Rights and Democracy
Gender Studies at Hogwarts
J.K. Rowling, author of the bestselling Harry Potter series, just made headlines for an epic tweetstorm condemning misogyny. Referring to women politicians, she tweeted, "femaleness is not a design flaw." I love J.K. Rowling. I love her books. I've read the entire...
Pinocchio Nose
Trump TV, Coming to a Market Near You
Donald Trump’s favorite local TV chain is about to get a lot bigger thanks to — wait for it — Donald Trump. Trump’s Federal Communications Commission is paving the way for Sinclair Broadcast Group — already the nation’s largest TV conglomerate — to take over Tribune,...
Collective Amnesia Syndrome
Students Get the Last Word on Commencement
"Don’t let complexity stop you," Bill Gates once told graduating Harvard seniors. "Be activists. Take on the big inequities. It will be one of the great experiences of your lives." These days, college students have no trouble transforming into activists to address big...
What We Can Learn from War Memorials
In Dryden, New York, a proposed solar farm recently caused a stir. Thousands of solar panels — enough to power 7,500 homes — are scheduled to be installed near a rural cemetery in the town. Some opponents complain that it’s disrespectful to the veterans buried there....
Using Lunch to Punish the Poor
One of the lucky things about being rich is that you automatically become handsome, your jokes are hilarious, and politicians treat you with fawning deference. On the other hand, the unlucky thing about being poor is that … well, you're poor. And society generally...
Loose Lips
The Hidden Bombshell in the Comey-Trump Story
How can you tell an authoritarian when you see one? We know the 20th century hallmarks — brown shirts, street rallies, and the like. But there’s an autocratic attitude, some historians suggest, that can easily be traced across the centuries. To put it simply, New York...
Have You Seen George W.’s Paintings? They’re Missing Something.
George W. Bush has been on something of a public relations tour recently, showcasing paintings he's done since leaving office. The tour seems designed to rebuild his image as a tortured artist wrestling with his demons — a flawed but morally introspective tragic...
