reformer.
Trump's Pardon for Former Virginia Sheriff Who Exchanged Badges for Cash Makes a Mockery of 'Law and Order'
Scott Jenkins was convicted of engaging in cartoonish levels of corruption. If the rule of law only applies to the little guy, then it isn't worth much.
Nippon Steel Will Finally Get To Buy U.S. Steel. The Deal Likely Ensures More Federal Meddling in the Future.
The federal government will reportedly get a "golden share" in U.S. Steel, potentially allowing it to overrule shareholders on some decisions.
More Government Intervention Won't Make Concert Tickets Cheaper
There's only one way to eliminate the scalping market: Charge more for tickets.
Will Trump's Regulatory Reforms Do Enough To Unleash Nuclear Energy?
The good parts of his executive order could easily get mired in the swamp.
Overcrowding and Dysfunction Produced a Quiet Riot at a Miami Federal Prison Holding ICE Detainees
Half the elevators at Federal Detention Center Miami are broken. Immigrant detainees are kept on lockdown, and lawyers can barely reach their clients.
Texas Revs the Growth Machine
Plus: The near death of starter-home reform in Texas, Colorado's pending ban on rent-recommendation software, and a very Catholic story of eminent domain abuse.
The Pentagon Is Getting $150 Billion From the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Giving the Defense Department even more taxpayer money is a recipe for waste, not security.
Trump's Team Discovers That Diplomacy Is Hard
Diplomacy is better than war in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran. But that doesn't mean it's easy.
Seizing Harvard's Federal Funds
Plus: Nanny surveillance, Apple stock price responds to tariff threats, Boeing settlement, and more...
Could 2025 See the Lowest Murder Rate Ever Recorded?
While it's too early to say for sure, the data are extremely encouraging.
Brickbats: June 2025
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world.
Trump Promised To 'Save Vaping.' His FDA Head Does Not Seem Inclined To Do That.
Marty Makary grossly exaggerates the prevalence of adolescent nicotine addiction, the concern underlying his agency's restrictions on e-cigarette flavors.
Courts Are Quietly Taking Over the Internet
The next generation of online platforms is being shaped less by engineers and entrepreneurs and more by regulators and courts—and they’re very bad at it.
The Trade War Is Eroding America's Soft Power
The debate over free trade should include more than the costs of Trump's tariffs versus the value of cheaper stuff.
The Alien Enemies Act Doesn't Say What Trump Claims It Says
Father of the Constitution James Madison made a distinction between alien enemies and alien friends.
