The Overly Examined Life of Henry David Thoreau
Cartoonist Peter Bagge looks at Henry David Thoreau's life at Walden and beyond
May 2021
Cover Story
The Last Pandemic
Technological breakthroughs and policy progress mean humanity may never again have to endure a disaster like COVID-19.
Features
The Right to an Abortion Isn't Going Away
While overturning Roe v. Wade would lead to new restrictions in many states, legal access to abortion would be unaffected in most of the country.
The Dream of the '90s Died in Portland
Once an up-and-coming city, Portland was destroyed from within by radical activism and political ineptitude.
Interview
Coming Out of the Chemical Closet
Neuropsychopharmacologist Carl Hart says most of what the public knows about drugs is both scary and wrong.
Topics
Gov. Andrew Cuomo Clings to His Pedestal
"Incompetent government kills people," he said in January.
'See Something, Say Something' Returns
A new bill repurposes the war on terror's pro-snitching mantra by requiring that tech companies share user data with the federal government.
Americans Overpay for Biden's 'Buy American' Plan
These rules drive up costs and distort markets while letting politicians claim credit for defending domestic industries from foreign competition.
A Phony Warrant, a Deadly Drug Raid, and a Barrel of Bad Apples in Houston
Did the city's "policies, customs or practices," invite Fourth Amendment violations?
Self-Destructing Mosquitoes
Oxitec has genetically engineered mosquitoes that pass a self-destruct code to all of their female offspring.
Can Schools Punish Kids for Off-Campus Snapchats?
"The notion that a school can discipline a student for that kind of...non-harassing expression is contrary to our First Amendment tradition."
Biden Chooses Cronyism Over Letting Puerto Rico Rebuild
The Jones Act shields the American shipping industry from foreign competition and harms both the environment and disadvantaged communities.
How Economists Learned to Love Minimum Wage Hikes
Would raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour cost jobs?
Hopes Dashed for Democracy in Myanmar
The nation's brief respite from military rule came to an abrupt end on February 1.
The No-Fly List Is a Civil Liberties Nightmare
Existing laws are more than adequate to handle the Capitol rioters.
Abolish the FDA
The role of the state is to protect rights and guard against fraud, not to prevent people from making risky choices.
Reading, Writing, 'Rithmetic, and Zero About Jobs
Perhaps young people would be better served by having access to more job sampling opportunities.
Culture
Wartime Rationing Changed How America Ate for a Century. The Pandemic Will Do the Same.
The government tried to stabilize the nation's food supply 80 years ago. Its efforts backfired.
Books
The Myth of Antonio Salazar
The integralist right's foolish crush on the man who once ruled Portugal
A Declassified Case Against Torture
Retired FBI agent Ali Soufan argues that the agency's thirst for torture made it harder to protect Americans.
Reviews
The Third Temptation
To Austin Rogers, the trio of temptations presented to Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew has key political implications.
Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction
For sci fi fans who enjoy getting lost in internet rabbit holes
The Expanse
People are people and politics is politics, no matter how far you get from planet Earth.
Tomorrow, the World
As France fell to Nazi Germany, America's elites glanced nervously eastward and began to envision the U.S. as the new defender of global order.
Let Me Tell You What I Mean
Didion reminds us that while youth culture and political leaders may change, our underlying drives and delusions seldom do.
ETC.
Scott Wiener Is California's 'YIMBY' State Senator
The YIMBY Democrat wants to make it easier to build more housing in California's densest and most expensive cities.
Brickbats: May 2021
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly…
