Within last week’s story of how Ronald Reagan made a racist phone call to Richard Nixon, there was a second story—a parable, effectively: a small point that contained a much larger point. It had nothing, or almost nothing, to do with Ronald Reagan’s own character; it happened after Reagan had finished fuming to Nixon about how African leaders who’d thwarted American foreign policy at the United Nations were “monkeys,” and the two men had gotten off the phone. Nixon then called Secretary of State William Rogers, to relay Reagan’s message and to warn Rogers that the White House should not...…Within last week’s story of how Ronald Reagan made a racist phone call to Richard Nixon, there was a second story—a parable, effectively: a small point that contained a much larger point. It had nothing, or almost nothing, to do with Ronald Reagan’s own character; it happened after Reagan had finished fuming to Nixon about how African leaders who’d thwarted American foreign policy at the United Nations were “monkeys,” and the two men had gotten off the phone. Nixon then called Secretary of State William Rogers, to relay Reagan’s message and to warn Rogers that the White House should not...WW…

The first months of Donald Trump’s presidency were a fraught and chaotic time in American politics. But in an age of shrinking newsrooms, early 2017 was a bright spot for online news publishers, especially those with some Facebook savvy. People were hungry for political news, commentary, and analysis, and Facebook fed them a steady diet of it. It was where conservatives gathered to crow and liberals went to commiserate and organize.Slate—yes, the publication you’re reading right now—got more than 85 million clicks that originated from external sites and apps in January 2017 alone. Almost a...…The first months of Donald Trump’s presidency were a fraught and chaotic time in American politics. But in an age of shrinking newsrooms, early 2017 was a bright spot for online news publishers, especially those with some Facebook savvy. People were hungry for political news, commentary, and analysis, and Facebook fed them a steady diet of it. It was where conservatives gathered to crow and liberals went to commiserate and organize.Slate—yes, the publication you’re reading right now—got more than 85 million clicks that originated from external sites and apps in January 2017 alone. Almost a...WW…

On Sunday evening, there was a strange atmosphere around the house. It felt a bit like the evening before going back to school after summer vacation, or like walking down the hall the first day at a new job: exciting, but also scary. In Italy, Sunday, May 3, was the last day of lockdown after almost two months of total closure of the country, after 30,000 deaths and the worst recession since the Second World War that is gnawing at the fabric of an already crumbling state, despite being the third largest economy in Europe. We, who had the sad trophy of inaugurating the dance of imprisonment...…On Sunday evening, there was a strange atmosphere around the house. It felt a bit like the evening before going back to school after summer vacation, or like walking down the hall the first day at a new job: exciting, but also scary. In Italy, Sunday, May 3, was the last day of lockdown after almost two months of total closure of the country, after 30,000 deaths and the worst recession since the Second World War that is gnawing at the fabric of an already crumbling state, despite being the third largest economy in Europe. We, who had the sad trophy of inaugurating the dance of imprisonment...WW…

Global markets can breathe a sigh of relief. At least for now. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping agreed to restart trade talks that had broken down almost two months ago. That means there won’t be an escalation in the tariff war between the two largest economies in the world that had worried financial markets, businesses and farmers. In practical terms, the agreement doesn´t actually change anything about the current situation since existing import tariffs will remain in place. But Trump said he would not impose new tariffs that he had threatened and could have...…Global markets can breathe a sigh of relief. At least for now. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping agreed to restart trade talks that had broken down almost two months ago. That means there won’t be an escalation in the tariff war between the two largest economies in the world that had worried financial markets, businesses and farmers. In practical terms, the agreement doesn´t actually change anything about the current situation since existing import tariffs will remain in place. But Trump said he would not impose new tariffs that he had threatened and could have...WW…

Update, March 9, 2020: The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple changed its “How to clean your Apple products” webpage on Monday with new language noting that it is fine to clean device surfaces with a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox disinfecting wipes. The company had previously advised against using “cleaning products.” Original article: The novel coronavirus outbreak has been an occasion to reflect on just how filthy our surfaces are. The handrails on public transit, the buttons in elevators, light switches, grocery cart handles—all potentially teeming with nasty things....…Update, March 9, 2020: The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple changed its “How to clean your Apple products” webpage on Monday with new language noting that it is fine to clean device surfaces with a 70 percent isopropyl alcohol wipe or Clorox disinfecting wipes. The company had previously advised against using “cleaning products.” Original article: The novel coronavirus outbreak has been an occasion to reflect on just how filthy our surfaces are. The handrails on public transit, the buttons in elevators, light switches, grocery cart handles—all potentially teeming with nasty things....WW…

