Culture
Under the Influencer
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.
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Editor in chief & staff writer
The Riz
Opinion · Political culture · Straight talk
Birthed by carnies and served his sentence at a catholic University, Rizz has the mouth of a sailor and hatred for autocorrect.
The Riz is editor in chief and a staff writer at This Might Sting.
About The Riz
Born to carnies and educated at a Catholic university, The Riz came away with a sailor's vocabulary and autocorrect switched off.
As editor in chief and staff writer, he brings candid, middle-of-the-road political opinion to readers who want the details, the context, and an honest take without a party script.
From the desk
The Riz's articles
Culture
Whatever Happened to Teen Angst?
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.
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Five Stories the Headlines Missed (That We Didn't)
From Mississippi water to 9/11 air quality to the Crazy Eddie trap — five stories that deserved more than a news cycle.
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Why Cultural Analysis Is the Only News That Actually Ages Well
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.
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When Punk Got Priced Out: The Gentrification of NYC's Punk Clubs
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.
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The Bowery: When Art Had an Attitude
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.
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Bet the House
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.
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The Ultimate Betrayal
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.
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Member When: Edward Snowden
A Member Berries note on Edward Snowden, PRISM, and the cost of exposing government surveillance.
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We Stand With Penn State
A Culture Desk note on Penn State, accountability, and the need for facts before the rush to judgment.
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