Liberal Professors Fleeing Florida

The DeSantis crackdown on academic freedom is having its desired effect.

This Economic Moment

Continued disjunctures between perceptions and the indicators.

Israel, Hamas, and the Laws of War

It’s . . . complicated.

Televising Trump’s Trial

His lawyers and Democratic lawmakers are urging an exception.

Florida Backs Down, Allows AP Psychology

Sanity has prevailed.

Florida’s School Censorship Runs Into Roadblocks

The state has banned the teaching of science in science classes.

Hippie VW microbus Hippie VW microbus

The Good Old Days

Back when people were kinder and man’s word was his bond.

Reclaiming Playtime

Another call for letting kids be kids.

Some Comments on the Growing GOP Field

Thoughts on Pence and Christie.

Culture and Our Brains

Our surroundings quite literally change how we see the world.

high-resolution photo of acceptance, alphabet, bisexual, blur, close up, colorful, culture, equality, focus, gay, gay pride, gay wallpaper, gender, gender identity, hands, holding, individuality, lesbian, letters, lgbt, lgbt wallpaper, lgbtq, LGBTQIA, pride month, queer, rainbow colors, transgender high-resolution photo of acceptance, alphabet, bisexual, blur, close up, colorful, culture, equality, focus, gay, gay pride, gay wallpaper, gender, gender identity, hands, holding, individuality, lesbian, letters, lgbt, lgbt wallpaper, lgbtq, LGBTQIA, pride month, queer, rainbow colors, transgender

California Revisiting Travel Ban

A symbolic gesture is now highly impractical, if not harmful.

The Limits of Academic Freedom

UPenn law professor Amy Wax as a test case.

[Image of a human brain] [Image of a human brain]

The Value Of Cultivating Some Self Doubt

Tips for how to check yourself before you wreck yourself.

U.S. Government’s Woke Training!

There’s training on uncomfortable subjects. Oh noes!

Calcified Democracy

A deep dive into why our politics are so broken.

Bill Russell, 1934-2022

The iconic basketball player, coach, and civil rights leader is gone at 88.

Tony Dow, 1945-2022

The man most famous for his turn on “Leave it to Beaver” has passed from liver cancer aged 77.

Mass Shootings, Ideology, and Mental Illness

We know a lot less about the motives of spree killers than the public discourse suggests.

The free high-resolution photo of writing, pencil, number, font, text, handwriting, document, testing, test, exam, bubble form, test form, exam form, bubble sheet, multipe choice , taken with an SM-N900V 02/12 2017 The picture taken with 5.0mm, f/2.2s, 1/17s, ISO 200 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of writing, pencil, number, font, text, handwriting, document, testing, test, exam, bubble form, test form, exam form, bubble sheet, multipe choice , taken with an SM-N900V 02/12 2017 The picture taken with 5.0mm, f/2.2s, 1/17s, ISO 200 The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Life Ain’t Fair, College Edition

The SAT is a poor measure of college aptitude but it’s better than most others.

[Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson] [Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson]

The Right Is Having A Hard Time Framing Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson As An Extremist

If this is the best they have, they don’t have a lot

The free high-resolution photo of landscape, car, vintage, antique, building, transport, truck, vehicle, nostalgia, gas station, quaint, hdr, playground, cars, gasoline, gulf, petrol, service, pumps, automobile make , taken with an IQ3 100MP 03/16 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of landscape, car, vintage, antique, building, transport, truck, vehicle, nostalgia, gas station, quaint, hdr, playground, cars, gasoline, gulf, petrol, service, pumps, automobile make , taken with an IQ3 100MP 03/16 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Suspending the Gas Tax is Dumb

Yet another case where good politics yields bad policy.

Pandemic, Trauma, and Identity

There’s something happening here. But what it is ain’t exactly clear.

The free high-resolution photo of meeting, business, brand, product, help, capital, illustration, text, graph, diagram, euro, dollar, course, banks, pension, network, loss, economy, refugees, policy, cartoon, recession, businessmen, finance, analysis, values, e commerce, stock exchange, pay, investments, profits, shares, economic crisis, financial world, financial crisis, speculation, capital market, trading floor, world economy, economic migrants, financial equalization, loans, commodity futures, date of goods , taken with an unknown camera 03/09 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required. The free high-resolution photo of meeting, business, brand, product, help, capital, illustration, text, graph, diagram, euro, dollar, course, banks, pension, network, loss, economy, refugees, policy, cartoon, recession, businessmen, finance, analysis, values, e commerce, stock exchange, pay, investments, profits, shares, economic crisis, financial world, financial crisis, speculation, capital market, trading floor, world economy, economic migrants, financial equalization, loans, commodity futures, date of goods , taken with an unknown camera 03/09 2017 The picture taken with The image is released free of copyrights under Creative Commons CC0. You may download, modify, distribute, and use them royalty free for anything you like, even in commercial applications. Attribution is not required.

