The archive
The long version, the sharp version, and the stuff that is still getting misquoted.
28 pieces filed so far
Culture
North Korea vs. the PlayStation Generation. The gaming industry's favorite military recruitment simulator has decided to take its talents to the Korean Peninsula. And somewhere in Pyongyang, somebody is probably having an aneurysm.
Member Berries
"Two weeks to flatten the curve" sounded like a sacrifice people could manage. The calendar changed. The bills kept their original deadlines. For an owner who lost a diner, a barbershop or a basement venue, "the economy recovered" offers little comfort.
Politics
Hundreds of thousands marched across France on October 17. A burning car gave the evening news everything it needed — and absolutely no obligation to explain why anybody showed up.
Criminal Justice
Tennessee strapped Christa Pike down and tried to kill her. Then it tried again. When that didn’t work, an ambulance came to save her. That isn’t a dark joke. That’s what happened.
Culture
The PMRC wanted to put a warning label on the record. The algorithm doesn't need a warning label — it studies the warning, measures the outrage, and recommends twelve more.
Culture
Anybody else remember when Michael Stipe professed irony to be the shackles of youth? Goddamn, I miss irony. I miss when being young came with confusion, bad decisions, loud guitars, and an irrational hatred of whatever your parents enjoyed.
Culture
From Mississippi water to 9/11 air quality to the Crazy Eddie trap — five stories that deserved more than a news cycle.
From the Desk Of
There's an undeniable fusion of controlled infective opposition and civic demobilization at the heart of every polemic. Preferences have been hijacked and covertly conflated into divisive biases. We, one and all, are being Managed.
From the Desk Of
Thomas Pynchon captured the entirety of political reality in around twenty syllables decades ago. It rings more true than the autonomy most of us believe we still have.
Analysis
In my 46 years of living, I have not seen two American politicians as polarizing and as opposite — while holding major positions — at the same time. One figured out the code. Here's what he did.
From the Desk Of
A MAGA congresswoman in Florida is running ads against mass deportations. The Texas governor's candidate scrubbed Trump from his website. An Arizona congresswoman endorsed by Trump is turning away again. At face value, MEXIT has begun.
Member Berries
Before TikTok gave everyone a platform and Twitter gave everyone a nervous breakdown, there was daytime television. And standing in the middle of it all was Jerry Springer.
Culture
Political headlines expire in 48 hours. Cultural analysis lasts for years. Here is why the story underneath the story is the only one worth following.
Culture
For years, celebrities have been told to stick to music. The Macklemore-Sheeran explosion just proved that ship has sailed — and the stage, the stadium, and the silence are all political now.
Field Notes
Before we talk about bringing jobs back, we need to talk about the Army — because right now, the institution sworn to defend this country has no one at the top.
Unfiltered
From CBGB to the Mudd Club, New York's punk venues were cheap, dirty, and loud enough for bands with more attitude than money. Then the neighborhoods changed — and the culture that made them valuable got priced out of them.
Culture
Before the condos and the cocktail bars, the Bowery was a place where art didn’t ask permission. A street-level dispatch from the last neighborhood that still remembers.
Member Berries
Before Amazon and Best Buy, there was Crazy Eddie. His prices were insane. His commercials were unforgettable. And his accounting was even more insane than the ads.
Opinion
The casino is in your pocket now. It vibrates, sends notifications, offers boosted odds, and knows exactly when you’re most likely to place another bet. And standing in front of that sales pitch, smiling into the camera, are celebrities.
Investigation
Jackson, Mississippi spent years being told its water problems were being fixed. The reality was considerably murkier — and a federal appeals court just ruled the Constitution doesn’t guarantee you clean water.
Investigation
New York City knew the air around Ground Zero was unsafe. They told us otherwise. Nearly 50,000 first responders and survivors have since been diagnosed with WTC-related cancers.
Analysis
You're having what some are calling the easiest landslide midterm win in history — and the disorganization is going to mess it up.
Analysis
You're facing a landslide blue wave. Here's how to minimize the damage — and start thinking about the future of the party.
Sports
SMU vs. FSU carried on without clocks, screens, replay, or sideline tech—and offered a reminder of the game’s simpler roots.
Member Berries
A Member Berries note on Edward Snowden, PRISM, and the cost of exposing government surveillance.
Analysis
The appetite for a reset is real. The harder question is whether anyone is prepared to show the work.
Analysis
When every speech promises a turning point, voters learn to listen for the details nobody is rushing to say.