Pete Buttigieg, the young, telegenic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, prides himself on being the only millennial currently vying for the presidency, and his path up to this point has been one. He was “Most Likely to be U.S. President” his senior year of high school. As any young aspiring politician knows, carefully maintaining your image online is key. And no tool in your early-career arsenal is quite as effective as Wikipedia.Luckily for Buttigieg, there is at least one person carefully looking out for his needs on Wikipedia—someone who has followed his political career from its very...…Pete Buttigieg, the young, telegenic mayor of South Bend, Indiana, prides himself on being the only millennial currently vying for the presidency, and his path up to this point has been one. He was “Most Likely to be U.S. President” his senior year of high school. As any young aspiring politician knows, carefully maintaining your image online is key. And no tool in your early-career arsenal is quite as effective as Wikipedia.Luckily for Buttigieg, there is at least one person carefully looking out for his needs on Wikipedia—someone who has followed his political career from its very...WW…

Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams issued a stark warning to Americans Sunday, calling on everyone in the country to get ready for what he characterized as a national catastrophe. “This is going to be the hardest and saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly,” Adams said in an interview on Fox News Sunday. “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized. It’s going to be happening all over the country.” Adams followed the lead of President Donald Trump, who had warned Americans Saturday that “there will be a lot of death” in the...…Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams issued a stark warning to Americans Sunday, calling on everyone in the country to get ready for what he characterized as a national catastrophe. “This is going to be the hardest and saddest week of most Americans’ lives, quite frankly,” Adams said in an interview on Fox News Sunday. “This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment, only it’s not going to be localized. It’s going to be happening all over the country.” Adams followed the lead of President Donald Trump, who had warned Americans Saturday that “there will be a lot of death” in the...WW…

On Friday, a panel of judges for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the First Amendment protects individuals’ right to film police officers performing their official duties. The 3rd Circuit now joins the 1st, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th Circuits in concluding that the Constitution . No federal appeals court has yet concluded that the First Amendment does not safeguard the right to film law enforcement officers conducting police activity in public.Friday’s decision involved two instances in which the Philadelphia police retaliated against citizens attempting to film them. In the first...…On Friday, a panel of judges for the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the First Amendment protects individuals’ right to film police officers performing their official duties. The 3rd Circuit now joins the 1st, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th Circuits in concluding that the Constitution . No federal appeals court has yet concluded that the First Amendment does not safeguard the right to film law enforcement officers conducting police activity in public.Friday’s decision involved two instances in which the Philadelphia police retaliated against citizens attempting to film them. In the first...WW…

Bill Gates became the latest billionaire to get into a dust-up with Elizabeth Warren this week, after making some jokey comments onstage about his concerns over her wealth tax proposal, and what it might cost him personally. “I’ve paid more than $10 billion in taxes. I’ve paid more than anyone in taxes,” he told financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, earning some laughs from the crowd. “But I’m glad to have. If I’d had to have paid $20 billion, it’s fine. But when you say I should pay $100 billion, OK, then I’m starting to do a little math about what I have left over. Sorry. I’m just...…Bill Gates became the latest billionaire to get into a dust-up with Elizabeth Warren this week, after making some jokey comments onstage about his concerns over her wealth tax proposal, and what it might cost him personally. “I’ve paid more than $10 billion in taxes. I’ve paid more than anyone in taxes,” he told financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, earning some laughs from the crowd. “But I’m glad to have. If I’d had to have paid $20 billion, it’s fine. But when you say I should pay $100 billion, OK, then I’m starting to do a little math about what I have left over. Sorry. I’m just...WW…

The Trump administration, acting on the fairly sound logic that its supporters don’t care in any way whatsoever about the civic principle that the government should be scrutinized by a free press, has started to cut down on the number of press conferences it gives that occur on camera. Wednesday, the administration that Thursday’s* press briefing by Sarah Huckabee Sanders would be one such no-video affair, then introduced a Kafka-esque twist by declaring that the announcement itself was “NOT REPORTABLE.”This post will self-destruct in 10 seconds.*Correction, June 22, 2017, at 12:50 p.m.:...…The Trump administration, acting on the fairly sound logic that its supporters don’t care in any way whatsoever about the civic principle that the government should be scrutinized by a free press, has started to cut down on the number of press conferences it gives that occur on camera. Wednesday, the administration that Thursday’s* press briefing by Sarah Huckabee Sanders would be one such no-video affair, then introduced a Kafka-esque twist by declaring that the announcement itself was “NOT REPORTABLE.”This post will self-destruct in 10 seconds.*Correction, June 22, 2017, at 12:50 p.m.:...WW…