Americans Feel Economy Much Worse Than it Is

It turns out “the economy” isn’t just one thing.

Evangelical Politics in the Time of Polarization and Covid

A piece in The Atlantic inspires thoughts.

The Psychology of Internet Fame

Our brains are wired to seek approval but may not be equipped to handle our modern existence.

When Will We Get Back to Normal?

A veteran health reporter says the end is near. But there’s a huge caveat.

President Joe Biden takes notes doing a G7 Leaders’ Virtual Meeting Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in the White House Situation Room. President Joe Biden takes notes doing a G7 Leaders’ Virtual Meeting Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in the White House Situation Room.

Judging Presidents and Presidencies

We tend to focus on the wrong qualities in our early assessments.

The Social Psychology of Email

The fear of missing out is strong.

Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead

Trump’s Final Meltdown

The President of the United States is an existential threat to the Republic.

Is Partisanship a “What” or a “Why”?

The conversation continues. (Warning: it is over 3000 words).

President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are joined by health care and nursing association representatives, from left to right-Dr. Ernest Grant, Lisa Barlow, Caroline Few Elliot, Luke Adams, Marty Blankenship, Allen Zelno, Sophia Thomas and Maria Arvonio, listening to a reporter’s question after the signing of a proclamation in honor of National Nurses Day Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks) President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence are joined by health care and nursing association representatives, from left to right-Dr. Ernest Grant, Lisa Barlow, Caroline Few Elliot, Luke Adams, Marty Blankenship, Allen Zelno, Sophia Thomas and Maria Arvonio, listening to a reporter’s question after the signing of a proclamation in honor of National Nurses Day Wednesday, May 6, 2020, at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)

Slowly Re-Opening America

Things are going to get better. And far worse.

Richard Friedman Dead at 79

He revolutionized how we think of male homosexuality.

Why They’re Still Out of Toilet Paper

It’s not greedy hoarders after all.

Bob Woodward Heckled for Doing His Job

The norms of social discourse are rapidly changing in the #MeToo era.

Republicans Blame Video Games For Mass Shootings

Republicans have come up with a new target to blame mass shootings on, “violent video games.”

Cruelty is the Point of Trump’s Border Policy

Not a new observation, but one that should not be forgotten.

Thad Cochran, Longtime Congressman And Senator, Dead At 81

Thad Cochran, who represented Mississippi in Congress for 45 years, has died at the age of 81.

Robert Caro on Writing

The esteemed biographer on his process.

Feeding The Trolls Only Makes Them Stronger

Deny them the pleasure of an angry reaction, and they’ll probably leave you alone.

On “Independents” Again

A further attempt at explanation.

SCOTUS To Consider Case On Employment Discrimination Based On Gender Identity

The Supreme Court is set to consider whether to take a case involving employment discrimination based on gender identity.

When Donald Trump Calls, The Chinese And Russians Are Listening In

President Trump’s private phone calls are apparently a major source of intelligence for foreign nations.

Trump Launches Attack On Christine Blasey Ford

After roughly a week of staying silent, President Trump decided last night to openly mock Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

Kavanaugh is Toast and So is Our Political Climate

We’ll likely never know whether the Supreme Court nominee is a sexual assaulter. But it really doesn’t matter.

Another Allegation

I spoke too soon…

Kavanaugh Nomination At An Impasse Over Hearing On Sexual Assault Charges

The status of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation remains up in the air, as does the question of whether or not Christine Blasey Ford will appear for a hearing on Monday morning.

Donald Trump Shrugging Donald Trump Shrugging

Let’s Face It, Donald Trump Is A Pathological Liar

Donald Trump has been in office just over 600 days, and he’s proven beyond any doubt that he doesn’t care if what he says is the truth or not.

Republicans Join Call For Delay In Kavanaugh Vote Pending Investigation

Cracks are beginning to show in the previously united Republican front on the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation notwithstanding what appear to be credible allegations of sexual assault.

Why Don’t People Listen To Evacuation Warnings?

As Hurricane Florence bears down on the East Coast, most people are listening to orders to evacuate, but some people aren’t.